MARK DIRIENZO

Mark DiRienzo and his wife Becky live in Denton,NC. They have two children: Michelle is 36 and Anne is 32....and they have three grandchildren.

Mark's working: "I work for Piedmont Triad Anesthesia PA., as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA), in Winston-Salem, NC. "

And what else has been doing ? "Primarily, I have provided Anesthesia services, at the 2nd largest hospital in North Carolina, Forsyth Medical Center. I have also enjoyed being an Anesthesia Clinical Instructor, for Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, and have served on their Admissions Board. I love being a father, and a grandfather, and spending time with my family! We are very involved with our Church, and consider the members to be our family in Christ. We live on High Rock Lake, and enjoy the beauty of the water and wildlife, as well as friend and family gatherings on the water. I am also a private pilot, and enjoy seeing the earth from a different perspective! I have been to Oshkosh several times, for the EAA Air Show. Most of our trips to WI have been to visit family, so unfortunately, I have spent very little time in Madison. Last summer was my first time there in many years!"

Any favorite memories? "Many of my favorite memories involve being a member of the Band. We took many trips together, and I particularly enjoyed playing trumpet at the many basketball and football games! I always had trouble concentrating in class, after being outside for marching band practice. The sounds of the drums, thanks to Dave Heilman and Company continued to resonate in my ears for hours afterward, and usually found their way to my fingers, drumming on the desk in class! I enjoyed playing trumpet with Mike McKenna, and Timothy Thousand (class of 70). Mike and I were roomates our freshman year at UWEC! There are so many other people that I think of fondly, from High School, and unfortunately, I have not done a very good job of keeping in touch with them !"

Thanks Mark - I know we're a long way from N.C. - but it would be wonderful to see you.

GLEN BIRRENKOTT, JR

Glen Birrenkott, Jr. and his wife Marion live in Seneca, SC. They have a daughter Anna who is 31 and they have two grandchildren.

Glen is currently employed as a Professor of Animal & Veterinary Sciences at Clemson University.

How has he been filling his days? "Teaching, advising and research for 32 years in poultry, animal and veterinary sciences".

His favorite memory of his EHS days: "Learning to play the trombone in the "attic" above the band room and the patience of the band director and peers".

Love that Glen ...I'm starting to wish I had been in the band !! Hope we'll see you this summer.

DAVID LEMANSKI

David Lemanski and his wife Ellen are living in Mt. Horeb, WI. They have four children: Alex (Kristi) 29, - Aniela, 27 - Matthew , 21 - and Laura, 15. No grandchildren yet "What are grandchildren, you think I am that old or what!! You trying to hustle geezers!!!!!"


Dave thinks he is still working: "Last I knew I had a job. The boss has not fired me yet. Attorney in sole practice. Does that mean I can fire myself? Can I get unemployment? "

And how has he been spending his leisure time? "Raising kids and paying bills. Being a den leader, a cub master, a popcorn kernel, an explorer post advisor, teaching religious ed, going to band concerts (probably hundreds), choir concerts, orchestra concerts, band shows, solo-ensemble festivals, basketball games, swimming meets, soccer games, track meets, high school football games to see the band perform, college football games to see the band perform, parent teacher conferences (at least 150), high school musicals (6 and counting), college musicals, high school plays, college art shows (eldest son), senior college music recitals (eldest daughter 2), numerous college band concerts, college orchestra concerts, college choir concerts, traveling from Pasadena CA to Boston MA and dozens of places in between to see drum corps shows, running a Bingo hall on Friday nights and doing yearly car washes so my kids can go from Pasadena CA to Boston MA to do drum corps shows. In my spare time I try to serve a a commission or two, rehab two turn the century era (1899 to 1900) buildings (this was and is never-ending). When I really feel the urge I play with my woodworking tools, cut the grass, try my hand at growing flowers and veggies, and once in a while pull out my camera and take pictures. Monday through Sunday I try to represent my clients. "

How about some favorite memories.......

"I am still making my favorite memory. From High School: Watching John Staley "edge up Edgewood", the senior homecoming barndance and taking Denny McKinley's picture with a music baton stuck up his nose and wearing a couple of bunny ears from one of my confederates. I tell my kids during our senior year Sharon Gallagher and I had a Flute-French Horn duet which we (really Sharon) took to the state solo-ensemble festival. I played whole notes and Sharon got to star."

Thanks Dave - this was such fun to read - and happy to know we will see you in July.

RICHARD CLAYTON

Richard Clayton is living in Oshkosh, WI with his wife Jacqueline. They have five children: Andrew, 30 - Philip, 26 - Daniel, 23 - Joseph, 20 and Anna, 18. And they have one grandchild.


Richard is working as the Associate Pastor and Principal of Wyldewood Christian School .

"I have been a teaching principal here for 34 years"

His favorite EHS memories ....... "Going on band outings !"

I really missed out with this band - in my next life I'm playing an instrument!

Hope we see you this summer.

JANICE SABLE

Janice Thurber Sable and her husband Charles are living in Oconomowoc, WI. They have three children: Scott, 26 - Patrick, 22 - and Mary Clare, 18.

Janice is teaching Elementary General Music in Oconomowoc.

What else has she been doing? "I have my degrees from UW-Madison and have taught elementary music, secondary math, and gifted and talented. I have three children and, until the youngest went off to college last fall, I did all the requisite Mom-with-minivan stuff. My husband, who recently retired, is a train enthusiast so our summer vacations invariably include train travel. "


How about her favorite memory.........you guessed it

"BEING IN THE BAND"

Thanks, Janice - I do hope we will see you in July.

BARBARA FLAHERTY

Barbara is living in Clintonville, Wisconsin. Barb has two children: Colleen who is 33 and Ben who is 30.

She is teaching middle school. The fact that she has been doing that all these years is astonishing to me........I admire all teachers - but middle school must be really trying.

Favorite memory? "My favorite memory is of my sophomore year when Mr. Meverden led the EHS band at the State competition, and we won first place."

Hope we see you in July.

EDWARD MURPHY

Ed and his wife Julie live in Madison. They have two sons, David 29 and Brian 25. David is married - Brian is single. Ed is still enjoying his job at SubZero. And what else has been going on?

"After high school, I attended UW-Madison, and graduated with a BBA in 1973 and an MBA in 1974. Found my soulmate in 1971 while on a summer vacation trip with Howie Heusinger, and luckily she chose me over Howie! Julie and I were married in 1975 (she also graduated from UW-Madison in 1974) and had two sons who are now both working in Chicago after also graduating from UW-Madison (seems to be a trend in our family!). My older son David was married last fall. My younger son Brian is still single . I was employed in various accounting and finance positions for Oscar Mayer/Kraft Foods from 1972 to 1995, where I worked with fellow EHS '69 classmates Mike McKenna and Terry Skolaski. Was very fortunate to find a second career at Sub-Zero in 1995 where I've been for the past 15 years. I still enjoy going to work every day and being part of a company where making high quality products that consumers want is our focus. Now I see another classmate every day at Sub-Zero in Pat Phelan, whose wife Judy (Choles) is on our class reunion committee (small world!). Julie and I are avid Badger basketball and football fans and longtime season ticket holders. It's great seeing Tom Fahey's son Dan on the Kohl Center floor as a member of the Badger team this year. "


Ed has wonderful memories of his years at EHS : "It's hard to pick one memory as a favorite and I've probably forgotten more than I can remember, but I am thankful for many things about having the opportunity to attend and graduate from Edgewood High School.
-Having parents with the foresight and commitment to send me to Edgewood along with my older sister Kathleen (EHS '68) and younger brother Steve (EHS '70). Coming from Middleton and having attended public school grades K thru 8, I fought my parents tooth and nail to send me to Middleton high school but thankfully they didn't give in!
-Having the opportunity to compete in class with some very smart kids who it was impossible to get better grades than (Steve Roth, Steve Riederer, Katie Miller, and Peggy Zweifel come to mind; don't fret if I didn't mention your name, remember we're all getting forgetful!).
-Making life long friends in Mike McKenna and Dave Heilman, who I still do things with since we all live in Madison. I still can't believe we didn't stop to party in New Orleans on New Years Eve in 1968 (see Mike McKenna's post), but hey, that was why we weren't members of I Phelta Thi!
-Being a part of the Edgewood community and reconnecting with old friends such as my former EHS band director Dennis McKinley. Seeing people like Dennis who are so committed to keeping the Edgewood spirit alive is awe inspiring to say the least.
-Having very committed teachers at EHS whose mission was to prepare us for the world (remember Sister Alphonsine and her NHS motto (No Hollow Students)? There were definitely some characters in our teachers at Edgewood, but more importantly they were selfless and only cared about making their students better (my memory of them seems to be improving with age!).
Thank you, Anna for organizing the class reunion and setting up the blog. I hope all of our classmates post updates so all of us can find out what our classmates have been up to. Thanks also to the other members of the reunion committee who made this happen. Having a 40th reunion would have been so ho hum. A 41st reunion makes us unique! Way to go, class of '69! Looking forward to seeing all of you in July."

Thanks Ed - we're pretty excited too!