Waukesha South High School

MARLENE BARTZ ( RUCINSKI)

Then

Now

Birthday:August 08, 1941 Occupation:RETIRED Website:granmarsmile@aol.com Marital Status:Widowed No. of Children:2

From MARLENE:Married my H.S. sweetheart. Moved to Green Bay in 1969. Dennis passed away in 1991,we would have celebrated 30yrs. of marriage but he did not make it until Oct. of that yr. On my own since.          Blessed with two Boys of my own and was foster mom to four teen girls. Educated in nursing and worked in the medical field until a couple years ago. Traveled quite a bit in the states including Hawaii and Alaska. Flew in the International Balloon event in N.Mex., Bungie jumped in Florida and walked the glass bottomed skywalk in the Grand Canyon. Photography(had 2 photos published as post cards and one as a calendar cover) and knitting(prayer shawls for the sick and hats for the homeless and shelters) are hobbies. Am a Cancer surviver and navigating on a couple new joints.
     Love the time of having grand children (4) and greatgrand children (3). Have the time to enjoy them now, that I did not have when on the tredmill of parenthood. Thanks to the extended family ( 11) more grand children and (4) greatgrand children.

MY 15 minutes of fame.
I found myself pictured front and center wearing a cheesehead and cheering in the stands of Packer Stadium. Not as a one day shot in a paper but on a Billboard at Packers Practice field for the year.
MY MOST EMBARRASSING MOMENT:
Unlike most folks,mine is schedualed and shared with two other classmates + 1,who though live miles apart gather every Oct. for three days,dress crazy and hit the streets as is. It will be our 17th event this yr. and look out Waukesha here we come..Theme this yr. is owl*ly old ladies. 17 yrs ago Diane Herek and Susan Imig decided I needed to get out more and have fun following my husbands passing. We had such a good time it has become an annual affair for the mental health of us all.
Dressing goofy and not giving a rip what people think has brought us to meet people we would have just walked by otherwise. They are so courious. We have covered Door co. the Milwaukee area,Mountain,Phillips,Green Bay,Plover and all casino's along the way. So embarrassing at times it is also a great gift from my classmate soul sisters. This is my heart felt THANK YOU TO THEM BOTH.

IN SCHOOL* Miss Doge's gym class..because of it I will not join golf outing. We were hitting balls off of door mats acting as green's.
I wound up,connected with ball,it connected with Miss Doge's head. She came over and said,
"I do not think golf is your game."

Chloie Airoldi (Airoldi (Airoldi-Watters))

Then

Now

Birthday:April 26, 1941 Occupation:Retired Website:Facebook Chloie Airoldi-Watters No. of Children:2

From Chloie:I am retired, but very active. I am a Taoist Tai Chi instructor, a co-ordinator for Family Promise, & on the board at my church.
I was at my church (TVUUC) when a shooter came in & opened fire during a chidren's performance of Annie.
Check out my facebook for pics of my family

Patricia (Kathy) Becker (Anderson)

Then

Now

Birthday:December 14, 1941 Occupation:Retired Marital Status:Divorced No. of Children:1

From Patricia (Kathy):

"I missed graduating with my W.H.S. class of '59, because I had transferred to a church related junior college in Wessington Springs, S.D. after my sophomore year. I went on to earn an Associate Bachelor of Science degree from Greenville College, IL and then began nurses training at Presbyterian St. Lukes Hospital in Chicago. I have maintained a lifelong interest in medically related subjects, although my jobs have been in other areas.

I married my college sweetheart, but we divorced when our son, Brad, was a baby. Consequently, I became a working single mother. Fortunately I had a wonderful support system. My parents lived nearby, The Waukesha U.S. Marine recruiters "adopted" Brad, and I met Rich. Rich was my "significant other" for 27 years. He passed away in 2002.

My longest, and last, job was with the Wisc. Dept. of Transportation. My duties there included property acquisition and relocation assistance. I took an early retirement 10 years ago. I enjoy my Hartwell Ave. apartment, taking meals at the friendly neighborhood Alexus Restaurant, and frequenting the Waukesha Public Library. After completing the required genealogical research, I was recently issued a number with the National Daughters of the American Revolution. I also enjoy living in close proximity to Brad and his wife, Donna. (Brad grew up to become a Marine. He is now a Master Sergeant with the U.S.A.F. Reserves and a Waukesha County Sheriff's detective.)

My life changed 3 years ago when a new surgical technique was performed to repair a spinal injury resulting from an automobile accident over 40 years ago. This procedure is called Kyphoplasty and was done at our own Waukesha Memorial Hospital. As a result, I was relieved of the back pain I had endured for many years. Life is sweet!"

Jim Andree

Then

Now

Birthday:October 18, 1941 Occupation:Electrical Engineer Marital Status:Married No. of Children:2

From Jim:

     50 years. I suppose it adds up. They have been long on living, but short on planning, and I did stuff a bit backward. Some things are impossible to forget.
     By the end of '59, I was enlisted in the submarine reserves and completed sub school in New London, Connecticut. The following year it was temporary duty again for 8 months of electronic school at Great Lakes, IL, and when I met Nancy. We were married on September 23, 1961, but I still had to do 2 years of active duty. I shipped out in January of '62. In those few months I transformed Nancy from a church organist to a stereotypical floozy (married to a sailor, pregnant and crying). Ken was born in July of '62. For the 365 days of 1963, I spent 285 of them at sea. On one 3-month cruise, I crossed the arctic circle to become a 'blue nose'.
     An agreement we had when we married was that I would go to college (made up for that floozy part). We had it arranged to start Purdue when I separated from active duty in January of '64. Engneering was the easiest to study since I already knew electronics. Except for the first summer, I went year round. We both worked. Pulled too many 'all nighters' to graduate in August of '67. There was one joy to college life. Bethany was born in June of '67.
     Honeywell Aerospace in Minneaplois was the first career job. It was to be forever, but government cut backs made it otherwise. Went into the automotive industry and moved to Indiana for a few years. Then to Freeport, IL, where our family grew a lot. Nancy was back to a church organist, and into an amateur theater group. Ken graduated from high school there, Bethany from middle school. After painful winters, I convinced everyone we were moving to Florida.
     Burroughs, a sound company at the time, has since evaporated. We moved to Spokane, WA, where Bethany graduated from high school. Folded up an operation of General Instrument, and moved it to El Paso, TX. Spent 8 years in El Paso and my office was in Ciudad Juarez for a while. Moved to Brownsville for a few years when I accepted a 'great offer' from a company in Eden Prairie, MN, of all places (circa '94). Moved to Austin, TX in late '96, and we are still here, and I'm still working. It has to do with drilling rigs.
     Bethany, one of the smartest people I know, has a BFA from UT and is opening a restaurant (Snack Bar) here in Austin. Recession be damned. Her husband, Karl, is one of my boys along with Ken and his three, Michael, Ethan and Noah. My grandsons and I enjoy mutual adoration, and we talk every week. When I retire (may be soon with a severance package), I will always have too much to do. It will be fun to meet 'new' people again at the reunion.

Barbara Blackstone

Now

Birthday:November 13, 1941 Occupation:Consultant and Faculty Member Website:www.blackstonenegotiation.com Marital Status:Divorced No. of Children:2

From Barbara:I graduated from Carleton College in Minnesota in 1963 with a BA and from Roosevelt University in Chicago in 1976 with an MA. After Carleton, I married and had two daughters while living in the Chicago area. After the girls' father and I divorced, I had a brief second marriage which ended in 1975 and I've been single since then. I have worked as a city planner, a site specialist for financial institutions, an alumni director at Carleton, and a specialist in mediation and conflict resolution. I've lived in the Chicago area, Raleigh, NC, the Twin Cities, and for the past six years in Portland, Oregon. I love the easy access to the mountains and the beach, the lush landscape and the fabulous public transit system. Having flowers in bloom in January certainly beats shoveling snow before going to school! I'm semi-retired and teach both on campus and online courses at Marylhurst University, a liberal arts school that caters to nontraditional students. I also have my own business working with women on speaking up for themselves through negotiation and positive conflict management. My girls are both in committed relationships, one here in Portland, and the other in Minneapolis. Neither is inclined to have children so I enjoy those of friends. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone in August.

Alan Carlson

Then

Now

Birthday:June 30, 1941 Occupation:Disabled / Retired Marital Status:Married

From Alan:After graduating High School,I spent approximately 2 1/2 yrs.working as a bell hop at Oakton Manor Resort,in Pewaukee,and working as a junior draftsman at Federal Steel products in Waukesha.

In March of "62" I joined the United States Navy. I went to school at Great Lakes in Waukegan Illinois to be a Radareman. When I joined the fleet I was assigned to the USS Van-Vorhis DE 1028,home ported in Newport R.I. I spent 40 months on her. I saw a lot of the world. We put on enough miles to go around the world 5 times. I was discharged in June "66",was in on the Cuban blockade and extended because of Vietnam. I became a Shelback twice(for crossing the equator)

In Sept. "66"I went to work for Link Builders in the construction trade. Worked in that industry 28 1/2 yrs,until becoming disabled do to a construction accident (back and neck injury)

I became reaquainted with Sharon(Kramber) in "67".We married in "68". Forty one years later it seems like yesterday. We travel a little,watch television and enjoy our kitty.

Sharon Egger (Conway)

Then

Now

Birthday:October 16, 1941 Occupation:retired Marital Status:Married No. of Children:3

From Sharon:Well 50 years have gone by and I am very sorry I can't join all of you at the end of the month to celebrate. I just had my right ankle fused and that means no weight bearing for another month. I eagerly read your coments.

I completed my bachelor of science in nursing degree from the UW Madison in 1963. I also met my husband while at school. Jim is an engineer and we married in 1963. We lived in Milwaukee and bought our first home in Menomonee Falls. We have 3 daughters and 7 1/2 grandchildern. The next grandson is due Jan 19th in LA. I have been with the daughters each time a new baby was born.

I have worked since graduation at various jobs. I started at the VA Hospital in West Allis and then worked for the City of Milwaukee as a Public Health Nurse. I was an allergy clinic nurse in Milwaukee, an ICU Nurse in Chattanooga, Tenn., a medical/surgical nurse and a Hospital Education Coordinator in Manitowoc. I then was a health planning coordinator for Northeastern Wis. I returned to nursing as a faculty member for Lakeshore Technical College. I returned to UW Milwaukee and graduated with a MS in Nursing degree. We lived in Milwaukee, Menomonee Falls, Signal Mt., Tenn., Manitowoc, Roscoe, Ill. and now Merrimac.

We have been retired for many years. We now spend Nov through April at a 2nd home in Green Valley Arizona. We fly home for Xmas and that is enough cold and snow for us. Jim built us a lovely retirement home on Lake Wisconsin so we get to Madison frequently. We look at the Lake in the summertime and the mountains in the winter.

Our most interesting recent trip was an African Safari in Tanzania in 2008. We also enjoyed a rafting trip through the Grand Canyon, driving through New Zealand and Australia, a river boat trip from Moscow to St. Petersburg. Being Irish, we spent a few weeks exploring Ireland. Now, I have to get myself moving again so we can keep going. Arthritis is bad news.

Sherry

Phil DeCabooter

Then

Now

Birthday:October 10, 1941 Occupation:State Traffic Engineer Marital Status:Married No. of Children:3

From Phil:After graduation from Marquette Engineering and Graduate School I've been working for the Wisconsin Department of Transportation for 47 years. Happily married to my wife, Pat for 41 years. We have 3 sons. All followed their old man into engineering. We have 6 beautiful grandchildren--4 living: 1 3-1/2 yr. old boy, 1 2-1/2 yr. old girl and year-old twin girls. Still working because I haven't found anything else I want to do and I don't golf very well.

My 15 Minutes of Fame

My 15 minutes of fame involved taking a news guy (WKOW-Ch 27) and his camera up in a 5X8 OSHA cage with a hole cut in the floor, and conducting an interview dangling from a crane 200' above the Hwy 32 intersection in Horicon. This was part of a big truck operations study project I led when I was the Department's research engineering chief back in the early 80's. Made the evening news. That's "high adventure" for a bureaucrat, and probably the most fun I've ever had at work, but assuredly it's pretty dull stuff for everyone else.

My Most Embarrassing Moment

One of many embarrassing moments occurred during the big 1978 Christmas parade in Madison. This was the biggest crowd they ever had...half a million people lining the entire Capitol Square. Of course, with small kids (6,3 and 1) potty breaks are a must, so I took the three boys through the crowd into the building. On returning to our place on the street, we had to navigate our way back through the throng. I pushed our oldest ahead of me through the line of people 10 deep. I was carrying the one-year old and expected my three-year old would follow in my wake as I plowed my way through. Didn't work for the trailing youngster. The crowd closed him off. I got out on the other side and my wife said "Where's Danny?" So we started a frantic search. Naturally looking for a three-year old in a crowd like that is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. People in the crowd asked what he had on and passed the word. Finally, from down the street, I heard cheering. A Madison police officer had picked up our little guy and was walking slowly up the middle of the street in hopes of someone recognizing him. The friend who we'd left at our post ran out to get him when she caught sight of our little youngster, and from the commotion among everyone we figured he'd been found. But it was a long time before my wife let me take all three boys for a restroom break alone again.

Susan Imig (DeMuth)

Then

Now

Birthday:April 07, 1941 Occupation:retired Marital Status:Married No. of Children:2

From Susan:

After graduating, I attended Lakeland College and completed my degree in 1963. I began working in banking in Waukesha and later moved to Los Angeles. I returned to Wisconsin and was married in 1965. We then spent three years in exile in Illinois, before returning to Wisconsin 1968. We have lived in Fort Atkinson, Sun Prairie, Stevens Point and now reside in Plover, Wisconsin. We have two children. Our son lives in Janesville and our daughter lives in Whiting (a small village adjacent to Plover). We are blessed with two grandchildren who keep us active. Our winters are spent in Brownsville, Texas. Being close to the Mexican border, we have traveled extensively into Mexico, enjoying the food and cultural opportunities avalable to us. Can you say Margaritas?

Memories from Union School 2nd. or 3rd grade. The class room faced Worthington High School and several guys in the high school were pretending to throw several flower pots out the window (believe they were in a biology class). I started laughing, not acceptable to the teacher and soon I found a note pinned to my jacket and sent home. I don't recall a severe punishment when I got home and have been laughing through life ever since.

Patricia Marten (Denning)

Then

Now

Birthday:June 17, 1941 Occupation:Retired Marital Status:Widowed

From Patricia:

The world opened up after high school. My career began the afternoons of my senior year when I worked for the County Superintendent of Schools (a now non-existent position) at the Waukesha County Court House. My longest (26 yeas) post graduation job was that of Office Manager of International Sales at Kearny & Trecker. That experience led to my making friends around the world and in the U.S. These friendships have led to my interest in travel. And we still keep in touch. (Kearney & Trecker also went the way of the dinosaur – bought out and closed down.) My last employer was the M & I Trust Company. I was hired because my older boss required his dictation be taken by shorthand - a now extinct skill. [Thank you WHS for providing that skill as it is tough to look for a job when you are in your 50’s.)]

After my first marriage ended, I enjoyed single life again for a number of years. The Milwaukee Toppers (a social organization for women over 5'10" and men over 6'2") was a significant part of my life then. In 1983 I married Wayne, a longtime friend. I became a step grandma of 4 boys through Wayne. After 19 years together, he passed away 7 years ago.

I am a cancer survivor since '85 and appreciate each day. It is great to be alive.

Over the years I have volunteered through crisis intervention for abused women and sexual assault; been a consumer advocate with Milwaukee Concerned Consumers League through the Milwaukee Spanish Council and taken terms on my church council.

I am presently co-chairing the fund raising committee for a favorite non profit organization of mine, Serenity Inns. Their purpose is to provide housing, spiritual growth, supportive health, educational and vocational servicesfor recovering alcoholics and drug abusers. I, too, am a recovering alcoholic (dry for 34 years), and am currently involved in fund raising for this cause.

I retired 2 years ago, but still keep my fingers in with a job out of my home for a charitable foundation. I am planning a trip to Oberammergau, Germany in 2010 to include visiting long time friends in Europe. Sure do love this “retirement” thing. Need more hours in a day and more days in a week.