Dave
Espel wrote over his picture in my Yearbook. He said, "Paul, Good luck!
Keep up the spirit. Remember all the good times. David" Nice to know he
was looking ahead with an optimistic attitude.
If anyone wants to send their condolences to Dave's family, here is the link.
http://www.cavin-cook.com/obituary/guestbook/slug/david-jonothan-espel/mode/sign
www.cavin-cook.com
I have a fine memory of Dave, one that has never seen the light of day. My guess is Dave won't mind if I share it now.
Dave was assigned to a Special Education class at Willard School when I was in fourth grade. This was a class of children with needs which went far beyond the call of one teacher to handle. Maybe they thought Dave could help. Nobody ever explained to us why he had been brought to Willard.
My classroom was next door and we could hear the shouts and cries of these kids on a daily basis. Dave was obviously out of place to us so they would from time to time put him in our "Regular" classroom without any explanation, for a few hours at a time. He was always mild mannered and a fun guy with a smile on his face. We never talked about why he was next door or the fact he lived in another school district.
This arrangement went on for a few months and then he was gone. I next saw him at RHS and on the first occasion of our meeting he gave me a knowing smile. It was a smile which didn't ask for sympathy, only my acceptance. This was easy for me, as I remember in hindsight, and was always how we kept it. Luckily, I didn't feel the need to taunt him for having been in a Special Education class many years before. I thank my parents for teaching me the difference between right and wrong. Hope Dave is looking upon us now and smiling the same knowing smile.
One of my favorite pictures and stories from our class website.
https://rhs1977reunion.info/
According to TimDaly:
"This may be the only photo I have of me with my parents in one shot. I
remember the guy who took the photo so well because he gave it to me at
the end of the school year during graduation in May of 1981. The photo
was taken during pre-game ceremonies on Parents Day, October 1980. All
seniors escorted their parents onto the field facing the home crowd. It
was such a nice surprise to receive this photo and I have managed to
save it over all of these years. Marie L. Daly(09/1930-04/1996). Robert
C. "Pops" Daly(11/1924-06/2004). We were a classic Ridgewood family
growing up in that time period. Six kids born over the course of 11
years. As we got older we all liked to refer to our parents by their
first names and our family was no different. They were "Bob and Marie"
to everybody. I have some great memories of that time at
Widener(Chester, Pa.) as the parents of my roommates also came to watch
the games and we would all party together in our on-campus apartment
after the game(s)."
From the Ridgewood/Glen Rock Patch:
http://ridgewood.patch.com/groups/back-to-school/p/student-parking-banned-on-heermance
It was a hard thing to park on Heermance Place when you went to RHS. The hard part was getting up earlier enough to gain a spot. For a while there was a pecking order of cars with drivers who got up early to secure the prized spot.
I don't blame anyone for banning parking. It is not a right of passage for students attending RHS so I feel nothing has been lost. On the contrary, the bus lanes are now more devoid of congestion.
Yes, times have changed. I can't imagine how difficult it must be for some students without a stay-at-home Mom to make it to and from school without a car. In some cases these students have to work and need their car to commute.
I had a stay-at-home Mom, and so did most kids at RHS. We might have complained about their questions but we never missed a meal and could always count on them for a ride on a rainy day.
Miss her already.
"Memorial Service for Suzanne Kenyon Allsopp,
Thursday, September 12, 5:00 pm, Wang Center, Stony Brook. We will post
information on calling in or Skyping as soon as we have it."
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