1960 Zoomers, September 21, 2023
Fred Elder welcomed the Zoomers to our 21st session. The primary topic today is plans for the Fall season.
Row 1: Dan Tontz (Houston TX), Fred Elder (Madison WI), Mert Lancaster Curtis (Stafford County KS)
Row 2: David Robinson (Wichita) with friend Hal Ottaway ’61, Diane Rusch Zinn (Lawrence KS), Glenna Stearman Park (Montgomery Village MD)
Row 3: Tom Tatlock (Appleton WI), Skip Granger (Sun Lakes AZ), Janice Collins Bailey (Wichita KS)
Row 4: Marcia Qualley Connolly (Georgetown TX), Lee Ayres (Fresno CA), Calvin Ross (Johnson City TN)
Row 5: Marilyn Tompkins Bellert (Sycamore IL), Kay Ellen Consolver (University of Connecticut Medical Center)
Editor’s Note: What follows is a summary of discussion and not a verbatim transcript. If your comments need to be revised for accuracy, let us know. (mbellert@niu.edu, ddzinn@aol.com)
Fred welcomed Marcia Qualley and asked her to give us a quick update on her life since East.
Marcia Qualley Connelly: I live in Georgetown TX, which is 20 miles northeast of Austin. I’ve
been here for 40 years but don’t necessarily subscribe to everything in Texas. I want to make that clear. I just retired for the third time in May and now I’m trying to figure out what I’m going to do with the rest of my life. I retired from Montessori teaching and am trying to figure out what’s next, because I have too much time and I need to do something.
David Robinson suggested — One thing you can do is volunteer. That saved my fanny and when you’re looking for something to do there are wonderful places needing volunteers. You meet wonderful people. I volunteer at the Frank Lloyd Wright house in Wichita, and I was almost late getting here today because I met a vet and we were talking about the Honor Flight. You have great conversations and camaraderie with the other volunteers, like lunch for a volunteer who was leaving. What was bizarre was that one of the Beech girls who was a senior when we were sophomores came to the event.
Janice Collins Bailey agreed – My volunteer activities give purpose to life and I’m really enjoying it.
Marcia added – I volunteered at the animal shelter, but that wasn’t my thing, because I was a cat socializer and I was bitten. There was the threat of rabies, so I thought I didn’t really need that.
Looking Forward to Plans for Fall
Calvin Ross: When we talked about summer plans several months ago, I described the “Mystery Event” I was planning for my family – a pontoon trip on Boone Lake. That has been 
delayed, partly by extreme weather, and I am now looking forward to it on the second Sunday in October. The adults know about it, but the six grandkids will be surprised. In the fall, my wife and I also enjoy driving over the mountains to a resort about an hour from Asheville NC. We love the area and look forward to sitting around the fireplace. The colorful display of leaves will be one of the pleasures. We hope to visit this place two or three times this fall.
Lee Ayres: 
The headline is Jayhawk football. KU actually has a decent team this year and they’re playing Brigham Young this weekend. We get to see that game here on TV. We’ve looked up the schedule and hope to see many games. We do the same for basketball. It’s become a high point during the year. It has also been fun because then we get to learn about different projects going on at KU. Those give us reasons to connect with persons here and others. One of the things that occurred to me when I was listening to Calvin was the shock of moving to California from Kansas. Weather is never a factor in planning what we are going to do. You just figure out schedules and go. It is always so moderate here. Even benign. I know that’s not always true of northern California, but that statement would apply to the central two-thirds of the state.
Marcia Qualley Connelly: I am just back from visiting my 
daughter and her husband in Maine. They own a property with woods. We explored the woods, watched out for bears. They are trying to embrace a live-off-the-grid lifestyle. Maine reminds me of fall in northern Michigan, where I have also spent a lot of time. I recommend Maine. There are not so many people and there is lots of scenery. Traveling on airplanes now is so iffy, you never know if you and going to get there and back or not.
Tom Tatlock : Fall is my favorite season of the year. Before Covid, my brothers and sisters used to get together in Kansas City after our parents died. This year, we’re going to get together in Wichita. That’s the highlight of the fall. One sister lives in Atlanta, one in Wichita, and a brother in Olathe. I’m looking forward to that. By the way, the KU coach came from Whitewater WI where he had a successful career before going to KU.
Skip Granger: The main thing is that the heat’s gone. It’s 92 now and
feels pleasant, especially after the summer from hell. Over Labor Day, Mary Ann enjoyed a family wedding and brought home COVID. To repay her, I’m taking her to Cottonwood for four days. We are staying at the 13th most romantic hotel in the U.S. I warned my daughter that after this weekend, she should be watching out for new siblings. We will be at a beautiful place near Sedona. In the center of this little town, there are good restaurants and eight winery tasting rooms. I’m looking forward to a fun four days.
Skip’s latest story, “Calafrisco and Me and the Bay Make Three” is available on the website.
Janice Collins Bailey: It’s been moderate in Wichita, which is wonderful and many times rare. I’m enjoying the weather and I have sunflowers blooming in my backyard garden. I didn’t plant them, but there they are. And for the first time, they are in the front yard and they are 12′ tall, and they are pretty. One has blown over from the strong south wind. The birds like them, so I’m looking forward to more next year as they re-seed themselves. So, I’m just enjoying every day and it’s a good time of year in Kansas.
Glenna Stearman Park: Basically, we have had an abundance of weather this year. The heat, however, was never like Texas or the
Midwest. We have a quite civil climate here, although this year we have had wind and problems with high wind along the beaches. I am alone in the house for the first time since 2015. My youngest son Dan is my keeper. I sent him off to the beach for a couple of weeks. I have a missing tooth, gone quite a while, and will having an implant in January, as long as I am six months away from any cardiac events. To help with the challenge, I’m reading a lot. Right now, I reading an autobiography of a Mennonite woman. My husband Joel grew up in a Mennonite community near Newton. The church had strict standards for behavior. Jerry Leisy did his best to get kicked out of that church. Right now, I am having a very laid-back, quiet fall.
My declutterer said to get rid of the diet books, the self-help books, and the travel books, so I did. Now, I am sorting through drama and theater books. Every month, I buy banned books. Last Christmas, I gave a banned book each of our grandkids with a $10 bill for a bookmark. I encourage them to read banned books, which I am enjoying reading myself.
Let’s hope Glenna’s life stays laid back and quiet. Her latest story for the website is “MAY-DAY! MAY-DAY!!”
David Robinson: First of all, congratulations to Skip and I’ll look forward to my cigar. I was out in my backyard today and looked up at my maple trees and fall is definitely coming and it’s going to be beautiful. I’m looking forward to going to California at the end of October. I haven’t been in five years and all my friends out there are excited to see me. I’ll be in northern California about 10 days near Castro Valley. Friends already have Warriors tickets for us and we’re going to one of our favorite restaurants called Boulevard in San Francisco. I’m looking forward to that. It’s like stepping back in Paris to about 1915. The view of the Golden Gate bridge is spectacular. Then I go to San Diego to see my best friend in Temecula. She and I will do some wine tasting, probably go to the beach, that type of thing. That’s my fall.
Dan Tontz: For me, this fall started off badly. I am on day ten of a horrible cough. It is improving. Fall is my favorite time of the year. We have a trifecta: TV sports, college football, and pro football. Texas is looking good in all three categories. I am still hoping for car trips this fall.
Kay Ellen Consolver, in pre-op costume, joined us from her hospital room.
I’m having an unusual fall with operations coming up. I’m calling it my Golden Years fall. This is my favorite time of the year. I love the colors changing and drives through the woods. This is a unique season and I’m enjoying it.
Here’s my Golden Age Parade. My mitral valve is not working and will be replaced tomorrow. My two-year old aorta valve made from a cow will probably have to be replaced, also tomorrow. The operation will involve breaking ribs, pulling out the faulty valve(s), and fixing whatever problems they find. So far, my fall has included getting very fatigued from the cardiac problems, but those are getting straightened out and I am already feeling better; no pain. My younger sister Carol is coming to stay with me here at the University of Connecticut Medical Center and will keep everyone updated on my progress. The procedures will take all day, so no news until Saturday. I should be out of here by the middle of next week and on to whatever procedures and meds and rehab come next. My medical team has been excellent and is taking great care of me. I may be back in time to celebrate October.
I want to say how much I appreciate you all. So many of you have been so very kind with many nice words and thoughts. The memories and stories of our lives today have been very helpful to me. Thank you all.
Kay Ellen’s procedure on September 22 was a success. Several cardiac valves were replaced and other repairs made. The breathing tube came out the next day. All our best hopes are with Kay Ellen as she recovers.
Mert Lancaster Curtis: I’m in south central Kansas. I happily celebrate fall because the
grass slows down. I mow for five hours every week. There should only be two more mowings before the end of the season and then I can do other things that I would prefer doing. I did drive to Tulsa and to Kansas City recently in order to spend as much time as possible with a niece who was visiting from Ireland. Spending time with her was lots of fun and so was visiting family in Tulsa and Kansas City. Lots of driving as I haven’t been on the road driving by myself since 2020, so I was a little anxious, but I’m OK with that. It was fun.
Diane Rusch Zinn: (In answer to a question about whether Dick 
would leave any deer in the area after the hunting season) Dick has his Redneck set up with his crossbow for deer season. If he gets one, I will be helping him gut the deer, which I have done several times. You would love Lawrence now. The roadsides are filled with sunflowers, and the big fields of sunflowers are also beautiful. We are seeing lots of monarch butterflies, many more than in recent years. October is my favorite month. We have six close family birthdays in October. I will be going to New England this month to watch my granddaughters play high school volleyball and also to help my daughter with garden projects and interior work in her home. Like Mert, I have a lot of mowing, but only three hours a week compared to her five. We have woods all around us, so I am constantly trying to keep up with the falling leaves. I’m planning to divide and transplant after the extremely hot, dry summer. Marcia, I can identify with you because we have a granddaughter in Austin who is not used to the extreme heat because she is from the East Coast. And, our daughter is currently on Cranberry Island off the coast from Bar Harbor ME. Maine is definitely one of the beautiful states.
Marilyn Tompkins Bellert: 
I am celebrating fall with a new car, a shiny red Honda Civic, my first car purchase in 18 years. My children did an intervention to persuade me that my last car should have all the safety features and be fun to drive. The Accord I bought in 2005 has one safety feature: brakes. Unfortunately, they did not offer to pay for it, but they made a good case. On my second day, I’m having fun driving the new car. Now, I’m looking forward to a couple of fall trips to apple orchards for other (mostly) shiny red purchases. I’ve made applesauce from my first orchard trip and will do more apple baking after visiting orchards in Wisconsin with our kids. I’m also celebrating fall by watching my grandson’s college soccer team on ESPN+. With cameras zooming in and color commentators, I have a terrific seat for watching his fancy footwork.
Fred Elder: Maybe you read my story on the website about my Canada fishing trip with my sons and some others. Probably my favorite activity in the Fall is visiting Horicon Marsh. This huge area in south central Wisconsin. It is 2/3 controlled by the US Fish and Wildlife Service and is 1/3 controlled by the Wisconsin DNR. It is near where Tom Tatlock lives. Geese rest there before flying on south, and at times the entire marsh is covered with geese. It’s enjoyable for me, and you can walk and do other things. I also enjoy visiting Whitefish Dunes state park, which is in eastern Wisconsin on the Lake Michigan side of Door County. Every time I go, the beach has changed. If I have the energy, I also go to Washington Island, located above Door County. I also like to go to Rock Island, which has no vehicle transportation. I like to be outdoors in the fall, hiking as much as I can manage.
Fred’s latest fisherman’s yarn comes with photographic proof. “A Labor Day Family Adventure”
The Back and Forth
Support for the 1960 Virtual Reunion
Skip Granger – This last week, I wrote to several of you about volunteering. Three people have taken on the burden of keeping us together. I want to honor all three of them and the work they do on the website, the Messengers that come in the mail, and the Zooms. Also, I will contribute $100 to the Class of 1960 website in Kay Ellen’s honor. I encourage the rest of you to join me in helping to support the website and related activities.
Fred, Diane, and Marilyn – We really appreciate your encouragement and can definitely use the financial support. Donations now will help pay for Spring 2024 printing and mailing of a Messenger to more than 400 classmates. There are other ways to help us out, especially by sending a story.
You can match (or exceed) Skip’s generosity by sending a check to Wichita East Class of 1960, P.O. Box 4582, Lawrence, KS 66046.
East High Centennial Anniversary Celebration, October 6-7.
Mert shared the news that East High School will be open for touring on October 7. She enjoyed the quick tour last year, but would like to spend more time exploring on her own. Fred added that a small group of our classmates are planning to attend the 100th anniversary festivities. If you would like to meet with others attending, let us know and we will connect you.
After the Zoom, David Robinson and Dan Tontz sent a link to a Wichita Eagle story about East High’s history – Wichita High School East building turns 100 with celebration The Wichita Eagle
Book Recommendations
Lee – I just read a novel about a cattle drive from Hays to Kansas City, The Last Cattle Drive by Robert Day. A fun yarn.
Marcia asked to hear more from Tom Tatlock.
Tom responded – I have lived in Appleton, WI since 1978 and I have a book to recommend: Kathryn Mannix, With the End in Mind: Dying, Death and Wisdom in the Age of Denial. This is an end-of-life book by a hospice physician in Great Britain. One of her topics is her own anxieties about death and treating the dying. This book was so meaningful to me that I gave it to my kids. People in the next generation can benefit from this book as well as us.
Skip – I have been recommending No Red Lights by Alan J. Patricof, a venture capitalist, now 88. He ran the New York Marathon, went to Burning Man, and did sky-diving last year. He plans to live to be 114. One of his observations is that people alive now will live to 150. I “read” it as an Audible book.
Fred – Those of you who like to listen to books can get free online access to audiobooks from your local library via the Libby app.
Glenna – I like to have the book in my hands. I usually read from midnight to 1 and sleep until 10 or 11. I do advocate for books, but I have so many. My goal is still to read mostly banned books. There’s a nasty attitude afloat to dump library books to which some individual or group objects. Many of the books we read in high school are now banned somewhere. On Saturday mornings, MSNBC, has a program about banned books. Every week, the host interviews a writer who has books that are banned. It’s a serious issue in education and in society right now.
Marcia – I’m retired from teaching in a Montessori school. Texas is particularly bad about banning books in public libraries and in schools. One reason I retired was because I’m not for that. Glenna responded that Florida is the same. Texas and Florida are leading the way to banning more books. This is one of my objections to living in Texas. You can always find like-minded people, wherever you are.
Marilyn – I listen to a lot of books, so now I “read” twice as many books as I used to. I listen when I’m exercising, driving, and gardening and also read hard copy books every day. When a book is really wonderful, I listen to it, then I buy it, because when you are listening you can’t stop to relish the language by re-reading and you can’t easily go back and review when your mind drifts. The experiences are very different, even for an individual book. Last week I listened to The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride. It was absolutely a superb book, great novel. I ordered a copy and will start reading it again this afternoon. It’s about love, tribes, and community in a small town during the Depression. The characters are wonderful – tribes of wannabe Mayflower descendants, Jews who migrated in the 19th century and also 20th centuries, and blacks from several parts of the South. Highly recommended.
Skip – My biggest problem with audio-books is trying to go back and find where I was.
Last Words for Today
Dan – Go, Cowboys!
Mert – Deer are walking through my backyard.
David – I read an article about KU playing BYU. A group of fans attend all their games on the road and take donations for needy people. What a wonderful idea!
Glenna – Time for me to let the dog out.
Tom – Have some of you had this experience – does anyone else take notes in a book and then go back and look at them years later only to wonder what was important about those notes?
Kay Ellen – Let’s continue to stay in touch.
Marcia – When I was in Bangor, I took photos in front of Stephen King’s house because I am a fan of his.
Janice – I hope you have the best fall you have ever had.
Skip – Rock Chalk Jayhawk KU!
Glenna – I forgot to mention that Tom must live in a part of the country that is beautiful all the time. I remember being charmed by Fox River and the town of Appleton.
Calvin – To Kay Ellen, the pleasant sound you hear tomorrow, breezes rising up skyward will be prayers from us and your wide circle of friends.
Skip – Kay Ellen, did you hear from Al Higdon? Kay Ellen – yes, and thanks for putting us in touch.
Fred – Two or three times a day, I see wild turkeys outside my condo.
There you have it. Diverse perspectives and experiences, for sure, from books to sports to healthcare and from prayers to wildlife. We are always full of – and in for – surprises.
Join us for Zoom #22 on October 19, 2023.
