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This message forum is an ongoing discussion about anything and just about everything ... within reason.  One thing our class was good at was having opinions.  Almost 70 years of life experience certainly qualifies us as experts on most everything!   Ask a question ... give an opinion ... share some insights ... it's our web site, it's our forum.  That said, it's probably not a good idea to get into arguments about politics, religion, and the like.  While we're experts on everything, we also have a wide range of values and beliefs. This site belongs to all of us ... the whole range ... and we are not here to isolate, alienate, or subjugate anybody.  Of course insults, humiliation, sophomoric barraggadocio, and demented humor is expected behavior among some of us less mature people.
 

Jim Cejka

I have never subscribed to having a "bucket list" (Thanks to Rick Nelson - "My buckets's got a hole in it.). But, I had an opportunity once to visit a cathedral, albeit in a small town, in Sweden once (". . . and this place is twice as old as my country!? "You could put Pewaukee in here."), and co-study some European ones helping my daughter with art history one year. I have been hooked and facinated ever since. They seem to defy anything I could imagine as engineering, laws of something, and modern construction, let alone anything 800 years ago. 

The cathedrals, temples, mosques, and similar other places have emerged, and lasted, as incredible places of beauty, inspiration, and reverence, and centers of culture and society, as can be built by man. I am in awe of you Melody, and anyone else who has had an opportunity to experience that awesomeness in person.

Melody Jones (Parker)

I loved the book by Ken Follet, The Pillars of the Earth  about building a fictional cathedral during that time. I'm aware Starz TV network made a movie from the book, but I have not seen it.

Terri Levenhagen (Hoornstra)

I'd like to put that book on my bucket list, Melody. Notre Dame cathedral had always been on mine. Just saw something that appeals to me, as a former Kindergarten teacher: "The adult version of 'Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes' is 'Wallet, Glasses, Keys and Phone'." And then if I add, as my students always liked to: "Cha cha cha", it might work for me.

Jeanne Zinser (Gottschalk)

Garry: Your “HOME PAGE” looks like the redacted form of the Mueller Report (at least on my iPad). WHOOPS! I just read further! DUH!!

Lauren Dieterich

I really wish that I'm not posting this; but, since your all almost family....                                                                         

Tom Burger

So sorry for the loss of your son in such a tragic and unexpected way. Blessings and Shalom to you and your family.

Melody Jones (Parker)

Lauren and family,

So sorrry for your loss and in such a tragic accident.  Will pray for comfort as only the Lord can give!

Karsten Boerger

We're so sorry to hear this sad news. How wrong it seems for a child to precede us in death. Time and the support of friends and family can help dull the pain, but nothing can ever heal this wound.

Jim Cejka

Lauren,

Words are never adequate to express our feelings of grief for you - 

"We understand death for the first time when he puts his hand upon one whom we love."

~Madam de Stael

Jeanne Zinser (Gottschalk)

Lauren ~~ Please accept my sincerest sympathy at this most difficult time. Hold on to each other, bring forth all the good memories, but allow yourselves the necessary time to grieve and cry.

There is a sacredness in tears. They are not the mark of weakness, but of power. They speak more eloquently than ten thousand tongues. They are the messengers of overwhelming grief, of deep contrition, and of unspeakable love.         ~Washington Irving~

Terri Levenhagen (Hoornstra)

Lauren, I can't even wrap my mind around how devastated you must be feeling right now. Feel some hugs coming your way from California. If you feel like it, tell us about your son. 

William Nelson

Our hearts go out to you and your family, Lauren. We hope the search will continue and your son's body will be found to help bring closure to this tragic event.

Bill & Mary

Barbara Blair (Brenzel)

So, So sorry for your loss.  There are just no words to convey that.  My prayers are with you & your family.

Barb Brenzel (Blair)

William Nelson

We received a call from our long time friends, Dan & Janet Juds Farchione, a few days ago. She said they were calling to wish me a happy birthday, but then told us that her twin sister Joanne Hellwig had died on April 1st.

Dan & Janet had flown back to Wisconsin from their winter home in Yuma, AZ for the funeral. Joanne had a debilitating stroke several years ago and her husband, Herb, took care of her 24/7 until recently, when she required more nursing care than he could provide. 

Joanne & Herb and Dan & Janet all graduated from Custer in the June, 1961 class, so I'm pretty sure some of the Class of '62 will know at least one of them. 

Here's a link to the obituary: https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/jsonline/obituary.aspx?n=joanne-j-hellwig&pid=192061216&fhid=19848

Lauren Dieterich

Terri, My son was single, indepentent, very stubborn and extremely curious. Pretty much like me. His curiosity was probably why he was on the floating pier. He was a millright; and, worked all over the US. He was working at the Bath shipworks at the time. Since I moved to Arizona, we had kind of lost touch with each other. It didn't really bother me, because that was his personality.

Bill, when we get to our age, death happens. It still hurts; but, it's not the gut punch, when you get an early morning phone call that your son has died.

Thanks to everyone for the condolences and prayers, very much appreciated.

Jim Cejka

Anyone else finding Jeopardy kind of blah lately? It's kind of like watching the Packers play Custer. I mean, even watching a Dodgers game is better now. 

Terri Levenhagen (Hoornstra)

It WAS - until last night! The game was not a runaway for James. He is reportedly a nice guy, and gives his opponents lessons on the buzzer in the green room waiting for the show to start. I had the feeling last night that perhaps he and the show's producers had conspired to give some "advantage" to the opponents' buzzers!

Jim Cejka

Terri - As long as he's on, I think they should do away with the buzzers altogether. (Maybe they could say it was a budget move.) They should just pop up a question and ask the other two people if they knew the answer. If they don't then give him a shot. he'd probably still win.

Nancy Davison (Boerger)

Ha! I still find it amusing to call a buzzer a "signaling device". 

Terri Levenhagen (Hoornstra)

Yes - besides the "signaling device" issue, the guy is a walking encyclopedia!

Jim Cejka

Nancy, you have a point. I don't know if those things they use actually do buzz. How about "digitally manipulated priority sequence module?"

Lauren Dieterich

In the early days of game/quiz shows, the buttons did operate buzzers.

Just got back from Milwaukee. We had a Celebration of Life for my son. ( his body has not been found; and, probably never will ) A lot of unanswered questions. There were a lot of neices and nephews that I haven't seen since they were kids, kids that he went to school with and co-workers/friends, including bosses. There was a large turnout. It was held at the Best Place Milwaukee, the old Pabst Brewery.

The Milwaukee Journal/Sentinel would not publish an obiturary because there is no death certificate. We could not have a funeral, because of no body. But, the State of Wisconsin will issue a death certificate after a year.

Nancy Davison (Boerger)

What? "digitally operated....."

Nerd.

Geek.😉

Jim Cejka

Nerd? Geek? Can't we just say that I have enjoyed the fruits of the labors of Ms. Kapp, Mr. Pautsch, Mr. Marino, et al.?

Nancy Davison (Boerger)

Especially Mr. Marino. To this day, when "stuff" happens and things look bleak, I comfort myself with:

"Forsan et haec olim meminisse juvabit"