2000 Summer

Dear Classmates,

Forty three years ago this month, we graduated from WHS. Great memories...Senior

Girls Tea, Baccalaureate, Prom, Bolado Park Senior Day, finals, scholarships,

graduation & parties. 1957, a great year.

Have you checked out the Class of '57 web site?? Thanks to John Higaki, we are

on the internet, our address is....site.google.com/site/whsclassof1957. Lots of information about our

classmates, a Special Interest site that includes information on consumer affairs,

medical news, social security, the class newsletter & many other sites. Ken Gray has

also added a great look back at the 1950's.

The "Baby" in our class, Joan Mezger finally turned 60 on May 11. Welcome to the

club, Joan. She is looking forward to retiring, August 3.

Colleen Connor celebrated her Big 60 on Feb. 29, leap year, so she really is only

15. Happy Birthday, Colleen.

On Jan 29th, 70 gals from the Class of '54, '55,'56,'57,'58',59 joined together for a

luncheon. We had a great time reminiscing about the "good old days at WHS'. All were

in agreement that we should do this again. If you would like to be included please let me

know. We will add you to the list. Prizes went to Nancy Lewis, '56 for the most grand

children; newest bride, Colleen Connor Bonnema, gals marrying their high school

sweet-hearts, Kathy Crossno, Carole Hiatt, Joyce Lewis, Dana Lewis, Anne Lukrich,

Karen Marshall.

Frank Harris has a new grandson, Treavor Franklin was born Feb. 18th to

Frank's daughter, Jennifer. Treavor has one brother, Evan. The family lives in Fresno.

Effie Pritchard welcomed her grandson, Colemon William, April 2, weighing in at 8

lb. 11 oz. to her son, Michael. Effie's daughter is expecting another child in August in

New Jersey.

Dr. Eiskamp died Dec. 30, 1999 at the age of 102. He was born in Iowa & served in

WW11 as a Lieutenant Commander in the Navy. Dr. Eiskamp graduated from Stanford

Medical School & was the first surgical resident of the Stanford Hospital. He practiced

medicine in Watsonville for 58 years. He is survived by his son & daughter-in-law, John

& Judy, 3 grandchildren, John, Lisa & Christine & their mother, Georgeann Cowles & 5

great-grandchildren.

Jane Sullivan's sister Terry Sullivan Townsend died Jan. 20. A native of Watsonville

she graduated from WHS in 1954. After her retirement, she & her husband moved to

Columbia. They enjoyed playing golf, bridge & traveling. She is survived by her

husband, Peter, her daughter Stacy, two stepsons, David & Steven, her sisters, Jane &

Margaret & three grandchildren.

Charles Myers, Jr. died in Stockton, Feb. 15. A native of Watsonville, he served in

the Navy during the Korean War. He enjoyed hunting & fishing. He is survived by his

wife, Nancy Mathews Myers, his mother, Rosa Lee Myers, his daughter Cynthia, his son

Christopher & his sister Joann.

Miriam Lister died Mar. 14. She was born in Texas but had lived in Watsonville

since she was a young girl. After graduating from WHS she received her teaching

credential from SJSU. She taught at WHS, MacQuiddy, Mintie White & E.A.Hall School

before retiring in 1975. She is survived by her son Thomas, three daughter, Marylou,

Sandy & Mimi, several grandchildren & three great-grandchildren.

Tom Kalich's sister Mary died Mar. 31. She was 46. A native of Watsonville, she

worked for the County of Santa Cruz. She received her BA from UCSC. She is survived

by her husband Keith Turner, her sister, Rose, & four brothers, Mike, Tom, Joe & Pete.

Lawrence Yarnes died at his home, April 9. He was a native of Oregon. Mr. Yarnes

earned his BA in English at Willamette University. His first teaching position was at Gold

Beach High School in Oregon, where he served as the principal, English and biology

instructor & the basketball & track coach. Mr. Yarnes also taught English for many years

at WHS & was responsible for starting the Drama Dept. Many remember Mr. Yarnes as

their favorite teacher. In case you need to check your grade in his class while you were

in high school, he still has all of his grade books. He is survived by his wife of 66 years,

Mary Elizabeth Banning Yarnes, his son , Andrew, his daughter Carolyn, two

grandchildren & one great-grandchild.

Charles "Bob" Kennedy, class of 1956 died April 17 of cancer. He was a retired

real estate appraiser for Northern California Savings & Great Western Bank. Bob lived

in Salinas & was active in the YMCA, Salinas Exchange Club, Salinas Valley &

Monterey County fairs & the California Rodeo & International Air show. He was an avid

trout fisherman. He is survived by his wife, Mary Ann, his son Michael & daughter, Jill,

his mother, Dorothy Kennedy, his brother, Jim & two grandchildren.

Jean Mathews Salvado moved to Reno June 1. Their new address is 3810

Vancouver Dr. Reno, Nevada 89511.

Maryella Kerns who has managed the Washington State Dept. of Health's Medical

Quality Assurance Commission since 1994, was awarded the 1999 Governor's

Distinguished Management Leadership Award by Gov. Gary Locke in recognition of her

outstanding management & public service contributions.

Sharon Trafton's son, Kraig Kliewer is a police officer in Watsonville. He

graduated from San Jose State University. He has been with our police force since

1994 & doing a great job for our city. Kraig's hobbies include water skiing, snow skiing,

scuba diving, volleyball, baseball & collecting comics.

Seen at the Little League baseball field watching their grandchildren working towards

the Pros are Ken Blanton, Mike Larkin, Dick Hardy, John Alaga, Betty Henry, Les

Roth. Great fun until someone strikes out one of our grandchildren, Kenny.

Marilyn Stromberg & stepbrother, Jim Whyte traveled back to WA, DC with

Marilyn's sister Carol & Jim's wife. They saw all the sites in DC, Annapolis,

Williamsburg, VA, Kitty Hawk & Duke University & onto Chapel Hill, NC to visit Bob

Whyte & his wife. Marilyn has 5 grandchildren & isn't letting retirement enter her mind

yet.

Peggy O'Farrell & her husband, Glenn & friends spent four weeks in February &

March in South America. They spent the first five days in Buenos Aires, Argentina, then

boarded the Norwegian Crown for a 14 day cruise around Cape Horn. They visited ports

in Uruguay, Argentina, The Falkland Islands & Chile. Chile reminded them of their South

East, Alaska. The Andes touching the shores of the Pacific. The cruise ended in

Valparaiso & they explored Valparaiso, Vina Del Mar & Santiago, Chile before returning

home. They highly recommend the trip to anyone looking for an unique place to explore.

Watsonville High School Foundation Hall of Fame honored 4 more outstanding

alumni. This year's awards went to Willie Yahiro, '59, Miriam Rosentrater, '62, Dave

Mercer, '65 & Gary Blum, 59. Yahiro, serves on the PVUSD School Board. He was

active in sports during his high school days. He was in the first graduating class of

Cabrillo College. Yahiro taught PE at WHS before going into private business in 1978.

Dave Blum's start as an artist began at WHS in Mr. Spencer's class. He decided there

to make art his career. He got his degree from Pacific Union College & his masters from

San Jose State. His career was interrupted by the Vietnam War & served as only one of

15 combat artists across the US. He worked fro Hallmark Cards then moved into

college level teaching. For the past 16 years, Blum has worked as a professional

painter. His work is shown at Don Craighead Gallery in Carmel. Teacher Miriam

Rosentrater earned a B.A. in Business Administration with honors from LeToumeau

University & a masters in English from The University of Texas at Tyler. In 1998, she

was named Texas Secondary Teacher of the Year & has been honored many times for

her outstanding effort & achievements in education & community service. She lives in

Longview, Texas. Dave Mercer, a teacher & coach at San Lorenzo Valley graduated

from San Jose State, where he studied social science & PE. He began his career in

1970 at San Lorenzo Valley High teaching & coaching football. Last year his team won

the Central Coast Section.

LOOKING BACK, HIGH TIMES, JAN. 18, 1957

QUESTION BOX

What would you do if somebody gave you a ZENANA?

Ken Clewett-keep it as a matter of courtesy.

Mr. Haney-I'd eat it.

Jerry Pope-send it to San Jose.

Maryella Kerns-throw the peel where nobody would step on it.

Jim Dicus-smoke it.

Pat Button-hang it on a hanger.

Marvin Byers-wouldn't accept if, it probably has fleas.

Eddie Fagalde-I'd wear it.

Jerry Chinn-put it on my shoulder & play it.

Judy Johnson-boil it before I eat it.

Don Vines-feed it to my pigs.

Cindy Apel-cruise in it.

By the way, a ZENANA is a HAREM. OK, so this was 1957 humor.

SEE YOU AT OLANDER'S

433 Main Street

P E D D L E P U S H E R S $ 3 . 9 8 B L O U S E S $ 2 . 6 9

S K I R T S $ 3 . 9 8 & 4 . 9 8 S C A R F S 9 8 c

LANDIS FOUNTAIN

JUICY CHEESEBURGERS

SHAKES - FREEZES, OUR SPECIALITY

Dutch says, Bring your gal in after the game!

Downtown Freedom

WUHS SCHOLARS MAKE 'CAT HISTORY

Pat Blair & David Willey, scored high over 40 other seniors be become semifinalists in

the National Merit Scholarship Program. Miss Blair & Willey are the only WUHS Seniors

in history to make the semi-finals. If all goes well, Pat will study nursing at Mills College

for Women. Dave hasn't decided on the college yet, but he's sure it won't be Mills. He

plans for a general scientific course of study.

LOCKER ROOM THIEF ABSCONDS WITH FUNDS, SOUGHT BY SHERIFF

Approximately $2.38 was taken from the girl's locker room. According to Miss

Blanchard, the locker room had been checked & locked & a monitor was at her station.

A young man said that he had a towel delivery & needed the key. Unlocking the door,

the boy started into the room apparently forgetting the 3 bundles of towels. Further

investigation disclosed that the boy had also forgotten to respect other people's

property. The lad had absconded with close to $2.38 from the purses of the girls in 1st

period PE. A thorough investigation will be conducted by Mr. McCombs & Coach

Johnson. As of Friday, 1957, the sheriff & police had not apprehended the boy. Miss

Blanchard pointed out that the girls have been told repeatedly to put their purses in their

lockers.

RELOCATION CENTERS, 1942-1946

120,000 people of Japanese ancestry, two-thirds of them American citizens were

ordered out of the Western Defense Zone (this was roughly everything west of the

Sierras in California & the Cascades in Oregon & Washington) into internment camps.

All of our classmates & their families who are of Japanese descent had to leave the

West Coast. They were first put into Assembly Centers (fairgrounds & race tracks).

Most of the Watsonville area people were sent to the Salinas fairgrounds. Then after the

camps were built they were sent to one of ten camps. The camps were closed in 1946.

After the war, the Japanese-Americans came back to the West Coast. They had lost

their homes & farms & had to start all over.In the early 1990s, the federal government

formally apologized for establishing the camps and made payments to internees and

their families. Stephanie Miyashiro is trying to make contact with people that have

information about the camps. A web site is located at www.children-of-the-camps.or

Even tho I had many Japanese classmates, I never realized at my early age what my

friends and their families had endured. They were never ones to complain. Recently I

had the pleasure of talking with John Higaki in my home & had a chance to talk to him

about the relocation camps. I learned a lot that day, thanks John....

JOHN HIGAKI

After the war, we lost our home & farm in Southern California, so my family settled in

Watsonville & we worked as sharecroppers for about 7 years. My dad sharecropped

strawberries, first on Riverside Rd. & later in the Freedom area. I attended school on

Riverside Rd & later was bussed to Salsi School & then Freedom School. After

graduation from WHS, I received my BA & MA from San Jose State & my ED.D from

Brigham Young University.I served in the Coast Guard. I spent 34 years working in San

Jose High Schools, counselor, Asst. Principal, Director of Classified Personnel &

Principal of Adult Education. My wife, Keiko is a teach in San Jose & we have two adult

children who are both working in San Francisco. Since retiring, I have spent time

learning how to put up a web page & working on my family tree . I plan to get around to

fishing. I took golf lessons, but I think it is hopeless. I exercise by spending an hour on

the stair master or by running 5-6 miles a day. You can see a recent picture of my family

on my wed page Higaki.web.com, there is also a link to my home page at the bottom of

our class web page. Building the web page has been a great experience, & it has

reconnected me to my classmates. I hope to see you at the next reunion.

ART MINO

Art does not remember very much about the relocation camps. Just like so many of the

Japanese people his parents didn't talk about it. Prior to the war, his parents lived in

Watsonville, his Dad worked for Hiura Packing Co. When the relocation order came,

they were sent to the Salinas Rodeo grounds to a wait the train that would take them to

the Poston Arizona Relocation Center. Art has few memories of the Camp but does

remember how hot & dusty it was. After the war they lived in Denver, CO for a while &

then moved back to Watsonville in 1948.His memories of WHS are very good. His

relationships with teachers & classmates were excellent. That is why he looks forward

to the class reunions. Art joined the Army after high school & spent most of his duty in

Hawaii. After his tour of duty he went to San Jose State & graduated in 1964 with a

degree in Social Science. He worked as a probation officer for the County of Santa

Clara & retired in 1990. After his retirement, Art & his friend opened a locksmith shop in

Gait. They have been in business for 10 years. He & his wife, Jane have been married

for 36 years. They have two sons, Todd, a Fire Apparatus Engineer in Chico & Greg is

an Attorney in Sacramento. They have one grandson, Garrett, 9 months. They enjoy

traveling & hope to do more when they retire.

News from Jerry Chin: Jerry & his wife Moira McChin have lived in North Berkeley for

the past 30 years. She retired in 1998 as Director of Human Resources at UC Berkeley.

Jerry has worked at Bio-Rad Laboratories (AMEX) for the past 30 years as a chemist

working in manufacturing, quality control, research & development, customer technical

service & managed in manufacturing, warehousing & packaging. Currently Jerry

interfaces with research & manufacturing by transitioning research projects into

chemical products in the plant. Retirement is around the corner. He will continue to

enjoy single malt whiskies, canoeing, pencil drawing, gardening, photography, his 1972

BMW motorcycle, & be involved in home construction, road bicycling, working out at the

gym, poker traveling & fly fishing.

Carole Hiatt's daughter, Joyce married Doug Teese May 26th on Hanalei Bay in

Kauai. Carole & her 5 grandchildren attended the wedding.

Evonne Baldwin & her husband Don Sebring have moved to Salinas. Their new

address is 1449 Adam St. Salinas, CA. 93906 Evonne & Don have opened a coffee

shop in Natividad Hospital in Salinas.

Tom Molina's son Jeff has announced his engagement to Lisa Delcarpio. Their

weeding date will be Sept. 9, 2000. Jeff is a 1986 WHS graduate. He is employed at

Granite Construction.

Jim Clark's daughter Jackie graduated from American River Community College &

received her nursing degree. She will be working in the cardiac care & transplant unit at

UC Davis. Jackie is a graduate of WHS & is married to Brian Rodman. They have 2

children, Brian, 15 & Nicole, 13. They reside in Sacramento.

Bob Osborn's son Kirk announced his engagement to Becky Wiley. Kirk is a 1986

graduate of Aptos Hi & a 1991 graduate of Liberty University. Kirk is employed as a

cash administrator for West Marine Products in Watsonville. Their wedding date is July

22, 2000 in Red Bluff.

Lonnie Dugger's mother, Frances died March 18. She as a native of Texas. She is

survived by her husband Howard; two sons, James & Lonnie' three grandchildren. She

was preceded in death by her son Danny Dugger in 1996.

Elvena Marini has moved back to Watsonville. Her new address is 2030 Pajaro LN.

#1115 Freedom, CA. 95019

Pat Hewett made a hole-in-one at the golf tournament in Minden, NV. She belongs with

the Pros.

Sharon Trafton's son, Kraig Kliewer has been a police officer in Watsonville since

1994. He is doing a great job for the city of Watsonville. Kraig graduated from San Jose

State University. His hobbies include water skiing, snow skiing, scuba diving, volleyball,

baseball & collecting comics.

On March 27, over 100 Watsonville High School alumni gathered at Pasatiempo Golf

Club for a round of golf to raise funds for Wildcatz athletics. The alumni cleared over

$13000.00 for the sport's programs. The money will be used to help pay for recent

renovations & future improvements. Recent renovations include new lights in the

gymnasium, a new infield for baseball & league banners for the gym that date back to

1918. Future plans include upgrading the football field's PA system & remodeling the

football snack shack.

Have a great summer. Sure hope to hear from more of you these next six months.

Haven't heard from Barbara & Don Stracener, Don Beukers, Janice Blohm, Marvin

Byers, Fred Cadiente, Carroll Cameron, Betty Corrigan, Margaret Day, Bill Daniel, Bob

Dixon, Jim Gibson, Judy Johnson, Jim Jordan, Roy & Carol Large, Bob Loftin, Marilyn

Miller, Helga Nielsen, Bill Osborn, Wanda Palmer, Dan Pini, Virginia Powers, Bob

Rackley.Joe Silva, Pat Vaughan, Yoshi Yoshida & Rachel Zuniga in ages Hint, hint.

Send to:

Betty Sue Henry Bjur, 190 Bjur Drive. Watsonville, CA. 95076 GTObjur@aol.com

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