Coming HOME after 13 Days..

We finally made it home on  Thursday August 29th around 5:30pm.  It took us 3 days from Oregon to get home and that's traveling 8-10 hours a day.  We were a LONG ways from home. We left Tillamook on Sunday after church. I was so amazed to see how much our little branch has grown. Its now a Ward and the church was full clear to the back of the cultural hall.  There were only a couple of people there that I knew- Sister Josi, (her grandson is now the Bishop) and Bob Spencer. 

That first day of traveling 10 hours, we made it as far as Susanville, CA. It was after 9pm and we were tired. Our second day we went as far as Las Vegas and stayed with Dave & Mary. We went out to eat with them and got to see where they live. We left early, around 7am to make the last leg of our journey home.  We stopped in Flagstaff to see Kari and the boys. Rivers was in school.

 We arrived home with my ice cream bucket of blackberries still in pretty good shape. A classmate, Devin Bowman, took the time to pick me a full bucket of blackberries!! How awesome is that!! 

 The Oregon peaches we bought at a little market didn't fair as well. I was able to freeze about 10 quart bags full. 

 LaVerl's garden had lots ready to pick!

 LaVerl even had a few little grapes on his vines!!

I can say it was so fun to go and travel around and visit with old friends and have a great time, but there's just "No place like Home!"

Class of '72 Reunion Pictures

I tried to take pictures of most everyone at the Saturday night dinner gathering. I think I missed a few, it was hard getting to everyone while I was trying to visit with others. So many that live right in Tillamook didn't come, so annoying!! We gathered at the Officers Club out at the Base. 

Here's a few of my "old" friends!  Susan Olds Dunn & Ed. Susan has been a friend since 6th grade!

 Sue Brantner & hubby. They got the 'married the longest' award! She came up to me and asked if I remembered her- I didn't. She told me that they lived up the street from us when we lived on the farm. The Brantners had lots of kids I remember- 7!! (Wow, that's how many I have!!)

 I had to tell Maryanne Stowers just how beautiful I thought she was! She looks so good with gray hair!! And Ty Mast still has his hair!

 Carol Jo Schelling & Fred Berkey, still married!  Fred is doing much better than the last time we saw them. 

 Jodene Smith and ? (someone's wife)

 Danny Rick Christy and Janelle Wall.

 Jeff Carr & wife- (sorry about her picture)

 The Holmgreen twins didn't graduate with us, but were in our class a few years. Chris came with his wife. 

 Eric Peterson is still milking 200 cows twice a day! 

 Dave Vanderzee had some health problems and the Dr. told him if he didn't quit smoking and drinking that he'd be dead in 6 months. He stopped smoking and drinking and started eating healthy. He lost 35 pounds and is doing great. He got up and spoke to all of us and told us that he's had to give 2 eulogy's this past year and it has changed his whole attitude about life. He is happy to be alive and making the most out of life!

 Mary Ellen Lewis left before I could talk to her, but she still has all her natural curly beautiful hair!! Jennifer Veek is still as bubbly and talkative as she ever was!

 Oh Chet Howlett, our class advisor. He's always so good to come! He said, "I'll see you in 5 years!"  I sure hope so.

 Lloyd Carver, he didn't graduate with us, but was a part of our class through the years.

 Ed Vecht taught school for years at Tillamook HS. 

 Debbie Schmitz- what we do without her!  She is the one that organizes all of our reunions. Ann Jepperson was very nice to talk to. She just lost her husband.

Steve Wynia was always so nice. Patrick Roberts stayed with him after the bonfire the first night. 

 Karen Schonbrod & Don.  LaVerl really like visiting with him.

 Karen Polette & Jeff Nelson, still married, had 2 boys and only have 1 grandchild. I won two awards 1- for having the most grandchildren-17!  and 2- for having the most recent grandchild!!

 Kim Stellflug & Bob and Rexann Underwood. Kim is just as sweet as I remember her in grade school. She told me she found Tanna Webber, a school mate when we were in 2nd grade!

 Pat Farr is still such a nice guy. Marvin Pangborn has lost all his curly black hair!! He traveled the farthest, coming from New Zealand where he has a ranch.

Valerie Yergen is another one that helps a lot to put these reunion on!

Pat, Steve Chambers and Lloyd. I didn't get a picture of Ken Bronson or Randy Lamkin. 

A group picture- some had already left at this point.

 We had 162 graduating Seniors in our class. So many more could be attending, where are they? 

MY CLASS REUNION! ITS BEEN 45 YEARS!

Friday evening was the bonfire out at Oceanside Beach.  It was great seeing my old friends again. We had quite a few come, maybe about 25 were there. We visited and tried to keep warm, if the wind hadn't have been blowing, it would've been nice. The sunset on the beach was beautiful. The moon reflecting on the ocean against the 3 capes was amazing.  I didn't get a picture because my camera died. I also missed getting more pictures of my friends!

Me, RexAnn Underwood & Cindy Blondo

How can you beat that for a beautiful sunset?

This is Eric Peterson, Dave Vanderzee and Janelle Wall.

Ed Vecht and Devin Bowman.

And our high school Advisor- Chet Howlett even came!  He's getting pretty old, but still able to come!

Eric, Steve Wynia, Jennifer Veek and Chris Holmgren. Him and his twin brother were in our class for only a year.

Patrick Roberts (he could only come for the one day, Karen Schonbrod & her husband Don.  He and LaVerl really hit if off. 

Jeff Carr and Jennifer Veek. She's still and talkative and bubbly as she was in high school. 

Cindy Blondo (her 99 year old mom died the day before this!) and Sue Lin, who was in the class under us. 

Susan Olds, Carol Jo Schelling, Karen Schronbrod, Patrick Roberts

This is about when my phone went dead, so I didn't get any more pictures!  Bummer!!

Saturday, August 26th we had time to do a few things. About 9am I went to help decorate the hall where the party was and got to visit with more of my old classmates. LaVerl spent some time in the Jacuzzi hot tub at the Shilo Inn where we were staying while I was gone. When I got back, we headed out to Cape Lookout Stake Park to hike the trail out to the end of the cape.  It is so beautiful its breath taking!

Its about a 2 hour hike, but we didn't have time to do much of it. We had to get back to the motel room so LaVerl could watch the BYU-Portland football game on TV.

I got a call from some of my school friends to meet them for lunch! Kelly Way, Claudia Blum, Jennifer Veek, Karen Polette, Karen Schonbrod, and Rexann Underwood were all there. 

It's amazing to me that we can pick up and talk to each other like we did 45 years earlier!  Fun times!