While I did not know Mina at KHS, reading her obituary makes me wish I had. What an interesting life she led! Here is her obituary I found after news of her death reached us courtesy of a neighbor who was kind enough to contact our Reunion Committee upon receiving the post card mailing announcing our recent picnic.
May she be resting in peace.
Some of us will remember the department stores in town (Famous Barr & Stix in particular) had a teenage Fashion Board group which was recruited to be ombudsmen to the community of young folks aka teenagers for the stores. One had to audition for the Fashion Board, and I'm pretty sure my memory is correct that Lynn was one...I'm sure I have something in our KHS65 archives which would prove my memory correct. In more recent years I learned she had joined our local chapter of United Daughters of the Confederacy so I called and chatted with her. Unfortunately I never did succeed in encouraging her to attend a meeting, but she did have some health/dietary challenges that made 'lunch out with the girls' not so doable. At any rate, we had lovely chats. She and Fairfax lived in Glendale for many years but unfortunately she never did attend any of our KHS65 reunion activities... now it is too late to woo her into joining us for our 2025 upcoming 60th reunion. We will though remember all of those who have gone before us so she will not be forgotten.
Here is the link to her obituary : https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/stltoday/name/lynn-jones-obituary?id=56469151
This link will take you to the recent article in Webster Kirkwood Times about our athletic stars! The photo is all of the inductees who attended whom we could get herded onto the riser. I proof-read the text twice for various publications and people, but they still didn't get it right. Jim Olson and J L (Joe) Charleville (KHS63) should have ** because they are unfortunately no longer living. Joal was there with us to honor her brother Joe.
Here is the link to the recent article:
Front row l to r: Gary Schmidt on end, Rod Bruckdorfer w/ cane, Doug McDougal KHS63 (62 team honoree), and our own Bob Leonard.
Second row between Doug & Bob is Phil Mills (KHS66). Note in text, Rod was honored for both teams, he was on the winning team our sophomore and senior years! The inductees marched in single file onto the football field Friday night to be introduced individually. AND the PIONEERS beat Pattonville 50 - 20! Gorgeous evening to be out and great game!
I was thrilled to be invited to all of the festivities by virtue of my 12 year old nomination of the team of 1964/65 for the Hall of Fame - it was about time they were honored. And as a side note, Jim Olson was already honored as an individual in the Athletic Hall of Fame and Gary Schmidt previously in the Alumni Hall of Fame for his stellar career as a lawyer and jurist. See my other FB posts and the Kirkwood High School website Hall of Fame listing for ALL members of the HOF since its inception.
What a whirlwind weekend it was, good fellowship, gorgeous weather and even great food! Dinner at PJs in Kirkwood Saturday night was fun and tasty too! Lee & Karen Walters, Dianne Eddins Cook & hubby Frank, Karen Lowe Adams and members of Gary Schmidt's family PLUS a drop in surprise appearance by Steve Woodard added to the festivities of our dinner.
Our appreciation goes to all the staff of Kirkwood High School who were SO accommodating to us all, especially those who needed a bit of extra help; warmly welcoming and watching out for us at all the events, we felt very special!
Please scroll down for my earlier posts about our weekend....more photos coming!
WHAT A WEEKEND WE HAVE HAD IN KIRKWOOD, I'M WAXING RATHER NOSTALGIC TODAY SO PLEASE BEAR WITH ME.
A couple of months ago Dr. Seth Harrell left me a phone message telling me he is the principal of KHS and "I have some great news for you". I immediately tried calling but reached voicemail so had to wait til Monday to finally reach him. When I identified myself he said "Your team is going to be inducted into the KHS Athletic Hall of Fame in September." I had to think about that for a second and probably said something stupid like "Which team?" the reply being the 1964 Cross Country team. Well, dummy me I thought he meant the cross country team of the class of 1964 so I told him I was the wrong person to talk to so I'd get him to the right person!!! Well, somehow or other I got the picture that it was OUR '65 boys so I called the person at the alumni affairs office to whom I was directed and spoke to Amy Bullmer and when I quizzed her about why I got the call from Dr. Harrell she said, "Well Leslie YOU nominated the team! I have the nomination sheet in front of me." Well folks when she said that I had immediate recall, luckily my mind is not quite as bad as I sometimes accuse it of being. It was 2012 when I did that!!!! For awhile back then I watched the KHS public places wondering when the team would be honored and after some time I guess I just totally forgot! At any rate, I've spent some wonderful few late summer weeks working with the great gals at KHS on the program, finding and contacting the inductees, making new friends and visiting with those KHS65/66 members who were all so surprised and honored to be recognized for their amazing talents way back in our youth.
Fast forward to this past Friday we had a reception for the inductees and families and invited friends, then went up to the amazing MODERN football field and watched the Pioneers trounce Pattonville 50 to 20. I was so busy talking and taking pix I had to google the score just now, last I saw it was only 6 points for Pattonville - I guess I wasn't a good football fan the last half of the game. There was something amazing that happened to me personally that night so admittedly I was side-tracked a bit, but that story has to wait for another time. And we were interrupted by having to get our herd of cats down to the football field to be introduced and honored, along with all the other inductees of the night, during the half-time show. They all entered the field, single file in order and were introduced individually, it was a GREAT few minutes. That ceremony was followed by a rousing performance by the fabulous KHS Marching Band, another special treat.
Yesterday began with a reception for the inductees, family, friends and the public, then the induction ceremony in the Keating Theatre. The inductees were seated on the stage and Doug Vaughn of CBS local channel 4, a KHS74 alum himself and frequent emcee for all things KHS, introduced Dr. Harrell, Corey Nesslage, Athletic Director and Dr. David Ulrich, School Superintendent who each presented short greetings. Doug then introduced the 12 individual athletes who spoke, 2 being deceased but others spoke for them; next were the teams, the long-awaited opportunity for our guys to shine once again! Representing the 1962 team & chosen to be the spokesperson was Kent Overbey, their coach. We spent great time with him at both receptions, what fun he is at age 86! Our own Joal Charleville Russell's brother Joe was one of the posthumous awardees as were Mike Hensgen, Charlie Harris & Rick Haefele. Dan Dykstra, Steve Jones, Tom Goodwin and Ken Mulherin (a neighbor of ours in Sugar Creek Ranch) were other team-mates not in attendance but with us WERE Doug McDougall and our OWN ROD BRUCKDORFER! Yes, Rod was on the winning team in our sophomore year as well as our senior year! More about that in a moment. Joal was given the award for her late brother. I forgot to ask Rod if he received 2 but I bet he did because I think they had the year on them. As I am typing a long-lost memory popped into my head- happens to me a lot. I was dating Jack Maris our sophomore year and we went somewhere on a double-date and I haven't thought of it in eons but as I typed the name I realized it was Charlie Harris and whomever his date was! I had to check the '63 PIONEER to be sure my memory was correct! Funny how our brains can just toss us a long-lost memory at the oddest times! In my next life I'm going to study the mechanics of how the heck our brains do that!!!
Finally it was OUR turn to honor our inductees - the 1964-65 Cross Country Team. Those with us last night were Rod Bruckdorfer & wonderful wife Lenora from NC, Phil Mills (KHS66), Bill Pape, who drove from upstate NY, Mike Bosworth, Bob Leonard driving from San Antonio and Judge Gary Schmidt who rode the train in from Jefferson City (Alumni Hall of Fame 2010 individually for his stellar legal career). Also on the team were Jim Olson who was the individual State Champion that year, and is already in the Athletic Hall of Fame (2009) individually and who is no longer living, Bill Barrow and John Rogers also deceased. I throw out the places and means of transport here to give me the entree to reminding everyone that Bill Pape RODE HIS BICYCLE here from New Jersey for one of our class reunions! I'll never forget that factoid, Bill is an amazing guy, a long-time lawyer and municipal judge.
I have been privileged to be a friend of Gary Schmidt's for many years; he has been of great help to me during some dark times, and I'm so proud of his record as a jurist, athlete, father and friend to many. He sent me his talk (teams were allowed 5 minutes with one spokesperson) to look over which I did, tweaked it a bit and then made sure I kept a copy so I can share it here. We should ALL be so proud of ALL of our KHS athletes, but these guys were and still are superior people and super friends.
"In 1964 Kirkwood’s cross-country team finished second in the nation. Arch-rival Riverview Gardens finished fourth in the nation, but never came close to Kirkwood. In the National Championship Kirkwood could have had better luck with weather or injuries, but that's not what happened and Kirkwood finished with the silver medal by two seconds.
In many ways our slowest runner was our MVP. In practice and at a meet Kirkwood runners never quit. Every athlete applied constant pressure to the teammate in front of him. And that upward pressure went to the top of the lineup. Kirkwood was deep and every member of the team made a significant contribution.
Rod Bruckdorfer was the team captain for a group of very strong-willed individuals. Herding cats would have been far easier. To this day, no one can explain how that dead fish found its way to Jim Olson’s locker. Several teammates awoke to find dozens of “real estate for sale” signs in their front yard. One athlete discovered his car had been listed for sale. No one knows how these things happened, they just HAPPENED.
But when it came time to work, the team concentrated and worked hard. The hard work paid off with great results.
Coach Lyon was an excellent coach who had succeeded the very much beloved and also excellent Coach Overbey. Several years later Kirkwood won a National Championship under Coach Lyon.
Jim Olson was the individual State Champion, and second in the nation. But this was a great bunch of guys, each with their own great story. I want to share with you one of those stories from Bill Pape.
"I was running on Longview near my family home for a Boy Scout merit badge during the summer before 10th grade.
A car pulled up beside me and some tough guys rolled down the window and directed me to show up at Kirkwood Park to run that Saturday.
I asked Coach Overbey about this and he admitted he sent soon-to-be-seniors on the team to go look for recruits.
They saved my life because I was a shy kid going nowhere fast. Suddenly, I had friends, a coach, and a life."
At that time high schools did not have women’s sports. Becky Emrich, Mary Domrese, and Chris Hofstetter, as well as the cheerleaders made up for this lack by providing incredible support for the team. [Mary was in the audience and Gary pointed her out and she waved then joined us later at dinner.]
Before the State Meet, the Cheerleaders delivered boxes of Special K to the home of each teammate. Although the cereal is gone, sixty years later I still have the box, it meant so much to me (and I suspect the others).
At the State meet Chris, Mary, and Becky rallied what seemed to be hundreds of great young ladies who ran all over the course ahead of the runners imploring them to go faster, faster, always faster. Words cannot express the effect this had on a sixteen year old. It was magnificent inspiration.
We would like to thank Leslie Richards and Lisa Wade for the work they did putting us together with this event. We thank them and we thank the committee for the honor of our induction. I think the team would agree, going to Kirkwood and being on this team was like winning the lottery.
We have six surviving inductees with us today. Unfortunately Jim Olson, Bill Barrow and John Rogers have passed away.
With us tonight are, in no particular order save Bill Pape who threatened me, Bill Pape, Bob Leonard, Mike Bosworth, Phil Mills, Captain Rod Bruckdorfer and me, “the Tiger”, Gary Schmidt."
On the walls at the school were large posters with pix of some of the inductees, including the 'official' photo of the full 1964 Boys Cross Country Team. I'll post it and some other pix when I have a chance, today is a gorgeous cool day and hubby Jack and I have a LOT of neglected yard work to tend to so I'm off to grab a rake and some pruning shears. Come to our 2025 60th reunion to see the poster, and lots more KHS65 memorabilia....keep your eye out here for Reunion date and news in coming months and hopefully I'll get lots more pix posted 'ere too long. THANK YOU TO ALL who participated this weekend, including Lee and Karen Walters who joined us for dinner last night, as well as Karen Lowe Adams who did also and Steve Woodard who happened to look to his left as he was parking his car to have dinner at PJs and recognized my license plate, I glanced over and saw his face and knew immediately who he was so he joined us for few minutes too! Dianne Eddins Cook & hubby Frank also had dinner with us, always so much fun to be with them, Dianne the consummate cheerleader who never stops caring about our KHS65 friends.
Signing off - as I watch a hummingbird flitting around in the tree by my office window, on its way to my feeder no doubt. It will soon be the end of watching those amazing little birds as I work, they head south by the end of this month. Thanks for reading and happy September, my favorite month!
While I was not a student in Mr. Leech's class at Kirkwood High, others do remember him and my attention was called to his obituary courtesy of my pal, Pat Hoag, so that I could share. He certainly led a life devoted to mathematics to the advantage of many I'm sure.
Here is the link to his recent obituary:
Moisio, Peter Anton
62, of St. Louis passed away peacefully on July 7, 2024, with St. Louis Arc Rainbow Village staff by his side.
Peter started his 21 years of growth and independence in the St. Louis area when he moved from Tucson, Arizona, where he lived with his brother Rick and his wife Mary, to live with his sister Pat and her late husband, Stanley. Stan and Pat encouraged Pete in his independence, creativity, volunteerism, and confidence. Stan used his real estate expertise to help Peter find an apartment that was safe and perfect location-wise to Peter's friends as well as his many activities. When living in his apartment, he was supported by Midwest Easter Seals staff. Additionally, Peter learned skills taught by Bill, Cathy, Carol, and Piper. When he moved to the St. Louis Arc Rainbow Village (Promise Community) campus, he evolved further with help from Craig, MaryAnne, Ed, Seth, Kristie, Eli, Amber, and countless others.
Services: The celebration of Peter's life will be at Webster United Methodist Church, 600 North Bompart Avenue, Webster Groves, Missouri 63119, at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 7, 2024. The celebration of Peter's life will be streamed live. For those who are unable to attend Peter's celebration of life, please use the following link to participate in the live streaming,
https://websterunitedmethodist.org/wum-online-watch-online/.
In lieu of flowers, consider donating to the St. Louis Arc, (Supporting people with developmental disabilities and their families since 1950.), 1177 Warson Road, Saint Louis, MO 63132, 314-817-2242.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Our classmate Claudia Margedant Schlueter has passed away. Please see her obituary here:
https://stlouiscremation.com/obituaries/claudia-m-schlueter/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR11lwrSeLkmdNqgTZZZD3wAHao2VUPrAekGeOGICcArB_X_oNIkFOfgngc_aem_AfwGdNMAEQgs5hsX4MK00Ew5qGE0dKM18SfVjBysQQuOX7431bGigb35RyzlQV6_a3FNvOixta01vwvQ0CreX7c-
I have never had so much trouble posting a URL...not sure why it's acting up, but I will test it after I post, but also you can see it on my Facebook page. Visitation at Sunset 44 in Kirkwood tomorrow, Weds. 6/5 4 to 8pm with a memorial service at 7:00pm. Claudia was a great Kirkwoodian for her whole life and a good friend to so many.
May she rest in peace and love. (The link works, just highlight it and copy/paste.)
Many of us had connections to the late fabulous musician Dave Sanborn. Feel free to post your memories here if you wish. Here is his obituary from Legacy.com. The one from the St. Louis Post Dispatch wouldn't open when posted on my Facebook page:
https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/legacyremembers/david-sanborn-obituary?pid=206928011
This one has a nice photo too!
Happy sunny Saturday in May here in Missouri! I found this news story this morning and immediately thought of certain of our classmates who rekindled love at a later age. No matter when we fell in love, this is a charming story of 90 year old lovebirds. Since we KHS65ers are afterall aging, it's probably more appropriate than other stories we might see! I hope you enjoy it. Vive l'amour!
https://www.today.com/health/womens-health/88-year-old-bride-wedding-rcna151517?utm_source=join1440&utm_medium=email&utm_placement=newsletter
