Testimonials on Teachers and Others of Influence
In this section, we remember teachers and other adults who influenced us. Some memories are fond, some not. Interestingly, many of us became teachers.
Kelley Burford has positive memories of several GJHS teachers, and begins by saying, “I think the best teacher I had in high school was Mr. (Bob) Moon.” Moon taught political science to seniors, with foundational studies on US government. The world was in the midst of the the Cold War, and Moon explained the complications of the Soviet Union. “I learned so much,” says Kelley. “He was phenomenal, he could have been a college professor, he was so good.” Kelley continues, "I also thought Ray Canaday was good. I was in some of the plays. Ron Stoneburner made you want to learn. (Also) Garth Wilson, the Spanish teacher, I took three years of Spanish and was in the Spanish Club." Kelley mentions Leonard Neubauer who taught chemistry in the annex building. “He looked like Mr. Magoo but I learned a lot.” Kelley is a realtor in Grand Junction, and about 10 years ago he got a call to list from Mr. Neubauer’s daughter to list her dad’s house. “I went over and it was him! He was having dementia problems and he didn’t remember me - I wasn’t a great student - but we got to talking and, it was funny, he flashed back and did remember stuff!”
Kelley Burford
Tammy Shriver remembers Ron Stoneburner's history class because she sat next to Bob Thome. “I remember we had kind of a silent competition about ‘oh, how’d you do.’ If I did better than him, then he’d try harder the next time and vice versa.”
Tammy Shriver
Jack Nisley says his 4th grade teacher at Lincoln Park Elementary, Mrs. Kirkpatrick, was a very good teacher, but there was that one moment when…
“One day, she had a coloring thing we had to do. And then she handed those pictures back from good to worst. And mine was the very last one.” At 68, Jack chuckles but adds, “I can’t remember ever forgetting that.”
Jack Nisley
"Sam Baseler’s English class, where Mr. Baseler lit a literary fire under me with readings from Emerson, Thoreau, and the Transcendentalists."
Harry Brown
Shauna Burke (Jackson) remembers math teacher Vern McKinney from GJJHS. "If you talked, he'd throw an eraser (from the chalk board) at you. Or he'd hit your mouth with it so you'd have a chalk face for the rest of the day." While it sounds bad, Shauna tells this story with great affection for Mr. McKinney; he was her favorite.
Shauna Burke (Jackson)
"I went to Tope Elementary, where my favorite of all time teachers was Mrs. Peggy Orendorf for fifth grade. She made me feel safe, happy to be in school, and never threatened for not being the smartest kid in class, which I certainly wasn’t. Once I got permission from my mother to invite her home to our house for tea after school. She came and I was so thrilled. I remember her large black clasp purse, not her face really, but I do remember that purse."
Barbara Jones (Tyner)