John Witt

Personal Information: 

· Name when in high school yearbook:  John Witt 

· High school nickname:   Witty  

· What do people call you now? :  Dad (kids), Johnny (wife), Mr. Witt (clients), Old Dude (only a few)  

· Address (please provide at least a city and state):   4 Crosman Avenue, Swampscott, MA  01907

· Email contact:    jlwmagicone@verizon.net

Current life situation (retired working, volunteering, etc.):  

Work as a Director for a Cambridge, MA nonprofit corporation providing Greater Boston area residents with limited income job training opportunities, GED preparation services, youth employment programming and homeless shelter for single parenting teens.

Family history (spouse, children, dogs, etc.) :  

Staying single until I was 43, I found the love of my life, Sherrie Lynn.  After a rapid long distance relationship (she in Chicago, me in Boston) we married in 1988 and remain very much in love with each other. We have two healthy, happy children, Phillip a 2011 graduate of the University of Miami (FL) – he works in the sports social media arena - and Sarah who is a junior at Clemson University studying therapeutic recreation.

Current hobbies and interests:   

I remain primarily involved in work now that the kids are grown(ing) up and I do not have baseball, soccer, basketball, and lacrosse games to attend.  Putter around the house and yard a lot.  I enjoy sporting events and keeping up with MSU, but also have added Miami (FL), Clemson University, Boston Red Sox, New England Patriots, Boston Bruins and LA Lakers to my repertoire.  Still passionately follow Lions, Tigers and Wings. Thankfully my mom did not throw out my baseball cards and I have become a collector (past and current) with a portfolio of nearly 100,000 cards as well as a few other sports memorabilia items. My pride and joy are a complete set of 1957 Topps baseball cards and an Al Kaline rookie card.

Claims to fame (books, awards, etc):   

I received a few plaques and awards over the years but I suspect only my parents (deceased) would have cared to hear about them.  My biggest “claim to fame” is my connection to Magic Johnson who did some publicity for Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Greater Lansing when I worked there – after that we kept in touch for several years and I obtained his first autograph on his first cover of Sports Illustrated in 1979 (see below).

Anything else you want to share:

I have fond memories of East Lansing and found a small (14,000) town to settle into, Swampscott, MA, that even in 2013, reminds me in many ways of East Lansing in the 1960’s. 

Education, Military Service or Training After ELHS:     

· Michigan State University, B.A. , Social Science (1967), M.A., Rehabilitation Counseling (1971)

· VISTA Volunteer 1967-8 – Wellfleet MA Job Corps Center - helped keep me out of the draft! But, not for long!

· US Army – Ft Knox, KY – 1969 – 1971 – 1 year, 9 months, 3 days – Personnel Psychology Specialist   

Work History (dates, company name, location, title/job function):   

· Director – Lansing Methadone Clinic – 1971-74 (helped a few ELHS graduates, none from our class!)

· Casework Supervisor – Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Greater Lansing 1975 – 1980

· Director – Nantucket, MA Cottage Hospital Substance Abuse Services 1980 – 1981 – 2 great summers, 1 really quiet winter!

· Executive Director – Adult/Adolescent Counseling, Mental Health/Substance Abuse/Domestic Violence Services Malden, MA 1981 - 1997

· Service Director – Tri City Mental Health Crises Intervention Services, Medford, MA 1997 – 1999 – burnt out trying to keep people from committing suicide but 100% success rate in 2 years!

· Director – Just A Start Corporation, Education and Training Services, Cambridge, MA 1999 to present - I like the work, they keep paying me and I have 4 more tuition bills to pay – and the tuition bills are a lot more than the $109.25 per term I paid at MSU in the 60’s!    

                                                               The Witts Christmas 2012                                   November 1979 Magic's 1st SI Cover – Autographed

“To John Witt Best Wishes and keep on being cool

because your (sic) my number 1# (sic) fan and man

from Earvin Magic Johnson”

       As I won’t be able to make it to the reunion I wish good health and happiness to each of you!