11/1/11 - A letter from Don Reynolds, class of '41)
Fellow alumni of the "Old Guard" (students at the old
school, now Bell Middle School).
It is not often that we have the opportunity to take part in international,
inter-scholastic academia concerning our own high school.....70 years after
graduation, June 23. 1941.
Here's how it happened.
June, 2009, was the 65th Anniversary of the Normandy Invasion and I went
back to the site for the third time. During the first week of June, Normandy
traditionally celebrates with ceremony and re-enactment. Sadly, I found no
other returnees from my unit but the week was enlivened by an invitation to
speak to students at St Lo's Bon Sauveur School. St Lo was 90% destroyed as
the allies broke out and headed toward Berlin and the students in my group
were eager to learn about those days from others than their grandparents and
their textbooks.
The faculty hosts were most hospitable, the event culminating with a catered
lunch of Normandy cheese, agricultural delicacies and of course, French wine
to top it off. After lunch a tour of a re-built St Lo celebrating
again the removal of the Nazi invaders was an unbelievable experience.
In Normandy, D-Day week is like a series of New Years Eves!
The instructor at the French school and I have stayed in contact via e-mail
and he recently asked if I could find an American high school French
instructor whose class would "pen pal" across the Atlantic. Remembering our
French teacher, Miss Malachard, who would marry eventually HG Principal,
Donald Miles, I called HGHS and left my proposal with a most interested
switchboard operator.
The next day, Ms. Sarah Mondale, Greeley French department, called to learn
more about the proposed St Lo-Chappaqua student connection!
Right now the Greeley kids are learning more about Normandy and the St Lo
kids are becoming experts in the history of Horace Greeley and the Town of
New Castle.
Stay well, Best Regards, Don Reynolds '41
9/2/11 - John Boyd forwards us a piece that was written by Sheri and Joel Trapani in memory of Buster. It will serve as the only obit since they did not place one in the paper.
Arthur "Buster"Joel Trapani, 72
Arthur passed away Tuesday, August 2nd at
12:20 AM in the care of Hospice in Jacksonville, Florida. Arthur lost his
fight with cancer while resting comfortably and in peace.
Arthur was the son of the late Myron and Carlene Trapani. Art was
affectionately known to many as Buster. He was born on March 21, 1939 in
Evanston, IL and lived in Willamette, IL until he was 9 years old. The
Trapani’s moved to Chappaqua, NY where Art spent his childhood and teens
years. He graduated from Horace Greeley High School in 1957. He then
attended and graduated (1961) with a Business Degree from the University of
Miami in Florida where he then stayed for 50+ years. He lived in Perrine,
Coconut Grove, Ft Lauderdale and lastly Jacksonville. Arthur was a Yacht
Broker for AT Yacht. He was an active person his whole life enjoying his
winter ski trips to Colorado with the Miami and Jacksonville Ski Clubs. He
stayed fit as he loved to run and entered many 10K road races and completed
a number of marathons including Boston, NYC and Miami. Up until very
recently, he was still exercising at the YMCA and doing his Sunday bicycle
rides along the St. John River in Jacksonville.
Arthur is survived by this son and daughter-in-law, Joel & Kathy Brody of
Dacula, GA. His daughter and son-in-law Sheri & Brian Hanlon of Hinesburg,
VT, his four grandchildren, Greg, Shelby, Kim and Shane, his sister and
brother in-law Arlene & Ed Klann of Ocala, FL, his niece Gail Hart of
Louisville, KY, his nephew Steve & Jennifer Gertenbach of Centerville, VA,
his cousin Gary Moerke of Scotsdale, AZ and Half-Sister Susan Fredrick of
Stamford, CT. He also is survived by other family and his dear friends in
John Boyd, Kathleen Comeaux, Bett Craig, Brian O’Neill & Tom Pearson.
The family wishes to thank the many Jacksonville doctors who treated Art
during his battle and for the support he received from the Hadlow Hospice
Center during his last week of life.
At Buster’s request, no service will be held.
Arthur Trapani, 72, passed away August 2, 2011. Here are a few memories from classmates. Feel free to contribute any time.
From Louise Westover - I will remember Buster's smile and impromptu humor when he spoke to the class. He had tremendous confidence and an easy-going manner that made him a favorite with his classmates. I was saddened to hear that he is no longer with us, but happy to hear that we still have the tapes he left for us to view at our future reunions. Buster will be deeply missed by the class of '57 and the friends and family whose lives he touched.
From Bruce - One of my favorite memories of Buster was that he had the koolest juke box in his basement play room will all the best records on it. A great place to hang out.
From Susie - Art/Buster was a good friend in high school. He lived on the way to Abby's house when I traveled by foot! Our class pres. and a popular guy. I was not in touch in recent years but kept up with his news through Brian and Bette who kept in touch with him. I was very sad to hear of his early passing. I hope he was at peace. John Boyd told me that his son and daughter were with him the week before he died. Bless you Buster.
From Carol - I will never
forget that I BEGGED Buster to let me drive his convertible...he wasn't
thrilled but he finally let me do it...
It might not seem like a lot to some people, but it was a lot to me.
From Susan Appel - Dear Abby. Thank you for letting me know. Was he sick for a while or was it sudden? Tomorrow is the one year anniversary of Herb's death. The family is getting together at the cemetary on Saturday. I am hosting a luncheon at The Cabin restaurant. As you probably recall we used to go there for a late night drink - a place we weren't supposed to be - especially me because I wasn't 16 yet. I do recall having my first 7 and 7. And I am sure that Buster was there. We could always count on him to lead the way.
From Brian - Buster, was my close male friend all through HG and we have stayed in touch over the years. About a year and half ago he flew out to Arizona to stay with me and also visit his cousin who is a complete character… We had a great time. Took him to one of our Desert Mountain Club Houses where we both drank, laughed and couldn’t get our eyes off the piano player…..note that it was a lady… Buster had gone through prostate cancer and I am just a bald old fart… but somethings never change..an eye for a good looking woman.. I will miss him, but I have talked to his daughter and sister Arlene, which has been a good thing.
From Bob - Buster and I were pals in the early days of high school. I hung around his house in Lawrence Farms and we had a lot of fun playing basketball and peering through the knotholes at the Mt. Kisco Country Club pool. His house was huge with thick carpet everywhere except for the kitchen where a large jovial black woman would always have cookies and make sandwiches for us. I remember she wore a bandana on her head but that can’t be true.
He had a juke box in the basement and at one daring party around 6th grade, I got my first kiss. I can't remember who the donor was, I think we were playing spin the bottle, but the kiss was dazzling.
Buster had a lot of intensity, drive may be a better word. But I don't think he felt at ease in his home the way I felt at home in my house. I never thought about it but it was like he was a guest in his own house. Everything was so clean, and perfect. I don’t think I ever sat down in their living room. I don’t think anybody did.
His Grandfather Fuhtter (spell?) made a fortune with diet pills that Buster said, only half joking, contained tapeworms. His step dad smoked cigars and had a big lumber business, Myron Lumber. His mother had been a showgirl in Chicago. Arleen was his sister, Myron and Suzie, his stepbrother and sister.
I don't know the whole story. Ann Repko and Bette can fill in the details and correct my errors. As I remember, there was a romance between Buster and Bette while Buster was at the University of Miami. They courted on his speedboat on Biscayne Bay. But after a weekend in New York together, Bette drifted away. Then he had a hot telephone romance with Annie Repko. But had the misfortune to get a girl pregnant ("she'd do anything to not have to go back to her family's farm in Ohio," he told me.) between phone calls to Annie. And that was the end of romance in his life.
He and his wife split up after 3 years and although he kept looking for most of his life, he never found another Bette Pillar or Annie Repko. Well, how could he?
I thought about doing a short story about him, but it was just too unhappy.
So he had a solitary life. He sold yachts, always the first thing to plummet in a recession. And his stepfather dis-inherited him for no reason other than Buster wasn't his real son. Buster kept running every day.
My junior year I went down to U of Miami as co captain of the Williams track
team for a spring break track meet and stayed with Trapani. Buster was
living, not in a dank little dorm room like mine at Williams but in a long
series of motel rooms strung together to curl around the swimming pool. It
had, I was thrilled to see, a bamboo bar.
We went up to Fort Lauderdale where Grandpa Fuhtter lived on Royal Palm drive with a dock at the back. We rented a cabin cruiser with Corvette engine, picked up a couple of girls from Vanderbilt. On the way to the boat, one of the girls said, all honey and smiles, "don't ya'll wanna pick up a couple a six packs?" I didn't know the sun could be so warm, girls so pretty and the sea so blue. And no, I don't think it's right to say he didn't have much fun after high school. On that weekend, we had a ball. Never did make it to the track
07/26/11 - Do you remember John Sweet?
John Sweet (February 8, 1916 – July 5, 2011) was a US
Army sergeant serving in the UK in World War II when he was selected by
Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger to play the role of Sgt. Bob Johnson,
one of the three pilgrims, in the 1944 feature film, A Canterbury Tale.
Sweet was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
After the movie, he went back to the United States and made a few attempts
at an acting career, notably in theater, but finally decided to go back to
his original profession, teaching.
Sweet returned to Canterbury in October 2000 to join Sheila Sim for a
Michael Powell celebration and gave a 20-minute interview in the documentary
A Pilgrim's Return by Nick Burton and Eddie McMillan. This
documentary is featured in the Criterion Collection DVD of the film. The
soft-spoken Sweet provides details about the shooting of the movie, his
relationship with Michael Powell and the rest of the crew, and the effect
the film has had on his life. Sweet stated that "The few months I spent
making the film were the most profound and influential of my life".
Sweet was paid $2,000 for working on A Canterbury Tale, all of which
he donated to the NAACP (the National Association for the Advancement of
Colored People), a remarkable gesture for the time.
John died, at home in Fearrington, North Carolina on July 5, 2011.
Picture 1: Just wanted you to see my roomie from college and me...she is still one of my dearest friends ..that was a longggggg time ago!!
Picture 2: We had such a nice time at the BOATHOUSE restaurant in Naples
