I was able to find so much information on the next 3 young men from the 1941 class of Adams High School that I decided to do a back to back post on the class. From left to right this is: William Richmond, Donald Bunce (the tall one!), and Gordon Gerow.

William Richmond – William was born in 1924 in New York to Harry & Mary Richmond. The family lived in Adams, Jefferson County, New York in 1930 and 1940. William had older siblings, Florence and John. Both Harry and Mary were from New York as were their parents. Mr. Richmond was a dentist. In 1925 William’s great uncle Charles Stanley (his mother’s uncle) lived with the family. He was 74 and likely died before 1930 as he’s not living with them in that census. There is a William H. Richmond, same middle initial as our William, buried in Woodside Cemetery in Jefferson County. No death date but the birth date is 1923. If this is the same William, he certainly stayed near his roots.

Donald Bunce – I hope for Donald’s sake that Adams High had a basketball team! Donald was born in New York on March 23, 1922 to Paul and Beatrice Bunce. His death date is recorded on the back of the photo as January 8, 1996. And SSDI confirms that date along with the fact that his last residence was in Arizona. Donald appeared to be the Bunces only son. Father Paul was a chemist. In 1925, the family lived in Adams, New York just a few doors down from another Bunce family, Vernon and Lottie (no children). I’m not sure of the relationship, but the name seems to uncommon for that to be a coincidence. Donald’s mother, Beatrice, was from English speaking Canada. In 1930 the two Bunce families lived right next to each other. I cannot find Paul or Beatrice in the 1940 census. Only 2 Donald Bunce’s show up in 1940, one in Herkimer and one in Rochester – neither close enough to Adams that he would have attended school there. So, that throws a little wrench in what otherwise made sense. Hopefully, the families can shed some light on this.

Gordon Gerow – Gordon was the son of Herbert & Laura Gerow, born in New York in 1924. The family lived in Adams, NY from 1925-1940 and probably longer. Gordon had one younger sibling Marion. Mr. Gerow was an insurance agent and Mrs. Gerow was a public school teacher (at least in 1940). In 1930, the four Gerows, still in Adams, lived with Gordon’s maternal grandmother, Harriet Moore. Gordon apparently went to Syracuse University – there’s a yearbook picture of him on Ancestry in 1944. I’m not sure if it’s the same Gordon, but there is a Gordon P. Gerow buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Polk County, FL who died in 1984.