March 2003 : Volume 3 - Issue 6

Newsletter for the Alumni and Friends of
Hicksville High School Hicksville, New York

The Editors:
Buffalo Bob Casale '61	Linda (Piccerelli) Hayden '60
Pat (Koziuk) Driscoll '56	Bob (Gleason) Wesley '61

Contributing Editors: Bob Gillette & Walter Schmidt

Webmaster: Roger Whitaker

To contact the editors, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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March Birthdays

• ?: Sonya Teresko Fluckiger, 1938
• 2: Tom Steedman, 1960
• 4: Den Collins, 1953 (L.I.)
• 9: Howard Bell, 1968
• 10: Carolyn Wood Imbrie, 1963 (AZ)
• 12: Vickie Penner Whitaker, 1958 (IL)
• 14: Anton Mure, 1968 (HX)
  Jacci LaSalle Gallucci, 1959 (NY)
• 16: Carolann Luisi Saletto, 1975 (HX)
• 18: Chris Andersen, 1967 (HX)
  John Ennes, 1950
• 23: Joyce Gabrielsen Casale, (PA)
• 24: Jed Schaiman, 1959
• 25: Jeff White, 1973 (CA)
• 27:Janis Bartlett Wood, 1973 (HX) Need new email address
• 29: Richard Calma, 1971 (NY)

Belated Birthday Wishes

• Feb. 2nd - Alan Buckholz, 1965 (AZ)
• Feb. 7th - Pat Lenzner Caruso, 1953
• Feb. 11th - Martha Gross Parent, 1960 (DE)

March Anniversaries

• 3/22/???? - Dave and Jan Baldwin (FL)

Belated Anniversary Wishes

• 2/14/1964 -Joan (Siegl) and Fred Rudolph

News, Notes and Memories

• I just received a phone call that our good friend and classmate Murray Kellner (class of '49) passed away today (Feb. 23rd).

  He was a member of our Hicksville High e-mail Club (HHeC). If anyone would care to send a card the address is:

  Mrs. Justine Kellner & Family
  10 Beverly Hills
  P.O. Box 2
  Beverly Hills, FL 32665

• Art Lembke, 1949

• Murray A. Kellner, 73, Lecanto, died Sunday, Feb. 23, 2003, in Crystal River. Born Feb. 13, 1930, in Minneola, N.Y., to Sam J. and Rose Fierstein Kellner, he came to this area in the early 1960s from Hicksville, N.Y. He and his father, Sam J. Kellner, were the builders and developers of Beverly Hills and Quail Run. Mr. Kellner was also the owner of Universal Communications. Racing cars was among his hobbies. He was an honorary member of Congregation Beth Sholom. He was preceded in death by his son, Danny S. Kellner, in 1973, and a sister, Regina Steuer. Survivors include his wife of 34 years, Kerstin Nyman Kellner of Lecanto; four sons, James (Pat) Kellner of Holder, William (Amy) Kellner of Beverly Hills, Robert Kellner and Steven Kellner, both of Lecanto; two daughters, Donna (Robert) Davis of Bayport, Long Island, N.Y., and Della (Scott) Jackson of Holder; a sister, Lucille Gort of Boynton Beach; and nine grandchildren.

  Hooper Funeral Home, Beverly Hills.
  From The Citrus County Chronicle, Feb. 25, 2003

• Hi,

  I recently (November) opened up my new business Yankee Clipper Family Hair Salon and we have been in the black since day one. We are growing bigger each week with more and more clients. We are located at 40119 Murrieta Hot Springs Road in Murrieta California. Suite C-101. I have two other stylists working full time with me and we are open seven days a week. We have five stations and are just 3 stylists with 2 more maybe in March. We started out with a bang and business has been great! We are truly blessed!

  If anyone is in California and is from Hicksville High School, I will give them a shampoo, cut and style FREE! That's right no money and A-1 service. We aim to please. So any other transplanted New Yorkers from HHS just call 909-304-3512 to make an appointment or stop by -- walk-ins welcome!

  We are open 8:30AM to 6:00PM Monday through Saturday with extended hours to 8:00PM on Fridays. We are open 10:00AM to 3:00PM on Sundays. We are a full hair service salon (sorry no nails). Come by for a FREE Haircut and chat a while. You are always welcome! All HHS class years are welcome for this FREE service. We do men, women and children and are a neighborhood family hair salon that even guys can feel comfortable. Free glass of wine on Fridays 6:00PM to 8:00PM to 21 or older. Our prices are great and the service is even better. We specialize in Hair highlighting and weaves. Special discounts given to former HHS alumni.

  e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  or visit our site at: yankeeclippersalon.com
  (still under construction)
  909-304-3512 FAX 909-3304-3499
  home 909-677-3139
  e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

  My daughter Jennifer Anne White (28) was married to LaTito Hasten on December 28, 2002 in Huntington Beach, California at United Methodist Church. Their first marriage and they met in church seven years ago and became friends and dated the last two years! She just called to say she is pregnant with their first child. What a joy and a blessing. This will make grandchild number eight for us! I am so happy for them both! I was able to sing at their wedding service a very special song for my little girl and her new husband. She is a nurse and he works for Sears and they will live in Huntington Beach.

  I am going to be appearing in THE ODD COUPLE as Oscar Madison In March at the Clubhouse 1 at the Murrieta Hot Springs in Murrieta, California. Call 909-304-3512 for more information. All HHS alumni and their guest are being given FREE VIP tickets for any show night. Fridays and Saturdays for 6 weekends. Curtain is at 7:00 PM. Directed by Jeffrey White and produced by John Klek of Klek productions. Hope you can make it if live nearby!

  I hear we are having our 30th year reunion for the class of 1973 this summer. I am going and hope all other Californian alumni will call me if they are going also. Maybe we can fly up as a group and get a discount. I have met a lot of New Yorkers here in CA but haven't a HHS alumni as of yet.

  Life is good in CA. God has blessed my family and me and I am totally blessed each and everyday! Praise God!

  Hope to see everyone soon,[,
  Jeffrey White, class of 1973

  P.S. Looking for Sally Sharp (class of 1974), Penny Barrel (class of 1973) and the whereabouts of Mr. Thomas Buttice (music teacher). Please contact me if you have any information (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

  Jeffrey W

• I am so glad that you found a way to continue to send out the newsletter. I do enjoy getting the chance to walk down memory lane each time I read about old classmates. I attended the 1962 reunion in August and truly had a great time. Isn't it amazing how none of us have aged in 40 years - we all looked the same (almost).

  I haven't contributed in the past to your newsletter, but feel free to publish this and at least let some of my old friends know that I would love to hear from them. It seems that our class of '62 is truly spread out around the world. I married my childhood sweetheart 37 years ago and now have two great grandchildren by one of my two daughters. My youngest daughter is getting married this coming March 15th and my new son-in-law has been my employee for the past 10 years. By now, he knows what kind of a family he is getting into.

  I built and actively operate a 250-slip marina in PA and my wife Diane (Jericho HS, '62) oversees the boat dealership we have on site. Since I dated Diane since I was a Junior at Hicksville, some of you may remember her.
  I remember Mr. Rusch when he was the Vice Principal at HHS and use to catch us sneaking either in or out through the gym doors. I'm sure he will be missed by many that have some crazy memories about him.

  My E-mail address is This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and I look forward to hearing from old friends and classmates. Have a great year ahead everyone and keep up the good work on the newsletter.

  Steve Baum, class of '62

• I too enjoy reading the HHS newsletter. Although most of the contributors are younger than I, there will be names I will recognize. I graduated in 1954 and was a very quiet, reserved kind of gal. Never had the occasion to do anything noteworthy in school. However, did eventually make a mark after many years by serving as President of the Rotary Club of Hicksville-Jericho and served many, many years on the Church Council at Redeemer Lutheran Church. I worked at Montana Agency, Inc. an insurance and real estate firm on North Broadway, Hicksville for 42 years. This gave me the opportunity to see Hicksville change from the small town we senior citizens remember to what it is today. Remember the many small stores that lined both sides of Broadway? Unverhau's Drug Store, the Army and Navy Store, Spiro's, Schulz's Deli, the old 5 & 10, Holden's Stationery, Beatty's Stationery, The Sweet Shop owned by the Econopolys, Barenberg Bakery, Huettner's General Store (It held the birthday cake (artificial one) in it's front window for Hicksville's 300th Anniversary), Braun Meat Market. DeMonaco's vegetable store etc, etc.

  I especially enjoyed reading the comments from Fred Fluckiger. I remember him, his Mother and Father as well as sister Marion. They lived on property east of where the post office now stands; I lived on the street just west of the post office. Remember Kroemer Seeds on West John Street? My brother Ernie and I also walked to Nicholai Street School until we moved across from Long Island Lighting Company on Old Country Road in 1949.

  It's nice to think back to those days via this great newsletter, especially when you're still living in the area and pass through your "old town" almost every day. Memories, memories.

  Ellen Boos Bruwer - Class of '54

• Thank you for doing such a great job with the newsletter. It really brings us all together again. I also attended the 40th Hicksville High Reunion this past summer for the class of 1962. I could not get over how great our class looked - very young and very fit. We were a great group. It was so exciting to see people again whom I have not seen since our 25th. I guess, as we get older we get more nostalgic. News from my end: we have added a 4th grandchild to our group within 15 months. So we have lots of babies - 2 boys in Atlanta and twin girls in New York City.

  Love to all,
  Pat Appelman Levitin, 1962

• From Julaine McInnis Masriano, 1973, comes the following:

  Gull Rd was renamed yesterday [2/2/2003] for Walter Weaver, our next-door neighbor who died in the WTC. He was an emergency svs police officer. My Dad passed 3 wks after the collapse of the building. He was so upset about Walter and worried about my brother who was also there. He died suddenly of a heart attack the day after my son and I visited him.

  Julaine

• My name is Michael Cava and I graduated from HHS in 1966. My birthday is 6/22. After High School I joined the Navy and retired from the Service in 1989. After that I worked as a Probation Officer in San Diego County, California. I managed to get a Bachelors of Public Administration in Criminal Justice degree and have done some graduate study in Education.

  I am presently retired and living in New Mexico. I substitute teach at the local High School as needed. I remember Kathleen (Trant) Adamo, who submitted an anecdote for the last newsletter. Also, does anyone know how the English teacher, Mr. Richman or the Italian teacher Ms. Iorio are doing now a days?

  Thank You
  M. R. Cava

• I just received your Newsletter from Gwen (McCue) Schaaf (class of '55). I found it very interesting, especially the article about one of my favorite teachers, Joseph Loucks.

  In July of 2001, I started the Hicksville High e-mail Club (HHeC). We currently have 26 members from mostly from the class of '47 through the class of '51. We not only pass news, but from the feedback of the members, they have informed me, that they renewed old friendships and made new ones. I also communicate by mail and phone to those classmates that don't have e-mail. It's become a very close-knit group. I sent this newsletter on to the club. If you would add me to your distribution list, I'd be more than happy to forward it to the club. I'm sure they would enjoy it.

  If any of the 389 classmates would like to join us, just have them contact me. Some of the classmates on your list may be interested in e-mailing classmates from classes '47 to '51.

  When I receive pictures in the mail from classmates, I scan them and e-mail them to the club. There is also a lot of support between the members. One member wrote back and thanked the club for all the get-well cards she received after a very serious operation.

  The benefit to me has been tremendous, after the loss of my wife in May of 2001. It sounds like you have built a very successful Newsletter during those 2 1/2 years.

  Hope to hear from you.
  Sincerely,
  Art Lembke(class of '49)
  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

• Thanks so much for adding my name to the HHS list. I so enjoyed reading the items sent in. I was in the class of 53. We are having our 50th reunion this Sept. We are so excited about the response.

  I was born on East Street, went to the East St School then walked MILES in the snow to Jr. & Sr. high. It was great. After grad I worked at the old Bank of Hicks. on Broadway. Met my husband was married in 1959, built a house next to the one I was born in and raised our children there. When Bob retired from the Hicksville Water Dist in 1991 after 38 years we sold our home to our son and moved to NC. Both of our children still live on LI and we visit often. Sure do miss it. We now have a condo in Coram for
  the summers, so little by little we are working our way back.

  A note to Fred Fluckinger; class of 37; My family all attended HHS and one aunt graduated in 36 and I do have knowledge of some of the old timers as she lived next to me on East St. until she died in 93. Her name was Esther Hewitt. Also was a neighbor of Lou Millevolte, and Mr Loucks. Both great people and neighbors. Miss Spink lived on Plainview Rd around the corner.If Fred wants to talk about Hicks. old timers I may be of some small assistance. Both of my Grand mothers and assorted relatives were in business. Can he get my e-mail address from you? This is so great to have a way to keep in touch with far away Hicksvillites, most of them I don't know but we have a lot in common. Thanks again...

  Roberta Sipf Obermeyer

• Chris Andersen, class of 1967 writes:

  "I wondered if you could get me an address or any connection to either Carol Tavormina, Karen Hartig or Richard Hartig? I have old films with them in them and have not been able to find any way to contact them. I've converted the films to VHS and made copies. Janice Tavormina is also on the films. Thanks, Chris Andersen Class of ' 67"

  The Hicksville movie theater was purchased by the Chinese-American Church. They then went to work on it gutting all the old stores that were on the east side of it and tearing down the marquee. On the west side of it they left Mike's Pizza, which if I remember correctly was the old trading post and the corner donut shop, which the old candy store, was it called Wolf's? They're all enclosed in the same building called Town Center I believe. The Chinese Church group started out in the old American Legion Hall, across from St. Ignatius School on East Nicholai St. I guess they outgrew that little building and bought the movie theater and surrounding stores for a new church and school. Before that an Indian church was operating there. I hope I covered what you wanted to know but if not e-mail back with more questions. I have one important historical moment to tell you specifically. When I was in 8th grade [St. Ignatius also 6th &7th] I went to the movies on a Saturday afternoon with my friend Phil Mazzola, who was in the junior high. He told me that's where all the kids from the junior high hung out. I believe the movie was "The Music Man". I met a lot of the kids that Phil hung out with but I remember one good-looking girl I talked to for a little while. It was Flossie Koziuk. Anton Mure told me that was your sister. (Pat Koziuk's) I always hoped to see her again someday at one of our reunions [Class of ' 67] I always cared about her.

  I got into the Hicksville movie theater again this morning. The workers were just arriving as I got dropped off downtown. They've really cleaned it up since the last time I was there. The lights were on brighter also so I got to see all the real fine details of the ornate plasterwork. They tore down the old circle that used to go around the chandelier. Other than that the contractor told me they were going to preserve as much as they could. He even said how beautiful it was inside. They're building a new stage for the church [what it's going to be]. It's all framed out now. They've put up all new steel I-Beams where the old balcony was. The new balcony looks like it comes out farther than the old one did. The ceiling in there is beautiful. The things you never look at when you were a kid. I was too busy looking for a girl to make-out with! Anyway if you get a chance to go down there it's something you won't forget. Bring a camera with you. Look at how the stage was framed. What work! The two plaster urns at the bottom corners have been cleaned up. I could talk about all my memories there but that would take another hour, so I'll close here.

  Chris Andersen, 1967 

• After nearly 3 weeks, we can say we are enjoying North Carolina immensely!! The weather beats the Midwest and East Coast any day and shopping choices are huge, making Sharon quite happy! We've already weathered a severe ice storm (this past weekend), but its long gone and we're back in the mid to high 50's. There have been about 5-7 days we could have played golf, but we've been too busy so far to get out there. However, its nice to now know we can play year round, if we wish!

  For those of you who have asked, I have not retired! Just doing my job as normal, but out of my home office and its working out great!

  We are very close to finalizing on our builder and should pick him by the end of the week from the two we've narrowed things down to. If all goes right, we should be in our new home in Chapel Hill by Thanksgiving.

  Joe (1962) and Sharon Carfora
  Cary, NC

• Jennifer and I enjoyed the two HHS reunions last October. It was good seeing old friends again in Orlando and on Long Island. They must have mellowed me out because I proposed to Jennifer the following month and she accepted. We are setting up the wedding plans now. I will keep you posted.

  This is to Barbara DiBella Dowd (1962). We were neighbors on Elm Street. I was at #46 north of you, on the west side, the last old (1942) house before the new development houses start. My brother was Robert (Bob) Foster also graduated in 1962. Barbara, it appears we are still neighbors, separated by only 12 miles. I now live in St. Augustine.

  My e-mail is This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
  Pete Foster, 1957

Reunions

• HHS Class of 1953 has a 50th Reunion planned for September 16-19 in the Poconos at Lake Harmony, PA. If anyone is interested in more information, they should contact the co-chairs:

  - Pat Lenzner Caruso This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  - Roberta Sipf Obermeyer This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

• The class of 1973 is planning their 30-year reunion. The info we have received so far follows. This newsletter will keep you up to date as we receive more details.

  August 2, 2003@ 8:00 PM
  Cost: $99
  by Professional Planning Reunions of America Inc
  631-266-1836 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  They said to call or e-mail them to get an invitation. I e-mailed them today and will send any more info I can.

  Thanks,
  Jeff White, 1973

• Norman Nichols (class'52) sends the following:

  "We had a reunion luncheon and it was great. We had 24 people and everything went like clockwork, food and booze was very good and inexpensive. We are going to plan another one in 2004 and try to include 1950-54. Probably at the same place in Syosset."

Trivia

Interesting U.S. Town Names

• "I'd rather wake up in the middle of nowhere than in any city on earth." - Steve McQueen
• Well you can try Nowhere, Oklahoma - or maybe No Name, Colorado.
• Let's not forget one of the most "useless" town names in the country: Useful, Missouri.
• Here it is - the list of unusual town names in New York
  • Bath
  • Cat Elbow Corner
  • Climax
  • Florida
  • Gayhead
  • Hicksville
  • Horseheads
  • Neversink
  • Painted Post
  • Place Corners
  • Result
  • Ronkonkoma
  • Surprise
  • Yaphank Yonkers

Why, do you think, Hicksville is listed as an unusual town name???

The Editors

Pat Koziuk Driscoll, 1956, FL
Linda Piccerelli Hayden, 1960, NJ
Bob Casale, 1961, HX and PA