'54

 Bruce & Mariellen Staller Co-Editors
email at stckpkr13@aol.comMAD’54 for September 30, 2008
welcome to the page that celebrates the lives of the unbeatable, best ever class to graduate from Monrovia-Arcadia-Duarte High, the Class of 1954 ...and other grads of merit. 

FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH!!      We interupt this page to bring you late breaking news of a MAD gathering that is not to be missed!  THE MAD ALL CLASS PICNIC will be next week at Arcadia County Park, Saturday, October 11th, from 10:000 a.m until 4:00p.m…POTLUCK…SEE THE PONDERINGS PAGE ON THIS WEBSITE for additional information and to make reservations with Paulette Dunn Smith. 

Sorry for the delay in putting up a new page but it’s vacation time and take care of your older bro time, meet to plan our 55th Reunion time and, are you ready for this? 

Blame the delay on MADCATS website honcho, Gary Dayton, who also edits the 1950 page.  Gary got me hooked on the works of novelist Sidney Sheldon.  In the space of about six weeks He had Devoured all eighteen of Sheldon’s novels and his bio. 

I read the bio, The Other Side Of Me, was enthralled by Sheldon’s life and the body of work he produced from age 18 until the publication of his bio in 2005.  We’re talking Broadway shows, Movie scripts, movie direction and production, tv shows created.  The novels came later. Sheldon died last year at 88. I proceeded to imitate Gary and devour The novels.  Now, With less than two of his eighteen novels remaining to be read, it seems prudent to (grudgingly) set aside time and do this page.   But Fate or Lack of Discipline further intervened.

Bruce asked me to put the links to the Sheldon sites that I have on the '50 page, here they are. Gary   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRbn9VAGkA4 

Here is another link. This has his daughter telling about her dad. http://www.hachettebookgroupusa.com/features/sidneysheldon/meet_ss.html

See the '50 page for more if interested, I will leave it up another week or so. G

Mariellen and I got audience tix for “jeopardy” and took a day off to pay homage to Alex Trebek and eat at the Farmer’s Market and loaf around there until the 10 fwy traffic thinned.  If you are local or coming in from out of town get tickets at www.jeopardy.com 

Then The Olympics and michael phelps required our undivided attention.  Our lawn died and the Pug ran away to Dog Beach.  Glued to the TV for eight days, We ate nothing but bean sprouts and canned egg noodles and benefitted from an incredible weight loss.  So much so that we are now at work on a Chinese Olympic weight loss book.  (more later)  As in previous Olympics, this year required a repeat screening of “Chariots of Fire” That grand drama of the 1924 olympics and the exploits of Eric Liddell.

later a missionary to China, liddell met his death as a wwii japanese prisoner.  Vangelis’ music drives the film and the opening ocean beach running sequence still rings in my memory.  On DVD

Then, speaking of DVD’s,  we took two days to compulsively watch all twenty-four episodes and the extra stuff of the sixth season of the anti-terrorist soap opera, 24.   Since then it has taken several days to recover from the all encompassing fear and dread instilled in your editors by Kiefer Sutherland and his 24 cohorts.   soo...

Larry and Virginia Glidden “Mopsey” Kettle Celebrate Their 50th at Ocho Rios in Jamaica where all of the following pictures were taken.

We were married at Wee Kirk of the Heather in Forest Lawn May 9th 1958.  Our first home was a 42 foot trailer which we parked in Glendora at a very nice, small trailer park.

Shortly after our marriage, I was transferred to Sacramento from Aerojet, Azusa. My first
position there was as a department supervisor in the plastics division. A few years later I was the
Department Manager. Worked at Aerojet for 15 years.

During that time Mopsey and I had two daughters (Kerry and Lynn). Both Kerry and Lynn have great husbands and each has given us two grand kids (Kerry a boy and a girl) (Lynn two boys).

After deciding to get out of the aerospace industry, I took a job as a supervisor at Basic Vegetable in Vacaville, California. I worked there for five years and was promoted to Plant Manager which I held until they shut the plant down, which was after another 15 years of employment.

I joined Norcal Waste System, Inc. Was the Operations Manager in Vallejo and worked there another 15 years retiring in 1999.

While working at Norcal, the girls were in high school and Mopsey went back to college and got a degree, and soon after a job in Drafting for a local Engineer.

She decided to change careers and went to work for the District Attorneys office in Fairfield. She worked there until she retired in 1999.

The girls both met their lifelong mates, married and we were empty nesters.  Hey, we love our girls dearly, but empty nesters can really enjoy the freedom that it provides.

We decided to move from California to a more remote area, one that we dearly loved after visiting.  Coeur D'Alene has so much to offer retirees, it is a wonderful place to visit and to live. We have everything you could possibly want, except the ocean.

Mopsey busys herself with her golfing group, a quilting group and watercolor painting classes. Then she has her luncheons with the ladies in the neighborhood as well as the golf group. We see each other in passing so to speak.

I golf three or four times a week, we have mini season tickets for the Spokane Indians baseball
games, I work a lot in the yard, and I work at the golf course on Wednesdays Marshalling the Ladies 18 Holers.  (not to be confused with Porta-Potties. ED)

Then there are the trips to the mountains and Canada, the many various lakes, visits to
the Indian Casino in Worley. Heck we are always doing something. We actually spend a lot of time together, taking vacations, cruises and going to Jazz Festivals.

Of course we visit the kids every year and the friends that we have left behind in northern California.  It's a whirl-wind of fun and activities for the Kettle's and we enjoy every moment of every day.

It is great to have married my best friend and what is even better, is that I think she still likes me too.

We both send our love to all our ex-Wildcat's and wish you the best in life.
Larry and Mopsey leket@roadrunner.com

Class of 1954 Reunion Planning
Your reunion committee is well into planning next October’s 55th Reunion.  In the interest of perhaps having the event near our alma mater, your committee recently met at Santa Anita Turf Club to inspect its facilities.   We plan on inviting ’53 and ’55 to our gala shindig where ever it may be.  Please email Ray Infantino at rainfantino@cox.net  with your ideas and comments.

Please send your current home and email address and those of alum’s that you are in contact with to Mariellen Matthews Staller at mumarm1@aol.com  Please also provide Mariellen the names (and dates, if possible) of those ’54 cats now deceased.

Last issue we asked: “Who is this aging cowboy?  Yes, he’s from our class.  And you can win  two WWII meatloaf dinners with all the trimmings at the historic V&H Café  in equally historic Monrovia by submitting the first correct answer.  Hint:  While he may look like Hannah Montana’s great-uncle, Trigger Happy Johnson,  he ain’t.”   And nobody submitted an answer.  Not one of our three (estimated) readers.  Whazza matta?  You don’t like ancient meatloaf ?  You couldn’t take the hint and say “It may not be Trigger Happy Johnson, but it sure looks like Jerry Johnson’54 all duded up.”  Ancient meatloaf?  You guys are getting ancient.  All three of ya.

Condolences to Donald Polifka.  Kathy, his wife of 45 years, passed away last year.  She was a John Muir High grad.  Don has moved to La Verne from Claremont and can be reached at 909-593-0234

Still in good health, Don has begun flying lessons at Cable-Claremont Airport.  So...Don’t let yourself get ancient.  Like Don, stay active.  go to school, learn a new skill, start socializing,  volunteer, Buzz your neighbors.

FOUND...PATRICIA SCOTT           (now LONON ) in Mesa, AZ.  Pat  attended MAD for our senior year.  went on to PCC and was a Rose Princess.  Pat is writing up her bio for our page.  Meanwhile get in touch with her at plonon@cox.net

Don Nanninga in new digs in Rancho Mirage.
Don is now moved in to his new assisted living quarters and is accepting calls, e-mails and visitors (please call first).

Recently, we dropped by to check out this lovely place and to wish Don a Happy Birthday.  While we were there, Don’s family had a Birthday Party for him.

Jackie Antista Harris and Don Ham it up for the camera
Over the weekend many of his family and friends were able to drop by to wish him “many more”. 
Reach Don at (805)415-7194 or
E-mail:  nanninga1@comcast.com

PARENTS
It has been our sad task to inform each other of the passing of many of our classmates - in doing so we rekindle the memories of the funny, full-spirited, beautiful people we knew. 

Not many of us are lucky enough to still have parents to love and reminisce with at this stage of our lives; but those who do count themselves very special. 

MARGIE VAN GUNDY CLARK just recently lost her mother and best friend who lived to be 90 years old.  Especially lucky, her mother was sharp minded to the end.   Margie writes:

“I have been more fortunate than most of my classmates, having had my mother so long.  I lost her this summer, after prolonged illness at 90 years of age.  

Pauline Van Gundy Hernandez, 1918-2008
She had her mind until the end, so I really had her the whole time.  She was a great mom!  She was the kind of mom that made her children feel very special with a desire not to disappoint her.  She never lectured us - just instilled that desire in us somehow  So many times over the years, my sister, Linda, and I have pondered how she did that.   We were not an affluent family, but in the ways that counted, we felt rich and lucky and happy.

The Van Gundy Family: Pauline, Bud, Linda, Margie & Ronnie

“As an example of my mom’s spirit and and the bad judgment of me and my sister, here is a little story:  My mom had a mastectomy for breast cancer in 1989.  Our step dad was still working.  When she was released from the hospital, we convinced him to let us pick her up and take her home.  On the way home, we went to the North Woods Inn, had margaritas, cheered ourselves up, and had the best time!  Her husband would have been so upset with us had he known; but we never told him - neither did she.  She loved having a good time.

It feels so strange and lonely without my mom.  I am so thankful for her, loved her so much and miss her greatly!
Margie Van Gundy Clark

It doesn’t seem to matter how long ago we lost our parents, whenever something momentous occurs, we have to stop and wish we could share the sheer joy of  the graduation or wedding of a child, the birth of a new grandchild, or the first bloom in the springtime garden. - - - I think they know. 
Mariellen

OUR READERS WRITE:
I enjoyed your article on Dog Beach since I spent the day there yesterday with my husband and our English Bulldog Roxy.  We laugh that  she is just like us....content to sit on the beach with us while all  the other dogs are running circles around her.  We live 5 minutes from Dog Beach and Park Bench Cafe.  Your description of both places was right on.  Huntington Beach is a small piece of heaven and we feel blessed to be able to live here.  Just thought you would like to know your articles are appreciated.
Marlene Weaver ‘53

HEALTH TIPS from JONI BIDDLE LeBLANC
JONI BIDDLE LEBLANC has been a friend to many of us both during and after high school.  She is always the first one to offer assistance or a cheerful word on any occasion.  Being a loyal reader of this “page” for many years, and “hearing” our pleas for stories, she has come forth with a wonderful column contribution:  one that will be helpful to many of us - - - and in a tone that speaks to us all! 

EASING SWELLING FEET AND ANKLES
A couple of months ago, I noticed that my left foot and ankle would swell at night.  I took a water pill occasionally but they mess up my electrolytes and I have to drink Gatorade afterwards.  I went to see my family doctor about it and we discussed the fact that it may be a result of my knee replacement.  I had not that problem after having the right one replaced.  Anyway he said that it is not uncommon after that type of surgery.  He said that I could use water pills and elevate it at night.  Boy oh boy, does that sound like advice to an old lady or what???  I remember hearing or reading about massaging the legs -UPWARD - for this.  I started doing it about ten times each night with lotion, and wa-la, the problem is gone.  I think there are many of you out there who might want to try it. Not that anyone will admit to having this problem.  At least it hasn't left stretch marks.
BENEFITS OF PINEPPLE
Many years ago, I read in Prevention Magazine, that pineapple contains a marvelous property called bromelain.  Bromelain has the ability to keep the body from bruising or bleeding excessively during surgery.  From that time, prior to any surgery, I would eat fresh pineapple.  In the past few years it has been readily available in the produce department refrigerated area, already cored and sometimes even sliced. Unfortunately, in our only market, they have recently not carried the fresh, already peeled and cored, as it didn't sell real well. For those who don't mind the mess, it is usually available fresh in it's whole state.
I went to our local herb store and asked if they had bromelain powder, and sure enough it did.  She was telling me that two local plastic surgeons in the area send their patients in to get it a couple of weeks before surgery.
I can tell you that whenever I have used it in any form it has helped me have minimum bruising and minimum bleeding.  In the past couple of years, I have had both of my knees replaced and my surgeon was amazed at the small amount of bleeding, almost no bruising and rapid healing with minimal scaring on both knees.
In October I am scheduled for a minor surgery and I am putting the bromalin powder in my morning smoothie and at each meal.
I am hoping that perhaps using this at every meal will help me with the "old lady" bruises that I now have.  Perhaps some of you can identify with this.
I hope this can help one of you to enjoy easy surgery in the future.
Thanks for listening.
Joni Biddle LeBlanc

Next page...sooner than this one---  Dick Langford, Danny Doubt, Tom and Jackie Flounoy’s 50th, An MHS football game, more health tips, Jeanne Hubbinger’s trip to SE Asia.

OH! And we went to the L.A. County Fair.  Here’s a bird of paradise arrangement in the Floral Bldg.  And another “OH!” 

Join us this Saturday, 10/4 for the best ever Duarte Festival of Authors.

Finally, you have the pleasure and sometimes sad responsibility to send us your news.  Please email to: mumarm1@aol.com   Stay Healthy and thanks for your input.  All Our Best to You as we approach 2009 and our 55th MAD Reunion.

Mariellen & Bruce
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