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Other Notes #2:---
John
Fairbanks Smith, York '52, (unconfirmed dates):--
"Each, according to their abilities..."
It's been sometime ago now that I added the name, John
Fairbanks Smith, to our Class of 1952 Deceased
Listing. And so there it has sat, in name only, without any
dates beside it. Someone had simply told me about it, and so
I dutifully posted John's name--- without really thinking too
much about it. But last night, in one of my best night's
since Tuesday last when I had my gall bladder removed, I
hadn't thought about John, or why he had died. But I did know
John, if not from the classrooms at Hawthorne Elementary, then
Hawthorne Jr. High, and finally, York High School, Class of
1952--- for it was from the playgrounds around Hawthorne where
I came to know John best. He was always a wiry kid, blonde
with a spindly body. Always one of the best athletes we had
at Hawthorne. And always one of the top boys, always chosen
first, along with Chucky Stevens, to be on our team--- mostly
soccer and softball on the gravel lot behind the school. We
had a large, two-story chain link fence, that whenever a ball
was hit over and behind it--- well, it would be John, or
Chucky Stevens, or Bobby Cords who would scramble to climb the
fence to get it. And over the years, in 7th and 8th grades,
John was one of the few who could hit the ball up and over the
two-story school building for an automatic home run.
But for the athlete John was, it was his academic work in the
classroom which suffered. I still see John out of frustration
in wood-working class in 7th or 8th grade, standing near me
besides his lamp making project---a pump lamp, just yelling
and beating upon it with his tool out of all the frustration
and rage that was contained within him, trying as best he
could, but failing in the end, to perform the next step in
building his lamp. And then the teacher, a calming influence
if there ever was one, taking John under his wing, and
personally bringing his lamp back up to the same level as
everyone else's. I think the teacher's name was Mr. Lenhart.
It had been like that too, in all the years building up to
that point--- those years at Hawthorne Elementary, where John
was the brunt of bullying jokes about who the dumbest kid in
class was. I remember that part too, though I never
participated in any of that--- for I accepted John as the
leader he was out there on the playground at recess-time. He
was among the best we had, and I always admired that in John.
And when we went to York H.S., while I turned to Basketball,
John turned to cross-country running in the fall and track and
field in the spring. I remember especially the football
games, for they always had a cross-country race during the
half-times at the football games. And the races would begin
and end along the home-team's grandstand stretch at the
fifty-yard line. The thing that was always so compelling
about John was the desire he always exhibited toward the end
of these races--- to finish each race in as fast a time as he
could possibly do. Rounding the far end of the stadium from
about the north-end of the goal post he would begin his sprint
to the finish, and all the anguish shown throughout his body,
especially in his face and his arm and leg strength. It was
always there, for John was to leave nothing on the
track that day!---Nothing! And his will to win
the race was equally as eye-catching to the crowd in the
stands--- this kid, who was giving his all--- for his love of
the game! And the crowd noise would pick up and go into its
own kind of frenzy, catching all of the excitement being
expended by John as he collapsed at the finish line in the
arms of his coach. That's the John Fairbanks Smith
(unconfirmed dates) who I remember. I would never, ever again
see anything like that ever again.
Years later, in the spring of 1959 I saw John for an
unexpected last time. It was after my Harvard years (1956)
and after my two years at Northwestern (1958-59)--- in the
spring of 1959, which put me on the professional staff of
Arthur Andersen & Co in Chicago, IL. And there too was
John Fairbanks Smith--- dressed out as they all were, in his
grey smock coat. They were run-of-the-mill, non-professional
staff hired to pick up all the paperwork we routinely left ,on
the staff tables in the big workrooms we used while in the
office. John approached me, for I didn't recognize John,
principally because I didn't expect to see him in that
particular setting. We talked for a bit--- John bringing me
up to date on what he had been doing, and me, telling John,
all that I had been doing. And in that conversation, John
told me of asking another of our athletic girls of Hawthorne
Elementary and later of York H.S. to marry him, and of she
turning him down. I know of whom she is, but out of deference
to their relationship, I shall not go there in this, my own,
personal write-up of my remembrance of John's existence on
this earth.
In thinking back now, as I oft tend to do, I wonder whether
his devotion to "leaving nothing on the track" so
many times at York H.S. ever had anything later to do with his
early demise? It's a question none of us will ever know the
answer to. Perhaps its best if simply left that way.
...Bruce************
Other Notes #3:---
Marilyn Yvonne
Ewert Sturm, York '52, (1934-2013):--
It is with sadness that I write to you. My Mother, Marilyn (Ewert) Sturm, passed away on September 9th. I know she would have wanted her beloved classmates to know. We will be leaving her email up for a bit in case you need to contact us. Or, you can email me, Carol Erven, at
caerven@yahoo.com :---
STURM, MARILYN Y:--- Marilyn Yvonne (Ewert) Sturm, age 78, a long-time resident of Albuquerque, passed away peacefully on September 9th, 2013 at the Casa del Oso Assisted Living Facility. She was born in Indianapolis, Indiana on December 31, 1934. She grew up in Elmhurst, Illinois and graduated from York High School. She married Wilbert "Red" Sturm in 1952 and together they had three children; Michael Sturm (deceased), Kenneth Sturm of Santa Fe, NM, and Carol Erven --- caerven@yahoo.com --- of Albuquerque, NM. She was preceded in death by her son Michael, her brother Donald Ewert, and parents Elmer and Bernadine (Stone) Ewert. She is survived by her children Kenneth and Carol; grandchildren Jennie Sturm, Kassandra Erven, and Donna Erven of Albuquerque; and Steven, William and Viktoria Padilla of Santa Fe; and great-grandchildren Tyler Barnhill of Raleigh, NC, Madison Sussman and Matthew Felock of Albuquerque. Marilyn also loved her extended family: Cathy, Anthony and Joe Lewandoski; Tami Moore, and Mackenzie Felock. Marilyn worked for many years as a title clerk for Albuquerque automobile dealerships and had a passion for genealogy, puzzles, game shows, and playing jokes on people. Her knowledge and intelligence was broad and extensive. She was sweet, fun, and loving and will be missed by all who have had the pleasure of knowing her. The family wishes to thank the Hospice staff at Presbyterian as well as the owners and staff at Arroyo del Oso for their kindness and care during her last days. A memorial service will be held at St. Johns United Methodist Church, 2626 Arizona St NE on Saturday, September 21, 2013 at 1:00 pm to honor and celebrate her life. We invite and encourage all her friends to attend.
Other Notes #4:---
Ralph R. Bell, York '52, (1934-2012):--
Other Notes #5:---
Barbara Voss Bilek, York '52, (1934-2012):--
Barbara Voss Bilek
Birth: March 24, 1934 Elmhurst, IL
High School: York HS, Elmhurst, IL
1952
Married: December 26, 1953 age 19
Laddie J Bilek
Child born: Oct 26, 1956 one
daughter Vicky who married John Grochola 1975
Grandmother (2): Sept 1977 (Chris)
married Julie Tennant 1997 Oct 1978 (Lisa)
(3) great grandchildren: Caleb
Tennant (20), Desirea Grochola(17), Dilan
Grochola(12)
Died: November 6, 2012 age 78
Barb was a great wife and mother.
Family was very important to her. Barb was very
strong willed which she inherited from her mother.
Vicky feels very blessed having Barb as a mother.
She was firm but she was very loving. She was really
excited to become a grandmother and then a great
grandmother. Laddie and Barb were almost married 59
years. They were true soul mates. After getting
married because Laddie was in the Air Force and they
lived for 3 years in West Palm Beach, FL. There
Vicky was born. After being discharged they moved
back to IL. They purchased their first and only home
in 1959. They lived there for 53 years. Just 3 weeks
ago they moved to Monroe, WI at St John’s Garden
Apts for seniors to be near Vicky and family. Just
starting to settle in and enjoy themselves. The day
before she fell she commented that she was so
pleased with the doctors they were seeing and hadn’t
been cared for like this for a long time.
One of her wishes was to go to
Disneyworld. Vicky and John took Laddie and Barb
along with Lisa to Disneyworld in Oct 2008. When she
saw the picture of herself all dressed up in her
Disney shirt and hat she laughed and said what a
true Disney tourist she was. Unfortunately during
the vacation she was already starting not to feel
good. It ended up being the start of her kidney
failure and she was on dialysis for almost 4 years.
The ports failed many times and she ended up with
many surgeries. It really took a toll on her but her
strong will prevailed and she carried on. She will
be missed by all her family and friends.
Other Notes #6:--- Marion Adam Taras, York '52, (1933-2010):--
Marion Adam Taras:--- Social Security Death Index (SSDI) Death Record
"Goodbye old friend. You were one of the best among us. Although we did a lousy job under the same roof, I never lost my appreciation for you as a person and a talented man of the arts. If there's a Heaven, I'm sure God needs you to direct the Hallelujah chorus for the Choir of Angels. Royan"
Posted on July 7, 2012 by: Royan Herman - Shadow Hills, CA - "We were once married," royan@peacockhill.com
Other Notes #7:--- David H. Buswell, York '52, (1934-2019):--
David H. Buswell, York '52, 1934 - 2019 ...each photo lasts 10-seconds --- then there's a fade-out of the very last photo...
THIS--- from Ted Truske, York '52
Thu, May 16, 2019 @ 6:03 PM
TO majordomoers@gmail.com:---
I’ll miss Dave. Chuck Cornish introduced me to Dave since I hadn’t grown up in Elmhurst and knew no one. Dave introduced me to his friends and that helped my transition from an inner city Chicago, all male, trade school to another world, York HS. I first encountered Chuck in study hall, for some reason he wanted to fight. I had boxed for years with the CYO program in the city, Chuck backed off when I was not intimidated. An interesting beginning. Over the years Dave and I visited and corresponded, I think he enjoyed using me as a foil for his expansive excursions about human behaviors in business and government. Neither of us took them with any particular seriousness. One time in D.C. Dave and Yoko invited me to dinner where their other guest was a Vice-Admiral. Dave was in his element with he and the Admiral regaling Yoko and me and each other with humorous and bizarre service episodes. Dave was a consummate story teller and a good listener. He was a good friend, I’ll miss him.
Sent from my iPad
AND THIS--- from Wayne Mahood, York '52
Sat, May 18, 2019 @ 10:09 AM (3 hours ago)
TO majordomoers@gmail.com:---
My lasting image of Dave is from our senior year when he took charge of a committee to write a script for a senior skit. We met and laughed as the ideas spewed forth, mostly from Dave, who had a delightful, but also acerbic, wit. It was a delightful time, though I cannot remember whether we actually acted it out. It really doesn’t make any difference, it was a fun time thanks to Dave.
Not too long ago Dave resurrected the skit script, which brought back some wonderful memories. Also Dave found a way to contact me a dozen or more years ago, which led to our annual Christmas greetings. His wit never left him.
It will hurt --- not to get one of those clever Christmas greetings...
NOW THIS--- from Tom Hodge, York '52
SUNDAY, May 19, 2019 @ 11:43 AM (2 hours ago)
TO majordomoers@gmail.com:---
Dave will always be remembered for his quick wit & great personality. We did keep in touch via phone calls & Christmas cards. In my York "52" Yearbook he wrote "To rugged Tom: Your speech classes, your broad, your make-out parking space, what a man!" His parting does leave a void in my life...
AND THIS--- ALSO from Ted Truske, York '52
SUNDAY, May 19, 2019 @ 4:25 PM (2 hours ago)
TO majordomoers@gmail.com:---
More thoughts, memories of Dave. He chose extraordinary homes. His early 1900’s home on Lawyer’s Hill road south of Baltimore had several aspects that gave it character, a polished brick floor in a study, a highly sloped stairway from a kitchen hall for access to attic rooms for household help, another second floor wing with family rooms accessed by a more conventional stairway and a view of a formal room with French windows overlooking a broad meadow, wide plank floors. The home radiated charm. Then Dave talked himself into a kind of caretaker role and reporter of its condition for an eighteenth century mansion of historical repute which had gone vacant due to inheritance issues, tax bills and complications of historical preservation. Visiting there, as we sat on the open veranda, viewing the expansive grounds, Dave cradled a tumbler of single malt scotch and said he felt like the Great Gatsby. His later condo at the Watergate was consistent with his sense of place and style. The Miata convertible that he exercised on the side roads of Tennessee reflected his inclination to good taste and studied enjoyment.
Sent from my iPad
I knew David Buswell from a time when we were both growing up in Elmhurst, IL --- from opposite sides of the town --- Dave being from the east side and I from the west side. We knew of one another from our association with the Keast Bands of Elmhurst from the fourth-grade on --- David with his clarinet of some sort --- and me with my cornet/trumpet. I stayed on in the Band through York High School, whereas David dropped out while in grade school or Junior High School as I recall. We both went on to graduate from York High School in 1952. Thereafter, we went our separate ways --- but frequently participating in various Reunions of the York Class of '52. David was a friend to all who who ever knew him and David had a sharp wit about him that to my knowledge he kept for his entire lifetime, serving in the U.S. Navy with the rank of Captain upon his retirement. David enjoyed life to the fullest and was a connoisseur of both fine cars and fine houses. Those of us from the York High School Class of 1952 shall miss David in all of our future Class Reunions --- if indeed, there even are any --- considering our advanced age. May David RIP, forevermore. ...H. Bruce Downey, York '52 formerly of Elmhurst, IL and now of Myrtle Beach, SC***********
NOW THIS--- from Carroll Knight, York '52
SUNDAY, May 19, 2019 @ 5:39 PM (1 and 1/2 hours ago)
TO majordomoers@gmail.com:---
On May 7, 2019 I talked to Dave for 24 minutes. Normal conversation about our past. I told him about other people from our class that I had recent calls with. We did not talk about any of his health issues.
E-mail information re: additional obituaries to Bruce Downey at hdowney@vt.edu
I knew David Buswell from a time when we were both growing up in Elmhurst, IL --- from opposite sides of the town --- Dave being from the east side and I from the west side. We knew of one another from our association with the Keast Bands of Elmhurst from the fourth-grade on --- David with his clarinet of some sort --- and me with my cornet/trumpet. I stayed on in the Band through York High School, whereas David dropped out while in grade school or Junior High School as I recall. We both went on to graduate from York High School in 1952. Thereafter, we went our separate ways --- but frequently participating in various Reunions of the York Class of '52. David was a friend to all who who ever knew him and David had a sharp wit about him that to my knowledge he kept for his entire lifetime, serving in the U.S. Navy with the rank of Captain upon his retirement. David enjoyed life to the fullest and was a connoisseur of both fine cars and fine houses. Those of us from the York High School Class of 1952 shall miss David in all of our future Class Reunions --- if indeed, there even are any --- considering our advanced age. May David RIP, forevermore. ...H. Bruce Downey, York '52 formerly of Elmhurst, IL and now of Myrtle Beach, SC***********
