Thursday, April 04, 2013

BJ reunions in New Zealand and Florida


By John Olesky (BJ 1969-96)

Beacon Journal retirees find ways to get together long after they have worked together at the building on East Exchange Street in Akron.

Whether it’s Florida or New Zealand, BJ retirees and former newsroom employees had reunions within the past month.

Former BJ Art Department chief Art Krummel and his wife, retired BJ reporter Charlene Nevada, had a reunion in Venice, Florida with Composing retiree Gina White, widow of former Composing foreman Dave White. Gina moved to Venice with Dave nearly a decade ago after nearly two decades in their Sarasota home. The photo shows the trio at a Siesta Key restaurant.

Art and Charlene have a winter home in Garden City, South Carolina, which is 85 miles north of Charleston, South Carolina, but spend a majority of their time in their Tallmadge home.

Then Art and Charlene drove north to St. Petersburg for a reunion with former BJ artist Dennis Haas and Dennis’ wife, Lois.

Cathy Strong, a 1970s BJ State Desk reporter who lives in a beach home just outside Wellington, New Zealand, hasn’t had BJ visitors since the late Fran Murphey showed up on her doorstep in the late 1970s.

But she had two BJ reunions in a week’s time in March.

First retired BJ photographer Don Roese and wife Mary Ann showed up on her doorstep, and spent a week with Cathy.

After Don and Mary Ann left Cathy’s home for more traveling, Don was waiting for BJ newsroom retiree John Olesky and 1970s BJ State Desk reporter Paula Tucker when they landed at Auckland, New Zealand airport. Don and Mary Ann were at the airport to fly out and on their way to their Cuyahoga Falls home after visiting kiwi country.

Cathy Strong flew to Auckland and the next day greeted John and Paula at their hotel, where they were beginning a 22-day, 11-flight trip to New Zealand and Australia.

So, no matter where you may be in this world, look around you. There may be a former BJ co-worker sitting at the next table in an Istanbul restaurant or on your doorstep in the Carolinas.

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