Los Gatos Weekly-Times

Main Street

Mary Ann Cook

Meadows residents share WWI memorabilia

WAR & REMEMBRANCE: The Meadows marked Memorial Day with residents sharing their war artifacts and memories. Arnold Zahorsky, a fighter pilot in WWII, brought his short snorter tape of money. This is a 10-foot length of paper money from different countries, all taped together. A U.S. dollar sits in the middle of the medley. Tradition had it that whenever a pilot crossed the equator, he had to buy drinks for the house at the next bar he landed at, using the currency of the country he had just left. These rounds were called short snorters.

Zahorsky's other memories were more harrowing: He was shot down in Burma and barely escaped into safe territory. Frances Veasey, Phillip Farley, Robert Conliffe and Bill Nelson also shared WWII experiences. Laura Smith, the oldest Meadows resident at 105, was a Red Cross nurse in the trenches in WWI. She wasn't able to come to the meeting but sent her ribbons along. Shauna Suarez is in charge of Meadows activities.

GOURMET GROUP: Do good food and lengthy marriages go hand in hand? This group would lead you to believe so. These six couples are an outgrowth of a Saratoga-Los Gatos AAUW group who have been dining together for years in area restaurants. The Vossbrincks, Knotts, Garrods, Hills, Bueltemans and Lynches may hold a marital record as a group: a total of 315 years.

Herewith their tips for marital longevity: Lillian Vossbrinck (67 years of marriage) says, "Love lasted." Husband Bill says, "Never go to bed mad." Gertrude Knott (63 years) says, "You need to do your own thing." Les Knott says, "We believe in fairness and treating each other well."

Jane Garrod (57 years) says, "We were both relaxed about things if the other one did something weird. We worked together on the ranch, so our goals were the same." Vince Garrod says simply, "We like each other."

Dale Hill (46 years) says, "Choose well and then get some good luck." Bob Hill says Dale is not only his lover and the mother of his kids, but also his best friend. Marilyn Buelteman (46 years) says they're complementary personalities; Herb Buelteman says he had no other offers. (Funny, the missus didn't mention his sense of humor.)

Greg Lynch (42 years) says perseverance and patience are the keys. Audry Lynch says similar backgrounds gave them the same values and helped them stick together through the bad times. The Knotts and the Hills are Los Gatans.

SURPRISE: Dorothy and Richard Eagen were totally surprised by the 50th anniversary party thrown by their six children and spouses. The Eagens thought the surprise was a birthday party for son Mark. Instead, they entered the Los Gatos Elks lodge to find dinner and dancing for 100 guests, some of whom came from as far as Florida and Michigan to fete the Eagens.

The Eagens' 13 grandchildren presented them with a thank-you testimonial booklet. Those in on the yearlong planning were Sandy and Jack Cox, Mary and Brian Burks, Judie Eichenbaum and these Eagens--Bill and Sheri, Chris and Kathi and Sam and Stacey, plus the aforementioned Mark Eagen.

CHEF DE MISSION: Ed Burke, he of the Los Gatos Athletic Club and the mighty hammer-throw, has been appointed Chef D'Mission for the U.S. delegation to the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia. A reception in his honor was given by the San Jose Sports Authority at Chateau La Cresta, the restaurant at the Mountain Winery, on June 2.

ARIS BOARD: Deborah Rubnitz of Monte Sereno was chairwoman of the dinner and silent auction fundraiser "High Hopes," May 29, which benefited the ARIS Foundation. Rubnitz was recently elected to the Aris board of directors. "I feel so strongly about ARIS and the people it benefits," she says. "We've all been touched in some way."

ARIS (AIDS Resources, Information and Services) provides information, preventive programs, housing, food and support groups for those affected by the disease. Rubnitz was marketing manager for Applied Materials of Santa Clara for seven years and was invited to join ARIS by colleague Jon Pon, president of the ARIS board.

POET ALERT: If you want to be the 1998 Poet Laureate of Los Gatos, now's your chance. Mary Foster announces the annual poetry event and will accept entries until July 31. The winner will be announced at the-next-to-last Concert in the Plaza in August in the Town Plaza.

Requirements: three poems, one of which must be about rain (Vern Hansen's suggestion). Each poem must be no more than 25 lines and should be mailed to Poetry, Forbes Mill Museum, Los Gatos, 95030. Your name, address and phone number should appear on a separate sheet of paper.

CAMP WASHOUT: El Niño played havoc with the Optimists' camp for disadvantaged children near Half Moon Bay. No summer camp this year, and no predicting when the camp will be put back to rights. The creek that runs through became a raging torrent, washed out the road to the camp and damaged buildings, reports Optimist Dorothy Crawford.

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