Update On The Boy From Anna- Gerald Westerbeck

Update On The Boy From Anna--Gerald Westerbeck

Got some emails from Gerald Westerbeck so I now can tell you a little more about him. But first,

look at this photo. Yes, we have a fresh batch of snow on the ground. Much less then we got on December 19'th. We probably got around 4 inches. Further south in Richmond they are digging out from about a foot of snow.

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And we Virginians just want to announce that Miss Virginia was crowned Miss America last night in Las Vegas. She hails from Frederickburg, VA south of us and attends Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond as a senior.

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Now for you Ohio folks and especially you Anna-Russia folks here's some more facts about Gerald Westerbeck, the Anna boy.

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1. He graduated first in his class of 41 from Anna High School in 1958.

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2. He played basketball, baseball and track. He said that in his senior year a short stocky fellow

from Russia beat him in the 100 but he beat the Russia fellow in the 200. (I wonder who that

short stocky fellow from Russia was?

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3. Gerald played basketball for Anna but said he didn't score much because the gym at

Kettlersville had a low ceiling and it was hard to scoop in for a shot.

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4. Gerald said that in his senior year Anna played a 1-2-2 defense against Russia's basketball team

which was rather stupid because as Anna's point guard he just spent all this time chasing

the two really good shooting point guards that Russia had on the team. (I wonder who they

were? Anybody know. Could one have been a Cordonnier?)

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5. Gerald went to Ohio State for one year where he says his one crowning achievement was

joining Theta Chi and learning to drink beer. (Sounds like Ohio State was the same in

1958 as it is today! LOL!)

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6. Gerald then was selected as Shelby County's first candidate to the newly opened Air Force

Academy in Colorado Springs. Rep. William McCulloch appointed him.

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7. Gerald said he met his wife Judy on a blind date. (Blind date---that's an expression you don't

hear often today. Judy Richardson Westerbeck had gone to Fairmont High School in Kettering

and had been a high school cheerleader.

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8. At the Air Force Academy Gerald joined the Protestant Choir and made many trips with the

group across the country. In 1961 this choir sang for the Easter Sunrise Service at the

Hollywood Bowl and thru a friend Gerald got to stay at John Wayne's home in Hollywood

and to go on a double date with Melinda Wayne, John Wayne's daughter. (Something about

a young man in an academy uniform that opens a lot of doors and a lot of hearts. LOL!

Go Anna!)

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9. Gerald and I almost were on Okinawa at the same time. He left in July of 1968 and I arrived

in August of 1968.

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10. Gerald's father's name was Millard Westerbeck and his mother was the former Ruth Ware.

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11. Gerald still has a younger sister who lives in Kettlersville, Ohio near Anna.