Jerry Leist
Then...! Now...!
Jerry Leist

After Cape, I was sent to OCS and Flight training by the USMC. While waiting for my overseas assignment, I married my college sweetheart Jeanne Shaw (Class of 68) and then went to Viet Nam with VMFA 334 flying in one of the McDonnell Douglas creations, the F4-J. We spent 6 months in Danang and 7 in Chu Lai prior to the return to the world flight.

The biggest shock of the tour was while waiting for a late night launch in Chu Lai, I received a call from Vito Mangogna. He was working at the USMC CRCC and had found several of us in country and kept us in touch. Sam Richards, Jim Acreback and my brother were all there as well and did have a chance to cross paths once in a while. Vito and I had dinner in Hawaii while on R&R with our wives.

After returning to St. Louis, I started selling medicine with Lederle Labs and then in '87 left them to go to Squibb which then merged with Bristol-Myers. I have been with them in their hospital division ever since.

We have two children. David 30 and Amy 27, both Cape Graduates and both working here in St. Louis. We are living in Concord Village in the South County area near Grants Farm.

If you'd like to contact Jerry, his e-mail address is:

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Fred Kohler
Then...! Now...!
Fred Kohler

I graduated from SEMO with a BA liberal arts degree in 1967. Mary Jane Davis (class of 1965) and I married in February 1966 at St. Vincent's Church in Cape. We moved to St. Louis where I took a civil service job with the US Army Aviation Materiel Command.

In August 1966, under pressure of the draft, I joined the US Air Force. After basic training, I attended Officer Training School (OTS) at Lackland AFB, Texas. I was commissioned a 2nd Lt in February 1967 and my wife and I moved to Lowry AFB (Denver), Colorado. In April 1969, I was assigned to a Tactical Airlift Squadron in Taichung, Taiwan.

I separated from active duty with the Air Force in March 1971 and returned to Cape Girardeau where I worked for my wife's brother (Jerry Davis) in the restaurant business. In May 1972, I quit the restaurant business and moved my family to the Denver area.

I went back to work with the US Army (Health Services Command--Fitzsimons Army Medical Center). This was followed by other civil service jobs (primarily budget, finance, and administrative support) with the US Geological Survey, Air Force Accounting and Finance Center, and the Defense Finance and Accounting Service.

I retired from civil service in 2000 with 34 years of service credit. Fortunately, I maintained an Air Force Reserve career of 26 years (over and above my 5 years of active service), retiring in 1997 in the grade of Colonel.

My wife passed away in September 2000 after battling breast cancer for a little over 3 years. I am now just beginning to get my life back in order. Jane and I were married almost 35 years. Before her passing, I worked for Delta Airlines as a ticket agent for almost a year. Fortunately, I quit in favor of full retirement in June 2001. Since then I have spent most of my time on maintenance and improvement projects on residential real estate which I own. I hope to divest myself of some of these responsibilities in favor of travel and recreational pursuits.

If you'd like to contact Fred, his e-mail address is:

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William (Skip) Howell
Then...! Now...!
William (Skip) Howell

Judy and I left Cape Girardeau in the early 70's heading west to California. Jim Portell (past SMC) arranged for an interview with Hallmark Cards. I accepted a position and have been with Hallmark for over 30 years now. I am currently in a "consulting" position but I have held numerous positions with them - the most recent coordinating Hallmark's 370+ corporate stores." I am retiring 12/31/02 and my retirement party is November 15th at corporate headquarters in KC.

I am still married to Judy - 39 years this December. We have four grandchildren living in Seattle, Denver and the San Francisco East Bay area. Judy and I wanted to live as many places in the West as we possibly could. We achieved that goal. We had about 12 corporate moves and have lived in S. California, the Pacific northwest, the wine country in N. California, Idaho, Evergreen, Colorado north of Denver and finally back to KC for a time at corporate headquarters. We had never lived in the SW so here we are now in Scottsdale, AZ. Didn't mean to move here this soon but felt we should sell the KC house in the summer due to the swimming pool, etc..

If you'd like to contact Skip, his e-mail address is:

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James Acreback
Then...! Now...!
James Acreback

I, not unlike Jerry Leist, know everything there is to know about eating rice, because the President also permitted me to vacation in Southeast Asia for a couple of tours.

I retired from the Corps in 1989 and reside in Arlington, Tx.

I am still married to the beautiful Donna (boot) Shew Acreback and we will celebrate our 35th on the 28th of December.

My oldest daughter, Kimberly was married last weekend to a hairy legged Aggie (Andy) and my youngest daughter, Amanda married ~3 years ago. She and her husband Erich live in Tyler Texas and both are drug dealers (Pharm Reps).I have a grand dog named Louie.

We have been at the same Arlington address for 16 years.

I work at Bell Helicopter where I am the Manager of the New Product Development Center. We build developmental, experimental and prototype aircraft, systems and / or sub-systems. I love the job, albeit hectic at times.

If you'd like to contact Jim, his e-mail address is:

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James Robison
Then...! Now...!
James Robison

Charolyn and I left Cape in 1967 and headed for Memphis, Tn. We lived there for nearly five years, before moving back to Cape. I was in the banking business in Memphis, and moved back to Cape to do the same. After working in the banking and insurance industries here, we decided to do something different...so we bought Smitty's Tavern, and opened a Bed and Breakfast on the corner of Broadway & Sprigg St.

NO, NOT REALLY.....I don't think the smell of beer could ever be cleaned out of the floor. I never drive by though without recalling some good times. I think there was a Saturday morning after we won the fleetball championship that beer was actually sloshing around the floor about 2 inches deep and running out the front door onto Broadway street. And the Rainbow Room (double R) is no longer in business.....

More recently, like a few years ago....Frank Robinson (Bull) , my brother John, and I were at a Cards baseball game having some refreshments and watching the game and usher BOB Murray comes up and threatens to throw us out for being so rowdy.

Charolyn works for Cape Public Schools and I am employed by the State of Missouri. We have two children who also reside in Cape.

If you'd like to contact Jim, his e-mail address is:

Why can't I just click on an e-mail address or copy & paste it into my e-mail program?  Click HERE .
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