More from our 50th Reunion

Spencer  Smith and wife Rosemary



Marilyn Rossing


Steve Roberts and wife Diane


Anita Windorski


Sue (Hayes) and Jay Olson.  Many thanks to Jay for getting the word out!


Maxine  and Nancy


Richard Gryczkowski  and wife Sherri Weitgenant


Richard Daniels and wife Sharon

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Even More Pictures

 

Joan (Olson) and husband Jim Rezek

Roland (Red) Skillings and wife Sherry

Jack McCarty

Former lab partners, Charlotte (Skog) Norman and Pat Henkel

Art and Nancy, co-conspirators on the reunion

Shirley (Sheffield) and husband Ray Benitez

Coach Barnette and Lois Allen. Thanks to coach for all the help contacting faculty!

Our gracious hostess and guides for the school tour:

Margaret Leibfried, Principal and four of her 8th graders

Our 50th Reunion was a big hit!

 

Do you recognize yourself and friends here?

 

Sue Hayes, our Homecoming Queen and her court 1961

 

Random photos, courtesy of Nancy Keyes.

 

Ron Bellows cruised down from Sitka.

 

Coach Meyers and Ernie greet in the parking lot.  Art seems to have lost his keys!

Barb, Ron and Nancy shared memories.

 

Mary and Ernie enjoying a good laugh together.

 

Vicki has much in common with our teachers, having retired as a career teacher.

Dr. Paul Bloom waiting to break into a faculty discussion.

 

Mrs. and Mr. Flood.  Thanks for sharing him with us Ruth!

 

Red, Risto and Art shared a few stories.

Random Reunion Pictures

IIn the Library
Left to Right:  Vicki, Jay, Risto, Ernie, Steve, Pat, Spencer, Max, Sue, Art, Nancy, Bob Barnette, Jack, Barb, Don Meyers, Miriam, Charlotte, Ron

Shorewood, lakeside at Moore Lake

                   Back in the halls after 50 years!

Nancy found her locker, but her books were missing!

It seems that the baskets are higher these days!

It seems this jacket shrunk after all those years in the closet

Anita and Miriam reconnect in the foreground while John Flood and Walt Wenholz discuss old times with the Allen’s.

Faculty and Friends

A few gathered before the building tour

The Class of '61, once again in the halls of FHS

Shirley (Benitez) Sheffield Update

After graduation I worked for Prudential Life Insurance left there in 1965 to get married in Kassel West Germany to  Sgt Gary Brown (Columbia Heights grad) who was stationed in the Army, we  spent 4 years there Eric was born in 1966. He has 2 sons Tyler age 21 and Cody age 19 they live in Lincoln NE.

I came back to states and was divorced in 1970. Met my current husband, Ramon and we have been married for 37 years. We have a son Jeremy who is married to Nichole; they have 2 sons Carlo 14 and Michael 19.  Ramon has two sons from a previous marriage that are grown and living in Florida.

I started working for State of Minnesota as a Correctional Officer for 4 years, transferred to Hennepin County and continued as a Correctional Officer until 1996, then became Advocate/Ombudsman.  I continued to work for a total of 30 years with Hennepin County and retired 3 years ago.

I have volunteered in the community as a advocate for Battered Women, Case manager for Hennepin County Probation, working with crime victims at Eastside Neighborhood Service.

I served as a Restorative Justice Panel member and Circle Keeper for Powderhorn restorative justice (now Midtown) and BIHIA.

I'm the recipient of the McKnight Foundation Award in Human Service, Dr. Kozak award for service to crime victims.  U.S. Justice Award for working with crime victims in the state of Mn,
Inclusion in 2000 Notable American Women publication, and Who’s Who of American Women 1989-1990.

I like beading, paint, and creating art in many kinds of mediums. I have won many ribbons in the field of Ceramic and pottery. We love to travel and see America; spend time with our grand kids.

Because I care
Shirley Benitez

FHS Class of 1961 Departed

FHS 1961 Deceased

David A. Kendrick (D)

Wayne Peterson (D)

Lee Jamison (D)

Bill McNair (D)

Sheryl McCready (D)

Heidi Berkenhoff (D)

Judith Osiecki (D

Joann L. Happy (D

Herbert F. Hymes (D)

Mary Franke (D)

Terry Liepke (D)

Judy Veres (D)

Henry Rickhoff (D)

Judy Peterson (D)

Donald McCready (D)

Deceased Teachers

Harold Boeck

Arnie and Eunice Grier

Dick Larson

Frank Cummings

Dorothy Mahurin

Richard Daniels Update

Mary (Berg/Christopherson) Schafer

It truly doesn't seem possible that 50 years have passed!  We can't be that old, can we?

A week after graduating from the U of MN in June of 1965, I married Carl (Skip) Christopherson.  We both received a B.S. in math education, and he wanted to move to South Dakota for the pheasant hunting.  We taught in SD (mainly in Ipswich) for 16 years.  I did stay home for six years, after our daughter, Laurel (Laurie) was born in 1969, and son, David, was born in 1970.

In 1981 we moved to Crosby, ND, where we lived for 3 years.  Then we moved to New Rockford, ND.  Skip taught in Sheyenne, ND and I taught in New Rockford.  Several years earlier, Skip had earned his Masters and moved into teaching sciences.  In addition to teaching math, I was also teaching Spanish classes. I made 1 trip to Spain, and 2 trips to Mexico with students.  In 1988 we moved to Stanley, ND and lived there until he passed away at the early age of 52.  (1994)  By this time our daughter was an RN, married, and had a 6 month old boy.  David was finishing college and about to be married.

After Skip's death I moved to Bismarck.  I did some teaching in 2 private schools, then in 1998 married Wallace (Wally) Schafer.  I finished my teaching career with 6 years on interactive television, teaching to as many as 10-12 schools a day in small towns, from a school north of Bismarck.  Wally retired from being a mechanic at a coal mine north of Bismarck a year before my retirement.

My daughter is now a nursing instructor at Minot State University.  She and her husband have 2 sons and a daughter.  My son is a mail carrier in Williston, ND (with a degree in Business!).  He and his wife have 3 boys.  Wally has 3 daughters, all of whom are married.  The oldest has 3 sons and they live here in Bismarck.  The other 2 live in the Houston area, one having a son and a daughter.  (That's 11 grandkids altogether, 9 boys!)  They range in age from 20 down to 3-1/2. 

We love being with our families, and love to travel.  In late 2009 we went to Puerto Vallarta for a niece's destination wedding, and in February and March of this year we spent 5 weeks in Phoenix, escaping the ND winter.  We also go to Houston when we get a chance.  We're not sure yet if we'll get to the Cities for the reunion.

Spencer Smith Update

Spencer L. Smith Lived in Columbia Heights, MN through grade school. Moved to Fridley, MN in 1956 and graduated from Fridley High school in 1961. Attended Minneapolis Technical School 1961-1963 graduated with a certificate in machine drafting and design. Attended U of MN evening school several years; received an Engineering and Science certificate in 1970.

Through a 3M sponsored program I Received a BSME in 1981. Served in the military, US Army Reserve from 1964 to 1970. Married to my wife Rosemary Sempel in 1965. 3 daughters, Sharon, Jennifer, Victoria and 6 grand children.

Worked at 3M Company 1967-2002. Held various positions from Master draftsman to senior principal engineer. Plant engineer in Illinois. Maintenance and production general supervisor in Iowa and finished my career as Project engineer manager in St. Paul, MN. Retired June 2002. Member of Association of Certified plant engineers and American SOciety of Mechanical Engineers.

Volunteer for Heroes on Horseback and Coast Guard Auxiliary. Foreign travel to England, France, Italy and Mexico. Currently reside in Bluffton, SC (Hilton Head) winter months and Webster, WI summer months.

Joan Klopfer Update

Joan Klopfer (Pike)

Hi to all my former classmates! Fifty years already…where did that time go? It seems like yesterday and I still see you all as teenagers with our whole lives before us. Remember when we could hardly wait to be older. And now, here we are fifty years later, those of us who are fortunate enough to still be here. We have sadly lost so many for such a small class.

              

        

                                   Husband Willy and Joan

Here is a quick catch up on my life. After high school I attended St. Cloud State for awhile. Did clerical work at Prudential, became a dental assistant for a few years. At age 21 I became a mother to my wonderful son, John. We continued to live in Fridley, until 1972,, when we moved to Balsam Lake ,WI. I have had several kinds of jobs over the years. I have done restaurant cooking, bartended and was the head cook and set up the food program for the Polk County Sheriff’s Dept. My favorite was owning and operating an old fashioned Ice Cream, candy and gift shop for 9 years.

I have been blessed with a great son and two wonderful grandsons. Blake , the oldest graduates next month and Logan, the younger is 15 now. They are truly the best accomplishments in my life.

             

                      Left to right:  Logan, son John and Blake

I have made many friends over the years and kept some lifelong ones. I was fortunate to find the love of my life and spend 20 years together before he passed away after a four year battle with cancer. My father passed away in 2000, my mother in 2002 and my husband in 2009. So, now I am an orphan and a widow.

 

         

                         Logan                                 Blake

I live a small life in a small town and can’t imagine it gets better than this. I live across the street from the lake and love it. I still love animals. Have six house cats and a golden retriever. Outside, I care for two feral cats, birds, squirrels, 24 deer, occasional raccoons, foxes and even sometimes a black bear likes to visit. I can’t believe there is anywhere prettier to live and look forward to each season change and the beauty they each bring.

I like to take walks, work in the yard, do lake stuff in the summer, cook and bake , knit, play cards and backgammon, do some drawing, visit my friends, play with all my critters and spend time with my son and grandsons.

I live a peaceful, content life, with lots of love given and gotten. I am truly grateful to the Lord for all the blessings I have been given, including good health.

                                   

I wish for all of you, health and happiness of heart. I would love to see any of you. If you’re ever in my neck of the woods, the door is always open…….Love, Joanie

Jay Olson and Sue Hayes Update

Jay and Sue (Hayes) Olson

           

Jay and Sue have been married for 47 years.  They have three children Tim, Cindy, and Scott, and seven grandchildren. Jay taught in the Columbia Heights School District for 34 years. He also coached football at the Heights for 24 years.   Sue worked at Stylmark Industries for 42 years.

 

                  

They both retired in 2000. They enjoy gardening, traveling, going to the grandkids activities, and spending time on the lake.

Jack McCarty Update