MY TIME WITH DON HEERS Don boarded horses for more than one local


family whose children enjoyed the opportunity to ride and learn to care for them. Don liked children and enjoyed encouraging their affinity with horses. He knew the kids would remember the experience for the rest of their lives, like I have. He was right. He was a teacher. It was a very positive thing.


I recently spoke to Dean


Hurd, another of my 1973 AA classmates and a very accomplished horseman in his own right, about his time riding on the Alfred-Almond school bus in kindergarten (1960) when Don Heers was the driver. He said Don was extremely fair, but took no bull and handled tough kids in a tough way. There was no acting up on Don Heers' bus. Any kid that acted up got to have Don grab them hard (without asking permission in advance) and sit them down up front, right behind him. On the other hand, if you minded your manners, Don was great with you as a kid. Just like he was with me on our farm. He had everyone's respect on the school bus and he was the boss. Is it still like that


|1 today? That's the Don Heers I remember: He was kind,


gentle and friendly until an animal or a human roughed him up and he had to get tough. Make no mistake, the Almond Horse Trader's Convention was not a temperance convention and some of the folks that passed through its gates on the Don Heers farm weren't easy to deal with. Don Heers had what it took to deal with all kinds, from all walks of life. I saw him in action many times. He had rare skills and abilities. He was reliable, the people at Alfred-Almond school relied on him for many, many years as a superb bus driver with an excellent driving record and as a loyal friend. He always had a


BACK: BILL VAN ORMAN, PEARL STUDLEY, ALLORROW. FRONT ROW DON HEERS


sympathetic ear for kids and he would help if he could.


So, it's with this story


that I remember my friend Don Heers. He was a driver, he was a trucker; he was a farmer, trader, worker, teacher and philosopher. He was a man. He helped me, he helped all of us. He was my friend, our friend, the community's friend. I miss him.


BillPulos June 2010 Alfred-Almond Class of 1973 and former student of Don Heers.


OUR CONDOLENCES TO THE FRIENDS AND FAMILIES OF..


W. Leo Karr, who passed away Aug. 29, 2010. Leo served his country in the United States Navy during the Korean Conflict and continued his loyalty to his country as an active member of the American Legion, serving as Commander of the Arkport, Steuben County and 7th District Legion and as Department Vice Commander of New York State. He was named District Legionnaire of the Year in 2001.


Carol Rossman, who died on August 30, 2010. She had resided in Almond from 1944 until moving to Hornell in 2009. She was a member of the Almond Union of Churches, the Almond Senior Citizens and the 20th Century Club. Carol was employed as a baker at the Alfred University Bake Shop and also as a cook at Alfred Almond Central School.


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