Tag: DePauw University

On Life and Love After 50 e-Newsletter – June 28 2024

Tom Blake – Columnist and Senior Dating Expert

The responses to last week’s SpaceX eNewsletter triggered unexpected memories and coincidences from my past that dumbfounded me. At the risk of boring you silly, I share them with you today.  Cheryl emailed, “I first wrote to you about meeting a former classmate at my # 40 high school reunion and how we married on the Big Island of Hawaii on New Year’s Eve 2001.  “In 2005, you invited us and other Champs to a Don Ho (Tiny Bubbles) concert at The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano. My husband Guy and I were 58. Guy was swarmed by women asking him for dating advice.”  Tom’s response to Cheryl. Don Ho’s manager in 2005 was Lou Robin, Johnny Cash’s former manager. (Johnny passed in 2003). Lou and I had been friends for 30 years. Minutes before the concert began, Lou came to our Champs’ table and asked me if I would introduce Do Ho to the audience. I said “yes” even though I had never met Ho. I went on stage and winged it. When Ho came on stage, he treated me like his forever, long-lost friend. It was funny. Ho’s daughter Hoku, 24, (one of 10 children) sang beautifully that evening. Cheryl sent a photo of herself and Guy at an antique car show that is included below.  Next, another email, this one from Ed, included a different color photo of the same SpaceX in the sky, arrived with the subject line, “Old Times.” Ed wrote, “We saw the SpaceX launch Tuesday here in Tucson. Spectacular. It’s been 60 years since you and I met each other at the University of Michigan Business School. I grew up in Parma, Michigan and you were from nearby Jackson, so we had that in common.”  Tom’s comments: I was surprised and pleased. Imagine. Out of the blue after 60 years. I knew nothing about Ed’s life. I didn’t realize he became a Champ earlier this year. His list of accomplishments is staggering.  Peggy emailed, “I’m 70 and spent weeks decluttering my parents ‘stuff.’ I say GET RID of ‘stuff’ before you die. Your children will be much happier with you. I’ve now started to collect my own ‘stuff’ and making weekly trips to Restore is much more pleasant and a good feeling! I’m living in the mountains of Georgia now. Her Georgia comment triggered a thought. I wrote back to Peggy: “Do you remember Wyche Fowler? He was a Congressman and US Senator from Georgia. And the Ambassador to Saudi Arabia. When you mentioned that you live in Georgia, it made me think of Wyche. Great guy. We were roommates in NYC in 1961 after we both graduated from college and went to work for big Wall Street banks. I hadn’t been in touch with Wyche Fowler for several years. I sent him an email. He responded. We spoke on the phone this Tuesday. Wyche and his woman friend, Becky, have been together for nearly 29 years. We didn’t talk politics. That’s one of the reasons why we’ve been friends for 63 years. Wyche and Becky are receiving today’s eNewsletter. They may share their story with us for a future column. Update July 31, 2024, Wyche and I emailed each other today. Topic: the upcoming presidential election. Bonnie wrote, “I enjoyed the photo of the SpaceX contrail. My daughter-in-law’s sister works there and trains the astronauts. I am always interested in their news.” Tom’s response. Although Bonnie worked for the Victoria Station Restaurant chain, as I did, we didn’t know each other. She’s been a Champ for many years. Her ‘astronauts’ mention struck a chord with me. I graduated from DePauw University in 1961. A Beta Theta Pi fraternity brother named Joe Allen became an astronaut.  I’ve had the picture of Joe and his astronaut crew members on my office wall since 1984. Joe made history while tethered outside the spacecraft. He retrieved a satellite from space and held it over his head during an orbit around the world and that satellite was brought back to earth.  I emailed Bonnie that information with the above picture included and copied Joe Allen and his brother David Allen on my email to Bonnie. Joe lives in Indiana; David in Kentucky. David called me on his cellphone and we spent nearly an hour reminiscing and catching up. Egad, 67 years of friendship.  And speaking of Victoria Station, Wil, one of my bartenders when I managed our Denver restaurant in 1971 responded to last week’s eNewsletter. Wil’s been a Champ for years. He lives in Hawaii and he’s happy he does. He thinks California drivers are insane. I agree with him. On Friday, Wil emailed: “I’m at the airport in California heading home to Hawaii. I attended a high school wrestling reunion.” Wil’s a survivor. He survived throat cancer 14 years ago and had a stent installed in his neck artery 2 ½ years ago.  Four years ago, at age 72, he married for the first time. He and his wife Pua are pictured below.   Champ Grant wrote, “I thought you might be interested in this.” He attached a video titled “Ring of Fire,” written in 1962 by June Carter Cash. Of course, it’s about her falling in love with Johnny Cash, her husband to be. The video was recorded live in 1968. It is an incredible piece of music. Carl Perkins and Marshall Grant are playing in the recording and sisters June, Anita, and Helen Carter are singing in the background. I knew and worked with each one of them in the 1970s. The link is on YouTube Premium. I hope you can open it: (10) Johnny Cash & The Carter Family – Ring Of Fire (Live 1968) – YouTube  I met and worked with Johnny and June in 1975 and remained friends with them for nearly 28 years.  Champ Ellen, Seattle, emailed: “Starlink has been in the news recently. Google Starlink and Elon Musk and see what comes up. (Ellen wasn’t too pleased with what she read online).  She continued, “The Angels are playing the Mariners and there is an AARP block. I just may have to go. “Clutter is something I’m working on. I will have to downsize. I just turned 77. It’s hard to imagine how I got here, but fortunately, I’m healthy and singing in a choir with seniors. We do Rock and Roll.”  Tom’s comment: The reason Ellen mentioned baseball and singing is we met at the Anaheim Angels baseball stadium in the mid-1990s when she sang the National Anthem, and I was seated just a row or two behind her. After singing near the pitcher’s mound, she returned to her seat. I introduced myself and asked her for a date. As I recall, she turned me down. But, we’ve been long-distance friends ever since.  Finally, filling out this emotional, happy memory week for me was a Facebook post by a Jackson, Michigan high school class of 1957 buddy David Dickinson who commented on the passing of baseball great Willie Mays last week at age 93. David’s dad owned the Texaco Gas Station near our junior high school. I used to go there to buy candy in the late 1940s. I met Willie Mays at Candlestick Park on the infield when members from our Naval Base were hosted by the Giants in 1964. This week I dug into my archives in the garage and found this picture of Willie Mays shaking hands with our department head, with me behind Willie clasping my hands in awe. The photo has been preserved perfectly. (See the photo below) Say Hey. What a week.  And one last item. Tuesday night, out of the blue, another pal from my 1957 high school class, Bruce Campbell, called me from Cincinnati. We talked for 25 minutes. He has eight great-grandchildren. I wonder why all of these memories arrived within a few days of each other. There must be an explanation.

Willie Mays-Candlestick Park 1994. Tom clasping hands on left

Champs Cheryl & Guy – vintage Jaquar at Dana Point Car Show

Champ Wil and Pua – Live in Hawaii – married 5 years