With many of us in the Burbank High Class of 1968 born in the year 1950, it’s now 2015 which means that we will be turning 65 and eligible for Medicare! Can you believe it! Seems like only yesterday we were standing on the stage at the Starlight Bowl with our whole lives ahead of us. And now what many of us are looking forward to is a change of lifestyle, RETIREMENT!
Jackie Casimano, 1968
Jackie (Lena) Casimano
Jackie (Lena) Casimano wrote, “I’ll bet many of our classmates will be retiring this year. That’s really something to celebrate! After a lifetime career of teaching middle school art (at Kamehameha Schools in Makawao, Maui), I too, will be retiring at the end of May. I will sell my upcountry home and move to the Bay Area to be near my older daughter and family. Really looking forward to it!”
Steven Lester
Our classmate, Steven Lester, whom I wrote about in 2012, (“From one of the quietest people“) says he is now semi-retired and ready for retirement. “Because of a non-job injury and the stresses of driving a bus for twenty-five years, I can no longer meet the standards of a CDL medical exam, requiring me to go on a FMLA sick list. I am finding life without labor strangely satisfying. In November, I will be retired outright, so this period is a learning trial for that time in the future. I’m ready for it beyond any doubt at all.”
Jan DeJaegher, 1968
Jan DeJaegher
Jan DeJaegher, however, took early retirement and now lives in Illinois (see my post, “Retired and loving it!“) and responded to Steven’s Facebook post: “You can get social security at 62. I did. It’s the best. I live within my means, and have NO debt. The Midwest is extremely friendly to all, and you can even check out a fishing pole from the library to go play Tom Sawyer if you wish. Come visit me in Quincy. I’ll have you volunteering at the Quincy Community Theater in no time.”
Mary Bozeman, 1968
Mary Bozeman Ellerbeck
We also heard from Mary Bozeman Ellerbeck who says she’s retired, and whose favorite hobby is wildlife photography. She thinks the best place to vacation, though, is Colorado — Estes Park, to be specific. Mary has been widowed for nine years and recently started seeing her husband’s best friend whom she has known for 30 years. She has one daughter and one granddaughter.
Maybe Mary should team up with retired classmate, Louise Good Hernandez, who went on a safari last year! See my post, “It started with a game show!”
Anyone else retired? How about writing to tell us what you do with your time?
And guess who else will be retiring! Oui, c’est moi! Yes, your blogmaster will be joining the ranks of the leisure class at the end of this school year, and can devote even more time to this and other blogs!
Burbank High Class of 1968 
What a small world! Jackie Casimano living and working on Maui, and me on Lanai. I actually spent three years living and working on Maui and still go there frequently to teach for Argosy University, Graduate School of Psychology. I remember a time in junior high at Muir, when Jackie won first place in the Burbank Art Association competition and I got second and third place. I was too shy to say congratulations then, so CONGRATULATIONS. I hope you have a great retirement, I plan to keep plugging away for the next few years. Aloha
Retiring December 18th from the Burbank Water and Power. Worked there during 5 decades and leave public service with a vast collection of memories.