Xavier and Herman Ruff. Especially freshman year, where they clowned around together in home room. I'll never forget when Xavier played midwife to Herman delivering a baby on the teacher's desk!
I remember wondering where they got the experience to do this so well!
I wish so much we could all be together again at the reunion. I could use one of those bear hugs!
Xavier Gardner was one of my first really good friends at ETHS in 1968. We were in classes together and used to hang out for lunch and in my freshman year we played football together. I sucked but Xavier went onto become an excellent athlete and we ramained friends until the day he passed. In recent uyears we would call each other and go hangout at a few clubs to check out bands that I knew.I also invited him to a few of my gigs that were public, including with my band Tributosaurus which has become a Chicago icon. He always asked me interesting questions about what I was doing, musically and his good cheer was always contagious. Xavier was a beautiful human being and I still think of him and his wonderful smile so often! Rest in Peace my dear friend! You are missed!
Xavier and I met in 1967 while playing football at ETHS. We both were linemen and became good friends. Thirty years went by after high school before our paths crossed again, when Xavier met my daughter Kristy at a massage therapy special event. (Xavier was a massage therapist). He had asked Kristy where home was and she said La Grange. Xavier got excited and said his old football coach Murney Lazier was the Athletic Director at the La Grange high school and then had some fun telling Kristy a few "Murney" stories. This rang a bell for Kristy, who explained that her dad also had played for Murney. This chance encounter led to many old ETHS friends getting back together. in 2004, with Dave Kauppi and Shawn Lazier. We planned & organized a 1970/1971 ETHS Football Reunion at Kauppi's house that was attended by Coach Lazier and more than two dozen old players. We all had a great time. Many stories were told and old friendships were renewed. After that, our group decided to keep working together on another project to have the ETHS football field named for Coach Lazier which happened in 2007. Following the naming of the Lazier Field, there was a successful fundraising campaign launched to provide artificial turf and lights for Lazier Field. Our friendship continued to grow for many years, over breakfasts, lunches and dinners with many old ETHS friends. Xavier Gardner passed away in 2018. God bless Xavier.
Celia Ericson (Brendstrup)
Xavier and Herman Ruff. Especially freshman year, where they clowned around together in home room. I'll never forget when Xavier played midwife to Herman delivering a baby on the teacher's desk!
I remember wondering where they got the experience to do this so well!
I wish so much we could all be together again at the reunion. I could use one of those bear hugs!
Mike Cichowicz
Xavier Gardner was one of my first really good friends at ETHS in 1968. We were in classes together and used to hang out for lunch and in my freshman year we played football together. I sucked but Xavier went onto become an excellent athlete and we ramained friends until the day he passed. In recent uyears we would call each other and go hangout at a few clubs to check out bands that I knew.I also invited him to a few of my gigs that were public, including with my band Tributosaurus which has become a Chicago icon. He always asked me interesting questions about what I was doing, musically and his good cheer was always contagious. Xavier was a beautiful human being and I still think of him and his wonderful smile so often! Rest in Peace my dear friend! You are missed!
Thomas Corcoran
Xavier and I met in 1967 while playing football at ETHS. We both were linemen and became good friends. Thirty years went by after high school before our paths crossed again, when Xavier met my daughter Kristy at a massage therapy special event. (Xavier was a massage therapist). He had asked Kristy where home was and she said La Grange. Xavier got excited and said his old football coach Murney Lazier was the Athletic Director at the La Grange high school and then had some fun telling Kristy a few "Murney" stories. This rang a bell for Kristy, who explained that her dad also had played for Murney. This chance encounter led to many old ETHS friends getting back together. in 2004, with Dave Kauppi and Shawn Lazier. We planned & organized a 1970/1971 ETHS Football Reunion at Kauppi's house that was attended by Coach Lazier and more than two dozen old players. We all had a great time. Many stories were told and old friendships were renewed. After that, our group decided to keep working together on another project to have the ETHS football field named for Coach Lazier which happened in 2007. Following the naming of the Lazier Field, there was a successful fundraising campaign launched to provide artificial turf and lights for Lazier Field. Our friendship continued to grow for many years, over breakfasts, lunches and dinners with many old ETHS friends. Xavier Gardner passed away in 2018. God bless Xavier.