Karen RAMHORST Melvin

When Brock Hogle, Class of 1951 Totem II reporter, heard about the death of classmate Wally Melvin (51) at last year's Ivar's gathering, many of those in attendance wondered how Wally had spent his years since Lincoln. Brock was delighted when Karen Ramhorst Melvin (53) contacted him with the idea that Wally's books might interest his high school and college friends. He asked Karen to bring Totem II readers up to date on those years. For this information, Karen went to the best source, Wally's sister, Glenda Melvin Cassutt (53). Following is the story as reported in the recent edition of Totem II and included here with Karen’s permission:

“After Lincoln HS, Wally joined the Army and did intelligence work in Japan. When he had completed his tour of duty, Wally studied English at the University of WA. He also acted in plays at the Showboat and Playhouse theatres. Then he moved to Florida where he worked as a reporter for the Pensacola Journal and continued his acting in local theatre productions. Wally met his first wife in rehearsals for one of these plays. Largely because of his interest in William Faulkner, he did graduate work at the University of Mississippi. After completing his Master's Degree, Wally taught English in Missouri for many years. That is where his two sons live.

“In May 1994, Wally came to Seattle to visit friends and relatives. One day during his visit, his sister Glenda was tied up with carpenters working on her house. I was recently widowed so I offered to serve as chauffeur for lunches, ferry rides, and revisiting old Seattle haunts. As he came down his sister's front steps to my car, it was an exact image of that guy from 1952. Wow! We hugged and started a conversation that could have ended 4 days ago rather than 40 years in the past. We had such an easygoing, fun time during our touring that I offered to drive him to the airport; not wanting to think this would probably be our last meeting. Over a cup of coffee while awaiting his plane, Wally gave me a lovely silver bracelet he had bought at the Pike Place Market. He also asked if I could come visit him in Missouri. To say I was dumbfounded would be putting it mildly. So on the next long weekend it was his turn to show me around a portion of Missouri and it was grand.

“By mid-summer, we were burning up the phone lines. The talk centered more and more on his taking a one-way trip to my home in Edmonds. In September, I was back at the airport. His two small cases told me he wasn't all that interested in clothes; but in one case was the senior picture I had sent him when we were corresponding in 1953. Forty years and that picture had been to Japan and back via the Army! Soon a big moving van pulled up to the house and unloaded 16, yes, 16 boxes of books. There was no doubt where his interests lay. He rented a typewriter and started writing and continued writing for the next ten years. We were married in 1995 and moved to a condo in Ballard with, surprisingly, one room already lined with bookshelves. Just right for a writer. Our view of the mountains and sunsets was almost as glorious as the time we spent talking, laughing, and sometimes crying - once cancer stole into our home. I am so grateful to have such wonderful memories. Wally gave me ten of the happiest years of my life.”

Loretta RANSOM Hucks

Highlights since high school: college; teaching Jr. High (honest - I loved it!); my family - especially the grandkids - my reward for not killing the teen-agers; owning a restaurant - five years of temporary insanity; becoming a part of the traditional jazz world - festivals and friends all over the country.

Favorite pastimes: dancing, jazz festivals, traveling - especially by train.

Myrtis REHBEIN Holdren

Highlights since high school: ten years as a full time professional ski school instructor. Living in California, Ohio, Texas and Saudi Arabia. Being married to the same wonderful man for 46 years (in 2003).

Favorite pastimes: snow skiing, golf, scuba diving and sewing.

Alda P. RICE Reynolds

I married Ted Reynolds January 20, 1956 in Anchorage Alaska. He is an Auburn, Maine native, born & raised right here in the neighborhood where we have lived since Ted's discharge from the Air Force in 1957. We've actually lived here on Pride Road in Ted's grandmother's old house since 1961, raising two beautiful daughters. I was one of those "stay-at-home" moms while the girls (Nancy and Barbara) were growing up. I've worked as a church secretary, a secretary for an accountant, and my last job before retiring in 1997 was as a legal secretary, then bookkeeper for a local law firm. Nothing much exciting goes on here in Maine (other than the Red Sox beating the Yankees last night), but we've kept busy through the years. Since 1996 I've been involved with Sweet Adelines International, singing lead for the Mollyockett Chorus and lead in two quartets, the Pine Tones and more recently "Four On A Match". Our latest quartet sings primarily WWII -1950s songs.... the oldies, but goodies. I've kept my hands busy doing art work, painting and drawing, sewing crafts, and just enjoying myself in my "golden years"...

Barbara RIPKE Callahan

After graduating from Lincoln High School I had a job waiting for me at Foster and Kleiser (Outdoor advertising) as a billing clerk.  After my office manager moved to a better paying job with Parker-Henry Glass Co., he offered me a job there working in "Inside Sales" with some bookkeeping.  It was there I met my first husband and married in 1955.  We opened up our own glass business and had four children.  I lost one child in 1965 to heart problems.  In 1972 my husband died in a boating accident.  I sold our company to the owner of a glass company in Kent, Washington and went to work for him in outside sales.  It was through him I was introduced to my current husband and his boss at F.L.Hartung Glass Co. (wholesale glass).  My current husband had a subdivision at Hartung Glass, designing shower doors .  I was hired on to work for him in sales.  We dated for 10 years and after my three children were on their own and his son was on his own, we married in 1982.  We were offered a job managing a Motel/Resort in Yuma, Arizona by one of the sons to the owner of Hartung Glass Co.  We flew down and looked it over, and decided to take the job.  It was suppose to be for three years, and we ended up staying 8 years.  We then retired and built a new home in the foothills of Yuma, Arizona.  Seven years ago, we purchased a place in the mountains of Northern Arizona at Lakeside/Pinetop, Arizona and this is where we retreat for our summer months.  I feel like we have the best of both worlds as we love the winters in Yuma, and the summers in the Pines at Lakeside are heavenly.

My husband has two sons, one in Cleveland, Ohio and one in Snohomish, Washington. and I have three children.  One in Huntington Beach, California one in Seattle, Washington and one in Spokane, Washington.  We are in constant touch with all five and enjoy occasional visits. We have nine grandchildren together.   My husband had a bout with head and neck cancer five years ago, and so far is cancer free.  We give thanks daily for all we have, especially our health.

Diana RITTER Downey

I keep busy with aqua aerobics, our craft club, quilting, knitting, etc. Due to Bob's health we no longer travel. Would love to visit with everybody again and re-live our joyous times.

Ronald ROBERTS

Highlights since high school: two years army (82nd Airborne), two years smokejumper, two years college at Wenatchee. Basketball and football. 31 years manager floorcovering wholesaler.

Favorite pastimes: golf, music - trumpet, play with small band.

Ruthanna SCHMOE Higley

Highlights since high school: went to Western Washington in Bellingham for two years. Was a stewardess for United Airlines based in Washington D.C. and Seattle. Married a '52 Ballard grad. Had two girls and a boy. Helped husband build Frank Lloyd Wright style house in Kirkland, Washington where we lived for 35 years. Now spend winters in Green Valley, Arizona and summers in LaConner, Washington.

Favorite pastimes: travel, decorating, reading, boating and watching grandkids grow.

Ardis SCOTT Ellingson

Highlights since high school: a Master of Arts degree in Home Economics (textiles, clothing and art). My 45-year marriage - we couldn't make retirement work. I was President of the Fort Lewis Faculty Wives Women's Club. I was President of my Lutheran Church Women's group twice. I was a member of A.A.U.W, the Durango Garden Club.

Favorite pastimes: arts and crafts, sewing, decorating, gardening, enjoying my family and friends.

Gail SHERWOOD Gilleland

Occupation: Retired from banking, law enforcement and fashion retail marketing.

Spouse: John (Jack) - marine engineer and project manager

Children: One living son.

Favorite high school memories: Football games at Memorial Stadium, PTA dances, cinnamon rolls, Ms. Wolfe (Study Hall), and skipping PE class.

Highlights since high school: Traveling; making wonderful lasting friendships; going back school while younger and finishing in my 50s; moving to Vashon Island, then Port Ludlow and now Kingston while remaining on gorgeous Puget Sound. Lived briefly in Portland, Oregon and in Los Angeles and Whittier, California. My favorite place is New York City. Presently volunteering and rescuing animals (all kinds!). Raised a wild Mallard hen and robin to start the process.

Favorite pastimes: Hiking, gardening, dancing, football games, travel and the arts.

Arline SHULMIER Daniel

Highlights since high school: traveling to Europe, Caribbean cruises... Working for great bosses. Going to my cabin.

Favorite pastimes: traveling and reading mystery books.

Chet SMITH

Since leaving Lincoln I have spent most of my life in the great Northwest. Many years as a meat broker then as a real estate broker/developer. Some of my projects were: Skyline Marina, Anacortes - Surfside Estates. Long Beach - Desert Aire, Columbia River and 2 resorts in Costa Rica. Married to my first wife Roseann, (Highline '54) for 20 years (she is still my best friend). Married to my second wife Sydney (West Seattle '51) for 28 years. We have seven kids between us and 15 grand kids. (Christmas is like the national debt.) Have traveled extensively around the world. Enjoy going to our homes in Arizona or the Pacific Ocean.

Favorite hobbies are golf, spending time with our kids and grandchildren or just hanging out at our house in Woodinville.

Wouldn't it be nice if the world could go back to the simpler, fun days that all of us had growing up here in Seattle.

Lois SORENSEN Avoian

Highlights since high school: I spent eight years in Juneau, Alaska and one year in Sitka, Alaska. I graduated from Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois with a BA in Anthropology. I have been working for Tyndale House Publishers for 16 years. We publish the Living Bible, the New Translation and many books such as the "Left Behind" series.

Favorite pastimes: reading.

Robert STENSTROM

Highlights since high school: graduated in 1955 from a junior college in Chicago, followed by five years at the U of W; first job with Boeing in engineering; joined Air Force to be a pilot, failed final vision exam, assigned to intelligence, stationed at Griffiss AFB in Upstate New York for next five years; moved to Washington, D.C. in 1967 to take federal job and attend George Washington law school; still working in 2003 for Customs Service, and have an off-hours legal and financial planning practice; active Presbyterian for 35 years; love Bethesda, Maryland, but will always miss the mountains and waters of the Pacific Northwest.

Favorite pastimes: polishing a 1966 MGB; time in church, coffee shops, fitness center, garden, concerts, Broadway theatres.

Sharon STEWART Long

Highlights since high school: married 40 years. Traveled with family. Husband in Air Force. Stayed in touch with Jo-Ann Obenhofer, now Preston, and her husband Bill.

Favorite pastimes: reading, bingo and travel.

Bonnie STOA McCrary

Highlights since high school: children, grandchildren, having my own business and having good health.

Favorite pastimes: socializing, volunteering, travel and reading.

Shirley TARBOX Taylor (Deceased)

Highlights since high school: graduating cum laude "School of Hard Knocks". Life long friends met along the way through golf, the restaurant business, owning our thoroughbred horses and racing them. I love the sense of belonging - my family, my church, my friends!

Favorite pastimes: my family, my pets, golf, RVing, genealogy, church.

Elaine TAYLOR Jones

Highlights since high school: raising three boys and having them turn out so good. Living in California. Playing bridge, meeting new friends we keep in touch with, gloating over those six granddaughters and loving our three daughters-in-law. Ron and Barb Hill moving to Boise. Spending winters at our Arizona home. Still crazy in love with Dick.

Favorite pastimes: enjoying my husband and family, travel, play bridge, read and visit friends.

Yvonne TAYLOR Michl

Highlights since high school: being married to my husband and best friend. Raising our children and watching all grow. Living in Stanwood, Washington. Meeting new people there and still seeing some old friends. We look so much older - but sure don't feel that old.

Favorite pastimes: gardening, travel in fifth wheel, snowbirding in winter and "Casinos".

Gail THOMAS Herzog

Life has certainly never been dull since June 1953! Went to the UW for a year, worked and then married Jim Hill, one of our classmates. We divorced and the adventure continued. Finally married Dick Herzog who had two kids and we had two, Tom and Richy. He passed away in 1970 at the age of 38.

I bought a home at 55th and Wallingford 1971. Shortly thereafter I decided to research classmates and connected with the people who are still the Reunion Committee. The Reunion Committee is the most rewarding thing I've done in my life!

Many adventures along the way…. With the little bit of insurance money that Dick left I bought an apt complex and then a second one. In the meantime I went to school and learned how to be an Owner/Resident Manager, working for a Management Company, managing 46 units. Great experience

I was finally able to realize my vision of Owner/Resident Manager of a nine-unit apartment complex, which I've owned for eight years now in South Everett. The frosting on the cake has been renting seven out of nine apartments to family members (who all pay rent!) and daily watching my first great granddaughter grow up, now two yrs old

My adventure has included meeting many loving people, travel, music and art. I'm a late bloomer, but consider myself very bright for my age! I know that there are many more wonderful adventures to come, even at the age of 71!

James TOLLEFSON

Highlights since high school: seeing the world - Air Force Navigator, 22 years.

Favorite pastimes: senior softball.

Judy TURNER

Having been born and raised in Seattle (actually Richmond Beach), when I graduated from the University of Washington, I went in search of sunshine.  I met a friend in Hawaii just for a vacation, fell in love with Oahu, the people, everything about it - so decided to stay.   I'd probably still be there but unfortunately my darling dad died nine months later so I reluctantly decided to move back with mom to help her deal with the empty house.

I stayed in Seattle for a year - got a letter from my best friend in college saying she was tired of living in San Francisco and "I'll go anywhere you want to go, do anything you want to do."  So we decided to go to Europe, take our time traveling from Portugal to Germany - maybe support ourselves tutoring.   We went to Salt Lake City (her home town) because it was cheap and a good place to save money for our trip.   However . . . before our ship sailed, she met a man and decided to get married.   I was not happy - stuck in Salt Lake City - no Europe.

I stayed in Salt Lake City and almost a year later I too decided to get married (to a man who had been my first true love's best friend at Roosevelt).  My husband was a Lt. in the Air Force, a pilot, and a career Air Force officer, stationed at Hill Air Force Base near Salt Lake City.

Over the next 16 years we lived in Utah; Mobile, Alabama; Tachikawa, Japan; Illinois; Frankfort Germany; Madrid, Spain; and Washington, D.C.   I absolutely loved Air Force life and moving every two+ years to new places around the world!   During that time I got my Masters' Degree in Counseling and we had three daughters, two of them twins.  We now have nine grandchildren.

My husband and I separated, then divorced, in 1976 while in D. C., and the girls and I moved to San Diego, CA.   I have been here in San Diego ever since.  I had three regular jobs while raising the kids, then went into Real Estate in 1994.  I am currently a Residential Realtor - helping clients buy and/or sell homes all over San Diego County. I'm also involved in community affairs as a member of the La Jolla Kiwanis Club and as the Vendor Coordinator for the La Jolla Half Marathon.

I get up to Seattle every summer to see my youngest daughter's family, and old friends, and it's always good to see that beautiful scenery that is so much a part of my history!

Peggy ULLMAN Hedstrom

Highlights since high school: attending Seattle Pacific University, WSU, U of W and University of Hawaii. Teaching Home Economics in the Seattle Public Schools. Marrying a pastor and being in the ministry in Muskegon, Michigan; Madison, Wisconsin and in the Seattle area.

Favorite pastimes: gardening, sewing and many church activities.

Philip UNICK

Highlights since high school: military service (travel) - most of all family and grandkids.

Favorite pastimes: cars.

Lawrence VICKERS

Highlights since high school: joined the Boeing Company July 1, 1953. Married my high school sweetheart September 5, 1953(Ballard grad). The Lord has blessed me with a loving and talented life partner, and us with two successful children. I have traveled most of the world either for Boeing or with my wife on vacation. Since our retirement nine years ago (in 2003) we have spent winters in Florida, Hawaii and California. The past three summers we have literally built a four-bedroom house at Ocean Shores, Washington (framing, siding, wiring, etc.). In between all of this we play golf.

Favorite pastimes: family functions, watching our grandchildren perform in music and sports.

Carolyn WARD Edwards

My widowed mother and I moved to Seattle in 1951. She had bought an apartment house at 904 East Miller where we lived while I attended Lincoln High School for my Junior and Senior years.

In Seattle I worked part time for a funeral home then later for Wockner Pontiac.

On a Sunday, late summer or early fall 1953 my mother and I were at church. She introduced me to a sailor who attended that day: Ensign Lyndel Edwards from Arkansas. His ship, the USNS General H. B. Freeman, was based in Seattle. I entered the University of Washington that fall and became a life member of ZTA. Ensign Edwards and I married September 10, 1954.

My husband and I drove our Austin A-40 to the University of Arkansas in 1955 after he was released from active duty. He earned his MBA with me typing all the papers! He then worked for AT&T for more than 30 years - in Kansas City, Belleville, Illinois, New York City, and Washington, DC. (We lived in Springfield, Virginia.)

Our three sons were born along the way. After the children were older I began a career with J. C. Penney Co. and later with the Central Intelligence Agency. As a CIA Security Officer with the Intelligence Community staff my office was about one block from the White House. It was interesting work. I frequently met and visited with directors of the CIA, NSA, DIA, FBI, Foreign Intelligence Services, leading scientists and others.

My husband and I both retired and moved to Mountain Home Arkansas in 1994 where we are active in our church, American Legion and Auxiliary, Telephone Pioneers, National Association of Active and Retired Federal Employees and Korean War Veterans Association. He is active in tennis and I in scrabble and my long time belly dancing hobby. (Our Presbyterian Church pastor claims to have the only belly dancer-Elder in the Presbytery of Arkansas.)

I am currently the TOTEM II 1953 Class Reporter.
May 2007

Sharron WELSCH Reams

Highlights since high school: three children, travel, working as a school librarian so much I have substituted in library for eight years! One day a month I spend a day in each grandchild's school seeing each grade for half an hour story time.

Favorite pastimes: the social life!

Shirley WHEELER Smith

Highlights since high school: I have enjoyed many different occupations. I have three wonderful children and two grandchildren. In 1994 I started my own business - Holly & Ivey Ltd. - It was Christmas year round, gifts, home, home and garden decor. After living and breathing the business world in Oregon the last fifty years or so, I'm finally back in Washington. I now live in the country side, near Toledo, Wa. I have a huge garden in summer and a woodburning stove to haul wood for in the winter. I love to cook and bake for my kids and grandkids, who all live near. What a change from the hectic business world. I'm loving it.

Favorite pastimes: working, gardening, cooking and civic affairs.