fall in Pottsville. In attendance were Dave Slotterback, Joe Shulkitas, Will Short, Joe Selgrade, John Bonchalk, and myself( an honorary MCB 40 attendee). John Bonchalk is still working in the grant department for the Dept. of Education in Harrisburg. He said he is contemplating retirement in April 2017. Hopefully, we will see you at the lunch this coming October at Shady Maple, John.

Joe Shulkitas is the same old Pogo … he says he“ works part-time,” his wife says he’ s“ been retired for years.” Dave Slotterback, Joe Shulkitas, and Jim Murphy( Stevens Trade School, Class of’ 68, MCB 40) take daily hikes through the woods, hills, and forests of Schuylkill County, Pa., for their health, male bonding, and solving world problems. Dave is also taking his entire family to Disney World, Fla., in the coming spring.

50th Reunion update: Stacy and I will be meeting with Pete D’ Orazio in January. We will listen to his presentation on what Williamson plans for our 50th reunion, as well as how they have run the fundraising for other classes. I am hoping Pete has researched Jack Burns’ idea for a lifetime giving opportunity from our class. My emailed request for volunteers from our class resulted in NO takers. Stacy said he will serve on a committee, but only with help. We need at least one volunteer from each shop. Stacy has power plant covered. Maybe you would like to serve on the banquet committee … just let me know. If you would like to join Stacy and me at our meeting with Pete at Williamson, just let me know.

Thanks for those who got back to me with corrections to our class’ mailing list. It was hopelessly out of date— by at least 20 years in some instances. Hopefully, this will expedite news coming from Williamson to you.

REMINDER: Shady Maple Luncheon date has been reserved for Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2017, from 11:30 a. m.-3:30 p. m. Cost is $ 17.00, all inclusive.

Stay well, Ed Speer

Philip Lock 105 Seitz Rd. Schwenksville, PA 19473 610-287-7047 Cell: 610-331-6648 plock6w9 @ aol. com

Hi Everyone, I hope the new year brings peace and health to you and your families. Phil Lock

Jack Bendick 113 Stoddartsville Rd.

570-419-7661( cell) bendick @ ptd. net

Another year begins! I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas as the new year begins with the changing of the guards and many questions to be considered by our government in the coming years. As always, keep America in your prayers.

I received an email from an old friend from Williamson. Remember Ron Stombaugh from Power Plant? He said he still gets the Williamsonian and looks forward to info from our class and others. He has enjoyed a career in power generation and energy production. Ron still has contact with several classmates like Frank Cabala

and Dan Zimmerman. He also runs into others from 6W8 and 6W9. He wishes everyone well.

I received a Christmas photo card from Joe and Marth Lauck with his two grandson’ s Noah and Ethan riding an electric jeep. Joe is just getting through a bout of pneumonia and just tries keeping up with the boys.

I also received a Christmas card and a letter from Bill Eyster. Bill and Leslie are doing fine. Their daughter Jennifer and grandson Aidan moved to Houston as I last reported, but now their daughter Jessica, husband Joe, and grandson Conrad have moved to Dingman’ s Ferry in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania isn’ t too far from Jersey so they see Jessica’ s family as often as they can. Jessica has given Bill and Leslie a gift to look forward to this coming February with a new addition expected to their family.

I talked with Ted Daniels for quite a while the other week. He is doing well recovering from cancer, but has had a few setbacks when dealing with the chemo and radiation. He was able to do some bow and arrow hunting this fall and bagged a nice 8-pointer and also a doe. So you know the man is a rock. I hope to meet up with Ted in the next week or two near Dushore. We all wish Ted continued good health and if you want to email or talk to him here are his contacts: email: tandtdaniels @ frontier. com, Phone: 570-928 – 7420.

You know you’ re getting old when your granddaughter goes off to college. Our granddaughter Hannah is going to James Madison University in Virginia. She plays on the club volleyball team and we have traveled to see her team play in different states. Marcy and I have invested in buying another house that our neighbor owned. We plan on using it as a rental for weekends or weeks during the year and for our family to use and enjoy on the Lehigh River. Fixing it up is keeping us busy.

We keep in touch with Sandy( Bill) Caccese by phone, texts, photos, and email. She still likes the state of Florida and lives in Tallahassee.

I hope this year is a happy, prosperous, and healthy new year for you all. Again, we need to plan for our 50-year reunion and our gift to the school in 2020. Any suggestions or help would be greatly appreciated. Right now we’ re at a stand still.

Remember to try and keep in touch and let me know how you are doing or if you heard any news about our other classmates and I’ ll pass it along to all.

Until next time, take care, and God Bless!

Jack 7W0

Emidio Falini 221 Marshall St. Kennett Square, PA 19348 484-888-6895 falinie @ yahoo. com

Well, since the last time I wrote I heard from FRAUMENI. He did make it to Greece. Jim is still working in Southern California( Italians don’ t retire).

We do have a growing number entering the retiring arena. Jim Cass sold his business and spends some of the time traveling. He went to France last year. Glenn Bechtel retired from Mullinberg College where he worked for over 30 years in the Locks Dept., which he started himself. He does do some locksmith work, but for the

most part he is free and spends that time with his grandchildren teaching them the tricks of the trade. Glenn taught me years ago how to pick a lock and that has saved my hide many times over the years.

Chris and Dot Freeman spend their between Rehobeth Beach and Pottstown. Bill Holder retired from trucking a couple years ago and still lives in Maryland. We saw Bill at Alumni Day. Gino is still working every day hanging doors, windows awnings, or whatever. If you want to call him you have to call before 6 p. m. because he goes to bed around 7. Then he gets up around 3 or 4 and heads into work by first hanging out at the Home Depot parking lot and waits for them to open so he can get an early start.

Ed Wanyo hung up his trowel a couple years ago because of a back injury. His wife keeps us up to date on Facebook and Ed chimes in once in a while. Ed and Carol Promised to make it to Alumni day this year. George Wilkinson is also retired. George and Mary Clair were at the fall reunion and also Alumni Day.

Bob Melick is still pounding nails. Batdorf, Keys, Bixler, hung up the tools. Deffley works part-time. Kevin Varrasse still owns and runs his business, Bachetti Bros. Meats, Market & Catering. Kevin checks in once in a while on Facebook.

I am playing catch up from the 20-year gap. We really messed up over the last 20 years. When I go back to the school no one even heard of the Class of 7W1. It looks like the days of Mau, Mau’ s, or as Clemens called them, Moo, Moo’ s, Garden City, fire plug, Geezers all year, 7W1 on the smoke stack, were erased from Williamson’ s history books, so I think they need us back. I keep getting one question, WHERE’ S BUTLER??

Think Alumni Day this spring, we can get together then. If you have new phone numbers or addresses call me, text me, email me, or nail it up on a smoke stack like we did back in the day, but get it to me. Phill Massimini keeps our page on Facebook up to date and as I find pictures, I post them. I will let you know the next reunion, that is my winter goal, to up date addresses and put something together for us in a central spot. Again, get with it and get on Facebook, check out the pictures of us back in the day. WilliamsonTrade- School7W1

Emidio

Dave Churchman 403 Shady Creek Way Salisbury, MD 21804-1970 410-251-8127( cell) djchurchman @ yahoo. com

Greetings to my brothers of 7W2,

It is with sadness that I begin our class notes with the passing of David Scheffey on Oct. 25. I was informed of David’ s passing by his brother Greg. To quote from David’ s obituary,“ David‘ Scheff’ Scheffey, 65, of Boyertown, husband of Lynda L.( Seip) Scheffey, passed away Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2016 at his residence. Born in Pottstown, he was the son of the late Leonard and Margaret L.( Zimmerman) Scheffey. David graduated from Pottstown High School and Williamson Free School of Mechanical Trades. He worked for over 35 years at Stout & Son Contractors as a heavy equipment operator. Scheff was an active member of the Phillies and North

End Fire Co. in Pottstown. He was also active in the Pottstown and Berks County Historical Societies, and had a wealth of knowledge of Pottstown lure and the Scheffey family genealogy. David was also a member of the Train Collectors Association, Elks Lodge # 814, and the Pottstown German Club, where he competed in their shuffle board league. Surviving along with his wife is one sister Suzanne Reiber( Richard) of Wyomissing; two brothers George C. Scheffey( Carole) of Malvern, and Joseph L. Scheffey( Nancy) of Catonsville, Md.; two step-sons Donald L. Bauman and Ronald L. Bauman of Alburtis; four nieces; and two nephews. Memorial contributions may be made in David’ s memory to Williamson Free School of Mechanical Trades.” I have many good memories of David as a fellow“ Brickie.” Outside the fact that David was a pretty good“ Brickie,” David played a mean game of“ shop hockey,” as Craig“ The Buzzard” Walsh can attest. David’ s brother Greg told me David spoke highly of the education he received at Williamson. I believe we can give David an amen on that. Please keep David’ s family in your thoughts and prayers, especially as we approach the Christmas season.

Congratulations to Randy and Sandy Hummel on their 44th wedding anniversary. I’ ve done the math for you. Yes, Randy and Sandy were married in the fall after graduation in 1972. To celebrate the occasion, they spent a weekend in Lewes, Del. During the weekend, Randy had a chance to meet with Bob Hopkins for a brief visit. If you would like to get in touch with Randy, his email is: RSandy @ Windstream. net.

Bill Fisher called me in September, however, our talk was cut short due to the fact I was in church on a Tuesday night awaiting the service to begin. Bill and I played some phone tag, but alas, we finally had a nice 1-hour chat on 1 / 11 / 17. Bill lives with his wife Kathy in Emmett, Idaho, which is located in the SW corner of the state, 50 miles from Boise and 23 miles from Oregon. Bill enjoys the small town atmosphere of Emmett, Idaho. Bill and Kathy moved to Idaho in 1998 to take care of Kathy’ s grandmother. Kathy’ s grandmother passed away four years ago. Bill said he and Kathy drive the short distance to Oregon to take advantage of taxfree shopping. Bill stated he is recovering nicely from surgery to remove a cancerous kidney last year. Happy to hear that you are doing well, Bill. Bill retired from Penn State University with 25 years service and then took his carpentry skills to Idaho. Now, Bill is fully retired, tinkering, and enjoying life. Congratulations, Bill! Bill and his wife have been blessed with seven children; sadly, one child, a son, passed away in 2003. We’ re sorry for your loss, Bill and Kathy. There is no greater pain than the loss of a child. May God continue to bless you as you cherish memories of Curtis. I guess the last time I saw Bill was on the campus of Penn State University in the late 1970s.

Hopefully, the next time I see Bill( and the rest of the 7W2 class) will be at our 45th reunion in October 2017. Bill asked if I had heard from Mark Fair and Kim Elliott and, unfortunately, I have not. If any of you know of Mark and / or Kim’ s whereabouts, please contact me so I can report back to you in the next Williamsonian. Bill said he keeps in touch with Warren Hunter and has learned that Warren suffered a massive heart attack last year but, thankfully, has since recovered. That’ s

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