Greetings from Dean Cook, NPHS Class of 1969: How HoJo's Launched His Career

We received the following email from classmate Dean Cook.  He cannot attend the reunion but he wanted everyone to know the following:

Dear Classmates:

Greetings to the class of 69!  Can you believe that my high school job at JoJo's actually set my career path?  After graduating from NPHS, I drove my Firebird to Florida to study hotel management at St. petersburg College.  My hotel career spanned 37 years and I worked in states from Florida to Massachusetts.  I worked at Hiltons, Ramadas and Holiday Inns.  My positions included general manager, director of operations, construction coordinator and project designer.

I have been married to my wife Donna for 42 years.  We have two sons and two grandsons.  Together, we have enjoyed cruising our boats on Barnegat Bay, the Hudson River and the Chesapeake Bay.  We also enjoy restoring or customizing several old cars, including a 1957 Chevy.  We are now both retired and moved to Pennsylvania this past January to be close to our grandkids (!).  We are building a new house near Hershey.  I enjoy playing golf, winters in Florida, and -- of course -- looking for old cars.

Love to all my friends from NPHS!

Dean Cook
dcookhh@hotmail.com

More Additions! Updated List of Attendees for the NPHS Class of 1969 Reunion

Here's the updated list of attendees for the NPHS Reunion.  New additions are in boldface.

Linda Allen Dickert
Richard Andronici
Paul Auerbach
Colleen Bersch Brown
Diane Broccolettie Leonard
Dennis Cecchini
Frank Cramer
Suzanne Dumont Millan
Nancy Eddy Hanna
Loren (Larry) Garland
Beverly Gaston Kochard
Marylyn Gross Stillman
Janice Hansen Lake
Karen Hultburg Pirozzi
Sandra Koflanovich Jantz
Karen Kretschmer Kochanski
Paula LaCosta
Jill Marks His
Noel Marks
Janet Medinets Doctofsky
Carl Mehlhorn
Kathy Miller Senna
Carol Mingione Greene
Janet Morris Smith
Richard Muglia
William Orloff
Wendy Perslin Trimarche
Emily Polskin Zylber
Howard Polskin
Joe Ricci
Robin Roselle Oratio
Ronald Schneider
Beat Steiner
Karen VonTish Andronici
Linda Wadnick Kollar

NPHS Class of 1970
Meryl Blumberg Broadbent
Claire Cox Krusch

Classmates Are Invited to the Friday, October 17, NPHS Football Game

As part of the Reunion Celebration for the NPHS classes of 1968 and 1969, all classmates are invited to attend the North Plainfield High School varsity football game on the night of Friday, October 17, NPHS Krausche Field.  The team squares off against Delaware Valley High School.  Kick-off is slated for 7 p.m. All classmates are also invited to a tour of the high school beginning at 6 p.m. and should meet at the main high school entrance on Wilson Ave. at 6 p.m.   (Anyone caught smoking will be subject to detention Saturday morning or else be forced to read all of Beowulf or My Antonia.)  If you're planning to go or would like more information please contact: Janice Hansen Lake (JaniceHansenLake@gmail.com).

NPHS Reunion Committee Meets Sept. 9

The NPHS Reunion Committee for the classes of 1968 and 1969 met September 9 to put the final touches on the upcoming October 18 reunion.  (Tickets are still on sale....contact Janice Hansen Lake:  janicehansenlake@gmail.com.)   Here committee member Effie Karpodinis Judge (class of 1968; left), Nancy Waller (class of 1968; center), and Adrienne Jacobs Graubard (class of 1968), examine photos of classmates.

Angela DellaVentura (class of 1968, left) and Janice Hansen Lake (class of 1969) share a bottle of wine and swap stories.

Karen Von Tish Andronici (class of 1969, left) and Effie Karpodinis Judge (class of 1968) take a break from their reunion committee duties.

Classmates from the class of 1968 Nancy Waller (left) and Adrienne Jacobs Graubard.

Take a bow....and a swig!  NPHS Reunion Class of 1968 and 1969 co-chairs, big shots and cat herders Janice Hansen Lake (class of 1969, left) and Gerry Garatino Burns (class of 1968).

Updated List of Attendees from the NPHS Class of 1969 for the Reunion

Here's the latest list of attendees from the NPHS class of 1969.  New additions are in bold.

Richard Andronici
Paul Auerbach
Colleen Bersch Brown
Diane Broccolettie Leonard
Dennis Cecchini
Frank Cramer
Suzanne Dumont Millan
Nancy Eddy Hanna
Loren (Larry) Garland
Beverly Gaston Kochard
Marylyn Gross Stillman
Janice Hansen Lake
Karen Hultburg Pirozzi
Sandra Koflanovich Jantz
Karen Kretschmer Kochanski
Paula LaCosta
Jill Marks His
Noel Marks
Janet Medinets DoctofskyCarl Mehlhorn
Carol Mingione Greene
Janet Morris Smith
Richard Muglia
Wendy Perslin Trimarche
Emily Polskin Zylber
Howard Polskin
Joe RicciRobin Roselle Oratio
Ronald Schneider
Beat Steiner
Karen VonTish Andronici
Linda Wadnick Kollar

NPHS Class of 1970
Meryl Blumberg Broadbent

REMINDER:  We still haven't heard from everyone.  If you haven't responded but plan to attend the reunion, please contact Janice Hansen Lake (JaniceHansenLake@gmail.com).  If you can't attend, please send Janice your contact information so we can be certain that the class directory has the most updated details about each of our classmates.

Also....it's never to late to place a very inexpensive ad in the reunion directory.  Contact Janice.

Dennis Disbrow Is a Great Grandfather!

Dennis Disbrow (class of 1969) sent the NPHS Reunion Blog a brief note with an update of his life (including his great grandfatherhood!) and a big hello for all former classmates.  We've taken the liberty of reprinting it below.  Any other classmates who would like to update us on their life situation, please write to hpolskin@gmail.com.

Just a note to let you know that I am  unable to attend the reunion this year as I leave for my Florida winter home.  I hope the classmates attending all have a great time that evening.  Just an update about me.  I retired 10 years ago on a buyout package. I spend my time golfing and fishing in Florida and New Jersey.  I became a great grandfather this year (where did the time go?).  It saddened me to see the RIP list on the blog.  I have good memories of all of them.  They are all gone too soon.  Please send my best wishes to all my former classmates.  Dennis.

What Music Do You Want to Hear (at the NPHS Reunion)?

So what songs do you want to hear at the NPHS Reunion on October 18? Janice Hansen Lake is taking requests.  If you have any specific favorites for the DJ, please let her know:  JaniceHansenLake@gmail.com

Just to get everyone thinking, her are the top ten songs of 1968:
1.  Hey Jude (The Beatles).  Can't believe WABC would play this 7-minute song endlessly.
2. Love Is Blue (Paul Mauriot).  A real stinker....can't believe that this song was so popular on top 40 radio at the height of the 60s!
3.  Honey (Bobby Goldsboro).  A real stinker....can't believe that this song was so popular on top 40 radio at the height of the 60s!
4. (Sittin') On the Dock of the Bay (Otis Redding).  Never gets old listening to this soul favorite.
5.  People Got to Be Free (The Rascals).  Good message for the time.
6. Sunshine of Your Love (Cream).  The very heart and soul of classic rock.
7. This Guy's in Love with You (Herb Alpert).  This is why top 40 radio didn't get it in 1968.
8.  The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (Hugo Montenegro).  Good song but not exactly rock music.
9. Mrs. Robinson (Simon & Garfunkel).  Iconic timeless favorite.
10. Tighten Up (Archie Bell & the Drells).  Still sounds great today.  

Other popular songs from 1968 include Born to Be Wild (Steppenwolf), Piece of My Heart (Big Brother and the Holding Company), White Room (Cream), All Along the Watchtower (Jimi Hendrix), The Weight (The Band), and...how could we leave this off the list?.... Sympathy for the Devil (The Rolling Stones).

We'll have a list from 1969 shortly.

Friends from Other Classes Are Coming to Our Reunion

While the October 18, 2014, reunion has been organized specifically for graduates of the NPHS classes of 1968 and 1969, other classmates will be joining us.  Here's the list (so far):

Attending from the Class of ‘67

David Bogenrief

Gordon Campbell

John Dandeo

Susan Eddy Hey

Roger Graubard

Peter Hondru

Susan Peterson Hondru

Attending from the Class of ‘70

Claire Cox Krush

Attendees (So Far) from the NPHS Class of 1968

Steve Abbruzzese

Lorrie Allen Jairdullo

Jim Antonisse

Bill Bennett

Barbara Brodzik Tomalo

Jonathan Brown

Nancy Bueschel Byrum

Nancy Campbell

Joe Cioce

Laraine Cox Reedy

Angela DellaVentura

Bob Dietrick

Wayne DiNardo

Judy Feller Hart

Gene Ferraro

Maggie Gabler King

Gerry Garatino Burns

John Greco

Susan Henry Martin

Adrienne Jacobs Graubard

Bob Kelley

Susan Krisburg

Barbara Kuhne Harwell

Carol Martinez Weber

Roberta Meiser Specht

Maryanne Meyer Kochut

Judy Nagel Abbruzzese

Jim Nazemetz

Judy Nazemetz

Nancy Reis Mann

Richard Searl

Linda Shebey Leugers

Patty Smith Dandeo

Jeff Sperling

Bill Thompson

Nick Thul

Nancy Waller

Kathy Weiss Greco

Harry Wemple

Doug Williams

Ann Yacka Marsteller

Attendees (So Far) from the NPHS Class of 1969

Paul Auerbach
Colleen Bersch Brown
Diane Broccolettie Leonard
Dennis Cecchini
Frank Cramer
Suzanne Dumont Millan
Nancy Eddy Hanna
Loren (Larry) Garland
Beverly Gaston Kochard
Marylyn Gross Stillman
Janice Hansen Lake
Karen Hultburg Pirozzi
Sandra Koflanovich Jantz
Karen Kretschmer Kochanski
Paula LaCosta
Jill Marks His
Noel Marks
Carl Mehlhorn
Carol Mingione Greene
Janet Morris Smith
Richard Muglia
Wendy Perslin Trimarche
Emily Polskin Zylber
Howard Polskin
Robin Roselle Oratio
Ronald Schneider
Beat Steiner
Karen VonTish Andronici
Linda Wadnick Kollar