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Paul Gustine

Herb, If I remember right there must be at least one trombone not in the picture of the Dixieland Group, Dale Poindexter.  I remember you playing in the warmup at the Basketball games at the gym at West Junior on the stage.  Man, you could make that place rock.  I traveled with the basketball team as Herman Edwards' statistician.  He always wanted a look at the shot chart before he talked with the team at half-time.

Herbert McCartney

Hello Paul:

Great to hear from you and hope all is well.  As I recall, that was a shot taken by a Tatler staff photographer and we had no advance information that the photo was going to be taken.  To the best of my knowledge Dale was, for whatever reason, not in attendance that night.

Yes, all the players in that group understood the two primary requirements for a pep band.  The music must be loud and fast. lol

Sincerely,

               --  HERB

Linda Hicks (Montayne)

Happy Birthday to Vicki Spurgeon.  

Ronald Frost

The Aug 9 2021 newspaper lists Anthony Ventimiglia as having passed away (Of Tony's restaurant) , father of our classmate Michael Ventimiglia. Their familly still runs the restaurant, which has recently moved a few blocks from the middle of downtown Alton.

Anthony "Tony" Ventimiglia
Alton - Anthony V. "Tony" Ventimiglia, 97, died at 12:20 a.m. Saturday, August 7, 2021 at his home in Alton. Born November 4, 1923 in Alton, he was the son of Leonardo and Catherine (Pinta) Ventimiglia. Tony attended catholic schools in Alton and was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Alton. On April 15, 1944 he married the former Edith Ford at St. Patrick's Church in Alton. She survives. Tony and his father Leo founded Midtown Restaurant in Alton in the early 40's. Tony and his wife Edie went on to open Tony's Restaurant in downtown Alton in 1954 where he worked until the time of his retirement. Tony was the kindest and hardest working man that his family has ever known. He loved his family, his friends, his customers and his restaurant with his whole heart. Tony was a legend in the Alton restaurant community. Along with his wife Edith he is survived by a son, Michael Ventimiglia, grandchildren, Paul (Erin) Ventimiglia, Betsy Bechel, Shawna Ventimiglia, and Leonard Ventimiglia III, 10 great grandchildren and a sister, Pauline Muehling. Along with his parents, he was preceded in death by a son, Leonard Ventimiglia and three sisters, Mary Long, Jo-Kay Butkovich and Anne Yeck. Visitation will be from 10:30 a.m. until time of funeral Mass at 12:00 noon Thursday, August 12, 2021 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Alton. Burial will be at Valhalla Memorial Park in Godfrey. Memorials may be made to St. Mary's Catholic Church in Alton. Gent Funeral Home in Alton is in charge of arrangements. Online guestbook and information may be found at www.gentfuneralhome.com

Marion Foster (Dimond)

Updating Who's Coming To Reunion list every week, more often at end when everyone sends in their $$. Get your money in, so friends can see you are coming.

RSVP deadline is Sept. 1.

Bluff City Grill will observe all the covid rules. If you're vaccinated, hopefully chances are small you will contract covid. And we're lucky the new cases are much less severe than last year. If a serious health issue makes you hesitate, contact your doctor for advice.

If you are unable to attend reunion, you can say hello and post a message to the class here on Message Forum.

And whether or not you are attending, we're always glad to receive donations to class reunion fund, to help pay for website and reunion costs. Send donations to Bonnie, address on RSVP form, check made out to Alton High School Class of 1965. Thanks.

Who's Coming to Reunion? 8-10-21 Update

Classmates & their guests, registered & paid

(Girls listed by maiden name, then married name)

Baker, Marla (widow of Jim)

Blaine, Ron and Vikki

Bosaw, Steve & Cindy

Breyfogle, Carolyn Bumbacher & Phil

Cook, Jane Lucke

Cronk, Connie Linn & Jackie Sumpter

Darr, Jim & Sheila

Feldman, Steven & Marjorie

Foster, Marion Dimond

Hamilton, Mary Bayer & Joe

Henesey, Susie Pruetzel & Roland

Hicks, Linda Montayne

Johns, Vicky Barton

Jones, Mike

Kennedy, Donna Gersman & Jim

Kennedy, Tom

Lester, Karen

Liebheit, Richard

Luecht, Paula Richards

McCormick, Jim & Cindy

McCormick, Doug & Gina

McGibany, Moine & Mary

Newby, Chuck & Nancy

Parrish, John & Rhoda

Perotka, Roger & Karen

Prather, Larry

Rain, Buddy

Redman, Bob

Roettgers, Bonnie Blackledge & Jim 

Sims, Jerry & Maridell Fox Brown (2 classmates)

Spears, Larry & Sherry Christen Spears (2 classmates)

Stilwell, Richard & Helen

Varner, Lynn Yearwood & Darrell

White, Steve

Zumwalt, Camiela Fisher & Bonnie Zumwalt Mashington

Linda Hicks (Montayne)

Happy Birthday to Joanne Stiritz.

Marion Foster (Dimond)

Happy birthday LINDA HICKS MONTAYNE,  co-admin at altonhigh65.com website. Thanks for volunteering to start this with me in 2013, and for all your work since--scanning and adding Tatler pics, birthday wishes to classmates, etc. Luckily, techie Herb McCartney has joined us, since we truly didn't know what we were doing. But now I'm so proud of it: 46% of class has joined, and visits to site number 130,000+. But most of all it has been fun. Thanks!

Linda Hicks (Montayne)

Happy Birthday to Carol Griffin.

Linda Hicks (Montayne)

Happy Birthday to Robert  (Ed) Griesemer. 

Linda Hicks (Montayne)

Happy Birthday to Rick Vail.

Linda Hicks (Montayne)

Happy Birthday to David Mueggenburg.

Linda Hicks (Montayne)

Happy Birthday to Linda Chamberlain. 

Marion Foster (Dimond)

Covid concerns about reunion? Bluff City follows all CDC recommendations for safety. As of now, masks not required but you are welcome to wear one if you want. We can easily social distance and be careful.

When I visited Alton last week, we got to see the banquet room. It is huge (holds 500--we will have 1-200). It has three parts: bar area one end, table seating area in middle, and stage/dance floor at other end. Big round tables will seat 8 instead of usual 10, so can spread out a little. Cash bar area is open, no barstools, and there are high cocktail tables and chairs against wall if you want to sit in there. Also, there's a big outdoor seating area on top of the parking area if you want to go outside.

Unless your doctor advises you not to, we hope you will consider coming.

Linda Hicks (Montayne)

Happy Birthday to Yvonne Gleason and Ruby Jones.

Linda Hicks (Montayne)

Happy Birthday to John (Buddy) Hessel.

Linda Hicks (Montayne)

Happy Birthday to Sharon Marie Wilson (Witty).

Kathryn M. Novitskie (Pool)

Happy Birthday Sharon! Hope it is a great one for you....😊

Camelia Zumwalt (Fisher)

Happy, happiest ever birthday Shari! God Bless and keep youSafe.

Marion Foster (Dimond)

Sept. 1 Reunion Registration Deadline Extended to Next Week

Get them in the mail ASAP.

Thanks!

We have to give a head count on Sept. 10.

Linda Hicks (Montayne)

Happy Birthday to Barbara Drake.

Linda Hicks (Montayne)

Happy Birthday to Olivia Pollard.  

Linda Hicks (Montayne)

Happy Birthday to Leona Delores Webb.

Linda Hicks (Montayne)

Happy Birthday to Barb Maple.

Marion Foster (Dimond)

Husband of our classmate Kathy Chambers Swearingin.

Leonard E. Swearingin
Bethalto - Leonard E. Swearingin, 76, of Bethalto, Illinois, passed away on Monday, Aug. 30, 2021, at his residence.
He was born on Jan. 20, 1945, in Hamburg, Illinois, the son of Dorothy M. (Swearingin) Doerr. He married Katherine J. Chambers on March 23, 1968, in Alton.
Leonard is a Veteran of the United States Army. He served from 1965 to 1967, a year of that time was spent in Vietnam. He worked as a forklift driver at the Casting Plant at Olin Corp for 40 years, until his retirement in 2008. Leonard enjoyed golf, his dogs, spending time with his family and friends, but especially loved being with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Along with his wife, Kathy, he is survived by his children, Kristy Metz of Roxana, and Janine Swearingin of Jupiter, FL; two grandchildren, Jerremy Kirby and Jerilyn (Trevor) Kroeschel; three great-grandchildren, Oliver, Gedeon, and T.J.; and a niece, Angie King of Wood River.
He was preceded in death by his mother; infant siblings, Sharon K. Doerr and Ronald L. Doerr; a sister, Linda L. Maholavich; and his mother and father-in-law, Carl E. and Delores L. Chambers.
Per his wishes, cremation rites were accorded, and a private graveside service was held at Rose Lawn Memory Gardens in Bethalto. Elias, Kallal and Schaaf Funeral Home in Bethalto was in charge of arrangements.
Memorials can be made to The Alton Area Animal Aid Association (5A's).
Online condolences and guest book may be found at www.eliaskallalandschaaf.com.

Published by The Telegraph on Sep. 7, 2021.

Linda Hicks (Montayne)

Happy Birthday to Marilyn Justice and Marcia Lock.