Name: William (Bill) Penka

Email: travs66@msn.com

What have you been up to since 1965?: After graduation I attended Hutch Juco for a semester.  I then joined the Air Force in 1966 which brought me to Tinker Air Force base in Oklahoma City, OK, after basic training and tech school.  I met my beautiful wife in Oklahoma City and we were married in 1968.  We have one son, Travis, that is married, but no grand children yet.  We do have five grand dogs however.

After four years in the Air Force, I went to work for Honeywell Data Systems in Oklahoma City.  Shortly thereafter I went back to school and received an Associates of Science degree in Electronic Engineering from Oklahoma State University.  I continued on and obtained a Bachelors degree in Business Management from Central State University (now University of Central Oklahoma) and then a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix.  

After Honeywell Oklahoma City Operations was bought out by Control Data Corporation, then Control Data Corporation was bought out by Imprimis Data Corporation, we finally ended up as Seagate Corportation;  the largest manufacturer of computer hard disk drives.  In 2001, Seagate down sized all 3,200 people with the exception of 32 folks, but I was not one of those that they kept.

In 2001, I went to work for the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management.  Until a year ago I was the State's Hazard Mitigation Officer but I am now in Field Services.  That's right, I am still working and enjoy what I do.

As a family we are into Mustang Cars and are members of the Oklahoma Mustang Club.  Our son has a 1966 (which he has had since High School) and a 1993 Hatchback.  My wife has a 2000.  All of the cars are show cars and we have a lot of fun entering into car shows across the United States and meeting a lot of new people.

I am really looking forward to the 50th reunion to renew old friendships.

Name: Jack Jarrott

Email: jbjarrottjr@att.net

What have you been up to since 1965?: After High School graduation I attended Hutchinson Community College from 1965-1968. I graduated from Sterling college in 1970 with majoring in Business and Biology. In June of 1967 I married Barbara Martin from the Kingman area and we recently celebrated our 48th anniversary. We have two children and 7 grandchildren.
My major occupation for 31 years was a pharmaceutical representative. I retired in 2005 from that and since then have been substitute teaching in several districts in the local area. I have had an avocation in landscaping since 1975.
The most important thing that has occurred for Barbara and me was accepting Jesus Christ in 1975. That has completely changed our lives and continues to help us daily live in the light of His Word. We are active in Berean Baptist Church here in Hutchinson as well as in Gideons International.
Barbara and I enjoy working outside as well as reading and limited travel.

After High School, I attended Hutchinson Community College for one year, then transferred to Emporia State University where I received my BS in Elementary Education with an emphasis in library science. Wes and I were married the summer after graduation and I started teaching as an elementary librarian in Wichita, Kansas at Payne and Martin Elementary Schools.  When I became pregnant with our daughter, Beth, I started working at the small local library where we were living in Sedgwick, Kansas. We  moved from there to Chanute, Kansas where I worked in the public library and Murray Hill Elementary school. After 5 years, we moved to Garden City, Kansas, and I was the elementary librarian at Scott City Elementary School.  During the time we were there, I received my MLS. We stayed in Scott City for 25 years and retired from there to return home to Hutchinson. We are living in the same house I grew up in on East B.  I was librarian at Prairie Hills Middle School for 6 years and learned to love middle schoolers. When we retired again, I wanted something to do to keep me busy, physically and mentally, so we opened a used bookstore in Downtown Hutchinson. Bookends has been open for 3 years at 123 North Main and we have enjoyed meeting new friends and readers and getting reacquainted with old friends that are still in the Hutchinson area. We have one daughter, Beth, who lives in Wichita, and two grandchildren who are great! We are now remodeling the two floors above the bookstore into apartments.  We will live in one and have 3 others for rent.  Anyone interested in downtown living? I have really enjoyed working on this website and I hope it has been helpful to you as you plan for the reunion.  See you then!

Name: Douglas M. Hurst

Email: dougmhurst@gmail.com

What have you been up to since 1965?: Went to one year of JuCo in 1965-66.  Played golf mostly. Was making poor grades.

May 1966, joined the Marine Corps.  Attended recruit training in San Diego, went to electronics school there, then transferred to Cherry Point, NC until March 1969.

In March 1969, served in the Republic of Vietnam until December 1969 when our entire unit was pulled out and sent to Iwakuni, Japan.

After achieving the rank of Staff Sergeant, was selected for the Warrant Officer Program.  After training in Quantico, VA was transferred to Camp Pendleton, CA.  I had been working on a Bachelor's program for some time and in January. The USMC sent me to school full time in 1975 to finish my degree.

Was sent directly to Okinawa, Japan after graduation where I was rewarded with a promotion to CWO-2 and then 1st Lt, but also likely caused the breakup in my first marriage.

Next stop 29 Palms, CA where I was promoted to Captain and, after 6 great years was again ordered to Okinawa.

Last stop was Headquarters, USMC in Arlington, VA where I was promoted to my terminal rank of Major and where I married my current wife Regina Spence Hurst (née Spence).

I had been pursuing a Master's program with the University of Southern California since 1984 and completed my degree shortly after my USMC retirement in January 1987.  I had also been teaching myself computer programming since 1980 and I was able to land a job with a government contractor as a programmer immediately upon USMC retirement.

I continued in programming jobs for the next 23+ years until retiring for real in December 2013.  Companies included AOL and Lockheed Martin.

I'm now in full retirement living in Springfield, VA.  Regina and I have two children... well adult offspring is more accurate. Laura just turned 20 and will be attending James Madison University in the fall. Andrew is about to turn 27, is a graduate of Christopher Newport University, is a police officer in Henrico County, VA and also serves in the VA National Guard.

I've been blessed by the Lord my entire life and finally accepted Jesus as my savior in 1978.  I tell people all the time how blessed I feel to have been born and raised in KS and Hutch in particular.  I'm also blessed to have so many fond memories of High School life even though many see them as trying years.
I can't wait to read the other biographies.  I'm sure it will bring back many more wonderful memories.  I pray you will get as many members of the class of 65 as possible to participate.

Name: Sharon Parker

Email: HolafromOla@gmail.com

What have you been up to since 1965?: First graduated from Emporia State Teachers College with an English major. Lasted a whole semester as a HS English teacher -- loved the kids, liked English, but not enough to be an inspired or inspiring teacher.  Next job was a social worker in Kansas City, KS.  Again, loved the clients but hated the bureaucracy. Moved on to N.C. where I got interested in yoga and meditation.  Learned to twist into a pretzel and took the name Shanti (Sanskrit for Peace -- figured I needed all the help I could get).
  From there I just started walking in whatever direction the Spirit seemed to lead.  Which physically took me to Spokane, WA.  Got interested in the personal growth movement.  Did lots of workshops and even earned a Masters In Applied Behavioral Sciences. Still interested in personal and spiritual growth movements.  Spent most of 1980 abroad -- India & Nepal for a couple of months and then six months in Sweden.
  Ended up back in Hutch to help my widowed mother move into Wesley Towers.  Then to my surprise, ended up back in Kansas City where I attended St. Paul's School of Theology.  St. Paul's was considered a liberal United Methodist Seminary -- but I was still the only student there with a Sanskrit name.  HA!  They didn't quite know what to do with me, but we worked it out somehow.  Quite loved it, in fact, although I'm still rather bemused to think I have an M. Div. degree.
 Must be up to the mid-1980's now.  A former teacher and good friend invited me to come back to Spokane and work for him as he built a career and name for himself as an Organizational Consultant.  Mostly I was his "gal Friday" support on daily basis, but had some extraordinary chances to travel and meet some impressive people along the way.  And then I turned 40 and my warranty apparently expired.
  I started to lose my hearing.  I also met Keith Bundy, fell in love and married him.  Our first year of marriage was also the year I went deaf.  We started to learn sign language and ended up getting full custody of Travis, Keith's 7 year old son.  It wasn't an easy time.  After a couple of years of silence, we found out I was a candidate for a cochlear implant. The surgery was successful and I could hear again -- not what I used to hear, but it was (and still is) way easier than being deaf.
  Keith and I are retired now and have moved to a tiny blip in the road called Ola -- located about an hour's drive north of Boise, ID.  Again, I'm the only one here with a Sanskrit name and we have to avoid political discussions with many of our neighbors.  The Ola community, however, is filled with salt-of-the-earth, hard-working people who are always willing to lend a hand and believe in "live and let live".  And thanks to the internet and Amazon, I can connect to other like-minded seekers when I feel the need.
  We have about 8 acres on a dry hillside overlooking an irrigated valley devoted primarily to cattle ranching.  The scenery from our windows is awesome.  Sunrises, rainbows, the seasons, the progression of the sun and moon throughout the year.  I'm learning to love Silence on a whole new level here.  Also learning to transform hard pan mud into garden soil that is now producing way more than we can eat.
  Other than my hearing loss, I've been lucky to have good health.  There is still an 18 year old girl inside me who looks in the mirror occasionally and wonders who the heck that white haired older woman is.  And that older woman sometimes looks back and tries to remember what it was like to be a young, naïve kid at Hutch High -- and she can't quite place faces with names and memories.  But Life is a Blessing.

Name: Shirley Holdeman

Email: dholdem@hotmail.com

What have you been up to since 1965?: Graduates from Emporia State and married Dave Holdeman  in 1969.
Moved to Anniston, Alabama in 1971 and Dave left for VietNam in 1972.
Moved to Muskegon, Michigan for Dave's first job as an analytical chemist.  
1973 and 1975 first two children born.
1976 moved to Indiana
1977 3rd child born
1980 Moved to Cincinnati, OH
1981 moved to Tulsa OK
1999 moved to Arlington Heights, NW suburb of Chicago
2003 moved to Fenton MI 
2005 moved back to Tulsa, OK
2011 retired and moved back to the City we love.  Chicago.

I was a stay at home mom while our kids were growing up.  In 1996 I started working in accounting at CITGO.    From there I worked as bookkeeper at. CEDA and then finished my career at a CPA firm.  My husband and I love to travel overseas and have been on many overseas trips. We were in Napal a year before the major earthquake there this year. If we are not traveling we are going too see our children and 6 grandkids in Tulsa OK, Charlottesville, VA, and Seattle WA.  We do a lot of volunteering at a food pantry, settling up apartments for refugee families, and volunteer ushering in Chicago.  We have had a good life.

Name: Carol Bruegger

Email: carol.bruegger@yahoo.com

What have you been up to since 1965?: Married in1966 to Randy Bruegger. We have 2 daughters , a son  and a new daughter-in-law. We also have 4 grandkids and a great granddaughter. We are currently living in Olathe, Ks. where we have owned an antique mall for almost 18 years. Only moved out of state for a short time(Allentown, Pa) guess we got homesick for Ks. We just celebrated our 49th wedding anniversary and plan on having a lot more God willing!!!

Name: Georgene (Hatfield) Karst

Email: georgenekarst@yahoo.com

What have you been up to since 1965?: I graduated from Hutch JuCo and transferred to Kansas State Teachers College (now Emporia State University) and completed my bachelor's degree in English/Secondary Education then continued at Emporia to complete my MLS (Masters/Library Science) in 1970.  Ron Karst and I were married right after that and lived our first year of marriage in California while he completed his second year of the Army at Fort Ord.  We then moved back to Kansas and I worked as a school librarian for 8 years.  After living on the Kansas side of the Kansas City area, we moved to the Missouri side of the line in 1977.  We have 3 children, all grads of MU or UMKC.  I eventually went back to work as a school librarian in Odessa, MO for the last 23 years of my career.  We still  live in Blue Springs, MO, where all 3 of our kids still live as well.  We have 4 grandchildren with a 5th on the way.  We're retired and have enjoyed traveling, spending time with the grands, and whatever else takes our time.  So looking forward to reacquainting with classmates I've seen at other reunions as well as those I've gotten to know on Facebook!

Name: Wayne R Lewman

Email: gotucky@gmx.com

What have you been up to since 1965?: Got married in 1969, have 2 wonderful daughters and a great son in law. In 1975, lived in Western Reno County and worked in the gas field and owned the Huntsville Mercantile. Moved to Grovespring MO in 1983 where oldest daughter graduated HS, but then we came back to Hutch when our house burned in Mo. Stayed for a couple years for younger daughter to graduate HHS in 1990. Then went back to Missouri to restore the farm. 1997 we moved to Wichita to be closer to our aging parents and went to work for the Sedgwick Co Public Works building roads and removing snow. Now retired. No grandchildren (their choice). Found this February that I do have Esophageal Cancer so my time is up sooner than later. So far I feel good but have days when I am very tired after the chemo treatment.

Name: Tom Stubbs

Email: thomaslstubbs@aol.com

What have you been up to since 1965?: went to Juilliard for college

got married to Sue Burroughs from N.J. (a double bass player) our senior year of college

joined the St. Louis Symphony in 1970 and have been living happily as a professional musician ever since
highlights have been recording for RCA, EMI, etc, international touring & winning 2 Grammy award for best symphonic recordings 
(the last one was this spring) 

wife Sue got in the Kansas City Philharmonic in 1971
(so we had a commuter marriage for a few years until our 2 kids came along)

started working at the Aspen Music in the summers since 1989

the long and short of it is that I been very blessed with a wonderful family and a job that I love
no plans to hang it up

Name: marion roberts

Email: marionroberts@excite.co

What have you been up to since 1965?: Marion K. Roberts is a native of Hutchinson where he was a three-year drum major of the high school band and for eight years performed as baritone soloist and Drum Major with the SkyRyders Drum Corp. He holds degrees from William Jewell College, Kansas State University and the Doctorate from the University of Kansas. He has additional studies at the Universities of Texas-Austin and Colorado-Boulder. Dr. Roberts has conducted bands in Taiwan, Japan, France, the United Kingdom as well as though out the United States. His Blue Valley North bands performed at the American Memorial at Omaha Beach as the only civilian ensemble at the 50th Commemoration of the D-Day invasion. They since have performed twice in Washington D.C. at the memorial to the veterans of World War II and in Port-en-Beson, France for the 60th Anniversary of D-Day.

His teaching experience began as student conductor of his junior high school bands. This was followed as drum major and student director of the Hutchinson High School bands and as student director of the concert and pep bands at William Jewell College. During his final two years of college he served as beginning band director for the parochial schools of Kansas City and choral director at the Park Hill Baptist church. He began his public school teaching in the Buchanan R-IV schools in DeKalb, Mo.  He taught grades 5th and 7th-12th grade band and7th thru 12th grade choir where the choirs earned first division ratings in state music festivals. He moved from DeKalb to become Assistant Director of Bands at Kansas State University where he also served as Assistant Director of Opera for “The Saint of Bleeker Street” in which he also performed as part of the cast. He moved from Kansas State to become Director of Bands and Music Education at Baker University where he remained until his move to complete his doctorate. The remaining twenty-eight years of his career were spent at Blue Valley North high school. The program at North grew from fifty-two students to two hundred before the opening of BV Northwest. The band dropped to eighty students while growing to nearly three hundred before the opening of BV West. Since that time until his retirement the band program remained from between one hundred eighty and two hundred students.

He is a member of the Legion of Honor from the John Philip Sousa Foundation, Phi Beta Mu Honorary, Kappa Kappa Psi  Band Fraternity, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Music Fraternity and Kappa Alpha Order. He is past president of the Kansas Bandmasters Association and the 2012 Outstanding Kansas Bandmaster. Dr. Roberts has served as Assistant Director of Bands at K-State, Assistant to the Director at K.U., Director of Bands at Baker University where he also served as Chairperson of the Department of Music and has just retired after twenty-eight years as Director of Instrumental Music Activities at Blue Valley North high school. He is married to his high school sweetheart Marcia. They have two adult sons, Seth and Spencer. They also enjoy two long-haired miniature Dachsunds, Tucker (5 time Dachsund Races Champion at BVN) and Elliott.

Name: Cheryl Lentz Catlin

Email: ccatlin1947@hotmail.com

What have you been up to since 1965?: When I graduated, I was working at Froese Drug where I had been working since I was 16. I left to work at the Big Dipper on 30th. After I left, I worked at Spanglers Photo supply until I married in 1968.My husband was stationed at 29 Palms, Ca, so we moved there where our daughter was born. We came back to Kansas in 1969,and my husband became a police officer in Hutchinson, and I went back to work for Spanglers until I became pregnant with our second child.My husband became a state trooper, and we moved to Goodland,Kansas in 1973.We stayed there , where our son was born, until 1981, where we moved to Sedan ,kansas.Our youngest daughter passed away in 1997 from Cancer. My husband retired in 1997. I worked managing a convenience store for 13 years. In 2001 we moved to Manhattan,Ks to be close to our two grandsons and our daughter and her husband.I worked at J.C.Penney in Manhattan, and quit in 2005. In 2006 my dad passed and we looked after my mom until 2008.In 2008, my husband was diagnosed with cancer and passed away in 2011.In 2008 we had moved to Augusta,Ks to look after our grandson while our son and his wife worked.In 2011, our grand-daughter was born.Now I look after the 7 year old and his 4 year old sister,five days a week. I am involved in my church and travel to Manhattan to see my daughter and two grandsons and now my great grandson, Logan who is almost two.

Name: Carrolyn Sue (Burdette) Miller

Email: carrolynm@hotmail.com

What have you been up to since 1965?: I wish I could tell you about all the wonderful accomplishments I have had since high school, but the truth is my life has been “normal” and “average”.  I have had a good life so far and hoping for many more years before I am done.
After high school I attended a year at Hutch Juco.  I met and married my first husband (yes there has been more than one) in January of 1967.  With that I became an Air Force wife and got to see a little bit of the country namely South Dakota and Oregon before returning to civilian life in his home town of South Point, Ohio.
We were married for seven years before divorcing.  After the divorce, I returned to Hutchinson where I married and divorced again.  I don’t regret those two failed marriages because I learned from them what I wanted from marriage, what kind of person I wanted to spend my life with and the kind of work it takes to be in a good marriage.  Ultimately, I met and married Danny Miller, my best friend as well as my husband, the father to our children and a very patient man to put up with me.
Danny and I have two children.  Carrie is married to Gerry Poersch and has four children (David, Eric, Nathan and Laura).  They live in Emporia, Kansas.  Our son, Paul, lives here in Hutchinson.  He is not married but has five God children that he adores and that think of us as their grandparents.  We are so blessed to have nine grandchildren to spoil.
Eventually, I returned to Hutchinson Community College (it will always be Juco to me) and got my associates degree in 1992.
Over the years I have worked at various retail jobs but none long enough to mention.  I finally got an office job with Borton Construction in the Purchasing Department.  I loved learning to read drawings and do material take-offs.  Borton is responsible for building most of the grain elevators in the state of Kansas as well as elevators nationwide.  It has been interesting learning what goes into putting up one of those elevators.  I later moved to the Sales Department as Sales Secretary.  I retired two years ago after 19 years with Borton.
Danny retired from the Kansas Department of Transportation.  Now we have more time to pursue our own interests and not worry about work schedules.  Danny has found woodcarving to add to his hobbies of fishing, caring for the yard and reading.  I enjoy scrapbooking, quilting, cross stitch and genealogy.  We both enjoy traveling.  Last summer we were lucky enough to be able to go to the British Isles.  We spent 21 days traveling by BritRail through Ireland, Scotland and England.  It was a wonderful vacation and one we will never forget.  This year we have stayed close to home and explored some of the counties in Kansas.  It is my goal to visit all 105 counties.  And I am sure Danny is starting to think of our next big adventure outside of Kansas.
Like I said in the beginning mine has been a very average life, but it is a good life.  I am looking forward to seeing old friends at the reunion in September.

Name: Tom Holmes

Email: tholmes@wbhsi.net

What have you been up to since 1965?: I retired in February of this year and moved to a retirement community called Sun Lakes in Arizona.  Hard to beat this lifestyle.  There are 3 golf courses and 5 pools and lots of organized activities, if you want to join in.  I retired most recently from the Yavapai Indian Government where I worked for 12 years in financial management. Prior to that I worked for 21 years at Honeywell in Phoenix and Boston, also in financial management. I graduated from Wichita State University in 1970 and from Arizona State University in 1976. Have returned to Hutchinson periodically over the years and usually visit the cemetery on Memorial Day weekend as often as I can. My hobby is probably traveling. Have been to many countries and enjoy observing the diverse cultures of the world.  Most recently I visited Brazil, Argentina and Chile. Rio rocks.  Drop me a line if you get a chance.

What have you been up to since 1965?: After high school graduation, I attended Hutch Juco and graduated in 1967.  I then attended Wichita State University for two years until Uncle Sam called.  I spent the next two years in the US Army stationed at Fort Ord, near Monterey, California (after Basic Training at Fort Leonard Wood, MO).  I married Georgene Hatfield in August of 1970.  Following my two years active duty, we moved back to Wichita where I finished my BA degree.  After a few years in Wichita, we ended up in the Kansas City area and became Missourians in 1977 when we moved to Blue Springs.  We raised three children there, two boys, Andrew and Jonathan, and a girl, Elizabeth.  They all went through the MU system with the boys graduating from MU-Columbia and our daughter graduating from UMKC (Kansas City).  Happily for us, they all live in Blue Springs.  Scouting was a large part of our lives while the kids were younger.  Elizabeth earned the Silver Award in Girl Scouts.  Andrew and Jonathan earned Eagle Scout rank.  I remained active during the time they were involved and stayed on with Scouting after they went on to college.  I served several leadership roles on the district level as well as District Commissioner for three years.  Got to do lots of camping and high adventure trips.  I can't wait to take the grands to scout camp.  I spent many years in the commercial door business and prior to retiring did a stint as a Fedex contractor.  Retirement is much better!!  The joy of our lives in retirement is our four grandchildren and that joy will grow in October when the fifth grandchild arrives!  Since retirement we've tried to travel as much as we can and have taken several memorable trips and hopefully there will be many more to come.

What have you been up to since 1965?: I married Terry Faulkner in June of 1966. I can't remember who my math teachers were in high school but, I think that should add up to 50 years in June of 2016. Left Hutch in 1997, moved to O!athe, KS. Worked for Dillons for a couple of years and transferred to Colorado Springs. Retired in 2009 and traveled full time in our RV for 3 years. We now live in Sun City West, AZ. where we spend time golfing, riding bikes, hiking or most anything outdoors.We have a daughter in Colorado,a son in Minnesota,4 granddaughters and 2 great granddaughters and lots of family and friends back in Hutch. That's where we travel these days.

Name: Michael Lasater

Email: mlasater@iusb.edu

What have you been up to since 1965?: First, the Oberlin Conservatory where I met Lois Taber (English major in the college) maybe 90 days after HHS graduation.  Things do happen.  We’ll celebrate our 46th anniversary in November. One wonderful daughter, Amy, who received her Ph.D. in anthropology from NYU this past May and is a product development - communications consultant in lower Manhattan; her husband Andrew, a Math for America Master Teacher at Brooklyn Tech; and our grandson Edmond, at this writing 14 months old and the total focus of our attention and almost all travel expense.  Other: I had a very satisfying career as a trombonist, starting with a lot of fun with the Hutch Municipal Band, Toby Stout’s society band, and a manic, indelible week with the Ringling Bros. Circus while still in high school.  In my junior year at Oberlin I was hired by James Levine for his University Circle Orchestra (the Cleveland Orchestra in disguise); was the bass trombonist with the Aspen Festival Orchestra for the ‘68 & ‘69 seasons; did military service as a member of the West Point Band, and played in Catskills resorts show bands on weekends--backing Mel Torme was a big highlight.  I played two years with the Metropolitan Opera, and in '75 was onstage in costume with the Bolshoi Opera of Moscow in Prokofieff's War and Peace...my one and only engagement with the KGB.  I was the bass trombonist with the New Jersey Symphony for one dog year; was a member of the Tanglewood Fellowship Orchestra and performed with the Boston Symphony Orchestra; was the bass trombonist with the Spoleto Festival Orchestra in Italy; and did a master’s degree at Juilliard.  So, I started with the circus and ended with the opera.  Both venues use elephants and trombonists with equal effect.  Career change at age 30—first, four years in orchestra management with the Syracuse Symphony, then a master’s degree in film  & video from Syracuse University and off into the PBS system, became a documentary filmmaker with the production studio at Western Kentucky University (one of my pieces is with Coronet Films--shades of 15-minute reels viewed behind the stage curtain at Morgan Elementary), began teaching filmmaking at WKU, then back up to SU for a Ph.D. in communications, then in ’94 came to where we are now, Indiana University South Bend, where I founded the university’s degree program in New Media and continue as chair of that department.  I’ll probably retire from the university when I turn 70, or maybe not.  Since 1998 all my creative work has been in gallery art--video, animation, and sound—exhibiting in the U.S. and Europe, a career that has given me at least as much pleasure as musical performance.  And I don’t have to practice every day.

I have an artist's website at michaellasater.net and a Vimeo channel at vimeo.com/michaellasater .  Both need cleaning up, but there they are.

We really hope to be at the 50th...already my schedule is filling around September 24th and 25th.  It has been just extremely gratifying to have reconnected with several old friends as a result of being at the 40th.  I was lucky to be in touch with Jim Dailey and Del Knauer before we lost them, and I even had some correspondence with Lew Hiigel (at ninety-something) via John Simpson.  The last time I saw Lew I had pedaled my Schwinn over to his house on Green Street with my Sky Ryders bugle to toot around and get a Boy Scout merit badge.  Some time ago.  Lew, himself a trombonist, was the man who started me on trombone in the little storage room off the playground at Morgan school. Very good to be able to tell him what happened.

Best to all.

Name: Mike Wallace

Email: mdwsr@cox.net

What have you been up to since 1965?: I joined the Navy Reserve my senior year and went to boot camp Christmas Vacation "64". I joined the Navy because THEY DO NOT PUT BATTLE SHIPS IN RICE PATTIES. I found out a year later where the USMC get their medics or CORPSMAN. After Corps School in San Diego they sent me to Camp Pendleton for FMF training. From there I went with the 3rd Marine Division, 11th Engineer Battalion at Dong Ha Combat Base. I found out how strong the 91st Psalm is. When it says a1000 will fall at your left hand, and 10000 at your right hand, do not think this just bible talk. I have seen this with my own eyes, I was on the DMZ my whole tour, Con Thien, we built the small out post along the DMZ, Khe Sahn during Tet 67. After 2 Purple Hearts I decided not to stay in the service because it was bad for my health. In the 80's I farmed 3000 Acers with a friend in the Arlington area. In 1989 I returned to Viet Nam for 2 weeks on the DMZ and meet the man that place an antitank mine in the road that wounded me. Fox 32 out of Chicago went with us and filmed the trip, which has been a source of healing for may Vets with PTSD. When I returned home in 1989 I saw the light at the end of the tunnel was a train.
  In the 90's I went back to college for my Nursing Degree, but after a divorce and my school bill I took an LPN license and work as a nurse. My last job as a nurse t the State Prison was exciting. In 2010 I was fired because" I have a explosive personality". The VA give me 100% disability so I retired since I am unemployable( over 60).
   Now my father-in-law lives with us, and we are raising a granddaughter that lost both parents. I was not planning giving birth to a 16 year old at 67. OMG. She is a great kid, making grades I dreamed of.

Name: Almedia Altvater Bastin

Email: donbastin@att.net

What have you been up to since 1965?: What have I been up to since 1965?  In 1967 went to work for then SWBT in Hutchinson.  In 1968 married Don Bastin.
We have just had our 47th anniversary August 2nd.  Have two children Darin a Police officer, Fire and EMT at 
Eisenhower National Airport, daughter Dana an M.A. for  Dr. Niederee in Derby, Ks.  Darin has 4  children and 2 step
daughters, Dana has 2 children. We lived in Derby for 25 years until 1995 when Don's job moved us to the Kansas City
area.  I was able to transfer to Independence, Mo. with SWBT and we lived in Blue Springs, Mo. for 14 years.  In 2007 SWBT
now AT&T closed the office I worked in.  I worked in 2 different school cafeterias there in Blue Springs, until we moved back
to Derby in 2009.  Don had 6 by-pass heart surgery 2 days before Christmas 2009, and I had breast cancer surgery 
in February 2010.  We were glad to be home with the kids through all of this.  Don golfs a lot and I work as cashier in 
the Derby Middle School, gives little something to do.  We are planning to attend the reunion.

Name: Linda Smith

Email: lindacastner@verizon.net

What have you been up to since 1965?: After graduation I went to Juco 1 year and worked at Pegues then moved to Wichita where I attended Patricia Stevens Career College and Finishing School.
I married my high school sweatheart, Mike Smith (class of '63) in 1967. He was stationed at Ft, Meade, Maryland in the Army. I was a department manager at the Hecht Company in the childrens department.

Mike wanted to continue his college education so we threw a dart at a map and it ended up on Oshkosh, Wisconsin. I started working for Sears and fortunately could transfer with them to Madison, Wisconsin, Shaumburg, Illinois, and Wausau, Wisconsin. 

I moved to Torrance, California in 1976 and was again hired by Sears as a department Manager. I married my second husband in 1977 and welcomed my first daughter, Jadie in 1979. I left Sears and worked part time as a merchandiser for a health and beauty aid company. After moving to Huntington Beach, California I started working full time for the health and beauty aid company. I had my second daughter, Kacie, in 1981.

We moved to San Bernardino California where I transferred with the company and was promoted to a Territory Manager, I work for them for 13 years until the company was sold. My Mother needed a caregiver so the girls and i moved to Bella Vista Arkansas until she passed away in 1995. After that I installed Lifeline products for Philips. I was in a car accident 4 years ago and was forced into retirement.

I am a  grandmother of two grandchildren,  Ashlee and Kaylee, and have two grand dogs, Domino and Sydney.
Life is good..... P.S. I know I used too many I's but afterall this is about me!

Name: Susan Dix

Email: suzzukid@gmsil.com

What have you been up to since 1965?: Wow! Time flies.
I attended Hutch JC before transferring to and ultimately graduating as a proud Jayhawk. I actually had a one and one half year break in the middle to manage a fast food restaurant in Manhattan KS.
After graduating I moved to California. My folks had decently moved there. I worked in the grocery business until I married a Navy man and became an instant mom to two in diapers.That was fun.
We lived in Virginia then back to San Diego where I got my teaching credential at SDSU and taught for a couple of years.That was less fun. 
After my divorce, and now with our third child I moved to Orange County CA with the kids. 
My mother got tired of listening to me and my self-pity and found a job for me which ultimately led to my dream job-telling men where to go and they had to do what I told them I worked for the City of Santa Ana  for most of my career as a Fire Services Dispatcher, i.e.911 in a busy crime-filled city.I'm now retired and 
miss the wprk and all those great guys so much
After 3 yesrs of retirement I actually was missing the Midwest and moved back to Kansas City where I am now a big part of my older brother's family. I'm still finding new thingd to do but love the freedom of 
retirement. I no longer have much ambition but I still 
have lots of energy so after getting settled I'm now stsrting to visit old friends and family. Prior to 
retirement I didn't do much of that because I loved to 
work as much as I could.
I am a grandmother of 4 amazing and beautuful 
grandkids, 2 in the Boaton area and 2 in the Denver 
area. I've already had two driving trips to Denver one of those with my grand girls who I brought to KC from Boston.Along with my great niece we had a preteen road trip with grandma. Whew! Next year I hope to
take them to Oregon to visit my brother Bob who just retired there. My goal is to be Auntie Mame. I feel enormously blessed and lucky to be able to have such a fun retirement. I'm looking forward to seeing people I haven't seen in a long time. This is my first class reunion.

Name: Bob Eckhoff

Email: bobeckhoff@netzero.com

What have you been up to since 1965?: After HHS I went to WSU majoring in Music. I stayed for 3 1/2 years in Wichita playing in numerous rock bands while still in school but what I really wanted to do was go on the road and play music. That opportunity finally presented its self in December of 68. Got a chance to go on the road full time with the Flippers out of Lawrence and it was bye bye WSU and the hell with Viet Nam. We toured all over the Mid West  playing about 250 one nighters a year and got as far as Boston. While the Flipper Gig was a blast playing with some really fine musicians my heart wasn't into being in a cover band , no matter how good or how popular so that ended in 1970 amid a big shake up at Mid Continent , the agency that owned the Flippers , Red Dogs, Spider , etc. Out of that shake up evolved another band named Central Standard Time. In it were many friends I had played with over the years and when I got the chance I joined them. Our goal was to work up original material and to get a record deal. We played clubs in many major cities for weeks at a time that gave us the time to work on our new stuff. I loved playing in CST, we were popular in Chicago, Boston, Montreal etc but we just didn't catch the golden ring and the band broke up in 71 and we drifted apart.
After CST I landed in L.A. looking to continue my music career but Disco was in full swing and horn bands were out so in order to eat I got involved in construction and over the next 40 years I have built just about everything from Custom homes to apartment buildings. I ran crews and built some pretty impressive stuff. It was also a creative outlet that I have always needed to keep my interest. I've stayed in L.A. all this time. It's a very competitive city, sometimes I wonder how I managed to survive but it's world class too. Plus the weather ain't bad.
About 20 years ago on a dare from a girlfriend I took up road cycling and that has become a real passion. I ride thousands of miles and climb hundreds of thousands of feet a year. It's great, L.A. is wonderful for riding a bicycle, especially in the local mountains. We weekly go up mountain roads as high as 8000ft. Look at my Facebook page, thats about all you will see there. Pic of me and my friends riding our bikes. We are a very fit group, keeps us young.
Through out my life I have been so very grateful to have been raised in our lovely town of Hutch and to have been given the education and values that have stood with me all this time. Our class was part of a special time and place. I'm the man I have become as a result of my up bringing in Hutchinson,Kansas. I will always be proud to be from "Hutch"