East High Class of 1962

Verden Dent

Then

Now

Birthday:December 03, 1942 City:Oak City State/Prov.:UT Occupation:Retired Marital Status:Married No. of Children:7

From Verden:I returned from the mission field in Brazil, in June 1965 and married a hometown gal from Lewiston. We have seven wonderful children and have 15 grandchildren. We will be married 46 years in April.

I returned to California to court my wonderful wife and worked there and managed a 46 unit apt. complex. We moved back to Hurricane Utah and ran a boys home for a few years. Moved to Lewiston and worked at a cheese plant, USU, and had my own business for number of years. I finally went to work for Utah Power and worked for them in Kemmer, Wyoming, Hurricane, Utah, Mudlake, Idaho, and Delta, Utah, where I retired and then was called back on contract for a few more years.

We have a wonderfuli little place here in Oak City with a large garden, 30 fruit trees, cattle and chickens. I have done a lot of singing and solo work with my music over the years with my wife at the piano for me. I do not do much of that any more as my voice has started to become quite raspy as of late.

I have had many callings in the church. The most memorable was being the Young Mens Pres. in Hurricane and then in the Bishopric. For the last seven and half years my super companion,my wife have been working at the Manti Temple as ordinance workers and love every mintue we are there. This has been the most delightful and inspirational calling we both have had.

Send Verden a Message

Pat Wilson (Banta)

Then

Now

Birthday:November 04, 1943 City:Salinas State/Prov.:CA Occupation:Retired Marital Status:Widowed No. of Children:2

From Pat:Oh my goodness - can I say “fifty”?? I was thinking that was my age, still! Reading through some of these wonderful stories made me procrastinate adding anything to the page.

I do look back to a wonderful childhood and fun high school experience - even though my greatest dream of making pep club never came true! A’Cappella was a rich and rewarding experience, though.

I’ve spent my married life in California, raising two kids and teaching math part time at the community college.

I’ve been fortunate to have been surrounded by good friends now that I am alone, and those adventures have taken me to Baha (petting baby whales), Hawaii, DC, with Prague and Budapest to come. Priority travel includes grandchildren in Texas and California whenever possible.

Life is good, and I’m looking forward to our reunion in September.

Thanks, committee, for all your work, and for a great website.

Send Pat a Message

kent anderson

Birthday:January 04, 1944 City:sandy State/Prov.:UT Occupation:retired Marital Status:Married No. of Children:3

From kent:

GRADUATED FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH. WORKED 38 YEARS FOR 1ST FEDERAL & WASHINGTON FEDERAL SAVINGS . MARRIED FOR 42 YEARS WITH 3 CHILDREN & 6 GRANDCHILDREN. WE ENJOY U OF U FOOTBALL & BASKETBALL, GOLF, TRAVELING & VISITING OUR GRANDCHILDREN IN COLORADO & WISCONSIN.

Send kent a Message

Thomas Mitko

Birthday:January 10, 1944 City:Murray Occupation:retired geologist Marital Status:Married No. of Children:2

Send Thomas a Message

Bonnie Bronson (Bryner)

Birthday:January 29, 1944 City:Salt Lake City, State/Prov.:UT Occupation:Homemaker Marital Status:Married No. of Children:5

From Bonnie:Life has been good to me! East High was the best school to graduate from, and you may have noticed, that many East High graduates marry each other.

I married Wally Bryner (one year ahead of me at East), graduated from the U of U in Psycology, and then stayed home to raise 5 wonderful children.

Wally was a Obstetrician Gynecologist at Bryner Clinic. He was a great doctor and my best friend. He is now retired and we get to tend grandchildren and bug our kids.

We had the privilege of living in Mongolia for 2 years when Wally was a Mission President for the LDS Church. Loved it there!

Some of the wonderful things that our kids are doing are:

*daughter-- became a nurse,
*husband-- owns his own furniture manufacturing business
*daughter-- creative sewer
*husband-- in Afganistan, fliesApache helicopters
*daughter-- well known YA author and received a Newbery Honor for one of her books.
*Husband-- Computer genius
*Son-- Partner in computer business
*wife--Fabulous artist

I can tell that I'm getting older and I want to be able to enjoy all life holds for me.

I hope we all will be strong and healthy for many years to come.

Send Bonnie a Message

Deanna Polad (Gill)

Then

Now

Birthday:January 31, 1944 City:Lehi State/Prov.:UT Occupation:Retired Marital Status:Married No. of Children:6

From Deanna:

After reading all of our classmates' successes, exotic travels, accomplishments, titles, talents, occupations, professional associations, educational achievements and community involvements, I have come to the conclusion that I am extraordinarily ordinary. I am so impressed with everyone. It just proves the greatness of EHS Class of '62!

I did not go to college, but I was hired as a legal secretary for an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Utah right out of high school, thanks to skills acquired at East High.

My high school sweetheart (Francis Gill, EHS Class of '60) and I married in 1964. I continued to work for the state for another year. My husband graduated from the U of U and taught junior high school science in Granite School District for thirty-one years and retired in 1999 with all of his mental faculties still intact.

During the years of child bearing and rearing, I was able to stay home with our children and worked at temporary office jobs when the need arose. We were blessed with six children, one of whom is deceased. We now have eleven grandchildren. What a joy our family has been for us. After our youngest child was in school, I went to work full time for a labor union as an administrative assistant for twenty-three years and retired in 2008. We lived in Salt Lake six years, Sandy nine years, South Jordan twenty-seven years and now in Lehi for the past six years.

My husband and I have served a thirty-month LDS Church service mission at the Family History Library in Salt Lake, and we just began another service mission at the Family History Training Center in Orem.

Life is good. We have good health with just a few minor maladies. All of our children live nearby, and we enjoy being with them.

Send Deanna a Message

Jeff Summerhays

Now

Birthday:May 05, 1944 City:Rancho Santa Fe State/Prov.:CA Occupation:Program Manager, Director, Generally in Defense Marital Status:Married No. of Children:4

From Jeff:After Graduation I joined the National Guard. Was in during the Cuban Missile Crisis and of course Vietnam.

LDS Mission to Australia, 63-65.

Graduated from the U with an Electrical Engineering degree (69) at the same time as U of U alum Nolen Bushnell (invented pong) and Ed Catmull (started Pixar). I guess none of it rubbed off on me.

During the next 40 years or so I was in the defense business during the cold war (see the book Blind Man's Bluff), the cell phone world with Qualcomm during the dot com bubble, aviation security during 911, and the unmanned vehicle world now. Been a fun ride.

I married Teri Daynes (Highland Hi). We have 3 daughters a son and a granddaughter. We built our house in Rancho Santa Fe, CA in the early 90's and have raised our family here. I still have two of them at the Y, one a freshman and the other finishing a graduate degree.

I commuted to SLC for 18 months in about 2004 and lived with my brother Terry near East. It was great being around the family again, but decided to stay in San Diego.

I look forward to seeing all of you this fall.

Send Jeff a Message

Grant McAllister

Then

Now

Birthday:May 08, 1944 City:SLC State/Prov.:UT Occupation:Retired Banker Marital Status:Married No. of Children:2

From Grant:Hi everyone...After Graduation from East High, I and my buddy and classmate Richard Berrett took off on a wild adventure in my Austin Healy for the beach bum life and "surfing safari" craze of Southern California. What a great way to start my life after high school--beach, parties, and a new dance called the watusee! The "chief" Berrett claimed most of the local dance awards with his wild gyrations (I'm sure you all remember those). After returning home, I attended the University of Utah. After that, I spent a long six months active duty in Fort Polk, Louisiana, in the US Army Reserve. I ended up in the same platoon as classmate Ken Macey (small world, huh). After my stint as a soldier, I returned home to celebrate life once again, and I replaced the beach with snow and became a ski bum. I joined the National Ski Patrol at Brighton where I patroled and partied with two other East classmates Bob Gaddie and Brent Herridige. I couldn't seem to leave East High behind. Then, life. I met my wife, Judy Hunt, a South High cutie, while having pizza at Luigi's with another East classmate Paul Grindle. Like my other East classmates, he had interesting proclivities: wolfing down half a pizza in one bite along with other strange antics, which will remain unnamed for now. (You can thank me later, Paul.) After getting married and having two great kids, I setttled into a 30-year career in banking. (Notice how that can be summarized in one sentence.) I was fortunate enough to retire early and for the last ten years have semi-returned to my old "ski bum" lifestyle as a ski instructor at Park City Mountain Resort, where I regularly attend the "Church of Blue Skies and Deep Powder." As an interesting sidenote, I recently returned to East High where I spent several years taking night classes in auto body repair, so I could restore my grandfather's 1954 Buick Roadmaster (which I have now completed). I just can't seem to leave East High behind. I'm looking forward to seeing all you East High classmates at the reunion this summer!

Send Grant a Message

Chris Anderson

Now

Birthday:May 28, 1944 City:Salt Lake City State/Prov.:UT Occupation:Director Analytical Research, Watson Labs, Inc. Marital Status:Divorced No. of Children:2

From Chris:I hope everyone renews old friendships at the reunion. Life is good and I look forward to many more years of an enjoyable and peaceful life. I will be out of the country during our 50 year celebration, so party on and enjoy.
Chris

Send Chris a Message

Milt Thackeray

Now

Birthday:June 13, 1944 City:Holladay State/Prov.:UT Occupation:CPA Marital Status:Married No. of Children:7

From Milt:

Following graduation from East, I attended the University of Utah, graduating in 1968 with a B.S. in Accounting and in 1969 with a Masters of Business Administration. In between freshman year at the U and graduation, I served an LDS mission in the West German Mission. Upon returning from my mission, I married Sandy West (Olympus) who I had met in Freshman English at the U. She has been a great friend and companion to me and has played a large part in any success I have had. After graduating, I went to work for an international accounting firm and have had many challenging and interesting opportunities.

In the late 1970’s, we moved with our five children to Brussels, Belgium (Waterloo) where we spent three years. I had the opportunity of working throughout Europe as a European Liaison Partner for our firm and had some exciting adventures in countries like Iran, Greece, and Yugoslavia. We were able to travel extensively as a family and experience the beautiful sites and diverse culture that Europe has to offer.

One of the most memorable and joyous experiences we had while living in Belgium was that of adding another child to our family. Although I wouldn’t say that government-run healthcare would make our highlight list, at least mother and child survived the experience and are doing fine. After returning to the U.S., we completed our family adding another son to the five boys and daughter that we brought back with us.

During my 37 year career in public accounting, I have had many rewarding and challenging opportunities to serve in professional organizations. These provided opportunities to develop lasting relationships with people around the country and receive some professional recognition. Some of these include the following:
·         President, Utah Association of Certified Public Accountants
·         Chairman, Utah State Board of Accountancy
·         Chairman, State of Utah Legislative Compensation Committee
·         President, University of Utah School of Accounting Faculty Advisory Board
·         Member, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants Governing Council
·         Utah representative to the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy
·         Member, University of Utah School of Social Work Community Advisory Board
·         Treasurer, Eighth National Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect
·         Outstanding CPA, Utah Association of Certified Public Accountants
·         Alumnus of the Year, University of Utah Beta Alpha Psi

As I have grown older, I have come to value family and friends and the relationships we have and recognize that being a friend, a mentor, and providing support is truly one of the most important things we can do. I still value the many friendships I made while at East High.

I found that I like to be busy, and went back to work after a couple of years in retirement. I am currently the CFO at Central Utah Water Conservancy District. Sandy and I enjoy spending time with our 7 children and 19 grandchildren and divide our time between Salt Lake, St. George, and traveling. I look forward to seeing all of you at the reunion.

Send Milt a Message