Another year has passed and 2019 marked Jim and Joyce Van Schaack’s 70th Wedding Anniversary. The family gathered together to celebrate and Jim and Joyce were recognized at a meeting of the Laguna Niguel City Council on November 19.

On August 17 Jim turned 91 and he and son Jim (Lee) came out of retirement to finish another architectural project together. Jim received a prodigious honor when he was selected as the 2019 Veteran of The Year for the 79th Assembly District of California with a ceremony well attended by friends, family and celebrities alike at Saddleback College’s Veterans Memorial.

Joyce had her 89th birthday on the 30th of July and continues to be just as involved as she was at 50. She continues with her political and college activities as well as with the DAR and her genealogy research. She spends as much time as possible with the grandkids, attending sporting activities, playing games or making cakes and cookies. It’s always fun to spend time with them.

Chris Van Schaack spent most of 2019 traveling in Australia, taking movies and photos which we hope to get on our website, www.vanschaackfamily.com, which we invite you to visit.

Dana is working in martial arts and with her website, PeoplePlacesandPastimes.com. Adam works for ATC designing user interface systems for large scale smart buildings. Natalie and Armando are doing well. Natalie continues to work as a CMA and CA in Reno. Great Granddaughter Joehannah is turning15 and just began high school and Kalliope is 5, cute, smart and loves kindergarten. This year Nick’s CrossThread Customs motorcycle shop in AZ purchased an automated steel cutting system and got an industrial sewing machine from his Uncle Jim for upholstery. Our beautiful Caitlin was promoted to Finance Director for one of the top 5 largest accounts at her company, JLL.

Jim (Lee) and wife Linda travel often since Jim “retired”. Jim continues surfing and Linda spends time caring for grandkids Eva, Sam, Noah and Claire. We all love sports and attend the great grandkids baseball, soccer, and volleyball games as well as Claire’s dance and theatrical performances.

The De La Torre family, Sean, Dena, Claire, Eva, Sam, and Noah are all very busy people. Sean is still with AT&T, Dena delivering babies at Kaiser Hospital and the kids are all in school, participating in sports, dance and practicing martial arts. Sean’s parents Marcia and Manuel have moved to Washington state,
and are about to experience their first winter there. We miss them.

Nate and Kelly Van Schaack and son Champ made a big move to Montana this year, working and starting a new life. Blaine is doing well in the Air Force and was married to a beautiful young women, Amber Cameron, last summer.

2019 had some difficult times as well, as we lost a friend of 65 years, Gloria Walter, on July 10, 2019.