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.

Lakewood elementary photo - who do you recognize?

 Classmates:

The photo below was posted on Facebook by Dave Carlson Friday. He wasn't sure who the teacher of the class was and he thinks it was 5th grade. 

I see that Conrad Wilson is in the photo. And I am pretty sure he was in my 5th grade at Lakewood Elementary in Mr. Augustine Gugino's class. Perhaps it was 4th grade?

But even though I know a lot of names of others, I don't remember them in Mr. Gugino's class.

Here's the photo...

Here's my best guesses putting names to the photo:

Front row, left to right: Jim Nelson, (don't know) Conrad Wilson, Pat Flynn, Dan Loucks

Row two, l-r: JoAnn Harp, Sue Kettle, Fritzie Johnson, Cheryl Youngberg, (don't know), Becky Schroth

Row three, l-r: (don't know, Peggy Putney, Dottie Chamberlain, Mick Olsen, (don't know), (don't know) Sue Post, Sue Guertin

Row four, l-r: Tim Palmer, Dan Sundquist, (don't know) Dave Carlson,  Jim Lindell, (don't know), (don't know) Rick Shevalier and (don't know).

Sifting through Class of '66 memorabilia

SCAPPOOSE, OREGON - Class of '66 Classmates.

     I was rummaging through boxes of photos and memorabilia spanning, well, decades, and ran across several items I thought deserved posting.

     One was the program from our graduation ceremony. The other was the newspaper clipping from our graduation. The PJ  listed all members of class and included a photo of class officers.

     Below is the list of graduates from the grad ceremony program as well as the Post Journal  photo. My apologies if they are difficult to read.

     Even as I post this, I realize you might be interested in the rest of the program from the grad ceremony... I will dig back into the boxes this week to find it.

     For now, maybe check out the list to see how many faces you can remember with the names.

Class of '66 classmate Craig Fransen has passed away

 JAMESTOWN, NY - Classmate Craig Fransen, one of my closest friends growing up in Lakewood, has passed away. His obituary and photo are listed at the bottom of this brief note.

The news of his death reached me late yesterday and from numerous Class of '66 folks (and others) today, too. Apparently he seemed healthy just a short time ago, having been sighted having coffee at a local Tim Horton's. As I write this, I don't know the cause of death.

Craig was a lakeshore neighbor, living only a half-dozen houses away from my Lakewood house.

Summer, fall, winter and spring, we often were doing things with an assortment of other kids from the surrounding few blocks that included  Gifford Avenue, Webster Street and others whose names I can't  remember. In summers we boated all over the lake. In winters we went out on the ice when it was barely safe.

Craig and I grew up in households without fathers, both of our dads having died before we hit our teens. That probably drew us together as much as the things we did on Lake Chautauqua,

He was on the wrestling team for a stint when I was, I recall. And along with a group including the late Gary Shenkel (an SWCS classmate who moved to Connecticut when we were freshmen), Class of 65's Louis LaMarca and perhaps Tom Short (class of 67?) we frequently ate lunch at his house. His housekeeper Billie was a fabulous cook and could fill our teen bellies quite well.

I last saw Craig at a Class of '66 reunion - maybe our 50th.

Rest in peace, Craig Fransen.

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Obituary from the Jamestown Post-Journal

SWCS Class of '66 classmate Sue Clark has passed away

Jamestown, NY - Sue Clark, one of our Class of '66 classmates passed away last Thursday.

Below is her obituary notice from the Jamestown Post Journal. 

R.I. P. Sue.

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FROM THE PJ:

Sue E. Swanson, 73, of Sinclairville, went home to be with the Lord, Thursday, Sept. 23, 2021, after a 21-month, warrior-like battle with pancreatic cancer.

She was born March 27, 1948, in Jamestown, the daughter of the late Walter and Beverly Barkman Clark. She was a 1966 graduate of Southwestern Central School.

In addition to helping her husband with the daily operation of the family farm, Sue was also em-ployed for over 22 years as a teacher’s aide at Cassadaga Valley Central School and continued to substitute in the office until 2019. In the evenings, she was the supervisor of extracurricular sporting events for the district and she was a waitress at the Stockton Hotel and the former White Horse Inn. She was also a member of Park United Methodist Church.

Sue kept the score books for her husband’s softball and basketball teams and loved driving around the family properties on her golf cart. She loved being a grandmother and attending her children and grandchildren’s sporting events, music recitals and school activities. Whether on a Caribbean or Lake Erie beach, mowing the grass, or sitting at the pond, Sue loved being in the sun. Other happy times were spent on the phone with her sisters, having coffee with Linda Bailey and Beth Loomis on Wednesday mornings, having lunch with Helen Bochmann, and taking country drives with Johnny and her dog, Bear. Sue also enjoyed decorating the house for Christmas, al-ways paying special attention to the details on her Christmas tree. She had a knack for buying friends and family the perfect gift(s) and for planning family vacations. She loved traveling, especially to visit family in North Carolina.

Wife to Johnny Swanson; mother of Amanda (Marc) Myles and Vicki (Kevin) Martin, all of Sinclairville, and Jill (David) Lawson of Cassadaga; grandmother of Lindsey (Chas) Criss, Kay (Steven) McElwain, Lauren (Scott) Fenton, Jon Kevin (Libbi) Martin, Karli and Annie Lawson and Melanie and Mallory Myles; great- grandmother of J.V., Chas and Charles Criss, Kevin and Skyler Herington, Ken-ny, Karolyn, Shepherd and Selah McElwain, Tucker, Marsal, Marty and Clint Fenton, Robby and Jay Martin and baby girl Martin arriving in December; sister of Diane (Wendell) Berg and MaryEllen (John) Owens; aunt of David (Marie) and Jared Berg, Jennie (Matt) Mayo, Evan (Kate) Owens and their children: Rylan, Bella, Owen, Lucy and Oakleigh.

Visitation will be Tuesday from 3-7 p.m. in Jordan Funeral Home, Sinclairville. A funeral service will be Wednesday at 11 a.m. at Park United Methodist Church, 39 Sinclair Dr., Sinclairville. Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery in Sinclairville.

Memorials can be made to Park United Methodist Church or Chautauqua Hospice and Palliative Care.

The family sends a heartfelt thanks to caregivers: Karen and Kayla from Hospice as well as Dr. Basem Goueli and Jill Lawson for the dedicated care to Sue which allowed her to spend her final days in the com
fort of her home.