Christmas with Santa Claus - And Santa Claus Himself!

 Jorja Hepner, MHS 66

 Kris Streed, MHS 66

 Moline's homegrown Santa - Mike Collins, MHS 68

 Kathleen Wilcox, MHS 66

 Bethany Jackson's Christmas dress, MHS 66, once removed

The Other Anniversary on November 22nd - Gregory Jackson and Christina Ellenberger Jackson - Fifty Years

John Robeson asked me when I was going to post our 50th wedding anniversary. As the cub reporter for Moline Memories, I began asking him early for anniversary photos.

John and I were in chem-physics class together and even appeared in the same newspaper photograph about the class. That was about 54 years ago. It was great to see John and Diana at the 50th reunion and earlier ones. Planning ahead, we have marked our calendars for the 70th reunion.

Christina and I met the first day of classes at Augustana College. I walked to school, rode my bike, and sometimes had a car. Many of  the friends from MHS 66 - The Class the Stars Fell On - hung around the student union. Christina got to know the Moliners and always came to the reunions. We went to my mother's activities and to my father's, so she became quite used to the Quad-Cities.

I took German classes, her major, and Christina took two years of Greek. We got married 15 minutes after early graduation from Augustana.

We celebrated our anniversary with friends and church members all over the US, Australia, and the Philippines. It was great to hear from the Canadian branch, too. I got to know that side of the family better when we lived and earned degrees in Ontario, right after Augustana and marriage. When we met Pastor Walter Otten, he knew the same clan from serving as a pastor in southern Ontario. We had another connection, with Pastor Richard J. Neuhaus, since we attended his home parish and heard his late father preach on Easter Sunday.

Pastor Jordan Palangyos, in the Philippines, likes to borrow blog posts and he is welcome to do that. He asked his pastor friends, Lito and me, to write about traditional marriage, so I will add a paragraph here.

God created the institution of marriage, the only human institution directly from Him.  God commands what is good for us, so we should not look upon marriage as a burden but as a divine blessing. There is nothing better than loving and being loved by someone. If God allows us a reasonable amount of health, we can grow in marriage for decades, experiencing the changes in life, opportunities and disappointments arising.

Marriage is the ultimate partnership, but nothing breaks up a partnership like a lack of forgiveness. Without forgiveness through faith in Christ, no partnership can survive. The result of unforgiveness is mutual accusation, mutual irritation, mutual hate replacing love.

The irony is that all people marry their opposites, because opposites attract and then annoy. Where one is strong, the other is weak or perhaps indifferent. That even includes who makes the ice cubes and other fundamental tasks. Humility lets us see how the other person is vital to all happiness, success, tranquility, and laughter. The opposite perspective is often exactly right, as I often remind my wife. But I hasten to add that she has made everything possible and delightful as well.

If we do not remain with the True Vine, Christ, through the Gospel Word and worship, we cannot be fruitful. Eternal values, revealed in the Scriptures, transcend the troubles of the day and transform the worst difficulties into blessings.

Sassy the Vistor

On morning walks, Sassy visits Pat whenever she is out. Pat even comes out in the cold to see Sassy. Today, Pat's son was visiting from Tucson, so the three of us watched Sassy scour the yard for treats. She found a roast bone and settled down for a long session. Pat was pleased to have her son there and Sassy enjoying the bone.

That reminded me of the 50th reunion of the Moline High School class of 1966. We took Sassy along and had two goals - we would see Toby McGriff in the nursing home, first of all, and Guy Johnson when he had time.

Toby's nursing home welcomed dogs, and Sassy soaked up the love from everyone. In fact, so many wheelchairs gathered around Sassy that all traffic stopped and we had to break up the traffic jam.

At Toby's room we could see he was in bad shape. Our memories went back to junior high band, starting with John Deere and ending with MHS. The same people come together for band, even for summer marching band practice, so we had years to compare band directors, baton twirlers, and band trips. Toby loved seeing Sassy. The Moline High 66ers went to Augustana in a large group, so Christina felt very much at home with the Moliners at Augie and the overlapping friendships. It was very hard to leave Toby - we all felt the sadness, no time for chipper denials. Toby passed on to eternal life not long after.

 Toby and I had stories way back in time.

Our other goal was to see Guy Johnson, whom we met at Lago's for the 45th. Our friendship went back to Garfield Grade School (now a condo) and comic books. I bought all the Classics Illustrated, even ordering them from the publisher, and gathered DC comics by the pound.

We sat outside and below the motel, near the river, visiting with Guy. He brought his dog who came over to me for petting and compliments. Sassy felt left out and tried some sharing, only to be growled away. She stood back, hurt, for a time - until Guy fussed over her. Then both dogs beamed as we all talked.

 Guy Johnson - outside of Lagomarcino's. His group asked for suggestions for their reunion. The '66 imperial reunion committee considered suggestions lèse-majesté.

Congratulations and God's Blessings - John and Diana Robeson's 50th Wedding Anniversary

John and Diana Robeson were married on November 22nd, 1969.

John and Diana flew to the Golden Gate bridge.

They biked the Golden Gate bridge with their family.

John is one of two PhDs in math/science who were part of the experimental chem-physics class at Moline High, The Class the Stars Fell On.

Alan Hoffman was the other PhD in chem-physics class. Here is Alan getting his Eagle Scout award with John Robeson.

Lawrence Eyre's Mother Celebrates Her 92nd Birthday

Lawrence Eyre's mother - Colleen - is 92.

 Colleen with baby Lawrence

 Last year, Colleen Peterson celebrated her 91st birthday.

 Lawrence was always goal oriented.

Happy 50th Wedding Anniversary - Jeannine Lawson McFadyen - August 30, 2019

Our latest addition to the Golden Wedding Anniversary List is Jeannine Lawson, MHS 66, married to Jay McFadyen since August 30, 1969.

The list will grow and more contributions are welcome. It is still anniversary if the spouse has not survived. Send via Facebook or greg.jackson.edlp@gmail.com.

Missing Man from the Champion Hasty Tasty Little League Team

Moline Western Division Champions, Little League, 1961

Front row: Dave Olson, Ray Diehl (MHS 66), Eldon Alters, Larry Eyre (MHS 66), Norm Slead, Jim Medd (MHS 66), Kenny Brock.
Middle row: Scott Culbertson, Tom Culbertson, Trevor Davis, Tom Slead, Steve Olson, Dennis Edwards, Steve Talik, Curt Edwards.
Top row: Manager Bob Diehl, Coach Rick Slead.

Rest in Peace - Burdette Ringquist - Calvin Coolidge Teacher and Principal

 Burdette Ringquist, Facebook Page

Burdette L. 'Burt' Ringquist Jul 12, 2019.

Burdette L. “Burt” Ringquist July 20, 1934 - July 10, 2019 LAKEWOOD RANCH, Fla. —

Burdette L. “Burt” Ringquist, 84, of Lakewood Ranch, Fla., formerly of Moline, well-known Moline educator, died Wednesday, July 10, 2019, in Poet's Walk Assisted Living, Sarasota, Fla. Services are 10:30 a.m. Monday at Bethel Wesley United Methodist Church, 1201 13th Street, Moline.

Burial is in Riverside Cemetery, Moline. Burt's family will greet friends at a funeral luncheon at the church following the burial. Trimble Funeral Home, Moline, is serving the family.

Burdette Leigh Ringquist was born July 20, 1934, in Moline, to John Wesley and Helen (Anderson) Ringquist.

He married Virginia Daniels on Jan. 31, 1954, in Moline. Burt graduated from Moline High School, Black Hawk College and Augustana College, and received his master's degree from Western Illinois University. He was an educator with the Moline and Quincy School Districts for many years. He retired as Principal of John Deere Middle School in 1996. He was previously an Administrator at Moline Senior High School and Principal at Coolidge Junior High School.

While in Quincy, Ill., he worked as Principal of Quincy Middle School and Quincy High School.

Burt was a member of Bethel Wesley United Methodist Church, Moline, where he was actively involved for many years, and he is a current member of Harvest United Methodist Church in Lakewood Ranch. An active civic leader, he was vice president of the Moline Board of Education, president of the Moline School Foundation and Junior Achievement, a board member for Chaddock Home in Quincy, president of the Moline DARE board, and a Stephen Minister.

He was instrumental in developing the Middle School concept in Moline schools, and was a consultant for the National Association of Secondary School Principals for the team concept of teaching. Family was important to him, and he enjoyed reading, traveling and genealogy.

Burt was a sports enthusiast and loved the Boston Red Sox. Burt is survived by his wife of 65 years, Virginia; four children and spouses, Kirk and Sissy Ringquist, of Nikiski, Alaska, Karen Ringquist, of Schaumburg, Ill., Kent and Pam Ringquist, of Lakewood Ranch, and Kyle Ringquist, of Provincetown, Mass.; seven grandchildren, Kelsie, Logan, Nash, Alexis, Nolan and Cole Ringquist and Matthew Karriem; and seven great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents and brothers, Delbert and Bruce Ringquist. Burt's family invites friends to share stories and condolences at TrimbleFuneralHomes.com.

 Mr. Ringquist, left, was always ready to do something fun with his fellow teachers. His class in civics was epic.

PS - I teach teachers at a university, so the question is often asked, "What was your favorite teacher like?" I had many favorites in the Moline system, from Kindergarten through graduation.

Mr. Ringquist was at the top of the list. He was always smiling, giving away his enjoyment of teaching. We had him for the required civics class at Coolidge, hardly an exciting topic.

The lessons must have stuck. I had to advise friends in 2016 that we were not voting for the president but for the electors who would decide the election.

I remember how he divided the class into rival factions and had us run a campaign, voting for a slate of politicians - us. We had to persuade him that our side was better than the other one. He challenged us to be creative, and we had a great time.

He had a great time, always smiling in class. I doubt whether any other teacher smiled so easily or so often.

Gregory L. Jackson

Mary Parsons Caisley - MHS 66 - Happy 49th Wedding Anniversary - Married on the Fourth of July!

Don and Mary Parsons Caisley, their son Chuck.

On their 45th anniversary, they posted their wedding portrait too.

Watching the Weekly Favorites on Moline Memories

 They were not from Moline, but we have aged with them.

We watched too much TV, our parents said, while watching TV.

I enjoy looking over the most watched for the week list in the left column, finding out which posts have suddenly gained attention. The all-time most viewed are at the bottom of the blog page.

Often one post will be viewed for the week because that person just passed away. My father used to read the Moline Dispatch and rattle the pages, saying in shock, "He was my classmate!"

I thought, long ago, some children and grandchildren might ask, "What was it like growing up in Moline? Did anyone famous come from there?"

The software that mapped the origin of readers often glowed for that spot called Hollywood, where we had three celebrities working or retired there.

I used to walk by the Bartlett Insurance Agency in downtown Moline, near Melo Cream. I never thought, "Maybe one will star on TV and be married to another star forever." No wait - "Maybe the family will build a beautiful addition on our new (in the 60s) high school."

Perhaps someone will win the Medal of Honor, someone I knew in school. No, too rare for that to happen.

 Downtown Moline in the 1950s. "Sir, Moline was a small town, as I have said, but there were those who loved her."

Bonnie Bartlett

 John Baker, Medal of Honor.

Legendary Locals - By David Coopman - "Coop"

 Legendary Locals of Moline, Illinois, by David Coopman

I cleaned up my bookshelf, sending many to friends, neighbors, and Waste Management, Inc. I kept Legendary Locals of Moline, because that is endlessly fascinating.

This is David Coopman's fourth book about the Quad-City Area, cities surrounded by farmland and flood waters. So many greats have come from this area that my wife responds to news about inventions and achievements this way, "I know, another Moliner."

Not always - but often. The computer was invented at a Rock Island roadhouse.

QC Online

"The research, going over old advertisements and meeting people who made the station what it was, is special," he says. "It never fails -- when I go to check a fact that I'm expecting to take 15 minutes, it always takes me three or four hours. It's been that much fun researching this book."

Lagomarcino's had to be in the book, but what about the Mayor of the Lutheran Holyland - Perryville, Missouri - Debbie Mitchell Gahan?

 

 Eyre is in the book for tennis, but added poetry to his resume. Publish or perish applies to tennis professors too.

Which class should have the most legendary honors, you dare ask? The Class the Stars Fell On - 1966.

Rest in Peace - Donald E. Coberly

Donald Coberly

April 26, 1948-May 31, 2019

KEITHSBURG — Funeral services for Donald E. Coberley, 71, of Keithsburg, will be 10 a.m. Tuesday at Van Hoe Funeral Home Ltd., East Moline. Burial will be in Rock Island National Cemetery. Mr. Coberley went home to be with the Lord on Friday, May 31, 2019. Visitation will be 4-6 p.m. Monday at the funeral home.

Don was born April 26, 1948, in Moline, the son of Jasper and Delia McLey Coberley. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1967-1973 as a communication technician with rank of petty officer. He was stationed in Kamiseya and Hakata, Japan, and Galeta Island, Panama Canal Zone. He married Connie Haney on March 23, 1974, in East Moline. He retired from John Deere Harvester East Moline in 1997, after 31 years of service. After retirement he worked for Illiniwek Forest Preserve for 14 years and then went to Ohio State Park for an additional seven years of service. He enjoyed playing the banjo, fishing, camping and playing golf. He loved spending time with his family.

Survivors include his wife, Connie; children, Stacie Coberley (Bob Kadel) Taylor Ridge, Julie Coberley, Hampton, and Michael Coberley (Laura Yates), Seaton; 15 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; and sister, Frances (Brent) McNelly, Xenia, Ohio.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Memorials may be made to the family.

Online condolences may be left for the family at www.vanhoe.com.

Professor and Coach Lawrence Eyre Publishes a Book of Haiku Poetry

 The book is available here at Amazon.

He's Back

 Successful Tennis Programs - Lawrence Eyre.

Eyre returns to guide Maharishi tennis

• Scott Jackson
• • 
    

FAIRFIELD — It had seven years since Lawrence Eyre had been the head coach of the program he had turned into a statewide high school tennis powerhouse. 

In those seven years since Eyre's retirement, the Fairfield Maharishi tennis program had gone from a program that won the Class 1A boys state tennis triple crown (state champions in singles, doubles and as a team in the same year) to a program that could not produce a girls team in 2018 or a boys tennis team this spring.

Eyre returned after seven years away from the program he established back in 1988 this past spring, taking over as the head coach of the girls tennis team. The Pioneers returned to competition with enough athletes to put together a team that went 4-2 in duals and had its top player, Olivia Goodale, coming within one win of a spot in the Class 1A girls state single tournament.

For Eyre, a return as Fairfield Maharishi head girls tennis coach is chance to grow the love of the sport for generations to come.

"By the time I got back, it was pretty clear that we didn't have a lot of kids that were learning the sport. I'm really committed to teaching the next wave of kids," Eyre said. "We didn't have enough kids for a girls team last year. We didn't have enough kids for a boys team this year. We should have enough for both teams to compete next year, even if they're small squads. That's our goal to start and we want to keep the pipeline flowing from now on."

While the numbers have been down, there were kids that Eyre found willing to stick with the sport. Goodale, for one, refused to give up playing Pioneer tennis despite going through a pair of winless seasons as a sophomore and junior, including last year spent competing with the boys program.

"I was terrible when I started out. I got beat every single time as the fifth player in singles as a freshman, then had to go through even more setbacks playing for the guys last year," Goodale said. "It's all about having the breakthrough on the court. That moment this year when I got that first win is by far the best moment I've had.

More here...

 Lawrence and Laurie Eyre

Jackson Wedding - Jackson Family Reunion

Josephine and Benjamin VanPool

I performed the marriage yesterday, which was held at an outdoor chapel in our area. Both families worked on the arrangements, which was a lot of work. Ben's family and friends were there. The Jacksons came in force. Josephine's mother's family also came. In addition, there were friends from the independent Lutheran church that I looked up when the newly weds (Martin and Tammy) moved to the Bentonville area.

At the reception and afterwards, Chris and I got together with my two brothers and sister, spouses, and two nieces. That was a lot of fun. Though they are deeply involved in family histories (D.A.R.) - I hastened to point out that a cousin we all knew passed away two years ago. I do obit searches all the time about Lutheran leaders and authors, so that was only natural to check on. There are classmates and friends of friends, all that.

The top row are the four siblings.
Our father and his brother took over a Melo-Cream Donut Shop. His grandchildren are all concentrating on their favorite health food. Roughly, 1975. Dad got Hawaiian shirts for us to wear!

 Little Ichabod (Marty) foreshadowed his son's looks and grin. His son Alex escorted his mother to her seat at the wedding, then ran around the outside perimeter to get his grandmother Chris and escort her. The audience enjoyed the sprint immensely.

 My sister Candace and our cousins.

Martin and baby Josephine

 Josephine and Danielle - always having fun together.