1998 Spring

Dear Friends,

It was great hearing from so many of you. Hope everything is going well for you in .

Update on changes of address: Betsy Wong Ding

560 Diana Ave.

Sylvia Armstrong Morgan H i l l , Ca. 95037

174 Crestview Terr.

Wat s o n v i l l e , Ca .9506

Ro b e r t D'An n a

3 7 0 1 F a l l e n O a k D r .

Modesto, Ca. 95355

Peggy O'Farrell

P.O. Box 7875

Ketchikan, AK.

99901

News:

'Welcome Home, Sylvia!!!! Sylvia Armstrong has moved back to Watsonville. It's great

to have you back.

"Peggy O'Farrell retired Sept. 30th after twenty seven years in the nursing care of the

Alaska Native people. It was very emotional for her after working with these people

for such a long time. Now, she has more time to spend with her grandchildren. The

next project is getting her husband to retire. They spent Christmas in Germany visiting

their daughter Terilyn and family. Their granddaughter, Mackenzie was diagnosed

with ITP a rare disease that your own body eats up your platelets. She is underqoinq

treatment.

\Jane Sullivan Cobb welcomed their third grandchild, Kendall Jane Christie on Sept

16th. They now have two granddaughters, Megan, 21/2 and Kendall and one qrandson,

Will, 9 months.

"I received a note from Jim Beebe saying that his wife, Liz died September 21. She is

survived by their two sons, Jim K. and Michael, her mother, two sisters and one grand

child. Jim and Liz met in Charlottesville, VA. when they were students at U-VA. Jim

was in biomedical engineering and she was attending the Medical School. After a

residency at Georgetown University in Washington D.C. Liz opened a soio practice

in Pediatrics in Fairfax, VA.

*Anne Marie Read's parents celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary They were

married Oct. 3, 1937. Mr. Read served in the U.S. Army in World War II. Mrs. Read

worked for Ford's Department Store for 18 years. They have one daughter Anne

Mane and one granddaughter, Kathleen both of Watsonville.

*Jim Jordan spent two weeks in American Samoa in November. His daughter has

been living there two years installing a computer system for the government. They

visited Western Samoa and went deep sea fishing. They also spent a few davs in

Hawaii.

'Remember Karla Rugh? Well, she is the mayor of Moab, Utah, population 5000

Karla was in the class of 1956 and a graduate of the University of Kansas. In case you

are wondering where Moab is located, it is in the southeastern part of Utah, considered

to be the gateway to Arches National Park and situated near Canyonlands

National Park, it is an jfieal tourist and bicyclists heaven.

Clarice Giberson and her husband left Dec. 9th for Guinea, Conakry Africa to visit

their daughter Gina and her husband over the Christmas holidays Gina and Sean

work in the Public Health field in child survival. Clarice and Harry also spent 2 weeks

in The Gambai home of the 1800 slave trades. They arrived back in the states Jan 12

Clarice is busy subbing at Mintie White School, building a new home in Corralitos &

waiting the arrival of her first grandchild from son Richard & his wife, who live in

Seattle.

'Esther Sida Jolley-Thompson died Dec. 9, 1997 after a short illness. She was 56

Esther was born and raised in Watsonville and the owner of Jolley's Jewelers here

in Watsonville. She was a member of our class, 1957. She is survived by her husband

John; a son, Donald Torrecillas; a daughter, Kim Torrecillas; four sisters Dolores

Terry, Birdie and Celia: two brothers, Jess and Bob; one grandson.

'Our friend Neal Hollbrook has been diagnosed with Lou Gehrigs disease He is re

ceiving treatment in the Bay Area.

'Pat Pierce Blair's mother died Dec. 30th in the Santa Clara area. She is survived by

her only daughter, Pat; two granddaughters and two great granddaughters

'Carol Tarkington Bailey retired in January. She states, "may be OK after all" She has

enough projects and letters to answer to keep her busy for years, includinq a trip to

Las Vegas.

'Bobbie Smith Rackley's father, Robert W. Smith died January 4 in Los Banos The

funeral was held here in Watsonville. Bobbie lovingly cared for her father for many

years Mr. Smith worked for Standard Oil Company in Watsonville for 17 years Durinq

prohibition, he was the leader of a local band that played at the Seacliff cement boat

on weekends. Two years ago he moved from Watsonville, where he had resided his

entire life, to Los Banos. He is survived by his only daughter, Bobbie and one qrandd

a u g h t e r , T i n a .

'Eidon Roth owner of Alladin Nursery and Florist was honored by the Pajaro Valley

Chamber award for excellence in the Agriculture/Related Service category A luncheon

sponsored by the Pajaro Valley Chamber of Commerce was held at the Santa Cruz

County Fairgrounds.

'We continue to received thank you notes for the Reunion. One from Sandy Yoshida

Suekawa, thanking us for the '50's bear she won in the raffle.

'Louise Blanchard died Jan 17 at the age of 90. She was born in San Jose. An avid

sports enthusiast, Miss Blanchard was a record-breaking athlete at San Jose High

School and at San Jose State College, where she earned degrees prior to teachinq

science and PE at WHS. She retired in 1967 after 37 years of teaching On a 1937

trip to Japan as a U.S. Delegate to the World Peace Conference, she became the

seventh Western female to climb Mt. Fjui. In 1943, she joined the U.S. Army Medical

Corps, was trained as a physical therapist and returned home from World War II as a

second lieutenant. In 1959, she became one of the first American women to visit Antarcatica

as a member of a U.S. delegation invited by Argentina. In 1989, she was

named Woman of the Year by the Pajaro Valley Chamber of Commerce. It was during

that year the she provided funding to Watsonville Community Hospital to establish

the Louise Blanchard Child Care Center. She is survived by two nephews and her

caregiver, Roberta Brown.

'Liz (BJ) Everton Merriam's mother Verna Everton died Jan. 19 following a lengthy ill

ness. Mrs. Everton graduated from Lux College in San Francisco, attended San Fran

cisco State Teachers College, and worked as a social worker in the Bay Area. She

and her husband, Norman, moved to Santa Cruz County in 1947. She served as

executive director for the Watsonville YWCA. She taught at the "old" Aptos Elemen

tary School (now Valencia) from 1955 through 1971. Her interest in science led her to

develop a nature trail from the school through the redwoods for student's field study.

She leaves her daughter, Liz; two grandchildren; a brother and cousin.

'Pat Hewett Klay has a new grandson, Chase. Pat and her husband Jim, just returned

home from a months vacation visiting Chase in New Mexico and golfing in three

tournaments in Nevada.

'Ken & Ann Dobler spent three days in New Orleans before boarding the American

Queen Steamboat. They spent a week on the Steamboat up the Mississippi River

arriving in Memphis, Tenn. to visit Graceland.

'Georgeann Cowle's father, George celebrated his 90th birthday with his family. He

still hasn't retired from farming. He raises berries here in Watsonville. Mr. Cowles

attended Amesti School, WHS and UC Davis. In 1935 he married Mattie Lou Simpson.

They have two daughters, Martha Lou and Georgeann. In 1990, he was named

"Farmer of the Year".

'Four Watsonville High graduates were named to the WHS Hall of Fame this year.

Marybeth Hockel, class of 1958, graduated from U.C. Berkeley & worked for the

Register Pajaronian as the society editor. In 1983, she became the job of features

editor for the Santa Cruz Sentinel retiring in 1993. Philip Anderson, class of 1965 be

came a pharmacist & started his career in Clinton, Okla. After returning to California in

1975, he provided clinical services at US San Diego. The handbook he wrote has be

come a standard pharmacy reference that has received national awards. S. John

Martinelli class of 1975, is a life-long Watsonville resident. He received his degree

in 1979 from Stanford University. He has worked in the family business for the last 18

years. He is very active with many non-profit organizations in Watsonville. Rita Tuzon,

class of 1977 was awarded the National Merit Scholar which allowed her to attend

Stanford University. She graduated in 1981 with a degree in human biology but then

decided to go into law. She returned to school and graduated from Berkeley's Boalt

HallSchoo! of Law in 1984.She currently works for Fox Television and Twentieth

Century Fox Film Corp. where she handles worldwide litigation for all of the Fox

Companies. Congratulations to these graduates.

'If, you have an E-Mail address, please send it to me & I will send you a list of E-Mail

addresses. Mine is: abbjur@telis.org

'Class of 1958 will celebrate their 40th class reunion, August 22 & the Watsonville

Elks Club.

'ALL PICTURE COLLAGES OF THE REUNION ARE SOLD!!! NO MORE ORDERS

'For the few of you that we haven't heard from, this is your last newsletter. If, you have

just forgotten to send in your $5.00 to help with postage, please do so. Hope to hear

from you soon.

Betty Sue Henry Bjur

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