Classmates

Hello, Classmates! We've been here for 10 years now... We would love to have you update your profiles to include any changes during this time. For those of you just joining us, please include answers to the following questions:

1. What would you like to tell us about your life over the past 60 years? High points, unusual experiences, travel, career(s), jail time, family, passions, regrets, etc.?

2. What are your plans for the next years of your lives?

Select the "Add Your Profile" button below. Fill in the info (NOTE: PLEASE TYPE YOUR COMMENTS DIRECTLY INTO THE COMMENTS BOX. DO NOT CUT AND PASTE FROM ANOTHER WORD PROCESSING PROGRAM) and please upload your favorite "Now" photo. We will upload your "Then" photo from the yearbook for you when we receive your information.

We're looking forward to hearing from all of you!
 

Virginia Darrow (Siegel)

Then Then
Comment: I graduated from San Francisco State University, and taught elementary school in Fremont, CA for 35 years where I specialized in programs for gifted and talented children. I've been retired 10 years. I married Lee, an architect, had 3 step children, 1 now deceased, 7 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren. We built a home in Alameda, where we still live. We've traveled widely, spent much time with family, pursued hobbies, charitable work, activities in many organizations and the Episcopal Church. I love theater, symphony, figure skating, baseball, gardening, and being outdoors. My 4 year old godson, William, is the light of my life, along with Maggie, who I have been mentoring for almost 4 years. I have been blessed with good health, great happiness, and many friends. I will say that my years at OHS remain great memories, and I feel so fortunate that the 50's were the years I was in school. They were really good years!



I plan to dance more, continue to sing loudly, explore uncharted spaces, run marathons, climb mountains, sail the seas and keep in touch with dear friends and family. 

Judith Dawson (Quinto)

Then Then
Comment: 1. Lowell and I saw each other for the second time at the Oakland High School Orientation for the 11th grade.  He looked so much better than the first time because the first time was in the summer, and he had been in a motorcycle accident.   Lowell had to have stitches on his head which made his forehead look swollen, and he was wearing a funny red and white hat with a red ball on top to hide the bumps and stitches.  I thought he was funny looking.   We were married on March 31, 1962 after being together for five years.  We have two daughters, three grandsons and one granddaughter.  



We are retired now from Dawson Floor Coverings, Inc. where we ran our business for forty years.  We leased our building to the family of Everett and Jones Ribs and Chicken Bar B Q.    We babysit for our two youngest grandsons. They like to play golf with Grandpa Lowell.  



2. We bought a motor home and plan on seeing more of the United States. We want to spend more time with family and friends. 

Lowell Dawson

Then Then
Comment: See Judith Quinto Dawson. 

Shirley Dickover (Hynes)

Then Then
Comment: 1) Life has been a real rush for me over these past 50 years! I have traveled all over Europe, the US and Mexico. I’ve lived in California, Virginia and for the past five years Arizona.  



I’ve raised two exceptional children into adulthood; both are married and live in California. My daughter has two fabulous daughters, seven and nine years old.    My career has been varied. I worked as a dental assistant for 11 years and then as a secretary in the Mt. Diablo School District. I have worked in retail for many years and ended my career as a mortgage processor for 17 years. I retired in 2004.   



I have been blessed with being able to play softball, pickle ball and cards. I have many wonderful friends where the sun shines more than 300 days a year! I have no regrets, life is good.  



2) As a Christian and when it is time, I will pass over into the loving arms of our Lord and will be reunited with many loved ones and special friends who have taken that route before me. 

Patricia Ann Lokelani Doerfler (Ryan)

Then Then
Children: 3
Comment: I was born in Hawaii after Pearl Harbor was attacked. It was blackout time and my father used a flashlight to get Mom to the hospital.    My father was a civilian working at Hickam AFB near Pearl Harbor, but because of me he missed the attack. Lucky! He was Irish-Hawaiian and my mother was Chinese-German-Hawaiian. I don't look Hawaiian nor Chinese, although I have an affinity for both. My mother kept us connected to our roots and prepared great Chinese meals. My father loved entertaining with Hawaiian Bar-b-que.  



In 1953, my family relocated to Oakland for better job opportunities; my parents moved back to Hawaii after I married.   



After OHS I attended college and worked part-time to afford a summer goodwill tour of Europe with the YMCA. We visited 17 countries in three months.  I've been in love with travel ever since.  I didn’t finish college when I returned because I met my husband, Carl, started a family and moved to northern California to begin a business.    



When the recession hit in the mid-70s we moved to Hawaii. We lived there 18 years. I finished college and started working in the tax and accounting industry. Our three children benefited from a wonderful life living and learning about their heritage.  In 1994 my husband’s job transferred us to Phoenix, Arizona, where we live today. We miss Hawaii but have adopted Arizona, its golf and southwestern cuisine, as home.   



Soon after moving to Arizona I was diagnosed with breast cancer. During my recovery I discovered healthy cooking, physical fitness and hiking. It turned my life around. Within two years of being diagnosed I was training for my first hike down the Grand Canyon. I have hiked there four times with groups of family and friends. Each time is a healing and spiritual experience for me.   



Currently hiking and photography supply references for my most enjoyable hobby as a watercolorist. Last year, 2008, I hiked the Yosemite High Sierra Camps trail. This year, in April of 2009 I hiked the ancient Inca trail to Machu Picchu in Peru.  



I enjoy all aspects of food and love to entertain with many different cuisines.  I treasure my cookbook collection (600+).  I also enjoy making jewelry for gifts and playing piano and golf for fun.  I’m happiest when my plans involve my three children and grandchildren. I am thankful my children grew to become kind and considerate people and enjoy cooking with their Mom. Gratefully, all are successful and fairly secure in their jobs during this economy.    

     

Priscilla Dunlap (Hacker)

Then Then
Now Now
Marital status: Married
Children: 3
Occupation: RN
Comment: Over the past 50 years: Registered nurse – Merritt Hospital School of Nursing Married to Dave Dunlap (class of 1960); 3 children, 4 grandchildren I traveled all thru Europe and most of U.S. I traveled to Australia, New Zealand, Egypt, Kenya safari, Japan, and China. Volunteered for Cystic Fibrosis and Women’s Shelter  



The next 50 years:   Continue to travel – Antarctica, Ireland, and India, for sure. Continue to volunteer for many organizations. Watch my grandchildren grow; enjoy my family and friends. Enjoy and entertain in my vacation home in Boulder Creek, CA Breathe in; breathe out … 

Warren Emerson

Then Then
Marital status: Married
Children: 1
Occupation: Retired
Comment: My life has been very simple. Nothing especially exciting has happened to me over the past 50 years.  I have not fallen from a plane without a parachute or taken on a wild boar single handed and un-armed.



I wasn't considered a very good student at O.H.S. because of being just short of having an undetected learning disabillity, oops dyslexia. After O.H.S., I attended Oakland City College for a year. Then I went to work for the Post Office for two years and then as a title examiner in the title insurance industry for 5 years while attending night school. I did finally get an A.A. degree in fire science after I realized I would receive educational incentive pay for the rest of  my career in the fire department. I ended up working for the San Jose Fire Department, retiring on disability in January 2004, after 36 years, 30 years as a captain.



I married classmate, Loretta Landucci in 1962, we separated in 1992 and divorced in 2004. From that union we had one daughter who has a masters in physiotherapy and she married a physical therapist. Between the two of them, they should be able to manage my old age minor ailments, except they moved to Texas in 2006. In 2001, I met Carole Neilson, class of 1961 O.H.S. We married in January 2004. Between the two of us we have 3 daughters, 4 grandsons and 1 granddaughter all of whom we enjoy immensely.



My hobbies have varied over the years. I have been boating and water skiing since 1961, and still have two boats, one for skiing and the other for cruising the Delta. I lived on Lake Anderson in Morgan Hill for 25 years then moved to Discovery Bay on the Delta in 1999, where I can have the boats right at my back door. 



In the 70's I was into dirt biking, but a head on collision ended that hobby very quickly. Then I took up having horses and trail riding with the family until my daughter graduated from Chico, where she was on the equestrian team. I had also taken up snow skiing, but that also came to a quick end in 1989, when I blew the A.C.L. in both knees in one fall. I now occasionally try to play golf, which is most frustrating, but a great outlet for whatever. Any day above the grass beats any day under the grass. Over the years the one thing I have learned, the hard way, your body does not always go where you mind wants it to go. 



In the future we plan to enjoy the grandkids, friends, and whatever journeys come into our lives.

Roger England

Then Then
Now Now
Marital status: Married
Children: 2
Occupation: retired estimator/project manager/director-engineering/design/build
Comment: After OHS, I worked for an electrical contractor as a truck driver and warehouseman. During this time, I applied for and was accepted into the Local Union 595 Electrician Apprentice program. I served my 4 year apprenticeship and became a journeyman electrician in 1964. I worked as a journeyman, foreman, general foreman, and shop superintendent for several years and was brought into the office as an estimator.


In 1966 I joined the Naval Air Reserve and specialized in antisubmarine warfare as a electronics technician, and later as an aircrewman in helicopters and aircrew training instructor. During my time on active duty and reserve time, I flew approximately 1,000 hours in helicopters as a crewman. Also during this period I briefly served on the aircraft carrier “USS Ticonderoga”. 


 






After returning from active duty I had a very successful career in the electrical industry as an estimator, project manager, branch manager, vice president, and director of engineering and design/build electrical construction before retiring in 2003. I also received a life time teaching credential and taught apprentice electricians part time at Chabot College for 20 years.. 


 


I have been married to Margaret (Wetteland) England OHS'62 since 1963 and we  have 2 wonderful daughters.


 


We have done some traveling which inlude many local trips and to other countries including Italy (twice), Croatia, Slovenia, Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzgovenia, France, Spain, Portugal, Hawaii several times and much of the continental U.S..


 


I enjoy sailing, classical music, chamber music, theater, woodworking, metal work, home improvement, and gardening.

Steve Engles

Then Then
Now Now
Marital status: Married
Children: 2
Occupation: Real Estate Investments
Comment: The first 50 years were easy---the next 50 won't be! BUT, I will try! 

After graduation I attended USC and graduated in 63.  Went immediately to work at NBC Burbank where I became responsible for obtaining the many different prizes (and zonks) for Lets Make A Deal, Truth or Consequences and other game shows on the network. This job became a deadend and I left to become a salesman for Metromedia Television in San Francisco. Transfer after transfer took my family to Chicago, Atlanta and NYC. My wife and two great kids learned to cope with new schools, neighborhoods, etc and in the process, the kids learned they could adjust to anything!



I was hired away from ABC TV/NYC to fix and manage a TV station in Rochester NY. From then on, I became a "fixer" of mismanaged TV stations.  Worked in Baltimore, Richmond, VA, Raleigh, NC and Kansas City during 80-90---fixing TV stations for owners who made money from their fixed stations. WOW, I thought.  If only I could buy a TV station! And lo and behold a TV station in Cape Girardeau, MO came up in bankrupcy court where I was testifying on behalf of my KC station.  We literally stopped the court proceeding and asked the Judge for a delay in determining the new owner.  If some of you remember, my father managed KNBR/SF and he always wanted to own a radio station.  Well, here was the chance to buy a TV station and we jumped thru MANY hoops (it took a year to fight off the other bidders) and bought the Fox affiliiate.  Yes, I DO know Rush Limbaugh, Cape's best known son---I even bought Rush's uncle's house!



The first TV station grew into Engles Communications, owner of 3 TV stations, four radio stations and a broadcast towers complex.   I managed the company from its inception in 90 with my father as my guiding light. We were HUGELY successful in making money--that I once gave to other owners!



I sold all the station assets by 2002 retaining the towers as vertical real estate properties. Then I went on a buying binge and bought many rental homes, built a 17 unit condo property in Studio City and continue today to buy homes as they emerge from foreclosure.



My wife, Susan and I have been married for 46 years (about 65% of my life) and we have lived in paradise, Santa Barbara for 16 years.



Life for me has been one successful run after another----some of it luck, most of it from hard work, determination and a "don't ever quit" attitude.  I'd like to think that I got some of these traits from being a kid growing up in Oakland---



The next 50 years have already started---bring them on!



Well, here we are at 60 years after OHS.......... who would have thought!  Being late 70s isn't so bad after all!  Since I can't be at the reunion (decided to have a scheduled back procedure after postponing it) I WILL see everyone at the 65th!  Stay healthy everyone!

Linda Ferris (Clifford)

Then Then
Comment:
1) Has it really been 50 years?

 

We have one wonderful son and three super grandsons. 

 

I have spent 25 years working for the local school district and love all, except the last few years when budget cuts were crushing California. I am now retired and loving that also! I have rejoined the local Women’s Club and thoroughly enjoy the community service aspect. 

 

Life is good, but I regret not keeping in touch with my former OHS classmates. I may not be able to attend the reunion but wish you all much fun and happiness. 

 

2) I plan to enjoy watching my grandsons grow-up and to be with my mom, who is 91, but don’t tell her I told you so! And there may be a bit more travel, but only in the US.