» On 4/03/2025 12:01:00 AM Mountain Standard Time, Alan wrote:
Zoomiversary #5, 03April2020 - 03April2025. 

The first ZoomFest was among four members of our Westfield [MA] High School track team. We've kept in touch over the years, but the pandemic brought us a lot closer together, in a series of semimonthly Zoom meetings. The group quickly expanded to six, and then ten, regulars, and often included special guests, like our spouses, partners, kids, pets, classmates, and even our old coach. The next get-together is this coming Friday, with participants Zooming in from Lakewood Colorado, Mesa Arizona, Philomath Oregon, Suffield Connecticut, Niwot Colorado, Fougères France, San Diego California, Virginia Beach Virginia, and Swampscott Massachusetts. Special thanks to Jim Gusek, who sparked the whole idea, and to COVID-19, for creating this unexpectedly welcome side benefit.

Remember the old TV shows from the 50s and 60s, when a group of guys would get together for Poker Night? They smoked cigars, drank beer and told dirty jokes. Well, some of us see the ZoomFest as Poker Night, without the cigars. 😉

--1968-71, top 2 rows, L-R: Jim Gusek, moi, Patrick Kamins, Michael Rood, Bert Cashman, Robert Grace, Michael Kay, Stephen FitzGerald, Bruce LaPointe, and Bill Walthall.
--5 decades later, bottom 2 rows!

Founding members of Westfield High's Cross-Country team in the Fall of 1968, L-R:
Al Baird, Coach Reign Rix, Jim Gusek, (Bob Grace), Dan Fountain, Bert Cashman, Mike Rood.

WHS Track, Spring 1969, Row-Column, Front-Back: Bert Cashman 1-1, Bob Grace 1-2,
Mike Kay 2-2, Al Baird 2-9, Bill Walthall 2-10, Steve FitzGerald 2-12, Mike Rood 3-1,
Bruce LaPointe 3-2, Jim Gusek 3-9. (Pat Kamins graduated in 1968.)

Glory Days, Friday Night Lights, FB postings: 01Apr2024 + 03Apr2025, 05Apr2024 pix, 1969 track records

Labels: whs, z5, ZoomFest

 
» On 4/01/2024 12:05:00 AM Mountain Standard Time, Alan wrote:
Zoomiversary #4, 03April2020 - 03April2024. 

The first ZoomFest was among four members of our Westfield [MA] High School track team. We've kept in touch over the years, but the pandemic brought us a lot closer together, in a series of semimonthly Zoom meetings. The group quickly expanded to six, and then ten, regulars, and often included special guests, like our spouses, partners, kids, pets, and even our old coach. The next get-together is this coming Friday, with participants Zooming in from Lakewood Colorado, Mesa Arizona, Philomath Oregon, Suffield Connecticut, Niwot Colorado, Fougères France, San Diego California, Virginia Beach Virginia, and Swampscott Massachusetts. Special thanks to Jim Gusek, who sparked the whole idea, and to COVID-19, for creating this unexpectedly welcome side benefit.

Remember the old TV shows from the 50s and 60s, when a group of guys would get together for Poker Night? They smoked cigars, drank beer and told dirty jokes. Well, some of us see the ZoomFest as Poker Night, without the cigars. 😉

--1968-71, top 2 rows, L-R: Jim Gusek, moi, Patrick Kamins, Michael Rood, Bert Cashman, Robert Grace, Michael Kay, Stephen FitzGerald, Bruce LaPointe, and Bill Walthall.
--5 decades later, bottom 2 rows!

Founding members of Westfield High's Cross-Country team in the Fall of 1968, L-R:
Al Baird, Coach Reign Rix, Jim Gusek, (Bob Grace), Dan Fountain, Bert Cashman, Mike Rood.

WHS Track, Spring 1969, Row-Column, Front-Back: Bert Cashman 1-1, Bob Grace 1-2,
Mike Kay 2-2, Al Baird 2-9, Bill Walthall 2-10, Steve FitzGerald 2-12, Mike Rood 3-1,
Bruce LaPointe 3-2, Jim Gusek 3-9. (Pat Kamins graduated in 1968.)

Glory Days, Friday Night Lights, Facebook posting, 05Apr2024 ZoomFest, 1969 track records

Labels: whs, z4, ZoomFest

 
» On 8/19/2023 09:35:00 PM Mountain Standard Time, Alan wrote:
Reign George "Spike" Rix (13 Nov 1932 - 17 Aug 2023; Age 90). 

Our Beloved Coach Has Passed Away.
In 1968, Reign Rix helped us organize the first Cross Country team that Westfield High ever had. And in 2020, when he found out about our biweekly ZoomFest meetings, he joined us for a chat (see below). Safe travels, Coach! [Obituary]

Rix was a pistol. When my family moved 90 miles across Massachusetts just before my senior year of high school, I was burning to run cross-country in the fall. But Westfield didn't have a team. What to do, what to do? Somebody told me to talk to the Track coach, who doubled as the A/V Supervisor. He was tucked away in his dark and dingy lair, and didn't really want to take on another bunch of high-spirited guys. So he referred me to his assistant Track coach. Rix seemed willing, and even eager, to help us out, but said he knew nothing about x-country training. Would I be able to design workouts for the newly-formed team? Sure, I had already had three years of experience in *running* workouts, why not create them? Easy-peasy. We struggled during that initial fall season, and didn't win very many meets, but I formed a whole bunch of strong friendships that have lasted more than 50 years. And Coach Rix was our cheerleader, babysitter and moral compass.

He drove us 100 miles into Boston for an invitational Indoor Track meet, too. Westfield didn't have a formal Indoor program, but a few of us continued working out in the snow, to stay in shape for the Spring season. Coach Rix discovered the YMCA meet that got me in trouble with my girlfriend's parents. 😉

During Spring Track, Rix was the Assistant Coach, but he knew how much I wanted to break three of the school records, so he personally helped me along. After getting two of the records, I unofficially broke the third by two seconds in a two-mile practice. When meet day rolled around, the old recordholder, who had graduated the previous year, took time off from his factory job to watch the race. Everyone expected me to break the record, and I became overconfident. My split times were okay during the first mile, but I slowed down during the second. By the end, I had barely enough gas to sprint to the finish line and collapse on the infield. Did I break it? Did I get my precious third record? Coach Rix was holding the stopwatch. He slowly walked over to me, knelt down, and carefully showed me the time. I closely examined his stopwatch, and the margin was only two-tenths of a second, well within the degree of error for a hand-timed race. From my adult perspective today, I'm pretty sure he was offering me the chance to squeeze his hand, momentarily start the stopwatch again, and add a second or two. I was headed for college and a bright future, far from Westfield, while the old recordholder was doomed to a life of dead-end factory jobs in his hometown. I already had two school records, and he was just trying to hold onto one more year of immortality on Westfield's Records Board. But when I looked at Coach Rix's stopwatch, I was greedy. I didn't squeeze his hand. Didn't momentarily start the stopwatch again. Instead, I jumped up and celebrated. Everybody in the stands cheered my new record. Except one guy.

Labels: whs

 
» On 4/03/2023 06:00:00 AM Mountain Standard Time, Alan wrote:
Zoomiversary #3, 03April2020 - 03April2023. 

The first ZoomFest was among four members of our Westfield [MA] High School track team. We've kept in touch over the years, but the pandemic brought us a lot closer together, in a series of semimonthly Zoom meetings. The group quickly expanded to six, and then ten, regulars, and often included special guests, like our spouses, partners, kids, pets, and even our old coach. The next get-together is this coming Friday, with participants Zooming in from Lakewood Colorado, Mesa Arizona, Philomath Oregon, Suffield Connecticut, Niwot Colorado, Fougères France, San Diego California, Virginia Beach Virginia, and Swampscott Massachusetts. Special thanks to Jim Gusek, who sparked the whole idea, and to COVID-19, for creating this unexpectedly welcome side benefit.
--L-R: Jim Gusek, moi, Patrick Kamins, Michael Rood, Bert Cashman, Robert Grace, Michael Kay, Stephen FitzGerald, Bruce LaPointe, and Bill Walthall. Yearbook portraits underneath!


Back in the day, L-R:

Founding members of Westfield High's Cross-Country team in the Fall of 1968, L-R:
Al Baird, Coach Reign Rix, Jim Gusek, (Bob Grace), Dan Fountain, Bert Cashman, Mike Rood.

WHS Track, Spring 1969, Row-Column, Front-Back: Bert Cashman 1-1, Bob Grace 1-2,
Mike Kay 2-2, Al Baird 2-9, Bill Walthall 2-10, Steve FitzGerald 2-12, Mike Rood 3-1,
Bruce LaPointe 3-2, Jim Gusek 3-9. (Pat Kamins graduated in 1968.)

Glory Days, Friday Night Lights

Labels: whs, z3, ZoomFest

 
» On 11/01/2021 12:05:00 AM Mountain Standard Time, Alan wrote:
Westfield High School (MA) outdoor track records, 1969. 

100 Yard Dash - 10.1 - David Canterbury 1966 (1948-2007); Coaches Robert T. Andersen (1923-2017) & Reign G. Rix (1932-2023).
120 Yard High Hurdles - 15.4 - Pat Kamins 1968
180 Yard Low Hurdles - 21.5 - Gregory Grimm 1965 (1947-1994), Pat Kamins 1968
220 Yard Dash - 22.9 - Al Laude 1969 (1951-2018)
440 Yard Dash - 52.9 - Ronald Smith 1965
1/2 Mile Relay - 1:37.2 - Ralph Tarnauskas, Larry Andersen, Kerry Granfield, Al Laude 1969
1/2 Mile Run - 2:07.0 - Alan C. Baird 1969
1 Mile Run - 4:42.7 - Alan C. Baird 1969
2 Mile Run - 10:29.2 - Alan C. Baird 1969
Long Jump - 21'9½" - David Canterbury 1966
High Jump - 6'4¼" - Bert Cashman 1969
Pole Vault - 9'6" - Bruce Webber 1961, Jim Gusek & Gerry McGilpin 1969
Shot Put - 44'3" - Robert Tufts 1967
Discus - 132'5" - Robert Tufts 1967
Javelin - 168'3" - Robert LaPointe 1967

ZoomFest (+ Stephen FitzGerald, Robert Grace, Michael Kay, Bruce LaPointe. Michael Rood, William Walthall) and Cross Country.
Current records a/o 2021May20 at WHS Athletics + unofficial (incorrect) records site + mimeo + mimeo2 + official records board:

snippet of board a/o 2024Apr08 ~ 2024May18

Labels: whs

 
» On 5/20/2021 01:00:00 AM Mountain Standard Time, Alan wrote:
David Chester Canterbury (24 Mar 1948 - 09 Feb 2007; Age 58). 

BECKET, MA - David C. Canterbury, 58, of 44 Gould Road died Friday at Berkshire Medical Center. He was a former director of the Lee Youth Association for 20 years and a former co-chairman for the Berkshire United Way. Born in Westfield on March 24, 1948, son of Chester E. and Gladys Cherbonneau Canterbury, he was a 1966 graduate of Westfield High School and a 1967 graduate of Cheshire Academy, where he was awarded the Sheridan Plaque as an outstanding scholar and athlete. He was also a 1971 graduate of the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a member of the Amherst chapter of Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity. He lived in Chester for 12 years and moved to Becket seven years ago. Mr. Canterbury was a self-employed fundraising and developing consultant. He also was a former coach and teacher at Westfield and Gateway Regional high schools and at Cheshire Academy. He was a communicant of Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Church in Westfield, past president of the Kiwanis Club in Lee. At the time of his death, he was a member of the board of the Lee Library Association. He leaves two sons, Michael D. Canterbury of Chester and Jamie P. Canterbury of Agawam; a brother, Philip J. Canterbury of Columbus, Md.; two sisters, Susan M. Mellen of Tyngsboro and Carol J. Brannan of Eureka, Calif.; two granddaughters; and his companion, Georgia Massucco, with whom he resided. FUNERAL NOTICE - The funeral for David C. Canterbury, who died Friday, Feb. 9, 2007, will be Wednesday at 8:45 a.m. from ROBERT E. CUSAK FUNERAL HOME, 94 Main St. - Route 20, Westfield, with a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. at the Blessed Sacrament Parish Center on Holyoke Road. Burial will be in St. Mary's Cemetery, all in Westfield. Visiting hours will be tomorrow from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Memorial contributions may be made to the Berkshire United Way, 200 South St., P.O. Box 3808, Pittsfield, MA 01202-3808. He also leaves two granddaughters, Abigail and Chelsea of Chester; three nephews; and a niece. He will be sadly missed.

Published by The Berkshire Eagle on Monday, February 12, 2007: http://legacy.com/link.asp?i=ls86436613
Grave: http://www.findagrave.com/memorial/68769260
1967 The Rolling Stone yearbook photo: https://www.classmates.com/siteui/yearbooks/98389?page=29

Labels: whs

 
» On 5/20/2021 12:30:00 AM Mountain Standard Time, Alan wrote:
Gregory Henry Grimm (06 Dec 1947 - 01 Apr 1994; Age 46). 

Gregory H. Grimm, 46, of 657 E. Main St., Meriden [CT], died April 1, 1994, in Westfield, Mass. Born in Westfield, Mass., Dec. 6, 1947, son of Henry Grimm of Westfield, Mass., and Nina (Benoit) Grimm of Florida, he was a resident of Westfield, Mass., for most of his life. He was an area manager for Brown Corp. Besides his parents, he is survived by two sons, David Grimm, and Jason Grimm, both of Florida; two brothers, Glenn Grimm of Westfield, Mass., and William Grimm of Southampton, Mass.; and two sisters, Gail Florek of Ohio, and Caroline Stork of Southwick, Mass. Funeral will be Wednesday, at Czelusniak Funeral Home, 349 Elm St., Westfield, Mass., followed by a Memorial Mass, 10 a.m., in Blessed Sacrament Church. Burial is at the convenience of the family. Calling hours are Wednesday, 8 a.m., until the time of the Memorial Mass. Donations may be made to the American Cancer Society.

Published by The Hartford Courant on Tuesday, April 5, 1994:
https://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-xpm-1994-04-05-9404050495-story.html
Grave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/68417188
1965 Gammadion yearbook photo: https://www.classmates.com/siteui/yearbooks/186557?page=81

Labels: whs

 
» On 5/20/2021 12:20:00 AM Mountain Standard Time, Alan wrote:
Alfred John Laude Jr. (18 May 1951 - 08 Feb 2018; Age 66). 

WELLS, ME - Alfred John Laude Jr. of Wells Maine passed away Feb. 8, 2018 with his family by his side after a brief but valiant struggle with cancer surrounded by all the people he loved the most. He was 66 years old. Al was born on May 18, 1951 in Westfield Massachusetts to Alfred John Laude and G. Eleanor Laude (Mesick), the first of five children. Growing up Al was a popular and record-setting athlete in school. He attended Hampden College of Pharmacy. While Al started his career in manufacturing, he later worked in management roles in the Hi Tech industry for Biogen, Digital Equipment Corporation, and Compaq/HP. In 2003, Al decided he was missing too much time with his family by working in the corporate world so together with his wife Joan, opened Alfredo's Italian Pizzeria. He and Joan worked side by side with their children Cara, Nick and Vinny for the next 15 years. He married the love of his life Joan Laude (Flannery) on June 18, 1983, and together they welcomed three children. They enjoyed life to the fullest, always making family their priority and faced all of life's ups and downs as a team. Al's love of family was paramount. Like most of us, Al faced challenges in life. Al always faced his challenges with a plan of action. He beat his struggle with alcoholism by going back to school to become a certified drug and alcohol counselor and completed his career taking care of others at Merrimack River Medical Services. He was a devoted son, brother, husband, father, uncle, grandfather, friend. Al devoted his life to taking care of others, whether it was helping his parents, his community or his family. Care of others and quiet generosity is Al's legacy. Without fanfare, Al would give the last dollar he had to someone who needed it. He leaves behind his beloved wife Joan, as with everything in life they faced the journey as one. In addition he leaves behind his daughter Cara Shaw and his grandchildren Lucas and Natalie, sons Nicholas (fiancé Nicole Ryan) and Alfred Vincent of Wells, Maine, his parents Alfred J. Laude, Sr. and G. Eleanor Laude of Kennebunk, Maine, his brothers David S. Laude (Peggy) of Kennebunk, Maine, their son John and daughter Kate, Paul M. Laude (Sandy) of Greenfield, Massachusetts, children Michael and Christina; sisters, Kathleen Kerr (Ken) of Austin, Texas their children Alex, Greg and David; Margo Emerson (Steve) of Arundel, Maine and their children Stephen and Jack. Services to honor Al will be Saturday, Feb. 17. Visitation will be at St. Mary's Church, Holy Spirit Parish 236 Eldridge Road, Wells, ME 04090 at 10 a.m. followed by a funeral mass at 11 a.m. Everyone is welcome to come and celebrate Al's life at the Wells Activity Center on 113 Sanford Road, Wells, ME from noon to 2 p.m. following the funeral mass. Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to: The Alfred J. Laude, Jr. Athletic Scholarship Fund; 11 Day Hill Road, Wells, ME 04090.

Published in the [Biddeford ME] Journal Tribune on Saturday, February 10, 2018: http://legacy.com/link.asp?i=ls188134493
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alfredo.laude.7 - Al's father died five miles away, a few months later.
1969 Gammadion yearbook photo: https://www.classmates.com/siteui/yearbooks/4182712225?page=71

Labels: whs

 
» On 5/20/2021 12:10:00 AM Mountain Standard Time, Alan wrote:
Robert T. Andersen (22 Mar 1923 - 08 Feb 2017; Age 93). 

ANDOVER, MA - Robert Andersen, age 93, died peacefully in the loving presence of his five children, their spouses, his youngest brother, a niece, and most of his 15 grandchildren. He served his country proudly in WWII and was a lifelong master craftsman. Rob's 30-year career was teaching high school industrial arts. Even after death, he will teach those who will care for our health, as his body was donated to U.Mass Medical School. We will all miss his sweet face, his quick wit, his humility and affection. However, we take comfort in knowing that Rob has rejoined his lifelong love, Margret, for his last eternal date in the company of angels and the sunshine of our lord. A private service was held in his home with immediate family. Donations in his memory can be made to the following organizations, Alzheimer's Association www.alz.org, St. Labre Indian School, www.stlabreindianschool.org

Published in The Andover Townsman on Thursday, February 9, 2017: http://obituaries.andovertownsman.com/story/robert-andersen-873262462
Birth: http://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KLGT-RVK
Death: http://massachusetts.funeral.com/2017/02/11/robert-andersen-age-93-died
1969 Gammadion yearbook photo: https://www.classmates.com/siteui/yearbooks/4182712225?page=38

Labels: whs