CLASS NEWS ’38
Life Membership: 0% Donor Participation: 0% Sec’y: Donald E. Brown Son of CAPT C. Donald Brown, USN (Ret.) 4105 Elizabeth Ln., Fairfax, VA 22032-1453 p: 703-978-4571 e: donaldbrown@earthlink.net
’39
Life Membership: 50% Donor Participation: 0% Vice Pres: CAPT Chip Seymour, USN (Ret.) Son of Harry A. Seymour 309 Melvin Ave., Annapolis, MD 21401 c: 410-279-9195; e: seymour65@comcast.net Sec’y: Barbara Fidel Adams Also Sec’y for ’39 Navy Juniors Daughter of Jack and June Fidel 215 Ikerd Dr., Concord, NC 28025 p: 704-784-3876; e: adamsjimr@aol.com Thirty-Nine On Line: Barbara Fidel Adams e: adamsjimr@aol.com
May Greetings ’39! May brings spring sunshine and flowers and Mother’s Day, and so we pay special tribute to the grand ’39 Navy wives who raised their Navy families with faith and love… instilling pride in their sons and daughters and teaching them to love freedom and to know what it is worth. Many years ago, a tribute was paid to military wives in a Sunday newspaper cartoon, Steve Canyon. He asked a friend if she had an opinion on being a military wife. Here, paraphrased, are some of her comments: “It has been different being wife of a military man ... we had free medical care, and our first child was born in a 45-bed ward, but then it was only two thirds full ... as the children grew, their braces would just be in place when you moved (which meant starting all over with a new dentist) ... and you had to find new schools (the kids were in so many different schools that sometimes they were ahead and in others behind)….and new friends…. and new churches…..and when your husband was
transferred, the whole family traveled cross country by car, and when one of the kids came down with the measles you parked your car in a motel until they recoveredgoing over your travel allowance by $300! Often, in the course of those moves, your wedding gifts were broken, and the old drapes would not fit in the new quarters- so you bought new ones instead of that new dress. When your husband was deployed, you were the one attending all the scout meetings and the baseball games- and if he was deployed in wartime, you lived in constant fear until he returned safely home.”..... and then, this military wife turned to Steve Canyon and said: “Oh Steve, I forgot one thing ... I wouldn’t change places with any woman in the world!” Three of our ’39 widows celebrated birthdays this winter….Ingrid Beach (Ned Beach) on 9 February, Madeline Hough (Jack) on 27 February and Mitzi Peterson (A. Atley “Pete”) on 1 March. Here is an update on each: ’39 Junior, Louise Dunford Brodnitz (daughter of Jim Dunford) and a close friend of Ingrid Beach, related the following on 31 January: M “Yesterday, I learned from Ingrid’s longtime housekeeper/caregiver and friend, Del, that Ingrid had a bad reaction to some medication she was taking and went to Sibley Hospital, and then to Sibley Renaissance Skilled Nursing to recuperate. Louise agreed to collect all get well and birthday greetings for Ingrid and would personally deliver them to her. Luckily, Ingrid was able to celebrate her 95th birthday in the comfort of her own home! Her family could not be with her for the celebration, but Del got Ingrid her favorite cake; Ingrid received a “boatload” of cards and messagesincluding a “Colossal Gram from ’39; and a visit by her son, Ned, Jr, (coming from Maine) was planned for late February-early March to continue the Birthday Celebration!”
“But still when two or three shall meet, and old tales be retold...”
Ingrid Beach
Madeline Hough also made the move from California to the East Coast when she moved from her home of many years in Moreno Valley (near San Bernardino) to Middleburg, Florida- in the Jacksonville area. Ingrid at home with the ’39 Colossalgram
Louise Dunford Brodnitz and Ingrid Beach
Mitzi Peterson is a happy Mom and Grandmother now that her daughter, Katrina and family have moved from California to Virginia. Mitzi loved celebrating the holidays with them, and spending quality time with her first grandchild, Isa. Mitzi’s daughter, Katrina had a birthday on 26 February, and since Mitzi’s birthday was March 1st, they all went out to dinner together to celebrate both birthdays- we suspect little Isa helped blow out the candles on their birthday cake! (will hope to have a photo of that celebration in a future column).
Mitzi Peterson Donor participation numbers as of 28 February 2021.
36 SHIPMATE • MAY 2021
Katrina, Isa and Mitzi
Madeline Hough
In corresponding with Madeline we learned the following: M “My grandson, Keith Hough, is a Lieutenant Commander. He qualified as a Surface Warfare Officer after NROTC at Georgia Tech, then did a lateral transfer to the Supply Corps. He is stationed in Norfolk, and is serving as the Deputy for Petroleum for the East Coast. My daughter in law, Peggy (son David’s wife) is the head logistician (Product Support Manager) of all of the mission packages on both versions of the Littoral Combat Ship at Naval Sea Command. Since they continue to do mostly remote work, she spends about a third of her time here in Florida, and the rest in Alexandria, VA. David is here with me most of the time, but flies up there about every other month for a week or so. Another member of our family, my nephew (who lives part time in the Philippines) has a step daughter, Paula Brittiller, who is a Midshipman
