Tribute - Guy Belcore
Hello everyone -
This is Guy Belcore and I’m looking forward to visiting with as many of you as possible at our upcoming “Last Hurrah”. I must apologize for not doing a Zoom presentation; but I just had skin cancer surgery on my beautiful Italian nose. As a result, I have two black and blue eyes that clash with my white bandaged nose. Not a pretty site.
So, in lieu of a Zoom presentation I have decided to address the topics that were suggested earlier by Anne. She sure has done an excellent job in keeping this get together going through thick and thin.
To begin, I really can’t identify one special memory from PCH; however, there were so many. Transferring from Junipero Serra High School in Gardena to Pomona Catholic High School was like experiencing “Happy Days” before the song was ever sung. As a side note, two of the 4 singers in the group that wrote and made that song famous were my friends, who I met at the Claremont Chi Rho Club during our junior year of high school. They have remained some of my dearest friends, ever since.
Pomona Catholic did not so much shape my life’s choices as it gave me the tools that I needed to do pretty much whatever I decided upon. God bless our principal, sister Benilda, and all the nuns who dedicated so much of their lives to our education. They will forever be in my prayers.
To answer the question as to what advice I would give myself at 18 years of age. It would be to seek and keep good friends and don’t sweat the small stuff; while keeping in mind that the reason we were put on this earth was “to get to Heaven and not to Harvard”.
I’ve been effectively retired for the last seven years. What I cannot understand is how I ever had time to work - - given all the extracurricular activities that I now enjoy. I can truly say that I no longer have a bucket list. Like the rest of you, we’ve been blessed to live a pretty long life and, for the most part, in good enough health to enjoy it.
Speaking of being blessed, this year my wife and I celebrated our 46th wedding anniversary. She immigrated to America as a little child with her family, who escaped from Soviet controlled Slovakia after World War ll.
Another side note: Even though my wife’s father held a doctor of Philosophy , coached their national soccer team, served as a Deputy Minister of Education, who spoke, read and wrote In nine languages his first job upon arriving in Americas was working in a factory. Their family’s history pretty much confirmed for me what President Reagan said, “ It only takes one generation to lose your country“. As one of the “old guard” that fully understands the perils of Communism, I continue to share my knowledge of this evil philosophy with so many others who have been under exposed to the perils of Communism.
To the brighter side, my wife and I have been blessed with three wonderful daughters, who have given us five wonderful grandchildren - - two boys and three girls. Most of you probably agree that your grandchildren are the dividends for having raised your own children. Our oldest is ten and the youngest is four. I understand that many of you already are enjoying your great grandchildren. How wonderful that must be. I don’t think I will be around to experience that pleasure.
In addition to Family , I can tell that I frequently reminisce and appreciate all the many wonderful people I’ve met over my lifetime. Their friendship has enriched my life. If there’s one thing I could change in my life, it would be to be a better friend to so many friends that were such good friends to me. I try to makeup for my failures in this regard by praying for them regularly.
As for hobbies and past time activities, as with most of you, they have changed with each decade of life. I stopped playing basketball at 40; tennis at 50, golf at 65 but continue to enjoy the opera, plays, musicals and the like and of course playing with my grandchildren. Oh yes, I regularly exercise by walking 30 minutes almost daily +.
For most of the first year of the China virus, Phyllis and I pretty much self-quarantined ourselves in our desert home in Indian Wells, CA. This past summer we spent quality time at our Balboa Island duplex enjoying our days with four of our grandchildren. Of course, we enjoyed time with two of our daughters and their husbands, as well.
The experience of living full time on the Island caused us to finally decide to tear down our duplex and build our dream house here on the Island. We had the plans drawn up two years ago, but did not proceed. Yesterday, we signed the construction contract.
The last subject from Anne is a great question: “what do you want your relatives/friends to remember about you?” Answer is, I was a good and faithful friend.
Hope to see you at our reunion,
Guy
Attachments: Several family photos
