Well, the loss of my hair (buzz cut now), and my tummy, plus wrinkles and the fact that my children are 52 and 48, tell me I'm not young anymore (as do my knees and hearing aids: Thanks, Dad, for those genes!). But it's hard to believe it's been 61 years since graduation.

We moved 10/2013 from Kirkland to a 1-level 1800 sqft 3/BR 2.5 BA Townhome with a 2-car garage across the street from Sammamish HS -- which is where my first Teaching Job was after College+Master's. We lived through the complete destruction of the old school and building of the new HUGE school while living here.

God has blessed me and my family. I now have 8 healthy, intelligent, good -looking grandchildren (I'm sure you can tell I'm not biased at all), and all 3 of our children (including Ursel's son) live within 20 minutes of us. We are very (happily) involved in our grandchildren's lives. Karl -- 22 -- graduated in May from USC with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. YThe next day he was commmissioned as an Ensign in the US Navy. Elsa, almost age 21, has successfully finished her second year at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. She's going to be a Nurse. My last concert with the Kirkland Choral Society (sings +/- 100) was Saturday, April 27, 2024, 2 pm, Benaroya Hall. It was my very last concert as a semi-professional Tenor/Soloist after 60 years of singing/ My daughter Julie's oldest daughter Isabel (Izzy) graduated in May from Seattle Prep. and will be off to her first semester abroad to Florence, Italy in the fall as a freshman at the U. of San Diego, and her sister Harper will be in 8th grade at St. Joe's Parish School on Capitol Hill. Son Scott's four children have always been home-schooled: Kelsey, Alex, Zacky, and Ellie. As United Methodists, God played a trick on us: our 3 children all married Catholics and agreed to have the children raised in the Catholic Church. Same God and same Savior = so far, so good.

We are still traveling after having visited much of the USA, Canada, Mexico, Europe, and even Egypt (when it was still safe). Every year finds us in Lake Chelan for a week with the whole family, and we visit Victoria, BC the 3 days after US Thanksgiving every year. In 2011 we took a fantastic cruise of most of the Baltic Ocean capitals including St. Petersburg, Russia (Holland America's ship Rotterdam -- absoulute fantastic). Last summer we spent a week on the ocean in Lincoln City, OR (timeshare exchange), January of 2013 found us on our 1st cruise on the Carribean plus a week in Kona in May on the Big Island of Hawaii.

My first full year as areal estate broker was 1977, managed to teach 5 years of public-school music K-12, and spent 6 years with New York Life, Mass Mutual, and Northern Life. And the beat goes on. I plan on attending the 60th. You can contact me on 206-650-5166 or at PhilJonesCRS@hotmail.com

I wish you all the best while I daily thank God for my ongoing blessings.

Best Regards,

Phil Jones

It was a schock when I entered Senora Pinochet's class for 2nd-year Spanish after 1st year Spanish at Edmonds JHS. Written on the board and the first words out of her mouth were: "No Inglesa in la classa (no English in the Class)!"

What she taught me has stuck with me. Wife Ursel is fluent in Spanish (although her first language was/is German), and she is amazed that I comprehend as much as I do.

Senora Pinochet had lived in Spain AND Mexico, could swear like a trooper, and was a fantastic teacher. The district finally let her go: she didn't change with the times and swearing at school no longer became acceptable. Some pansy complained to Mommy and a great teacher was fired. Thanks, Senora Pinochet, for good memories and fantastic teaching!