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More photos

More reunion photos are now on the website. To see them go here:
http://www.darienhighclassof87.com/20thReunion.htm.

20th Reunion recap

What a great weekend in Darien!

Special thanks to Ned Steinkraus for a party of the ages at his house on Saturday night. Great music (reunion concert performed by the 'Spadtastics' that included Chris Palmer '84?, Mark Weigel '86, Mary Dostal McGee '85, Dave Hauck '86, Josh Davis '88, Lawrence Story, Mike Purcell '85), huge bonfire on the beach, fireworks, boats anchored offshore, it was quite an amazing event. Check out Sandy Garnett's poster to the left, designed just for the event.

For those of you who didn't know, Ned's party was a fundraiser, and our class donated $800 to the Velie Memorial Fund. For more about the Velie Fund see http://www.veliefamilycircle.org.

Thanks to Liz Davey and Tim Nee for the photos below. Please send more to mail@darienhighclassof87.com and I'll post them!

Sean Harvey in San Diego

Hey it is Sean Harvey. Yes, you are probably thinking.. Hmm I remember that name. I know it has been literally decades. I thought I would provide an update, and a picture of my wife and I in Northern Brazil. Very cool to see everyone on the site. Unfortunately I can not make it back east for the reunion. I hope you are well.

I am living in San Diego with my wife Debora. I have been here since 1998. I love it here. After DHS and 4 years at Tufts I took a job at Sikorsky Aircraft in Stratford. I got my Masters Degree in engineering from Columbia. I then took a job in San Diego working for an engineering software company. I work as a consulting mechanical engineer and I perform Biomedical, Aerospace, and other types of engineering analysis/simulation. I am happily married to my wife who is from Brazil. I went back to UCSD for 3 semesters to learn Portuguese, and I love the language. I have spent a good deal of time in Brazil, and knowing the language helps a ton. In my free time I run and I snowboard in the Sierras.

I've done a bunch of biathlons and triathalons over the years. Now I just run and swim, and go to the gym a few days a week Not biking much. I was so lame in high school, not participating in athletics, but that changed in college. I roomed with an athlete and my life changed for the better. I think some people who were serious athletes in college burned out, and I was the opposite. It was all new to me.

Have fun at the reunion! Sorry I can not make it. Take care. My email is sean@seandebora.com.

Sean

Eric Evans in Naples FL

After graduating from DHS I attended, and graduated from!, The University of Denver. Ted Chamberlin was there as well. I went on to the Walt Disney Company, first in Orlando and then on to France as a member of the EuroDisney Opening Team. Once back in the states, I spent some time with Universal Studios in Orlando which was a blast. In 1993, I joined the World Cup USA 1994 Ceremonies Team and helped to produce the 8 Opening Ceremonies in New York, Boston, Dallas, Detroit, Orlando, San Francisco, Washington DC and Los Angeles. We also produced all the half-time entertainment and Closing Ceremonies at the Rose Bowl.From there, I took some time off to travel via Land Rover to Northern Canada, Alaska and the Arctic, before starting with CBS Television in Dallas/Fort Worth. I spent 4 years there as a writer/producer for their news and marketing departments, before moving back to Florida in 1999. Currently, my father and I have a "growing" commercial landscape management company in Naples (as far south on the west coast as you can go) with roughly 50 employees and we are having fun working together. Hurricane Wilma screwed things up down here for a while, but we are all back on our feet and ready for another storm.In May of 2006 I married my now wife Tessa here in Naples and we are currently planning a family. She also owns her own business and, like me, she loves to travel -so we will be doing a lot of that! We honeymooned in Paris and Belgium (where she is from) and we are planning to visit Guatemala next month. Central America seems like a popular destination for DHS Grads. Tim Sampson has been several times recently and I know that Laura Munro has a project going on in Costa Rica. These days, when I'm not working, we spend a lot of time on the Gulf of Mexico boating and fishing or in the Everglades Land Rovering. I've only been back to Darien once since 1987. I was driving through in an antique Land Rover I picked up in Vermont in 2001 and stopped in at Dutchess!
Unfortunately, we will not be able to make the reunion, but I hope it is a great success! I have attached some photos from our wedding, a fishing pic and a pic of our Jack Russell - Harry 'The Merciless' helping me with fishing!
Cheers, Eric Evans
EvansNaples@Comcast.net

Gibby the architect

Hello All,

I am alive and well living with my wife Karen Murphy Gibson in Stratford, CT. I commute to Darien every day to work for Neil Hauck at Neil Hauck Architects located above Good Foods on the Post Road. I have been with Neil for almost six years and am very much enjoying my time there. We have been working on a large project in town for the Darien Rowayton Bank as well as a new Brooks Brothers building for Rick Dolcetti’s dad and uncle Phil. It seems that we will also be redesigning the Weed Beach guard house and a few out buildings as well. We are looking to get the new Senior Center project and are continuing work on an addition at the Darien Historical Society.

It has been great to see all of the development going on downtown and new playing an integral part in its design. I hope to see as many of you as possible at the reunion and ask that you please stop by Neil’s office if you are in town and have some time to say hello.

Thanks!

Steve Gibson

Dave Garney in Denver

Didn't know anyone lives out here. I have been in Denver for 4 years via Las Vegas. I own my own business here (see www.CPGwireless.com) and love it in Denver we have 8 locations and one in Vail. I do a lot of skiing. David@cpgwireless.com

4 weeks to Black Goose

Have you bought your tickets yet? Go to www.dhs87reunion.com. Rumors are flying of a Mather/Middlesex softball game on Saturday, hopefully at Hindley since it's close to Weed Beach (home field advantage for Mather).

By the way, who was the sherlock that named Weed Beach? Are you kidding me?

News from Tom Rhodes on the blog, see http://www.darienhighclassof87.com/blog.htm.

Tom Rhodes Checks in from Austin

So here's a recent family photo. Now the update: Met my future wife, Anna, at Duke. We first lived in LA and worked in the film business. Transitioned to real estate and moved to Austin in 1998. Two sons, William(6) and Nick (2). In the last 20 years, I've run in to Phil Taylor (19 years ago) and Darren Doyle (last year) and pretty much that is it. I'm close friends with Susan Kesmodel's older sister, Karen, so I do cross paths with Sue occasionally (she's a doctor in Houston). Oh, and I don't have any kind of English accent whatsoever anymore!

Still working on rearranging flights for reunion...

Tom

Post Corner Here We Come

We didn't get the minimum attendees we need for Giovanni's, so we cancelled our reservation. With those lemons we're making some tasty lemonade:

- we're dropping the reunion package price to $100 (for those of you who have already paid $140, look for a $40 refund on your credit card/paypal account between now and reunion time). If you still have not bought your tickets and you plan to come, buy your tix now at www.dhs87reunion.com.

- for Saturday night we've reserved a private area at Post Corner Pizza that can handle up to 60 people. It will be very casual and fun. Buy your tix now as the last spots will fill up fast.

- if you want to attend weekend festivities but for some reason CANNOT make it to Post Corner on Saturday night, there is now a ticket option on the website for 'Black Goose and Weed Beach only'. See www.dhs87reunion.com

Stay tuned for a special Saturday night entertainment option that will be announced in June. Looking forward to seeing some of you next month.

Andy

Imitation is the best form of flattery

See www.darienhighclassof88.com!!!

News from Mike Thoms

Hi Andy! It is I Mike Thoms! How have you been? I am great , I live in sunny Sacramento California with my wife Alison, step son Nick (15) and my 6 month old baby boy Tanner Michael. We moved from the S.F. Bay area 2 years ago to go to work for the City of Sacramento as a collision tech. While I was living in San Rafael I bumped into Rory O'neill and attended a BBQ at his place. I got a nice surprise when I saw Bry Ev was there! We spent the evening remembering the good ol' days back in Darien! I was wondering if there was going to be a reunion so hopped online to check it out but I am sorry I will not be able to attend on those dates maybe next one. Give everyone my best regards. I will try to keep in touch. THANK YOU! Mike

Robin Russell Winchester checks in

Stephy Shea emailed me about your website and the reunion. The website is great, everyone looks so young in the high school pics! I'm bummed that I may miss the reunion. We are scheduled to move out of our house that weekend in order to completely gut it, so still trying to work out the details.

Simmi Malhotra Degnemark in Brooklyn

Simmi signed up for the class list and when I saw her email address I decided to take a look. She's started a company called Jewels for Juniors, click here. I snagged this family photo off the website.

DHS'ers Populating the Planet

[from Jen Sharpe] Hey, all! We hope that this finds you well. We have wonderful news to share: our first child, Jacob Axel Smith, arrived just three weeks ago today! Sorry for the delay in sending out this note. additional details follow! Jake is named after two great great grandfathers, one paternal and one maternal. Mom and Jake are doing well. Surprising us by arriving three weeks early, Jake was born on January 29th just before 10 p.m. and weighed in at 7 lbs 6 oz and was 19-3/4 inches long. Depending upon who you ask, he looks like Jeff or Jen. ;-) OK, well at least one person thinks that he looks like Jen! We encountered a few minor, non-life-threatening challenges, which in part delayed this email, between his birth and now. We spent most of the first week in the hospital as Jake was jaundiced. We were originally discharged after 48 hours, but Jake was readmitted the next afternoon for an additional two days as they wanted him "under the lights" to help get rid of the jaundice. So, we stayed at the hospital a bit longer than expected! Jake was also a fussy feeder and Jeff and Jen spent most of the second week figuring out what to do about that, to include two necessary trips to the pediatrician's office. Jake is on track now, though, and gaining weight again!

Despite the challenges, we've enjoyed the past three weeks with Jake and are looking forward to the next 99 years. ;-) All the grandparents have been out for at least one visit. Jeff has been off from work since Jake was born, but is heading back to the office tomorrow. Jen will be home with Jake fulltime until early April, when she starts teaching again. So, Jen is certainly looking forward to receiving folks who want to meet Jake between now and then! So, give us a call if you'd like to visit.

We've put a few photos of Jake at http://home.comcast.net/~pennstater97/Jake. These are all from the first week; we'll try to post a few more recent pictures by next weekend.

Hope that everyone is happy and healthy! Drop us a note when you have a chance. Later!

Who's coming to reunion

100 days until reunion June 22-24! Please buy your tickets now so we know what we're dealing with! You can buy them at www.dhs87reunion.com.

Also, if you haven't done so already, please fill out this survey so that we know a) if you're coming and b) what you're up to! Responses will be summarized into some sort of memory book for everyone/anyone in the class.

The following have said they are coming to reunion and/or have bought their tickets:

Markus Bates
Jennifer Boggs Wanamaker
Elizabeth Davey Lane
Carey Halsted MacArthur
Sydney MacPherson Rennie
Becky Schilling
Erin Shay Morgan
Brooke Silbersack Aymar
Vanessa Smith Morest
Julie Sturmak Kettell
Beth Swaggart Dearing
John Brawley
Chris Calarco
Alison Hammersla
Tamara Hanford Hughes
Jonathan Mace
Scott Magrath
Colin McEvoy
Lia Mehos
Joan Mitchell Carlo
Amy Molitor Manske
Beth Morton
Laura Munro
Andy Potter
Steve Rooney
George Sykes
Amy Weber Keough

Reunion scheduled locked in

Here's the reunion schedule. Click here to buy your tickets, $140 per person. See you soon!

FRIDAY NIGHT 6/22
Black Goose Grille, 972 Post Rd, Darien CT. Lots of appetizers, cash bar. 5PM-close -- Happy Hour 5-6:30pm. [Adults only] Admission cost wrapped into ADMISSION TICKETS price.

SATURDAY PICNIC 6/23
Weed Beach Picnic, Nearwater La, Darien CT. Meeting location TBD. 10am-3pm. Parking is free if you purchase ADMISSION TICKETS. Optional Saturday brown bag lunch provided by Zest Restaurant, Westport; purchase BROWN BAG LUNCH. KIDS WELCOME!

SATURDAY NIGHT 6/23
The Water’s Edge at Giovanni’s, 2748 Post Rd, Darien CT. 6PM-close. Buffet dinner, open bar, DJ. [Adults only]. Must purchase ADMISSION TICKETS for entry.

SUNDAY BRUNCH 6/24
Norwalk Inn breakfast buffet, 99 East Ave, Norwalk CT, 9-11am, www.norwalkinn.com. Must purchase SUNDAY BRUNCH for admission. KIDS WELCOME!

FEES
Price: $140 per adult until 4/1, $160 per adult thereafter. This price includes Friday night at the Black Goose, Saturday admission/parking at Weed Beach, dinner, drinks and entertainment at The Water's Edge at Giovanni's.
Note: Weed Beach bag lunches ($15/adult or $8/kid) and Norwalk Inn Sunday brunch ($25/person) are charged separately.

DEADLINE
Online registration closes June 15, 2007.

HOTEL
We have reserved 25 rooms at the Norwalk Inn, 99 East Ave, for $99 per night. See www.norwalkinn.com. To get the group discount, call 203-838-2000 and mention the DHS Class of '87 reunion. If there is enough interest, the Norwalk Inn will offer shuttle service to and from Giovanni's on Saturday night.

Primetime and Red Dot shuttles service the Norwalk Inn from the New York airports. Reservations can be made by phone or online:

Primetime Shuttle - 866-284-3247; www.2TheAirport.com

Red Dot Shuttle - 800-673-3368; www.18006reddot.com

DIRECTIONS
BLACK GOOSE GRILLE: (972 Post Rd) -- The Black Goose is in the heart of downtown Darien at the corner of Post Rd and Center St, just west of Tokeneke Rd.

WEED BEACH: (Nearwater La) -- Find Hindley School. The road next to Hindley is Nearwater La. Take that road to the end. Parking will be free if you registered/paid for the reunion.

WATER'S EDGE & GIOVANNI'S: (2748 Post Rd) -- Giovanni's is 0.2 miles west of Hollow Tree Ridge Rd on the Post Rd in Darien. It is on the Holly Pond side of the road very close to the Darien/Stamford border.

NORWALK INN: (99 East Ave) -- Take I-95 north to Exit 16 East Norwalk. Take a left at the traffic light. Go straight for 1/4 mile. The Inn is on the right.

Shipping Off to Iraq

Thanks to Andy Schopps for forwarding this. Rich Franzis was by far my favorite teacher at DHS. Two very different experiences in that same classroom, Ed Yokstas hydrochloric coffee death breath one year, Rich Franzis the next.

Check out this article, this guy is the balls. [From New York Times, January 28]. Here is a link to the original article; I've also pasted it in here so you don't have to register:

Bound for Iraq: Citizen Soldier’s Parting Lesson

THE call came just before Thanksgiving, and Richard Franzis was ready.

He once heard a general say that in the post-9/11 Army Reserves, there are only two kinds of reservists: “those who are mobilized now and those who will be mobilized later.” Mr. Franzis was going to Iraq. No matter that he is an assistant principal at Staples High School in Westport, that he is 51 and a few years away from qualifying for a pension, or that he is a father of three. He was going to Iraq.

Mr. Franzis, a sturdy-framed six-foot lieutenant colonel with a close-cut patch of graying hair, will be the intelligence officer of a supply unit stationed near Balad, 50 miles north of Baghdad, analyzing information on enemy activity. Because he will travel the same roads he analyzes, he will face the risk of roadside bombs and snipers. He has had 26 years to think about risks, ever since he was a young chemistry teacher and began spending one weekend a month and two weeks in the summer in the Reserves, learning the soldier’s craft.

He is going uncomplainingly and prefers to talk about his sense of service, not about whether the war is worthwhile.

“We don’t get to make that choice, whether it’s a good war or a bad war,” he said.

With an additional 20,000 American troops on their way to Iraq, Mr. Franzis helps us recall that there is something noble about citizen soldiers who understand they do not have the luxury of weighing whether their president is acting wisely or foolishly before they agree to serve. A country could not fight wars if soldiers could do that.

“Americans this time around have been able to discriminate the war from the warrior,” is what he will say about the war’s wisdom.

The public thinks of reservists as police officers or plumbers, but there are indeed assistant principals and principals among them, and that is why Mr. Franzis has gotten local attention. So he thought it important to say, “I’m not unique.”

“There are 254 people in my unit, and there are 254 sets of stories,” he said. “Every single one that I called responded magnificently. They are people who don’t need to be doing this. They’re doing this out of a love of country and Army values.”

When he spoke, he was leaving the next day for Coraopolis, Pa., where his unit is assembling before heading for training at Fort Bragg, N.C. By July, he said, “the wheel’s up.” In Army parlance, that means his unit will ship out for Iraq. Still, he isn’t thinking much about dangers.

“You need to put that in a box,” he said. “You can’t do your job if you’re constantly thinking about safety. Of course, it’s over your shoulder all the time.”

What weighs on him, he said, is that a yearlong spell in Iraq will mean missing 16-year-old Liz’s high school graduation, 14-year-old Kate’s soccer games and 8-year-old James’s ice hockey season. He doesn’t say it sentimentally, perhaps, but he will also miss the more ordinary moments in their lives — the bed tuck-ins, the spasms of teenage insanity, the anguish over college applications.

“To disappear off the scope for a year is difficult for a parent,” he said. “My teenage girls are avoiding me because they’re teenage girls — there’s no deeper meaning there. But my kids have been around. They know where I’m going, and they’re sad about that. But they’re proud of what I’m doing. They get what I’m all about.”

Just to reassure James, he drove him to school on Jan. 16, the day he left, just as if it were any other school day. “I’ll probably give him the longest hug of his life, then I’ll head west,” he said the day before.

He does not mention missing his wife, Peggy, whom he met in 1986 when they were teachers in Darien. But the glances he gives her speak for him. Peggy, a long-haired brunette, does not talk much about the chance that she may lose him or have him wounded, preferring to concentrate on the outpouring of help.

“There’s a lot of unknowns out there, and those are probably the hardest,” is all she will say. But the apprehension is palpable in the taut way she grips her hands as she talks about those unknowns.

Mr. Franzis said that students at Staples High had told him that his leaving had “brought the war home because they didn’t know anybody who went before.” He is also pleased that he has been able to teach them about duty, and not because of anything he has said.

“They see that I get called and I go, that when you take an oath and make a commitment, that it does mean something,” he said.

Some students told him they would pray for him. That surely must have reminded him that his life would be on the line. High school students do not usually remember assistant principals in their prayers.

Graduation night 1987

After commencement, before the late night parties. Camera on the microwave, timer set. The light blinks as I fumble with the champagne, come on cork pop!! Running out of time...it pops!
Yeah baby! [click]

Warren Brad Ackerman Remembers Mike

Here’s a few memories of Mike that I could draw up, I hadn’t seen or spoke to him in several years but the news hit me rather hard.

- Member of the radio club. Helped get it off the ground.

- Seeing him play his guitar at his house, I think he actually taught me ‘Smoke on the Water’ by Deep Purple. He was very good and proud of his equipment and amplifier. He spoke highly of his teacher. He oozed cool and mystery when he played.

- Always after the ladies, I read his words in my yearbook and he was hoping that I’d find ‘the chick that I want’ up at UVM. He also pointed out that he thought it should just be UV, not understanding where the M came in.

- The tone and pace of his voice when he was excited about something was really great, it often got you to be as fired up as he was.

Melissa Jones Ansbacher in Raleigh NC

Hey Everyone,

It was great to sit here and read the blog; I am saddened by the news
of Mike Plant's passing. I can only remember positive interactions w/him.

And yes, Tal and Steph Rouzee, I am still in Raleigh, NC. I moved here in '98 from Oakland, CA, w/my (then) new husband, David
Ansbacher. We are both educators -- he is a middle school principal and I (was) a high school social studies teacher. I am now the ringmaster of my own family circus of three -- Josephine Russell (6), Benjamin Douglas (3) and Nicholas Wyche (7 months). I have been tutoring part - time and am considering going back to grad school to get a degree in counseling once the kids are older.

Speaking of school counseling, I recently (well a few months ago) ran into Stephanie Slowik at BJ's here in Raleigh (sorry I can't remember your married name, Steph) and she looks as good as ever. I touch base occasionally w/Tallie Gray and Debbie Gardiner Reynolds, but wish I talked w/them more. Deb is in Southport w/her husband, Charlie, and two kids, Julia and Chase. And as you saw on the blog, Tallie is in Colorado w/her son, Bowen.

Other than that, I had a brief encounter w/our DHS "Bachelor" (and my prom date), Alex Michel '88, on a flight to San Francisco a few years ago. He was actually on his way out there to play in a celebrity tennis tournament. I also attended a wedding in October at which I spent time w/Kristin Stanley Johnson '88 and Craig Johnson '88 and their children, Janet and Charlie.

Don't run into too many Darien folks down here in Raleigh and I myself am not up in CT too much any more since my mom relocated to Raleigh and Florida after my dad's passing in '99. Nonetheless, I will try my best to get to the 20th reunion in June. Please keep me posted.

Be well and play hard, Melissa

Chuck Terhune Remembers Mike

Oh, this is soo sad. Though I haven't seen or talked to him since graduation in '87, I loved the guy. I have a chipped front tooth. I chipped it when I was 4 at the YMCA pool, goofing around about something with Mike Plant.

I clearly remember he and I playing at my house when we we very little. We went to nursery school at the Presbyterian Church and I am dying to find the picture of our class because it contained so many of us form our high school class as well (obviously). I can also see his reddish hair and face and eyes, pretty much unchanged from age 4 to age 16. Always smiling, a fun, happy guy.

I lost touch with him in grade school as he was at Tokeneke and I was at Royle. But how cool was it that in high school we all reconnected again and became friends. I got to hang out with Mike again and goof around more as older kids.

Mike's one of those people I was looking forward to reconnecting with in June. I will drink a toast with anyone else to him and others who have passed away from our class, far too early, far too soon.

We are all still so young. But as Andy put it, life is short. Tomorrow is promised to no one, so live it to the fullest today. My thoughts and prayers are with his family.

Namaste, Mike.

CRT

Donations for Mike

[from Lee Grimes] Hey Guys- I've been thinking about what Mike would have wanted his friends to do to honor his memory. Instead of sending flowers, I know he would love for us to support a cause that involves kids, football and his favorite team and longtime passion, The Denver Broncos. The Broncos have a great charity (see below) that will accept donations in his memory. Sheila and Tom Plant are really pleased to have Mike's friends honor him in this way. All you have to do is send a check payable to:
Denver Broncos Charities
1701 Bryant St., Suite 1400
Denver, CO 80204
Attn: Pam Krotchko

In the memo line of your check please write: In memory of Mike Plant
Of course, please pass this message on to his other friends!

Thanks, Lee

Bonding at Van Halen Concerts

I was really shocked and saddened to hear about the passing of Mike Plant. We were very good friends in our Junior and Senior years of high school. I was looking forward to see Mike again at our upcoming 20th reunion.

I remember that we were both Van Halen fans (I know - very High School) and this is what I think originally brought us together as friends. I went with Mike to see Van Halen in the Meadowlands right after Sammy Hagar joined the group, but Mike’s favorite band member, like I think every teenage boy at that time, was guitarist Eddie Van Halen.

Mike was a very funny person who had a very charismatic and likeable personality. Even though I never was a big fan of Howard Stern, Mike loved Howard – the man he affectionately referred to all the time as "Sterno". Somehow listening to Mike tell Howard’s jokes was a lot more palatable and funny to me than listening to Howard’s own hijinks on KRock. He would always tell Howard’s jokes or his own with a certain endearing smile and twinkle in his eye that only Mike had. You were already laughing before he got to the punch line, because you knew Mike would know just the right insightful thing to say once the punch line came.

The insight that Mike had was a great reason why I think we became such good friends. I think of everyone in Darien, Mike knew who I truly was as a person the best, and I think he truly cared about those around him. When I had a bad case of Mono my Junior year, I remember Mike as being one of the people who would call me to keep my spirits up, even though I had not set foot in the High School for weeks.

I’m saddened by Mike’s passing, but instead of being angry at God for this, I thank God for the time he allowed me to know such a wonderful person in Mike. I’m sure Mike is headed up to heaven in his cream-colored, convertible Mustang right now and when he gets there it will be a lot louder with Van Halen’s "Where Have All The Good Times Gone" blaring.

Markus Bates

Mike Plant

Mike Plant passed away from natural causes last week in his home in California. A memorial service will be held at Lawrence Funeral Home in Darien (2119 Post Road) at 1:30pm this coming Sunday 1/21. There will be a reception at Wee Burn Country Club immediately following. All friends of Mike are welcome.

If you would like to share memories of Mike please email them to mail@darienhighclassof87.com. We will post them here and/or provide them to the Plant family at the memorial service.

Life is short friends. Live it to its fullest.

Beth Morton survived the event of our lifetime

What a treat to see so many familiar faces telling their stories! One of the more significant events in my life since DHS was on September 11, 2001, where I found myself among thousands of others crammed into smoke-filled stairs in a desperate effort to evacuate One World Trade Center. You can read that story here: http://www.wheatoncollege.edu/quarterly/Q2001Winter

I consider myself to be extremely lucky since that day and am still counting my blessings, with the one exception of that former child star I was married to for a while. But I digress. Life is good, really good.

[Note from Andy -- Beth now that you've spilled the beans you have to tell us which child star you married -- otherwise we'll all be imagining Gary Coleman or Ricky Schroeder or something!!]

After graduating from DHS I went to Wheaton College in Norton, MA, which, thankfully, went coed my sophomore year! Amy Waters Youkilis, Tricia Waters Campbell ’86, Amy Dunn and Kirsten Stommel, whom some of you know through Tokeneke School, experienced this coed transition as well. Quite the dissimilarity from when my great grandmother attended in the early 1900’s, when Wheaton was a seminary.

I interned with various public relations firms throughout my Wheaton years, and then became a Business Analyst for Dun & Bradstreet after graduating with a degree in American Studies. Hop-scotched along to various employs at financial service firms after that, with Merrill Lynch, Lehman Brothers and most recently as a Director at Standard & Poor’s here in New York.
Some of my current philanthropic activities include serving a second term as Wheaton Alumni Class President and actively participating in various Junior League projects here in Manhattan.

Within the past month I have bumped into Tricia Waters Campbell ’86 and Lord Morgan ’88 at Equinox Gym in Darien, and Tim Nee ’86 and his wife Dara (Pisani) at Chef’s Table in Westport. All are doing well, Tim and Dara with their first child on the way. Last week, Darrin Lamorte ’88 randomly stopped me on Metro North to say hello. He is an artist. My parents still live in Darien. Sister Sara ’90 is in advertising in Los Angeles and Jennie ’93 will complete her law degree at Fordham in June.

I am looking forward to seeing as many of you as possible at reunion.

PS – If anyone needs a copy of the Cook’s Corner Cheer Sheet, I still have one!

Peter Stant Update

Hi all. Nice work on the site. I have lived in Denver since 2000 after stints in NYC and Houston, job related. I finally came back to Colorado after graduating from CU Boulder in 1992. Some of you may remember I didn't graduate from Darien High as I finished high school at Joel Barlow in Redding, CT. My mom thought I needed some discipline from my Dad. hah.

I work at American Lighting, an import company, as a national sales manager. I am newly single after the big D - don't mean Denver. I keep in touch with Chris Marden, Mike Marden, Jason Neely and Tom Dobson, along w/ my brother Alex Stant who is married with kiddo's and lives in CT.

I hope to make it back to Darien for the reunion, and to see my parents, as I wasn't able to over the holidays due to the Denver blizzard. I just forwarded this link onto everyone's email that I know, so maybe you'll get a couple more updates.

Regards,

Peter Stant

Becky Schilling in Oregon

Becky Schilling sent this great picture so I had to share...some people age quite nicely don't they? Us guys just get fat and lose our hair. Here's Becky's update:

"Brother Freddy, a proud Blue Wave graduate of '89 started this amazing success of a company in 2001...we are having a blast introducing quality organic chocolate to the world, and efforting every day to encourage sustainable practices..." See www.dagobachocolate.com.

Markus Bates Checks In

I was wondering if we would ever get a 20 year reunion together and then I literally stumbled on the site. I figured I would be receiving a written invitation on bonded paper in the mail from Bruce Hall for the 20 year reunion. I guess it does not work that way – not in the 21st century

I’m glad to see so many of you doing well from your blogs. Everyone looks great and the kids are adorable. From Tokeneke to Mather to our class being the first 4-year class at DHS, I spent 9 years in Darien, so it is a big part of who I am. Therefore, I have a lot of fond memories of Darien High and my classmates.

After DHS, I attended Stetson University in the tiny town of DeLand, Florida. DeLand is right in between Daytona Beach and Orlando. I studied abroad my junior year in Freiburg, Germany, which is in the southwest corner of Germany right on the Swiss and French borders. I woke up every morning overlooking the Black Forest on the 6th floor of my dorm, and the city was a small university city with a third of the population (35,000) being college students , so there was always something fun going on – hiking, hang gliding, soccer, etc. Plus, I went to the Berlin Wall one week before it fell and Germany won the World Cup a half year later, so I saw history in the making and the mood in the country and Europe was tremendous.

I came back to Stetson for my senior year in Florida. Talk about culture shock? The only real good thing was the weather and the beach. I graduated with a Poly Sci/German degree right into the middle of the recession of ‘91, so I took a job at Macy’s at the Mall in Stamford. I worked with Jeff Howie selling raincoats for about 9 months looking for a job that matched the four year investment my parents made. I have not seen Jeff in years. I hope he makes it to the reunion. He had a great sense of humor that I never really saw when we went to Darien High together.

I took a job with a German Coal Trading Company, Ruhrkohle Trading Corp., in Manhattan right across from Smith and Wollensky’s at 49th and 3rd. I lived on the Upper East side at 73rd and York. One of my neighbors and friends was Michael Wildman '88 . I was brought in to learn the business and a year and a half later, my boss quit his position. Before I knew it, I was traveling around the world to China, Europe, South America, etc. learning the international coal trading business. It was due to one of those trips that I missed the DHS 5 year reunion. Sorry guys.

In Dec. of 1996, I met my wife future wife, Claudia, in Salvador, Brazil on one of these business trips.. I saw Claudia again several months later for Carnival and about every 4-6 weeks thereafter. My knowledge of Spanish helped, but let’s say I was now getting a crash course in Portuguese. In May of 1999 we were married in Brazil. Six months later my company moved to Baltimore. We moved down to Upper Marlborough, MD just outside DC for 3 years. In August of 2002 we moved back to Danbury, CT. I am now working as the head of an international commodities business trading coal, met coke, and iron ore for the utility and steel sectors. In May of 2005, on the date of our wedding anniversary, we were given quite an anniversary gift when our son, Marcello, was born.

I have lost contact with a lot of my friends from my class, so this reunion will be great. Jennifer Boggs (Wanamaker) sent me an e-mail a couple of years ago. It was great to hear from her. It sounds like she is enjoying married life with her sons in Texas. Most of the people I see from DHS these days are from the Class of ’88. Ken Worst '88 went to Stetson Univ. as well and worked with me for many years. Ken is married and lives on the Upper East side. I see Matt Bondlow, Mark Markowski and Scott Graham, who all live in Manhattan. Michael Wildman lives in Norwalk, CT and is married. Matt Edwards is married as well and lives in Redding. He has a little boy, Cooper, who is a couple months younger than my son. Another friend, Bill Bieluch '88, is married to Julie Papazian ’91. They live in San Jaun Capistrano, CA and have 3 lovely daughters. Those Papazian genes are strong. Many of you may know that Julie was the “Baby” in a family of 3 girls. Jen was in our class and Jessica was in the class of ’88.

Reunion Ideas & Help

Time to start getting our act together for the reunion next June. If you can help and/or have ideas on activities send an email to reunion@darienhighclassof87.com. If you know anyone from the classes of '86 or '85, ask them what they did and what worked (and what didn't).

Ideas that have been floated so far:
- Booze cruise on Long Island Sound
- Mather/Middlesex softball game
(with possible cameos by the cook's corner and/or the powder puff squad)
- Party at Weed Beach
- Pitchers at Glassmeyer's (kidding)
- Backyard party at a classmate's house
- Nice dinner one night somewhere

Other ideas? Send them along

Reality show about our class?

Jen Boggs Wanamaker stumbled on this. What do you guys think? Reality show on TV Land. Click the link...
http://highschoolreunion.warnerbros.com

RockyGrass Reunion

On July 30 I randomly ran into Fritz Mawicke and Laura Munro at RockyGrass, a bluegrass festival in Lyons, CO. Here we are enjoying the tunes.

Charles Terhune the Yogi in Portland ME

Wow. I ran across this site while surfing google-porn - you know the drill, you look up your own name and maybe some other people: ex-girlfriends, friends, enemies, inmates - and I am so psyched. Really great thing you have put together here.

Okay, where to begin? I am still stunned by coming across this and seeing so many of the old faces looming out like ghosts from the laptop's screen.

Despite rumors to the opposite, I am still Charles Terhune. I am taller than I was in high school. Now 6'7". I do yoga. Go figure. I teach yoga. Go figure again. My wife Alice and I own a yoga studio in Portland, Maine that is very successful. Yes, you read right. I own a yoga studio. Go figure times three. Yoga has been a powerful force of change in my life and it's been wonderful to bring this practice to everyone who steps through our doors.

So what have I been up to for the last 19 years?

Okay, have a seat. I'll try not to make it sound too much like a CV. After graduation in '87 I went to a Quaker boarding school in Poughkeepsie, NY to firm up my college prospects. There I learned about many other things, and didn't go to college. Yet. Oh, well.

Eventually in '89 I went to UCONN Stamford for a few years and finally got my act together and went to college in Boston at Emerson. My sophomore/junior year I roomed with Tom Taylor (DHS '88). There I learned some stuff I am sure I will remember one day. To this day my folks don't really know what my roommate in my senior year really did for a living. Hmmm...

Okay, graduated in 1993 - yeah, I did the 4-5 year plan, too. Hung out in Boston for 15 years total. Ran into Scott Peppet on the T a couple of times. Saw Karen Bulpitt once in Davis Square. Worked at: Waterstone's Booksellers, Hollywood Express Video, Charlesbank Booksellers, and The Parthenon Group. Hated the corporate world (this should come as no surprise!) and left there in 2000 to go into Web Design. Entered the web market in 2001 and - wait for it - the dot bomb dropped leaving CRT high and dry for nine months. I worked at a grocery store for a bit, driving a forklift. Me, a privileged kid form Darien. Amazing experience to say the least.

So my loverly wife says to me I ought to try out some yoga to relieve stress. I took one class and I was hooked. The heat, the movement the feeling of completely being worked over and loving it afterward - this is what I had been looking for my whole life. I went from 3 times a week to 5 times a week. I began to work there in February of 2003 until July of 2005, when we left to open our studio here in Maine.
Funnily enough, down there I met Scott Glassmeyer's sister, who told me about his being in Thailand. And also, for those of us who went to Royle School, Katy Bolt's older sister came in, too. I fondly remember Katy messing up one of my textbook's in Mrs. Gibson's class. Ah, 5th grade.

So we live in Maine and all is good. I make music you can hear on my site at http://www.crtdot.com. I am writing some science fiction which keeps me occupied and some say it's good - I remain ambivalent. I have a lovely wife of 10 years, Alice. And we have one daughter, Sophia. My folks still live in Darien as of July 2006 though they are moving up here to be near us soon. My eldest brother Rich lives next to Lawrence Story. Woot! Woot! Los Dose! My other brother Pete and I heckled Mike Paterniti at a reading he did up here. He was surprising happy to hear us shouting out "NEW CANAAN SUCKS!!!" at the top of our lungs. A good guy. I look forward to a 20 year reunion. I'd definitely head down to Darien for it. Kind of sad to see the town at 98% built-up, but you can't stop progress now, can you?

I'd love to hear from folks, so drop me a line at charles@portlandpoweryoga.com. I still keep in touch with Nick Rusko-Berger (formerly Nick Berger). He's got kids and lives down in Baltimore. Heard from Jen (Boggs) Wannamaker a while back and also Julie (Suffredini) Guillemette. Come out off the woodwork all you lost folks. I know many would like to hear from you.

Okay, be well, folks. Eat right and exercise and someday maybe you will look as good as Pete Hahn and Carrie Ramming. Or my wife and I.

Maybe.

- Charles Terhune aka CRT

Here's a picture of me, my wife and I and our kid. And yes, I dye my hair blonde. Whatever.

DHS87 Reunion June 22-24, 2007

Planning way ahead here. Pull out that blackberry and mark the weekend of June 22-24, 2007 as BUSY because you'll be at the DHS87 20th reunion! Holy splat we're getting old, did I just say 20th?

No weekend will be perfect for all, but if you have objections to those reunion dates send them to mail[at]darienhighclassof87.com. If there are tons of conflicts we can consider another weekend. A future email will solicit help in planning the reunion (especially from those of you who live in CT).

There are 118 names on this list now. Latest additions are:

Christine Smith Collins
Drew Goss (we knew him as Andy)
Beth Morton
Erik Wollmar
Greg Resnansky
Vanessa Smith Morest

Jen Sharp in small town Virginia

After nearly 10 years at Andersen Consulting/Accenture based out of the Washington, DC office, I struck out on my own doing team building and organizational consulting, in part to get into a more specific and enjoyable line of work, but also in the hopes of having more control over my schedule so I could make more time for music. (Spending 50-75% of my time out of town and/or working 60-80 hour work-weeks didn't allow for much singing, either practicing or performing, and I really missed
it.)

The jump was sparked by multiple factors: increasing dissatisfaction with my career in that I didn't feel like I was making much of a difference in life, the death in 1998 of Sara Nance (DHS 1990, classmate of my brother's and family friend) from cystic fibrosis, training for and completing my first Washington DC AIDS Ride in 1999 after reconstructive hip surgery in 1995, and also in 1999 meeting my now-husband who, through his incredible support has allowed me to be who I really am.

Anyway, I left Andersen in spring of 2000 and later that year found myself applying to go back to school for music. We almost moved cross-country, but in the end stayed on the east coast. In the summer of 2001, we got engaged, bought a house in a little town (population 500!) near Winchester, Virginia (about 70 miles west of DC), and that fall I started a second bachelor's degree at Shenandoah Conservatory in Winchester. (Attending intro-level classes with 17 and 18 year olds when I was over 30 was interesting, to say the least! And academic politics? Very different from the corporate world....) I graduated in May 2004 at the top of my class (much better grades than I'd gotten at Hopkins - hmmm....) with a B.M. in vocal performance with a concentration in opera.

While working on my bachelor's degree, I discovered an interest in the science and teaching of singing, and took about half my coursework for a master's degree in vocal pedagogy. In the fall of 2004 I began teaching voice and piano at a nearby boarding school and took on some students at the local arts academy. This past year I also became adjunct faculty at Trinity University in DC. The teaching's great, all private instruction, but I've been teaching so much I haven't been able to finish my master's! Finally, over the next month, I should finish up, hopefully in time to get the May 2006 diploma that's already been printed (I walked in Commencement this past weekend).

What's next? First, I need to try to cut back on my teaching schedule to allow more time for practicing and performing. I'm also hoping to begin doctoral study either this fall at West Virginia University or in the fall of 2007 when James Madison University starts a new doctoral program. ("Dr. Sharp" - who would have thought?!) My husband and I (we married in 2003) also want to start a family, and just how all of this will fit together, we're not really sure, but we figure things will work out as they're meant to!

Thanks for putting together the website, Andy - it's been fun reading what people have been up to! I'm looking forward to a possible reunion next year and in the meantime, hope to hear from some folks:
Jennifer.d.sharp@jhu.edu.

Jen Sharp

George Sykes in Manhattan

Hi all,

Many thanks to Jen Sharpe for pointing out this blog to me - I just saw Jen at our 15th college reunion at Johns Hopkins. We couldn't help but turn our discussion to the upcoming DHS 20th...

Since college? First, professional news... After Johns Hopkins, moved to NYC planning to work for two years at Donaldson, Lufkin and Jenrette, then go to business school for a two year 'vacation'. Instead? Got sucked into the vortex of Wall Street. I Worked for DLJ for five years and branched off with a few co-workers in 1995 to start our own company, Links Securities. A merger in 2001 and we are now a part of a company called Guggenheim Partners in Manhattan. I run a fixed income hedge fund for the moment (it's not all fun and games, the average hedge fund lasts four years, shorter than the average pro NFL quarterback's career!). I'm in year three of the fund.

Personal news... Married in 1996 to Amanda Crider Sykes, our 10th anniversary is coming up in October. I met Amanda in college (she went to Goucher in Baltimore) but we did not date until about three years after graduation. We've lived in the same darn apartment in Manhattan at 61st and 3rd since. In 2002 our son George was born, and within months, after going stir crazy, we were looking at weekend houses- we bid on a few houses in Rowayton (sounds like alot of classmates are in Rowayton!). We came close to buying there, but ended up in East Hampton. We enjoy it despite battling Friday traffic on the L.I.E. And after selling our souls, we got little G into a Manhattan nursery school, which we love, Madison Avenue Presbyterian. Whew. College applications should be a breeze after the bare-knuckle brawl of raising a family in the city. I'd be game to move to CT but my wife will only be taken kicking and screaming. Just last night we had the big charity auction at our son's school and I was one of the three 'guinea pig' dads performing skits on stage to help sell the items. Fatherhood is definitely the priority at the moment- and I love it.

My dad retired in 1997 after teaching 30+ years at DHS - he and my mom now live in Moss Creek in Hilton Head, South Carolina. We happily visit them twice a year for some warm weather and golf/tennis. All my dad's Williams college classmates have retired down there as well, and now it's like THEY are back in high school. We have to remind them not to call after 10pm!

Great to hear random bits of news from fellow classmates. I have done a poor job keeping up with most - besides Jen Sharpe, I've recently seen Eric Smith who lives in Miami with his wife, Maray.

I'd certainly welcome contact with fellow NYC-area alums of DHS! My email is
george.sykes@gsgamma.com.

George Sykes

Melissa Rainford Fennelly in Annapolis

Hi from Annapolis, MD. It is great to see everyone finding the website - I guess creeping up on 20 years is making us all remember.

Anyway, after graduation, I did a stint at UConn with quite a few other DHS grads. Julia Suffredini was in my sorority and Vishal M hung out with the guys across the hall during "junior" year, I think I even had some Mike Raleigh sightings as well. I stayed in the Hartford area for awhile after college and worked for Old Navy - opened most of the New England stores. Finally had enough of the retail career and followed my parents down to the Washington DC area. While I worked for a trade association on Capitol Hill, met my now husband, Russ, who is a Federal Law Enforcement guy (US Park Police).

We moved to Annapolis in Fall of 2001 and have lived here ever since. We have two beautiful kids (pic attached), Kendall, 4 in June, and Ryan, just 2 on 4/3 and three crazy dogs. I am now doing the mom thing and that is keeping me incredibly busy - I can relate to Lisa's "Mommy!" cries - but would not change it for the world. I do volunteer work and have done some consulting on new retail businesses to keep me in on the "grown up world" but am mostly just enjoying the kids while they are little.

Glad to see some rumblings about a reunion. Hope to make it up North soon. Last time I saw anything to do with Darien was years ago when we stopped in at Friendly's on the way up to Hartford.

Just an FYI, my brother Griff Rainford '88 is in Colorado Springs, CO with wife and two great kids (10 & 6) loving life as a Superintendant of a golf course. Sadly, more people knew him while we were at school as I was a nerd!

That is all - I hear the call of snack time!

Melissa Rainford Fennelly

Mather Blast from the Past:Erica (Waldburger) Mueller

Hi all,

I'm Erica Waldburger (now Mueller), and I grew up in Darien and moved away after 8th grade at Mather. I never attended DHS, but I know my fellow
Mather people well and would love to know more about what's happening with them now, as well as share who and where I've been over the years. I've always lamented losing touch with so many people from my early years, and I'm glad to see that this website is happening.

Sign me up! Please!

Erica Waldburger Mueller
check out Erica's website: www.ericamueller.com

John Brawley in the Twin Cities

It has been a long time since I have seen anything about Darien or our class of 87. I am now living in Maple Grove, MN just northwest of downtown Minneapolis for the past five years or so. My fiancee Diane Knapper and I are getting married on May 6th in Jamaica. This is our first marriage for both of us so we are getting a bit stressed at the moment. I own a travel agency, Premier Travel Services and Diane is a stockbroker with Piper Jaffray & Company, soon to be aquired by UBS. The picture is our Acapulco Christmas, December 28, 2005.

After graduation I made my way to Prescott, AZ to attend flight school but my color blindness made it impossible to pursue a career as a commerical pilot so I switched to Aviation Business. After two years I transfered to the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks to complete my degree program in 1992. At the time of my graduation my father died suddenly of cancer in Miami. I immediately relocated to help my mother tie up all the loose ends involved with my father's business affairs. I made Miami my home for tens years and operated my travel agency which afforded me the opportunity to travel to about 80 countries. I also earned a Culinary Arts degree from Brown College's Le Cordon Bleu Program here in Minneapolis.

I have not been back to Darien for about 10 years I think. It must have changed a lot since my last visit.

I still keep in touch with Rich Repass from time to time. He is a MD practicing in Louisville, KY. I attended Dave Garney's wedding in Lake Tahoe around 1997? but have not heard from him recently. Chris Gilmore is an executive chef in Fort Lauderdale the last I heard.

I look forward to attending the 20th reunion next year to meet up with some old friends.

John Brawley

Lisa Russo Collins Identifies the Missing Prom Night Guy

I think I know who was missing from the lovely prom night photo on the website. Scott Glassmeyer is your man. I think he may have been Courtney Morrison's date. Does that ring a bell to anyone?

Thank you for putting this whole DHS blog together. I have had so much fun getting in touch with old friends! I am planning on putting my bio on the blog soon. Just need 10 minutes without hearing, "Mommy!!!!!" My 2 kids keep me moving! Anyway, if you are interested, I can check out The Silvermine Tavern as a place for our 20th reunion or any other reunion in between. Stirling and I live up the road and we often sneak over when I need a little break from our darlings.(Which has been quite frequent lately!) We also have Silvermine meetings there. In other words I have gotten to know the owners quite well. Glad to look into it if you want.

Rocky Mountain Tallie

Good Lord--Darien produces the most beautiful people--not L.A. Everyone looks as good, if not better than they did 19 years ago. I don't think I can show up to a reunion with all you beauty queens, but what the hell, I've always been short and stocky, so I guess I haven't changed either. Anyone want to loan me a few grand for some plastic surgery? Ah, screw it.

How fun to get updates. Is there anyone out there who wants to organize a big 20th reunion? If anyone back East has an interest or an idea for a reunion, feel free to step up to the plate. It could be a lot of fun and definitely would be much appreciated. Debbie Gardner, Rosemary and Dan Bevill, Lynn Moloney, Scott and Astrid, Chris Calarco, Caryn Ball, Colin McEvoy....get together and see what can happen. When do reunions normally take place? Homecoming? Graduation? I am out of it.

Then again if you'all want to visit the wild west, give me a call. (970) 887-2388 or e-mail me at talliegray@rkymtnhi.com. All you need is a pair of blue jeans, hiking boots and a casual shirt or ski stuff.

But the bottom line is this--THERE MUST BE A 20TH REUNION!!!! Scott and Craig Peters--can we borrow your parents' house for old times sake? Or how about your's Scott? I can't believe how many are in the Darien area, that is just great. I haven't been back in easily 13 years, a whole lifetime ago. Wow.

Steph, I loved your 80's hair. Good to hear all is well. What are Suzanne Y., Jill and Bill Tobin and Mandy B. up to?

Melissa Jones Ansbacher and her husband David were in Raleigh, NC and they are expecting child number 3. The whole family is gorgeous!!!! By the way, Melissa, if you are reading this, I am so sorry I missed you out here last year--I tucked your letter in a very safe place, so safe I just came across it a bit ago. I think they are still there. I'm going to try her e-mail davmelans@juno.com and see if I can get in touch.

Vicki Valandra got married in a ceremony preformed by her brother Chip. She looks wonderful and her mom says they are very happy in CA.

Did I write that Rosemary (Collins) and Dan Bevill married a million years ago, have 2, need I say it, gorgeous girls and live, I do believe in Darien? Well they do.

Any word on Jane Pirone? Gerald Campano?

Same old stuff going on here--trying to keep up with my 5 year old son on the skis and the bike. Working away at my store and for Habitat for Humanity.

Keep smiling, living life to the fullest and writing updates. Tallie

"Yo Webuh, You Don't Shut Up I'll Weld Your Lips Togethuh" -- Famous Metal Shop Quote, "Professor" Milton Drexler, Mather JHS

Hey class of 87!!! I was just on the phone with Besty Clark Balmat and she was harrassing me AGAIN because I hadn't signed up YET. So here I am. I live in a very small town called Stow in MA with my husband of almost 13 yrs, (wow, that sounds like a lot) and our 2 kids, Maddy Rose 8 and Thomas 4. I work as a teachers aide in the first grade at my daughters school and have just finished all my re-cert. p-work to apply for a kindergarting teaching position for next year at the same school. It's nice being on that schedule. Keep me posted about reunion info, although I have no Darien connections any longer, the 'rents moved to Mystic a few years back. It would be great to see everyone!!

Amy Weber Keough

Jessica (Young) Suber checks in from Columbia, SC

Well, well, well! Leave it to Andy Potter to try to keep the old classmates together! Finally found Stephy Slowik last month who told me about this blog. And this past weekend I located Lisa Russo Collins and passed along this info to her as well.

Anyway, after graduation I headed to University of South Carolina with several other DHS people. Actually made it through college and graduated in 1991. Married my boyfriend of 2 years, Darius, in 1993. We have 2 kids: Justin-13 and Amber-4 who keep me hoppin’ between his sports and her dance or soccer. Before all that excitement begins, I work as a bookkeeper for a law firm which makes a very full day, its non-stop.

Can’t wait to here more about the 20th Reunion. I am trying to make arrangements to come back home sometime soon, that would be a perfect opportunity! I would love to see everyone again.

Short and to the point

Kurt Johnson says: Things are great! 2 boys, 21 months and 6 months. So much fun.

Chris Calarco Stumbles on DHS

Last week I tried to dodge the friday rush hour on the Merrit north and got lost at the new DHS institution. A monstrosity of brick and mortar. No windows to daydream out of and where's the front door to the principal's office?

A lot has changed in 20 years. Kids for one. Connor's 5 and loves to cut his own hair. Emily's 3, keeps me up to date on the new princess outfits and baby Danny. Danny joined us on 2-16-06. He could be the next Coney Island hot dog champion. The boob juice and formula can't keep this kid full. I just hope when they become teenagers they don't wreak havoc on me like I did to my parents.

My wife Suzanne is from Westport, CT so we live in Southport. Need I say more. Gotta love your mother-in-law! Anyway good to read about you all. If you're ever in the NYC area and see a CBS news van peek your head in and say hello. See ya at the reunion.

It's a girl!

Joan Mitchell Carlo and her husband John welcome a new addition to their family: Caroline Rose was born January 24, 2006. 9lbs 9oz, 21 1/2 inches. Caroline joins sisters Mary Cate (5) and Grace (3):

Holy Quadruplets

News from Laura Beede Brown--

I live in Riegelsville Pennsylvania, married and had quadruplets on September 16, 1999, (Hurricane Floyd)-- 1 girl & 3 boys. Names are Stephanie, William, Douglas & Hunter -- all happy and healthy and now 6 and a half years old.

(her email is Fourxsfun at AOL!!)

Yahoo Diving -- Scott Blevins

Now for another episode of DHS yahoo diving. This time we're looking for Scott Blevins. Is he...

A choreographer in Highland, Indiana (sure doesn't look like him)
An auto racer in Canyon, Texas
An FBI detective on X Files
A Senior Sales VP for Adams Golf in Plano, Texas

I'm betting he's the golf dude. Anyone in touch with Scott? If so give us an update at newsletter@darienhighclassof87.com

Response from Gus Antonioni: Last I saw Scott Blevins was about 7 years ago in San Francisco. His parents live in Tiburon and he was a commercial airline pilot flying small jets. If you can track him down that would be great. Regards, G

Response from Vish Makhijani: last I heard Scott was in Utah at Overstock.com.....


Just did a little sleuthing and I think Scott may still be at Overstock...sending an email to him now..

Why the Blog has been quiet the past few months

Charlotte Lily Potter ('Carly') was born on March 2. Yes our 16 month old daughter Maddie (with the owie on her lip) is already terrorizing Carly.

Joe Cooper Checks in from Needham

It was amazing to see the pictures on the website. I still picture everyone as they were the last days of high school. I am in Needham, MA which is all of 12 miles southeast of Boston as the crow flies. Alex Hoguet lives about 1/2 mile away and we play hockey together Monday nights.

I was at the dentist the other day and got talking with the doc and turns out the guy was a Tokeneke and DHS grad. I believe a year behind us perhaps. Martin Speilman ring any bells?

I married a wonderful woman who grew up in Rhode Island and and Riverside, CT. Her maiden name was Leslie Marshall, now Cooper. I have three kids. 2 girls (8 & 6), and a son who is 3.

The parents left Darien in the early 90's once my brothers were in college. They moved back to NYC where it all began. Penny Glassmeyer bought the place and redid the whole thing top to bottom.

My brothers were both in the Boston area for years. They went to college in Beantown and stuck around. Both married with kids of their own. Jim who is next in the pecking order lives north of Boston in Wenham. he has 3 girls ages 6-2. My youngest brother, Brendon, was here as well but relocated to Atlanta for a job with his wife and 2 kids, 3 year old son and 2 year old daughter. My older sister Grier is in San Rafael, married as well with a daughter, age 2.

So there you have it. My old man is trying to get a job in Germany. He is fluent and does business there numerous times a year, so he figures he should just move. He is remarried, my mother passed away in 1996.

Joe Cooper