Washburn High School...Class of 1958

Lynda Hamlin at Post Reunion Luncheon at Jan Hoppenstedt's

2013-09-06T13:54:00.000-07:00

Janice Hatling, Marion Peterson, Marlys Hansen

Who traveled the farthest: Lonnie Olson came from Sonoma, CA, Judy &

Joan Seng both hail from FL, but on different coasts. Judy is from Hollywood

& Joan is from Naples.

First person to have ever attended a reunion: Brian Swoffer. Hope you

return to many more.

Thanks,

Lynda

Charles Larson, 2013 Update

2013-09-04T13:41:00.000-07:00

Hi!

Charlie "Whitey" Larson here at my Antebellum Mansion (1846) with 14 rooms and an acre lot size, retired as Professor of Communication at Northern Illinois University (lost Orange Bowl last year). Had to miss REUNION.

HI to all & stop by some time.

612 South Main

Sycamore IL (on the way to Chicago).

Ralph Hoag, 2013 Reunion Update

2013-09-02T17:32:00.000-07:00

9th Grade Football, Can You Spot Ralph

Thanks to all the volunteers for putting together what will be a very memorable several days.

Claire and I gave serious consideration to coming to the Reunion. While it would be a wonderful experience filling in the gaps for many from the Washburn days, I am afraid with 50+ year of history for each of you that a couple days would not begin to be enough time. I am sorry that I have missed opportunities to maintain Washburn friendships over the years.

After the 50th Reunion, several of you from the Class of 1958 reached out to me. The timing was unfortunate as it was one of transition for us (selling and buying houses, moving, starting a new job, maintaining consulting activities). I could not be as fully responsive as I would have preferred. Your thoughts and background on classmates, the Reunion, etc. were greatly appreciated.

Claire and I are in excellent health living physically in Santa Rosa CA and mentally in wine country. I did not want to retire, seeking instead another learning experience. My "retirement" job is supporting a vineyard and winery in many ways. My primary responsibility is selling grapes and bulk wine for Windsor Oaks Vineyard and Winery in Windsor CA (just south of Healdsburg). On 250 acres, we produce about 1,000 tons of grapes, consisting of 18 varietals. Most grapes are sold to other wineries locally and around the country. Similarly, we make bulk wine on propose or process excess grapes into bulk wine. The bulk wine is again sold to other wineries for their wine programs. It is fun talking to winemakers about our vineyard and how our grapes will complement their wine style.

Claire is retired from every day teaching. She remains involved in educational programs for disadvantage kids. However, most of our free time is connecting with family on birthdays, holidays, and all kinds of special events as well as through travel and visits to a Tahoe cabin. We have two children and three grandchildren -- all in the San Francisco area.-- plus, many other relatives close by.

We are happy with our lives. I hope each of you can look back on your 55 years with fond memories too.

Ralph Hoag

Lynda Hamlin's Pictures at the 2013 Reunion Picnic

2013-08-24T11:01:00.000-07:00

Jeanne Anderson, Sandy Johnson, Ginny Etem, Linda Carlson, Joyce Huston

Bill Sando, husband of Jeanne Anderson, Steve Muehlberg

Judy Mannerberg and husband

Paul Johnson and Joan Eckberg

Lynda Hamlin and Darlene Valentine

Joan Freeberg, Joyce Huston, Jan Hoppenstedt, Betty Jensen

Marty Hogoboom, Lonnie Olson

Bob and Carolyn Nelson, our hosts

Celeste Carlson and grandson

Brad Frank and wife

Marty Hogoboom & Tim Moe

Sandy Johnson, Judy Mannerberg, Doug Jewson, Ben Leadholm and wife, Ruth

Lynda Hamlin, Sandy Johnson, Judy Mannerberg and Doug Jewson

Bob Hentges, by stone, in home

Don Casey, our president, Don's wife and Sandy Johnson

The Nelsons'" Stonehenge" overlooking their Lake Minnetonka property

Gary Lindgren, 2013 Update

2013-08-23T15:58:00.003-07:00

Sorry I was unable to attend the 55 year Washburn Reunion. In May I flew back to Minneapolis to attend the 50^th reunion for the University of Minnesota 1963 Engineering Class. In those days the engineering program was for 5 years. There was an all day program of tours, lunches, picnics, etc. on May 10. The conclusion that night was getting dressed up in cap and gowns and then we lead in the new graduates of the 2013 College of Science and Engineering Class. It was the old-timers leading the fresh new kids. The tours that day were insider ones into areas most will never see. The first one a complete tour of the new Gopher Stadium, all the way from the presidents suite to Gopher locker room and walking the tunnel where the football players run out on game days. This was quite an experience. Next was a so-called ‘hard-hat’ tour of Northrop Memorial Auditorium. It has been in an extensive remodeling process for several years and probably another 2 years to go. We all had to wear hard hats and watch every step.

In January 2010 my wife Carol and I went on a 3 week tour of the Antarctic region. We flew to Buenos Aires for an overnight stay and then a 3 hour flight to Ushuaia Argentina. Ushuaia is at the Southern tip of South America and then we boarded ship for the rest of the tour. Almost everyday there were 2 or 3 Zodiac landings on islands in the area to see the local flora and fauna. Sometimes we saw half a million Penguins in confined areas. Such a great experience. The weather was pretty good too, it’s their summer down there and the temperature ranged from the 50’s to maybe 30 degrees.

First stop was at Cargass Island, in the Falklands

Thousands and thousands of Penguins

Near Pleneau Island

Captain at the helm in a narrow straight

Treated to an orange juice cocktail for first landing on Antarctic continent

With more time available I got serious about my interest in seismology or the recording of earthquakes. I built a few seismometers and the most sensitive one records something almost every day. A few weeks ago I recorded a 6.2M earthquake almost halfway around the world. It was located in the South Sandwich Islands. Here is the latest seismograph, It is updated every 10 minutes.

Entirely different, I cleaned up an old Edison Player a couple weeks ago. If you're interested in antiques, check this out.

Brad Frank's Pictures at the Picnic

2008-08-23T11:36:00.000-07:00

Brad and Karin Larson
Joan Eckberg and Brad

Brad and Stanley Carlson Attemp - Wine Bottle Opening 101

Brad and Bob Bjorklund

Washburn 1958 Kids

Brad at the Picnic

Mike Abrahamson and Brad

Bill Nicklow and Brad with Norm Anderson (left rear)

Charlie Somers and Wife Gay, and Brad

View from the Picnic House

Brad Frank's Pictures at the Golf Outing

2008-08-23T11:23:00.000-07:00

Bill Nicklow, Grace Sjostrom, and Brad
Brad, Bill, Nicklow, Ben Leadholm, and Jeff Frommett

Brad Smacks One from the Tee
Brad, Jane Garven, and Tom Smith

Chris Makres Pictures at the Golf Outing

2008-07-28T20:37:00.000-07:00

Ann Wold's Pictures on the River Walk

2008-07-25T13:51:00.000-07:00

Charlie Hoag's Tour Group

Tim Moe's Pictures at the Dinner

2008-07-25T13:45:00.001-07:00

Tim Moe's Picture on the River Walk

2008-07-25T13:43:00.000-07:00

Phil Aved's Pictures at the Dinner

2008-07-25T11:19:00.000-07:00

Karen Rouse's Pictures at the Dinner

2008-07-25T11:08:00.000-07:00

Karen Rouse's Pictures on the River Walk

2008-07-25T10:59:00.000-07:00

The River Walk Event--A Short Video

2008-07-24T14:36:00.000-07:00

One of highlights of the memorable reunion weekend was the The Downtown River Walk Tour. I took a little video as we walked around. Just something to remember.

Washburn Reunion River Walk Event from Gary Lindgren on Vimeo

Lynda Hamlin Murray's Photos at the Dinner

2008-07-20T14:32:00.000-07:00

Sandy Jorgenson, Bob Iverson (Carole Johnsen's husband), Lynda Hamlin, and Joyce Huston

Joyce Huston, Janet Hoppenstedt, and Sandy Jorgenson

Lynda Hamlin, Sandy Jorgenson, Pat Paleen, Joan Freeberg, Joyce Huston, and Sandy Johnson

Lynda Hamlin & Sandy Johnson

Jeanne Anderson & Marion Peterson

Sandy Peterson & her husband Herb Knutsen

Linda Carlson & her husband John

Lynda Hamlin Murray's Photos at the Picnic

2008-07-20T12:39:00.000-07:00

Lynda Hamlin, Sandy Johnson. and Diane Salisbury

Sandy Johnson with Bob Nelson's Collection

More Bob Nelson's Collection

Steve Tanner and Judy Mannerberg Tanner

Barbara Wilhelm Godin and Husband

Tom Gruber's Photos at the Picnic

2008-07-12T11:13:00.000-07:00

Tom Gruber and Tim Moe

Bob Bjorkland, Rick Adams, and Tom Gruber

(seated) Bob Nelson, Steve Johnston, and Tom Gruber
(standing) Norm Anderson and ? tell me

Ricky Larson, Tom Gruber, Grace Sjostrom, and Pat Isensee

Ricky Larsen, ?, Grace Sjostrom, and Pat Isensee

Tom Gruber, ?, Grace Sjostrom, Ricky Larsen, and Stan Carlson

Tom Gruber's Photos at the Dinner

2008-07-12T11:00:00.000-07:00

Bill Nicklow and Karin Larson

Tom Moe, Stan Carlson, and Tom Gruber

Karen Rouse and Mimi Molander

Joan Eckberg, Polly Gruber, and Paul Johnson

Joan Eckberg and Paul Johnson

Judy Anderson and Grace Sjostrom

Polly Gruber and Dianne Stitz

Ruth Solheim, Dave Jackson, and Tom Gruber

Don Casey

Norm Anderson and Gary Stitz

Gary Lindgren's Pictures on the River Walk

2008-07-11T15:03:00.000-07:00

A big thank you to all those volunteers that made the 1958 Washburn Class reunion so successful. I attended 3 events, the Riverfront Tour, Evening Buffet Dinner, and the Sunday Picnic. The Riverfront Tour was my favorite event. Jim Hollenbeck really knows his Minnesota history and he has a very entertaining manner explaining the events and people of the day.

Here we are at DeLa Salle High School and Jim is telling us about the whore house that used to be across the street and where the girls would flash for the boys.

The Evening Buffet Dinner

Lots of casual conversation and good food.

Sunday Picnic at Bob and Carolyn Nelson's Home

Now you can add your reunion memories and pictures. Just add a comment or send the blog an e-mail with your text and pictures and I will add it.

Gary Lindgren

David W. Thomas

2008-06-17T15:09:00.000-07:00

I’ll start with the present and work backward.

Here I am in Palo Alto, CA, where I have lived for the last 38 years. Although I am officially retired, I have reverted to a previous love of pipe organs where I help with maintenance, tuning, and even construction, of pipe organs. And in addition, I am the book keeper for a pipe organ company. I have the privilege of being an assistant to all tuning and maintenance of the big renowned pipe organs of Stanford University.

That is all quite a change from my previous career, when I spent 31 years at SRI (formerly Stanford Research Institute) as director of their mass spectrometry lab, a specialty in the field of pharmaceutical chemistry.

Today I am also enjoying another summer of working in my vegetable garden, with tomatoes, green beans, peppers, zucchini, and lots of herbs. The last few years have been very frustrating, with squirrels which ate everything. I have no expectation that this year will be different, but I’ll just try again.

I don’t have any photos of myself at this present time, but I still have most of my (gray) hair, and a full beard.
I was in touch with our former teacher Bob Blackmur a few years ago, and we recalled our graduation theme “to thyne own self be true”. At the time I had some trouble understanding what that meant. But many years later I did indeed confront that message when I came out as “gay”, and had a 22 year relationship with my beloved Joseph, who unfortunately passed away in 1995.

And the past can be summarized briefly:

Most of you knew that I went to Swarthmore College, a small college of excellent reputation. It was there that that I really started my life. After that I went on to MIT for my PhD in chemistry and a year of post-doc, followed by a two year job with the French government near Paris, France. And then on to SRI in California.

And I would like to hear from anyone at my e-mail address: thomasdw at sbcglobal dot net
David Thomas

Bob Olson

2008-05-31T09:58:00.000-07:00

Bob Olson

e-mail: rolson25 at gmail dot com

phone: (952) 920-8327

After high school I went to Dartmouth College and roomed with Paul Johnson and Jim Hale. Later I attended Medical School at the University of Minnesota.
I was an intern in San Francisco during The Summer of Love (1968—when the first Hippies congregated in Golden Gate Park). I lived in Berkeley, grew a moustache, wore my hair long, and when I wasn’t on duty at the county hospital went to the Fillmore to see Janis Joplin, The Jefferson Airplane and Jimi Hendrix.
Returning to Minnesota and reality I was studying Internal Medicine at the University when I was summarily drafted and sent to Viet Nam’s Mekong Delta with the Navy’s Swift Boats and SEALS (I didn’t know John Kerry). There, when not triaging war casualties, curing VD and dealing with drug abuse I treated Vietnamese civilians—and actually had a small leprosy clinic.
Following Viet Nam I spent a year at the Naval Hospital in Oakland and I met my wife, Karen (a third generation San Franciscan). Jim Hale was an attendant at our wedding.
After returning to Minnesota to finish training at the University I took a position as Asst. Professor of Medicine at the University of Minnesota and Chief of Gastroenterology (stomachs and intestines) at Ramsey County Hospital—where Paul Johnson was Chief of Pulmonary Medicine. I was there for twenty-five years (serving as Chief of Staff) before semi-retiring (I take Friday off) in 2002. I now work at the outpatient clinic across from North Memorial Hospital, not far from my home near Cedar Lake.
My two daughters are grown and now live in California and Connecticut. I am an avid gardener, served as president of the Minneapolis Gardening Club, and edit a gardening magazine on Hostas (my specialty). I also enjoy cycling, the opera—where I see Rolf Svendson, and the Gopher wrestling team—where I don’t know anyone. If you are interested, I’d be eager to show you my garden and bore you with stories of Hosta Hunting in the mountainous wilderness of Japan.

1. Something that might surprise my classmates…
I gave up my Vikings seats for season tickets to the Opera.
2. Who knew that 50 years after graduation I would be the same weight as in high school (but the sand is moving rapidly to the bottom of my once hour glass figure).
3. I plan that in Act III I will write a book about Vietnam, edit a gardening magazine, hybridize perennial plants and spend a lot more time with my friends and family.
4. I have learned in the past 50 years there is a corollary to Tom Wolfe’s adage “you can never go home again”; it is “you can’t stand pat either”. You must constantly seek opportunities for new adventures—and enjoy the journey.

Gary Lindgren...50 Years Have Gone By So Fast

2008-04-24T14:05:00.000-07:00

Gary Lindgren
585 Lincoln Ave
Palo Alto CA 94301

gel at theconnection dot com

http://cymonsplace.blogspot.com/
http://www.blue-eagle-technologies.com/

After Washburn, it was 5 years at the University of Minnesota for an Electrical Engineering degree. Technical interest was in microwave and communication technology. Even back then in the early 60’s, the San Francisco Bay Area was a hot area for the microwave (not ovens) and communication area and so was my first pick. The first years I was working on high power microwave vacuum tubes. Twenty thousand volts and 100 kilowatts were typical. I wanted a change and got to work on solid-state devices with 10 volts and one watt output. This was much more fun. It was 21 years at Litton Industries, but I needed a change. Switched companies and also the work, and got into developing software applications for automated testing of microwave components. Changed companies again in 1994 and worked for Harris Corporation in Redwood Shores (all these companies are essentially in Silicon Valley). Again the work was in automated testing. These applications were much more sophisticated and were very interesting and rewarding to work on. In 2002, Harris decided to move most of the operation to North Carolina, I was out of a job, but a couple times did consulting for them. While on one of our vacations to Hawaii in the spring of 2004, I got the bug to start a company that would install Wi-Fi networks in homes and small businesses. It was fun going through the process to start a company, take the classes I needed to learn the technology and build a web site. Last fall while on vacation in Hawaii again, I concluded that in spite of advertising my services, that I would need to make many many cold calls and with my personality and at this point of my life, that would not be fun. So in December I shut down my services and changed the web site to information only on Wi-Fi security.
Twenty years ago, I met the love of my life. Dr. Carol Szymanski. One Friday night I noticed that my cat suddenly went blind. I saw my vet. the next day and he recommended I see a Veterinary Ophthalmologist in Menlo Park (next door town). I took the cat to Carol, the same day, and 3 days later, the cat could see again. Three weeks later we had our first date. We complement ourselves very well. Carol is the pessimist, I’m the optimist. We both love our animals, now we have 2 cats and 2 parakeets. The Big Island of Hawaii is our favorite vacation spot and like to stay in the town of Volcano, a very peaceful spot in the middle of a rain forest. I always seem to have lots of activities around the house and finally now have the time to build a seismometer and I’m also volunteering my time explaining the transition to digital television that is coming next February. This is going to be a Big Deal for those of us without cable or satellite service. We love the Palo Alto area. It is in the heart of Silicon Valley. I attend monthly professional meetings on internet security and new wireless technologies.

1. Something about me that might surprise my classmates is that I like to cook, develop new recipes, and then wash the dishes by hand. Forget the electric dishwasher.
2. Who knew that 50 years after graduation, I would be in the process of submitting an Amicus Curiae (friend of the Court) brief to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. A non-attorney with little legal knowledge, the process to learn and understand what the requirements to submit the brief has been very rewarding. The subject is the transition to digital television coming after February 17, 2009. The Community Broadcasters Association want to muck up the process by suing the Federal Communications Commission regarding the unavailability of particular DTV converter boxes. My brief will support the FCC.
3. After all those years in school and at work, Acts I and II of my life, I plan that in Act III I will continue to keep up with the technology world, keep my mind alert and probably stay in the Palo Alto area. When Carol and I travel we say, “what would it be like to live here”, so far we haven’t found that “other” ideal place. For Palo Alto, the weather great. In winter it can get down to freezing in December through March or even April, but that is only at night. During the day it gets up to the 50’s or 60’s. Summer is in the 70’s to 80’s most days. However no rain from May to October. Whatever your technical interest, there is someone close by to answer or ask questions. Extension classes are readily available from UC Berkeley or UC Santa Cruz and close by on just about any subject you can think of. Class catalogs are ½” thick.
4. If there is anything I have learned in the past 50 years, it is that I love to watch, learn, or go through the process. Whether it is watching a building being torn down, checking out a construction site, watch the workers at an In n’ Out fast serve restaurant, or submitting a legal brief, it is just fun and educational to see how it is done.

OK, I posted my story, how about yours. Just e-mail me your story and attach any digital photos. No worry about having the correct photo size, I have Photoshop and can modify to suitable image size. Any questions, just send an e-mail.

Gary Lindgren

A Big Thank You

2008-04-21T14:46:00.000-07:00

Last week I received my program for our Washburn's 50th reunion and it was most impressive. Congratulations and a big thank you to the Reunion Committee for all the hard work and looking forward to the celebration.
Gary Lindgren

gel at theconnection dot com

Anybody Have Pictures From Previous Reunions

2008-04-06T13:21:00.000-07:00

Please send me any pictures you have that I could post on this blog. If I get a few I can display a slide show here. Just attach your digital images to the e-mail by clicking 'View my complete profile' on the upper left and click 'Email'.