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

 

Pat Henkel Update

 
Fridley High School! Seems like an age ago. Oh, wait, it was an age ago! Maybe two ages. So – what’s been happening?
A major in astronomy turned out to be not possible at the University. The math did me in. Mrs. Ogren would have been so disappointed in me. So, thinking I had to have a practical major, I chose social work and worked for a year and a half with Girl Scouts in South Dakota before realizing this was totally the wrong track in jobs and locale for me. I joined a number of drop-outs from a first career in turning to computer programming, a job which has been very good to me. I worked for Lutheran Brotherhood for 10 years before joining a public accounting firm, Coopers and Lybrand as a computer auditor. They transferred me to Cleveland, another two dark years, where the job ended but some contacts with the firm recommended me to MCI, the other telephone company, in Washington, DC. This was way before Bernie Ebbers took over and destroyed the company. I was with them for 17 years, 9 in Washington and 8 in Dallas where they moved the engineering area. My brother, Gary, who was a year behind us, lives there and I was able to watch my niece and nephew graduate from college, marry, and get established, as well as watch Gary’s twin baby boys grow up. I very much enjoyed being closer to him and his family.

In 1999, just as the afore-mentioned Mr. Ebbers was taking over the company, I retired and moved back to Washington. I started volunteering at the Smithsonian, in the conservation area of the Museum of Natural History. That involved making pillows and boxes to house objects in the anthropology collection, mainly American Indian objects. The work itself was not greatly interesting – it was the joy of holding all the wonderful objects and communing with the makers and users of the objects. The department asked me to contract with them for specific jobs like taking down some of the displays at the museum (old, dusty displays that had been up for 50 years), and recently to help photograph some of the collection. I’ve enjoyed working with my hands, although computer skills have also been very useful.
All along this time I’ve enjoyed traveling, especially to historical areas, and have been active in my church and with the University alumni groups in various areas. Washington is a great place to live – so much to do and see and relatively easy to get many places.
So that’s my 50 years.

Ernie Gertzen Update

After graduation from Fridley I went to the University of Minnesota and Mankato State before joining Naval Aviation Reserves for six years.

Married in 1965 and got a real job with Twin City Die Casting Company. I got a great promotion, after taking accounting classes, as production cost accountant and later a sales correspondent with T.C.D.C. Co.

I purchased an existing American Italian restaurant in Hopkins after leaving T.C.D.C. in 1970. We had a daughter in 1970 and lost a child shortly after birth. We were divorced in 1974. I met Patti Crocker in 1978 and dated her off and on for 14 years (unable to commit). We married in 1992.

The restaurant was sold in 1985 after which I earned a real estate license and specialized in the medium and small business market for Calhoun Realty (Mpls) for 18 years.

Pattie and I moved, part time recreationally, to Sturgeon Lake in 1994 and full time in 2000. I joined United Country Real Estate in 2003 and have been selling recreational/hunting properties, country homes and lake shore since then.

Patti is a great mother and my partner for 18 years. She is a regional sales manager for Clear Vision Optical (New York). She manages and coaches 14 sales representatives in 10 Midwest states.

Hobbies have been outdoor recreation, a pretend farmer, hunting, dog training, raising pheasants and music. We have three children and four grand children. The grand children are learning to drive the pontoon boat and love to swim and fish from our dock.

Life is good!

Donna Swedberg Update

Donna (Swedberg) Bonson

I have been living in Ft. Collins, Colorado for almost 17 years. I am still working part time in Internal Medicine and still enjoy the patients and the medical world. My husband passed away in 2009 and I have had to adjust to being single after 42 wonderful years of marriage. Our three children are all over the US and Europe.

Our oldest son David gave us two granddaughters (5 ½ and 4 ½) and there is a grandson on the way in July. They live in the bay area of California.

We have two grandsons (9 and 6) from our second son Scott living in Louisiana. Our daughter Debra is single and teaching English in the American International School in Budapest, Hungary. I will be traveling to Hungary and will not be able to attend the reunion.

That about sums up my life, work, wonderful family, friends, and travel; I still find it amazing that it has been 50 years since we walked the halls of Fridley High. Have fun and enjoy the reunion!

Art Olstead Update

Upon graduation from the University of Minnesota BA, in June 1966 - major History, Minor speech - I enlisted in the Army and graduated from Officer Candidate School at Fort Knox, KY. Trained as a tank platoon leader, I was assigned as speech writer for the Commanding General and Staff at Hunter Army Airfield, Savannah, Georgia and served until June 1969.

                               

                                     Art at work in Grandpa’s Office  

Carolyn Wagnild consented to marriage after I received my commission in May 1967. We have two daughters; Alisa married to Crawford Keys with two grandchildren Parker Lily and Bennett Cooper; Deanna married to Ted Roduner in 2008. They have one Golden Doodle, and two careers, Deanna with Adobe and Ted with Microsoft.

I entered the life insurance business as a wholesaler in 1969. Olstead and Associates, Inc., a general agency was formed in 1976. Continental Casualty Company recruited me in 1989 and I retired as a regional (MN, ND, SD, IA and WI) Vice President in November 1999.

We moved to our lake home near Finlayson in 2000 and have been busy. Carrie volunteers with two hospital auxiliaries, Friends of the Sandstone Library, Sandstone Quarry Lions and a couple of local ladies groups. I am involved with the Finlayson-Giese Lions and Friends of the Sandstone Library.

            

                                Keys’, Olstead’s and Roduner’s

Left to right: Cooper, Crawford, Carrie, Deanna, Parker, Alisa, Art, Ted

We keep ourselves occupied traveling to visit our daughters who live on opposite coasts. Carrie and I enjoy golf, camping and skiing. An incurable history buff, I take every opportunity to visit Civil War and Revolutionary period sites when we travel.

Life is good, thanks partly to a great start at Fridley High School and the guidance of John Flood, Beatrice Ogren, Eunice Grier and Verna Maas who taught me to document my assertions. Coaches Dick Donlin, Bob Barnette and Harold Beck taught perseverance and discipline; lessons well worth learning.

Hank Barr Update

I stay very busy teaching for a number of chapters in Washington and Oregon of a professional organization (APICS-The Association for Operations Management) and for Tacoma Community College.

I have two daughters who live with their families in the Twin Cities. I am retired from the Air Force (1966 – 1986) where most of the time I was involved with Logistics management. I had long assignments in Northern Michigan (twice- first as enlisted and years later as a commissioned officer), Alaska (twice – Elmendorf AFB in Anchorage where most of the time I was the Stock Fund Manager for the Alaskan Air Command and years later as the Chief of Supply at King Salmon AFS), Grand Forks AFB North Dakota (as an ICBM launch control center commander and munitions accountable supply officer), at Langley AFB VA as Director of Logistics Support for what was then Tactical Air Command’s Communications and Computers Division; and, I had several relatively short assignments to various places (England, Scotland, Spain, the Azores, Germany, Egypt and Panama). Since retiring from the Air Force in 1986 I have lived in Montgomery Alabama, Minneapolis Minnesota, Vancouver Washington and now (since 1994) in Gig Harbor Washington. I have a small cabin cruiser and like to spend part of my free time exploring, camping and fishing in the Puget Sound area and I also go elk hunting in the fall in the Wenatchee Mountains of Eastern Washington.

Hank Barr, CFPIM, CSCP, C.P.M., CSCM, Six Sigma Black Belt, CLT

APICS Puget Sound Chapter – Instructor and Director of Education

Logistics Instructor for Tacoma Community College; Advisor to UW Continuing Education Program in Contracts Management

Paul Bloom Update

Paul Bloom

For the last 33 years I have been on the faculty of the Department of Soil, Water and Climate at the University of Minnesota doing teaching and research in soil and environmental chemistry. I am married to Meg Layese, who is also a soil scientist, and we have two sons, Ben and Francisco, and an infant granddaughter.

                 

                       "Paul and Meg with granddaughter Isley".    

After FHS I attended the University of Minnesota with the goal of becoming a chemical engineer but I was not really very sure that this was right for me, and I wasn’t very well motivated and I dropped out. Before I completely left the University I joined a student group that travelled to Fort Valley GA in the summer of 1965 to do voter registration with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (Dr. King’s organization), which began a lifelong commitment to social justice causes.

In 1967 I drove in my 1955 Ford to Eastern Montana to become a schoolteacher, in a town of 67 people just south of the Canadian border. The grade 1–12 school badly needed a junior and senior high science and math teacher and was able to hire a minimally qualified person under a one-year emergency authorization. The following year I taught science and math in small grade school on the Crow Indian Reservation.

I then headed to the University of Montana in Missoula to see if I could finally complete a college degree. I enjoyed studying and stayed on to complete a MS in chemistry and discovered I really liked doing research. Not willing to give up the enjoyable life of a grad student I accepted a research assistantship to study for a PhD in soil chemistry at Cornell University in Ithaca NY. It was there I met my wife, a grad student from the Philippines, and we had our first son. When I completed my PhD degree the University of Minnesota was looking for a soil chemist and I was lucky enough to be hired.

Molly Noyes Update

Molly Noyes-Senkbeil

In 1962 I met and married a young airman in Biloxi, Mississippi. We will celebrate 49 years of marriage this November. We have four children, six grandchildren and two step-grandchildren including a beautiful girl from China. In 1977 we moved to Idaho, my husband's native state. We currently live in the mountains overlooking Cascade Lake. We spent our working years in education; my husband teaching and me working in a school office.

        

We spend much of our time traveling, most of the time in our RV, so many beautiful places to see. For the past six years we have wintered in Arizona. Our favorite thing to do is be around our grandchildren. In the summer we like to ATV. My other loves are family history; I can spend hours researching our genealogy; quilting; and reading, mostly mysteries and historical fiction. I spend too much time doing Sudoku puzzles. It is unfortunate for me that the reunion is in June as we are planning a trip to Minnesota in July. I do hope that everyone has a good time.

Joan Olson Updates

 

I am a wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and a small business owner. After graduation, I worked in the marketplace for 15 years and went to night school to receive an assoc. in liberal arts degree from the Univ. of Minn.

During this time, I met and married my husband Jim  Rezek and will be celebrating 40 years of marriage this Nov. We moved to Brooklyn Park 10 years ago after living in Mounds View for 29 years. Of our two children, our daughter Sandra and her husband Tom have five children (Candice, Nathan, Stephanie, Salina, and Victoria “Tori”) and 2 grandchildren (Mazzilyn and Austin) and live and work in Grand Rapids, MI. Our son Brian and his wife Sharon have one daughter (Michelle) and live in Denver, Co. Brian works and is currently finishing his last year of college.

                             

                                          Joan and Jim

I own and operate a small sewing business, Jo’s Stitchin’ Niche. My business is particularly busy in the spring and fall with seasonal boutiques. I sell my product at several boutiques in the TC and surrounding area as well as Osakis and Cross Lake.

I love to spend time with my husband and our children and their families. I also enjoy sewing, golfing, water aerobics, gardening, going on short walks, doing crossword puzzles, and playing mahjongg on the computer.

Maxine Clough Boone Update

 

About the first 15 years after school I was heavy into sports. Couples softball, couples volleyball (regular and power) couples bowling, women’s regular and straight away bowling.; two, three times a week, night and day. Well, I had a car accident that broke my hand and totaled my car and that put an end to my sports. My knee was jammed into the steering column.

                             

I've put on a lot of weight because of my lack of exercise. Although I worked as the playground director for Fridley for thirteen years, with 35 people to supervise, and supervised the boy's summer baseball program with 5,000 kids. That summer I went to college for the first at age 29 and later graduated with High Distinction. Funny, I never thought I was a college student. Anyway Washburn Child Guidance Center hired me as development teacher in the high risk school and also made me a co-chair of the Infant Stimulation Program and a counselor for about 7 students that had behavior and learning problems. I also had to learn to drive the school bus every few quarters. After that I decided I needed something different and so I started working at Land O'Lakes. I worked there for thirteen years from part time secy to the big wigs to working in Public Relations as a Member Services Specialist putting on both the Minnesota and South Dakota State Fair Dairy Displays hiring all staff, choosing handouts and giveaways, assigning Dairy Reps as well as office personnel.

I've had a lot of enjoyments in all my work learning different things. Now I have just a little white hair and the rest on the blond side. I also have a brain tumor which has to be checked every year. I love to travel and have been to every state except Pennsylvania, Louisiana, Alabama and Louisiana.

Give me a call sometime; I'd love to have lunch with a number of you 763-784-6999. I have two kids and six grandkids through marriage, adoption and blood.

Mary Petrangelo Update

 

I’ve been living in San Diego for the past many years. Before that, my husband (Steve Kowit, the poet) and I spent several years living & traveling in Latin America. We had a traveling bookstore, working from a van & serving expatriate communities throughout Mexico and Central America. Then we sold the van in Costa Rica & continued traveling down as far as Peru.

                                

                                   Mary and husband Steve Kowit        

Between Latin American trips, we lived in Idaho, New Mexico, Maryland, Florida, and our old standby, California. My husband has been a college professor and well-known poet and I’ve been working in information technology services at the University of San Diego. It’s really interesting and you can always get somebody to help troubleshoot any of your own computer problems!

I chose not to have children and fortunately Steve was OK with that. I still really enjoy doing artwork, most recently enameling. I love seeing things transformed by fire. I’ve also done linocut printmaking, beading, and soft sculpture. I got a black belt in aikido (world’s least athletic person!), of which I am quite proud.

                         

And speaking of fire, in 2007 the huge Southern California wildfires came very close to where we live and we had to evacuate for 5 days, not knowing whether we still had a house or not. The power was off for another 2 weeks after that and I had to drive 86 miles to work instead of my normal 47 miles due to road closures. A pretty stressful time.

I’m a long-time vegetarian and an animal rights person. I don’t wear fur or leather or eat meat of any sort. Steve has joined me in this. I have 2 rescue dogs and 6 cats who live with us & provide me wonderfully entertaining company.

I was just in Minneapolis in early April for my father’s funeral and can’t come back quite so soon. I’m hoping to visit in the fall. I’m sorry I can’t come visit for the reunion. I’d love to know what everyone is up to these days. I was quite shocked to see how many of our classmates are already gone. What happened to everyone?

Anyway, I’m sorry I can’t visit for the reunion. I can’t tell you how many of you I’ve Googled over the past years. You’re a pretty low-profile bunch! The women are all un-findable because of name changes. If anyone wants to contact me, I’m at mary.kowit@gmail.com. (Miriam Egge, this means you!)

I hope you have a great time at the reunion!

Mary Petrangelo Kowit

Karen Bjerkesett Update

Karen (Bjerkesett) Getting and her husband Lee live in Naperville, Illinois where they have resided for about 30 years.  Prior to the Chicago area they lived in New Orleans, LA and Huston, TX.  Karen is retired from her job as the Director of Relocation Services for a major Chicago area real estate firm. Husband Lee retired as an FBI Agent.  They have three children and three grandchildren all living in the Chicago area.

Nancy Swiderski Update

Bio Information – Nancy (Swiderski) Keyes

Graduating from Fridley High School and leaving my fun friends and various activities was very sad for me. I have a picture of me crying!! School was fun – (but I did work, honestly!) – which made the time fly by so fast!

Memories of 50 years ago seem like yesterday. The Miss Fridley pageant and all the fun that was – going to “State” contests singing in the trio with Dodie Stone and Les Beaudy - etc. I think the best thing that happened to me was Mrs. Mahurin pulling me out of Chemistry in my senior year and putting me in Typing II. Because of that, she then helped me get my first “real job” upon graduation – the FBI! Those were the days of the communists and secret service - - quite a bit to handle for a 17-year-old!!

I married shortly after graduation, landing a job at Dun & Bradstreet in downtown Minneapolis. When I left there after 9 years, Apache Corporation was my calling, working in the Foshay Tower which they owned. (you will remember Apache Plaza in St. Anthony – I was considered a “visiting dignitary” as Miss Fridley. Wow – big stuff! J Little did I know a few years later I would be working for the owner of the Plaza.

Another name change in the mid 70’s and off to start a crop farming operation in Cannon Falls with my husband. (he was from that area and we bought acreage next to the family farm – ultimately the family farm, as well). When our son Chad was born with a heart defect and open heart surgery at 7 weeks, there were many medical trips to the University of Minnesota. Unfortunately the stress of farming and a handicapped child was too much for the marriage and it ended in 1984. (Today Chad lives in Red Wing – he is the love of my life and doing well.)

Left to right: Son Chad, Sister Carol, Nancy

I left Apache Corporation in 1976 for a great opportunity in the offices of Carl Pohlad. What a wonderful experience that was - - imagine chatting with Robert Redford (who was in car racing as was Carl) when he came to Minneapolis. In 1984 I began an 18-year marketing career at the law offices of Gray Plant Mooty Mooty & Bennett in downtown Minneapolis. Just picture: getting to know 150 attorneys and their personalities in order to get the work done! But I loved every minute of it! Simultaneously in 1994, I landed my first Concierge gig at the Hotel Sofitel in Bloomington MN. I worked there part time in addition to my marketing position until 2001 when I left both Gray Plant Mooty and the hotel to begin my concierge business ConciergeCalling LLC. Missing the action in downtown Minneapolis, my present opportunity became available in 2003 which I immediately accepted. I truly have loved working as a corporate concierge for a high-rise office building which holds over 1,500 people. Retirement does not seem to be in my vocabulary presently, so I will continue to be here as long as I am able. If I do retire someday, perhaps I will seek a position in a retirement center as their concierge/social director.

 

One of my favorite pictures with Katie.
Participant in Special Olympics

Another name change in 1989 (hmmmm – is there a pattern here??) to Keyes. Tom and I had a wonderful time traveling, enjoying the cultural aspects of life, and our families blended well. We did divorce and Tom passed two years ago this April.

Volunteering is a huge part of my life and has been ever since 2003 when I began the National Concierge Association-MN Chapter Philanthropic Organization. Through volunteering, I have rubbed elbows with the Hollywood stars when they attend the Starkey Hearing Gala annually, along with many other local and nationally-recognized charity galas. Local and national awards for concierge leadership, involvement, etc. have been many over the years of which I am very proud.

NCA – International Award
“Volunteer of the Year”

Taking care of others and giving back to my community seems to have been my “lot in life”. I am presently Vice President of the ULLR “Ski for Light” Foundation, the philanthropic branch of the ULLR “Ski, Bike & Social Club. Over the years we have raised and given to the disabled over $125,000 so that their lives are better than they would have been. Very rewarding. Check us out: www.ullr.org/foundation

Mom and Dad 68 years together!!!

I presently live in Edina and do not know what my next project(s) will be – but whatever they are, I am sure it will be service-oriented.

Miss the “good ol days” but glad for the opportunities in the present!

I wish all you wonderful people the very best – and hope to see you again.

Risto Onermaa

Risto Onermaa

Risto writes; US Army 1965 to 1995, retired in 1995 and living in North Carolina with his spouse Linda. They were married in 1989 and have no children.

Ron Bellows Update

Rob Bellow

Fifty years, two wives, five kids and fifteen grandchildren later, I now live and work in Sitka, Alaska. 

Architecture has been my field of work and still love it.  I also worked in some other things along the way.  I was a general contractor in Florida for many years while also owning an appliance store which sold many other construction related materials.  Prior to that work I was employed by Ellerbe Architects in Bloomington, Mn. which sent me to numerous states working on many hospitals. 

Tiring of the constant travel, I was asked by the then president of that company to resign along with him and four others to form a new architectural company.  We grew rapidly in short time and after moving into ever larger spaces, moved into the fourteenth floor of a new building in downtown Minneapolis.  My marriage was failing so I divorced and brought my then un-emancipated kids with me to Alaska. 

Even though I continued in architecture, I purchased a bar.  Six years at the original location and along with my brother and sister, built a new building on the ocean waterfront catering to tourists (mostly out of state fishermen and women).  My sister runs that business which couples in well with my brothers bush pilot business located at the same location.  All three of us and mom, live in the same building.  I travel off to my office every day, which I share with a building contractor, with no plans to retire. 

In my spare time I enjoy oil painting and have added wood carving which in many ways is more challenging.  I don't think I'm all that good at it but have had the good fortune to unload many pieces, sold in downtown shops to unwitting tourists.

Steve Roberts Update

Steve Roberts

After graduation I enlisted in the Marine Corps (1961-1966) and served in the Far East .

I lived in California for a short time after the service. I returned to Minnesota and worked for Unisys Corporation, retiring after 32 years.

Diane and I married in 1967. We reside in the country and we keep horses. This is my 43^rd year with the Minnesota State Fair Public Safety Mounted Patrol.

                     

                             Steve at Mn State Fair 2010

I am a member of Civil War and Indian War Reenactment units where I ride with the 7^th Cavalry and participate in many events. I have also been active in several saddle clubs throughout the years.

I still like to compete in cattle penning and ranch rodeo events. I have had several motor cycles over the years and still keep one just to putz around.

Vicky Hebrink Update

Vicky Hebrink Frerker

I married Ron in 1966. We still are together after all these years! We have four children. Our oldest two, Mike married to Allison, parents of our granddaughter Cali, and Bernadette married to Larry, are both living in the Chicago area. Our third child, Ron, and his partner Grace, live in Lawrence KS where they are awaiting my second grand child [expected this April.] Our youngest son, Ted lives in the St. Louis area.

I graduated from the U. of MN: B.S. and M.A. in Speech Pathology. I first worked in the special school district, then the field of mental retardation and then finally in early childhood developmental delay. I worked part time during most of my career. In fact, I still do, for a program called First Steps, for children under the age of 3. I like to pretend to be a grandma since my grandchild lives so far away.

We moved to St. Louis in 1968 and live in our 100 plus year old house in an older part of town. At first we considered our selves urban pioneers but now the area is pretty nice.

Our main family recreation is sailing [more cruising than racing now] in big and little boats at Carlyle Lake in IL. Reading, in two discussion groups, is my favorite pastime.

My mother still lives in Fridley at a senior apartment. She may have been a teacher to some of your siblings or children.

Welcome to your 50th Reunion Blog!