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MW: The class of -- excuse me -- the class of '41, your class, is probably, if not the closest class I've ever known of from Bainbridge High School, it certainly is one of the closest. Can you tell us about the deep friendships that developed in high school and how they've carried on even to today?

EH: Well, Sadamoto was our class president in 1941, and he's still our class president. And whenever we have a class reunion, usually Sada will come out and visit, and he and Jerry would always get together, 'cause I think they were cousins. Now, I haven't seen Sada in two or three years.

MW: The rumor is he's coming out this fall.

EH: I think so, we're looking forward to it. And I told you that Tom Kitayama died.

MW: Yes.

EH: The day after Jerry did. Boy, what a blow that was. I knew he was bad, and his wife, Heidi, she and I would always email each other. And I hadn't emailed her, I'm waiting for her, to hear from her, and I haven't heard anything.

MW: It's hard. It's hard.

EH: Yeah, it's hard. And I think that now I can probably send her an email.

MW: She'd probably appreciate that. But you people have kept in touch. Usually it's a ten year reunion that classes organize, and it's a big deal and everybody gets dressed up for their ten year reunion and your twentieth, but you people have more frequent reunions.

EH: Well, we've always been able to get together.

MW: How frequently do you meet with your class members?

EH: Well, every Thursday, Jerry, Jim Johansson, Hal Champeness, Kenny Bergstrom, Carmen Barry, or Carmen Rereicich, and Silvan Munch and I. Did I name Jim Johansson?

MW: You did.

EH: We meet... and Jerry used to meet with us at Central Market and have coffee. And the reason we did that was to meet with Jerry. And we always talk about him when we have our coffee together.

MW: Once a week.

EH: And we still meet there. And I'm sure we will continue on for... I don't drive, so Champ comes down and picks me up and takes me over there. Then Silvan, he's already there, and he's got the table all set up for us.

<End Segment 8> - Copyright © 2007 Densho. All Rights Reserved.