Dear Departed

Last year, our class lost our most enthusiastic and loving friend and supporter in Monsieur Michael Calandra. He succumbed to complications of dementia. Mike loved us and was loved by all. All of us whom he taught in high school, or who have met with him adult-to-adult, have received the gift of his wisdom, guidance, and joy for life.

As of this writing, tributes abound on the Dengler-Roberts-Perna Funeral Home site, https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/east-amherst-ny/michael-calandra-11129691. His obituary is in the Buffalo News at https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/buffalonews/name/michael-calandra-obituary?id=39524964.

Susan Carney Van Hooser: "Mr. Calandra knew our hearts as well as our French! Such a joyful man in spite of knowing great loss. [He had nursed his ailing wife in her last years, then survived pancreatic cancer himself.] We will miss him at our next reunion. He was like an honorary classmate."

Matt Stiling: "We were blessed with having been taught and coached by Mr. Calandra. He was such an outstanding human soul."

Deanna Risk Wheeler: "Michael Calandra was my favorite teacher in high school. His class was never boring and he shared so much of his life with us. I have never forgotten the wonderful feeling of knowing him. Then he would come to our reunions and bring his joy of life to us once again."

Jim Groh: "He was my favorite teacher. He was so caring, personable, and genuine. In 2017 my wife Gail and I visited him in his home in Williamsville. He regaled us with stories of his life and his profound gratitude for all his blessings. Gail and I left the visit with big grins for having been in the presence of such a wonderful man. He called himself Mike. Too small a name, I feel, for one with such a big heart."

Katie Kryder Ford: "Such an incredible man! He encouraged me through some hard times and instilled in me that joie de vivre that has kept me going all my life. His impact was phenomenal and his memory is a blessing."

Our dear Mr. Hochhauser passed away in 2019. After teaching German at WCHS, he went on to teach and direct programs on German Literature, Ethnic Heritage, and Jewish Studies at Kent State University. He was director of the Ohio Council on Holocaust Education. He's an award-winning producer of films about the Holocaust. He himself escaped the Holocaust in an orphanage after his parents were sent to a labor camp. His parents survived and were reunited with their son after the war. He emigrated to the U.S. in 1948. Please read about him and his many other achievements at

https://www.clevelandjewishnews.com/news/local_news/herbert-hochhauser-led-ksu-jewish-studies-program-dead-at/article_b42a5152-0ed4-11e9-90b3-5b5f0ba58744.amp.html

Assistant Principal

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Sent by Bob Stephen

Katie Kryder Ford: "My fondest memory is the day in the spring of 1963 when I drove Mr. Schaefer and Olga Sandmanis to Albany in my mother's old green station wagon. This was because Olga Sandmanis needed to get recertified to teach Russian. We ate our sandwiches on the steps of the state capital. Needless to say, this [trip] would not happen in today's world. The school never even contacted my mother; she just let us go based on my word, knowing I was with two responsible adults."

Ted Keller: "I think I remember him knocking my arm from around Barbara King's shoulder about six times. Rest in peace."

Jim Groh: "He's reunited with Mr Crooks, so the angels better behave themselves!"

Dennis Edmiston: "As I recall, he was in the Army Air Corps, as was my dad. I was fortunate enough to walk a reasonably straight line in high school, so didn't have much interaction with him. He did appear to be a good guy, who really cared about us."

Jack Ainslie

Ned Baumgartner

Barry Bolay

William Bosshart

David Brandt

James Brill

Walter Bruehl

Eugene Buchholz

Cheryl Burnham

Philip Bush

Paula Calabrese

Linda Carlson

Deborah Clark

Wayne Colby

Richard Cooke

Carol Dickson

David Fradin

Jacqueline Gill

Ross Gleason

Paul Goslin

Richard Haertel

Claudia Harter

Kip Helfenstein

Gail Hino

Fred Hultberg

Kneeland Irmisch

David Isbell

David Jaros

Pierre Joseph

Jean Killian

Thomas Kinsella

George Kohl

Suzanne LaRose

Lois Leising

Richard Maslona

Suzanne Mast

Jane McDermott

Chris Miller

Marilyn Miller

Mark Powers

Robert Ridge

Joseph Rohlman

Marlene Scheider

William Schmahl

Robert Seefried

Harvey Simmons

Joy Simolin

Donald Stutzman

Linda Thurn

Joseph Tripi

Ann Volland

Carl Weisgerber

Roger Weston

Linda Wincenc

Dana Wolchek

John Allan

Michael Calandra

Lloyd Cassidy

Francis Coward

Clifford Crooks

Leonard Glowinski

Herbert Hochhauser

William Keller

George Kunz

Joseph Lamm

Marguerite Lapp

Marion Long

Lou Martini

William Measer

Fred Murphy

Olga Sandmanis

Robert Schaefer

Robert Schnirel

Henry Schoelles

Joseph Stanford

Vincent Stearns

Carl Stelzle

Ernest Voisinet