Look alive with Seventy-Five!
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Look alive with Seventy-Five!
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Dear ’mates: It’s no secret that our class has more than carried our share of the load in defending the USA for the last third of a century. The legacy continues with a large number of Flower child sons and daughters volunteering to don the uniform and take their turn to keep us all free. Dirk Ahle’s family is a fine example. These pictures show him commissioning his daughter in the U.S. Navy in May 2004 and his son in the U.S. Army in December 2008. JJ Cuff wonders how many classmates besides Deke can still fit in their dress blues? <photo 75#1: “Deke and daughter”> The ashes of Walt Joller were committed to the sea by the officers and crew of USS HARRY S TRUMAN (CVN-75) in February. A fitting end for a superb sailor. Rich Luke wrote to commemorate the December passing of his four-year roommate, Keith Oldemeyer, after a year-long battle with cancer. Keith left active duty in 1981. After a few years working as a securities broker and farming, Keith went to work as an engineer for a small firm in Boise, Idaho that specializes in the design and fabrication of conveyor systems with business throughout the mountain west mining industry. In 1998, he and close friend and coworker, Sid Cannon, purchased the company and in ten years turned it into a world-class operation with business in South Africa, Chile and Australia.
Fellow roommate Mark Klett and I were able to visit Keith this past fall, and he displayed his courage and indomitable spirit to the very end, doing the things he loved, golfing, fishing, and rooting for his Boise State Broncos with Barbara until the end. I spoke with him the final time as Navy was putting the finishing touches on Army on 6 December.
Mark and I, along with company mates Mark Darrow, Mike Lord and Mark Satorius, were able to join Keith’s wife Barbara and their family to celebrate Keith’s life at his memorial service in Meridian, ID and his inurnment at the Idaho State Veteran’s Cemetery in Eagle on 17 December. Our flights included Flight 2441—our 1/C year room number. Viva La Rathole! I have included two photos of the three of us, Keith, Mark Klett and me as original plebe summer roommates in T-Court and thirty years later when I retired from active duty. Thrown together by fate and best friends for life. <Photo 75#3: “Roomies 1971 – Luke, Klett, and Oldemeyer”> <photo 75#4: “Roomies thirty years later – Klett, Lukes, and Oldemeyer”> Denise and Curt Coy, having decided that they are better together than apart, were married in Las Vegas on Valentine’s Day. Congratulations! The Coys decided to sell Curt’s house in Annapolis and move into Denise’s house in Perry Hall MD. The Marines of Camp Lejeune-based II Marine Expeditionary Force have taken over the helm of Multi-National Force West in Al Anbar Province in Iraq. II MEF Forward is commanded by Maj. Gen. Rick Tryon. Thanks for your service, Marine! <photo 75#5: “’75 at the commissioning of NEW MEXICO”> Tom Schievelbein sent a note and a photo from the commissioning of the submarine USS NEW MEXICO at Newport News Shipyard. Left to right in the picture are Kirk Donald, Jon Greenert, Tom Schievelbein, Jay Donnelly, and Steve Stanley. They put me in the middle of the picture to balance out the weight of all the gold. I was struck by how far a number of our classmates have come. It would have never crossed my mind in July of 1971 that I would be standing with four of my classmates with a combined total of 14 stars! Both Kirk and Jay had speaking roles at the Christening with Jon and Steve lending support from the VIP section of the audience. Mike Petters '82 is the President of the shipyard and was the master of ceremonies. The sponsor of the NEW MEXICO is Cindy Giambastiani, the wife of Ed Giambastiani '70. This was one of the few times that Ed's most important job was that of escort for Cindy! I retired as the President of that same shipyard four years ago. Since then I have joined three corporate boards, serve on the Naval Academy Foundation, do some consulting and even serve on the Secretary of the Navy's Advisory Panel. This last gig is great as it keeps me up to date with some of the issues that the Navy is wrestling with and gives me a chance to contribute. Our oldest daughter Stacy lives in San Diego and works at a hospital. Our youngest daughter Lisa works in Washington DC at the Corporate Executive Board. My wife Betty and I live in Williamsburg VA and love it. Brian Curdy’s father (LCDR Vinet I. Curdy, USNR Ret.) recently celebrated his 100th birthday. Commander Curdy is in good health and spirits in an assisted living facility near Brian’s brother’s home in Massachusetts. Brian wrote an interesting biography of his father. It’s far too long for Shipmate, but perhaps webmaster Andy Howard can find a place for it in our class web page. We have room for just one more 2008 update from 14th company: Laurie and Mark Harper continue to live happily ever after. Mark loves teaching the Midshipmen, researching nuclear topics, and helping out with the squash team, occasionally traveling with them on road trips. Laurie juggles home, school, and extracurricular activities on a daily basis, all the while keeping the trains running on time. Homeschooling five children is no small task, but they seem to be doing well and their parents are proud of them all. In addition to school, Michael (11th grade) plays the trumpet in two youth orchestras, as well as the piano. Sailing small boats on the Chesapeake Bay keeps him busy in the fall and spring. Caroline (9th grade) has taken up rowing and continues to play the flute and piano, as well as sing in a local children’s chorus. Thomas (7th) is a violinist and the concert master for his orchestra, and enjoys Boy Scouts, motoring our small boat around the Severn, and teaching himself the guitar. Patrick (5th) plays the clarinet and piano, basketball, soccer, and he closely followed the Redskins’ demise this season. Emily (3rd) sings in the children’s chorus, plays violin and piano, and enjoys Brownies. Both the girls sang with the Anne Arundel Community College opera company this season, and will sing (Magic Flute) with them again in this spring. Both girls will travel to Paris this June with their chorus, and Laurie is a chaperone for the trip. As many of you know, USNAAA plans to significantly reduce the number of issues of Shipmate they publish each year. Scribes have not yet been told how our column lengths might be affected. At the very least, it looks like we will be more and more dependent on our web page to share all the interesting gouge before it gets too far astern. More next month! --- ’75 Sir! Larry |
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