I just found this site, thank you Annie Hoffman Simeone. As I look around I saw the list of departed classmates. I knew of some that had passed, but not so many!. Some who were close to me I was lucky enough to communicate with shortly before their passing. But it made me sad to see how long the list has grown.

Days at Talawanda seem like they occured in another lifetime. Yet, when I see names of people I remember as young and full of life my mind goes back to that time. Was it so long ago when we were all so young and ready to take on the world?

It appears that time has passed and its time for a new phase of life. I have enjoyed being "retired" and now have time to devote to hobbies, grand children, and all those things that got "put off until later". Well, folks, this is "later" and I hope you are all enjoying life.

I had a cancer scare last year but was able to stop it in time and now I have a new outlook and appreciation for life. I had to step back and see life from a different point of view.  I hope all are well and happy and life is good.

Hi Janet--

I am really new to this too but maybe can answer a little.

Clark Rudicil lived in Terrace Park , Ohio in the 80s (high rent district) which is the city right next to Milford, where I live. I probably saw him first because he used to play in the TP orchestra which played on the village green on Memorial Day, 4th of July and Labor Day. He still played the horn.

Sometime in the late 80s or early 90s he moved to Milford with his wife and girls . At least 1 of the girls was into drama because one of the last times I saw him, he had come to a play, "Hook", at the high school. His kids were about the same ages as mine and mine graduated in '95 and '98. Clark was always so full of vim-- and he got MS (multiple schlerosis) and it took him down FAST. He would come to his kids' events dragging 1 foot--and his speech got awful. Eventually it killed him, somewhere in the late 90s. I'll see if I can look it up.

Becki Brickels had married and was living somewhere in the south, I think. She called Mark Mayer every week so he could tell you more. She got cancer--

I'll keep looking for the place where we can share-- but I think it's going to be one of these forums--you guys use the members functions and I use the administrator menu. 400 names and email addys later-- but look at the results!!!!

I am not the best source for Becky Brickels knowledge, Anne Hoffman and others know a lot more. I will skip personal things I know out of respect for the parties involved. I did speak with Becky not long before her passing.

After high school she moved to Florida to attend college. Anne Hoffman went with her. She met a boy there and they were married. She stayed in Florida and worked in Education. Before her death she was working at the capital with a high ranking position in the State Department of Education. (She might have been head of that department, not sure.) She mentioned at the time that she had worked campaining for the govenor at the time and well, you know how that goes. She was a smart gal and worked hard.  Becky knew what she wanted and went after it.

Becky had some sadness in her life. The loss of her father hurt the family greatly and I think Becky in particular for some complex reasons.

Becky had goals and pushed for what she wanted. I knew her as a teenager and then reconnected with her a few times over the years. She was the same gal I knew from highschool in many ways. I was very sad to lose her just when we were about to see each other again, I believe that was in 2004 or 2005. My memory is not clear on the date, I had a lot going on back then. I know the last phone conversation we had (whick is very clear in my memory) I was still teaching college so that had to be around that time.

Mark was a long time friend of Becky's, that dated back to their childhood from what I know. He might have more to say. Anne was also a friend and was with her the day she met her future husband.

That is all I care to say...the rest is personal as they say. I was very sad to hear of her passing.

I think it is possible to add detail to the name of someone who has passed away by clicking on "In Memory", then on the person's name, then typing info into the Reply space. I think Alice would have to add additional names if the person is not already listed. I agree with Janet that it would be really nice to have that extra information.

John Hatton wrote:

I just took it upon myself to add several names...those who have passed on. I feel so sad right now. We lost the lovely Judy Smith Imhoff today. Connie Baker posted a really nice Facebook photo of Connie & Judy, who were childhood best friends. 

Melissa