Colonel White High School Class of 1965 © 2004 :: Featured Alumni

Featured Alumni

Sylvia Richey

We are pleased to have today as our featured alumnus from the Class of ’65 Sylvia Richey Clayton. Sylvia, it was good to see you at the June reunion. We were glad you could make it for the Saturday night event. Please tell us where you are living and what you are doing now.

I’M LIVING AT 60 PACELINE CIRCLE, SUITE 222, XENIA, OHIO 45385 AND AM RETIRED.

Please tell us about your family, Sylvia.

MY HUSBAND DIED IN 1980. I HAVE A DAUGHTER, DEBBIE CHAPMAN, AND A SON, RICHARD CLAYTON. MY GRANDDAUGHTERS ARE LORI CHAPMAN (14), SHERI CHAPMAN (12), EMILY KRAEMER (2) AND A NEW DAUGHTER-IN-LAW, SARAH KRAEMER CLAYTON.

What was your occupation before you retired?

WHEN I WAS IN DAYTON, I WAS AN OFFICE CLERK AT ROYAL CREST DAIRY. WHEN WE MOVED TO ALABAMA, I WAS ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER AT WEST BUILDING MATERIALS IN TALLADEGA. LATER ON, I OPENED MY OWN DAY CARE CENTER IN ANNISTON. AFTER MOVING BACK TO DAYTON, I WORKED IN CUSTOMER SERVICE AT THE VICTORIA’S SECRET CATALOGUE FACILITY IN KETTERING.

Sylvia, will you tell us about what you’ve been doing for the past 37 years.

I HAVE BEEN A WIFE AND MOTHER IN ADDITION TO WORKING AT MY VARIOUS JOBS. WHEN MY HUSBAND DIED IN 1980, I HAD AN EVEN BIGGER TASK AHEAD OF ME, RAISING TWO CHILDREN BY MYSELF. I FEEL THAT I SUCCEEDED IN THAT JOB, AS BOTH WERE IN THE HONOR SOCIETY AND GRADUATED AT THE TOP OF THEIR CLASS. WE WERE ACTIVE IN OUR LOCAL CHURCH AND DEBBIE WAS INTO VOLLEYBALL, BOTH AT CHURCH AND AT SCHOOL. IN ADDITION, SHE WAS A CHEERLEADER. RICHARD PLAYED BASKETBALL IN JUNIOR HIGH.

WHEN THE GRANDCHILDREN STARTED COMING ALONG, I BECAME A GOOD GRANDMOTHER, ALWAYS THERE TO HELP; I STILL TRY TO WHEN I CAN. EMILY IS MY NEWEST GRANDDAUGHTER, AS MY SON RICHARD AND SARAH MARRIED ON OCTOBER 18 THIS YEAR.

After you graduated from Colonel White, did you attend college or take any other classes?

WHILE WE LIVED IN THE SOUTH, I ATTENDED AYERS STATE TECHNICAL COLLEGE TO UPDATE MY SKILLS AND KEEP AS CURRENT AS POSSIBLE. SINCE MOVING BACK TO DAYTON, I HAVE ATTENDED SINCLAIR COMMUNITY COLLEGE, WORKING ON AN ASSOCIATE DEGREE. I’VE MADE THE DEAN’S LIST TWICE AND STILL HAVE A FEW QUARTERS TO GO UNTIL I GET MY DEGREE. MY ILLNESSES HAVE INTERFERED. IF POSSIBLE IN THE FUTURE, I PLAN TO GO ON TO GET A BACHELOR DEGREE.

Sylvia, what are some of your interests and hobbies?

I’M INTERESTED IN A LOT OF THINGS, BUT MY BIGGEST INTEREST IS IN COMPUTERS AND ALL THAT THERE IS TO LEARN. I WOULD LIKE TO LEARN HOW TO SET UP WEBSITES AND TO INCORPORATE THE COMPUTER IN SOME TYPE OF BUSINESS FOR MYSELF, AS THERE ARE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE FOR A PERSON WHO HAS HAD THE ILLNESSES I HAVE. WITH THAT KNOWLEDGE, I COULD STILL BE INDEPENDENT AND MAKE A GOOD LIVING. MY HOBBIES ARE SEWING, READING AND COUNTED CROSS STITCH. I WOULD LIKE TO TRAVEL IN THE FUTURE, TOO.

Please tell us about any memorable trips, job assignments or activities you have had.

MY MOST MEMORABLE JOB ASSIGNMENT WAS BEING THE FIRST FEMALE ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER FOR WEST BUILDING MATERIALS BECAUSE, AT THE TIME, NO WOMAN HAD EVER HELD THE JOB OF MANAGER. I AM LIVING NOW IN AN ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY IN XENIA AND AM INVOLVED IN A LOT OF ACTIVITIES HERE. I HAVE A PAPER ROUTE TO DELIVER THE DAYTON DAILY NEWS AND THE XENIA GAZETTE TO THE SUBSCRIBING RESIDENTS. THIS IS MY FIRST PAPER ROUTE EVER! MY ELECTRIC SCOOTER COMES IN VERY HANDY IN THIS REGARD AND ALSO WHEN I DELIVER PACKAGES AND MAIL TO HELP OUT THE SECRETARY AS NEEDED. I ALSO HELP OUT ANSWERING THE PHONE HERE AT THE FACILITY.

I AM TURNING INTO A JIGSAW PUZZLE WHIZ. I HAVE DONE SEVERAL PUZZLES WITH HELP FROM THE OTHER RESIDENTS. BEING ONE OF THE YOUNGEST RESIDENTS AND BECAUSE I TRY TO KEEP EVERYONE HAPPY, THEY HAVE GIVEN ME THE TITLE OF "DEPUTY FIRE CHIEF INSPECTOR" BECAUSE OF MY ELECTRIC SCOOTER AND MY HELPING WHEN THE FIRE ALARMS SOUND. THEY JOKINGLY TELL ME THAT WHEN I GET MY NEW ELECTRIC SCOOTER IN THE SPRING THAT IT SHOULD BE RED!!!!

The staff must really appreciate your help, Sylvia. Are your parents and siblings still in the area?

MY PARENTS ARE BOTH NOW DECEASED…MY FATHER IN 1964 AND MY MOTHER IN 1994. MY BROTHER DAVID RICHEY (CLASS OF ’68) PASSED AWAY IN 1997 FROM A MASSIVE HEART ATTACK. HE LIVED IN ALBANY, GEORGIA, AND WAS EMPLOYED BY PROCTER AND GAMBLE CO. MY BROTHER LARRY RICHEY IS LIVING IN LAS VEGAS. MY YOUNGEST BROTHER , PAUL RICHEY, LIVES IN BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND; HE HAS LIVED THERE SINCE THE 70’S AND OWNS HIS OWN BOOKBINDING BUSINESS.

Sylvia, what do you feel are your accomplishments and achievements?

MY ACCOMPLISHMENTS HAVE BEEN TO RAISE MY FAMILY AND TO FURTHER MY EDUCATION. MY MOST CURRENT ACCOMPLISHMENT WILL BE TO OVERCOME THE STROKES I HAVE HAD AND GET MY HEALTH STRAIGHTENED OUT. THIS LOOKS LIKE IT WILL BE THE HARDEST THING I WILL HAVE TO DO.

Do you think that your job and life are where you thought they would be when you were in high school? Why or why not?

NO, BECAUSE I WOULD NEVER HAVE SEEN MYSELF AS A WIDOW AT THE AGE OF 32.. THIS, OF COURSE, CHANGED MY LIFE FROM WHAT I THOUGH IT WOULD BE FOR ME. THE THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED TO ME HAVE, I THINK, MADE ME A BETTER PERSON; AND NOW I LIVE ONE DAY AT A TIME. WE SHOULD NEVER TAKE ANYTHING FOR GRANTED. I AM PROUD OF MY FAMILY AND ALSO OF THE PLACES WHERE I HAVE BEEN LUCKY TO LIVE. I LOVED THE SOUTH, AND THE FRIENDS I MADE IN ALABAMA WILL ALWAYS BE A PART OF MY BEST MEMORIES OF MY LIFE. MY LIFE TODAY IS ALSO A SPECIAL TIME FOR ME, AS I HAVE MADE A LOT OF NEW FRIENDS WHO HAVE GIVEN ME THE WILL TO GO FORWARD AND ACCOMPLISH MY GOALS. AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK MY VERY BEST FRIENDS FROM COLONEL WHITE, WHO HAVE BEEN HERE FOR ME IN THE PAST TWO YEARS. THANKS TO ALL OF YOU.

If you could start over, Sylvia, would you or would you not make the same choices you did the first time around? Why or why not? What you would do differently?

I DON’T THINK ANYONE WOULD REALLY CHANGE THINGS FROM WHAT THEY DID THE FIRST TIME AROUND; BUT IF I COULD REALLY CHANGE ANYTHING, THERE WOULD BE A COUPLE OF THINGS. FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD NOT MAKE CHOICES SO QUICKLY AS I DID IN THE PAST; I WOULD TRY TO THINK ABOUT A DECISION FIRST BEFORE JUMPING INTO SOMETHING. HOPEFULLY! NEXT, I WOULD GET THE BEST JOB I COULD GET AND MAKE A CAREER FOR MYSELF SO I WOULD HAVE A DECENT RETIREMENT.

Sylvia, what are some of your favorite memories of Col. White?

I LOVED ALL THE TEACHERS I HAD AT COLONEL WHITE, BUT THE ONE WHO STANDS OUT FOR ME IS MR. HESS. HE WAS THE FIRST TEACHER I HAD AS A FRESHMAN, AND HE WAS MY HOMEROOM TEACHER. HE MADE THE TRANSITION FROM GRADE SCHOOL TO HIGH SCHOOL A LITTLE EASIER; HE WAS A NICE, EASY-GOING PERSON AND HELPED ME A LOT. MY NEXT IS MR. HOBSON, WHO WASN’T A TEACHER BUT WAS IN THE LIBRARY. I DIDN’T WORK FOR HIM, BUT HE ALWAYS MADE MY TRIPS TO THE LIBRARY INTERESTING. THE PERSON WHO INFLUENCED ME MOST, AND I STILL CHERISH HER, IS MRS. STEBBINS. I WORKED IN THE SCHOOL OFFICE FOR THREE YEARS, AND SHE IS THE ONE WHO MADE THE JOBS I DID FOR HER VERY INTERESTING. I FOLLOWED A LOT OF HER ADVICE WHEN I WENT TO WORK IN MY LATER JOBS. SHE WAS A SUPER LADY WHO I WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER. THERE WAS ALSO MR. COFFEY…..WHAT CAN I SAY!

I TOOK THE BUSINESS COURSE AND LEARNED A LOT THAT COULD BE USED IN MY FUTURE JOBS; BUT, OF COURSE, THINGS STARTED CHANGING BY THE TIME WE GRADUATED. SO TAKING COLLEGE COURSES WAS A MUST TO KEEP UP WITH THE WORLD TODAY, ESPECIALLY COMPUTERS.

AS FOR SCHOOL ACTIVITIES, I DIDN’T GET TO PARTICIPATE IN MANY ACTIVITIES. BUT I WAS IN Y-TEENS DURING MY FRESHMAN YEAR.

MY BEST FRIEND AND PAL WOULD HAVE TO HAVE BEEN LINDA JAMES. WE HAVE BEEN BEST FRIENDS SINCE 7TH GRADE AND ARE STILL THE BEST OF FRIENDS AFTER ALL THESE YEARS. I HAVE A LOT OF FRIENDS FROM MY FOUR YEARS AT COLONEL WHITE BUT DIDN’T GET TO STAY IN TOUCH WITH THEM AS I WOULD HAVE LIKED. NOW IS A GOOD TIME TO CHANGE THAT SINCE THE LAST REUNION.

MY FAVORITE WEEKEND EVENTS WERE THE FOOTBALL GAMES. I WENT OUT WITH DIFFERENT FRIENDS LIKE LINDA RICHEY, LINDA SCHUSTER AND OTHERES TO PLAY PUTT-PUTT, ETC. I ALSO LIKED TO ATTEND THE SCHOOL PLAYS AND OTHER SCHOOL-RELATED ACTIVITIES.

What are your plans for the future, Sylvia?

I AM ALREADY RETIRED BUT WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO TRAVEL. THERE ARE A LOT OF PLACES WHERE I WOULD LIKE TO GO.

Sylvia, in closing, do you have any words of wisdom, comments or messages for our classmates?

WE HAVE THE CHANCE NOW TO BE IN BETTER CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER. THE WEBSITE IS FABULOUS, AND WE SHOULD USE IT TO STAY IN TOUCH. MY GOAL IS TO TRY TO FIND SOME OF THE LOST SOULS AND KEEP COMING TO CLASS REUNIONS AS LONG AS I AM ABLE. WE HAD A WONDERFUL CLASS MADE UP OF A LOT OF GOOD PEOPLE, AND I AM PROUD TO BE A PART OF COLONEL WHITE CLASS OF ’65.

Again, thanks Sylvia for sharing a little of your life with us. Remember, that very soon, we will have another exciting interview to share with you. Until then this is....

Carol Flinspach Yinger