Mike Weber

Hey Class of '73,

Just got Joni's letter two weeks ago. so,a quick bio.   I went to GMU for a year then to VCU for a year.

Then I moved to Winchester, VA. where I started a pest control company.  I got married, divorced and raised two kids, all on my own, thank you very much.

Sam is a landlord in Richmond, VA.   Sara is in auditing with an MBA in McLean, VA.   No grandkids yet.   Well that's it in a nutshell.

God bless all,
Mike
mweber@visuallink.com

                          George Megaw

Greetings from sunny south Florida – in the midst of hurricane season.   I’ve enjoyed the virtual reunion messages from so many FCHS classmates, I figured it was time to prepare my own Reader’s Digest –style epistle to share.   After graduation, which I only vaguely recall, I headed off to the University of Tennessee with Mike Layland and Ruth Suddarth to pursue a Music Ed degree.   Following graduation, I taught in Chesapeake, Va. and Fairfax county and then continued my education with a Masters and 11 years of college teaching at JMU and Middle Tennessee State Univ.  More school at UVa led me to a print music/editorial position at Warner Bros. Publications in Miami which was sold in 2004 to an educational publisher based in Van Nuys, Ca.   Although there is some travel involved, working from home has been a real blessing for me.   I highly recommend it!

In 2004, Hurricane Wilma was a mess for me.   The roofing ripped off and it was raining in my house for about six hours.   I had to rent another house for the nine-months, $166K repairs and move twice...after all the repairs “up to current code” now I live in a bunker!   I suppose that’s the cost of living in paradise.

Since then, I’ve been coping with my parents’ illnesses while continuing to work, both from my home in Florida and their home in Falls Church.   We lost mom in February of 2008 and dad almost a year later this January.   My brother Stu [1974], who still lives with his family locally, and I had a very-full “depression-baby” house to empty and have now rented my folks’ home awaiting the Obama-change to the economy to eventually sell it.   Here’s hoping we all live that long.

Although I haven’t had much time of late for fun, I do own a four-seat Piper and used to enjoy flying, SCUBA and going to the beach.   There have been a few relationships over the years however, like all of us at our age, I’m set in my ways and uncertain I could live with anyone – and absolutely certain no one could possibly live with me!   That being said, I live happily working from home in hurricane alley with my Manchester terrier –Katrina…named after the first storm we survived.

All the best to each of you – and particular kudos to Joni for keeping us all connected!

George Megaw
georgemegaw@comcast.net

                          Mark Clark

This is Mark Clark. And yes, I am still kicking! In a nutshell, I have been married twice.  The first was to Brenda Proffitt, who was to graduate in 1975, but credited out in 1974.  Together we had two children.  The oldest, Danielle, has three boys.  The second, Dustin, has two boys and two girls.  The marriage, however, between Brenda and me, did not last beyond 7 years.  We divorced in 1981.  I remarried in 1984, to Karen Simms, (grad from Robinson).  Together we have 3 children, none of whom have married.  Steven, Robert, and Jacqueline are all graduates from Madison High School in Vienna, which is where Karen and I had earlier acquired property.  With the help of family and some friends, we built our own home.  We have also built a retirement home in Lynchburg, VA. which is a 4800 sq. ft. log home in the Natural Bridge mountain area. It is beautiful there.

I was not able to fulfill my ambition to become an architectural engineer.  I was financially forced to stop school when my first wife became pregnant, and since I was solely funding my schooling, I could not afford to keep up with school and support a family.  I had to fall back on something I knew how to do and quick.  I went into the automotive field.  So I have been affiliated with GM for the last 34 years  Although it is not the glamorous career that I had intended for myself, I am highly certified in the field (300 certs with GM and ASE).  I still attend the GM Technical College annually to keep up with changes.  These are actual college campus based courses, so I guess; in away I am still continuing my education to this day.  Ironically, over the years, I have had several of the engineers who conduct the courses, ask me why I did not become an engineer for GM.  I just laugh to myself. I am currently shop foreman at Pohanka Chevrolet in Chantilly, Va.

My father passed in 2004, and I was deemed durable power of attorney for my mother, who's health is marginal.  I was also asked to be POA for my Aunt, who is my father’s sister.  So hopefully, you will understand, that at least for the past several years with all the grandchildren’s events, and trying maintain two properties, along with overseeing medical issues for my aunt and medical and financial issues for my mother, I have had myself spread pretty thin!

I have visited the web site for our class.  I don't want to seem less compassionate for anyone, than another.  What struck me the hardest was the passing of Kathy Dehaven Nystrom.   Maybe it's due to the fact that we all were in grade school together.  I'm not certain how long it has been since her passing, and I have been out of touch.  I send my condolences to Ron.

I looked all of the available photos on the class page, and I'm sure I have come in contact with several former classmates and didn't know it!   I am almost positive I've seen Cathy Grimes Sanders and I believe her sister Judy is a Pohanka customer.  At least the photo I'm attaching will allow visitors of the page something to go by, so that they will have the same advantage, should they come in contact with me.

I did run into Sherry Black Eberhardt at a K-mart several years ago, and I occasionally see Barbara Clark, (no relation, but also part of the class of '73) who is a semi-regular customer at Pohanka.  I also ran into Bob Grove several years ago, who is a professional photographer, although I have not been in contact since then.  Beyond those incidents I have had no other contacts.  Well, I am not sure that I would definitively, be able to attend a reunion, but you never know.  So keep in touch, I am not the greatest at checking my e-mail, so if you don't get an immediate response, be patient.  Hopefully, I will find the time to see you and the others as well at least at one reunion!  I close with this, your classmate.
Mark Clark
marksclarks@verizon.net