Kaiserslautern Fifties Raiders

Myrna Garwick Bowman'54 resumes her newsletter after 30 years or so

In the 1960's Myrna Garwick-Bowman '54 published a wonderful newsletter for about forty Raiders from the mid-Fifties classes. (An abstract of it for the benefit of our sleuths is available on this Web site. Now Myrna resumes her newsletter, so e-mail her to get your biography on this page.

Myrna Garwick Bowman '54
Grass Valley CA
I attended KAHS from the first day it opened in 1953 to my graduation when I returned to Minneapolis MN to complete nursing. I married an AF pilot, had 4 sons, and divorced while in Texas. Moved to CA in 1968 to be near my brother who was attending the navy Post Grad school. (He was a Marine). Working as an RN, I managed to get all the boys into adulthood without any major problems & they all live within a 200 mile radius. Two are married & I have 4 wonderful grandkids. Fourteen years ago I thought it would be fun to live in San Francisco Bay on a boat for a year. I ended up living on a 40 foot powerboat for twelve yrs. Then I met a sailor, Wayne Robbins, quit work & we now have a 38 foot steel ketch in La Paz (on the Sea of Cortez at the southern tip of Baja California Sur). We also have 20 acres in the Sierras where we are starting to put utilities this summer while our boat is in drydock. I am very busy trying to kill poison oak, volunteer at a gold mine & looking for house plans. We'll be back in Mexico during rainy season. I have wonderful memories of K-Town & hope to meet everyone at future reunions.

Barbara (Bobbie) Katz-Kleinsmith '53
Hi - I do believe I have the honor of being the in the first graduating class, Infact I was finished mid term so I was the first. My name is Barbara Kleinsmith (Bobbie Katz). Live in Omaha NE. Gave up staying young and happy at staying alive. I missed the reunion but hope to make one soon. I plan on going to the Frankfurt High School reunion in Ohio this July. Looking forward to meeting some of you one of these days. Bobbie

Bob Corbett '54
is alive and well. Married to Romayne for 42 yrs. We have two sons. Residing in Ohio. Left KAHS April 1954 and graduated from Willoughby Union HS. Attended Kent State University in Ohio. Worked as a Home Office Representative of MetLife for 37 yrs. retiring in 1997. Enjoying travel (22 countries), fly fishing and golf. We missed you in Nashville. It was a great reunion.
- Cookie

Jean Futrell '54.
I came back to my home in Virginia where I live today with my second husband, Stuart Johnson. We have been together 30 years. I had three children, one boy and two girls, and they have produced 6 grandkids (all wonderful). I recently retired from the real estate world after 22 years. Before that I worked as a bookkeeper and personnel manager for 11 years and on the side I taught piano and led church choirs. We just bought our retirement home on a lake and I have been busy getting it just right! I love to garden and this 2 acres has been a real back breaker.

Warren Hopkins '55:
I continue to be amazed that so many people are beginning to turn up. Keep up the good work everyone. I have tried to find Laurie Abshire without success. When I last saw her she was not doing as well as I would have hoped. My mother is trying to find her mother's address. [Note added 2005: found Laurie, she's doing well.]
I retired in 1992 but still seem to get called for things I like. I teach one period of drivers education during the school year. They needed someone to teach Government and Economics for summer school so I signed on to do that as well. I have a great bunch of students this summer. My driver ed. students are always on their best behavior.
I appreciate hearing from everyone, news, jokes, information, plans, talk, live stories, grandparent lies, anything you want to talk about I'm for it.
I was in elective office for over 24 years. [Warren was mayor of Rohnert Park CA. - Bob] I developed a very thick skin. So I sometimes forget that others may have had other experiences, so if I push someones button the wrong way forgive me. I love to hear good stories and even bad ones.
My regret about the reunion in Nashville, not enough time to really talk to everyone. So many thinks to talk about and so little time to do it. Writing messages to everyone may be the answer.

Ron McPhail '55
After returning to CONUS [the USA] from Kaiserslautern, I enlisted in the US Navy. I spent the next 20 years in the Navy, serving on 9 different ships or stations. I retired in 1974 while aboard the USS Forrestal. After retiring from the Navy I worked in Pascagoula, Mississippi for about 4 years. I went to work for Litton Data Systems during the day and went to college under the GI Bill at night. It was a rough 4 years, but college was fun. In high school the teachers were old bats and I was young and impressionable. However in college, I was older than the "old Bats" and not very impressionable. After leaving Litton, I worked for Systems Development Corp for a couple of years and finally took a job with Martin Marietta in Orlando, Florida. I was a Software Engineer responsible for the testing of several military weapons systems over the next 16 years. During that time Lockheed merged with Martin and we became known as Lockheed/Martin. I retired for a second time in 1995. Since retiring, life has slowed down some. I am a member of several Military reunion organizations and usually attend some reunion or other about twice a year. I write and maintain the Web Pages for two of the reunion groups. I am the editor for three newsletters (two military and my homeowner association). And finally my wife Mary and I travel when the urge arises. There you have the 46 years since Ktown....

Susie O'Morrow Thomson '55
We returned to the states, and I graduated from Bexley High School in Columbus, Ohio. I attended Ohio University at Athens, Ohio, for a year and then was informed that I was considered "out of state" since my parents had left Ohio and were stationed in Lincoln, Nebraska. My bachelor degree is from the University of Nebraska. In 1959, I married and we moved to Rochester, New York. I gave birth to my son, Doug, while we were there. We then moved to Janesville, Wisconsin, and my daughter, Karen, was born there. Following a divorce in 1974, I returned to college to earn my masters degree in Guidance and Counseling in 1976. I was also remarried in 1976 to Donald Thomson. We have had a delightful 24 years of marriage. When I remarried, I was fortunate in that Don had two wonderful children and my family was instantly and happily expanded. I continued working as a counselor therapist until June, 1999. Retiring at that time has turned out to be a positive step for us because we are able to have unlimited time together. Our daughter, Karen, has been affected by a muscle disorder and we can now fly to Princeton, New Jersey, to see her without worrying about time off from work. My brother, David, does have inoperable cancer. David lives here in Florida and is treated at two VA hospitals so we are able to see him and do what we can for him. It has been so wonderful to hear from all of my friends from Kaiserslautern plus some of the friends from Munich.

Bob Richmond '55
I somehow got myself elected president of the 1950's alumni chapter at Bash2000 in Nashville in May 2000. I'm a pathologist in private practice in Knoxville, Tennessee, and I have three daughters (the youngest in the Harvard College class of '03) and two grandchildren. You can check out the numerous bees in my bonnet and find out more about me by following the links at the site map for this Web site. [I'm still around in August 2005.]

Mary Bradley McCauley '55:
As Mary Bradley I arrived at K-Town in March of 1953 and lived in Vogelweh until Aug when we transferred to Baumholder. I became a 'dorm kid' until graduation in 1955. I was a cheerleader junior and senior years, president of the dorm junior year, also vice president of the junior-senior class.
We came back to the states, stationed at Ft. Sheridan IL where I met and married an Army Lt in 1958. We lived the military life and had six children along the way. In 1973 we moved to Clearwater FL.
In 1977 I became a group tour travel agent putting together and escorting tours and cruises for Sr. Citizens. Now I am one. I'm single, living in Gainesville FL near two of my daughters. taking care of two of my 10 grandkids and still putting together tours and cruises.
Working on a trip to Italy for K-towners reminiscent of our senior class trips, without changing hotels every night. Planning it for May of 2001. More details to follow. I have a Web site now! - (ask me! - it's still in progress but enough up to view). I will be putting the trip in there when it is finalized. [Note 2005: the trip STILL hasn't been finalized, or even begunalized.] Also have a novel The Gathering I've written and published.
It's a great time of my life and one of my joys was the success of the reunion in Nashville. It was the highlight of my professional life.
I enjoy writing and PCing. Life is good. I hope it is for you and I wish you all lots of love, light and laughter.

Susie Kellogg '56
After leaving KAHS, I attended Chateauroux American High School briefly and graduated from Paris American High School. I majored in fine art and philosophy at the University of Miami, in Coral Gables. I have been married twice. I found that after my first marriage I wasn't a transient after all and have lived in one place ever since. (31 years) I am living in Arlington, VA, am an artist and recently got a master's degree in Art Therapy. I work part-time in that field, with psychiatric and geriatric patients. I am very involved with the local Art Therapy Organization, serving as newsletter editor and as the ethics chair. I also paint, play golf, and see a lot of my sister, Ann, and her family. I am low key and not too focused on staying "young"; staying alive and reasonably happy are my current goals. I am the mother of a daughter and a son, both in Los Angeles, Becca Midwood and Ramsay Midwood. Becca is a graffiti artist (who shows in Los Angeles' Merry Karnowsky and La Luz de Jesus galleries now, and Ramsay who is a country singer, "philosophical country" is what I call what he does. His CD is called "Shoot out at the Chinese Restaurant". He just got back from a European Tour and reports that he is Big in France (Like Jerry Lewis?!) On August first 2000 I became the grandmother of a brand new baby boy, Levon Moses Midwood, so look for some country lullabies. Like most 60 year olds, I am warily optimistic, and coping with change in creative ways. I read the papers looking for the next medical breakthrough after first checking the obituaries for my name! I forwarded your messages to my former KAHS roommate and I am sure you will be hearing from her soon!
Affectionately, Susie Kellogg (Class of '56)

Ann Bourne (Anneliese Bergemann '58):
Hi everybody! I am Ann Bourne (Anneliese Bergemann), living in Enterprise AL and working for Civil Service at Ft Rucker AL. I love my job and it also keeps me young. Although I don't know how much longer that will be possible, staying young that is. I see all my grandchildren often and enjoy them immensely. I had the most wonderful time in Nashville. Seeing everyone from the 50s took me back to many wonderful memories. Am looking forward to our next reunion. [.]

Posted to the Web June 15th, 2000
Revised August 2nd, 2000
Revised August 4th, 2005