George W Bentley

Once I got over being a roadie with The Rolling Stones, I played Black Sabbath at 78 speed and "saw God". Then I was part of The Blues Brothers Band and went on "a mission from God"; all this time residing in "God's Little Acre" i.e. Ballard Vale. I attended Northeastern University, commuting with six other guys from Andover and felt like a sardine. The Beach Boys were "HUGE" at that time and we could harmonize just as good as them. Having someone sitting in your lap might have had something to do with that ! ! It was in a history class at NU that I met Lenny Baker, the saxophonist for Sha Na Na and he said, "Go West Young Man" and I took a semester off from school, got drafted and headed for 409 days in a country called Viet Nam. I'm not sure that Lennie meant quite that far ! Third day in country (Nov. 1968) in the mess hall I spotted a shock of white blond hair passing by. I started eating but that distinct hair color keep on eating away at my curiosity. Got up, left my meal, and surer than hell found Artie Johnson attached to that unique hair color. We planned on getting together and having a few pops the next evening. Unfortunately, I got shipped out to the Cambodian border the next morning and never saw him again until a Thanksgiving morning at Norm and Janet's probably some 20 years later. Came home in one piece (Dec. 1969) and enjoyed life for the next year and a half with the greatest summer (1970) at Salisbury Beach that anyone could imagine. Just one continuous party. Started getting serious around Fall of '71 and took my credits and hell raising abilities to Middlesex Community College in Bedford, MA where I got a Major in Partying and a AS/BA in Accounting. Actually walked out of there on the Dean's List with a 3.75GPA. Took it up the road to Lowell Institute of Technology ( UMass Lowell) and ran out of there in 1975 with a BS/BA and only a 2.9GPA due to the worst new business program in the country. Hanging around with the hockey team from Animal House didn't exactly help either ! Should have gone to Bentley but had free tuition in state school for serving in Viet Nam. Huge mistake. Worked in cable TV, food service, high tech, moving and storage and highway and bridge construction industries over the years. Got IRS job as a seasonal position about six years ago and got permanent position three years later in 2011. Retired 7/7/14. Bucket list includes finding a final special love, fish, read and travel. Visit and travel with the kids who turned 24 on 4/13/16. Geoffrey graduated from UMass Amherst and has an IT job in Jefferson City, Missouri. He has been transferred to Providence, RI this summer to be with his (Class Couple) fiancée who just received her Masters Degree in Education from Merrimack on 5/15/15 after mentoring at the old Shawsheen School for the past school year ! They married on 7/22/16 and I am told that I did everything on the dance floor except my old Chuck Berry"Chicken Walk" and splits ! Jacquelyn got her degree in nursing at UMass Lowell, passed her RN boards during the summer of 2014 and has her dream job working with children with cystic fibrosis and other pulmonary and gastroenterological problems at Boston's Children's Hospital. Both were Deans List students ! On 9/12/16 she applied for and was accepted into the Intensive Care unit staff. They are both aware that they owe Dad a fire engine red 1957 Chevy convertible in return for a complete free ride education ! !

Drove "The Car That Wouldn't Die" a 1948 Chevy Fleetwood four door tank given to my family by the Neunzer family. Remember Virginia Nuenzer ? Vavava Voom ! ! Still hold the land speed record from Salisbury Center to Andover Center via the back roads and Route 133 on a very foggy night. Rose to fame in Spring '63 by pitching a 3 hitter against Methuen beating their ace, Alan Strondak. Dove to shame that weekend at a celebration party at Alan Heifetz's house that only certain ballplayers will remember. Extremely lucky to be alive. Still looking for one of my sneakers and fellows, "how did my belt end up around my neck ?"
Being one of the four bookies at AHS along with Norm W., Thea, and Larry P.
Mr. Belke's neck tie after a spagetti lunch.
Aristotle Virgaropoulos' biology class with Larry Paolino always leaning back a little too far in his seat. "Virgi, Virgi, Virgi !"
Bill Vickers' geometry class. I got away with murder
Halloween pumpkins rides/raids with Cathy Wojtkun. We were the best at it.
Jimmy Reilly's black and white '55 Chevy and the Volvo that was built to roll over and it did. Shopping for his Corvette and getting kicked out a car dealership for being teenagers. That jerk lost a sale, Jimmy had CASH on him!
The Teen Center, the Barn, the Den, cruisin' MacDonald's, Joe's Bungalow and chicken barbs after midnight (heavy on the mayo), Strippers at The Merrimack Club and Vic's Place, Bea's chicken parm sub, (Yum) . Raiding the "parkers" up on Bald Hill. The Horseshoe in North Reading, "the Toothless Capitol of the Northeast" !
Hauling my shiny new Zenith stereo with the detachable speakers to the parties every Friday and Saturday night at the Westbrook's Estate in North Andover. His parents were the greatest ! I truly miss them.
Doing a buck thirty-five on Route 95 in "The Admiral's" Corvette
Being one of "The Vale Boys" ! Still damn proud of it. We were the best, Andover.
Three great years at Andover High - Can't wait to relive the experiences again !
Get off your duffs and attend the reunion. We truly want to see all of you !