James (Jim) Rookus

RAY .... good to see you again !  It's been a bit over two months since Jan's passing, I hope you're finding peace and able to establish your new routine!  Praying for you my friend! 

Melvin (Mel) Theobald

Ray, no one's life is boring. It may come as a surprise to you, but you have had a very enviable history to those of us who love nature, mountains and the unexpected. Dave Long is always looking for a way to get more of our Raiders64 friends involved. What if we were all to share a moment of something unexpected that we cannot ever forget? In my first book, I wrote that "every life lived is an epic." Whether you never went more than a mile from home or (as Julie has done) traveled the world, your story matters. Let us hear about it. Count down...10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1....blast off!!! Your turn...roger and out.

James (Jim) Rookus

EVEN with RADER 64 Colors

Linda Bristow (Elias)

Something I will never forget.

Jeanne Shaffer called to ask me to double date to a party with Steve Ringler and she and Brian O.  When we arrived at the party, people were really drinking a lot.   I told Jeanne that I had to leave to go home.  She asked Beverly Zolt to give me a ride.

Bev was slightly out of it.  As we went down Colton St. she didn't see the stop sign at Empire.  As we zoomed past Empire, a semi-truck with a tanker crossed so closely to the end of Bev's car that we felt the breeze of the truck.  Bev didn't notice anything.

I asked her to please slow down  so that I could show her my house.  She complied.  I will never know how she drove back to that party.

NOTE:  I found out a few years ago that Jeanne was actually my 4th cousin.

Linda

Dianne Shaffer (Troxel)

Linda, thanks for the memories.  Bev was a good friend of Jeanne's.  I was very surprised when you called about Jeanne's side of our family.  She was my half sister and it was fun knowing how small our world is.  I am still in touch with Jeanne's Thompson side and her and Bryons 2 girls.  Thanks again! ❤️

Linda Bristow (Elias)

and now..........back to something you will never forget!

Linda

David Long

STATUS CHECK

Chicago is bracing for a snowstorm this afternoon, evening, and overnight. It’s gonna be a chilly one, with up to a quarter of an inch of ice on the ground. How’s everyone doing today, February 5th, 2025? Stay warm and cozy!  

James (Jim) Rookus

YES DAVE.... across the LAKE in WEST MICHIGAN hearing the same for us is possible.

All it means to us is just hybernate for a day or too and then all is well ! ! !  Make sure I have enough coffee 

and liverowoerst on hand (still have not tried the grape jam with it) !

Linda Bristow (Elias)

El Paso was 78 or 79 today--  Depends on which side of town.  Take good care and keep warm!

Linda

James (Jim) Rookus

Well, West Michigan did NOT get hit bad with that storm....  Those who parked outside had a thin coat of ICE to scrape off windshields, we went out for a medical follow up appointment and roads were great, no slow traffic !  Now at 5pm it is 34 and sunny ! 

IT'S  A  HEAT  WAVE !

James (Jim) Rookus

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

DAVID GASTON 

February 5th

HOPE YOU HAD A WONDERFUL DAY !!!!

Linda Bristow (Elias)

Yesterday, as I was driving, I pulled to the side of the road to see the shadows on the Juarez, MX mountians, Mt. Franklin, and slightly beyond.  The purple mountains' majesty was showing!  The varying shadows from day to day can make the mountains look completely different.

 As I age........I will really miss my mountains. More than likely I will end up in Boulder, CO close to my daughter.  Yes....they have mountains.  But not like my mountains.

What do you enjoy about where you live?

Linda

Marvin Theobald

I have just learned of the passing of Steve's wife Jane Chestney. As a BHS Class of 1965 member and a regular at Class of 1964 events over the years and as a close friend of many of our clasmates it seems appropriate to post her obituary for those that may not be aware of her death.

My deepest sympathy to Steve and family. You are a very important part of this class and I hope you will connect with your old HS friends as you work through your loss to reflect on the many great memories you and Jane had over the years.

Obituary

With heavy hearts, we announce the death of Jane Elva Chestney of Hudson, Illinois, who passed away on February 3, 2025 at the age of 77. Leave a sympathy message to the family on the memorial page of Jane Elva Chestney to pay them a last tribute.

She was predeceased by: her parents, Arnold Mac and Ruth Erline Convis (Gillespie); and her siblings, Jared Convis and Dorothy Jones. She is survived by: her husband Steve Chestney of Hudson; her children, Julie Cupples (Troy) of Harrisburg, Christian Chestney (Marilyn) of Le Roy, Stefanie Mattson (Tim) of Hudson and Joshua Chestney (Tamara) of El Paso; and her sister Nancy Perry (Roger) of Carrollton, Ohio. She is also survived by eight grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and four step-grandchildren.

Visitation will be held on Friday, February 14th 2025 from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM at the Calvary United Methodist Church (1700 N Towanda Ave, Normal, IL 61761). A graveside service will be held on Saturday, February 15th 2025 from 1:00 PM to 1:30 PM at the Hinthorn Cemetery (23770 Ron Smith Memorial Hwy, Hudson, IL 61748). A prayer will be held on Saturday, February 15th 2025 at 2:00 PM at the Kibler-Brady-Ruestman Memorial (1104 N Main St, Bloomington, IL 61701).

Linda Bristow (Elias)

Steve:   I am so sorry to hear of Jane's passing.  I realize how she was your centerpiece to your family. She was also the type of woman who stood by her man.  I am so glad that you got to be with each other for so long.  I just wish that time could have been longer.  So sorry for your loss.  May she rest in Heavenly Peace!

My best wishes go out to you and your family!

Linda Bristow Elias

David Brock

I'm sorry to hear of Jane's passing.  Will pray for you and your family as you move forward.  God bless.

Sandra Jeakins (Singletary Sizemore)

Steve, I was so sorry to read of Jane's passing.  It's never easy to let someone go, even when you know they are are in a better place and aren't hurting anymore.

I hope you are able to come of our mini-reunions this year and feel the love of your classmates.  We have missed you.

Please know you and your famiily are in my thoughts and prayers.

Sandy

Rodney (Rod) Hayes

I hope this is easy to read.  I haven't been on this site seems forever.  I was going to alert everyone about something I knew back about a week or more.  Since I keep up on the site, I noticed Marvin acknowledged it before I could put it on the site.  Like many of y'all, I was saddened by the passing of Jane Chestney, Steve Chestney's wife. However, this was not news to me.  I'll try to make this as short as possible.  Many years ago, Stephenie, Steve's daughter, was a bridesmaid in my daughters wedding.  At the time, I had no idea her and my daughter were good friends, and have been in contact ever since.  So, through someone, I was asked why Steve had not attended any of the reunion's lately , since he used too.  Where was he,etc.  I had my daughter get in touch with Stephanie. During the 60th, a few people inquired about Steve.  Shortly after that Stephenie sent pics of their 60th wedding anniversary to my daughter.  I knew immediately that Jane was not in good health.  Then a day or so after her passing, Stephanie let my daughter know about her mother, with several pics.  From the pics.  They weren't recent.  But one of them was of either their daughter or grand daughter, with I think was a softball jersey that had Normal West. So, I knew right then that Steve had been living in Hudson forever.  Not sure why no one that it why he never attended after so many years.  Steve and I weren't best buddies, but we knew each other, I liked Steve, and we were on a couple jobs together.  I wish we would've known what was up, so as to give him some support through what seem to be a difficult time.  Now while I'm on the site, let me say I had a great, great time at the 60th reunion.  I did have a few sad moments remembering some of the people I was so close to that had passed.  For now, I'll leave with this.  As we all begin to reach old age, rather we think so or not, the one thing that's good or bad, depending on how you look at it, it doesn't last very long.  And a terrible thing about getting old is having to go to the bathroom, because, when you gotta go, and you don't go when you gotta go, you find out when get there, you've already gone. 

James (Jim) Rookus

SORRY I MISSED A COUPLE OF BIRTHDAYS !!!

HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY TO :

JANET HITZNER FRIES          ... Feb 11

                  And

MELVIN MILLS .... Feb 12

Hope you both had a wonderful day !

Melvin (Mel) Theobald

Hope everyone had a great Valentine's Day.

Reading Rod's message was inspiring. It is with saddness that we mark every loss with a sense of personal grievance. Every one of us matters. Jane was, because of Steve, a valued part of our class. I moved away from Bloomington in 1964 but still try to keep informed about our classmates. Steve and Jane were dedicated musicians whose legacy is part of that history. Thank you Rod for this reflection. We have been very lucky to be part of this amazing group of people. There will be more losses, but we will never forget how much every person among you has contributed to elevating us to be the best we can be. If, on Valentine's Day, we can celebrate the LOVE we all share after 60 years, we will have been in rare company.

James (Jim) Rookus

Double DITTO to what Marv just expressed ... you guys and gals are GREAT   Blessed to be a part of the Raider 64 Family !

Linda Bristow (Elias)

Hi everyone!

Part of aging, allows us to be very forgiving and more understanding, when it comes to what others are going through at OUR age.

I hope all of us are BLESSED daily as we stroll through our 'Golden Years'.

Love and Blessings to everyone!

Linda

James (Jim) Rookus

STEVE ..... As a Raider 64 brother I share in your sorrow of your wife Jane's passing.  We will be remembering you and your family in prayer for peace and comfort as you navigate these days.

Janet (Jan) Hitzner (Fries)

Thank you so much for going to all the effort to acknowledge each and everyone of us on our birthday.  That is

so thoughtful and kind.

In regards to Steve I always remember him as a great person along with his wife.  They were also very generous with their music, many times helping others with fund raisers.  Ours was for Relay for Life.

David Long

Hi All,

If you're so inclined, please keep me in your thoughts and prayers tomorrow. I'm going in for yet another surgery on my left leg to repair some nerve damage.  Supposed to be a same day in-and-out procedure to remove a neruoma from the sciatic nerve, cut the nerve, and reattach it to either another nerve or a muscle to fix the daily and especially nightly phantom pain from the amputation. Scheduled for around noon and out by 5pm - miracles of modern medicine.

On a more happy note, the new Bridget Jones movie is now available on Peacock. 

Hope you're all staying warm and healthy.

James (Jim) Rookus

Hey Raiders   .... When it rains it pours !!  A story about Carol and my romantic Valentines Day !!!  Friday we had 4 repair persons at our house to repair the non working gas logs ... water heater giving off a very minimal amount of hot water ... a plugged kitchen sink .... and then that technician sending another out to check the now leaking garbage disposal ...  then Sat afternoon the furnace went off .... later it came on on again ... then by yesterday as I'm on my way to Indianapolis to pick up my son from a ski trip to Colorado, the furnace went out again .... then repair person # 5 discovered a cracked heat exchanger and turned it totally OFF .... Last night at about midnight sitting across from each other in front of the roaring fire to keep warm in the 58 degree coolness, our devotions finished I jokingly stated as usual with us more distress ... what's God trying to teach us now ???  Carol got up and as doing so turned her body to the right to more directly face me and somehow tripped and twisted actually falling towards me into my catching arms !!!  ( This could have been a comical skit on Saturday Night Live!) NOW praying for our wisdom in making a bunch of decisions about all this stuff and dealing with it !!  As we left this am at 8:30 to the Dr to look at Carols sprained / broken ankle the heat contractor arrived to estimate how much I'll have to pick off the money tree 🌳 to replace it.  !  Of course at last minute she had to get someone to take over leading her Bible StudyGroup this AM at church!  Finally X-ray showed no break so a bad sprain and if not improved in few days will X-ray again.  Hmmm perhaps God's sense of humor to keep us humble and dependent on His caring for us.  Thankful he got the fireplace guy out prior to the furnace going out!  HOPE YOUR VANENTINE DAY WAS MORE ROMANTIC THAN OURS !!!