Schweppenstede
Blasingame
Drybread (Sammy got a lot of teasing on this name)
McGucken
Oestrich
Smiley (this is an easy one if you ever saw Carolyn Smiley's smile)
Gangwes (We pronounced it Gangway)
Wirtel
Weckerlin
Gravat
Flatbush
Tungate
Tankersley
Oesch (We pronounced it Ash)
Combs
Sowders (Our Texas relatives jokingly think it may have been associated with Horse Thieves)
and many other names I can't recall...("Senior Moments" happen!)
The above were all classmates of ours and represented the possible European influence of a surname derived from an occupation or place of origin. There are several etymology sites on the Internet where you can spend days researching names. The above names represent what made America great. Berkeley was a personification of a blue collar community of people who worked hard each day to provide for their family. We were fortunate to have grown up in such a community that gave us exposure to "The Good Ol' Days" when you never locked your doors or worried about your children walking home from school. What a great group of students to grow up with throughout our school years!
Unfortunately, many of the our classmates listed above are no longer with us. Hopefully many of the surviving names will join us at our "Last Hurrah" reunion on Sunday, May 27, 2012.
Oesch (We pronounced it Ash)
Combs
Sowders (Our Texas relatives jokingly think it may have been associated with Horse Thieves)
and many other names I can't recall...("Senior Moments" happen!)
The above were all classmates of ours and represented the possible European influence of a surname derived from an occupation or place of origin. There are several etymology sites on the Internet where you can spend days researching names. The above names represent what made America great. Berkeley was a personification of a blue collar community of people who worked hard each day to provide for their family. We were fortunate to have grown up in such a community that gave us exposure to "The Good Ol' Days" when you never locked your doors or worried about your children walking home from school. What a great group of students to grow up with throughout our school years!
Unfortunately, many of the our classmates listed above are no longer with us. Hopefully many of the surviving names will join us at our "Last Hurrah" reunion on Sunday, May 27, 2012.
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