Riggs High School Class of '63

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  This page is designed for posting messages for our classmates.  Please email us any messages you would like to have posted.  hanson1088@pie.midco.net


7/8/10  Joe & Sally   Here is a photo of Mary Tyler Zulk, Joe, and Carol Butler Jones that was taken a few weeks ago on the Agar trail ride.

                                     



5/20/10  Joe & Sally   We're sorry to report that Jerold Hirsch passed away on May, 13, 2010.  We extend our sincere sympathy to Jerry's family.  Below is a link to Jerry's obituary.

http://www.capjournal.com/articles/2010/05/13/news/obituaries/doc4bebfb1eb15fd883708095.txt


2/26/10  Joe & Sally  We're sorry to report that Tom Douglas passed away on February 24, 2010.  We extend our sincere sympathy to Claudia and her family.  If you would like to send a personal note to Claudia, below is her contact information along with a link to Tom's obituary. 

Claudia Douglas
23735 Pine Have Drive
Rapid City, SD  57702

http://www.kirkfuneralhome.com/index.php?option=com_obituary&task=details&oid=1841


1/30/10  Joe & Sally  We're sorry to report that Jeanne Baumann Cannon's husband, Miles, passed away after a long battle with cancer.  We extend our sincere sympathy to Jeanne and her family.  If you would like to send a personal note to Jeanne, below is her contact information along with a link to Miles' obituary. 

Jeanne Cannon
1210 Burr Oak Lane
Barrington, IL  60010-3417
Phone:  847-382-2347
Email:  JEC770@aol.com

http://obits.davenportfamily.com/obit-display.php?rec_id=156


12/21/09 Peggy Owens Rath - Merry  Christmas  to every one of you.  I have had a good year.  I went to India last month and had a great time.  It’s something that I wanted to do since my school days and so finally I just went!  I hope you all are in good health and recovering from the recession!  Peggy (Owens) Rath

 

 

12/14/09  Joe & Sally - We just wanted you to know that Thomas Schultz, Steve Schultz's father, passed away on December 10.  Our condolences to Steve and his family.  No obituary has been posted yet but we do know the funeral service will be at  2:00 p.m. Friday, December 18,  at the United Methodist Church here in Pierre.  Interment will be Monday, December 21 at Black Hills National Cemetery in Sturgis.   If you would like to send a personal note to Steve, his address is:

Stephen Schultz
410 N. Monroe
Pierre, SD 57501
(605)224-2772



10-29-09 Joe & Sally - We just learned that Herbert Thomas, brother of Julie Thomas, passed away on October 25th.  Our condolences to Julie and her family.  If you would like to send a personal note to Julie & Bill, their address is:

Julie & Bill Thomas
4749 Mt. Vernon Road, S.E.
Cedar Rapids, Iowa  52403
Phone:  319-364-3496
E-mail: 
thomaswltjht@mchsi.com

Below is a link to Herbert's obituary:

http://www.capjournal.com/articles/2009/10/29/news/obituaries/doc4ae9956d3e5a4725574412.txt


10-13-09  Joe & Sally - We're sorry to report that Cheryl Lemcke Schalde passed away on Saturday, October 10, 2009.  Our condolences to Cheryl's family.

If you would like to send a personal note to Cheryl's family, condolences can be sent to her son:

John Schalde
1301 North Lalley Lane
Sioux Falls, South Dakota  57107-1007

Below is a link to Cheryl's obituary.



http://www.capjournal.com/articles/2009/10/13/news/obituaries/doc4ad47e8f02b4d304614423.txt


7-27-09  Joe & Sally - Below are some photos that were taken July 6th when Mary Nickels Linander visited Pierre and several classmates gathered at View 34 for dinner. 

      
Lloyd & Danna Dahlgren Bren                    Sally & Joe Hanson

        

Peggy Owens Rath, Cheryl Sorenson,      Jerry Hunsley, Tony Lucas, &
Paula Volk Hunsley & Mary Nickels               Maxine Otto Tessier
Linander
  

Mike Pellerzi & Peggy Owens Rath

7-7-09 - Mark Simmons
Joe & Sally, Julie Thomas called to say Bill had surgery last night for detected colon cancer. He survived the surgery but will have to have part of his stomach removed too and there are traces in his liver. His condition is not curable but is treatable. He will undergo chemotherapy beginning in about three weeks. Keep Bill and Julie in your prayers as they deal with this litany of health decisions. Those who would like to send their thoughts of encouragement can e-mail Bill & Julie =   thomaswltjht@mchsi.com
or

Bill Thomas
4749 Mt. Vernon Road, S.E.
Cedar Rapids, Iowa  52403
Phone:  319-364-3496

7-6-09 - Joe & Sally - We thought you would want to know that Jim Morris, Larry & Milton’s younger brother, passed away on July 1st.  Below is a link to his obituary.

http://www.legacy.com/rapidcity/Obituaries.asp?Page=LifeStory&PersonID=129288763

If you would like to personally contact Larry or Milt, their contact information is:

Larry Morris
2003 Buffalo Street
Pierre, SD 57501
Phone: 605-224-7095

Milton Morris
104 Woodriver Quay
Pierre, SD 57501
Phone: 605-224-8777
E-mail:  dawn.morris@morris-inc.com




4/25/09 - Joe & Sally - We just learned that Marv Wise's mother, Rose, passed away Monday, April 20th in Kansas, where her and Louis lived when they moved from Pierre in 1979.  Louis passed away in 1998.

Our sincere condolences to Marv and his family.

Marv was at the reunion last summer and provided us with many photos of his school days here in Pierre thanks to Rose who compiled a scrapbook and photo albums for him as he was growing up.   

Here is a link to Rose's obituary:

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/KansasCity/obituary.aspx?n=Rose-OConnor-Wise&pid=126516627

If you would like to send a personal note to Marv,  please send it to:

Marvin B. Wise
12825 Sagmore
Leawood, KS 66209
Phone: 913-648-1943

E-mail:  mwise@kc.rr.com   



4-17-09 Joe & Sally -  We’re happy to report some good news for a change. Congratulations to Jim Carr who was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame for Lifetime Achievement  on April 12, 2009, in Owatonna, Minnesota.  You can view the video of the awards ceremony, Jim’s acceptance speech, and a video slide show on Jim’s son’s website: http://madmx.hopto.org/


2-19-09 Joe & Sally - We're sorry to bring you more sad news, but we just learned that Harald Illig's father, Karl, passed away in December 2008.  If you would like to send a personal note to Harald, his address is:

Harald Illig
E-mail:  nowsc@yahoo.com

Below is a link to Mr. Illig's obituary:

http://nowscape.com/kmi/Karl_Max_Illig_obituary.htm




2-19-09 Joe & Sally - We thought you would want to know that Ed Jacobsen's father, Edmund, passed away on February 15th.   Edmund was married to Sheryl Staph Elliott's mother, Isabelle.  If you would like to send a personal note to Ed or Sheryl, their addresses are:

Ed Jacobsen
405 Yucca Drive
Pierre, SD  57501
Phone:  605-224-5140
 
Sheryl Stapf Elliott
523 East Mussey
Thief River Falls, MN 56701
Phone: 218-681-6675
E-mail: 
sraene@mncable.net


2-6-09 Joe & Sally - We thought you would want to know that Keith Crandall's mother, Doris, passed away on February 4th.  If you would like to send a personal note to Keith, his address is:

Keith Crandall
614 North Highland Avenue
Pierre, SD  57501
Phone:  605-224-8220



2/15/08 Joe & Sally - We are sad to inform you that we just learned that Jim Kelly passed away from cancer on August 19, 2008.  Below is an email Mark Simmons sent us:

"Linda Kelly, Jim's wife ,sent a Christmas note informing me that Jim died on August 19,2008 in Muskegon,MI. Jim was a medically retired General Practitioner MD who was unable to practice after several strokes. Jim was hospitalized in May with aspiration pneumonia and later diagnosed with a metstasis of esophogeal cancer after being cancer free for four years. He is survived by 2 daughters and 4 grandchildren in addition to Linda. Jim's sister Betsy ,who is in assisted living in Minneapolis with advanced MS, and her two sons were able to come for a day to be with the family in Michigan. I asked Linda if he would like to hear from classmates of their remembrances and activities with Jim in his Pierre days and she says yes she would. Classmates and others may e-mail her at kellylm@verizon.net to convey their memories. Gloria and I had lunch with Linda and Jim in Saugatuck, MI in May of 2005 when we were trekking to the Holland Tulip Festival with my mother and sister Ellie." 

If you would like to send a personal message to Jim's family, please send it to:

Linda Kelly
4535 Deer Creek Road
Muskegon, MI  49441
Phone:  231-798-3315
E-mail: kellylm@verizon.net


10/21/08  Joe & Sally - We just learned that Kay Cruse Graff passed away last night from cancer.  Kay and her husband, Benny, were at the reunion in June and she seemed to be doing well at that time and was very hopeful that she could beat the cancer. 

Our sincere condolences to Benny and their family.

If you would like to send a personal note to Kay's family, please send it to:

Benny Graff                                                        
3144 Manitoba Lane                                 

Bismarck, ND  58501
Phone:  701-255-1900

Email: 
Kaygraff@yahoo.com
















8/4/08  Merl Hawkins









7-13-08  Dick Widdoss 

Thank you for sending the beautiful tribute to our class veterans!!  Well done...indeed!  I really do hope to make the 50th.  Thanks for all the memories that this superb website has created!  Having been the class photographer...I will always regret losing the hundreds of photos that were lost in the Rapid City flood of 1972.  Fortunately...many are in the Gumbo.  CIAO!



7-5-08 - Merl Hawkins

Dear Friends:
It was great to see all of you again. Sorry I couldn't spend more time, but after the funeral Saturday, we had to go to Kansas for the burial service Monday. That's where the Hawkins' family plots are.  Anyway, thank you all for everything.  Hopefully next time I can be there more.
Merl
 

6/23/08 - Joe & Sally

We thought you would want to know that Merl Hawkins' mother passed away yesterday.  Our condolences to Merl and his family.  If you would like to send a personal note to Merl, please send it to:

Merl Hawkins
7481 Shanandoah Road
Pensacola, FL  32526
Phone:  850-944-9142
E-mail:  Merlhawk@aol.com


6/23/08  Jim Leonard  
Just received an email from Mark Simmons about the reunion, and realized that I had not followed up with you.

Regrettably, Pauline and I will not be able to attend the reunion. 

We want to wish everyone there the best, and to thank you for all of your great efforts over the years!

Regards

Jim and Pauline


6/22/08 - Judy Jo Williams Smith -  
Oh,the memories that your wonderful site has brought back! The Class of 63" committee continues to keep us all updated with news and together with wonderful reunions. I have waited to the last minute to make a decision on coming to Pierre this summer, as my daughter has cancer and we are waiting to see if her treatment is working. June 24,is a crucial date. I would love to see everyone, but if I don't make it, I want you to all have a great time for me. If I happen to get there, I'll join you in partying. You can find Vince and I in Florida in Jan.-Mar. and usually in Pierre,at Farm Island, in Aug. camping with the Williams and Hauschild families. Of course, you are always welcome to come visit us in New York.




4/21/08 - Vicky Hansen Milbrandt - Thank you for the info on our class reunion. This was going to be the year that I was going to go back to Pierre for our reunion, unfortunately I have a conflict at that time and will be unable to make it. I really am disappointed - it seems like my life has become so full that there are conflicts all the time. I will look forward to seeing the photos/stories that will be on the website. Have fun. I'll be thinking of you all.  Vicky Hansen Milbrandt

4/21/08  Ruth Amundson Lyneis - I will not attend this summer. My son,  a college lacrosse player, will have his shoulder operated on about  that time to be able to heal before next year's season. Say "hi" to all from me.  Ruthie

2/22/08 Joe & Sally Hanson
- We thought you would want to know that Paula Volk Hunsley's dad, Paul Volk, passed away on February 20th.  Our sincere condolences to Paula & Jerry and their family.  If you would like to send a personal note to Paula & Jerry, please send it to:
 
Jerry & Paul Hunsley
115 South Maple Avenue
Pierre, SD   57501
 

2-20-08 Sue Neiber McVean - I am looking forward to attending the class reunion this summer. It will be great to reconnect with everyone. Sue Neiber McVean

 


1-30-08 Joe & Sally Hanson -  We have some sad news about another classmate of ours - Harry Hogan.  We just learned that Harry passed away on November 14, 2007 of cancer.  Our sincere condolences to Harry's family.  If you would like to send a personal note to his family, please send it to:
 
Harry Hogan Family
1408 South Hennepin Street
Sioux City, Iowa  51106-1931
 

1-21-08 Mike Harris - Hope to make the reunion in June. Have not made one since the 20th, because there always has been a conflict. Actually, there is one again this year, but hope to resolve it and attend. My thanks and cudos to Joe and Sally and others that have done such a great job of putting together these reunions and this web page. My best wishes to all!!  Mike Harris


1-18-08 Marianna McLauchlan Gibbons - Great job on website! And getting next reunion organized. You guys are amazing! I am getting your snailmail updates here in Waterloo, IA. Last year was a challange since I was in a serious collison in OK, in 2006. Physical therapy 5 days a week was too much like having a job again. I have now started back on retirement as I had planned it. I will be returning from Alaska two days before the reunion. If I can make it to Pierre, I would really enjoy the river cruise. Blessed be. mg

1-16-07 Dave Tommervik -  Great website, Anne and I plan to attend. We were impressed with the last reunion and look forward to this one.  Don't think we had a motto, but if we did it might be "Soak them Suds". See ya all in June.   Dave Tommervik
 

1-16-08 - Joe and Sally - We just received word from Sharyn Smith Martinson that Wanda Fineran Soper's husband, Douglas, passed away on January 12th.  He had colin cancer.  Our sincere condolences to Wanda and her family.  If you would like to send a personal note to Wanda, her address is:
 
Wanda Fineran
902 North Marverick Trail
Dewey, AZ   86327-6006
Phone:  928-759-8065
 

12-18-07 - Joe and Sally Hanson - Our best wishes for a beautiful Christmas.  May 2008 be filled with much love and happiness for you and your loved ones.
12-18-07 - Paula and Jerry Hunsley - "Wishing all our classmates a "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year" May you all be blessed with good health and a prosperous Year."
 

11-28-07 - Mary Parlet - Hi Joe,

Just got your postcard regarding the reunion this coming summer. Sounds like fun & I plan to make every effort to be there.

My email has changed - it is meparlet@cableone.net & also my zip is 87144.

A quick update: I retired in 2001 after 35 years with Honeywell. I moved/transferred from Minneapolis, Mn in 1992 to Rio Rancho, New Mexico with Honeywell. I dearly love being retired. This coming year, I will be able to join the baby boomers in collecting social security (can't wait!!).

I love golfing & do so every day that I want to! I also love gardening ( I have a large garden) & working in my yard. I also work every year at the New Mexico State Legislature as the Judiciary Committee Secretary. It is not exactly where you would think I would end up but it is fun & I have learned a whole new aspect to our society. It is like South Dakota's legislature - meets for 60 days one year & the next year is 30 days.

I have been on your website & really enjoy it. Will send another update after the first of the year as I am currently in Tucson, AZ spending the monthes of Nov & Dec with friends. Then I go back to NM (home) & work at the legislature in Jan/Feb & then usually go back to Tucson for Mar/Apr. Then I will include a photo.

Thanks again for such a great wedsite & hope to see you all in June.

Mary Parlet

11/27/07 - We do not have a current mailing address or email address for classmate Robert T. Mullally.  If anyone has that information or knows anyone that we can contact to get that information, please let us know.  Thank you. 

11-27-07 - Dennis Naasz - Joe/Sally:  I did receive your postcard with the dates of our class reunion this coming summer. Apparantly you had found out we re-located back to Mandan, ND as it came to the correct address. We have sold our business, the National Impala Association in Spearfish, and are planning to slow down a bit and collect on some of that Social Security we have paid in before it's all gone!!! We still own our building in Spearfish and have leased it out so we will still spend some time in the Hills. We bought a home back in Mandan and plan to spend more time with our grandkids and and maybe escape south for a couple of months during the hard winter. We do have a new e-mail address which is: dbnaasz@bis.midco.net. We will plan to make the reunion next summer unless some unforseen thing comes up. Thanks for all the work you and Sally do for the class of '63!!!
Dennis & Byrdi


11/19/07 - Sheryl Stapf Novacek - What fun, Joe, to check out the terrific website. Nicely done! I HAVE CHANGED my e-mail, as you can see from the return. (I HAVE NOT CHANGED the spelling of my maiden name, which has always been StapF. I thought that you might want to know.) The site is really fun and informative. Congratulations and... Thanks, Sheryl (Stapf) Novacek

11/15/07 - Sharyn Smith Martinson notified us that our classmate and her cousin, Richard Smith, passed away last night.  He was diagnosed with renal cancer this past July.  Richard had been living in Fairmont, MN.   Our condolences to Sharyn and the entire Smith family.  Please keep Richard's family in your prayers.  If you would like to send a personal note to his family, the address is:
 
Mrs. Marklynn Smith
317 South Hampton Street
Fairmont, MN  56031
 

11/14/07 - Mike Harris - Joe--my email address is as above (MiikeH444@comcast.net). Thanks for all your work for the class. The website is impressive.     Mike Harris


11/13/07 - Vicky Hansen Milbrandt - Hi, Joe:   Thanks for the request for my current email address: vmilbrandt@comcast.net Time flies (that this stage of life anyway) and I neglected to update. Reading the messages on the website was fun/informative – it’s a great tool. :>) Thanks for keeping us all connected.


11/10/07- Dick Widdoss  - Hi, Joe & Sally....Just happend to be listening to the 60's on XM Radio this Saturday when the Class of 1963 Reunion Card arrived in the U.S. Mail!!! Talk about a time warp...mentally!!! Discovering your fabulous web site and listening to the music at the same time was a real mind blower!! Please don't apologize for being an amateur regarding the site. I think it is fabulous and very well done. Glad you requested the e-mail update. Also...the All Class Alumni Directory has proven to very, very interesting and I enjoy perusing it every now and again. The last time I was in Pierre was in 1992 when I bought a horse from Jim Forney..which I still own. Hopefully.. I can make it to a reunion when most of us are still sitting up taking nourishment!! HA!~! All the work on the website is appreciated!                 Dick Widdoss

11/8/07- Marie (Terry) Walsh DeYonge - Hi Everyone: I would love to help. I live in Vermillion, but if I can do anything to assist please let me know. You can always reach me by e-mail or by phone (605-624-4353). Thanks.
                                                                                             Terry Walsh DeYonge

10/23/07- Eva Olson Hageman - To Merl: I thought Eddie Sorenson and I were the babies (December babies) :-)
 

10/18/07- Merl Hawkins - Sally:  As always you never cease to amaze me. The web site is really great. (I'd thank Joe as well, but he and I grew up together, and I know who did all the work) As I remember, the class motto was "PARTY ON" and the class mascot was a keg of "Grain Belt Beer" but I could be wrong. Sometimes my memory slips. Hard to believe some of you old guys are thinking of drawing social security. (Remember Vicki and I are the babies of the class). See you all in 2008.      Merl

10/9/07- Sharyn Smith Martinson - I just wanted to let everyone know that my cousin Richard Smith, who was a classmate of ours, is very ill. He is suffering from renal cancer. He was diagnosed in July and has been receiving treatment. I will keep you posted.

8/6/07- Eva Olson Hageman - I am so excited that we will meet for a reunion next June. Yay! I cannot wait to see everyone. I am so excited to see Pierre again, also. I would like to take a tour of the new (old) Riggs High. A river cruise sounds great. I think it would be fun to still have some music at our Friday and/or Saturday night get-to-gethers. We're still young, aren't we? Keep in touch.      eva

8/3/07- Sharyn Smith Martinson - Thank you so much Joe and Sally for putting the loss of my husband on the Class of '63 website. I have heard from some of our classmates and I thank each and every one of you. Chuck was a marine in Viet Nam and was exposed to Agent Orange at the time. It finally caught up with him this spring. We are truly devastated at losing him. My email address is martinss@rrcnet.org

8/1/07- Sally Hanson - If anyone knows what the motto for the Class of '63 was, please let me know.  Thanks. 

7/28/07 - Ruth Ann Spicer Stenberg I was so excited to read this and know that we will all be getting together again next year. I haven't looked at the web site but will soon. I am so looking forward to our best reunion yet! Anything you plan will be wonderful and the more time we can spend together at these reunions is great. Looking forward to more communications.
  

 7/27/07 - Jim Leonard I received your emal, and could not resist going to this great website. It is a treat. I want to thank you for your dedication to our class, and I am putting the 08 event on our calendar so that we can hopefully be there. If the riverboat is large enough for a good crowd, that sounds like a great event where we could socialize. On a serious note, it is sad to note the passing of classmates. Then, again, it seems that so many of us are still well, and prospering, for which we are thankful! regards. jim                                                                

7/26/07 - Dick Lamster - I just reviewed this Class of '63 web site and it is wonderful! Thanks to Sally for having the idea and making it work! I really like it! Sally said it is her first attempt at doing a web site, but it looks really great to me!  The bad news is that I cannot attend our 45th reunion in June, 2008. I am currently on the Board of Directors of the Oregon Track Club which is the co-sponsor (with the University of Oregon) of the 2008 U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials. This is the 10 day track meet that determines which United States athletes will attend the Summer Olympics in China later in the summer. I have been involved in the planning of the Trials for almost a year now and will be working at the actual event for several weeks before, during and probably afterwards too. They start on June 27th, the first day of our reunion! What a bummer. I may have to try to set up video communications where I can perhaps talk to some of you and see how much fun I am missing! I hope all of you post messages regularly to this Message Center as it will be fun to read about what is happening with your lives. We grew up during a really fun and somewhat innocent time in the history of our country. Perhaps Pierre was not the "real world" for most people, but I had a great childhood and growing up with all of you was wonderful. It is funny how I hardly remember mosquitoes, wind, dust, hot-hot temperatures, deep snow, cold-cold wind, hoveling coal into our old coal burning furnace, and not having much money! I guess the experiences and relationships were what really mattered.
                                                                             

7/25/07 - Joe & Sally Hanson - Our condolences to Sharyn Smith Martinson on the loss of her husband, Chuck, who passed away on July 18, after a three-month battle with cancer.  Please keep Sharyn and her family in your prayers.  If you would like to send a personal note to Sharyn, her address is 
 
Sharon Martinson
41124 County Road 11
Lamberton, MN  56152
E-mail:  martinss@rrcnet.org 
                                                                             

7/25/07 - Joe & Sally Hanson- Please review the class directory and advise us of any e-mail addresses you may have for our classmates.  Many of the email addresses currently listed are incorrect and many of our classmates do not have email addresses listed.  If you have current email addresses, we would like to have them.  The same goes for street addresses and phone numbers. We would like to handle the 2008 reunion registrations and reunion updates via this webpage as much as possible.   It will not only save some postage but will also make it easier for us and hopefully for everyone else.  Thank you.