By Pat Pitel
Special to the Leader
Yuri (Tsukamoto) Iwamura, a foreign exchange student with Youth for Understanding and a very popular graduate of Oxford Class of 1983, is returning to Oxford for a visit July 31 thru August 7.? Yuri and her daughter Sumire will be staying with her host mother Patricia (Schraut) Pitel.? Yuri is anxious to visit with her friends from the past, but does not have current contact information for them.? Please call Patricia Pitel at 248-628-8753 and leave your name and phone number for Yuri.?
Yuri made many friends during her one year stay at Oxford High.? Yuri graduated with her host sister Robyn Sass.? She will certainly be surprised by the new high school and many other changes that have developed in the Village.? Yuri’s last visit to Oxford with her husband Eiji, was in 1993 for the 10 year class reunion.?
Please contact other grads you know and leave messages for Yuri at the above number so get-togethers may be planned during her visit to Oxford.?
Regarding the Leader’s recent article about exchange students, I would like to add that my daughters and I enjoyed Yuri’s senior year. From the beginning she called me ‘mom? and my daughters were her ‘sisters?. She was accepted right into the entire family and all our friends. We have stayed in touch through letters, photos, phone calls and now email for the past 26 years. I would encourage any family to consider hosting an exchange student. It is a lifelong rewarding year for your family and the student.