’ 68 Class Holds Annual Shady Maple Luncheon

The Class of 6W8 had a great time at their annual fall Shady Maple luncheon , getting caught up with each other ' s lives and reminiscing about their Williamson school days . Pictured are ( back row , left to right ): Ed Speer , Tom Turnbaugh , Dan Smith , Joe Shulkitas , Will Short , Jack Burns , Dave Slotterback , and Jim Thomas ; seated ( left to right ): Stacy Starr , George Miles , Lew Brubaker , George Dolan , Barry Lengle , Gene Stewart , and Steve Sherlock ; and , on the floor ( left to right ): Harold Boyer and Barry Veet . Not pictured are : Judy Dolan , Lorraine Sherlock , Sharon , Miles , and Doris Brubaker .

regularly , just to keep up . I am sorry to tell you that I can ’ t make the reunion this year . Connie and I finally decided COVID has kept us home long enough . We will be traveling most of the month of October . I ’ ll send a note when we get back and tell you all about the trip . Tell everyone I said hi . Till next year . Dan 6W8 ” Traveling is so needed for most of us after the past two years , Dan . I truly understand and am looking forward to hearing about your October adventures .

Heard the following from Barry Veet . “ Thanks for keeping on top of things . I have mentioned that I try to join Slotterback and a few of their friends for lunch once a month near Minersville area . It ’ s always great to see them . I ’ m keeping my fingers crossed that I can make the Oct . 19 luncheon which is one of my granddaughter ’ s birthday . Will let you know as soon as I find out . Otherwise , all good in Hazelton with my family . I was very happy to see the “ This Old House ” segment done at WTS a few months ago . That is great marketing and notoriety for our great school . Also glad to see the numbers of the incoming class growing larger . In a few short years we should be overtaking Harvard , Princeton , and the University of Pennsylvania ... LOL . Hopefully , most of us know the trades are gaining great ground in the forefront of future careers . There should be many good and lucrative job opportunities waiting for the upcoming Williamson graduates . Hope all is well with you and your family . Take care , Barry V ” I agree on the need for well-trained trade workers , and COVID seemed to have emphasized that need .

Ron Wildasin kept it short and sweet writing , “ No news from the Badger State . Ron ” I do hope you are going to join us this month at the luncheon . Last year ’ s bad luck with your drive home

to Wisconsin is done , gone , completed . All good luck will be with you this year , Ron !

Dan Smith sends this message from Indiana . “ Well , as some of you know , I am the primary caregiver to my wife Linda . She has deteriorated considerably in the last few months and it has kept me busy . It ’ s a 24 / 7 job that is wearing me out . I do have a part-time caregiver that helps a couple days a week . I have had to curtail a lot of our previous activities due to balance and walking issues . On the brighter side , I have made arrangements to trip-in to Shady Maple coming up in October . Hope to see you all there . We still do “ Mobile Meals ” for our senior saints locally . Amazing growth and donations have propelled the school to a size not envisioned a long time ago . I try to keep up with some of the news on the website . Thanks to Ed for the links sent out to us . God bless you all . Dan Smith ” It must be very hard to see someone you love deteriorate , Dan . I am looking forward to seeing you in a couple of weeks .

Bob Frank says , “ Hope this finds you and all our classmates in good health . This has been a much better year for us , last year at this time Maria and I had COVID , she spent ten days in the hospital with pneumonia and a lengthy recovery . 2022 has been much better , good health and the arrival of our first greatgranddaughter . In June , our grandson Vincent graduated from Williamson . We are so proud of his achievements . In his three years he earned seven awards which is seven more than his grandpa . The IV Club induction ceremony included a meal which was the BEST meal I ever had at WTS . I ’ m not sure if I will be at the luncheon ; we might be in Tennessee .” I hope your travel schedule lets you join us this year . We would be happy to see you there .

And , a very much appreciated message from 6W8 classmate John Shicora . “ John “ Daffy ” Shicora here . Thought it was about time to write you all with my updates from Texas . Just turned 75 on Sept . 26 and believe you me I wasn ’ t sure I was going to achieve the three quarters of a century mark . I am quite sure most of us from the Class of 6W8 have reached this milestone by now or by the end of this year . Finally got my “ Near Syncope ,” dizziness to the point of almost passing out when exercising , and my Severe Ventricular Tachycardia ( SVT ) under control after three ablation procedures last October where the doctor went in through my groin veins up into my heart where he tried to get my heart to fire in rhythm . While wearing three different heart monitors to determine my heart rate over a period of days I clocked in at over 200 beats per minute while exerting myself to almost passing out down to zero beats per minute while sleeping . Obviously , the zero wasn ’ t for an extended period or I would not be writing you . I need a left knee replacement , but I have been putting it off because of COVID . When I finally decided to address that issue , I came down with a right kidney infection with a 9mm kidney stone that totally kicked my little butt . Over the next six and a half weeks , I had two surgeries to put stents in my urethra and have the kidney stone broken up by laser . Currently feeling much better , but I lost ten pounds and can ’ t seem to find them . Seriously , I am still unmarried since my second wife left me for a younger man almost 19 years ago . In hind sight , I should have married Helen after graduating from Williamson . Only one of my three children have stayed remotely in my life which makes me a very lonely and depressed man most of the time . I honestly believe if it wasn ’ t for my love of disc golf and my active participation in teaching others how to play I can ’ t imagine where I would be right now . Sorry this was so long , but thank you for reading it . Sincerely , John “ Daffy ” Shicora 6W8 ” It was just so very good to hear from you , John . I hope that your activities can keep your spirits up . Feel free to keep in contact with any of those emails at the top of the addresses . I do know the adventures of SVT , having had a couple of ablations myself . As most of us can agree , it is tough getting old , but so much better than the alternative ! Don ’ let so much time elapse before your next update . If you ever get back to Pennsylvania , gives us a shout .

As to me , it seems that turning the golden age of 75 is a biggie . I will be 75 on Oct . 7 , so fingers crossed . The aches and pains of that age are not quite welcomed , but seem to go hand in hand ! Do any of you still have a living parent ? I lost my mom , Agnes W . Speer , a U . S . Army nurse veteran of WW II , just this past August . She was one month shy of her 99th birthday . Tom Turnbaugh speaks of Marianne ’ s dad turning 96 ,

and the last I heard , Steve Shedlock still had his father-in-law , who had just moved into a nursing home . I had a goal of wanting to live to be 100 , but caring for my mom over the past two years has had me re-evaluate that goal . My health has had some deep negative dips - Agent Orange , “ the gift that keeps on giving ” - but , still on the correct side of the grass .

A head ’ s up .... we are starting to think of our upcoming 55th reunion in 2023 . It should be celebrated in some way , most have said . The “ committee ” will be shortly sending out some thoughts and ideas and would welcome any of your thoughts or contributions . We are compiling a list of MIA classmates and hope that some of you may have contact info concerning them . In good health and good wishes ,

Ed Speer

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

Hi everyone ,

I hope you all are dong well as you make decisions and navigate life ’ s adventure , especially now in our later years .

I spoke with Tom Arena . He and family are doing good . Tom owns and manages 13 rental properties in the area . It is a full-time job in his retirement . All the best to you in your business dealings .

On a personal note , I had a right hip replacement on May 2 . It was a successful procedure and I am back walking without a limp .

Williamson enrolled its largest freshman class of 124 students this fall . We had 80 students in the fall of 1969 .

May you continue to have faith and trust in an eternal God . May God ’ s peace and blessing be with you .

Phil Lock 6W9 , A-46

Dave Churchman 206 Creekside Drive Salisbury , MD 21804-2801 410-251-8127 © djchurchman @ yahoo . com

“ Wow , what a great reunion !” This was a phrase that was heard often throughout our 50th reunion weekend in June . 63 of us graduated from this great school on June 9 , 1972 ; 30 of us returned for our 50th reunion .

On Thursday , June 2 , 2022 , some classmates arrived at the host hotel , Concordville Best Western . As I was settling into my room Bill Fisher called and said he was going up to the restaurant for dinner . He asked , “ Would you like to join me ?” I said , “ Absolutely ,” and after almost three hours , we had enjoyed a nice dinner and talked about everything and anything we could think

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