Welcome to the Minneapolis Roosevelt Senior High Class of 1959 Website

Welcome to December 2024!

Greetings to the RHS Clasd of 1959!!

Robert John Wasko,

husband of Barb Whitney

June 12, 1940 — December 4, 2024

Duluth, MN

Condolences may be sent to Barbie Whitney, 2094 Miller Creek Drive, Duluth, MN 55811-1805.

65th Reunion

Our "65th" Reunion was held on Wednesday and Thursday, September 11th and 12th, 2024.  Wednesday was a luncheon at the Lost Spur Golf and Event Center in Eagan, MN  and Thursday a pizza party at Carbone's.  Invitations are in the mail!  

Look Who Came to Lunch:

Women will be listed by their maiden names:

Jeanne Awes, Wayne Bachler, Renae Bendik, Brooks Chantry, David Debe, Curt Delegard, Sharon Dunning, Marlys Erickson, Ron Faanes, Kathy Freidlund, Marlowe House, Barb Iverson, Diana Jangula, Marette Johnson, Denny Knapp, Wayne Koepke, John Martin, Bonnie McKenzie, Bonnie Moline, LuAnn Nygaard, Nancy Erikson, Joan Renneke, Hal Rogers, Sandy Schreiner, Barb Svitak, Ron Svitak, Dick Telke, Bruce Wakefield, Roland Willits, Dave Winick, and Roger Wold.  Plus, of course, spouses, family members and friends.  Please join us!

In addition, Doug Butler, Georgia Cramer, Joyce Eklund, Paul Erickson, Bill Liljemark, Marlene Ramberg, Gary Streich, Bonnie Taplin, Mary Thompson, Nancy Westergren...

And:  Tom Bell, Barb Lundquist, Ron Zeis...

AND more:  Jim Allison. Helen Anderson, Carol Carlson, Sharon Carlson, Shelle Lenarz, Cathy Maloney, Jerry Salhus, Marlene Weyrens....

And:  Karen Felix, Mike Fitzgerald, Dale Griepp, Susan Hack, Jeff Johnson,  Elly Nyberg, Karol Peterson...

And:  Susan Anderson, Pat Beckman, Paula Coduti, Molly Pearson, Duane Ramberg, Pauline Ramberg, Judy Schultz...

From Pat Kennedy:

I have no idea who put this together, but it is wonderful, especially if you’re North of 70!

Long ago and far away, in a land that time forgot,

Before the days of Dylan , or the dawn of Camelot.

There lived a race of innocents, and they were you and me.

For Ike was in the White House in that land where we were born,

Where navels were for oranges, and Peyton Place was porn.

We longed for love and romance, and waited for our Prince,

Eddie Fisher married Liz, and no one's seen him since.

We danced to 'Little Darlin,' and sang to 'Stagger Lee'

And cried for Buddy Holly in the Land That Made Me, Me.

Only girls wore earrings then, and 3 was one too many,

And only boys wore flat-top cuts, except for Jean McKinney.

And only in our wildest dreams did we expect to see

A boy named George with Lipstick, in the Land That Made Me, Me.

We fell for Frankie Avalon, Annette was oh, so nice,

And when they made a movie, they never made it twice..

We didn't have a Star Trek Five, or Psycho Two and Three,

Or Rocky-Rambo Twenty in the Land That Made Me, Me.

Miss Kitty had a heart of gold, and Chester had a limp,

And Reagan was a Democrat whose co-star was a chimp.

We had a Mr. Wizard, but not a Mr. T,

And Oprah couldn't talk yet, in the Land That Made Me, Me.

We had our share of heroes, we never thought they'd go,

At least not Bobby Darin, or Marilyn Monroe.

For youth was still eternal, and life was yet to be,

And Elvis was forever in the Land That Made Me, Me.

We'd never seen the rock band that was Grateful to be Dead,

And Airplanes weren't named Jefferson , and Zeppelins were not Led.

And Beatles lived in gardens then, and Monkees lived in trees,

Madonna was Mary in the Land That Made Me, Me.

We'd never heard of microwaves, or telephones in cars,

And babies might be bottle-fed, but they were not grown in jars.

And pumping iron got wrinkles out, and 'gay' meant fancy-free,

And dorms were never co-Ed in the Land That Made Me, Me.

We hadn't seen enough of jets to talk about the lag,

And microchips were what was left at the bottom of the bag.

And hardware was a box of nails, and bytes came from a flea,

And rocket ships were fiction in the Land That Made Me, Me.

T-Birds came with portholes, and side shows came with freaks,

And bathing suits came big enough to cover both your cheeks.

And Coke came just in bottles, and skirts below the knee,

And Castro came to power near the Land That Made Me, Me.

We had no Crest with Fluoride, we had no Hill Street Blues,

We had no patterned pantyhose or Lipton herbal tea

Or prime-time ads for those dysfunctions in the Land That Made Me, Me.

There were no golden arches, no Perrier to chill,

And fish were not called Wanda, and cats were not called Bill

And middle-aged was 35 and old was forty-three,

And ancient were our parents in the Land That Made Me, Me.

But all things have a season, or so we've heard them say,

And now instead of Maybelline we swear by Retin-A.

They send us invitations to join AARP,

We've come a long way, baby, from the Land That Made Me, Me.

So now we face a brave new world in slightly larger jeans,

And wonder why they're using smaller print in magazines.

And we tell our children's children of the way it used to be,

Long ago and far away in the Land That Made Me, Me.

If you didn't grow up in the fiftys,

You missed the greatest time in history,

Hope you enjoyed this read as much as I did.

Duane Ramberg

Hall of Fame of Inductee - 2022

Manfred Rietsch

Manfred and his family fled Germany when he was fourteen-years-old.  Following graduation from RHS, he enrolled at the University of Minnesota.  After working a variety of jobs, Manfred graduated from the University of Minnesota with a degree in philosophy and literature. He was encouraged to find a new direction in his life and joined the Marine Corps and attended Officer Candidate School in Quantico, Virginia. He went on to flight schools in Florida, Mississippi, Texas, and finally Cherry Point, North Carolina, where he trained as a pilot on the F-4 Phantom II.  The rest of his story can be found on the left-hand side of our Home Page.

The Arrow and the Song

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow reminds us

why we gather with friends of old:

Our September 2019 Reunion

Thanks to all who attended our 60-Year Class Reunion!  I have posted all of the photos.  I am only showing women's maiden names, with a couple of exceptions. The entire list of attendees is posted in the left-hand column under "60th Reunion Attendees - 2019".    What an amazing group of people! 

If I have mispelled your name, please let me know.  My editing has been very minimal, and it is too easy for me to hit the wrong key!

If you have photos to share, please e-mail them to me, or send them on a thumb drive--or something similar--and I will post and return your drive, disk, etc.  The more photos, the merrier!!

Also, if you have any other photos of your days as a youth, pictures of you today, any that will let us know what you're up to, please e-mail, U.S. Postal mail, thumb drive, etc., and I will post them for our classmates to see!!  Thanks in advance for sharing with us!!  

Our "60-Year" Reunion was held

September 21st, 2019

Directory Corrections

There are already corrections for the Directory!  It becomes a problem, trying to list them as they come in!  So, if you have trouble with any of the information, please let me know via e-mail, or phone call, and I will send you the corrected information.

Unfortunately, I left out a digit for Bob Carnes' phone number.  It should read:  320-963-4171.  Sorry about that--not sure how it happened since the number hadn't changed since the last Directory was printed!!  

Another Walk Down Memory Lane:

My, oh, my, this will look so familiar to all!  Such fun as we remember our youth!  You should be able to just click on the address.  If that doesn't work, cut and paste, or type into your browser--there are two parts to watch:  http://biggeekdad.com/2013/01/the-best-of-times/

To Brighten Your Day!

Please type this in your browser, or copy and paste it: https://www.facebook.com/cohmedy/videos/2218040515137541/

Hopefully, you will laugh outloud!  Now they know how seniors feel when they try their new phones!

The Chickadee Song

Do you remember singing the "Chickadee Song" during our grade school days??  As I work in my yard and listen to the chickadees, I am always reminded of singing this little song at Howe Grade School.  It's rhythm is exactly as that little bird sings it!  I am certain I was oblivious to that when we were singing it, oh, so many years ago!

"Chickadee, dee, dee, dee

In the Evergreen tree

I'm calling, I'm calling

Chickadee, dee, dee, dee."

Have you moved, changed your phone number or e-mail address?

Please let me know if you have changes to any of the above!  You can call or text me at:  206-550-1039; e-mail me at:  patti_lt@hotmail.com; or go to your "Profile" on this website to make the changes.  Thanks so much!! 

Patti (Bluml) Timmons

  Stepping Around the Cowcatcher

Words of praise for this story about the South Minneapolis of our youth from Doug Butler:  "I recommend this book as it was written by a '57 RHS grad recalling his childhood memories(and ours) growing up in south MPLS. Check it out."

Hank Gallagher gave a presentation of his book at the Arizona-RHS Luncheon in February 2018--so much fun listening to our history.   After re-reading my copy--it brought back so many memories.  I think we could all add additional escapades of our own!!   

Another book about life in the Twin Cities a bit before "our days"!

From Stanley Gordon West’s novel, Growing an Inch (page 62):

“It’s funny how I hear my boyhood sometimes.  It comes to me out of darkness on puppy dog paws and the taste of jaw-breakers.  It tiptoes out of quiet moments in knotted high-top tennis shoes and corduroy knickers.  It wings on the call of a crow or the smell of pine, sunlight reflecting off a lake.  It won’t lie down; it won’t let me forget.

“I hear my boyhood sometimes like a chum calling me to come out and play.  It tells me to remember, to speak of moments that flew away, that are flying now out towards the stars, ripples across an unending sea.  My boyhood tells me to remember those things, those times, to bring them back to earth.  Say them out loud or write the words on paper, keep them from being lost out beyond the sun.  But sometimes I don’t want to remember.  I don’t want to write them down, I want to forget.

“My boyhood won’t relent.  It paces somewhere behind my hearbeats; it won’t go away.  It is unfinished.  Remember, it tells me, remember.  Write it down.  It will happen again in the hearts of those who read.  No one warned me how swiftly it would fly away.  My boyhood comes to me and warns me, tells me it will be gone forever, as though it never happened.

“I hear my boyhood sometimes.”

Stanley Gordon West (1932 – 2015) grew up in St. Paul and attended St. Paul Central High School.  He has written three fiction books about life during his high school years.  You will find West's books a lovely trip down Memory Lane, with two of the books revolving around mysteries!

Why are We the Teddies???

Our Haus - Mike Gwiazdon

Sportsman & Ski Haus celebrates 50 years in business in the Flathead Valley

By Molly Priddy // Jun 13, 2018 

Plenty can change in a valley like the Flathead in 50 years.

More people, more houses, more of the modern world continuing its encroaching march on wild places; in 1968, there weren’t yet 40,000 people in Flathead County, compared to about 100,000 estimated living here now.

But as important as it is to keep track of the changes, it’s also key to note what hasn’t changed in all that time: a love for the outdoors, the desire to be in and near nature, and the need to be properly outfitted for such adventures.

And for half a century, folks in the Flathead have been able to turn to Sportsman & Ski Haus, a local powerhouse for outdoor essentials that celebrates 50 years in business in 2018.

“One of the reasons we built this store is because of the community supporting us,” Sportsman & Ski Haus President Mike Gwiazdon said last week. “We’re a big part of the community, and that’s important.”

Gwiazdon said this from his office in Sportsman’s Kalispell store, an 80,000-square-foot behemoth full of the latest and greatest gear and clothing for outdoor adventures on land and water (and air, according to a display tent that can hang in the trees).

But he knows the store wasn’t always this prominent or large. Sometime around 1964, the Sportsman Surplus store popped up in Kalispell, at the junction near U.S. Highways 2 and 93. In 1968, Mel James and Don Burks purchased Sportsman’s, which at that time measured 40 feet by 90 feet. After buying the shop, Burks and James built a 260-square-foot addition for the ski department, officially renaming the shop Sportsman & Ski Haus.

In 1973, Gwiazdon came on board as the ski haus manager, after five years as the equipment and rental manager on Big Mountain. Gwiazdon was the manager for six or seven years before Burks and James offered a partnership in the store, making him the merchandise manager.

In 2000, the original owners retired, and Gwiazdon became the president. Most importantly, the company became employee owned, and those who had been there long enough were able to buy into it.

That option made a big difference to some long-term employees who stayed on. Kyle Joos, who has been managing the store for 17 years, said the employee benefits at Sportsman make the staff feel cared for and important. Lorna Moore, who has been working at Sportsman for 33 years and who others refer to as “the backbone of the Whitefish store,” said there was always room to move up the ladder at the company, and that Sportsman invested in its own personnel.

“We all started in entry-level positions,” Moore said, looking at a group of nine employees who have been with the company for more than 20 years.

“It’s a unique attribute to this company,” Joos said.

The store grew in its original location, adding on over the years to eventually become 22,000 square feet. But it wasn’t enough. The store needed more space, and in 2005, the company made the decision to move from its home for 39 years to north of town in the Hutton Ranch development.

Lin Gwiazdon, who has worked at Sportsman for 38 years, was on staff for nine years before she became Mike Gwiazdon’s sister-in-law. She said the move to the current location was “emotional” after working for so long at the previous location.

“I was so emotional,” she said. “We couldn’t believe what we had built!”

The 55,000-square-foot store opened in 2007, and within six years Sportsman was expanding again, bringing the store to 80,000 square feet and adding more golfing experiences and an archery range.

In 2010, Sportsman’s acquired four Tri-State Outfitters stores in Washington and Idaho, growing the outdoor empire even more.

With 45 years at Sportsman under his belt, Gwiazdon has his eyes set on retirement at the end of June. He’ll still consult for a year, but this will be a big change for a man who has worked ever since he was a teen.

“I’ve been here 45 years, which is a long time,” he said. “I’ve never not worked in my whole life.”

As for his ascendency in the company, Gwiazdon said it came down to luck and hard work.

“I was in the right place at the right time, and I was always the hardest worker of anyone around me,” he said.

He was also passionate about the outdoors, which is a unifying trait among all the employees at Sportsman. Customers buying skis are buying from a salesperson who also skis and knows everything about the products. That personal touch is what sets the folks at Sportsman apart, he said.

“We’re sharing our passion,” said 23-year employee Dave Schmidt.

“We work with great people,” Joos said. “Our customers are amazing, and we sell fun stuff.”

Mike Gwiazdon is on the left.

Mike Gwiazdon Celebrating His Store's 50th Anniversary

Remembering Our Favorite Childhood Places!

Hall of Fame Members - 2018

The Roosevelt Foundation Hall of Fame Banquet was held on Saturday, September 22nd, 2018, at St. Mary's Event Center in Minneapolis.  Here are the new members (some names you will recognize quickly!):  Medaria Arradondo ('85), Bryon Barnett ('73), Al Cannon (our amazing Biology teacher), Michael Corcoran ('58), Doug Englund ('57--Gary's brother), Margaret Erickson, John Hines ('71), William Knutson ('41--Sharon's brother), Stuart Lindman ('39), Mac McInroy, Nancy Nelson ('65), Evan Ringquist ('80), Paul Sorlie ('61--Todd's brother), John Thomas ('93), Mary Tjosvold ('61--Dale's sister), and John C. Wells (our principal).  While no classmates from '59 were selected this year, the group includes the siblings of four of our classmates--awesome!!

For information about the Hall of Fame, check the Foundation website:  www.roosevelthighfoundation.org.

Congratulations to this year's nominees!

RHS-Arizona Reunion - February 20, 2018: 

Another successful luncheon gathering was held.  Photos are posted under the heading "Arizona Reunions" in the left-hand column on our Home Page.  We had ten from the Class of 1959.  Attending from our class:  Renae Bendik, Bob Blix, Patti Bluml, Dutch Fischer, Joel Hase,  Jack Landstad, Diane Lindberg, Elly Nyberg, Sharon Thor and Doug Zubick.  Unfortunately, Bob, Joel and Doug do not appear in any of the photos. 

Make certain to read a copy of Stepping Around the Cowcatcher by Henry Gallagher, RHS '57.  It is a fun read reminding us of our grade school and junior high days!  The author, Henry Gallagher, was at the RHS-Arizona Reunion Luncheon February 20, 2018. A great presentation was enjoyed by all of those at the luncheon.

If any attendees have photos to share, please send them to me!  Thanks so much!

Join us next year! Andy Wangstad at andy@rhs-az.com for more information.

For Those of Us Who Attended Howe Grade School:

Here's a June 1953 photo of four of the Howe "boys"--now all gone!  Sweet memories!

Martin Stoesser, Bruce Brenden, Roger Golemen & David Hewitt.

A Video from Ron Faanes:

Check out this video on YouTube about Excelsior Park:  

Does anyone have or know how we can get additional copies of the Sagamore for classmates who are missing theirs??  Please let me know if you have any information!

While watching "A Capitol Fourth" on PBS last night, I was reminded how those of us who attended Howe Grade School learned to sing the "Battle Hymn of the Republic" (in part music) because the verses were written by Julia Ward Howe.  How many remember this??  We know--due to its religious nature--that current Howe students probably don't learn the song, but we all loved singing it!  Do today's students know what "part music" is??  Hmmmmmm!  We learned so much, way back when!!

Battle Hymn of the Republic

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord;
He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored;
He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword:
His truth is marching on.

(Chorus)
Glory, Glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
His truth is marching on.

I have seen Him in the watch-fires of a hundred circling camps,
They have builded Him an altar in the evening dews and damps;
I can read His righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps:
His day is marching on.

(Chorus)
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
His day is marching on.

(Just the first two verses.)

DO YOU HAVE PHOTOS, MEMORIES. OR ?? TO SHARE WITH ALL OF US?!  PLEASE ADD SOMETHING TO OUR WEBSITE!!  Or Send me things, and I will scan and add them!

Would you like copies of our RHS Standards??  Ron Laugen sent his to Cathy Maloney Bailey.  When she is finished reading them, she would like to pass them on to someone else.  Please let me or Cathy know if you are interested.

From Pat Kennedy:

I think my fellow Teddies will get a kick out of this--"Teddy Roosevelt Gets Knocked Out".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtwHeRwjlkc (Copy and Paste into your browser and look for "Teddy Roosevelt Gets Knocked Out".)

It is a good time to remember our history!  This link is listed under the "Announcements", but Ron Faanes brought it to our attention again!  Happy Memories: 

In addition, you can find memories on Facebook under "Old Minneapolis".  Fun to see the photos!  (You don't have to belong to Facebook to look at these photos!)

Check out the following link to see what Ron Faanes has been up to:  www.mnhockeymag.com

 

Happy 100th birthday, Hiawatha!

MINNEAPOLIS – Hiawatha Community School is celebrating its 100th birthday — help celebrate the centennial! Travel back in time with students singing songs from the decades, enjoy fun carnival games and eat delicious local fare.

Built in 1916, Hiawatha maximizes individual student potential through the use of technology, differentiation, critical thinking and high expectations within a nurturing and diverse community of learners. It was recently named a School of Excellence by the Minnesota Elementary School Principals’ Association. This prestigious honor was awarded for the school’s commitment to 21st-century teaching and learning.

Hiawatha Community School
4201 42nd Ave. S.
Minneapolis, MN 55406

 

 

For those of us who attended either Hiawatha or Howe, here is the latest on the schools:  Hiawatha Community School is located within a culturally diverse, urban community.  Pre-K-2nd grade are housed at the Hiawatha Campus and 3rd-5th grade are housed at the Howe Campus.  The two campuses are about six blocks apart.

Roosevelt Hall of Fame Nominations for 2024:

1.)  You may download Hall of Fame guidelines and a downloadable nomination form at http://roosevelt.mpls.k12.mn.us/roosevelt_hall_of_fame.

2.)  You make make your nomination directly on line at the RHS Foundation Website:  http://roosevelthighfoundation.org/hof/hall-of-fame-nomination-form/

There will be another group selected for 2020, so you can continue to send in nominations for the future date.​