That is Great News about Gerry Sullivan! I know Freshman & Sophmore years we went a lot of 1 on 1! Congratulations Gerry!

Message from Glenn Rierson, dated October 12, 2015: I will not be able to make it up north this weekend. Say hey to all of the Washington Elementary alumni!!!! Have a great time one and all!!  

Sorry to hear of Ron Sherman's passing. He was a great friend. We had great times together.

OPRFHS Class of \'70 graduate Gerry Sullivan was inducted into the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame\'s Class of 2010 at its 14th Annual Induction Awards Dinner on September 15, 2010. Gerry played football for Oak Park River Forest High School, followed by a career at University of Illinois, and eight more years with the NFL Cleveland Browns.   Tickets are available now by visiting www.chicagolandsportshalloffame.com. Individual tickets are available for a donation of $125 and tables of 10 are available. Further information is available at the website or by calling Mr. Fagan at 708-780-3679 or 708-426-5212.

Sorry to be the messenger on this one: Jeanine Besch (Cockerill), OPRF Class of 1973 passed away this morning in Omaha, NE. Jeanine was my neighbor and friend on South Wenonah for about 15 years and we saw her and her wonderful family often thru the years here in Tucson after her parents, Bob & JoAnne Besch, retired here. Jeanine is survived by her wonderful husband, Rick, 3 children and two grandchildren. Sad, sad day, folks.  

Thanks, Bruce, for your amazing organizational skills.  What a fabulous party!  We're still talking about the great weekend.   

Sure would be nice if a few more classmates started to post their profile along with what is going on now.

Major Props and  Kudos to Chip Kramer for sharing that graduation film.BTW, That\'s me seated right in the middle at 3:11 into the clip.

My husband Al and I are coming from Cleveland for the Re-Union!  Can\'t wait to see my OPRF friends, as I have been out-of-state since our graduation!  Hope more classmates will sign up..this should be great fun for all of us! Thank you Bruce and your team for all your efforts!!

lots to celebrate this year!best wishes to all from Marsha Ebel (and her folks, Bob-math teacher and Marge-vocal coach)justebelkin.blogspot.com/

Thanks to those who added a little uplift and signed the guest book.Sharon Cassin thanks for the compliment it was 43 years ago at 206 in your kitchen and you offered me a cup of coffee i said sure.Not knowing the bowl on the table was not suger it was salt i drank it anyway.I\'ll touch base with Doug,and  I found it the 8th grade RFJH School picture if anyone wants it email me or the others i had at the reunion.Best wishes to all as this site expires soon.My grandparents settled in River Forest in 1902 and soon there won\'t be any more family here but at least we can say We were there. If anyone has the  photo of the River Forest group please email it to me.

According to Rich Holmes, Ed Vincent ('70) has died. Ed's obituary notice is at www.OakPark.com, the online newspaper he published. A remembrance of Ed's life is scheduled to take place Friday, Oct. 9, at the Oak Park Arts Center, 200 N. Oak Park Ave., from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. He will be missed.

Surely I\'m not going to be the only lady to post here. I\'ll keep checking back to see ~ I hope to see some female names in here shortly. I don\'t know yet if I\'ll be able to make the reunion, but I\'ve enjoyed seeing familiar names and photos! All the best to everyone!

Hey,  Sharon another female is responding and who would have guessed another St. Ed\'s graduate!  I\'m so sorry to hear about Chuck Zamutt\'s passing we shared a homeroom for 4 years.  Looking forward to the reunion and seeing lots of "old" faces.

I will not be in attendance at the reunion. I have fond memories of my days at OPRF and many of you, as well. I decided after attending the 10 year anniversary to leave my memories where they were. If anyone wants to contact me feel free: dennis.corry@gmail.com. I will accept your Facebook request if you desire. Have a great time, be careful...any time I think of saying good night to Cliff Johnson at 4:00 AM gets me nervous...that is about the time I get up...yikes!!! All the best. 

Who would have thought that we would ever see the day when our school, (OP&RFHS) would be highlighted in the news, for something as disgusting as this? While I never had children, if I had they would NEVER have seen the inside of a OPRF classroom, that now preaches Marxism to it's students. Unbelievable! And what is even more unbelievable are the property tax paying parents in that district, that allow this to take place. https://dailycaller.com/2021/04/29/teachers-illinois-caught-on-microphone-promoting-marxist-ideals/

FYI: I'm playing with two bands at FitzGerald's SideBar on Friday night October 16th from 8PM to 11PM or so. There's no cover: http://www.fitzgeraldsnightclub.com/events/view/Tim-Rack-Moral-Hazzard-Michael-Palmer-Friends-SideBar-2   Ronnie Baker Brooks is also playing in the club that night for a $20 cover: http://www.fitzgeraldsnightclub.com/events/view/Ronnie-Baker-Brooks   Peace, Bill Kavanagh  

Hi everybody! Let,s see those profiles! How can I be coaxed into attending if I can't be reminded of who you are? ALL YOU PEOPLE who are on the "Who's Coming" list should write a funny, friendly, fascinating profile. I KNOW you've been having one adventure after another since high school. Or since the 20 year reunion which is the last one I attended.  :)  <3

Don Rees lost his battle with cancer on November 27, 2017.  His obituary can be found at legacy.com.  There you will find a picture of Don at the  class of 1970 40th reunion wearing his hat and jersey at the homecoming game honoring the 1969 state championship team.  A very proud moment for Don.  Gone too soon.

It was a great visit, Holger ! If you see a 6\'5" guy ride by on a nice BMW motorcycle, wave. It just could be that travelin\' man, Hogie! Anyone remember the CAMP DUNCAN 3-Day field trip? I think we did it at Emerson in 6th grade. Holger was my bunkmate. He had the upper, I had the lower.  As I recall, one of the girls in our class fell in that little lake or creek on that trip while collecting science specimens!

What a wonderful week-end. Thank you Bruce, Peggy and Ron for taking care of every detail! I only wish I had more time to see and connect with everyone. I spoke to my 86 year old mom today and thanked her for raising me in this great area and seeing the wisdom in sending us to my dad\'s alma mater:  Oak Park High! (Dad had life long friends from OPRF, too, many who came to is funeral in 2002.) Steve Weinstein summed it up perfectly when he said: "We were lucky to go to school with so many nice people." Blessings to everyone.

Bruce, Ron, Peggy, and everyone else that was involved,Grrreeaat Job!!!So get to work on the 45th

I am really looking forward to everyone\'s photos being posted.  They are all appreciated.  Thanks to all for all the hard work.  I hope to keep in touch.jeff@padden.org

I think all of my siblings and I, who went to OPRF, fall within the years 1968-1978. I'm going to contact all of them. A family reunion AND a high school reunion, all at the same time? :-) Even our mom went to OPRF. Guest Numero Uno?  

Hey eveyone, it's good to be this side of the asphalt.  I'm retired after a rewarding career, and love being the Pater Familias. I'm still playing with cars and having a ball.  Life is good with my one and only best girl Donna Jo and our big family. Hope to see some old friends, (and I mean old in the nicest way), at the Friday night gig. Dave If you want to contact me, go ahead.  Here's my email: dafat40@comcast.net

Chuck was a beacon of light to us.

I came 1800 miles for THAT?!Damn right I did and worth every mile of it! Whether it was Molly Malone\'s, the football game (Huskies 46 - Morton 0), the 19th Century Club or The Ale House, I enjoyed myself, mightily, at all 4 venues. Thanks again, Peggy, Ron, Bruce and all the volunteers. I am grateful to each and every one of you for affording us this opportunity to gather. Hope I didn\'t run my mouth TOO much, but hey, some things never change, even after 40 years. Great to see you, classmates and alumni, especially the old Emerson School gang! It was a blast!

Charles (C.D.) Schroeder, (Class Of 1970), passed away this past August of natural causes. He was living in Haugen, Montana where he was a part of the U.S. Forest Service for many years. I knew Chuck since the 6th grade. He will be missed. Here is a link to an article about him in one of the local papers. http://www.vp-mi.com/article/20170907/ARTICLE/170909993  

Reminder: It was a Thursday night, 44 years ago today we were marching around the field house for the Class of 1970  Commencement Ceremonies.

I second that emotion!

Trivia Time! Well, sorta. I was scrolling thru the SILVER DOLLAR SUVEYS in the WLS and WCFL section here. The fourth one, for Janauary 1, 1965, only lists the top 20 songs of that week BUT also list the top 20 Best Selling Songs of 1964. I found 15 of those Best Sellers  that I currently have on CD in my home. They are #s 1,2,3,4,6,7,8, 10,11, 12,13,14, 15, 18 and 20. I suspect there may even be a couple more in my CD collectionon 60s compilations that I have forgotten I have. Since am am a dinosaur who STILL makes his own mix CDs, most of those songs STILL play regularly in my automobile. They make that trip from Tucson to Gilbert to visit the daughter just FLY by! Nothing starts the trip better than hitting the On Ramp to I-10 and firing up the Beach Boys and DANCE, DANCE, DANCE!

All.A special thanks to Bruce and everyone who has put forth a special effort to help this come together. Let\'s all chime in, in a timely fasion to help the planners put the final numbers on each event. We are only going to do this one time. Sort of like High School.....John

Richard C. Byrne are you there???

Rich Ramey, we will expect a full report here on that IDES OF MARCH event. I, for one, want to know if Dick Biondi sings ON TOP OF SPAGHETTI.

WOW 50 years, OH MY! Was just contacted by the reunion committee this year (2020).  Living in Florida since the 80's and now the retired life - lovin' it! Very sad to report about the passing of two of my closest friends, Ellen Gould (several years ago) and Debbie Kincaid (just last month).  I know their friends and family miss them so much.   Feel free to email if you like.  I won't make it to the 50th reunion, but y'all have a blast.  Yes, I said "Y'all", I've been southernized  - but just a bit - they still say I have a midwest accent.  :-)  

Denny Corry has died. John McHugh reports that Denny died of a heart aneurism on December 3, 2015.

Very sad news about Chuck. He was one of my best friends in HS. We talked and emailed alot these past years; I remember sitting with him and having a long chat at the 30th reunion. I\'ll miss him so, such a great friend.

Hope you all have a great time. Please stay in touch if you can. The Class of 70....in a class all it\'s own. Take care everyone. I miss you all. Thanks for doing this Bruce, and the entire gang of volunteers.

GREAT AND WONDERFUL REUNION ,ALL HAD A WONDERFUL TIME IT WAS NICE TO ONCE SEE SOME OF YOU GUYS I\'VE KNOWN FOR OVER 50 YEARS HAPPY TO SHARE CLASS PHOTO\'S K-6 FROM ROOSEVELT AND LINCOLN SCHOOL SOMEWHERE I MISPLACED RFJH 8TH GRADE GRADUATION PICTURE THAT ONE IS A REAL WHO IS THAT SORRY FOR THOSE WHO WERE UNABLE TO MAKE IT  MY 25 YEARS AS A PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR HAS ENDED DUE TO HEALTH REASONS SOME TIMES I CANT EVEN FIND MY OWN SHOES  CLIFF I REQUEST IN ADVANCE I WANT YOU TO SING AT MY MEMORIAL JOHNSON SINGING GOSPEL SONGS  LOL I BLAME MS LOCKER MY JH TEACHER FOR POOR TYPING SKILLSWE ALL THANK THOSE BELOW FOR ALL THERE EFFORT !!!!!Bruce Lehman, Peggy Minnick, and Ron Sherman Linda Bauer (Clark)Fred Bernacchi Mary Marshall (Blanc)Judy Breit (Simon)Sharon Cassin (Frame)Paula Chernyshev (Finnegan)Dee Even (Cermak)Pam Glasser (Phillips Weston)Gary GreenbaumBob JacobsTom KadonChip KramerFran Krasnow (Pike)Thom MammoserRoger McCaffreyJohn McHughJohn MeyerClaudia Nelson (Frey)Debbie Raleigh (Porcelli)Pam RansomApril Ross (Moon)Doug SandersonPeg Schackmann (Amidei) John SfondiliasEric SwansonMary Wachman (Karsten)Sue Wiedow Giorango John WilcoxSally Wilkinson (Gilbert)Bob Wright

hi there!Just wanted to thank all for putting together such a great get together for all of us!  The food and drinks were wonderfully planned and the location was also very nice to hold such a crowd as ours comfortably. Seeing old friends and all the memories was warm to all our hearts. The only regret I have is not being able to stay awake to go see Cliff  perform but it was fun to meet up with my friends Diane, Claire, Anne and Jeanne whom I haven not seen since graduation along with Ron who was a great friend all thru school and after.  Thanks for the memories!

Good party....great to see classmates from class of 70 & 71; Hatch School 66 & 67; Mr. Haye\'s homeroom; orchestra and all the people who came from near and far. Simply the best!

Hey Classmates!  My return to OPRF has compelled me to write an essay of sorts.  Charlie Hambrook wrote earlier, "Let\'s have some fun out of this," so here goes . . .   WHAT I FOUND WHILE ATTENDING     MY 40THHIGH SCHOOL REUNION                by "Jeannie" HospodarI FOUND that most returning students on our tour of OPRFHS did not know the tunnel existed.  At their request I was delighted to have the opportunity to go through it once again.I FOUND that I became emotional while sitting in our Greek revivial classroom where I took my favorite class - etymology.  I FOUND that watching OPRFHS football as a spectator from the stands was fun, but being a cheerleader on the gridiron for conference/ # 1 state-rated champions, to be much better!!!!I FOUND that my grade school, Emerson, had been raised and that a new structure stood in it\'s place. (I am lucky to have a 1920\'s Emerson school desk  which my grandchildren now use.)I FOUND that I still remember the stores of Lake Street - Little\'s Music Store, Lyttons,The Fair Store, Wieboldt\'s and of course, Marshall Fields, but I am glad that the Lake Street Mall is a thing of the past.I FOUND that Parky\'s hot dogs, fries and RC Cola are not as good as I had remembered.I FOUND that our family home which my Dad "modernized" in the 1950\'s had dramatically changed in appearance.  The old and rotten front porch which my Dad removed was now replaced with an arts and crafts style one, and that the diseased  Dutch elms, which I sadly watched get cut down, were now replaced by 40-year old shade trees.(I must mention that many of you may remember my house at 315 Home, as I "hosted" various weekend "social events" there.  One such event was a \'69 Homecoming Dance pre-party.  I recognize our lovely blue wallpaper, gold drapery and shutter doors  in the photos someone submitted in the "Reunion Photos" section.  If you\'re wondering why my date, John McHugh, is smiling ear to ear, it\'s not because he\'s happy to be with me.  This was intended to be an alcohol-free party and my Dad had just confisgated John\' bottle of rum!)I FOUND that as much as I enjoyed visiting the places of my past, it was my 1970 classmates who I enjoyed the most.  There was so much to share with so many, but so little time to do it and I regret missing so many of you.I FOUND that our aforementioned reunion organizers deserve the "school spirit award" for their year-long efforts in putting on our wonderful event.  It\'s all so appreciated. Thank you.  Thank you.(Now, for the corny conclusion.)I FOUND that I will always be a sentimental DOOPER, a midwesterner and a kid at heart.  I know how lucky we are to have had the OPRFHS experience and to know that our school motto still applies . . .       "Ever changing, yet the same" that\'s our high school motto\'s claim.   Yes, we\'ve changed, we\'ll all agree,      but we\'re still the kids of \'70.

"On top of spaghetti...all covered with cheese...I saw my first meat ball...'til somebody sneezed...."

I hear you, Tim! Still a bit "iffy" for me to make this one. 1st Grandchild is due about that time.

Sorry I will not be in attendance for this weekend's Reunion. Wish I could.

Hi, I just wanted to let my brother\'s classmates from OPRF class of 70 know that you lost one of yours yesterday. My brother Chuck Zamutt passed away yesterday morning 14 days after successful liver cancer surgery. He just never could quite get over the hump to recover from the surgery I guess. As most of you know, Chuck was sick most of his life, but always had a smile on his face and was always a happy guy. You never would have known that he was always sick. He will be sorely missed.Mark Zamutt class of 73

Was planning to attend the reunion but my older daughter decided to have a baby just about that time.   I\'m writing this while at a B&B in Brighton, Ontario, CN.  In the middle of a 12,000 motorcycle trip.   Had a chance to see Al Mazika while on this trip.   Enjoyed getting together with you Al.   Have been living near Los Angeles since 1974 so I have not seen a lot of people.   Would love to hear from everyone...  TAJ7074@AOL.COM

Better late than never, Rich! Thanks for the recap. Happy November, everybody!

 Wow! I didn\'t know I was missing! Anyway, I\'m still here. I don\'t live in Oak Park anymore but am in Woodridge, Il. I\'m married and have two daughters. I\'m a veterinary technician. I\'m really enjoying my job, kids and animals. I would really love to come to the reunion but I don\'t know if I can make it yet. About that senior thing? Speak for yourself! My parents are 81 and 82. I\'ve got at least another 20 years in me.

Was planning on attending, but schedules have a way of changing your plans.  I think the reunion being in Oak Park is great.  I will miss seeing many of you, especially Sam & Tony.I would still enjoy keeping in touch / getting together.  Feel free to contact me.I have been married for over 30 years, and have 3 "Kids" Tim, 26 (Chicago) a DePaul Grad, Emily, 24 (Milwaukee) a Marquette grad, and Ariana, 5, just started kindergarden.  I bet I have the largest age span of kids in our class.Wish I could be there.  Enjoy the memories, and those yet to come