Update 6-3-08

Hi,

Election day here in California, and, as one of my friends pointed out, this could have been a decisive one.  But we felt we had to be important and moved forward into the rest of the bunch.
   
    A non-political question from Barbara Blitfield Pech:  Just want to let you know, in case you missed any of the morning news shows, that Jerry Bittman's home town, Kearney, Nebraska, was very hard hit in yesterday's round of tornados and bad weather.  If you happen to hear from him, give him a "shout out."
   
    [Rich -- I didn't "happen to hear."  I just wrote Jerry and asked how he was.]
   
    Jerry quickly replied:  Thanks for inquiring.  I was out yesterday, driving with the top down, when the tornado sirens went off.  I did not realize how badly we were hit until I received a number of calls today from people around the country who saw the destruction on their newscasts.  Having lived in Florida for so many years, I experienced a lot of hurricanes.  You can get ample warning on approaching 'canes.  However, with tornados you just never know when they will touch down.  We had six touch down here yesterday.  I saw five cars today that were piled on top of one another.  Another car had a 2 x 4 right through its hood.  Buildings were lost, property destroyed, huge trees uprooted, and electrical lines downed.  Wal-Mart lost power for ten hours and had to throw away all of its refrigerated goods.  One of the largest businesses in town, called The Buckle, owns approximately 350 hip clothing stores in malls.  One of their company jets got destroyed by a tornado yesterday.
        And Paul Zegler is correct -- I was hoping to move to Phoenix next month.  However, my youngest daughter Abby asked me to stay one more year, till she graduates from college, so I will.  Abby and I also just returned from a trip we took to New York.  Without going into too much detail, some guy sitting on the other side of the aisle from us was doing some really weird things on the plane.  I notified the flight attendants, and they had an agent come on board.  He removed the man, checked him out, and then permitted him back on the plane.  The man still remained really fidgety the entire trip, and I kept my eye on him throughout the flight.  I told Abby that if he got out of his seat and walked toward the cockpit, I was going to jump him.
        By the way, here's a list of things I lost in the tornadoes if anybody wants to help out:  8 Drakes packages of Yankee Doodles, a corned beef sandwich from the Woodro deli in Hewlett, a 12-pack of Dr. Browns Cream soda, several potato knishes, and 16 large New York pizzas.  I also have not been able to locate the Italian ices and cannolis from Ferrara's.  If any of these items happen to land on your property, please send them back to me.  Thanks.
   
    A change of address from Andy Dolich:  We've moved.  We have left the "Big Muddy" for the Ocean to the left.  Ellen & Andy Dolich, now in Los Altos, California.  Andy's e-mail:  Andy.Dolich@niners.nfl.net.  Write him for further information.
   
    Related, from Janice Feldman Holden:  I had lunch at JB's in Deerfield, Florida, with Arlene Ainbinder Lynn and Eileen Gunderson Gilet, all class of '66.  Eileen would like to be added to your mailing list.  Her e-mail address is:   egelet@verizon.net   Thanks,
   
    A promise fulfilled to Judy Hartstone:  Her photo of the pre-Forest Road School kindergarten is now posted on the home page.  Go to:  Photos.  Grade School Class Pictures.  Forest Road.  Clearstream Kindergarten.
   
    A reminder from Emily Kleinman Schreiber:  The June meeting of the Alumni Association will take place in South's Library this Thursday, June 5th, at 7:15.  Please let me know if you'll be attending.  I look forward to seeing you.
   
    Another reminder:  The South High School Awards Assembly is on Wednesday, June 11th, 2008 at 7:30 PM in South Hall.  The Vince Tampio and Booker Gibson Awards will be presented, along with many others.  Come early.  Bring a cushion for your seat.
   
    Los Angeles music notices, from Amy Lieberman:
        Billy Valentine's June schedule:
        Monday, June 9th.  Casa Del Mar Hotel, 1910 Ocean Way, Santa Monica.  310-581-5533.  With the Stuart Elster Trio.  A night of standards plus, against the ocean and the brand new Ferris wheel on the pier.
    6:30 -- 10:30 PM in the lounge.
        Friday, June 13th.  Cafe Cordiale, 14015 Ventura Boulevard, Sherman Oaks.  818-789-1985.  With the band, Off the Hook.  Good ol' r&b and dancing in the aisles -- literally.  Two sets -- 10:00 PM and 11:30 PM.
        If you can, we'll see you there.
   
    Finally, some sleuthing, from Joanne Shapiro Polner, who wrote:  The following is not necessarily for printing.  I am asking questions about the Seeligs.  Do you know who can answer?  Can you? 
        If I have the correct information from Veromi.net and the Social Security Death Index, Kenneth Seelig was born 9 Oct 1947 and died on 23 Feb 2001.  The Social Security Index also lists a Kenneth V. Seelig from Valley Stream as born April 1932 and died April 1995.  A cousin?
        Ken's family is listed at veromi.net as composed of:  Joyce (wife), Lisa and Anne (daughters) and
    parents Phyllis and Michael J.
        Michael J. Seelig is listed as born in 1913 and died 10 January 2007.  If I have the right set of names, how is it, please, that Linda Tobin Kettering reported to you in the newsletter that Ken's father died recently?
        I didn't find any quick reference to Michael Seelig's passing, and I have trouble using newspaper archive sites -- I gave up on the Newsday one.  The Social Security Index said that Michael Seelig's last residence was Valley Stream, which is why I assumed that this Michael Seelig referred to Ken's dad.  The three others listed don't have dates that make sense for Ken's dad.
        I am writing to Linda Kettering, and I will ask if the January 2007 date relates to Ken's dad.  I will also ask where she got her information and if she knows anything about Ken's wife.  I found a phone number for Joyce Seelig (Ken's widow) in Valley Stream on Elderberry Lane, where my South co-grad Barbara Cutler Ezrol lived after she was married.  I called the phone number but there was no answer after ten rings.  I'll try again some time.  Maybe Joyce Seelig is in Arizona, where there is another address listed for her on zabasearch.  But there was no phone number.
        I think that the senior Seeligs lived across the street from my husband's family on Sunnyfield Lane.  If I get in touch with Joyce Seelig, I can at least say "hello" for old times sake and express my condolences, quite belated, for the loss of her husband and father-in-law.  And I could check the date for Michael Seelig that way. But I'll see if Linda responds first.
        I also found this for Ken.  It may be from when he died in 2001, before I was a reader of your class newsletter, so you may all have seen it already.
        In Memoriam.  Kenneth C. Seelig, 53, director of purchasing for supplier Prime Resources Corporation, died on February 23, 2001.  Seelig joined Prime in 1992 when Prime acquired Park Sherman, a division of Ketcham & McDougall of which he was president. He is survived by his wife, Joyce, his daughters, Anne and
    Lisa, and his parents, Phyllis and Michael.
        The following came off an old Corporate blog site of his company:  Kenneth C. Seelig , director of Purchasing for Prime Resources Corp, died suddenly on February 23.  He was 53 years old.  "Kenny personified everything you could ever ask for in an employee, co-worker, and friend," says Bob Lederer, Prime's president/founder. "He was a truly wonderful person, whose gentle demeanor, unselfish approach to everything, and grace under pressure endeared him to everyone he knew."
   
    [Rich -- I'm adding this here because I have no answers to Joanne's questions, but maybe other people in the class do.  If so, please let us know.]
   
    Joanne went on to write:  You commented in an earlier newsletter that you thought Robert Raffellini was one of the younger teachers.  Could this be him -- also from the Social Security Index:  Born -- 09 Feb 1942.  Died -- 26 Feb 2008.  This index information may not be relevant as I do not know if that's the teacher from South.
        I am sending an e-mail to Janice Williams, asking for Carol Fasel's married name.  I want to look Carol up on the Social Security Index.  So sorry we keep losing these good people.
        Also, I like your stories about meeting your former classmates.  The recounting is less about you than it is about the people you meet and where and what you talked about.  That all is interesting.  Secret lives of former classmates turn out to be their solid, real lives for two-thirds of their lives so far -- and we didn't know how smart, interesting, thoughtful, adventurous, brave, loving, and talented they have become.  Now, we may know all this glory.  It is good to smile over their lives.
        Best regards to all.