GAR Memorial Class of 1941

I've received some comments that posting the wartime ( WWII ) letters from Raymond M. Raykovitz has allowed at least one reader to get to know Ray as a person instead of just a picture on the wall, a few photos and some stories.

Well, I think we're going to learn a lot more about Raymond as I go through the next few posts detailing some of the hundreds of comments written by his fellow classmates at GAR Memorial High School in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania - Class of 1941. Evidently, Ray was a very good baseball player, had a flair for having fun, and ummmm, had quite a few nicknames.

So stay tuned as we get a glimpse of the teenager known as Rakey, Slick and the "Wolf."

 

In the photo directly above, the future (Aunt) Florence (Adams) Raykovitz - and her comment signed "Flossie" - are in the upper left corner of the page.

  

    

MARYMOUNTIAN - 1950

I've found several high school yearbooks tucked away in boxes over the past few months, including Raymond's Sr. Year (1941) GARCHIVE. I'll get to that one next.

For starters, here's my Mother's Sr. year "MARYMOUNTIAN" from the graduating class of 1950. I'll post some more pics from this yearbook in the future.

 

Below: I guess my Mom wasn't into white socks. A born rebel from day 1.

Front row, first chair to left of lectern...no white socks.

 

 

Below: I'm 99% sure that's my Uncle Bernard Michael ( Mickey) Raykovitz

standing directly behind the globe.

 

 

More to follow. Have a good weekend.

 

  

Uncle John & Aunt Stella

I have many fond memories of the frequent visits over the years by my mother's older brother John and his wife, Stella. As they lived in NJ, they were usually not overnight stays.

 

And of course, who could forget those two hyper Chihuahuas; Chichi & Coco?

 

Above: John Raykovitz in younger days ( HS photo? )

Below: Stella and John on their wedding day.

John's lifelong friend Leo Laboda is second from right.

 

 

  

From September 1964

Yet another snippet of family history found tucked away in a small Bible.

 

And on the reverse side...

 

 

 

BTW - thanks to all who have offered comments and corrections.

 

They are both appreciated.

    

 

Raymond's Purple Heart

Here's another of the many recent discoveries. 

From ~1944.

My cousin Raymond, Frank's son, has his Uncle's Purple Heart.

  

  

 

Uncle Leon and Aunt Stella Raykowicz

Here's the second of many wedding/formal pics we recently found. According to my Mom, this is her Uncle Leo ( Leon ) Raykowicz and his wife, Stella.
 

And in case you didn't notice, Grandpa ( John ) Raykovitz's tobacco can is in the pic at the header of this blog. I truly remember watching him roll cigarettes using that dark blue (?) can. And remember the kitchen flooring...and the coal/gas stove in the lower right corner? I'm 99% sure the white cabinet to the left in the picture is still at the family homestead.

 

Many more pics to follow.

 

      

W-B Police Officer Stanley M. Raykowicz

To all:

As I had offered, we recently discovered a "treasure trove" of pictures and other documents in one of the last few boxes we retrieved from the Raykovitz family homestead. I wish there was an easy way of just scanning and uploading all of the photos, etc., but things take time and I know we'll get there...eventually.

 

In addition to posting pics and letters from Raymond, there has been some interest expressed in whether I had found any pictures of my grandfather's brothers. I recently posted a picture of Uncle Carl ( Karol ) Raykowicz from May 1942, and based upon my mother's identification, the photo immediately below is that of her Uncle Stanley M. Raykowicz, a former Wilkes-Barre (PA) Police Officer, who died a few days short of his 47th birthday on September 28, 1950.  As her Uncle Stanley never married, she does not know who the woman in the photo is.

 

 

 

We also believe we've found Uncle Raymond's burial flag from Arlington, as it has 48 stars and is the right size and, equally important, my mother's quick call-around to her siblings all indicated that Ray's flag was held in the family homestead. Another point of note: I found a second flag yesterday with...48 stars.

 

Anyway, the photo below should give you some idea of the number of photos I have to scan.

 

Stay tuned...more to follow in the days ahead.