Classmates Profiles

Corning Union High School Class of 1969.
BARBARA PRITCHARD So much as happened over the last 40 years, where do I start. I have been married twice and divorced twice. Live and learn I guess. I have lived in California, Nevada, Missouri and now Oregon. I have two sons and a daughter. Steve and Serenia are in Branson, MO. Serenia has one daughter, Chantelle who is a freshman this year. Spoiled rotten. Steve is single. Tom is in Tillamook, OR. Tom was in a motorcycle accident when he was 16 and he has a traumatic brain injury which means Tom will always be 16. Tom can live on his own but needs someone to check on him. I am currently in Tillamook, OR. I worked in medical insurance claims for 20 years for Prudential Insurance and Kaiser Permanente. When Kaiser upgraded to a computer system that was supposed to process medical claims on its own, I decided it was time to go back to school. I just received my associate degree from University of Phoenix and am continuing with the Bachelor program to become a CPA. I also just opened my own income tax processing and bookkeeping business. When you look at this, it sure doesn't look like much for 40 years, but the best is yet to come. See you in October.
Mike Prunty Hmmmm............... 40 years. Seems just like yesterday that Mike Rathbone and I were trying to injure ourselves at the Corning Airport with an old parachute. Well, the aviation bug bit me bad back then and have been messing with airplanes since. My wife Dianna of 38 years has put up with this fever even today as I am in Tucson, AZ activating 12 P-3 Orion aircraft for final use by the Brazilian Air Force. This is the reason that we will not be able to attend the reunion. One son and three fantastic grandchildren keeps us wanting to come back to the North State. Really do wish that we could attend the festivities
Hi, This is Carol Purcell Kerr, known as Cooky. So many years have passed. Our journey taking us to different places. I remained in Corning for a number of years. From there I went to Willow Creek teaching kindergarden through 4th grade. I ministered in a small church in Pontoc Mississippi then returned to Orland for the next twenty-four years where I continue to reside. I married Thomas Kerr in 1977, divorcing in 1984. I have two beautiful daughters, four fantastic grandchildren and two terrific greatgrandsons. Boy do they keep me young and on the go! In 1995 I returned to school obtaining a BA degree in psychology, a drug and alcohol counsler certificate from California University of Davis. I was a site supervisor for Glenn County Headstart for eightteen years. In 2003 I was in a head on collision which resulted in the loss of my job, home and health. Basically I'm starting over. I'm very active in my church with children's church, music and indepth Bible study. I remain close to the Lord, friends,and family...they hold my heart! I won't be attending the reunion but would love to visit with anyone who would like to call. ENJOY THE REUNION!!! COOKY
Dale Rasmussen I went straight from high school to Chico Stae in fall of' '69. Started with an Ag major, thence to Biology, then English. In the mid-70's dropped out for a few years, "finding myself" (translation: many hours at low-paying jobs, much beer-drinking). In 1985 I returned to Chico State and got a B.A. in HIstory. I graduated from Cal-Northern Law School in 1990 and passed the California Bar in 1991. I am now a public Defender working in the specialized area of Juvenile Dependency law. I married Kristy five years ago and gained three wonderful stepdaughters. We now have three grandchildren. We live in the 'burbs of Chico. I have interests in the following areas: diesel engines, all things VW, chinups, high finance, gardening, difficult hiking. I have reluctantly come around to the point of view that hard work, both physical and mental, is not only good for you, but essential.. I wil be unable to attend the reunion due to a work-related commitment. However, I do plan to attend the rock'n roll reunion.
Brian and Sheri (Leibig) Rich We are still in love with our high school sweethearts. Brian took an early retirement from General Motors and we have been traveling full time in the Lord's work. We sold our home in Wisconson to move back to California to pastor a small congregation in Fresno. We have 2 sons who are farmers, 1 son is a concrete contractor, 1 son is building contractor, 1 son is a salesman, 1 son is a millwright for General Motors, 1 daughter is a paralegal, 1 daughter is a correctional officer, and our youngest daughter is in school to become a teacher. We have 14 grandchildren so far, who brighten our lives. Hope to catch up with everyone soon.
BONNIE ROWCROFT DEMO Well I don't know which is harder to believe, that we graduated 40 years ago or that Mike and I have been married 40 years as of last Feb.. What a blessing it is to be married to your best friend. Mike and I have 3 grown children. Michael is 39 and lives in Nampa, Idaho. Chris is 38 and his wife Crystal, and their son Colby lived in Gerber. Colby is our steer and bull rider. Last year he had a great year and came out number one in his division. Due to being 13 this year he has ranker stock (meaner) so it has been a harder season. Our youngest child is our daughter , Tami, who is 34, her husband Brian, and her bio. children Tallon (who rides motorcycles, plays football, and dances in two competitive teams),13, and Tristin (is our main dancer, she is in 3 dance competitive teams this year), 10. Tami is also does foster care and now has 4 children there right now also. My hubby has been a Fire Dispatcher for Corning City for 18 years and works part time for Saint Elizabeth Hospital as an EMT. I have been working for other Brokers selling insurance for around 24 years. Also over the years I have taught Sunday School for 27 plus years, director of AWANA youth group, and taught and served in many areas. The last 12 months have brought a lot of changes in our life. The first one was the close of my journey with my Mom going through the process of her disease Alzheimer's for the last 10 years. Talk about a life changing experience. The next change was after 35 years in the same house Mike and I decided to move to our daughter and Son in laws 20 acres in Orland. We moved to Orland last Nov.. On a funny note we had never lived anywhere else in our lives until then. It has been a blessing. We just love helping with the 6 kids that range in ages from 5 to 17. Our son in law is a long haul trucker so we get to help with the kids a lot. I won't bore you with the others changes but sometimes I think it would be easier to tell what we haven't changed. Mike and I love getting away and traveling to places like New York for the Macy's Day Parade and Hawaii for 4 different years seem to be our biggest trips. I am so looking forward to seeing so many of you at the reunion after getting to only talk to so many of you ever so briefly.
MIKE (SAPP) RICHARDS Sorry I cannot attend the reunion. I really would like to but have been training and registered for the St. George Marathon for 9 months which is the same weekend.. Hope to see everyone at the next one. Thinking of you all.
David Taylor After high school I left Chico State in 1973 for full time employment and married life thinking that college degree wasn't that important. Thirty years later I atoned for that mistake and got my BA from Chico State in Communications. Disproving, for at least this old dog, that I could be taught new tricks. Meanwhile I've enjoyed 35 years of marriage, 20 to the first wife followed by 15 & counting to the second, my wonderful, partner and friend Kathy. In 1976 my son and only child Clifton was born beginning 33 consecutive years (and counting) of reward more beyond what any parent could ever hoped for. The valedictorian, star QB, 4-year UC Regents Scholarship successful land development VP who is married to Isabel, and lives in Sacramento. He tells me I will be a grandfather for the first time in 2010. I'm not quite sure how that will feel when the time comes but I suppose it will be much like I'm reading from many of you. In 1993 I come to the realization Corning wasn't where I wanted to spend my whole life so I moved to Phoenix, Arizona and remarried. Not that life wasn't good in the olive city, as many of you have found. I considered myself successful and accomplished in a number of occupations, or maybe not. Since then life has been and still is very good for David in Phoenix. I've spent most of the past 15 years working for DHL in their customer service campus with the last seven in their international Americas data center as an IT project manager. But then in the summer of 2008 the failing economy kicked me to the curb as DHL closed the Scottsdale data center. After a 5-month sabbatical, just as my severance was running out, I was hired by Coventry Health Care as an IT project manager in Scottsdale. I count myself incredibly fortunate as many of my former colleagues are still without work. Haven't struck it rich, but more importantly, far from poor. In 1999 we built a fairly modest home on 1.5 acres of view property in a central Phoenix desert preserve area, in other words we have lots of rocks and scrubby bushes. None the less it's our slice of heaven that overlooks most of the valley of the sun. I share the casa with 3 birds, 3 cats, a turtle, and two ponds full of fish and most importantly my wife Kathy. She travels a lot in her job as Director of Trade Shows and Seminars for a small pharmaceutical company in Phoenix so I'm benefactor of may frequent flyer miles, hotel stays, and rental cars, (obviously I married up). I've given up water skiing for snow skiing, guns and hunting for golf and a fear of what lies below the surface of the ocean for scuba diving. Although no longer an agile athlete I can point the skis downhill, par more holes than bogey, and blow a lot of bubbles with a tank of air, traveling the western hemisphere enjoying them all. I still return to Corning to visit my mom, dad passed last fall. I hook up with Rich Morgan when in town and we kill of weak brain cells.
Janet Vinson Wheat I married shortly after high school and spent 20 years as a Marine Corps wife. It was a great experience! I graduated from SDSU with a major in history and received my J.D. from USD School of Law. For several years I worked as general counsel for a corporation in Southern California . Recently, I traded my one hour commute for a minute commute to my home office. I remarried 9 years ago to a retired Navy officer. I have a son, daughter, stepson and five grandchildren (which I just adore). We live in San Diego . My husband recently retired from his second career and to celebrate, we booked a Mediterranean cruise, unfortunately, we booked it prior to finding out the date of the reunion so we will not be able to attend this year. I look forward to seeing everyone at the 50th!
Ginger Keeler-Wolf's Life after 1969: I left bucolic orchards of Richfield for the redwoods of UC Santa Cruz where I met and married Todd Keeler, a nature freak and musician. We had a wonderful time getting our undergrad degrees in biology, geology and geography. After graduation we headed to the South Pacific, Australia, New Zealand and New Guinea to collect plants for the UC arboretum. It was a grand adventure, with lots of drama. We came back to grad school at UC Berkeley then went off to Trinidad and Tobago in the West Indies to do research on birds in the rainforest. After three years of mud and mosquitoes and although I still love biology, I was sure I didn't want to be a field biologist anymore, so while Todd wrote up his PhD. research, I switched my focus to clinical psychology. Despite a brief hiatus after giving birth to my first son, Evan,(age 26) I finished my degree and began practicing as a psychotherapist. My second son, Asa, (age 19) was born at home about the time I went into private practice. I specialize in working with adopted children and adolescents, mostly from overseas and their families. I don't know if you remember this about me, but I am also adopted. I found my birth family along the way, and continue in relationship with my birth sister. It was delightful and frightening to find someone who acted like me, including my annoying habit of waving my hands around while I talk. When I was 45, my third son, Dana, (age 12) was born. I just didn't have that birth control thing down. Fortunately I love my work and am so jazzed about all the new developments in neuroscience, because I will be working til I'm 80 to get everyone through college. I have had a lot of fun in my life, with lots of travel to many parts of the world. Our family loves to camp and adventure so we manage to find balance to our intense work lives. Since I became a minister in the Church of Immediate Salvation, I have had the ple asure of performing quite a few weddings including that of my best friend, (forever) Janet Palermo to Craig Hemping, (CUHS1971). We canoe together in the summer to camp on islands and fend off marauding bears. I have no grandchildren, although sometimes people think my youngest son is my grandchild. I am sure I will be the oldest mom at his high school graduation. I have enjoyed hearing all of your stories. Have fun at the reunion. Ginger
SHARON WOMACK PEYUS Clearly we are all too young to be celebrating our 40th reunion! How the span of time weaves so many paths and adventures - I've enjoyed reading all the profiles that have come through thus far! Our path over the 40 years has taken my husband and I to a number of parts of the country and international travel. We recently celebrated our 38th anniversary in Washington DC - where we have been for a number of years. After a wonderful career in the private sector, I decided to join the public sector and serve my country the best I could after being in DC on 9/11 and a part of an organization who helped in the recovery process. I am currently leading the National Incident Response Unit within U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), a component of the U..S. Department of Homeland Security, which was created from 22 Federal agencies after that tragic day. Prior to public service I worked in the financial industry - retiring after 16 years as a Vice President and Branch Manager for Charles Schwab & Co.. Inc. Trying to figure out what I wanted to be when I really grew up, I decided to return to school. I received my Ed.M. from Harvard Graduate School of Education. Following graduation, I had an amazing opportunity to work on a special project at Harvard Business School as a Research Associate writing case studies and assist teaching MBA students. Most important in our lives - our son, Trevor, daughter-in-law, Allison and grandaughter, Roxy Jewel - live in Ithaca NY - a six hour drive for us from DC. Our son didn't follow in his father's footsteps in law enforcement, but chose instead the fire department. He is a senior paramedic and fire fighter for the Ithaca Fire Department - we certainly have plenty of discussions about incident command and emergency preparedness and response. Our granddaughter, who is 2 1/2, is displaying at such a young age how well rounded she is - from handling snakes and worms, planting flowers to cookie baking and taste testing the batter! She is a character and keeps her Nanna and Pappa young at heart - and more importantly she teaches us how to cherish all the moments! Soon she'll be out in our vineyard (to be) planting vines with us in upstate NY. Yes, even at this age, we're looking forward to yet another career as vintners - Roxy Moon Vineyards - a beautiful setting overlooking Lake Skaneateles - a short 40 minute drive from our kids! While my husband will be on travel teaching, I look forward to seeing all who can attend our amazing milestone!
Page last updated Oct 16, 2009

Corning Union High School Class of 1969.