Betty, yours was not the only heart Lee broke for I was his "Steady" all of Junior Year until he abruptly dumped me Senior Year, because his Dad made him stop dating to concentrate on grades (to assure admittance to Wheaton College). I thought we were a well-matched very tall couple, and I also thought it strange that whenever he sunk a basket the crowd around me instantly turned its' eyes toward me for a second, as we all cheered our great Basketball Star onward. Lee was also the greatest boyfriend an innocent girl like me could have had because he was a gentleman. We had such fun smooching on the couch as we turned Life Magazine pages in my Basement Rec Room; "Puppy Love" for sure!
I learned resourcefulness from Lee, because when I found myself without a date to Senior Prom (lots of our Senior Boys were dating the "wild" Junior Girls) I invited a New Trier acquaintance I met at Young Life Club's Summer Colorado Ranch to the Senior Prom and even Sue Roach danced with my handsome date!
I learned resiliency after Lee dumped me. Being rejected after "Puppy Love" prepared me for rejection in life which was especially prevelant during my break from teaching in Honolulu when I moved to CA for 6 years in the Movie, TV, & Modeling Industry. I worked both sides of the camera; Bit Parts, Extra, Standing-In, Commercials, & doing easy stunts for many tall brunettes after geting bitten by the acting bug on Hawaii 5-O (where much of my best work ended up on the cutting room floor). Perhaps because of Lee I was resilient in such a competitive business.
I couldn't have been dumped at such an impressionistic age by a nicer guy! Rest In Peace.
A wonderful tale Cherise: I always knew your beauty would bring on many adventures for you. Quite a story. A bad bad week last week as I lost my best friend last week. We faught cancer together, she lost, I won. Then 4 days later I lost my brother Tom. That evening I received a call from a old HS friend who said she had heard about Lee. I was always jealous when you were dating him because I wanted another chance to just have a date with him. Thanks for the response as it is always interesting to see those of us who really knew each other have been doing for the last 50 yrs.
Lee and Paul Miller and I were best buds for many years in grade school at Washington which is now another housing development in River Forest. I remember the three of us hanging out every day all summer at Lee's (he was Leroy back then) house or Paul's or mine. We had great fun basically terrorizing the whole south end of town carousing on our bikes. It was cool in our basements as nothing was air conditioned then. I remember tearing around the corner of Lee.'s garage one time stirring up some bees or small wasps and Lee was the one who got stung a couple of time.
I am so sorry for your loss of Lee. I didn't hang with any of you but just always remembered seeing you in the halls and thinking how cute Lee was and how beautiful you two girls were. Reading your stories just remind me of what wonderful lives we had back than and our innocense.
Betty Chatterton (Stuart)
Lee was my first boyfriend in 8th grade. ( He was tall and I needed that!). Lee passed away on March 15th from ALS
Cherise Mader (Ernst)
Betty, yours was not the only heart Lee broke for I was his "Steady" all of Junior Year until he abruptly dumped me Senior Year, because his Dad made him stop dating to concentrate on grades (to assure admittance to Wheaton College). I thought we were a well-matched very tall couple, and I also thought it strange that whenever he sunk a basket the crowd around me instantly turned its' eyes toward me for a second, as we all cheered our great Basketball Star onward. Lee was also the greatest boyfriend an innocent girl like me could have had because he was a gentleman. We had such fun smooching on the couch as we turned Life Magazine pages in my Basement Rec Room; "Puppy Love" for sure!
I learned resourcefulness from Lee, because when I found myself without a date to Senior Prom (lots of our Senior Boys were dating the "wild" Junior Girls) I invited a New Trier acquaintance I met at Young Life Club's Summer Colorado Ranch to the Senior Prom and even Sue Roach danced with my handsome date!
I learned resiliency after Lee dumped me. Being rejected after "Puppy Love" prepared me for rejection in life which was especially prevelant during my break from teaching in Honolulu when I moved to CA for 6 years in the Movie, TV, & Modeling Industry. I worked both sides of the camera; Bit Parts, Extra, Standing-In, Commercials, & doing easy stunts for many tall brunettes after geting bitten by the acting bug on Hawaii 5-O (where much of my best work ended up on the cutting room floor). Perhaps because of Lee I was resilient in such a competitive business.
I couldn't have been dumped at such an impressionistic age by a nicer guy! Rest In Peace.
God Bless, from Cherise.
Betty Chatterton (Stuart)
A wonderful tale Cherise: I always knew your beauty would bring on many adventures for you. Quite a story. A bad bad week last week as I lost my best friend last week. We faught cancer together, she lost, I won. Then 4 days later I lost my brother Tom. That evening I received a call from a old HS friend who said she had heard about Lee. I was always jealous when you were dating him because I wanted another chance to just have a date with him. Thanks for the response as it is always interesting to see those of us who really knew each other have been doing for the last 50 yrs.
Robert West
Lee and Paul Miller and I were best buds for many years in grade school at Washington which is now another housing development in River Forest. I remember the three of us hanging out every day all summer at Lee's (he was Leroy back then) house or Paul's or mine. We had great fun basically terrorizing the whole south end of town carousing on our bikes. It was cool in our basements as nothing was air conditioned then. I remember tearing around the corner of Lee.'s garage one time stirring up some bees or small wasps and Lee was the one who got stung a couple of time.
We had so much fun.
Donna O'Hanlon (Miller)
I am so sorry for your loss of Lee. I didn't hang with any of you but just always remembered seeing you in the halls and thinking how cute Lee was and how beautiful you two girls were. Reading your stories just remind me of what wonderful lives we had back than and our innocense.
Hope you'll both be at the reunion.