Site hosted by Angelfire.com: Build your free website today!
BULLETIN BOARD



In Memory of Jenny



We added a message board where members can post. Go to the PSHS '81 Message Board

August 17, 2004

We have started a new listserv for the class at Yahoo! Groups. If you were ever part of the PSHS Class of '81 and want to join the listserv, here you go!
Click here to join PSHSBulldogs81
Click to join PSHSBulldogs81


August 17, 2004

Our friend and classmate Danny Rydarowicz (now Daniel Kasaris) is a prosecutor in Cuyahoga County. One of his cases was the season premier for the new ABC show, "In the Jury Room." Typically a one-hour show, the premier ran over 2 nights for a total of 2 hours, Danny's case being the subject of both hours. It was very interesting, and I hope those of you on our mailing list were able to catch it!

Congratulations, Danny!


June 28, 2003

Cindy's school raised $12,400.00 for Relay for Life!!!!! She said that is quite an accomplishment for a small elementary school. She thanks everyone who donated money to Relay for Life in Jenny's memory. Thank you, Cindy, for continuing to show Jen's family how much we all loved her and miss her.



May 2003
Please make a donation in Jenny's memory.

Relay for Life is sponsored by the American Cancer Society. Cindy (Williams) Macomber is seeking donations made in Jenny's memory for this year's Relay for Life in Williamsburg, Virginia. The deadline for donations is May 31, so PLEASE HURRY!! The suggested donation for a luminaria is $10 (but I know they will gladly accept more!) Please email Cindy for more information or send her a check directly at

Cindy Macomber
5 Hempstead Court
Williamsburg, Virginia
23188



Donate to the Poland Band Scholarship Fund in Mr. Don Stimple's honor. Mr. Stimple is retiring this year, and donations are asked to commemorate his time in the Poland Schools.



June 2001 February 2001 Bulldogs State Champs! December 1999 November 1999 August 1999 June 1999 December 1998 November 1998 August 1998


June 28, 2001
I have a lot to write about my visit to Poland and Lisa's wedding, and I just got the pictures back. So I'll take care of all that later. Right now I am going to write about my recent reunion experience.

Yuck!

As most of you know, I moved away before graduation, spending junior and senior year in a land and culture far, far away. Well, it seemed so, anyhow! LOL So, the reunion for that school was this past weekend, and I had to email you all and let you know how much I value the PSHS class of '81.

A few of our Poland classmates have said they have no interest in a reunion, and after this weekend, I can start to understand why. If the weekend I experienced is what they predict for a PSHS '81 reunion, there would be no reason to attend. It was awful. The biggest problem for me was that my closest friends didn't go to the reunion. So I saw people that I hadn't seen in 10 years (since the 10-year reunion, which I really enjoyed), said hi, and that was it. No one attempted to visit with people (there were quite a few) who were sitting alone. Fortunately, I had one good friend and a couple other pretty good friends there and didn't feel totally isolated like some of them appeared to. I even tried to talk to a couple of them that I knew or recognized, but they weren't very receptive.

And talk about cliques! Boy oh boy! They outdo us in that department. It was really embarrassing to be a part of that. I mean, people didn't speak to others that weren't in their little group, whether it was an "elite" group or a lesser one. Of course, there were exceptions, but for the most part, these people seemed to be exactly the same as high school. It was sickening! As my niece likes to say, "Puke on my shoes!"

I met one girl from my class that I really don't remember, and we visited with her and her husband (who, coincidentally, graduated with my husband, same school, 6 years ahead of us.) We had a really nice time, and we plan to keep in touch now. Other than that, nothing pleasant came of the reunion.

I am so glad the Poland reunions are different! At the PSHS reunions so far, I have found everyone mixing and enjoying each other. I hope that no one has felt left out. I would feel terrible if I knew we had a classmate who went home with the feelings I brought home with me this weekend. Part of the good thing about Poland is that we all went to school together from 5th grade on. And we went from kindergarten up with 1/3 of the class. And, being a fairly small class, we knew pretty much everyone. We have a horrible reputation among other classes in Poland. They say how clique-ish we were and that we weren't friendly to each other. I'm sure there were some who could only be concerned with their little group, but I personally didn't witness a whole lot of that. And at the reunions, I saw no evidence of it. Sure, people sat with and visited the most with people they were good friends with. But everyone danced and visited and laughed and reminisced together. After the last reunion, we went to continue the party at a second location (after Paonessa's had had enough of us!) And after everything closed down there, a number of us went to breakfast together. We got home at 5:30 a.m., if I remember correctly. It was a blast, and most of the people at breakfast weren't people I "hung out" with.

I want everyone to go to the next reunion and experience what I have at our Poland reunions. I can not name a single classmate that I wouldn't be glad to see again. (Well, that might be stretching it! haha) If everyone contacted their closest friends and said, "Go to the reunion!", it would be a roaring success for everyone. Who cares if you have changed since high school? Haven't we all? (Well, haven't we most?) People have stayed single, gotten divorced, gained weight, lost weight, had kids, remained childless, gone to college (some more than others!), found a trade, become stay-at-home moms, stayed in Poland (or the general area), moved north, south, east, or west - - there will be people there with whom you have something in common. Let's make this reunion a huge success, and give me the opportunity to blow raspberries at that "other" alma mater that I don't like to claim!
Back to top


February 28, 2001
I posted Connie's picture. If you are a classmate and would like to see Jenny's daughter, please email the '81 Pagemaster for the link.

February 13, 2001
I have been really, really bad about keeping this page up. I apologize. Hopefully now that the house is habitable (albeit not complete), I'll have more time to dedicate to this. I think it's really important, and I'm always happy for the emails I get from people who appreciate it.

First and foremost, let me ask everyone to convey their sympathies to two of our classmates who have recently experienced the death of a loved one. Becky Stroup Geltz lost her sister, Nancy, on Feb. 11, and Paula Bilas Lidle just lost her father on Feb. 9. Some of you might remember Nan. She was two years ahead of us at school. She died from Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome either caused by rheumatoid arthritis medication or a severe case of influenza complicated by the RA medication. I do not have details on Mr. Bilas' death. Please keep both families in your prayers. If anyone would like to send condolences, that would be a very nice gesture. If you are a classmate, you can contact the Pagemaster for their mailing information or send an email via that same route.

Mrs. Rumberg and I continue to correspond. She seems to be doing quite well and is keeping very busy. She and Connie (Jen's daughter) take ballet together, which I think is wonderful! Connie looks just like Jenny. I hope to post her most recent picture in the next couple of days.

I got a great email from Charlie Guiraud in the fall. It is always wonderful to hear from classmates and old friends. Charlie and his family live on a lake in North Carolina, and the setting sounds idyllic! He lives close to Elmer Boda and his family, and it sounds like they get together fairly often. When he wrote me, Charlie said they'd just had a Jimmy Buffet party and ate cheeseburgers in paradise. Hey, doesn't someone want to move to my historic little town in the balmy south and have Jimmy Buffet parties with me? Let me know, and I'll keep an eye out for prime real estate! (I think Anne Stark would be on the next plane if she had the chance!)

I also got a nice email from Bart Raub. I'm happy to report that Bart's business, Total Team Wares, is doing great. It's one of the top distributors of competitive swimwear and equipment in the country. Does that surprise anyone? Not me! He got married to Amy in December of '99 and sounds very happy with his new family, which includes a 10-year-old stepdaughter.

I also heard from Todd Terihay. He is getting ready to move into a new house, so anyone who has lost contact can email me to get his new address, effective March 1, last I heard. His daughter is in 1st grade, but I blew him out of the water when he found out my son is in 9th! LOL Don't know which is worse...

Sherry Hartman found me, too. She emailed me a while back and gave me her new info, which you can find on the UPDATES page. She is living in Ft. Lauderdale now (lots of our classmates in sunnier climes than "home"!) If you're in Florida, Sherry would love to hear from you. Actually, it sounds like she'd be happy to hear from any of us, of course, but it would be fun to possibly catch up in person if you live nearby. Drop her an email! There are quite a few of you there!

I heard from Danny Kasaris, formerly Danny Rydarowicz. He is an Assistant Cuyahoga County Prosecutor in the White Collar Crime Unit. He said he is, and this is a direct cut-and-paste from his email, "handling all types of cases from rapes, murders, militia, doctor, nurses theives and in general major bad guys." Go, Danny!

I am sure I missed someone or something important. I apologize! I'm just trying to get some quick news in here so that the page doesn't continue to stagnate! If you have something you want me to post, just email me. The link is all over the place! Looking forward to hearing from more of you! Bye for now! ~your pagemaster
Back to top


BULLDOGS STATE CHAMPS!!!!


1999 Division III State Champion

15-0 Season Record - - New Ohio State Record!

Back to top

December 8, 1999
You know, I really feel like most of our classmates are missing out on something great. This has all been such a wonderful experience for me. A few of my close friends have teased me about doing all this, especially since I moved before graduation. But Poland is my home. I grew up there. My foundation is there. All my fondest childhood memories are there. But this stuff I'm doing, whatever it's called, has been rewarding. I keep getting kind or encouraging or thankful notes (or all the above in one!) from classmates and even from other PSHS alumni. So many people seem to appreciate a connection of some sort. Thank you to all of you who have taken the time to write me notes and let me know what's up with you, that you appreciate my efforts, whatever. I love to hear from all of you.

December 6, 1999
I heard from Leslie Viczay (Ms. Frew) Saturday morning, tidings of joy about the Bulldogs' incredible season. I had been following the season through the PSHS site, but I had not realized it had gone so far! And I certainly had not yet heard that we won the State Championship! Les said that Trolio's had the silkscreens ready and began printing shirts as soon as the final score was announced. She said it was pretty funny seeing lines of people at Trolio's at 8:00 on a Friday night. I might have been one of them. :) Luckily for me, Leslie is sending me my sweatshirt as well as a tape of the game and the front page of the Vindicator! I can't wait! What a friend!
Back to top


Late November, 1999
Well, we're back from our annual Thanksgiving beach trip, and we saw Mrs. Preston again. We almost did not, thanks to my mother's scatterbrain and the phone company's incompetency. Mrs. P called my mom several weeks ahead of time to tell her she wanted us to come to her house while we were in Florida. Mother said she'd call back and finalize the plans after she confirmed that it was ok with me (which, naturally, it was). Unbeknownst to me, she never called Mrs. Preston back, and she lost her phone number. So we're in Florida, and my mom says, "Why don't you call Shirley and see if the plans are still on?" I said, "OK. Give me her number." Mother looks at me with this blank expression on her face and says, "Don't you have it?" "NNNNOOOOO. I wasn't told to bring it." Of course, she tried the typical parental, "But I told you to bring it..." blathering, but she couldn't help smiling part way through when she knew she had never told me any such thing. Normally, it wouldn't have been a big problem. I take my address file with me often when I travel, and I had planned on starting my Christmas cards while I was there. Unfortunately, when I stacked up all the stuff to be loaded into the car, the file and Christmas cards didn't look very important to my extremely wonderful husband, so we were without information! (Notice here that nothing in this whole scenario is my fault! hee hee) Anyhow, I called the phone company for information, and they said there was no Shirley Preston listed. So we called for Lisa, Phil's sister, with whom Mrs. Preston shares a house. Yes, they had a number for her! We called and left a couple of messages on a machine but never heard from them. Thinking perhaps they had given us a wrong number, Charlie (my step-father) called information again. They had no listing for Lisa. What number did they give me the first time?! So I had to call information to get Phil's number. Fortunately, he was home. After spending $10 on a 5-minute call to get his mother's number, my mom called to say that Charlie had gotten the number from the front desk of our hotel. It was in the phone book. I am very unimpressed with the calibre of people hired by the phone company right now! All's well that ends well, though, because we had a wonderful afternoon with Mrs. Preston and Lisa, and we got to meet Lisa's boyfriend, Loring. The food was delicious, the company was even better, and it was another great Thanksgiving vacation.

By the way, I have a typical Phil story to impart. He cracks me up; always has. I told him my daughter was asking if he and Sharon had any babies yet. So before we hung up, I said, "Well, let me know if any great, exciting news comes along." He said it wasn't likely anytime soon. Then he lowered his voice and said, "I was just reading something recently, and you know," then he acted very conspiratorial and whispered, "You have to have SEX to get a baby!" Good to know some things never change. Thanks for the laugh, Phil!
Back to top


August 24, 1999
I heard from Mrs. Rumberg a few days ago. Again, if you would take the time to write her, I think it would mean the world to her. She still misses Jen very much, and I think it helps her to know that we are still thinking of her. She was grateful for my letter, and she said how sad she is every day for missing Jenny. Don't forget that Connie's (Jenny's daughter) birthday is coming up in a couple of weeks (September 5). The other news from Mrs. Rumberg is that Susan, Jenny and Charlie's older sister, had a baby boy in April.
Back to top


June 22, 1999
I have spent the past couple of weeks tending to my Daddy in S. Florida. He had emergency abdominal surgery and is recovering slowly but surely. I was there to care for him for a while. For those of you who knew of the situation, thank you for your prayers and concern.

When I returned home, I had an email from Becky Stroup Geltz. Elaine Shurilla Lewis lost her father the first week in June. Please send Elaine a sympathy card (via 81 Pagemaster if you don't have her email address) and let her know we're thinking of her. This is particularly sad as Mr. Shurilla had just retired. He and Mrs. Shurilla were planning on spending the summer with Elaine because, as you know from the Updates page, Elaine and her husband, Brad, are expecting their first child soon. Naturally, I'll let you know as soon as I hear anything about the new baby! Bec, thanks for keeping me updated.

I heard from Cindy Williams Macomber. She sounds like the same friendly, wonderful, upbeat person she always was, and I'm so glad to be in touch with her again. She is a mommy and an elementary school teacher in Virginia. She had compliments about the web site. Just like Cindy to work in something to make me feel good, isn't it? Thanks, Cindy.

Waiting for news from anyone else! Until then ~81 Pagemaster
Back to top


December 2, 1998
I saw Mrs. Preston last weekend. I was in Florida with my family for our annual Thanksgiving beach trip, and we met Mrs. Preston for a long lunch one day. We had a nice visit, discussing family, old times, politics, sex (guess that was redundant,) and other topics. My mother had a Long Island Tea and was an absolute blast the rest of the afternoon! Didn't see Phil and Sharon; they were with Sharon's family this year.
Back to top


November 30, 1998
Mrs. Rumberg wrote again. She sounds like she is sad but is trying to get on with things. She sent me a copy of the picture that Anne had scanned for me. I'm going to put it at my desk along with the pictures of Jenny and Walter and Connie. Mrs. Rumberg said again how grateful she was for the support she felt from all of us during Jenny's illness. Try to drop her a line if you haven't already. Her address and Charlie's are both on this page; scroll down.

early November
Anne Stark's husband, Jerry, scanned a copy of the Rumbergs' family picture taken probably this summer. It is a wonderful picture of the whole family. They are such an attractive group and seem to only improve with age. Those of you with email who would like a copy can email me, and I'll send you the file. I won't post it on the internet.

I got a touching note from Charlie today (October 30) along with a copy of Jenny's eulogy. I'm writing to him to see if he would mind having it posted here for a while on the page we've dedicated to Jen. He did a fine job on the eulogy and certainly captured Jenny in his words and memories.

I got 2 notes from Mrs. Rumberg and a note from Mrs. Williams (Doug's mom) shortly after the funeral. They both sent me the clipping about Jenny from the newspaper. There she is, dimples and all, smiling out at me like always. Weren't we lucky to have her? She was one-of-a-kind, and I know so many of us are thankful that we knew her, laughed with her, loved her.


Nothing new to post. If you have time, drop Mrs. Rumberg and/or Charlie a note to let them know they're still in your thoughts.

Mr. and Mrs. Rumberg
7308 Indian Trail
Poland, Ohio 44514

Mr. Charlie Rumberg
36 College St.
Poland, Ohio 44514


*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Back to top


August 1998 Phil Preston's wedding (to Sharon Marie Russell) on Saturday, August 8, 1998, was lovely. The people we would all be familiar with who attended are:

Jeff ('81) and Julie Cotton ('82) Deichert
Rob Ingersoll ('80) and his wife, Jenn
Dana ('81) and Jean Sutton; Dana, a Presbyterian minister, was co-officiant of the wedding.
Doug Williams (usher)
Mr. and Mrs. Williams and Mr. and Mrs. Ingersoll also attended.

For those of you who weren't aware of it, Mr. Preston passed away a few years ago. Mrs. Preston gave Phil his father's ring. She said it worked for them for about 45 years, and it wasn't doing anyone any good sitting in a drawer. I thought that was a lovely way to have Mr. Preston included in the ceremony. The flowers on the altar were also dedicated to his memory.

Dana's sermon was wonderful. He talked about the way things are "s'posedta" be. It was very touching, looking at Dana there, and Phil by his bride, and all the childhood friends in the congregation. Oh, O.K., I cried. But that's what I DO at weddings!! Hey, I only had to use a small part of one tissue!

The reception was a lot of fun. My children enjoyed it immensely! This was my daughter's first wedding to attend. She was dancing with her daddy and said, "I never knew weddings were so wild! It was pretty fancy and quiet until now!" She's 9, so weddings are glamorous, magical things to her now!

Doug Williams caught the garter. Mrs. Williams was glad; she's ready for her boy to be married, I think! I didn't ask his date, Andrea, how she felt about it, but I'd venture to guess she wouldn't mind. She was really darling. Very pretty, tall, slim blonde. And young. Well, I liked her, anyway!

We had a delicious sit-down supper. We had a shrimp salad, rolls, and an appetizer (I'm sorry, Sharon, I can't remember what it was! I had too much fun!) Supper was Chicken Florentine, and it was fabulous. The bride and her mother did a magnificent job. Of course, we had wedding cake for dessert! What else?!

The music was provided by a DJ, who played a huge variety, mostly our era, though, which made Julie, Jean, and me very happy! (Yes, "me" is the correct pronoun there. Trust me.) We had some disco, which made all the men roll their eyes and made the women dance! It was kind of like Junior High again, all the girls dancing and the guys watching! We had a great time, though, and the guys did dance with us on slow songs. (Just like PJHS!!)

The party broke up at 1:30 a.m. Most of the Poland gang went upstairs to their hotel rooms to continue the party together. Tom and I got back to his cousin's, where we were spending the weekend. We had a family reunion to attend the next day and had two very tired, albeit happy, children on our hands! I don't think they got off the dance floor once, and they fought leaving. Elizabeth cried when we left because she was having so much fun!

I guess I didn't describe Sharon's dress, but I couldn't do it justice. It was a white silk, simple and elegant. She wore a short veil, maybe waist length, and no blusher veil. She was absolutely beaming the entire night. She did not stop smiling once during the ceremony. Phil looked handsome in his tux. I think men should have to wear a tuxedo weekly. It does something for them. Anyhow, I got to talk to Phil before the ceremony while he was waiting in the back for everything to get started. He said he wasn't nervous about anything other than hoping that all went smoothly. That's a nice quality in a groom!! Phil's brother, George, was best man, and Sharon's brother was a groomsman. Sharon's cousin was the maid of honor, and Phil's sister, Lisa, was a bridesmaid. One of Sharon's uncles (or cousin? I'll check on that.) sang during the ceremony. Phil's nieces greeted guests and attended the guest book, and several other relatives took part in similar ways. It was a wedding of a large, loving family.
Back to top


UPDATES

2001: A Reunion



John's Background Page