Be aware, the "Message Forum" is NOT password protected.  Unlike profiles that are password protected, anybody who gets to this webpage can see what is written here.  Nobody can contact you directly based on this forum unless you reveal your personal contact information.  Use the "Message Center" for sharing personal contact information with another classmate.

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

Thank you Nancy. Thank you Terri.

David Holm

I am looking forward to a very happy new year and wish the same for all of you! Fasten your seat belts.

Garry Sellers

Hey Karsten, does that mean I have to still put your picture on top of my tree?

Nancy Davison (Boerger)

Garry, doesn't everyone?

Karsten Boerger

Garry

You mean you took it off the wall in the dining room? 

Kenneth Pallaske

I hope all of you had a very merry and blessed Christmas.

Happy 2025 New year to all.

Garry Sellers

Here's hoping that all of our fellow Californian classmates in Southern California are safe and in breathable air.  Terri Levenhagen Hoorstra, Bill Bailen, Fred Michael, Bruce Ortman, Bill Koepp and others all live down in La-La land ... as we Northern Californians call it.  Those fires are incredibly scary, so destructive, move so fast and just wipe out everything in their paths in what seems like minutes. It's so easy to get trapped. And if you have any lung problems the smoke can be overwhelming for 100's of miles.  Good luck friends.

Jim Cejka

The scary part is that when you look at the latest CalFire updates, they all show 0 percent contained. 

Barbara Blair (Brenzel)

Praying for California.

Jim Cejka

And 24 hours later, still 0 contained.

Terri Levenhagen (Hoornstra)

We are about 10 miles from the Eaton fire in Pasadena. We are not in danger from the fire, but the air has been very bad, and ashes are drifting down onto our walkways and patio. We know many people who have had to evacuate. All the schools are closed, so the grandkids are home, and we're staying inside with air purifiers running. The extent of the damage is almost impossible to grasp. With new fires starting up every day it seems we have our go bags ready in case something starts up nearer to us. The good news is that the strong winds have stopped, so the firefighters are able to do airdrops with helicopters and airplanes. Thank you for your prayers. 

Garry Sellers

Good to know you're in a relatively safe place Terri.  But I got an email yesterday from Ron Imig asking a question about the website and realized he lives in Simi Valley which could be in a difficult place, although I'm not all that familiar with the L.A. area.  Hope he's all right.

By the way, nice to hear your voice again Jim, even if it's just on paper.  And Barbara, it'd probably be better if you use Terri's and/or other Californian names when you're praying.  You might get a "who's that?" response if you use my name!

Jim Cejka

Garry,

I don't think that the response would be "Who's that?" Wouldn't it be more like "Oh, that . . . "

Ronald Imig

I live in Simi Valley Ca. If you look at a map of LA I'm about 15 miles West of where I 5, and the I 118 come together. The wind most coming out of the East North East. So far two fires stopped East and Southeast of me. Two of the major fires about 25 miles Southwest, South and Southeast of me down wind. Simi Valley is a very narrow on the East end and about 5 miles wide down the middle. About 15 miles long. The hills North and South burn every few years but so far not this year. The fire damage along the coast looks somewhat like Hiroshima after the bomb dropped. I see the same pictures you see on tv. 

Jim Cejka

The Los Angeles Kings hockey team was scheduled to play a home game last Wednesday. As the fires destroyed those parts of L.A., they wisely postponed the game. 

Their scheduled opponent - the Calgary Flames.

Cue the Twilight Zone music. . . 

Barbara Blair (Brenzel)

Still praying for all!!

Ronald Imig

Just looked at a map on tv of the extreme fire danger in the LA area. The tip of the arrow is right in the middle of Simi Valley. Umm, that's right where I live. 

Terri Levenhagen (Hoornstra)

Thanks, Barb, for your prayers. It looks like we'll have to keep them up for a while yet.

Jim Cejka

RIP Bob Uecker

What a game. . . .

Garry Sellers

Got a strange text from somebody asking me to tell Ron Imig that he/she was glad that Ron was ok.  Except it was from a phone number and I have no idea who it was and they didn't respond when I asked.  In any case, I've contacted Ron today, Thursday, and he's still doing ok but says he's sleep deprived.  Can't imagine why, Semi Valley is right in the heart of the worst smoke and who knows what else the winds will bring at any moment.  But we're all pulling for you Ron.  Soon the question is going to be how any of us in California are ever going to get insurance, and if we can, at what price!

Terri Levenhagen (Hoornstra)

Good news from SoCal. Winds have diminished, humidity is increasing and rain is predicted for the weekend  with snow in the mountains. Red flag warnings (high fire danger) have been lifted, and I'm gradually unpacking my "go bag". Local news featured a story of the Palisades residents who lost their homes greeting each other, giving hugs and sharing stories about their escape - while collecting their stack of mail accumulated since Jan 7. Even their mailman was there, giving hugs and listening to their stories. I understand Ron's sleep deprivation!

Barbara Blair (Brenzel)

Good news for sure for our California classmates!  Prayers answered!

And Garry, those Random Thoughts are great!

Ronald Imig

The last fire close to me was South Mountain. South Mountain is about 10 miles West North West of me. Now with the rain coming probably some mud slides.When you look at tv it looks like half of LA burned. The 16000 plus that burned in LA aera is probably less than 1 percent of structures but will have effect on insurance rates. Thanks for all the well wishes and Prayers.

Jim Cejka

If Prometheus was worthy of the wrath of heaven for kindling the first fire upon earth, how ought all the gods honor the men who make it their professional business to put it out!

~John G. Saxe, as quoted in George C. Hale, History of the World's Greatest Fires, 1905

Garry Sellers

This is the 1962 Custer website but occasionally we get information about Custerites from other classes that are noteworthy.  I have a vague recollection of Heinz Kluetmeier from the class of ’61.  However, from an article in Thursday’s Milwuakee JournalSentinel regarding Heinz’s passing, he clearly is yet another Custerite who did us proud.  Heinz became a well-known sports photographer with many classic photos in sports, including the 1980 classic Sports Illustrated cover photo of the US hockey team Mirical on Ice (ooo, do you think he got to do the swimsuit edition too?!).  Interestingly the caption on Heinz’s graduation photo reads “… when it comes to knowledge and photography he rates high”.

Here's a link to the article on Heinz (thanks to Roger Pederson):

https://emke.uwm.edu/entry/milwaukee-journal-sentinel/

In 2014 S.I. held a contest for the "Most Iconic S.I. Cover of All-time" and Heinz's photo won!