Comments for Jim Billingsley's Tribute Page http://jimbillingsley.wordpress.com Just another WordPress.com weblog Sat, 24 Oct 2009 14:57:31 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 Comment on Thanks To Everyone! by Thomas Gallion Jr http://jimbillingsley.wordpress.com/thanks-to-everyone/#comment-136 Thomas Gallion Jr Sat, 24 Oct 2009 14:57:31 +0000 http://jimbillingsley.wordpress.com/?page_id=29#comment-136 I am truly blessed because of you Mr. B! Thank you! It was an honor to be in the Massillon Tiger Swing Band under your direction! I am truly blessed because of you Mr. B! Thank you! It was an honor to be in the Massillon Tiger Swing Band under your direction!

]]> Comment on About “Mr. B.” by Thomas Gallion Jr http://jimbillingsley.wordpress.com/about/#comment-135 Thomas Gallion Jr Sat, 24 Oct 2009 14:56:09 +0000 #comment-135 What a pleasant surprise it was to visit this site, after signing up at Massillon Proud. And then an even better surprise to see the old high school and the tribute to Mr. B.....I often wondered what happened with his life and how he was doing. My Grandfather Bernie Gallion, used to be the "bomb" man at the stadium, and I always would go to the games with him as a child, and loved watching the band. My Aunt Tina and Mr. B inspired me to be an asset to the Massillon Tiger Swing Band in 1976-77, where I played the alto sax. Aunt Tina won the John Phillips Sousa award in 1973. I love Mr. B! He rocked our band and generation on! Glad to see is still keeping on! What a pleasant surprise it was to visit this site, after signing up at Massillon Proud. And then an even better surprise to see the old high school and the tribute to Mr. B…..I often wondered what happened with his life and how he was doing. My Grandfather Bernie Gallion, used to be the “bomb” man at the stadium, and I always would go to the games with him as a child, and loved watching the band. My Aunt Tina and Mr. B inspired me to be an asset to the Massillon Tiger Swing Band in 1976-77, where I played the alto sax. Aunt Tina won the John Phillips Sousa award in 1973. I love Mr. B! He rocked our band and generation on! Glad to see is still keeping on!

]]> Comment on Recent Photos by chris price http://jimbillingsley.wordpress.com/2009/01/13/recent-photos/#comment-134 chris price Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:20:42 +0000 http://jimbillingsley.wordpress.com/?p=43#comment-134 BOY OH BOY HOW TIME FILES.... HAPPY BIRTHDAY GREETINGS FROM CHRIS PRICE AT CERAMIC TILE DISTRIBUTORS. MAN DID WE USED TO HAVE FUN OR WHAT WHEN YOU WOULD COME INTO THE SHOP? FROM THE "X'S" TO THE MINI "X'S" TO THE "YOU WANT IT WHEN?". ALWAYS ENJOYED WHEN YOU CAME IN AND WHO WOULD HAVE EVER KNOWN YOU WOULD BE FAMOUS WITH YOUR OWN WEB-SITE. YOU HAVE ARRIVED. I WAS JUST TELLING SOMEONE THE OTHER DAY HOW YOUR TOOTH FELL OUT ONE DAY IN THE WAREHOUSE AND YOU USED MY SUPER GLUE TO PUT IT BACK IN. HOPE ALL IS WELL AND YOU ARE DOING GREAT. BEEN MARRIED FOR 5 YEARS NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I ALWAYS TOLD YOU I WOULD NEVER GET MARRIED AND YOU SAID THAT SOMEDAY I WOULD. OH HOW YOU WERE RIGHT... OLD WISE ONE. GIVE ME A CALL AT WORK OR STOP IN SOMETIME FOR SOME OLD LAUGHS. TAKE CARE JIMMY "B"... CHRIS PRICE BOY OH BOY HOW TIME FILES…. HAPPY BIRTHDAY GREETINGS FROM CHRIS PRICE AT CERAMIC TILE DISTRIBUTORS. MAN DID WE USED TO HAVE FUN OR WHAT WHEN YOU WOULD COME INTO THE SHOP? FROM THE “X’S” TO THE MINI “X’S” TO THE “YOU WANT IT WHEN?”. ALWAYS ENJOYED WHEN YOU CAME IN AND WHO WOULD HAVE EVER KNOWN YOU WOULD BE FAMOUS WITH YOUR OWN WEB-SITE. YOU HAVE ARRIVED. I WAS JUST TELLING SOMEONE THE OTHER DAY HOW YOUR TOOTH FELL OUT ONE DAY IN THE WAREHOUSE AND YOU USED MY SUPER GLUE TO PUT IT BACK IN. HOPE ALL IS WELL AND YOU ARE DOING GREAT. BEEN MARRIED FOR 5 YEARS NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I ALWAYS TOLD YOU I WOULD NEVER GET MARRIED AND YOU SAID THAT SOMEDAY I WOULD. OH HOW YOU WERE RIGHT… OLD WISE ONE. GIVE ME A CALL AT WORK OR STOP IN SOMETIME FOR SOME OLD LAUGHS. TAKE CARE JIMMY “B”… CHRIS PRICE

]]> Comment on Thanks For Visiting! by Joyce Radcliffe Spencer http://jimbillingsley.wordpress.com/2008/11/15/hello-world/#comment-133 Joyce Radcliffe Spencer Tue, 30 Jun 2009 19:41:31 +0000 #comment-133 Mr. B, My apologies for missing the Main Event (your 85th). I must echo what so many others have already said - I have carried the lessons you taught into all aspects of my life – lessons about discipline, hard work and teamwork. While I have not become a professional musician, director or music teacher, I have never stopped playing - for the love of it! I still play on a regular basis, in a local community band. A few weeks ago, we played a concert at the historic Fanueil Hall in Boston. Not quite the thrill of performing to a crowd of 20,000 at Paul Brown stadium, or to a Macy’s Day Thanksgiving Parade, but exciting in its own way. In my professional life, I have built a number of successful teams who have delivered some inventive and intricate software products. These teams don’t even know you, but they owe a great deal of their success to the core values you instilled in me! My children are nearly grown and their upbringing has been laced with these same lessons about focus and discipline – lessons they will undoubtedly carry with them into their adult lives. Mr B., you have touched many lives. My life would not have been the same without you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for all that you are and all that you shared. Joyce Radcliffe Spencer WHS ‘75 Still playing clarinet in the Chelmsford Community Band (in Massachusetts) Mr. B, My apologies for missing the Main Event (your 85th).

I must echo what so many others have already said – I have carried the lessons you taught into all aspects of my life – lessons about discipline, hard work and teamwork.

While I have not become a professional musician, director or music teacher, I have never stopped playing – for the love of it! I still play on a regular basis, in a local community band. A few weeks ago, we played a concert at the historic Fanueil Hall in Boston. Not quite the thrill of performing to a crowd of 20,000 at Paul Brown stadium, or to a Macy’s Day Thanksgiving Parade, but exciting in its own way.

In my professional life, I have built a number of successful teams who have delivered some inventive and intricate software products. These teams don’t even know you, but they owe a great deal of their success to the core values you instilled in me!

My children are nearly grown and their upbringing has been laced with these same lessons about focus and discipline – lessons they will undoubtedly carry with them into their adult lives.

Mr B., you have touched many lives. My life would not have been the same without you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for all that you are and all that you shared.

Joyce Radcliffe Spencer
WHS ‘75
Still playing clarinet in the Chelmsford Community Band (in Massachusetts)

]]> Comment on Thanks For Visiting! by Diane Gibson http://jimbillingsley.wordpress.com/2008/11/15/hello-world/#comment-132 Diane Gibson Tue, 23 Jun 2009 14:46:04 +0000 #comment-132 What fun to read all these comments. Hope you are still having fun, Mr. B. You were obviously a great influence on us all. I would like to read the show band book - is it in print? I didn't find anything in a search on Amazon. Please let me know if it's available. My kids were both in "one show per season corps bands" in high school (Cambridge and Lebanon, OH). BORRRRING! I sure miss the exciting shows we did in Massillon. Keep rockin', Mr. B. Diane (Demmer) Gibson, class of '74 WHS What fun to read all these comments. Hope you are still having fun, Mr. B. You were obviously a great influence on us all.

I would like to read the show band book – is it in print? I didn’t find anything in a search on Amazon. Please let me know if it’s available.

My kids were both in “one show per season corps bands” in high school (Cambridge and Lebanon, OH). BORRRRING! I sure miss the exciting shows we did in Massillon.

Keep rockin’, Mr. B.

Diane (Demmer) Gibson, class of ‘74 WHS

]]> Comment on Thanks For Visiting! by chismar http://jimbillingsley.wordpress.com/2008/11/15/hello-world/#comment-131 chismar Sat, 11 Apr 2009 15:19:23 +0000 #comment-131 Dear Mr B, Happy belated birthday. I happenned to see Rita Thomas the other day and she mentioned that there was a tribute site for you. I've lived within miles of you for most of my carrer- Cleveland, Chardon, North Olmsted, and Stow Ohio. I have been looking to get in touch with you for most of that time and to thank you for all that you have brought to my life through your teaching. Good ol Saegertown High marching and concert bands. My success has been as a direct result of those experiences and disipline. I am now retired and moved back to Pennsylvania ( Blooming Valley) I still fondly watch band competitions and parades to compare them to "ours".I can say that we had the best and none compare to our band even today- thanks to you. There is so much more that I could say but better leave some space and time for others. If you would like to write see adddress and e-mail below. God Bless You Frank Chismar Class of '57 25517 Guy St. Guys Mills, PA 16327 fchismar@zoominternet.net Dear Mr B,
Happy belated birthday. I happenned to see Rita Thomas the other day and she mentioned that there was a tribute site for you. I’ve lived within miles of you for most of my carrer- Cleveland, Chardon, North Olmsted, and Stow Ohio. I have been looking to get in touch with you for most of that time and to thank you for all that you have brought to my life through your teaching. Good ol Saegertown High marching and concert bands. My success has been as a direct result of those experiences and disipline. I am now retired and moved back to Pennsylvania ( Blooming Valley) I still fondly watch band competitions and parades to compare them to “ours”.I can say that we had the best and none compare to our band even today- thanks to you.
There is so much more that I could say but better leave some space and time for others.
If you would like to write see adddress and e-mail below.

God Bless You

Frank Chismar Class of ‘57
25517 Guy St.
Guys Mills, PA 16327
fchismar@zoominternet.net

]]> Comment on Thanks For Visiting! by Joyce Burge Shaffer http://jimbillingsley.wordpress.com/2008/11/15/hello-world/#comment-130 Joyce Burge Shaffer Fri, 16 Jan 2009 18:09:36 +0000 #comment-130 Hi Mr. "B", Just found out yesterday ( 01-15-09) about this web site for your 85th birthday....before I ramble on ...Happy "belated" Birthday and may you have many, many more !! I'm sure you remember me (who could forget those trombone players in the Saegertown Band 1954 thru 1958?) Ed and I have been married 51 years, Ed has retired from UPS in 1994 after 31 yrs ( I have always been a housewife). We have a daughter, Sandy, who is 41 yrs old , is a RN ( Meadville hospital) and she played flute and sax in the SHS band and now her oldest son, Matt, is taking lessons on the sax (he is 11 yrs old). Our son, Bob, 37yrs old , also was a military man with 15 yrs. in the AirForce , now is a MRI supervisor in Meadville (hospital) while at SHS Bob played the drums. With our kids being in music all has taken place because I truly enjoyed being in your band. When they become of age to start learning to play I never shut up about what fun we had as band kids and I now hear our kids telling their kids ( our sons two boys are not quite convinced.... as of yet. But, Grammy is encouraging them -HA . I was a poor country kid who never traveled beyond Meadville and so many times I have thought of you and Pastor Claney seeing to it that I had money for lunch a good many times. These are the memories I have of you that will always be with me. And... I still laugh at the times you would get so mad at us (in the old school house that was our band room) you would break your baton over the music stand. It is funny now but then...oh god, if it was something we trombone players had done !!! I see Betty Lou Williams, Jan Ryan Metzler, quite often and they have kept me up to date on you. I live 3 miles straight north on Rt 19 from Betty Lou so if you are in this area would love to see you . Take care. You sure look good in your pics especially after knowing what health problems life has given you . Joyce "Burge" Shaffer '58 SHS grad. Hi Mr. “B”,

Just found out yesterday ( 01-15-09) about this web site for your 85th birthday….before I ramble on …Happy “belated” Birthday and may you have many, many more !!
I’m sure you remember me (who could forget those trombone players in the Saegertown Band 1954 thru 1958?)
Ed and I have been married 51 years, Ed has retired from UPS in 1994 after 31 yrs ( I have always been a housewife). We have a daughter, Sandy, who is 41 yrs old , is a RN ( Meadville hospital) and she played flute and sax in the SHS band and now her oldest son, Matt, is taking lessons on the sax (he is 11 yrs old). Our son, Bob, 37yrs old , also was a military man with 15 yrs. in the AirForce , now is a MRI supervisor in Meadville (hospital) while at SHS Bob played the drums. With our kids being in music all has taken place because I truly enjoyed being in your band. When they become of age to start learning to play I never shut up about what fun we had as band kids and I now hear our kids telling their kids ( our sons two boys are not quite convinced…. as of yet. But, Grammy is encouraging them -HA . I was a poor country kid who never traveled beyond Meadville and so many times I have thought of you and Pastor Claney seeing to it that I had money for lunch a good many times. These are the memories I have of you that will always be with me.
And… I still laugh at the times you would get so mad at us (in the old school house that was our band room) you would break your baton over the music stand. It is funny now but then…oh god, if it was something we trombone players had done !!!
I see Betty Lou Williams, Jan Ryan Metzler, quite often and they have kept me up to date on you. I live 3 miles straight north on Rt 19 from Betty Lou so if you are in this area would love to see you . Take care. You sure look good in your pics especially after knowing what health problems life has given you .

Joyce “Burge” Shaffer
‘58 SHS grad.

]]> Comment on Thanks For Visiting! by Betty Lou Williams http://jimbillingsley.wordpress.com/2008/11/15/hello-world/#comment-129 Betty Lou Williams Fri, 16 Jan 2009 03:46:24 +0000 #comment-129 Mr. B. Guess I am a little late in wishing a great guy Happy Birthday. Would you believe my youngest daughter has a birthday on November 6. What more can be said except what I just read, you were a great influence on my life. I was not very musical but remember that someone gave up their Thanksgiving and Christmas vacation to teach me to play the Alto Clarinet, the success being first chair at District Band and a trip to State Band. WOW!! Remeber the door to our house is always open to you and Kathy, please stop when in the area. Again a belated Happy Birthday to a wonderful friend and teacher. Betty Lou Schrubb Williams - SHS Class of 1956 Mr. B.

Guess I am a little late in wishing a great guy Happy Birthday. Would you believe my youngest daughter has a birthday on November 6.
What more can be said except what I just read, you were a great influence on my life. I was not very musical but remember that someone gave up their Thanksgiving and Christmas vacation to teach me to play the Alto Clarinet, the success being first chair at District Band and a trip to State Band. WOW!!

Remeber the door to our house is always open to you and Kathy, please stop when in the area.

Again a belated Happy Birthday to a wonderful friend and teacher.

Betty Lou Schrubb Williams – SHS Class of 1956

]]> Comment on Thanks For Visiting! by Paula Hickey http://jimbillingsley.wordpress.com/2008/11/15/hello-world/#comment-128 Paula Hickey Wed, 14 Jan 2009 20:33:08 +0000 #comment-128 Mr. B, Happy Belated Birthday to you. I still remember your wonderful enthusiasm and the encouragement that you would offer. You had more energy than most men half your age. I was always impressed by your level of energy and how that would impact those around you. As I have made my career in music I look back and thank you for the inspiration that you have provided. Best wishes to you and your family in the New Year. Sincerely, Paula Hickey clarinet 1981 Mr. B,

Happy Belated Birthday to you. I still remember your wonderful enthusiasm and the encouragement that you would offer. You had more energy than most men half your age. I was always impressed by your level of energy and how that would impact those around you. As I have made my career in music I look back and thank you for the inspiration that you have provided. Best wishes to you and your family in the New Year.

Sincerely,

Paula Hickey
clarinet 1981

]]> Comment on Thanks For Visiting! by Saundra Scott Alston http://jimbillingsley.wordpress.com/2008/11/15/hello-world/#comment-127 Saundra Scott Alston Tue, 13 Jan 2009 17:11:29 +0000 #comment-127 Happy birthday Mr. B I have often wondered if you knew just how much you touched our lives.We had hard work to do but the end result was pride in what we accomplished in both the concert band and marching band.I’ll always remember the fans who would be at the practice field to watch the show because they knew new routines started on Mondays. Thanks for Sweet Georgia Brown!!!! I still know the steps!!! I’ve been out of school since 1970 Happy birthday Mr. B

I have often wondered if you knew just how much you touched our lives.We had hard work to do but the end result was pride in what we accomplished in both the concert band and marching band.I’ll always remember the fans who would be at the practice field to watch the show because they knew new routines started on Mondays.

Thanks for Sweet Georgia Brown!!!! I still know the steps!!! I’ve been out of school since 1970

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