Hawthorne Feedback

Name: Mike Shay ~~~~~~~~~~ Thu-Jan 28, 2010, 9:05 am - HHS Time

Class: 1961
City & State: Cerritos, CA
Shayshere@verizon,net
Message: Hello Cougars, Hello Sunshine; I think that in these times of don't ask-don't tell, gay rights, and same sex marriages it's finally acceptable to bring up a little known fact about our old friend Tom Shelley. You see, back in his HHS days Tom was a Thespian. Not that there's anything wrong with that, most of the rest of us liked girls too. It also seems to me that he was in one or two of our school plays back then. It goes to show you never can tell huh. I mean he's got five or six daughters and a bunch of grand kids, who-da-thought? Love Ya Tom; M.S.

Name: John Rout ~~~~~~~~~~ Thu-Jan 28, 2010, 8:18 am - HHS Time

Class: 1963
City & State: Cerritos, CA
dabully2@msn.com
Message: Went to the Hawthorne High basketball game last night with Bill Shultz, Mike Babineaux, and Gary Mykannen. Dinner, game, great time. Too bad the Cougars got whomped by Samohi, but, still, a fun night.

Name: Ingrid Jones ~~~~~~~~~~ Thu-Jan 28, 2010, 7:08 am - HHS Time

Maiden: Schulte
Class: 1984
City & State: Temecula
JonezFam3@aol.com
Message: More sad news was informed to us that Carl Curtain (class of 1984) passed away this week. Our prayers go out to Chris(73),Laura(82) & The entire Curtain family.

Name: Larry Bach ~~~~~~~~~~ Wed-Jan 27, 2010, 11:10 pm - HHS Time

Class: 1972
City & State: Torrance, CA
lbach1@socal.rr.com
Message: Sad news. Dave Purchase's mother, Leona Purchase, 85, died suddenly in Torrance this morning. Mrs. Purchase was like a second mom to me when I was a kid. Leona's brother, Joe Jenks, passed away only a couple weeks ago. Condolences go out to HHS grads Dave and Dori (HHS 1972), Terry (1973), Larry (1967?), Vern (1962?), and their families. Leona Purchase will be missed.

Name: Jeannette Debaca ~~~~~~~~~~ Wed-Jan 27, 2010, 7:51 pm - HHS Time
City & State: long beach,ca 90807
jeannettedebaca@hotmail.com
Message: looking for holly hess/class of 63 or 64-65

Name: Gary Bickers ~~~~~~~~~~ Wed-Jan 27, 2010, 6:35 pm - HHS Time

Class: 1963
City & State: pve cal
No E-mail
Message: All this talk about stage productions at HHS; how about 1962 OUR TOWN. I have seen this play well over 50 times from Broadway to an all Hawaiian cast on the north shore. I think the HHS edition made me react the most. If you have not seen; Paul Newman did the play, recorded and available on PBS. I urge you all to see it.

Name: Steve Curtin ~~~~~~~~~~ Wed-Jan 27, 2010, 4:48 pm - HHS Time

Class: 1964
stephen.j.curtin@lmco.com
Message: John - I am so sorry to report that my youngest brother, Carl (Class of 1984) passed away this past Monday evening. He had just celebrated his 44th birthday on 1/20/2010. There will be a viewing at Green Hills Cemetery on S. Western Ave. this Friday from 2 PM until 9 PM. Funeral mass at St. Joseph's will be this coming Saturday at 11:00 AM.

Name: Sharon Bierman Branigan ~~~~~~~~~~ Wed-Jan 27, 2010, 4:26 pm - HHS Time

Maiden: Bierman
Class: 1976
City & State: San Clemente, CA
srbranigan@cox.net
Message: Checking airfares to Oakland for the big Wine Country Weekend; Southwest and Jetblue have pretty good fares for that weekend. If you have Southwest ding on your desktop it will tell you when discount fares are offered. I'm hoping to travel on the Thursday the 3rd and return on Monday the 7th to take full advantage of all that Glenn's planning for us. There's so much to do and see and I don't want to miss any of it! I hope everyone's making plans NOW to be there THEN- put your vacation requests in and start tucking some $$ aside each paycheck. You can even drive up if you've got the stamina- I think it's about 7 hours from LA and if you team up with your Cougartown buddies you can split the gas and the driving, and share a hotel room - you're not gonna spend much time in your room! So get your buddies on the phone and start planning your trip!!!

Name: Linda Dill ~~~~~~~~~~ Wed-Jan 27, 2010, 9:18 am - HHS Time

Maiden: Sutton
Class: 1967
City & State: Redondo Beach
thedills101@aol.com
Message: With all the talk of Bye Bye Birdie, I have to add my little known trivia about the HHS production. My dad, Bill Sutton, worked on many of Mr. Fix's productions directing the crews on set building and AV stuff. For the Birdie production Mr. Fix put my dad in the "cast" by making him the off-stage voice of Ed Sullivan. I remember sitting in the audience with friends and recognizing his voice. It was a surprise. And few rows ahead I heard my little sister's not-so-stage-whisper "That's Daddy!" My dad enjoyed all of his work with Mr. Fix and his crews. Great memory. Thanks

Name: Sherry Ward ~~~~~~~~~~ Wed-Jan 27, 2010, 6:08 am - HHS Time

Maiden: Rout
Class: 1965
City & State: Somewhere in Tennessee
No E-mail
Message: You're right, Bro. I was in that production. I was Debra Sue. That was one of the highlights of my years at HHS. We really had a lot of fun. The set that Patty referred to was really scary, though. We had to be in place when it was rolled onto the stage, and I was on the very top! My legs were bruised all over!! As far as having all the talent in the family is concerned, I may have been the artist, but my brother got all the brains! Can you say "Really Smart"? Those of us who were in this production have re-connected and are enjoying having each other in our lives again. All except Tom Sangil and Ann Childress. If anyone knows where they are we would love to find them.

Name: Dale Craig ~~~~~~~~~~ Wed-Jan 27, 2010, 1:10 am - HHS Time

Class: 1976
City & State: hawthorne ca
bacraig7882@sbcglobal.net
Message: i was just going through the feedback and see a good friend of mine passed away. donald dye he had a good sense of humor and always around when you needed him. may God Bless John & Denise & the rest of their family

Name: John Rout ~~~~~~~~~~ Tue-Jan 26, 2010, 7:47 pm - HHS Time

Class: 1963
City & State: Cerritos, CA
dabully2@msn.com
Message: I remember Bye Bye Birdie. It was a fun production. Tom "Sonny" Sangle was really good in the Elvis-type roll. I played baseball with Sonny at St. Joe's and I don't think any of us saw the actor in him. Also, my sister was either in the play or the set director for that play. She can clarify. I just remember hearing her sing in a musical production and thinking, "Holy crap my sister can sing!" Of course, she got all of the artistic talent in the family.

Name: Debbie Miles ~~~~~~~~~~ Tue-Jan 26, 2010, 6:37 pm - HHS Time

Class: 1977
City & State: Del Aire, CA
pinkelephant10@yahoo.com
Message: I first found out about Cougartown from my brother, big surprise! And I can remember seeing people on their rooftops waiting to be rescued on TV news in the early 60's. The rains of 1969 were so bad that our field trips got cancelled again and again. It was probably about this time of year in 1971 that rain puddles actually froze in the area between the sixth grade classrooms and Del Aire Park. I think a lot of kids showed up early for a little extra fun for the few days that lasted. Not rain related, but I seem to remember Nyman Hall flooding so badly that Driver's Ed could not be held there in the mid 70's. That was during Summer School.

Name: Leopoldo Valencia ~~~~~~~~~~ Tue-Jan 26, 2010, 6:32 pm - HHS Time

Class: 1964
City & State: Denver, CO
No E-mail
Message: Sharon Leach, I ditched more classes than I care to remember at HHS to catch the glorious waves at the beach on a surfboard called a long-board.The French word John Baker posted for you is correct save for the accent mark on the "à" for "voilà". I'm certain that he knew that, but it's easier for me to type in the accent marks or any character I need using "ALT" plus any of the sequence of keys of the "numeric" pad to accommodate my work. This innovation would have made my life a lot easier during my college years. I was infatuated with Sheri Longenecker upon seeing her traverse the street (circa 1958) between Washington Grammar school and Hawthorne Intermediate. She must have been a new student entering the 7th grade during mid-year. I hadn't noticed her before that. I was a year ahead of her in the 8th grade, and I remember walking directly into a steel pole as I caught a glimpse of her. Susan King, actually, I met your younger sister, Sharon, following a retirement roast for my sister, Ricki (V1). She extended an invitation to me to spend the night at her residence as well as my sisters, Cynthia (V3) and Gloria (V6). Sharon, her husband and son were gracious hosts. I had a marvelous time. Thank you, and it will be my pleasure to meet and spend some time with you, too, Susan, at any future HHS gathering or other event. My friends and family call me, Pol.

Name: Patty Saville ~~~~~~~~~~ Tue-Jan 26, 2010, 6:19 pm - HHS Time

Maiden: Valencia
Class: 1974
City & State: Laguna Beach, Ca
coachpatty@cox.net
Message: I remember Bye Bye Birdie! I loved that telephone scene. BTW, my mom wore combat boots until Gloria and I were born (clearly she had to...)

Name: Enza Nicocia ~~~~~~~~~~ Tue-Jan 26, 2010, 4:22 pm - HHS Time

Class: 1972
City & State: San Pedro Hill, CA
enico72@aol.com
Message: I remember going to a production of Bye, Bye, Birdie in the early 60's at HHS. My sister Lena Nicocia was in it as a dancer? I must of been 10 years old or so, and all I can remember is the song, "Let me entertain you, let me make you smile"..etc., would that be the musical that I recall? Wasn't it held in the Gym? The memory is the 1st to go....;)

Name: Sharon Leach ~~~~~~~~~~ Tue-Jan 26, 2010, 3:55 pm - HHS Time
Maiden: Moore
Class: 1966
City & State: Long Beach
slleng@juno.com
Message: Voila? I thought that was a stringed instrument. Oh sorry, the stringed instrument is Viola. Boy, dyslexia sucks. Sorry, John, I'm in a weired mood today. Guess it's time to change my meds.

Name: Sharon Leach ~~~~~~~~~~ Tue-Jan 26, 2010, 3:05 pm - HHS Time

Maiden: Moore
Class: 1966
City & State: long beach
slleng@juno.com
Message: I remember the Bye Bye Birdie production in Nyman Hall. It was GREAT! As I recall Sheri Longnecker was a dancer in the movie version in the 1960's. Speaking of musical theater, my husband is currently in the production of Gypsy at the Huntington Beach Playhouse. It runs five nights a week through Sunday, February 7. Sunday performances are matinees. Sometime in March it will run for three nights at the Norris Theater in Palos Verdes. Not sure of the dates. Thank you, Pat, for the memories. Mr. Fix was a great drama teacher. If I recall correctly, he was in several films and TV shows. Does anyone know which ones? Also, Mr. Gold, who started teaching drama after Mr. Fix, was a great teacher. I kept ditching Mr. Gold's class after lunch to go to the beach. Finally, he talked to me after class and said he would have to fail me, because of my ditching. To his credit, he told me if I wrote a paper explaining how going to the beach was more educational than school and what I learned for the experience he might pass me. I believe I wrote him a poem, not sure, can't quite remember. I turned it in the next day, and tada, I graduated HHS that year. I was going to say walla instead of tada, but it's a French word and I don't know how to spell it. I tried looking it up in my trusty collegiate dictionary, but as I said before, I don't know how to spell it. Boy, did Mr. Gold make a big mistake letting me slide. If you are out there Mr. G, I just want to say thank you and let you know I graduated from college with honors and a BS degree in Business. Of course you probably new I was good at BS once your read that poem. lol Thanks to all of the great teachers at HHS.

Name: Pat Bagby ~~~~~~~~~~ Mon-Jan 25, 2010, 7:49 pm - HHS Time

Maiden: Kavanaugh
Class: 1964
City & State: Astoria, NY
disc0pat@aol.com
Message: Anyone from '64 or thereabouts remember our production of Bye Bye Birdie? Allen Lugo, Sheri Longnecker, Tom Sangil, Kathy Arce, JB, me, etc., etc. We had so much fun doing that show under Mr. Fix and even got the original set for the telephone number! Well, we all had stars in our eyes (called Broadway) and I just fulfilled a bit of my (our) dream, by going to see the revival of BBB on Braodway (starring John Stamon, Gina Gershon, and an amazingly funny Bill Irwin). Wish you all could have been there. The most fun I've had since before my dear Jim passed away.

Name: Susan King ~~~~~~~~~~ Mon-Jan 25, 2010, 7:33 pm - HHS Time

Maiden: Bierman
Class: 1974
City & State: Thousand Oaks, CA
sueking18@aol.com
Message: Ok Leopoldo - I have spent considerable time with Patty and Glo and YES they are FUNNY and yes they laugh at their own foibles. And it's ALWAYS appropriate to laugh at and with those two!!! Where did they get their crazy sense of humor amidst the family of brainiacs? (And no John, that doesn't mean they didn't get those qualities! - They are both quite accomplished in their own rights). Next Valencia gathering, I expect YOU to be there Leo and expect to visit with you - they've been hiding you much too long. : )) (I didn't know about him either Enza!!)

Name: Patty Saville ~~~~~~~~~~ Mon-Jan 25, 2010, 7:10 pm - HHS Time

Maiden: Valencia
Class: 1974
City & State: Laguna Beach, Ca
coachpatty@cox.net
Message: Nice Cliff Notes John.

Name: Leopoldo Valencia ~~~~~~~~~~ Mon-Jan 25, 2010, 5:05 pm - HHS Time

Class: 1964
City & State: Denver, CO
No E-mail
Message: You're welcome, Geri Loch-Breedlove. Your sister, Susan, was very friendly and indulged people to dialogue whether they were timid or not. Ms. Enza Nicocia, the answer to your question about the "V" Girls is that they actually have two (2) brothers, Carlos and I. He is V-4, and I am V-2. Our years of graduation beginning with Ricki (1961), followed by me in 1964, then Cynthia in 1966; Carlos in 1968, Patty in 1974 and last but not least, Gloria in 1976. Ricki is an outstanding artist and was passionate about teaching that subject. I met some of her students and other colleagues during her retirement ceremony. They all gave her high praise for inspiring them to continue to strive in whatever their passion was, whether it was Art, Drama, Jouralism, etc. Cynthia is a gifted Language Speech Pathologist. She and I took pointers in Art from Ricki (circa 1963) at home. Ricki showed us how to render (shade) objects, She explained that if light came from a particular direction, it would cast a shadow on the opposing side. This inspired us to continue trying, primarily because she took the time to explain it to us in great detail; patiently and reassuringly. Carlos' semi-photographic memory is a bit perplexing, but combined with his intelligence, has enabled him to reach many successes in life. Patty and Gloria are great conversationalists. Their humor is sharp and quick. Although they laugh at their own jokes it's quite contagious.