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January 2004
RHS Class of 1973 Alumni News
January 2004

    The Ripon High School Class of 1973 sent a Peace Lily to the memorial service and funeral of Cal Schaub, former RHS German teacher, on November 25.  The Class of 1973 also made a donation to the memorial fund.  Thanks to Mark Zeatlow (Brandon) for coordinating this tribute to Cal, and to the following classmates for making donations:
  
Debbie (Bonsen) Coolidge
Kerry Cartier
Cyril Daddieh
Jennifer (Daehn) Cartier
Jeff Root
Steve Yeomans
Mark Zeatlow
Kathy (Zimdars) Schleicher
  
    Rob Schanke (Pueblo West, Colorado) has been mobilized by his Wyoming National Guard unit.  Rob reported to Cheyenne, Wyoming, on January 3, and will depart on February 1 for a one and a half year deployment to the Middle East.  Please keep Rob and his family in your thoughts and prayers.

     Steve Meyer has filed papers to run for the Ripon School Board.  Steve is a Ripon
School Board veteran, having served from 1998 to 2000.  Incumbent David Scott (RHS
'72) has also filed papers. (Source:  Ripon Commonwealth Press, January 8, 2004).
  
    Kirsten Schleicher, daughter of Kathy (Zimdars) and Boyd Schleicher (Waunakee), is engaged to marry Justin Arndt (Milwaukee) on October 9, 2004.  Kirsten is in her final semester of pharmacy school at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  Kathy and Boyd's son, Matthew, is a junior studying mechanical engineering at the UW, while their son, Erich, is a freshman at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.  
    
    Jeff Root (Fairfax, Virginia) attended the Wisconsin State Society Holiday Party on Wednesday, December 17, at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in Washington, D.C.  The party was hosted by Tommy Thompson, former Wisconsin governor and current Secretary of HHS.  Tommy spoke about his recent trip to Africa, and gave the group a tour of the new HHS Command Post.  The room has a huge 10-panel screen at the front, nine large plasma screens lining the other walls, and many computers and telephones.  Information on disease outbreaks (e.g., SARS, Mad Cow Disease, West Nile Virus, the flu), weather conditions, natural disasters, etc., can be accessed and displayed at the click of a button.  In addition, 4000 local TV stations can be accessed to allow HHS officials to monitor breaking news.  Elroy, Tommy's hometown, is featured prominently in all maps.  Tommy had hosted a Cabinet meeting earlier in the day, and mentioned that both Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and Secretary of Homeland Defense Tom Ridge were envious of the HHS Command Post.
    Jeff spoke briefly to Tommy, and mentioned that he last saw Tommy at the 1976 Republican National Convention in Kansas City.  Jeff attended the Convention with two college friends, one of whom knew Tommy.  Tommy was Assistant Minority Leader in the Wisconsin Assembly at the time.  
            
News from Other Classes                            
 
    Brian Blauvelt (RHS '74) resigned from SCP in Boise, Idaho, effective January 1, and has accepted a new position as Global Business Director for OMG Fidelity (www.omgi.com) in Neward, New Jersey.  OMG is a Cleveland-based company in the cobalt and nickel businesses.  Brian will start his new job on January 30.  He will relocate to New Jersey in the near future, probably living near Bob Sullivan (RHS '74, Basking Ridge) and Bob's parents (Bound Brook).  Brian's email address is:  bmblauvelt@yahoo.com          
   
Ripon News
  
    Rick Kelm (RHS '79), coach of the Wisconsin 2003 Division 4 State Champion Ripon Tiger football team, has been selected the Green Bay Packers' High School Coach of the Year.  The Packers presented Rick with a $2000 donation to the Ripon High School football program at the Green Bay/Denver game on December 28.  Rick was also named Wisconsin High School Football Coach of the Year by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and the Associated Press.  (Source:  Ripon Commonwealth Press, Dec. 25, 2003).  Rick is the younger brother of Kathy (Kelm) Meinke (Madison).  
  
    Bob Lukoski, father of Dave Lukoski (and Tim (RHS '75), Todd, and Ann), was named the Ripon Commonwealth Press Person of the Year for 2003.  Bob served 32 years on the Ripon Fire Department, including 16 years as chief.  He was a longtime referee, and was a leader in the recent renovation of Ingalls Field.  Bob currently announces games for WRPN Radio.  (Source:  RCP, Dec. 25, 2003).  Congratulations, Bob, for a well-deserved honor!!

     St. Patrick's Elementary School will close on June 9 due to declining enrollment and increasing costs.  The school opened 40 years ago.  (RCP, January 15, 2004).
 
RHS Class of 1973 50th Birthday Party
  
    The RHS Class of 1973 is planning a birthday party in the summer of 2005 to celebrate classmates turning 50.  Initial plans are for an informal social gathering.  If you have ideas or suggestions, please contact:
  
Sarah (Bumby) Colonna          rcolonna@dotnet.com
Mary (Hammerling) Gable       mlgable@chartermi.net
Pat (Henslin) Ehrenberg          the_original_quilt_lady@hotmail.com
Jeff Root                                JNRoot@aol.com        
  
New Email Address
  
Aaron Kramer (RHS '87 and Mayor of Ripon)      arkramer@charter.net
                                                                    
New Web Sites
  
Aaron Kramer's Web Site         http://aaronripon.homestead.com/index.html
RHS Class of 1987 Web Site    http://aaronripon.homestead.com/CLASSREUNION.html

 

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