DOOPER DOIN'S

Let's keep in touch between reunions!

Please - - Send us any info and/or pictures you would be willing to share with the rest of the gang.

Open Invitation-
Class of 57 Lunches- Some of the gang have been getting together every month since the Reunion in 2007. If you are interested in attending, contact Dan Webster at bryant_252@yahoo.com for details.



Barb and Chuck HEATH, Linda PICKETT Brooke, and George GABEL 1/30/2012




























Doopers attending George and Carol LUEHRING OLSEN'S 50th anniversary party were Bud and Gayle HATCH POPKEN, Larry FORSTER, and Bill SHARP. Larry and Bill's wives were also in attendance.












A fun visit for cousins and classmates. Sue HATCH Lowry, Gayle HATCH Popken, Bill LOWRY, and Bud POPKEN















Nakoma (Niel) and Kati VOLKMAN stopped by on their way to a Pow Wow. Nakoma refers to himself as a writer who illustrates his works. He has completed or in the works fourteen books dealing with Mark Twain, Lincoln, and a five volume fictional set based on his experiences in the Amazon. He has also illustrated two children's books. He worked for the Peace Corp in Bolivia, Venezuela, and Nicaragua. While there, he lived with an Amazon tribe, known for killing missionaries, for three years. We googled the village today and the hut he lived in is still visible. In the 60's he worked in the inner city of Chicago with eleven street gangs trying to quell violence. On one occasion, seeing a gang had armed itself with various weapons including a golf club, he convinced them to go with him to a driving range, where he showed them how to really use a driver. "Nakoma" means "wise old person". The tribal elders gave Niel that name when as a young boy he would sit quietly and listen to what they had to say. Nakoma can be contacted at: NakomaArts@yahoo.com







John CLIFFORD (Juber) has moved back to Scotland. His new address is:
10 Langdale, East Kilbride g74 4RP
Scotland, UK






Paul and Kris HALAC in Atlanta, attending a "Four Freshman Reunion". Paul indicated the present group is the 28th iteration.













Dan WEBSTER emailed that Don WOOD through his travels in the military, on business,and personal, has been in every county in the lower 48, Hawaii, and Alaska. While Alaska does not have counties, it does have defined territories. This sounds like a Guinness record to me!

Dan, knowing I have an interest in garden railroads, sent me a jpg of a watercolor done by none other than Jim DOYLE. So add an Artist to his other accomplishments.


From Don WOOD: "On Apr 18th I was a finalist in the Chicagoland Pins Over Average Bowling Tournament. It started with over 11,000 entrants. I made it to the finals, securing the final spot from my regional. So there I was with 32 other finalists bowling for $10,000. Well, I didn't win the $10K, but 8th place got me an IPod touch 8GB. Being electronically challenged, I haven't a clue as to how it works. Anyone willing to teach me?"

April 10 Luncheon. At the table, l to r: Basil KTSANES, Marilyn SORENSEN Pratt, Carolyn RYAN Nolte, Sonia KAMBESTAD Richards, Judy BROWN Atwood, Dan WEBSTER, Mickey Webster. Standing, l to r: Dan DAVIDSON, Sandy SELIG Stevens, Ton ROOS, Milt VAN WELDE












































Judy BROWN Atwood discovered that classmate Dan WATERS owns a store in Ely, MN, "Canadian Waters" which is described as Boundary Waters Canoe Outfitters. Website: www.canadianwaters.com/.

A mini reunion was held at Healy's West Side in Forest Park on Sept 27. A good time was had by all and Priscilla BRUCE and Louise ZIMMERMAN Parsons have promised to organize the next one.


Tom ROOS and Pete COSTER








Marilyn SORENSEN Pratt and Bill SHARP













Pete COSTER and John STANGER





















Louise ZIMMERMAN Parsons and Polly POHL Houston


























Ron DIBBERN












Floyd and Maria JORGENSEN

Priscilla BRUCE














Bill CHARLES and Mrs Hane (Norm's wife)














Norman HANE and Mary HOUCK Olson





















Jack EILRICH and friend

















Dan and Mickey WEBSTER




















Bob BRUCE and Tom ROOS



















Chuck LAMB and Doriss LAKIN









Polly POHL Houston and Marlene KNAPPS Wolter




















John HARMAN

John STANGER, one of our tireless volunteers on the Reunion committee, was recently included in the "2007 Who's Who In America". I'd be happy just to remember who I am, or where my car keys or glasses are.




NOW TO BE REVEALED!!! TADA!!!
THE REUNION COMMITTEE!!!!
Back Row: John STANGER, Sonia KAMBESTAD Richards, Mary FRITZEMEIER Zavett, Marilyn SORENSEN Pratt, Mary TRAUT Sullivan, Doriss LAKIN, Diane NELSON
Front Row: Ron DIBBERN, Mary HOUCK Olson, Priscilla BRUCE, Dan WEBSTER













Lee CONGDON, Jerry VAN SANT, Courtland MUNROE, Bill DOELL, and Jack WHITFIELD having dinner after attending a Cubs game in 2003.
















Bud POPKEN, George GABEL, Barb Marich, Gayle HATCH Popken, Linda PICKETT Brooke, and Ken MARICH enjoying a little Tucson sunshine.












Just received a nice compliment from Louanne FUCHS Long, who is a Professor of Piano at the University of Redlands School of Music in California.

Sadly, we received word of Peder Knudson's passing. Not long ago we had a nice email from Peder saying he had retired and was looking forward to seeing his old classmates.

A Chicago 2006 Christmas visit enjoyed by Diane NELSON, Mary Jane KRAMER Gaal, Priscilla BRUCE, and Mary GORKA Kedrowski.
















I think Dan Webster deserves the title of "Sherlock Holmes of the Class of 57". Based on facial characteristics, Dan felt Elsmarie Norby in the following website was our own Elsa NORBY. Elsmarie wrote back and confirmed it. Check out what Elsmarie is doing now at www.anyel.com. Our congratulations and best wishes for continued success to Elsmarie NORBY.







Mary Jane KRAMER Gaal sent us these photos.
L to R: Val WATTERS Smith, Val VONPLACHECKI Schmid, Dale HAHN, Judy CLARK, Joyce ZYMALI Corbett, Roberta WALFORD, and Sharon CROWLEY Santow, circa 1956









At Mary Jane KRAMER Gaal's 60th Birthday party.
L to R: Mary Jane, Judy CLARK, Marlene KNAPPS, Mary GORKA, Janice WALLS, and Priscilla BRUCE, circa 1999.





















Carol EBEL Reit and Nancy METZ Hendrick enjoying a mini reunion at Lake Tahoe, CA.


















John ANDROS, Marion Gronke Gebhardt(56), Barbara , and John CLIFFORD (Juber) enjoying a get-together in Chicago in June. Cliff retired from the Unitarian/Universalist ministry 18 months ago and is now working as the Executive Secretary for their international umbrella group

Dan WEBSTER found this interesting piece of trivia about OPRFHS. A new building, designed to hold 800 students was opened in 1907 in the school's current location. Many additions to the building took place in the 1920's, including a new football field, and the first high school field house in the nation.

Louise ZIMMERMAN Parsons wrote that she lives in Florida and has been keeping in touch with Peg MCDONALD Bock and Polly POHL Houston.She also had kind words for the website. Thanks.

From Floyd JORGENSEN: "If you remember Floyd Jorgensen, raise your hands! Good, you remember me. I'm retired for the last two years, and I have spent most of my adult life in Forest Park, IL. My wife's name is Marie. It was great to see the website and the photos of some old friends that I haven't seen for years! Everyone looks just great. I definitely would attend a 50th reunion, so please put me on the list.

My email is fmjenterprise@yahoo.com. Please contact me, it would be great to hear from members of the class of '57."

Carol EBEL Reit caught up with Mary BREIDER Alterio and her husband Frank in Ft Myers this winter. Sharing many laughs and memories, they plan to make it an annual event. After watching it snow today, Gayle and I may join them.











Your editor would like to announce that after eleven years under construction his airplane flew for the first time on Oct 16. Having not flown for a number of years and flight testing a new aircraft caused a pretty good adreneline rush.

Did you know our school is haunted? Check out http://www.heathens-haven.com/haunted/sites/OPRFHS/

Gayle HATCH Popken thinks this picture is her reward for all the work volunteering at EAA Airventure. (Harrison Ford is the national chairman of the Experimental Aircraft Assn's Young Eagle program, where kids are introduced to flying. The annual airshow is held in Oshkosh, WI.)














From Bill LOWRY: A good motto to live by--"Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, wine in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming -WOO HOO what a ride!"
At least one of the website caretakers thinks they meet the profile.






Not to gossip, but I was recently sent this photo of Linda PICKETT Brooke and Don WOODS vacationing together in the North Woods.


Don KETTLESTRINGS stopped by the website recently, updating his address and email address. He resides in the Rockville, MD area. He also mentioned that Dr. Stephen NICHOLS lives in the Salt Lake, UT area.



BETTER LATE THAN NEVER- Carol EBEL Reit sent us Ken PIRWITZ's obituary. Ken was a 20 year veteran of the U.S. Army, with two tours to Vietnam. He passed away May 22, 2002. I remember Ken from homeroom.

MERRY CHRISTMAS and the HAPPIEST of HOLIDAYS. It is with great pleasure I can report that Charles KLIMA is alive and kicking, thereby not qualifying for our MEMORIUM page. Sorry, Charles. He can be reached at 12741 Wisconsin Bay Rd., Ellison Bay, WI 54210, or at hedgehog@dcwis.com.

An OPRFHS Alumni Association was formed last year. For information, contact Oak Park and River Forest Alumni Association, c/o OPRFHS, 201 N. Scoville Av., Oak Park, IL 60302. If you would like to contact a former teacher, send letter to Association Faculty Rep, at above address and heor she will relay your letter.


Jim DOYLE and Dennis LAW about to launch for the AZ/NM desert portion
of an 8000 mile transcontinental journey in Jim's 1941 Stearman. You can
read all about it by going to amazon.com and entering BOOKS, then
entering FLYING THROUGH TIME - A Journey Into History In A WWII
Biplane. Or just enter -Jim Doyle -.














How many of you remember the Zehender Drug Store at the corner of Chicago and Marion? Well, Bill ZEHENDER just checked in at the website. His daughter will be living near the drug store. He has been living in California for the past forty years. Bill presently resides on the water in the California Delta area, northeast of the SF Bay area and would like to get together with any classmates to tip a few and catch up on things. His email has been added to the list.




John CLIFFORD,aka Cliff JUBER, recently wrote George GABEL,( okay, not so recently. What can I say?)with an update. John has been a Unitarian minister in Europe for 32 years and Deputy General Secretary of the British Unitarians for 11 years. John and I were sports equipment managers for Tony Padula in high school and he continued this endeavor while attending college.

John CLIFFORD and his bride Barbara, Edinburgh, Scotland.(Jan 2002)




Get out your Tabulas and magnifying glasses! This bevy of beauties were caught in the act at the Oak Park Country Club. Can you identify them? Barbara KASKA Miller found this picture at her Mom's house.

Ken Rust just found the website. He lives in Bedford, Nova Scotia, Canada. He can be contacted by Email at kennnancy@hotmail.com. It's now on our Email page.

Mary Jo Halford reports that she has located her friend, Marianne Winter. She also wants everyone to know helpful Dan Webster was in assisting her. Thanks, Dan.



Also, Jack HEATH dropped us a line. He is a retired school superintendent, now part timing it in the health care profession. It turns out that Jack and Sue GROH Potts share the same grandchildren and also live about fifteen minutes apart. He was interested if there was going to be a 45th Reunion. HINT! HINT! Also, if you need help with Sue's and Jack's genealogical puzzle, Jack can be reached at jrheath@pwrtc.com.