Grafton High School - Compass Yearbook (Grafton, MA)

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17 N. lllal I D IA ,AX GRAFTCDN SENICJR SCHOCDL

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Come on in - don't be shy. F14 l I I ll s cn Z. We couldn't have done it without them. F3 I' .rf P f .V Q - P-1 3-' gg was ' 'S' 1 'H fi 4 i The lniuns play to win. ? x v if f 34, 1 F-Ill H A I I l Did you catch it? Spirit, it's part of all of our l' . What this Wes book is all S about - the Spirit of the Seniors!! I I X V ' Yvbw9' A . 0 X . ,445 OF THE

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Dedication to Bruce A. Barlow The following eulogy was read at the memorial mass for Bruce Barlow at St. Mary's Church . . . Bruce Barlow, a friend who meant so much to so many people, a friend who meant so much to me. I would like to share some stories and memories with all of you about my friend Bruce. Stories and memories that will live with me forever. Bruce grew up in Manasquan, New lersey, a small resort town on the New lersey shore. Llke most young boys who grew up in New England rooting for the Red Sox, Bruce grew up rooting for those amazing Mets. His dream as a boy was to play third base for his Mets. Bruce loved all sports. He knew more facts and records than are now listed in the I987 Sports Almanac. Bruce went to Parochial School until high school, and of course, he shared with me Nun stories and lokes. I know that together with his parents, those nuns set the foundation for the type of person Bruce grew into, lust as Bruce has set the foundation for many of his students here today. You, as par- ents, please be assured that your children were in good hands when around Bruce, and you students may you some- day do what Bruce will not be here to do for another. Bruce later went to the University of New England where his claim to fame was not graduating number one in his class as a Biology malor, but by eating a gallon of ice cream in lust under ten minutes, still a school record. Boy did we have some fun eating together. I first met Bruce when I was a substitute teacher at the High School In I980. I remember sitting in the teachers room one day, and ln walks this young guy who immediately becomes the center of everyones attention. There was something about him that made me like him Immediately. He seemed to be so positive, up and enthusiastic. He had myself and everyone else laughing in minutes. The next day we were playing tennis together, and thus began slx years of the fiercest battles on the tennis court you could Imagine. When we played against each other it didn't really seem to matter who won or lost the match. What was Important was to see who could hlt the ball the hardest, serve the most aces, or make the most fantastic shot. He loved the challenge of doing the impossible and he really loved reminding me that the only person alive who could have returned the shot that lust went by me was the person who hit it . . . Bruce. Bruce was also very religious. He didn't talk much, but I know he was. He never missed a Sunday mass. Bruce loved music. He was quite the conversationlist. Never at a loss for words. He often visited his parents and came back with stories about how his mother couldn't cook which was hard to believe. And stories of how he and his father caught 20 fish which was a slow day for them. He talked about his grand- mother, and competing with his brother Brian in everything from basketball to whiffle ball. According to Bruce, he never lost to Brian. He once told me about the time Brian passed a football deep to him and how he caught it one-handed while diving over the neighbor's hedges and landed in the mud. He never thought about getting hurt. All he cared about was catching that football In a spectacular way. Anyone can catch It with two hands. If you knew Bruce, I know you can picture him diving over the hedge for that ball and springing to his feet to try It again. Bruce has a lot of friends here today, a few by first names and nicknames I would like to mention. To Charlie, Dick, Gary, Bergle, Danny, Kevin, Ralphy, the Buckaroo, and Debbie Dooskl - he thought about you a lot because he talked about all of you to me all the time. He also had good tlhlngs to say about his fellow teachers. I know you all will miss Im. I'm going to miss him yelling out to me while I'm playing mixed doubles against him with my wife Debbie, Where were you In '62? after a ball goes whizzing by Debbie. Of course it was my fault we lost the point. I should have had it, not Debbie. Debbie of course smiles and agrees with Bruce. I'm going to miss sitting in the pouring rain on a cold fall afternoon watching a football game at Fitton Field. Only Bruce would be crazy enough to go with me. I'm going to miss going to basketball games, watching games on T.V. with him and waking up at three o'clock in the morning to go fishing. I know that Mike, Steve, and his other fishing buddies will miss that too. I'm going to miss Bruce coming to watch me play tennis. I can't believe he could sit through all those matches and just 4 OPENING watch alongside my other fan, Debbie. Boy that meant a lot to me. What impressed me the most about Bruce was that he was a tremendous teacher and leader. He was President of the G.T.A., supervised the school newspaper, and the girls' varsity tennis coach. He loved his kids and talked about them often to me. I know that Lisa and Kara and the rest of his girls meant a lot to him. He was the type of guy who would do anything he could to help his girls as he did. Bruce was the type of person to always chaperon Friday night dances, go away with the baseball team for a weekend at the Cape, help coach the girls' basketball team and pitch batting practice to the baseball team before an important game. He didn't receive any money for it and didn't expect or want a thank-you. He did it because you were all important to him. He wanted to see you succeed and to share with you the good times as well as the bad. If you went to a basketball game on a Friday night, who was the only person over I8 sitting right in the middle of I00 screaming kids in the student section. Who took you on, one- on-one in the gym after school or took you fishing on the bridge at the Wachusett Reservoir, or kicked your butt on the tennis court. Boy and could Bruce dress. I'm not exaggerating when I tell you he had a different tie for every day of the week and a different sport coat for every week of the year. I'm going to miss my brother Bruce for some very selfish reasons. Probably because he made me feel so happy and I felt so good when he was around. As Lou Boutiette stated in a recent phone conversation, Bruce was a very special person. He made you laugh when you needed to laugh. I have no doubts as to where Bruce is right now. he's in heaven, probably chuckling over some of these memories and keeping watch over us in Manasquan and all of you in Grafton. I know that when it's my turn to go, he's going to be standing there behind St. Peter with a tennis racket in his hand waiting for the next encounter. I look forward to that day. Before I end, I would like to mention that Bruce's parents and relatives thank you for all the love and support you have shown. In closing, thank you Neil, Mike, Steve, and Chris for your support and help In the last few days. I couldn't have done it without you and Thank you Bruce for being my friend and leaving me with so many happy memories. Amen and God Bless you all for letting me share. lim Esposito