Class of 1978 |
STEPHEN KUNKEL |
Died December 3, 1979 in an automobile accident while at bootcamp. He was an all-around sportsman and a great friend to many. Submitted by Linda Honnold |
GLENN ALAN RODGERS |
Passed away July 3, 2000 at the age of 39....He was a Navy Seal, Smoke Diver, and was a Lieutenant in the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department. He will be sorely missed by his family, friends and co-workers. |
FRED SZMANSKI |
Died from Leukemia |
DEBBIE PADGETT |
Auto Accident Debbie was on the Homecoming Court |
GUY CUSICK |
Guy was loved by everyone - very smart with so much potential. |
JANITA ESTES |
Janita was abducted from the Orange Park Mall in 1976 and was found shot to death a week later in St. John's County. She didn't get to graduate with us, but she was definitely part of us. She was a cheerleader and very well-liked. |
LAVITA CRESGY |
Levita was killed on March 6, 1990. She had 1 daughter, Victoria, who was 18 months old at the time of her mother's death. They were living in OP at the time. |
TIM BOSWELL |
Tim died in 1983 in a car accident. He was married to classmate, Patty Adair, and they had a daughter, Lacey Nicole Boswell. Tim was a really nice guy, a great husband and father. He could fix just about anything and was always working on cars. Submitted by Ann Augustine Giles |
Class of 1979 |
ROGER BROWNLEE |
A star football player and an all and all a wonderful guy. He was Coach Brownlee's son. |
Submitted by Brenda Gross Rakoczy '80 |
We miss Rog. He was a good Uncle to his nieces and nephews and he and I were just starting to explore our mutual interests in music together. Rog was fishing approximately 6 miles off the coast of Tampa, FL, in international waters. His death was ruled a homicide---assailant unknown. No information has surfaced from the FBI since his death. His ashes are buried behind my folk's place in Commerce, Ga. We had a small funeral, which I officiated. Dad finished the place Rog had begun on his stake of property next door to them. The kids will always remember Rog (much as we all do) as a fun and playful individual who was always on the go. Roger never married and had no children of his own....at least none that we're AWARE OF anyway!! (I couldn't help that...Rog wouldn't have it any other way). I hope this helps a bit for those of you who knew Rog personally. Take good care. Submitted by Kevin Brownlee |
GENE BARNETT |
TOM REHME |
DAVID TYMICK |
David was in the class of '79, I was in the class of '78. We worked together on the yearbook staff and became pretty good friends. He was killed in a car accident, I think it was 1983. He and I shared a very similar sense of humor and found lots of laughter to share. Though we lost touch after I graduated, I still considered him a good friend. I still think of him often. This photo was taken in the yearbook portable in 1977. Submitted by Bonnie "McCormack" Dubberly '78 |
Died in a motorcycle accident in the summer of 1979. He was best friends with Bobby Langdo, who passed away 2 years before. |
Lavita's sister, Sharon, was married to my brother, Shawn. Lavita and I shared a nephew who was on site when she was killed. Lavita died the day my baby was due. My daughter was born 3 days later. Friends and relatives visited me at the hospital on the way to her funeral. Obviously, I couldn't attend. It was a very sad occasion for us all. The little girl Lavita left behind was adopted by her older sister. Submitted by Wanda Bishop '77 |
VALERIE KOSKI |
Valerie was a beautiful girl who would have been very popular if she had grown up in Orange Park. I met her when she started at OPHS in the 10th grade. It was her first day at school and she was searching for a table in the cafeteria. I asked her to sit with me and thereafter, we ate lunch together until I graduated. I was in the class of 1978 and we lost touch when I went off to college. I have always regretted that. She was killed when she turned the truck she was driving in too sharp. She died that night, in the hospital, of internal injuries. I did not hear about her death until a couple of weeks after it happened. I immediately came home and paid my repects to her at her grave site. In her memory, I wrote this poem and have always wanted it to be read by others as a tribute to her. You were too full of life to be dead. In the eyes of family and friends, you will never be dead. For you have only gone to a place more beautiful and peaceful than here. Take care, my friend, take care. Someday we will meet again and someday we will be friends again. For someday I shall go to a place more beautiful and peaceful than here. Until then, take care my friend, take care. Submitted by Melody "Stillwell" Dowling '78 |
Died May 1986 |
BOBBY LANGDO |
Died in the summer of 1977 from an automobile accident. |
JAMES MATHIS |
Died in 1978 from Leukemia |
GEORGE CHRISMAN |
ALAN COWAN |
MATT CUMMINGS |
Died of cancer shortly after graduation, June of 1979 |
MARK FLETCHER |
Died before graduating. |
GREG JOHNSON |
Died in 1986 |
CHRIS PHELPS |
Died in an automobile accident in 1981 |
HENRY RUFFIAN |
Died in an automobile accident |
STEVE LOCKHART |
Died August 6, 2000 |
STEVE MECHTEL |
I tried to find Steve for the last 9 years, with no success, because I never knew his last name. The other day, I found this web site and contacted Debbie Goodwin Carter from the class of '79 who sadly informed me that Steve had passed on last year. I met Steven in 1978, my first day at OPHS in pottery class. We became instant friends, I had just moved to OP 2 days earlier and did not know anyone. I moved back to NY in the summer of '79 and lost touch with Steve. I never forgot his love for music, especially Lynard Skynard!!! We spent an entire weekend in Ocober '78 at the cemetary on the anniversary of their plane crash. In '94, I started traveling to Florida frequently and thought of him every time. I knocked on doors, but everyone I knew had moved. Steve was the kind of person that once you met him, you never forgot him. He will always be in my heart....I will forever miss and think of him. Submitted by Bobby H. |
KAREN GRIFFITH |
Died in 2002 Submitted by Debora Zuccone Gugliotti |
