Scott Nelson ‘10 and Megan (Knudstrup) Nelson ‘10 both welcomed Lyra Amelia Nelson into their family on December 29th, 2017. Lyra is the first grandchild of three Tech alumni, David ‘79 and Ellen (David) Nelson ‘79 and Chris Knudstrup ‘78.
-Congrats to all of you!! -SW
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Rebecca (Sprys) Hayes ’12 (Civil Engineering) and Collin Hayes were married in Dallas, Texas, on November 4, 2017.
-Congratulations on your marriage! Best wishes. -SW
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Brian Edwards ’08 (Chemical Engineering) and Jillian Schubert Edwards ’09, ’11 (Applied Ecology & Environmental Sciences, Environmental Policy), along with their son August, welcomed a daughter, Moira Alice Edwards, on December 18, 2017.
-Congrats on the birth of your daughter! -SW
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I am remembering spring break 1979 and 1980. All of us, and our scuba and camping gear, piling into one of the dive club member’s pickup trucks with a camper on back and trailer in-tow (MTU Aquanauts Club), and off we drove in shifts from Houghton to Key Largo, FL. We drove straight through, just switching drivers whenever someone needed to get some sleep, until we reached John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park in Key Largo. Most or all of us had taken David Prehoda’s scuba diving classes at MTU, and then we became PADI certified divers. David, and his whole family at times, (wife Jose, 3 sons Thomas, David, Etienne and 1 daughter Valerie) were all at poolside helping to teach us scuba. Those Florida dive trips were a blast. It was a real treat to get away from the UP snow and cold, especially during winter of 1978-79, to hang out on sandy beaches and dive in warm water with the gorgeous undersea world to check out, cooking freshly caught seafood on a campfire at our campsite. Ahh, spring break memories. (I don’t recall that I ever took any photos of our spring break scuba trips.) And I really remember it was NOT such fun to have to dig my car out of where it was buried after we returned back to Houghton.
Janet Ahlquist ’79, as an MTU student
- Thank you so much for your great scuba diving memories. Does anyone else have photos or memories from the Aquanauts Club or David Prehoda’s scuba diving classes? Email us. -SW
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I had my first date with my husband (Jaye Hayes ’77 Forestry) at the Douglass House in downtown Houghton on January 28, 1977. We had tried twice to go to a Finnish kantele concert, but it was snowed out twice. After he heard it was canceled the second time, Jaye asked me to go out for some hot chocolate anyway, which we did at the Douglass House.
We were married on May 28, 1983 and will soon celebrate our 35th anniversary, this May.
We recreated that first date when we were in Houghton in March 2015 for Pastor Steve Wilson’s retirement from Evangel Baptist Church, where Jaye and I met. See attachments of photos when we first started dating and at DH in 2015.
Melodie Hayes
’77 BS Mathematics
’79 MS Business Admin
-Congrats on your upcoming 35th wedding anniversary! Your story is great! Thank you so much for sharing and for sending photos too! -SW
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In the late 80s and early 90s my Sheldon Avenue life was McDonalds, The Library Restaurant, and a bar that was near McDonalds. I loved the French Onion soup at the Library. I need to get back. Haven’t visited Tech since I graduated winter of ’92; Tech was still on quarters then.
Tammy Stewart ‘92
-Thank you for sharing your memories from downtown Houghton. We hope you return to the Keweenaw soon to visit Tech, the Library and make new memories! -SW
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Time with my girlfriend, now my wife of 44 years, Marylyn. Singing and partying at the Dog House with all my friends. Pizza and sandwiches late at night at the Ambassador. Hockey at Dee Stadium, followed by pitchers at the Library.
Randin Sandrik ‘72
-Sounds like some good times had at many downtown locations. Thanks for sharing! -SW
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After performing in the 1977 Winter Carnival Queen Contest, the Queen candidates and their escorts went downtown to The Dog House to ‘celebrate’…Quite a few drinks later, I vaguely recall walking down Shelden back to campus in my sparkly green evening gown and my Army Green Insulated Pile Lined, Steel Shank rubber boots…the only boots a girl from Florida owned (thanks to Surplus Outlet). To add to my ‘classy’ fashion persona, I certainly did not represent MTU well, holding on to two escorts who inched me back to campus while the hiccups from the excessive imbibing took over! Quite the night!
Nancy Masnado Bloch ’80
-Sounds like a Winter Carnival you’ll remember forever. Thank you for sharing your memories. -SW
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As I was married my senior year, we rented an apartment above Ciucci’s Market on the west end of Shelden. The Ciucci’s were one of the warmest, nicest couples one could ever meet and were wonderful landlords. Our apartment was on the third floor. We washed clothes in the back of the store in a Maytag wringer washer and hung the clothes on lines in the fourth floor attic. Lots of stairs to negotiate, but when you’re young, more than doable. We met some great people who also rented there and had some good times together during that year. If I am not mistaken, I believe Ciucci’s Market later became an Army recruiting center.
Of course the Dog House and the Ambassador were good watering holes and food source.
Jim Ombrello,
ME – 1958
-Thank you for sharing your memories of renting from Ciucci’s. Sounds like some great times especially hanging your clothes in the attic. Anyone else rent from the Ciucci’s or remember the market? Email us.
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Speaking of memories of downtown Houghton, my wife and I always liked the Friday night fish fry at the ‘Dog House’ (Douglass Houghton Hotel) particularly before a hockey game at Dee Stadium. Afterwards, we would go to the ‘Isle Royal Bar’ to “wait for the traffic to clear.” And then there was ‘Nelson’s Restaurant,’ just down the street from the ‘Dog House,’ where I got my first taste of a ‘Ruben Sandwich.’ And for graduating seniors, ‘Kirkish Furniture’ was the place that you didn’t want to miss. We bought our first full set of household furniture there just after graduation, everything from the dining room, to the living room and bedroom (we just replaced the last of the bedroom furniture about three years ago). They gave us a great deal and we just had them deliver it the same day the moving van was there, which was being paid for by my new employer anyway. After all, why should the truck go South across the bridge half empty.
John R. Baker, BSME, ‘71
Irvine, CA
-Thank you for sharing your great memories from downtown Houghton. I especially like the Kirkish Furniture story. Great idea to move south with new furniture! -SW
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We are going back nearly 50 years, but the memories of downtown Houghton are still with me if not completely vivid. Walking from campus was common for the first year. The Ambassador was the favorite for subs and especially pizza. The Library was the alternate. If the movies at Fisher were not of our liking, the Lode was often the alternative. Walked to the Pic more than once too. Shopping was at the Central Market, Sears, Penny’s, Montgomery Ward’s, and the Surplus Outlet with an occasional stop at Swift’s True Value. We even had a freezer storage locker for the half beef we bought at the beginning of each year.
Gregory Switek ‘72
-Thanks for sharing your memories! Sounds like some great times. I especially like the half beef you bought. I’m sure that came in handy throughout the semester. -SW