What Have You Been Doing

            Class of ‘60 alumni have spread across the US creating careers, businesses and families.   Sharing what you  have done the past 50 years is what makes a  reunion tick.  

            Andy Carson described himself as “going nowhere” after graduating from GHS.  He was interested in only two things, cars and partying.  He awoke one morning in 1962 to find he had joined the navy with fellow Girard High student and best friend  the late John Charles. To this day he credits John for that life changing event, for during his navy career he developed many transferable skills and became focused and structured.

            He also met his wife Judy, a navy nurse, and started on a positive path that led him to running a successful clothing business and ultimately building a replica of a historic tavern in a town smaller than Girard near the Adirondack Mountains in  New York.   Calling it the Pleasant View Breakfast House,  they ran the bed and breakfast inn for over 20 years, retiring this year.

            Andy  certainly has to be one of the most resourceful members of our class, taking on the challenge of learning to be a salesman, carpenter or chef whenever the opportunity presented itself.

          Ellen Dinard moved to St. Pete, Florida just 3 days after graduation.  Although she has remained there, her love for Girard has never diminished.  She fondly recalls her private pride in consistently getting straight A’s in Miss Schumm’s English class.   She also credits her work with her business teachers for giving her the confidence she needed later in life as she faced single parenthood and multiple surgeries.

……….. the Past 50 Years?

            She took her outstanding shorthand skills (second only to Janice DePietro she says) to the workplace, moved into more and more responsible jobs, and ultimately retired after 24 years in the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Department.

            No one would be surprised to know that Ellen’s engaging laugh and her positive attitude have not changed.  She is a doting grandmother and last year enjoyed a long overdue visit back to Girard, saying she would move back in an instant were it not for her Florida family. 

            Jim Ward grew up up up after graduation.  His 5'8" frame became 6'4, and his choices grew as well.  He chose engineering and earned his degree at Youngstown State where he met his wife Leslie. He chose the Navy when the Vietnam draft was instituted and spent over 20 years serving in various positions including two tours as a Seabees Company Commander in Vietnam and a tour at Camp David. 

            When he retired from the Navy, he chose to buy into an existing but downtrodden construction company in California, he and Leslie moving there with their three children and building it into a hugely successful business.

            Jim now enjoys semi-retirement as he turns his business over to his son.  Travel has moved up on his list, but his passion is his California pinot noir vineyards, the fruits of which he plans to share at the reunion.

            According to Jim, although Mrs. Canatti didn’t particularly care for him, her typing class has been the most used training from GHS.  But he credits Miss Ebinger and Mr. Cramer for providing the technical tools that most aided his career development.