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Gary Hesse

I don't know if anyone is aware of the following, but I heard it from several of our classmates in Sierra Madre:

Barry Schwam passed away on June 7th.

I have no additional information but will always remember Barry foldly and be in amazement of his creativity and peacefulness.

Gary Hesse

... went through grades 4 through 12 with Barry!

Philip Denslow

I'll always remember what a treat it was at our last reunion when Barry went and got his Theremin and sat in with the band. Fun!

David Fair

Barry Schwam died from stomach cancer, one of the especially nasty ones that give few early warning signs.  It was already Stage 3 when Barry discovered it.  It's also one with poor recovery statistics.  Barry decided not to do chemo, which meant he went pretty quickly.

Barry has been a friend since 1st grade at Don Benito.  In fact, one of the few memories I still have that long ago is when Barry brought his dad for Show & Tell (rather than the typical goldfish or rabbit).  His dad was a mailman, and he came with his uniform and mail cart.  (Yeah, they walked in those days.)  Barry's dad made being a mailman sound pretty cool to this first grader!

Barry was the most creative person I have ever known.  He was fun just to be around.  He has over a 100 videos up on YouTube which you can find searching for "Barry Schwam" or his nickname "Schwump."  I recommend "Dualing Theramins"; you got a taste of that at the 50th reunion.  Also, "How to make steamed punk: recipe," which also stars his amazing wife and partner in crime, Lydia, as the Punk who gets steamed.  And of course, "The Great Hawaiian Punch" featuring Saul Glickman, Joan Bouvier, Randall Huth, and others filmed when we were still at PHS.

Barry was very active in the Sierra Madre Theater.  His "Scrooge" is (locally) legendary, but he was in many, many plays.  There is an active discussion now about getting a star with his name placed in the sidewalk in front of the theater.  I will miss him.  -- David Fair

Patricia Frances Anthony Goff

Dear David,

Thanks for the nice post re the Late Barry.  I'll check out his dueling Thermins; I hope there's a GoFundMe for a star on the walk in front of the theater.  I can't imagine Sierra Madre officials objecting.

Stay Safe,

Frances (Patti) Goff

Christopher Bragdon

Barry Schwam and the dueling thermamins:

https://youtu.be/ruy7zCddu0Y

Janet Wood (Payne)

I am just reading about the latest losses from our classmates, and am so sorry to hear about Barry's passing.  My earliest memory of Barry was when we had to bring fruit to share in 1st grade.  Barry for some reason always brought a banana -- and some of them were definitely overripe! But he lived around the corner a few houses away and I didn't know that his father was a mailman!  I do remember all the fun times at Don Benito and the memories of being a child of the 1950's and how "freeing" it was to go ride our bikes everywhere, play on the playgrounds after hours, be dropped off in Sierra Madre for a matinee that was filled with unruly kids, and helping make the Sierra Madre float before New Years.  So the memories of those days are so distant, but I am glad Barry got to be creative and theatrical.  My big theatrical career ended when I was in the crowd scene of Bye Bye Birdie in eleventh grade. I sure did enjoy Abel Franco and how wonderful a teacher he was, and how so many of us were positively affected by his drama classes.  Thank you for letting us know, Dave and Gary.

Barry Chisholm

Hi Everyone,

Unfortunate that the school distrcit somehow misplaced our time capsule.  But thanks to Barry Schwam we have this "Great Hawaiian Punch" 10 minute glimpse of some of our 1968 classmates and teachers:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uw1LXCy4gGA

Gary Hesse

When driving by PHS the other day I noticed a line of cars going into the senior parking lot of PHS from in front of the high school - it was for Covid-19 vaccine shots for senior Pasadena residents!  Gosh, I'm one of them!!

Who would have thought!  It made me remember that in 1967 my mother took a life insurance out on me because she was sure that I was going to kill myself in that 1060 Austin Healey 3000 that I had purchased from a neighbor 54 years ago!  Sometimes time/life flies by; other times, like now, it moves rather slowly!  Regardless, life (mine; ours) is prescious and somewhat unpredictable  !!

Everyone hang in there !!

Terry Thompson

Kathy and I drove past Victory Park the other day on our way to takeout pizza from Domenico's to be dined upon at Farnsworth Park in our Gladiator Jeep. It brought back so many memories... even more poignant now that we are living in this precarious time. Tim is building in eastern Oregon, and I worry about his safety being so far away. Please everyone, hunker down, and let this pass.

Best to all, Terry and Kathy Thompson

Charles Cockerill

Hopefully 2021 will be better than 2020! Just got our first Pfizer vaccine in Reno and looking forward to getting our second dose and celebrating our belated 70th birthdays and 50th anniversary. Charlie and Kathy (Gleim) Cockerill 

Stephen Knapp (Knapp)

I hope all is well with your soul. I have noticed that a lot of churches have closed thier doors due to the  covid restrictions. If you are missing meeting with other followers of Jesus Chist, Calvary Chapel Chino Hills is open to all who are in need of sound Biblical teaching, Online and in person worship.

The Day of the Lord

5 But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. 2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 3 For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. 4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. 5 You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be [a]sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. 8 But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.

11 Therefore [b]comfort each other and [c]edify one another, just as you also are doing.

Stephen Knapp (Knapp)

Here is the link for those who are interested: calvarycch.org

GOD BLESS YOU ALL!

Terry Thompson

Kathy (fondly, KB) and I got our initial Pfizer Covid innoculation on January 18th, courtesy of San Bernardino County Public Health, as we, and so are all of you.... over 65 years of age. We have a return appointment set for February 8th for the second shot. I found the availability by accident via a small posting on the web, so it was not readily advertised. California has a dismal rollout for the vaccinations, so don't wait for it to come to you... SEEK it out and get it wherever and whenever you can. We had ZERO reactions.

Stay safe.

Terry Thompson

During this dark time, I thought I might add some light and a little levity.....

We go through life leaving a biographic foortprint, and also an image of who we are so those coming after us will know who we were. In doing so, we gather up monikers. So...why you might ask is Kathy called "KB" 

It comes from a preliminary hearing in Fontana (then municipal) Court. We both worked for Rialto PD and Kathy had taken a report and put out a photo line-up (three photos in the first row and three photos in the second row) on a known robbery suspect who had robbed a fast food restaurant (he was actually a former employee of the restaurant). My partner and I were working a felony car and, having the line-up with us, saw the same suspect standing in front of the very same restaurant, appearing to be conjuring up sufficient courage to go in and rob the restaurant again. So, we thought it necessary to arrest him.

Thusly, at the preliminary hearing I was getting grilled on the stand by the public defender about the placement of the now defendant's photo in space number three, and I testified that I had no knowledge of how his photo got into that space. The Public Defender than began a lengthly diatribe as to how could I have placed defendant's photo in space three and not know how it got there. I answered that if he looked more closely at the initials of the person who prepared the line-up, he would see it was KB Thompson and not TB Thompson, to which the defendant blurted out to his defense attorney, "Man, you an idiot." The courtroom burst into laughter as the Judge, Prosecutor, Bailiff, Court Recorder, Court Clerk, and everyone else in the courtroom EXCEPT the Public Defender all KNEW who had prepared the line-up,

A moniker was born, and It has stuck for more than 30 years.

Kenneth (Ken) Marschall

Good story!  Thank you -- and "KB" -- for your service in law enforcement.  I expect that many of us have similar tales of how funny nicknames came about.  I first met Chris Bragdon (also PHS class of '68 and on this forum) around '64 while at Marshall Junior High.  Been lifelong friends since.  He lived only a few blocks from me when we were in school.  One day he got a letter addressed to a "Cis Bugdon," and we had a good laugh.  Ever since, I've occasionally called him "Cissy."  He replies with a made-up nickname for Ken that I can't repeat here.

Philip Denslow

Hi.

Margo (Feinstein) Connally sent in a bunch of Elementary Class photos from Luther Burbank School. A group shot of the school's Teachers from 1956 is included. You can see them as part of the Do You Remember? page.

Thanks, Margo!

--Phil Denlsow

Kenneth (Ken) Marschall

A great trip down Memory Lane for those who were in those classes!  I wish I knew what happened to my elementary school class pics (1st grade at Mar Vista Elementary in Whittier, 2nd through part of 5th at Paradise Canyon Elementary in La Cañada [1957-1960], and Longfellow for the rest of 5th, and 6th ['60-'61]).  I remember all my elementary school teachers' names.  I also remember what a novelty it was to have a male instructor when I entered Marshall Jr. High.  I had never known anything but female teachers.

Funny how such class photos seem to disappear over the years.  They would never be deliberatly thrown away, yet almost all of mine appear to have vanished.  I do have a long, panorama B&W class photo taken in front of Marshall stashed away somewhere.  I don't recall what year it is, whether 7th, 8th or 9th.
 

Camay White (Arad-Tullis)

Hi Ken - I have Longfellow photos - 1st -6th - I had Mr. Minto in 6th grade at Longfellow.  Who did you have? Mr. Minto took me outside in the hallway for passing a "love note" to Larry Rollins!  Was Julie Jensen in your class - I always wondered what happened to her.  Take care,

Donna Terry (Casteel)

Kenneth (Ken) Marschall

Hi Camay,

At Longfellow I had Miss (Mrs.?) Hearn in 5th, which would have been from New Year's on in 1961 (we moved from La Cañada to Pasadena over the Christmas-New Year holiday in 1960).  Eileen Cole was in that class, I remember.  For 6th I had Miss (Mrs.?) Talbot. 

I remember more of those 6th-grade classmates -- Bill Armstrong, Charles Lee (Lees?)...  the SRA Reading system... watching John Glenn's first orbital flight coverage on a B&W TV that was rolled in, doing art or watching films on rainy days....
 

Camay White (Arad-Tullis)

To Donna and Ken - will try to get my pictures posted in the next couple of weeks - (I'm not good at all this computer stuff).  Re- Miss Hearn - We called her "Hernia Hearne" but I remember her passion for teaching us patriotic songs.- and speaking of Eileen Cole... I traded my original Barbie from 1959 (Brunette) for her red head bublble cut Barbie around 1961 - wonder if she still has her as it is worth some $$ - I still have my original box.  And Donna - I remember the giant redwood tree in front of your house.  I still pretty much remember where everyone sat in my 6th grade class and remember seeing the fire from our classroom window near Hastings Ranch-Sierra Madre in 1962.  Thank you for writing - good to hear from you both.  Maybe we can find some other fellow Longfellowites? Take care

Miles Wagner (Wagner)

I finally retired on March 12, 2021  from San Bernardino County Fire Office of Emergency Services.  I was the only staff member not working Covid-19!  Long career as a first responder but I am glad it's over......  Well, not completely.  

Anyone wondering why San Bernardino County did't do real well on Covid-19 should just look at the turnover in Public Health.  They are now on their 4th Director of Public Health since this started.  And my old office kept getting more tasks assigned.  It's the part of emergency management I can do without  (lack of training amd interest on the part of Public Health). 

Moved to Wellington, NV.  That's east of Lake Taho and Carson City, NV.  Very quiet with almost no street lights.  I lived in northern Neavada for over 10 years and like the area.  Community is friendly and glad to see new people.  Mostly agriculture.

If anyone is ever in the area, send me an email.  It's less than an hour from Reno.  I'd love to sit down and talk!

Modie (Martin) Katz

Miles, congratulations on your retirement and move to the country. Hope you enjoy the quite life. 

Charles Cockerill

Miles welcome back to Nevada! Kathy (Gleim) and I moved to Nevada in 1979. We are (mostly) retired as well and live in Washoe Valley adjacent to Tahoe and between Reno and Carson City. God's country!

Barry Chisholm

Hi Miles,

Thank you for the news and congratulations on joining the ranks of the retired!  I'm hoping you enjoy the retirement gig with all the newfound choices and opportunities it offers.   I'll long remember you as a friend and neighbor in Sierra Madre and at PHS.   It was great talking with you at the 50th!   Take care and best wishes, Barry