Greetings from Denmark

Dear class mates of 1967,

Sorry I was not able to attend the reunion on August 4th and 5th. The trip was just too long for a week-end reunion, and due to illness in Lisa's family we were unable to make it longer. Now we are planning to go to the US for a real vacation next year, and I shall not miss Indianola then. And of course I plan to be there in our 50 year reunion - and from then on every 10 years, as we shall hopefully all of us have more time available!!

Some of you may not remember me, since I was only with you for a year. I am the lucky Danish exchange student, who had the pleassure of spending a year with you as a senior. Let me take this oportunity to tell you all how much I enjoyed that year, and how gratefull I was - and still am - for the many good moments I spent with a lot of you in school and social events. That year also helped me very much later as a business person to understand the American way of thinking. So it was not only a year of pleassure, it was also very beneficial for my personal development.

In 1967 I returned to Denmark and spent 3 years in prep school, thereafter 5 years to complete my masters. Then I joined a multinational group called Alfa Laval. It's a process engineering group, which makes dairy plants, breweries, vegetable oil plants etc. I stayed there for nearly 20 years of which most time was spent in South America (Peru, Venezuela), and I have also lived 3 years in the UK.

I returned to Denmark with my family end 1993, when decissions had to be made about the further education of our 3 children, who had attended an American school system untill high school level.

The two oldest have now finished their masters and are working, one as an IT specialist and one as a psychologist in a hospital. The third is still working on his masters. My wife, Lisa is an advisor on social wellfare, which in our countries is quite extensive. My own work now-a-day is to serve as a member of board of directors in approx. 10 companies inside - and outside of Denmark.

I used to go to the USA with much frequency, but not so much any more. Should any of you come over this way, please let me know. It would be great to see a few of you again and hear news. I have studied the photos of the blog, but so far I have not recognized any person. But I have not given up yet. I am sure that it would help to see you alive and hear your voices. But that will have to wait.

All the best wishes from Denmark,
Johs (Bogh Christensen)

Hello!

I live in Emmetsburg, Iowa. My husband just retired from coaching and teaching and now owns his own construction company. His first assignment was to build USA new home on the lake in Emmetsburg. We now have a beautiful lake home with 169 foot of lake front. I have four grandkids now, and they all love to come and visit! We have wave runners, kayaks and a jet boat. Fun for all. I am now a Financial Specialist for Farm Credit Services of America. I enjoy working for a corporation, our corporate office is in Omaha and we serve four states, NE, SD, WY and IA.Clint and I have two children and four grandkids, so between work and family we live a full life. My parents are still alive and living in Indianola.

Sue Lewis Young

Hello 1967 Classmates!

I'm so sorry to have missed you all for this 40 year reunion. It turned out I was, and still am, recuperating from carpal tunnel surgery so a big trip was out for me. I still live just north of San Francisco and have been here for 33 years. Years ago, after I moved here, eventually two of my sisters moved to the bay area also, so my mom and dad finally left Indianola to move here to be near us 15 years ago. It's been wonderful to have them nearby. Last summer, I drove with them to make their annual pilgrimage back to Indianola and had a great time staying with Sue Sorden for a few days. Then last November my mom passed peacefully away at age 86. My dad is still hanging in there at age 90.

I teach 2nd/3rd grade and will be for quite a few more years I'm sure. I have two wonderful daughters. Ashley, 25, got married a year ago last June, and lives in Prescott, AZ. She was just accepted to graduate school in counseling psychology so will be commuting to southern CA one weekend a month to go to school as well as continue her full time job. Emily, 22, went to Lewis and Clark College in Oregon and after 2 + years decided it wasn't the right place so she is back living with me and going to college locally. I'm delighted to not have an empty nest again for awhile! Over the years, I loved camping, hiking, and backpacking with them in the great national parks of the western U.S.

I've loved reading about your lives, all you who have blogged. Thanks and see you at the next one I hope.

Lois Smart Sheridan

IHS 1967 Class Reunion Photos

There are two ways to view the photos:
1. Click on the arrow to view an auto-play slideshow.
2. Click the link in the lower left hand corner and then click on on the first slide and proceed through the photos using the arrows.

Update on the Henleys

Judy and I still live in Ortonville, Michigan, 30 years and counting. Judy is the Director of Christian Service at St. Anne Church here in town. I still work at General Motors (40 years this month), they haven’t fired me yet. If you are ever in the area, look us up. Judy makes a great venison stew and the beer is always cold. Be sure to call ahead, because our number is unlisted.

Our daughter Sarah is doing well in her chosen profession and has a street corner registered in her name in a prominent Michigan community. Obviously she is not married yet.

Our son Josh is married to Megan with only 1 Grand Puppy to show for their efforts. What do you expect, they are both teachers. Josh and I spend a lot of time hunting and fishing together.

Mon is now living at Windsor Manor, out near the Indianola High School and dines daily with Gloria Smith’s mother. She loves to have company, but don’t expect her to remember that you were there.

Sorry we won’t make it to the reunion this year, because:
A. I had an offer to go fishing.
B. My ankle bracelet won’t allow me out of the State of Michigan or to live within 2 miles of a
grade school.
C. I have grown fond of my hermit tendencies and hate to be around crowds of people.
D. All of the above.

Hope you all have a good time. See you in 10 years.

Bob Henley

Greetings class of 1967

Well who would have thought that we'd be communicating via a blog? I must say never in my wildest dreams! I'm looking forward to seeing everyone Friday night. Seems like just a couple of years ago that we had the last reunion. Did we decide to start doing them every 2 years instead of 5?
Lots of changes in the Woodruff household. Paige graduated from high school this year and will attend Simpson. We're excited she'll be relatively close to home. Blake is a junior so only 2 more years before we're empty nesters. Guess I shouldn't sound so hopeful. So many of our friends have their kids coming back to live with them. What's that all about? I couldn't wait to get away from my parents. Guess times have really changed.
Ryan is married and has an 8 and 10 year old (Kelsie and Cody) and SURPRISE....another one on the way. Melanie is due in February. Now that they're over the shock they are very excited and of course Kristi and I are too. Kendra and Steve have a 1 year old (Cale) and another one due in September. In a matter of 6 months we're going from 3 grandkids to 5!
I still own Avondale Animal Hospital and work lots of hours. We've grown to 6 veterinarians and 50 staff members. I do hope to retire in the near future..........probably by 2020 but definitely no later than 2030. Yes I still enjoy what I do. So many technology changes that make practice lots of fun. We now take all of our x-rays (including dental x-rays) digitally. We can then email them to radiologists, clients etc. The best part is it only takes 5 seconds to take an x-ray and if you don't like it you just X it out and take another one! We also just purchased a "therapy" laser that delivers energy deep into tissue. We use it for arthritic patients, wound healing, sprained joints etc. It's really incredible and yes it works great on people too! Well we can talk technology another time!
Kristi is school nurse for the middle school in Hartford. She really enjoys taking care of 5th and 6th graders. Carlisle just built a new middle school for 6th, 7th and 8th graders so Kristi will have 4th and 5th graders at the Hartford campus.
I lost my father on Feb. 28th of this year. Although he had many physical problems, he was very coherent until the very end and he didn't suffer. There were 14 of us with him at the hospital when he died. We felt fortunate to have him as long as we did. He was 82 years old. Although we miss him we know he's in a better place.
Well guess that's enough rambling for now. Hope to see you all Friday night. Denny

Hello to all!
It has been an interesting 40 years. 3 Marriages and 4 children all grown and having babies of their own. WOW! I have lived in Iowa and Nebraska and back to Iowa. I worked for Farm Bureau Insurance in Omaha for 15 years after raising my children. Then retired and moved to Marne, IA. Husband Arnie retired from Omaha Public Power District and now makes metal art sculptures as a hobby. Maybe you've seen the pheasants along I-80 between Omaha & DesMoines. I enjoy rubber stamping yard work, flower beds, quilting and my grandchildren. We have one daughter in Shelby, IA with 3 sons, one daughter in Sumter, SC with 2 cats, one son in Omaha with 2 dogs and 1 cat, and one son at Terceira, Azores, Portugal with one son and one on the way. The ones in SC and Terceira are both in the Air Force and married to Air Force as well.
Since moving to Marne, I have gotten involved in our little community and keep busy with voluteering for community club events. Our 4th of July celebration is quite extraordinary for a town of 150 people. I started a quilting club here as well. Arnie loves creating his metal art and can & will make anything anyone wants. He has made grave markers as well as indoor art.
Looking forward to seeing everyone this coming weekend.
Donna (Conn) Jirsa

Leon's Post 30 July 2007

Remembrances of things past. Bus #7 or #14. Pea gravel playground at Hawthorne and the totally cool 3000# merry-go-round. Pretty Mrs. Pendgraft in 2nd grade in the basement with 3' deep window sills. Making butter. Graduating to the second floor for Mrs. Heinz's class. Weaving a little rug. To Irving for 4th grade; poor Mrs. Ball...the baddies in class would make her leave the room in tears. Hula-hoops. Basketball hoops; the first I'd ever seen. Mrs Heffelfinger for 5th; a tough one. A terrible book presentation or something with Hayworth. Playing 'stretch' with kitchen knives at Potts' house. Tramping around the woods and farm ponds with Huffacker et al. Mrs Bates for 6th and her teaching us manners as we stepped in front of her to enter class; excuse me, excuse me, excuse me,.... Catching a long pass in the end zone from Blake as the bell rang on my nose; bloody, tearing, proud. My only athletic achievement before ping pong. The old junior high. Art class. Going downtown to the Ben Franklin for penny candies and mini-fire crackers. Seeing a 63 Corvette for the 1st time. Jack Siefcus, Scoutmaster. Camp Mitigwa. Bell choir. Civics class; guys throwing books out the window....worthless except for deciding to become an engineer. Geometry. Wright feinting when an eyeball was dissected. Computing in other than base 10. Gym with shirts and skins. Latin class; why oh why didn't I take Spanish. Building a Roman villa with Bloom. Onto the new high school and its gravel parking lot. My 55 Chevy with cheater slicks and traction bars. Dissecting and bisecting. That great drummer in the pep band at basketball games in the Simpson gym. Cheer leaders. Duncan drawing blood from Carpenter...screwing the finger stabber out about a 1/4 inch. Competing with Broyles in physics and chemistry tests. Helping Davidson solder together a radio. My one and only high school date with Vicki Roszell; hum. Slamming locker doors. Dodge ball. World History class and veltanschaun; the way of the people. Yeah, watching the Pfaffs wrestle; made me appreciate Dan Gable at ISU. Driving around that summer of 67 with Reinhart and Peterson et al trying to buy beer. Everyone going their separate ways but so glad to be anonymous in a crowd of 20,000 other students at Iowa State.

Since then...Graduated in Industrial Engineering and avoided draft lottery #91; numerologically interesting? Ford (Galaxies), John Deere (foundry), Santa Fe Railway(boxcars), Link Belt Speeder(cranes), Clark Equipment(Bobcats), US Air Force civilian(death and destruction), retired at age 49 due to no kids and old cars. Wife #1. Moved to beautiful Spokane, WA in 1977 for weather and geography. Wife #2. Traveled Eastern Europe, China, New Zealand, Peru, Hawaii, and Mexico. Have had considerable adventure in Mexican property ownership. Latin class, anyone? See http://www.clubyebo.com/Photos.htm (1/2 is for sale). Nice interesting girlfriend #X (Anne Marie) for the last 6 years. She teaches teachers how to teach English as a 2nd Language so we spent a year in Kyrgyzstan (between Tajikistan and Kazakhstan) and a couple months in the Republic of Georgia (birthplace of Stalin). Best to apologize for our government in these countries or claim you're Canadian.

Keep busy with some volunteering, a bit of political action (www.opednews.com is my favorite), the usual mechanicing, and enjoying the outdoors and the culture of this big/little backwater of Spokane. Look forward to chatting with you. I'll be wearing a button that says, "Sorry, but I'm 1/2 deaf so speak slowly please"; darn factories and Chevy V8's. I forget, is it at the 40th or 50th that we focus on health issues and who died of what....OK let's just say the 50th and talk politics instead.

Dear All,

I never imagined that I would live in Indianola, Iowa, again. I certainly didn't think that I would have two sons graduate from Indianola High School or have a son who attended Irving School in the SAME room where my first teacher was Mrs. Downey (she lived across the street from Jim Mikulanec "back in the day"). One very nice, and also unexpected, outcome has been that our youngest son, Dan, and John Criswell's son, Tom, were friends from the fourth grade through graduation. They were both swimmers in high school so we saw John and Chris lots, too. Both Dan and Tom are now at the U of Iowa. Our oldest son, Christopher, is married and living in Des Moines.

Mac and I have gone from Iowa City to Buffalo, NY, to Chicago, back to Indianola, to Cedar Falls, to Missouri, to Des Moines, to Champaign, IL, and back to Indianola again.

I have written employee publications; I served on the admission staffs at Simpson and Drake for a combined 20 years; I did a stint with the Career Services Staff at Simpson -- and for the last six years I have had my own Web site business.

I love working independently -- not the least of which is that I don't have to go to never-ending meetings. I still have meetings with clients about their sites -- but they are usually one-on-one, really enjoyable gatherings.

Greetings to all who won't be able to attend this year. I'll see the rest of you soon!

Mary C. MacKenzie

Hello! I am happy to see so many have posted on this Blog already. It's interesting to read what you have written about yourselves. We are fortunate to have Mary in our class who has the skills to set this up. I hope many more of you will post soon. Thanks to those of you who voiced appreciation for planning the reunion, and thanks to the others who helped find addresses for the mailing---the most time-consuming part: Steve Pfaff, Ken Mika, Diana Fry Pfaff, Ruthie Utsler Smith, Jon Rinehart, Lynne Van Clark, Sue Sorden, and John Criswell.

Off the bat, let me say that I was not able to fulfill my class prophecy: to become a comedienne on the Johnny Carson show. Johnny retired and he never called anyway. Waa! Serially, I am living in Indianola and love it here. A couple years ago my mother moved to The Village retirement community and I bought her home (where I grew up since 5th grade-1959). I work at an insurance company in Des Moines and hope to be there until I retire. My bachelor's degree is in broadcast journalism, so I spent time working at WHO Radio and KCCI-TV in Des Moines, as well as a radio station in Indianola, and newspapers in Indianola & Des Moines. I still do writing, editing and proofreading in my current job, but now I don't have to drive home after the 10 o'clock news or make it to the station in a snowstorm! Looking forward to seeing you all at the reunion August 3!

I love this blog!

I love reading this blog. It is so great to hear from those of you who have written. Last week I wrote a big lengthy blog but somehow it was drafted and I could not figure out how to get it sent, so after many headaches and a few bad words I just deleted it!

I was writing just to say that in a nutshell my life has come full circle. From mom, to hairdresser, to insurance administrator, to home builder to realtor and back to being a GRAND mom. As I mentioned before, we have 3 grands.

Keely (61/2) and Tory (3) are the darling girls of my oldest son, Joe. Mikey (21/2), is Alex's son and he is my pal Monday-Friday 8-5. The night he was born, standing in the hospital l knowing his mom would be going back to work, I knew that he was not going to go to day care! So, when he was 2 months old , I quit my job and he and I have been hanging out ever since! It is the best job I have ever had!! However, since he is quite spoiled, I get all the blame!

Mike will always work at something, he loves a challenge! I just enjoy the kids, reading,(Sue, I will be looking for you books)p and I love to hang out at antique stores.

I will be back in Indianola in a few days and look forward to visiting with everyone on the 3rd!

What's Your Name Again?!

Yikes! I know it's been 40 years, but I would like to think my memory would be a little better than it is. Some classmates' names ring a bell, some are a little fuzzy! I think I'll be getting the old year book out before the August gathering. I really am enjoying reading what's happened to fellow classmates in the years since high school (even if names don't always ring a bell).

I am still working (unlike many of you who seem to have retired by now) as an elementary school principal in the Fairfield district. Twelve years at home with four kids make IPERS another four years away. Only one grandchild to note as the other kids are too busy pursuing travel and careers to think about children. I'm currently single and enjoying being on my own. Have written four historical fiction books set in early settlement days in SE Iowa.

My parents are both still living in Indianola and with a move this fall to a town house in The Village, I've been spending time with my sisters as we go through years of accumulated 'stuff'. It will be nice for them to get moved where they don't have so much upkeep on the home and property.

My memories of high school include lots of Pep bus rides to ball games, playing in pep band in the balcony corner in the old Simpson gym, lots of band and chorus activites as well as plays and musicals. Would have loved to have played basketball if IHS would have had a girls' team! Scooping the Loop on week-ends was also a favorite activity (but no Corner Sundry for me - my mother thought it was the den in iniquity and forbid me to set foot in the establishment).

Looking forward to seeing many of you at the reunion. Thanks to Susie for making the arrangements, and Mary for setting up the blog. Hope to read more entries and see how many more of your names I've forgotten : )

Sue Nyswonger McCracken

Hello to classmates from EHS!

Hello Class of 67,
Thanks to Mary for giving us this great forum to communicate with each other. I've read all of the blog entries and enjoyed all of them! Thanks to those of you who have contributed your thoughts to the blog. I only attended IHS my senior year, but made so many good friends and have great memories of those days.

Some highlights for me were cruising the square on Friday & Saturday nights, where guys would pop the hood and compare engines. I specifically remember Rick Blunt, the sweet & gentle guy who later died so young. All of us enjoyed stopping by the Corner Sundry after school for a Green River or Cherry Coke...Who was the old guy with the red hair who served us? That was such a cool place. They had aspirins that hadn't been sold since World War II, yet they had the latest copies of "Teen" Magazine. I would tear out the full size photos of the latest stars and tape them all over my room.

Other memories: Carol Blackman's cool little car, that blue-green Vauxhall....they couldn't get parts for it since it was made in England....watching the Pfaffs wrestle at the old middle school gym... they were SO tough! I also remember playing intramural girls basketball on that stage there.....slumber parties at Roz Overton's house...Mrs. Cloud's class (she was my favorite teacher)...Seiler's Bakery bear claws....the sights and chlorine smells of the old Indianola Pool... the county fair....the smell of alfalfa seed at Criswell's Feed Store... and Sue Shupe's uncanny ability to make a noise just exactly like a Volkswagen horn!

In our high school yearbook, I had the dubious distinction of being named "most likely to be featured on the cover of MAD Magazine. I don't know whose idea that was, but I am happy to report that, 40 years later, I don't even read that magazine any more. Somehow, it's just not as funny as it was when we were 17.... What's up with that? Also, I don't look anything at all like Alfred E. Neumann (MAD's mascot, the guy with the big ears and the grin.)

My husband Don Beck (from Norwalk, class of 67) and I have moved all around the country since he works for IBM. We moved to Eureka, MO, just west of St. Louis in 1995 and plan to stay here until we retire. We have two wonderful sons. I'm a newspaper reporter and writer. I authored the history of Eureka, MO which was published this year. Would love to see some more memories in the blog!
- Joanne ( Croat) Beck

Who would have thought 40 years ago technology would be where it is today and that we would be communicating on a BLOG.
I married my best friend Carol and we are currently living in Indianola. We both retired from the Federal government in 2004 from the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) located in St Louis. I had a great job with NGA as an Aeronautical Program Officer. I also retired from the United States Air Force Reserves as a CMSGT in 1990. When we retired from NGA, we decided to move to Indianola to be near my folks and we thought a slower pace of life would be nice. Retirement does not necessarily correlate into a slower pace of life. We have stayed busy. We love to travel, visit friends, our children and grandchildren. We also enjoy doing volunteer work of which one is delivering Meals on Wheels. Our two daughters are in the Air Force. One is in Las Vegas and the other is in Germany. We also have a son in California.
Thanks to Susie, Mary and the reunion committee for putting this event together.

Jack Crawford

Hi Everyone,

There are 16 classmates who have received a blog invitation -- not quite as many writers! Just as a reminder, a blogger invitation link will only work once, so if it has already been clicked on (and you did not create a Google account at that time), I will need to send you a new invitation. Just let me know by noon on Tuesday, July 10, if I should send another e-mail. I hope to check my mail once or twice while I am gone but it will definitely be hit and miss.

Thanks,

Mary M.

Can anyone else believe it's been 40 yrs!!!!!!! Seems like just yesterday. Our oldest granddaughter graduated this year so that seems even worse. I work for IPERS and will have been here 29 years this July so I can retire next year if I want. I really like my job tho so plan to keep working until I don't. Believe it or not, I travel around the state talking to people about retirement and do presentations about IPERS. Can't remember who my speech teacher was but I'll bet they'd be real surprised to hear that. Karl and I have 3 kids and 5 grandchildren (the youngest was born 2 weeks ago today). They all live around here so we see them regularly. Karl has been retired for 5 years. We own property at Lake Thunderhead, Missouri so we spend most week-ends there during the warm months. We moved to Milo last summer after living in Indianola for 43 years. That was quite a change but small town living is okay. Not an exciting life but good. I'm looking forward to the next 40. Hope lots of people contribute to this as it will be good to catch up on how everyone's doing.

Pam (Cooper) Bachof

July 1, 2007

Hello Indians


It was nice hearing about everyone. I live in Dallas, Texas and have been her for 28 years. I am married to a girl from Bartlesville, Oklahoma. Her name is Mary Cass. We have two children Greg, who is 26 and lives in Portland, Oregon and Katie , who is going to college in Stillwater, Oklahoma. She is 22. I work for the federal government.(EPA)Prior to that I was an exploration geologist in the oil business. A lot of gas wells are being drilled in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area at the present time. My mother and my youngest sister still live in Indianola. We make a trip to Iowa about once per year. The town changes a little every time we go back. I was in Iowa when the Class of 1966 had their reunion. It was great seeing those fellow classmates. I too would like to thank Sue Shupe and the reunion committee. They have done a wonderful thing putting this reunion together. Mary, I saw your web pages that you have prepared , they look great. Terri , how do like that warm weather in Phoenix? I looking forward to seeing everyone.

Jon Rinehart

Might know

I guess I knew it would be Teri Crabb who contributed first to this blog. Just kidding of course. A little about myself. I believe I have accomplished nothing in life which far exceeds my classmates expectations. I am not in prison.
We are still in CA and enjoy it very much. Kay is still working for the City of Murrieta and I am doing nothing which I do best. I say I am retired and Kay says I am unemployable. She may be right.
Our kids are both in CA, Jodi and her husband are in San Diego and Travis is in Bakersfield with his son Tyris.
Well I hope the rest of you will contribute to this blog and I would like to thank Mary Mackenzie for starting it. I think a big hand should also go out to Susie Shupe for all her hard work in getting us together every five years.

Galen Vinson

Something New!

Hey old friends, I am blogging!! Wow, not sure if I am doing it correct or not. But, that never stopped me before.
I am excited to come back to Indianola( that sounds weird to the townies, I know), to see lots of friends and of course my family.
I have 3 beauties to brag about, but I will spread it out over a couple of weeks so I don't get deleted right away.
Mike and I have been in Az for 8 years, and gone from Indianaloa for almost 15, wow, where does time go??
Our family is here so I am sure, we will be here for our duration.
Hope many more of you guys get online and then I will write more.
See you all soon
Terri Needles Crabb

Hello '67 Classmates!

We hope you will take time to share some news about yourself! Check back often to see what your '67 classmates are writing. We'll plan to leave this blog online for a month or so after the reunion so everyone has an opportunity to read it.

Thanks,
Mary Carpenter MacKenzie