In Summary:

      Most of us are turning 65 years old this year and are trying to get a handle on this Medicare eligibility that has become a part of our lives.
      Some have become grandparents while others became 'great'-grand parents. Classmates have reconnected for the first time since 1961. We had a few classmates who had some very serious health issues. Stevie Spaulding (Wilberding) was diagnosed with a rare gall bladder cancer which had backed up into her liver. After some very delicate surgery for cholangio carcinoma at Mass General (Harvard) for chemotherapy & radiation before going to their farm & then to California. Stevie & husband Steve have been advised by doctors to lead a normal life so off they went to Persia while continuing treatments and checkups.
      When Dewey finished his treatments for smoldering multiple myeloma (cancer of the blood) although being closely monitored, he and wife Trish spent some time in Alaska this past June catching up with Jack and Jolene Billingham who were RV'ing across country to Alaska. All spent an evening with Bill "Buddy" Kirk, who lives outside of Anchorage, telling stories to one another about our early years...and not so early years.
     Some of us have parts that just seem to need more attention now then they have in earlier years. Maybe we should have taken better care of ourselves... but then we might not have had as much fun back then.

HOW IT ALL BEGAN!

The mention of the creation of an alumni website occurred at the 40th class reunion, June, 2001. The site was created and online by July 1st.

Since then the "Class of 1961 Website" has been providing e-connections with those from our graduating class and beyond. Memorabilia has been sent in for editing and posting to the website. As news of events are whispered, you will find coverage on your website.

Since the site went online, more than 47,250 visitors have come to the alumni website through the homepage and twice that number have entered via the updates page.

Classmates we have located or relocated, along with all those we have e-mail addresses for, will receive an e-mail with a link to the 7th anniversary newsletter.

Those we do not e-connect with will receive, via USPS, their own copy of the 7th annual WPHS Class of 1961 Alumni website newsletter with a brief narrative of the news of this past year.

Classmate participation is key to the success of the alumni website. A special thanks goes out to Joanne Horvath, Bob Cross, Laird Gann, Jack Billingham, Steve Van Ore, Chuck Fout, Connie Shoup, Dave Rees, George Mayo, Sarah Moore, Stevie Spaulding, Dewey Ramsby, Charlie Cayll, Marcia Gruber, David Smith, Vic Vermillion, Bill Ronay, Buddy Kirk, Bill Schwartz, Lynn Nidy, Mary Phillips and others for the photographs and stories they have sent in for publication to the alumni website this past year.

The Class of 1958 celebrated their 50th class reunion April, 2008. Mary Phillips worked online with Claudia Janke, Pattsy Buchanan & Bill Cross to help locate unaccounted for classmates. Anne Laing created and is currently maintaining their website they plan to keep online for updates and get-together's as well as mini-reunions. Visit their site and enjoy.

We welcome your recent as well as classic photographs, newspaper clippings and published items for display on the alumni website.. Let's keep up the momentum!

Please remember to contact Bill Ronay or Mary Phillips if you change e-mail or postal addresses.

CLASSMATES WHO HAVE RECENTLY PASSED AWAY

James "Jim" Robert Fleming passed away on June 11, 2008, at the Health Central in Ocoee. Jim retired with a medical disability from the Orlando Fire Department in November, 1980. He worked as a Code Enforcement Officer for the City of St. Cloud and retired from the Florida Army National Guard, 2nd Battalion Unit. Jim was very enthusiastic about the Class of 1961 alumni website and showed up at every Picnic in the Park, the 45th Class Reunion, and a few mini-reunions, as well, during the past 7 years. Jim's health had been failing for a number of years, suffering with COPD.

Lawrence "Larry" Joel Elam was killed in a single car accident on his way to a 'gif' in Hamburg, Germany on January 30, 2008. His funeral was in Hamburg February 7th, but there was also a celebration of his life in Hamburg on March 1st. Larry is survived by his mother Dorothy of Olympia, WA, his sister Carol Mattix of Dallas, TX, his children Debbie and Bruno who both live in Hamburg, and his much-loved girlfriend Klaudia Meyer.

Michael G. Collier was a resident of Arlington, Texas for 40 years. He passed away December 31, 2007. Michael attended the University of Texas. He was a Vietnam veteran and served in the U.S. Air Force. Mike leaves behind a son, Steve Collier and a daughter, Sandra Presley with several grandchildren.

Lee VanWormer passed away Friday, December 7, 2007. Lee graduated from FSU with a BS in Social Studies education and from UCF with a master's degree in School Library Media. Lee worked for 32 years in the Orange County School System as a teacher of the gifted and then as a media specialist. She was elected Teacher of the Year for her school in 1987. In 2000, just before retiring, Lee purchased a home in the Tuskawilla area where she spent her time working on the house and yard while taking breaks to read, take walks, visit the malls, work at the church, and take an occasional trip. Lee is survived by her sister, Sandra.

ANOTHER YEAR HAS COME.....AND GONE

Dewey Ramsby has been battling a rare form of cancer - smoldering multiple myeloma (cancer of the blood) for over a year and was being treated at the Moffitt Cancer and Research Institute in Tampa, Florida. Lifelong friend Jack Billingham with wife Jolene along with family visited with Dewey and Trish whenever permitted by the doctors.

Saturday, August 11th, 2007 Joanne Horvath and her husband were returning from Breckenridge, CO when they decided to take a side trip over to visit with Steve Van Ore and wife Mary Ann Banks. Steve is battling cancer but is still actively practicing medicine.

Classmate Laird Gann had been found a few years ago. Bob Cross had been trying to work out a time that he and Laird could get together after all these years and September 4th, 2007, with Jack Billingham riding along, they reconnected. They had an 'incredible visit' according to Bob. Laird is the Executive Director of Melbourne Main Street and we have his e-mail address online if you would like to reconnect with him. He would love to hear from you!

Connie Shoup (Hudson) is not only a member of the WPHS Class of 1961, but she is a prominent Atlanta portrait artist. Dave and Katherine Rees have commissioned Connie to paint Katherine's portrait and all are thrilled. On September 19th, 2007 Connie and Bill drove from Atlanta to Montgomery to visit with Dave and Katherine. Connie made the trip with camera in hand and took over 300 photographs. Connie will paint Katherine's portrait from the photographs selected by Katherine and Dave. We had a chance to see those beautiful photographs and, unfortunately, there isn't room on our web site to display them all.

Charlie Cayll made it to the celebration of the 80th anniversary of WPHS this past April. He had a chat with the Wildcat mascot. Apparently there was a shortage of members of the Class of 1961 attending the events for that Saturday morning.

Terry Williams, Dave Cooper ('67) and Charlie Cayll

Charlie Cayll attended a golf outing on a weekend in November at Amelia Island. There were a few other WPHS grads there also. Here is a picture of Terry Williams and Dave Cooper ('67) along with Charlie in the clubhouse. "Usually there are a few more WPHS people there including Jack Billingham, Dewey Ramsby and Jon Spradley, but they where unable to attend this year", said Charlie.

Deadwood, South Dakota got a visit by Dave Rees and his brother Ted as they went pheasant hunting and wandering through the Black Hills...was Wild Bill Hickock killed in Deadwood?
Dave says he was!

Vic Vermillion, George & Elaine Mayo, Rebekah & Bill Schwartz

George Mayo and wife Elaine were visiting in Winter Park area between Christmas and New Years. While here Bill Schwartz, wife Rebekah and Vic Vermillion met up with George and Elaine for lunch.

Sarah Moore (York) and husband Chuck were visiting Sarasota. They met with Stevie Spaulding (Wilberding) and husband Steve and had dinner together.
Stevie wrote us that she has now made a 10 yr plan which cuts out all the little bothersome set backs and she is going to a personal trainer who started her with 10 arm lifts. "But I will get stronger soon. We walk on the beach every day for a mile, just where the Dali Lama walked his way back to health. Dr Berger at Mass General wants us to travel and lead a normal life. Hurrah!" Stevie wrote.

Dave Smith and his wife have a really great family album online. We pulled this photograph taken of Dave and granddaughter Grace. Dave has invited many folks to visit his family album through the link provided in the 'then and now' section of the alumni website. It's well worth the visit - the photographs are wonderful - and what a wonderful way to display them for family and friends.

Buddy Kirk, Dewey Ramsby and Jack Billingham

Just outside of Anchorage, Bill "Buddy" Kirk met up with Dewey and Jack. They spent a few hours swapping tales about our early years. Buddy pointed out to us that the photograph was taken at 11:00 PM...Land of the Midnight Sun!!!

      It was recommended that perhaps we could find a volunteer to write a column for the alumni web site on a monthly basis.
     We would be glad to make space if we have a volunteer from the class who would like to write this new column. We will post it monthly to the alumni web site with credit given to the columnist along with an e-mail address where folks could offer news and information as it pertains to themselves and their families.
     It would mean the writer would have to practically knock on doors to get participation from classmates but we know there are several hundred classmates who visit this web site on a weekly basis so we feel comfortable with the fact that the column would become a great asset and source of information.
     We had Susi's Scoops published regularly by Sue Sturges in the old WI-PA-HI-SC and also a column on Alumnae News - perhaps a similar format could be followed. Some of the members of the WI-PA-HI-SC staff included Ann Spaulding, Jackie Cottrelll, Donna Newberry, Jo Ann Ross, Stuart Smith, Chip Schram, Bill Schwartz, Sue Trapnell, Anne Laing, Loni Abbotts, Susan Gray, Fran Ussery, Robin McKenzie, Barbara McCartney, Dodi Simmerson, Sharon Horner and others.
     If you feel you would like to contribute a column to the alumni web site, please contact the Class of 1961 Web Site Committee - Mary Phillips, Bill Ronay or Anne Laing.

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

     We have recently retired classmates Larry Fennelly (semi), Kay Dirst, Lynn Nidy, Chip Lipps, David Smith, David Rowlands, Jeannette Shiver, David Sias and Alan Darling, to name a few. If you have recently retired please let us know what it is like! ...and what you are doing now!
     The success of this website is measured in several different ways. GREAT STORIES of reuniting with friends from years back is one of our favorite 'success' rewards. But additionally, we were very proud to be a part of the 45th class reunion. That was the initial motivation for creating your WPHS Class of 1961 Alumni website.
     Now we probably should be starting to think ahead towards our 50th class reunion in 2011. It seems a long way off in time, but it is only a few years and that really isn't very far away if you think about it. The Class of 1959 has their web site up and going at http://www.wphsalumni-1959.com for their class reunion next spring. The Class of 1960 has just started to build their web site. They have purchased their domain name and have a format for their site already in place at http://www.wphsalumni-1960.com. Class of 1958 will continue to maintain their web site - just changed the heading from 50th Class Reunion to WPHS Class of 1958 Alumni Web Site. That will work, eh?
     Share with us your stories of how you connected with a classmate via this website. We want to hear from you. You can click HERE to read a bit about how the site has affected some classmates and a few folks who have stumbled on to the site.
     We are looking for more pictures. Pictures and newspaper articles if you have any. Your web'mistress will be delighted to post the pictures to the website along with your name for contributing. The pictures and their captions have made the website the success that it is.
     Don't forget, if you change your e-mail address you should contact Mary Phillips or Bill Ronay so they can update their records to ensure you receive the most recent e-mails from your classmates.
     This website does not update itself. We have tracked down a few classmates who forgot to contact us when e-mail addresses were changed. Help us eliminate broken links and undeliverable e-mails. Remember to contact us of any snail-mail or e-mail changes. Many thanks.