Did you miss last month's issue?  March Issue

The Executive Committee and other Classmates held a first meeting on March 19th to begin planning for the 45th Reunion, which is fast approaching - only little more than 2 years away - October 18-22, 2000. This is on a non-homecoming weekend and we have reserved two hotels - the Marriott (downtown on the water) and the Days Inn (on Route 50). The football game on that saturday is against Rutgers. A tentative schedule is to have an informal welcoming party on wednesday, a cruise or out-of-town trip on thursday, a banquet dinner in the Marriott on friday, a tailgate party before the game on saturday, followed by informal battalion or company parties that evening and a chapel service and brunch before final farewells on sunday. We are still very much in the conceptual planning stage and need input from out-of-town Classmates - by phone, email or snail mail. We have a great group in the Washington DC area who can put on almost anything if we know what's wanted.

The Executive Committee also discussed a Class gift to the Academy to honor the 45th anniversity of our graduation. The mural that we presented during the 40th will be a tough act to follow. There was a lively discussion about what our gift should be. The Academy no longer needs much in the way of monuments, bricks or mortar but rather is looking for things that advance academic and extracurricular excellence. We are working with the Alumni Association to determine what our gift will be, and will keep the Class informed. Incidently, in 1997, 206 Classmates contributed $332,000 to the Alumni Association to be used for all projects, including the mural.

We are working on a Class cruise to take place in the spring or early summer of 1999. Sandy & Ted Hyman (13), our travel connection, are working on some ideas and Paul Sutherland (07), our Cruisemeister, is helping out. Preliminery thinking is that a cruise to Bermuda, out of New York, or a cruise to the Caribbean, out of Florida or San Juan, would be most convenient and enjoyable for a majority of Classmates. Again, we need input to help put it together. Phone or send comments to Class Officers, or to Ted Hyman direct at (301) 438-3141 or tedhyman@erols.com. Ted will be collecting inputs and will put the trip together sometime in the fall of 1998 and we will get the word out as soon as possible to facilitate planning.

Don Conner (08) has officially taken over as Class Treasurer from Paul Sutherland. Dan will be working with local Classmates and the Alumni Association to nail down an appropriate gift to the Academy for our 45th Reunion.

The 1998 football schedule includes a game in Washington DC against Notre Dame on November 14th in the new Jack Kent Cook stadium, home of the Redskins. Anyone interested in attending should plan to get their ticket request in early to the Athletic Association - it promises to be a "tough" ticket. Homecoming this year is on October 17th and the football game is against Colgate. We are planning our usual tailgate with a dinner party after the game.

Our Classmate, Geoff Gardner (13) passed away on January 16th after a long struggle with cancer. Our condolences are extended to his wife, Susie, and his family. A memorial service was held at the old Ft. Meyer Chapel on January 29th followed by a graveside service in Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors. Wave Graham's words of remembrance were heart-rending. Afterwards, the family received friends at the Washington Golf & Country Club in Arlington. Many Classmates attended, including out-of-towners. Honorary pallbearers were: Major General William A. Anders, USAFR (Ret), Dr. Walter Waverly Graham III, Captain Thomas G. Kiefaber, USN (Ret), Vice Admiral J. Theodore Parker, USN (Ret), The Honorable Robert B. Pirie, Jr., The Honorable Charles W. Stenholm, Lieutenant Commander Dennis J. Sullivan, USN (Ret), Colonel Ernst Volgenau, USAF (Ret), and Rear Admiral Hugh L. Webster, USN (Ret). Hartley Holte (13) attended from Indiana and sent in the following after his return home:

I recently read something along the lines, "How sad to have lived so long that there are none left who remember me as a youth." I remember Geoff Gardner - he who put up with me for two years as roommate; he who was instrumental in introducing me to my wife, Sally, and, he who paid the ultimate compliment to his roomie, insuring that the plebes threw me in the shower after I announced my engagement! We will miss you, Geoff. Here's a photo of me, Sally, Geoff at the conn and Jimmy Rosser ('57) during June Week '55. Bon Voyage. (PHOTO # 1)

New arrivals on the '55 Listserv are:

Robert W. "Ace" Davis (20) in Williamsburg, VA (acedavis@widowmaker.com); Mary Gale "MG" Buchanan, honorary '55er, in Annapolis, MD (mgbuch@aol.com); Carl H. "Savvy" Sanders. Jr. (19) in Orcas, WA (sandyandsavvy@thesanjuans.com); Eddie Eassa (16) in Indialantic, FL (Shirleassa@aol.com), and Betty Bedford, widow of' Gordon Bedford (24) in Jacksonville, FL (bbedford@juno.com). Speaking of the Net, recent comments from listservers conclude that jokes are OK but more substantial matters need to be expressed/discussed on the Net. By the way, Chuck Henry (01) gave us an on-line update:

Retired from the USMC on 1 Jul 84 and returned to San Diego, my birthplace/roots. After having been engaged four+ years, I married my sweetheart Sandy at the Chapel on 5 Jun 55; we are still very much in love. We have two sons (born in 1956, 57) and one adopted daughter (1965). All are very happily married, and have provided us with eight grandchildren (numbering 3, 3,and 2 per kid, respectively). Son Chuck Jr is an architect living near Dulles airport, VA, with his own (small) business. Son Hugh is USNA '80 and a LtCol USMC, stationed in Germany. Daughter Maureen was USAF enlisted, got out after 10 years to be a full-time Mommy, and is married to a USAF MSgt living near Hurlbert AFB, FL. Happily, I spent a lot of time with my kids when they were growing up when I wasn't overseas unaccompanied. Both sons made Eagle Scout in 1973, and I was their Scout Master. Maureen was a record-setting swimmer. I'm very proud of them all! I've just transitioned from working too many more hours than full-time as manager of a small GPS support team (almost all very senior "gray-beards") and am now aimed at providing a small amount of support to the GPS JPO in between having fun traveling and visiting with the kids/grandchildren (all much too far away). My USMC experience was quite varied both for locale and job types - mostly ground assignments, but also two tours in Marine Wings. Obtained MSEE from USNPGS, Monterey in 1969. My civilian career has been centered around support to the GPS program, starting with work for two 8(a) companies, and then transitioned to SAIC in 1992 as contracts came and went. I have stayed very active in sports (mostly racquetball since early '70s) until I broke my right achilles tendon in '94 (playing r-ball) -- it's still not back to normal, and probably won't ever get there, but I can hike vigorously and run at a moderate trot. I'm pleased to be able to say that I can still do (more than) 55 pushups. (PHOTO # 2)

Conceptual planning for the 45th Reunion has begun. Dates are October 18-22, 2000 and the Saturday football game is with Rutgers. We have over 100 rooms reserved at the Annapolis Marriott which is on the waterfront within walking distance of the Yard. We also have additional rooms reserved at the Days Inn on Route 50 (same as for the 40th). We still have a long way to go - if you have any ideas, put them on our Listserv or call me at (703) 759-7743 or another Washington area Classmate.

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