Class of 1966 (from old site)

Name: Joe Alvarado
Class Of: 1966
Now Living In: Omaha, Nebraska
Comments: Hi to everyone from the Class of '66. I'm still living in Omaha and am remarried to Christine for a little over 10 years. I have two sons from my first marriage, Jamie 34 and Christopher 31. Christine has a daughter, Tara 23 from a previous marriage. I have two beautiful granddaughters from Jamie, Dachon 4 and Dajay 3. I worked for a year at Monroe Auto Equipment in Cozad before enlisting in the Navy. I really enjoyed my time in there but loved the civilian life better. I have worked for five different companies, but am still in the same building. It started out as Western Electric, then AT&T, Lucent, Avaya, and now Connectivity Solutions. It seems to change names so frequently it's hard to keep up with whom I'm working for. But as long as the checks don't bounce, I really don't care. I've been there for almost 36 years and am hoping to retire in 2 1/2 more years. My wife retired 3 weeks ago after almost 37 years working for the same company as myself. She loves it! I'm really looking forward to seeing everyone again, I really hope everyone can make it back. You were all such great classmates in school and great people now. God bless you all. You all take care....Joe.
posted on March 24, 2006

Name: James L. Bogner
Class Of: 1966
Now Living In: Kearney, Ne.
Comments: Hi everyone, from the class of 1966. Gee, it doesn’t seem possible that we have been out of high school for 40 years. A lot of history has taken place in our life time and the lives of others. Let us remember all those who have gone before us and are not able to attend our 40th class reunion.
My first big change in my life occurred when I met and married Jeanne Thatcher from Kearney, Ne. She was attending KSC as a freshman when we met and later married in August of 1968. She then worked at Chimera Corp. and helped put me through school.
I graduated from Kearney State College in January 1971 and started to work in the automotive parts industry here in Kearney. I worked there until January 1983, when I took the leap into the agricultural turf care industry for Growers Ag Service, then a Con Agra company. Shortly after that we moved to Omaha and worked there until returning to Kearney and purchasing an interest in Central Auto Electric. That lasted 5 years, until the opportunity arose for us to buy Kearney Auto Parts, which is where I started. We purchased it in August of 1990 and built a very successful business. On July 12, 1999, the lumberyard next door had a fire, which ended up destroying our building and business.
It was time to make a change as the auto parts industry had become very competitive and the big boys were just getting bigger. We are now involved with a technology company from Greeneville, TN. called Ecoquest International. We provide compact state-of-the-art electronic air and water purification equipment for commercial, industrial and residential applications along with a host of other appliances for healthier indoor living. Soon, Laundry Pure will be made available for us to market. Imagine washing clothes with out hot water and detergent.
Jeanne and I enjoy visiting our kids in Liberty, Mo. and Omaha, Ne. They have a total of 3 children, who are our reasons to visit as often as possible. We also play a lot of golf together and like to travel to our timeshares. Jeanne got me started playing bridge once a month and that is still happening. I also enjoy drag racing in the summer, as I have my own car and race through out the Midwest. It is unfortunate that we will not be able to attend the class reunion in June as we have earned from Ecoquest an Alaskan cruise and just can’t seem to be able to pass it up.
Hello everyone and have a great time trying to figure out who everyone is.
posted on March 28, 2006

Name: Patricia Ann (Bourn) Marsh
Class Of: 1966
Now Living In: Ord, Nebraska
Comments: I'm sorry I will not be able to attend the reunion. Because we own P S etc and J C PENNEY in Ord, I have a wedding and we are providing many of the amenities and tuxedos on the same weekend.
Larry and I have been married for 35 years and have 2 daughters. Kami is currently working on her masters degree at the University of Nebraska and recently signed with the University of Arkansas Extension Service beginning August 1st. We are very proud of our horticulturist.
Megan is also attending UNL, majoring in nursing. She has just finished her freshman year. Megan is currently working for the Central Four Extension Unit and riding her horses for one more year in 4-H. Our little horse trainer is becoming a Nurse? Bet she'll do it, just like that stubborn horse!
Larry and I keep busy with a variety of business adventures as well as the store that we have had for 20+ years. Larry works full time for the Ord Public School system, but his real love is working with horses and cattle.
I wish you all well and hope you have a great time at the reunion. Stop by Ord when your travels take you past.
posted on June 7, 2006

Name: Keith Lawrence Fagot
Class Of: 1966
Now Living In: Loomis, Nebraska
Comments: I have been the Superintendent of Loomis Public Schools since 1980. I am still married to my first wife, Pattie Lu for 36 years, have a son, Chad who is 30 and a daughter, Amy who is 28. I have two granddaughters, Chad's Mayson and Amy's Riley, who are now 3.5 years old and were born 5 weeks apart. My only really hobby, which is limited, is golf.
Most of my time is spent at school. I have been involved in all aspects of legislative and educational work during my career and even though I have reached full retirement age, I do not intend to leave just yet. My wife, Pattie Lu, retired this year after 30 years of teaching and will return in the fall to teach reading at Loomis School. Other than that, nothing of note has happened in my life other than raising my kids, enjoying my grandkids and mowing the yard.
posted on March 2, 2006

Name: Mike Jeffrey
Class Of: 1966
Now Living In: Lexington, Nebraska
Comments: Hello to all of Alumni from the class of 1966. Since you have found your way to the web site I would encourage you to go ahead and submit your own biography so that we can all catch up on what you have been doing these last 10 or 40 years.
After I graduated from St. Ann's I went into the U.S. Navy. Did boot camp in San Diego and then spent a year and a half in school in the San Francisco Bay area. After school I was sent to a ship in the Philadelphia naval shipyard. Spent about 6 months there and was then transferred to a guided missile frigate that was homeported in Norfolk, VA. We made two cruises to the Mediterranean so I got to see Naples, Rome, Paris, Barcelona, Athens and Franfort. The ship also made a trip around South America so I have been to most all of the larger countries that border the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. I ended up spending six years in the service and I really did enjoy almost every minute of it.
After that I returned to Lexington to work with my dad and his two brothers and their sons. I did go to Hastings Technical College for two winters where I studied auto mechanics and tok a few business courses. Well I farmed and ranched for the next 25 years. In 1997 we decided to get out of the business so we sold all of our cows and leased out all of our land so I'm a semi-retired farmer. (I help a few of the neighbors when they need it.)
In 1981, I married Jeanne Kral. She had been a Lexington girl all of her life. We don't have any children - all of our kids have 4 legs (horses, dogs and cats).
Several years ago I also took over being the custodian of our local cemetery.
I'm also still very involved in cars and drag racing. Over the winter months I build racing engines and some special parts for them. Then during the spring, summer and fall I'm driving all over the country racing. Last year I was from Las Vegas to Cincinnati and the year before from Redding, CA to Pittsburg, PA.
Hope to get to see a big bunch of you!
posted on March 1, 2006

Name: Cathy Margritz [Mavetz]
Class Of: 1966
Now Living In: Canton, Illinois
Comments: Hi to all Class of '66 Graduates. After graduation, I took a job in Peoria, Illinois with Ozark Airlines [now defunct] as a reservationist. Frank and I were married in 1970. I continued working until 1976, and "retired" to have two children--Elizabeth, born in 1977, and Nicholas born in 1979. I have had various jobs over the years--- preschool teachers' aid, nursing home aid, and in home care for the elderly. Our children graduated from college--Elizabeth is living in Chicago with Ron and our 7 year old grandson and works for McGraw-Hill Publishing. Nicholas lives in Minneapolis with wife Jeni and our 6 month old granddaughter, and is a mortgage broker. Needless to say, the grandchildren are the "new" love of our lives. Frank retired in 2002 after 35 years of high school teaching and coaching. We enjoy traveling and especially cruising. At home, we both enjoy gardening, both flower and vegetable. Living on Lake Wee-Ma- Tuk since 1981, water sports have have been a big part of our families lives. Unfortunately, I was diagnosed with cancer in 2002 and have been off work since 2004. I continue to battle and am determined not to let cancer stop me from doing the things I love--like seeing all my "old" friends at our 40th class reunion in June. Looking forward to seeing you all.
Dennis Hellman--Frank is looking forward to "tipping" a few with you again!!
posted on March 6, 2006

Name: Mary O'Brien Stearley
Class Of: 1966
Now Living In: Kearney, NE
Comments: How time flies when we are having fun. I don't know how I could have graduated 40 years ago when I am not that old - well I don't feel that old anyway. Following graduation I went to school to become a professional florist and worked in Minneapolis, Des Moines and back to Nebraska. Allergies got the best of me so I moved on to other ventures. I worked in development and foundation work for about 13 years before becoming a Mary Kay consultant. I am still working as a consultant and also enjoy visiting with customers who call Cabela's to place orders. I am married to Don and we have 4 children. Three girls and a boy spread out in Texas, Missouri and two in Kansas. We have 5 grandchildren so we travel when possible to see them. Don and I have traveled to Germany, Italy and France to visit our son when stationed there with his wife and my youngest daughter and I took a trip to "discover our roots" in Ireland a couple of years ago. We look forward to our next adventure where ever that takes us. I keep busy as an officer in several organizations, sitting on two boards locally, helping with service projects in the community and raising funds for international projects of Rotary and Beta Sigma Phi sorority. We are scheduled to be out of town the weekend of the reunion but hope you all have a great time catching up. If our plans get changed I look forward to seeing you in Lex.
posted on April 4, 2006

Name: Steve Prasch
Class Of: 1966
Now Living In: Lexington, Ne.
Comments: Hi class of 66. I am currently not married. I was married two times and have 5 kids. Stephanie was killed in a house fire in 1978. The others are Kristin, she lives in Yutan and has 2 girls and two boys. They are a handful. She works for an insurance company in Omaha. Jason, he lives in Lakewood, Co. and has one boy and one girl. He works for a large painting outfit and is a supervisor. Nick lives in Lincoln, Ne. and they have a new baby girl. He works as a group leader for a concrete construction company. Stephen, not married yet but is getting married to Nick's wife's twin sister in September of this year. He lives in Omaha but works mostly on the east coast putting in and renovating golf course drainage.

After business school I went to work at New Holland in Grand Island and spent almost all of my time there in production and inventory control.

In 2003 I retired from there after 37 years and am now back living at the home place in Lexington taking care of my mother and her twin sister who both have Alzheimer’s.

In the summer I do a lot of gardening and golf when I can, several times a week. In the winter I hibernate except for bowling nights. I still bowl on a league in Grand Island and one league here in Lex. My one big vacation a year is to go to the national bowling tournament in whatever city it is in. Have been doing that for the last 10 years. Not much else going on with me right now. If anyone is in town stop by as I am almost always around home.
posted on June 9, 2006

Name: Donita Ullsperger Ryker
Class Of: 66
Now Living In: Omaha
Comments: I have a passionate desire to help people with their health care concerns. So much so that during the fall of 1999, I studied and became certified in Darkfield Microscopy. In today's world of environmental concerns, proper supplementation is a must for good health and longevity. Microscopy is a wonderful tool in detecting health issues, which are visible in live cell demonstration. As most hairdressers will say, once a hairdresser, there is always a desire to do some hairdressing. And yes, that is me. I keep my license active and do some hairdressing in my home salon. I began studying hairdressing one month after graduating from St. Ann's. In less than a year I was licensed and one year later I managed a salon in the new Indian Creek Mall in Beatrice. Two years later I moved to Pensacola Fla. where I met and married a young flight instructor (Naval Aviator), Dick Ryker. We moved on the average of 7 times in our first 7 years of marriage while in the Navy. We agreed that it was time for a change as we had started a family and thought it would be wonderful to establish "roots". We moved to Lexington, where Dick worked for my uncle John Kruse for a couple years. Dick took advantage of the night classes in Kearney, where his professor suggested that he get a Masters degree in Lincoln. After a couple years of study and graduation, he was hired by Union Pacific Railroad in Omaha, where we have made our "roots" ever since. We are blessed with a daughter, Bethany Ann, who lives in Brooklyn NY and a son, Barrett Thomas, who lives in Portland OR. Our family extends from one end of the costal US to the other. They have both remained single so far and no grandchildren. I find I gain spiritual strength through prayer and have become active in a weekly "The Heart of Jesus Prayer and Bible Study" Group. The fellowship and the Spiritual Presence are truly endearing to me.
posted on June 24, 2006