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October
2003
Volume 4 Number 1

HOLLY HORTON, OCTOBER 21, 1943 - SEPTEMBER 18, 2000

This issue is dedicated to Holly. For without her efforts at keeping the e-mail lists going, there would be no Hicksville Newsletter. Her enthusiasm was most contagious.

Her passing shocked Pat and I so, but we had to go ahead and continue what she started. She put much work, all on her own, into reuniting former students of Hicksville High School.

When I am writing an article or editing something I feel as if she is watching over my shoulder. She is a part of every newsletter.

Thank you Dear Holly, you are missed so.

Linda Piccerelli Hayden 1960

  • Oh my gosh, I am terribly sorry to hear about Holly! I didn't know her, but it saddens me to know that she passed away just days before the reunion.

    I lived in Hicksville until 1969, when my folks moved us to Australia. I never had the chance of going to high school in Hicksville, but hope one day to meet some of the kids I went to elementary school with. I came back to the States in Jan 2000, hadn't heard about the Mega Reunion until I joined Classmates.com, but I had already missed the big event! I was so terribly disappointed as I have always dreamed of one day of being able to go to a Hicksville Reunion & finding some of my old school friends!
    Both Bob & Pat have posted a first grade photo of my class in the newsletter, but still to this day I have not had anyone contact me that remembered me from East St School, but I'm still hoping.

    So, In memory of Holly, thank you everyone for bringing Holly's hard work to fruition and hopefully one day, maybe there will be another Hicksville Reunion and I will most certainly be at it, you can count on that!

  • Thank Pat, Lynda & Bob for the wonderful effort you guys put into keeping this newsletter going! I really enjoy reading the stories & articles from everyone! Maybe one day I can put one of my little short stories into the newsletter too?
    All the very best to everyone, whereever you may be! Stay safe!
    Patti Reese, 1975

  • Great newsletter. I'm going to make a copy and show it to a few friends that aren't online. I enjoyed Ray Muller's questions. What were the answers to some of the other questions like numbers 6,8,12,14? We're getting ready for the effects of Hurricane Isabel here in Hicksville today. Winds are already starting to pick up. The Holly Horton story is very sad. She created something beautiful though that will last for a long time. Take care, Chris

    Chris Andersen, 1967

  • Thank you for this email it was wonderful. I didn't know Holly but want to say, "Thanks for the Memories". All of you that contribute to this Newsletter do a fantastic job. It serves as a vehicle to bring us to a kinder and gentler time.

    Larry Senn, 1964

  • Just enjoyed reading the FIRST HHS newsletter and your contribution about "old Hicksville". Yeah, I remember all that also. We would take a "trip" to Hempstead to buy shoes. During the war, my Mom would buy us, Ernie and I, shoes and immediately order another pair.

  • Hope all is well with you. Glad you guys missed Isabel; we await strong winds and rain tonight. Hope LIPA has things under control. This time I have batteries and a small battery operated lamp.

    Ellen Boos Bruwer, 1954

  • One of the reactions to reading Holly's memorial NEWSLETTER was to share it with a long time friend and Hicksville resident Alex Abruzzo, who never attended HHS but non the less knew many of the same people I did since we were roughly the same age and shared the same network of friends.

    He came back to me with his own memories of our halcyon Hicksville days. It would appear that the 'ball' initiated by Holly, Ray Muller, and now you.... "is still rolling". Here's some of what Alex, a talented guitar player in his own right, had to say:

    "John, that was great. I don't remember Huntner's or the Hudson dealer. I remember the three hardware stores, but only one name: Sausmer's. There was Stop 'n' Shop and nobody mentioned Van Anken's ice cream parlor or the 5&10 right in the middle of town or the Monday night jam sessions in the Hicksville Movie after the last picture show.......................

    ................In 1954 there was a music store in Hicksville run by two musicians, Daniel Tarkoff and Bernard Haggerty--one played the tenor sax and other, trombone. It was located on the west side of Broadway, either next to Goldman Bros. or a couple of doors away from Goldman's. They arranged to have jam sessions held at the old Hicksville movie house on E. Marie St. The sessions were run on Monday evenings, up on the stage, literally after the last picture show. In those days movie houses still had pianos in them left over from the silent movie days. The two gathered local jazz musicians to play (Joe Colemen, drums; and Al Cappi, guitar; are two I remember) and managed to get a big name guest artist for each performance. They had singer/guitarist Slim Gaillard (I got his autograph that night), Coleman Hawkins, and Louie Bellson at different times playing right there on stage in front of the movie screen. The series didn't last too long, but it was free and great fun while it did. And it just happens to be a bit of interesting Hicksville history that ought to be chronicled. "

    And so it has ............

    John Sherin, 1956

  • What were the names of the Bakeries? I thought there were 3.

    Ray Feierstein, 1963

  • Ellen Boos Bruwer, 1954 sent the following:

    There was a Just-Rite bakery on the corner of Broadway and Cherry Street. It is now the parking lot for Chroma Shop, across from Schwartz Furniture Store. My sister worked at Barenhberg's bakery. In fact, I sold a car to the present owner of their home on the corner of First St and Jerusalem Avenue. He took Herb and I through the house when we dropped off the car to him. Great days when my sister worked at the bakery; we got lots of goodies she could bring home. We didn't ever have the money to just "buy" them.

    (The only other bakery I remember was the one at the Allied Shopping Center on Jerusalem Ave. - Pat Koziuk Driscoll - Ed.)

  • I enjoyed your Memory of Holly; I was one of the people she had contacted from the class of 61. We were in 9th grade together. I had been so looking forward to seeing her. We e-mailed every few days and then a few days before the reunion I stopped receiving an answer. It was very strange. I told my husband that something was wrong. The morning of the reunion, I read her name in the obituaries. I couldn't believe it. She never said she was sick or anything. She was so looking forward to seeing everyone................So thanks for the Memorial to Holly.

    Ann Cassese Costantino '61

  • Hi All,

    Just re-read this and boy do we ALL owe Holly a lot…If it wasn't for her we wouldn't have been able to get this wonderful newsletter nor would it have been as easy as it has been to get out the word for our up and coming 1961 Reunion. Thank goodness there were others who picked up and continued after she was gone. I just want to say that I enjoy every line of this newsletter and truly hope that the Reunion in May has a tremendous turn out. A BIG THANK YOU to everyone contributing to bring all our memories back.

    Lillian (Manzo) Ramirez, 1961

October Birthdays

HICKSVILLE NEWSLETTER, 2000

5

Dana Hayden Jackson, 1962

20

Jim Thompson, 1961 (need email address)

12

Fred Fluckiger, 1937

22

Kathy Quinn, 1971

13

Connie Baboukis, 1959 (NJ)
Rosarie Camer De Guzman, 1981 (Philippines)

25

Ginny Elwood Bowen, 1956 (FL)

14

Nancy North-Park, 1961 (FL)

30

Gary Nadell, 1965

 

 

31

Doreen Jakabek Kharman-Wittig, 1965

Belated wishes to Rochell Heyman Baron, 1961 - Aug. 25th

October Anniversaries

10/4/1958 - Ruth (Olsen) and Den Collins, (L.I.)

   


In Memory
Newsletter Spotlight
News and Notes and Memories
Trivia
Reunions


 

In Memory

  • August 28, 2003

    GESELL-Diane J. (Giordano) 59 died peacefully on Monday, August 25, 2003. Born February 28, 1944 in Brooklyn, New York, she was raised in Long Island and was the daughter of the late Thomas J. and Rita M. (Marcario) Giordano. She lived in Middletown since 1988; recently moving to Yale Street, Hartford, CT. Diane was employed for 14 years by the Connecticut Children's Medical Center as an Administrative Assistant, and Child and Family Support Services in Hartford (formerly Newington Children's Hospital). Diane enjoyed cooking and playing with her beautiful granddaughter, Olivia Rose. She was dedicated to her family, many friends and her work at the Children's Hospital. She is survived by her son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter, Eric, Tracey, and Olivia Rose Gesell of Effort, PA (with whom she recently made her home), a brother, Thomas M. Giordano and his wife Patricia of Middletown, three nieces, Debra Roberts and her husband Stephen of Branford, CT., Suzanne Giordano and her loving partner, Allen Freeman of Meriden, CT and Lori Bennett and her husband Rick of Kensington, CT., grandnephews, Korey Speller, Tre Freeman, Nick, Alex, Jacob and Sammy Roberts and a host of dear and close friends in Connecticut and New York. A celebration of Diane's life will take place Saturday at 12 noon at the D'Esopo Funeral Chapel, 277 Folly Brook Blvd. Wethersfield, CT. Calling hours will be Friday from 6-8pm at the D'Esopo Funeral Chapel. Donations in Diane's memory may be made to Children's First Fund, Connecticut Children's Medical Center, 12 Charter Oak Place, Hartford, CT 06106.

    Copyright (c) 2003, Newsday, Inc.

    --------------------
    This links straightaway to a picture of Diane at classmates.com.

    ...link to picture of Diane Giordano

    http://group.classmates.com/user/photoalbum/photo.tf?album_id=211027;offs
    et=0

  • COCHEO, CAROLE A. (Goettelmann), age 65 of Orlando, died January 22, 2003. She is survived by her beloved husband, Robert; mother, Mabel Goettelmann; sister and brother-in-law, Jean and Jack LaPointe; nephew and his family, Doug, Kelli and Katie LaPointe. Carole was from Hicksville, NY and moved to Orlando in 1972. She was a Lutheran and a homemaker, and previously was co-owner of Caro's Greyhounds for ten years. Memorial Services will be held Saturday January 25, 2003, 10AM at the Woodlawn Funeral Home with Rev. Paul Faust, Zion Lutheran Church officiating. Family suggests in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to The American Cancer Society at (800) 227-2345. Arrangements by Woodlawn Funeral Home and Memorial Park. 407-293-1361.

    This article originally appeared in The Orlando Sentinel, Jan. 23, 2003 and was sent to us by Jean Goettelmann La Pointe.

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Newsletter Spotlight

This month we would like to present Gerard Dombrowsky…

August 13, 1980, started out like any other day for Gerard Dombrowsky. A New York City fireman since his discharge from the army in the late sixties, Gerard dedicated his life to saving people. In his short tenure as a firefighter, he received the Medal Of Valor from the Mayor. He also distinguished himself on other occasions and received several Class A Meritorious awards.

When the alarm sounded on the morning of August 13, the men responded as they usually do, slipping into protective gear and climbing aboard equipment that would take them to the emergency site. The vehicles were enroute within minutes.
In the distance, the firefighters could see a queue of smoke working its way skyward. As the fire trucks got closer, they could see flames breaching the windows of a three-story building. A Lieutenant, first on the scene, was barking orders to the firefighters as each truck came to a screeching stop

There was a tremendous amount of activity outside the building. Hoses were hooked to hydrants and thousands of gallons of water were redirected into the bowels of super pumpers that increased water pressure. Hoses hooked to the pumpers directed streams of water that danced strangely against the burning structure. Others were poised at several entrances waiting to enter the building. Firefighter Dombrowsky was ready and waiting. The order was given to enter.

The raging fire threatened the integrity of the structure that surrounded Gerard and five other firefighters. Flames licked at the protective clothing each was wearing that helped shield them from the intense heat. Oxygen masks provided the only means for breathing in the dense smoke filled, building. They worked their way forward one step at a time. No one saw it coming…
Suddenly, the building collapsed with the floors above the firefighters cascading down pinning them under mounds of rubble.

To be continued.

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News, Notes and Memories

  • MID-LIFE CRISIS will be playing some of the best classic rock tunes at Callahan's, East Meadow (Hempstead Turnpike next to Home Depot) on Saturday, 10/11/2003. Show starts around 10:00 pm.

    Anton Mure, 1968

  • I came upon this site and it might help people from 1965 who have
    lost their yearbooks.

    http://www.bklyn-genealogy-info.com/Graduate/LI/1965.Hicks.Grad.html

    Regards,
    Gary Nadell, 1965

  • Great news from Lorraine (Kalen) Lowen '66 and Bill Lowen

    We just became the proud grandparents of a boy..Jacob Andrew Sanzano. Statistics..9 LB, 21 1/2 inches long, born on August 27, 2003. Lorraine and Bill's daughter Cori, lives in Potomac Falls, VA, with her husband Mike and this is their first child after being married over 12 years. We are all thrilled.
    --
    Another great newsletter! My hat's off to you guys the way you keep this thing going. It's got to take alot of your time! A special welcome back to Linda. I wasn't aware of her condition, but she sounds like a trooper who makes everyone around her feel better! I love people who can do that. Most of all I'm glad to hear her treatment is over and she's feeling well.

    Sharon and I are loving North Carolina, except for all the rain we've had since moving here in February. Our new house will be ready by mid-December. It's located in Chapel Hill on the 17th green of The Preserve at Jordan Lake Golf Club. I'm still working full time, but Sharon and I are playing lots of golf these days too!

    We were grandparents for the 2nd time in June when son Joe and his wife Rada presented us with Nicole Christiane Carfora on June 5. Our daughter, Kelly, who lives in Denver, is due to have a little boy in late October. This will make us grandparents three times over before the year is out!

    We are taking our oldest granddaughter, Arianna (Nicole's big sister) to Disneyworld the week of September 8th. We can't wait to spoil her some more!

    Keep up the great work!

    My best to all,
    Joe Carfora '62

  • I enjoy reading the newsletter so much. I thought I sent our anniversary date to you. Bud and I were married 46 years on June 1st. It wasn't in the newsletter. Boy, that's hard to believe. How could so much time pass by?

    Had an exciting event this summer. Bud and I decided to drive from our home in Ft. Lauderdale to Vermont with a week in NY. While in the PA Mountains we visited my old pal from HHS Diana Gund and her husband Ed Schleyer. It was wonderful and when Diana and I saw each other we screamed that neither of us had changed one bit in 49 years. We stayed in the town two nights and they showed us all over. The mountains are beautiful and their home is lovely. What a thrill to team up with my friend again.

    We then spent a week at the Marriott Coliseum on the Island, where my niece Kim O'Leary Norberg is sales manager. I'm sure some of you know her parents, Judy (Elwood) and Brian O'Leary. I think they graduated in 67' and Brian went on to Post where he had a football scholarship. The week after we left Judy and Brian became Grandparents to Kaitlyn Rose via Kim and Jude Norberg and 2 weeks later their little Grandson arrived, Ryan John via Taryn (O'Leary) and Brad Wells. Judy and Bryan are in heaven. I told them now that they're Grandparents; they must have a SUV, so now they're the proud owners of one.

    If any of you remember my other sister Jackie Elwood DiLorenzo, I think class of 60', and she's had a wonderful life. She and Phil have two beautiful grown daughters and Jackie continues to be involved in the Paralympics where she's competed all over the world and has numerous gold medals and awards. She gives motivational speeches, has modeled, acted, been invited to the White House and has met with several NY Mayors. They live in Hastings.

    Anyway, it was wonderful being in NY again and it just rejuvenates me till the next time.

    Any news on the next reunion? I know it had sort of been in the planning stages. We've been gone most of the summer and getting ready to take off again. This heat and rain has been something this summer. I think the worst in a long time.

    Ginny Elwood Bowen, 1956

  • Thanks for sending the Hicksville Newsletter. We really enjoy reading it. I wonder if the class of 1951 is becoming extinct? But then it is 52 years ago. JoAnn Watson Christiansen (51) and Ron Christiansen have asked me to have you add their name to the mailing list. They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on June 1, 2002.

    Thank you
    Audrey Olsen Lent (51)

  • Hi, my name is Maureen Schrimpe class of 1963. I just learned of this newsletter from Dana Jackson and would love to be put on the mailing list also.

    Since leaving Hicksville High, I have graduated from Marywood College with degrees in Dietetics and also Hotel Restaurant Management. I also entered the convent. I am a Sister Of the Immaculate Heart of Mary for the last 37 years. I was Director of Food Service at Marywood College, and presently I am in administration at the University of Maryland Department of Dining Services, in College Park, MD. "Home of the Maryland Terrapins."

    I presently live at St. John the Evangelist Convent in Silver Spring.

    Thank you.
    Maureen Schrimpe, 1963

  • Hi,

    I really enjoy getting the Hicksville newsletter and don't want to miss it, so please change my email address to the one listed below. I'm closing my AOL account - too much junk mail!

    By the way, here are some facts I guess you don't have about me, but I have enjoyed seeing about our friends.
    Brithday: 3/16/45
    Married to Diane (Boseling) class of '62 from Jericho High school.
    Just celebrated our 36th wedding anniversary - August 12, 2003.

    We have two very successful daughters, two terrific son-in-laws and two darling grandchildren (ages 5 and 2) Diane & I live in Levittown, Pennsylvania (very much like Levittown, NY) and would be thrilled if any old classmates decided to drop in to say hello.

    Keep up the great work.

    New email address for Steve Baum '62 is: SFBaum@comcast.net

  • JACK A. BELLAN, 1973 writes:

    (My wife's name is) Lauri Dworkin-Bellan. We have an 11-year-old son named Ari born 11-1-91. My parents were Dr. William and Fay Bellan of 25 Holyoke Rd. Hicksville, if any alumni remember them. Both have passed on.

    I have received three newsletters and they are very interesting, a lot of memories come to mind when I read them.

    Keep up the good work.

    If any one from the class of 1973 wants to reach me my office address is:

    THE LAW OFFICES OF JACK A. BELLAN, ESQ.
    9900 West Sample Rd
    Suite 306
    Coral Springs, Fl 33065
    (954) 255-9700
    E-mail: Jacklaw397@aol.com

    Thanks again for your good work

  • Okay folks, here's the early line on our winter holiday concert date:

    SATURDAY, DECEMBER 13TH at St. Luke's in the village. Mark it down and reserve the night. Other details will follow when I know them.

    I know things get hectic around the holiday season, but I'd really love to see you all there.

    For those of you who are regulars, you know how wonderful these nights can be. For those who have not seen us in a while, I think you'll be surprised at how much we have grown musically.

    Once again, mark it down. A grand time will be had by all.

    David Teitel, 1968

  • Hey guys: Just a quick word to let you know how much I enjoy getting the newsletter. This past summer I received e-mail from the young lady I took to my senior prom, Kathy (Ibbotson) Bently. It was great to go over some old times and some recent ones as we talked about our children.

    I also wanted to let you know that my son, Howard III, recently returned from a tour of duty in Iraq. He is a Navy corpsman but stationed with the Marines. They do not have their own medics so they draw from the Navy. He's been over there since March and returned in July. He and his wife were up here on Labor Day and informed us that they are expecting their first child. This will be our third grandchild!!!

    Thanks again for putting the newsletter together. Looking forward to next month's. Take care

    Howard Bell, 1968

  • Graduated from HHS in 1966. Went to SUNY at Stony Brook. Graduated in '70 with a BS in Math. Went to the University of Michigan to start a PhD program in Statistics because (1) they UofM supposedly had a good Statistics department, (2) after attending a small college, I wanted to go to a large school with a great football team, and (3) I wanted to be close to the Pacific Ocean - i.e. the "New Yorkers view of the world". Got my MA degree in Statistics in 1972. I met Rochelle, my future wife, in March
    '72. I left UofM in 1973 short of my PhD and took a job with Texas Instruments providing statistical support for environmental research studies on the Hudson River, near Peekskill, NY.

    We were contracted by ConEd to study the Hudson River fisheries population as part of its efforts to seek variance from environmental regulations due to operation of its nuclear power facilities at Indian Point, NY. TI hired fisheries biologists, ecologists, limnologists, statisticians, programmers and other project people to conduct those studies. My accomplishments
    included implementing quality control into environmental research studies and writing several professional papers about our work, in particular a study of the relative contribution of Hudson River striped bass to the Atlantic coastal fisheries.

    I left TI in 1978 to take a job back in Michigan working for General Motors, so that I could be back with Rochelle (to continue what was to become our 7-year on-again-off-again relationship). Ro and I married in September 1978. Ro is a speech and language pathologist at William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan. She became a full-time mom when we started having children.

    We have 3 great kids: Miriam (21), a senior political science major at Northwestern University, recently inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, about to take the LSATs; Anne (19), a sophomore pre-med student at Duke University, a member of Duke's dance team, the "Dancing Devils;" and Michael (17), a senior at North Farmington High School in Farmington Hills, Michigan. He plays varsity soccer and tennis; he's applying to Penn, Columbia, and other schools.

    While working at TI, I studied martial arts. I received my 2nd degree black in jiu-jitsu about 20 years ago. I taught for about 10 years in the '80s.

    I also coached boys' soccer, basketball, baseball, and girls softball. I once made the mistake of coaching 3 teams/sports in one season. The highlights of my life include coaching these kids - many of which are currently playing varsity soccer with my son at NFHS. It's a real trip to run into one of these kids, years later, with a "Hi coach, how are you?"

    I just celebrated my 25-year anniversary at GM. I work at Service and Parts Operations, managing the Customer Research group, focusing on improving customer enthusiasm. My customers include the 7500 parts departments and service departments at General Motors dealerships across the country as well as our 100 warehouse distributors. Our brands are GM Goodwrench and ACDelco.

    Thinking about retirement - but probably won't happen for another 5 years.

    Joel Lieberman, 1966

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Trivia

Deeds and the Doers of Deeds
Who did, or is thought to have done, the following:

The first heart transplant __________________
World War II's most decorated war hero ___________________
The Head of the Third Reich ___________________
The author of the Monroe Doctrine __________________
Man in charge of The New Deal ________________________
Assassin of Abraham Lincoln ______________________
The world's first four-minute miler ____________________
Author of Gulliver's Travels ________________________
Leader of the American forces at The Battle New Orleans during the
War of 1812 _____________________
Composer "most" associated with the music known as ragtime _________

Answers

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Reunions

HICKSVILLE HIGH SCHOOL, Class of 1961 announces a reunion.

The date, Saturday night, May 15, 2004, at the Holiday Inn in Plainview, New York. The Holiday Inn is located at 215 Sunnyside Blvd., Exit 46 L.I.E., or Exit 38 Northern State Pkwy. The reunion committee has reserved the Hampton Ballroom from 8PM until midnight.
The cost per person for the evening is $85.00. Included is a buffet preceded by a fruit and cheese and relish display. Included, also, is four hours of unlimited liquor.

The Holiday Inn is accepting reservations for rooms at a guaranteed rate of $109.00 plus tax per night. Mention the 1961 HHS reunion to get this special rate when you call the Holiday Inn at 516-349-7400.

For the banquet, please forward a check made payable to Michael Bisaccio, 48 Stockton Street, Brentwood, NY 11717. Mike is Treasurer for the reunion and will be collecting and depositing funds Also, please, when you send Mike your check, include a biographical sketch of your life since graduation from high school. The committee would like to create a booklet to distribute to those attending the reunion.

We are asking all alumni to please forward the name and email address of other Hicksville alumni that you correspond with on a continuing basis. Even if you only touch base once a year, please let us know. This will go a long way in helping us promote the upcoming reunion. Send your list to anyone on the reunion committee.

Airline reservations are up to the individual. Flights into any of the three local airports (Kennedy, La Guardia or Macarthur) are available and you should be able to get complimentary bus transportation to Holiday Inn.

If anyone is interested, we will put you in touch with a limousine service that covers Long Island.

Our intention is to keep everyone advised through the wonderful medium of electronics...email!!!
As our list of attendees grows, we will email the list to you. Al Stippell, a graduate of the class of 1968, will be our host disc jockey for the evening. Also, from the class of '68, Paul Korman and his Blue House Band will provide an evening of "live" music.
We are inviting alumni from the class of 1959, 1960 and 1962 to join us for an evening of getting reacquainted. The fun will be provided by YOU.

Thanks...and we hope to see you there.

The Reunion Committee
Mike Bisaccio TerMik@aol.com
Bill Canham whcanham@msn.com
Bob Casale bufbob@juno.com
Lillian Manzo lillianramirez@realtyexecutivesphx.com
Mary O'Shaughnessey mcleary876@aol.com

p.s. please email your name, address, phone number and special mailing information to Bill Canham


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Trivia Answers


1. Christian Bernard.
2. Audie Murphy
3. Adolf Hitler
4. James Monroe
5. Franklin D. Roosevelt
6. John Wilkes Booth
7. Roger Bannister
8. Jonathan Swift
9. Andrew Jackson
10. Scott Joplin

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

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