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| Steve Pope |
Today I had a call from Bill Brookover. He was looking for ALL the pictures and videos of our class reunions. I told him that I hadn't posted ALL the pictures and videos yet.
Folks, for those of you who don't know how a blog works, I will explain now. A "blog" is an Internet diary. Entries are made daily, semi-daily, weekly or monthly or any other time period. In this blog I hope to make at least one entry a week until I post all the pictures and videos that I have accumulated of our class from the past fifty-eight years since we graduated on that June day on the football field behind our school in 1959.
How am I going to post these pictures and videos? At first I was going to do it chronologically but the volume of my collection is just too great. Thus I will post by event.
Bill (Brookover) had suggested that I post our 3rd class reunion that was held at Dave Fidler's home in Manheim, Pennsylvania. He said that was the first and only reunion that Steve Pope attended. Great idea Bill!
I don't know if you know the story of how I found Steve. That summer, prior to our reunion I embarked on one of my Internet searches for missing classmates. I happened to find Steve. I still remember his first response when I talked to him on the phone. He said "I was looking for my class but I didn't know who to contact. I am so glad you called." He then proceeded to tell me that he had terminal brain cancer and didn't expect to live much longer and would like to see his classmates one more time. Steve had already lost one eye to his disease but was in good spirits. My response to him when he told me of this news was awkward as it often is when someone tells you they're dying. I responded to Steve by saying "I don't know what to say." He said "Oh, I'm fine. I'm curious to find out what is on the other side."
Steve then proceeded to tell me his very interesting history since we last saw him at graduation. He said he went to college (I don't remember which college). He joined the Coast Guard and served during the Viet Nam war in the waters off of Viet Nam. He also told me that brought a hut in Bali and for a time was a Bhuddist monk! He also said he was for a time a cab driver in Chicago. What an eclectic work history Steve had.
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| Buggy ride at Dave Fidler "ranch" |
Well, enough with my chatter. Here are the photos from our 43rd class reunion that was held June 22, 2002 at Dave and Naomi Fidler's home in Pennsylvania Dutch country of Mainheim, Pennsylvania.
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| Picnic under the shade tree on a beautiful June day at the Fidler home |
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| Sandy Zynn, Jack Swarner, Bob Zynn, Jeanne Emery Veltro, Jean Timmerman sister, Carole Marcocci, Carole Davis Turner, Pat Swarner, and Frank Marcocci |
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| Frank Marcocci, Jeanne Emery Veltro, Carole Marcocci, Mary Jane Esworthy, Cookie Seibert Pannebaker |
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| Iva Darlington Siever, Mary Jane Esworthy, Cookie Seibert Pannebaker, Jeanne Emery Veltro |
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| Iva Darlington Siever, Mary Jane Esworthy, Jeanne Emery Veltro, Wes Pannebaker, Cookie Seibert Pannebaker, Jean Timmerman Swisher |
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| Ted Miller, Jeanne Emery Veltro, Larry Meredith, Iva Darlington Siever |
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| Alex Veltro, Steve Pope, Jeanne Emery Veltro, Olin Siever, Iva Darlington Siever, and Ted Miller |
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| Jack Swarner, Bruce Nixdorf, Larry Meredith, Frank Marcocci, Carole Marcocci |
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| Larry Meredith, Frank Marcocci, Carole Marcocci, Sany Zynn |
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| Jack Swarner, Larry Meredith, Ron Tipton |
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| Sandy Zynn |
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| Carole Davis Turner |
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| Lois Meredith, Olin Siever |
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| Carole Davis Turner, Sandy Zynn, Bob Zynn, Pat Swarner, Jack Swarner |
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| Charlie Stimson and his wife, Bill Brookover, Dave Fidler and Gary Kinzey |
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| Naomi Fidler, Jean Timmerman's sister, Jean Timmerman Swisher |
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| Folks enjoying picnic food next to Fidler corn field |
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| Bob Zynn, Sandy Zynn, and Carole Davis Turner |
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| Fidler buggy horses |
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| Fidler barn |
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| Neighboring farm to Fidlers |
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| Beautiful rolling farm land near Fidler farm |
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| Jeanne Emery and Alex Veltro |
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| Alex Veltro, Ralph Milliron and Larry Meredith |
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| Cookie, Mary Jane, Mrs. Gary Kinzey, West Pannebaker and Olin Siever |
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| Jean Timmerman Swisher and her sister |
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| Jack Swarner, Ted Miller, Dave Fidler, Bob Zynn, Ralph Milliron and Larry Meredith looking at old class pictures |
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| Mr and Mrs. Steve Pope and Jean Timmerman Swisher |
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| Jean Timmerman Swisher and Steve Pope |
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| Bruce Nixdorf, Steve Pope and Jean Timmerman Swisher |
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| Janet Brookover, Lois Meredith, Ted Miller, Jean Emery Veltro, Alex Veltro, Steve Pope, Carole Davis Turner, Mary Jane Sabellico, and Judy Baldwin Nixdorf |
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| Steve Pope and Bill Brookover |
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| Steve Pope, Frank Marcocci and Ralph Milliron |
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| Larry and Lois Meredith with Elizabeth Brookover |
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| Naomi and Dave Fidler, and Alex Veltro |
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| Ted Miller, Bob Zynn, Bill Brookover, Mrs. Ted Miller, Jeanne Emery Veltro, Dave Fidler and Elizabeth Brookover |
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| Steve Pope, Jean Timmer Swisher, Gary Kinzey and Ron Tipton |
Nice work, Ron! This will be enjoyable for all of the class. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteJust so there is no misunderstanding, though, the Fiddler reunion was the third annual one at someone's home, I think. We had several 5 year reunions prior to these. I'll let a real class historian detail this information. In fact, it would be neat to have a list of all the reunion years. Also, I don't know if that was Steve's only reunion. Again, maybe someone else would know this. At any rate, I'm looking forward to further posts. (So, you can't do them all at once, huh? Doesn't seem right in this day and age........) Thanks again, Ron. Bill
Hey Bill! Thanks for making the first comment on my new blog for our Downingtown High School Class of 1959! A couple of questions in response to your comments: who is the class historian? I didn't get involved with our class until the 20th reunion. I guess if anyone is the class historian it is Carole (Davis Turner). I do think this was Steve's first class reunion but I may be wrong. He did indicate to me that he was looking for someone to contact when I had contacted his wife during one of my class reunion booklet update searches.
DeleteAfter the holidays I will update more class reunions and what is happening to our former classmates now. I look forward to this endeavor!
Happy new year!
Ron