119, 120. THE CLASSMATES ON THIS PAGE ARE IDENTICAL TWINS: Orrie Smith and Tom Smith
119. SMITH, Orrie
Orrie is now retired, and lives in Midland Park, NJ
PHOTOS:
LEFT: Tom at the 50-year class reunion RIGHT: Tom at our 55-yr class reunion
PROFILE:
1961 - Graduated MPHS 1961 and entered Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Michigan
1965 (June) -- Graduated Calvin with BA in Sociology and Psychology
1965 (July) -- Started to work for New York City Social Services
1965 (Sept) -- Enlisted in US Air Force in Sept 1965, after getting drafted by the US Army about 2 months after college graduation
1969 (Feb) -- Honorable discharge, having served my 4 years (and been promoted to Sargeant in 1967).
1969 (Sept) -- Obtained civil service position with Bergen County Social Services (BCSS), where I then was employed for the next 40 years. I worked as supervisor and in Administration during these 40 years, getting a Master's Degree in Social Science and Public Administration from William Paterson University (NJ) in 1982 (went to night school under the GI bill). Obtained as Associates degree in Computer Science from Bergen County Community College in 1986.
2010 (June) -- Retired from BCSS
Hobbies: Ham radio (extra class since 1992), hiking, backpacking, hunting, fishing, RVs, computers, photography.
Contact:
Home address: 58 Payne Avenue, Midland Park, NJ 07432
Home phone: 201-652-7627; cell: (201) 248-3997;
email: orries@msn.com
Single, and enjoying retirement. Plan to travel and fish in Alaska and Far West (national parks) as time permits.
2019 October - Update from Orrie:
I enjoy traveling whenever I can. My trips since the last reunion include Alaska, Africa, several National Parks, and Holland (Netherlands). I'm planning a trip for next year to Canada, hoping to take the Trans-Canadian railroad from Montreal to Vancouver, British Columbia. I'm told the colors are truly beautiful during the autumn season.
I still have my place in New York State and enjoy as many outdoor activities as I am able to do. I think we all recognize we're not quite as spry as we were in years back; and as the saying goes: "...The hills are a little steeper, it takes a little longer to climb, but sooner or later we get there".
My best to all,
Orrie
120. SMITH, Tom --- now deceased (29-September-2016)
Tom lived in Rockford, Michigan
PHOTOS:
PROFILE:
In June 1965, graduated from Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Michigan, with a BA Education degree. Took a teaching job in Borculo Christian School (near Holland, Michigan), where I taught from September, 1965 to June, 1967. Main area was sixth grade (all subjects) and social science/language arts in seventh and eighth grades.
Left Borculo and taught in Northview Public Schools (suburb of Grand Rapids, Michigan) from September, 1967 to June, 2001. Main area was sixth grade social science, with language arts and math occasionally. Became very involved in the evolving Middle School movement (sixth, seventh, and eighth grade) of the late sixties and early seventies. Northview Highlands Middle School where I taught was considered one of the leading examples of flexible modular scheduling and open area building design.
I finished an MA at Michigan State University in "Middle School Curriculum and Teaching" in August, 1971. In June, 2001, I retired from teaching........... 36 years was enough!!
Even though I have lived in Michigan for many years, I get to New Jersey regularly. I spend most of the summer at my trout fishing camp in the Catskills, and get to NJ for the Christmas holidays. I am enjoying retirement -- although recent physical problems have limited my hunting, fishing, and shotgun shooting activities. I still keep in contact with school-age kids by mentoring troubled youth through "Kids Hope USA".
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Tom died on September 29, 2016, in Valley Hospital, NJ. He had taken part in several of the "55-yr Class Reunion" activities just two weeks prior to his passing. Via con Dios, Thomas......
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