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!
 

Bonnie Goodstein (Weiner)

Then Then
Marital status: Divorced
Children: 2
Comment: Life has been a very interesting journey. I was married for 15 years and have 2 sons. I have 2 granddaughters and 1 grandson and a very large extended family, and lot's of life long friends.



I have been in jewelery and fashion for many years. My last retail job was a Bridal Consultant. I am now doing some elderly care giving. I have done a lot of volunteer work in my life. And my passion for the last 8 years has been working as a volunteer fundraiser for the Contra Costa County Crisis Center.



I have traveled during the years and hope to stay healthy to do more.



I now live in Rossmoor where I enjoy many activities, especially the swimming pools.



I still maintain " You have to take life with a sense of humor" 

Sandra Gorman (Lowery)

Then Then
Comment: I've been married to David since 1963. We have two sons and three grandsons; all are well and happy. There have been lots of ups and downs over the years, but things are great now. My husband was a DEA agent (now retired) and currently works part-time in the sheriffs department in our area. Katrina was devastating, but we survived, stronger than ever, although I hope we never go through anything like that again. For many years my main interest was tennis.  



For the next 50? To stay healthy and active! 

Linda Grau (Beck)

Then Then
Now Now
Marital status: Married
Children: 2
Occupation: businesswoman
Comment: The first 50 years were jam-packed with education, work and play.  I have a Lifetime Teaching Credential from San Francisco State (now University) tenure in two districts, Oakland and Orinda: experience owning a sole proprietor business, Abacus Personnel Agency '76-'82, partnering in Best Tel Inc. (besttel.net) to this day and enjoying the benefits of participation in Amway Global, SunRider, Enagic Inc. and LocalAdLink. 



My first husband, Bruce Greene and I were married for 10 years, unofficially separated for 6 years. Then, divorced.  My second husband, Wayne Grau and I have been married for  going on 28, tumultuous, happy, dynamic years.  We have two beautiful children, Tabor and David whose lives are unfolding before our eyes and they're doing fine!  Other than skiing and hiking, I'd have to say for a long time (ten years in the 90's) I was active politically, now retired.  The message I brought to city, county, state and conflicted Nation was "Reduce the size and cost of government."  If we can't do it, the picture is not bright for the U.S.A. 



Now, I am for all intents and purposes retired.  I dabble in a number of business enterprises, dream of moving to Uruguay, Punta del Este to be exact.  I am a grandmother-in-waiting.  And I yearn to hold the little nippers in my arms.  My husband and I occupy our leisure time  enjoying long walks with our Weimaraner, Hunter, and going to events  with friends.  Life is good, I agree. I'd enjoy an email from any of you before and after our Reunion weekend, Gala and picnic! Great fun is in the making!

Andrea Greyber (Cohen)

Then Then
Comment: 1. I think I remember in our senior English class, Mr. Harlow suggested a topic for an exam could be: Define the Universe briefly and give several examples. Well, fifty years is a good chunk of time. Here goes the take on my universe.  



I graduated Cal with a degree in History and a minor in English, worked briefly at the Oakland Main Library and then took off to travel in Europe. I took a couple of lessons at the Cordon Bleu, these were all in French and I am not sure if the sauce for the Rum Baba came out on top of the duck a l'orange, or vice versa.   



I came back to Oakland and married, then went back to Paris (to help the husband pack up his apartment); to London for the academic year; the Continent for the summer; and then more permanently to Denver.   



In Denver our three children were born. Elizabeth came along in 1967, followed by Robert in 1969 and then Daniel in 1971. We moved to Potomac, Maryland in 1972, a suburb of Washington, DC. While there I volunteered at our local library, pushed the county to build us a larger one. I was a swim team mom and did everything from making huge quantities of chili, organizing bagel breakfasts, to writing the weekly newsletters.   



I was also a showstopper mom and had a lot of fun dipping my toes back into the world of theater. I wrote a play with another mother of three (we locked the children outdoors but did feed them occasionally). I wrote another play for our synagogue and appeared in it; even had an essay published in The Washington Post and was paid for it.   



Did real estate for a while; worked at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial, before it was built and helped with the fundraising. I continued on in a patch quilt manner and did development work at a private school, taught junior high school aged children in religious school and lived to tell the tale. Finally, I went back to working in the library system where I did children's programming as well as working on the information desk. I retired from the library when we moved back to California in 2004.   



I now write the "Simchas" (happy occasions) column for the Jewish Community News of Silicon Valley. Our daughter, her husband and three boys live one mile away; one son lives in Seattle, with his bride and their puppy. Another son lives in LA with his wife and three sons. Finally our family is now all in the same time zone. The weather is certainly an improvement over the heat and cold of DC.     



2. I hope to continue to be healthy, enjoy my grandchildren and perhaps one-day get a granddaughter. I would like to continue writing, not just the column but some humourous essays as well.    

Beverly Groeniger (Cook)

Then Then
Now Now
Marital status: Married
Children: 3
Occupation: Accountant
Comment: Wow .. 50 years .. where has the time gone?  I am happy to be married to the same wonderful man, Mike, that I met at Oakland High so many years ago.  We just celebrated our 48th anniversary in Hawaii.  We have 3 beautiful children and 6 precious grandchildren who we see often.  We have been in Fremont for 48 years.  We have not mastered retirement  as we have a family businss that keeps us busy.  We do practice retirement by taking many trips each year to The Big Island where we have a second home and vacation rental properties.  We recently started fostering dogs needing special care for NorCal Golden Retriever Rescue.  Our two Goldens always welcome these recovering friends until they find their forever homes.  Life is good.

Paul Guess Jr.

Then Then
Comment: Oakland City College, two years

Married, Sheila Gallagher, Piedmont family, 1962

Three children, two sons, Don, John, and daughter Margaret. Six grandchildren, three boys and three girls.  



I joined Richmond Wholesale Meat Co., 1960. The company was founded in 1959 (www.richmondwholesale.net). I became Vice President in 1975 and part owner. I am still involved with the executive team of the future. I love the business, very competitive, and a great career. The founders are terrific people. We are like family, and expect a great deal of each other for success.  



We have lived in Lafayette since 1973 and now are the old folks of the neighborhood.  



I am looking forward to the Fifty Year Reunion, but I doubt anyone will recognize me.    

Millis Gwinn (Heacock)

Then Then
Comment: Please note: Deceased 8.23.14



1) My life has been a good one. I have four wonderful children, six grandchildren and one great grandson. My husband and I have been able to travel a bit in the last few year's and we are now enjoying our winter place in Arizona.  



2) For the next 50 I want to enjoy my family, friends and to stay healthy! 

Marian Halveston (Beck)

Then Then
Comment: After raising two girls, and restoring a Victorian, now is the time to relax and work in the garden and literally smell the roses.  This is after a career as a high school swim coach, banking, law (St. Mary’s Paralegal graduate), and real estate broker with my own company. My husband, Paul (of 20 years) and I have traveled to Europe, Egypt, Mexico, Caribbean and Alaska on cruises and taken road trips throughout the US. Now we have annual camping trips to Washington to visit with nine grandchildren and two great grandchildren. We have two grandchildren in the bay area. Reminiscent of high school summers we have a cabin in Rio Nido on the Russian River where we spend weekends.  



What are my plans for the next 50 years? With age comes wisdom and I’m waiting. 

Pamela Hancock (Lineaweaver)

Then Then
Comment: I was married for 20 years to the guy who took me to our senior ball. I have one son and two grandchildren.    



Until a few years ago, the Bay Area was home base where I especially enjoyed living at the top of Shepherd Canyon in the Oakland Hills and on Union Street, almost at the top of Russian Hill in San Francisco. I retired to a small town on the Oregon Coast reminiscent of the locale of all my childhood summers along the Russian River. 



If the next fifty years are as interesting as the last fifty, it will double this incredible journey! 

Ellis James Harlow

Then Then
Comment: Dear Class of '59,

I have been asked to say something about my professional life, especially after I knew many of you and was privileged to have many of you in class.  It is almost incomprehensible to me that you are retired now, or on the way to retirement. I have to say that at my age — 87  — in what some may consider the sunset of my life, but which I  consider the tunnel at the end of the light — I am not  particularly inclined to "look back," or at least not to look back  with any sense of all that I have done. As a teacher, I was fortunate enough to be able to touch the  lives of many — and that is all the sense of accomplishment I  need. But since I have been asked, let me try to encapsulate, by  topic? I’ll give it a try.



1) Personal:  born in Sacramento, California, September 16,  1922.  Survived the Great Depression and married in 1946. I had five children: two boys and three girls; there are three  surviving. My wife died early at the age of 64 from COPD. Since her death, my youngest son and I have been living  together, and he is a great help to me. I have eight  grandchildren and about a dozen great grandchildren and one  great granddaughter threatening to present me with a great- great-grandchild, which I will not accept.  I'm too damn old to raise any more kids. That is a job that is hard enough to do  when you're young!



My family and I traveled around the country, Canada and  Mexico and we had at least three extended stays in Europe, especially when I was doing advanced studies, and our home- base was Cork, Ireland. All my grandchildren are married and lead active lives, obviously, or I would not have so many great grandchildren . . .  they are scattered throughout the country, so I do not see  them often.



The girls consider marriage a career (oh well!) and  of the two boys, one works for Lexus Automobile Company,  the other is career Army and has just returned from his second  tour of duty in Iraq. He is attending Leadership School  somewhere in Georgia and is now destined for Afghanistan . . .  he is a single father with two boys to raise; their mother is Korean and remains in that country.



One daughter married an Arab boy, so I have grandchildren who  are half Arabic. Another daughter married a German boy who is  a Canadian citizen so I have in my children a kind of United  Nations and am probably under investigation by the CIA, which at 87 hardly scares the hell out of me. And to that organization  I have only this to offer, a paraphrase of an Army vulgarity,  which translates as: “May you be the recipient of a violent and  unsolicited sexual attack!”



Since my wife died so early, I never remarried, but did have a  relationship with a wonderful lady my age — through our 60's, 70's and 80's till her death . . . and I hardly need explain to you  youngsters what is implied in the word “relationship” — do I?    



Military: Joined the Army 1942, served in combat in Europe  with the 6th Armored Division (took part in the invasion at  Omaha Beach); I was later wounded in combat, but not too  seriously. Got out of the army in 1946 and was called back to  active duty 1951 for the Korean War. I spent most of the time  as a PR and Information officer. I retired (back into the Reserves) in 1951. My rank was that of  Captain. Combat in WW II baptized me as a Pacifist. The Korean  War saw my confirmation.



Professional:  UC Berkeley with a double major in English and  German; B.A. '48 and M.A. '55. My original intent was to go for a  PhD in Germanic Etymology, however the sudden arrival of  children and their continued arrivals (my wife was Irish  Catholic!) forced me to alter those plans, secure a secondary  teaching credential, and take a job in Oakland, first at  Claremont Jr. High, then Oakland High, where I stayed, or  remained affiliated with until retirement in 1983 due to my  wife's health.  



Teaching was a profession I enjoyed, in spite of the fact that it kept my family and me on the verge of starvation. I was not at  all happy to have to work six nights a week to augment that  pittance — in liquor stores and 7-11's — so I took to writing and  did quite well.



I had articles and short stories accepted here and there, then was relieved of teaching duties for a year sometime in the  early 50's to write LAND OF THE OAKS a history of Oakland  required for use in all — I believe — seventh grade classes. It  was quite a success, widely copied and led to other writing  projects. Somebody at Doubleday Publishers heard of it and contacted  me to write some history textbooks; they offered me a  lucrative contract, so I accepted, and by the late fifties I was  making three times more off royalties than I made as a  teacher. Doubleday (their Chicago subsidiary, Laidlaw Bros.)  then offered me a position as an editor, but nothing could  persuade me to live in Chicago (I just mean the weather!) so I  turned it down.



I also once got an offer to write scripts for a Hollywood TV production company, and did one script for "This is Your Life!" but nothing could persuade me to live in La-La- Land especially since they gave no firm long-term contract, so I turned that down too.



The financial security I then knew prompted me to continue  with my advanced studies for the doctorate, which I did at  UCB, University of Washington, Seattle and Stanford University.  I did advanced study at Stanford's campus in Germany in  1951/52 and intensive research at the University of Tübingen in  Germany, all in Germanic Etymology. 



Meanwhile I had begun to teach German at OHS and ended up  as head of the Foreign Language Department until my  retirement. I was associated with UCB as a supervisor in the  teacher-training program (Foreign Language) and involved in a  research program for some years, one called PEFL  (Performance Evaluation in Foreign Language); I also had a  position at Holy Names College in Oakland about this same  time. UCB offered me a contract as an instructor, which I would  have taken but it was too close to retirement with the Oakland  Public Schools and too late in life to start at the bottom of the  university academic scale. 



I do remember a great number of kids from your class, I mean, having had in class, but if many of you do not remember me it  may be because sometime in that period between '55-'59 I was  taken out of teaching twice, for an entire year, to work  downtown at the administration building on some writing  projects the superintendent wanted done, and once to write  another book on Oakland, so it's possible I missed a lot of you. My loss — you were a great class. 



I still write in retirement and do a limited amount of work (by computer) as a literary consultant — you write it, I will  evaluate it for a fee, or for a bigger fee, I will correct your  atrocious spelling, grammar and punctuation. And for what it  matters, I do what is described as a "humor column" in a  publication of the local chapter of the American Military  Officers' Association and I believe I am one of the few pacifists  in that organization and quite possibly the only one of my  political persuasion, but let's not get go there!



2) OMG! I did not mean to scribble that much! Did I leave  anything out? Oh, what I plan for the next fifty years.  At 87, I  am not planning a hell of a lot, but since my mother lived to 97  and most of the members of my family lived into their 90's — I  suppose I will be around for a while. My health is reasonably  good, and — most importantly — my mind is still clear and I  have no signs of dementia, but that is an opinion held by me  and all of my peers, some of whom are as nutty as fruitcakes,  well — at least those who hold to political beliefs that run  contrary to mine, they are simply loopy.  



If I could write my own obituary, it would be simply, I lived, I  died, I did the best I could. You expected something more  maybe?



Greetings to a wonderful class!      



Jim Harlow