Check out some pics from then and now of these BBCHS love stories
Went together two years in High School. Married Dec. 1, 1956.
We met at the Homecoming Bonfire & Snake dance 1950. Went together till Dale graduated. Got together again when
Dale returned from Korea. Lots of good memories from school. One thing worth mentioning is four of us girls hung around together all through school and to this day we are still close.
We are retired now. Dale from IBM and Riverside Hospital. I retired from Love Christian Book Store.
Dale's Mom & Dad and my Mom attended BBCHS. Our daughter Kelly Carroll graduated from Bradley and also her three children. Kelly currently teaches 8h grade at Bradley Central and daughter, Meghan teaches at BBCHS. Son-in-law, Barry Reilly graduated from BB and is retired as Superintendent of Bloomington School District.
We have two daughters, seven grandchildren and four greats.
We have been blessed.
PS Sharon fondly remembers her friends :
Joann Gustin Swinford
Sandra Johnson Beaupre
Jackie Gulczyski Hammond
Tom Januski and Carol West met when he was a junior and I was a sophomore 1961. Married in 1965 April 23. Will be our 58th anniversary this year.
We met at a football game at BBCHS in 1959. Cheryl & Joel both attended SIU. Married in 1966.
FAVORITE MEMORY FROM HIGH SCHOOL WAS MEETING MY ABSOLUTE SOUL MATE! Cheryl passed aay from Alzheimer's in 2018. We had been MARRIED FIFTY-TWO YEARS! They dated all through high school so we wer actually together for 59 years. Cheyl lived in Bradley and Joel was a farm boy from Boubonnais. Cheryl was an internationally know gallery artist. You can Google her...Cheryl English. In 1971 Joel and Cheryl moved to Scottsdale and Cheryl began to explore oil painting. By the start of the 80's she was in art galleries in Scottsdale, Tucson, Sedona and Wickenburg. As her abilities blossomed her list of galleries grew as did the demand from her collectors. Over her career her works were displayed in Japan, Hawaii, New York, California, New Mexico, Maryland and throughout Arizona. Joel lives in Scottsdale, AZ and is retired from real estate. They have 3 children and 7 grandchildren.
Married : 53 years.....together since Sophmore year
We met when Jay was playing poker at Gary Wilson’s house ....Sandy Wilson invited me over to keep her company with “all those guys around”...Jay was a Freshman and I was in 7th grade.
Favorite memory.....Monique....sock hops, friends, plays and watching Jay play sports........Student Council elections
Favorite memory Jay.....playing with wonderful teammates in the different sports
Jay is retired from the corporate world and has turned over the running of our company to our son. We live in Hinsdale in the summer months and in St. John, US Virgin Islands during the winter. We have alway had a great love of travel and continue to spend a lot of time doing that. We have 3 children and an adopted son as well who have blessed us with 6 wonderful grandchildren.
PS In March our last child was married here in St John and my maid of honor Nadine Lambert Minnig, (1966 too) is attending as her Godmother.
Great friendships...
(Madeline Elizabeth)
A big Boiler hello!
We now live in north central Florida (Gainesville, home of the University of Florida), but we still have strong ties to BBCHS.
Beth's sister Jennifer Edmonds is a school board member, and Jennifer's daughter (our niece) Laura (Edmonds) Hines works at the school!
Beth (coming out of Bourbonnais schools) and Roger (coming out of Bradley) met at the HS and first dated late in our freshmen year!
Off-and-on for a while, but we went steady most of our junior and senior years. We went separate ways for college, but ended up getting married in 1972. So we celebrated 50 years in 2022!
After living in Champaign-Urbana for a couple of years as I finished school (engineering) at U of I, I took a job with a national engineering consulting firm. For the next 15 years, we lived in Oregon, southern California, central California, and SW Florida. Then we landed here in Gainesville. Didn't know we would, but we ended up staying here for my last 20+ years with the firm.
Along the way, we had three children. They were born in three different states, but all basically grew up here in Gainesville.
Beth and Roger both retired about 10 years ago. We really enjoy our six grandchildren, who all live nearby.
For Roger, favorite memories from HS--aside from knowing Beth of course--almost all revolve around sports. They were a big part of my life, and year-round. I have fond memories of practices, locker rooms, teammates, bus rides, coaches, and games. And of course the gym (basketball), the football field, and the baseball diamond. But I also really enjoyed other HS experiences, like dances, class projects, and the like. I was lucky enough to be Class President for my last three years, and that involved a whole bunch of favorite HS memories!
Beth loved high school. I have great memories of the halls of BBCHS. I was active in Student Council, chorus, Gym Leaders, Drama, and was a cheerleader my sophomore year. I loved going to football and basketball games, in large part because Roger played! But I would have gone if I hadn't known him. I loved the social gatherings. And the dances! Decorating the boys' gym for prom was such fun.....something that probably doesn't happen anymore! I had good friends in high school and we have gone back for many reunions, as we were in the same class!I have great memories of these friends and activities, but also teachers I really liked and admired. They were good times.
As Beth mentioned, over the years, we attended a bunch of class reunion celebrations, which were always wonderful and great fun! There are a few classmates that we have contact with once in awhile, but we'd love more of that!
Met first week of school Karen’s freshmen year broke up a few times, went to Homecoming Karen’s freshman year. She wore a blue corduroy suit -you know the song Blue Velvet, I sung it Blue Corduroy!
Prom soph, junior & senior years, winter ball junior year
Engage Sept 1966, Married April 26, 1969 – 2 years after high school Celebrating 54 years!
6 grands 6 great grands – live locally still
We dated 1974-1978. We have been married 44 years on November 18th.
We knew each other through band in jr high at Alan Shepard Grade School and continued through BBCHS.
Favorite Memory: Most memories are time with band members. We were a close group because we spent every day together and enjoyed performing at football and basketball games. We were not the popular kids but we had a special bond and were always there for each other creating many lifelong friends.
We are both retired. Wayne from Gordon Electric Supply after 48 years. Linda from Bourbonnais Elementary District #53 after 38 years. Both our children also graduated from BBCHS. Jennifer in 2000 is teaching math at KKK. Jeremy in 2003 teaches PE and coaches at BBCHS.
We still live in Bourbonnais. We are enjoying our 4 grand children and spending time at Disney as often as we can. Wayne also enjoys golfing in town and in Florida.
Dan Merten & Debbie Lockwood Class of 1973 grew up 3 blocks away from each other. They attended St. Joe Grade School, BBCHS together but never spoke until senior year of high school.
Dan asked his buddy to drop him off at Debbie's house (she had curlers in her hair!) one day after school and said if she doesn't want to talk or won't let me in it's only 3 blocks to go home!
Debbie & Dan attended KCC and married in '75 when they graduated. Debbie earned her degree in nursing and supported Dan while he finished school with a teaching degree. 48 years of marriage this year! Looking forward to celebrating their 50th BBCHS Class Reunion this year!
2 kids 5 grandkids...........the story just writes itself!
Over the years, I have converted Mark into loving the theatre, and we try to go to as many plays as we can! A few years ago, we took a trip to NYC just so we could see Les Miserables on Broadway! (This picture was taken at one of the Chicago performances).
We have two married daughters and 3 wonderful grandchildren we are currently spoiling as much as possible!!
Mark and I don't have any pictures from dating in high scool because Mark was actually dating my twin sister, Becky at that time! Mark was a senior and Becky was a junior, so when Mark left for college, the romance ended!
When Jennifer graduated from college (5 years after the dwindled romance), Mark was already out for a year and back in town. I took a job in Bourbonnais #53 as a 2nd grade teacher, and that is when we started dating. We got married in 1983 and have stayed in our Bradley-Bourbonnais area ever since.
Been together 44 years... married 40
Met Freshman year through a mutual friend ... became great friends, starting dating Junior year
Greatest memory would prolly be Senior Prom, I think we both realized our future was together
We live in Lincoln, Illinois... enjoying being Grandparents to 3 beautiful grandchildren!! Easton -13...Declan-8... Fynnlee 4 months
We raised our boys in Bradley .. both BBCHS graduates... Chad class of 2001... Andrew class of 2003
Steve is General Manager for Motion Industries in Springfield.. I am enjoying being a Grandma
How Long Have We Have Been Together: 6 years together, almost 2 years married
Where Did We Meet: Online, actually! We didn't know each other in high school, even though we graduated from here
the same year and went to BBCHS all four years!
Favorite Memory from High School: Walking to Chicago Dough on half days
What are we doing: I teach math at BBCHS. Eden works in the Spikeball warehouse.
Where do we live: Bradley, IL
Do we have a family: We have two cats, a dog, and a baby on the way (coming in late March or early April)!
happily reported by other BBCHS Alumni (they were happy to share the love)
Talyor O'Keeffe - Bill Georgeff Liz Varney - Justin Daniels Debbie Franklin - Dave Hanson
Cindy Woolems - Darrin Rocknowski Susan Bond - Brett Matthews Mikki Wood - Derek Ryan
Christie Bunk - Cameron Hackely Patti Kerouac - Woody Umphrey Jenny Helopolous - Craig Goselin
Kathy Adame - Bill Doris Cindy Bates - Rick Weaver Jayne Huggins - Damien Maldonado
Vickie Sanor - Mark Duchene Cindy Sanor - Rick Whittington Debi - Rick Barrone
Susan Steffrek - John Lazaro Marie Raef - Todd Dersein Anna - Tom Goodberlet '77
Joyce Hertz - Terry Erickson Tiffany Dittilo - Mike Kohl
**Toni Lee (Annette Rice) met & married high school sweetheart from rival Kankakee high school - thanks to BBCHS classmate Linda Truesdell **
**Maury Shumaker Class of '53 Sorry but I only dated a couple of girls from BBCHS. I dated a gal from K3 and also St Pat's. **
happily reported by other BBCHS Alumni (they were happy to share the love)
About 1/3 of all incoming Olivet Nazarene University students will meet their spouse at the University
These couples have longer life expectancies, too!
HERE'S TO HOPING ALL OF THE BBCHS COUPLES BREAK RECORDS & HAVE LONG LIVES FILLED WITH LOVE (actually we're hoping that for all who read this! Live - Love - Laugh
Feel free to email me, Laurie, at lblake@bbchs.org and I'll do my best to get it in one of the next Boiler Updates.
*** Pat Rogers, Class of '68, recently published a children's book. Another Book, 'Bud's Flowers" a fmily memoir may also be out now.***