http://staples55.com In memory of our years at Staples Wed, 22 Feb 2012 07:02:32 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Chip DiBlanda, sad to report, passed away on January 24, 2011. Long overdue on getting this posted, we learned of Chip's passing last year. Picking up from an earlier post, I had heard from Chip a year ago. He had learned through his son that John Ottinger and I were ... http://staples55.com/2012/02/22/chip-diblanda-rip/ This is going to upset quite a few classmates, seeing as how popular Len was... Len passed away yesterday, Saturday, March 26, at a hospice facility in or near Vero Beach, FL. I took a call today from Mike Hyman who relayed this sad news to me—he, in turn, having ... http://staples55.com/2011/03/28/len-eskey-rip/ It saddens me to post news of another classmate's passing, Francis Leroy "Bud" Bennett, Jr. Thanks to Jacee McCluckie for forwarding this to our attention. Bud passed away in his sleep last September. Jacee has been trying to get in touch with his family. You'll find his obituary here. ... http://staples55.com/2011/03/18/francis-bud-bennett-rip/ From a Wilton classmate who's been kind enough to submit an occasional comment to this blog, Janet Wahrlich has submitted an interesting, well-written commentary by a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, Michael Gartner. It appeared in a June, 2006, edition of USA Today (I hope they continue to leave the page up...). ... http://staples55.com/2011/01/25/a-life-without-left-turns/ Here's several overdue (on my part) updates on our "individualist" classmate, John Ottinger. John now (and for many years) lives in Madison, WI, with wife of many years, Peggy. With a reputation as being one of the foremost Liberal enclaves in America (along w/ San Francisco and the People's Republic ... http://staples55.com/2011/01/25/ottinger-updates/ Mike has been busy recently converting his old 35mm slides to digital format, among which are a number from high school days. Check out this summer 1955 trip in his dad's new Buick Century through the Luray Caverns in Virginia with Sandy Frey and Vince DePierro—a trip to see fellow ... http://staples55.com/2011/01/23/hyman-35mm-slides-from-50s/ Another sad passing, I am sorry to report. Lyn died last September. The only news we have at this time comes from Judy Gault, longtime friend of Lyn's, who informed me recently of Lyn's death in an email: Also to let you know I heard from Lyn Hackley's daughter. Karen. who ... http://staples55.com/2011/01/22/lyn-hackley-rip/ Well, this is embarrassing! Recently I started looking online for news of Chip DiBlanda's passing. I was told by someone—I think it was Noel Castiglia—that Chip was in a bad way, health-wise. I went to the Social Security death index website and thought I had confirmed his death in ... http://staples55.com/2011/01/22/we-found-him/ In another comment (originally posted 11/23/2009), Leann Walker sounds fairly confident that...: This picture [click photo to enlarge] is from the 6th grade and it is both Mrs. Stebenson’s and Miss Lumpkin’s class at Bedford Elementary. The unknown boy in the third row is Paul (Huron) Marquis. He is ... http://staples55.com/2010/11/14/bedford-el-class-redux/ On October 1 (last month) Leann Walker posted the following comment under the original photo, as reprinted here: The gas station is on Main Street in Westport [click photo to enlarge]. It was then called “Walt’s Gas Station”. The building in the background behind the convertible is Dorain’s Drug Store. To ... http://staples55.com/2010/11/14/westport-gas-station-redux/