Alumni News:
Jancie Shively Bassett and Loyal Gordon Bassett, PHS Class of 1959 alumni, visited Peoria on 9 November 2024 to present their books at the Peoria Public Library’s “Author and Craft Show” and to donate them to the Bradley and Peoria Libraries. They came from Florida for the events. Janice authored “Love Dave, Letters from a World War II Soldier.”
She used 109 letters written to her family from 1942-45 by her uncle, 1st Lt David Robert Straesser, PHS 1932, to tell his story. Straesser, one of 86 PHS alums killed in action in WWII, was awarded the Silver Star for gallantry posthumously.
Gordon wrote about his USAF experience as a Strategic Air Command pilot during 1974-79. His book is titled “MAD, the Strategic Air Command, the Cold War and the FB-111A.”
Both books at the Peoria Public and Bradley University libraries and available at Amazon.com.
An Alumni Story
We love getting these from our wonderful Alumni!
My recent visit with Gordon and Janice Bassett at the Peoria Public Library while sharing their books with the public was an experience in itself. There were many memories about Peoria High that were recalled. Some memories in school and some out of school. What I did learn is that we all have great experiences throughout life. Many of them started in school when we meet that person who becomes a friend for life. Those memories become stories of adventure or in the case of these alumni...self taught survival skills while sailing on the Illinois River and a somewhat happy ending.
Janice recalls:
One night during the summer of 1960 (the next summer after graduation), Jana Swordenski, Janice Shively, Gordon Bassett, Bob Byerly, and Dave Radley went for an evening sail up the Illinois River. All of a sudden, the wind died, and a barge was streaming down the river headed for the sailboat. As they used oars to avoid the barge, one oar broke and the passengers used their hands to avoid the barge and guide the boat ashore.
The 5 disembarked and rested on the beach overnight waiting for the wind to pick up again the next morning. It was a cold night and to keep warm they set ablaze some wooden outdoor furniture on the beach.
As morning broke, the 5 saw that they were in the back yard of a beach cottage and a Byerly Aviation plane was flying overhead looking for them. The wind was now strong and the 5 climbed aboard the sailboat and headed to the IVY club (from where they started the night sail). Needless to say, there were parents waiting for the arrival of the sailboat and its passengers!
PS-They later located the owners of the furniture and reimbursed them.
Alumni: If you have great PHS stories to share please send to Bill Robertson at Torch57FAC@gmail.com