COTTER HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 1955
Father Breza's celebration was indeed an impressive event. Following the mass, many friends of Paul gathered at the Polish Heritage Center. The receiving line was so long, that many in line were in danger of getting nothing to eat. Not only were Fr. Breza and Fr. Lovas there, but also Sister Gavin (everyone remembers her, right?) Sister Danielle (Barbara Kukowski) ensured that both Paul and Don were included in a group picture with the 1955 graduates who attended. She may have gotten us to jump the receiving line. The others in the receiving line were very patient with us barging in on the line. Later, these graduates also posed with Sister Gavin. Pat and Dick Kapusman attended Sundays celebration for Fr. Don. Unfortunately, Chuck and Jack weren't able to make that celebration; but Joan Laak took a picture of Pat (Schleich) and Dick Kapusman who did attend. Classmates whose pictures appear on the two pages following include: Teresa Pozanc Thicke, Kathy Sulla Greden, Leroy Czaplewski, Dale Welch, Jean Plapp Angst, Joan Herrick Laak, and Chuck Vaughan. Look over the photos taken that night.
Just a reminder to those that read this newsletter; on June 1 and 2, our classmates Paul Breza & Don Lovas will celebrate their 50 years as priests. Paul on Saturday, June 1 at St. Stan's at 4 p.m., and Don at the Cathedral on Sunday at 10:30 a.m. We'll be there and hope that many of you can attend too. There is a reception for Paul following the Saturday Mass at the Polish Heritage Center on East Second Street, just north of Watkins. Maybe we can all bring cameras and we'll have something to include in this newsletter.
Here it is almost Easter and better weather will be just around the corner. We haven't heard any recent news about any of our classmates, so nothing to report good or bad. Jack Tomashek is wintering in Arizona and is probably thinking about returning to God's country soon. Chuck Vaughan and wife, Ginny, just got back from Florida after 2 1/2 months. Now they are just trying to acclimate themselves to Wisconsin weather. The snow is melting fast now, and it shouldn't be too long before we can get out into the yard.
Sometime last year, there was some discussion about a pizza get together perhaps this summer. We have done that in the past a couple of times, and a sizable number of classmates actually did show up. One thing that could be accomplished at such an occasion, is making plans for any future class reunions if any are so desired. Any interest in this idea? Drop Jack or Chuck an e-mail if you would like to see something like this materialize. Their e-mail addresses are at the bottom of this page. An update on this suggestion is that there seems to be little interest in this idea.
We hope that you are enjoying our attempts at a newsletter. Note that we finally changed the issue number to 12.
It is with sadness that we report that Mary Jo Berger's husband, Neal Lang passed away March 29. Married for 46 years to Mary Jo, Neal was a teacher in the Rochester area for 32 years. In addition to his wife, Neal is survived by a son, Mark. A visitation will be held from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, April 8, 2011 at Ranfranz and Vine Funeral Home. Please remember him in your prayers.
We ask all of you again to send something in about you and your family. We need something to read other than sad events.
The 2010 reunion of the Cotter High School Class of 1955 is now history. On Friday night, we had almost 40 people show up for an informal evening. Most everyone participated and enjoyed the dinner offered by the Elks Club. On Saturday, many classmates attended mass at St. Stan's and were able to see Fathers Don Lovas and Paul Breza concelebrating. Regretably, we didn't foresee the need to organize a group-seating plan. Maybe next time. Saturday night's festivities included 55 people! 55 people for the '55 graduating class. A coincidence you say? We think not. At any rate, we believe that everyone had a nice time and that they were happy with their decision to attend.
Those of you reading this newsletter.........attention! How about sending us your comments concerning the reunion? We'll include them in future newsletters. Send the e-mails to either Jack or Chuck for future inclusion in the newsletter. Let's have more input than we have had in the past.
And now we have to address the need for an editor(s) for future newsletters. The current team feels that new blood is needed and new ideas augmented for future issues so that classmates are kept abreast of news. If no volunteers come forward, then we will assume that no one is interested enough in keeping the newsletter going and eventually we will put it to rest. Be assured that anyone volunteering to head up the newsletter will receive full cooperation from Jack and Chuck. Talk it over with someone else who might be interested and let us know as soon as possible.
Photo Identification
In the past, some of you have asked us to identify various people in the photos that we have included in this newsletter. Now before everyone starts to complain about it again, we have identified people in pictures where there are no names given. Note that we have used the maiden names of the ladies of our class. We hope that no one objects. On the first page of photos, we could add comments as well as names. No problem. On the second page of this issue: (click on each picture to increase its size)
WE WANT TO HEAR ABOUT YOU!
We passed out half sheets of paper asking each of you to give a synopsis of your lives since graduation. A few of you did just this. We put the ones we received in this newsletter so that the rest of you can get the idea. Those of you who chose not to tell us about your lives, can still be included if you send Jack or Chuck an e-mail outlining your lives. Don't procrastinate! Do it soon!
Chuck Vaughan--After high school, I attended Winona State College and eventually graduated with a degree in Business Education. I taught in Alma, Wisconsin for two years and met my wife there. We got married and moved to Waukesha, Wisconsin in 1962 and I taught business subjects at New Berlin High School for six years. In 1968, I started teaching at the Milwaukee Area Technical college and retired in 1999 after 39 years of teaching in Wisconsin. I enjoyed it; but thought that it was time to retire when two of my close colleagues decided to retire. I have never regretted my decision. My wife, Virginia and I have four children; three daughters and one son, and ten grandchildren (eight boys and two girls). In 1994, we bought a little house in Buffalo City, Wisconsin and have spent a lot of time there. From time to time, we see a few of our former classmates in our frequent trips to Winona. During the winter months, we spend January and February in Ft. Myers, Florida and love it. Like many of you other grandparents, we spend a lot of time watching their sports events and other school activities. Ginny and I have recently celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary.
Paul Breza sent us an e-mail stating: "Thanks for the party. Your work was evident. 55 years does a lot of damage! Nonetheless, the classmates make great apple pickers.....one was an experienced professional!
I went to the seminary to "get it out of my system." Stayed. They didn't give me the boot like I thought that they would. I was ordained a priest in 1963. I worked in several parishes, and taught in three high schools (Pacelli, Lourdes and Loyola) and loved it. I was a college chaplain for six years and enjoyed that too until I fought with the president, the academic dean and dean of students all at the same time (all with the Bishop's approval, of course. I learned something by that time). I also worked with state hospitals, delinquents, and AA during that same time and even got to be an honorary alcoholic in Rochester! I hauled high school seniors or college students in an open pickup truck to 37 states, Mexico City, British Colombia, Quebec and Nova Scotia. We lived on $3 a day; one for food, two for gas.
I started the Polish museum about the same time because no one saves the history of poor people and that was a history about to be lost; a never-ending job.
I got the orchard when I was looking for a place for the delinquent boys to run in and the apples paid for the museum eventually (somewhat).
I just wish that I had traveled as much as Carol Wolfe, but 12 - 18 kids along made up for that in excitement on my vacations.
Thanks again to you and Jack for keeping all of us together. Breza
Dale Welch and his wife, Jeanette, were at the reunion Saturday night and wrote that he is now "retired." They sold their former home place in Homer about a year ago and bought a town house which they enjoy. An update on Dale's retirement: He told us at Fr. Paul's celebration that he had finally really retired and is serious this time.
LeRoy Czaplewski and his wife, Katie, were also in attendance Saturday night and tells us that they have been married for 50 years. They have one son and two daughters, along with six grandchildren and two great grandchildren. LeRoy retired from Conex/Land O'Lakes after 44 years. He is still active in the Boy Scouts.
Robert Ives (Cheer) tells us that he has been a Master Barber for the last 46 years. He has also been a golf coach for 7 years and a basketball coach for 6 years.
Donald Lovas recently retired from 47 years in the priesthood for the Diocese of Winona. Nowadays, he fills in where he is needed if he is not busy fishing out of town. He was honored at the Cathedral recently for 50 years as a priest.
Jim Bambenek wrote: I married my wonderful wife, Elaine, in 1956. We have been married for 54 years. We have four children, two boys and two girls. We have three grandchildren and two step granddaughters and two great grandchildren. I worked at Brad Ragan for 44 years until I retired in 2001. I now work part time for Motor Parts and really like it. Nice to keep busy.
Carol (Wolfe) Olson recently wrote us and included a very nice biography. "After graduation, I worked full-time at the Miller Waste Mills in Winona. Within six months I was married to David Olson from Arcadia, WI. (I lived there until my Dad died and we moved to Winona while I was in grade school.) After getting married, we moved to an apartment in Minneapolis, MN. After the death of our second child (3 months old), we moved to Coon Rapids, MN (north of Mpls.) and have been here for fifty-two years. The entire block moved in about the same time (40-year mortgages), and most of us were about the same age; so we all grew up together with our kids. Many of us had a child that first year; we were called fertile valley, but I think it was the water. We have had four children (one girl, three boys), seven grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren (oldest 14), and the eighth on the way. I worked and graduated from Metropolitan State University, St. Paul as a Classroom and AV Coordinator. It is strange how life moves you; I never even dreamed of going to college, but I ended up working for 34 years. I retired on April 1, 1999.'
'On our 25th Wedding Anniversary, we took a Caribbean Cruise, and we were hooked. I finally quit smoking twenty-five years ago and Dave quit a year later when he found out how much cigarette money I stashed (between us we burned five packs a day). Since then, we have been traveling on the money we would have wasted on cigarettes (especially what they cost these days). Over the years, we have been to England, Germany, France, Belgium, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, Northern England, Scotland, Finland, Estonia, Russia, Iceland, Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New England, most of the United States, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Falkland Islands, around Cape Horn, Chilean Fjords, Glaciers in North America and South America, and Chile. And we are not done yet! I could never have imagined that I would ever see all these places in my lifetime, but found cruising is the easiest way to see the world."
An interesting internet site
We have been enjoying a site that apparently is just starting up and hopefully will include all copies of the Winona Republican-Herald. So far, they have covered through 1960. Put your name (or someone else's) and do a search. When Chuck & Jack put their names in, up popped an article indicating 35 First Holy Communicants from St. Thomas School. The names that appear bring back a lot of memories. We have found, however, that the site is very busy during the daytime, but is up and running well in the evening. If you are interested and have the time, here are the directions: Click onto the following link:
http://www.winona.edu/library/databases/winonanewspaperproject.htm
In the middle of the page in blue letters, click onto "Winona Newspaper Project." Then it may ask you if you want dial up or a broadband connection. The next page that comes up you should probably Bookmark or select it as a Favorite. You'll notice a tab entitled "SEARCH." Click that and type in your name in quotes, or some event in quotes. Select the Publication; you want to change it to Winona Republican-Herald. Then check "Entire Archives." If the site is not too busy, you should see one or more articles. Click onto the article and it will open up higher on the page. The person's name you are seeking will be highlighted within the article. Strike the "X" in the top right corner of the article to go onto another one. When we looked up "James Schernecker" we discovered a long forgotten music concert put on by all the students with any musical ability. Needless to say, neither Jack's or Chuck's name appeared in the article; but a lot of other familiar names did appear. We hope that you enjoy surfing through this site.
Some of our classmates are not aware of this newsletter. If you know of any classmates who are not currently reading the newsletter, give them the name of the site. We have included it at the end of this article. Also, if you are reading this newsletter and have not already done so, just drop a line to Jack or Chuck and tell them that you have gotten on this site successfully. This way we will have your e-mail address and we can contact you directly if we need to.
In order to have an interesting and successful newsletter, we need each of you to take some time and provide input. You can do this simply by telling us about your life up until now; chidren's name, ages and where they live; if you went on to school or describe the jobs you had over the years; where you have lived; interesting trips or vacations; even your hobbies or interests. Some people don't like to write about themselves because they think other people's lives have been more interesting. Nothing could be further from the truth. Allow family members to help you out and you might be surprised how much they know about you and what they remember about the family and how proud that they really are about you. We want to know all about you so that the next time that we see you, we will be able to converse that much better. Doesn't that sound exciting? Start keeping notes of things you want to include and then get the final draft to us so that we can include it in a future issue. Don't worry about spelling or grammatical errors. We'll either correct them or not recognize the errors anyway.
The site address again is: HTTP://classof1955cotterhs.mysite.com Make this site a "Favorite" or "Bookmark" it so that you can get to it again without entering the address again. Enter it frequently because we want to constantly update it; and with your input, we will be able to do this. A number of you have mentioned that you are having difficulty in reaching this site. We have found that some times during the day are more busy than at other times. Try different times and see if that helps. Otherwise, some classmates have found that the following address works for them when the other one doesn't. HTTP://www.classof1955cotterhs.mysite.com We will be sending you e-mails with this address in it to help further.
To contact Jack Tomashek, his e-mail address is: JWT1937@gmail.com or call him at 952-881-7864. His winter address is in Arizona and the phone there is: 623-977-7529
To contact Chuck Vaughan, his e-mail address is: chucksville24@yahoo.com or call him at 262-691-3826 or his cell phone: 262-370-9065.
Many thanks for your future help and we hope to hear from you soon.
1955 grads with Fathers Paul & Don
GONE BEFORE
A few classmates' deaths that we have become aware of include:
Don Dooney
Sylvia Wright
Diane Gappa Dewitz
Joe Peplinski
Joan Herrick Laak
Jim Karsina
Rosemary Fredrickson
Bernie Schreiber
Gary Ruppert
I get these obituaries mainly from the Winona paper. If you are award of any other deaths, let us know.