The Williamsonian Winter 2023 | Page 20

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’ 54 Classmates Visit Campus

Three members of the Class of 5W4 visited Williamson recently to see the new chapel mezzanine and some of the campus and to reminisce about their Williamson days . President Michael Rounds conducted the chapel tour . Pictured are ( from left to right , back row ): Bob Mench , Ron Richardson , and Rounds , and ( front row ): Don and Gloria Kemper .
18 , 2023 . Let ’ s see if we can surpass the head count next spring . The school will help to advertise again .
We 5W4 guys started this quite a while ago with dinners at a restaurant near the Pennsylvania turnpike in Willow Grove . Later , we chose to do a lunch since guys started to not drive at night . I bet the more recent grads could also start meeting for a dinner like we did since most of them are still working . If the younger class reps would attempt to do as we did , the school would be happy to help . It ’ s important to try and keep the guys connected and not just with the internet . Contact Laura or me .
Remember , you got three years of school for free . Somebody paid for you . Check out that Wanamaker Society and cut a little slice of your financial pie and join in and put WCT in your will . Why wait ?? Do it soon !!
I like to end the notes with two quotes from well known folks . Today ’ s are : “ The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be .” -Ralph Waldo Emerson “ There are no traffic jams along that extra mile .” -Roger Staubach
Call me when you have time and we ’ ll talk about those fond fun and crazy times at WTS . My memory is still pretty good . Remember to take your meds , smile like you mean it , and be a proud alumnus of the most Special Trade School in America .
Rep Ron
Jaye Koppenhaver 7441 Eastern Circle Drive Brooksville , Florida 34613 727-534-8960 jleobird @ gmail . com
Well fellows , here it is Oct . 3 , and not much to report . Jerry and I have
called a few classmates and some have called us . As expected , more classmates have passed . We had 17 alive back in February and as of today the number has dropped to 15 . That brings the total that have passed to 29 . Ron Evans , who passed July 27 , is the latest to have passed . It pays for us to make contact with you guys or you with us . Jerry made contact with another classmate and found out Ernst Wolff had passed in December 2011 .
We had contact from Don Buchanan , Ron Evans ( wife Betty ), and James Kirk . We would like you to keep in touch with us . You can talk to us , send a message to me or Jerry either by phone ( talking or texting ), email , or USPS mail . All methods are OK for both of us .
I have moved back to Florida almost to the same location I was in when I left Florida in 2019 . Jerry Watson has moved into a 55-years-or-older facility . Here are our new addresses : Jaye Koppenhaver , 727-534-8960 , jleobird @ gmail . com , 7441 Eastern Circle Dr ., Brooksville , FL , 34613-5690 . Jerry Watson , 267-991-4243 , gwatson585 @ yahoo . com , 268 Ridgeview Estate , Harleysville , PA , 19438-1043 .

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Jack Perkins 18 Harvard Road Plymouth Mtg ., PA 19462 610-279-4606 Jkbvperkins @ comcast . net
Hello 5W6 !
Looks like it ’ s time again to catch up with one another and learn how some of our classmates are getting along !
To start off , received a call from Bill Phelps . Bill said following graduation from WTS , he joined the Air Force . Following his discharge , Bill moved to California where he found work as a machinist
as well as finding himself a wife . Bill and his wife had three children , but sadly his wife ’ s life was cut short when she passed away at the age of 45 . Remaining single for several years , Bill looked after his youngest son until he graduated from college . Soon after his son ’ s graduation , Bill remarried . At the time of his marriage his new wife had a 3-year-old son and Bill became a dad again . At the same time , Bill found new employment with Alcoa Co . when the company he had been working for sold the business to a foreign company . In 1995 , he was offered a job as a project engineer with Alcoa in Lancaster , Pa . Bill continued to work for Alcoa until his retirement in 2009 . He and his wife have been married 37 years and continue to live in Lancaster , Pa .
Also heard from Eugene Moudy . Gene said following graduation from WTS in 1956 , he married his wife Margaret and started his first job working for Allen Wood Steel Co . in Conshohocken , Pa . Gene was hired as a material expediter in the Brick Department . His time with Allen Wood Steel was short lived when it wasn ’ t long after that he enlisted in the USAF , serving in the military until his discharge in 1961 . Gene ’ s next step was to enroll in college at West Chester State College in Pennsylvania . Following graduation , Gene went to work for the U . S . government - a job that required many relocations throughout the country . Wife Margaret also worked for the government , and it was Margaret ’ s work that took them to Germany . Margaret retired in 1988 and Gene in 1991 . Following their retirements , Gene and Margaret set out to find a permanent home . Their first relocation found them living in New Mexico , then it was on to Florida , and the last stop was the state of Tennessee . Gene said Tennessee is a great state in which to live and he had a lot of good things to say about it . Prior to Margaret ’ s death , Margaret asked Gene to look after her younger sister , Kathy . This September , Gene and Kathy celebrated their sixth wedding anniversary . Gene hoped the Wesley Student Activity Center would include an Olympic-size swimming pool for those who are more inclined to engage in water sports . Perhaps the school just might consider that one day !
Heard , too , from Smokey Seitz . Smokey had hernia surgery recently and was told it was a complete success ! At the present time Smokey ’ s at home recuperating and is being looked after by his daughter ( a nurse !) as well as his son . Smokey celebrated his 87th birthday in August . Though belated , a very happy birthday is being wished to you , Smokey !
Lastly , also heard from Joe Ratcliff . After 42 years living in the same home , Joe and his wife Millie moved to be near their daughter Kelly . Joe said at 85 moving wasn ’ t at all easy and it would probably take them a year to unpack ! Joe and Millie have six grandchildren one
of whom ( a grandson ) was sadly killed when he lost control of his motorbike in a motor cross event . Joe reported that after 50 plus years on the golf course and several shoulder surgeries , he was no longer able to play the sport he loved and had to hang up his clubs . Along with missing the game of golf , he also said he misses the good old days , presumably , the good old days at Williamson .
Speaking of golf , I believe it ’ s Ed Minnich who continues to make his appearance on the golf course . Mick and I departed the course when the ball developed a mind of its own . As to Homer Brown , 9:00 am tee-time is just a mite too early for him . Now he only dreams about golf !
If you have any news , be sure to pass it on !
Jack

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Paul Jackson 92 Weaver Ave . Ephrata , PA 17522 717-738-4907 prjjackson92 @ icloud . com
Hi classmates ,
As I write this ( 10 / 5 ), Jane and I are on a vacation in western Pennsylvania . A fall leaf trip , the leaves are not at their peak yet but it ’ s still very pretty . We spent two days in Bedford and now we ’ re in DuBois . On our way here we went past Holidaysburg and Duncansville . I know you are all familiar with those two towns by name . Made me think of Kelly and Harker . Do any of you remember their tussle in the old gym ? We spent some time today in Elk County looking for elk . We saw three bulls and two cows . This is rutt season so they are pretty active . We also heard them bugle . As a family we are on the increase with number five great-grandchild on the way .
I sent out a plea for info so I could write this , but the only one I heard from was Perkins so his letter is following .
Hi Paul , So sorry we did not get this into you before now , but it has been a hectic summer . Barb had throat surgery so she could swallow without choking . She also had knee surgery in July . She did excellent in both instances . Our granddaughter got married on Aug . 20 with a very large wedding . It was outside and the temperature was 90 degrees . It was hot , but the wedding was beautiful and we had a great time . We now have three grandkids married , six more to go . We have been busy at our church and around our community . Our daughter and her husband , who is a teacher at Newport , set up a trip to Europe for the students at Williams Valley , Millersburg , Halifax , and Newport to follow the allied army in World War II . There were 75 kids and adults that were on the trip and they were in Europe for 14 days . They had a great time and they learned the history of how the Army survived the war . We also found