Donald Sailing Sailing

Profile Updated: October 7, 2017
Residing In Wichita, KS USA
Children Don, born 1976
Jodi, born 1978
Four granddaughters
Comments

Retired from 48 years in the Collision Repair/Auto Restoration business
Enjoy bicycling, piano, grandkids. Married Pat, a 1970 North graduate, in 1970.

I wanted to say how much I enjoyed seeing everyone at the "meet and greet" last night at Minisa Park. The visits were too short! Sorry I can't be at the Saturday night festivities, but I will have my beautiful granddaughters this weekend......and well....they win!

Anita....again, this website is terrific...thanks for your hard work...and the hard work of all your "helpers"! I'm up for a 60th reunion! Anybody else?

Donald's Latest Interactions

Jul
11
Jul 11, 2024 at 4:33 AM
Donald Sailing Sailing has left an In Memory comment for Mike Molz.
May
17
May 17, 2024 at 1:14 PM

Oh man...... there's been way too many "memory updates" on the North High site recently.  My first thought when I clicked on the site was, "Dang it!!  Mike Molz??"  I went all through school with Mike from Garrison on up.  I'm blessed with a great memory.  I remember so many kids from Garrison, and my memories of Mike are awesome!  What a great, positive guy to be around!  I lived north of 13th not far from Mikes house with my grandparents.  My grandma always spoke very highly of the Molz family.   As we all sometimes do, we get busy raising families and living our busy lives, and I lost track of him.   But, I remember the last time I saw him was at my Veterinarians office where he was........ yep...... selling dog food!   We enjoyed a great visit there!  
I want to extend my sincere condolences to his family.   Gone too soon....RIP Mike.

 

Jul 11, 2023 at 4:33 AM
Donald Sailing Sailing has left an In Memory comment for David Beckel.
Jun 19, 2023 at 12:17 PM

Sad to see Dave's name on the North update.  
I ran into Dave several years ago at a body shop/paint supply store.  He was driving his recently restored '64  Buick Riviera.  It was flawless and unbelievably straight.  I complimented him and applauded his skills!  
I spent 48 years in that industry, and I know full well what it takes to build a car to that level......Wow!  
I haven't seen him in probably 20 - 25 years, but I can still remember his wild laugh!  RIP Dave.

Donald Sailing Sailing has left an In Memory comment for Fred Cloud.
Dec 26, 2022 at 1:28 PM

I was shocked to see the name Fred Cloud added to the list of classmates lost.  I immediately thought back to my great days at Garrison Elementary.  
i believe it was in sixth grade with my great teacher, Pauline Hurst, that we had physical fitness tests out on the playground.  I'm not sure if these tests were part of the school curriculum, or something Mrs Hurst wanted to do on her own.  I specifically remember Fred Cloud and Larry Thompson dueling it out to see who was the fastest.  Both were gifted athletes, but Fred claimed the victory as the fastest kid in class.  
As a skinny piano player, I went in a different direction throughout school, and lost contact with Fred, but always remembered him being the "iron man" in grade school.  
My wife, Pat Jackson, North class of '70, remembers Fred and his younger brother Jim as the two coaches of her fun times on the Powder Puff football team.  
Pat and I have the entire Cloud family in our prayers.  

Jul 11, 2022 at 4:33 AM
Jul 11, 2021 at 4:33 AM
Jul 11, 2020 at 4:33 AM
Donald Sailing Sailing added a comment on his Profile.
Jul 19, 2019 at 10:19 AM
Jul 11, 2019 at 4:34 AM
Donald Sailing Sailing has left an In Memory comment for Martin Ford.
Jul 06, 2019 at 12:33 PM

Hey everyone!   I have a story.  A story that Marty played a huge part in.  If he were here today, he'd be excited to share it!  

On my 50th birthday, Marty called to wish me a happy birthday.  We visited quite awhile and talked at great length about the Downbeats.....the band he and I played with from '64 to '70.  He said we should get the guys together for some kind of reunion.  I agreed, but I'm pretty sure we both secretly felt that might be a tough thing to do, as several of the guys lived in different cities.  After our phone call ended, I gave considerable thought to that ......for about two minutes I ......... and I called him back to say I was going to pursue getting in contact with everyone and make it happen!  So, long story short, he and I began locating everyone and set a date to meet at his house in Lampe, Missouri.  In the fall of 1999 all six of us.....Gary Bolen, Marty, Dave Gaston, Lanny Gaston, John Bowman, and myself met up for a great weekend of reuniting and laughter, and of course, playing music together.   It was as if we just picked up where we left off....thirty years earlier!  To be together again in one spot was surreal!   

A few weeks later, John Bowman called to tell me he found a box in his basement that had some large audio tapes labeled "Downbeats 1968".   All of us had no idea what might be on those tapes.  So, the next time John came to Wichita, he brought the tapes.  Myself, Gary Bolen, and my longtime friend and neighbor Dan Dillon who was news director for KFDI radio, took those tapes to a studio at KFDI that still had large reel-type recording equipment, and we listened to them!   We became immediately overcome with emotion as we knew it was us!   Back in 1968, we had made some live recordings at a local studio that were to be used as audition tapes.  Somehow, all of us had completely forgotten about them!   So......the phone calls and emails started!   We couldln't believe this discovery!  How was this possible?   We made the decision to do the only thing we could do......have CD's made from the tapes.  I believe we had about 2,000 made, and gave them to family and friends everywhere.  And.................of course.................this was the amazing discovery that inspired us to officially "get the band back together".   So, the practices began.....at my house in Wichita, and at Marty's place in Lampe.  Practice makes perfect.....so when we were ready....we played several gigs in Missouri near Marty's place in late 2000 and early 2001.  To be on stage again with the same six guys....playing the same '60s rock and roll we played thirty years earlier, was absolutely wonderful!    All six of us continued to stay in contact with each other.....still great friends with a whole new set of great band memories!  

As everyone knows, we lost Marty in 2013.  A great loss for all of us and everyone who knew him.  I was blessed to call him a best friend since he and I were 14 years old!   

And.....a couple of years ago, we lost Lanny Gaston, trumpet player.  Another great loss.  Lanny and his brother Dave joined the band in late '66 and brought a whole new dimension to us with horns!  

So..........back on that night of my 50th birthday, I was so glad Marty called.  That conversation started it all.  Had we not gotten everyone together again, that box of audio tapes in John Bowmans basement near Chicago, might still be there today!  

One more small thing........since all the CD's we had are gone, my son recently took the liberty of putting the eleven songs from that CD on youtube.   If you look up Downbeats 1968 youtube, you'll find a picture of the band with pretty decent recordings of those eleven songs that everyone will remember.  There are other bands called the Downbeats out there...........what?   So.....make sure to click on the Downbeats 1968.  

If Marty was still here, he would once again be excited!

Donald Sailing Sailing added a comment on his Profile.
Jul 02, 2019 at 9:32 AM
Jul 01, 2019 at 3:18 PM
Donald Sailing Sailing added a photo to his profile gallery.
Oct 07, 2017 at 8:11 AM
Donald Sailing Sailing added a photo to his profile gallery.
Oct 01, 2017 at 8:45 PM
Donald Sailing Sailing added a photo to his profile gallery.
Oct 01, 2017 at 8:45 PM
Donald Sailing Sailing added a photo to his profile gallery.
Sep 08, 2017 at 6:18 PM
Donald Sailing Sailing has left an In Memory comment for Daryl Reinking.
Jul 12, 2017 at 4:33 PM

Daryl was always grea!

I watched him drag race his '59 Chevy at International Raceway many times.......that car was fast!  

Donald Sailing Sailing has left an In Memory comment for Martin Ford.
Jul 12, 2017 at 4:33 PM

Bill......I will!  You probably know John and Cynthia are still together and have nine grandkids....they are pretty much retired, and their kids are running the "store".  They've done very well and are kliving the good life!  When the band got together in 2000, John gave the Downbeats rides in his plane over Marty's house!  Great times!  

I have some "stories" about John as well........really looking forward to this reunion. 

Craig........"Icons"?   I love it!!!

Jul 10, 2017 at 4:33 PM

I always thought highly of Shelly.  She was always such a friendly gal.  I remember a few weeks before our 20th North reunion, I was telling John Harris about people I was looking forward to seeing, and Shelly was one of them.  I believe John and Shelly were both on the planning committee for the 20 year reunion.   He then told me that she had just died weeks before that.  So sad.  

In 1968, I was driving East on 13th at Perry in the right lane, when a lady in a '49 Plymouth sedan suddenly changed lanes into me.....she may have wanted to turn right on Perry.  I don't know for sure.  The lady behind the wheel of the '49 Plymouth was a sweet elderly lady named Minnie Norris.....she was 93.   After the cars screeched to a stop, I climbed out of the passenger side of my Chevy, only to be greeted on the sidewalk by Shelly Chism!   She just happened to be walking along the sidewalk, and she saw the whole thing, and was just horrified!   I was shaken as well, as it was my very first accident.   It was comforting to have her to talk to for a few moments.....calmed my nerves.   Minnie Norris was quite shaken too....I felt sorry for her, as she was very elderly.  

I'm not sure if it was at the 10 or 20 year reunion after that, but I ran into classmate Bob Norris.  He informed me that Minnie Norris was in fact his grandmother, and they sold the Plymouth after the accident, and she quit driving.  

Shelly would've been great to visit with on our upcoming 50 year reunion.  RIP..........

Posted: Oct 07, 2017 at 8:11 AM
Posted: Oct 01, 2017 at 8:45 PM
Posted: Oct 01, 2017 at 8:45 PM
Posted: Sep 08, 2017 at 6:18 PM