Naturally, we have to begin where and when he was born, which was in Dayton, Ohio, on February 19, 1946. Rick was the second of four sons born to his parents. During his growing-up years he categorized himself as an “outdoor kid” when not in school. He hails from Longfellow Elementary School, and his favorite teacher was Ms. Gritton. His favorite subject was English, and I forgot to ask him, “So does that mean that Ms. Gritton taught English?” Hmmmmmmm.
His favorite high school teacher was Carmela Vacchiano (married name, Pragalos). Now, it stands to reason that I should have asked if that meant his favorite high school subject was biology?

     During a brief period after graduating from Colonel White, Rick was working at a part-time job as a delivery boy; one of his deliveries took him to Ms. Vacchiano’s house. He explained who he was (the kid who liked to stay after school and rewind her projector reels and clean her blackboards). She didn’t recognize him at first because he left high school at 5’8”, 145 lbs and showed up at her door as a whopping 6’3”, 230 lbs!

     Not only did Rick wash blackboards and rewind reels during high school, his major extracurricular activities included swimming and diving competitions. He also engaged in martial arts training—all the while working at Kroger’s.

     How he found time for anything else is remarkable, but Rick was incorporating private music lessons on the piano, bassoon, and saxophone. Over the last 30 years, he has not actively played any instruments, but he has recently been entertaining the prospect of picking up his saxophone again. (Good idea!)

When asked how well he did in school and how his motivation and performance affected his life, this is how he answered.

“I did not work as hard as I should have in high school. I realized when I was about 20 years old, though, that I had “soaked up”  so much at CW, I decided that it was a waste not to use the education system to reach my goals. I took that realization and became a teacher so I could identify kids who weren’t working to their potential I wanted to try to influence them to reach higher earlier.”

     Miami of Ohio was his college of choice for obtaining his teaching credentials, and he boasts of still being a loyal Redskin…NOT a Redhawk! During Rick’s teaching career, he was an English teacher, a student dean, assistant principal, and high school and middle school principal. The schools where he served were Hamilton HS, Huber Heights junior high schools, Jamestown Greeneview HS, Tipp City HS, Madison-Plains HS, Barnesville HS, Three Rivers Middle School, Zanesville HS. His goal “out of the gates” was to help kids learn, and that was his favorite part of his career. This picture shows Rick with two of his hall monitors…in the early 1960s hall monitors didn’t look quite like these:

     A few of Rick’s formal, noteworthy awards consist of the following: Huber Heights “Teacher of the Year,” State Superintendent of Schools “School of Promise” Citation; International Martial Arts Federation Lifetime Achievement Award. He has received from his communities because he has contributed to them. He is involved with the Volunteer-Dayton Veteran’s Administration, Vandalia-Butler Sister Cities project, Vandalia-Butler Historical Society, V-B S.A.Y. Soccer, Miamisburg Historical Society, Miamisburg Parks and Recreation, Miamisburg Renovation/Renewal Committee in addition to the Rotary, Kiwanis, Vietnam Vets of America, Veterans of Foreign Wars. Whew!

     Do you remember Phillips Swimming Pool on Leo Street, Dayton? Well, that’s where Rick met his wife, Karen, of 43 years. They dated off-and-on between 1962 and 1967 when they were married. He and his wife have two daughters and three grandchildren with another on the way. One daughter is also a teacher. The other daughter is a contract administrator in Washington, D. C. No pets at the moment.

Rick with his granddaughter:

     His hobbies are furniture building, traveling, and he is currently restoring a 1964 Studebaker Champ pick-up truck that belonged to his mother. His favorite food—not picky--any seafood. And his favorite color is blue. If he could live anywhere, you would find Rick behind a waterfall on a South Pacific Island. Confusing at the least, he would like to go to Antarctica as a place of utmost interest! I think it is safe to say he also plays golf as indicated by this picture he sent:

Jackie: “What few words would your best friend use to describe you?”
Rick: “A patient listener who would do anything to help a friend in need.”
Tell me you wouldn’t like to go back to CWHS, meet and get to know more people like Rick! (Remember to take a look at him on the Military Hall of Fame page, too.)

George Tepping, Colonel White High School, Graduating Class of 1964

by Jackie Winkler Randels

     Often, when I can’t find one of our classmates, I “Google” the name. I did that with George Tepping, and my jaw dropped as I made the connection between the George I found online and the George we walked the halls with at Colonel White! I rushed to check my yearbook and the likeness left no doubt, so I emailed George. Within the hour my response came, and I was so excited to see what one of our classmates had accomplished, unknown to the great majority of us.

     George agreed to an email interview, and the following presents what he has been doing all these years. His professional review introduces his current position at the Wausau Conservatory of Music in Wisconsin along with his professional training and experience spanning the years since our high school graduation. Continue reading to engage in the personal information he shared about his childhood and life!

Dr. George Tepping - Instructional duties: Executive Director of the Conservatory and Artist/Instructor of voice - Degrees: Bachelor of Music in vocal performance - Ohio State University; Master of Music in vocal performance - Ohio State University; Doctor of Music Arts degree in vocal performance/pedagogy - University of Iowa.; Honorary degree as Cantor - K.K. B'nai Yeshrun ( Ohio). - Professional affiliations: National Association of Teachers of Singing, National Opera Association, and College Music Society; Master Adjudicator for the Wisconsin School Music Association, - Performances: Sixteen years as a Spiel Tenor and tenor soloist with numerous European opera companies and American symphonies with performances of over sixty different opera and oratorio roles

Judy and Bob Grove...

Read about their trips to China!

Well, where do I start?

     Born, Montpelier, Idaho. That’s where Butch Cassidy made his first bank robbery. We left 3 days later to return to Alaska where the family was living.

     Family arrived in the US in 1623 as indentured servants in the Plymouth Colony. Great great great grandpa fought in the revolutionary war. He received a land grant near Mansfield, Ohio in lieu of pay. Until my part of the family moved west that was home.

     My family settled in southern Idaho in 1851. My great grandmother was the first English speaking child born in southern Idaho. I am a 4th generation cattle rancher. And still maintain ranching operations in Utah, Idaho and Wyoming.

     Most famous relatives; Abraham Lincoln (mother, Nancy Hanks) Tom Hanks, actor.

     I attended Longfellow Elementary (7-8). Best friends were John Stamatakos and Larry Holloway. (Both CW grads) Greatest sports thrill at Longfellow was beating Brown in the Championship (Byron Lewis & Dick Scott, CW grads). Larry scored 12 points and I had a foul shot. We won 13-12! Fast break all the way!

     I have wanted to be an artist at least since 6 years of age. I will always be grateful to Bing Davis and Tom Bradrick as my heroes and mentors. I did attend classes at the Dayton Art Institute. That wasn’t tough as we lived next door. There almost isn’t a day that I don’t think about those two great men and teachers. Tom’s soap box he would drag out when he wanted to vent about something or the fabulous art talent and music Bing would play during class, Miles Davis, Blues etc.

     I remember art as fun but pretty easy for me. One of the best learning experiences of my life came when I got a B from Tom. I was VERY upset because my project for the term was better than the others. Tom told me, “yes, but it wasn’t A work for you”. Thanks Tom! Every time I approach the easel I ask myself, “is this my A work?”

     I remember fondly doing scenery for all of the plays and musicals. Most fondly because it got me out of the other classes! Do you remember that Papa Cougar, Mr. Whitworth was at EVERYTHING! He must have never slept. Did we have a great faculty or what?

     After CW I went to Brigham Young University. I also studied at Art Students League, NY and Pratt Institute in Brooklyn. I walked on as a punter/kicker/defensive back and also played rugby at BYU. I also served as a missionary to the Guatemalan Indians between 1965-68. I speak Spanish and Mayan. I have been back many times since. I’m currently writing a book on the Maya.

     I married a girl from Huber Heights in 1969. We have 7 wonderful children. I can now enjoy lots of grand children. The marriage ended after 38 years. We had just grown completely apart. It is not something I’m real proud of.

     I spent the next few years after college in the Air Force. I zigged when I should have zagged and they told me they didn’t want me any more. Finding few options I became the art director at BYU for a few years. A growing family forced me to look for more income. You could say I screwed my self out of being an artist. I spent the next 35 years in business. I had the good fortune of finding a friend who was a genius at acquisitions and mergers and poor enough taste to want me to keep him company. I’m not sure that my input helped, but we enjoyed true success more often than disaster. And I retired several years ago.

     After my marriage died I did the adult thing and spent the next 2 years sailing the Caribbean on my boat. I found my true calling as a reclusive boat bum. I decided I needed to be closer to the kids so I moved back to Utah last year. I live in a mining ghost town in central Utah. Eureka has about 650 residents. Slightly down from the boom days when the population was about 7500. I love it. My home/studio is the old bath house and moonshine still. Yep, the old moonshine still was hidden in the coal bin where my studio is. (Rock wall in the background of the picture) I heat it with a pot bellied stove out of a caboose. Fun stuff.

     I have always painted. Even when I was in business I kept up a small gallery following. It has been fun to paint full time again without worrying about paying the bills. I am the only one that apparently can stand my company so I remain a reclusive bum. I hope you enjoy a few of my works. I have been lucky enough to find my painting in many collections and a few museums.

     Since BYU has a cougar as a mascot, I have always been and remain a cougar at heart.

GO COUGARS!!

Richard “Rick” Sykes

     Rick served in the U. S. Army following high school. His service included a tour of duty in Vietnam from December 1965 to February 1967. He was trained as a military policeman. His first assignment was a mission that patrolled a main road from Qui Nohn east to An Khe and Pleiku west. He was then assigned to a detachment of the 1st Air Cavalry Division looking for NVA presence. Following that, he was assigned as a body guard for Bob Hope, Vic Damone, Phyllis Diller, Miss World (India), General Westmoreland, and General Abrams. From these experiences he learned discipline, determination, sensitivity, insight into the behaviors of mankind, and what incidences motivated political changes in the U.S., as well as having learned significant, personal life lessons.

     Dave served in the USAF for 12 years, including a tour of duty in Viet Nam for a year (Nov 1966-Nov 1967).

     During his twelve years' service Annis worked on the flight line and later became Crew Chief. He was stationed at Luke AFB (AZ), Lackland AFB (TX), Myrtle Beach AFB (SC), Soesterberg AFB (Holland), Pease AFB (NH), Bitburg AFB (Germany), and George AFB (CA). He was married to Jackie Winkler at the time, and they had three children. He is now remarried.

     I BEGAN WORK AT McCALL'S CORP. ON JUNE 5 th , 1964 , JUST A FEW DAYS AFTER OUR COMMENCEMENT. SOMETIME IN JANUARY 1968 (THE EXACT DATE ESCAPES ME NOW) I RECEIVED AN INVITATION FROM UNCLE SAM, TO BE HIS VALENTINE. I WAS DRAFTED INTO THE ARMY FEB. 14, 1968.

     WHEN WE GOT DOWN TO THE CINCINNATI INDUCTION CENTER , WE WERE TOLD TO "LINE UP & COUNT OFF BY FOURS". I WAS A NUMBER THREE. THEN THEY TOLD ALL NUMBER FOURS TO "TAKE ONE STEP FORWARD" & SAID, "CONGRATULATIONS YOU ARE NOW UNITED STATES MARINES" !! WHEW !!! IMAGINE I WAS ONE NUMBER FROM BEING A ‘JARHEAD'. HA ! HA! (A LITTLE INTER-SERVICE HUMOR THERE !)

     WE WERE SENT TO FORT BENNING , GA. FOR BASIC TRAINING AT THE SAND HILL TRAINING CAMP. THE SAND HILL COMPLEX HAD NOT AT THAT TIME, BEEN USED SINCE THE KOREAN WAR. THE PLATOON STYLE BARRACKS WERE COAL HEATED. IMAGINE HAVING TO FACE WHITE GLOVE INSPECTIONS WITH ALL THAT COAL DUST ALL OVER EVERYTHING. I TURNED 22 IN BASIC & WAS LITTERALY THE ‘OLD MAN' OF THE COMPANY. EVEN THOUGH I LOST 5-DAYS OF BASIC WHILE HOSPITALIZED WITH PNUEMONIA, I MANAGED TO GRADUATE WITH MY CYCLE & WE BY VIRTUE OF OUR P.T.SCORES AND I.Q.TESTING WERE HONOR COMPANY AND LED THE BATTALION ON THE GRADUATON PARADE DAY.

     AFTER BASIC I AND SOME OF MY OTHER CYCLE MATES WERE SENT DIRECTLY TO FORT ORD , CA. FOR ADVANCED TRAINING. (IN OUR CASE INFANTRY TRAINING.) BY NOW, I WAS PRETTY MUCH CONVINCED I WAS VIET NAM BOUND UNLESS; I COULD SCORE HIGH ENOUGH ON TESTING TO CREATE ANOTHER OUTCOME. A LOT OF COLONEL WHITE TEACHERS WOULD BE PROUD TO KNOW, THAT EVEN THOUGH MY GRADES DIDN'T REFLECT IT, WHAT THEY TAUGHT SUNK IN! MY PLATOON AND WHOLE COMPANY WAS HONOR COMPANY OF OUR GRADUATING TRANINING BRIGADE & WE MARCHED IN THE FRONT OF THE GRADUATION PARADE AGAIN AT FORT ORD.

     MY SCORES WERE HIGH ENOUGH THAT THEY KEPT PUSHING ME TO GO TO O.C.S. ( OFFICERS CANDIDATE SCHOOL ). I SAID "OK AS LONG AS I STILL GET OUT IN 2- YEARS". THERE WAS EVEN TALK ABOUT GETTING TONY HALL (I BELIEVE HE WAS OUR CONGRESSMAN AT THAT TIME) TO NOMINATE ME FOR WEST POINT, BUT I NIXED THAT TOO, BECAUSE IT MEANT STAYING IN FOR 4 YEARS ACTIVE DUTY ALSO.

     SO….. THEY DID THE NEXT BEST THING THEY COULD DO FOR ME AND SENT ME TO FT. MYER , VA. HOME OF "THE OLD GUARD" 3rd INFANTRY 1st BATTALION. IN CASE YOU HAVEN'T HEARD OF IT (I HADN'T), IT SURROUNDS ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY (NORTH POST ON ONE SIDE – SOUTH POST ON THE OTHER). "THE OLD GUARD" IS THE PRESIDENTIAL GUARD FOR OUR NATIONS CAPITOL. WHILE IN "THE OLD GUARD" I PERFORMED AS PART OF THE ‘WORLD WAR ONE DRILL TEAM' EVERY WEDNESDAY NIGHT AT THE JEFFERSON (MY OLD GRADE SCHOOL 7-th & 8-th GRADES) MEMORIAL. OTHER MEMORABLE EVENTS I WAS INVOLVED IN WERE ‘TORCHLIGHT TATTOO' AT THE FT. MYER GYM, EISENHOWERS FUNERAL (CORDON), GENERAL WESTMORELANDS RETIREMENT PARADE, NIXONS INAUGURATION (REAR GUARD), AND MANY LESSER PARADES AND EVENTS AT ARLINGTON CEMETERY TOO NUMEROUS TO MENTION.

     DURING THE WAR & RACE RIOTS OF 1969 I WAS ONE OF ONLY 3 MACHINE GUN TEAMS SENT TO BE EMBEDDED AROUND THE WHITE HOUSE FOR INTERNAL PROTECTION. WE WERE TRAINED SPECIFICALLY FOR FIRING THE M-60 MCHINE GUN UNDER THE ARM ON THE RUN ALA 'RAMBO' STYLE. THE WHOLE WHITE HOUSE WAS SURROUNDED BY D.C. CITY BUSES PARKED BUMPER TO BUMPER WITH D.C. RIOT POLICE INSIDE OF THAT. ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE BUSES WERE MARINES FROM QUANTICO , VA. AND LINE TROOPS FROM "THE OLD GUARD" IN FULL RIOT GEAR. NEEDLESS TO SAY THOSE WERE SOME OF THE HARDEST DAYS OUR NATION FACED, UNTIL' 9-11'.

     WHEN IT CAME TIME FOR ME TO BE RELEASED FROM ACTIVE DUTY IN FEB.1970, TO CLEAR POST, YOU HAD TO HAVE YOUR PAPERS SIGNED BY NUMEROUS PEOPLE AND ARMY DEPTS. SO…….. WHEN IT CAME TIME FOR ME TO SEE THE RE-ENLISTMENT NCO, HE SAID "BOB I KNOW HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THIS MAN'S ARMY BUT, I HAVE TO ASK YOU AS A FORMALITY. HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT RE-ENLISTMENT?" AND SO I SAID "YEAH SARGE, I THOUGHT ABOUT IT, LAUGHED ABOUT IT, & FORGOT ABOUT IT !! " (TRUE STORY)! BACK THEN AS AN E-4 I WAS ONLY GROSSING $220 A MONTH & COULD BRING HOME THAT MUCH ON MY JOB BACK HOME PER WEEK. BUT…..WITH HINDSIGHT BEING 20-20 I CAN SEE HOW FOOLISH I WAS TO PASS UP OPPORTUNITY KNOCKING ON MY DOOR. IF I HAD STAYED IN I COULD HAVE RETIRED IN 1988 WITH 20 YEARS OR WITH FULL BENEFITS IN 1998 WITH 30 YEARS.

Jack H. Bader

     This is a picture of me on the left and my brother Michael on the right celebrating Octoberfest in Munich Germany October 2001.

     I joined the Navy Reserve on my 17th birthday 10 FEB 1963 . A recruiter that came to Colonel White recruited me. I drilled every Tuesday night at the reserve center on Gettysburg  Avenue .

     I went to boot camp at Great Lakes , Ill from June until September 1963. I got home just in time for school. They were taking senior pictures alphabetically so I was towards the front of the list. My mother talked to someone and got him or her to put me at the end of the list to give my hair time to grow out a little bit.

     I was stationed at Patuxent River Naval Air Station from 1968 until 1970 as a 3rd class electronics technician.

     I was the Officer Recruiting Officer for Atlanta , Columbus and Macon , Georgia and Chattanooga , Tennessee from 1986 until 1988.

     I was stationed at Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) in Washington , DC from 1998 until 2002. I came back to active duty to work on the Y2K problem with the Navy's computers on board ships and planes. I was awarded the NAVY AND MARINE CORPS COMMENDATION MEDAL for my work on the NAVSEA Y2K Project from 30 NOV 98 to 30 MAR 00 .

     I retired in 2004 as a Lieutenant Commander after 26 years in the Navy Reserve.

Jim Ashby

     I served in the US Army from Aug 65 to Aug 69.  I served 18 months in Vietnam as a company clerk, Cam Rahn Bay, Da Nang, and Phan Rang. I came home in 67 and was station in Fort Polk LA as an Specialist 5th class (E-5).

Ben Holeman

US NAVY 1967 - 1971
Aerographers Mate 2nd Class
1968 - 1970 Guam/Vietnam -- VW1 Squadron (Typhoon Trackers
1970 - 1971 Fleet Weather Facility, Suitland , MD

Connie Patton

US Navy 1965-1967
Recruit Training Instructor Bainbridge, Maryland (Drill Sgt) to anyone else not in Navy; Yeoman 4th Class Third Naval District, New York, NY; Staff of Admiral John McCain; U.S Naval Representative to the U.N. father of Senator John McCain who was a POW when I served under Admiral McCain.

Jim Spires

July 29 1965 - July 31 1986
AF Msgt Retired
Medical Corpman, Cardiopulmonary Lab Technician.  I retired from Wright-Patterson AFB 31 July 1986.

Daryl Shank

I was drafted into the Army in March of 1969. This was soon after I graduated from Ohio State University with a degree in microbiology in the spring of 1968 and married my wife Sue the same month. The notice for my induction physical was in the mail box when we got back from our honeymoon.

Paul Logan

I served in the US Navy from 1965 to 1968. Spent one year at the Printing and Publications Center at the Naval Air Test Facility in Patuxent River Maryland and two years in charge of the print shop on board the aircraft carrier USS Randolph (CVS 15). Married my wife (Nancy Weaver) also a 64 graduate of CW and had our first son while stationed at Norfolk, Virginia.