Today, I am reeling. I have come to expect bad news in small doses, but this week alone I have had to report the loss of two classmates.

First, I received an obituary photo from Lynn Holland Cohen for Ronda Roby Ellin. Ronda was one of those classmates who I remember passing in the hall clutching a pile of books. I don't think I ever passed a single word with her and yet still feel her loss as the group of all of us gets incrementally smaller. I dutifully report to Facebook (actually, Linda did, after I forwarded the obit to her as I was subbing in the local Junior High School at the time. I sub to stay out of Linda's hair a couple days a week, and because I enjoy tormenting the kiddoes with knowledge, and because I hate subs who are just babysitters).

Just a few days later, I received an email from Peter Dunne of the class of '62 reporting the passing of Bill Altier out in Sheridan WY. When I first began the task of finding everyone in the class, I ferretted out Bill and with a phone number in hand, called him and had an interesting conversation with him about people we remembered in common. I filled him in as best I could, and asked him if I could get him to attend our 45th reunion. He declined, and we parted with his final words to me, "Talk to ya in 5". I guess I won't get that chance. I've had too many of those. I am so grateful to have had the chance to talk to these folks again, but it just makes their loss more intense and regretful.

So I went to the website to lengthen the memorial page by two entries and create the black border around their listing photos and gray out the backgrounds.

As I perform these internet duties, I wonder to myself why I am doing this at all, why maintaining this site is important to me. It is important. It is important not just because I believe in finishing what I started; not just because now I have the time to do it; but because it needs to be done. There has to be someplace on this earth to remember that in 1967, we all left a place that became part of who we were to become. There has to be a place to help us remember all those with whom we shared a common experience. I fully understand that there are some for whom it was not a great experience, but for the majority of us, it shaped us gently and kindly and provided memories that we still think back on fondly.

So as long as my faculties permit, I'll be here reporting on our class. I appreciate you all seeing fit to send me the news. Know that I will report it faithfully and as quickly as life permits.

BTW, don't worry about the glitches on the site. I'm working on it! It's just computer stuff. It never works right all the time. It's Entropy. If not maintained, things go wrong. Talk to you all soon.