Class of '66 classmate Paul Higbee has passed away

 From the Jamestown Post Journal

Paul M. Higbee, a lifelong Busti resident, passed away Friday, June 13, 2025 at the Star Hospice House in Lakewood.

He was born in Jamestown on Jan. 19, 1948, a son of the late Raymond M. and Shirley May Burns Higbee and graduated from Southwestern Central High School.

Paul was very proud of his more than 20 years as a mechanic for Jamestown Industrial Trucks. He was an avid car fanatic who enjoyed building hot rods and spent many happy years racing cars at Stateline Speedway.

Surviving is a daughter, Bridgette (David) Winters of Jamestown; two sons, Michael (Kara) Higbee of Busti and Shawn (Marianne) Higbee of California; six grandchildren: Tyler and Dylan Higbee, Taylor and Lucas Higbee, and June and Huxley Winters; and two brothers, Charles and Donald Higbee.

Besides his parents, Paul was preceded in death by his wife, Rosemary Buzard Higbee whom he married Apr. 3, 1970 and who died this past Apr. 28th.

The family will receive friends from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, June 22nd in the Lind Funeral Home.

No formal service will be observed; however, a time of family sharing will take place near the end of the visitation. To share your condolences, please visit www.lindfuneralhome.com.

SWCS Class of '66 Reunion IS ON for July 8, 2026

JAMESTOWN - Mike Coon reported today that Randy Carlson and his band of SWCS reunion organizers on the ground in Jamestown have asked classmates to save the date of July 8 for our 60th Class Reunion.

Woo-hoo! It's going to happen.

They are scurrying to find just the right venue and need a good head count of classmates who will attend. They also need to know whether classmates will be alone or with a plus 1. 

When we first started chatting about this, I collected a list of names (published here on the website, upper left corner) of people who told me they were definitely in. That said, now that a firm date has been set, it's a good idea for people to reconfirm by emailing Randy Carlson directly. Please let me know, too, so I can keep the list on this website up to date.

Mike also said that details about where the reunion will be and all that goes with it will be available in a few weeks. As soon as those details are confirmed, I'll post something here. And it's possible Randy and the reunion wranglers might send something out directly via email, too. 

See you next year, classmates.

 

SWCS Class of '66 classmate Pat Levin has passed away

Classmates: We've lost another member of our class, Pat Levin.

The news of her passing two days ago is noted on Facebook (at the FB page, Class of 1966 SWCS). 

Here is the link to the Lind Funeral Home obituary. Below the link is the text.

https://www.lindfuneralhome.com/obituaries/Patricia-Levin?obId=34185333

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 From the Lind Funeral Home website:

Patricia A. Levin, 76, of Jamestown, died Sunday, December 22, 2024, in UPMC Chautauqua.

She was born March 17, 1948, in Jamestown, a daughter of the late Ernest and Alice Engstrom Levin.

She was a 1966 graduate of Southwestern Central School and attended Brockport State University.

Prior to her retirement she was employed by the Center for Dispute Settlement, Auburn, NY, as a mediator.

Surviving are seven nieces and nephews Scott (Amy) Seekins of Jamestown, Lauri Bachman of Las Vegas, Kimberly (Jeff) Gregorec of Minooka, IL, Keri (Brian) Cassidy of Westfield, NY, Debbie Levin of Jamestown, Rob (Darlene) Levin of Wittmann, AZ and Steve (Teasia) Levin of Cheyenne, WY; a sister-in-law Darlene Levin of Jamestown and many great nieces and nephews including Tyler Chase, Amanda Rizzo and Grant Beadle with whom she shared a very special relationship.

Besides her parents she was preceded in death by a brother Donald Levin; a sister Dorothy "Dottie" Levin and a great nephew Sam Bachman.

In keeping with Pat's wishes, no funeral service or visitation will be observed.

Burial will be in Sunset Hill Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to the Alice and Ernest Levin Fund, c/o of the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation or the Chautauqua County Humane Society.

You may leave words of condolence at www.lindfuneralhome.com.

SWCS Class of '66 reunion in 2026, where are we?

RIVERS BEND MARINA, Scappoose, Oregon - I had a Jamestown-SWCS-snowstorm-Lakewood Beach dream last night. No idea what triggered all those images.

It was all pretty good, except for the blizzard, 

It reminded me that some of us on this list months back said "yes" to a class reunion in 2026. (Names listed on the left top.) And it also reminded me that it's been pretty quiet since.  We are not a quiet bunch. Not really.

So today's gentle reminder is that if this reunion is going to happen, someone or someones will probably have to raise a hand or hands to get it going.

There it is.

One problem is the folks who still live in the area are the obvious ones to handle some tasks: finding a venue, lining up a hotel, and other details of which I am admittedly ignorant. And in the past they have done yeoman (and yeowoman?) service getting the reunions together.  At all our past reunions - which I have to say were amazing - I was pretty much a passive attendee, showing up, eating and drinking (ok, especially drinking) dancing and then heading home.

I am very willing to do promo work via this blog as in the past, as well as, well, to be determined right?  Perhaps we could do some organizing via Zoom to get this thing started.

I'd really like to have another get-together, classmates, I would, I would. So let's talk. 

That's all I got, amigos. Enjoy these early fall days.

Fitz, SWCS Class of '66

About that 60th SWCS Class of '66 reunion

 POINT RICHMOND, Calif. - I was just listening a Bob Seger song in which he laments how quickly 20 years had gone by.

Well amigos, it was back in March of this year that more than 20 classmates said "YES" to participating in a Class of '66 reunion in 2026. The names are listed to the left. My apologies for the names being a little small and hard to read. I'm having some tech issues that require someone considerably younger than me to fix.

That said, I just wanted to throw out a reminder that at least 20+ of us have already say 'let's do it' and so whatever magic has to happen to make it happen will need to happen. That's a lot of 'happen' to be squished into one sentence.

By my guesstimates, most of us from the Class of '66 are either 75 or are going to hit that mark soon. But my work with Dynamic Aging 4 Life magazine tells me that's just a number, nothing to be afraid of. So take the plunge and raise your hand for our 60th.

If you think you might want attend and your name isn't on the list, let me and I'll pop it up there pronto. And I might even figure out how to make the names easier to read.

Enjoy your day today - and days to come.

I plan to.

Who's ready for a 60th SWCS Class of '66 class reunion?

 JAMESTOWN, New York - The calendar tells me that three years from now in June it will be 60 years since we walked across the stage at SWCS to be handed our diplomas. Good grief.

Every once in awhile, moving papers and files, I run across my diploma in an envelope, along with a couple of track ribbons from relay race wins. I won't go down that rabbit hole today. 

But yesterday I got a phone call from Bud Hooper, inquiring if I needed to have snorkel strapped on to breath, given how much rain is falling on the Portland, Oregon area where my wife and I live on a floating home.

We actually left there Jan.1 to come to San Francisco to find better weather. We did not find it. But that's another rabbit hole.

Bud and I talked about 2026, and how much fun we all had at the 2016 reunion. And given that it's only three years away, I thought it was time to throw the rock in the pond about getting together again. For me, three years will go by like a rocket.  

So there it is. Class of '66 reunion in 2026? Yea or nay? 

I'm in.

Cheers, classmates!

Classmate Dave Boardman has passed away

FREWSBURG, NY. - Dave Boardman, a SWCS classmate has passed away. He was the husband of SWCS Class of '66's Patty Couchenour. 

Here is his obituary information:

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David Jesse Boardman, 74, of Frewsburg, passed away peacefully at home on Sunday, December 11, 2022.

He was born April 14, 1948 to the late Arthur and Joyce Boardman.

He was a 1967 graduate of Southwestern High School.

He served in the United States Army with a tour in Vietnam from 1968-1969 where he was awarded three Purple Heart Medals for injuries sustained in combat.

He was proudly employed as an electrician with IBEW Local #106, where he led a successful career for 50 years.

He was a devoted family man and thoroughly enjoyed time spent with his wife, children, and grandchildren. His hobbies included going to the casino, working on race cars, hunting, and having a cold one with friends.

He is survived by his loving wife of 54 years, Patricia, two children, Mark Boardman and Michelle (Greg) McNeal. Grandchildren Brendon (Cassy) Boardman, Katie (Alex) Costlow, Devin Haskins, Ashley (Kris) Gustafson, and Courtney Boardman, one great granddaughter, Giana Gustafson, four step grandchildren, Dylan and Landon McNeal, Shane Anderson, and Damon Bonge.

He is also survived by his siblings, Sandra Spachtholz, Steven (Sally) Boardman, Rhonda Anderson, Michael (Justyn) Boardman, Jeffrey (Sonya) Boardman, and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his sister, Jodie James, granddaughters, Corrina and Cassidy Boardman, step grandson, Seth Anderson, and daughter in law, Victoria Boardman.

A private service will be held at the convenience of the family.

Friends will be received from 4-7 pm on Wednesday, December 14, 2022 in the Peterson Funeral Home, Frewsburg.

Donations may be made to the Frewsburg Fire Department, PO Box 590, Frewsburg, NY 14738.