This is one area that no one likes to think about......their mortality. Most of us have spent our childhoods together playing sports, hanging out and basically all of the things that preteens and teenagers do together. I am just putting together this memorial page. I welcome anyones stories regarding our classmates who have passed on as well as photographs that I would gladly put up. Feel free to email me at DLT1580@hotmail.com I decided to put the effort into this website because although we did not all get along as young people, we still grew up togeather with various dreams and ambitions. I think that given the size of the community that we were more like a big family than a high school class although we had our share of cliques and issues. Most families in the world ar dysfunctional anyways. I am going to share what I knew of these classmates that have passed on and I hope that eventually others will email me their own recolections..I have added a guestbook at the bottom of the page. I hope that people will share memories of our classmates that have passed on. It is a way to keep their memory alive. I hope that either you will respond with an email and I can add it to the memorial, or you will just add a story in the guest book. Pictures would also be welcomed.
Carl Robinson was a personal friend of mine. We grew up a mile away and spent many days playing Army and fishing at the dam behind his home on the whetstone creek that ran behind his home. Carl was a rebel and very hard headed. He did not graduate with our class but he spent 10 years with us. Carl went into the Navy and unfortunately did not fare well with that and ended up comming back to Cardington where not much really worked out for him. Its hard to say that a person gets to the point where they are not reliable and can make very poor decisions. Carl made many that so many young people seem to do. I ponder what I should really say about Carl. I then come to the place where since I was his friend for a long time, I think he would want me to tell the truth. Carl I think would say that his use of drugs in particular and alcohol coupled with his out of control behavior lead to him taking his own life out of frustration and depression when he was 23 years old. Unfortunately we do not have do overs when we make these kind of decisions. I miss the Carl that I fished with and rode horses with and just laughed with. I wish him the peace that he sought in his short life but was not able to attain.
Kim Wade also did not graduate. He started a family early in life and began working in the oil field. As I understand it his marriage was rocky as it is so often when people get married at a young age. Kim was killed in an accident at work. He was only 25 years old. His marriage had recently taken a turn for the better. I went to the funeral home on visitation. There was quite a turnout because Kim had many friends. His wife loved him and my heart went out to her and their kids. Kim was a pretty good football player in high school and always was into some kind of mischief. Usually pretty light good hearted stuff. I didnt know him all that well. I hope that someone who has something to add has a nice insight. Kim Deserves that.
John Gandee was 39 when he passed away. He also did not graduate with us either. He had moved away. John and I were very close when we were young. I can remember in 8th grade he and I would act out just to see who would get paddled the most. Ray Thomas and Jerry Smith used to get some kind of sick enjoyment over leaving us black and blue and breaking paddles over our behinds. John as I am told died in a way that merits a discussion and a rememberence. His father had died near the age of 50 from heart failure. The story I was told happened like this. His wife Connie [Ratliff] was ill one evening and could not breath properly. John was at the emergency room and as they were working on her his heart gave out over the stress of his wifes condition. I probably should not say this, but sometimes people never get over things and they do not have the support of the community in the way that they do. John left behind two young ones and a wife who's heart is probably broken forever. I hope that you will remember them in your prayers.
John was an electrician and a successful man. I think if he wanted me to tell any of you anything to remember him by outside of your own memories and experiences with him it would be this. John Gandee had come to peace with his maker. He had received Jesus Christ as his personal savior and had become involved in his church. I just believe he would want all of us to know that he had peace because of this.
Paul Wells was 44 I am told when he passed away. It has been reported to me that it was from complications from a proior automobile accident. Paul had a good sense of humor. I got to know him when he lived behind me for two years during high school. In school he was always into something and was a pretty good athlete. I did not know Paul in adult life and I am hoping someone will send an antidote regarding him. Paul looked like Elvis many said. I would have to concur. I can recall him in some of our classes playing up to that and singing some bits of Elvis songs like "Hound dog". I miss Paul. He married fellow classmate Linda Williams and had a daughter. They later divorced in their early twenties.
Jeff Mattix died in an automobile accident in south Florida at the age of 50 years old. It happened the first saturday of June, 2006. Jeff was on the way to the hospital by himself in his wife Emma's Dodge Dakota. It had been raining that day and Jeff lost control on a curb and hit a pole. He was taken instantly. Emma's cousin was visiting and had to have emergency gallbladder surgery. That was the reason Jeff was going to the hospital. Jeff had been with Emma (formerly Kincaid) for over 30 years and had been married for 28 years. I salute their committment in this day and age where so many relationships fail.
I was informed that they do not have any children. Emma is still down in Occahobee fFlorida to the best of my knowledge. Jeff was a mechanic at a propriator. Steve Cowles, also a classmate lives about a half hour from Jeff in Avon Park, Florida. They had spent a lot of time together since the arrival of Jeff in Florida, I believe 5 years or so ago. Previously Jeff had joined the USMC right out of High School upon our graduation in 1974. He was stationed in Camp Lejune, North carolina. To the best of my recollection he stayed in the town Camp Lejune was located in. He was a mechanic there for several years until his move to South Florida. A memorial was held up in Marion at the First Church of God. As far as I know only three classmates turned out for the ceremony. It was the weekemd of graduation and several people were tied up with committments. Tim Hildebrand sent flowers in the Class of 1974's name. We have a fund now for this.type tradgedy. I thank Tim for taking on this responsibility. Cliff and Larry Kincaid attended the memorial as well as Harry Keeran. Cliff mentioned that there was a good turnout for the ceremony. Tim received a thank you note for the flowers from the class. by Mardi and Dick Mattix, Jeffs' parents. Our prayers are with his widow and his family and friends that are left behind.
Melanie Thompson passed away on April 18th of 2006 after a short illness in Akron Ohio. She left behind two daughters. She was buried in Akron. This is a situation where I really wish that someone else that knew her better could be writing this. I will do my best which I am sure will not do her justice. Melanie was part of the initial emerging of the Fulton middle school with the Cardington middle school. This all happened in 6th grade. I found it to be kind of cool to have access to all of these people that I did not know of before. Melanies' best friend in High School was Barb Bronson. I guess you could say that they were rebels. Barb moreso after High School.
I had several classes with Melanie.. We used to pick at each other alot. Our lives were different. She was in the "smoking" crowd and that just was not me. But I do recall her funny since of humor. She seemed to have a dry wit and the ability to have a nasty comeback when she wanted to. I really thought Melanie was a good person. I always tthought that she was attractive and had beautiful eyes and smile. I think she was a person that wanted to get away from the small town atmosphere. Perhaps that is how she ended up in Akron. It is my understanding that she worked in the medical field. I am including her picture and the obituary that was sent to me. Please feel free to add any memories in the guestbook.
The Music is "You are my refuge" by Matthew Ward
Today is January 6th, 2007. I received a call today from a man living in the Panhandle of Florida that was very broken up. It took him a bit before he could compose himself long enough to explain the reason for his call. He was trying to contact family members of Merri Jo Getter Page to let them know that Merri Jo had passed away December 23rd, 2006. She had a nasty form of Pnemonia. in Austin Texas.
I have been pondering all afternoon what exactly to say about Meri Jo. I knew her from our time in High School. If i remember correctly her family moved to cardington when we were in Middleschool. I got to know Merri Jo when she was attending a Bible based Fellowship Group that i went to back then. There was one in town that met at my home, Denise Wilhelms, and many times at Perry Seitz home as his father led it periodically. Merri Jo never quite felt comfortable there.
However the one she did feel comfortable with was one that we attended over in Marion, Ohio. I think perhaps because most of the people wer4e not from Cardington. Merri Jo had received Jesus Christ as her savior. I thought about that today as I thought about her life. I had gained contact with her a few years ago. Merrui Jo had a heart of gold. But if I tell this properly, then I must also say she struggled greatly at least the last half of her life with drinking too much. Yes, she was an alcoholic. Her alcoholism placed her in a point of exclusion from her family. She died alone in an Austin Texas hospital. She was bullheaded. She had little money at this point and considered going to the hospital a handout. Sib Brickerd, the man who wept over Merri Jo told me that the people at the hospital informed him that her smoking and drinking had taken its toll on her and that she just waited to long to get help.
There is this other side I will always remember Merri Jo. I remember her singing with Tim Hildebrand and Dan Ebert on our graduation day a song written by I believe Tim.. She could sing. The word of God says that we are saved by Grace and not by works that we should boast. I believe that despite Merri Jo's performance in life, her faith saved her long ago. Jesus says he is the Author and finisher of our faith. If our meeting up with the Lord depended on our ability to do well, then Jesus would have never needed to die in the first place. If you have any stories to share on any of our classmates, please add them in the guestbook below. I am going to miss Merri Jo.
This April of 08 we lost another classmate. Jeanie "Cope" Powers. She was 52. I am looking for a picture of her. I havent seen Jeanie since we graduated. Long time. She left behind her husband of over 20 years and I believe 2 grown sons. I know she will be greatly missed. I always liked Jeanie. I think her family moved here when we were in middle school. I remamber her as a warm hearted person, yet spunky and wanting to do things her way. I believe she was a nurse. I will write more as I find out more. You are missed Jeanie.
