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Richard Scott (1965)
Hello WHS colleagues: this is Richard Scott, 1965 WHS graduate. I regularly read your comments but I have never yet contributed. I am retired, 73 yers old, and live in Portland OR. Today was unusual as for the past several days I have been reading though my WHS Ilex bookks and thinking about years ago, the mid 1960s. Today I just finished looking at my 1965 Ilex and found the invitation for the WHS graduation, which was 11 JUN 1965, fifty-five years ago today. So I though it appropriate for me to correspond.
I was very amused and touched by the many who wrote comments in my books. I have lost contact with most of my WHS friends, indeed both my college roommates William Andersen and Charles Potter have passed. But I have still kept in touch with Michael Matson since we were both at WHS and UOP.
After graduation from WHS I entered the Conservatory of Music at University of the Pacific in Stockton CA and graduated in 1969. Afterwards I enlisted in the USArmy as pianist (30 JUN 1969), and after basic training went to the Military Music School at the Naval Amphibious Base in Norfolk VA for five months and was then stationed at the 21st Army Band at Ft. Lewis WA for the remainder of my service.
After degress in music performance from the University of WA, Seattle and University of WI-Madison, I secured a performing/teaching/administrative position at Murray State University KY that I held for twenty-eight years. I now find myself in a volunteer position as pianist for the Providence St. Vincent Medical Center Pastoral Services in the Art, Healing and Wellness Program. Unfortunately services have been temporarily discontinued because of the COVID-19 virus.
I'm writing because of several anniversaries: 1) WHS graduation on 11 JUN 1965, 2) my graduation from University of the Pacific on 08 JUN 1969, and 3) my mother's death at 93 on 13 JUN 1995. I also have a significant anniversary from 06 JUN 2018: that date is now two years from my diagnosis and surgery of stage IV metastatic melanoma here at Postland Providence Medical Center.
I had my surgery in JUN, a month of radiation in AUG, and a year of immunotherapy beginning in OCT 2018. Since then I have three month CT scans and check-ups with my surgeon and dermatologist. So far results have been good. Waiting for results is taxing.
I live here in Portland with Alberto Rafols, my partner now of over forty-seven years. We met at the School of Music, Univeristy of WA in 1972 working on our respective piano performance degrees after my military service and his Fullbright Scholarship in Spain with Alicia de Larrocha. He is Cuban/Catalan and I am Croation/Irish; it's difficult but somehow we have made it work.
My message to you is take care of yourself and your family (especially now), be considerate/understanding of others, and enjoy the small daily celebrations of life. As we age, the future is less, the present is now, and the past is larger in our thoughts. If any of you remember my mother Dorothy, she could never say no to anyone. She always offered the random act of kindness. I've tried to learn from her and do the same. Best, stay well, take care. RJS
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I was just wondering if all of our 65 classmates did a forum update as to what we all are doing and where we are now living since we were unable to do a 55 reunion - will be interesting to see what kind of response we get????
