This is graduation month for Northshore high schools and the only safe prediction about the Class of 2010 at Bothell, Inglemoor, Woodinville and Secondary Academy for Success (SAS) is that they are going to get an overload of advice this month.

How history will measure them is something that will play out for the next 50 years. Will there be big success stories? Will these classes make an impact on communities, especially ours?

I have to admit I have a favorite class — Bothell ’63. Unless someone can persuade me otherwise, I consider this to be just about the top class ever of all the Northshore high schools.

I confess that one reason I like this class is because I know it better than most others. I had been editor of the Northshore Citizen weekly community newspaper for less than three years when this class of 256 young men and women graduated. Three of them were Citizen employees. Members of the class helped me with this column.

The class of ’63 graduated before Inglemoor or Woodinville high schools were built. Everyone went to Bothell, giving the class a geographic diversity you don’t find today.

This class produced five principals, including 1988 state high-school principal of the year (Al Haynes) and a former Lockwood Elementary principal (Lynda Whisman Humphrey), a noted astronomer (Gary Wegner), a fashion designer who was featured in People magazine (Jeanne Allen), the dean of the University of Washington School of Pharmacy (Sid Nelson) and a noted microbiologist (John Sutherland), who is on the editorial board of the journal Applied and Environmental Biology, a publication I admit you won’t find in my mailbox.

Grit? One fellow in the class (Chuck Arnold) ran out of money in community college, joined the Air Force as a raw recruit and retired 36 years later as a lieutenant colonel. His cousin and ’63 classmate (Gary Dale) earned a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart in Vietnam.

Two journalistic classmates, Craig “Sideline Smitty” Smith and Elizabeth Rhodes graduated together in 1963 and then coincidentally retired at the same time in 2008 from The Seattle Times with a combined 62 years of service at the paper.  He was a sportswriter, she a real-estate reporter-columnist.

This class has millionaires, business executives, artists and writers. It even had a knack for marrying well. Spouses include a Stanford professor, an opera singer and an admiral.

There are at least seven Ph.D.s in the class, dozens of folks who ran or are still running businesses, A future lawyer in the class (Jay Fortun) has brokered oil and gas deals all over the world. A businessman in the class (Bob Peterson) co-owned a company that built facilities enabling construction of the Alaska Pipeline. He moved on to found and later sell a bank and now owns industrial parks. Janet Green Hunter has served on the board of Hunter Industries, an international giant in the irrigation industry.

Another reason I like this class is its civic involvement. George Selg led the recent Pop Kenney Stadium scoreboard drive. More than half the money for the $160,000 project came from the pockets of the Class of ’63, including all four donors who each gave more than $10,000.

“The people I’ve stayed in touch with remain proud members of the Class of ’63 and always enjoy just being in each other’s company,” George recalls. “There’s a genuine loyalty to our school, the community where we grew up and to one another.”

These days, Selg and Alan (Speck) Strand are leading efforts for a Northshore Wall of Fame at Pop Keeney Stadium to honor distinguished alumni, gifted teachers and staff members. Chuck Kaysner has been president of Bothell High School Alumni Association for so long it must feel like a Supreme Court appointment. Farrell Adrian is a state officer in the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), a cause close to my heart, as I continue as the new editor of “The Voice of NAMI Washington” statewide newsletter.

Successful stockbroker Coleen Coleman Anderson has been a force in regional Camp Fire activities for decades and also started a tutoring program. Irene Millikan has made a dozen trips to the Ukraine where she works with orphans.

This is a class with some Bothell pioneer blood, with an Ericksen, a Green and a Haynes among others. By one count, there were eight marriages in the class and, yes, not all of them lasted.

A lot of the friendships in the class have lasted. There was a Horizon Club (Camp Fire) group of about 25 girls in high school and Eleanor Green (Janet’s mother) was their adviser. Fifty years later, the group still has reunions. The last one was in Florida and drew nine women where it was reported they confronted a hungry, hovering alligator while on an otherwise leisurely boat ride through the Everglades. Reunions closer to home have drawn bigger numbers.

I’ve been invited to some social functions in the past year that were top-heavy with ’63 folks and I’ve seen that the people in the class genuinely like each other, enjoyed their years in the Northshore School District and want to give something back. A lot of people in the class think the class is special and don’t mind telling you exactly that.

I have to agree.

More information on the Class of ‘63 will be found at www.bothell-reporter.com. From an extensive list, I have included those who you might run into around town, class members I’m glad I’ve met and some I would like to meet.

BHS ’63 alums mentioned in this column:

Farrell Adrian – Managed the first gallery in Seattle (owned by Virginia /Mrs. Bagley Wright) to show work by New York artists– Jasper Johns, Robert Raushenberg, Claes Oldenburg, Stella, Andy Warhol. Then became public relations director at Rhode Island School of Design while husband was in graduate school. Established the first Health and Human Services department for the city of Shoreline when it incorporated and its at-risk teen program won state awards. State officer in National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).

Jeanne Allen – Featured in People Magazine for the Jeanne/Marc line of clothing she designed and manufactured with her artist husband, Marc Grant.

Chuck Arnold – Quickly ran out of money in college and went from raw Air Force recruit to Lt. Colonel in 36–year career. Served all over the world and made 27 household moves. One of his last commands was as director of logistics for the Air Force Division of the U.S. training mission in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Coleen Coleman Anderson – Was West Coast manager for institutional trading for Paine Webber and senior vice president McAdams, Wright Ragan. Former president of Seattle Security Traders Association. UW grad remains active in Seattle-area Camp Fire and also started a tutoring project.

Gary Dale – As soldier in Vietnam, his medals included the Bronze Star and Purple Heart. Has overcome tragedies and setbacks including death of his wife and raised his children. Retired diesel mechanic.

Jay Fortun – As oil and gas lawyer in Texas firm, he negotiated contracts throughout the world. He also was chief international counsel for Hunt Oil Co. in Dallas.

Janet Green Hunter – Has served on board of directors of Hunter Industries, a giant irrigation supply and golf-course water system company based in San Diego with more than 1,000 employees. Met her future husband at Whitman College and Hunter Conservatory on Whitman campus is named after the Hunter family. Active with American Field Service Intercultural Programs, including international exchange students.

Al Haynes – Was a high-school principal for 21 years in the Northshore School District, 10 years at Inglemoor (state high-school principal of the year there in 1988) and 11 years at Bothell High School. Won a Carnegie Grant in 1984 to study at Harvard’s Principals Institute.

Chuck Kaysner – Has tie to winning team every year in Apple Cup because he got bachelor’s in Bacteriology & Public Health from WSU and a Master’s in Food Microbiology from UW. Was a research microbiologist with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for 35 years, 22 of those as a research microbiologist developing methods for detection of human pathogens in foods, mostly seafood. Served as a volunteer firefighter in South Snohomish Co. for 27 years.

Irene Millikan – Has made a dozen trips to the Ukraine to work with orphans the past 12 years. Got BA in education in Ohio, and master’s degree from WSU.  Worked with K-7 children in public education for six years, then taught American kids on a mission hospital compound in Bangladesh for one year, then supervised student teachers for nine years.  Worked for Boeing Company in training and employee development for twenty years and is now retired.

Sid Nelson, PhD. – Dean emeritus, UW School of Pharmacy. Endowed Professor in Drug Metabolism, Transport and Pharmacogenomics Research, and Professor of Medicinal Chemistry, UW. Was a high-school gymnast.

Bob Peterson – Was president of Olympic Prefabricators, Inc., Olympic Constructors and Pacific Constructors, Intl., which built facilities for Alaska Pipeline and mining and fishing projects in Alaska. Founded and later sold a bank. Owns Pacific Industrial Parks and other commercial and residential projects. One of the managing general partners in Sheraton Seattle Hotel. Was aerial navigator in Marine Corps and a major in Army Reserve.

Elizabeth Rhodes – Retired as Seattle Times real estate columnist and reporter after 30 years at the paper. Previously worked for Rome (Italy) Daily American, The Charlotte Observer and The Miami Herald. While in high school, she spent a day in auto shop in an era when women were never mechanics and wrote about it for school paper

George Selg – Founder and President of two companies (one international and primarily doing business in Taiwan and China) designing, marketing and supporting the construction of large scale industrial and municipal wastewater treatment and air pollution control environmental systems. KingCo Conference high jump champion as senior because Bellevue’s star jumper was dismissed from team the week of championship meet for drinking beer.

Craig Smith – Best known as Seattle Times sports columnist “Sideline Smitty.” Northshore Citizen alum spent 32 years at Times with previous journalistic stops in West Virginia, Alaska, Associated Press and Seattle P-I. At the Times he covered other Cougar sports teams, primarily the college variety in Pullman. Sometimes signs off his e-mails with “Bothell Forever.”

Speck Strand – Inducted into Washington Athletic Directors Hall of Fame after long career as coach and later athletic director at Bellevue High School. His father, Arne, was principal at Bothell High School when Class of ‘63 graduated. Three-sport athlete who was all-KingCo in football and played in all-state baseball game.

John Sutherland, Ph.D. – Microbial researcher with Food and Drug Administration. Received his Ph.D. in Plant Pathology from Washington State University and has been a faculty member at Texas Tech University, Michigan Tech University, and the University of Idaho. Began his research at the National Center for Toxicological Research (Food and Drug Administration) in 1988 and is currently working on the microbial transformation of fluoroquinolone drugs and the detoxification of recalcitrant aromatic compounds by fungi and actinomycetes. He is on the editorial board of Applied and Environmental Microbiology.

Gary Wegner, Ph.D.  – Endowed Professor of Physics and Astronomy at Dartmouth College, and recipient of the Alexander Von Humboldt Prize. Wegner was also a member of a famous group of seven astronomers called the Seven Samurai who, in the 1980s, discovered the location of the Great Attractor, a region of material 250 million light years away. He has co-authored and authored over 320 articles in astronomy and astrophysics.Got his doctorate from UW. Had a backyard telescope growing up in Bothell and won Westinghouse Science Talent Search Award in high school.

Lynda Whisman Humphrey – After serving as principal at Lockwood Elementary in Kenmore, she later held the post of Director of Strategic Planning, Grants and Staff Development for Northshore schools. Was doctoral candidate at UW. Was first-chair clarinet as junior and senior and she and classmate Ricky Boldrin, first-chair trumpet, jokingly call each other “first chair.” Something else they have in common, both hold pilot licenses. 

Class of ’63 grads who you, too, may encounter in Bothell:

Al Anderson – Retired member of Bothell Fire Department. Anderson family operated Downriver Marina next to Wayne Golf Course for years. Al’s father, Harold, designed and built the original nine holes at Wayne Golf Course and the course opened in 1930. Al’s brother, Dave, was Bothell Class of ’61.

Sally Hamilton Delvecchio – Assistant deli manager at Bothell QFC. Also has worked for 46 years as hair stylist. Father Bob owned and operated Bothell IGA.

Frieda Peterson Gahn – Involved with Lions Club.

Terry Magill – Retired fireman.

Syd Pygott – Retired Metro bus driver.

Bill Schmer – Retired from Coca-Cola; wife Bev Neimeyer (BHS ’67) is newsletter editor for BHS Alumni Association.

Bob Stinson – Retired Bothell fireman.

Class of ’63 folks I’m glad I’ve met:

Tom Blue – Talented painter who owns framing store.

Forrest Brown – Class president was good with his hands and was career plumber. He now runs “A Country Location,”a rural retreat north of Marysville used for weddings and meetings. The Class of 63 held its 45th reunion there.

Dennis Couch – Rose through educational ranks to superintendent of Stanwood School District and then on to head the Northwest Educational Service District, a group of 35 school districts. His twin brother, David, is a lawyer in Oregon.

Kathie Edmonds – Bothell First Lutheran minister’s talented daughter is married to opera singer Jan Opalach, she lives in New York and transcribes music for specific performances by various musical companies and performers.

Wayne Ensign, PhD. – Got doctorate from University of Arizona and works for Department of Defense but says he can’t talk about his work. This had led to macho (cq) speculation by classmates. Tough guy. Suffered neck injury pole-vaulting in back yard before senior year but still played football that fall.

Mike Ericksen – Princeton-bound son of Mayor Bud Ericksen was student-body president. Played some football there and later got master’s degree at Rutgers. Now  works as an accountant in San Diego. Injured competing in Sammamish Slough outboard race in junior high. Led comeback football win against Mount Si on a Monday night on Pop Keeney Field after Columbus Day storm of 1962 had knocked off lights while Cougars trailed at Mount Si on Friday night. Lives with his wife BB in San Diego.

Kay Fisher Meyers – SPU MBA grad worked 22 years at Reynolds Metals and 20 years at Boeing, where she was on the 787 Airplane Program before retiring in 2005.  Owns a small clinic and rentals in Everett, and owns Mountainside Storage business in Sultan.  Brothers Roger and Mike were founding members of musical group “Heart” after graduating from Inglemoor High School. Kay is “Auntie Kay” to 16 nieces and nephews. 

Merrillee Hall – Daughter of Cliff Hall, who owned Cliff’s Restaurant on Main Street. Merrillee and her husband Don have lived in an historic house in Chelan for about 25 years. They prepare certain items for restaurants and also have a dog-boarding business.

Cynthia Holbein Cramer – Graduated from the UW, married naval officer, Mike Cramer (Seattle Prep, UW Naval ROTC) and followed him from Whidbey Island to Washington, D.C. with foreign tours in Moscow, London and Gaeta, Italy.  Following his promotion to rear admiral, he was intelligence officer for the Joint Chiefs of Staff under Chairman Colin Powell, and then assumed the position of director of naval intelligence.  While Mike worked, Cynthia taught school, raised two daughters, entertained numerous foreign dignitaries and their wives, traveled throughout the world, and completed seventeen “change -of-address notices” during Mike’s 30-year naval career.  After the Navy, Mike worked in the defense industry in Washington, D.C. Cynthia and Mike are retired in Poulsbo.

Max Holtrop – Dutch immigrant whose family owned Hillcrest Bakery. Now lives in Phoenix. Max used to tell auto shop instructor he had to go downtown for auto parts then would cruise over to his parents’ bakery and return to school with boxes of donuts and other pastries. Lunchroom supervisor once asked him and his friends, “Do you guys ever eat anything that is healthy?”

Tim Howard – Former Citizen employee says he got interested in community journalism because of the experience working for us in Bothell. He could fix anything and is a project engineer for a company in Minnesota.

Ed Johnson – Voted best athlete in the class, Johnson was a three-sport standout who went into education and became elementary school principal in Skagit County after being assistant principal at Burlington-Edison High School. He was a key reason the Cougars made it to the state-championship basketball game in 1962, where they lost to Garfield 36-34.

Becky Leavitt Willow – Co-owns and operates Park Place Books in Kirkland, one of the last independent bookstores in the Greater Seattle area.

Phil Peterson – Retired as major in Washington State Patrol and is living in Arizona. Played college basketball at Seattle Pacific. Was starter as a junior on Bothell’s 1962 state runner-up team.

Pat Price – Followed her mother into education then went into other pursuits and her jobs have included owning a house cleaning business and managing hostels.

Cathy Lavender Roarke – Her younger sister, Marilyn, was one of the best advertising salespeople we ever had at The Citizen. Classmates say Cathy has wicked sense of humor and shrewd powers of observation.

Chuck Lenard – Former executive vice-president of U.S. West telephone company. Has taught business at WSU and Portland State. His parents operated “Loretta’s,” a women’s apparel store on Main Street in Bothell.

Gaynelle Nolf – Got doctorate and became high-school principal and administrator in Portland. Had blazing foot speed but never got to compete for BHS because this was before Title IX and the only girls sports offered were gymnastics and coed tennis. Divides time between Oregon and Arizona and has a single-digit golf handicap.

Shannon Weybright Parsons – Earned master’s degree. Retired from DSHS. Lives in Puyallup with her husband.

Cliff Schroeder – President and co-owner of Watson Asphalt Paving Co. Under Cliff’s entrepreneurial and innovative leadership, Watson has grown from a small company primarily paving driveways and small parking lots to a major company paving state and interstate highways. Three-sport athlete (football, gymnastics, track) and one of best pole vaulters in BHS history.

Linda Migliore Scherer – Now living in Meridian, Idaho where husband, Steve, is a wheat consultant. Linda does some substitute teaching in elementary school, works for financial firm and also works as decor consultant. She owned flower shop when couple lived in Billings, Mont. Also has lived in Corvallis, Eagle, Idaho and Wichita, Kan.

Nancy Simpson – Versatile Citizen employee who was good with words on a typewriter and good with customers in person when we sold stationery and cards in the lobby of the Citizen office on Main Street. I admit I’ve lost track of her.

Garrel Sperling – Career teacher and librarian in the Edmonds School District whose late mother was director of curriculum and instruction for the Northshore School District..

Cathy Wood Shives – Earned master’s degree and worked as CPA in Woodinville. Was particularly kind to a classmate who had a disadvantaged life and died recently.

Yoko Ueyama – Japanese exchange student returned home and earned doctorate and is medical researcher. Visited Bothell and many classmates in 2009. Lived with Janet Green’s family when she was a BHS Cougar.

Gerry Wheat Eagle – Operates real-estate office in downtown Bothell. In the past 25 years she has been a top producer and most recently has been nominated a five-star best in client satisfaction by clients. Taught in Northshore schools for five years and helped implement PE program in grade schools before leaving for seven-year stint in Snohomish schools.

Class of ’63 folks I look forward to meeting:

Rick Boldrin – Had to interrupt education at new Shoreline CC for four-year enlistment in Air Force then returned to school. Former “first chair” trumpet player for BHS band learned guitar and earned enough money with appearances to pay for flying lessons and got his pilot’s license in 1973. Worked in data processing then as service writer for German auto repair business. Finally spent 14 years in shipping business. Lives near Thrasher’s Corner with wife.

George Bollinger and Beth Budden – Were voted “most attractive” and appear together in special yearbook picture. They got married. George graduated from UW and became contractor specializing in upscale homes.

Susan Burnett Lindsay – Earned bachelor’s, master’s and PhD. in business from UW. Manages husband Philip’s medical practice in Seattle and he is board certified in both internal medicine and psychiatry. Couple has three adult sons, all graduates of Georgetown University. Oldest son Scott is married to Courtney Gregoire, daughter of Gov. Christine Gregoire. Susan serves on board of directors of Museum of History and Industry and has served on board of Pacific Northwest Ballet and the Hope Heart Institute.

Judy Collings Schmidt-Gray – Earned master’s degree in social work. Works for Department of Social and Health Services in Spokane helping elderly clients remain in their homes as long as possible.

Lee Grater – Spent 35 years as a member of Local 191 International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. Volunteered three years on the Snohomish County Crisis Line trying to prevent people from committing suicide. After Hurricane Katrina in 2005, he went to work for FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) doing relief work. Assignments have taken him to eight states, most recently Tennessee for work in flood-ravaged Nashville. Lives in Phoenix where he does volunteer work for Democratic Party. Preferred method of travel is his motor home.

John Hanson-Sharon Hildebrandt – Classmates who got married in 1967. John, following in his father’s footsteps, has been in the industrial supply business, both as a distributor and as a manufacturers’ rep. Sharon focused on raising their two children, Todd and Michelle. Todd has taken over family business. John and Sharon are second-generation BHS grads as both their fathers graduated from Bothell but not in the same year. Sharon has earned classmates’ praise as the keeper of addresses and plays vital role in class reunions.

Richard Hart – Pharmacist living in California.

Bob Ingram – Retired policeman thought to be living in Southern California.

Sandra Lantz Kleven – Author of children’s book “The Right Touch,” a read-aloud story to help prevent child sexual abuse, and “The Holy Land” about living in rural Alaska. She has had poetry and other works published in academic journals. Husband Richard was BHS classmate. Couple lives in Anchorage.

Carl Larson – Ran family business of Duwamish Shipyards in Seattle.

Ron Madson – Ex-Marine with a master’s degree ran corporate data centers, started a toy store in Massachusetts and a start-up tech company then finally became a housing contractor in Silicon Valley in California. Homes he built have been featured in such magazines as Sunset. Married to former Stanford drama professor. Says he has studied his family history back to to 140 AD (no, that’s not a typo). Lives in Bay Area.

Robina Meehan Werner – Gymnast who was voted best female athlete in the class. Her father was in 82nd Airborne in WWII and Robina wound up marrying son of German airman who had been shot down and captured by Russians.  Robina says the two families ultimately grew close to each other. Robina went to college in England after high school.  (Her mother was an English nurse who met Robina’s soldier father as he trained for D-Day. He didn’t jump on D-Day because he had been granted leave weeks earlier for June 6 and the cancellation of leaves would tip off German spies that the invasion was about to begin). Robina later went to Western Washington University and ultimately graduated from St. Mary’s College in Moraga, CA. She worked as a high-tech management consultant for PriceWaterhouse Coopers accounting firm for more than a decade, held various high-tech executive management jobs, was a high-tech headhunter and recently became licensed massage therapist “because I always wanted to be a healer.” Lives in North Bend with her husband, Wolfgang.

Bonnie Millikan Brackman – Taught in Clover Park School District for 25 years after getting bachelors and masters degrees from WSU. Lives with husband Ted in Tacoma. Couple has traveled extensively, including trips to Australia and Europe.

Lana Nelson – Another of the sharp businesswomen in this class. She has commercial and residential holdings in Snohomish and King counties.

Judi Nyerges-Beaudoin – Voted “most talented” in the class, she had drama and art ability. Went into Marine Corps after UW. She is moving to Whidbey Island this summer after teaching drama and art in recent years at a high school in Michigan..

Darlene Peterson Parker – Lives in Reno. Was longtime employee of Sidie’s Pharmacy on Main Street in Bothell.

Dennis Pihlman – Spent nearly 20 years in real estate then became warrant officer for Snohomish County serving court orders such as warrants and evictions. Duties also included transporting prisoners. Retired in 2001 after suffering on-the-job injury. Married for 44 years with two sons and five grandkids. Splits time between Washington and Arizona. Two-time KingCo wrestling champ.

Jim Schmer – Retired supervisor for Qwest. Lives in Arizona.

Lynn Schmidt – This athletic woman has climbed mountains all over the world.

Karenjean Tierney Hoetmer – Undoubtedly has some good golf tips because she married Ron Hoetmer, director of golf at Overlake Golf and Country Club in Medina.

Joy Shew Wallace – Got master’s degree and taught high school. Now is independent math consultant and works for Franciscan Spiritual Center in Portland.

Harvey Sloan – Career Seattle Police Department officer with history of assignments to special units.

Judy Soley Perron – Lives in Kingston with husband Dave who is a seafood import-export business. Has spent a lot of time in Japan due to Dave’s business. Often can be found in Mesa, Ariz., during bad-weather months here.

Dennis Wilcox – After landing jets on aircraft carriers as a Navy pilot, Wilcox went to veterinarian school at WSU and became a vet in Port Angeles. He has studied in China and his healing repertoire includes acupuncture.

(An effort was made to collect information on every member of the Class of ’63. If you were in the class and were not contacted for bio information please email to jb.Hughes@comcast.net or mail information to: Class of ’63, 10307 112th Ave. NE, Kirkland, Wa., 98033. An effort will be made to add it to this Web site and in a printable .pdf format available to any of the 256 classmates and their families.)

John B. Hughes was owner-publisher of the Northshore Citizen from 1961 to 1988 and is active in local nonprofit organizations.