Alumni Sandstorm ~ 01/24/15
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9 Bombers sent stuff and 1 Bomber Memorial today:
Curt DONAHUE ('53), Gloria ADAMS ('54)
Larry MATTINGLY ('60), Helen CROSS ('62)
Pete BEAULIEU ('62), Peg SHEERAN ('63)
Bob MATTSON ('63/'64), Linda REINING ('64)
Mike FRANCO ('70)
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BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Edith McLENEGAN ('61)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Judy LEY ('67)
BOMBER CALENDAR: Richland Bombers Calendar
Click the event you want to know more about.
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>>From: Curt DONAHUE ('53)
Re: Atomic Frontier Days
http://richlandbombers.com/gallery/0000s/AFD.html
I don't remember the exact year, but I was hospitalized at the
time of the celebration and the beds were full so I had to be
housed in the children's ward. I was old enough to be in the
regular wards so I was pretty upset being considered a child. My
anger subsided when Monte Hale, a western movie star visited the
children's ward and I got to see, visit and shake his hand and get
his autograph.
Re: The "Y" grocery store
While working at the grocery store at the "Y" the owner brought
in, for a promotion, the tallest living man in the world. His name
was Cliff Thompson who was 8' 7" tall, weighed 460 pounds, wore a
size 22 shoe and his wedding ring was large enough to pass a
fifty-cent piece through. Talk about being intimidated! I was
about 5 feet 6 inches at the time.
Re: The Flood
http://richlandbombers.com/gallery/1940s/48/1948-Flood-00.html
The flood was in 1948 and had Richland nearly surrounded. Even as
far away from the river we lived on Fitch, one could hear the
earth-movers going day and night to build up the dike along the
Columbia. My recollection is that there was a time when the road
to the "Y" was also unpassable. Can someone confirm that? It seems
that we had to go by some obscure route north passed Horn Rapids
and on to Benton City in order to reach Kennewick.
Re: Musicals
I had the pleasure and honor of having the comedy lead in the
first-ever musical presented at Col-Hi. It was titled "Good News"
and was about a group of college kids. Alice VERBRUGGEN ('54)
played opposite me and did a wonderful job. We both had so much
fun portraying our characters. I also had the pleasure of playing
the comedy lead in the Richland Light Opera presentation of "The
Vagabond King." The light opera was the forerunner of the Richland
Players who make their presentations in the Richland Theater (on
Biddle). The Vagabond King was presented in the Village Theater on
GWWay, but I believe later productions by the light opera were
presented in Chief Jo's auditorium.
Re: Korten's
That was where I bought all my sheet music. If they didn't have
it, they would order it and have it in just a few days. Every time
I get into the box full of sheet music and see the "Korten's Music
Store" stamp, it brings back a flood of memories.
Re: Memories
It has been fun and interesting to see all the recollections of
early life in Richland. People have a hard time believing that
Truman Fergin ('53wb) and I used to walk around town with a .22
rifle and no one ever questioned what we were doing. We used to
sleep outside in the yard and were never bothered by anyone except
mosquitoes. We used to take our bedrolls and camp out where Fred
Meyer currently sits along the stream that fed Wellsian Lake,
which many people today don't think ever existed. I hope more of
you will share your memories and correct my recollections, if
necessary.
-Curt DONAHUE ('53) ~ Pasco where we're having a heat wave
coming. It's forecast to be in the 60s tomorrow
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>>From: Gloria ADAMS Fulcher ('54)
Many months ago I responded to a message from Butch BAIRD's ('54-RIP)
sister, Marilyn BAIRD Singletary ('60). I have now found the
picture of Butch and Kenny GARDNER ('54-RIP) and would like to
send it to her. Does anybody know any member of the family, so I
could send to them?
Ken and Butch are standing outside the gym at Carmichael when we
were in the 9th grade.
-Gloria "Skippy" ADAMS Fulcher ('54)
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>>From: Larry MATTINGLY ('60)
Re: Collections of things
Humans are natural born collectors. My collections include carved
wood birds from many countries in the world. I bought a large 3
section glass front cabinet a few years back at a yard sale. It is
a quality piece of furniture but it is near overflowing with birds
from my years of traveling. I also have several pieces of hand-
tatted lace. Hand-tatted lace is getting very hard to find. The
elderly ladies are passing on and the younger generation girls
have little or no interest in it. Last time in Switzerland I found
only one piece in probably 30 or more stores. But It was worth the
search... it is a place mat size of St. Galleon's Lace. I am told
it is a real treasure.
Several years ago I was in the mid west for a technical meeting
and found a "collectibles" show in a building nearby. I was amazed
at what folks collect, and at what cost. Old wood thread spools
with intact labels... rare ones are worth as much as $50!
I am going through some of the boxes of "stuff" I have accumulated
over the years. I deliberately moved into a smaller house years
ago, and some of it just has to go.
A few months ago I divested myself of over 50 tee shirts to grand
kids. I still have over a drawer full. Interesting how a XXL or
even a XXXL shirt can be so small when bought in foreign
countries.
I have several antique watches and have had most of them restored
to keep time. The several silver ones are not worth all that much.
My grand father's gold Waltham has been restored and keeps perfect
time. And my treasure is a large 18 ct gold pocket watch made in
Bradford England about 1864. Collectors have offered me much less
then it's appraised value. I was in Bradford about 20 years ago
and the historical papers of the Menno Rhoads and Sons watch
company were in boxes. In 2 days of searching I found papers with
serial numbers before and after my watch. They were made in 1863
and 1865, thus I presume mine was made in 1864. The engraving
inside is beautiful. I found the parts to the watch in a wood
cigar box in an old farm building I helped dismantle. The old
weathered wood was worth a bunch in decorating a restaurant.
The fellow I was helping said I should keep it. So I did. Years
later I had made friends with the chief watchmaker at Ben Bridge
Jewelers. He did the restoration of several of my old watches. He
wanted to look at the parts. Several months later I got it back
in mint condition and it keeps perfect time. He would not let me
pay him. Said it was a great pleasure to work on that fine old
time piece. He hand cut replacements for all 18 jewels. It is key
wound and he attached a nice gold chain so I can wear it with the
gold chain across my vest in the rare times I dress up.
I had eleven wood cigar boxes. They were made of aromatic cedar. I
sold them to a collector I met. I actually got a little more then
the appraised value as the guy wanted them bad. They were in
excellent condition.
I had 45 pounds of hotel soaps and shampoo from at least 25
countries and all over the US. AAA has a program to distribute it
to the missions and Salvation Army. So a couple of weeks before
Christmas I made them very happy.
Years ago I had a friend who passed away had over 150 kinds of
barbed wire. I helped his wife crate them and some old west museum
took them..
I have about 75 green and clear glass phone and electric
insulators. Some are rare. I bought the box at an estate sale. I
have had them several years and have not even opened the box. I am
looking to get rid of them but need to get them cataloged as they
are in demand by collectors.
I have a bag of matchbooks from all over. If I see matchbooks in a
restaurant, I take a couple and so on. So... any alum have a match
book collection? I will give them to anyone who wants them. Most
of the books are complete with matches. That might make them
difficult to ship without paying hazmat fees. being a person
with full knowledge of the hazards of flammables and explosives I
cannot risk shipping them without doing it completely legal. So if
I have to ship them I may have to extract the matches or you will
have to pay the hazmat fees. (possibly $150 or more)
Anyway if you want them drop me a line.
Any other collectors out there?
-J. Larry MATTINGLY ('60)
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>>From: Helen CROSS Kirk ('62)
That is so neat that all 7 of the Smyth siblings are getting
together. Enjoy you time together!! You are right, it is wonderful
that you are all together!! And it is a blessing you are all
healthy enough to do it
We grew up with 5 CROSS cousins: Allan ('59-RIP). Bobby ('62),
Carol ('64-RIP), Mary Jane ('68-RIP), and Duane ('79). Sadly,
we are missing those 3 very much.
Incidentally, we will be enjoying Florida's warmer weather then
too, and I hope to see a friend I met in Richland in '64 at
Central Church's young adults group, Koinanoins (I don't think
I'm spelling it right;), Joy Hendrix Wilson, who was visiting
her sister, Colleen. Joy and I haven't connected since 1970 in
Washington DC!! We've kept in touch mostly via Christmas Cards
over the years.
-Helen CROSS Kirk ('62) ~ Hope, IN where the sun is shining and
it's 50° outside, a most unusual temperature here in January
in the Midwest, but we'll take it.
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>>From: Pete BEAULIEU ('62)
Re: Theaters and stuff
The theater north of Richland at Camp Hanford was the North Star.
The owner or top honcho was slightly overweight and usually
dressed in a light brown suit to welcome patrons at the door —
Mr. Honeywell. On one occasion in the early '50s the feature was
delayed a full 45 minutes to allow time for a women's fashion show
up front, mostly coats. This did not sit well with eight-year
olds. Earlier in 1949 the "Wizard of Oz" came to the Richland "Y"
Drive In, but I fell asleep in the back seat and afterwards could
remember events only up to the early tornado scene. In 1951 or so
the Richland Theater carried "King Solomon's Mines" in color which
was such a draw that the family had to return the next week, or
maybe even the week after that.
The only 3-D flick I remember was in the Village Theater [on
GWWay] in 1955 or so—I think it was "Shane". At this birthday
party event the young lad next to me complained on the way out the
lobby that he was not impressed—it turns out his 3-D glasses were
faulty: red on both sides rather than red on one side and green on
the other. There has to be a lesson of some sort in that. In 1957
about eight of us found ourselves at the north end neighborhood
birthday party of Ed QUIGLEY ('62). After cake and ice cream we
were shuffled off to the Uptown Theater to see his pick, "Mau
Mau," in black and white. An eye-popping machete-wielding movie
that I would have liked to have missed, but still short of the
mainstream stuff of today on film or in the news.
Two highlights at the south end were, yes, By's Burgers, and
Wellseyan (sp?) Lake below Carmichael Junior High School. The
lake was stocked every year and on opening day would be lined all
the way around, almost shoulder to shoulder, with hopeful kids
hard at work tangling their new fishing lines and poles. I recall
my sixth grade class at Lewis and Clark Elementary School trooping
over there for our end-of-year party.
Re: By's Burgers
http://richlandbombers.com/gallery/0000s/Bys.html
As for By's Burgers, the free standing building featured a tall
spire adorned with vertical lettering for its name. The place also
signaled a new world intruding into our new town. In 1956 By's was
closed down at least temporarily as the scene of some strange new
event called a drug raid.
-Pete BEAULIEU ('62) ~ Shoreline, WA
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>>From: Peg SHEERAN Finch ('63)
Re: Toasting songs to friends, etc.
I remember being able to call ? Korten's - or was it the radio
station (?in Pasco) - on Friday evenings, to have a song played
for someone you "loved", and I had one played for Doug HAWKINS
('62) (yes, Ellen, I know... ) - "To Know, Know, Know Him, is to
Love, Love, Love Him", or "Dream, Dream, Dream", by the Everly
Brothers, but I did it anonymously, because I could NEVER let him
know. Oh, be still, My Heart!
-Peg SHEERAN Finch ('63)
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>>From: Bob MATTSON ('63/'64)
Re: first jobs
I delivered the Seattle P.I. for a summer. I picked up my bundle
in front of the old Jason Lee school, stuffed my paper bag full
and hopped on my bike. I loved riding around in the cool summer
mornings. Didn't make much money, though. Also worked at Johnny's
Deli for a while. Then at the Desert Inn as a bus boy. Worked the
first few weeks when the Dog & Suds first opened, but then took
off on the family vacation. Swept and mopped the floor at the dry
cleaners next to Curlies 76.
"Superman vs the Molemen" which I saw at the Uptown Theater is the
scariest movie I can remember seeing as a kid. Still don't trust
manhole covers.
Sonny [aka "Muscles"] had a monkey cage tacked to his house by
Jason Lee school. It was real cool cause you could feed them
almost anything.
Later,
-Bob MATTSON ('63/'64)
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>>From: Linda REINING ('64)
Re: Fred Grazzini at Korten's
Didn't know he gave lessons at Korten's... he came to our house
and gave me accordion lessons from the time I was in 3rd grade
till I started junior high, when I quit... have always regretted
that I didn't keep with it... I had my accordion til 1967, when I
sold it. he held concerts and competitions... I remember winning a
few 1st place trophies... my uncle also played the accordion, but
he "played by ear", so, after I played a tune, we'd have duets. I
had an 80-base accordion, his was 120-base and had pearl inlays
next to the keys. was a beautiful accordion... he'd had it since
he was a young man in Minnesota... he would also play a lot of
polka music, and tried to teach me to play them, but I needed
"written" music, couldn't "follow" his fingers, so never learned.
-Linda REINING ('64) ~ Kuna, ID cold temps but no more snow...
am guessing we are done with snow for this Winter... I'd
love one more time, but can't complain too much, since I
did get my White Christmas.
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>>From: Mike FRANCO ('70)
Re: Couple of "contributions"
- On the subject of newspapers, The Seattle P.I. was also
available. I delivered it in the early '60s. During the summer
when there was warmer weather and no school I sued to stop in
early at The Spudnut Shop. Dominique (Barlow's father) always gave
me a day old free Spuddy. Then Barlow would yell out from the back
"What are you doing giving free Spudnuts to the doctor's kid!!!".
I must of heard that dozens of times.
- I think every drug store, big and small had some sort of lunch
counter. Even the very small Johnson's on GWWay & McMurray next
to Kaisers had a counter in back. After school we would crowd in
for penny candy. All of us loudly clicking our pennies on the
counter. I assume the lady who worked there was eventually shipped
off to Medical Lake.
- And finally, to Lori SIMPSON Hogan ('70). I don't know about
names, but trust all of us, there is indeed only ONE Mike Hogan!
[Franco... there are TWO Mike HOGANs... one from class
of '66 and one from class of '70. -Maren]
- And how about the palacial original Kadlec Hospital? I never
heard it referred to as "Medical Center".
I love reading all these memories.It's great info AND many of you
make me feel a little young!!!
-Mike FRANCO ('70)
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Bomber Memorial
>>Jack JOHNSTON ~ Class of 1947 ~ 1929 - 2015
Bomber Memorials
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That's it for today. Please send more.
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