Tribute - Bob Svancarek

Dear Friends and classmates. Nothing like waiting to the last minute?ￂﾠfor a tribute. I'll try not to bore you and yammer to much. I arrived at PC in 7 th. grade when my folks moved from Illinois to Pomona, I attended  PC until the end of my junior year. I would have started my senior year but when the principal told me I had to cut my hair in order to come back I decided it was time to attend the public school and my parents let me sign up for Pomona high school, but of course the school burned down 2 weeks before school started, so I never started my senior year until the first of Nov, when my folks moved back to Illinois. I did not want to leave Cal. and was very upset when we had to move. I had many friends at P C, George Jenkins, Jim Shea and Ken Marple, just to mention a few. George and I started to play Guitars at the beginning of our Junior year and were doing good together, another reason I did not want to leave Cal. One event that happened in my sophomore year that was life changing for me was I came down with spinal meningitis. I had the worst case in the San Bernardino county hospital and the fastest recovery. I thank God for sparing my my life then, because it allowed me to have a personal relationship with Jesus at the age of 21. When I started H S  in Illinois I only needed English to graduate so my senior year was easy, Drafting class, auto shop, machine shop, woodworking shop. ?ￂﾠI started a band when I got back to Illinois. We had 2 guitars, drums, bass, saxophone and piano. We played together for a few years at H S dances and such. My chief claim to fame with this band was we got to be the opening band for the Everly  Bros, in 1960. the band broke up after a few years because 2 members joined the Army and 2 got married. Several months later I started a 2nd  band that lasted about 2 years. After getting married in Dec, 1962. My wife and I moved back to Cal. a year later but my wife did not like it there so we moved back to Ill.after 2 yrs. I had 3 children by my 1st wife. 2 girls and 1 boy. They are all doing well and are very successful. My son is a helicopter pilot for the Charlotte police department and my youngest daughter owns her own real estate business and my oldest daughter is a interior designer. I got into the construction business when I was 22 and pretty much remained in it until I retired at 72.  I was a home builder, remodeling contractor and cabinet maker. I enjoyed my carpentry work and it was never a job to me. My first wife and I divorced after 28 years of marriage. I remarried about a year later and lived in Jacksonville,Fl for 8 years until that marriage ended. I now live in the Charlotte, N.C. area ( about 50 miles S.E. of Charlotte) on 23 acres (out in the boone docks) I have lived in N.C. for the last 22 years and have been single ever since.  I am blessed to live around my loving family. Not only do I have 3 children but I have 8 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren. I do play my Bass at church in the praise and worship band and I am enjoying it very much. I am sorry that I will not be attending the Last Hurrah, but I will definitely be there for the final hurrah in Heaven some day. I pray every one enjoys the last hurrah together.

Bob Svancarek  (Swanni)

  Tribute - Mike Barnes

Well it is clear I put this off until the very last moment.  Sorry for that, but in the middle of the last two nights I woke up thinking how I could compose something that would be of some value to the Class of ’59 at PCHS. So here goes.

 

The truth of the matter is my memories of my four years are very, very vague.  I remember being really short (5’1” in September 1955) and really skinny.  That is the entirety of my freshman year memories. I don’t remember how I travelled from Ontario to Pomona, but it was probably a parent driving us.  We did have a small cadre of St. George students that attended PCHS and I think there are only three remaining survivlors, Jim Ganger, Marty Soth and me.

 

My only memory of sophomore year was Bill Sheehan reading Chaucer, or Beowulf or Silas Marner, or all three, in front of the class. I imagine we all read, but Bill had the proper cadence that I did not possess. I just now  recalled watching seniors John Stewart and George Yanik in an all hands assembly that year.

 

Either sophomore or junior year I was asked to leave Music Appreciation.  I probably said something under my breath, and certainly was not showing the proper appreciation. I had study hall this hour for the balance of the year.

 

Senior year I remember covering sports for the paper and sitting on the end of the bench in basketball.  By this time I was taller (6’1”) and a little less skinny.  I remember sitting in Coach Adams Civics class and looking out on Holt Ave.

 

Interestingly, my memories our much sharper post-PCHS.  I worked part time for the City of Upland while attending Chaffey JC in pre-engineering to earn money for the final two years somewhere.  A Math instructor at Chaffey was hugely influential in steering me to UC Berkeley. While there I met my wife, Pam and we just celebrated 57 years of marriage. We have two children, Tony and Molly. They both were way more athletic than me and we enjoyed watching them play in high school and college. We have six grandchildren ages 16 to 5.

 

My professional career included General Electric (Los Angeles), US Naval Reserve (active duty in San Francisco and San Diego…really tough duty stations), UC Berkeley for an MBA, FMC for stints in Chicago, Riverside and Lindsay, CA, and ultimately Intel for 23 years in Santa Clara. Pam ahs worked all through our time together, mostly preparing taxes. She just shut that business down after last tax season, so we are both retired now.

 

We have lived in the San Francisco Bay Area since 1978, except for a 20 month period in 2004-2005 when we were in Redondo Beach to help Pam’s mom who was living alone in her early ‘90’s.  For the last six years we have lived in Oakland.  Our son’s family lives within a mile.  Our daughter’s family recently moved to Newport Beach, but we get frequent visits.

 

The pandemic got our attention early and we have been extremely careful for the past two years. Driving south for us is now a two day affair with an overnight along the way and we are not comfortable making that trip yet. Feel free to share this if you think it is appropriate at this late hour.  My best to allr the classmates who will be in attendance in Claremont.

 

Mike Barnes

  Tribute - Judy Fouquette Skapik

Hi Class of ’59.

I arrived at Pomona Catholic as a recent St. Joseph Grammar School graduate. 

There (St. Joseph) I was one of the “lively” ones. In high school things were much different. There were 4 grades and freshmen were the lowliest of them all. Yet, I loved attending each class in a new classroom and seeing all the other students as I trooped up and down the stairs getting there. Two of my grammar school teachers were teaching me again…Sr. Doloria (Typing & Clerical Practice) and Sr. Anilla (Civics). I made new friends from other towns and settled in enjoying this new world. One of my favorite activities in high school was the retreats. We had fantastic retreat leaders who sparked our minds and revealed new ways for us to love and serve our God. They also assured us that we were deeply loved by our creator.I always emerged energized and fully charged to be good and do good.

Friday night football games were gobs of fun even though I never really knew much about the game. As a cheerleader my Sophomore year I had to ask another student which cheer to lead as I knew nothing about the technicalities of the game. But how we yelled our heads off and supported our players!  I remember the first time we traveled by bus to a football game in Barstow. It was a rough town and the kids threw rocks at us while we cheered on our team. Needless to say, we left quickly after the games which we always won. Hm-m, no wonder the rocks. 

The school dances were fun although I was so shy I practically hid myself at them. 

Over the years we had many promotions to help make money for our school. I clearly remember with amusement how I bought the entire box of chocolate bars ( I has a job at Hi Burgers across the street from PC) we were assigned to sell for the school. I could not ask a perfect stranger to buy something from me. That was an absolutely terrifying thought. Therefore, my friend Marilyn Diaz and I enjoyed many bars of chocolate underneath the stairwell during our off times. By the way, Marilyn also worked at Hi Burgers with me. 

Pomona Catholic helped me understand more deeply that our actions can affect others in many ways. I learned I must strive to share my core beliefs with those who ask or show an interest. One needed to be a good example for others to follow.

I married my husband Mike at 19. I had always dreamed of having a large family as I adored my mother and thought the world of her.  We had 5 children, 3 boys and 2 girls. I totally immersed myself in family life. When my children attended Catholic school I became very busy doing all the things parents must do when their children attend Catholic school. As they got older I started writing for the church newsletter. I had always enjoyed writing and this was a wonderful outlet. All of my children were involved in sports so I attended many, many baseball games. Cheering the kids on was a delightful way to spend a Saturday afternoon. Sadly to say, we lost 2 of our children over the years. Our daughter Sherry (14) in an accident and our son Robert (22) to cancer. That is a grief I will never heal from and always carry with me. In later years I became a grief counselor and wrote articles regarding the loss of a child. I know that I helped others in their sorrow and am appreciative for that opportunity. God knew what to do with me at that time. 

The thing I regret most was not attending college. I could have but wanted to be out in the world working and being able to pay my way. College would have taught me many things but I believe the most important would have been to become an independent thinker. But then, if I had done that then I wouldn’t have met my husband and started my family which I truly believe was my destiny.

Over the years many good times were had with our children, grandchildren (3) and now a great-granddaughter. Four generations were started because of me. I feel proud of that accomplishment.  I taught CCD classes and subbed at OLA. In later years I lead a senior exercise class that was hard. We used weights, did many yoga poses and stretched well. I met many lovely people in those classes.  I was able to visit my birth parents’ countries. I adored Ireland and also enjoyed England and France. 

I would tell my 18 yr. old self to be true to my beliefs and stand tall in them. I had a good education in what was really important in life. That took me far. My advice is to believe in yourself and always love and give to others. Treat them as you would want to be treated. Everyone is carrying a cross. Be kind.

I now have COPD and need oxygen to walk or do anything active. I try hard every day and still manage to keep a little garden going. I also enjoy my little dog Rosie and still have my dear husband Mike at my side. I would say my life has been a success.

I will not be at the reunion but wish all of you a joyful time and send my best wishes.

Judy Fouquette Skapik