Chris Kirkendall and his younger sister Donna (Hersey '70) are in a band together called Donna Matrix.  The band played at A Slice of Chicago, in Palatine, IL tonight (10/22).  Here is a picture of the Band:

Another mini reunion in southern Arizona.  Dennis Papanek '69 and his wife Chris (Chris is a Hersey '75 grad) drove down from Phoenix to get together with myself and Rhonda Hansen Warren '70.  The food at the great old El Charro Cantina was excellent as always...

New Years 2005

Hello Friends,

It is time to catch up on the Rick & Cindy Ladd family.  All in the family are healthy and well.  Here we go on the whirlwind update.

Cindy

Cindy has been a teaching assistant at Racine Unified Schools for 5 years now.  Her developing specialty is work with autistic children.  She has found a nitch that she can find sometimes frustrating and trying, but always rewarding.

She is also working on her degree from UW Wisconsin-Parkside Campus.  She has just experienced a long anticipated goal, the successful completion of algebra.  Cindy is a master at all things,  English which is her major.  But anything math is a challenge.  Through much blood, sweat and tears she has not only completed algebra, but “Aced” it as well! 

Jeremiah-Erica

Jeremiah and Erica are getting married on April 15, 2005.  We are all excited about it.  Erica is such a sweetheart.  She is a most welcomed addition to the family, (the daughter we never had).  She is currently substitute teaching in Kenosha Unified Schools, but busily attempting to secure a full-time position in the greater Milwaukee area. 

Jeremiah just got a new job at a firm in Milwaukee for a company that develops software, primarily for insurance companies.  He liked his prior job, but it was half way across the state in a lesser populated area affording Erica sparse opportunities in teaching.

When Jeremiah was still in college he looked forward to support work and declared development a boring and non-stimulating exercise.  Now he finds himself challenged and excited about development.  Never say never. 

Joshua

Joshua still has his senior year at Arizona State to finish.  But that task is on hold.  As a member of the Army Reserve his unit is currently deployed to Balad, Iraq, which is just north of Baghdad.    He is in the 484^th Movement Control Battalion.  They are the UPS/FedEx of the Army.  He is a sergeant and has a number of responsibilities that keep him very busy.

Prior to his deployment from Fort Lewis, Washington we spent three days with him in Seattle.  It was a wonderful time that we could not afford to miss. Also present in Seattle was a delightful young lady named Katie.  She has no official status as yet... but there is the very real potential for her to become another daughter we never had.  She is very similar to Josh in many ways and appears quite capable of handling his rougher edges. 

Job

We refer to Job as the “ROC”; the return of chaos!  He is living in Tempe, AZ.  He has a job there and lives with some of Joshua’s buddies in a house near the Arizona State campus.  He is playing drums in a band that is having fun getting a name for themselves locally.  A radio station has offered to give them air time if they will submit a “demo” tape.  Now they have to come up with the money to get studio time for the demo.

There is a young lady in his life as well.  Her name is Hope, and we had the opportunity to get to know her when she visited last summer.  She is very laid back.  She has to be, to be hooked up with Job.  It is difficult to attach a “status” to their relationship.  They have been going together for awhile now, but all things Job are hard to assess.  She appears to have the patience to wait him out, but even a saint has limits to their endurance.

The “ROC” was home for Christmas.  He and some friends went snowboarding.  He returned with a separated shoulder after a “720 with a grab” didn’t finish as expected. 

Magnus

Magnus (black lab) and his girlfriend Lady are soul mates.  Joshua got Magnus from the pound in Phoenix.  The first year housing arrangements were great at ASU.  But year two brought big changes, and we inherited a grand-dog.  He is a delight.  He is quite well pleased with a daily run to the dog park with Lady.  The dog park is over 40 acres where the dogs can run and play to their hearts content.

 Rick

I am working at Sam’s Club.  I am responsible for the security camera systems in the Clubs through out the State of Wisconsin.  I have been retired from the Racine Police Department about two years now.  I don’t miss it as much as I thought I might.  I miss many of the people, but stay in contact with the true friends from there.

 The Family

We all wish you a Happy and Prosperous New Year.

Happy New Year!  Currently there are still [151] Class of 1969 Alumni Missing. 20.18% Missing}