Dale Weber, my Smart Ass Friend

 I just found out, quite by accident, that my friend, Dale Weber passed away in his sleep in September of 2020, just a few weeks before I lost my Dad. I'm almost just as glad that I didn't find out about his passing until the enormity of my father's loss had dulled somewhat. I was surfing Facebook, which I only occasionally frequent and noticed a post from his son, mentioning his father followed by RIP. I knew then that I had missed something and googled Dale's name in North Carolina where he had retired and sure enough, his obit popped right up. Once I get the website going again, I'll post his obit on the memorial page.

The one thing I can tell you is that Dale was always the consummate smart ass; and he was witty and funny. He always had a wise crack that was subvoiced just loud enough to be overheard. He infuriated gym teachers, substitute teachers, and many other voices of authority that frequented the high school. He popped many a self righteous bubble. And later in life, he took the most beautiful sunset pictures from his backyard in Seven Lakes NC. We conversed briefly on Facebook after he would post these spectacular panoramic views and we'd joke with each other like we did in school.

What I learned from this is that you have to reach out to high school friends acquaintances and buddies, because when you wonder what ever happened to so and so, as often as not at our age, you find out that they are no longer available to reach out to. The same can be said about the lunch Linda and I had with Carol Vanderway in Nashville. We had a grand time. Given the time we could have annoyed the wait staff at McCormick's Irish Pub even more but we had to go to a Grand Ole Opry performance. During that visit, we talked about, among other things, the people we met in high school that we didn't engage with fully, just passing in halls with a Hi howyadoin. I know that when I was searching you all out, I had many conversations that made me think that this person could have been a lifelong friend if I had taken the time. And sure enough, as often as not, I discovered that it was too late to develop such a friendship and so with great regret, I bid Dale a fond farewell. 

So the next time you wonder about someone, look 'em up and get reacquainted. It's never too late until it is.

 Yeah, I know. It's been a dog's age since I've visited with you. First, I discovered that I never published Carol Appleton's post about Pam Zott over two years ago. Apologies to Carol. It's now published.

I've got some news for those of you who went to Anthony Wayne JHS. I am sorry to report, courtesy of Kristi Vaiden, the passing of Al "Doc" Piaget, this past Saturday in Wayne. Doc, as he became known in his later years, was a beloved block teacher who introduced us to so many important things in life including learning to think for yourself, social justice, character and to look at things with new eyes. In concert with his then wife to be, Dorothy Tunis, they provided the one-two punch that propelled us into adulthood and the reality of life beyond school. It made me think about our reunion several years ago and how much he meant to us that we would come from all across the country to be with them one more time. It made me think of when I lost my first wife. In my grief and desperation, I reached out to them to try to regain my stability and they contribute more than they knew to my returning to humanity. I hope he knew how much he impacted a generation of kids in Wayne in the early Sixties, and how much he was loved and respected.

An Anthony Wayne Loss

Pam Zott

Updating emails

Getting ready for spring

We recently received an announcement from Carol Appleton

"It is with great sadness I write to tell you that Pam Zott White passed away this morning after battling pancreatic cancer for nearly a year. She had a strong faith and had trusted Jesus as her Lord and Savior many years ago, even though she told me that she wasn’t ready to leave this life, she had every assurance that she would spend eternity with Christ."

It's been a long winter.....

It has been a long and difficult winter. It's not just the weather either. After another difficult foot reconstruction surgery (thankfully I only have two of the damn things), and the incredibly cruel winter (and that's only so far - there are still a couple months to go), it is increasingly difficult to go any length of time without visiting the obituaries, but they tend to visit me. I try to stay current on Facebook but if I want to comment I have to post on the Wayne Valley Directory page. Here's the email I got from Rick Sasse today:

Milton,

Good afternoon.  It is not unusual to read the Providence Journal obituary section and see people I know. In this case it was somehow I had known for over 50 years, Bonnie Crossley.  For no necessary reason we didn’t really get to know each other, but we met at a reunion both knowing we lived in Rhode Island, and became friends. It will be a lonely Wayne Valley ’71-Rhode Island reunion, as I think it would now be Donna Smith (unless she has moved), and Richie Abramson moved to Moodus, CT, in retirement.

http://www.carpenterjenks.com/obituaries/Bonnie-Margaret-Arsenault-?obId=2895988#/celebrationWall

Rick

So even though I hate to kick start this blog with bad news, I still remain committed to locating and keeping us all up to date with what has happened to members of our class. Here's to a better spring.

Doug Senchak 1949 - 2017

I got a dreaded email from Steve Thomas on August 13, 2017:

With great sadness I write to tell you of the passing yesterday of our friend and classmate, Doug Senchak.  Doug’s health had been failing for a while.  Myself and classmates Arnie Trasente and Andrew Savulich were were en route from our homes when Doug passed.  We all gathered and spent time with with his family yesterday at their farm in upstate NY.

It brought me back to the last time I spoke with Doug. He had called me to let me know of the passing of Peter Isaza, several years ago, and we took the opportunity to catch up. I hadn't spoken to him since I first recontacted him when he was still in the City.

I know that in the process of trying to locate everyone that on more than one occasion I remember thinking that this was an opportunity lost, that this person could have ended up a close friend, with a friendship that would have lasted over the years with many happy memories and many laughs if things had turned out slightly differently. This was certainly true between Doug and me.

Our lives just didn't intersect at acute enough angles. Instead we passed the point and our own momentum just drove us onward. I will always regret that but I am also grateful to Steve, Arnie and Andy for standing in my place in memory of Doug. Even though we never spent that much time together, the time we did was good, his presence was always appreciated, and he will always be remembered by me for his ready wit and smile.

Back on the Trail

Now that we're rested up from our Russian trek, Linda is back on the trail of  our "missing" classmates once again.

Of course, the search reminded me of a street performer we encountered in St. Petersburg who coincidentally was portraying a metallic Sherlock Holmes statue and delighting the kiddies near a church entryway by winking every now and then for a small donation.

The search continues. On the sad side, we discover that David French served in the 101st Airborne in Vietnam only to return to North Carolina in 1968 and succumb to injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident. It reminded me of John Chichin who was killed in a hit and run accident shortly after graduation, and the sad thought that I had imagined both of them living out long and fulfilling lives only to discover that their lives had been cut short by tragic circumstances.


Joyce Polizzi Porr is still in Wayne, but recently lost her husband of 47 years, Joe Porr. Another classmate hidden in plain sight. Barbara Preusch is in Fredericksburg VA, now married to Michael Lehr. I have an email that I plan to use to see if she is indeed our Barbara Preusch. It just goes to show how fickle these searches can be. We previously had information that led us to believe that she was in Sedona, AZ.

So the search for "lost" classmates continues, for better or worse.

Our World is a Little Bit Smaller

Amid all the Facebook birthday wishes for Charlene DeShaw Norris came a jarring post from Charlene DeShaw Norris's family announcing her passing on May 5th of this year. Our world is a little bit smaller. With each passing our realization that time is moving on continues. All that remains permanent (at least so far) is our memories of a magical time. For me, the hours I spent in the orchestra pit for our high school musicals were some of the most rewarding and enjoyable of my high school career at WVHS. The friendships, the cameraderie, the oneness of the group will not easily be replaced in my affection. Farewell Char, and in the words of C. Tucker, may flights of angels sing thee to thy rest. I am sure I join with all the other folks from our high school production group in sending our deepest sympathies to Charlene's family.