Class of 1962

(Please see “Melody Giffin Martin,” located in the Faculty section)

Memorial service will be at 10 a.m. Friday in Kingdom Keys Church, 2615 Paramount Blvd., in Amarillo.

Eddie was born in New Orleans on Aug. 16, 1944, to Eddie Sr. and Betty Ilene Gonzales and hadn’t met a stranger since. He spent most of his childhood in New Orleans and earned an Eagle Scout at the age of 13, before moving to California as a teen.

Mr. Gonzales went on to graduate from San Dieguito High School in Encinitas, Calif., before serving four years in the Air Force.

Eddie heard his calling for the car business and for more than 30 years he made his living by making friends and making deals. He eventually came to own his own business, Longhorn Tours of Amarillo in 1998, and got his chance to continue meeting new people while making even more lifelong friends.

Eddie is preceded in death by his parents, a stepfather, William C. “Grandpa Bill” Norfleet; his best friend and mentor, Uncle Bob Hodge; and his grandson, Benji.

Eddie is survived by his faithful companion and protector, Ginger Bandit; his ex-wife, Patsy of Amarillo; three children, Curtis of Fort Worth, Brad and wife Josie of Amarillo, Shane and wife Jen of Stafford; two grandchildren, Eddie and Madison; a sister: Ruth Atwell and husband Ed of Reno Nev.; two nieces, Julie Gundle of Reno and Maureen Atwell of Milwaukee, Wisc.; a great-nephew, Troy; and a great-niece, Manhattan.

Published in the Amarillo Globe-News 10 February 2011

(Please see “Coach Fritz Muhlethaler,” located in the Faculty section)

George D. Pesacreta, age 61, died on January 18, 2006, after a courageous battle and ALS. He was born May 19, 1944, in Poughkeepsie, New York. George spent his childhood in New York. His family moved to Southern California, where he graduated from San Dieguito High School in 1962. He graduated from the University of San Francisco and went directly into the Peace Corps in Peru, where his lifelong love of Latin America and world travel began. George earned his master’s degree from San Diego State in Latin American Studies in 1978. After becoming a professor at Palomar College, he served as chairman of the foreign languages department for nine years. George was instrumental in the development of the Palomar College Study Abroad Program. He introduced many students to worlds they did not know in Spain, Mexico and Costa Rica. George retired in 2003 and his battle with ALS began. Preceding him in death were his parents, Mike and Josephine Pesacreta. He is survived by his brother Michael Pesacreta and sisters Carolann Hayes, Jean Smith, Dianne Nichols and Marilyn Rutherford; nieces and nephews Lauren, Brooke, Zach, Alex, Johnnie, Michael and Nathaniel. A private memorial service will be held for family and friends on February 4, 2006. Contributions can be made to: George Pesacreta Travel Abroad Scholarship Fund, Palomar College Foundation, 1140 W. Mission Road, San Marcos, CA 92069, (760) 744-1150 ext. 2664.

—San Diego Union-Tribune, published February 1, 2006

Tall and slim. Waist-long, thick chestnut hair streaked with blond. Big brown eyed gorgeous, glowing, smiling, full of life, wild Kristine Waldorf. We were inseparable in our senior year and sat next to each other in our San Dieguito blue and whites on the softball field bleachers when we graduated, June of l962. Melody Giffin was my best friend, too.

Senior year: we picked out patterns and fabric and sewed clothes for each other. We walked the beaches of Del Mar and Solana, orange groves of Rancho, snuck smokes behind the quad buildings and talked about the present (boys) and going all the way or not, and the future (men) and that we’d never get married no matter who asked.

We talked about art class, Mr Newman’s drama class, Mr Jordon’s English class, Steve McQueen, Kingston Trio, Brenda Lee, the Everly Brothers, how to get boobs like Bridget Bardot, sneaking to surfing movies up the coast on winter nights, riding the curl, knee knobs, rock’n'roll, and basketball guys. We marveled at Melody’s one-handed cartwheels, envied beatniks, played with guitars and got Tab Hunter’s autograph on the beach.

We planned to get famous, go to Europe and never do a thing that was expected of us.

Kris married John Hunt (an incredibly handsome surfer) right after high school and a year later I got married mid-semester at Goddard College in Vermont and soon divorced. Melody taught school and wrote brilliant, hysterically funny books full of her warmth and insight. Kris and I lost touch but I never forgot her. I still try to do the unexpected.

Least unexpected of all was to find out on this Christmas Eve 2010 that Kristine had passed away in 1985. High school seemed to take forever, but we didn’t have nearly enough time.

Kris, I miss you.

From Kristine’s friend, Barbara Sparhawk, 24 December, 2010