Dubuque Senior High School
Class Of 1968
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WHERE ARE THEY NOW
A Christmas Message
“The days of our life must become precious! In all Heaven and earth there is but one thing to do. Enjoy life, enjoy doing things exquisitely!”
2023 was a good year for the Class of 1968. The 55th Reunion in August was successful, with so many of us enjoying the picnic, boat ride and/or the beautiful evening by the river at Stone Cliff Winery. A very special “Thanks” to Nan (Fuerste) Smith for all her hard work, and to Patsy (Smith) Ball for keeping the books in order.
And let us not forget the 5 classmates we lost this year, whose names and obits are listed below. While no cause for rejoicing, in 2022 we lost 14. We now stand at 161 known passings.
Last year I posted my story about my 3rd Christmas away from home in 1973, about the above remonstration from a coworker, Anita, telling me of the days of our lives becoming “precious” and doing things “exquisitely”. What I didn’t tell you is I took her advice and joined several single GIs with similar plights. We all crowded into my VW minivan, which I affectionately call the Magic Bus, and traveled to Munich where we caught a train to Rome for 3 days. We wandered around town, saw all the sights we could, spent Christmas Eve attending mass in St. Peter’s Cathedral with Pope Paul VI, and finally dined at a fabulous small restaurant directly across from the Pantheon for Christmas Day dinner. It was indeed both precious and exquisite. Thanks for the advice, Anita.
This year I’d like to leave you with a true story which may give us some hope during this time, especially with the war in Ukraine and now Israel/Gaza. History buffs may recall the story.
It was 1914, and World War I had just begun. It was Christmas Eve and British and German solders were cold and wet in the trenches of the Western Front. In between the trenches was a “No Man’s Land” where the battle would rage, stopping only for brief moments while each side retrieved to the corpses of their fallen friends. But on that Christmas Eve the battle would cease, and the Germans and British soldiers would emerge from their trenches and meet in that No Man’s Land to exchange gifts of cigars and cigarettes. And from the British trenches, a soccer ball would emerge and in what can only be called a miracle, a game of soccer broke out among mortal enemies. You may find a complete account of what happened at the History Channel’s website (follow the link).
So during this season of joy, I hope you take some time to cross into No Man’s Land. Take that first step out of the trenches, not of the Western Front, but of anger and regret. Try to heal some wounds with family members or maybe renew a friendship with an old classmate. I know they’d love to hear from you. Make this glorious season of your life “precious” and “exquisite.”
I leave you with a beautiful rendition of one of my favorite songs, “Let There Be Peace on Earth.” Follow the link!
Love you all, stay well! Wes
Recent Classmates' Passings
Classmates' Condolences to...
Judy Streinz Beck on the death of her sister Jan (Pee Wee) Streinz
Geraldine Boge Vesely on the death of her brother Loras Boge
Mary Harry on the death of her husband, Gary Oliver, in January
Decmber 23, 2023