Once again we should turn our thoughts to Peter Staddon who gave all for us.
I can not believe it has been a year since we wrote Peters Memorial. I am sure everyone thinks of Peter in some way. I know for me this time of the year is very important. Not sad or happy, just important.
That run we all had on this website last year. Put smiles on my face so many times. I had never known so many of my THS Class Mates. But knew everyones names and personalities. So whether we were good friends or not back in High School. You are all my brothers and sisters {-:
I feel the same way, Louis. I kept pretty much in the background in school even though I really wanted to know and be friends with everyone.
As for Peter, we were like brothers for many years. We lived across the alley from each other. Our birthdays were nine days apart which meant back to back party weeks. When I got the news of his death, I was crushed as if it had been a family member. I've always remembered Pete on May 2 as well as on Memorial Day.
Let's all honor Pete all the rest of our fallen HEROES on Memorial day.
How perfect to remember Peter as we come upon another Memorial Day. While I didn't know him personally, what he represents should never be forgotten or taken for granted. For the sacrifices of our Dads, husbands, sons, grandsons, daughters and grand-daughters have made and are making, we owe a debt of gratitude. To Louis, & to others who served from the THS class of '69, I say a special thank you.
Louie! I do believe in honoring our fallen, especially those who we grew up in part or all of our lives. I bet he looks down on us always, and touches us to be as brave as he was. Take care. Bob
For those of us still in the valley, take some time to go to Wesley Bolin Park ( across the street from the Capitol ). You'll see Peter honored there, as all Arizonians.
I am truly sorry to have missed everyone in October. I love the pictures. For those who live in the valley, how about dinner ?
It is good to see so many sincere and heart felt comments about Pete Staddon. He was a great friend and a brave individual. I miss him and have thought of him often through the years. Thanks to all for making this coming Memorial Day a more meaningful one.
Thank you Louis for reminding us to be humble, especially as we approach another Memorial Day and the loss it means to us personally, and the freedom it means to us as a nation. I close my eyes and say a little prayer of thanks for all we have - home, family, friends, times together, even this forum. We have it now because of the sacrifice made by many. RIP to them all.
It is such a good feeling to have so many email addresses. I think Hutchings is right about having a Dinner. Only a Long Lunch on a Saturday, would be better for me and all that can come to it. Bobby should not be forgotten either as he was out in the Gulf of Tonkin. I have written a lot to everyone on this website. Seth shows up and we had so many laughs together. I'd like everyone to get involved with the website like it had been. But we do run out of stories.
It is great to hear from so many of you regarding Memorial Day. I am forever grateful to those who have served and those who have fallen so that I can enjoy all my freedoms in our great country.
I would love to participate in a dinner or lunch with any and all of you.
I can't tell you how often Pete's memory, his image, presents itself to me at all kinds of times and places. How fortunate we all are for having known him. He's in a special place. A hero in the truest sense of the word.
Do we run out of stories, or are we embarrassed to tell them, as the only ones left are the ones we've kept to ourselves... it would be interesting to hear those, of course, but I'm not going to go first!
Telling whappers huh? Phyllis you were to write a book if I remember. You should Google 'Tom Bird'. He has methods in writing to write a Book in 30 Days. I know him.
As for the book, it's still an idea and a great one. Maybe if I can do a mock up of what I mean it would make more sense to everybody, because we would all be the authors, not just 1 or 2 people.
Imagine a book about Tempe in the 60s with different chapters. One chapter could be about Mill Avenue. We could have pictures of the places that were there, personal stories from any of us who want to contribute, etc. Now vision another chapter about a section of Tempe north of University. Again, pictures (whether we get them from our own files or we find them elsewhere doesn't matter), and any pictures of farms - I know there were farms west of Priest - houses, businesses, etc. could be used. Another chapter would be a page on anybody who wanted to talk about their house or neighborhood - with pics and stories of course. A also think we should have a chapter on Baseline Road, the area south of Tempe where the barn party was held, etc. ASU could also be included, as the way it looked in that day is significantly different from today.
Does this make sense now? Who would want to contribute? We need people with pictures and stories. I'd volunteer to coordinate items, scan, save, lay out pages, etc., but the biggest thing is determining how to get the book published.
Count me in!! I thought it was a great idea last year! Maybe everybody will have more time for it this year since we're not planning a reunion at the same time.
Come on everyone! I know there are a lot of great stories out there that would be great for this project!
I know the big questions on a project such as this are along the lines of, 'Do we need a committee?' 'Who's going to do what?' etc.
Greg Campbell said that Kelly Moeur has publishing software (I have Microsoft Publisher myself - how about you, Kelly? Is this what you have, or do you have something more professional? Or Pat Gill, what about you? If we can organize the structure, have all of us provide content, chapter by chapter, I am willing to lay it out. I have a scanner, etc., but I know that in book publishing they may want scanners with certain capabilities, so I think the first thing to do is find a publisher.
Does anybody know how to do this? Or where to look? Or have any contacts?
You said you would like people to write about their ideas for you. They already did. Go back through all the Banter on all the postings in the THS website.
Kelly and I spoke this morning. We will explore the Tempe Legacy book idea and get back to you.
Phyllis
Hi Phyllis and everyone,
There are several online resources where you can publish your own book. One is lulu.com. My sister and I just created a photo album, with pages of text for my parents 60th wedding anniversary. We used Walmart.com. Both sites are very user-friendly.
So glad to see people posting again!!
The banter will be used where appropriate, but there were parts of Tempe personal to each of us we did not share. As far as pictures go, the ones we have in the Looking Back section are a good start.
Kelly is up in the mountains, lucky dog, and he and I will confer once he's back.
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