Schoolmate Profiles
Megan Hardy (Buckingham )
| Marital status: | Married |
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| Occupation: | Retired |
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Comment:
After graduating OPRF, I happily (mostly) attended Gonzaga University in Spokane, WA. It was the right school for me. Took a PE class in skiing. Majored in French because why not?! Especially when your advisor was a French professor who needed more majors in his field. Worked in the insurance industry for 4 years after graduation from GU, proving to myself that work wasn't all it was cracked up to be. Went to law school at Loyola Chicago which turned out to be a lot of fun. Practicing law wasn't fun so I spent most of my working life as an admin in healthcare. Finished that horror off by working the first year of the pandemic while repeatedly telling my supervisor "I'm too old for this." Retired with glee as of 1-29-2021. Met my first (and only) husband, Mike, when we worked together at my great uncle's graphic arts equipment business. In one of those "isn't life strange" coincidences, turns out Mike had also gone to law school but didn't care much for work in the legal field. When we met, he was building offset cameras used to make printing press plates-all obsolete technology now. Because we could only afford a dog house in an unsafe neighborhood in Chicago, we ended up living in Aurora (Illinois-not the more glamorous sounding Colorado). While Mike was savvy enough to snag an academic scholarship to Stanford, he was, like me, a late bloomer workwise. PLEASE never utter a word against our beloved USPS where Mike started as a mailman at age 53 but was able to retire with a decent pension in 2017. Kids? No. I've always liked them and still do but I grew up as the 2nd oldest of 11 children. Having my own kids was, for me, a "been there, done that" kind of thing. That's about it. Thank you to everyone who worked on and contributed to the party for the 50th. Fitzgerald's is a great choice. See you in September. |
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Barb Heitsch (Heitsch)
Then
Now
| Marital status: | Married |
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| Children: | 4 |
| Occupation: | IT Planner, Communications |
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Comment:
In 2017, I retired from the IT department at Snohomish County, Washington. I worked 23 years in administration doing communications, public disclosure, financial work and project coordination. I scrubbed data, wrote procedures, edited long documents, worked closely with the management team. It felt like a new job every 2 years. I retired so I could help family during a rough patch. Ha! I had no idea what a rough patch could be! Last year (2022), I had emergency sinus surgery, six days in the ICU. But that’s not so rough. In July, my husband of 40 years, Pete, was bucked off his horse and broke the top 5 vertebrae in his neck. Thank God he survived without paralysis. He had a metal halo for 3 months, then surgery and neck brace for 4 months. It was quite the ordeal for both of us. He’s the risk taker. I’m the homebody. He had 120 chickens, 2 horses, 5 goats, 6 cats. Overnight, I was responsible for feeding them all plus cleaning eggs for sale. I spent almost 20 hours a week hand watering 530 blueberry bushes and 30 fruit trees. (This summer we are putting in an irrigation system!) We have several rentals, so I handled tenant turnover, repairs, even a new sewer line. Those coordination skills paid off. The duration and intensity makes it my most challenging life experience. Pete is back to most of his chores and is driving. I am about halfway back to my own activities: grandkids, gardening, reading, yoga and water aerobics. We just have to finish integrating it all. Recently, a classmate asked for 5-line CV. Here it is:
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Sue Henderson (Milligan)
| Marital status: | Married |
|---|---|
| Children: | 3 |
| Occupation: | Retired |
Ann Inendino (Rapisarda)
Now
| Marital status: | Married |
|---|---|
| Children: | 3 |
| Occupation: | Retired |
Bill Jersey
Now
| Marital status: | Married |
|---|---|
| Children: | 3 |
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Comment:
Sorry I was not able to make it this year, We had a family wedding in Gettysburg that weekend. I met my wife Liz while working in Glenview. been married 32 years, with three great children, the youngest (26) is still at home (will he ever move out) the other two are in Pittsburgh and Washington DC. Have been commuting from Fox Lake to the Loop daily for 30 years, in Banking IT department. Work by Union Station if anyone wants to get together for lunch. Guess I'm still a geek at heart, my son has gotten me in ANIME and we have a good time with it (father son bonding I think). Have developed a passion for Genealogy and (don't laught) Needlepoint. actually have taken first place in National Competition and getting ready to teach when(if) I retire. Hope to see you all in 5 years |
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Don Kessler
Then
Now
| Marital status: | Married |
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| Children: | 2 |
| Occupation: | Real Estate |
| Comment: Graduated from Elmhurst College...taught for 8 years in Dwight IL...moved back to chgo area for 16 yrs of industrial sales...then off to Michigan in 2000..currently own/operate apartment complex and Commercial Real Estate Sales | |
Ernie Kilgallon
| Marital status: | Married |
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| Children: | 3 |
| Occupation: | Retired |
Ernie Kilgallon
| Marital status: | Married |
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| Children: | 3 |
| Occupation: | Retired |
Rich Klassen
Then
Now
| Marital status: | Married |
|---|---|
| Children: | 2 |
| Occupation: | Commercial Pilot |
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Comment:
I received two degrees from Southern Illinois University in Business Management and Aviation. I've had three careeers, two wonderful children, two delightful twin grand daughters and one delightful wife. I started out as a corporate pilot flying out of Midway and Chicago Executive airports in Chicago. I spent 20 years with Moog Automotive ending there as Vice President Sales. My last career position was as Chief Markeitng and Sales Officer for Delta Dental. I am now a “Golf Pro“,,, although most scores are still in the 90's. LOL. I've returned to my passion flying a number of aircraft from a Falcon Jet to soaring in a single seat glider. My wife Nan and I live on "The OtherWest Coast" right on Lake Michigan in the state of Michigan. We are home in Michigan during the summer and travel the US and international other times of the year. I am looking forward to reconnecting with all those who I knew back in 1970. OMG 50 years ago! |
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Cathy Koch (Nikolas)
Now
| Marital status: | Married |
|---|---|
| Children: | 4 |
| Occupation: | Retired Flight Attendant |
| Comment: I am so looking forward to seeing you at Fitzgerald's in September, 2023! Great location. I tell my mom (who is 99 years old) how glad I am that she and Dad raised us in River Forest and that we got to go to OPRFHS. My dad graduated from OPRF in 1940 and had lifelong friends. I am so grateful for my lifelong pals from OPRF and consider you among my greatest blessings. Jamie and I celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary last February. We have 4 children, who all live in Chicagoland, and 5 glorious grandchildren with another due in September. Jamie is still working, but I retired from Delta Air Lines in 2020 after almost 40 years. Needless to say, we love to travel and are lucky to get to Hawaii and France each year. I was a Chicago Architecture Center docent for 10 years before we built our house in Lake Geneva and moved here in 2019. Now I'm a docent for Black Point Estate and Gardens plus I volunteer around the Lake at different foundations. Reading these profiles reminds me what an awesome group of classmates I had. Cheers to the Class of '70! What amazing lives we have led. | |