Class Notes

“I want to call your attention to the memoir my classmate, Clint Cross ’57, recently published. He describes his family’s origins in Texas, and then goes on to talk about his legal career helping those less fortunate. He got some laws changed and procedures developed to make life easier for those on the bottom. It’s worth a read. The title is “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Justice: A Memoir.”

Earlier this year, I also published a memoir of growing up at FVS during World War II. I began attending FVS in 1951 and graduated in the class of ’57. My memoir, titled “Jonny’s Journey”, follows me to college at Stanford and graduate school at the University of Minnesota. I also document my years as a scientist working for NASA during the cold war with Russia—I spent a few years as a manager of science programs at Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Upon retirement, my wife, Jan, and I enjoyed extensive travel, some of which is described in the book.

One reviewer wrote: ‘…I found his work refreshing in its transparency, folksy conversational style, and a fascinating summary of what it was like working in the trenches at the forefront of cosmic ray research. The reader discovers that doing science in a federal agency often involves the shifting winds of politics and an ever-present competition for funding.’ You can find the book on Amazon (add my last name to your search). It will cost you less than a ‘Jackson.’ It all started at FVS, and I am eternally grateful for the education and friendships I carry from those years. Thank you, FVS, and the wonderful teachers I had there. You are in my soul.”

“Our family moved to Palm Beach Gardens, Florida in late 2019. The onset of COVID a few months later meant we spent more time than anticipated there. Now, we’ve dispatched to the four corners of the earth—Samantha to Mumbai, India; Maddie to New York; my wife, Jessie, back and forth to Boston with Brigham Mass General; and Welker, the dog, with me to Florida. We congregate on major holidays.”

“Regarding the FVS request for veteran service info, I was in the Navy from 1967-69 as a journalist stationed in Yokosuka, Japan. My duty took me all over Japan, aboard aircraft carriers to sailboats. I sailed competitively in Tokyo Bay and cruised the coast of Japan. I am now retired and live on the New England coast in the small town of Padanaram. My daughter is a nurse in Denver and is expecting her first child in November.”

“A couple of years ago, I retired from Konica Minolta. Retirement was complicated by the lockdowns and restrictions over the last couple of years. Since then, I’ve been doing a lot of exercising, work on the property and studying—right now the history of philosophy in the Western and Middle Eastern worlds. I am anticipating that opportunities will present themselves in the future, and I am anxious to see where the paths lead. I lost both my parents in 2018, but I had them for many years, and one thing I want to do is document their lives as a part of general genealogical research into our family. I am enjoying myself, but I would love to hear from classmates.”

“I’m looking forward to retiring in February. It’s been a long road of working in electronic media, mostly TV stations.”

PETER PACKARD ’66 “Ran into these characters in Sun Valley, Idaho: Bill Fraser ’66, Bill Anceney ’66 and Bill Sheridan ’67.”

“I’m living out my ‘retirement’ in Yuba City, California. I have been a 100 percent disabled veteran since 1984. I survived the Loma Prieta quake of ’89—but the home didn’t. I’ve outlived the wife, but my brothers Rob ’75 and Bill ’77 are still alive and kicking.”

“Still living in Silicon Valley and working remotely. Although we haven’t seen each other during COVID-19, I am staying in touch with Rick Gydesen, Mark Childs and Stef Bertozzi.”

“Life is fantastic! It couldn’t be better. My wife, Robin, and I own Stellar Publishing Group LLC, and assist authors/self-publishers with the writing and publishing of their books. We are planning a large event in Colorado Springs that will be centered on providing the necessary training for indie authors to experience massive success in their careers. We’re also coauthoring a book with a colleague to assist authors with the marketing, promotion and sales of their books (book number 7). Robin loves her full-time position as a lifeenrichment coordinator at her assisted-living job. We also have a new granddaughter (number 6!). Lucy graced us on Oct. 18, 2021, at a healthy 8 pounds, 7 ounces.”

“During a recent remote-work vacation in Santa Fe, New Mexico, my partner, Jim Campbell, and I had the great pleasure of catching up with Peter Thorp, who is as sharp, well-informed and well-traveled as always. Most recently, he’s been helping get a coed boarding school up and running in Ethiopia, which hopes to educate future leaders in the country.”

“Last spring, I finished my 15th year in my northern California school district, and seventh year of teaching my AP English Language and Composition class. My students always score higher than the national average. Occasionally, I bike to work or run on the weekends.

My wife, Flor, still exudes much energy, running our household and tutoring Spanish. My daughter, Ruth, will attend the University of Santa Clara and probably major in humanities. Martial arts and computers continue to motivate my 14-year-old son, Sam. Flor’s parents live with us, so I often practice my Spanish; they love jardinería in our backyard. We just joined a new church, but still help with prayer groups and promote the persecuted international church. We still love the international feel of the South Bay area—both the friends and the food!”

“The love of my life, John Massel, and I eloped to Las Vegas in June 2021, and then returned to our home in Portland, Oregon, where I have been living the past 10 years and working as a tattooer.

I was just reminiscing about my formative years in the Art Barn and how grateful I am for the freedom of exploration I was allowed at Fountain Valley School.”

“My wife, Jenny, and I currently live in Anchorage, Alaska, with our two dogs. We moved up here when she was accepted to a pediatric dentistry residency at the Alaskan Native Medical Center. I am working as a pharmacy manager at a Walgreens in southern Anchorage. I really wish I could have made it to our 15-year reunion, but the salmon were running and I was busy trying to fill my freezer with fish! I hope you are all doing well, had a great time and said hello to Dave Reynolds, Rob Gustke, Dr. Gilbert, Rafael Muciño and Jennifer Buckley if you saw them (as well as any other faculty you ran into). I think about Fountain Valley often and hope to make it back to say hello soon!”

Wrendy Rayhill ’09 and Nick Belinski celebrate their wedding with FVS classmates. From left to right: Clark Powell ’09, Emy Koontz ’09, Nick Belinski, Wrendy Rayhill, Ramona Rayhill P ’08, ’09, Nalin Vahil ’09, Tyler Dulin ’09, Rett Rayhill ’08 and Minjae Kim ’08.

“I directed the Glee Club and taught Old and New Testament to 6th formers (seniors) at FVS from 1964-66. My first job out of college (Wabash, in Indiana) was at FVS, and it was a great experience for me. As of my 80th birthday last April, I am still in the ministry, preaching at the Upland Christian Church in Upland, California. My wife, Harlane, is a psychotherapist and still ‘sees’ patients over the phone. We are both in excellent health and travel via Amtrak whenever we can.

We have attended reunions at the School in the past and we plan to again. (Amtrak goes through New Mexico and Southern Colorado via its ‘Southwest Chief’ on the way from Los Angeles to Chicago. In the past we have gotten off in New Mexico and rented a car for the rest of the trip to FVS.) Best to all. I’ll close with a corny joke, or a ‘Dad’ joke, I guess: What did the buffalo say when he dropped off his kid at day care? Answer: Bye, son (Bison).”