You May Not Know This....

Updated 7/29/11

This is another interactive post....you send me "what's going on in your life or in the life of any other classmates"...and I'll add it to this post.  By doing this all year....I'm sure we will all feel as if we know each other a little better after 50 years.  Each additional "item" will be added just below this paragraph.  Send to singo2@frontier.com or snail mail to Cheryl Edwards Harris, 820 West 9th, Alliance NE  69301.  If anyone objects to anything on this page, let me know and I will delete it.


7/27/11 ~ Four pictures sent in by Cheryl Edwards ~ a get together of some of our classmates.

#1 ~ Wanda Walston, Marcia Knigge, Janice Phillip, Sande Phillips, Connie Sherlock, Cheryl Edwards

 #2 ~ Carolyn Cole, Wanda Walston, Sande Phillips

 #3 ~ Marcia Knigge, Judie Von Tour

#4 ~ Wanda Walston, Marcia Knigge, Janice Phillip, Sande Phillips, Connie Sherlock, Judie Von Tour, Carolyn Cole

7/10/11 a story from Mickey Coleman ~ When we lived in Germany, my closest friend was a German woman named Rosi.  She had three kids (Gudi, Riki, and Walter).  Gudi was a university student at that time and wanted to help me with my girl scout troop.  She brought five girls from her parish and with my five American girls, we worked on the T.O.F.S. badge (Troops on Foreign Soil).  This is a badge that is a one on one with a girl from the country that you are living in.  The whole badge takes a year to complete, sharing your life and cultures with each other.  They come to be very well acquainted.  When we were done with the badge, the girls did not want to break up...so we just registered them all as part of my troop and Gudi as my co-leader.  Here are a couple of pics of some of the girls.  We were working on a music and drama badge.  We are in front of the puppet stage that one of the German girl's Dad had made and they painted and decorated.  I am the one with the big red nose!!  The girls are sitting and I am standing.  




6/9/11 ~ a message from Mary Todd, Bill's wife ~ Bill went back to school and became a master carpenter.  He built some beautiful furniture in his life that the kids have already put their names on.  Note from Sharon ~ the neatest thing about this note was Bill's name in the picture ~ notice that each letter is made from tools.


5/26/11 ~ a message from Gary Ehrlich

I received a great visitors package from the Alliance Chamber of Commerce that people might enjoy who haven't been to Alliance for a few years.  It surprised me to see all of the things that have changed there since I left...I suppose 52 years will do that!

02/02/11 ~ a forward from Glenda Harvey ~ a poem about Nebraska
The Poem

Smack in the middle of our great nation

Is a state that requires some explanation.

To east and west coasters who'll come right out and ask ya

"Is there anything of interest in the State of Nebraska?"

It's true we don't have mountains all decked out in snow,

But we do have the world's biggest live chicken show.

We're the makers of Spam. We invented Kool-Aid,

And this is where the first Reuben sandwich was made.

Our insect, the Honeybee. our bird, the Meadowlark.

The strobe light, our creation, works best in the dark.

Governmentally speaking, we're a freak of nature.

Since we have the only one-house legislature.

On Arbor Day, when you plant a tree,

Remember that it started in Nebraska City.

We were once called a desert, but that name didn't take,

Since we have the country's largest underground lake.

We have the world's largest forest planted by hand,

And more miles of rivers than any state in the land.

The College World Series calls Omaha "home,"

And yes, this is where the buffalo used to roam.

We were the first state in the nation to finish our Interstate section, 

And the first to run two women in the gubernatorial election.

We invented 9-1-1 emergency communication,

And we're the number one producer of center pivot irrigation.

Our woolly mammoth fossil is the largest ever found,

And our monumental "Carhenge" is certain to abound.

We have several museums that could be called odd, 

Dedicated to Chevy's, fur trading, roller skates and sod.

In Blue Hill, Nebraska, no woman wearing a hat

Can eat onions in public. Imagine that!

 

We built the largest porch swing and indoor rain forest, and anyone who visits is sure to adore us.

So pack up the kiddies, the pets and the wife,

And see why Nebraska is called

"THE GOOD LIFE."

(Oh my -- it doesn't even once mention football? OR that the yellow color of the school buses originated in Franklin, NE, OR that Runza and Dorothy Lynch salad dressing are found only in NE.)

12/31/2010 ~ Rosa Lee Cornette emailed me about this article that was on the front page of the Alliance Times Herald ~ Cheryl Edwards Harris ~ was named Alliance's 2010 Person of the Year.  Congratulations, Cheryl......and thanks Rosa Lee for suggesting I put this info on the blog.

Cheryl Harris, Mission Store, Inc. board member, Episcopal deacon and Bulldog BackPack coordinator, has been chosen as Alliance’s “Person of the Year” for 2010.  Harris has affected the lives of those she knows and many more people she has never met.  A deacon in the Episcopal Church, she touches people through her faith both within the congregation at Saint Matthew’s and in the larger community.  In addition to helping meet spiritual needs, Harris has been a tireless advocate for the less fortunate, especially children, according to friend and former co-worker Georgia Overstreet.  Two of her current means to reach out are The Mission Store, Inc. and the Bulldog BackPack program.  She has been involved with the store nearly a decade as the enterprise reaches several segments of the economic spectrum.  The backpacks were introduced this school year to assist qualifying students not receiving that kind of help elsewhere.


12/14/2011 ~ The Alliance High School (formerly our Junior High School) is building a Performing Arts Center to be completed in 2011 for trade shows, lectures, graduations, conferencing, assemblies, distance learning, etc. ~ a 750 seat auditorium with video conferencing capabilities.

Cheryl Edwards ~ 12/6 ~ This picture was taken at a gathering in Scottsbluff of seven classmates from the Scottsbluff/Alliance area.  Seated:  Judie VonTour, Mary Lou Reno; Back Row ~ Wanda Walston, Carolyn Cole, Connie Sherlock, Cheryl Edwards, Marcia Knigge

Janice Phillip ~ 11/10 ~ Took this picture of the Carnegie Arts Center (formerly our Alliance library when we were in school).  If you would like to visit the Carnegie Arts Center while you are in Alliance, it is open
Tuesday ~ Saturday 10 am to 4 pm and
Sunday 1 pm to 4 pm,
free admission

Our "Class of 1961" bought a brick after the 40th class reunion with leftover funds.  The bricks are $50 each (one of the many fundraisers the Carnegie Arts Center has to keep the art center functioning).  Anyone may purchase a brick in memory or in honor of someone.









Dale Moore ~ 10/10 ~ Was wondering if any classmate remembers Felix Goodshot and Charles Lomgpumpkin.  Ken Lincoln's reply (10/31/10) ~ Felix Goodshot was back on the rez in the 1980s, and I saw him at the PHS hospital with a cast on his leg.  His grandmother was raising his kids.  Jack Longpumpkin died, I believe, some years ago.


Jane Gorder ~ 10/15/10 ~ Check out Jane and her husband's book store ~ Prairie Books and Gifts in Hastings NE ~ looks like a fun place to go ~ and the statute across the street is perfect.

Patty Reddish ~ 10/12/10 ~ We went to Brownsville TX for 4 winters.  This will be our 5th year in Alamo.  Casa del Valle is the name of the park.  I was activities director 3 years ago--must have had a minus sign on my forehead.  Got paid for 30 hours and put in about 70 hrs a week.  I belong to a group call Texas Grandmas--we do a lot for the poor kids.  Quilts-clothes-toys-stuffed animals.  Last year I sewed 350+ teddy bears.  This year we are making Hacky Sac balls for the boys and bracelets or hair pieces for the girls.  I have made over 100 balls and have about half of them stuffed with beans.  Last year we made over 500 quilts-used curtains-sheets-pieces of shirts.  If you know of anyone that has material they want to give away have them contact me and I will send them money for postage.  Some of the girls are also making stocking caps--we could also use donations of yarn.  Type in Colonians and you will see how some of the kids live.  Sorry but when I get started I need to share my warm fuzzies. 
 

Mickey Coleman ~ submitted this picture of Paul Thiessen (in black sweater with white stripe) playing ping pong at Coligny Cascerne Base in Orleans, France.  Mickey and Paul were in the service at the same time on the same base in France.  Mickey says she knew Paul very well (since the church nursery in Alliance).

Glenda Harvey ~ When we moved to our house in Alliance ...Clyde Darveau's house was the last one on that block and you know how further Platte goes now.  What was weird was on the street of just Platte (where I lived), there were like six sets of twins.  I can't remember all of them, but there were Shelmadines, Moomeys, Olsons, Harveys, Chamberlains, and I am thinking Flores's had a set and lived on Platte, too.   Quite a few for that small of a town and on one street. 


Rosalee Cornette ~ Did you know Rosalee and her husband, Gordon Hoff, celebrated the Alliance Floral Shop's 100 years in business in October ~ 1910-2010?  Check it out at Hoffhaus Gardens


Judy O'Leary ~ was a very good friend of classmate Mary Ann Nuss ~ however, Mary Ann's mother thought Judy was a bad influence for Mary Ann.  Judy says she was ornery at that age and still is!  Glenda Harvey was in Judy O'Leary's wedding party.

Glenda Harvey and Judy O'Leary ~ Glenda and Judy went to Business School in Rapid City.  They had a flood in their Rapid City apartment and lost a lot of their 45's and 78's and record player.  Heard of those???  By the time they waded out, the water was up to their waists.  That was when we had waists!!!  Luckily, they were planning to move in a week anyway so made an earlier move. 

Judy Bushnell ~ In my "young picture", I am in a dress, so it was taken before I became more vocal, and wouldn't wear a dress.  My mother told me that I would hide under the bed, or run to the barn to keep from wearing a dress.


Rosa Lee Cornette ~ was born on 8/22/1943 ~ the day the air base was opened in Alliance.  Her sister never forgave her because the family had made plans to go to the air base on opening day which didn't happen because of Rosa Lee's birth.


Bill McCollam ~ has been to 41 of the yearly Sturgis Harley Rally's in South Dakota.  Bill began attending in 1967.


Dick Graham ~ Dick plays golf with Cobras!!









Judy Bushnell ~ "love to play the stock market....it is a passion of mine and I spend hours of research, and all that goes with it.  Fun stuff."  


Ken Lincoln ~ writing another book ~ "A Man's Word" hoping to find a publisher this coming year and to retire in March, 2011.  Among many of the reviews, essays, chapters, book reviews, and books he has written is White Boyz Blues: A Memoir in 2007; as well as "The Year the Sun Died", a novel about Alliance in 1969.  
Alliance is a musical rendering of Ken's book by Sam Stalos with narrative by Ken.






















Nancy Chamberlain ~ Not retired yet ~ but plan to be by the end of January, 2011.  I have very short hair now due to chemo – lung cancer – not used to this new style!  But...chemo is over ~ so far ~ "fingers crossed" this will be beat.   12/15/10 ~ Nancy's update ~ retiring December 31, 2010!  Congratulations, Nancy.    



Sharon Phillip ~ My husband Tony had open heart surgery July 9th.  He is doing great now, but.....even though this surgery happens hundreds of times each day throughout the US, when it happens to you, it is a different story.  Because of this surgery, Tony and I have been unable to travel away from the doctors and the cardiac rehab center.  Therefore, this blog has been a blessing in disguise.  I have kept busy finding classmates and figuring out what to do next on the blog to keep in interesting.

Eleanor Austen ~ Check out this picture of Eleanor in the 1980s, working on a mammoth skull.











Jacki Vallentine ~ "We last saw Paul Thiessen in Luxumbourg at the American Cemetary  where he was curator.   We had a nice visit, met his wife, Bridgette and shared fondue at a local restaurant."  P.S. from Sharon ~ This is a good site to learn more about the Cemetary where Paul was curator and where General Patton was buried.

Paul Nelson ~ Training for a 13 mile downhill run near Rapid City SD ~ now up to going about 2.5 miles in 34 minutes ~ race is on an old gold mine railroad track that runs through the heart of the Black Hills.check.  "I actually like my full court basketball a couple of times a week as it gets cooler better, but it is only short sprints."