Bogie Reeves
(Desplaines Vanguard)
"True Drum Corps Love Never Dies"
From the "Voice of the Vanguard" Newsletter

I thought I might relay the following to you in hope that it may reach the many readers and former members that I marched with so many years ago. It may be of special interest to some, in that it involves two former members of two different corps. I speak of myself (Vanguard) and Rose Pitcher (nee Kollar) from the Starlites in Milwaukee. I think that those who knew us either separately or as a couple may get a kick out of the following: back in 1960, Frank Pamper was not only marching snare drum with us, but was also teaching the Starlites drum line by commuting weekly to Milwaukee (twice weekly during the off season and once a week during the competition season).

I would sometimes ride up to Milwaukee with Frank just to see what the competition was up to. It was some time in early spring of ’60 that I first met Rose. She and another girl were the only females that I had ever seen in a drum line; and they were quite good! I was immediately drawn to Rose, and we began dating shortly thereafter. We continued to date after that season (I would drive to Milwaukee every Saturday night, 90 miles up!! 90 miles back!!) Every weekend, rain, snow, didn’t make any difference. We continued to date for the next two years until early spring of ’62 when her mother decided that we were “getting serious” and laid down the decree that we couldn’t see each other for one year. We could only talk on the phone or send each other letters. I guess her mother figured that during that time frame, we’d forget about each other and that would be the end of that. Wellllll, we did continue to see each other throughout the ’62 season (without her mother knowing, of course) but when the season was over, we had little choice other than to abide by her mother’s wishes!

As time went on, we communicated less and less until we finally went our separate ways. I joined the Navy, went overseas, and got married in 1966. Rose went on to meet someone else, got married in 1964 and eventually relocated to the state of Oregon. We were both married for about 25 years, each had two children and each have grandchildren. Neither of us remarried, but we never forgot about one another. We even tried to locate each other via the Internet but without success. You’d think that it was a lost cause, right???

Now the plot thickens!!

At the (Vanguard) reunion last fall, a mutual acquaintance of both Rose and I ( Dave Richards, Boys of ’76) (God bless him) came up to me and said, “Rose is single.” I turned and said, “You know where she is??” He did!! The rest is history. 

Here’s the best part: Rose and I are now together, living in Mt. Prospect. The flame never died!! She moved back to the Midwest to be with me back in February, and we are having the time of our lives just being together. It’s as if the past 40+ years never existed; we just picked up where we left off.

So there you are; it’s never too late. Just thought that those of you out there who knew us “when” might like to know what became of us – we’re together again!!

 Bogie and Rose

Note from the Webmaster...
Sounds like a love story from an old Spencer Tracy & Katherine Hepburne Movie.
How about a "Then & Now" photo to go with this story Bogie & Rose?