After graduation, I attended S. U. C. at Buffalo for one year -- long enough to realize that teaching wasn't for me, and long enough to meet my first wife. Got married in the early fall of 1966 at the very tender age of "almost 19" and set out to raise a family. The first five years were full of highs and lows. The highs being the arrival of three children. The lows being a seven-month taste of "Virtual Reality." Worked many different jobs, then settled in the heating and cooling end of construction work. The housing industry around Buffalo was booming and work was plentiful. After six years with Wardour and Belknap Heating and Cooling of Lockport, I took a position with J. Ward Reid and Sons, an oil company also in Lockport, as Service Manager. Due to an extreme personality conflict, the job only lasted one and a half years. Took a gamble in late 1974 and started my own mechanical contracting company. Bad gamble. Six months later, all new residential gas services were stopped in western N.Y. by National Fuel Gas, due to the energy crisis.

With three children to provide for, I had to find steady work. So I took a job with Friend Mfg. in Gasport full time, while still installing heating systems part time. Friend asked me if I would be interested in working in sales, as a factory rep. I tried it, liked it, and spent the next seven years traveling up and down the Eastern Seaboard for them. In 1983, I was offered a similar job with AgChem Equipment Co. of Minnesota. Much larger company, much larger pay check. For the next seven years I managed sales for them in the Northeast, logging 70-100,000 miles a year in a pick-up truck, and many, many air miles, doing trade shows, sales, and field service.

1990 was a year of change. My mother passed away in the spring, after residing in the nursing home in Gasport for 22 yrs., defying all the medical experts. My children were all grown, through school, and on their own. My marriage wasn't going too well (basically my doing) and we separated. All I knew was that there was something missing, and I didn't want to travel any more. My job took me to many places, one of them a small town in the Berkshires of Western MA, where I had a dealership. One of the gals who worked there was a friend, and was doing the single parent thing with her four-yr.-old son Joey. We got to talking, went out a few times, and decided to cast our lots together. That was fifteen yrs. ago; Joey is now nineteen and we still live in the same mountain cottage we moved into in the winter of 1990. It's located about 17 miles north of Gettysburg, nestled in the foothills of the Carpathian Mtns. No wait, that's Transylvania, this is Pennsylvania.

My wife Susie is an avid sports fan -- baseball (Red Sox), hockey, and NASCAR, and she can no longer participate in any of my son's Fantasy Leagues because she always wins. She is the Center Manager for a Women's Health Center in Gettysburg. I have worked the last 15 yrs. for a small farm equipment dealership in Biglerville, PA. Along with a pride of cats (8 at the present time; we've had as many as 12), we continue to reside in this remote section of the Emerald Forest, outlasting three landlords already.

My children are all doing well and reside in the western N.Y. area. Sherri (38) and her husband Eric live in Batavia. They have two beautiful girls, Maddi and Noelle. Sherri is the High School Guidance Counselor for the Warsaw Central School System and Eric is a Physical Therapist/ Registered Nurse. Nicole (35) and her husband Gary also live in Batavia. They have one son Gary II, who is a never ending source of amazement. Nicole has worked for the United Way for 15 yrs., and is the Administrative Asst. for the Genesee, Monroe, and Wyoming county offices. Gary is a packaging supervisor for OATKA Products in Batavia. Shawn (33) and his lovely wife Susan live in Churchville, N.Y. They have a beautiful daughter Alaina, and the latest addition to the family, Parker, a very huggable leprechaun with red hair and crystal blue eyes. Shawn is a produce broker for G.W. Palmer Inc. of Tenn., with his office in Elba, N.Y. Susan at present has a full time job with Alaina and Parker.

I have been truly blessed during my life, with three great kids the first time and a great kid this time. Five beautiful and healthy grandchildren, and the perfect Parlor Mate now. Two years ago I had to have some heart surgery, and as I watched the screen while they were installing the springs etc. to get blood to flow to the old ticker, I realized that if you've got a good cup of coffee, a pretty face across the table, and a cat in your lap, it doesn't get any better than that.

We regret that due to prior commitments, we will not be able to attend the reunion in July, but hope everyone has a memorable time. May harmony and sunshine find you all.

2010 Update:   Retired as of 1/1/10; crawling around on the cement at the shop got to be too much for the "old bones." Have one more grandchild, Preston, born on 8/1/07.

Trying to remember any other changes, one word keeps coming up -- "still."

"Still" - Live in the same cottage in the woods.

"Still" - Share cottage with my parlor mate Susie.

"Still" - waiting for the Bills to win the Super Bowl.

"Still" - waiting for the Sabres to win the Cup.

Susie has had several serious medical problems over the last few years -- back surgery, etc. -- but she's "still" hanging in there.

"Still" providing food and shelter for people's throw-away cats, although now down in the single digits; old age is tough on them too.

"Still" trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up.

"Still" wearing a black hat with a checkerboard band.

Most important "still": trying to make at least one person laugh or smile everyday.

Just still, "still" I guess.

Thanks,

Dave