Bobby Small

Profile Updated: January 26, 2012
Bobby Small
Class Year: 1961
Residing In: Indianapolis, IN USA
Spouse/Partner: Helen Huff
Occupation: Retired Attorney
Children: Amy Small Bilyeu (1970)
James L. Small (1975)
Bobby Small

Yearbook

Yes! Attending Reunion
Comments:

I was a carpenter for a house builder and then a bridge builder after graduating from Wabash College in '65. I taught high school math and chemistry in Miami and Cass counties and then in Philadelphia for a few years.

I met Helen Huff, the youngest of the five Logansport Huff sisters, in 1968 when we were grad students at IU, We were married a year later with all four sisters begging her to rethink the whole thing.

I started law school at Temple University in 1970 and received a JD from IU in 1974. I had occasion to work on two cases in the U.S. Supreme Court during my 30-some years as a government lawyer.

I retired in 2003 and have been traveling a lot with Helen who retired as President and CEO of the American Pianist Association. We visited the Czech Republic in '04; France again in '06; Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Germany, and the Netherlands in '07; Ireland and Italy in '09; Hawaii in '10.; and Paris, Vannes, and Rome in "11. Michael Bradshaw ('61) was our host and tour guide in Vannes. We had wonderful time visiting with him and touring his fairy tale town.

We usually spend Christmas on Captiva with the extended clan where Helen teaches the grandsons some culture and I teach them to cuss properly.

We get to the Big Apple occasionally and to Vermont periodically - love that 5 hole golf course that Robert Lincoln built at Hildene.

We have been remodeling a century-old house in historic Lockerbie Square for nearly 40 years. We have hopes of finishing the project soon. Because of our downtown location, we are able to bike to a lot of fun places. We both have Townie Flatfoot bikes which are great for (how shall I put it so as not to hurt Helen's sensibilities) mature riders with balance issues.

We golf quite a bit and I have played several rounds each year with DHS '61 classmates Stan Adsit, Dick Bradshaw, Russ Landis (RIP) and Dave Williams. I have never had a hole-in-one but I saw Helen get one on #16 at Country Creek in Estero, Florida in 1997 - she never lords that over my head.

School Story:

My favorite academic memory is of David (Z.) Peterson (RIP) giving a valedictory speech that was very supportive of right-wing politics in the USA. I am pleased to announce that he saw the errors of his ways a few years later. I recall that my valedictory speech included "plowing corn" as an analogy - in the practice sessions, Morris Buck (RIP) just rolled his eyes as only Morris Buck could do.

My favorite athletic memory is the big victory over Flora in the 4-way holiday tourney our senior year. We had just pulled to within one point of Flora with just seconds left on the clock. Flora's 6'6" center took the ball out, and instead of just lobbing it over my 5' 9" head, he tried a bounce pass, which I intercepted and promptly swished a 15-foot jump shot (the distance has grown over time) for a DHS victory. I got kisses and hugs from all of the cheerleaders and generally felt I was in hog heaven. Still, I always wondered why I didn't get the accolades that Bobby Plump got - the movie Hoosiers; the bar on the Monon Trail dubbed Plump's Last Shot; induction into the High School Basketball Hall of Fame. Russ Landis explained it to me in later years - jeez, buddy it was just the consolation game of a four-way tourney - the game that determines which of the four is not the worst team - not a state title over the mighty Muncie Central Bearcats. You are lucky you even got the cheerleader kisses for heaven's sake. Frankly, I am still hoping to see a Lockerbie Square pub called Small's Little Shot some day.

I also remember - fondly now, not so fondly then - the theme-a-day marathon in Tom McCormick's English classes. That experience was of great help to us all in later years, but can you imagine reading all of that drivel for 30 consecutive nights?

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Bobby Small has a birthday today.
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Nov 11, 2023 at 4:33 AM
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Oct 04, 2023 at 3:09 PM

Posted on: Oct 03, 2023 at 1:32 PM

Hello young man. I trust you are doing well. Where did you serve as a police officer?

Nov 11, 2022 at 6:07 AM

Happy birthday

Bobby Small has a birthday today.
Nov 11, 2022 at 4:33 AM
Bobby Small has a birthday today.
Nov 11, 2021 at 4:33 AM
Bobby Small has a birthday today.
Nov 11, 2020 at 4:33 AM
Bobby Small has a birthday today.
Nov 11, 2019 at 4:36 AM
Bobby Small has a birthday today.
Nov 11, 2018 at 4:33 AM
Nov 11, 2017 at 8:53 AM

Happy Birthday Have A great day Hope this finds you well

Bobby Small has a birthday today.
Nov 11, 2017 at 4:33 AM
Bobby Small has a birthday today.
Nov 11, 2015 at 4:33 AM
Nov 11, 2014 at 9:57 AM

Happy Birthday,have a great day.

Bobby Small has a birthday today.
Nov 11, 2014 at 4:33 AM