Hello! As your new Alumni Association President, I want to introduce myself and give a quick summary of my background. I’m a talker, so this is considered “short.” I graduated from Cleveland HS in 1982 and have a long history with Cleveland. Three generations of my family have gone to Cleveland, starting when it opened in 1927. The last member was there until 1987, when my family moved to Kent. My parents went to Cleveland. My aunts and uncles went to Cleveland. My dad and uncles were part of the Kings of Swing (including when they got back together). My siblings, sisters-in-law, and husband went to Cleveland. I knew a lot of kids with the same story, so we weren’t unique.
I was around when my dad, Don Case (’48), and his former classmates formed the Alumni Association in 1995. It started out and was formed to save the CHS Memorial Forest. I love history, especially when it comes to family and our little world of South Seattle, so I volunteered to help type names from the yearbooks in a database. We started with 1927 and went from there to start collecting as much as we could. It was a lot of fun as I read the yearbooks. Some things never change. Kids will be kids.
Don Clifford became the first president of the Alumni Association, and my dad was the vice president. I joined the board in 2001 for a few years but had to step away due to the demands of my job and kids. A few years ago, I talked with John Barton, and he invited me to a board meeting. I asked many questions at the meeting, and before I knew it, I was back on the board (John Barton was pretty smooth about how that whole thing happened). Last year, I retired from The Boeing Company after 36 years and started to take on more responsibilities with the association. Again, I didn’t see it coming, but John Barton and Bernie Moskowitz had a plan. I wanted to be the “Historian for the Association” and thought that was the plan. I genuinely believe everything happens for a reason, good or bad, and here I am.
I didn’t know about the Memorial Forest when I attended Cleveland High School. I’m sure it was mentioned, but I didn’t listen. I was too busy having fun and trying to be cool (whatever that meant). Now, it’s an honor to tell people about the forest and the reason it exists. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the Memorial Forest, and next year will be the 30th anniversary of the CHS Alumni Association.
It is my honor to serve as your President. I will do my best to make my dad and the founders proud. This year, we are busy with the Memorial Forest and other projects, but I’m interested in the stories and history. I would love to hear your stories! Send them to my e-mail address (president@clevelandalumsea.org). If you want me to call you, let me know, and I can call you starting in June.
