Service for Duane Takaki

Hello, Central Friends,
I just got word from Jan Fisher Jones that the final arrangements for Duane have been made. (Jan does the advertising for the funeral home.) A memorial service for Duane will be Thursday at 3pm at Praise Assembly of God Church in Pueblo. And after tomorrow evening (Monday, 2/21), online condolences can be sent by going to Montgomery and Steward Funeral Directors. I'm sure the Pueblo Chieftain (pueblochieftain.com) will have information on the service as well.

That's all I have for now...more to follow when I return home to California. Take care, everyone.

In Memoriam...Duane Takaki

I'm sorry to report that our good friend, Duane Takaki, passed away this afternoon in Pueblo. Don Dudley just posted this sad news on the Central Class of '65 group page on Facebook. Again, Duane attended the 45th and seemed to be in perfect health. Heartfelt condolescences and prayers to the Takaki family.

An evening with Dave and Marilyn

These two "kids" are incapable of taking a bad picture. I took three photos of them the other night and - three for three - they were all 'picture-perfect.'


I had this rare photo opportunity because my husband and I have been staying at our vacation home in Grand Lake - where, as it happens, Dave and Marilyn live year 'round. The day after we arrived in Grand Lake, my husband, Ralph, and I drove the 15 miles between here and Granby to stock up on groceries at the beautiful City Market built just a few years ago. And, standing right there in the produce department, was Dave Binkley!


This happy coincidence led to a dinner invitation from Dave (and no, I wasn't stalking him to try to finagle an invite) to join him and his wife of 8 years, Marilyn, (still newlyweds, sorta!) at their beautiful home located about two minutes from our house. So on Tuesday night we enjoyed a great chili (made by Dave), a healthy green salad and corn muffins. A perfect dinner for a cold and snowy February evening!


Even better was the opportunity to catch up on four and a half decades of "what's happened since high school" sort of banter. Although I'd spoken briefly with Dave and Marilyn at the reunion in September, there simply wasn't enough time to socialize with any depth during that time, so this opportunity was wonderful. We talked a myriad of topics - and in a very New Millennium sort of dinner chat accompaniment, whenever our conversational paths led to wondering about when this or that happened, or who this or that person was, Marilyn jumped onto her ipad to "google" the answers.


It was also good hearing more about the local lore around Grand Lake. Being just part time residents here, this filled in many of the gaps in our knowledge base - particularly about the beautiful new playhouse being built in downtown Grand Lake, which will open June 10.


It was a very fun evening and we hope to return the favor when we head back to Grand Lake in May. Thank you again, Dave and Marilyn! It was great fun.

Update: Duane Takaki

Hello, Central friends,
Don Dudley posted the following update about Duane on the Facebook Central High Class of 65 group page begun recently by Jack Tomsic. Don received this information from Joe Klune who had spoken with Duane's older brother, Alan. I am posting Joe's words verbatim below:


"...I thought I'd share a message I got from Joe Klune last night (Alan is Duane's older Brother and practicing partner):


"I talked with Alan Takaki today at the Takaki Dental Office and the news is not good. Duane has not responded in any way to any stimulus since the stroke. Alan said it was a stage 5 stroke brought on by a ruptured vessel. He was with his cousin in Denver at a rehab facility next to St. Anthony's Hospital when he started to fall. His cousin caught him and laid him down and he received immediate medical treatment. He has been in a sedated state and I believe on a respirator. They are to stop the sedation tomorrow and family will have to decide how to proceed. Alan did not sound positive at all."


Will post further updates as I get them. In the meantime, this gives us all pause and reason to appreciate and celebrate our all too short time on earth. Take care, everyone.

Duane Takaki - Call for prayers

Central friends,
I seem to be giving you all so many sad reports here on our blog, but I have been given news of yet another Central friend who has been stricken suddenly. I recently received word from Rick Roblek, Les Robinson and Crete Crawford Wood that Duane Takaki suffered a serious brain aneurysm while in Denver with his mom. I will post more information about Duane's condition as details become available. In the meantime, please keep our friend Duane and all the Takaki family in your prayers.

The above photo of Duane was taken on the Friday night social mixer in Pueblo at our 45th reunion. It was a joy to see Duane again last September, and we all sincerely hope he will make a full recovery.