186 Emails-Registrations Coming In

Another milestone. Hope you are looking forward to our reunion! Fill the registrations out and send 'em in:)

Dan Hill Found and Shares his story!

After graduation, I married the little gal (Linda) that I worked with at the Arctic Circle on Yakima Ave. We have been married for 38 years and have a son (Danny) who is a policeman, and a daughter (Angie) who works for a software company. We have 2 great grandsons that we enjoy very much and take them camping often. We now live in Beaverton, Oregon. I worked at Tektronix for 28 years, Steelcase for 8 years, and am now working at my dream job as Executive VP of Operations for Traeger Pellet Grills in Wilsonville, Oregon

The bio from Vickie (Wade) McDonald

After the all night party in 1970 I slept for 24 hours and then began my job as the summer school secretary back at Davis High…..guess I didn’t go far.
That was a busy summer.

I worked a few weeks at DelMonte in Yakima and learned to sort and trim fruit. From this brief education I began my career at U.S. Bank.
It was Bank of Yakima in August 1970 when I walked into the lobby wearing a wig to make me look older and applied for a job. Now after 40 years (with several small breaks in service) I am still here toiling away.

Over the years I’ve been a wife, mother, grandmother, daycare provider for eight children(not mine) receptionist for a drug company, worked for five different banks and a CPA firm plus tried a stint as a graphic ad designer at the Yakima Herald.

My career at U.S. Bank began with Bank of Yakima who after some mergers became U.S. Bank. The other banks I worked for were Pioneer Bank and NBof C in Kennewick.
Over those years my bank positions included teller, vault teller, operations assistant, consumer loan specialist and new account specialist, regional administrative assistant, commercial loan note and documentation specialist, small business portfolio specialist and my current position commercial lending relationship specialist. I like the variety so try different hats…except selling or management. Those hats don’t fit my head. I love to learn and just finished a financial analyst certification program.

My hobby is creative writing and I took some courses at YVC and online..it was so much fun!! There isn’t enough time to dedicate but I did write a couple items for a local parenting magazine a few years back.

I married Kevin McDonald in February 1971 and we celebrate 40 years next February. We were blessed with one daughter and named her Michelle Marie. She is blessed with our two grandsons, Skyler and Brandon. We have two dogs..Chance and Molly. These folks along with my mom and stepdad, two sisters, niece and nephews who all live in Yakima are my life.

Reunion Registrations are OUT!

If we have your mailing address, you will be receiving your registration this week. Unfortunately, and after getting the on-line registration and pay pal links working, they now have a glitch. WE DO NOT HAVE AN ON-LINE OPTION AT THIS TIME AND PROBABLY WON'T. SO...FILL IN THE FORM AND MAIL IN.

Cindy Derefield Runnels pipes up!

I tried the college thing right after high school. I GUESS you have to be for ready for it and I wasn't,At that time anyway. I left Yakima in 1973 to WATERLOO IOWA to re-acquiant myself with my Father and siblings. ( I was raised in Yakima the oldest of 10 children ). While there I met a married my first husband, who worked at JOHN DEERE. We had 3 children, Leta who is 37, Jennifer 33, and my son John 32. We were foster parents for 20 years and in that time parented 40 kids from all walks of life. From battered and abused ..to a doctors kid who just didn't cut the mustard to his father specs.

I wasn't *Just a housewife.* My mother in law had income property so I helped her , met weekly with Social workers, therapists, parents of the foster children. Took foster parenting classes to learn techniques and new ways to handle kids.

We were at school functions with the kids, SPORTS. Imagine sitting in the bleachers, in a snowmobile suit, at a football game and watch them stop a game long enough to remove snow off of the lines.

First grandbaby was born in 1992, Corrine . From then to this date we have 12 living Grandchildren ranging from 18 yrs to 2 yrs. We have 2 Angels Carter and Kayleigh.

In 2000, I left him and moved to TEXAS. Had never been alone in my entire life, always had siblings around. Never had to work outside the home..Until then..!! I applied and was hired at a nursing home in Palestine, Texas. They trained me and I became a CERTIFIED NURSES AIDE. Got divorced and loved learning about myself.

Then in Feb. of 2001 I met John, my current husband. He tells the story that an ANGEL fell , had some bruises and he took care of her and made her his wife. We will be married 9 yrs in July. I work in the local nursing home. he encouraged me to do something that wasn't so tough on the body So I became a medication aide.

I married one of the best deisel mechnics in all the area. People bring their tractors to him from 100's of miles away. He is also LEGALLY Blind. He has macular degeneration in right eye and a prosthetic in left eye that he injured with a chisel.
HE mechanics I work in the nursing home PRN, cause he is my priority in life, he is MY LIFE
We have 3 1/2 acres of heaven with a cow named MICHELLE, her calf named TUESDAY and donkey named Rosie. A Huge garden.

WHO could ask for more.

Cindy Derifield Runnels
Buffalo, Texas

Editor's Note: I wish I had a donkey!

Hear from Carlene (Dobbs) Humbard

Two weeks after graduation I married my high school sweetheart Ed Humbard (Davis class of ’69). We are going to celebrate our 40^th anniversary in June. We have a wonderful daughter who has blessed us with two beautiful grandchildren: Carlee 12; and Tanner 9. We live on 1.5 acres in West Valley and our daughter and her family live next door to us. I am an Office Manager at the elementary school where my grandchildren attend(ed). I am fortunate enough to get to see them everyday--it doesn't get any better than that!

Editor's Note: I had the pleasure of a short visit with Carlene when I was in Yakima a few weeks ago. The picture does not lie. She is as lovely as ever.

Vickie (Stiner) Thornell with her Bio

I have been blessed with a wonderful life. I have been married to my husband, Red, for 37 years. We have two children, Stephanie, 34, and Randy, 31, and they have given us four grandchildren, two boys and two girls, ages 6, 7, 9 and 10. Our family is very close and we enjoy spending time together, particularly our summer trips to Lake Havasu, Az. We also attend our grandchildren s' sporting events and dance recitals, and our son races IMCA Modified race cars in California, Arizona, and Nevada. Consequently, life is very full and busy.

I worked for a number of years as a medical secretary in Yakima, in Loma Linda, California and in Palo Alto, California. Each position provided me with new skills that allowed me to progress professionally. After moving to the High Desert in Southern California, I took a position as an Executive Assistant with a local government agency, and eventually moved on to the same position at a regional water agency, from which I retired in December 2008.

An accomplishment of which I am very pleased is my five year anniversary surviving terminal cancer, which I survived as a result of prayer, a positive attitude, and excellent medical care. As a retiree, I have the time now to give back to those who are going through cancer treatment by giving advice in a variety of areas involving cancer care and I am also able to spend time helping out in my grandchildren's classes at school, something I really enjoy. And I finally have time to read (never enough time when I was raising children adn working), to sew, and to exercise regularly. Plus, my husband and I now have time to travel whenever we want to do so. Life is good!

Editor's Note: Am so excited to see Vickie, as well as you all!

Barbara (Baker) Hobbs

She will follow with her bio shortly. Glad to re-connect after all these years!

John McDonald's Story

Where to start. After graduation, I didn't do too much for a couple of years. My first job was at the Red Apple motel as a maintenance man. It was just temporary. I went to work at Holtzingers for a couple of years. Did security at the Fair a few times. I did temp work off and on for a while. I worked at Del Monte one season. From 1977-1979 I worked at the parking lot ticket booth at the airport. In 2001 I met my future wife, Debra. We were married in October 2001. We had a little over 3 years together. She passed away in December 2004. I haven't done much since then. Just trying to live one day at a time. I'm looking forward to see people at the reunion. Some that haven't seen since the last reunion. Some that I haven't seen since high school. I guess that's about it. John McDonald.

Editor's Note: John has been very helpful trying to track classmates down. Thanks so much, John, for all your help.

Phil Heddlesten-Found With Bio!

Jan 1971 joined US Navy
I spent 20 years traveled all over the world...20 months in Nam got to go to Hong Cong, Singapore, Japan, got married in 77 and lived in Australia for 2 years were my oldest was born (Heather) in 78. Heidi was born in Washington State in 1980. Then off seeing more of the world, we lived in Brunswick Me. for a couple years and Lajus Portugal for 2 more. In all have been to 22 countries and some more then once.

Got divorced in 1988. The girls and I moved back to Maine to wait out my retirement, which I did in 1991. We moved back to Yakima to settle. 2000 remarried to my lovely wife Rolande and step dad to Joel and Darlene. My wife is from Paris France, I travel all over the world and came home to Wenas Lake to meet my little French Girl. We now have 9 grand daughters and 2 grand sons.

We love to fish and spend time in the woods.

It Is Time To Live The Dream

Phil Heddlesten
USN RETIRED

Cathy Poyser Chimes in, too!

"After graduation I stayed in Yakima, attending YVC and then working for the Yakima Police Dept. for three years. In 1975, I quit my job and with no real plan other than to go to Southern California and enjoy the sunshine, headed south. I ended up spending 17 years in the Los Angeles area, going to work for Safeco Insurance Company (until I figured out what I wanted to be when I grew up!). In 1992 Safeco gave me the opportunity to transfer to Seattle and so I came back to the Northwest to be closer to my family. I worked for Safeco for 29 years before deciding in 2004 to take a little "me" time. I figured I would take a couple months off before looking for something new to keep me occupied. But 2 months turned into 2 years before I knew it and by then I wasn't in such a hurry to get back into the rat race! I finally returned to the working world last summer, after nearly 5 glorious years (trust me when I tell you I will have no problem keeping busy when I retire for good!). I've been fortunate to be able to travel quite a bit, not only in the U.S. but in Europe as well. I love to quilt, garden and relax with friends and family. My mom still lives in Yakima so I make it over fairly frequently. I can't believe it's been 40 years since we graduated since I certainly don't feel 40 years older! I'm looking forward to seeing old friends at the reunion."