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My birthday is Feb.. 1st. Was anyone else in our class born on that day?
Retire? I don't think so. I love my job as a librarian working with middle school kids; they keep me young. While I am the "most senior person on staff," it's a role that I like because I get to mentor new teachers. However, I do not plan on keeping this job until I am in my eighties, like another librarian did. I am, at the moment, thinking of continuing until I am 66.
Thanks for keeping me informed on what our other classmates are doing. Sandra (Lonie) Amari
Although I loved what I did for a living, I didn't like the commute, so I retired. After two and a half years experience I can assure you I love it.
I have done a lot of wildlife photography, especially birds, did a few exhibits including Wings N Water in Stone Harbor and put up a web site www.njbird.com (which needs some attention).
After the Athos I oil spill I volunteered to NJ Fish and Wildlife to survey oiled birds. Also volunteered to clean up some of them too. Presently I am doing a survey (half day every other week) on migrating birds for US Fish and Wildlife at Supawna Meadows.
My wife and I enjoy providing food and habitat for birds in our yard on Grandview Avenue, Pitman. This evening we had two juvenile Cooper's hawks chasing rabbits and birds. Not exactly in our plans, but a bit exciting.
Sandie says retirement is great. Do what you want to do when you want to do it, no time restrictions, go when you feel like it. Just make sure you have great medical insurance.
Mike says there is no way he can retire. When he feels the 'Big One' coming he will find his coworker as he falls to the floor and take him along. Mike and Lois just returned from a cruise to Alaska where they got bumped from an Air Canada flight. They had no luggage from day one to day six of a seven day trip. He gained 35 pounds and pledges to lose it all and ten more by Christmas. (Let's encourage him to do it).
Hi,
In answer to who has a new e-mail address, I do:run4tcrown@sbcglobal.net, from Gloria Granato/Coppolino. My husband and I are both retired in Southern California. We have a miniature vineyard and are trying to learn the art of making wine. When we get tired of watching the grapes grow, we go house boating.
The great class of 1959 phs
I have been in Real Estate and Ins. sales since high school days, so in effect I have been retired for a long time, just kidding, I have no plans of slowing down unless the Good Lord has other plan for my future, which is OK with me.
I am very busy taking care of my 87 year old mother and seven grandkids, plus two X's and four children. I bet there are not many in the class of 59 who are still paying child support. Most of you know I have a 12 year old daughter from my last marriage. The Lord really blessed me in my old age with another wonderful child.God Bless all of you and I can't wait to see you all again. Bob Dick
I retired as a pipe fitter/welder on 5/1/04 and have been kept busy by our class asking for the e-mail list. There is always something to do or fix. The web site has been a challenge to learn the ins and outs of the setting up a site. I look forward to hearing from all of you with your comments and ideas.
Bob still works full time but hopes to go part time next year.
Barb and Gus have been retired almost ten years. They travel in their motor home about six months a year and have covered 47 states making friends with people all over the USA. Barbara is active in the Pitman Women's Club and Gus with the Fire Company. They are trying to adjust so that their money runs out the same time they do.
Hi everyone, Bill finally retired last year following a ruptured appendix and time spent in cardiac intensive care. Of course he did this in Chicago and I had to fly out immediately. Anyone who knows me, knows I HATE to fly. We are so busy with traveling, the sub vets, Seaport museum (Bill is a docent) and our gardening, neither of us have time to work. We will hopefully be seeing Burt in the next few months and then traveling to New Mexico, OK, Texas etc. etc. etc. We grew up in a really nice era and had such good times. We're glad to see that most of us are having good times now and enjoying life. After losing 3 classmates in 2 weeks this past spring, we consider ourselves very lucky - life is good. Carol and Bill Hadden
Charlotte and I retired on April Fools Day 2002. There is something appropriate about that day for retirement. We sold in Niagara Falls after almost 30 years and now split out time between a cottage in Parry Sound Ontario (about 150 miles north of Toronto) and Pine Knoll Shores, NC ( the beach). We highly recommend retirement.
My birthday is September 22nd. I'm not shy about the year either. I was born in 1940. That will make me 65 in September and I'm proud to get there.
"Well, now I have to reply, briefly. (Did anyone ever know me to do that?)
I have been "retired" since 1992, when my mother died. I stopped working to care for her in her last days and never went back since we moved 6 mos. after her passing (and again 4 years later).
Now I have no time to work. I'm chairman of the deaconess board at my church and teach Bible studies, Precept-upon-Precept, for those who are familiar with Kay Arthur. I attend way too many meetings, but love it all. I scrapbook and stamp--doing an ongoing scrapbook for each of my four grandchildren so they will remember me. Keep my scrapbook stuff set up on the dining room table which we rarely use for dining. I make 95 % of the greeting cards I send including my Christmas cards. I also do counted cross stitch and read lots of books. I tell everyone that I play all day.
I'm still waiting for Marvin to retire. For 4 years he's been saying "I'll retire next year." I've about given up on him. He has few hobbies and enjoys doing financial reporting for a small telephone co. in PA. We are enjoying life.
Lynne has no intention of retiring. She has a very low threshold of boredom so they will carry her out of whatever work she is doing in a pine box. She has seen too many people curl up and die after retiring (including her father in just 18 months).
I retired from full-time teaching high school English in June 2001, but I continue teaching as an adjunct in Essay Writing at Keene State. I teach the fall and spring semesters, have summers off. My wife is an administrative assistant to the Dean of Sciences here at the college. "Some of us have to work," she often says to me as she goes out the door in the morning.
Our life is very content. We both read. Pat likes to shop, I do some creative writing. We both try to stay fit. Both of us walk, and I also work out with free weights a couple times a week. As I say, life is good.
I miss Pitman and hope to get back there sometime in 2006...Who knows, maybe before the new year. Hello to all our mates from the Class of '59! Jack
Hi, I just came up with a great idea if you get the classmates to include their birthday with their bio it would be a nice thing to do is send then a birthday card so they know someone is thinking about them. what do you think?
I just wanted to see if any one has been retired as long as I have as I retired at "55" and have not worked since then except for umpiring softball which is what I do for fun. I still walk 4 miles everyday and umpire 5 games 4 nights a week and some week-ends. I go to the Bonneville Salt Flats each year since 1977 and have met people from all over the world. I was a donor for Platelets and have donated over 90 times but cannot do it until 2009 since I had cancer.
Pat is another in the semi-retired bunch. She works three days a week in their family liquor store in Cherry Hill keeping the books and making sure taxes are paid. They can mostly get off for traveling and any other recreational things they want to do.
Helen still works three days a week at a hair salon in Pitman. She has no idea if and when she will retire since, like Rich Mangano, she sees a lot of people and the job is convenient. Helen is also curious about the age of the young (so he says) Doug Tozour.
Hi Everyone,
Dale here.....still working ..... most of time spent with diagnosis of plant diseases. Take off from work during the winter since fungi go to Florida and I don't. I also work for the NJ Dept. of Agriculture. It seems like I can't keep my Ledden hands out of the dirt. The answer to why I am still working: A. Health Insurance. B. Travel and antique gun collecting . C. Constant buying front door locks to keep my children from coming back to live with me.
Dale Ledden -----"Bus -E" - from Sewell
Rich sees a lot of people come in the barber shop who have retired and within months have passed away. He keeps physically fit by continuing to work, takes long lunches and goes fishing a couple days a week.
I retired in June 2001 after a great career in the aerospace industry, spending 36 years as engineer with Lockheed Aircraft. During my career I worked on the design and development of a lot of aircraft including the F-111 fighter-bomber, many versions of the C-130 Hercules, C-141 Starlifter, C-5 Galaxy, F-22 stealth fighter, and a host of secret projects. A group of us engineers who all worked together at Lockheed get together for lunch every Wednesday at our favorite BBQ joint -- something we have done for almost 30 years now. When I retired, I threw out my alarm clock and said good-bye to the hassles of the corporate world. Upon retiring, my wife Martha Jane informed me that she married me "for better or for worse"but not "for lunch".
Martha Jane and I manage to stay quite busy. We travel quite frequently and take one or two trips a year to Europe, since we have seen almost the entire USA. My hobbies include trains and photography. Lately I have been doing a lot of train watching and rail photography around the state of Georgia. I have also been doing a lot of work on my model railroad. Yard work takes up some of my time. I have almost an acre of grass to mow; and here in Georgia, we mow grass from March into December.
Martha Jane also stays busy with tennis, volunteer work, and church choir. She is on two tennis teams and is the captain of our neighborhood's women's tennis team. In fact, I have to plan our travels around her tennis schedule. Since I have now lived in the South for the last 46 years, I have managed to pick up somewhat of a southern accent; but it doesn't compare to my wife's accent. Martha Jane grew up in South Georgia and went to Emory University here in Atlanta. We met after we both had graduated from college and were married in 1968. Our two children are both adults now.
This is sort of a chat room for the Class of '59. I am dealing with retirement the same way I procrastinated with everything else. After all, it took me 8 1/2 years to graduate from college so I am already running way behind. Our Financial Planner says we could retire but he didn't say anything about eating so I hesitate. My wife might retire before me. They are moving her school next year so she will make her decision based on where they move it. If she doesn't like the location, she is out.
As for me, I am self employed and don't work as long and hard as I used to. Sometimes I just go to the office and take a nap until the phone wakes me up. I really enjoy the printing and promotion business and it keeps me connected with the community. I do some gratis work for local non-profits when I can. Nobody can fire me but I suppose I could still starve to death. I guess I will just hang in there until I get tired of it all or run out of customers. My Dad retired at 70 after working 5 1/2 days a week all his life and his father worked well into his 70's. My fear is that I retire and end up spending my time shredding those nasty credit card applications all day long.
So God bless all you people that gave it up and are enjoying the good life. To me, working is the good life - at least for now.
Peace
Burt works with interior designers in the Denver area www.qualitycornices.com and says his wife Denise thinks I'm semi-retired because I can take time off whenever I want.The bible says God gives us seventy, maybe 80 years and since I look at my work as a gift from God, I plan to continue as long as possible.
Besides gardening, one of my hobbies is sailing. Here's a link to a web site showing my way of getting a sailboat on top of the wagon http://academics.georgiasouthern.edu/cet/Banshee/Rack/ I bought the wagon because it fit my needs perfectly; low enough to get a canoe on top and big enough to haul 4x8 sheets of plywood.
I really enjoy the "retired vs. working" classmates. My job is not work, it is like going to a social everyday. I am self-employed, on call, can take a job or not and make great money. My mind is constantly challenged and those in the title business refer to me as the " title attorney". I finally found my niche', better late than never. If the interest rates rise, I will find myself heading toward retirement, consequently, I pray for low interest rates. I really do not know what I would do if I retired. My mind and body run on full steam ahead. Good health to all, without it we are lost!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Steve says"I have to put in my "2 cents" as to the retirement issue. I can't seem to quit. In a profession that I followed in, from a Father who started in 1930, it is a part of me. My older brother still works 3 days a week and my youngest daughter, although not working with me, attends CE courses with me and works with an ophthalmologist in Cherry Hill. We also play golf together as our family has gone from a tennis-playing bunch to a golfing group, usually playing on the weekends as Laura, our oldest, lives on a golf course in Avondale, PA. Takes longer to play than tennis, but easier on the old bones and joints; the 19th hole is very fun.
My profession has changed in many ways as I have been with it for forty (wow) years. Our scope of care has expanded and it is interesting to keep up with the changes and I even enjoy attending lectures on new issues (that's a sign of age, challenging to stay awake). We need 50 hours of CE credits every 2 years to renew our licenses so it is both a challenge and a chore to maintain.
I also teach introductory astronomy (NOT astrology) at Rowan University as it was an option when I was deciding what to become and always had a strong interest in the sciences; my father told me there was too much night work in astronomy, which I'm still not sure to this day if he was kidding or serious-I took after his profession. Rowan's physics/astronomy department has grown and we have a million dollar planetarium and a 75,000 dollar observatory on campus to use for teaching purposes as well as availability to the public and school/senior groups, etc.
So, I work 4 days in my office (only 1/2 mile away), and teach two nights a week which really is my "fun" outlet. Science is my religion and the advances that are occurring in all phases sometimes makes me wonder if students actually believe some of the stuff we tell them. But I ramble. Hope to cut back next year to 3 days office and 1 semester teaching, but I'll see how I feel. Must clean the basement sometime. My son says I should throw one thing away every day so as to make it easier on the kids when they have to do it. Not a bad idea. Enjoyed Dale's and Larry's messages. We need more laughter. Best regards to all, Steve Simmerman.
Janet says they are cutting back on their work days but will probably keep working for a few more years because they enjoy the people contact. They keep very busy and always say "Got to do it while we can".
My birthday - October 23rd - coming soon so get those greetings ready. Please make them NICE!!! Ginny PS I'm loving these notes from people. What a sense of humor we all still have. I read and laugh. Loved Dale's note about keeping new locks on his doors.
Just love being retired. Actually I had to retire 6 1/2 years ago with Rheumatoid Arthritis. I was teaching for 23 1/2 years and all of a sudden my hands and feet were so swollen I could not move them. It was from STRESS and diet. So I went out on disability and have been out every since. I now am still medicated but watch my diet, (no night shades, potatoes and tomatoes) so therefore I am quite well. Just need lots of rest.
Do I like retirement? Couldn't be better. Each year I decide how I will serve my community in some way and that is my goal for the year and that really keeps me busy. Both Dick and I are very busy with church and Rotary. This past year and this year coming up I have chosen to do work for my church that has been decreasing in membership each year. We are running Tuesday evening programs and doing very well. We ran ALPHA 2 years ago and still working with the same group but different studies. They are loving it.
All of a sudden with this age you can be WHATEVER YOU CHOOSE TO BE!! I would really like to get into feet and hand reflexology since it really helps me a great deal. The nice thing no-one pays you so you can set your own hours and work when you want to. Of course Dick has been retired for about 11 years so we live in Woodbury and OC all year round and love it. Our number one priority is the grandchildren and being there to play with them. YES, RETIRE!!!!! Take care. Thanks for asking about this great life. Ginny
Bev retired 10 years ago due to a corporate downsizing. She woke up every morning singing James Brown's "I feel good" and decided she and Don would rather run their own rental real estate business than work for someone else. Now they are planning new adventures while they sit back and relax.
Dick retired at age 62 and is glad he did it. He and Bobbie Jean travel, ski & golf. Bobbie Jean retired at age 40 and for the last 23 years has been serving the Lord and enjoying every minute of it.
birthday- March 25, 1941
Doug says since he is 'WAY YOUNGER' than the rest of us 'ol codgers' he has no plans to retire. (Does anyone out there know just how old Doug is?)
Mike Boyle says Doug Tozour is ' Way Older' than himself and Carol Perry who is the baby of our class.
Lynne Eckman says:
"By the way, I KNOW EXACTLY how old Doug Tozour is, because we shared a nursery together!!! Write that one up!!! Doug was born the day before I was born, in the same hospital. Our little bassinets were right next to each other's! That's how, when, and where, our mothers met, and became lifetime friends. But will I tell when all this took place?? NOT ON YOUR LIFE!!! ---- 'Ahh' don't tell "nobody" that!! ---- I still get away with dating younger men, so why would I ever bring up THAT subject?? Tell Doug his secret is safe with me!!"
(OK Lynne-now we have to find out how old you are. Are there any classmate friends of Lynne who know her birthday?)
And a note from Janet Simmerman- "I know Lynne's age!!!!! She was 64 in March. She and Kathie Leitch shared the same month birthday and I remember Kathie's was the 16th of March and Lynne's was around hers. Does anyone remember Kathie???? Being that my birthday is in October and you had to be 5 by the end of Sept. to start school, that leaves me as one of the "older" classmates. Consequently, since Lynne and Doug are younger than yours truly, their age gets revealed!!!!! "
And a note from Ginny Jones Strang:
How can Doug Tozour be younger than us? If we are older and retired, good for us. That really makes us SMARTER too!!! Life is way to short to work! Gin
I just retired this June from 32 years of teaching in a Christian Pre School and will continue teaching Kindergarten at fellowship Bible Church in Sewell. I love flowers and gardening too. I have hanging plants and lots of flowers in the front and back yards.My husband is so busy in retirement that he wonders how he had time to work.
I have been "retired" since 1997, and I just love it. I'm very active with ministries, small groups, and a variety of other things at church. At home I oil paint, paint cards, do black and white sketches, and am presently making a quilt (my first). I don't have time to get bored as there are not enough hours in the day for everything I would like to do.And I like the freedom of not having to answer to anyone but God.
Just wanted to give you my birthday to add to the Retired list.
It's January 1st. Thanks, Elsie
Guy tells me he is working on his retirement essay and will post when he has it perfect.
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