Minneapolis West High School

Class of 1960

50 Year Reunion

Minneapolis, MN

August 13th, 14th & 15th, 2010

Brief Review of

Saturday Night's Program

and Misc. Pictures

As Best Remembered by Bob Frazee



FOR THEIR COURAGE & INSPIRATION, BY ACCLAMATION,
ALL CLASSMATES DEDICATED THE PROGRAM TO:


Karen (Wallen) Curry and John Curry in a
photo from the 40th reunion. John is a Vietnam
Veteran who has suffered for decades from the
debilitating effects of Agent Orange.


The Master of Ceremonies - Rick Passon


Mr Straiton, age 92, attended the reunion after having been told there would be a lot of former teachers present who wanted to see him.


Mr. Straiton asks Bob Fundingsland where all those teacher are.


Rick reminded everyone about the excitement
after the West Basketball team won the District Championship.
The room spontaneously broke out singing the school song.


Rick and Jack Wartnick were the best of friends, but very competitive, and as was typical of "friends" they love to see the other "screw up."
There was the time when Rick and Jack Wartnick were serving as goal judges in a tight hockey game between Roosevelt and Washburn. The score was tied with minutes to play. A shot on the Roosevelt goal was made and it was impossible to see what had happened during the scramble in the net. Jack pressed the button to signal a score for Washburn. The Washburn crowd went wild; dancing and screaming in the aisles. But something didn't look right and after the referees conferred it was announced that goal judge [Wartnick} made an error and there was no goal. The whole Washburn side stood up and pointed at and booed Jack. At his end of the rink, Rick was in total ecstasy. Wartnick had to slink out of the rink under cover. As Rick remembered, "It was one of the great highlights for me of my high school years".
Rick also confessed that he harbored ill feelings toward a schoolmate since his years at Jefferson:

"Bob Sands and I were playing marbles in 1955...eighth grade at Jefferson. He kept losing and he owed me thousands of marbles that he couldn't pay. I would like to apologize to Bob at this time for having issued a threat to him in 'shop class' that I would kill him if he didn't pay up."


Miao Ling Tjoa, who still lives in Amsterdam, The Neatherlands, spoke about her life after leaving West.

Roly Visaya, who now lives in Carlsbad, CA, talked about his life after spending a year at West.


With some reluctance Rick passed the
microphone to Bill Jackson.



Bill recalled his high school days and reminisced on how things had
changed since graduation. . .
"There was a lot to say for [the old] days: 20 cent gas, no terrorists, we could eat white bread to build strong bodies 7 ways, & our lakes were clean. Zebra mussels & milfoil was an entrée I used to order at the Rainbow Café to impress a date. I liked my zebra mussels steamed in marinara sauce with milfoil au grautin.

And we could smoke with abandon. Track meet tomorrow, no problem. In an Iron Lung, no problem. Pregnant? Have a Camel with your martini. Even doctors preferred Kent cigarettes 3:1. Smoking was so cool that it was almost required in social situations & was fine anywhere in the restaurant or airplane you sat.

Then we decided smoking was bad for us - but 2nd hand smoke was still OK - so we created smoking sections…which always struck me like swimming pools creating whizzing sections. "Sorry, Mr. Passon, but we'll have to ask you to swim over to the other side of the orange buoy with the half-moon on it."

Now you can marry a farm animal in some states, but you can no longer smoke in airplanes, restaurants, bars, or even during most elective surgeries."

His full comments can be found on the West High Web Page.

To remind everyone how much things had changed
- for the better or worse -
Rick read the following article from
Housekeeping Monthly, 13 May 1955,
on Good Housekeeping.

  • Have dinner ready. Plan ahead, even the night before, to have a delicious meal ready, on time for his return. This is a way of letting him know that you have been thinking about him and are concerned about his needs. Most men are hungry when they come home and the prospecte of a good meal (especially his favourite dish) is part of the warm welcome needed.

  • Prepare yourself. Take 15 minutes to rest so you'll be refreshed when he arrives. Touch up your make-up, put a ribbon in your hair and be fresh looking. He has just been with a lot of work-weary people.

  • Be a little gay and a little more interesting for him. His boring day may need a lift and one of your duties is to provide it.

  • Clear away the clutter. Make one last trip through the main part of the house just before your husband arrives.

  • Gather up schoolbooks, toys, paper etc and then run a dust cloth over the tables.

  • Over the cooler months of the year you should prepare and light a fire for him to unwind by. Your husband will feel he has reached a haven of rest and order, and it will give you a lift too. After all, catering for his comfort will provide you with immense personal satisfaction.

  • Prepare the children. Take a few minutes to wash the children's hands and faces (if they are small), comb their hair and, if necessary, change their clothes. They are little treasures and he would lke to see them playing the part. Minimize all noise. At the time of his arrival, eliminate all noise of the washing, dryer or vacuum. Try to encourage the children to be quiet.

  • Be happy to see him.

  • Greet him with a warm smile and show sincerity in your desire to please.

  • Listen to him. You may have a dozen important things to tell him, but the moment of his arrival is not the time. Let him talk first - remember, his topics of conversation are more important then yours.

  • Make the evening his. Never complain if he comes home late or goes out to dinner, or other places of entertainment without you. Instead, try to understand his world of strain and pressure and his very real need to be at home and relax.

  • Your goal: Try to make sure your home is a place of peace, order and tranquility where your husband can renew himself in body and spirit.

  • Don't greet him with complaints or problems.

  • Don't complain if he's late home for dinner or even if he stays out all night. Count this as minor compared to what he might have gone through that day.

  • Make him comfortable. Have him lean back in a comfortable chair or have him lie down in the bedroom. Have a cool or warm drink ready for him.

  • Arrange his pillow and offer to take off his shoes. Speak in a low, soothing and pleasant voice.

  • Don't ask him questions about his actions or question his judgment or integrity. Remember, he is the master oif th house and as such will always exercise his will with fairness and truthfulness. He have no right to question him.

  • A good wife always knows her place.


Misc. Photographs Submitted by Classmates

[Editor exercising "literary license"]

In May, 2008, Bob & Fran (Lenth) Frazee traveled to Kenya and Tanzania. When we were in the Masai Mara, deep in the heart of Kenya, we met a group of people and started to talk to them. This is how the conversation went:

Bob: Hi, I'm from Minnesota, where are you from?
Stranger: Hi, I am from Florida but originally I grew up in Minneapolis.
Bob: Really, We are from Plymouth but Fran grew up in Minneapolis.
Fran: Where did you grow up in Minneapolis?
Stranger: Down by Hennepin and Lake Street.
Fran: I went to West High School which is down there.
Stranger: I went to West High.
Fran: What year did you graduate?
Stranger: 1960.
Fran: I graduated in 1960. We must have been in the same class. What's your name?
Stranger: Mike Brewer.
Fran: Mike! I'm Fran Lenth, I remember you.

So, there you have it, 47 years after graduation these two "Cowboys" meet in the Masai Mara in Kenya. Now, what are the chances of that happening?

(p.s. Mike's cousin, Mary Jo (Sieg) Pearson, also a classmate, lives just a mile from us in New Hope, MN)


Dan Barberree was not able
to attend but sent this picture.

Golfers: Dave Rand and Rick Passon


Elaine (Wright) Gerdts, Pat (Campion) Lemieux, & Bud Gerdts
Elaine attended Calhoun Elementary School
She graduated from West and Bud graduated from Henry


Photos Also Contributed By

Dave Rand
Pat (Campion) Lemieux

For more information about this page write to       Bob Frazee

Husband of

.



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If you have any questions just let me know; my e-mail address is listed above.

Bob Frazee