Ithaca High School Class Of 1961

Eldon Baldwin

Then

Now

Birthday:July 17, 1943 City:Solomons State/Prov.:MD Occupation:College Professor (Retired) Marital Status:Married No. of Children:2 What elementary school(s) did you attend?:Pinkney (Lawrence, KA), Cayuga Heights (5), Henry St. Johns (6) What Junior high school did you attend?:Boynton Did you attend ninth grade at Boynton or IHS?:Boynton What have you been doing for the past 50 years?:Graduated from St. Lawrence Univ. in 1965. Entered Army through ROTC. Served 2 years in Germany and 1 year in Viet Nam. Settled in Maryland after Viet Nam. Completed MA in Math and PhD in Math Education at University of Maryland. Taught mathematics at Prince George's Community College from 1971-2014. Met my wife Barbara at PGCC. 2 children and 5 grandchildren. We both retired in 2014.

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Carey Barkdoll

Then

Birthday:April 06, 1942 City:Freeville State/Prov.:NY Occupation:Retired Marital Status:Married No. of Children:4 What elementary school(s) did you attend?:Varna/Forest Home What Junior high school did you attend?:Boynton What have you been doing for the past 50 years?:After I graduated in 1961, I went right to work at Morse Chain until the early part of 1962 when I joined the Air Force. After basic training in Texas I was sent to Orlando Air Force Base in Florida for 2 years. Then I went to Clark Air Base in the Philippines. After I was discharged from the Air Force, I returned to Morse Chain. Later a good friend, Al Wurtzel, suggested that I join the navy seabees as a reservist. Meanwhile, I bid on and received a maintenance mechanic apprenticeship at Morse Chain. I received a journeyman degree. After a few years, I received a master journeyman degree. I remained in the reserves for 16 years and retired in 2001. This gave me a total of 20 years of military service. Morse Chain became Borg-Warner Morse Tec. and moved to Warren Road. Being involved in the move with all the machinery was quite an experience. I retired from Borg-Warner in 2004 with 42 years of service. Since that time my wife and I have been traveling and spending winters in south central Tennessee and southern Georgia in military campgrounds. We return home to Freeville for the summer. My wife & I have 4 children between us and 10 grandchildren.

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Carmy Mignano (Beggs)

Then

Now

Birthday:August 15, 1943 City:Oak Hill State/Prov.:VA Occupation:Retired Special Ed. Teacher Marital Status:Married No. of Children:1 What have you been doing for the past 50 years?:Fifty fleeting years. Impossible to believe. They have been rather good years; complete with a wonderful family, great friends, fulfilling jobs, and travel. With a B.S. in business, I worked in the
Marketing Department of the General Electric Company in Cleveland, Ohio for ten years, before moving to the Washington, DC area with my husband and daughter. Through a series of circumstances, I participated in a grant program at George Mason University and the University of Virginia studying brain research and its relationship to education. Upon completion of this graduate work, I completely switched careers, becoming a special education teacher in the Fairfax County, VA school system, teaching children with emotional disabilities, autism, and severe learning disabilities. My husband and I are now retired, although I continue to teach regularly. My daughter (Director of Employee Engagement at USA Today), her husband and three grandchildren (two at Virginia Tech, and one about to enter high school), live nearby. I continue a very long friendship with Joanie Hurtt Smith. We see each other weekly and have traveled the world together. Joanie, her husband, and I will be out of the country at the time of the reunion. To all who attend this momentous occasion, enjoy.

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Shirley Baker (Bennett)

Now

Birthday:November 22, 1943 City:Lauderhill State/Prov.:FL Occupation:Retired Marital Status:Divorced No. of Children:2 What elementary school(s) did you attend?:West Hill & Fall Creek What Junior high school did you attend?:Boynton Did you attend ninth grade at Boynton or IHS?:Boynton What have you been doing for the past 50 years?:Divorced in 1992. Worked at Tompkins County Trust Company for 16 years, 5 years as a teller and moved on to the mortgage department for 11 years. Quit in 1988 to pursue a career as a Mortgage Loan Officer. Moved to Florida in 1995 with my daughter. My marriage produced two wonderful children who have been the highlights of my life. My son retired as a Master Sergeant in the U.S. Air Force (20 yrs)and continues to work on base as a Civilian. Lives in San Antonio, TX. with his wife. My daughter moved to Seattle Sept 2016,which she loves and continues to work in the boating industry. My mother continues to live on N. Tioga Street. I was forced to retire when the mortgage industry hit bottom. Keep busy making and selling jewelry along with other hobbies. Live alone with my cat. Like to keep buy as I'm not a "sit down" person.

From Shirley:

Went all the way thru school with the class of l961 but had to repeat llth grade so I graduated 1962.

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Vada O'Grady (Bennett)

Then

Now

City:Endicott State/Prov.:NY Occupation:Retired Marital Status:Married No. of Children:2 What elementary school(s) did you attend?:Belle Sherman till 4th grade, moved. 5th grade Country school-Danby Rd., 6th grade St. John. What Junior high school did you attend?:Boynton Did you attend ninth grade at Boynton or IHS?:IHS

From Vada:Married to Donald Bennett in 1972. with two step children, then 5 years and 6 years. Bringing them up till they were married, Now with 7 grandchildren.

Since highschool I have been a Seamstress, making clothing, and doing Quilting.

For about twenty five years, I worked retail and in merchandising. Later I work as parts Inspector in a small factory for about 15 years.

For the past 8 years we have been with The Foster Grandparent Program of Broome County mentoring children at our Endicott school, for 6 hours a day, 5 day a week. We just love what we do!

Vada passed away on March 20, 2014. Click here to view her Obituary.

Dale Benninger

Then

Now

Birthday:May 23, 1943 City:Alabaster State/Prov.:AL Occupation:retired - permanent golfer now Marital Status:Single No. of Children:4 What elementary school(s) did you attend?:Inlet Valley What Junior high school did you attend?:Boynton Did you attend ninth grade at Boynton or IHS?:IHS What have you been doing for the past 50 years?:I went into retail management, working for Zayre for 30 years, serving as a district manager and a regional operations manager. After living in warm weather places like Atlanta, Southern California (18 years), Miami (11 years), I never wanted to return to the north. I spent one year in Chicago and told the company to transfer me or I would find another job. I lived off and on in Alabama and returned there when I retired. Three of my children live there; one daughter lives in Ithaca.

From Dale:I enjoy all sports, especially golf. And I'm a big Alabama football fan.

Just returned from five months in Ithaca where I played golf every day. Good to see old friends like Frank Prudence, who have done so well in Ithaca.

See everyone at the reunion next summer.

Henry Bethe

Now

Birthday:February 20, 1944 City:Ithaca State/Prov.:NY Occupation:Retired Marital Status:Divorced No. of Children:1 What elementary school(s) did you attend?:Cayuga Heights What Junior high school did you attend?:Boynton Did you attend ninth grade at Boynton or IHS?:Neither What have you been doing for the past 50 years?:As very few of you may remember, I was at Boynton for one year, 56-57, doing a combination of 8th and 9th grade classes. I then left for Exeter, and did not graduate in 1960 (see below), but left to spend a year at Cornell before starting serious college. The year before starting serious college turned into five, and I wound up spending four years at Wisconsin, again leaving with no piece of paper.
Then 3 years as a professional bridge player, 1 1/2 at a consulting firm in DC, 2 years as an investment banker in NY and 18 at chase Manhattan Bank in various capacities. Then involuntarily retired in 1993, and returned to Ithaca where the living is easy, and certainly cheaper than NYC. I got married in 1975 and divorced in 1993; have one son, Paul, who just got married. Have spent the last 17 years first as a single parent, then as a dutiful son helping my mother care for my father in his last years and now spending a lot of time with her.
Not working, but still playing, teaching and writing about bridge.

From Henry:

I look forward to seeing people I did not know and some I did.

Henry passed away on June 7, 2015. To view his obituary, click here.

Christine Pease (Bizik)

Then

Now

Birthday:March 30, 1943 City:Indian Land State/Prov.:SC Occupation:Homemaker Marital Status:Married No. of Children:2 What elementary school(s) did you attend?:West Hill What Junior high school did you attend?:Boynton Did you attend ninth grade at Boynton or IHS?:Boynton What have you been doing for the past 50 years?:How does one condense 50 years of living, which could make a novel, into a short story? I will make an attempt! The first chapter begins after high school graduation. I attended Bethany College, in West Virginia, graduating with a B.S. in psychology in 1965. I became a social worker in WVA, and married Dave, my college sweetheart (we have just celebrated 45 years of wedded bliss!) Dave’s job (a real estate appraiser) required us to move frequently and in the next 6 years we moved 5 times (OH, IN, ME, and several areas in NY). During this time we had two sons and I became a full time mom.
In 1979 we moved to Guilderland, NY, outside of Albany, and actually got to stay for a while…over 31 years! Our oldest son, Jeff, went to Western New England College, married, and moved to Cary, NC. While employed by Lucent Tech., they lived in Switzerland for 3 years…visiting him was fun! 1987 found us heading to Ithaca as IC was the choice of schools for our son Michael. After his graduation from IC he married and moved to FL where he became a buyer for Champs Sports. They now live in Fresno, CA with our two granddaughters, ages 5 and 7.
In Sept. 2009 Dave retired and we moved to SC to escape the snow, taxes, and politics of good ol’ NYS. It was an overwhelming and challenging process to close that chapter and begin the next one in our lives. Throughout the years, besides being a wife and mom, I have always been very involved in church, school, and community activities. I have taught Bible Studies for adults, directed adult and youth choirs, taught Sunday school classes as well as being Sunday school superintendent, directed VBS and led adult small groups. In our new home this continues. I have a choir in our new church and a weekly Bible Study for 25 ladies in our new neighborhood. I try to squeeze some of my favorite pastimes such as gardening, birding, scrapbooking, reading and knitting into my free time. Dave is the president of our HOA (a full time job with no benefits but lots of problems) but manages to make time for a few days of golf each week (even in Jan. and Feb.!). Did I say we had retired? Perhaps that will be written about in a chapter yet to be lived!

From Christine:I won't be able to make the reunion this summer, but wish all that are attending a grand time.

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Bob Blean

Then

Birthday:November 28, 1943 City:San Jose State/Prov.:CA Occupation:Software Engineer Marital Status:Single Again What elementary school(s) did you attend?:Fall Creek What Junior high school did you attend?:Boynton Jr. High What have you been doing for the past 50 years?:Dartmouth '65. Spent a year and a half in Vietnam -- an "interesting" experience. MS in Computer Science. Developing software with a variety of Silicon Valley companies -- some you have heard of, many you have not heard of.

From Bob:If anyone is doing wilderness canoe trips, please get in touch.

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Sharon Miller (Boda)

Then

Now

Birthday:November 25, 1943 City:Ithaca State/Prov.:NY Occupation:Registered Nurse-retired Marital Status:Married No. of Children:2 What have you been doing for the past 50 years?:After IHS I did some time at Cornell, then graduated from St Joseph's Hospital School of Nursing with an RN. Was a student health nurse at Ithaca College for 28 years. During that time I finished courses for the BS. Since retireing in 2000, I am still enjoying the country life in Ithaca. I never strayed too far from home and married my Junior High School sweetheart Rollie Boda Class of 1958.

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