September 2004 News

RHS Class of 1973 Alumni News

September 22, 2004

Debbie (Bonsen) Coolidge (Mesquite, Texas) has published an article on the Heartlink Web site about her experience of being a woman over 40 who finds herself unexpectedly pregnant. Debbie's goal in sharing her story is to save at least one baby (hopefully many more) from abortion. To read the article, go to: http://www.family.org/pregnancy/articles/a0033219.cfm

Adam Colonna, son of Sarah (Bumby) and Ralph Colonna (Ripon), graduated with a film degree from Brooks College in Santa Barbara. He will move to Los Angeles for employment.

Sarah and Ralph left on September 7 for Santa Fe, New Mexico, then boarded a private Orient Express train to tour four national parks. Sarah celebrated her 50th birthday on September 11 at the Grand Canyon.

Cyril Daddieh, Professor of Political Science and Director of Black Studies at Providence College, is in Ghana for a one-year sabbatical. Cyril and his family purchased a four-bedroom, three-bathroom house in Ghana for $60,000. Cyril's email address is: daddieh@providence.edu

Pat (Henslin) Ehrenberg (Ripon) will present the program "If Quilts Could Talk, Oh!, The Stories They Would Tell" on October 26 at the Green Lake Conference Center. Pat will present information on how quilt blocks got their names, different styles of quilts, trivia, and stories of quilts through the centuries. (Source: Ripon Commonwealth Press, August 12, 2004).

Candy Fitzwater (Ripon) was promoted in April to Purchasing Agent and Assistant Project Coordinator at Accurate Controls.

Candy's son, Cory, took a position with Chuck Savoie in December. Cory's dream has been to work in the art of glass blowing. Cory has a small studio of his own in which he creates hard glass (pyrex) items. Mr. Savoie offered him an apprenticeship to learn the art of soft glass blowing. Cory is very passionate about this and was thrilled by the opportunity. Mr. Savoie is internationally renowned for his work, and trained in Italy under the current "Glass Master of the World". Go to either www.theglassgallery.com or www.savoieglass.com to see what they make and learn more about Mr. Savoie and his art, which includes mixing the glass from sand particles.

Jeff Root (Fairfax, Virginia) was in the hospital from August 24 to September 5 due to a collapsed right lung. Laparoscopic surgery on September 2 revealed that Jeff 's lung had a large bleb (an actual medical term meaning cyst or blister) that had ruptured. Jeff speculates that the rupture might have been caused by riding 25 roller coasters and giant drops at two amusement parks with his son, Andy. It might also have been caused by lifting heavy furniture. A final possibility is that the bleb was just ready to rupture and the rupture was not caused by anything Jeff did.

During surgery, doctors roughed up the chest wall so that the lung would stick to it. Laparoscopic surgery is assisted by video, making it less evasive and more precise than normal surgery. Surgery was successful, and Jeff returned to his job as a high school teacher on September 15.

Todd Parrish, husband of Deb (Sauer) Parrish, retired from the Air Force and is practicing medicine as an orthopedic surgeon in Texas. The family is building a new house that will be ready in six to eight months. Deb plans to take some time off from nursing before resuming her career. Deb and Todd's current address and phone number are:

1115 Palestine Street

Jacksonville, TX 75766

(903)-586-0833

Deb's email address is: parrish_debra@hotmail.com

Anne (Schmitt) and Craig Murphy (Puyallup, WA) and their daughters spent two weeks in Germany, Paris, and London this summer.

Stephanie, Anne and Craig's oldest daughter, is a freshman at Gonzago University in Spokane. She is one of 20 students selected to the honors program, and will be on the novice women's Division 1 crew team.

News from Ripon

Drivers entering Ripon from Fond du Lac on Highway 23 will notice a new addition to the �Welcome to Ripon� sign celebrating the 2003 state champion Ripon Tiger Football Team. The project was funded by the John Wickstrom Memorial Fund. John was a Ripon Middle School social studies teacher and coach who passed away in 2001. (Source: http://www.wrpnam.com/)

Ripon Dairy Queen on Highway 23 has closed. No explanation has been given for the closure. (Source: http://www.wrpnam.com/)

News from Other Classes

Jesse Elvers, son of Mike Elvers (RHS '74, Rochester, NY) married Melissa Smith in Orlando, Florida, on July 17. Jesse is a sales manager at an automotive store. Mike's other son, Stuart, is pursuing a computer science degree in Orlando.

Jill Geer (RHS '88, North Attleboro, MA) spent August at the Olympics in Greece. Jill is the Director of Communications for USA Track and Field.

Steve Rashid (RHS '75, Evanston, Illinois) has received the Ripon College Distinguished Alumni Citation. Steve graduated from Ripon College in 1979.

Steve's musical career has taken him from the club scene to the recording studio. The Chicago Tribune called his jazz group, Steve Rashid and the Porkpies, "one of Chicago's most entertaining groups." In 1993, his collection of lullabies, "I Will Hold Your Tiny Hand," won a Parents' Choice Gold Award. He earned the same award in 1994 for "Fidgety Feet," an album of swing music for kids. Steve also owns and operates a recording studio, Woodside Avenue Music Productions.

In addition to performing and producing, Steve has served as an adjunct faculty member at Northwestern University, where he received his master's degree in music composition. (Source: Ripon Commonwealth Press, August 12, 2004).

New contact information for John Reinsch (RHS '72) is:

Address: 1452 Cottonwood Drive

Waukesha, WI 53189

Phone: (262)-548-0196 (home)

(262)-894-3506 (cell)

Email: theXmayor@sbcglobal.net

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