Wellston High FLASHLIGHT Newsletter

FLASHLIGHT
65th Edition
First issue November, 1920

WELHISCO ALUMNI NEWSLETTER

Oct, Nov, Dec, 2012

Willy Wellston

Willy Wellston designed by
Kermit Ruyle '47

Reminder
3 years until

Reunion 2015
To be announced

WHS Alumni Club
Membership

Email - $10.00
Snail Mail 15.00
1/1/13 - 12/31/13

Application

*************

2012 Buzzbooks available
$15.00

56 pages of alumni information
(while supplies last)

************

Mail check to:
PO Box 774
O'Fallon, MO 63366

View Guest and which event attended

2013 Member List

REUNION 2012

Reunion 2012 was held once more at St. Charles Convention Center and once again everyone was presented with a memorable experience. The weather was beautiful and so were the guests! All three facets of the events were deemed wonderful by those attending and left everyone eager for Reunion 2015. The only thing that could have been improved upon was the number of people in attendance. That may have been due more to the current economic conditions than anything else. Certainly, the Reunion Committee did an excellent job in putting on all three of these stellar activities.

Now, it will be up to a new committee, made up primarily of new volunteers, to begin consideration of Reunion 2015. Here is your chance to be a part of planning and carrying out these activities. It gives you the opportunity to “give something back” to your classmates and your school. And, surprisingly, you may find it is fun working with other graduates to provide a “Class A” experience for all. (Remember how much fun it was to decorate for dances at WHS?) It’s also a chance to suggest new ideas that haven’t been tried.

If you ever attended one of the reunions, then you know how much fun they are. The reunion committee has become more organized with each one.

There is also a need for people to serve as club officers and trustees’ where several changes are in the works. Mary Kay (Parker) Morse ’56 vacated her position as president for 2015 and entered her name for a trustee position. Jim Shaw ‘45 is retiring as secretary/treasurer. It would be great if someone from the O'Fallon, MO area would volunteer for this position so the same PO Box number could be kept. After 3 terms as trustee, Joe Hunter ’54, JoAnn (Wms) Croce ’60 and Phyllis (Crouch) Russom ’62, and 1 term for Gloria (Schwenk) Turner ’59 are retiring.

WHS Alumni Club will continue and the Flashlight printed. Hopefully, someone will step up to the plate and volunteer for one of the available offices so our reunions will continue at a same high level.

If you can help or know of someone who would want to volunteer, please fill out the form below.

Copy and paste then email to [email protected] or mail to: WHS Alumni Club, PO Box 774, O'Fallon, MO 63366

Reunion 2015
Officer & Trustee Nominations

Return form before 12/15/2012

                                 Nomination:

President:                                             [ ] _________________________
                                                             [ ] _________________________
Secretary/Treasurer                          [ ] __________________________
                                                               [ ] __________________________

Trustee: (5 need to be chosen)

                                                              [ ] Mary Kay (Parker) Morse ‘56
                                                              [ ] Sandra Hague Helmich ‘59
                                                              [ ] Larry Turner ’60 (Incumbent)
                                                              [ ] Cheryl Horne ‘61
       Nomination                                 [ ]____________________________
       Nomination                                 [ ]____________________________
       Nomination                                 [ ]____________________________

(Wouldn't you like to volunteer for one of the position?)

Sign:____________________________ Class _____ Date:___________

FLASHLIGHT

PAGE 2 Oct, Nov, Dec, 2012

ALUMNI NEWS AND COMMENTS

P-51 Fighter Plane Hero

John Hill '43 and his crew chief stands next to John's P-51 fighter plane which was named after his wife, Shirley Mae. John, on the left, was hit once from ground fire during the Korea War but made it back to base safely. Once his crew chief patched up plane he was off and flying again.

In the stories John told his son about the war, the missions he enjoyed the most was shooting at trains. No one got hurt. John served in WW11 then was drafted for the Korea War.

John's graduated in 1943 then enlisted in the service. If you look closely at his diploma you will see some names that are very familiar to you and signed your diploma also.

Double click either of the pictures to view them larger.

Treadway family Moon picture taken at Forest Park. Shown are Carol '69, Mrs. Treadway, Ted '68 and Mary '65

The Treadway family relocated to California and still reside there.

Wellston address was: 6523 Mount Avenue

My husband, sister, her date, and I attended the reunion Dinner Dance Saturday 10/6; a good time was had by all. My sister, Chenell ('66) and I attend the Mixer and Picnic also.

It was so good to see the many classmates (Judy Carpenter, Germaine Williams, Mike Cole, Barbara Radtke, Larry & Judy (Easton) Tyler, JoAnn Goforth, Trudy Sowell, Richard Powell, Carolyn Smith, Jimmy Bennett, Sharon Cain, JoAnn Williams, Ruth Johnson ('36), Shirley Dawes, Charley Dooley, Ron Mueller, Audrey Pilkenton, Eric Pirtle, Sharon Zeltmann, Harriett and Kendell Carroll) to name a few of the over 200 alumni. Of course hardly any of us knew each other until we looked at the name tags with the old student photos! Congratulations and thanks to all those responsible for all three of the events.

I pray for these reunions continued for many years to come. All the best,
Dora (Penilton) Griffin '67

Senior Olympics

The second annual Senior Olympics held by West County Assembly of God Church (Chesterfield, MO) for the Adventurers Group was hosted at one of their member's home in Gray Summit this past August.

Games played included pool, darts, shuffleboard, golf, Pacman, Atari and Wii bowling. Out of 30 seniors from their group, Carol (Beeman) Hathaway ’60 defended her second place title from last year by coming in second again this year. (6416 Spencer Place)

Wayne Scott '64 and his wife Suzanne enjoyed a cruise down the Seine River through France beginning in Hon Fleur, ending in Paris. They visited Rouen (where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake), Normandy beach, Norte Dame Church, Eifel Tower, and Van Gogh's Museum.

The highlight of their trip was visiting French friends and seeing how they lived. They were truly impressed with the French desserts and their homemade apple cider.

Suzanne's bucket list includes skiing the Swiss Alps. This trip is planned for March 2013.
(6471 Wells Ave)

AMERICAN IDOL CONTESTANT
HAS WELLSTON TIES

Sandy Campion '64
6241 Lennox

Bud O'Brien '63
6345 Evanston

The grandparents of Matt Wynn, Bud O'Brien ‘63 and Sandy (Campion) O'Brien ’64 are patiently waiting for the live portion of American Idol to start in January. That is when everyone finds out how the audition in Chicago turned out last July. Matt has been sworn to secrecy until the show airs live.

Bud and Sandy hope's all their schoolmates, friends, and Wellston neighbors will vote for Matt and keep him in the running.

Wisdom doesn't always come with age---sometimes age just shows up by itself.

FLASHLIGHT

PAGE 3 Oct, Nov, Dec , 2012

WALT WILSON '49 RECEIVES AWARD
Wellston address:
(1514 Oak Grove)

Walt Wilson, class of '49, was recently awarded the Carl and Beth Goldberg Vital People Award for his contributions to the Academy of Model Aeronautics, The Spirits of St. Louis R/C Flying Club, Inc., and model aviation.

He has been a leader in the Spirits of St. Louis R/C Flying Club, Inc. for many years. He is a past president and retired as secretary and newsletter editor in October of this year. He has been the club secretary for twelve years and newsletter editor for fourteen years. Walt also was newsletter editor for five years in the 1970’s for a total of nineteen years and over 30,000 newsletters mailed out.  He is recognized as the club photographer. He has attended almost all club meetings, contests, and events and has taken pictures that he used in the newsletter and were posted on the Spirits’ web site and Facebook page. Through the years, he has written articles about the Spirits, their flying field, unique contests and events that have been in most of the major model airplane magazines, including Model Aviation, Model Airplane News, R/C Modeler, and RC Report. He wrote and illustrated a monthly column for RC Report for more than four years. Walt wrote the column and laid out the illustrations. His wife, Suzi, would edit and ink the illustrations. He also wrote dozens and photographed kit reviews through the years.

Walt arranged for newspapers to run news releases and send reporters to club events and write articles for local papers. He contacted local television stations and had them do news segments promoting several of the Spirits' Annual Open Houses. The most recent was featured on Tim Ezell's show, on Fox2.

He was a contest director for many years and developed ideas for different pylon races, fun-flys, and, with his wife Suzi's help, put on many annual show and tells and club Christmas parties.  Walt helped create and flew in the first Warbirds Unlimited scale pylon race in the late 1970’s.

As secretary, Walt was the AMA Club Contact and has answered or relayed all inquiries to the appropriate people for results.  In addition to the usual secretarial duties, he has done all the paperwork annually to maintain the club’s status as a Missouri Non-profit Corporation and as an AMA Charter Club.  It was his idea to submit the Spirits for consideration as an AMA Gold Leader Charter Club and he has assured that all requirements are met each year.  Walt promoted the idea and has submitted the paperwork for the Spirits’ iIntroductory pilot Instructors each year.  A Spirits’ member since 1971, he is a club historian, because he has been there and experienced much of it.

When the Spirits lost their field in St. Louis County, Walt searched for months and found the property in St. Charles County where the field is located.  He then convinced the owners to lease it to the club.  He has also interfaced with the owners when other property-related issues came up.

Walt is an AMA Leader Member and one of the elder statesmen in the club, and is frequently consulted by other officers about a variety of issues before decisions are made.

He has designed and built a number of successful scale and sport radio control aircraft. Walt enjoys designing and building model airplanes more than flying in recent years, but is an AMA recognized introductory pilot instructor.

Walt's wife, Suzi, an accomplished writer, recently published her third book, which is available for Kindle on Amazon.com. Her writing name is Suzanne H. Wilson and her books are "Moonlighter", "Four To Go", and "Legacy".

It isn't where you came from that counts---but where you are going

FLASHLIGHT

PAGE 4 Oct, Nov, Dec, 2012

Classmates Remembered List
Rest in Peace

Our Wellston Trojan
Memorial

Bob Brooks '49 passed away October 5, 2012 from a subdural Hematoma (Bleeding) on the brain at the Chicago O'Hare Airport. He, his wife, and friends were returning from a New England Fall Color Tour.

Bob retired from the glass industry. He worked his way up the ladder from production to plant foreman, retiring as salesman. He loved fishing, golfing, and most of all traveling. During his lifetime he visited every state in the union except for North Dakota.
(Wellston address was 6509 Curtis Ave)

Charles Roberts '45 passed away October, 2012 peacefully in his sleep. He had suffered from dementia.

Charles retired from Standard oil. He held an executive position.

(Wellston address: corner of Cote Brillante and Kienlen Ave)

Joe Cortopassi '43 passed away May 23, 2012 from heart failure. After high school, Joe relocated to California and started working in the restaurant business. His career started as a server working his way up to and ending as an owner and operator of his own. His hobbies were deep sea fishing and playing cards.

Wellston Address unknown.

Gerri Walker '47 passed away October, 2012 from an heart attack. She was a retired mortgage officer from First Bank and an accomplished artist specializing in acrylic and oil painting as well as some water color. Her past times were her family, traveling and going to the beach.
(Wellston Address: 1815 Timberlake)

Condolences to:
Bill '66, Marguerite '68, Tom '70, in the passing of their father, Ed Conroy 10/19/2012 at the age of 97. (Wellston address: 6400 Sparta Ct.)
Leonard Sparks '48 in the passing of his wife, Joan 10/28/2012 (Wellston address: 6431 Etzel Ave)
Patricia Funke '68 in the passing of her husband, Roger Lee Hewett 11/12/12 (Wellston address: 6441 Wellsmar Ave)

Wagner Electric
Retirees' Christmas Party
December 13th at St. Rita's Church
10:30 am to 1:30 pm
North and South Avenue @ Page Avenue
Admission Fee: $3.00 - light lunch served
For more information contact: Jerry Blankenship 314-808-4209

Wagner Christmas -2011

Back Row L-R: Jimmy Bennett '65, Charles Scott '56, Joe Heenan, '61, Tony Busalacchi '61, Don Taylor, '61, Bobby Dearin '62, Charles Stanley '51,
Sitting: Bobby Bennett '51, Shelia Roberts '68, Rich Bowles '43, JoAnn Williams '60

We are what we do---not what we did.

FLASHLIGHT

PAGE 5 Oct, Nov, Dec, 2012

FRIDAY NIGHT MIXER

The Friday Mixer was the beginning of our weekend party. Everyone gathered at 3:00 to visit with their school mates and companions, neighbors and friends, enjoying some of the best hors d'oeuvres and finger sandwiches ever. After the Mixer parties continued at the Embassy Suites Bar area and in some of the suites. It was indeed a ‘party weekend’!

Alumni staying at the Embassy Suites met the next morning for a breakfast before doing some sightseeing and/or visiting with friends before the Saturday Dinner/Dance.

SATURDAY NIGHT DINNER

When we entered the banquet room at six o’clock, we easily found our classmates at our assigned table. Our friends were located all in the same area with other years close to ours. This year class years were posted on the tables so we could see who was sitting next to and could easily hobnob with those upper classmen.

We all were happy to be reunited with old friends. Rev. Roger Noon '62 asked the blessing before our bountiful plates of food were served by a friendly, willing and gracious staff. Food was plentiful, delicious, cooked to perfection and best of all, HOT. Wine, coffee, and soda were available.

For music a DJ supplied the sounds of the 40s
to the 70s which pleased most everyone. It brought back many memories of days long ago.

Remarkably, everything ran very smoothly from picking up welcoming bags to having class pictures taken, although the committee sadly admits and apologizes to Dan Wagoner '65 for printing his twin brothers picture on his name tag. Goodie bags were gratefully received and explored.

Emcee Wanda (Cornman) Hydar '60, kept the program moving and interesting. Roger Noon '62 gave a presentation celebrating his classes 50th reunion and how music has changed over the years. Ruth (Johnson) Vogel ’36 was presented with two dozen roses celebrating the oldest class in attendance. Who could believe that beautiful woman represented the Class of ‘36!

WHS Alumni Club provided cameras for each table so everyone’s picture would be taken. These pictures are available online. Some tables took lots of pictures while others were too busy visiting!

FLASHLIGHT

PAGE 6 Oct, Nov, Dec, 2012

OCTOBER BIRTHDAYS

Oct 1

'62 Jeranda Stilts
'55 Donna Dodd

Oct 13

'47 James Cole
'54 Clifford Greeves

Oct 25

'50 Bill Brink
'56 Ray Hamil
'60 Marie Gross
'64 Rayma Wiess

Oct 2

'50 Bill Gamache
'57 Terry Bonney

Oct 15

'53 Dale Bushor
'67 Craig Bonney
'68 Patti Daniel

Oct 26

'63 Denny Woolfe

Oct 4

Oct 5

'63 Gloria Brown

'52 Carl Hansen

Oct 16

Oct 19

'57 Lorraine Smith

'38 Jesse Eads

Oct 27

'53 Ray Woodworth
'58 Tom April
'59 Claude Palmer

Oct 7

'46 Jack Liebsch
'65 Audrey Pinkenton
'65 Linda Lacy

Oct 20

'59 Barbara Gamma
'60 Charles Girardier
'62 Roger Noon
'63 Sharon Downes

Oct 28

'41 Margie Sauer
'44 Carolyn Smith
'54 Bud Baird

Oct 8

Oct 9

'56 Albert Walker

'54 Bill Schuette
'66 Mary Ann Mott

Oct 21

Oct 22

'49 Walter Wilson
'61 Mike Smith

'51 Barb Sittner

Oct 31

'47 Arthur Morris
'52 Jim Siress

Oct 10

Oct 11

Oct 12

'60 Caroline Tapy

'44 Ruth Hayes

'62 Barbara Cain
'66 John Patredis

Oct 23

Oct 24

'58 Mary June Stewart

'47 Betty Smith

NOVEMBER BIRTHDAYS

Nov 1

'45 Jack Schlieker
'45 Maurice O'Leary
'62 Kathy Erwin

Nov 11

Nov 12

'46 Harold Stewart

'60 Wayne Barteau

Nov 21

Nov 22

'56 Tom Rielly

'47 Ben Difani
'50 Pat Parker

Nov 3

'58 Shirley Waller

Nov 14

Nov 15

'64 Barbara Prater

'58 Pat Mehrtens

Nov 23

Alma Walker

Nov 4

'55 Betty Boxdorfer
'58 Nancy Moellering
'61 Elaine Zubiena

Nov 16

'63 Don Siress
'63 Gerry Siress
'65 Jimmy Bennett

Nov 25

'55 Loretta Gatlin
'60 Larry Turner
'67 Judy Carpenter

Nov 6

'47 Billie Smith
'55 Jasper Lauria

Nov 19

'57 Ron Taylor

Nov 25

'48 Robert R Smith

Nov 7

Nov 10

'54 Connie Fueller

'54 Neville Brindley
'57 Terry Hatridge

Nov 20

'41 Eugene Torrence
'54 Kenneth Huskey
'61 Don Taylor
'63 Connie Polkinghorne
'65 Jerry Southard

Nov 27

'57 Jerry Slatton
'57 Joe Slatton

DECEMBER BIRTHDAYS

Dec 1

'62 Tom Whiat
'65 Marcia Cline

Dec 11

'58 Paul Daniels
'64 Sharon Cain

Dec 19

'56 Gerald Rolfe
'61 Jeanie Wright
'62 Al Beebe
'67 Mike Cole

Dec 4

'64 Ted Williams

Dec 12

'65 Millie Blackwell

Dec 20

'56 JoAnn Voepel

Dec 5

'62 Bobby Dearin
'62 Carolyn Ruff
'62 Geneva Easton

Dec 14

'65 Betty Jones

Dec 22

Dec 23

'60 Larry Bollinger

'54 Boyce McQuay
'55 Shirley Baum

Dec 6

Dec 7

Dec 8

Dec 9

'60 Janet Scott

'65 Don Bray

'51 Don Baker
'55 Doris Bennett

'41 Mary Alice Dyer

Dec 16

Dec 17

'56 Charles Scott
'60 Carolyn Miner

'59 Jim Saffley

Dec 26

Dec 28

Dec 30

'48 Robert Grenier
'64 Bill Pappas

'39 Dee Hennesy
'41 Florencw Gehlert

'69 Robert Fell

Dec 10

'64 Diane Roam

Dec 18

'65 Ken Miner

Dec 31

'43 Ralph Stege
'55 Carol Mueller

RECOLLECTION
by:
Mitchell (Skip) Johnson '58
(6438 Wells Avenue)

Porcelain moon tipped-toed along its starry path
While clever clouds concealed an unsure world below.
Curious owl landed unsteadily on a limb.
What and where and who were things it needed to know.

A light wind waltzed slowly in and out, to and fro.
Soft music played a delicate rhapsody in blue.
Distant hills held dearly that promised long-ago time.
Snowflakes rode invisible slides coated in dew.

Star-crowned constellations of familiar figures
Smiling and strutting so, yet staying well in place,
Swirled and paraded in grand fashion form,
Marking the moment in time of an eternal race.

Life is like unto a music box tightly wound,
Playing a special melody full of memory.
Ever slowly the sound hesitates; wishing rest
Then vanishes forever yet waits once more to be.
Mitch Johnson '58

Create character, not wealth. Create memories, not regrets

FLASHLIGHT

Page 7

October/November/December, 2012

Natural Remedies
By Donna (Manley) Anderson '74
(6220 Lenox Avenue)

Here are just a few Natural Remedies to get rid of pests around the house (no, not my husband) These won’t kill the pests, just make them go away. These are harmless to humans and with my grandbabies; I am not using harsh chemicals and poisons.

1. Use vegetable oil to remove burrs from your pets’ fur. Rub a little vegetable oil on a cloth, and moisten the burrs and they will slide right off and not hurt Fido.

1. 2. Roaches - Hot sauce and water mixed and spray.

3. Voles, moles or other burrowing rodents - break up laxative (ex-lax) and drop into the holes. They won’t stay around.

4. Mice - Oil of peppermint oil on cotton balls. Place down in vents, under sinks, etc. Mice are allergic to peppermint and won’t stay around.

5. Ants - Bay leaves. Put bay leaves in sugar bowl. Ants won’t go in. for your counter space, mix white vinegar and water and spray on counters. No more ants.

6. Spiders - White vinegar and coconut oil and spray. Spiders pack up and leave quickly.

7. Mosquitoes - Hang up basil in muslin bags and hang around house.

8. Wasps - Take 2 liter bottle of soda (not diet, regular soda) leave small amount of soda in bottom of soda bottle. Put out where you see wasps. Wasps will go in but can’t get out. You can cap the bottle and throw away. This works great!

9. To keep ants off your pets food out on the patio..draw a circle around pets dish with chalk. Ants won’t cross the line.

10. Fleas - Take an orange. Score it. Take pet outside and rub orange all over pet. Fleas will just fall off. Use a lint roller to rub over pet as soon as they come in from outside. The lint roller will remove any buggies they may have picked up in the grass…

11. In kitty's bed…lavender oil and even chamomile will keep fleas out of pets bedding.

12. When out for walks in the woods, or fishing, use dryer sheet under cap or in pocket and keeps mosquitoes away.

13. Take children’s stuffed animals, place in plastic freezer bag and place in freezer for 24 hours. Kills dust mites or bed bugs. Put dryer sheets in between mattress covers, or inside pillow cases to get rid of bed bugs too.

14. Cats in your garden - Sprinkle black pepper or red pepper on your flowers, or where ever you don’t want kitty to tinkle and kitty won’t go in that area. Black pepper or red pepper sprinkled on your garden also keeps rabbits away.

15. To keep dogs or skunks or possums or raccoons from attacking your trash can. Mix ammonia and water and spray thoroughly around your trash can. The animals hate the smell.

16. Now here is a kicker. If you have termites, plant catnip plants around and termites will leave. They don’t like catnip, but remember this will attract the cats, then you have to use the red or black pepper thing!!!

17. I have a cat that used to like to spray in the house. I have a ‘baby gate’ up, but he would jump and go to that same spot. I used a little ammonia to take the smell out. Then I sprinkled black pepper across the carpet right in front of the baby gate, and cat won’t go near that area any more. I sprinkle black pepper on carpets in the corners, etc. and cat stays near his own area and has learned very fast where he is allowed and not allowed. Who said you can’t teach an old cat new trick?

18. Fire ants! Boric acid, jelly and wet cat food. Fire ants will eat and take it back to the queen and it will kill her and the whole nest.

19. Asian beetles (don’t mistake these for lady bugs!) use diatomaceous earth and water and spray and no more of these nasty pests that eat your garden.

Hope these help just a little.

One more note: buy a leather collar for your pet: use rosemary, oregano and orange slices in warm water. Soak that collar for 24 hours. Let dry. This is a “natural” flea collar for pets and will work. After 3 weeks treat collar again.

Don’t forget to use that lavender oil in pets bedding to get rid of the fleas that could be lurking there!!!

FLASHLIGHT

Page 8 Oct, Nov, Dec, 2012

Oh, THAT movie!
by: Roger Noon '62 | FLASHLIGHT REPORTER
(6418 Mount Avenue)

It surely wasn’t one shown at the drive-in or theatre on a date…

Don’t know if you remember or not? Actually, I don’t know how one could forget! Do you recall that film they showed in biology class on venereal disease?

As I recall it, the class was separated by gender. I guess the other group for each turn was sent to study hall. We were shown either the same or different films for each group.

The movie I saw involved an apparently sexually permissive young lady with this sexual disease having flings with different unknowing guys. I don’t remember the movie telling us how she got it. But I do recall what the consequences were for the young men involved and it wasn’t good! And when they told of the symptoms and the treatment, it made me cringe!

What a wakeup call it was for dumb old me! I thought love and romance didn’t cause anything like that. It was always wonderful and dreamy, though a bit complicated.

Now, I thought, girls were “carriers”. They were to be feared (at least some of them)! I was put on notice to be careful of who I went out with in the future. For me, I even considered making them have a doctor’s OK to even date! Any thoughts of going “further” on a date would be out of the question. What a way to turn off any thoughts of hanky-panky! My palms sweated through the whole movie. I did not want to date any sexually permissive girls because they might have “it”.

So then I wondered - what movie did the girls see? Was it the same one as ours? If so, they had to be as scared as we were! Could any of the girls have had “it”? I hadn’t heard of anyone! And what about the guys? Could any one of them have had it? It made me listen a little closer to locker room conversations. Guys like to brag about the girls they date and talk about any bodily problems. I only know I did not want to get it-ever!

The movie impressed me. I didn’t want to be even around girls for the next few days afterward. But like all things, it gradually receded in memory as I grew older and learned more about sexuality and responsible behavior. I wanted to be respectful of all the girls I dated. It didn’t take long to get over those “fears”.

Since I was not in the military, I can’t say for sure, but it is my understanding they do the same for soldiers as a warning to their “extra” non-military affairs. Good idea!

FLASHLIGHT

PAGE 9 Oct, Nov, Dec, 2012

FRIENDS
by:
Sterl (Bud) Watson '60
(1284 Morton Ave)

So sorry I could not attend the reunion that is occurring as I write this. I know the energy and effort that is expended by those of you who worked so hard to make things occur seamlessly for the enjoyment of the rest of us. So even though conflicts prevented my coming to the 2012 reunion, this is to say thank you sincerely to those who worked to make the reunion possible.

The foremost reason I consider not being able to come a loss of major proportion is that I will not have the privilege of seeing people who are treasured as true friends. In 1960, when I arrived on campus, a freshman at a small college in Arkansas, they said: “In high school you made acquaintances; here you will make friends.” It sounded good, but reflection tells me it was not true. In fact, because I dropped in at several institutions of higher learning before getting educated, there are only a few I met in college who are retained as friends. In those years, between 13 and 18, our bodies developed, our minds began to be filled with adult thoughts and hormones blew our ear drums out. But, the sharing we did with good kids made us fast friends for life with people of both sexes. So, when I know a reunion is coming it is a time for such pleasant reflection. It is a time to relive beautiful memories and recall beautiful faces I see in my mind before time has had her way with them.

I remember Jim Rome dribbling an imaginary basketball and shooting fake jump shots as we walked home and laughed together. I remember my late brother Jim’s leg flowing through a football that went eighty-four yards in the air on a beautiful crisp fall day (We punted a lot back then). JoAnn (Williams) Croce, Janice Clark and I were able to shot real baskets in a net-less rim on someone’s garage in the alley between our streets. And, I remember Walt Mayes. Walt and I loved each other like brothers then and still do, although distance has made it more difficult to say so. Let me tell you a story about Walt and true, true friendship.

Those of us who remember Walt from the Class of 1959 will remember that he was big and bull strong. When I broke my arm pole vaulting at age 12, Walt carried me home. When I tore a hole in my leg a couple of months later, Walt carried me home. Walt could and would carry you home.

1960 came and W.H.S. graduated me. Walt Mayes, Marcus Walker, my brother Jim and I were all committed to playing football for that small college in Arkansas. They were a year ahead of me and when a recruiter had come through that campus, they had voted my proxy and signed me up to join them for that summer in northern Illinois in the harvest. We would be working for Del Monte Packing Company. We were the jolly green giant on that can of peas.

We arrived for our jobs early. So, we slept in the park and cooked hot dogs on the park grill until they moved us to a farm. There we lived in a bunk house and ate at the cook shack. Work began at 6:00 in the morning. It generally extended until 2:00 the next morning. Work was seven day a week. The cook fed us breakfast, lunch and supper on $19.50 she took out of each weeks pay. The cook got to keep all she did not spend on food, so there was never steak served. Supper came at 5:00 p.m., and then we went back to work. That meant we worked about a 7 hour day after supper. Needless to say these young athletes went to bed hungry --- every night. But, wait, that cook did sell candy bars. We were sending all the money we could home to our parents to help with college. But, Walt couldn’t stand it. One evening, one evening only, he succumbed after supper and bought some candy.

Walt’s bunk was below mine. I could hear him as I lay there. He had bought two Snickers. He could have eaten a dozen. I could have eaten fifty. There was a tearing sound as he opened the first. Surely, he had thought about it for hours before. Walt ate quietly so he spared me that. Still I couldn’t go to sleep. Snickers bars don’t have a quiet smell.

For a brief moment things went quiet. Then, through the dim light in that bunk house, I caught the flash of a Snickers bar as it arched its way up and over and landed on my empty belly. I think I whispered, “Thanks Walt.” I hope I did. If I did not, I do now. I may have even remonstrated with him briefly, sort of like, “Sure you don’t want this?” But, it ended up with me eating that gift --- the best food I had ever eaten, before or since. I knew Walt wanted the Snickers. I knew how hungry he was because I knew how hungry I was. But, I knew Walt wanted more for me to have it.

Walt, I have told that story so many times, to so many people, and groups of people --- to explain the love that exists between friends. It’s time you hear it and what it meant to me. It’s time all of us take time to remember and appreciate old friends.

And to all of you who were privileged to attend the 2012 reunion, please write a note to the folks who worked so hard to bring you back together.

Sincerely,

Bud Watson, ‘60

FLASHLIGHT

PAGE 10 Oct, Nov, Dec, 2012

Editors
Bill Voos (’48)
Sandy (Gibbons) LaRouche ’57
JoAnn (Williams) Croce ’60
Bea McBride '66

President
Mary Kay (Parker) Morse '56

Secretary/Treasurer
Jim Shaw '45

Trustees
Joe Hunter '54
Gloria (Schwenk) Turner '59
Larry Turner '60
JoAnn (Williams) Croce '60
Phyllis (Crouch) Russom '62

Buzz Book
Pat (Miner) Slatton '62

ClassMates Remembered
Carol (Beeman) Hathaway '60

WELLSTON HIGH SCHOOL
WHS Alumni Club
P.O. Box 774
O'Fallon, MO 63366

Phone 636-696-4693

E-mail

[email protected]

LET'S GO TROJANS!

Email address are available online:

Reconnect to your class friends and neighborhood playmates.
If you would like to be listed send us a note!

APHORISM:
A short, pointed sentence expressing a wise clever observation; a general truth or adage

1. The nicest thing about the future is it always starts tomorrow.

2. Money will buy a fine dog, but only kindness will make him wag his tail.

3. If you don't have a sense of humor, you probably don't have any sense at all.

4. Seat belts are not as confining as wheelchairs.

5. A good time to keep your mouth shut is when you're in deep water.

6. How come it takes so little time for a child who is afraid of the dark to become a teenager who wants to stay out all night?

7. Business conventions are important because they demonstrate how many people a company can operate without.

8. Why is it that, at class reunions, you feel younger than everyone else looks?

9. Scratch a dog and you'll find a permanent job.

10. No one has more driving ambition than the boy who anxiously awaits his 16th birthday

11. There are no new sins; the old ones just get more publicity

12. There are worse things than getting a call for a wrong number at 4AM: It could be a right number.

13. No one ever says 'It's only a game' when their team is winning.

14. I've reached the age where the happy hour is a nap.

15. Be careful reading the fine print. There's no way you're going to like it.

16. The trouble with bucket seats is not everybody has the same size bucket.

17. Do you realize in about 40 years we'll have millions of old ladies running around with tattoos?

18. After 80 if you don't wake up aching in every joint, you are probably dead.?’

Send in Your Story! Let us know where you’ve been and what you’ve done with your life. Everyone loves a good story – what better reading then about someone you know!! [email protected]

Willy Wellston designed by Kermit Ruyle '47

P-51 Fighter Plane Hero

Willy Wellston designed by
Kermit Ruyle '47