CHHS: 1972 Awards Night

Mohamed A. Omran

"WATN?" brings us this story of sad irony. Mo was an early graduate from CHHS. Mohamed studied medicine and became an orthopedic surgeon of world renown. He was often sought outy his colleagues for consultation on the most difficult cases. Around seven years ago the very surgeries he was performing led to a catastrophic failure of his own back due to multiple ruptured discs. He has bed bed ridden and apartment bound for over five years, unable tosit formore than 15 minutes at a time due to the pain. During this time Arturo Perez-Reyes has reconnected with Mo. Just recently, Mohammed reported that they hae operated and on him and he is to undergo one more that will hopefully alleviate soem pain and bring back some mobility.

Hi Mike,

-Chapel Hill High School 1970-1971 (I graduated a year early so most of my friends are really in class of 1972)

-B.S. UNC 1971-1975

-Research Assistant Wayne State University and at large 1976

-M.D. UNC 1976-1980

-Orthopaedic Internship and Residency, Geisinger Medical

Center, Danville, PA. 1980-1985

-Attending Staff Dept. of Orthopadic Surgery, Kaiser Medical Center , Sacramento/Roseville, CA 1985-2005

Now "retired"

Sincerely,

Mohamed Omran, M.D. (Mo !!!!!!!!!)

All:

Has the WATN committee been looking for Mohammed Omran? Does anybody else remember in 9th grade when Mohammed and I filmed a movie of the Odyssey using various other members of Mrs. Rashkis' class acting out episodes from the classic story? When we were done, Mohammed kept the film since it was his father's movie camera, and I got to keep the sound track (which is probably long lost.) Seth Gelblum was a major character - probably Odysseus. I have vivid memories of him crunched in the crawl space under my house since that was the best approximation of a cave that we could come up with. I think Heidi Zukowski was also involved. It would be great fun if that film comes to light...

Alex David

Dear High School friends.

I regret that I will not be able to attend the reunion and have been out of touch. I miss all of you and the fond memories that will always be with me .

I am an Orthopaedic Surgeon in Sacramento, CA. from 1985 until my retirement in 2005.

Regards to all.

Sincerely,

Mohamed Omran, M.D. "Mo"

4600 Bromwich Ct.

Rocklin, CA. 95677

916-784-8109

mo@surewest.net

Janerio Denise Farrington

Native Daughter: 2 October 1954

CHHS Vanguard

Retired US Military Veteran: Air Force

Janerio has retired to Deleuth, GA with her husband of 26 years, Richard Moore.

Dept. of Health & Human Services

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid

In the fourth grade my teacher, Mrs. Semonche, introduced me to the arts. Our class listened to music, viewed images of great paintings and sculpture, got our hands dirty with clay and paint, and even performed A Midsummer’s Night Dream. We also wrote. Of all these activities, writing was my favorite ... I now run writing workshops in my studio in Orange County. I live with my husband, Ben in a small house in Hillsborough, NC.

Newspaper Delivery, Waitress, Clerk in three different drug stores, Clerk in a hardware store, Locksmith, Carpenter, Bartender in five different bars, Cocktail Waitress, Clerk in two different grocery stores, Exercise Instructor, Milker on a dairy farm, Stall Mucker at a horse farm, Bread Delivery, Farm Worker, Baker, Assistant Drum Maker, Costumer, Click here to see Nancy's Costumes!, Painter, Housecleaner, Packer (Packing people's belongings), Writer, Teacher

Gail graciously (some might say foolishly) volunteered to join the Logistical Oversight Committee at the end of the summer to put on this show. Thank-you Gail.

William Phillip Webster

CHHS Vanguard

We finally caught up with Phil, scientist/manager/engineer, and we present for your approval the latest installment of "Where Are They Now?".

Phil started the Chapel Hill High School Class of 1972 Facebook page back in March of 2011 with eight other souls and this by-line:

This group is for members of the CHHS Class of 72, members that moved away, graduated early and other friends that want to join. Hopefully, we will find as many members of the class as possible.

Phil and eight other souls joined the group. Phil formed the CHHS-72 google group to keep everyone in the loop. He started the reunion web site and was a member of the Reunion Steering Committee through the summer. From those original nine the Class of 1972 family has grown to over 425 classmates accounted for.

NASA

CISTO

M.A. Political Science

UNC at Chapel Hill

Class of 1975

When he's done planning the latest space mission, Phil and his wife, Mary, make their home in Columbia, MD. Phil also coaches girl's soccer. They have a son, Neilsen and a daughter, Cathlene. Cathlene is currently attending UNC.

Phil, Cathlene, Mary, Neilsen

Deborah Mignon Fine Bair

Native Daughter: 29 November 1953

Debbie enrolled in The Independent School during 1o^th grade. Debbie was instrumental back in March in locating the brothers and sisters from back in the day for our reunion. Her list of contacts included classmates spanning five different graduating classes. Her Chapel Hill roots run wide and deep. Debbie lives in Chatham County and is married to El Bair, Morris's brother. They have three children; Joseph, John and Cassie. Cassie was just given away in marriage this past summer.

Jack of All Trades

Quilting Artisan

Eternal Gardener

Herdsman/Breeder

College of Hard Knox

Lady of Mystery

Debbie checks in, sort of:

Not much happening these days. I've been married to El 36 years, have a background in books, ran my feed and seed store for a few years, have 3 successful kids, 3 incredible grand kids and sell a little on the quilting side...I don't do a whole hell of a lot these days...some gardening, etc. We no longer have livestock, etc...did breed bird dogs for a while..blah, blah nothing particularly outstanding...do you HAVE to do a bio?

Debbie & Mike Strong; infamous club owner of the Town Hall back in the day

Katherine Anne Mason

Native Daughter: 14 June 1954

CHHS Vanguard

WATN? ran into Katherine over on King Street rrecently. Katherine became a nurse and worked most of her career in Balitomore. She was diagnosed with lupus several years ago and has been dealing with it.

Katherine and her niece, Alivia

Debbie & Becky Johnston Becker (Class of '69)

The latest Twin Spin from "WATN?", centers on another pair of classmates that tied the matrimonial knot and sought out successful careers in law. Both are employed by Cornell University in Ithica, NY. Someone should let Corby know we may have we have a winner for the Dubious Award for most children, count 'em, eight kids. Holy Cow!!!. Dr. Norman Weatherly , not to be denied, passed his name on to his daughter. Norma turned the same trick with a wrinkle naming one daughter "Weatherly". As soon as we get a report in, "WATN?" will share the rest of the lineup Norma graduated a year early from CHHS. So did Stewart gut somehow he is still pictured in the 1972 Hill Life and listed on the Commencement Program.

Norma Diane Weatherly Schwab

Cornell Associate University Counsel

Debbie and El

This week's "Photo Caption" contest

William Joseph Arthur Jr.

Billy is one of at least three classmates that transferred to The Independent School, an experimental alternative to public school back in the day.

Billy lives in Snow Camp along with Norman Jackson. We should get a side by side photo of the two of them. He earns his keep working in the office and handling dispatch for Ludy Tree Care. He has given up his passion for things that go B-O-O-M! Billy is still an avid numismatist and is focused on completing his Barber dime collection. Billy Jr. was incorrectly reported as having passed away for a time before the gaff was corrected. Then, Billy heard the rumor that Billy Potts was deceased and refused to accept that state of affairs. Sure enough after much searching, Billy Jr. found Billy Potts was alive and living in Boone, NC. Well done!!! Billy like several denizens of "The Wall" in front of the Dairy Bar on Franklin Street, has tie ins to several CHHS classes.

A-h-h-h-h-h

Kenneth Wayne Edmonds

Kenny's mom, Mrs. Vivian AUtin Edmonds RIP (2008), was another well liked and respected guidance counselor and administrator at Guy B. Phillips. Kenny left for prep school, The Laurinburg Institute, after the ninth grade. Kenny is single these days with one adult son, Christian.

Check out this NCCU interview with Kenny.

Richard Ruffin Manley Jr.

CHHS Vanguard

John lives in Chapel Hill, manages property and works as an IT technician. He worked for Nortel and AT&T for many years. He has one son, Justin; is divorced from his first wife and now John now lives happily with Ruthie.

John recently lost his close friend and one of our classmates, JD Fearrington, this past summer. John was there for JD to the end.

Real Estate Magnate

IT Technician

Durham Com. Tech College

True Friend

The Herald-Sun

May 14, 2008

Section: Editorial

Her Paper Beat a Drum for Justice

Mrs. Vivian Austin Edmonds, longtime owner and publisher of The Carolina Times, the state's oldest black-owned newspaper, was a pioneer in journalism whose service to community is legendary. Mrs. Edmonds, who had been in declining health for some time, died Sunday. She was 80. Mrs. Edmonds' roots in journalism ran deep. She inherited The Carolina Times from her father, Louis E. Austin, who died in 1971. Mr. Austin bought the newspaper in 1922, when it was called the Standard Advertiser. He changed the name six years later to The Carolina Times.

Like her highly regarded father, Mrs. Edmonds was untiring and unyielding in pursuit of justice. Both believed deeply, as their editorials and news coverage reflected, in black education, black voting rights and working to improve the black community. And while the civil rights movement occurred on Mr. Austin's watch, it was Mrs.Edmonds' charge to ensure the hard-won promise of full citizenship for blacks was honored by a still-balky America.

Mrs. Edmonds was a 1944 Hillside graduate and 1948 N.C. Central University graduate, who also received a master's from NCCU. Although ink flowed heavily in her veins, she spent 12 years as a guidance counselor in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools.

From 1971 to 1975, she ran The Carolina Times on an absentee basis, but returned in 1975 to take full editorial and managerial control after the paper fell on hard financial times. It says much about Mrs. Edmond's business savvy that she was able to rescue The Carolina Times from the brink of death. She was honored for her business acumen, along with several other prominent women, at the first annual YMCA Women of Achievement banquet. She was also a proud member of the N.C. Journalism Hall of Fame.

Mrs. Edmonds ran The Carolina Times until 2002. It is now run by her son, Kenneth Edmonds, who continues the proud family tradition. It is an amazing story that a paper such as The Carolina Times continues to survive more than eight decades after its founding, especially given the changes in the industry. Many people benefited from The Carolina Times' steady drumbeat for economic and social justice. They have Mrs. Edmonds to thank. She will be missed.

Dorothy Priscilla Alden

Priscilla has made her home in Mebane. She is one of the 38 from the Class of 1972 that graduated a year early. Priscilla was married but lost her husband to cancer.

From John Galt: The reunion effort probably would have benefited greatly if we had known sooner about Priscilla's IT expertise.