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back in St. Paul, MN, I am in my 20th year with my congregation and by this fall, two of my kids will be in college.” Finally, Anne and I are still in Virginia Beach. We enjoy our time on the sand in the summer, and I am trying to get out to the golf course more. My oldest just finished her junior year at Kansas State, and Anne and I were fortunate to spend a weekend there last fall and catch a football game. My youngest will be entering her senior year in high school next fall in Mansfield, Texas.”
1988
Joseph Williams joseph.williams@indevcapital. com Laura Zimmerman Whayne laurazimmermanwhayne@ gmail.com Dear Classmates, it has been quite a while. First, I want to thank Laura for all of her herculean efforts over the past few years that I have been on DA note sabbatical. Laura, soon it will be 30 years that we have been doing this together… that is crazy. First of all, before getting started, Laura and I wanted to recognize some losses that have occurred in our DA community. David Gould was a teacher and mentor to many of us in the class of 1988. Mr. Gould was a superb teacher and a simply fantastic human being. He epitomized what continues to make DA so special, the passion for teaching and learning among its faculty. Mr. Gould was also a very fun personality. It was a huge loss to the DA community. Laura tells me that Ted Kalo, Robert Christopher Strayhorne and I
am sure many others in our class were there to celebrate his life at the memorial service. Sadly, this year we lost another giant not just for DA, but for Durham, the State of NC, and I am sure further boundaries: Melissa Brodie’s father, Dr. H. Keith H. Brodie. Obviously his work as president of Duke University is well known, as he led the university during the period where it arguably become one of the top universities in the nation and world. Dr. Brodie was also very active in the DA community. He was an incredibly nice man and had a massive impact on Duke, Durham and Durham Academy. Our heart is with Melissa and her family. Although I did not know Webb Roberts’ father well, Laura reports that he passed away as well. These are always tough moments. Webb, you have a shoulder to lean on with lots of people in the class including me and Laura as you and your family go through this period of transition. These types of notes are not easy to write and I have never written about parental loss before in these notes. Actually, I think I may have written notes when my parents passed 10 years ago. However, as we all mature and we have losses in our life … alas this is the nature of the journey, please let me and Laura know. We apologize for the fact that we have not done this before. However, it has become clear that perhaps we are in a different phase of life than our immediate post-college years. Again, for those of us that have had or have transitions going forward, please let us know. OK, let’s start our notes with my partner in crime: Laura “Smiley” Zimmerman. I almost went into shock when
Laura started off her notes saying that her oldest child was 20 years old and finishing his sophomore year at Virginia Tech. I guess we really did finish high school in 1988! Her daughter, LewLew, just finished her freshman year at East Chapel Hill High School. Laura keeps busy smiling and also is getting married to Scott Zimmerman sometime soon. No this is not a joke, her fiance’s name is the same as that of her brother. I cannot verify or deny that her new married name will be Laura Zimmerman Zimmerman. Laura, please let the class know. Laura has not reported how her husband and brother will communicate over the holiday season, but I am sure they will figure something out. Laura remains busy selling real estate with RE/MAX Winning Edge and working as a project manager for her stepfather’s Custom Home Building Concern. She loves sales and the renovation aspect of her work. And of course, continues her unpaid job of smiling all the time. … Laura, thanks again for your commitment to these notes! Also in Chapel Hill, we find David Pearsall. He is raising his three boys and running an insurance agency specializing in liability insurance for dog trainers, pet sitters, pet service providers. As I sit here in Sao Paulo, Brazil, writing this I must say only in America can an insurance agency have a niche this specific! Pearsall was in Glendale, Arizona, at the Final Four with Steve Snider and Eric Fiddleman and other unnamed DA alums. I believe a beer or two were consumed and the celebration was quite enthusiastic based on the outcome of the
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national championship. Pearsall is meeting with Dan Bunders this summer for some golf in Vegas and also visiting Steve Snider in the Bay Area later this summer. Henry Pye, based in Dallas last I heard, brings us deep perspective. His wife Sybil, “is beautiful, intelligent and mistakenly still in love with me.” Henry, my wisdom from the past 46 years has taught me that being lucky is a huge factor in life. Call her love your luck. Henry and Sybil’s children are happy, playing rugby, faster and stronger than their parents. Work is going fine but he mentions it appears that the majority of his time is driving around his teenagers. John Ross reached out. He is chief of staff for North American Beverage Marketing at Pepsico. His group manages a staff of 500 and over 20 important brands. He also serves on the National Diversity Advisory Board. He gets back to Durham often for Duke alumni events and sometimes does not recognize our hometown. He actually runs into Torsie Judkins often to watch basketball. Per John’s comments about Durham, I have heard about fashionable boutique hotels in downturn Durham. Who would have thought? Edwin Bryson and his wife are still in Charlotte and recently celebrated their 15th wedding anniversary. The couple’s two sons enter middle school next year. Both kids play soccer and, as the season ends soon, Edwin is looking forward to a break. Edwin still enjoys working on cars, and both of his projects are currently running (I guess that means he can drive the cars), which is a good thing. His
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