Some of Louis’ ancestors were Vikings, both Danes and Celts, and we always saw him that way! He loved the outdoors, loved water with kayaking on the rivers and boating on the lakes, sailed around the west coast in his private plane and loved skiing, mountain biking, bow and gun hunting and exploring.  He was a volunteer fireman 1970-77 and reached the three-gallon level in blood donations. That all has come to an end. Louis died August 5, in Yellow Springs Ohio, from heart failure and pancreatic cancer — the same illness that took his father at the same age.

Louis was born August 23, 1943, in Trona, in the California desert. He graduated with honors from Trona High School in 1961, after being very active in the marching band, football, basketball and track – Louis set a school record for the 880 yard sprint. When asked what had been a memorable event in his life, he answered it was when his high school basketball team “won the State championship!”

Louis went on to receive a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from California State Polytechnic University in 1966. At one time during that period, all three Sims brothers were attending Cal Poly. After graduation, Louis married Carol Ford in Trona and they moved to Seattle where Louis worked on Minuteman missiles with Boeing Aircraft; he was excused from the Vietnam draft because he was a rocket scientist. He received a Master’s in Electronic Engineering from the University of Washington.

When the missile contract ended, Louis found new work with Keytronic, a startup computer company in Spokane. He designed and patented a capacitive switch for computer keyboards for them, which led to $100 million per year in sales. In 1977, Louis became vice-president of engineering for ISC Systems and directed development of on-line cluster terminal systems for banks. In 1986, Louis moved to Output Technology Corporation, which produced high speed-impact printers, where he launched three new products and won a government contract worth $50 million. He was president and CEO 1993-2000 and increased sales from $4 million to over $30 million per year and sold the printers in several countries around the world.

Louis is survived by his children Jenniffer, Jilliann, Evan, Hayley, and nieces Tiffany and Serrina Sims and his wife Mary Sims and her daughters Valerie, Alisa and Demi Kosheleff. He is also survived by his brother Richard and his wife Cindy. Louis’s ashes will be scattered in Yellow Springs and on a mountain near Spokane.

Hyrum Reece McInelly, better known as Skip to friends and family, passed away on April 28, 2020, in Walnut Creek, CA. After battling ill health for a few years.

He was born in Spokane, WA, October 15, 1941. During his early life the family moved a few times and ended up in a small town of Trona, CA, in the Mojave Desert. He attended school there and after graduation he took an apprenticeship class to become a machinist working in plants and made his living at this until his retirement. He later moved to Concord, CA, to pursue his career and worked as a machinist in the surrounding refineries. It was at this time of his life when he met his wife, Chantal McInelly. They were married August 12, 1976, and together as a family of 7, Skip having 2 daughters and Chantal had 3 boys, they began their loving relationship.

Skip enjoyed life, enjoyed the outdoors, camping, and just going for road trips. He was a kid at heart and tricks and pranks came naturally to the boy in him. When visiting his wife at work, he would string paper clips together at one of her coworkers desk, when going out for a meal with friends poke a hole in a straw when they weren’t looking, or when walking where there was a water puddle making sure someone was close and stomp his foot in it to splash the victim. He also enjoyed working with wood and making things, then giving them away. The same was done with stain glass projects that he and his wife made, or crochet items that were made by his mother when he was a child. He is a loving father, faithful husband, and truly a friend to all he meets. His warmth has touched many lives through his 78 years with us. Both friends and family will miss him.

He is preceded in death by his loving parents, Hyrum S McInelly and Violet McInelly, his sister Dorene (THS 1954) and a second sister that died at birth, and his daughter Julie. He is survived by his wife, best friend, soulmate and caregiver, Chantal, his children Sally McInelly of Henderson, NV, Brian Lund of Federal Way, WA, Mark Lund of Martinez, and Harold Lund of Concord. He is also survived by 5 grandchildren.

Skip was a cousin to Marian (Reece) Walsh (THS 1955), LeRoy Reece  (THS 1957)  and Vernon Reece (THS 1959).

Tim Burrell just called to let me know that our classmate Kenneth Carter (1943-2020) died last night  (4/22/2020) of cancer. Information about services and burial are pending. Ken was one of many favorite classmates. We are all saddened by news of his death.

Darlene Evelyn Kudlac was born on May 11, 1935, in Los Angeles County, California, her father was Albert Kudlac and her mother was Evelyn McConaha. She married her classmate Dale Frazier Roberts (1935-2015) in 1953. They were both in the class of 1953. Darlene and Robert had a daughter, Darci (Roberts) Bishop. After Darlene and Dale divorced she married Wayne Stephenson and had a second daughter, Linda (Stephenson) Bradford. On February 14, 1981. She married Rolland J Nicholson on February 14, 1981, in Marion, Oregon.

Linda and her husband Russ Bradford have been caregivers for Darlene over the past 10 years. Darlene had been on dialysis for past five years and passed away from natural causes on January 31, 2020.

While growing up Darlene and her parents lived at 107 Argus Avenue in Trona. This is one of the houses across from the Recreation Center. Darlene and her mother used to collect old bottles and jars in the desert and set them in the sun in their backyard to turn purple.