Nikki (then called Ellen) King (MCHS 1962) has shared Malcolm Campbell High School updates, from the years that followed the 1960s

1960 Juvenile War Canoe. Right side, front to back, 4th, position Billy Robert. Left side, front to back , 4th position Peter Jort, 6th position Barclay Allen. Photo source: Nikki King

One of the great things about having a website is that from time to time people add comments at posts that have been written in the past.

One such post, to which many comments have been added over the past year, is entitled:

1962 Juvenile C-2. Billy Robert and Allen Barclay. Photo source: Nikki King

Provisional list of MCHS ’60s (and other decades) students/alumni/teachers who have passed away

Comment at the above-noted post from Nikki King

A Feb. 27, 2006 comment at the above-mentioned post from Nikki King (MCHS 1962) reads:

1962 Juvenile War Canoe at Ottawa. Right side, front to back, 3rd, position Billy Robert. Left side, front to back, Barclay Allen. Photo source: Nikki King

“Thomas Herbert VON EICKEN passed away in Anshan, China on May 6, 2003, after a year and a half of teaching and travelling throughout China. (a tribute to his wife, Linda née Chow). I don’t know precisely when Linda died. [Note from Jaan Pill: We have since determined, as noted in a subsequent post, that Linda Chow died on March 31, 1998.] I knew them both, and my sister swam competitively with Tom’s sister Claudia. Also deceased is my classmate Krista LUNIN (later known as LEE). She died June 30, 2010 in Ashland, KY, USA of bone cancer. She and I had known each other (& our families) well for many years during and beyond school.”

Comment from Jaan Pill

In reply, I have added the following comment at the post:

“I much appreciate you sharing these details, Nikki. I have added the information to the list. There is so much value in the sharing of such information. We owe thanks to each person who has helped us and is continuing to help us, in this project, which is aimed at keeping alive the memory of classmates and teachers from MCHS who have passed away.”

Email message from Nikki

In an email, Nikki has added (and I have checked with her first, to ensure it’s okay to post it):

2010 Old Cartierville Boating Club members at Mini-Reunion. Left to right Billy Robert, Barclay Allen. And that’s Neil Bacon on the right; standing between Barclay and Neil is Peter Marshall. We owe thanks to Eric Karbin for helping with identifying who’s who in the picture. Photo source: Nikki King

“My name is Nikki King (but in school nobody used my nickname, and I went by the detested name of Ellen). I was in 11D together with Krista Lee (with whom I had an enduring bond which lasted many, many years), Susan Skelly, Susan Labonte, Jacki Ralph (she & her sisters were our neighbours in Pierrefonds; and her younger sisters often came to our house to visit my younger sister Joelle). These are the people I knew best, though I did know Marty Butler, Tom von Eicken, Linda Chow & several others quite well too. I somehow stumbled upon the Y2K Reunion site & read several of the postings there before visiting the preserved stories one. Perhaps age (71 & 72 looming in April) causes a certain nostalgia? LOL.”

Wake for deceased member of Cartierville Boating Club, 2012. Left to right 1st position Peter Jort, 4th position Billy Robert. [Second from left is Neil Bacon; third from left is Janet (McGuire) Bacon. Any help identifying anyone else will be much appreciated.] Photo source: Nikki King

In a subsequent email, Nikki adds further commentary

“Incidentally, I noticed a lot of references to Barclay Allen – a passing mention of Peter Jort. No mention of Billy Robert. All of these guys were indeed good friends, and members of the Cartierville Boating Club. As were, incidentally, all the Ralph girls: Anne (eldest), Jacki, Jill, & Jennifer. I have unearthed some early photos of Barclay & Billy. And photos from 2010 & 2012 of the guys.

“I was never much given to strolls down memory lane, however, I have much enjoyed scrolling through the various posts & seeing faces that I recall. I was surprised to see a picture of Steve Suter & to remember him so vividly. Sad to learn of his all-too early demise.

“Krista Lunin & I met at St. Laurent High School before being transferred to MCHS. I was fresh off the boat (literally). Oddly, our lives had crossed paths earlier in a couple of European countries though we had never met until Canada.

1961 Malcolm Campbell High School Prefect Board. Photo taken by Mr. Christmas. Front row, left to right, 5th. position Lucy Fabbro(?), 8th. position Nikki King, 9th. position Jacki Ralph. Photo source: Nikki King

1961-62 Prefect Board. Source: MCHS 1961-62 yearbook, p. 68. The image has been copied from an MCHS 1961-62 yearbook file.

“Krista & I were friends immediately, and this lasted through early marriages & somewhat inevitable early divorces & beyond. Her father Paul was a contractor/builder. Many of the homes in the A MaBaie area (housing a host of the names I saw & recognized on the site) were built by him. Including that of the Chow family. Le monde est très petit.

“I noticed a few comments about Timothy Christmas. I have nothing but the fondest recollections of & an abiding gratitude towards that man. I was somewhat withdrawn & given to negative instrospection, but he persuaded me to divulge tremendously personal issues which were troubling me and suggested effective courses of action. Henceforth, I moved forward with a much more positive approach and a philosophy which has sustained and rewarded me to this day.”

Barclay Allen, Jacki Ralph, Dawson Campbell, Soryl (Shulman) Rosenberg at Mini-Reunion in Vancouver about 10 years ago. Photo source: Sue (Robinson) Brady

1961 Malcolm Campbell High School Prefect Board

Regarding the photo (see photo from Nikki, on  right), Nikki comments: “I was amazed to find I actually had an old photo from MCHS. Lonely survivor! From my faded handwriting in back, it appears to be of the Prefect Board, taken in 1961 by Timothy Christmas. I partly recognize a few faces, but cannot put a name to them other than what I have listed below.

“1961 Prefect Board. Photo taken by Mr. Christmas. Front row, left to right, 5th. position Lucy Fabbro(?), 8th. position Nikki King, 9th. position Jacki Ralph.”

Oct. 17, 2015 MCHS ’60s Reunion in Toronto. Left to right: Janice (McGuire) Bacon, Neil Bacon (MCHS 1963), and Colin Webb (MCHS 1963). Walter Psotka photo

[End of texts from Nikki King]

Additional comments from Jaan

As an accompaniment to Nikki’s 196 Prefect Board photo, I have added a Prefect Board photo from the 1961-62 yearbook. In creating the photo from the yearbook, I was pleased to learn that on a MacBook Pro, it’s easy to copy an image from a PDF file (in this case the PDF file of the 1961-62 yearbook), and to create a JPEG file from it.

As well, as I’ve mentioned at a recent post at this website, I have several post-reunion updates to complete, in connection with the successful October 17, 2015 Malcolm Campbell High School Reunion that took place at Old Mill Toronto.

One of the upcoming posts that I’m working on features hand-drawn maps and detailed reflections about the history of Saraguay, that Bob Carswell shared with me when we met recently for coffee at the Birds and Beans Cafe in South Etobicoke in Toronto.

I also need to catch up on posting names about an Ahuntsic School photo from the 1950s.

As with some other posts that I have been working on, however, the volunteer work has to take the back seat while I catch up on some freelance work, for which I have a deadline.

When  there’s paid work to be done, that takes precedence; the volunteer work can usually wait – unless you’re planning a reunion, or have some other time-sensitive project in the works, which fortunately is not currently the case.

Click on photos to enlarge them

Regarding the photos from the 1960s, Nikki adds: “I am attaching photos of MCHS members during their summer break: still working (& playing) hard. Members of championship teams at the Cartierville Boating Club. Peter Jort, Billy Robert, & Barclay Allen [ed.note: they look so very young]. Two later photos of same at reunions.”