Our next class lunch event will be in September 2025
(The details will be announced later)
Until then, be well, dear classmates!
New News Items
"A Kid Named Joey" - An entertaining book recently written by Joe Kempston.
(Go to the "Profiles" page for a summary of Joe's fascinating book.)
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Also new in the "Profiles" section is a profile of Helen Bitar
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Again, please see your website www.cloverpark1959.com for the latest news on the class.
ENJOY YOUR SUMMER AND BE COOL! We hope to see you at the next get-together in September.
The October 16th Lunch Event
at the RAM Restaurant in Lakewood
We had a great turnout – 31 people! Three classmates joined us who we have not seen in a few years. Seven who had signed up were not able to attend and were missed. With the bonus of a sunny day, our private room at the Lakewood RAM restaurant was bright and cheerful, which contributed to the high spirits of those in attendance.
After lots of cheerful chatter and getting reacquainted, we had a very nice lunch. For a change, everyone ordered from the menu. This resulted in no upfront charge to attend the event. Our waiter was very efficient and most of the time, while taking orders and delivering the food, was a blur coming and going with excellent efficiency. As a result, we are planning to do the same for the next event.
Toward the end of the event, Ann Cook Darrah asked the group about the timing for the next event. With a show of hands, it was unanimously agreed that we would plan to have the next luncheon in the early spring of 2025 as weather permits. It was also unanimously decided to have the luncheon at the Ram. Everyone liked the convenience of the location, the parking, and the easy access to the event room. (3 cheers for Gail Lewis Kieffer! Gail worked closely with Susie Strickland Iverson’s grandson, Wyatt, to make this excellent venue available to us.)
As a special treat, Dave Paup supplied us with beautifully decorated cookies fresh from his “Cookies In Bloom” (www.cookiesinbloom.com) business. Thanks, Dave; they were yummy. Dave says he is seriously considering a repeat of the treat for the next event.
Again, please see your website www.cloverpark1959.com for the latest news on the class.
HAVE A NICE HOLIDAY SEASON! We hope to see you at the next get-together in the Spring.
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June 5th Reunion Lunch
At The Ram Restaurant in Lakewood
(Event Photos in the PHOTO ALBUM section)
ATTENDEES: Gary and Helga Thomas, Don Alsbury (Eileen), Jim McCoy (Cindy), Art Barrett (Shelee), Rich Burnite, JoMary Schmaltz Thompson (Dave), Bill Baty (Elaine), Rosellen Sieg Paolino (daughter Susan), George Kelley (Marilyn), Susie Strickland Iverson, Dave Paup (Joanne), Rich Longstreth (Judy), Gail Lewis Kieffer (Lin), Charlie Siegmund and Linda Burgoyne Bassett, Ann Cook Darrah (Mike).
Thanks to all who were able to join us for lunch and camaradarie. Great crowd! Once again, we had a pleasant event filled with lots of relaxed chatter, tasty food, and bright sunshine. We were served a cobb salad buffet, and as usual, The Ram servers did a great job.
After everyone was settled and finished with lunch, Gail gave us an update on Joe Kempston, who is recovering from heart surgery at home. The news was good and it was encouraging for his continuing improvement. A card was sent "from classmates" wishing him a speedy recovery.
Dave Paup, who owns a cookie business, "Cookies in Bloom" (www.cookiesinbloom.com), brought samples of his cookies. Thanks Dave, they were yummy.
Our next reunion luncheon is scheduled for Wednesday, October 16, 2024, at The Ram in Lakewood. More information will follow at a later date. We would be delighted to see more of our classmates at the next event. Catching up is great fun.
Please visit our website (www.cloverpark1959.com) for updates. Rich Longstreth keeps the updates current.
HAPPY SUMMER EVERYONE!!!!
Gail Lewis Kieffer ggkieffer@aol.com
Rich Longstreth ptinc72@comcast.net
Ann Cook Darrah dmichael75@comcast.net
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February 8th Reunion Lunch
At the RAM Restaruant in Lakewood
(Event photos in PHOTO ALBUM section)
“A happy and relaxing event.” That seems to aptly describe the reunion lunch event that was held on February 8th at the Ram Restaurant in Lakewood.
Attending the event were 16 classmates, plus 8 guests. Another 6 paid but were unable to attend. Plus, 4 others who have been regular attendees were not able to attend. If everyone had attended, including those who are regulars, there would have been a total of 34 people, which would be an excellent turnout for our stage and age.
The atmosphere was relaxed and cheerful with lots of chatter. A tasty taco bar with ample variety was set up for casual eating. A wall of large windows created a well-lit atmosphere. A large fireplace added to a cozy ambiance. Everyone seemed to be having a good time. The only problem was that with so many people, there was time to speak with only a few of those in attendance. So, to allow more time for catching up, it was unanimously agreed that we would have another lunch in early June. Details of the next event will be available in a month or so.
Bring photos you think might be of interest to your friends. Rich Longstreth says he plans to bring a collection of photos of classmates at parties in Junior and High School, including a couple that were taken at slumber parties. You will likely recognize several familiar faces.
We hope to see you at the June event!
Special Note: Dave Paup attended the event and revealed that he is still actively involved with his business, which is cookies. He has a website: www.CookiesInBloom.com When you have a few free minutes, check it out. It is fun to see so many kinds of cookies and the many ways they are packaged and presented. Plus, Dave said that he plans to attend in June and will be bringing a selection of cookies for us to sample. Yum!
** Thanks go to Gail Kieffer and her friend Lin Wicks for taking several photos at the event. The photos have been added to PHOTO ALBUMS on the website: www.cloverpark1959.com
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As always, we are looking forward to seeing each of you at the next event!
Best wishes to all for a happy, safe, and healthy remainder of 2024.
Your Reunion Committee.
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64th “Reunion” Lunch Event - A Lively and Fun Experience
(See photos in PHOTO ALBUMS)
On September 12th, a total of twenty-five people, which included seventeen classmates and eight guests, met for a relaxing and lively lunch at Bur's restaurant in Lakewood. The event was held mid-week, at noon, for maximum ease of attendance. Everyone had a good time conversing with different people. The event was purposely kept simple without extravagant fanfare. The result was a casual and relaxed experience.
The venue was a test to determine whether a restaurant was a good place to hold the event. While it was great, as usual, to see our friends, the conclusion was that a different setting would be more suitable for our next event. The reason for that conclusion was that the room, while private, was noisy, which made conversation challenging for those of us with less-than-perfect hearing - there were too many hard surfaces. Also, the configuration of the tables was not the best. There were three long tables for seating, which made conversation with different people a bit challenging. The high noise level meant that you often had to get up and walk to the person you wanted to talk with, and there wasn't always a seat available to sit and chat.
A final consideration for this venue was that the cost per person would be low ($21). Despite the challenges, everyone seemed to enjoy themself. We all managed to make opportunities to do some precious catching up with different classmates. Toward the end of the event, Gail Kieffer, got everyone’s attention to discuss a date for our next one. The consensus was that we should have another casual lunch event sooner rather than later. Hence, the end of January 2024 was the popular choice.
To ensure that we have a quieter venue that allows easy mixing with classmates, and is easy to get to. The cost per person is likely to be a bit higher than it was for this event. Before the end of the year, the committee plans to have details to distribute to classmates regarding a first-of-February 2024 event.
As always, we are excited to see each one of you at the next event!
Best wishes to all for a happy, safe, and healthy remainder of 2024.
Your Reunion Committee.
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Our 63rd Reunion Picnic Event, "Honoring Charlie", Was a Success!
See the "63rd Reunion Picnic" tab at the left margin for details.
A photo album for the event has been added.
The photo above is a group photo of all who attended the Reunion Picnic.
November 17th, 2022, Event at Meadow Park Golf Club:
A total of 19 people attended this recent event. Another 7 signed up but canceled at the last minute due to injury, illness, and other unavoidable issues. So, if everyone had been able to attend, there would have been at least 26 attendees. Based on the actual attendance, the no-shows, and the time of the year, we guess that the next event, in the Spring, will likely have a much higher attendance.
Everyone liked this venue. It has good potential for future events. Everyone agreed that we should do it there, again, in the spring. The setting was pleasant for a large group. The menu was good for a lunch event. The single-level and level-entry-layout were also appealing. Plus, Meadow Park Golf Club is easy to get to with good parking. So everyone was in good spirits and having a good time.
Be sure to note on your calendar that we will be doing it again in the Spring. The date will be determined in January, and an email notification will be sent out. Even though this one was the 3rd “reunion” event since August, a lot of classmates seem to be up for multiple events during the year. Our age undoubtedly has something to do with it.
We hope to see you at the next one! It will be a great opportunity to let your teenage self come out.
Classmates who have recently left us:
Roger Woodcock, April 11, 2020, Lebanon, OR
Donna Michaelson Ruthardt, March 11, 2022, Beaverton, OR
Brian McGuire, February 11, 2022, Palm Springs, CA
John McConaghy, October 26, 2021, Sarasota, FL
Neva Jo Berg Conzatti, July 22, 2020, Centralia, WA
Dawn Walker Baty, June 29, 2021, Gig Harbor
Audrey Ockfen Charles, February 21, 2020, Sacramento, CA
John Link, September 2, 2020, Tacoma
George Ivie, April 2020
Gary Wooten, April 2020
Mel Neighbors, February 23, 2020, University Place
Amazing Sketch of Jerry Storvick
In "PROFILES" at the left margin, see the larger rendering of this amazing sketch of Jerry along with the story about the sketch and how we came into possession of it.
let us know of a classmate who has passed away and is not on the list.
Your help is greatly appreciated. If you have information,
please contact Gail Keiffer, Ann Darrah, or Rich Longstreth.
Reunion Committee Meeting Schedule:
To be announced.
"PROFILES" - Recommend a classmate to be profiled (See "PROFILES" link at the left). This could be someone who has had an extraordinary experience or who has extraordinary success in their career or life pursuit. Contact Rich with your candidate's name.