Alumni Messages
Want to say something to your 1983 classmates? Do it here. Of course, keep it nice, clean, family-friendly. Send us an update, a photo, a greeting. We'll post your message! 
Hi all,
I have missed all the reunions, but wish I could have been to them.
Quick update from when I last saw everyone – graduation I think. 25 years in 10 lines or less:
I joined the Navy in ’82 while still at CHS, went in Sep ’83 and retired in Dec ’07 – 12 years enlisted, 13 years commissioned. I have served on submarines and aircraft carriers, been under and around the world.
I got married to Barbara in ’88, we met while I was stationed in New England, and we just celebrated our 20th anniversary, we have 2 daughters – Katie and Sarah.
Ordained and served as Deacon at the church we attended in Virginia Beach.
I have lived in Chicago; Orlando; Idaho Falls, ID; Kittery, ME; Charleston, SC; Virginia Beach; Colorado Springs, CO; Bremerton, WA.
I have earned Associates’, Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in various disciplines.
There have been good times and bad, joy and sacrifice; hope you all have had more of the happy times than the sad.
Drop me a line, if you wish: BruceStarkey@cs.comTake care and best wishes,
Bruce
(07/02/08)
Dan Houlihan
You guys are all so cool to make Sully's one of the stops and Friday night was one of the best...especially under the circumstances. I don't think we all realize how lucky we were to have had power at the very least. It's as though it were Divinely intervened when you looked around the immediate area.
Anyway, I wanted to also say sorry I couldn't make the rest of the weekend. Aside from the A.M. tree work in my hood, I did have a family wedding in Fremont on Saturday and had to attend. I would love to have joined you! I look forward to being around for the 30th??? Lets all keep in touch as we can, and really, thanks a ton....Friday was great!
Dano
PS.... Thanks to Ramiro yet again for the after hours! You make a great cup of coffee dude!!!
(6/30/08)
Christie (Akin) Brown
I'm not going to be able to make the reunion again, although I would love to see everyone. I'm sending along a photo of me and my sons, William (left) and Henry (right).
I'm still a paralegal working at the City of Bainbridge - doing lots of real estate work and working with the Open Space Commission. I am more obsessed with bicycling than ever. After a year-long search, I replaced my road bike this spring with an Orbea Diva (carbon fiber; standard double, Ultegra SL components). It's been a lot of fun, although the weather hasn't cooperated (lots of cool, rainy weather this year). I have a group of women I ride with who are crazy enough to join me at 5:15 am for a ride before work. On weekends, we go for longer rides on the Kitsap peninsula. Several of them race, and I have been tempted to try it, but it's hard to fit in my schedule!
Have a great time at the reunion, and please say hello to those who remember me!
Christie
(06/22/08)
Tom Backer
Dear Central High Classmates,
Hello to all of you. I attended the 10th reunion in 1993 as a newlywed. It was fun to see everyone at Peony Park (It was interesting to sit at the same table as my wife and sophomore year girlfriend-Lisa Benetz!).
Unfortunately, I was out of town for the 20th, so I missed the chance to catch up with all of you.
I was able to attend the wedding of Dave Salzer in Yosemite National Park a few years ago. It was a beautiful wedding (Dave is a fascinating guy and is now the father of a very cute little girl named Isabella). I have also stayed in touch with Kevin Walden, who is also an ordained minister. He asked me to preach at the church that he serves. Unfortunately, I have lost touch with many classmates.
I am married to Lisa, who is a family practice physician in Omaha. We have two children, Michael and Bridget. I completed a supervisory education program at Alegent Health in May 2007 and was hired as a CPE (Clinical Pastoral Education) Supervisor at The Nebraska Medical Center in June 2007. I supervise participants in our three programs: summer internship, residency, and extended program. My email is tbacker@nebraskamed.com.
Like some of you who have written messages, I love living in Omaha and have gained weight since graduation. I still have most of my hair, although it is starting to turn gray on the edges. That's OK.
My memories of Central High School are positive and take me back to a happy time in my life. I am grateful for my education at Central, especially the instruction that I received in English literature and composition. The diversity, academics, athletics, drama, and choirs gave me a foundation to do what I am doing now as a chaplain educator.
May God bless all of you and give you peace in whatever you are doing with your lives. I would also like to pay a special tribute to all of you who have served or serve in the Armed Services and have made sacrifices for this country. The war is a difficult thing, and I wish it would end, but I respect those who serve in the military.
Sincerely,
Tom
Rev. Thomas F. Backer
BCCCPE Supervisor
The Nebraska Medical Center CPE Program 987529
Nebraska Medical Center
Omaha, NE 68198-7529
(402) 552-6345, 552-3318 (fax) (6/16/08)
Kim Balkovec
Eighty-three! Eighty-three! Eighty-eighty-eighty-eighty EIGHTY-THREE!!
Hey, all you Eagle fans, stand up and clap your hands!
(Yeah, I know, it's a little harder to get up these days! Ain't entropy grand??)
Like others, I too worried about not being successful enough, being too plump or putting a positive spin on why I've never lived more than three miles from "BIG C" ...
Consequently, I've never been to a reunion ... YET!
LIFE'S TOO SHORT!!
You know what? Even though I'll never get rich, I LOVE my work as a public radio fundraiser; my bod is as bodacious as the next 40-something mom of two teens; AND Omaha is just about one of the coolest little cities in which anybody could hope to live!
(What a difference a couple decades wreak on your psyche, huh?)
See you at Sullivan's ... I'll be the one with bells on!!!
Kim Balkovec (still and always) (6/10/08)
Wade Goehring
My name is Wade Goehring. I haven't made it to any reunions yet, so this will be exciting. I can't pass up the 25th! Kim and I have been married 18 years and we have three children. Nicole is a freshman at Millard South, Michael is a 6th grader at Andersen Middle School and Kaitlyn is a fourth grader at Bryan Elementary. I am an architect at HDR and specialize in designing large hospitals. I look forward to seeing all of you again. (05/29/08)
Twenty-five years since our days at CHS huh? Wow! And in those years my life has changed, changed again, taken a turn, and now I'm finally where I started towards all those years ago: Happy! I live just outside of DC and work as an Executive Administrative Assistant for a company that does consulting in the energy industry. My son Alec (in the picture with me) will be twenty in December and I couldn't be more proud of the very fine young man he has chosen to become. Although through him I'm also learning just how hard it must have been for my parents to watch me make some of the choices I did along the way! I'm engaged and planning a wedding for next June. I'm finally marrying the right man for the right reasons and I've never been happier! Looking forward to catching up with everyone!
Julianne
P.S. Feel free to e-mail me - msjules_022165@yahoo.com (04/21/2008)
We had so much fun at the last reunion, but the weekend went by too quickly. We look forward to catching up with all of the new news. I have been married for 20 years this year. We have two sons: Chris 15, and Daniel 13. Three drivers...two cars...enough said! I am now Nationally Board Certified (one of eight in entire district) Big achievement. Working on next step! Hope to see you all in a few months. Please write. (04/12/2008)
Mark Zoll
Hello all my former classmates! Can't wait to see some old faces since I missed the 20 year reunion. (04/08/2008)
Vallery Johnson-Stewart
Hello Class of 1983, My name is Vallery L. Johnson-Stewart. I live and work in Omaha. I am married to David, 19 years in September. I have two teenage girls: Jamie, who is a junior at Central, and Jasmine, an eighth grader at Morton Magnet. I am employed as a customer service manager with U. P. Credit Union. Please stop by to say hi, or open an account. I could use the business. Hope to see you all at the reunion. God Bless, Vallery Johnson-Stewart (03/10/2008)
Melissa Hall Rotolo
I couldn't make it to the 20th reunion, so I thought it would be fun to get something together for the 25th. Being a colon cancer survivor (diagnosed December 2006; chemo from January through July 2007), I try to cherish every moment. Come on out and make some new memories with old classmates. Release the past...embrace the future. I've been married to a terrific man named Chad since 2002, and we have one son named Vincent who is nearly 3. I'll be 7 1/2 months pregnant at the reunion, so stand next to me and look super-svelte! (04/11/2008)
Martina (Petersen) FoellCalling all Washington Elementary School alumni. We'd love to see you! (NOT Martina's words - just Melissa taking artistic license) (03/01/2008)
Vonda (Dalke) McEachern
Hey classmates! I planned and attended the 10th reunion - it was a blast! I was hesitant to attend the 20th because I was divorced and not-so-thin as I was in high school! I DID go, however, and had the best time! What I discovered was a level playing field - we're all old, have gained weight, lost hair and may be divorced. It doesn't matter! We danced the night away at Joslyn and a "fun time was had by all". Join us for the 25th - anyone up for karaoke with me? Or "The Electric Slide"? (03/25/2008)
Karen (Nichols) RoseI especially want to reconnect with all those who write "KIT" or "RMA" in my yearbook. Where are you? What happened to you? I'm ready to do the electric slide! I missed the 10th and 20th reunions, so I'm grateful to Melissa and her team for planning a 25th. Thank you ladies. (03/27/2008)
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