More former Richland High Schoolers remember Sharon Tate

I have had the honor of speaking to a few more of those who went to high school in Richland, Washington with Sharon.

Clifton Bowers says:

Well ... I may not be much help as to a resource for fleshing out commentary on Sharon. My memories or let us say recollections are somewhat faint. I recall being in a biology class with her and she was so glamorous she was a distraction to the male populous.

I think her dad was in the military and when she came to Columbia High (Richland High now) it was because of the national security for the Hanford Operations.

As a natural beauty she really stood out. I'm sure others knew her more on a personal basis. I recall she got her public break on a Pat Boone special in Rome, Italy which 'wowed' all of us locals...but I'm sure you have those more public references. I just remember her as someone who was really nice and extremely beautiful. It was sad that she had such a tragic end to her life.

Mike Brady remembers her in a similar way:

I didn't know Sharon very well. I was one of those nerdy guys who admired her from afar.

Judy Campbell says:

We were in some classes together, and had she remained in Richland beyond her sophomore year, she would have been in our 1961 graduating class. At the early age of sixteen, Sharon was a strikingly beautiful young woman. She was destined to have a future in films. No one ever expected her young life to end so tragically.

Irene Hays says:

She was in my grade during Junior High and High School. She was very pretty and sweet. People thought she was special even then.

Carol Jean Thompson adds:

I knew Sharon but was not one of her circle of friends. She was a strikingly beautiful girl, physically mature beyond her age. And not withstanding, a very nice person, well liked by her classmates. Sharon was of average intelligence and I believe susceptible to exploitation, which was probably happening while still in Richland. She was queen of "Atomic Frontier Days" or what is now known as the TriCity Waterfollies(the local community celebrations all towns have)at 15 or 16; too young for that sort of exposure. It has saddened me deeply that Sharon was so savagely killed and forever identified with such a violent crime.

I found a great old photo of Sharon during this period in her life. Sorry it is not better but it is improved from the Xerox copy I had by an artist who did the best she could with it. I hope you all enjoy it. As I reach more who knew Sharon I will continue to post it here.