Dave Watson was one of my best friends and always willing to help. When we were 16 we decided to build a room in my parent’s basement. We did the whole thing, walls, ceiling, electrical and floor tile. When we finished it actually looked pretty good.
When I was a freshman I ran cross country. I wasn’t good but not terrible. My real contribution to the team came the day I got mad at Dave and spent more than a half hour chasing him. I finally gave up. Dave ran far better than I so I suggested he go out for the team. He was really a good runner!
Dave and I had a knack for “practical jokes” like the time we painted EAST 63 on the water tower along with Bill Kennedy’s help. The next day I was standing next to Wayne Stevenson while he gazed at our masterpiece. He eventually asked, “What kind of jerk did that?” Our excitement was only slightly dampened by his lack of appreciation.
After high school Dave spent time in the Navy. On returning home Dave and I decided we wanted a boat. I knew a guy about 40 years old with a small cabin cruiser for sale. The seller emphasized it needed an engine and a lot of work. When we drove over to see this junker we knew it wasn’t for us but just to be polite we exchanged small talk and then Dave made a fatal mistake: He asked how many the cabin would sleep. This 40-year-old immediately knew what to say: ” It sleeps two but screws four.” Within 60 seconds we had bought a boat.. Three months later restoration was complete and we were out on the water.
Since his Navy days Dave did sheet metal work and was good at it. In 1983 Dave contracted cancer and died several months later.
Dave grew up on the same block as I did--the 900 block of Hammerschmidt--and we spent a lot of time together while in grade school and high school. When we were about eight, he convinced me to jump off the roof of the shed behind his house, by leading by example. Once he was on the ground and I was still up there, what was I going to do? I jumped, thinking, "this is really dumb." It was about a five-foot drop and it seemed like 20.
He was the culprit, I believe, behind the photo below. It appeared in the advertising section of the '63 Aries, paid for by the guys in the photo. Its purpose was to pimp the cross country coach, Harry Ryan, whose mantra was "Be Respectable!" Now, I didn't run cross country [too hard], so I don't know if that referred to running fast enough to not finish way behind the others, or to conduct oneself with the manners of a student-athlete representing a school as fine as Glenbard East, or something else. But it was definitely aimed at old Harry. You can see that others in the photo [Dave is in the middle, at the top] include Don Comfort showing his midriff, Dave Kopp, Tom Gorman and some of the juniors on the team. As I recall the discussions in the yearbook office on whether to run the photo or not, we said "let's go. We're seniors and they won't kick us out for running it." I'm glad we ran it!
Dave was otherwise kind of shy but a great guy to have a beer with, and a really good athlete.
In the photo Mark posted above, one of the Juniors in the photo is my brother, Don (class of 64), who was a very good runner (better than me). He is second from right. He died about 10 years ago.
As I recall, when Dave came up with the idea, we all jumped at the opportunity to parody Mr. Ryan. Anything for a laugh! Right after the photo was taken, someone yanked on Kopp's towel...that was really funny. Don
William Robb Adams, Jr
Dave Watson was one of my best friends and always willing to help. When we were 16 we decided to build a room in my parent’s basement. We did the whole thing, walls, ceiling, electrical and floor tile. When we finished it actually looked pretty good.
When I was a freshman I ran cross country. I wasn’t good but not terrible. My real contribution to the team came the day I got mad at Dave and spent more than a half hour chasing him. I finally gave up. Dave ran far better than I so I suggested he go out for the team. He was really a good runner!
Dave and I had a knack for “practical jokes” like the time we painted EAST 63 on the water tower along with Bill Kennedy’s help. The next day I was standing next to Wayne Stevenson while he gazed at our masterpiece. He eventually asked, “What kind of jerk did that?” Our excitement was only slightly dampened by his lack of appreciation.
After high school Dave spent time in the Navy. On returning home Dave and I decided we wanted a boat. I knew a guy about 40 years old with a small cabin cruiser for sale. The seller emphasized it needed an engine and a lot of work. When we drove over to see this junker we knew it wasn’t for us but just to be polite we exchanged small talk and then Dave made a fatal mistake: He asked how many the cabin would sleep. This 40-year-old immediately knew what to say: ” It sleeps two but screws four.” Within 60 seconds we had bought a boat.. Three months later restoration was complete and we were out on the water.
Since his Navy days Dave did sheet metal work and was good at it. In 1983 Dave contracted cancer and died several months later.
Mark Wieting
Dave grew up on the same block as I did--the 900 block of Hammerschmidt--and we spent a lot of time together while in grade school and high school. When we were about eight, he convinced me to jump off the roof of the shed behind his house, by leading by example. Once he was on the ground and I was still up there, what was I going to do? I jumped, thinking, "this is really dumb." It was about a five-foot drop and it seemed like 20.
He was the culprit, I believe, behind the photo below. It appeared in the advertising section of the '63 Aries, paid for by the guys in the photo. Its purpose was to pimp the cross country coach, Harry Ryan, whose mantra was "Be Respectable!" Now, I didn't run cross country [too hard], so I don't know if that referred to running fast enough to not finish way behind the others, or to conduct oneself with the manners of a student-athlete representing a school as fine as Glenbard East, or something else. But it was definitely aimed at old Harry. You can see that others in the photo [Dave is in the middle, at the top] include Don Comfort showing his midriff, Dave Kopp, Tom Gorman and some of the juniors on the team. As I recall the discussions in the yearbook office on whether to run the photo or not, we said "let's go. We're seniors and they won't kick us out for running it." I'm glad we ran it!
Dave was otherwise kind of shy but a great guy to have a beer with, and a really good athlete.
Thomas L. Bakos
In the photo Mark posted above, one of the Juniors in the photo is my brother, Don (class of 64), who was a very good runner (better than me). He is second from right. He died about 10 years ago.
Don Comfort
As I recall, when Dave came up with the idea, we all jumped at the opportunity to parody Mr. Ryan. Anything for a laugh! Right after the photo was taken, someone yanked on Kopp's towel...that was really funny. Don