KHS65 CLASSMATE LARRY REIFSTECK PASSES AWAY

From today's Post Dispatch, comes this obituary for our classmate Larry, who was married to another of our KHS65 classmates, Karen Garlich.  We send our sincerest condolences to his family, may he rest in eternal peace and love.

Reifsteck, Larry, Sr. asleep in Jesus on Thursday, April 3, 2014. Beloved husband of Karen Reifsteck (nee Garlich); loving father of Larry Jr., and Terri Reifsteck; dear grandfather of Lauren and Lindsey Reifsteck; dear father-in-law of Carrie Bell Reifsteck; dear brother-in-law, uncle, and friend to many. Services: Visitation Wednesday, April 9, from 3:00pm until time of funeral service at 7:00pm at BOPP Chapel, 10610 Manchester Rd. in Kirkwood. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the American Heart Association . www.boppchapel.com

KIRKWOOD SCHOOL DISTRICT DERBY & DINE

Here we go folks, a great night at Greenbriar Country Club to benefit KSDF and the Kirkwood kids.  You can call or email your reservations, check out the details at the website www.kirkwoodfoundation.org.  ENJOY!  There's a HAT CONTEST...how can it not be fun?  Click the pic to see a larger view so you can read it :-))

SAVE THE DATE DERBY & DINE 5 - 2 - 14 FUNDRAISER Kirkwood School District Foundation

It's that time of year again, the Kirkwood School District Foundation is sponsoring this year's fundraiser May 2nd, A Night at the Races, DERBY & DINE.  Sounds like fun will be had once more at Greenbriar Country Club, 6:30 to 10:00 PM.  Don't be left at the gate, seating is limited so says the card. With Derby attire recommended, there will be simulated horse races, raffle, live auction, photo booth and a best hat contest! $75 per ticket with tables available with some chips added in at the higher sponsor levels.  Sounds like fun to me!

KIRKWOOD SCHOOL DISTRICT CELEBRATING 150TH ANNIVERSARY!!

Who realized that our beloved School District is 150 years old???  Here is an announcement I received this past fall and only recently printed out!!!  Talk about being behind!  Unfortunately the planning meetings listed are all past, but one can call our community relations office, the old Alumni Office, at 314 213 6123 for more information on the sesquicentennial plans.  What fun!  Greentree Festival this September will probably be a fun place to visit, I'll bet the School District will be well represented.  The school district was formed when the Civil War ended!!! Amazing, but also, we KHS65s probably know that because we know too well that in our graduating year it was 100!  If we can remember that far back!

"We will begin celebrating the District's 150th anniversary during the 2014-15 school year.  Preparations for the celebration are underway.

There are a number of ways to be part of the celebration:

*Visit the District's tent at Greentree Festival [last September but likely this fall too.]

*Share your historic photos with us.  To upload your favorite KSD photos, visit: 
http://tinyurl.com/Kwood150 or email them to kwood150@dropevent.com.  Please add a description.

*Become part of our sesquicentennial planning committee..[.meetings were finished 3/12/14, but I'd bet one could still volunteer!]

All are welcome to be part of the celebration.  For questions contact community relations at 314 213 6123."

ELLEN MARTING MOORE KHS69 PASSES AWAY

Our condolences to our loving classmate Rev. Joe Marting whose sister Ellen passed away this week.  What a loss to their large, close, loving family.  Here is her obituary
Joe and your family are in our thoughts and prayers.

Robinson Elementary Teacher Makes Large Donation

For those of you who attended George R. Robinson Elementary this might be of interest.  From 1949-1975, Miss Joyce Garrison, who married  and became Mrs. Earl Calvin Parke, taught at Robinson School. In the early 1980s I was attending a luncheon of the Freedoms Foundation here in St. Louis County and happened to see a familiar face.  I kept bugging my husband, insisting I KNEW her but couldn't place her, happens a lot to me!  I finally went to her table and told her I was sure we had met, and asked if she was perhaps a teacher.  Yes, was her answer, and I said in Kirkwood? Yes, and I asked Robinson School?  Yes, again.  I then said, "I am Leslie Vander Meulen and I think you were my brother's first grade teacher." And immediately she said, "Well yes, you must be Kert's sister."  We then had a nice conversation about Robinson, Kirkwood, roots and little Kert.  As it turned out she was a member of the MO Mayflower Society and I had seen her name for years as I served in various Board positions.  Because she didn't attend meetings regularly (we only have 3 per year) I never saw her so I had no way to know she was the former Joyce Garrison.  In 1984 she and her husband retired to Westfield, NY, the area where she was born, very close to my family's Dutch roots around Lake Erie.  She was a member of the Buffalo NY Colony of the Mayflower Society after she went back to NY, and the DAR as well as the MO Retired Teachers Assoc.  

The current issue of the "Mayflower Quarterly" just arrived and I was surprised to flip to a page and see a photo that looked familiar - Mrs. Parke.  The title:  "Mayflower Descendant Leaves Society Unprecedented Bequest"... really caught my eye because we get lots of bequests - unprecedented not so ordinary!  Our sweet Miss Garrison left the Mayflower Society over $1.5million!!!  She had no children and the article describes the bequest as the "majority portion of her estate".  

She earned her degree in Elementary Ed at Wash U. She was born in Silver Creek, NY and is buried in the Garrison family plot at Ripley, NY, survived by a niece and two nephews. She died in December 2012.  You can go here to see her obituary.

What a lovely connection to make with this lady from Kirkwood doing so much good for such a good cause. The fund will be the Joyce Garrison Parke Memorial Fund.  I am sure our Society will find a good home for the funds, as we have a large house museum/library and offices in our care and we are always publishing new research on Mayflower passengers and topics.  

In this class were, among some I don't remember, Ray Stelfox, David James (who shared my same b'day and lived just down from Larry Gibbons), Lydia Flanigan, Ricky Kohler, Bob Delong, Bruce Rutherford, Anne Smith, Mary Clifton, Doug Hayman, Bill Watts, Mike Caldwell, John Guyer, Russ Magee, Becky Smith, (the late) Ronnie Reid, and (the late) Charlie Huebner.  BUT THEN you'd know these faces if you'd seen www.khs65.com where I have a post with lots of class pix ~~and I have more to post, lurking on this computer somewhere!!!

Arlayne McManamie-West's husband passes away

Our classmate Arlayne McManamie-West's husband, Charles William West (67), passed away due to a massive heart attack-Tuesday, Feb 18 at Mercy Hosp in Des Moines. His funeral was today, Friday, Feb 20 at 1:30pm Urbandale, IA; they were married 45 yrs, have 3 children & 10 grandchildren. He was a devout Christian, Elder in his church, and played drums in their church orchestra. Our sincere condolences Arlayne, may he rest in much love and peace.

KHS64 MEMBER RICH MCDONNELL PASSES AWAY

Many members of our class knew Rich McDonnell through his music.  Someone mentioned to me this week that he had died and I just now had time to look up his obituary in the Post.  Here is the link to the obituary.  Some of you may know that his brother is Mayor of Kirkwood these days.  Weren't we fortunate to have so many talented musicians in our midst growing up in Kirkwood in the mid '60s?  Perhaps why our music continues to unite us all these years later.
Another of our time gone too soon.

McDonnell, Richard E. Passed away on Saturday, February 8, 2014. Dear friend and former husband of Cynthia P. McDonnell (nee Platte); loving father of Boyd (Paige), Carter (Kate), and Clayton (Corinne) McDonnell; dear grandfather of Ryan, Maris, and Myles McDonnell; dear brother of Arthur (Barbara) McDonnell, Diane Hadley, Kenneth (Donna) McDonnell, Mary Carole (Jeff Nilles) McDonnell, and the late Holly McDonnell; dear uncle, great-uncle and cousin. Richard was a friend to every person he met, and will be remembered for his love and warm spirit, genuine interest in others, his beaming smile, and largerthan-life presence. He enjoyed a 30-year career with A.G. Edwards, and for the last 15 years, lived his true passion, as founder of the MAXJAZZ record label. To his core, Richard was a lover and champion of jazz and its artists. Services: A memorial gathering will be held from 3-6pm on Thurs., Feb. 13, at Bopp Chapel, 10610 Manchester Rd., in Kirkwood. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in his name to Jazz St. Louis, 3547 Olive St. Ste. 260, St. Louis, MO 63103. www.boppchapel.com - See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/stltoday/obituary.aspx?n=richard-e-mcdonnell&pid=169629586&fhid=6378#sthash.Br4EdyPb.dpuf

McDonnell, Richard E. Passed away on Saturday, February 8, 2014. Dear friend and former husband of Cynthia P. McDonnell (nee Platte); loving father of Boyd (Paige), Carter (Kate), and Clayton (Corinne) McDonnell; dear grandfather of Ryan, Maris, and Myles McDonnell; dear brother of Arthur (Barbara) McDonnell, Diane Hadley, Kenneth (Donna) McDonnell, Mary Carole (Jeff Nilles) McDonnell, and the late Holly McDonnell; dear uncle, great-uncle and cousin. Richard was a friend to every person he met, and will be remembered for his love and warm spirit, genuine interest in others, his beaming smile, and largerthan-life presence. He enjoyed a 30-year career with A.G. Edwards, and for the last 15 years, lived his true passion, as founder of the MAXJAZZ record label. To his core, Richard was a lover and champion of jazz and its artists. Services: A memorial gathering will be held from 3-6pm on Thurs., Feb. 13, at Bopp Chapel, 10610 Manchester Rd., in Kirkwood. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in his name to Jazz St. Louis, 3547 Olive St. Ste. 260, St. Louis, MO 63103. www.boppchapel.com - See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/stltoday/obituary.aspx?n=richard-e-mcdonnell&pid=169629586&fhid=6378#sthash.Br4EdyPb.dpuf

McDonnell, Richard E. Passed away on Saturday, February 8, 2014. Dear friend and former husband of Cynthia P. McDonnell (nee Platte); loving father of Boyd (Paige), Carter (Kate), and Clayton (Corinne) McDonnell; dear grandfather of Ryan, Maris, and Myles McDonnell; dear brother of Arthur (Barbara) McDonnell, Diane Hadley, Kenneth (Donna) McDonnell, Mary Carole (Jeff Nilles) McDonnell, and the late Holly McDonnell; dear uncle, great-uncle and cousin. Richard was a friend to every person he met, and will be remembered for his love and warm spirit, genuine interest in others, his beaming smile, and largerthan-life presence. He enjoyed a 30-year career with A.G. Edwards, and for the last 15 years, lived his true passion, as founder of the MAXJAZZ record label. To his core, Richard was a lover and champion of jazz and its artists. Services: A memorial gathering will be held from 3-6pm on Thurs., Feb. 13, at Bopp Chapel, 10610 Manchester Rd., in Kirkwood. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in his name to Jazz St. Louis, 3547 Olive St. Ste. 260, St. Louis, MO 63103. www.boppchapel.com - See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/stltoday/obituary.aspx?n=richard-e-mcdonnell&pid=169629586&fhid=6378#sthash.Br4EdyPb.dpuf

McDonnell, Richard E. Passed away on Saturday, February 8, 2014. Dear friend and former husband of Cynthia P. McDonnell (nee Platte); loving father of Boyd (Paige), Carter (Kate), and Clayton (Corinne) McDonnell; dear grandfather of Ryan, Maris, and Myles McDonnell; dear brother of Arthur (Barbara) McDonnell, Diane Hadley, Kenneth (Donna) McDonnell, Mary Carole (Jeff Nilles) McDonnell, and the late Holly McDonnell; dear uncle, great-uncle and cousin. Richard was a friend to every person he met, and will be remembered for his love and warm spirit, genuine interest in others, his beaming smile, and largerthan-life presence. He enjoyed a 30-year career with A.G. Edwards, and for the last 15 years, lived his true passion, as founder of the MAXJAZZ record label. To his core, Richard was a lover and champion of jazz and its artists. Services: A memorial gathering will be held from 3-6pm on Thurs., Feb. 13, at Bopp Chapel, 10610 Manchester Rd., in Kirkwood. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in his name to Jazz St. Louis, 3547 Olive St. Ste. 260, St. Louis, MO 63103. www.boppchapel.com - See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/stltoday/obituary.aspx?n=richard-e-mcdonnell&pid=169629586&fhid=6378#sthash.Br4EdyPb.dpuf

Richard E. McDonnell

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• "Such a great guy! First to introduce himself and make you..."
  - Kate Black

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McDonnell, Richard E. Passed away on Saturday, February 8, 2014. Dear friend and former husband of Cynthia P. McDonnell (nee Platte); loving father of Boyd (Paige), Carter (Kate), and Clayton (Corinne) McDonnell; dear grandfather of Ryan, Maris, and Myles McDonnell; dear brother of Arthur (Barbara) McDonnell, Diane Hadley, Kenneth (Donna) McDonnell, Mary Carole (Jeff Nilles) McDonnell, and the late Holly McDonnell; dear uncle, great-uncle and cousin. Richard was a friend to every person he met, and will be remembered for his love and warm spirit, genuine interest in others, his beaming smile, and largerthan-life presence. He enjoyed a 30-year career with A.G. Edwards, and for the last 15 years, lived his true passion, as founder of the MAXJAZZ record label. To his core, Richard was a lover and champion of jazz and its artists. Services: A memorial gathering will be held from 3-6pm on Thurs., Feb. 13, at Bopp Chapel, 10610 Manchester Rd., in Kirkwood. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in his name to Jazz St. Louis, 3547 Olive St. Ste. 260, St

- See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/stltoday/obituary.aspx?n=richard-e-mcdonnell&pid=169629586&fhid=6378#sthash.Br4EdyPb.dpuf

Richard E. McDonnell

Obituary

Guest Book

• "Such a great guy! First to introduce himself and make you..."
  - Kate Black

View Sign

McDonnell, Richard E. Passed away on Saturday, February 8, 2014. Dear friend and former husband of Cynthia P. McDonnell (nee Platte); loving father of Boyd (Paige), Carter (Kate), and Clayton (Corinne) McDonnell; dear grandfather of Ryan, Maris, and Myles McDonnell; dear brother of Arthur (Barbara) McDonnell, Diane Hadley, Kenneth (Donna) McDonnell, Mary Carole (Jeff Nilles) McDonnell, and the late Holly McDonnell; dear uncle, great-uncle and cousin. Richard was a friend to every person he met, and will be remembered for his love and warm spirit, genuine interest in others, his beaming smile, and largerthan-life presence. He enjoyed a 30-year career with A.G. Edwards, and for the last 15 years, lived his true passion, as founder of the MAXJAZZ record label. To his core, Richard was a lover and champion of jazz and its artists. Services: A memorial gathering will be held from 3-6pm on Thurs., Feb. 13, at Bopp Chapel, 10610 Manchester Rd., in Kirkwood. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in his name to Jazz St. Louis, 3547 Olive St. Ste. 260, St

- See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/stltoday/obituary.aspx?n=richard-e-mcdonnell&pid=169629586&fhid=6378#sthash.Br4EdyPb.dpuf

Richard E. McDonnell

Obituary

Guest Book

• "Such a great guy! First to introduce himself and make you..."
  - Kate Black

View Sign

McDonnell, Richard E. Passed away on Saturday, February 8, 2014. Dear friend and former husband of Cynthia P. McDonnell (nee Platte); loving father of Boyd (Paige), Carter (Kate), and Clayton (Corinne) McDonnell; dear grandfather of Ryan, Maris, and Myles McDonnell; dear brother of Arthur (Barbara) McDonnell, Diane Hadley, Kenneth (Donna) McDonnell, Mary Carole (Jeff Nilles) McDonnell, and the late Holly McDonnell; dear uncle, great-uncle and cousin. Richard was a friend to every person he met, and will be remembered for his love and warm spirit, genuine interest in others, his beaming smile, and largerthan-life presence. He enjoyed a 30-year career with A.G. Edwards, and for the last 15 years, lived his true passion, as founder of the MAXJAZZ record label. To his core, Richard was a lover and champion of jazz and its artists. Services: A memorial gathering will be held from 3-6pm on Thurs., Feb. 13, at Bopp Chapel, 10610 Manchester Rd., in Kirkwood. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in his name to Jazz St. Louis, 3547 Olive St. Ste. 260, St

- See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/stltoday/obituary.aspx?n=richard-e-mcdonnell&pid=169629586&fhid=6378#sthash.Br4EdyPb.dpuf

Richard E. McDonnell

Obituary

Guest Book

• "Such a great guy! First to introduce himself and make you..."
  - Kate Black

View Sign

McDonnell, Richard E. Passed away on Saturday, February 8, 2014. Dear friend and former husband of Cynthia P. McDonnell (nee Platte); loving father of Boyd (Paige), Carter (Kate), and Clayton (Corinne) McDonnell; dear grandfather of Ryan, Maris, and Myles McDonnell; dear brother of Arthur (Barbara) McDonnell, Diane Hadley, Kenneth (Donna) McDonnell, Mary Carole (Jeff Nilles) McDonnell, and the late Holly McDonnell; dear uncle, great-uncle and cousin. Richard was a friend to every person he met, and will be remembered for his love and warm spirit, genuine interest in others, his beaming smile, and largerthan-life presence. He enjoyed a 30-year career with A.G. Edwards, and for the last 15 years, lived his true passion, as founder of the MAXJAZZ record label. To his core, Richard was a lover and champion of jazz and its artists. Services: A memorial gathering will be held from 3-6pm on Thurs., Feb. 13, at Bopp Chapel, 10610 Manchester Rd., in Kirkwood. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in his name to Jazz St. Louis, 3547 Olive St. Ste. 260, St

- See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/stltoday/obituary.aspx?n=richard-e-mcdonnell&pid=169629586&fhid=6378#sthash.Br4EdyPb.dpuf

JIM OLSON CREATING AGAIN!

Our classmate Jim Olson, of Alumni Athletic Hall of Fame and KHS65 Track Team fame is now entering a new arena.  Check out his latest project at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/634329694/break-a-leg-talking-key-chain
and be SURE to watch the video; you'll see Jim as he is today and have a chance to pledge to this fun invention, but even if you don't want to do that, it's a fun project to learn about.  Jim was a long-time advertising guru with Gray Advertising, a really creative kinda guy~ Among my favorites were his great Dodge RAM Truck ads on TV, and my all-time favorite, for McDonalds, "Put Litter in its Place"...  The project is also on Facebook, The Original Break A Leg typed into the FB search bar will bring it up.  BREAK A LEG Jim!

BOBO, Papa Choo Choo, trains and Kirkwood - what a life!

For most of my life one of my favorite Kirkwood places has been the Museum of Transport.  If you grew up in Kirkwood you will remember it wasn't really all that much when we were little, but WOW, it's world class now.  THE place to have a grandchild's birthday party, an adult fund-raiser, a day out in the sun enjoying stuff such as a '57 Chevy, old trains, walking through old trains, history of our area, history of the world of trains and other modes of transport, you name it, they've got it...oh and did I mention part of the facade of Coral Courts???  I've blogged before about the tunnels, and Dave Beardsley I think added some G2 on them too...historic part of the property.  If you haven't been lately, just GO.  It's not far south of Manchester on Barrett Station Road.  Gotta be careful, some of the roads have changed, but you'll recognize a lot of the area.

Bob O'Neill of our class has volunteered at the MOT for over 50 years - you do the math to figure out when he started!  He recently told me he "fell in love" with trains as a very little boy and just never outgrew it.  Dave Beardsley has been a devoted volunteer newbie since his retirement too, and they are making great strides in saving, renewing and publicizing the trains held in the Museum's properties.  Recently Bob told me they'd received two train cars to use as workshops for their various projects.  Earlier in the summer those two great pals helped me move some furniture and I discovered some wood shelving I don't need and can't store.  Remembering the new train cars and figuring these narrow shelves would be perfect, I offered the shelving to them & they loved the idea - poof  - the shelving disappeared from my life, a good thing.  In appreciation for their help that day we agreed they'd give me a tour of their current projects at the MOT and I'd buy lunch.  August 22 was one of those days this summer when it seemed like May not August, and it was great to be outdoors.  I met Bob and Dave at the MOT and got a great tour of their two new train cars, outfitted with workbenches, tools, storage, toy train parts, the whole works.  It's AMAZING what they can take advantage of that others would pitch!  The staff was already working hard on the toy train exhibit which will open just after Thanksgiving so I could see some of the "in progress" works.  Meantime, Bob had to work the trolley ride for awhile, so Dave & I hopped on and chatted the whole time!  Then it was off to lunch at where else than PJ's in Kirkwood...yum.  However, I'm still indebted, Bob bought lunch saying he owed Dave a lunch anyway, but that still doesn't get me off the hook does it?

I have a friend who is interested in trains too, so when Bob was telling me about this huge engine and its history and the fact that it's one of the largest locomotive engines ever, I listened.  Do I now remember all he told me, well NO, but Dave has a Facebook post that gives a bit of info about Union Pacific and its old, huge locomotives.

Above are Dave and Bob with their huge engine, and there's a canal tender, who knew?  It's called a Mule, an electric locomotive which ran alongside the canal locks and which has a winch for towing ships through the restricted spaces; we're never too old to learn are we???
And I'll brag on my son a bit, when he was still in high school Matt automated the MOT's Friends database and early store software in the gift shop.  He then supported that software until later technology replaced it.  If memory serves, he was working there before he could drive! 

THANKS DAVE and BOB for a great day, lots of learning and fun.  I am in AWE of the amount of work you do and have done (especially Bob for all these years) to volunteer at this worthwhile Museum and keep the history of trains and training alive.  GOOD JOB!