Summer 2002 - Sue Wright locates two more alumni from the class of '61... In July Kathy (Crowley) Kuper was located. She lives just north of San Diego. George Parton was located on the Military Brats site and lives in Massachusetts. George attended 7th, 8th & the first half of 9th grade at LAHS (Fall of '55 to early '58). Check the class directory for more information on both.
October/November 2002 - Sue (Harris) Wright brings two more home. Pat Rainford and Leann Johnson were officially located. Pat lives in Oregon and her address has been posted in the class directory. Leann lives in Ocean Springs, MS and can be reached at leannh@aol.com
November 2002 - Richard located Betty in San Diego, CA. Her address has been posted in the class directory and she can be reached at elvy@san.rr.com
November 2002 -
Sue makes another trip back to 'ole LAHS and visits with Sue Douglas, secretary and escort for the visit. (photo to right).
"Before I went this time, I emailed the principal to ask permission to visit the school. She was very cooperative and said they always like to have alumni come back. (On my previous trip, I was not allowed on base so I did this as a pre-emptive strike, and it worked.) "
Hallowed Halls of LAHS
David has worked in the World Bank since 1992 where he was an economic advisor to the Chief Economist until his recent retirement. Congratulations Dave!
Memories of Easter from Tirrenia days ...
A page from Sue (Harris) Wright's scrapbook
1958
(l-to-r) Sue's mother, Sue, & sister Gloria
Wednesday, April 23, 2003
No girls, lots of camaraderie among Livorno High's six seniors
By Kent Harris, Stars and Stripes
Stripes Sunday magazine, March 30, 2003
Members of the Livorno High School Class of 2003 conduct a fund-raising activity. From left: Bob Rios, Zak Maier, Sam Ayer, Adam Uddin and Chrstian Garcia. Kyle Johnson is not pictured.
Spring is just around the corner, and that means it's time for American high school students to think about the prom.
Choosing whom to go with could pose problems for many seniors, but not for those at Livorno High School on Camp Darby, Italy. There are six senior boys this year at the school. And not one single (or attached) senior girl.
"Sometimes we come to school just to see if we've gotten a senior girl [transferring in]," jokes Adam Uddin, the student body president.
No luck this year.
The class did grow by two seniors during the course of the school year. Zak Maier became a senior by compiling enough credits through summer classes. And Kyle Johnson transferred in from Louisiana in October.
Johnson, whose high school in the States had a student body that was several times Livorno's enrollment of 29, became a celebrity of sorts when he enrolled. And a target of suspicion.
"We heard you were in all AP [advanced placement] classes," Uddin confronted him at the time.
"What's AP?" was Johnson's response.
"Cool," said Maier, who liked that answer. It effectively meant that he still had class valedictorian spot locked up.
Patricia Coffey, the school's counselor, said it's been an interesting experience for the seniors this year. And not just because there aren't any girls.
"They're six guys, and they're all incredibly different in their own rights," she said.
"But they're all really accepting of each other. I've watched their personalities change a lot this year. All for the better."
The guys admit that they'd be unlikely to hang out together at larger schools. They have different interests. Some are more into sports than others, though at a school the size of Livorno, just about everyone needs to take the field for there to be a team.
Still, the school's boys basketball team had one of its most successful seasons, narrowly losing a couple of games in Aviano at the end of the year that could have sent it to the Division III European championship tournament in Germany.
And, to Christian Garcia's delight, the school will be able to field a soccer team this spring.
"We haven't had a soccer team here for a long time," Principal Cathy Magni said.
But it's taken some girls to help fill out a roster which was not the case when Garcia played on his American and German teams in Vilseck.
That proves there are some girls at the school. There are three in the seven-member junior class.
And now, thanks to an invitation from Vicenza High School, all those in both classes will have a chance to party at a prom with other people their ages. In early May, all six of the senior boys will make the three-hour trip to Vicenza to attend the dinner and dancing at the Villa Tachi.
Only one of them, Sammy Ayer, will be bringing a date (a junior from Livorno).
Ayer, acting on behalf of his classmates, offered to provide his cell phone number for this article in case any senior girls enrolled at other schools in Europe wanted to attend the prom with one of his Livorno classmates.
He's the only senior who says he doesn't think that having no girls in the class is a problem. Of course, he has to say that, his classmates say: "He's got a girlfriend."
Maier said they've met lots of students from other schools through sports, but added that it will be nice to see some other (female) faces in a social setting.
Classes at Livorno don't offer that kind of variety.
"Not only is it all guys, but it's the same guys," Maier said, trying to affect a look of chagrin.
That's led to a lack of debate in some of their classes. They laugh when recounting classes when female teachers took one side of an issue and met unanimous opposition.
"She doesn't even try anymore," Maier laughs, referring to one teacher.
Magni and Coffey said the school's small size allows teachers to provide a lot more individual instruction than they would get at larger places.
That's also got its drawbacks, Ayer jokes: "At my old school, they didn't know if I wasn't in class."
Being small doesn't mean there's no school spirit. Before the homecoming celebration, Uddin bragged he was going to take four Italian girls though he couldn't remember one of their names. "It's homecoming," he said. "I want to go out with a bang."
Recently most of the school was decked out in sleepwear as part of a theme day.
Bob Rios, wearing a robe over his underclothes, surprised his mother who wasn't aware of the dress theme when she came to pick him up at school.
"What did you wear to school?" she asked him with a shocked expression.
His classmates, sitting around a table for a group interview, found that hilarious.
"Since we're all males and there's a lack of girls, we're all one big family," said Uddin who is the only senior with a car and valid driver's license. The whole senior class can fit in his car for road trips.
"Looking at it now, I don't think I'd like to be in any other senior class. We're going to remember this forever."
It's sad but true... the graduating class of 2003 is comprised of only 6 boys and no girls. Learn more from the Stars & Stripes article >>>>>>>>
Pat Bowman visited his brother in Newtown, PA for a week during April. On Saturday, 4/26, Butch drove to PA and picked up Pat for a journey into NYC. On the way, a stop was made to join up with Diane Denmark ('64) who lives on Staten Island. From Staten Island we took the ferry to Manhattan where we hopped on the subway and headed to "Little Italy" for lunch. We had a great pizza at Lombardi's, the first licensed pizzeria in NYC (1905). Afterwards, it was back on the subway and up town to Times Square. From there we walked over to Radio City Music Hall, grabbed a photo op and then proceeded back to lower Manhattan where we boarded the ferry back to Staten Island. We had dinner at a local pub before saying good bye to Diane and heading back to PA. With one stop for coffee we made it back to Newtown by 9PM, exactly 12 hours (and 190 miles) after the trip began earlier that morning. It was a fun day! We missed Joe Auer as he was vacationing in Europe. Maybe next time, Joe.
Butch
Butch Ray, Diane Denmark, Pat Bowman
April 2003
Lombardi's Pizzeria, "Little Italy"
Radio City Music Hall
Click on icon to view 2003 Spring Newsletter
Year 2003 means many of us will be moving into another decade. It's hard to believe but, as youthful as we seem, we are getting older and are becoming eligible for discounts at the movies, restuarants and many other establishments.
Dave Ellerman turned 60 in April, Butch Ray and Pete Hobiger in May and Pat Snider in July. Are there others ready to fess up?
Pete got an unusual present for his 60th, a certificate for an Air Combat Flight. He will be going up with a qualified instructor and do some genuine WW2 dog fighting. Time and place will be early next year in Arizona. Take some pictures to share with us Pete.
Butch didn't get a flying certificate but he did get a surprise visit from Elvis. What was suppose to be a quiet dinner for two turned out to be a surpirse 60th party with close friends and a guest appearance from Elvis. Make no mistake about it, he is alive!
2003
Madelyn (Terrell) Horner and Pat Spencer met with Patti (Rainford) Snider in Oregon and spent a few days together. Sounds as though they had a good time but we have no pictures or details as yet.
Pat Spencer met with Leann (Johnson) Horrocks and her husband for lunch at a local eatery/watering hole, "Dock of the Bay", in Bay St. Louis (MS Gulf Coast). Pat promises to take her camera with her next time she meets up with an LAHS alumni.
May 3
Sue (Harris) Wright , JoJo (Turpin) Hentschel and Jim Trippett attended the Overseas Brats get together in Houston. There were over 30 people in attendance and it was really interesting according to Sue. She recommends it when one is in your area. The picture below shows them with OSB guru, Joe Condrill.
Be sure to check out personal websites from sidebar below.
Aug 5, 2003
Sue (Harris) Wright reports that our group photo and blurb from the reunion at San Juan Capistrano made the new issue of Overseas Brats!
Click on icon to view 2003 Summer Newsletter
June 2003
The Partons and the Wrights got together in Ogunquit, Maine, at the end of June for the "2nd annual Ogunquit/LAHS Mini Reunion.
Italia Reunion 2004
Date: October 3-10, 2004
November 2003 - Sue (Harris) Wright & Dub visited with Roy and Janet (Wells) Miller in LaGaude, France
Click on icon to learn more about rental ViIlas in Italy - Mimi Doan can help
Some of these villas hold four or five couples and we thought maybe someone out there would like to share. We know the renters very well and should be able to get a very good deal. The site is :
Our nephew, Mike, took this picture of us while visiting the locks in Seattle, WA. It was a very damp and gray day, but the picture turned out pretty good. I don't know how to do this with our camera yet, so I was happy to get this in an e-mail so I could share it. Enjoy... Madelyn :o)
Madelyn & Bill Horner
Scroll down this page to see what your fellow alumni have been up to lately and don't forget to submit your stories and pictures to share with others...
April 2004
Italy Reunion - 2004
Yo, you've marked you calendar for the 2004 LAHS Reunion at Camp Darby, but you don't yet know the details! This message isn't everything you need to know, but it's a start.
Here's what our 2004 LAHS Alumni Association President Joanna Nevadomski (LAHS 1969) has arranged so far for us. The 2004 LAHS Reunion begins officially on Sunday, October 3 and ends on Sunday October 10, with the exact agenda for the week to be published later.
Air travel will be arranged individually and no group travel is planned.
Arrangements are being made with both the Golf Hotel in Tirrenia and also with the Sea Pines Lodge on Camp Darby, so alumni may choose to stay on Post or in a four-star hotel in Tirrenia. Reunion events will probably be arranged both on Darby and in Tirrenia, and Special Service tours will also be arranged to all the old haunts such as Rome, Florence, Venice, wine tasting trips, etc, etc.
GRAND HOTEL GOLF
Tirrenia, Category: 4 Star
In the pine-woods by the Thirrenian Sea, in the middle of a centuries-old private two and half acre park, the Grand Hotel Golf stands near the seaside. Next to the Hotel, you can find the golf-course that, thanks to the mild climate, may be used through year. The Hotel has 77 rooms and 18 suites, all of them with bathroom and shower, balconies with wonderful view, air conditioning, color TV and telephone with the possibility of direct calls. The new comfortable and gracious furnishing makes your stay particularly pleasant. The excellent cooking offers typical local dishes, exquisite international foods and dietetic dishes are available. The Grand Hotel Golf, possesses particular amenities like the tennis court, the swimming pool and a private beach; you can also find spacious lounges, large dining rooms and well equipped lounges for meetings and conferences.
Arranged LAHS Rates at the GOLF:
Bed/Breakfast single room 68.00 Euros
Bed/Breakfast double room 96.00 Euros
Half/Board (breakfast/lunch) single room 88.00 Euros
The expansion rooms are about 5 years old - they were built as an "expansion" to the existing Sea Pines Lodge. That's why we call them expansion rooms. The private rooms are the Sea Pines Lodge rooms that are currently finishing their construction (they're brand new). They sleep 4 and include a small private patio/veranda with barbeque grill.
Expansion rooms (sleep 3)
$55 per night for the first 2 persons
$5 each additional person
Private rooms (sleep 4)
$65 per night for the first 2 persons
$5 each additional person
Sorry for the delay, but details on actually making your reservations at the Golf or the Sea Pines will follow later -- it's taking us a bit of time to shake that all out.
SECURITY CLEARENCE REQUIRED FOR DARBY
Ah, yes -- thanks to the terrorists security seems to be an increasingly intrusive part of our lives. So, to gain access to Darby we will need to fax part of our passports to Joanna for advance clearance. More on that later also.
-Harry
April 2004 - Mini reunion held at Claudette Herring's restaurant in Old Bridge, NJ
Elda (Herring) Eckles & sister Claudette Herring
Left Side: Pat Spencer, Eunice Auer & Patti (Rainford) Snider
Right Side: Joe Auer, Elda (Herring) Eckles, Butch Ray & Madelyn (Terrell) Horner
While in Dallas for our son's wedding, I met Dana Canter Margolis (class of 62) for lunch.
Last week we went to Charleston, SC, for 3 days and had dinner at Jestine's Kitchen with our favorite LAHS friends in Charleston, Susan (Tobin) Levan (class of 61) and her husband Jay.
March 2004 - Sue (Harris) Wright and husband, Dub visit some classmates
Sue and Dana above
Sue, Dub,Susan and Jay below
THE LAHS ITALIA REUNION 2004 IS JUST A FEW MONTHS AWAY!
The reunion dates are October 3-10, 2004, with the actual reunion reception scheduled for Monday evening October 4, 2004 at the Darby Community Club on Camp Darby. In addition, two day trips are planned through our friends at Camp Darby Special Services, and details of those trips will be announced later.
So if you are looking to book reservations at the Sea Pines Lodge on Camp Darby you can do so by calling 011-39-050-547225 or e-mail Mr. Fusco, the Lodging Manager www.fuscof(at)darby.setaf.army.mil or Mr. Mechur the Front Desk Manager www.mechurs(at)darby.setaf.army.mil. The expansion rooms are about 5 years old - they were built as an "expansion" to the existing Sea Pines Lodge. The private rooms are the Sea Pines Lodge rooms that are currently finishing their construction (they're brand new). They sleep 4 and include a small private patio/veranda with barbeque grill.
Rates for the Sea Pines Lodge:
Expansion rooms (sleep 3)
$55 per night for the first 2 persons
$5 each additional person
Private rooms (Newest Rooms - sleep 4)
$65 per night for the first 2 persons
$5 each additional person
If instead, you would like to stay at the Grand Hotel Golf in Tirrenia,you can make reservations with Fabio, Massimilliano or Federica by e-mail www.info(at)grandhotelgolf.it, or fax 0039-05032111 make sure you reference the LAHS reunion. The Grand Hotel Golf phone number is 0039-050957018. If you have any problems with making your reservations, please e-mail me at www.joannan(at)arcofburlington.org.
Although the base commander is gratious enough to sponsor the reunion group, we will still need to have security clearance. They recommend that I fax copies of attendees passports. So I am requesting that you fax a copy of the pages of your passport with the vital information, which in turn I can fax to Camp Darby prior to our arrival. Fax 856-764-6322.
Important Notice:No advance clearance, no Darby entry!
June 2004 - Another mini-reunion at Claudette's ristorante in Old Bridge, NJ, with three class years represented --
'64, '62, & '61
(l to r) Bill Eckles, David (Pam's husband), Butch Ray, Elda Eckles, Bert Hentschel, Pam Craig, JoJo Hentschel, Barbara Ray, Suzie Cohen & Dianne Denmark.
Click on photo to enlarge
July 2004 -The third annual Ogunquit, ME mini reunion of Sue (Harris) Wright and George Parton took place the weekend of July 10 - 11. Also "attending" were Sue's husband Dub and George's wife Diana.
The weekend weather was beautiful, clear and cool with low humidity. Among other things, we discussed what we wanted to do in Italy in October, took a long walk along the ocean on Ogunquit's Marginal Way and ate too much! The four of us never fail to have a good time together.
(l to r): Diana, Dub, Sue, George
Click on icon to learn more about what you can do to help support our troops
December 7, 2004
Hello Classmates,
I received my newsletter from the Military Brats Registry and was very pleased and impressed with the format this time. Marc has taken the time to list all kinds of donations to help our military during the Christmas season and year round. Please take a few minutes to read this list and see if there is anything you can do.
This edition of the Military Brats Registry News is dedicated to our troops and their families. I'll return to the "Every Brat Has a Story" theme in the next edition with more stories from those of you who have sent them in for all to read.
During the holiday rush, please take some time to look over the list of ways you can offer your support, and let them know that those of us who have had the honor of being part of a military family have not forgotten what it's like to have a father or mother who is serving our country away from home during the holidays.
Wherever you will be this season, I hope you have a wonderful time with friends and family!
The following list was compiled by Ron Ford of Instapundit. Please consider helping our troops and their families during the holiday season and all year round.
The Army and Air Force Exchange Services is where most servicemen and women do their shopping. You can purchase gift certificates for those in Iraq and those hospitalized.
The Fisher House Foundation donates comfort homes, built on the grounds of major military and VA medical centers. These homes enable family members to be close to a loved one during hospitalization for an unexpected illness, disease, or injury.
The Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund provides grants to the families of servicemen and women who died in Iraq. You can donate online, through mail or by calling a toll-free number.
Operation Air Conditioner provides not only air conditioners but space heaters (the desert is cold in the winter) for soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan.
You can donate your unused frequent flier miles to help soldiers travel on emergency leave. They are also used to help families fly to hospitalized soldiers.
Treats for Troops helps get you provide packages to your loved ones overseas. If you don't know anyone, the Foster-A-Soldier Program matches you with a registered soldier by branch of service, home state, gender, or birthday - or you can choose to sponsor a group of soldiers.
Voices From Home allows military members and their families and friends to send and receive immediate voice e-mail messages in remote locations around the world.
DOD Desides to Phase Out Livorno Unit School
Read Harry Heflin's summary then read DOD full text below
DOD's Full Statement
(PDF Formant) - Requires Adobe Reader to view
12/15/05 - DOD Revises LAHS School closing -- Grades 9-12 will remain open school year's 2006 thru 2007
Recap of the 2009reunion in Portland
Visit Foster-A-Soldier if you'd like to send a package, or just go shopping if you already know your soldier's address or TFT ID.
Italy Trip 2007
Updated - May 18, 2007
2007 Reunion Recap -
Check out the photos
Livorno Unit School Newsletter - March 2007
May 2007 - Madelyn Horner and her husband, Bill, just breezed by for a visit with Pat Spencer in Mississippi on their way back from California en route to their home in New Jersey.
2006 - Richard Callihan and Sandy visit with Harry Heflin and Connie in California and show off his latest toy -- a "Honda Golden Wing" motor bike. Richard drove his bike to the 2006 reunion in Sacramento, CA, but had to turn back on his attempt in 2005 to make it all the way to New Jersey for the reunion. Now that's a story in itself - ask him about it.
2006 - Girls meet in Williamsburg VA for a mini reunion.
(l-t-r) Elda Eckles, Pat Spencer, Sue Wright & Letitia Haworth
(l-t-r) Mimi Doan, Elda Eckles, Pat Spencer, Sue Wright & Rebbeca Perrine
March 2008 - Sue (Harris) Wright reports that Lynn Harris and Paul Young have been located and have been removed from the MIA list. She also says "I think that only leaves 10 missing from our class. Not bad considering we scattered, and the ones who are left have fairly common names: Johnson, Bennett, Watkins, Collins, Nichols, Davis, Cooper, Foster."
This year's reunion will be held in Charleston, SC
December 2008 - It's Official - Pat Spencer is retiring.
"I am retiring. Whoopee! The date is 12/23/08. I am excited but anxious! There will be occasional work after then until the boss makes a decision on who to hire in my place. I do mean occasional! So, please stop using my work email and begin using my home e-mail address."
October 2007 - Butch Ray moved to Las Cruces, New Mexico and had to give up his spot on the Swing Dance Team in New Jersey. After living in New Jersey for 23 years Butch finds retirement more enjoyable and relaxing in NM where he has traded dance routines for outdoor activities.
Click on picture to enlarge
December 2008 - Sue Wright reports: "Lynne Harris came by for a visit on her way to Port Lavaca. We hadn't seen each other since the summer of 1959 so there was a lot of catching up as well as reminiscing. Dub and I took her to dinner and then she spent the night. She was on her way the next day after 2 of Dub's special capuccino's."
April 17-18, 2009 - Iantha Adams Wessel, Elda Herring Eckles, Letitia Wells Haworth, Barbara Beachler Pons and Sue Harris Wright get together for a mini reunion at Elda's house.
(l-r) Iantha Adams Wessel, Sue Harris Wright, Pat Spencer, Barbara Beachler Pons, and Elda Herring Eckles
(l-r) Iantha Adams Wessel, Elda Herring Eckles, Letitia Wells Haworth and Sue Harris Wright
