Thirty years have gone by since we were all in high school together, and as time passes, so do friends.
Webster's defines reunion as "a meeting of persons after separation". It is a time to greet old friends, and to celebrate both the past and the present. As we look forward to our reunion, and remember the past together, we also have an opportunity to collectively remember those who have passed on. Each of us must look back in our own way...
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| Kenneth Bassett |
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Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? His days are determined, the number of his months is with thee, and thou has appointed his bounds that he cannot pass.
Job vii, 1; xiv, 5.
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| Wayne Bohringer |
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The law...is to enter mortal bodies and after certain prescribed periods be again set free.
Philo of Alexandria
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| Linda Cerone |
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Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth.
Psalm xxxix, 5.
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| Mark Connor |
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Life and death are simply a going forth and a coming back...Things that have been endowed with life die; but that which produces life itself never comes to an end.
Lieh Tse, i.
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| Harry DiPietro |
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Souls departing hence exist there, and return hither again.
Plato. Phaedo (70).
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| Beth Lochtefeld |
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Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern. Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
Ecclesiastes xii: 6, 7.
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| Chris Perry |
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Death is a cessation from the impression of the senses, the tyranny of the passions, the error of the mind, and the servitude of the body.
Marcus Aurelius. Meditations, vi, 26.
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| Eddie Reilly |
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The door is opened...to the place from which thou camest--to things friendly and akin to thee, to the elements of Being. Whatever in thee was of fire, shall go to fire; of earth to earth; of air to air; of water to water.
Epictetus. Dissertations, iii, 13.
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| Gus Sotillo |
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Birth is not a beginning, death is not an end.
Kwang Tse, xxiii, 9.
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| Ruben Sotillo |
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In the sight of the unwise they seemed to die: and their departure is taken for misery, and their going from us to be utter destruction: but they are in peace.
Wisdom of Solomon iii, 2-3.
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| John Vallorosi |
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He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.
Psalm xci, 11.
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| Jon Walther |
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He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
Paul. Hebrews xiii, 5.
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| Roger Zellner |
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We are the ghosts of the departed,
Souls of those who once were with you...
Cries of grief and lamentation...
Cries of anguish from the living...
Sadden us with useless sorrow.
Longfellow. The Song of Hiawatha, xix.
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| Diane Marie Nicastro |
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The doctrine of the Essenes is that souls are united to their bodies as in prisons, ...but that when they are set free from the bonds of the flesh, they then, as released from a long bondage, rejoice and mount upwards.
Josephus. Wars of the Jews, ii, 8, 11.
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I grew up with John Vallorosi. We lived in the same neighborhood together. He was fiercely protective of his two younger brothers, a trait I greatly admired. John was voted Friendliest and Kindest in our senior class poll. It was an honor well earned.
I remember Gus Sotillo’s quick and easy smile. One day at practice I ran into him as hard as I could. When I opened my eyes all I saw was the sun, and then Gussy leaning over me, grinning wide. “Are you okay?” he asked. Gus was a loyal friend, made tough by the kicks and blows of life.
Gus’ brother Rubin moved with the grace and strength of a natural athlete. He didn’t so much walk down the hall, as glide. He was capable in so many ways, yet seemingly unaware of, and unaffected by his many abilities.
Once upon a time Eddie Reilly was my very best friend. We spent a perfect summer together just before our senior year. I look forward to meeting him again, someday.
This Memorial is intended to be a living, growing one. It will be an individual yet collective reminiscence of our classmates. If you wish you may post your own thoughts, memories, stories, photos, Prayers…
August 21, 2008
JS
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Beth was special. She was the girl that entered the room and lit it up. She was smart and vivacious and genuine. You just wanted to be around her. I knew Beth since first grade. We were good pals at Van Cort and I have wonderful memories of climbing trees, making forts and being in her house on Oregon Road. I can still picture her kitchen and the windy stairs to her bedroom that she shared with her sister Cathy. Her mom was our girl scout leader and being a Girl Scout was our big secret in middle and high school. While we moved into different circles after elementary school I never felt 'dropped' by Beth. Plus we had the bond of German class. Beth signed my yearbook with her exuberant scrawl; taking a full page to recount our friendship with every word in German. I spent time at the 20th reunion talking with her, easily picking up the threads of our friendship and laughing and enjoying the evening.
I visited her grave this past summer on Nantucket; I spent some time with her parents and brothers and sister. Beth had a spirit in her that shined with a rare intensity; it warmed and illuminated people fortunate enough to know her. Then she was gone. I miss her. It won't seem right having a reunion without her. I hope to honor her by remembering her spirit.
Immer deine,
Patti Engel-Sambrana
November 1, 2008
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WAYNE BOHRINGER WAS A VERY SPECIAL PERSON.
HE WAS SHY. THAT IS WHAT WAS SO SPECIAL ABOUT HIM.
HE WAS CARING, UNDERSTANDING, AND WOULD GIVE YOU THE SHIRT OFF OF HIS BACK.
HE HAD SUCH A PASSION TO PLEASE AND TO MAKE EVERYONE FEEL SPECIAL.
I ENJOYED THE CHANCE TO BE HIS FRIEND AND I AM SAD THAT HE IS GONE.
GOD BLESS YOU WAYNE.
GRACE BENARY (ECKERT)
NOVEMBER 9, 2008
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My friendship with Wayne started as a fight while getting on the bus at Lakeland Middle. We punched each other in the nose over a girl we sat next to in 7th grade science class. A few days later he came up to me and apologized. We became very good friends and one I felt comfortable around. Funny how those little things begin friendships. Wayne was a true friend. I think about all of us as we progressed together through grade, middle and high school as we’ve shared so many years together. I will always remember Wayne as one of the true friends he was to all that knew him.
Robert Lent
April 24, 2009
John Vallorosi was one of the kindest and most genuine persons I had the opportunity to spend my early years with. Although we did not hang out with the same people, John never made me feel like the one who always sat in the back. There was always a kind word and a attempt to bring me into the conversation. John never had a classmate who did not admire and look up to him. I will remember always the conversation we had at the 20th reunion. It was as though we had never left high school and still the gentle man he always was. John you are missed by all.
Robert Lent
April 24, 2009
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| My best friends in high school were Diane Nicastro, Rose Calcutti, and Liz Mitchell. I knew then how fun and wonderful these “girls” were but it wasn’t until later in my life that I realized what a precious and rare gift they were as friends. I never found a group like them again. What I remember most about them is that they were some of the funniest, warmest and most genuine people I would ever have the pleasure of meeting. We spent a lot of time together and most of it was spent laughing! These young women were glorious to me! I have now and did then have a particularly tender place in my heart for Diane. While most kids run around in an egocentric state and don’t seem to be able to appreciate their family until after they have grown and left their house, Diane was never like that. She knew way back then how important family is. When I think of us at 14 or 15 years of age I remember clearly how open she was about how much she adored her Father, loved her Mother, and admired her Brother. She talked about them all of the time and was always considerate of them. She would not do things if she thought they would somehow hurt any one of the members of her family. Whenever I was in their home (which was often) you could feel the sincerity in their relationship and you wanted to be part of it. It broke my heart to learn of her passing because I don’t think I ever told her how much she meant to me or how much I admired her family values, her warm sense of humor, and her friendship. I send my deepest prayers and thoughts to her family and look forward to seeing Diane in Heaven one day.
Mary Givens
March 12, 2010
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Life is a voyage that's homeward bound.
Herman Melville
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