Alumni Review 2009 Issue 2 by VMI Alumni Agencies

VMI

ALUMNI REVIEW 2009-Issue 2

Contents

VIRGINIA MILITARY INSTITUTE Alumni Review 2009-Issue 2

IN THIS ISSUE . . .

This issue includes Class Notes and news covering the time period of Nov. 16, 2008, to Feb. 15, 2009.

Corps in Inaugural Parade

10 Earnest ’38: One Came Back

12 Bryan ’72: Help with Cancer

PRINTER Progress Printing Co., Inc. Lynchburg, Virginia

13 Vicory ’74: Safe Water 14 Woolwine ’86: Comfort Camp

The VMI Alumni Review (USPS 954-740) is published four times yearly in fall, winter, spring and summer by The VMI Alumni Association, Inc., P.O. Box 932, Lexington, VA 24450. It is sent to alumni and friends of the Institute without subscription.

15 Way ’05 & Meredith ’07: Teach for America 17 Bomb Dedications

175

NEWS AND UPDATES OEF/OIF: An Update

Association/Chapter News

Periodicals postage paid at Lynchburg, VA.

Class Notes

PURPOSE OF THE VMI ALUMNI ASSOCIATION To organize the alumni, the better to keep alive the memories of Institute life and—by their united efforts—to aid in the promotion of the welfare of the Institute, and the successful prosecution of its educational purposes.

137 Most Senior Alumni 137 Provisional Appointments 139 Taps 149 Alumni News

DEPARTMENTS President’s Letter

147 Association Directory 154 The Institute 160 VMI Athletics 165 The Foundation 175 The Keydet Club

2009-Issue 2

ATTENTION POSTMASTER: Send changes of address to: VMI Alumni Review, P.O. Box 932, Lexington, VA 24450

136 Births, Marriages, Degrees

PUBLISHER The President of The VMI Alumni Association, Inc. PUBLISHING OFFICE The VMI Alumni Association, Inc., Alumni Review Office VMI Moody Hall, P.O. Box 932, Lexington, VA 24450; 540/464-7224 review@vmiaa.org

FEATURES 6

Volume 85, No. 1

161

VMI ALUMNI AGENCIES TELEPHONE NUMBERS The VMI Alumni Association: The VMI Foundation: The VMI Keydet Club:

540/464-7221 540/464-7287 540/464-7328

WEB SITE ADDRESSES Alumni Agencies: www.vmialumni.org VMI: www.vmi.edu ON OUR COVER Front: The VMI Color Guard leading the Corps of Cadets in the January 2009 Inaugural Parade for President-elect Barack Obama. Top photo on inside front: The Obamas watching the Corps march past. Photo courtesy U.S. Dept. of Defense. All other photos by VMI, Kevin Remington.

A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT I continue to be both proud and amazed at the honorable work and achievement of our alumni. Continuing our effort to highlight alumni and their contributions outside the VMI community, in this issue you’ll find feature articles on: • Capt. Albert K. Earnest ’38, USN (Ret), whose bravery and valiant acts in WWII not only resulted in his being awarded the Navy Cross three times, but also brought about a turning point in world history. • Rick Bryan ’72, who works with a non-profit organization to provide cancer patients with resources to cope with their life-threatening disease. Lykins ’73 • Alan Vicory Jr. ’74, whose organization successfully coordinated operations to manage a 700,000-gallon diesel fuel spill and set procedures in place for future disasters, as well as ensuring that the Ohio River provides safe drinking water to 3 million Cincinnati residents. • Roy Woolwine ’86, whose fundraising efforts are supporting Camp Comfort Zone, a non-profit, bereavement camp for children who have lost a parent or sibling. • Lawton Way ’05 and Rich Meredith ’07, who are part of Teach For America, an organization whose goal is to eliminate educational inequity by enlisting promising future leaders to teach in some of the poorest urban and rural schools across the country. On a much different but equally significant note … As I write this letter, our country is facing some of the most challenging economic conditions in decades. Everyone is aware of the severity of this economic downturn and the consequences on federal, state, corporate and personal budgets. I want to make it absolutely clear in everyone’s mind that the effect of this on VMI is staggering. In a good economy, over one third of the Institute’s budget comes from our donations. A major portion of capital improvement and Vision 2039 is private funding. In a bad economy, we must become an even larger part of VMI’s financial picture. If VMI is going to meet this current challenge, it must have the support and involvement of more of our alumni. VMI needs you, and VMI needs you NOW. Nearly two out of every three people reading this book right now have given nothing in support of VMI. We need to turn those numbers around. Many dedicated and hard-working alumni serve on the Foundation’s Board of Trustees and the Keydet Club’s Board of Governors. These are the people who raise and manage money for VMI. When these individuals or members of those agency staffs contact you, please listen with an open heart, and consider helping our beloved Institute. Together, we can meet this challenge and help VMI to continue to produce men and women like the heroes appearing in this Review issue. To our men and women overseas in the war on terror, Godspeed and good luck. Be safe, and we anxiously await your return to Lexington to visit Post and reconnect with your friends and BRs. In the Bonds,

Richmond P. Lykins ’73, President The VMI Alumni Association, Inc.

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

At Camp Echo, Ad Diwaniyah, Iraq, on Jan. 15, 2009, were, from left, Maj. Brian McCarthy ’92, Maj. Neal Corson ’92, Lt. Col. Adrian Bogart III ’81, Staff Sgt. Brett Badgett ’95 and 1st Lt. Joshua Christian ’07; all are with the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, USA. Badgett got the group together for the picture. His father is Gen. Lee D. Badgett ’61, USAF (Ret), VMI professor of economics and business. Photo submitted by Christian.

Operation

Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom The following alumni names have been received since the publication of the 2009-Issue 1 Alumni Review. This update does not include alumni names received after Feb. 20, 2009. Also, once the name of an alumnus has been listed in the Review, it will not appear again, even if the alumnus is re-deployed at a later date. Not all of the alumni listed are currently serving in OEF/OIF, but they all have served at one time. Names and photographs are e-mailed to us almost every week. Because

Class of 1980 Pearson, Dwight W. Col., USAR

we have to have a cut-off date for each issue, your name and picture may have arrived past that date and therefore are not published in this issue; they will be published in the next issue. Please send additions, corrections and photographs to the Alumni Review staff at: VMI Alumni Review, P.O. Box 932, Lexington, VA 24450 (e-mail: review@vmiaa.org). For a complete list of the names that we have received, go to http://www.vmialumni.org and click on the link titled “Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom.”

Phillips, Robert E. Maj., USAR

Class of 1989

Class of 1985

Crawford, Christopher M. Maj., USAR

Burke, Tracy W. Capt., USMC Shimotsu, John M. Cmdr., USN

Class of 1990

Class of 1987 Davis, Eric J. Cmdr., USN 2009-Issue 2

Steverson, J. Bradley Maj., USA Swanson, Edward W. Lt. Col., USAF Valenzuela, Paul J. Lt. Col., USAF

Class of 1992 Swanson, Matthew N. 2nd Lt., VaARNG

Class of 1996 DuBose, Joseph J. Maj., USAF

Class of 1998 Toolan, Brendan P. Capt.

Class of 2000

Foley, Sean P. Capt., USMC

Joslyn, Nathanael E. Capt., USA Woodruff, Berryman E. 1st Lt., MANG

Class of 2001

Class of 2005

Allen, Keith L. Capt., USAR Judge, J. Michael Capt., USMC Vinales, Shane C. Capt., USA

Class of 2002

DeKeyser, Charles C. 1st Lt., VaARNG Miller, Devon S., Civilian

Class of 2003

Ward, Melissa S. Capt., USMC

Class of 2004 Bang, Michael E. 1st Lt., USA

Lenzi, Mark A. 1st Lt., USMC Lewis, Zachary M. Capt., USA Newsome, Saul R. 1st Lt., USMC Riemann, Timothy F. 1st Lt., USMC Stewart, Jessica H. 1st Lt., USAF

Class of 2006 Johnson, Phillip A. 1st Lt., USA Kelton, Jonathon D. 1st Lt., USA Pasquale, Michael R. 1st Lt., USA Ziegenfuss, Douglas E. Spc., VaARNG

Class of 2007 Christian, Joshua T. 1st Lt., USA Davis, Matthew S. 2nd Lt., USA Moeller, William J. 1st Lt., USA

Keith Allen ’01, USA, left, and two soldiers from his unit in Iraq.

In front of the U.S. Embassy seal in Kabul, Afghanistan, is Matt Childs ’91, who works for the U.S. Department of State.

On Jan. 16, 2009, John McElory ’96, USAF, center, a pararescue/combat rescue officer, was aboard an HH-60 when it crashed in the mountains of Afghanistan. According to McElroy’s wife, who submitted this picture, “John wants to thank all of those who sent thoughts and prayers to his family, men and himself this past winter [when the plane went down]. It was truly amazing that the crew and his three-man guardian angel team walked away.”

Hundreds of college and university banners are hanging in the Speicher Base, Iraq, dining facility. Pictured above is Robert Haines ’59, USAF, standing next to the VMI banner that Haines’ roommate, Melvin Anderson ’59, donated to the supervisor of the dining facility. Below is Haines flying over Baghdad with the banner on one of his missions. “Our mission is to locate IEDs and report them to the appropriate authorities before they harm our soldiers and other coalition forces. I am told I am the oldest VMI active pilot flying combat missions in any war and the oldest active pilot flying combat missions in Iraq.”

Lt. Col. Scott Leonard ’89, USMC, seated at center, with fellow Marines in Iraq.

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

Memorial photos by Valerio Santarelli.

Pentagon Memorial

Eddie M. Hidalgo ’98, pictured at right, center, was recently promoted to assistant project manager at Balfour Beatty Construction in Washington, D.C., after completing the Pentagon Memorial project. According to the Pentagon Memorial Web site, shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the United States Congress authorized the Secretary of Defense to create a permanent memorial for the 184 lives lost on the grounds of the Pentagon. Among those who died was Lt. Cmdr. David Lucian Williams ’91, USN, who worked for the Joint Chiefs of Staff. A design competition was held, and the winning design consists of 184 memorial units, each of which is dedicated to an individual victim by its unique placement within the collective field. The field is organized as a timeline of the victims’ ages, spanning from the youngest to the oldest. Each memorial unit is located on its respective age line – thin metal strips that cross the memorial park. This ordering develops a powerful understanding of the broad range of the lives lost. The granite finish of each memorial unit rises from the ground on one end, and on the other end hovers over a small pool of lighted water in the surrounding gravel field of the park. Each unit has a specific directionality to distinguish victims on board Flight 77 from victims within the Pentagon. Flight 77 victims’ names face the sky, and Pentagon victims’ names face the Pentagon building. Balfour Beatty Construction was hired to be the general contractor on the project, and Hidalgo was assigned as the senior project engineer, tasked with overseeing and managing the mechanical, electrical and plumbing subcontractors, as well as the concrete operations for the project, which included foundations and exposed architectural concrete. About the memorial, Hidalgo said, “This project was both very demanding and extremely rewarding, not just for our project staff but for [everyone who] contributed to the success of this memorial. Everything was custom made, because nothing like [it] has ever been built.” Hidalgo matriculated from Richmond, Virginia, and received his bachelor’s degree from VMI in civil engineering.

2009-Issue 2

The VMI Corps of Cadets Marches in 2009 Presidential Inaugural Parade citing and proud day in their time at VMI, and I expect it will be something they will look back on from a historic perspective with fondness and memories.” The entire 1,400-member Corps was invited to participated in the parade, which began at the steps to the U.S. Capitol Building and proceeded along Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House. The Corps’ performance drew praise from the superintendent. “You were the best marching unit in the Inaugural Parade,” Peay said in a letter of congratulations to the cadets. “Your lines were straight, our vision direct and correct, and you marched with pride. The Corps was placed at the end of the parade, for you were the finale.”

Inaugural Parade photos by VMI, Kevin Remington.

(Article by VMI Communications and Marketing.) The Corps of Cadets marked the 100th anniversary of the first time it marched in a Presidential Inaugural Parade by marching in the January 2009 parade, ushering in Presidentelect Barack Obama as the 44th president of the United States. This was the 13th inauguration in which VMI cadets have marched. The first was in 1909, when President William Howard Taft was sworn in. Prior to the parade, Superintendent Gen. J.H. Binford Peay III ’62 said, “It is a high honor for VMI to participate in the Presidential Inauguration. For these cadets, it will be an ex-

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

Many alumni and friends of the Institute voiced resounding appreciation and accolades, including John D. Crim ’68, whose letter to the editor (most of which appears below) was printed in the Richmond Times-Dispatch and Northern VA Daily (Strasburg): Editor, Times-Dispatch: When I settled in for the evening to watch the Inaugural Parade, I checked the line-up for the parade and there was VMI, next to last. It looked to be a long wait. As the groups marched past the camera, I noticed that a number of militarily-uniformed units had someone obviously out of step. I chalked it up to the cold, noise and other factors that we might be unaware of. I wasn’t really optimistic about the outcome, but I wanted to see it through to the end. Then, in the far background, the camera picked up the VMI front rank beginning its column-left onto Pennsylvania Avenue. The camera took some shots of the colorful group in front of them but kept panning back to the steadily approaching gray

2009-Issue 2

wall. On they marched. It soon became apparent that this was not a single company or battalion. It was the entire Corps, and just as in 1864, they were on the move with something to prove. One could almost feel the solid chunk as heels dug in together, the concentration not just on getting it right, but getting it right. Watching the gray wave roll toward the reviewing stand, I saw no one out of step. On they came, rank after rank. The announcer told us that 1,200 and some cadets were appearing in VMI’s 13th Inaugural Parade. As the first battalion passed in review, the camera panned to the review stand in time to see Mrs. Obama watching, clearly saying, “Wow,” and giving them two thumbs up. Just as it has for 170 years, the VMI Corps of Cadets stood tall for Virginia. Old Stonewall had it right so many years ago – VMI wasn’t just there; VMI was heard from! John D. Crim ’68 New Market

“Just as it has for 170 years, the VMI Corps of Cadets stood tall for Virginia. Old Stonewall had it right so many years ago – VMI wasn’t just there; VMI was heard from!” — John D. Crim ’68

VMI Participation in Past Inaugural Parades 1909 1913 1949 1953 1961 1969 1977 1981 1989 2005

- President Taft and 1917 - President Wilson - President Truman - President Eisenhower - President Kennedy and 1973 - President Nixon - President Carter - President Reagan - President George H.W. Bush – President George W. Bush

Note: VMI was scheduled to march in President Reagan’s second inaugural parade, but the parade was cancelled due to severe weather.

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

The Corps’ performance drew praise from the superintendent. “You were the best marching unit in the Inaugural Parade,” Gen. Peay said in a letter of congratulations to the cadets.

2009-Issue 2

One Came Back By Bolling Williamson ’60 Taking off in the pre-dawn darkness from Midway Island on June 4, 1942, Albert K. Earnest ’38 faced long odds. He was piloting one of six torpedo bombers which had been detached several days earlier from his squadron embarked on the carrier Hornet and sent to Midway to bolster the island’s defense against an expected invasion by the Japanese. Now, having just received word that the Japanese fleet had been sighted, Earnest’s group was part of an assortment of Army Air Force and Navy planes launched from Midway to intercept a strike force which included eight carriers and five battleships. Shortly after take-off, Earnest saw aircraft “with big red meatballs on their wings” passing them, headed in the opposite direction toward Midway, and his rear gunner reported seeing explosions on the island. Unescorted by American fighters, the relatively slow torpedo bombers made appealing targets as they drew nearer to the Japanese fleet, and Zero fighter planes jumped them with a vengeance. On the first pass, the plane flown by Earnest was hit, and his rear gunner was killed. Successive attacks severed his elevator cables, knocked out his hydraulic systems and wounded Earnest along with his radioman. “They were getting in each other’s way, trying to get at us,” he remembered. “I dove down and headed for the nearest carrier. Bullets were clanging off the armor plate behind me, and a cannon shell tore into the wing of the plane. Blood splattered around the cockpit. I don’t remember feeling a thing.” Dropping below 100 feet and fighting to keep his plane under control, he kicked his rudder to line up with the closest ship and launched his torpedo. For pressing his attack “in the face of withering fire from fighters and anti-aircraft forces,” he was awarded the Navy Cross. The other five planes from his squadron were shot down. Convinced that he was going down, Earnest instinctively prepared for ditching by following normal landing proce-

dures, which included adjusting his elevator trim tabs. Startled to see his nose rise sharply, he found that further adjustment resulted in his actually gaining altitude. Despite the damage to his plane, his engine continued to run smoothly, and so, alone, 200 miles from his base and confronted by the Japanese fleet, Earnest struggled to maneuver to safety. After sustaining another attack by two Japanese fighters who inexplicably broke off contact, he attempted to set a course for home. His compass and radio had been shot out, and navigating initially by the sun and then by the smoke from burning fuel tanks on Midway Island, he managed to return to the airfield. Making his final approach, he attempted to lower his landing gear, but the indicator on his instrument panel showed that his right wheel hadn’t come down. The ground crews waved him off so that he wouldn’t crash and block the runway. He went around another time and got another wave-off. Earnest later recalled, “I had one wounded man, and I was wounded, and I had a dead man. I took two wave-offs and the third time, I said the hell with it and came on in.” For successfully making a one-wheel landing and risking his life to save his wounded crewman, he was awarded a second Navy Cross. An examination of his plane revealed more than 70 shell and bullet holes, some so large that they were undoubtedly caused by more than one hit. It was his first combat mission. The other 15 planes from the squadron which had remained on the Hornet had also been launched from the carrier in a separate attack. All of them were shot down, as well, and one pilot survived. Out of a total of 48 men from Torpedo Squadron Eight who had been sent out that morning in both attacks, only three came back. The sacrifice made by these valiant men was not in vain: In making their low-level torpedo runs, they diverted the

“They were getting in each other’s way, trying to get at us,” Earnest said. 10

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

Two pieces commemorating Earnest and his story hang at VMI in Moody Hall. On the previous page and above are two views of a print by Craig Kodera titled “Only One Survived,” which depicts Earnest’s June 1942 mission. Shown at left is one of Earnest’s three Navy Cross awards, along with a photo of him and a brief description of his heroism.

Japanese fighters and anti-aircraft gunners which allowed Navy dive-bombers to make their attacks from high altitude, virtually unmolested. Four enemy carriers were sunk, and in assessing the battle’s importance, former Secretary of Defense James Schlesinger wrote that “it was more than a turning point in the Pacific War. In a strategic sense, it was a turning point in world history.” The Japanese empire, which in less than six months had killed or captured more than 500,000 allied soldiers and brought more than 150 million new subjects under its control, had rolled steadily eastward since December 7. However, its advance was irreversibly stopped at Midway, and from that point on until the end of the war in 1945, it was on the defensive. Following a couple of months to re-equip and train replacement personnel, the squadron was sent to support the Marines 2009-Issue 2

on Guadalcanal, where Earnest earned a third Navy Cross, thereby putting him in very select company – the Navy Cross is second only to the Medal of Honor, and only a handful of men have ever earned three awards. A native of Richmond, Virginia, Earnest retired from the Navy in 1972 with the rank of captain and lives in Virginia Beach. Sources: Navy Wings of Gold by F. Willard Robinson; River Park Press; ch. 15 Twenty-five Yards of War by Ronald B. Drez; Hyperion; 2003 Navy Cross Citations A Dawn Like Thunder – The True Story of Torpedo Squadron Eight by Robert Mrazek; Little, Brown & Company; 2008. 11

Rick Bryan ’72 Helps Cancer Patients Cope If Rick Bryan could bottle the secret to success, it’s likely he could make millions. After all, the 1972 VMI alumnus has enjoyed a successful stint in the U.S. Army and Army Reserve; a 20-year marketing career with consumer giants such as Proctor and Gamble (P&G), Totes Inc. and the Andrew Jergens Co.; and a rise in the ranks to mayor of Blue Ash, Ohio, where he lives with his wife, Linda. For years, juggling his military commitment, high-level corpoBryan at The Wellness Community main office in Blue Ash, Ohio. rate positions and service to his community were all in a day’s work for Bryan. In 2003, he decided it was time for something new. “With a job that took me all over the world two to three weeks support, education and hope has been highly rewarding. out of the month, I needed a change,” said Bryan. “My wife was The Wellness Community has benefited from Bryan’s Midas alone when our two girls went to college, and I wanted to be touch, as well. When he joined the organization, it was a nonhome. However, I didn’t have a plan.” profit in a financial down cycle. In nearly six years, it has gone Bryan decided to retire as general manager of Jergens’ inter- from losing money to having all debts paid off and enjoying national division that fall. He thought he’d take six months off sustainability into the future. to clear his head before pursuing a new direction, but a new job “The skills of entrepreneurship are different from the skills of found him first. An ad in the paper for executive direcongoing management, and The Wellness Community tor of The Wellness Community of Greater Cincinnati needed someone with my background,” he said. “What and Northern Kentucky piqued Bryan’s curiosity. The I give is heart and head, and I’m really enjoying it.” non-profit organization provides people affected by Looking back at his career, Bryan said he is gratecancer with programs and resources they need to ful that he attended VMI. He added that what he has maintain a high quality of life and to cope with this done professionally is quite different than what he life-threatening condition – all at no cost. anticipated as a student. “Several years before when I was on city council, “I was convinced in high school that I wanted a career The Wellness Community came before us with a zonas a military officer,” said the Rockford, Illinois, native. ing request, and it really sparked my interest in what “In fact, that’s why I chose to attend VMI. However, by this group was doing,” he said. “I threw my name in the end of my time at the Institute, I knew the active Bryan ’72 the hat and got the job. I literally got off a plane on duty military wouldn’t be a lifelong career for me.” Oct. 31 from my last Jergens’ trip and started with Having attended VMI on a four-year Army scholarThe Wellness Community on Nov. 3.” ship, Bryan served on active duty for five years in the Medical While he didn’t get a break between jobs, Bryan has never looked Service Corps. It was when he worked as the clinical laboratory back. The organization’s mission of helping cancer patients and officer at a Fort Sill, Oklahoma, Army hospital that he realized their loved ones through a professional program of emotional he enjoyed management. He went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in management while in the Army and a master’s degree as a civilian. Since he was recruited by P&G in 1979, he and his wife have lived in Cincinnati, where he continued to serve in the Army Reserve until retiring as a lieutenant colonel in 1993 and then got involved in local politics. “I count VMI as one of those truly remarkable things in my life,” said Bryan. “It taught me to be disciplined, to multitask and to be a citizen-soldier. When you put the academics and the military together, it’s an amazing experience, and it has allowed what I’ve done to be possible.” Bryan added that he feels quite lucky to have had a wonderful military experience, to have enjoyed professional success at the companies he’s served in Cincinnati and now to have found a new career with The Wellness Community. “Working for an organization that improves the quality of life for At their own class of ’72 mini reunion in October 2005 were, from left, J.R. and Cindy Bell, Rick and Linda people with cancer is special,” he said. “Every week we hear stories Bryan, and George and Rhea Kosovic. J.R. Bell provided of how we’ve made a difference, and at the end of the day, what life the VMI-colored leis for the group. is all about is making your part of the world a better place.” 12

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

Vicory ’74 Keeps Drinking Water Safe for Ohio River Valley

Vicory ’74

“I can think of nothing more valuable to human welfare than water, and working for ORSANCO has been my purpose in life.”

2009-Issue 2

Alan Vicory Jr. ’74 has spent most of his career as an engineer with ORSANCO in Cincinnati. He remembers not knowing much about the organization in 1979 when he met with its director, the father of Vicory’s Brother Rat Steve Weaver. The young engineer thought the meeting was informational by nature, when in fact he was being interviewed for a specific position on Weaver’s staff. He also didn’t realize that ORSANCO wasn’t a company but the acronym for Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission, an interstate agency that addresses water pollution throughout the Ohio River Valley. “I was intrigued by what Mr. Weaver had to say about one of the nation’s largest rivers, and I was happy to make the change from a consulting engineering firm,” said Vicory who has served as its executive director and chief engineer since 1987. “I can think of nothing more valuable to human welfare than water, and working for ORSANCO has been my purpose in life. I’ve enjoyed the people I’ve met and the places I’ve been around the world through this job, and to be in the middle of the debate about national policy has been fascinating.” ORSANCO was created in 1948 by the Ohio River Valley Water Compact with the approval of the U.S. Congress to control and abate pollution in the Ohio River Basin. The commission is comprised of the states of Illinois, Indiana, New York, Ohio and West Virginia, and the commonwealths of Kentucky, Pennsylvania and Virginia, and its programs include water quality monitoring and assessment, spill response and detection, setting Ohio River discharge pollution control standards, applied research, and public information and education. In short, Vicory and his staff of 26 are the watchdogs for the Ohio River Basin, and their roles are as complex as the river itself. “While the mission of ORSANCO is the same as it was when I joined the staff, the organization has changed the way it carries out that mission greatly. Now it is more proactive. It’s a well-traveled agency that balances the industrial uses with water supply, and we share that knowledge around the world.” A sea change event for Vicory and ORSANCO occurred shortly after he was named executive director. In January 1988, an oil tank failure near Pittsburgh sent 700,000 gallons of diesel fuel down the Monongahela River toward Cincinnati 500 miles away. The small commission was able to successfully coordinate efforts to manage the spill and set procedures in place for future disasters. “That crisis changed my life and my organization’s life,” said Vicory. “We didn’t have the internal capacity to react, and it was obvious the government didn’t know what to do. We got a barge operator to help us get on the river to track the oil plume and manage the situation, and in the end, no one’s water supply got compromised.” Vicory faced the challenge of bringing different constituencies together to save the day and learned how to deal with the media, as well. After ORSANCO’s efforts in the matter were complete, he billed the tank’s owner for containment efforts, and he used the money to buy ORSANCO’s first boat. While he knows ORSANCO can’t solve all problems of the Ohio River Basin, Vicory is pleased with the work the commission does, and he is proud that the Ohio River safely provides drinking water to the 3 million people in Cincinnati and those beyond. “Water quality improvement challenges are great,” said Vicory. “What we face today mainly are issues of cost and technology. To that end, we need to use the resources we have as efficiently as possible, and what we have been able to do with a staff of 27 is pretty amazing.” 13

Woolwine ’86 Helps Children Deal with Loss Roy Woolwine ’86 loves his job as director of development In 2008, Woolwine would become a fundraiser for the camp for a camp for grieving children, but the job came with a himself, drawing upon his personal experience as the father heavy price. His wife, Paige, lost of a camper and his professional her battle with brain cancer in experience in sales and market2007, and as the parent of a ing. It is in many ways a labor camper, he knows firsthand how of love, and he enjoys the opporbeneficial Comfort Zone Camp tunity to support the program, can be in the grief process. which opened a second location “I heard about Comfort Zone in New York following 9/11 and Camp when Paige and I lived now operates camps in Southin Atlanta,” said Woolwine. “Its ern California and the Boston co-founder and I played football area. A recent grant from the together, and he and his wife New York Life Foundation will told us about starting the camp. allow the camp to expand to five I never imagined I’d one day locations and increase its annual get to know the camp at such a capacity for campers from 800 personal level.” to 2,400 by 2010. Additionally, Woolwine and his wife had Comfort Zone Camp is planning come home to Richmond, Virto purchase a permanent site to ginia, before she was diagnosed serve the efforts in Richmond. with cancer. Their sons, Frank “Comfort Zone Camp has and Robert, were 7 and 4, remade such a difference for my spectively, when she died two family,” said Woolwine, who years ago. After many people plans for his son, Robert, 6, approached him about Comfort to join his brother at Comfort Zone Camp following Paige’s Zone Camp this fall. “I’ve never death, Woolwine picked up the met a more dedicated group phone to find out how to send of volunteers, and being with Frank to Comfort Zone Camp, the campers is great for them, Roy Woolwine with sons Frank, right, and Robert. which is based in Richmond. too. A lot of VMI alumni have Founded by Lynne and Kelly volunteered at the camp, and Hughes in 1998, Comfort Zone is a nonprofit, bereaveI’d love more to benefit from the experience, because once ment camp for children between the ages of 7 and 17 who you go to camp, you’re hooked.” have lost a parent, sibling or primary caregiver. There is His connection with Comfort Zone Camp has helped him no cost to attend the camp, and it provides participants deal with his own grief and so have his friends and family, with a safe, nurturing environment where they can have where the VMI connections run deep. His father, Dr. Samuel traditional camp fun while acquiring the tools to help Woolwine, graduated from the Institute in 1958; brothers them cope with their loss. During the multi-day program, Samuel Woolwine, 1981, and Lt. Col. Scott Woolwine, 1983; campers are paired with a volunteer buddy who is trained his uncle, Lt. Col. David Woolwine, 1955; and his cousins, Dave to provide emotional support and guide them through Woolwine Jr., 1977 and Steve Woolwine, 1984. He credits the healing activities. support of several of his Brother Rats and high school classFrank Woolwine was reluctant to attend the camp in 2007, mates for helping him cope with his wife’s loss, too. but he loved his 18-year-old camp buddy, had a great experience “Looking back on when I first heard of Comfort Zone Camp, and began to grieve the loss of his mother in a healthier way. I remember wanting to volunteer, but I never did,” said Wool“Frankie was a different kid when I picked him up at wine. “Now that I know the camp, I see what a great place camp that Sunday,” said Woolwine. “He talked the whole it is, and I’m certain VMI cadets and alumni would make way home. In fact, a year later, he was asked to speak at a excellent volunteers.” gala fundraiser for the camp, where he got up in front of 700 people and talked for six minutes about his experience To learn more about Comfort Zone Camp, visit at the camp.” www.comfortzonecamp.org.

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

Way ’05 and Meredith ’07 Make an Impact Through Teach For America Since it was founded nearly 20 years ago, Teach for America (TFA) has become one of the biggest players in educational reform, attracting more than 24,000 applicants for 3,700 positions in 2008. In fact, Business Week magazine ranked TFA 11 out of 119 employers that are best for entry-level workers in its 2008 Best Places to Launch a Career survey. While Teach For America was not designed to fix all that ails the education system in America, it does aim to help eliminate educational inequity by enlisting promising future leaders of all majors and career interests to commit two years to teach in more than 1,600 of the nation’s poorest urban and rural schools in 29 regions across the country. The short-term goal for TFA teachers is to make an impact in the neediest classrooms. The hope is that whether or not they remain in education, they will help affect great change in the education system in the long term. While the competition to be selected for a TFA position is tough, both VMI cadets who applied for the program were accepted. Lawton Way ’05 taught 10thand 11th-grade English in Indianola, Mississippi, from 2005 to 2007, and Rich Meredith ’07, is in his second year of teaching 7th-grade pre-algebra and math in Greenville, Mississippi. Both former cadets are grateful for their TFA experiences and attribute their success in part to the lessons they learned about leadership at the Institute. Lawton Way A native of Richmond, Virginia, Way knew he wanted Lawton Way ’05, right, and Rich Meredith ’07, left, joined to pursue a job in public service when he graduated author Donna Foote at VMI in late 2008 in a panel from VMI, and he was drawn to TFA’s mission of elimidiscussion of her book about Teach for America. Foote nating the achievement gap between poor and affluent spent a year observing recruits for Teach for America and reported on her findings in her book, Relentless Pursuit. students. Teaching English was quite a challenge for The program was part of VMI’s Institute Honors Program the young citizen soldier, who introduced his highest and Academic Speaker Series. achieving students to the works of William Faulkner while using elementary materials with students just beginning to read. “The best part of TFA is witnessing the efforts of a group of intelligent, like-minded young adults working toward such a noble and worthwhile goal,” said Way. “The worst experiences were whenever I was unable to effectively motivate my students. Although my students faced numerous distractions outside of my class, in my room, I was in charge; any failures there, I felt, were reflections of my own weaknesses.” Despite the challenges he faced, Way is proud of the work he accomplished in the Delta and knows he made great strides with some of his students. It was an eye-opening experience for someone who is used to excelling in the classroom and who, along with other VMI cadets, had the opportunity to achieve great success and the focus to become an accomplished leader. 2009-Issue 2

may continue to teach in the Delta for a while following his current assignment. “Connecting with kids and being a positive male role model in their lives has been great,” said Meredith. “I also really enjoyed teaching summer school in a juvenile detention center down here. The experience forces you to examine the type of person you are or strive to be, and I believe it has changed my life in a positive way.” Like Way, Meredith has found his VMI experience to be quite helpful in his role as a teacher. “Unlike my TFA colleagues from Harvard, Stanford and University of Pennsylvania, I have been able to use skills I learned at VMI to make me more successful in the classroom,” Lawton Way, right, answering questions about Teach for America. said Meredith. “I have drawn on the use of the chain of command, performing “VMI provides everyone with leadership opportunities. So, like under pressure in a stressful environment and the general it or not, at some point you are in charge of a group,” said Way. management of people. At VMI, I was on the General Com“These previous opportunities to lead and manage people truly mittee, served as a cadet captain and was a platoon leader for helped me as a teacher. Also, I felt that I was better at managing Rat Challenge – all of these experiences have helped me as a stress than many of my fellow TFA teachers. While they saw this teacher in the Delta.” Currently Meredith is exploring the possibility of working for experience as the most stressful they had ever encountered, it a non-profit organization that provides business loans to those seemed somewhat routine after the rigors of VMI.” who do not have access to credit or teaching business classes at Way left the classroom in the Delta to become a student hima charter school in the area. No matter what path he follows, self. He currently is a second-year law student at the College of he feels certain that advocating for schools like the ones he’s William and Mary but has not forgotten the needs of his former in now will be part of his future. students and many like them who do not have the tools they “TFA teachers must affect change in the communities need to achieve success easily. they work in order to help close the ‘achievement gap,’” “It is impossible to spend two years in such poor schools and said Meredith. “That’s the first goal of TFA. Secondly, if not continue to think about TFA’s goal of closing the achieveTFA is to be successful, the program must influence TFA ment gap,” he said. “Additionally, many of the friends I made teachers in a way that compels them to be advocates for while working in the Delta continue to teach in poor school education reform once their two-year commitment is up.” districts. Their continued efforts are constant reminders of the importance of TFA’s goal.” Following graduation from William and Mary, Way intends to return to Richmond to practice law, and while he’s not sure yet what legal path he will follow, he knows he will continue to support the mission of TFA. Rich Meredith A job with Teach For America certainly wasn’t the image Meredith had of life after VMI when he came to the Institute. A fast-track position at a Wall Street firm was more in line with the Norfolk, Virginia, native’s goals, but the Institute’s emphasis on leadership and service made a great impact and compelled him to give TFA a look. While Meredith likely will go the M.B.A. route followed by a career in business, he has discovered a passion for teaching and 16

Rich Meredith, left, speaking with a cadet who attended the panel discussion.

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

B omb Dedications

or many years, I have noted with interest the individual to whom each Bomb is dedicated. These dedications indicate people who the cadets chose to thank for their influence on particular classes and on the history of the Institute. Listed below are Bomb dedications from the years 1978-2008. Dedications from previous years appeared in the last several issues of the Alumni Review. Below, I have listed the person’s name in capital letters, along with the words used by cadets in each dedication, and then, in parentheses and in italics, my words that describe the individual’s role at VMI. This is the final installment of dedications, since we have reached the 2008 dedication from the last Bomb published, as of this writing. Thomas W. Davis ’64 Professor of History Emeritus Historian, The VMI Alumni Association

1978: To COLONEL WILLIAM J. BUCHANAN The class of 1978 would like to dedicate this publication to former Commandant Col. William J. Buchanan. To give a brief history of Col. Buchanan would be appropriate, for we do not have the space to list all the accomplishments of this great man. Col. Buchanan is a graduate of the Virginia Military Institute, class of 1950B. During his cadetship, the colonel was vice president of his class, vice president of the Honor Court, First Captain and graduated academically distinguished. He was the recipient of the highly prized Cincinnati Medal. During his military career, Col. Buchanan served with the United States Marine Corps. After graduating from VMI, he was commissioned in the U.S. Army. He attended the National War College and the Army’s Command and General Staff College, and he served two tours in Vietnam. Col. Buchanan returned to VMI as the commandant of cadets, a position he held for five years. During that time, he worked closely with the class officers and with the rest of the Corps. The betterment of the Corps and the Institute were his foremost thoughts. This can be easily seen. Col. Buchanan, we dedicate the following pages to you. You inspired us, molded us and gave us credit when it was due. Through your work, we, the classes that were fortunate enough to know you, became fine men – the kind of men the Institute is proud to call her sons. Sir, the old cliché, “You never know how much someone means to you until they are no longer there,” is true. We miss you very much and can only hope that life gives those things you truly want. Col. Buchanan, we salute you, and we thank you for what you have done for us. (Col. Buchanan, class of 1950B, served as VMI’s commandant of cadets from 1972-77 and director of Admissions from 1977-87. During his active duty Army career, he was awarded the Silver Star, the Legion of Merit (4) and the Distinguished Flying Cross.) 1979: To COLONEL HERBERT NASH DILLARD ’34 The class of 1979 will be the last class touched by “Dodo” Dillard, the man. We mourn not that he is gone but that those who 2009-Issue 2

follow us will not be inspired, as we were, by his genius. A plaque, representing a passing remembrance on an otherwise cold wall, is all the honor most men hope for. We, in the class of 1979, will take a part of Dodo with us; he will live on through us, wherever we go. Every member and friend, every sincere and open mind can look to what Dodo was and what he stood for, with admiration and love. May we follow his lead and never forget, as he never forgot, that we, too, were once cadets. We hereby dedicate the 1979 VMI Bomb to Col. Herbert Nash Dillard Jr., that his vibrant spirit, his undying dream, his unparalleled example, may live and continue to touch the lives of those who follow. (Col. Dillard graduated from VMI in 1934 and earned his M.A. and Ph.D. degrees from Harvard University. He began his teaching career at VMI in 1938 and later served on active duty with the Navy during World War II. The much-beloved Dodo Dillard was a highly admired and respected teacher in the English Department, directed the Glee Club and often took cadets to Europe during the summer. He also was a department head from 1955-63. He died while teaching cadets in his Scott Shipp Hall classroom on Sat. morning, Jan. 31, 1976.) 1980: To FOUR BROTHER RATS AND ONE UPPERCLASSMAN The 1980 Bomb is dedicated to our Brother Rats who died in the spring of 1977: Peter W. Barrow, Robert B. Shelley, Michael L. Collier and Michael E. Burch. Their memory is our inspiration. (Cadets Barrow, Shelley and Collier died in a tragic car accident while returning from Goshen Pass. Earlier that year, their Brother Rat Burch drowned in the VMI swimming pool. The dedication includes Kerry W. Keech ’77, who also died in the car crash along with the three fourth classmen.) 1981: To HAROLD A. WILLCOCKSON The class of 1981 would like to dedicate this edition of the Bomb to Capt. Harold A. Willcockson, deputy commandant of VMI. Captain Willcockson came to VMI in 1977 after serving over 28 years in the U.S. Army. A summary of all the accomplish17

ments that marked this distinguished career, which spanned nearly three decades and two wars, would be inappropriate here, since the space provided would in no way be adequate. Much has been written about leadership by example. This being the case, every cadet can profit by the example of this sincere and dedicated man. Thank you, Capt. Willcockson, for caring enough to give your very best. (Capt. Willcockson was VMI’s deputy commandant from 1977-91 and was highly respected by cadets.) 1982: To COACH THALMAN AND THE 1981-82 FOOTBALL TEAM To quote a phrase, a group of Keydets got the Army mule and “a gritty VMI football team got Army’s goat.” The 1981-82 football squad won games that no one thought they would – no one except the Corps, the team and Coach Thalman. The team won after suffering numerous injuries losing key players and being told they couldn’t. Despite these obstacles, optimism prevailed – Coach Thalman’s optimism. The enthusiasm infected the team, the Corps, indeed everyone who was connected with the squad. Few cadets will ever forget the joy associated with the West Point, Citadel and especially the Tech game. In the freezing temperatures, the Keydets proved undoubtedly that they were winners. For the best football season we’ve known, the Corps humbly bows its head to the team; thank you. To Coach Thalman, thank you. (Bob Thalman was VMI’s head football coach for 14 seasons from 1971-84. His teams won two Southern Conference championships in 1974 and 1977. Many fans remember well the 1981 season, when VMI defeated Army, William and Mary, The Citadel, Marshall University and Virginia Tech. Coach Thalman is a member of the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame, the VMI Sports Hall of Fame and the Hampden-Sydney Sports Hall of Fame.) 1983 and 1984: No dedications 1985: To MAJOR GENERAL JAMES M. MORGAN, Jr. Maj. Gen. James M. Morgan Jr. graduated from VMI in March 1946, with a B.S. degree in civil engineering. At graduation, he received the two highest awards given by the Institute to a cadet: the Jackson-Hope Medal, for highest academic attainment in the graduating class, and the Cincinnati Medal, VMI’s top award from the faculty for leadership and all-around excellence as a cadet. Joining the faculty in 1946, he ably demonstrated the successful teacher’s ability to stimulate the interests of his students. As dean of the faculty from 1965-84, he has guided VMI’s academic program surely and firmly along the route of continuing advancement, upholding the proven methods of the past but always alert to the challenges of the future. (Gen. Morgan, class of 1945, has the rare distinction of having two Bombs dedicated to him, the first being in 1966. He served in World War II and obtained his Ph.D. degree from Johns Hopkins University. Morgan was the head of the Civil Engineering Department and then dean of the faculty from 1965-84. He also published two books on VMI history, one containing biographies of all recipients of VMI’s Jackson-Hope 18

and Cincinnati medals and one covering the era of horses at VMI. Morgan Hall, an annex to Nichols Engineering Hall, is dedicated to Gen. Morgan.) 1986-95: No dedications 1996: To COLONEL ROYCE JONES This year’s Bomb is dedicated to the memory of Col. Royce Jones, former director of Cadet Affairs. No words could do his name justice, for he was a man above words – a man of action, counsel and compassion. He truly loved cadets and would do anything to assist them at VMI. There were times when it seemed that Col. Jones was the only administrator on a cadet’s side. Getting ridiculous bones scratched were only some of the things he could do to help a cadet in need. When administrators claimed they were for the betterment of the Corps, Col. Jones was the only one who backed up his talk. We will sorely miss Col. Jones. (Royce Jones graduated from VMI in 1955 with a biology degree and served as director of Cadet Affairs from 1980-95. There is a plaque in his honor located on the stoops in Old Barracks.) 1997-2001: No dedications 2002: To THE CLASS OF 2002 2003: No dedication 2004: To MAJOR TIMOTHY DOWLING There has perhaps been no greater friend to cadet publications during my cadetship than Maj. Timothy Dowling. During most of my tenure as an editor for the Cadet and the Bomb, we have been basically without a real advisor, but Maj. Dowling on numerous occasions stepped in to help us. He volunteered to stay up for countless hours on Thursday nights with the Cadet staff my third class and second class year, and finally after years of lobbying by both the Cadet and the Bomb’s leadership, was officially installed as the cadet publications advisor at the end of this year. Maj. Dowling does bring a journalism background to the job, but his best asset may be the quick understanding he developed of VMI and its cadets. Sure, some cadets complain because he confiscated their cell phone while on OC duty, or he gave them an F on the research paper they wrote the night before, but those cadets lucky enough to really know him see him as a kindred spirit. We are victims of the same machine – it puts us on confinement and underpays him. We can’t get away to visit our girlfriends, and his wife is working far away. We complain, and he complains. Some professors are content to languish in their offices and classrooms and keep out of cadet’s non-academic life. They do not embrace VMI. Maj. Dowling has most certainly embraced VMI. He has been a TAC for his three years here and has always been fair, though by no means easy. He has come through in a VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

pinch, sometimes at the last minute, to be the advisor for cadet trips like the Cadet Program Board’s ski trip or the Model Arab League trip to D.C. In the classroom, he is the apotheosis of erudition. He challenges cadets and never “dumbs down” the curriculum, which makes him one of the toughest professors in the History Department. He goes much further than any professor has to, and this all too often goes unrecognized. It is with great pride that I dedicate the 2004 Bomb to Maj. Timothy Dowling for his years of service and friendship. (Timothy Dowling earned his Ph.D. degree in modern European history at Tulane University and began his teaching career at VMI in 2001. Currently an associate professor, he offers courses in German history, Eastern European history and world history. He has served as a tactical officer in Barracks and as an advisor to cadet publications.) 2005: To THE TROOPS OVERSEAS To COLONEL JOHN BRODIE Unfortunately, during the four years of our cadetship, most of the Corps only knew Col. Brodie as the band director. Many cadets will therefore likely believe that I chose to dedicate this Bomb to Col. Brodie only because he is the band director. However, those of you who fall into either category could not be further from the truth. Those lucky enough to have had the opportunity to get to know “The Brodemeister” have learned how much Col. Brodie cares about VMI and about cadets in general. He spends countless hours helping and defending cadets while always fighting for our privileges, revealing why cadets will do whatever Col. Brodie asks of us without complaining – no simple feat at VMI. First classmen may have heard most of the stories and jokes at least four times by graduation (sorry, sir), but even on those days that VMI wants no one to enjoy, everyone at least smiles after running into Col. Brodie. So, Col. Brodie, thank you for giving us the maximum amount of haydowns the commandant allowed, watching out for the boys and girls that we were when you met us for the first time during Hell Week and standing up for cadets when others would not. Since VMI often takes much of your efforts and hard work for granted, the 2006 Bomb is dedicated to you as a final thank you for all your help and inspiration over the past four years. (Col. Brodie served in the U.S. Marine Corps for four years before being named VMI’s band director in 1988. Under his supervision, the VMI Band has grown significantly in size and now includes a group of drummers and bagpipers. He has taken the band to the Mardi Gras Parade in New Orleans, the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in New York City and the Rose Bowl Parade in Pasadena. He has also taken parts of the band to Europe, and he directs the VMI Glee Club. While at VMI, he earned his Ph.D. degree at Catholic University.) 2007: To THE KEYDET COACHES, DUGGAR BAUCOM AND JIM REID “… if we play hard, play together and believe in each other, winning is possible here. … I think we did learn how to win this 2009-Issue 2

year.” Coach Baucom on his return from VMI’s first conference final since 1988. These coaches both did something radical this year, and both of them brought inspiration to the Corps. Reid’s radical idea was to incorporate the team into the Corps as often as he could, ensuring Rats had enough time with cadre, selling the military environment to the team and recruiting from among us in the mess hall. Baucom risked a lot on the distinctive VMI offense that gained attention nationwide, as VMI became the leader in many offensive measures. The Corps has become accustomed to the trips that it takes twice a year to away games, but never had I imagined hundreds of cadets taking trips on their own initiative to West Point and Rock Hill, SC. Not only did these cadets travel, but the ones who stayed behind fervently watched the games in the mess hall. It began to look like every other weekend was either a Corps trip or superbowl party around the big screen. Even after the season has been over for months, Reid continues to inspire the Corps. He never has to say or really do anything, except stand there. For every BRC that I can remember, I have seen him faithfully standing there at JM Hall watching us march down. It’s this attitude that everyone can appreciate: the attitude of the professor who becomes a TAC, the willing staff member who sponsors a cadet activity and the coach who will stand through Monday morning inspection. It’s this caring and enthusiasm that easily allowed me to dedicate the 2007 Bomb to these superb leaders. (Jim Reid coached the VMI football team for two seasons in 2006-07. Now in his fourth year as VMI’s head basketball coach, Duggar Baucom has guided his players to the point where the team has been among the nation’s leaders in several categories, such as most points scored for a season, most steals and most three-point baskets. One of his players, Reggie Williams, led the nation in scoring for two years in 2007-08.) 2008: To THE HEROES SERVING IN THE MILITARY Many of our officers and Brother Rats here at VMI have served the country during times of war and have earned the utmost respect from those of us still here in Barracks. The loss of First Sgt. Mercardante remains fresh in the minds of those who knew him. He was an Honorary Brother Rat to the class of 2007 and a highly respected and loved man and soldier. The greatest thanks are owed to him, his family and those following in his footsteps while our nation is at war. The 2008 Bomb is dedicated to those serving and sacrificing everything for the honor and defense of our country. Without these heroes, we would not have the freedoms and security in which we live. (First Sgt. Luke J. Mercardante taught courses for VMI’s Navy ROTC Department from 2003-05. Being named an “Honorary Brother Rat” by the class of 2007 is a sign of the cadets’ high esteem for him. First Sgt. Mercardante was killed while on active duty in Afghanistan in April 2008.)

ASSOCIATION NEWS ASSOCIATION NEWS

New Cadet Recruiting 2008

Highlights and Awards by Robert Crumpler ’07, New Cadet Recruiting Coordinator

Fall 2008 New Cadet Recruiting Reception Season Results

Capt. Jackie Tugman ’02, left, with prospect and parents.

The fall 2008 Alumni Association New Cadet Recruiting (NCR) reception season was a great success, thanks to the hard work of Alumni Association members, the VMI Admissions Office, and the VMI Communications and Marketing team. The numbers below reflect total attendance at some of the most notable events: Location

Alumni

Prospects

Total

Roanoke, VA

Lynchburg, VA

Atlanta, GA

111

Charlotte, NC

Raleigh, NC

109

Baltimore, MD

Philadelphia/NJ

Herndon, VA

129

Williamsburg, VA

Fredericksburg, VA

Springfield, VA

147

Norfolk, VA

190

Overland Park, KS

Dallas, TX

18 183

57 558

177 1746

Richmond, VA Total for all events

Capt. Robert Trent ’99, USA, left, and Robert Crumpler ’07.

The largest event was the Tidewater Chapter recruiting reception in Norfolk, which 190 prospective cadets and alumni attended. The NCR team was proud of the hard work from members such as Bob Heely ’69 and Joel Andrus ’04 who helped with reception organization and communication. The event was held at Nauticus, and VMI’s own mayor of Norfolk, Paul Fraim ’71, provided the opening remarks for the evening. Though the largest overall turnout was in Norfolk, two events in northern Virginia proved to be the largest prospective cadet producers in the 2008 season. When combined, the events netted 96 recruits, with almost 20 alumni in attendance at each one. Congratulations to the Potomac River and George C. Marshall Chapters for orchestrating these events, which would not have been possible without the help of Doug Warner ’03 and Randolph Blanks ’67, who coordinated locations and logistics. The total number of recruits for the season – 558 – broke the 2007 record of 546. Also, the NCR team’s efforts set all-time highs in the number of prospective cadet sign-ups and responses received based on the Alumni Association’s mailings. Again, these results reflect the effort your NCR team has put forth so far this year. Let’s finish the final few months of recruiting on the same positive note! Editor’s Note: In the “Total” column, the number consists of alumni, prospects, parents and staff.

Edward Desch ’10, left, with his brother and friend, both prospects.

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

ASSOCIATION NEWS 2008 New Cadet Recruiter of the Year: David Sutherland ’73

From left: Maj. Neil Whitmore ’90, Sutherland ’73 and Robert Crumpler ’07.

David Sutherland’s continued hard work on the recruiting trail has been a great asset to the New Cadet Recruiting Team for over a decade. He regularly goes out of his way to meet with prospective cadets in locations that are hours away, guidance counselors from nearby high schools and almost all recruiting events within his travel reach. The NCR Team thanks Dave for his years of passionate dedication to VMI!

2008 New Cadet Recruiting Chapter of the Year: Atlanta

New Cadet Recruiting Even in a world of change, some things never change. Society will always need educated and honorable men and women. And men and women will always need to lead lives of meaning and usefulness to others. Since 1839, the Virginia Military Institute has shaped leaders whose lives reflect integrity, fairness and appreciation for the value of work that is instilled here. This sense of mission is the foundation of VMI’s traditions, teaching and administration. It is alive in each cadet from the youngest Rat to the First Captain. Their pursuits – marked by words such as Honor, Character and Wisdom – may seem romantic, even archaic, but they are, in fact, timeless and never needed more than now. Your Alumni Association created the New Cadet Recruiting program to help prospective cadets, their parents, high school counselors and teachers to more fully understand the value of a VMI education and our citizen-soldier philosophy. To get involved, call 800/444-1839.

For many years, the Atlanta Chapter has put forth a devoted effort to recruit some of the finest young men and women. The chapter’s hard work paid off again this year, as Atlanta hosted the fall’s largest out-of-state recruiting reception. Also, Atlanta has started an annual spring Yield Party, which was created for appointed applicants to be shown the benefits of the VMI experience by alumni. Major contributors to the strong effort this year include Heidi Nagel ’02, David Nagel ’01, Paul Holland ’90 and Brady Daniels ’01. The NCR Team thanks the entire Atlanta Chapter for its hard work and for holding such a successful NCR reception! For information about New Cadet Recruiting or to offer your assistance, please contact: Robert Crumpler ’07 New Cadet Recruiting Coordinator The VMI Alumni Association Office: 800/444-1839 Ext. 201 Cell: 540/570-1809 Fax: 540/464-1011 E-mail: rcrumpler@vmiaa.org

2009-Issue 2

ASSOCIATION NEWS

VMI Club of Richmond Annual Dinner

On Dec. 10, 2008, the VMI Club of Richmond gathered at the Commonwealth Club for their Annual Dinner. Using a creative format, the club hosted a panel of leaders who were led in a discussion by Richmond TimesDispatch writer Tom Silvestri. The panel (above) was made up of Tom Slater ’66, attorney and current president of the VMI Board of Visitors; Maj. Gen. Robert Newman Jr. ’73, the adjutant general of Virginia; G. Gilmer Minor ’63, president of Owens & Minor; Col. James Hickey ’82, USA, former brigade commander; and Patrick Farrell ’86, CEO of Henrico Doctors’ Hospital. Hugh Gouldthorpe ’61 (at left, top) book author and lead consultant for the Owens & Minor Corporation, introduced the panelists. The panel responded to questions created by both the moderator and audience members. Panelists were asked to comment on current economic conditions, as well as the leadership experience and attributes that are needed in challenging times. Each of the panelists represented a different portion of industry, including health, business, law and government at both state and federal levels. Their perspective on the value of the VMI experience brought smiles and new insights to a group of more than 140 alumni at this chapter gathering. Chris Authier ’06 assisted Chapter President James (Rusty) Smith ’93 (at left, center) in organizing the event.

A Regimental Muster (above): Alumni at the 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team’s Regimental Muster which took place in November 2008.

Rappahannock Chapter Mixer (left): Chapter members gathered for a Christmas mixer on Dec. 18, 2008, at the home of Connie and Jones Felvey ’50B. Photo submitted by Rich Duke ’90.

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

ASSOCIATION NEWS

Potomac River Chapter On Nov. 12, 2008, the Potomac River and George C. Marshall Chapters met to celebrate Founders Day in Clifton, Virginia. The guest speaker for the evening was Bill Stephens ’73, president of the VMI Keydet Club. His presentation included a highlight video of VMI athletics, as well as information about the Keydet Club’s 75th Anniversary and their fundraising efforts in recognizing this important milestone.

Above: From left, Barry Coceano ’84, Randolph Williams ’66, Pricilla Knight, Bland Massie ’77 and Billy Stephens ’73, president of the VMI Keydet Club.

Left: From left, VMI Alumni Association Executive Vice President Adam Volant ’88; Sean Boyle ’91, president of the Marshall Chapter, and his wife, Amy; and Joe Pittman ’90, vice president of the Marshall Chapter.

From left: Joe Blanks ’94, president of the Potomac River Chapter; Sean Boyle; Billy Stephens; and Joe Pittman.

2009-Issue 2

ASSOCIATION NEWS

Texas Chapters Host Superintendent On Jan. 8 and 9, 2009, the alumni chapters in Dallas and Houston hosted receptions for Gen. J.H. Binford Peay III â&#x20AC;&#x2122;62, superintendent (at left in the top right photo), as he traveled to meet with chapter members. During the receptions, Gen. Peay provided an update on Vision 2039 and the current progress of leadership programs at VMI. Forty alumni and guests attended the Dallas reception, and 57 attended the Houston reception.

You Can Now Advertise in the VMI Alumni Review! Starting with the next Alumni Review (2009-Issue 3), we will begin to run paid advertisements in this publication, which is mailed to approximately 19,000 alumni and friends of the Institute. The decision to run ads is based upon results from our recent reader survey (see page 38 of 2009-Issue 1) in which 70% of respondents said they would not object to advertising, noting that

most similar publications include ads, as did the Review in earlier years. If you wish to place an ad in the Review, please send your request via e-mail to review@vmiaa.org. We will respond with information about pricing, availability and print/design requirements. Space is limited, and ads will be placed on a firstcome, first-served basis. So, get your requests in soon!

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

ASSOCIATION NEWS

Lynchburg Chapter Hosts Third Annual Valentine’s Day Hop Jan. 31, 2009 Boonsboro Country Club Photos submitted by Karen and Dennis Kocik ’77.

2009-Issue 2

ASSOCIATION NEWS

Norfolk Chapter

The Norfolk Chapter held their annual party in 2008 at the Ocean View Fishing Pier in Norfolk, Virginia. Approximately 125 people attended. According to Douglas Burdett ’82, Norfolk Chapter president and Hampton Roads regional director, a repeat performance is scheduled for the same location on Saturday, May 16, 2009.

Photos at right, from left: Col. Edward Holt Jr. ’46; Paul Fraim ’71, a member of the VMI Board of Visitors and the mayor of Norfolk, who addressed the group; and John Colonna ’79, M.D., who is a direct descendant of a New Market cadet. Photos below, from left: Douglas Burdett’s daughter, Emma, who helped her dad with the raffle tickets by announcing the winning numbers; Senator Ralph Northam ’81, who addressed the group; and event organizer Douglas Burdett ’82, who introduced the speakers, Fraim and Northam. Burdett noted that Northam was his cadre corporal.

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

ASSOCIATION NEWS

Annual Party

Photo below: Members of the #1 club.

Photo above: The class of 1980 had the best attendance, including, from left, V. Dunn, Tom Bersson, Dixon Tucker, Andrew Brown, Bob White and Josh Priest.

2009-Issue 2

Photo above: Representing the class of â&#x20AC;&#x2122;81 were, from left, Ed Brown, Ralph Northam, Rob Costello and Mark Kanter.

CLASSNOTES NOTES CLASS

’33

There is no class agent for the class of 1933.

Editor’s Note: The Alumni Association has learned of the death of Frances Gifford Taylor, widow of your BR, A. Brooke Taylor Jr., in Virginia Beach, Virginia, on Feb. 21, 2009, at the age of 91. Mrs. Taylor was a loyal supporter of the Institute. She raised four sons, three of whom went to VMI. They are Ashby B. Taylor III ’61, M.D., Marshall C. Taylor ’66, M.D., Tazewell G. Taylor ’70 and John Taylor. In addition, two of her 12 grandchildren – Marshall Carney Taylor ’92 and Bruce Selden Taylor ’00, who are the sons of Marshall Taylor – also went to VMI.

’35

Jim Sherman

Indeed, 2008 was a most unforgettable year, considering the roller coaster stock market ride and the intense presidential campaign, culminating in the election of Barak Obama, followed by the moving pageantry of Jan. 20th, his swearing in and stirring address to the nation. I know that our hearts skipped a beat when he and Michelle left the protection of their heavily armored limousine and walked hand in hand to the delight of the wildly approving crowd. And later I watched with pride as the VMI Corps with fixed bayonets and looking so very smart, passed in review as President Obama watched approvingly and Michelle applauded each battalion. And I agree, the parade organizers saved the best for last! As for Christmas, my sincere thanks for the cheerful cards and messages I received from Sister Rats and other family members – it’s always good to hear from you. With her card, Dora Williams enclosed a clipping from the Dec. 7, 2008, edition of the Richmond Times Dispatch (Sunday) concerning the effectiveness of lobbyists, and I quote the first paragraph: “Today would have been Ernest H. ‘Judge’ Williams Jr.’s 94th birthday. The famed lobbyist, who died in 2003, had a keen appreciation for

a bottom line tenet of his craft: “There’s a difference between being friends and being friendly.” I think we will all agree that “Judge” found his niche. When I called Dora quite recently, I found her in the Cedarfield Health Center where she had been for the past two weeks in consequence of a fall in her apartment, in view of which they were working with her in using a walker in the interest of restoring her balance. Also, she was on the “tail end” of a stomach virus that had affected other residents as well. I had a difficult time locating George Freeman who, when I spoke with him last Nov., was in hospital recovering from a serious infection caused by the inadvertent swallowing of a “freshener” present in a bottle of pills. And now in late January I learned that he was in the infirmary at Atlantic Shores. I could not reach him by phone as he is very hard of hearing and sleeps a great deal, I am told. Eventually I found wife Clelia at home in their apartment and she, as I had expected, is not a happy camper. As I understand it, George’s lengthy recovery from the infection requiring bed confinement, left him quite weak and unable to walk, so his current physical therapy treatment is designed to strengthen him and his legs. Clelia has her own physical deficiencies and finds living alone quite depressing. Like to help? Send a card to Lt. Col. & Mrs. George C. Freeman, 985 Fleet Dr., VA Beach, VA 23454-7380. Leonard Todd and wife Didda have reached a win, win solution. Heretofore, he has been bonded to a walker, by and large, requiring her full time support. Now he employs a caretaker three days/week, providing Didda three days of freedom to do what she wishes – a cheer went up in the background as the subject was mentioned. And they go out to dine frequently,

see friends and visit his club. Leonard was further encouraged that on the previous day he had walked across the room unassisted and without the help of walker or cane. I don’t know how the subject came up, but Leonard said that Joel Poinsett was the man who brought the poinsettia plant to South Carolina – sounds reasonable. St John Arnold remains in Harborway, the assisted living facility of Atlantic Shores in Virginia Beach, Virginia. His troublesome left knee, injured in the course of the Korean War, is painful and now affected by arthritis, causing some sleepless nights. He gets around with the aid of a walker when leaving his room and is favorably impressed with the food served in the dining room. Saint remains most concerned about son Tom who has not as yet recovered from recent surgery. And then I called Bob Evans in New Haven to learn he was not too well, having experienced a seizure recently, an affliction he has experienced infrequently from age 75. On the positive side, he had spent a lovely Christmas holiday in Boca Grande, Florida, with his significant other, Ruth Lord, enjoying splendid weather and making it less than appealing to return to the wintry conditions in Connecticut. But then he does have a commitment at the Yale Child Study Center. And then to my surprise, Bob Little advised that he had been hospitalized with a seizure about three months ago but was now living a normal life and back at his exercise routine. He has a daughter in nearby Phoenix who he sees frequently, a son in California who visits every few weeks and another son in Miami with American Airlines who flies over monthly. And to round things out, he has a stepdaughter in North Carolina who calls

The VMI Bookstore Looking around for just the right gift? Outgrown your old VMI sweatshirt? Address: Manager, VMI Keydet Bookstore, 200 Lejeune, Lexington VA 24450 Phone: 540/464-7637

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES monthly, so he is never out of the picture. I find it refreshing, talking with a good friend who thoroughly enjoyed his working career, and Bob is such a person. He was commissioned in the Marine Corps upon graduation from VMI, spent his first year at basic school in Philadelphia, his second year confined to sea duty on a cruiser and then his chosen flying branch of the Marines at Pensacola in 1937. Col. J. Roberts Little Jr. retired from the Marine Corps in 1961, after 26 years of active service – a most satisfying career. I remain very concerned about Al Snapp whom I talked with in late January. He acknowledged he was not up to par, was recently in hospital for three weeks with a bladder infection, had seen his doctor lately and was “on all kinds of pills.” As I understood, he was spending a lot of time in bed, had been going downhill for quite a while and had gone through a similar period not long ago. Thankfully, daughter Linda is living with him and taking care of him. I will be checking on Al and fervently hope he will regain his health. Recalling old times with Ed Arnold in Houston, he remembers lining up outside JM Hall to matriculate, and his recollection is that 279 of us matriculated and 129 graduated – I’ll accept that, as I haven’t time to research it. He added, “We entered college at the right time, due to the recession and lack of jobs,” and that was indeed the case. Ed said he was getting on well but our conversation ended abruptly when he smelled burning toast in the kitchen! I was not surprised when I learned from our Senator Harry Byrd that he wisely declined an invitation and watched the Presidential Inauguration on TV in the comfort of his home. He was favorably impressed with the cabinet and staff appointments made by the new president and fervently hopes the huge sums approved by Congress will be invested wisely in rebuilding our economy. The conversation turned to our Rat year, Harry recalling our visit to Charlottesville on Oct. 19th to help dedicate UVa’s new Scott Stadium, and after beating them 19 to 3, we boarded the train to Yorktown to take the part of the Colonial Army forces in commemorating the end of the Revolutionary War. I still remember seeing President Herbert Hoover

2009-Issue 2

who toured the site at the time. Ikey Knight responded with a cheerful “pretty good” when I called and said she had been very busy since Christmas, having just had nine family members including four generations for dinner and a return engagement for breakfast the following morning. Although the pool was currently closed, she has been participating in chair exercises and does enjoy playing mahjong plus duplicate and party bridge. Redecoration of her apartment has been completed, together with replacement of washer/dryer, kitchen stove, dishwasher, refrigerator and the kitchen flooring – welcome improvement after 11 years. “B” Holt, always on the go and busy as a beaver, had just returned from a church convention in Winston Salem where she participated as a delegate. Previously, she wisely opted not to attend the Presidential Inauguration, but joined a local party and watched the procedure all day long. And I know she has earned this – on Feb. 7th she will receive the ACLU’s Frank Porter Graham Award for Human Rights. Barbara Meem’s message in her Christmas card read: “Had a lovely past week’s visit from Deb (her daughter) – a wonderful early Christmas celebration!” Her grandchildren will be visiting this summer, along with great grandchildren Max and Annabelle. And there is always time for humor – the 4-year-old grandson of the lady who works for Barbara is worried about his grandmother getting older! Better keep him out of the retirement centers or his own hair might turn grey overnight! Thinking wistfully about the great skiing in New Mexico, I raised the subject and Barbara replied, “Just 15 miles away!” Blanche Brown continues quite happily at her Farmington, New Mexico, retirement home and sees daughter Roe at least weekly. Roe and husband Sam live just a 20-minute drive away and provide all the support she requires. Sam, who works for J.W. Power, enjoys his collection of six motorcycles – three Harleys, one BMW and two off-road cycles. Roe has her own, and they do enjoy the change of pace from their regular employment. Jeanette Newman celebrated Christmas at her lodge with family ranging from 9 to 91 years old. Contrary to normal winter

weather in the state of Washington, they have been experiencing very mild conditions with beacoup rain, floods, lots of fog and no snow on the mountains. Visiting a nearby casino with son Doug recently, Jeanette went for broke at the .25 cent slots and won $80, while Doug risked $5 at the dice table and won $800. I don’t think I will ever hear about their losses. Come Feb. 20th, John’s birthday, family members will gather at the lodge and, in his memory, take a dip in the icy waters of the nearby stream at the waterfall. Mind you, Jeanette with no thought of disrespect, habitually opts out. JoAnn O’Hara, who I learned has an addiction to cranberry juice, is just happy and thankful to be at Westminster Canterbury in Richmond and continues her voluntary work of reporting and photographing resident activities and events for in-house publications. As the current resident total now approaches 900 (originally 400), there is no dearth of demand for her services. A child care center is now available at Westminster, which is very popular and residents enjoy related volunteer work. One of JoAnn’s favorite activities is helping to arrange the periodic cocktail/dinner parties for VMI residents who number in the 30s. And when we talked, she was looking forward to the coming in house performance of the Richmond Ballet. Regrettably, January has been an unpleasant month health wise for both Peggy and me, topped off by my ambulance ride to the hospital emergency department at 3:30 am on the 11th – bladder infection. I was delighted to come home two days later (boy, are those mattresses and pillows hard!) and the problem cleared up courtesy of an antibiotic. So, we are both back in action now and very grateful for each other. Bless you all … Jim

’36 ’37 29

CLASS NOTES

’38

William Todd

Editor’s Note: Due to health issues, Col. Todd has been unable to submit notes for this quarter. His son, Bill Todd ’68, asks that a classmate step in until his father is well enough to resume class agent responsibilities.

’39

Frank Parker III ’64

Marcy and I had a wonderful experience recently. I had a professional meeting in San Diego, and we decided to drive out and back. While in San Diego, I got a chance to spend some time and have lunch with Col. Howard Golladay and his granddaughter, Jennifer. Howard is doing fine and will be much better when he gets a new knee. Jennifer has moved from her home in Washington state to be with Howard and help around the house. She’s a delightful young lady who works in the financial industry and brings a real sparkle to their house. After leaving San Diego, we made another stop in Las Cruces, NM, to see Col. Nelson Tobey. He is still getting along pretty well but does have to have some help around the house. One of his long-time helpers has been taking notes on all his adventures, and he is thinking of

Class of 1939: Col. Howard Golladay, USA (Ret.), and his granddaughter, Jennifer Platt, at his home in San Diego, California.

publishing them. We also got to see my BR and roommate, Don T. Reed ’64, and his wife, Diane, in El Paso, TX, who we last saw in 1965. To say the least, we had a lot of catching up to do. I received lots of Christmas cards from the BRs and their families. Joe Savage wrote to say he is having trouble getting around. He’s not in pain and says it is just an “age thing.” He blames it on all that marching he and my father did while they were in Company B at VMI. His sons, John (VMI ’74) and Tom (Washington & Lee), are doing well and help him out a lot. Col. Ed Williams wrote to say he is also doing pretty well. He was able to attend a family reunion in Cape Cod where they not only visited with family and friends but also took boat rides to Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. He’s had several medical issues and has moved into an independent living facility in Kettering, OH, where he walks the halls for exercise and uses their limousine service to run around town. Don Stroop and wife Mildred reported that they had a big Thanksgiving with family and friends. Don celebrated his 92nd in September and is doing very well. Mildred hurt her back in a fall but underwent minimal invasive surgery and has no pain and is recovering very well. Bill Brand sent a long newsletter along with his Christmas card. Tickie put together a great 90th birthday party for Bill that included some 70 family and friends! Bill has had three visits to the hospital last year but is up and planning on being at the reunion also. Tickie had recovered from an infection in time to get in a trip to Greece. Libby Chiles wrote to say that she and John will be at the reunion, which I am looking forward to also. Boo Meem’s card indicated she has not been doing well but was looking forward to Christmas with the family. Evelyn Mathews wrote a nice note with their Christmas card saying they are doing well and how much she and Larry were looking forward to being at our 70th Reunion. Laurette Plunkett sent a card from Miami, FL, and sent greetings to all of Jack’s Brother Rats. John J. “Jack” Johnson’s sister-in-law, Mrs. Florence Ridderhof, wrote to let us know that Jack’s wife, Elnora, passed last January and that their son, Phillip, is now a colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps. Owen B. Knight’s daughter, Mary Nance, found me on the Internet and explained how

Class of 1939: The late Col. William Tobey, USA (Ret.) at his home in Las Cruces, New Mexico.

she and her siblings were VMI “Brats” and accompanied their father to Lexington many times. Henry J. “Hank” Cronin ’64 represented the class of ’39 at Paul Bigler’s funeral on Jan. 14th at Arlington National Cemetery. Approximately 30 family members and friends attended. In talking with the family, he was told of Paul’s experiences in WWII as one of the early members of the OSS serving in China and spying on the Japanese, and later on, he served in the Korean War. Hank actually had met Paul several times in the past and wrote that, “Paul was a very talented and capable individual and the class of ’39 has lost an outstanding Brother Rat.” Amen. By the time you see this in the Review, we will have had our 70th Reunion, and I expect I’ll have lots to write about. In the meantime, keep the notes and cards coming. In the Spirit Editor’s Note: After the notes were received, Col. William Tobey passed away. His obituary will appear in 2009-Issue 3.

’40

Robert Smith

As most Brother Rats learned from my mailings at the time, Mac Gilliam departed from us last Jan. 11, and I’m sure you will find much more about this in the Taps section of this issue. His life and career were

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES distinguished in so many ways. This is confirmed by the many tributes that have been written about him. In our cadet days, the work he did on the newspaper, the Cadet, and as editor of our Bomb was an example to all of us of his service to the Corps, to VMI and to our class. He always carried on the traditions with grace and humor. Mary Stuart, his wife, wrote me, “The cadets and VMI were his first interest and a source of pride, enjoyment, challenge and hope.” And I replied that he was one of our most beloved and admired Brother Rats. The prayer of thanksgiving for his life given at his service of remembrance in the Robert E. Lee Memorial Chapel beautifully expressed deep appreciation for all that he was and did. In it, the author includes thanks for Mac’s “loyalty and deep devotion to his Brother Rats of the Class of 1940.” An article about his death in the Richmond Times-Dispatch gives a splendid insight about his time as a VMI professor by quoting from an interview with John W. Knapp ’54, superintendent emeritus of VMI and former mayor of Lexington. It quotes, “Taught in his casual style, his courses were enormously popular … Students could enjoy getting a feel for the classics as well as modern political science, do well and not be afraid of tackling the challenges Col. Gilliam set before them.” John Augustine in St. Petersburg disappointed me during our chat the day before the Superbowl by telling that he was not planning to go across Tampa Bay to the big game. I had thought he would go just to keep up our class reputation as avid sports fans! He and June had just gotten back from a cruise from Tampa that sailed to the Grand Caymans and Cozumel. John and June’s grandson, A.J. Augustine, is a high school quarterback at Admiral Farragut Academy which is a Pinellas County college preparatory school with naval training. He is working on the possibility of going to VMI next fall. That is great news, and we all hope it works out. John’s namesake son, who is this A J’s uncle, is VMI class of ’68. John said that he now cannot drive or read books, but June still drives. They enjoy TV movies, which prompted me to say how much Betty-Jane and I enjoy catching up on the movies we have missed through our Netflix subscription.

2009-Issue 2

Frasier Baldwin was working hard on his TurboTax when I called. To me that seems to illustrate the difference between those who wore stars and those who didn’t. There he was, still sailing along on the sea of intellectual accomplishments – doing his own taxes on his computer! His and Ginny’s routines continue about as I have been reporting – they are being walked by their dog for their morning exercise, looking after their acreage and dining at the club. He maintains his ham radio license but now seems to have segued into other interests. He shares an interest in family history with his son, also interests in the Society of the Cincinnati, in connecting to the beginnings of Mary Baldwin College, etc. He is reading books about Navy battles but recently finished Joseph J. Ellis’ Founding Brothers; The Revolutionary Generation. In a late January talk, Doug Cook told me that he “had to get married” twice! It’s not what you think. He and Barbara were married in Paris, and it seems that, according to the laws of the country, a civil ceremony by an official of the arrondissment (district) was required, and they of course wanted also to have their union blessed in the American Cathedral in a religious ceremony. The civil marriage resulted in a document to record the event, and when the traditionally costumed official handed it to them, he pointed out that there was room to enter 12 children’s names. Then, with a little twinkle, the official gave him further advice which when translated was that, if they wished, he could provide another document with room for more children. As best Doug can recall, he and Barbara declined the offer. John Talman ’39 was Doug’s best man, and Spotty Towles gave the bride away. The event was in November 1945. Spotty had flown to Paris in an Air Force plane for the occasion, and so he took Doug for a joy ride during which he offered and gave Doug a roll. Turns out that Doug was subject to vertigo, so one roll was an unforgettable plenty for him. Doug was enjoying the Ithaca weather but sorry that his outside walking was so daunting. Jack Camp has completed his memoir, While You’re Up, and sent a copy, which I shall treasure and delve into more fully after this column is finished. The book is exceedingly well written and amaz-

ing, in that so much of the material came from Jack’s recall over a recent six-month period. The many family pictures add warmth to the narrative and help the reader to appreciate the Camp family legacy. One great aspect that immediately stood out in my brief perusal is that the common experiences, which we will all have from our VMI association, brought so many memories flooding back. This would be true for all of us Brother Rats and makes it even more fun to read. (Editor’s Note: See the Alumni News section of this issue for a book announcement.) When I talked to Charlie Beach in late January, the changes that have overtaken the economy were very much in the news, and I asked what effects there might have been on Charley Beach’s banks. He said that they take a conservative slow-growth approach and that they were under no financial threat. The FDIC examiners had just completed an audit, and they got an OK. But things were not going well on the weather front. As you remember, his Beattyville area in eastern Kentucky was hit hard by an ice storm, and he had to move out of his home until power could be restored. He was staying temporarily with his son. He is still working his usual five days, and his three setters are thriving. Eppy Powell has retrenched a bit, in that he has converted to snail mail from e-mail, but otherwise is about the same. He uses a walker and gets a lot of help from the retirement village staff but is still living independently; wife Doris uses a powered scooter. He reminisced about his summers as a youth at a family cottage on Long Island, 11 miles east of Jones Beach on the boundary of Fire Island; about his many years in Falls Church, VA; and now his pleasure in being in Annapolis. He told me that his son lives nearby and is a real estate developer not yet retired. Because of the TV shows, it is interesting that his daughter is a commander in the Miami Police Department. He and Doris have five grandchildren – four boys and a girl – but no greats. Sol Rawls remains active and said that he would soon be going on a quail hunting shoot to a place near the shore in North Carolina. Usually he stays pretty close to home. He is very involved in taking care of the town of Franklin where I understand

CLASS NOTES he is considered to be a senior sage. When we spoke, he had just had lunch with Chamber of Commerce executives and other moguls to work on the town’s future. There is much unemployment as results of industries shutting down. Dan Flowers advises that he still goes to his office a few hours daily and that his work there mainly consists of looking after some leased oil properties. He manages to swim about three times a week and told about his theory that an outdoor swimming pool is very good for your health. He said cleaning the pool is good, because it improves muscle tone, and because it is good for one’s balance. He had recently attended the meeting of the Southeast Texas (Houston) Alumni Association Chapter where the guest speaker was the Superintendent, Gen. Peay ’62. Dan is soon going to go to Wyoming to visit his daughter. He and Jeannie have nine grandchildren, and they are very busy keeping up with all the young folks. Jeannie goes to their Sea Island, Georgia, place with other church women for about three weeks each year. Dan does not go to Georgia as much. We had a little discussion about re-pressurizing oil wells to get further production. The power industry in its “clean” coal talk is proposing to put stack gasses, mostly CO2, into used wells for sequestering and disposal. Dan says that instead of using flue gas, for his wells they are getting CO2 from underground gas zones to pump into the wells to restore production. Nick Dominick continues to publish his family reports every week which is enabled by his being taken to his computer for about two hours each day. In spite of his health, he remains reasonably happy. He loves to hear from his children, and the newsletter provides the framework. He told me a story from his youth about having written a poem. Shortly thereafter, he made a very unusual visit to Sweet Briar and met a young lady. In his enthusiasm, he recited the poem to her, and in his fond memories, that became one of the highlights of his life. The poem was later published in the Cadet magazine. It is funny how at our age some maybe inherently insignificant events stand out in our memories. Nick went on to reminisce about his father’s great influence on his

life, especially in presenting him with the alternative of going to either Princeton University or to VMI. He has always been certain that he made the best choice. Walter Edens was in good spirits when I talked to him in spite of his continuing back problems. He is considering having an operation. It was early in February, and he was looking forward to his birthday on the 15th. His son, Sandy, continues to be of great support in caring for both Walt and Dottie. Evelyn Turner gave me a rundown on Andy’s 90th birthday party which was attended by 177 people. It was held at a home called “Providence” belonging to a friend, located on the Piankatank River just around the bend from the Turner’s riverside home in Deltaville. The invitation was spectacular, with a beautiful photo of Andy in his linen dress at about age one and a long list of those who were acting as hosts. The list, of course, included the children of our Brother Rat Morrissett that Evelyn and Andy took to their bosom after the accident. Their daughter, Courtney, came from Turkey before the party but had to go back just prior to the event. Features of the party were the large number of poems paying tribute to Andy, which were read. He is doing well and tries to go to the nearby YMCA for a swim three times a week. Bud Irwin has traveled a bit in the past few months. The first trip was to Boston for a memorial service for his wife’s sister, and the second was to Washington, D.C., for the graduation of a grandson. Good to learn that he and Ruth are still able to get around. While in Washington, Bud met someone who works in the National Security Agency’s cryptological group. Bud worked there during WWII. He was welcomed, and as a souvenir, he was given a small medal with an encrypted inscription which Bud enjoyed quickly unraveling. Bud and I reminisced about the premier of the movie “Brother Rat” in Lexington. Bud had a broken arm at the time which made him stand out. As a result, Wayne Morris noticed him and asked about the accident. Later that evening, Wayne asked Bud to introduce him to some of the dates at the dance, in response to which Bud faked his way through introductions as if he knew all the girls. Then, on the day of going up to town for the movie’s premiere

showing, Bud was standing in front of Jackson Arch when a long black limousine pulled up. Wayne opened the door and invited Bud to ride to the theater. So, naturally, when the occupants of the limousine rolled up to the red carpet in front of the theater there was applause and the flashbulbs were going off. The question the reporters were asking everyone was, “I know that guy in the front is Bud Irwin, but who is that big blonde guy he is with?” I think that is about as Bud said he remembered it. I was then forced to tell him that I had been one of two cadets chosen to escort Priscilla Lane to the dance, but I only revealed that trivial bit of information as retaliation. Ben Hardaway was in good spirits and attributed it to some relief he is getting from new treatment for his back. He inquired about Charley Beach and then reminded me that they had roomed together. I asked about the progress of the National Infantry Museum in which he is interested, and the word is that it is finished and will open in March or April, except for the movie theater which is to be activated by June 1. Earl Brown said that he keeps amused by participating in the bingo games at Carolina Meadows several times a month and by playing games on his computer. He reads the Durham Herald-Sun newspaper every day, and his daughter, who lives nearby, comes to see him frequently. On most Sundays, he goes just off campus to the local Baptist Church in a van provided by Carolina Meadows. When that’s not convenient, he can go to an ecumenical service in the facility. In anticipation of the deadline for these musings, John Cowart thoughtfully sent a note with informative updates about the status of our Class Scholarship Fund. John has made another of his very nice contributions to the fund, this time in “Memory of our Great Brother Rat B. McCluer Gilliam.” When mailing this contribution, John said to Jim Adams ’71, who is the executive vice president of the Foundation, “I will make every effort to attend the special meeting at VMI on March 27, 2009 … I hope that other members and family people will continue to support our memorial scholarship fund.” The prospect that John may try

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES to go to the seventh annual benefactor’s luncheon shows how much John cares. John enclosed a January letter from Jim Adams which said, “The Class of 1940 Memorial Scholarship Fund is and will continue to be an important source of assistance for members of the Corps. In the current year, this fund is providing a total of $20,220 in support to the following cadets: James G. Goodwillie V ’12, a chemistry major from Richmond, VA; Sara L. Hanson ’09, an international studies major from Stoneville, NC; Stephen S.W. Rhodes ’11, a civil engineering major from Virginia Beach, VA; Patrick G. Simpson ’10, an international studies major from Monument, CO; and Fletcher S. Thompson ’10, a civil engineering major from Mobile, AL. As of June 30, 2008, the close of the fiscal year, the Class of 1940 Fund had a market value of $491,824.” Chuck Wilson and I talked about those parts of his years in the Secret Service when he was assigned to the presidential details. In the first such duty, he served about two months with Truman. Next came three years with Eisenhower. His time with Kennedy was only three months, but later he had three memorable years with Lyndon Johnson. Most of this was at the Johnson Ranch, and he usually had lunch with the colorful ex-president during that era. Chuck was in the Secret Service for his entire career, and when he was not assigned to a presidential detail, he was at one of the offices where he got into the usual Secret Service concerns such as counterfeiting and other crimes. His home in Kingsland is about 84 miles directly north of San Antonio, and they sometimes go there for restaurants, music concerts and other recreation. With her Christmas note, Adelaide Simpson sent a great family picture noting that it was taken on her 85th birthday at her retirement community, Kendal, in Lexington. In it were her daughter Ann, with her children; Ken, a family practice doctor; and his fiancée Ashley, a pediatrician. Then there was Sarah, a middle school counselor, and her lawyer husband, Tim, and finally “dear Katie,” a representative for the “Make a Wish Foundation.” George and his crew had planned to join us, she said, but an unexpected snowstorm kept them in CT. He

2009-Issue 2

and Cleary’s three are: Will – off to college in the fall; Anna – a talented singer and actress, going into high school next fall; and T.J. –a sport participant into everything and a musician. So, there – you learn that Adelaide and Herb had four children and four thriving grandchildren. With the card, Adelaide enclosed a clipping about her duties as a welcoming person at Kendal in which it said that she was their first resident. Later, she sent me much appreciated information when Mac Gilliam died. I should have reported earlier that last August a note came from Spike Thrift’s son, John, class of ’68, that his mother, Blanche, had died on April 25, which happened to have been Spike’s birthday. A note was sent to John on behalf of all of us. Art Wadsworth in Edenton, NC, and Gene Phillippi in Knoxville have both called me recently for enjoyable talks but with no special news. Both are well. Matt Lyle is undergoing some treatments but was in good spirits when we talked. His daughter was widowed soon after he moved to Charleston, SC, some years ago to be near her. The move has turned out well in that they are comfortably making a home together. Please call me whenever you have news or just want to chat. It is a great pleasure for me to help us all to stay in touch.

’41

Walter Richards

Editor’s note: There are no class notes from the class of ’41 in this issue.

’42

Richard C. Horne III

I am truly struggling to think of anything different from what was going on since my last notes. We have not lost a Brother Rat (I don’t think). Jed is planning a series of “minis” this spring, and the very few bits of info I’ve received are routine and mod-

est, whatever those terms mean. I am hopeful of a mutual desire for ’42 to consist of a record number of centenarians by the year 2020. So, watch yourselves, and watch your diets – both solid and liquid! I am proud of my roommates. Jed Wilson is his busy self of yesteryear. Fred Love thrives in Florida, while Mitzi and I are reasonably bouncy amongst our many friends and neighbors in this first class habitat for retirees. I am the same weight as in Korea, while Mitzi hefts her weight the same as our wedding day! Paul Cabell’s widow, Dotty, and Mitzi speak on the phone from time to time and are quite fond “Sister Rats.” Jed sent me a great picture of Clyde Hooker taken at Martinsville on the occasion of Hooker Furniture’s case-goods plant there in 2007. The picture is of Clyde standing by the closed plant’s whistle. He looks good, and Hooker Furniture remains “in business,” making high end upholstered furniture. Clyde Hooker is a plant veteran, as he ran the company for over half a century and remembers blowing the plant’s steam whistle as a child when it opened in 1924. Paul Cabell’s widow called Mitzi; she and Mitzi talk fairly frequently about the Institute of old. Paul was a man of many talents and skills. I don’t know if Mitzi’s side of the conversation concerned any of my talents and skills, but Mitzi has many years of research on the subject. She is loyal and inventive, so I may have been given some gifts I don’t quite deserve. I must have had some, so if any of you out there are aware of them, please let me know. I exchange reasonably talented bits of information with my good friend and former roommate, Fred Love. He is still a loyal Floridian who annually gives Florida a rest to spend a good part of the summer in North Carolina. He brings Florida information to a very hot bed of summer displaced Floridians. I used to notice that about 90% of the cars on Beech Mountain had Florida plates. I once was told that non-Florida license plate cars paid double traffic fines on Beech Mountain. I didn’t believe it then, but I am somewhat doubtful about my doubts, if that makes sense to you. Enough of itinerant Floridians and travel to Richmond, the Holy City.

CLASS NOTES My news from Richmond comes from several sources, so I won’t name them, but remind you that they all seem to know the same news. I’ll just call it from RBRs (Richmond Brother Rats) all knowing, devoted to their city but feel they don’t have to certify! Any comments about Richmond should include Charlie and Virginia Chewning. They remain on their Charlottesville area property across from their daughter. By “across,” I refer to a stretch of meadow downhill from Charlie and Virginia’s house. It is the valley of horses and horse riders. However, it is peaceful and contributes to Charlie’s health. As a pair of long-time Richmonders, they miss the Holy City, no matter how beneficial to them their present location is. I wish I had more gripping news about our almost two score surviving Brother and Sister Rats but am thankful for that number! Hang in, one and all!

’43

Jeffrey G. Smith

It’s mid February of the New Year 2009. Christmas has come and long gone, but I deeply appreciated those of our class and our Sister Rats who sent greetings to Jane and me. Annual Giving: Halfway through VMI’s Fiscal Year (1 Jul 2008-30 Jun 2009), our class is credited with $269,325 in contributions. The lion’s share came from the tremendous generosity of a very few of our Brother Rats. The next largest sum ($51,765) was donated by the class of 1949C, one of the 13 classes of the 1940s. Only one third of our classmates had donated anything. A year ago, the percentage was 42%. As of 31 December 2008, the class of 1943 ranked number 10 out of 13 in percentage of contributors from the classes of 1940 through 1949C. Those familiar with the Orient know that being “Number 10” is as low as one can be. Surely, we can do better. Blessedly, there are no deaths amongst our classmates to report and no additions to the seriously ill list. Nevertheless, I received one rather chilling intimation of mortality. It came in the form of a

Christmas card, addressed only to my wife, Jane, from a long retired colonel who once served (quite well) in one of my subordinate commands in First U.S. Army. He expressed his condolences upon the occasion of my death. Well, I immediately replied (on Jane’s behalf, not to speak of mine) that, as had Mark Twain responded to an erroneous report of his death, the news of my demise had been exaggerated. I included some news of recent activities to assure him and closed with warmest wishes. To date no response. Be assured that both Jane and I continue to enjoy good health – all things considered. The granddaughter of Brian Beaulac (d. 1989) wrote to tell me that her mother, Brian’s widow, had died 26 January 2005. The Alumni Office had been unaware. And I deeply regret to report the death of Mac Gilliam ’40 on 11 January 2009. Many of you might remember him both as a cadet and long time member of the VMI faculty. He was one of our son’s mentors when he was at VMI. His daughter and our eldest daughter are virtually lifelong friends. In my last Class Notes, I wrote that, “VMI has submitted plans for the Corps to march in January’s Inaugural Parade as they have for many years – with a few notable exceptions. When you read this, all will have been decided. However, some might recall that the Corps was scratched from President Bill Clinton’s first inaugural (1993) because, the story goes, VMI opposed women in the Corps. In 1993, the current White House Chief of Staff-Designate Rahm Emanuel was a key player in determining the parade participants.” Well, the Corps did indeed march on 20 January 2009, the largest contingent other than the 1285 from the U.S. Army, composed of soldiers smartly turned out in various uniforms plus a company of West Point cadets. In contrast, the 1200 VMI cadets, all identically attired, were formed in two battalion masses separated by the Band and the bagpipers. They were monolithic – awesome. The VMI cadets were the next to last unit of the parade, passing the reviewing stand at close to 6:30 PM. It was pitch dark, with temperatures in the 20s. One would like to believe that the parade planners had hoped to close with a bang, saving the best for last.

I hope that you were fortunate enough, as were Jane and I, to watch the live HD transmission on C-Span (the only TV network covering the entire parade). Others might have seen the grainy YouTube clips provided by the Alumni Office. Whatever, and if you caught only a glimpse, I’m certain you were as thrilled as we. The cadets were followed by a NASA group of a few civilians carrying a (NASA) banner in front of a self-propelled mock-up of a lunar or Mars exploration vehicle. Inside were two astronauts (in their bulky space gear), one of whom drove. The contingent paused in front of the reviewing stand. One astronaut dismounted, saluted, then pulled out a large USA flag and led the small NASA group on toward the parade’s dispersal area. The pity was that so few witnessed those great final contingents. Except for the Obamas, the new VP and a scattered few in the enclosed reviewing stand, all spectators along the route of march as well as the major TV networks had long departed. To a degree, it was understandable considering what seemed the interminable number of contingents, all well meaning but many corny. A few were outlandish, a few somewhat pathetic. The frigid temperatures exacerbated the flaws of those not prepared to cope. Then there was The Gay & Lesbian Band from NY City, sounding off with “The Stars and Stripes Forever.” It, too, was near the end (but considerably ahead of VMI and NASA). Yes, I do have some news – not a lot – to report about class members and class widows. Some comes from our two Chicago area Brother Rats, who share that base with such disparate luminaries as the new president and Illinois’ most recent ex-governor and Illinois’ newest senator. I speak of George Eng and Gordon Smith. George journeyed “out West” over the holidays to visit his daughter and wrote on 10 January to wish me a Happy New Year as the Chinese lunar year of the ox approached. That reminded me that upon my departure from Korea in 1960 to become the new VMI commandant, it was the year of the rat. George went on “that a reunion with former classmates sounds wonderful, but as a senior octogenarian, my distant

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES travels are limited. I often think fondly of the years I spent at the Institute and try to recall the faces of my many schoolmates … In reflection, I have enjoyed an eventful life and am thankful for the years of training and lifestyle received at VMI which took a major role in shaping my later life.” Well said, George. Our other Chicago based classmate is, of course, Gordon Smith. Gordon said that he’d heard that “I’d been a good boy,” and he sent a reward of a super generous package of Roquefort cheese. We are still enjoying it. Bruce Suter called early in the New Year to state that all went well in their new retirement home. Joan likes the indoor pool, and something is scheduled for amusement, diversion and learning every day. The major difficulty is having to make new friends, but as a substantial tradeoff, they are within five minutes of their children. The Suters had lived 40 years in their “old” home. They had the house on the market for eight months with nary a nibble until they dropped the price considerably. Bruce and Joan enjoyed a great pre-Christmas visit in New Orleans with Joan’s side of the family and were back in New Jersey to celebrate Christmas with Bruce’s side. Bruce passed along some comments on Bill Bell and Hap Vaughan, with both of whom he’d recently had telephone chats. The Bells live in “Falcon’s Landing” in nearby Loudon County (Virginia), one of several very nice, full service retirement complexes in the greater Washington, D.C., area, virtually all of whose residents are retired officers (or their surviving spouses) of our nation’s uniformed services. Falcon’s Landing was founded by a group of Air Force officers, accordingly most residents have Air Force ties, but all services are represented, including Bill’s U.S. Public Health Service. There are two predominantly Army retirement complexes in the area, “Knollwood” in the District of Columbia and the “Fairfax” adjacent Fort Belvoir, VA. A predominantly Navy, Marines and Coast Guard complex is “Vinson Hall” in Fairfax County. But back to the Bells, who report that their “best news” is that the “kids” now come to visit them instead of Bill and Betty Brook having to visit them. Bruce’s words on Hap Vaughan were that

2009-Issue 2

he has had to give up riding his bicycle and that he’s still living in his house but spends most of the time watching TV. I sent Hap a Christmas card and have twice tried unsuccessfully to contact him by e-mail. I know we all join in wishing him well. From Lynchburg, Brian Bowen sent a welcome e-mail at year’s end: “The New Year is starting on an upbeat note. Jane, who has been hospitalized because of side effects from her chemo for lung cancer, has been released with a good report of current remission. Yes, we both smoked but quit 45 years ago. She is weak but still feisty. I still go to work every day at the family (jewel) business. Our son, Brian Jr. (Biff – Univ. of Montana) runs the store but seems happy that I still come in six days a week. I do mainly estate work, appraising, identifying gems, and buying and selling antique and estate jewelry. I keep getting things replaced: a left hip, a right knee, a reamed out spinal column.” Brian had his other hip replaced 26 January. He followed up on 11 February that his recovery is ahead of schedule, and he’s having therapy at home. Not only that, but he has resumed being the chief cook, with an occasional assist from the neighbors who send in meals. Brian’s situation reminds one of both Superman and the Tin Woodman of Oz (the latter being the accidentprone woodsman who kept chopping off parts of his body and replacing them with parts made of tin). My hat is off to him. More from Lynchburg (but not peanuts – see Johnny Van Landingham below): George and Kitty Snead are enjoying life, which very much includes George’s continuing and leading participation in the singing group at the Goodwin House, the Sneads’ retirement residence. Two of their fellow residents are the parents of a professional opera singer (female). They, their daughter and the Sneads were attending a Christmas Eve party at the Lynchburg Country Club. Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately for George), the Sneads had to leave early, thereby disappointing the opera singer who had planned to surprise George by asking him to sing a duet with her. George and Kitty have a grandson who entered the U.S. Naval Academy this past summer. They attended the opening ceremonies in Annapolis at which the su-

perintendent spoke. George reports that the superintendent devoted 20 minutes to the subject of “Beat Army” in football – and his fervor and tone matched those of the Imams calling for an Islamic jihad. Johnny Van Landingham sent us a large can of Virginia peanuts, one of my favorite foods and over indulgences. I am happy to report that we have no symptoms of Salmonella. In fact, we feel fine and are still nibbling. (It was a huge can.) The news has been full of The Peanut Corporation of America (HQS Lynchburg) being the subject of a criminal investigation focusing on the corporation’s plant in Blakely, GA, and another in Texas for making and distributing contaminated (which is to say Salmonella inducing) products. On 9 January this year, Jane and I attended the funeral at Arlington National Cemetery of Capt. Warren Frank, USMC, the grandson of Settle Frank. Jane and I have been increasingly frequent visitors at Arlington to pay our respects to old friends and comrades. Settle’s grandson was a 2004 Citadel graduate and was killed in action in Iraq in November 2008. It was, as with all such occasions at which full honors are rendered, impressive and solemn, but it is particularly sad at funerals of the young. We met Settle outside the chapel before the cortege left for the burial site. It had been a long while since I’d seen Settle, but I instantly recognized him. He looked great, despite a cane, and it was great to see him. I enjoyed a telephone chat a few days before Christmas with Judge Don Foster, calling from his home in Woodland Hills, CA. Although he was unable to make our 65th, he stated early on in our conversation that he “will make” the 70th. You’ll recall that Don left before we graduated and served in the Air Transport Command. Don’s brother was Robert A. Foster ’41 of the Army Air Corps who was shot down over Bremen, treated in a German hospital as a POW and liberated by General Patton’s troops. Don’s father lived till he was 101 and served in the supporting units during Brig. Gen. Pershing’s Punitive Expedition into Mexico before WWI. The Fosters are on their fourth successive Chihuahua, a 12-year-old whom they swear by as the perfect watchdog. Hears all, sees all, smells

CLASS NOTES all – and sets up a racket to wake the dead. Jim Hodgkin wrote before Christmas to report that the “Triplets” – the two boys and one girl now Thirds at VMI – were to spend the holidays in Warrenton. And he promised me a report. I hope to have one before long. But more to the point, Jim adorned his letter with one of his watercolors … brightened my day. Mainly because it shows he’s alert and motivated and seemingly at peace with life. Who could ask for more? My de facto Deputy Class Agent and good and loyal friend, Bill Johann, checks into the net at frequent intervals. As a result, I am comforted to learn that Vince and Betty Thomas are happy and well – and Vince is able to cope with his balance problem. Unfortunately, Frank Bilisoly continues to have severe balance problems. And also unfortunately, Box Board has problems similar to Frank’s and remains in the nursing wing of the Boards’ retirement complex. Bill recently talked with Sonny Litton and reports that Sonny is pretty well back in battery after last year’s heart attack. Bill also reports that Keith Phillips is in good spirits despite his trouble with balance and neuropathy. To Vince, Frank, Box, Sonny and Keith, please hang in there. And we are counting on Keith and Lucy to host the Hospitality Room for the 70th. Bill spoke as well with Frank Williams recently. From that conversation, as well as Frank’s Christmas greetings to me, I’d conclude that Frank has snapped back from his heart attack and is well and relatively active despite his bum leg. Frank has a tremendous blessing in the form of his son, whom many of you have come to know and admire when he accompanied Frank to our more recent class reunions. Another very brief e-mail from Bob Reveley just before Christmas, which I quote in full: “Hello, My e-mail address has changed! Bob”. The new address: revovmi43@yahoo.com. I promptly replied and added a bit of news but heard nothing since. As always, hope all is well. I spoke with Jim Anderson on 8 February to pass along greetings from a mutual friend. Jim remains in his home with the assistance of a caretaker. His daughter also now lives with him to help

but at that moment, was in Aspen, CO, on a ski trip. Jim has been plagued with foot problems for several years and is now confined to a wheelchair. He and Harry Jones (both live in Thomasville, GA) frequently lunch together. No luck yet for Betty Haskins in her attempt to sell her lovely home in Lexington. She wants to move to Pennsylvania, just south of Carlisle, into a retirement residence to be near her daughters. Meanwhile, Betty is nearing completion of a two-year stint to become an accredited judge at Flower Shows. Congratulations. Nita Clark, Bill’s widow, sent very gracious thanks for the Class Notes. I will keep plugging away, Nita. And Maxine Mahone wrote that she feels like a new person after her operation. She is all for having a mini reunion this year. Bear with me, Maxine. Perhaps in 2010, and I’m open to suggestions. One of my best gifts at Christmas time was being able to assist Jack McGrath’s daughter, Mrs. Bridget Moss of Kinsale, VA. Jack’s widow, Margery, had been captivated by the 65th Reunion booklet, especially a picture of Jack in one of the photographs. She’d planned to have that picture enlarged and copies given her children and grandchildren. However, Margery misplaced the booklet. Briget wrote me. I mailed two more copies plus the DVD to Bridget. She and her family and friends, most who’d not seen the booklet, were delighted. Bridget wrote that “it must have been a very special time to live and grow.” Indeed, it surely was.

’44

Robert P. Jones Jr.

It’s always difficult to get started on these February class notes. A couple of things happen to motivate me. January ends and they’re due in Lexington Feb. 15th. Secondly, my mailman keeps bringing me papers with 1099 on them which signify that another necessary time consuming job is just over the horizon. Faye and I want to thank the many of you who sent us Christmas cards this year.

We enjoy getting them and enjoy the short notes many of you include. A nice letter in early December lets me know that Ed Biggs is still alive and able to get vertical each morning. He accuses Mary K of lining him up with volunteer work to keep him busy. Most of us use that activity as a means of escape from all the “honey do” stuff that wives can create. Ed also escapes by having lunch from time to time with Dr. Frank Lee ’42. When he went to Germany in 1944 during WWII as a replacement officer in a field artillery outfit, he found his immediate CO was Frank – a coincidence that surprised and pleased both of them. They enjoyed the relationship and have kept in touch with each other. Ed and Mary K are looking forward to seeing all the folks who attend our reunion in April. In a short note, Bruce Bowden said they planned to see Dick and Fran Meade on Dec. 19th. I haven’t had any report on that except that it hasn’t happened yet. Cabell Brand finished writing his book, If Not Me, Then Who? which Shirley notes has returned the kitchen table, the back of the library and the dining room chairs to their normal status in her household activities. His book is published and for sale at Barnes and Noble. If you have a problem with that, call Cabell. He covers a lot of ground with his myriad of lifetime activities devoted to helping those less fortunate and pointing out the things he believes everyone should consider that need to be done to help save this globe we live on. It’s a quick read to cover that much. Your brain will have to be in high gear. As always with Cabell, or any author for that matter, you’ll agree with some parts, be neutral with some and not agree with suggested steps in others. It is very informational. The Brand family portrait on their Christmas card, taken during their annual July reunion, shows a family now almost the size of a field artillery platoon. No animal rescue stories from the Dooms this year. Dick writes that Victoria is very involved in regaining her health after doctors made some necessary adjustments to her figure in July and prescribed follow up necessities which have discomforting side effects. The outlook is promising, but we’ll have to wait until next year

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES for our annual animal story from Victoria. I’ve talked to Jim Doss a couple of times, and his stroke-caused vision problem recovery is slower than he’d like but still progressing. Our only class representatives at the annual Institute Society Dinner last November were the Elletts and the Sadows. Both Marguerite and Harvey wrote to tell me that they missed our company but enjoyed talking about the rest of us. My holiday epistle from Slim Galliford warns that I’ll be writing to myself before long. All his closest friends are gone, but he can make new ones every day since he lives in a condo. Then he got personal. He wrote, “They say only the good die young … so where does that leave the rest of us, old buddy?” Looking ahead at some of the world problems, he closes with, “Well, as we Marines say, Semper Fi.” I think we all should try to think that way! Mardi Gillum apologizing for a late holiday note says that Doc’s medical problem requires traveling to nearby Gainesville for treatments, and that uses a lot of their time. They are doing him some good, so all is hopeful. We got some 2009 advice from Scottie Haley on her card. She said, “Don’t be good.” As anyone who knows can tell you, Scottie, we’re trying. In mid November, Tom Hupp invited Faye and I to spend an evening at his timeshare in Virginia Beach. Being old “beach bums,” we jumped at that opportunity. We enjoyed a nice walk on the beach before dinner. Tom’s bride to be at that time, Juliet Goode, took us along with another couple (whose name I’ve naughtily forgotten) to the Princess Anne Country Club for dinner that night. The food was excellent and the conversation a torrent – mainly generated by the three ladies. With the male hearing comprehension being pretty low, the three men mainly enjoyed the meal and threw in a couple of words now and then when a brief pause allowed. We had great fun and managed to be among the last to leave the dining room. Breakfast the next morning was strictly gourmet at Juliet’s house with a lot more talk before we had to head back to Newport News. It was really a welcome break in our daily routine and thoroughly enjoyed.

2009-Issue 2

The wedding I alluded to above took place in late November in Richmond with only family folks present. It looks like we’ll be having a few new “Sister Rats” with us in Lexington for our 65th Reunion. Sounds great to me. One of the few to mention the Corps photo on his birthday card in 2008 was Jim Hammond. He liked it. I explained that the VMI Foundation sends class agents birthday cards if they want to send them. I didn’t like their choices last year and got ours made from a photo I found on an old VMI calendar. Jim told me he fell at home, moving too fast to answer the telephone, broke his nose and got some facial abrasions. That has him using an electric razor until things heal. His main complaint is that using an electric razor is tough on a Marine. Those Marines never let up reminding you that they’re tougher. After several weeks of unpacking and confusion engendered by their move to a retirement community, Hap Irby wrote to say my warning kept that activity from being a surprise. The time required to comfortably get settled in is far longer than expected. He was also happy when they were issued name tags so they could remember their names. Recently and unfortunately, old age troubles have caught up with them. Hap’s macular degeneration in his “good” eye got worse requiring an injection in the eye with a needle every four weeks. Ouch! That has improved things so he could write his letter to me. Their worse problem is that Margaret fell New Year’s Eve breaking three bones in her right leg and severely sprained her left ankle. They are most thankful they moved to the retirement community when they did, since nursing care is part of the package. The folks in rehab tell Margaret that she may be able to walk again in three to six months. Knowing but a little of Margaret’s determination, I’d still bet on the three months. The high point of Martha McIntyre’s year was reconnecting with her daughter, Janis, who now lives in Ashville, NC. They had been out of touch with each other for eight years. Janis has now visited her mom twice since August, and they keep in touch regularly by phone. The rest of her family is scattered pretty far and wide

from the east to California and Alaska but all keep in close touch with each other. That’s kinda the way things are for a lot of us nowadays. It’s the new way of life. The annual Christmas poem by Fran Meade brought me up to date on their activities. They took no long trips or cruises in 2008. We all know that traveling is not the fun it used to be. They did get even with some nearby family members by visiting them in return for their earlier visits to Scottsdale. Getting even wasn’t a part of that picture; fun was, since it was a short drive. The annual Christmas dinner of the Rockbridge Chapter of The VMI Alumni Association got Ruthie Miller along with Betty Bond Nichols, Jim Doss, Scottie Haley, and Art and Bonnie Taylor together for a mini reunion of sorts. Ruthie writes that there is always a good turnout for that event with a lot of spirit and catching up on any news. When Dick Niess called and talked to Faye, he found I was in the hospital to get one of those unexpected emergencies corrected. That was done, and we talked a couple of times after the “doing” to convince Dick that I was on the road back. Dick says Ann has finished her book about Elmwood House (where she grew up I think), and the stories it could tell. She has started a second one about the ghosts she experienced there; who they were and where they came from. Call them if you’d like to read one or both and find out where they’re sold. Both sound interesting. Dick does continue to volunteer and work with the Marco Island Civil Air Patrol and the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. They both welcomed the visit of children and grandchildren with three dogs in tow for a social family Thanksgiving. Dick remarked that he thought that their dog and the three visiting dogs had the most fun – table scraps, I reckon. The Niesses hope to see us all at our April reunion if their senior ailments, now under control, stay that way. A Christmas card from Edwina Ragland arrived with welcome news from her. She and Stu’s son, Stuart Ragland III, spent 10 months working with the Air Force and Navy getting the correct information on Stu’s headstone in the Ragland plot at Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond. His family properly felt it was important

CLASS NOTES that the information on the military era of his life be correct. She also said that a hurricane hit St. Croix on what would have been Stu’s 86th birthday, Oct. 15th. She had flooding and much damage in her garden area. All is back in order, and now she hopes 2009 will be a better year. We hope so too, Edwina. A note from Bob Sherrard mentioned his two granddaughters at West Point. One plays soccer and one is on the swimming team. It’s easy to read between the lines and know he wished their activities were at VMI. In a different vein, he said he didn’t realize how much he hated his Rat year in 1940-41 until his sister gave him an old letter she had gotten from him at that time. We realize how much times and perceptions change when we have the opportunity to look back. The Christmas card from Bob and Hazel Smothers listed Las Rosa Spa in Ensenada, Mexico, as one of their visits last year. Underneath was the line, “We’ve given up skiing for Spa-ing.” That’s interesting, and I want to get a further explanation from them in April. Early one evening in December, a package from Ezra Trice arrived at our house. Faye and I left it on the kitchen counter as we were just leaving for a play in Williamsburg. When we returned at 11:30 p.m., we opened it and found it contained some Alabama roasted pecans and some Ezra Trice baked sourdough bread. We immediately sliced some of the bread, toasted it lightly and covered it with strawberry preserves. A great evening treat after an early supper and a dull play. Ezra really knows how to treat folks right. Rose Tucker’s note stated that she stays busy but doesn’t get much done. That seems to fit us also and what we hear from many folks here in our retirement community. All I can add is welcome to getting less young. She noted that Tom Hupp’s new wife, Juliet, is a cousin of hers, so she was looking forward to seeing her in Richmond. As with most of us, it seems, Joe Warren is wrestling with one of the medical events of declining years and so far is ahead on points. Treatment is, as always, no fun but necessary. Mabbot and Joe are thinking positively and plan to be at our reunion. When the basketball coach at the Uni-

versity of Georgia lost two or three players from his women’s team, he called an old friend who was a high school basketball coach. He asked him if he knew anyone who had played basketball in high school who was enrolled at the university. Bob Watt, who was telling me this story, said his granddaughter, who was then a junior at the university, had played for the high school coach and was one he mentioned. The university coach contacted her and asked her to come out for the team last November. She did and is now a contributing member of the team. November held another memorable event for the Watts; they celebrated their 59th anniversary. In a nice long letter, Patricia Wen told me that she had started packing for a move to a small apartment this year. She doesn’t really want to move, but the large house is too much to manage. She does stay busy with numerous church activities, the National Women’s league, the Welcome to Taipei International Club and other volunteer opportunities. All the volunteer activities are more fun than keeping a big house. They had a few typhoons during the long hot summer of 2008. Not much damage to her property, but the farmers there suffered big losses. Her son, Stanley Wen ’77, is staying in the home with her, and daughter Lillian comes by often. Her grandchildren will be back from college in the U.S. this summer, and Patricia is looking forward to that since they’re gone most of the year. In November, John Williams ’45 called me to report that his brother, our Tom Williams, had fallen, broken his femur and smashed his artificial hip. John said he was recovering well, and this was confirmed by Tom’s son, Evan, when I talked to him recently. After two hospital trips in 2008, Lois Whitehurst is having a tedious time with handwriting, regaining her strength and especially her ambition to give it more effort. She does request that I give her regards to everyone at the reunion and is sorry she just can’t make the trip to Lexington anymore. I had a call and a very nice note from Carolyn Moore to thank me and the class of 1944 for the lovely basket of red, white and yellow mums. This is my notification of her thanks to you, the class of ’44. She said they are holding up quite well

(“maybe better than I am”). The service for Frank was quite appropriate with two cadets there to fold and present the flag to his son. Carolyn noted that her association with the class of ’44 has been a long one, since September 1940. She said it has been meaningful and rewarding and hopes it can continue. Carolyn, we’ll do our best to see that it does. That’s all for now. Take care of yourselves wherever you are, especially those enduring the stress of medical rehabilitation. God bless all of you, and God bless America.

’45

John D. Williams

Many thanks to all the Brothers and Sisters who have sent me Christmas greetings and wedding congratulations; many with brief notes about your activities. Believe me, they are all greatly appreciated. The Institute notified me of the death of our Brother Chuck Grojean, Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy (Ret) at his home in San Antonio, Texas on December 8. His obituary should appear elsewhere in this issue, but I would like to say that in 1958 Chuck was selected to serve in the Navy’s submarine nuclear power program on the staff of Admiral Rickover. Chuck later commanded two nuclear subs and became the commander of the Submarine Force in the Mediterranean. In retirement, he served as executive director of the Admiral Nimitz Foundation. In December, I received a telephone call from a complete stranger who introduced himself as Dean Armstrong ’75, a pilot for Northwest Airlines. He seemed to have a regular flight over to Europe with a considerable amount of layover time on his hands, and in roaming through various cemeteries; he had located the burial markers for two of our Brothers, Charlie Augustine and Garland Waller. Both of these men were located in the U.S. Military Cemetery at Margratten, Holland. Waller’s was the true burial site but Augustine’s only had a marker, as he was Missing in Action with the Air Force. Jeff Esser writes that he and Kay have

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES moved to a new home at 2651 Laurel Oak Drive, Apt. 161, Bessemer, AL, 35022. Jean Pates is enjoying her lifestyle in a retirement community in Springfield, VA, and she has a granddaughter who is a freshman at Lynchburg College and has made the Lacrosse team there. Russ Newton reported in from Jacksonville and mentioned that he has now lost all of his VMI roommates. Upon leaving VMI, Ross was in Europe with the Air Force and flew B-24’s. After graduating from Princeton he flew for two more years in the Korean War. After getting out of the oil business in 1981 he has been active in Money Management. Beth Wells is staying active with housekeeping and frequent golf. Summers are spent at her cottage in Maine with many visits from children and grandchildren. Ann Freidell is enjoying life in Santa Barbara, CA and took her daughters to Las Vegas in September and had fun. They stayed at the Venetian Hotel and Ann was always lost. I can easily understand that, for it is the largest hotel in Las Vegas with something over 8,000 rooms. Marjorie Turner advises that after much soul searching, she came to the conclusion that the care of her husband, Ned Turner, was becoming more than she could handle because of his increasing dementia so she moved him into a facility at Dale Springs in Warrenton where he seems quite content. Vic Bray advised that he and P.J. were spending the last of January and all of February at Hilton Head, SC. In mid January, Dick Matheis called and said that he and Sandra were going on another cruise, this one being South America, including Peru and Antarctica. They are always on the go, and I am all for that. About the first of February Dee and Buddy Metz left Florida and returned to their home in Richmond, VA. Jim Lewter writes that a grandson presented him a Christmas gift of a long sought after DVD of Mardi Gras made 50 years ago. Also included was a poster showing Gary Crosby, Tommy Sands and Fred Clark in VMI uniforms promoting the movie. Jim is also enjoying two great granddaughters who have recently moved from Houston to Atlanta and

2009-Issue 2

were with him during Christmas. A very nice letter from Sara Ann Lindsey told all about the long friendship between her husband, Doug Lindsey, and Dabney Waring. After leaving VMI and serving in the Air Force and Navy, they enrolled and graduated from UVa, however they have attended their reunion with their Brother Rats rather than at Charlottesville. During Sara Ann’s war years at Sweet Briar she frequently came to dances at W&L and saw the “Minks” late-dating the Keydets until the end of the war and the turnaround brought the girls to late-dating the VMI men. Doug Lindsey has been retired for over 25 years but working for H&R Block. Jennifer and Dabney Waring stayed with them recently, and they attended a Jamestown Society meeting. The Warings live in Charlottesville and are involved in Episcopal Church activities as well as an adult education program and Dabney also teaches some Economics classes. Sara Ann has been teaching Sociology classes at UVa in northern Virginia after their four children graduated from college. In addition, she has served on the board of Gunston Hall, a historic old Virginia home place. As you can see, the Warings and Lindseys are still doing their duty and serving their communities. Mary Ballou and I went up to VMI in November for the Institute Society dinner and Jess Reed was the only other classmate present. Because of a sudden but minor sickness, we had to leave the next morning and missed the parade. Nate and Eloise Adams saw Jess at the parade. We are currently ending our month of February at Treasure Cay, Abaco, Bahamas, where they advertise it as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. It has been most relaxing and we have read six or eight books each and enjoying total relaxation. Next week we will be back home at the regular grind. I know that all are pleased to have the Stimulus Bill passed and see that it included so many millions of dollars for such important projects as “Reducing Swine Odors in Iowa” and another for “Reducing Foot Odor.” God bless our Great Class of 1945 and VMI.

’46

William A. Eliason

Sitting here in beautiful Tidewater Virginia, watching the cardinals and redwinged blackbirds frolicking around our feeder in 70 degree sunshine, it is difficult to believe that my friends up in the Blue Ridge were snowed in a few weeks back and that it is, indeed, mid winter. And what a winter it has been for VMI so far! On my desk is a copy of the latest Sports Illustrated and looking up at me are two fantastic first classmen who, with the rest of the team and Coach Baucom, are rewriting the VMI basketball record book … and the Big South record book … and the NCAA Division I record book. And not all of the thrills and good VMI press comes from the “Runnin’ Roos.” I don’t know where you were on the afternoon of January 20th, but Carol and I were glued to our TV set watching the historic Inauguration Day parade hoping that our Corps might be there. As darkness fell and the parade wound down, my hopes waned also, and I left the room to mix our evening drink when Carol yelled, “Here they are! The whole Corps, band, pipers and all!” I rushed back to the TV and stood there with tears in my eyes as I saw that magnificent Corps of Cadets, male and female, white, black, brown, red, yellow, a true “rainbow” division, in perfect formation, lines laser straight, not a soul out of step; each unit dipping its guidon to the new president and first lady who saluted our colors and gave us their broadest smile and only “thumbs up” signal of the day. Truly a new day for our Corps, for our Institute, for our commonwealth and for our nation. I believe it was a moment shared joyously by all without political or partisan motive, and I was never more in love with VMI and all it stands for, nor prouder to be one of her sons. Thank you, Gen. Peay ’62! Among your many fine hours, it was your finest! Before getting into the individual notes, I want to express my thanks and those of the Institute for your generous response to my end-of-the-year letter and for all of the holiday greetings. Several of you commented on the Rat pictures used in my letter. I dug

CLASS NOTES out my 1943 Bomb, scanned the class pix into my computer and you know the rest. I’m putting the same pix to an additional use throughout the year as each of you will find out. Just heard from Jim Price that he suffered damage to his right hip while competing in a golf tournament at the Country Club of Florida. He was partnered with is son-in-law (7) handicap who went on to finish 2nd without him. Did he fall, or was he pushed? Jim shot an 80 last year. Hope to hear that he is back at it soon. Lou and Ed Powers sent me a copy of their holiday letter noting activity amongst their quite extended family. All kinds of stuff, from marriages to Russian trampoline competition, to Coast Guard service, to college graduations, etc. They will need to send me a detailed family tree chart before I can sort out all of the names and events. I think I have earlier noted their prescience in locating the family of one of their progeny in Hawaii “forcing” them to go visit at least once a year. Good planning, Ed! Along with the VMI Pipes and Drums, Norval Marr and Ardith have been doing a lot of highland flinging recently. He writes: “In the last two weeks of January, they had six Scottage Parties, four of which concerned the 250th anniversary of the birth of Robert Burn’s birthday. Three Burns’ Night Dinners. One was a dedication of a bust of Burns for the Tampa (FL) Library to replace one originally given by Andrew Carnegie when he sent them a grant in 1914. We attended the Central Florida Highland Games and hosted a Tent to The Tribe of Mar (check www.TribeofMar.org) and finally a Whisky Tasting. Plans for this year include attending The Gathering 2009 in Edinburgh to celebrate the 250th birthday of Burns.” Norval is another one-year guy who finished undergraduate work at UVa and then earned his M.D. at Cornell. He is active in all three schools’ alumni affairs but always wears his VMI tartan to the functions and lets everybody know about it. Had a couple of nice notes from Stew Harrison from his home in California. He lost his wife, Evey, last February after 57 years of marriage. Stew is one of our many “yearlings” who, though finishing at Stan-

ford, has never forgotten his Brother Rats or his loyalty to VMI. Stew was an avid golfer until last year when he broke his hip and has had to hang up his clubs. He still spends a lot of time at the “19th hole” slammin’ dominoes instead of Titleists. Stew also finally fessed up to the fact that he was the occupant of Room 460 who smuggled in the alcohol that put ’46 on pledge. Joan and Paul Marks sent us holiday greetings. They are in good shape (I prefer Joan’s), and he was looking forward, I’m sure, to his annual spring turkey shoot. Ex-third classmen and other such turkeys had best stay out of Northampton County ’til he bags his quota. Joan is a great fan and generous supporter of our Tidewater public radio and television, WHRO FM and TV. Our daughter (inlaw in name only), Debbie, is on their staff as a fund raiser and gets to talk to Joan frequently to thank her. I haven’t talked to Paul since I read that the old Camp paper mill (now International Paper) shut down. It pretty much was the town of Franklin.

Class of 1946: Lt. Cmdr. Norval Marr ’46, USNR, (Ret.) and Ardith Rutland taken in December 2008, at the Feast of the Haggis sponsored by the St. Andrew’s Society of Tampa Bay. Dr. Marr is wearing the kilt of the U.S. Navy and the Naval Officers Mess Jacket. Ardith is wearing the Clark plaid.

Mort Mumma gave us a “heads-up that he and Babs were off to Western Europe again for their annual Christmas shopping spree. They usually add a river cruise which they truly enjoy. According to Mort, the accommodations, food and service are easily the peer (or better) than the much larger sea-cruising ships, plus a lot more scenery. Had a call last fall from Bill Ratliff who was in the area on a honeymoon trip. He’s still playing doubles tennis five days a week. Bill is very active with local philanthropies with special emphasis on the Rotary International World. Heard from Jule Spach who advises that he wants bragging rights to the largest family in ’46. Some time ago, Nat Wilson wrote to me that he had been paired, totally coincidentally, with Dan Hogan ’65 in a Silver Senior Club Tournament and had a ball. Speaking of coincidences, while waiting for Carol to do her therapy at the local “Y” last fall, a good looking Jaguar pulled up alongside and asked me what I was doing with a VMI license plate (mine reads “WAE-46.”) He turned out to be Richard C. Horne III ’42, known to his Brother Rats as “Gabe” for obvious reasons. Turns out that he is ’42’s class agent and has just as much trouble gathering class news as I do. There are not a lot of us, but we are ubiquitous! Talk about ubiquitous … here in Billyburg, we have a newspaper that comes out Wednesdays and Saturdays and is reputed to be the oldest continuously published newspaper in the nation. A couple of weeks ago, they featured a story on the construction of a replica of a colonial tavern which was being raised in the Colonial Williamsburg compound. Seems that a bunch of local volunteers were being led by a VMI civil engineering professor with a gang of his VMI students in erecting the walls of the structure. Some of us older alums may recall El Patio, and while we raised a lot of beer mugs there, we never quite got up the courage to build our own bar. As fellow class agent “Egypt” Jones ’44 puts it, “It ain’t like the good ol’ days … and it never was!” I am indebted to Guy Gilleland (another “yearling”) for a fantastic addition to the 1946 archives, such as they are. A few months back, he sent me a cadet directory from our Rat year, listing all cadets

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES by class year, their home towns and their room numbers. Most of you may recall it. About two inches by four inches in size but a large barrel of information. Guy had made notations along side each Brother Rat’s name, including when they left us to enter service and what service they entered. I thank you, Guy, and plan to make good use of it as all of you shall see as the year unfolds. Guy and his wife, Betty, are another couple of gadflies. They travel widely in the states and have spent at least a week in over 70 countries abroad. When you live in Florida, as we did on the “Redneck Riviera” for almost 20 years, you find yourself wanting to travel a lot. Big Ed Massenburg is up in arms about the Hampton Roads Convention Center kicking about 160 senior walkers out of their practice of daily walking to keep fit. Seems that they have been doing this for 18 months with no complaints, but now the city of Hampton wants them to go elsewhere. If my recollection of Big Ed doing battle with B.D. Mayo (1909) is accurate, Hampton just may have bitten off more than they can or will want to chew. Lastly, I would like to advise the class that I believe that we have established another unique facet to the diamond in the rough that we revere as ’46. I believe that we are now the “spiciest” class in VMI history. As most of us know from the Virginia magazine and other articles, Brother Rat Connie Sauer and his brother, along with their progeny, have continued his family’s domination of the southern spice business including their fabulous Duke’s mayonnaise (which I devour by the cupful). What a joy to have a business with high quality that has not “sold out” to one of the “big guys.” Now I find out that Jim Price and his brother, Doug, took over Vann’s Spices when its founder retired several years ago and are supplying private label brands to such as the Greenbrier and Hershey Hotels. Perhaps a merger is in the offing to be called “BIG RED Spices, the Hottest Game in Town.” With that, I’ll give you a big GO BIG RED. By the time you read this, we will all know what happened at the Big Dance in March.

2009-Issue 2

’47

Bill Hallett

Received notice at year-end that on March 12, 2008, Taps sounded for Charles E. Schneller. During WW II, Chuck served as a Lt. JG. After the war he received his BA from Lafayette, his MA in education from Columbia and taught English in the Abington PA schools. Chuck enjoyed music and was an accomplished trumpeter; he loved horses, enjoyed gardening and sailing. He is survived by daughter Margie, son Chip and his everfaithful dog, Molly. Bill Glass and Gus Robbins remember Chuck as being one of the more talented of the 15 members of VMI’s 1943 basketball team. Very sorry to report that Katherine Virginia Settle Wright widow of Fred Wright died Dec. 21, 2008. She practiced law up into her seventies and is survived by two daughters and one grandson. Also, Juanita Blakely Wilson, widow of Thomas H. “Runnin” Wilson died Nov. 8, 2008. Nita enjoyed books, classical music, travel and gourmet cooking. She is survived by her daughter and a grandson. In September, Barbara and Catesby Jones were in Washington, D.C., at the headquarters of Society of Cincinnati for the unveiling of a bronze statue of George Washington; it is an exact copy of Houdon’s statue in Virginia’s State Capitol. The highlight of their trip was the presentation of the “Washington-Lafayette Eagle” to Catesby for his many years of dedicated service to that society; it was the first time that award had been given. Congratulations, Catesby! Great recorded call from Jorge Sarmiento on Founders Day; the Halletts were in Lexington for the Founders Day events there. Back home again, I returned his call and we had a long talk. Jorge and Delia are fine. Weather in Lima is getting warm which allows him to restart his swimming program. He says that, largely due to a growing export program, the Peruvian economy has been able to avoid many of the world’s current financial woes. These “regulars” were present for the Institute Society Dinner on Nov. 11, 2008:

Buck Cavedo, Helen Gillespie, Bill and Marty Hallett, Bill Phillips, Betty Lane and Gus Robbins. Nothing like an open bar and a free meal to draw a crowd! This year’s dinner had the largest ever attendance of those “loyals” who contribute generously to support the Institute. Last fall, the Robbinses had a fine two-week cruise around Italy and the Dalmatian Coast. Gus still plays tennis, and his VMI license plate triggered a “do you know” question from a man who had attended John Marshall HS in Richmond and knew Meade Gregory, Red Jarrett, Jimmy Rayhorn and Carlyle Tiller. Third Barracks was dedicated on Founders Day: 169 years after Nov. 11, 1839, when John Bowie Strange (1842) became the first sentinel posted at the old arsenal Barracks. Your Scribe was still in the Corps as a 1st class private when Gen. George C. Marshall (1901) spoke at the dedication of New Barracks on May 15, 1951. Gen. Marshall returned to Lexington one month later for his 50th Reunion and to make sure that your Scribe finally received his diploma and commission. Life is easier to take than you’d think; all that is necessary is to accept the inevitable, do without the indispensable and be prepared for the inevitable. Ding Price and his Texas son made an early November trip to spend a week in Eastern Virginia visiting with Ding’s mother who became 102 in December; “her health is rather good, but hearing not good.” Ding said he wasn’t sure his mother couldn’t hear or didn’t want to hear half of what he was saying. His comment about the Alumni Review was that the paper was too thick, thereby making it too heavy to handle. A pre-Christmas call from Heinie Henzel saying that he enjoys living at Kendal and is gradually getting around to unpacking boxes scattered about his quarters there. Marty and I greatly appreciate the Christmas cards and notes. ‘Twas the season to enjoy and remember old friends and happy times. Two of the messages included pictures which tended to confirm that “we” are no longer the younger generation. But we are still here! Billy (a.k.a. Super Bunny) Watkins wrote that he and Norma have their share of doctor visits

CLASS NOTES and some “moanin’ and groanin’” but still stay busy with bridge club, garden club and work at their church while enjoying the full and busy lives of their children and grandchildren. Carol and Jim Willson reported another fine year in their California paradise – still playing golf, though scores aren’t improving. No overseas travel in 2008 but plans are all set for a 2009 cruise to China and Japan. Very sorry to read in the McCarley’s year-end letter that their granddaughter, Amy Boyle, had lost her long battle with brainstem glioma last June. Ben said he and Alice are probably doing better than they ought to: they enjoy being in OK even though they have ice in winter, extreme heat in summer, ragweed in the fall and tornadoes in the spring. “The weather is never boring here.” Year-end report from the Glass house included a great picture of Bill Glass, his sons, Bill and Bob, and their families, including Bill’s first grandson. Bill said he had slowed down a bit – only reading two daily papers rather than three and just playing tennis once a week. He attended the 60th Reunion of his class of ’48 at the University of OK; small turnout since the OK grads use the OK home football games as a reason to come back to see former classmates. Suellen said Carl Garrison has little desire to travel, prefers to have friends stop by to chat and believes that medications have finned out his taste buds. Cataract procedures have greatly improved her ability to keep an eye on Carl and to read the MRIs and CAT scans preceding her successful back surgery. Realizing that your Scribe’s eyesight is not the best, John Ewell prevailed on Jo to type his letter. They still enjoy traveling, from the Outer Banks to New England in April, family reunion at Pawley’s Island, plus a two-week trip to Russia. Jo even found time for a knee replacement. Hilma Anne and Max Lamont report that they are still “hangin’ in there” in pretty good order in spite of advancing years. They plan to be in VA in mid April for the 60th Reunion for the class of ’49C. Some of you remember that 17 of our Bro’ Rats adopted and were graduated with that class. Max said they are still avoiding e-mail and the computer and affirms that snail mail suits them just fine. I share that philosophy.

Lil Waterman said she is doing just fine. While she doesn’t have her four sons around, she has five granddaughters there in Austin along with seven great-grandkids to brighten her days; the youngest is 17. Since Jerry (a.k.a. Iggy) was an only child, Lil wonders if he would enjoy the children as much as she does. I think he would. Eva Simmons wondered where 2008 went so quickly! She continues to be active with the families of her children and grandchildren, plays the organ at her church and finds time for a bit of traveling, including a trip to IL to attend her sister’s 90th birthday. A grandson will be married in April. The Christmas letter from Anna May and Bruce Taylor closed with these words: “We must pray for peace and success in 2009, for enduring solutions to our world’s economic problems, for our families and friends, and for you.” Well said indeed! Margaret Nichol wrote that she and Ridley were adjusting to the changes allocated to our generation and believe that their New England cruise completed their quota. They and Anita and Marshall Brittain enjoyed a trip to the NC mountains for the glorious fall colors, even though on the morning they left, the temperature was 27 degrees and it was snowing. Confessions arrive in various forms. Jock Maggard admits that he still shines his shoes on the back of his trousers. Good training lasts a lifetime! His brother, Oliver, “served” two years as a ’45; brother Andy was graduated with ’49B; and cousin Lt. Gen. John McGiffert was a ’48B. Jock and Nancy spent Christmas and New Year’s in Ireland before returning to their FL home. Among the Bro’ Rats Jock remembers well are Rives Fleming and Pat Gilliam; he wondered if any of us knew the whereabouts of Norman Tonkin. Nancy still keeps in touch with Sweetbriar where she roomed with Deede Shepherd’s ’50B wife, Lola. Mickey and Tex Brown are comfortably settled in their Georgetown, TX, retirement community and say they have a much better situation there than in Wimberly. In spite of community regulations to the contrary, Tex has been removing a “few” scrub pines in order to improve their view of the area. On an 80-degree December day, he called Mary Anne and Jim Sizer

who were housebound in MI by the cold. Bro’ Rat compassion? The Christmas picture from Dolores Gelly featured Damon and Cal, the recently adopted Turkish Angora cats, who seemed to be in control. A promise from Dick Spencer: a notation “will write” complimented his Christmas card; no date mentioned, and I’m still waiting. Quite a few of you sent Christmas greetings and only signed your name. Great to hear from you and to know that you are still out there. Hope you’ll be a bit more “wordy” in your next mailing. A happy holiday note from Norma and John Burton said they were celebrating their granddaughter’s graduation from UNC Charlotte – the last grandchild to be graduated. Both grandsons have jobs in Charlotte and are available for those small jobs grandparents seem to need help with. The following quote from Thomas Jefferson indicate that he was indeed a prophet: “The reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government. To compel a man to subsidize with his taxes the propagation of ideas which he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical.” And I quote here: “Santa Claus went off his rocker this year and saddled us with a 20-year debt.” Florence and Marty Katcher have added a 64-foot Pacemaker yacht to the VMI Pacific fleet based in San Diego – said it was cheaper than a land condo. It also keeps them from unpacking the 400 (certify) boxes they are still holding at their Las Vegas home. The Katchers did enjoy the quinquennial snow that fell there. Right after New Year’s Day, Sarah Newsom and daughter “Boodie” McGinnis spent four days in NY City to celebrate Sarah’s attainment of the four-score mark. They enjoyed the Christmas decorations, skating at Rockefeller Center and three Broadway plays; a great celebration. Boodie helps your Scribe by maintaining the address list for us. PLEASE use this new list to call or write a former roommate or fellow stoop walker. Very glad to have Bill Haughton back with ’47. He promised to be a loyal correspondent as well as a regular supporter of the Institute. When I talked with him, he said he still has lots of energy and

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES imagination and is now developing a fabric surfboard to be called “The Surfie.” Much interesting research on his part. On Inaugural Day 2009, I remembered that 60 years earlier the N&W railroad had backed a train into East Lexington to carry the Corps to Washington, D.C., to march in Harry Truman’s Inaugural Parade. It had snowed, and in the line of march, the Corps followed a mounted unit; unlike the Corps, most of the horses had enjoyed a full meal. We smiled during “eyes left” as we passed the reviewing stand while the band played “Dixie.” A number of us had returned to VMI on the GI Bill and were financially able to be active participants in the post-parade relaxation at Club 823 before boarding the midnight train to return to VMI. Also remember that a few class rings were held hostage by the club until their owners could return to settle outstanding tabs. Harry Lee and I were among the brave attending the Jan. 17th meeting of the VMI Alumni Association Board of Directors; the temperature that morning stood at 0 degrees. During WWII, Harry was a lieutenant in the Navy’s ship salvage division and had duty in Operation Crossroad at Bikini Atoll; he also served during the Korean War. Evidently, Mac Davis had an adverse reaction to the 2009 Inaugural ceremony. Soon thereafter, our class vice president made a hit on Medicare by having an aortic valve replacement. Since I had a ham sandwich on the day of his operation, do you suppose that makes us distant relatives? Max Lamont called me Jan. 28th; he had just talked with Mac and reported that all was going well and that our VP was going home the next day. Also had a call from Ben McCarley telling about Mac’s operation; he wanted to make sure that as class president his back-up was doing well. As of YE 2008, state funds allocated for VMI have been reduced by $3.1 million as VA struggles with its finances during these tough economic times. One of every three cadets attends VMI on some type of scholarship. Since the Foundation’s fiscal year began on July 1, 2008, 23 Bro’ Rats and five Sister Rats have contributed $21,000 to support the Institute [as of this writing in February 2009]. My thanks to them for

2009-Issue 2

their continuing loyalty! I hope the other 43 Bro’ Rats will contribute before June 30th. Contribute to the extent that you can, and help ’47 continue to be a leader in donor participation. Class Notes depend on you and your active participation. Please be an active participant! Stay well, take care, keep smiling and age gracefully. VMI and your Scribe are depending on you.

’48A

Dale E. Wykoff

home as a series of medical problems limit Bill’s mobility. When I called, they were celebrating becoming great-grandparents. Gilly and Mary Ann Williamson are doing well but hope that the freezing weather in Edinburg, VA, will end soon. Gilly doesn’t get out much, but they enjoy having relatives and friends visit them at home. Dora Meler is plugging away at Barclay’s Capital, which took over part of Lehman Brothers when they went out of business. The financial situation is still troublesome, but having been with Lehman Brothers for over 20 years, she was pleased to have been selected by Barclays to remain at work. Don Florence has moved in with his daughter, Debra Pianka, and his old telephone number has been cancelled. He can be reached at Debra’s number, which I will be glad to share with anyone desiring it. When I spoke with him, he and Debra were just ready to drive to Florida for a long-postponed vacation. Good luck to both! John and Barbara Trumbo have been on their annual vacation in Florida and tell me that both the weather and Florida was outstanding. While there, they ran into Charles Wolford ’52 and his wife, Barbara, and enjoyed playing tennis with them. Dale and Alice Wykoff continue living down by the Maury River just outside Glasgow. Our second great-granddaughter was born in January ’09 in Denver. Thanks to all who have contributed to the VMI funds, especially to the 1948A Scholarship Fund. For the current academic year, it has again been awarded to Cadet Shannon D. Sellers ’09, a psychology major from Riverdale, GA. She received $5540, and I will soon share her appreciative comments with you.

Billy and Betty Bond celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary in February 2009 and had a wonderful party. They are having surprisingly cold weather for Fort Worth and along with all of us, are looking forward to spring. Mike Calhoun continues to be involved in the local political scene, and he has a computer system which allows him to see the caller as he speaks with him. I promised I would look into that system. Unfortunately, not all Brother Rats have computers. Here in Lexington, Ed Kritzer and Peggy are doing reasonably well. They attended the annual Institute Society banquet last fall and everyone was glad to see them. For the occasion, he gave up his wheelchair and made it with a walker. I asked Bev Laws if he had any words to pass to the Brother Rats, and he said that he was just glad to still be around to be asked! He’s holding his own, he said, and Katie agreed. It is always a pleasure to talk with J.Y. O’Neal. He is spending quite a bit of time at his friendly doctor’s office, having a continual problem with his eyesight. We all wish Louis Castellano Jr. him a speedy recovery. Irene Sadler in Williamsburg is already looking forward to her annual trip back to her home in Hawaii which will be in mid summer. Her 516/7463340 message to all of ’48A: “Come and visit Arrangements are in place now for our me!” Paul and Sarah Stagg said they are reunion to be held on the weekend of Nov. doing well – just like all old people. In 6, 2010. Arrival date will be Nov. 5th, and the departure date will be Nov. 7th. You’ll spite of some limiting medical problems, he’s looking forward to seeing some of the be given more particulars as the date approaches. George Ramsey and Doug remaining VMI basketball games – and of Hamner are making the arrangements course, the coming football season. Bill for lodging and meals. I have suggested and Lamar Whitmore are staying close to

’48B

CLASS NOTES to George that hopefully we’ll have one of our dinners at Alumni Hall, and I have requested that arrangements try to be made to have the VMI Glee Club present. I often read through the “1949B Odyssey” covering our connection with VMI from 1944-98. When I left VMI in January of 1945 to go into the service, I didn’t realize how many of our Brother Rats left around the same time. In addition, I always felt some misgivings, because I didn’t graduate from VMI, but at the same time and looking through the 1948B Odyssey, it is quite clear that many of our Brother Rats in our class graduated from other schools. The Odyssey brings back many memories of the indelible impressions that relate to our Ratline experience and the Honor System that will last for a lifetime. Jean Pinkston, wife of our Brother Rat Gorman, advised that Gorman is still bed confined. Hopefully, he’ll be admitted to Norfolk General Hospital for therapy. If any of you have any contact with Norfolk General Hospital, let me know, as I understand it is rather difficult to secure admittance. Johnnie Eldridge recovered from myeloma after approximately a year of treatment. He tells me his son, Charlie, is doing a much better job than he did for International Harvester. Sometimes the seeds that we plant generate beautiful experiences. Chuck Alberto who lives in Mathews, NC, within the past two years built a new home, and one of his daughters purchased his old home. She is the mother of triplets. More importantly, his son, Michael, who is 52 years of age and has been blind for many years, recently underwent a special type of surgery performed on one of his eyes, and as a result, he has regained some vision where there was no vision. Paul Applin had a pacemaker put in. He is feeling fine. Johnny Eldridge called me to advise that the Sports Illustrated magazine of Feb. 9, 2009, had a story about the VMI basketball team, which I hope most of you had a chance to read. The team is #1 in the nation as of Feb. 9, 2009, in scoring, steals and three-point baskets. Also, the sports section of the New York Times on Feb. 11, 2009, carried an article about the basketball team. As of Dec. 31, 2008, we had 64 Brother Rats on our class roster and 25, including

Sister Rats, made donations for the year 2008. Although the percentage was only about 35%, the financial contribution was significant compared to other classes. Please send whatever contribution you can afford, regardless of the amount, to VMI. It’s not so much the amount, as it is the gesture of recognition to the Institute for all that we’ve received. The 2009-Issue 1 of the VMI Alumni Review included my notes but put our former class agent, Brother Rat Lee Slayton, as the author. Notwithstanding the oversight, I can only say that I hope I can follow in his footsteps. I am going to request that the Alumni Office send to all of our Brother and Sister Rats an up-to-date roster, so there can be easy communication with each other. Please keep me up to date on your activities and family members, as we are all interested.

’49A

James Harrington

The past three months have been difficult for everyone, including the Harringtons. Despite the reversals of fortune – political and financial – we retain our health and appreciation for what’s left. We have our family – all still making it – our friends and my Brother Rats, a very few of whom take time to send us news for this quarterly chore. It appears that most of us are not doing much of anything. Anyway, here’s what we have for the Review. Bill May called to talk at some length about his plans for our reunion in April. (I think we’ll have experienced that reunion before this is published.) Bill is reaching out to some of our Brother Rats who have been unseen or unheard from lately, so maybe we’ll have an opportunity to get back with them. Bill claims that he’s healthy and still teaching his classes. Here’s Allen Penniman’s letter. He has arranged for his administrative assistant to prod him into this each quarter, for which I am grateful: “Looking back at my calendar, it seems as if my activities really slowed down in the fourth quarter of last

year. I can report that we had a wonderful Thanksgiving but were not able to make plans for all of the families to visit us in Baton Rouge as we have done in past years. With so many children and grandchildren, getting them all here is a massive undertaking. So, we had the three Baton Rouge families at the farm for a wonderful pre-Thanksgiving Day. Then Joanie and I flew to Albuquerque for Thanksgiving to visit her family, the Coutrets, who live there. We were joined by the Atkins family, Joanie’s son, in Albuquerque and we had a great time at Thanksgiving with children and grandchildren and grandparents, Joanie and PopPop. After a visit of five days, we returned to Baton Rouge, happy but glad to be home. Our return put us here just in time to begin planning for the wonderful Christmas Season. With many family members, some of whom are very young, shopping is a major chore. This is the time that Joanie comes to my rescue, and in a matter of a few days, she does a wonderful job of remembering everyone in our family. Our Christmas celebration was quiet and peaceful as it should be, and with it, we began to think about a new year. I must drop in a comment about our LSU football team which, after a rather dismal season, was able to run rough shod over Georgia Tech in Atlanta. If we believe that, ‘all is well which ends well,’ we had a good season. Next year will be much better. Looking back at 2008, it was a year when good things happened and then some very difficult things happened. Usually, I am optimistic and will continue this feeling as I look forward at our new year. I hope that the change in leadership in Washington will be beneficial and I hope and expect the end of our problems in the Middle East, or at least the fact that they are less severe in terms of the loss of American lives. We also have many things to fix that we have been guilty of letting take place, and I hope that the country comes together and sees to it that needed corrections are made.” I admire Allen’s optimism – I hope it’s catching, as I could use some. Stan Millimet has figured it out: “Unfortunately, I don’t have any new news. We’ve had nothing but cold, snow and ice since November of last year. It was 5 below this

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES morning, so we’ve been shoveling and staying warm. I even called Al Gore to order some of his global warming, but all I got was a lecture that the world is coming to an end. So, I turned on the news, and all I heard is that if we don’t put the country into hock for 100 years with their stimulus bill, the world is going to end. So, I called my broker to cash in my investments so Sunny and I could live it up a bit, but he told me that all is lost and that the world is going to end. So, your note about our reunion is great news – since you’re telling me the world won’t end till after that. “The reunion is on 20-21 April. That’s a Monday and Tuesday, if I have the right calendar. It’s been over a weekend in the past. We’re looking forward to it. But other than doing a lot of reading, some TV watching and talking to kids, we don’t have a lot to report. So, let’s plan on a wild get together – like staying up past 10 p.m., or something crazy like that.” Margaret Ann Noftsinger communicates for the whole family: “Hope you all have survived the winter! Spring is just around the corner. No, we have not done a lot since our last communication, but we are VERY busy going to football and basketball games and about to start lacrosse season. So, we don’t have much time or energy to do more. We love every minute of the grandchildren’s events. Our world traveler is about to wind up her ’round the globe trip, and I am sure, with mixed feelings, she has had a great experience and will have a lot more tales to tell her grandchildren than we ever had. We have added to the family a great grandson who looks just like his grandfather! Another grandchild went to the African jungle to teach soccer to the native children, she was blown away by the poverty and lack of everything. She just accepted a job with a nonprofit to continue work in third world countries. I am not sure of what she’ll do, but she is coming home soon, and I will be informed. Hope to have more news next time.” No comment about Bill, but presumably he’s busy chasing all those grandchildren around the golf course. Here’s a short note from Larry Butler: “We’re still staying alive but not much activity. Have reserved a room for the reunion. Wonder who else will show up?

2009-Issue 2

Have made plans for an Elderhostel in May and a trip to the beach, and later in the summer to go to Massanutten in Sept. My youngest son is now deployed by the Navy … he should return in late May. My oldest son is retired from the Navy with 30 years service. Last count, 12 grandchildren.” Herb Johnston is not verbose: “Hi, Jim. We really don’t have any news. Maybe next time. I hope you are okay as are we. Herb” As with the rest of us, Joe Fil is doing much of nothing: “Absolutely nothing is new here from Portola Valley. We have been in the midst of a severe drought but are finally getting a little rain. Hope it continues. I haven’t been up to the lake in the past few months, but my neighbors tell me the lake is still very low and probably can’t launch my boat from the lift. At the moment, this isn’t too much of a concern as one of my construction projects has destroyed my back. I’m in the process of navigating my HMO – scheduling doctor appointments, MRIs, etc. However, we will see. I’m still somewhat upright and this side of the sod; the family is all OK. Sweet Sue is still doing her volunteer work at VA Hosp. – Brain and Spinal Injury Ward and has been asked to expand her efforts to another Vet Hosp. in Menlo Park. Sorry, not much news here but hope all is well with you and your family.” And that’s it for the Octogenarian Antics – so far this year.

’49B

Dan Smaw

When you receive these class notes, our 60th Reunion will be history. I hope a lot of you were able to be there and had the wonderful time we always have at our reunions. Greg put a huge amount of time and effort into it, and we owe him our thanks for a job well done. In November, Bill Sweeney wrote that he and his son, Dan VMI ’80, had attended an open house at VMI, primarily for prospective cadets. While there, he saw Nux Enochs, two parades, a football game, dozens of Secret Service agents and V.P. Dick Cheney. He had two fairly minor

operations in the last six months. That did not diminish his sense of humor, since he wanted to know if his grandson, Bradley, goes to VMI and makes 1st captain, will that erase his 1st class private records. Sorry, Bill; it won’t help you. My grandson was an honor student throughout his cadetship, but it did nothing to elevate my somewhat poor academic record. Country Lauerman called in November for Earthmole’s phone number. He said he had been talking to John Hayes about the reunion and the Hall of Valor. Earthmole Lewis and I talked in November. He said one of his granddaughters was interested in going to VMI. So far, we have had no ’49B granddaughters, only grandsons, attend. He now has seven greatgrandchildren – four girls and three boys. Tommy and Pam Bowers sent a belated birthday card after he saw the November class notes with a reference to my birthday party and birth date. It was appreciated. I guess that by now, he and Pam are pulling his usual hardship tour on St. Bart’s, where he has to open and close the church each day and preach once on Sundays. Danny Myers e-mailed that he was glad I had a gala birthday. He mentioned that with his 20 Dec. birthday, it was more a Christmas event than a birthday event, but it is always good to have one. Lon Walter and family (daughters, sonsin-law and grandkids) spent Thanksgiving week in Hawaii celebrating his 80th birthday. They had a great time, as well as seeing all the changes that had taken place since he was stationed there – one is that traffic is as bad as any big city on the mainland. He had a chance to talk with Danny Myers who assured him he would be at the 60th. Greg Nelson, Nux Enochs and Mack Van Hook attended the awards ceremony in Lexington on Founders Day when Grover Outland received the Distinguished Service Award. Greg said there was an impressive Corps review followed by the dedication of the New Barracks – known as the Third Barracks. They then went to Cameron Hall for the awards and Grover’s talk. They said Grover’s talk was outstanding. Since Grover was kind enough to send me a copy, which I appreciated, I agree it was great. Louise and I went to New Bern, NC, for

CLASS NOTES Thanksgiving with my niece and family. As usual, we had a fine time, and the fried turkey was as good as always. We had dinner with the widow of my longtime best friend. The weather left a little to be desired, but the southeast can use the rain. While in Michigan at Christmas time, we called Mark and Helen Casey and arranged a time to visit them. Unfortunately I caught a bad cold and could not risk giving it to Mark or Helen, so all we ended up with was a couple of phone conversations. Mark is pretty well bound to a wheelchair but in good weather has a motorized cart and gets around the Fox Run campus where they live. They are both sorry not to make the 60th but send their regards to everyone. We had a good time visiting our daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter in spite of the weather - snow and cold temperatures. The next several items are from Christmas cards and notes which I greatly appreciate, since it makes for a longer and hopefully more interesting class note. Jack and Pat Evans had a tough 2008 healthwise. Pat had a series of cancer operations from which she is recovering and gaining strength. Additionally, her hair grew back, following chemo, as naturally curly, which she had always wanted. Jack had a fall from his golf cart – sounds like shades of Joe Heiker. He also is recovering and along with Pat, has joined the Athletic Club to work on building up their strength. We hope 2009 will be lots better than 2008. See you in Lexington. Vernon Patterson wrote that he is doing better but not yet driving and will not be able to make the 60th. We wish you well, Vernon, and look for a good report soon. Leo Soucek said they are fine other than the aches and pains common to 80-yearolds – I can relate. He said memories of what went on in the old days are getting harder to believe in the current environment. John and Mary Haggerty visited family in New York in June and attended a granddaughter’s high school graduation. From there, they visited Mary’s sister in Pennsylvania for a few days. Over the 4th of July weekend, there were 18 polka bands there, so they had a great time, since that is their favorite exercise. John Hayes says he always remembers our class and enjoys keeping up through the

Class Notes. He and Paula are doing okay. Pat and Betty Bridges have enjoyed their year living in the Atlantic Shores Retirement Community. Their church continues to be at the center of their lives. On one of their trips, they toured Monticello and took in a dress parade at VMI. The Virginia Beach Beautification Commission honored Pat by establishing a college horticulture scholarship in his name. Congratulations, Pat. Bob and Barbara Jeffries did no travel in 2008. Barbara does programs and activities at the New Canaan Inn and is also First Reader at her church. Bob is webmaster for a couple of local Web sites. Their son, Christopher, had one of his musical works produced in Berkeley, CA. It received good reviews in some of the bigger papers. Son Andrew and family are happy in Manila where he is with the Asian Development Bank. They visited Bob and Barbara in the summer. Son Jeff lives nearby in CT and has a daughter, Grace, who plans to be the first woman president. Boyd Guttery hopes to make the 60th. He said it depends on travel arrangements and his back. Several years ago he had major back surgery, so I am guessing it is not doing too well. Old age is something else and definitely not for sissies. Risque and Felice Benedict had a good year. They had Thanksgiving with three of their eight daughters, one son-in-law and four grandchildren. After Christmas, they went to Port St. Lucie, FL, for three months. They will be joined in Maryland by the Jeffries, his VMI roommate, for the drive to the reunion. Clint and Rose Anne Hurd spent Thanksgiving in Mobile with Selden and Betty Lu Stephens. Selden is not doing well but has a good appetite and occasionally asks for an “adult beverage.” Betty Lu takes good care of him. Harv and Barbara Bradley had a year with no moves for a change. They sold their house in The Villages, FL, before the housing market turned down. Barbara still plants, waters from rain barrels and takes care of their two dogs, Malcolm and Buster. Harv is still working on shooting his age but needs to improve or get a bit older. He tries to play three times a week and claims his doctor has prescribed minimal yard and house work – only golf.

I somehow doubt this flies with Barbara. Jean Thomason says they had an interesting year. First, Bobby fainted on the golf course in March and had to have a defibrillator and pacemaker installed. He is now doing well. Second, Jean broke her upper arm in June in Connecticut. She got the cast off a few months ago and graduated to a brace and is now doing well. They just adopted a little dog and are having a ball with him. Their daughter, Jane, and family were with them at Christmas, since both their granddaughters now live in Charlotte. Carel and Ikey Humme celebrated the November birth of their eighth greatgrandchild. Carel had an unscheduled visit to the hospital shortly after Christmas 2007. It was an attack of pleurisy in the left lung. Ikey remains healthy since she has to care for the old man. This month they celebrate 60 years together. 2008 was a year of reunions and seeing and hearing from a lot of friends. Carel still mans the welcome desk in the Visitors Center at Historic Jamestown. Sam and Julie Marty are still perking along, with several trips during the year to Oregon, Southern California, Bermuda, New York and Vancouver Island. Sam works part-time and Julie continues her church work and other volunteer activities. Ed and Deegee Watling had a great year where their routine stayed about the same as in past years. Deegee keeps up with tennis, book club, lap swimming, a little substitute teaching and art. Ed participates in a prostate cancer support group at Walter Reed. On Wednesdays, he is a Red Cross volunteer in the Center for Prostate Disease Research. In April, they flew to Rio de Janeiro and embarked on a 14-day cruise, ending in Lisbon, Portugal, from where they flew home. Their oldest son, Peter, who has been in the Army Reserve, was called to active duty and ordered to Afghanistan for a year. We wish you well, Peter. Danny and Beth Myers continue to enjoy living in “Paradise” atop Waianea Mountain overlooking the blue Pacific Ocean. Their Koi pond and newly landscaped yard gives them immense pleasure. They have lots of tangerines, oranges and pomegranates to eat. They will be at the 60th. Joe and Shirley Spitler started the year with Joe hiking, working at Habitat for

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES Humanity, tutoring math at Pima CC and docent activities at Kitt Peak National Observatory. Shirley’s activities included knitting, spinning and bookkeeping. Years ago, they decided to put off getting a dog until they traveled less, so now it seemed like time. They checked the Internet and found the Southern Arizona Beagle Rescue. There they met “Fred,” and he’s been in the family since July. Joe had cataract surgery in August and September and hip replacement surgery in October. Shirley generally is hale and hearty, so they are back on track. They ended the year healthy and happy and start the new one with optimism. Dot Rawles was scheduled for knee replacement surgery in October, but her surgeon fell and shattered his ankle, thus postponing her surgery until 6 Jan. In October, she tore the cartilage in her good knee, so she had to decide which knee goes first. The day after Christmas, their 22-year-old grandson, Nicholas, was found dead by his father, their son-in-law. Nicholas was getting dressed when he had status epileptic seizures (a prolonged series of seizures). Our sincere condolences go to Dick and Dot and their family. Because of all the trauma in their lives, Dot’s surgery was postponed until 13 Jan. We hope it went well. They will be at the 60th, following which they will spend time in Williamsburg and Virginia Beach. Hotz Lardon e-mailed in December to say that his son, Mike’s, book In the Zone had just made number one on Amazon.com in the kindle edition (online books). Congratulations to Mike and his proud father. Charlie Upshaw called in January to say he was about to mail a letter to all the ’49B medics encouraging their attendance at the 60th. We then talked about a variety of things, including our VMI grandsons – his in the class of ’06 and mine in the class of ’07. Andrew Upshaw is stationed in Germany and thinks it will not be too long before he goes to Afghanistan. Andrew Timpner is assigned to a guided missile destroyer on the West Coast and hopes to be transferred to the East Coast in late summer. Tom Cooke wrote in January that he and Virginia were meeting with Greg Nelson concerning reunion activities. He sent along an article about the VMI basketball team, which is having a great season.

2009-Issue 2

Louise and I met Harv and Barbara Bradley for lunch at Chequers in early January. We had a fine time as well as a good lunch. The day we had lunch was on one of the days of the week when Harv does not play golf. He probably gets more exercise walking their two dogs four times a day than he does playing golf. As the VMI Corps marched in this year’s inaugural parade, it recalled for many of us our participation in Harry Truman’s inaugural in 1949, nine days before we were to graduate. Max Feinman, Leo Soucek and I remember how cold it was – probably not as cold as this year but still cold. Lon Walter remembers the band playing “Dixie” as we passed the reviewing stand, much to Truman’s disgust, since all the Southern States had voted for the Dixiecrats. Max recalls “bumping” into President Truman arriving at the back “service entrance” to attend one of the inaugural balls. They were getting a little fresh air when they were ushered inside by the Secret Service and questioned as to their identity. Nux Enochs recalls the First Captain missing the formation at the train station for the return trip to Lexington. If you want the rest of the story, contact Nux. The VMI Corps of Cadets has marched in 13 inaugural parades. Greg Nelson found the following which was published by Headquarters, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, VA on 21 January 1949. “1. The participation of the VMI Corps in the inaugural parade of President Harry S. Truman on 20 January 1949 was marked by adherence to traditional soldierly bearing and precise military execution on the part of each and every cadet. The splendid conduct of the Corps of Cadets on the trip to Washington and return, in ranks and out, reflected great credit upon itself, the Institute and the State of Virginia. 2. In a just sense of pride and gratitude for the way the Corps conducted itself both as a military unit and as individual representatives of this institution, the Superintendent announces that the Corps will be excused from Sunday Morning Inspection of Quarters on 23 January and from drill on Tuesday, 25 January. By command of Maj. Gen. Marshall /s/ F.H. Barksdale Executive Officer”

In a conversation with Greg Nelson in February, he mentioned that the Van Hooks and Watlings joined the Nelsons in December in Richmond to attend a Glenn Miller concert. Greg said the place was filled, and everyone really enjoyed the evening. Mack said Inge was very familiar with Glenn Miller music since that was what she listened to and danced to when they were courting in Germany. Kitty Nelson had shoulder surgery in early February. This is a recurring problem with this shoulder. We wish her a speedy and complete recovery. Ronnie Gault called in February to say there was an excellent article in the 9 Feb. Sports Illustrated about the VMI basketball team, complete with pictures. Ronnie has been in poor health for some time, so it is with regret that he will miss the reunion. Pat Bridges sent an article from the Virginian Pilot. It pointed out how much landscaping work Pat has done to improve the general area around where he lives. Pat will not be at the reunion but sends his regards to all the BRs, especially his roommates. Louise and I are off to Lexington for the wedding of our grandson, Andrew ’07. More on that in the next Class Notes. Thanks to all who have contributed to Annual Giving. God Bless America, VMI and ’49B.

’49C

Haywood France

Editor’s Note: These notes were submitted by former class agent, Stewart Snoddy Jr. By the time you read this, our 60th Reunion will have become history. As of today, however, it would appear that we will enjoy an excellent turnout. So far, 15 Brothers have committed, along with 14 wives and one daughter. Disappointedly, just three of our Sisters are coming. I hope that others may join us, but the travel wear and tear to Lexington is a problem. For those of us who do make it, I’m certain that the celebration will not be as rowdy as in the past. Remember the 20th at the Natural Bridge Hotel! Our 1949C Scholarship Fund continues to “do good” at the Institute. This year,

CLASS NOTES the income from our investment is being divided among four Keydets: Nicholas B. Matson ’09, psychology, Roanoke, CA; Hugo R. Bustamante ’10, civil engineering, Sunrise, FL; David B. Martin ’11, international studies, Indianapolis, IN; and Adam D. Martin ’12, biology, Richmond, VA. While the income from our fund does not provide for generous stipends, it is certainly of help to these Keydets and their families in these tight times. Currently, Ann and I are supporting two granddaughters, one in college and one in prep school, and we can testify as to the financial load involved. By the way, as of June 30, 2008, the 1949C Scholarship Fund had a market value of $692,275. Like everyone else, our fund suffered market losses which, I assume, became even greater as 2008 came to a close. Further contributions to the fund would be greatly appreciated – if you expect to have anything left over. Received a very nice note from Laura Wood Klutz in appreciation for our contribution to the St. Michael’s Organ Fund in Jean’s memory. She said that after the death of P.E., Jean continued her devotion to the Institute and enjoyed hearing from other class members and their wives. With a little bit of luck, all the additions and modifications taking place here at Kendal should, shortly and finally, be complete. Those who make it to the 60th can check out the new dining facilities, the swimming pool and fitness center, as well as the spacious auditorium. The new cottages aren’t bad either.

’50A

Bill Moore

Syd and Beverly Stealey were hunkered down in Alaska watching minus-10 degrees on the thermometer when I called. Syd said it was a heat wave, as they had been experiencing minus-30 below. We talked about “shoes and ships and sealing wax” but mostly about tomatoes. They have an ambitious container garden and a small greenhouse they use to grow vegetables in the short Alaskan summer.

It’s quite a challenge but worth it for taste, not to mention the cost of importing fresh vegetables to Alaska. The good news is that they have nothing dangerous or exciting to report. At our ages and stages, that is indeed good news. I rely a lot on voices, and my perception is that our BR Syd is doing extremely well. As I suspected from their Christmas letter, Rick and Jackie Martin never made it to Apache Junction, AZ, this winter. They even had to postpone Christmas twice! All because of the record snowfalls in the Spokane area. I expect the Martins will start their snow bird migration earlier next year. Needless to say, they didn’t make their planned link up with Gene Witcher in Tucson. More good news – nothing exciting or serious to report. Mary Ripley sounds wonderful. Like all of us, she misses Joe so much, but she gets out and about and has enjoyed traveling to Maine, Arizona and Wyoming in the past year. She promised to do her very best to make our reunion next year – though she’s a lot younger than most of us. Once again, by the voice test, Mary is indeed fine. Jennings and Harriet Bunch returned from China last October. Jennings went to do and report on relief work in the Chinese earthquake area for the American International charitable organization for which he travels. He doesn’t have a trip in the immediate future but is very concerned about the terrible conditions in Zimbabwe, especially since he has a good friend there. The frustrating and worrying aspect for Jennings is that he cannot get his friend out of the country, nor can he get any money or other aid to him, as it is immediately stolen by Mugabe and his thugs. It is obviously a terribly upsetting situation for our BR. We Moores have enjoyed great weather this winter. Hardly any snow or ice to speak of. This is the third year in succession that I haven’t had to plow the driveway even once. A lot can happen in the next month, though. We get our deepest and heaviest snow in early March. We shall see. We’ve certainly enjoyed being outside a lot. Still more good news, nothing unusual to report other than the great VMI basketball season. They have been much fun to watch but a bit stressful, as the team doesn’t have the killer instinct to put other

teams away. So, we watch 35 minutes of back and fourth action with spurts and then a high intensity end. Oh, well. They find all sorts of ways to win. We did get an opportunity to spend some time with the Mandts recently. My brother lives on Lake Wylie west of Charlotte, so Anne and I got to spend an afternoon with Dick and Jeanne, the night with my brother and watch VMI beat GardnerWebb in basketball all in one trip and on the same weekend. Dick and Jeanne are holding up well. Their son, Richard, stays with them and is great support for them.

’50B

Ralph Warren

We held the seventh annual Florida mini on Sunday, Jan. 11 and Monday, Jan. 12. In attendance were Frank Cox (we missed Anne who couldn’t make it this time), Braxton and Judith Green, Tommy and Mary Virginia Harwood, Vince Palazzo and Kaye, Bee and Frankie Rhees, Ed and Sarah Smith, Ralph and Marilyn Warren, and Robin and Alice White. It was held in Ft. Myers at the Country Inn and Suites Sanibel Gateway with dinners at the Lighthouse Restaurant on Sunday night and the Prawnbroker Restaurant on Monday night. We were all glad to see Vince and Kaye who have been AWOL for awhile. It also gave those that did not attend the November mini a chance to meet and get acquainted with Ed Smith’s lovely wife, Sarah. I must, however, sadly report that Bee Rhees and Braxton Green won the “’50B golf championship” by a stroke over Tommy Harwood and myself when Braxton made a lucky putt on the 18th hole. Virginia Governor Timothy Kaine has appointed Peyton Robertson to serve on the Board of Veteran Services. Congratulations, Peyton; we know that you will do an outstanding job in your new post. The following are excerpts of a letter from James L. Adams ’71, executive vice president of the VMI Foundation, which was addressed to me, but it is really about the ’50B Scholarship Fund: “What a year at the Institute! We dedicated the Third

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES Barracks on Founders Day, opened other newly-renovated buildings, will soon dedicate the Center for Leadership and Ethics and now celebrate VMI’s latest Rhodes Scholar. As graduation presses on for the class of 2009, however, we again must pause to give the Foundation’s thanks to those special donors or their representatives whose generosity in the establishment of scholarships or awards to our most deserving cadets and faculty means so much to the Institute. The Foundation and generations of faculty and cadets are and will be in your debt. We all know how the current financial crisis has affected our personal situations; the commonwealth of Virginia and VMI have not been spared, with less money allocated to higher education while the Institute endures increasing costs in all areas. Although the Foundation’s endowments have not been insulated from the terrible financial markets, private support continues to provide a substantial share of the cost to run VMI, which in the current academic year represents 31% of their total budget. Without the generosity of legions of alumni and friends of VMI as represented by our endowment funds and annual giving, this would not be possible … so we thank you. The Class of 1950B Memorial Scholarship Fund is and will continue to be an important source of assistance for members of the Corps. In the current year, this fund is providing a total of $31,980 in support of the following cadets: Mervin Barrow ’09, a mechanical engineering major from Williamsburg, VA; Elizabeth A. Carlos ’11, a civil engineering major from Great Falls, VA; Michael S. Huffman ’09, a psychology major from Stuarts Draft, VA; Christina R. MowattLarsen ’09, an international studies major from Oak Hill, VA; Patrick S. Pillow ’09, a history major from Lynchburg, VA; Megan E. Strand ’09, a biology major from Fredericksburg, VA; and Owen T. Trotman ’10, an economics major from Chesapeake, VA. As of June 30, 2008, the close of the fiscal year, the Class of 1950B fund had a market value of $694,264. Our commitment to you is that we will continue to safeguard and nurture the investment you have made in VMI, ensuring that the funds are invested wisely and disbursed consistent with the donor’s stated wishes

2009-Issue 2

for the betterment of the Corps of Cadets and the Virginia Military Institute. Thank you again for your generous support through the Class of 1950B Scholarship Fund. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Frances Arehart in my office at 1-800/444-1839.” This is in reference to our academic scholarships. The status of our athletic scholarships was reported last fall. Since somehow I did not make it to Florida with my notes from those BRs that I heard from before I left Gaithersburg, I will have to include those in the next issue. See you next Review.

’51

John Ross

These class notes cover the period Nov. 9, 2008-Feb. 10, 2009, and are appearing in the 2009-Issue 2 Alumni Review. The material is basically in chronological sequence. On Sunday, Nov. 9, 2008, Marie and I traveled to Lexington for the Institute Society Dinner, which was the next day. We had dinner that Sunday night with Pat and Duane Holloway and their grandson Gordon Holloway ’09. At the Institute Society dinner, the ’51 table consisted of Jack and Barbara Lowden, Duane and Pat Holloway, Willard and Peggy Hays, and Bob Nolley, who looked great. It was the largest dinner in its history and was very enjoyable. The next day, Nov. 11, 2008, Marie and I attended a Class Agents Conference. It was made clear that, as Gen. Peay ’62 describes it, the Institute is having the “perfect storm.” The state continues to reduce its financial support, tuition increases are not viable and the endowment has been severely impacted. Thus, alumni support is critical. After the conference the Third Barracks was dedicated. Sam Scott called me on my return to Alexandria and reported that he had learned of the death of Bill Blackwell ’50B, who graduated with us. Also on my return from Lexington was Roger Little’s annual birthday greetings to all the Marine BRs on Nov. 10. I called David Kneessy in mid Novem-

ber to wish him happy birthday in Indianapolis, where he retired from the Army after 30 years of service, during which he picked up a M.S. from the University of Pittsburgh and a master’s in Public Health from Johns Hopkins. Upon retirement, he worked for a number of years for the Indiana Dept. of Labor. Dave finally retired in 1994. We had a nice visit, and I brought him up to date on the Institute. A few days later, I received a very nice note from Dave thanking me for remembering his birthday. He concluded: “I can assure you that even in silence, my heart and funds (modestly) flow always to the Institute which has formed me for my life’s journey.” Jim Connolly in an e-mail, a short time later, expressed very similar sentiments when commenting on the need for increased alumni financial support. He wrote: “I don’t know about each of you, but I know I would not have been the Marine that I was without the moral, mental and physical underpinnings that the Institute imported. To continue to import those values, alumni support is necessary.” I reached Dick Owen on his 80th birthday in Wilson, NC. Dick spent two years in the Air Force, then 27 years with Imperial Tobacco Co., followed by 11 years with the City of Wilson and culminating for 10 years as a part time tobacco machinery consultant. He finally retired in 2000 and states he now doesn’t get around too well, as a result of a hip problem and spinal stenosis. Dick inquired about his roommates, Joe Tom Howard and Johnny Lyden. I also reached Walt Carraway on his 80th in Plano, TX. Walt left us after our Rat year and received a B.S. from Rice University. He then spent 35 years with Sun Oil Corp. in various managerial capacities, primarily overseas postings. Walt has been fighting leukemia for the past six years. I received a telephone call from Jim Marshall reporting that he and Cindy had just returned from a week at Golf World with a stop on the return at the Mayo Clinic. Jim complained about the large number of accumulated e-mails on his return. I then had Jim Connolly place Jim on the “class and Institute only” option, which will alleviate this problem. In this regard, I hope you realize the great job Jim

CLASS NOTES Connolly is doing in operating our e-mail network. I contacted Jerry Eggleston and told him how much we missed his usual presence at the Institute Society dinner. He then recounted his latest deer hunting outing in which he had close contact with three large bears. I reached Bill Leck in Florida to extend birthday wishes. He and Maureen are both well, and he asked about Eggleston, Lowden and Scott. I failed to reach Paul Robison in Florida, so I left birthday greetings on his voice mail. I wished Ken Crisp a happy 80th. He had just returned from Chicago, where he spent Thanksgiving with his son and grandchildren. I started writing and sending the VMI Christmas cards in early December. When I finished, the count was 101 BRs and 38 SRs. Marie also sent out quite a few cards. I also reached Jack Hill to extend birthday greetings and learned that he and Nancy were celebrating that night with the Grays. Homer Ambrose checked in to inform me that he and Marie were leaving Alexandria on a 27-hour train trip to Del Ray, FL, to attend his son’s wedding. He thanked me for the card. Richard Chaplin called from California to thank me for the Christmas card. I learned that in late March, he had spent six weeks in intensive care as a result of a double pulmonary embolism. Richard now is nearly fully recovered and reports that Anita is fine. He inquired about his roommates, Harry Bailey and Desmond Wray. I communicated Richard Chaplin’s inquiry to Harry Bailey and had a very enjoyable visit with him. Marie and I received our first Christmas card from Bill and Ellen Nelson. It was most unusual, as it featured an RV parked on a tropical beach with a small Christmas tree on a picnic table, alongside the vehicle. The enclosed note made everything clear – the Nelsons have a new RV and have been touring the country from coast to coast. We then received, in no particular order, cards from: Sam and Jessie Scott; Phil Barton; Ann Penner; Paul and Jean Robinson; Julie and Henry Pitot; Richard and Anita Chaplin; Jim and Cindy Marshall; Scott Underwood; Earl and Lorraine Patton; Jim Strickland; Bill and Joanna Caldwell;

Sheila and Rav Marshall; Pat and Johnny Gray; Nancy Bell; Sid Hannah; Carolyn McCallum; Jack and Nancy Hill; Ursula and Jigger Baxley; Jack and Barbara Lowden; Pat and Duane Holloway; Doc and Lois Laville; Roger and Betty Little; Harry Bailey; Paul Shrader; Sally and Carl Carstens; Bill Dawson; Lee Duval; Fred and Rose Marie Anson; Gloria and George Cowherd; Win Baber; Glennie Brown; Gib Gay; Gracelyn and Skip Parks; Eleanore and John Blakemore; Peter Philp; Woody Woodward; Don and Jody Baldwin; Mary Ellen and Jim Connolly; Henry and Joan Bryan; Peggy and Willard Hays; Bill Moore; Dick Cole; Jane Catlin; and John Herring. We want to thank everyone for their many kind thoughts. Many of the cards included news. Henry Pitot developed auricular fibrillation and suffered a torn Achilles, while Jackie had successful cataract surgeries. Jim Marshall became a great-grandfather. Ann Penner had hand surgery for Dupuytren’s disease and cataract problems. Fred Anson is again planning to suit up for the alumni basketball game. Paul Robinson provided a weather report of -4 degrees F from Neenah, WI, while Dick Cole reported a +5 degrees F, with snow, from Minneapolis, MN. Gloria Cowherd reports George is improving – slowly but surely. Phil Barton regrets he may give up flying, as he has lost his flight companion. John Herring sent a classic 1910 card, while Sam Scott used a card provided by our first class agent for distribution years ago. Jane Catlin enclosed a great CD of Christmas cards with her card. Lee Duval sent a very gracious note in her card with regard to Hank’s funeral at Arlington National Cemetery. Hank is buried alongside his grandfather, father and infant son – four generations. I subsequently called Lee, and we had a nice chat, during which she mentioned how much she also appreciated the attendance of Rav Marshall and the Holloways at Hank’s internment. In her card, Gracelyn Parks informed us that Skip is recovering from serious melanoma surgery on his foot. I immediately called for an update, and Gracelyn informed me that Skip needs additional surgery as the lymph nodes are involved.

Marie called Nancy Bell, as our Christmas card to her was returned for an improper address. Nancy confirmed the postal service fouled up, as she had not moved. Nancy did report she had sustained a serious fall. Marie learned in a subsequent call that the fall required two hospital visits. I called Bounce Carstens to wish him a happy birthday on his 80th, but learned from Sally that he was at work. I handed our phone to Marie, and she had a nice chat with Sally. I then reached Bounce at his business and extended birthday wishes. Bounce keeps in contact by phone with Jim Enochs and Doc Laville. I received an e-mail from Ed May wishing the Ross family a happy holiday season in lieu of a card. Ed explained that Mary Lee, who had just recovered from a stress fracture of her lower leg, had her hip replacement device separate. This necessitated replacement surgery, and Mary Lee now faces a long and arduous rehab. George Cohen also checked in by e-mail to report that he had just sold his Atlanta house and was flying to Connecticut to join Marty for Christmas. Then, they would return to Atlanta to complete their move to a mid-town apartment. George expressed holiday greetings for Marty and himself. Marie extended holiday greetings by phone to the Mays, Hills, Grays and Nancy Bell; she also left messages for the Holloways and Carolyn McCallum. The Holloways subsequently called, and we had a nice visit with them. On Christmas day, I called Jigger Baxley to wish him a happy birthday and a Merry Christmas. However, I was unable to reach him and left a voice mail. I wonder what it was like, as a kid, having your birthday on Christmas. Ed May called on Christmas day to extend holiday greetings and to report Mary Lee is doing well in her rehab. I reached Donna Raeburn in her new apartment in New York City to extend season’s greetings and learned she was suffering with a cold. On Dec. 28, 2008, I made my last birthday call for the year to Tom Worsham in LaJolla, CA. We had a nice visit, and Tom promised to make our 60th in 2011. I ended the year by checking with Bob Nolley. He reports he feels great and

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES enjoyed visiting his daughter and family for the holidays. I started the New Year by calling Jack Lowden on the third to wish him a happy 80th. Jack is a retired Army colonel, who received an MBA from the University of Arizona. After his Army retirement, he worked as a financial manager for G.E. He is now fully retired and lives with Barbara in Williamsburg, VA, where they enjoy their golf. I talked with Johnny Gray about the great start the VMI basketball team had made. Johnny reported that he and Pat had celebrated with Nancy and Jack Hill on the latter’s 50th wedding anniversary. Johnny is still fighting his hematological problem, which requires periodic transfusions. Pat Holloway called to report that Duane had successful triple hernia repair and was being retained for the night in the hospital. When Marie called the next night, we learned Duane was at home doing well. I called John Blakemore and Duane Holloway on Jan. 10 to wish them happy birthday. Johnny reports that he and Eleanore are doing well and that he goes into his office basically to get out of Eleanore’s way. Duane is doing well in his recovery from surgery and is busy reading Plutarch’s second volume. Incidentally, according to the records furnished me, Duane is our youngest BR – having just turned 78. I checked in with Jim Connolly to furnish him with some changed addresses. I really appreciate how much Jim does for us in operating the e-mail network. I learned from Jim that Gerry Eggleston was in Florida, helping the Grafs. I then reached Gerry on his cell phone and learned that Ann Graf was in a care center with a hip problem, where Gerry visited her daily; Beano was in the University of Miami Hospital, recovering from the surgical removal of a tumor from his spinal area and attended by his sister, Phyllis; and that Gerry was holding down the fort at the Grafs. I tried to reach George Cowherd on his birthday and left birthday greetings on his voice mail. I hope you had an opportunity to see the Corps marching in review during the Inauguration Day Parade. The commentators were impressed and said so. I thought the Corps looked great. Duane Holloway called as soon as the Corps

2009-Issue 2

passed the reviewing stand and agreed. I wished Jim Smith a happy birthday and gave him the information on our April mini reunion. Hilda and he are doing well in the Richmond area. I reached Henry Bryan in Fort Huron, MI, to wish him a belated happy birthday. He and Joan are doing well despite the frigid weather in their area. We recalled the Corps trip for Truman’s 1949 Inauguration, which was the subject of numerous BR e-mails. Henry agreed that the Corps did the Institute proud this inauguration. Henry and Joan plan to make the April mini reunion in Lexington. I left a happy birthday message for John Phillips. I reached Jack Davis on his 80th birthday in Southern Pines, NC. He is fighting health problems but in his words, is hanging in there. We reminisced about our participation in Truman’s Inauguration. Jack Evans reported that he visited Johnny Jordan and that he is about the same. Fred Anson once again participated in the Alumni Basketball Game – he is amazing. He also thought the Corps looked great in the Inauguration Parade. I finally reached Jigger Baxley to wish him a belated happy birthday. He and Ursula are doing well. Gloria Cowherd reports that George is back in the hospital where the doctors have drained fluid buildup. George evidently has heart and kidney problems. I called John S. Evans and talked with Ann. She reports that John is scheduled for total hip replacement, and they will miss the April reunion. Ann noted that Alice and Jim Close stopped to visit on their trip from Virginia to Florida. I had a great visit with Frans Kasteel. He and Shirley are doing well on the Northern Neck of Virginia. Dick McFarlin reports that Clare is still recovering from a fall but that he may make the April reunion. I talked with both Mary Lee and Ed May, and they expect to make the reunion, as Mary Lee is doing very well in her recovery. Dick Owen will be unable to make the reunion, as his spinal stenosis limits travel. He wishes to be remembered to everyone. Lang and Cathy Sheffield are both doing well, and he requested info on the reunion.

Jim Strickland is about the same in his fight with Parkinson’s. Gerry Eggleston reported that Ann and Beano Graf are both doing well in rehabilitation at the same care center. Paul Robinson subsequently informed me they will be discharged in mid February. Paul also reported that he and Jean had departed frigid Wisconsin and had returned to Florida. Jean is progressing very well from her surgery, and they expect to make the reunion. Vic Parks had very successful surgery on his foot for melanoma. He is presently undergoing physio therapy, sounds great and expects to make the reunion. Harry Bailey cannot make the reunion due to Lou’s health problems, but we had a nice visit. However, we were unable to solve the country’s economy problems. I have had a number of calls and e-mails with Fred Taylor, who was with us for three years. He had found a large number of photos of our Rat year and placed 117 on Shutterfly. They are great. I am working on a method to make them available to the class. Charlotte Marr will make the reunion. She is going to present a number of rare English history books to the library. Tom evidently picked them up while traveling in England. I reached Jimmy Gonzales in Kenner, LA, just as he was cutting his birthday cake. He is doing well. I checked some data with Henry Pitot and then had a nice visit. He and Julie are doing well in Madison, WI. When I checked Paul Shrader’s data, I reached Polly, and she told me Paul had been very ill. I then had a long chat with Paul in which I learned he literally had crashed last year with multiple health problems. He presently is still under the care of a vascular surgeon. However, Paul sounds great and as typical when two Marines get together, we shared some great sea stories. Bob Nolley reports his recent checkup at Johns Hopkins shows his tumor continues to shrink. He and Jeanne intend to make the April reunion. Bob has offered to work with Ted Taylor to place our Rat year photos on the class network. Henry Baxley called to report that he had finally made contact with Mila Bernich. She had been visiting Puerto Rico when she developed a health problem. Henry

CLASS NOTES says she is now recovered and back in Biloxi, MS. I reached Doc Laville in Breaux Bridge, LA, and we had another great visit. He reports he had a very happy birthday luncheon, and that his house is now fully repaired from its Katrina damage. I received word just before my deadline for these notes that our BR George Cowherd died in the hospital on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2009. He was surrounded by his wife, Gloria, and three children. Dick Cole, who roomed with George for four years, said it well – “He was a great Brother Rat and ‘roomie.’” I sent a note to Gloria for the class and made a contribution to the Institute in his memory. I finally caught up with Johnny Gray to wish him a belated happy birthday. He and Pat had just returned from Lexington after seeing VMI win another basketball game. The team is having a great year. Before closing, I would like to remember our Brother Rats who left us during 2008. May they rest in peace: Helmut Schrader (1/31/08); Arthur J. Johns (5/8/08); Don F. Gross (7/9/08); William B. Bowles IV (7/12/08); and Robert L. Montgomery III (8/25/08). Please keep the news coming – let me know what you are doing. Be sure to let us know of any change in your contact data. Semper Fi … Jack

’52

Nutz Navas

Howard M. Allen, (78) Glen Allen, Virginia, passed away on Jan, 15, 2009, at home with his wife of 57 years, Martha “Peggy” Graves Allen by his side. He was preceded in death by his brother, James D. Allen III. Howard was educated in the Lynchburg public school system and graduated from E.C. Glass High School in 1947. He graduated from VMI in 1952 with a B.S. in chemistry. Howard served two years on active duty with the 3rd Armored Calvary Regiment, U.S. Army. He worked for Reynolds Metals Company from 1958 until his retirement in 1992. He held positions in research, product development, product management and overseas technology

transfer. Howard was our most dedicated classmate in his unswerving support of the Big Red football team. He attended almost every home game with his beloved Peggy. Dan Bruce Robertson, (79) Irvington, VA, died peacefully Jan. 28, 2009, at Rappahannock Westminster-Canterbury with his children at his bedside. He was preceded in death by his wife of 52 years, Diane Randolph Robertson, his sixthgrade sweetheart. He graduated from VMI in 1952 with a BS in chemistry. He served in the Army at Fort Knox, KY, Fort Carson, CO, and three years in Germany. Following military service, he joined the National Lead Company as a salesman. In his 26-year career in the paint and colorants industry, he rose to become the national marketing director with NL Industries prior to his retirement in 1982. Throughout their marriage, he and Diane were active in community service. Dan is survived by four children, five grandchildren, his brother, J.W. Peyton Robertson ’50B, and a sister, Ann Robertson Butler. Thomas W.C. Birge, (78) Fairfax, VA, passed away at his home with his family by his side. He was the loving husband of Sally Molster Birge and the late Carolyn C. Birge; devoted father to Robert, Lisa Dalby, Thomas Jr. and Nancy Jacobs, and two stepsons, Kyle and Dwayne Holt. He is also survived by 12 grandchildren. Tom graduated from VMI with a degree in physics. He retired as a colonel in the USAF. He was a fighter pilot, awarded the Silver Star, three DFCs and 10 air medals in air operations in SEA where he flew the infamous “Thud,” F-105 fighter-bomber aircraft. At VMI, he gained 215 yards against VPI our first class year in a stunning 20-6 victory in Roanoke. Tommy was a class act. As you all know by now, the first mini reunion on a cruise to Bermuda will take place June 7-14, sailing from Baltimore and return. The idea was initiated by Sandra Pittman. So far, we have 11 cabins reserved to accommodate 10 Brother Rats and spouses. One couple, the Phillips, guests of Bill and Evelyn Gorham, will join us for a total of 21 in our group. The lucky Brother Rats include Walter Ames, John and Mary Dillon Cure, Frank and Evelyn Gorham, Myles and Ann Hutchinson, Bob and Betty Lambert, Nutz and Barbara Navas, Frank and Polly Tuck,

Gary and Sandra Pittman, Cecil and Barbara Welsh, and Army and Barbara Wellford. John Portasik wrote in his Christmas card from his home in Albuquerque that he had surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff in his right shoulder. It is doing quite well, but he still can’t lift even a small weight above his head. He further said he had trouble swinging a cane as if it was a golf club. He was hoping to be able to swing a real golf club before spring arrives. He also complained of a small growth in the middle of his forehead. After a CAT scan, his doctor said it appeared to be an infection in the outer skull in that area, so he is on antibiotics, as of this writing. Lou Delisio stays in touch with Johnny and said he would keep us up to date. Red Gerdetz called to say he and Mary had lunch with Hutch and Ann and Mary and Charles Shoaf. Charlie was in good spirits after a nearly fatal fall off a ladder at home several months ago. Mary wrote that he uses a cane when they walk to the beach and back home, which is one-half mile. His life proceeds at a slower pace. Charlie continues to receive occupational and speech therapy on an outpatient basis. Mary is quite satisfied with the help the therapists provide him. Dick Chamberlain had a busy year with medical problems. He had total hip replacement on his left hip. His right knee needs to be replaced as well. In addition, Dick had cataracts replaced in both eyes. The Mecredys wrote that they are blessed with good health, keep up with their children and continue to get requests for prayer along the journey. Jim and Lucette

Class of 1952: Ram Simpson, left, and Root Hopkins at an art show in Cambridge, Maryland.

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES “Bear” Andrews in January. He died of congestive heart failure but had medical problems for many months ... in fact, he was not feeling his best at the reunion. Faye and Doug normally make it to the Institute Society Dinner each November – Doug is in kilts – but this year, his health did not allow it. Although they lived in Morristown, TN, they have a great cabin out R-251 in Rockbridge County up against the National Forest. Judy and I have enjoyed visiting with Doug and Faye over the years, both in Lexington and in Tennessee. I have a great VMI quilt that Faye made for me, as class agent, like the one she made for Doug. Judy and I were not able to attend the services in Morristown due to having an internal bug and could not leave Lexington. However, we did attend the graveside services at the family plot in Salem that Saturday and were able to visit with Fay and family. Her brother lives in Lexington. According to Mickey Woodward, Jeff Bane lost his brother, Mark ’35, who was two weeks short of 95, in September in FL. Jeff had taken him to his 70th Reunion. William C. Noell Jr. The guy that keeps on fighting and hanging on is our Marine, Wyatt Shorter. Wyatt has continued to keep me updated with e-mails as to the treatments and status of his cancers. Wyatt has been in this mode First, I would like to apologize for not getting with cancer, on and off again for the past Class Notes into the last issue of the Alumni 10 years … it seems to be arrested, and Review. The first time in 21 years as class then it pops up again somewhere and/ agent … oh, yes, I start my 22nd year or in the same place. Right now, the this month. Anyone wishing to take material in the right lung is continuing over the task? to grow, despite the past treatment. He This past six months has not been expects to go back to chemical therapy, good for our class on the longevity which may retreat or slow the cancer issue, as we have lost three Brother growth, but how long this will work is Rats. First was Joe Morrison, who uncertain. Wyatt says he is in the best finally succumbed to his cancer on physical condition since his Marine July 30th, which he had been fighting Class of 1953: Photo above: Bill and Judy Noell; Corps days, so this is a great plus in his for 3-1/2 years. As all of you at the Bebe Cheatham, daughter Karen Davis and Bob treatment. Pete Cox and I roomed next 55th know, Joe and family were there. Cheatham on Charleston Harbor, November door to Wyatt our Rat year, and were Joe, knowing he only had months left, 2009. Photo below: Bebe and Bob Cheatham all in the chemistry section, such that was determined to be at the 55th and with Judy and Bill Noell in front of the largest “Angel Oak,” Johns Island, South Carolina. we have been good friends ever since see the Institute and his Brother Rats just after matriculation. one last time. Joe’s roommate, Ernie Had an e-mail from Russ Horne, Jones, said Joe was holding on so that saying that he and Helen were he could make the reunion. I talked with motoring north through Virginia Joe months before the reunion about his from Florida in September for most family coming. His daughter, Sherri, likely their last vacation this way. and her husband, Tom Hanks (Citadel), They were going to get together with and Joe’s wife, Margaret, drove the roommate John Gilbert and Doris distance from Mississippi to get Joe to and Judy and me for dinner one the reunion. Kind of puts a damper on are always available to talk with any of our Brother Rats and family if they need pastoral counseling. Jack and Linda Lanford sent greetings informing us of their retirement. They are spending the month of February in Marco Island, FL, as they have for the past eight years. Yancey and Carol Clark sent greetings from their farm in Lebanon, KY. They have been farming for 17 years. This past fall, they sold their herd of beef cattle and plan to run feeders this year. Carol raised a lot of good vegetables in her garden, and they had a wonderful fruit year with bountiful apples, pears, peaches, plums and grapes. Yancey had a knee replacement and is doing well. They took several trips including Calloway Gardens in Georgia and FDR’s Little White House in Warm Springs. We send our love and best wishes to all of you and your families. Stay fit and trim.

’53

2009-Issue 2

some of the reasons you hear about not being able to make a reunion. I talked to Sherri a couple times after the reunion, and for awhile he was doing fairly well, but time finally caught up to him. In talking to Joe and family at the reunion, Joe was certainly happy to be back, although you could tell he was not feeling very well, but he made all the functions. In the last issue of the Alumni Review, the picture of Joe and family in Jackson Arch at the 55th, it did not note that Joe, Ernie, and Harry were all roommates at VMI, and were also class mates at Palm Beach High. We then lost Ben White in August out in California. I received an e-mail from his sister, Esther Laver, saying he had died very unexpectedly. Ben had moved from New York City about eight years ago and joined his sister at a small beach town on the central coast … quite a contrast to the Big Apple. It was interesting to find out that Ben’s sister knows Norman George’s wife, as they were at an American school in Buenos Aires at the same time. An interesting fact is that Ben was the great grandson of Col. Elijah Vickers White, a hero during the Civil War, who, after the war, bought a ferry business on the Potomac connecting Maryland and Virginia. He renamed and ran it as White’s Ferry. The photograph of Ben with these notes was sent in by his sister, at my request. And finally, we lost Brother Rat Doug

CLASS NOTES night. However, before they could make the trip, the hurricanes in Florida made them cancel their plans. Now, he is waiting for clearance from his oncologist before remaking the plans, and he has another CT scan scheduled for March. This is just a precaution, as Russ is now in his third year of being clean. A long e-mail from Paul LaForce said they were in Williamsburg this past fall and attended the VMI-W&M game and saw Jim Morris, Ed Brown and Sut Sutherland. In reading Paul’s e-mail, I would say that he and Jean are on the go as much as we are, and they also have plenty of family to visit between Knoxville and Hilton Head, as well as attending a couple of military reunions. They are also quite busy up in their NC mountain community. Had a very nice letter from Jerrilu Mallo toward the end of the year, saying that she is doing very well and keeping busy. She does a lot of volunteering at the USA, involved with the Kiwanis, and worked at the Republican headquarters. She went to visit Bill and Joan Hinman last May and celebrated her birthday and Mother’s Day, which got her through the second year of losing Richard (Dick). Periodically, I get an e-mail from Norma Woy, saying all is fine with her and family. Last August, her granddaughter had a big wedding on the campus of Boston College. An e-mail from Ted Mariani noted, among other things, that Veronica invited 29 for dinner on Thanksgiving … that outdid us. An e-mail

Class of 1953: Photo above: The late Ben White, left, playing chess. Photo below: Ben White, right, and his sister, Esther Laver at a function in San Francisco, California.

from Ann Goddard said that Warren is still having trouble with his back. He is trying to control the pain with a procedure that entails spinal injections with steroids, under a procedure called “fluoroscopy.” Warren is OK if he is lying down or sitting but cannot handle any walking without pain. A note from Helen and Webb Maddux says that they continue to keep up with VMI football and basketball. Helen says that the grandchildren are growing up too fast … the older ones graduating from college – UNC and Fordham. A note from Bill and Randi Nelson said they once again spent Christmas in Flagstaff with family in their son’s vacation home, which they all like. Bill and Randi said that the 55th was the high point in last year, and they are already looking forward to the 60th. In an e-mail from Charles “Bill” Williams, he advised that he won a bronze medal in the 75-79 age group 10K at the USA Track and Field Masters Outdoor Championships in Spokane. He then won a gold in the 10K and a silver in the 5K at the North Central American & Caribbean World Masters Track & Field Championships in Florida. In a recent Friends of Preston Library Newsletter, there was a picture of Terry and Betty Davis receiving a plaque in April for their generous contributions to the Preston Library. A letter from Bob and Ilene Rutschow talked about their son’s large three-day wedding last year in Charlottesville, which even included a UVa football game and tailgate party, then a honeymoon in Australia. On their side of life, they added a sunroom to their house last summer and had to live with dust and stuff during the process and the contractors for three months … we certainly know about that, as we did a major addition a couple of years ago. A letter from Wes and Elizabeth Gray showed that they are still living in two locations … Sarasota, FL, and Grasonville, MD. I think I previously mentioned that Wes had his cancerous prostate removed last May, and since then has been back on the tennis courts and the golf course … in Florida, they have a great house on the golf course, where I visited them several years ago. This year, the Institute Society Dinner was down for the ’53s from past years. Terry and Betty Davis, Ed and Ingrid Brown,

and Judy and I were there. As previously mentioned, Doug Andrews and Faye were not there due to Doug’s ill health, as was the case with Pinky and Ellen Moore, although they had planned to be there. Ellen has been taking chemo, and on that Monday morning, she was too sick to make the trip. Pinky says that his cancer is still hiding and “making no problems.” The next day, was the Founders Day parade, where I saw Frank Spencer, and Terry and Betty Davis. Following this, was the dedication of the new Barracks arch. This was quite different from the Marshal Arch where we stood at parade rest on the hot asphalt in May while the elder statesman, Bernard? Beruk?, spoke for an hour, before Gen. Marshall ’01 said his few words. I certainly recall the troops dropping throughout the long talk. However, for the Third Barracks dedication, it was optional for the Corps, so some wandered up the observatory, and the weather was quite nice … but it is yet to have a name. Gen. Peay ’62 did give a very nice narrative of the history of VMI in the dedication talk. Last October, Judy and I spent a three-day weekend with Walt and Emily Sanders in Athens to attend a UT-UGA football game. For UT, the game was not too good, and it seemed to take forever to get to the game through Athens traffic … thank goodness I was not driving, and Walt chose to do that. We enjoyed the outing with friends of the Sanders, and the weekend was great as well. We had very nice visiting and went to church on Sunday with them before leaving for Tennessee. Then, the first of November, we had a great trip to the Charleston area to spend several days with Bob and Bebe Cheatham … Judy’s first trip to Charleston. We drove down on Thursday and stayed at the Cheatham’s in Summerville. They gave us a tour of the Charleston area on Friday – town and harbor. On Saturday, we attended the VMI -Charleston Southern game in the afternoon and then the UT-SC game that evening in Greenville. Sunday after church, we toured a plantation – Middleton Place – in the area where they do volunteer work. It has very beautiful grounds, which seem to go for miles. We also spent a day touring Kiawah Island, where they have their summer place. Tuesday, Bob took me out in his boat

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES shrimping … it was cool and damp but fun, and I brought back to Lexington about two pints of fresh shrimp. We watched the election returns on Tuesday night with them and then headed home on Wednesday. While there, Bob called T-Morgan, and we had a great talk with “T.” Due to his medical problems, he does not travel these days but says he is hanging in there. Bebe is still in the “watch and wait “ stage in regard to her stage III-A Lymphoma, and right now, she

Class of 1953: At an Institute Society Dinner, Bill Noell and the late Doug Andrews.

does not seem to be slowing down. At this point, the doctor does not know when she will need treatment. I hope most of you got to see the VMI Corps on TV at the Inaugural Parade. Judy and I saw it on C-span, and the Corps in battalion mass looked great, and the announcer said so. Those on e-mail, I sent the Web site to see the Corps marching at the parade … it was good coverage. Watching that parade, at its very cold temperatures, made me think of our marching

2009-Issue 2

for Ike’s parade back in January 1953. If you recall, it was very cold that day also, and we had to stand around hours before marching off. There were only 100,000 at this inauguration, according to the Washington Post, which had great pictures of VMI marching … more than for the other service academies. One nice thing for us – we were allowed to wait for the late buses at midnight, if we chose to, and thus celebrate in DC and at friends’ homes in the area. We were in the middle of exams and did not have a check formation on our return until SRC, which the Corps this time did not have that leisure. The Richmond area and nearby BRs are scheduling a lunch get together at the Grill Room of Country Club of Virginia in late March or early April. We have sent out an inquiry to all those in the area on the class e-mail address list, and Warren Koontz is now coordinating this. Years ago, before most of us retired, we used to have several luncheons a year in downtown Richmond. Now, we are trying to get BRs together for such an outing, and after scheduled, we will advise others not too far outside the Richmond area. As for Judy and me, we are running the Interstate between Lexington and Knoxville and attending a lot of great VMI basketball games … in fact, the VMI games have been more exciting than the UT men and ladies games this year. Hope you saw the Sports Illustrated article on VMI basketball and the twins … even made Jay Leno’s Monday Night Headlines last Monday night. For those on e-mail, I sent out the Web address that had the article on VMI … it was very good. Reunion Trivia – At the gathering at our house the Sunday afternoon of the reunion, we noticed a strange sight after everyone had departed. On a side table, away from the horsdoeu’vre table, there was a plate of six white cookies … well, they looked like cookies, but they are hard wax with an almond smell. What we noticed, was that there was a nice size bite out of one of them but no piece anywhere around. Our young grandson, Miller, age 5, is always looking for the cookie monster when he visits. Editor’s Note: Ben White passed away on Aug. 27, 2008. White’s obituary appeared in 2009-Issue 1.

’54

Bill Schubmehl

Editor’s note: There are no class notes from the class of ’54 in this issue.

’55

C. Cary Jones

As I write this, plans are well under way for a mini reunion in early April. We’ve had good response so far, and I’ll send out an after-action report. Special thanks to Tom and Margaret Tait for lots of help with plans. Since the last issue, the Corps acquitted itself in outstanding fashion in the Inaugural Parade. It brought back fond (?) memories of cold, soggy overcoats in ’53 and ducking into some tavern on Pennsylvania Avenue for a quick one while we stood and waited. Also, by the time you see this, the Big South basketball tourney will be history, and right now, the Keydets look good and may even get to go to the NCAA big dance. BR Pete Haake has done a lot of work to get our class page up and running on the VMI Web site. More info on that will be coming. Down here in “dial up” country, such things are mysteries. Jud Leech checked in from New Mexico. Jud confesses that he still dreams that he is back at VMI, but he wakes up before he rolls up his mattress. Jud is in good health and apparently in good humor. Dr. Rudi Ansbacher is now professor emeritus of OB/GYN at U. of Michigan Medical Center and still sees some patients. He served a 20-year career in the Army Medical Corps. Sue and Sam Hill celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on Thanksgiving Day. Sam’s vision has been greatly restored after the second corneal transplant. Great! Their daughter is living in Lexington, so Sam can visit VMI often to relive his sordid past. Reg Ridgely has joined the G-2 team tracing the career of Fred Willard. Reg says Fred entered VMI as a 12-year-old. Fred, if

CLASS NOTES you ever get these notes, we love you and are all proud to have a connection with the wonderful world of show business. Dave Woolwine had hip surgery in December, and it seems to have gone well (his fourth surgery on that hip). We hope Dave is back in top form soon. Tom and Margaret Tait have recently traveled to NYC and to Arizona and stay busy in Lexington. Sarah and I enjoyed their hospitality, and they are frequently invaded by BRs in town for VMI functions. Dusty Rhodes, while in Richmond with Rody, happened to meet a young lady who turned out to be dating our BR Johnny Morgan’s son, Matt. What a small world! Marty Fisher is still bach-ing it but also still “seeing” his lovely friend, Anne, who many of us have met at various functions. Marty has both a grandson and a granddaughter at USNA, having already had a granddaughter graduate from there (now on active duty) and a grandson who graduated from the Coast Guard Academy and now drives a 87-foot cutter out of Mayport, Florida. BR Birch “Skip” Phillips checked in by e-mail. His son, Trey, was VMI ’82. Skip and Ann see BR Frank and Alice Moltz occasionally. Both of those BRs are still working and traveling and in good health. Amen. The deaths of BRs Scherer, Baldock, Edmondson and Slough were communicated separately, and their obituaries ap-

pear in the Taps section. We mourn them, and we miss them. Several BRs are dealing with health issues, including Ron Coleman, Dave Barker, and Bill Wainwright. We’re pulling for you and any others we don’t know about.

’56

Richard M. Smith

Our class was well represented at the funeral service in Richmond, Virginia, for our BR Lin Clark. There were Doug and Betsy Gottwald, Bob and Edna Black, George and Elli Penn, Don Heslep, Fred Farthing, Bill Tolley, Jimmy Mann, and myself. His wife, Donnetta, and two sons accompanied him here from their home in Lexington, KY, for burial at Forest Lawn Cemetery near the area where he grew up. It was good to see Bill Tolley after so many months of recovery from serious health problems. I talked with Les Belsha after the funeral who hadn’t checked his e-mail to learn about Lin’s death. He is so busy visiting the elderly at many places and trying to keep up with his friend, Pat, that he hasn’t time to use his computer. Now that Christmas has passed, I want to reflect on so many cards I received from you and express my appreciation for the kind remarks. Lou Rossie sent me a DVD copy of the production done by his son, Britt, titled “Search for the last Totero.” This traces the plight of the Indian tribes, including the Siouans who lived in this area of Virginia for centuries. They ended up finally in Canada and made quite a mark on so-

ciety. Lou and I have something in common as our ancestors came from the same vicinity off the western Isles of Scotland. He visited there in September 2008, home of the MacClouds and MacLeans. I just learned from Linda Jones that Harry will enter Mayo Clinic Jan. 6th in Philadelphia for chemo treatment for a cardiac condition they recently discovered. She called after the first treatment, said they were very optimistic about the results and would be returning for another treatment. She expects Harry to start losing his hair soon and says to continue to keep them in our prayers. The following notes come from our southern BR correspondent, Spider Allison: Walt Tatum writes that he is still flying, instructing part time and playing golf twice a week, and he loves it all. Hoppy and Sally Holsinger spent Presidential Inauguration Day at Spider and Anne Allison’s home scanning the TV for a view of the VMI Corps in the parade. No luck; most of the news networks left the parade before VMI got to the White House. A next day viewing of a tape showed the VMI Corps looked magnificent. A note was received from Sonny Schoen thanking me for the good news regarding Harry Jones’ health. He and Ann are in Florida for a visit with friends in Naples, then on to Jupiter for golf and a two-week stay in a condo, hoping to find warmer weather than in Atlanta. Ralph Gibson responded to my e-mail on Harry’s condition saying that Mary Jo is doing well with her chemo treatment, and they were grateful. Their grandsons at VMI continue to do well and hope to make rank next year. Bruce McCreedy has taken on contacting some of our BRs in NC and SC and getting information for my class notes. He provided the following: Tom Dooley still gets together with some of our class to play golf. Schoen, Foster, Mundy and Brawner

Institute Society Dinner November 2008

Class of 1956 At top left, were, from left, Don and Jo Heslep, Motsy Foster and her friend, Betty and Jim Mann, and Doug and Betsy Gottwald. Below left were Jim and Betty Mann with Don and Jo Heslep. Above were Vernelle Lytton and Dick Smith.

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES

Class of 1956: Dick Smith signing over his property to VMI on Nov. 11, 2008, to Terrie Conrad, vice president the VMI Foundation. have joined him recently. Bill Alexander came to the last mini reunion but had to leave because his son was having kidney problems. He says his son is mended and doing well now. Bill spends quite a lot of time with his grandchildren but is also involved with a lot of things in Hendersonville. Bob Irby is doing well and stays busy on Pawley’s Island. He hopes we will consider having get-togethers in Charleston again. Tom Frost did not respond to Bruce’s phone call. Fritz Firing hadn’t returned the call after talking with his wife. Roger Bley wasn’t in when called. Bruce and Shirley plan to cruise again this year to “mellow out” during the winter months. They are going to the Seville area for the Holy Week. They spend a lot of time in Raleigh attending hockey, baseball, soccer and swim meets with grandkids. Our class is fortunate to have two BRs who have established football scholarships and continue to support VMI athletics. Both Bernie Bossard and Don Heslep are great benefactors for the program. Pete McCrary sent me an e-mail requesting information on what week we planned a mini reunion this year. He and Bill Salsgiver want to make a reservation now to view the fall foliage before places in the Valley fill up. I said I would start thinking about it after I return from a little vacation trip to Florida this month. That’s all I have for now, guys and gals. There should be more news in the next issue. Yours in the Spirit … Dick

’57

Clayton M. Thomas III

During the Christmas season we heard from many Brother Rats. Martin Andersen admits that 2008 was a tough year without Bridgette. His daughter, Kristina, and four-year-old granddaughter, Grace, live close by and help fill the

2009-Issue 2

void. He also has been traveling this past year, visiting the Dominican Republic, Honduras and Peru. Martin wrote that Charlie Schwendinger’s widow, Kay, fell at MacDill AFB in Tampa in November and broke her hip. She had hip replacement and rehab and made good progress in becoming mobile. However, the doctors concluded that she could not continue to live alone. Martin moved her into an assisted living facility in Brandon, Florida. He even moved in some of her own furniture, so she would feel more at home. Now his is putting her condo on the market and has her mail coming to his place, so that her bills are paid. Martin is a special Brother Rat. Tom and Joan Atkeson fear that their traveling days are over. Even getting into Monterey is more trouble than it’s worth for Tom. They celebrated their 50th in April, and had a full house at Thanksgiving. Sam and Betsy Barker left Tucson, Arizona, and returned to South Carolina, bringing a second Jack Russell terrier with them. They purchased a home but couldn’t occupy it until December 2nd and are living in Murrell’s Inlet, which makes four address changes in the past year. Martha and Bill Batten in Simpsonville, South Carolina, had a lovely Thanksgiving with a house full of relatives and eight grandchildren running about, adding noise, chaos and laughter. They continue filling their house with animals, as they have five dogs and a cat. Martha took a 19-day trip to Turkey in 2008 and had an amazing time. Bill doesn’t travel well and stayed at home. Wiley and Nancy Clapp in Minden, Nevada, sent a picture of Nancy on her three-wheeler. She claims walking is painful because of the hardware in her left ankle, but she can “Ride like the Wind!” The hardware will be removed at the University of Southern California. Carolyn and Al Baumgartner keep “bumping along” with all their activities. They have two cars zooming in and out of their driveway, and keep the airlines in business, visiting family and friends. Alan proudly reports that their grandson, Brandon Naughton ’03, is in Baghdad. Charles and Beverly Caldwell from Gilliam, Louisiana, sent a photo of two great-grandchildren, Ayden, 18 months, and Seth, 7 months, under their Christmas tree. We are definitely “Old Corps” when we feature Christmas cards with great-grandchildren. Jose and Carmen Chioco in Norman, Oklahoma, claim that 2008 had been a blessed year, as Jose’s cancer has been in remission for four years. This year, they plan to move into a new house in Norman. Their old house is too big for the two of them. Their youngest son, an architect in Austin, Texas, is designing their new home. Don and Judy Coombs finally sold their home

in Venice, Florida, and arrived in Texas the end of April. Their new place was being built, and they rented until they could move in on November 1st. Kerrville is in Texas Hill Country, a beautiful area, not too far from San Antonio. Dick and Sarah Collier, from Richmond, Virginia, sent warm Christmas greetings and two pictures, one of the whole family and the second with their 21 grandchildren all in a row and wearing numbered jerseys. I am sending this latter picture with my class notes to the Alumni Review, and it appears in this issue. Ken and Katie Dickinson returned from Roscoe, South Dakota, bringing another Norwegian Forest Cat with them. Puff III is beautiful and playful. We had planned to visit them in Merritt Island and watch another space shuttle lift off, but the launch was scrubbed until a later date. When we get together, Dawn has made a catnip mouse for Puff III. Lew and Kay Diuguid send greetings from Baltimore. Every winter they come to Florida to follow their beloved “birds” during spring training season. Next year, Lew will be hard at work arranging our mini reunions. Many in the class, Dawn and I included, look forward to these mini-get-togethers.

Class of 1957: Charles Munson with LaMarr, their Australian Blue Heeler, and a portable sawmill he and Joan towed from Texas.

CLASS NOTES Wade Douthat sent us the obit for Buddy Rogers, who passed away Dec. 20, 2008, in Salem, Virginia. Funeral service was held on Dec. 23, 2008, with internment in Sherwood Memorial Park. Buddy wore stars at VMI and graduated second in our class among electrical engineers. Chloe and Billy Elmore of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, will be “wintering” in Sarasota, Florida, during February and March. They have relatives and friends in the area and have been coming down for a decade. They play golf and fish and do a lot of other cultural things. Jim Espey’s widow, Kathy, thanked us and VMI for being so thoughtful for remembering her with a Christmas and birthday card. She is a retired physical therapist, and stays busy in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with family and friends and four dogs who finished well at a dog show in Hobbs, New Mexico. She and Jim have three children. Kathleen is with New Mexico Game and Fish in the northwest corner of the state. Jennifer married a Canadian and lives in Ontario, and is in political science. James is into computers and lives in Phoenix. All three have two children, and Kathy tries to visit them and her six grandchildren at least once a year. The last time she and Jim visited Lexington was 1971, and VMI looked great. Judy Fabella, Nester’s widow, has enjoyed receiving the notes and cards. She thanks us for the “thoughtful kindness” of keeping her in touch with VMI and our class. Joanne and Drewry Fox in Haverford, Pennsylvania, sent a Christmas card with nine grandchildren. I trust most have provisional appointments. Drew says it is cold and dreary with only minor snow. They rarely have a White Christmas, as their major snows are January to March. They spend time with Billy and Chloe Elmore in February and again in August. Drew is indeed proud of George Sydnor, his old roomie, for being the 55th Reunion chairman. Clint and Belkis Glover were happy to see us at the Institute Society Dinner on November 10th. They always enjoy going back to VMI and seeing friends. Afterwards, they continued on

to Williamsburg to look for property and also in North Carolina. They want to get out of the snow and cold of Antioch, Illinois. Clint concludes with, “How about that basketball team!” Bill and Mickey Galvin in Tonawanda, New York, had a rather difficult 2008. Bill had a malignant tumor removed from his tongue in February. His doctor told him he would have three months of chemo weekly and radiation daily and that it would be rough. When Bill finished the treatment, he told the doctor that it wasn’t bad. He told the doctor that if he wanted rough, try nine months of the Ratline at VMI. Fortunately, everything turned our OK, and they caught it early. Also it helped that Bill had Mickey by his side, as she is a registered nurse. Now they look forward to better years and to our 55th Reunion in 2012. Patti Hammond had a wonderful year with family and friends, and she traveled to Spring Canyon in Colorado for her granddaughter’s wedding. At Christmas she was living on Jackson Avenue, but she will be moving into her new home in March. Her new address is: Patricia Hammond, 152 Sycamore Lane, Lexington, Virginia 24450. Bill Haas said the Christmas season had officially begun with the arrival of my card in early December. Bill and Sandy have had several snows and at the time of this writing the temperature at night was near zero in Gibsonia, Pennsylvania. They had a great summer at their place on Lake Erie and look forward to next summer. Bill and Betty Huffcut in Tallahassee, Florida, had a great year with lots of travel, including a cruise to the Bahamas to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary with the family, all 15 of them. Carl and Jeanne Hellstrom in Tidewater are in decent health, and Carl attributes that to the fact he is working hard as a chemist, and Jeanne keeps in shape by running after the grandchildren. Kirk Hubbard from Farmville, Virginia, claimed the VMI Christmas card really struck a chord with him. The sleigh scene reminded him of the chairs and mess hall trays on the downhill in front of the biology building. Kirk believes VMI people are just a large group of nostalgia freaks masquerading as college graduates. He appreciat-

Class of 1957: Dick, far left, and Sarah Collier, far right, with their 21 angels.

ed my story about my family’s long ago stopovers in Farmville for breakfast at the frozen-in-time Hotel Wayanoke. Long gone are the gracious home-cooked meals. Kirk and Kitty will be upset if Dawn and I don’t spend a night with them when we are up their way next fall. Harry and Rita Huneycutt in Verdi, Nevada, send Christmas greetings to the class. Their main news is that twin grandchildren are coming in July. “Things will get busy around here again.” Ken Hunter wrote a second book but has not found a publisher. He claims writing a book is easy but finding a publisher is difficult. He reported the sad news that Betty passed away on April 4, 2008. He really misses her after 51 years. Nick Kallelis moved in 2008 from Concord to Gastonia, North Carolina, and is slowly getting settled. His youngest daughter married in July, and Nick and family had a good reason to visit Louisiana. In August he had a hip replacement and marvels how Dick Collier had both knees done at one time. He will be in Florida in March 2009; hopefully, we can get together. John Kling from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, managed to get back to VMI in November with a couple of his children and one grandchild. They visited the bookstore, the mess hall and also saw Third Barracks, which was nearly ready to be occupied. I am glad John got back to VMI. We just want him there when we have our next reunion in April 2012. In December, Lily Kidwell in Overland Park, Kansas, wrote the sad news that Walt Kidwell died on April 8, 2008. She claimed that Walt loved his years at VMI. Sitting among friends late at night, he would have a VMI story to tell and all in such fun! His diploma and a photo of Barracks are in his son’s home. Lily wanted me to notify Howard Lawrence as she did not have his address. I also notified Howard and Walt’s other roommate, Frank Gilmore, as well as Bill Huffcut (he and Walt both flew helicopters in Vietnam), Russ Davis, our class president, and Bill Moore, chairman of our Bereavement Committee. Walt and I were in the same Rat Section 16, and he was a good friend. I am sorry he and Lily never came back to any of the class reunions. Pete and Nancy Lincoln sent a picture of themselves with 11 grandchildren. Pete is holding his own, but not moving around too much. He rarely goes downstairs to his office anymore. Their new house is coming along, and they should be in by July 4, 2009. Ray and Martha MacKay in West End, North Carolina, hope we can get together in 2009. They conclude with “Way to go VMI Basketball!” Darrel and Curly Mason in Manakin Sabot, Virginia, sent a Christmas card that included a letter covering events from 2004-08. It included many trips, especially to Russia, France, Germany, New England and Southern California.

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES Last summer Rod and Lucy McCormack drove to Arlington Cemetery for the burial with full military honors of Rod’s uncle, who was a World War II veteran. The next day they drove to Quantico to tour the new national Marine Corps Museum, which is huge. They then went to Williamsburg at Christmas to see the door decorations. Rod, Lucy and the three cats are enjoying life in Virginia Beach. Ron and Patty McManus were delighted to see Dawn and me at the Institute Society Dinner. Their big event in 2008 was their 50th wedding anniversary in June. Patty suggested that they should take the entire family to Disney World for a week at the Polynesian Resort. It was a week they and their children and the grandchildren will long remember. A special Christmas card came from Luray, Virginia, from Charles and Joan Munson. This is the first time we have ever heard from him. He sent a picture of himself and his Australian Blue Heeler, standing next to a portable sawmill, that he and Joan towed from Texas. Charles is retired but stays busy with his “Big Boy Toys.” They have horses, and he makes lumber for fencing and barns. I am happy to hear from him after all these years. Diane and John Paganelli finished 2008 in a flurry with their family in Rochester for the holidays. 2008 was a good year with their 50th anniversary in February, but Diane scheduled the celebration at Lake Placid in the summer of 2007. That was a wise decision, as was their retreat to Florida in early January, just ahead of an arctic blast. Now they are enjoying golf in Fort Myers, Florida, where they don’t have to don seven layers of whatever to stay warm. Nat and Chris Pendleton continue to enjoy life in Fort Myers, Florida. Chris, as president and CEO of the Edison and

Ford Winter Estates, traveled to Tulsa, Oklahoma, where she accepted the National Trust for Historical Preservation’s highest award. Their household menagerie includes a black poodle named Gen. George C. Marshall and the largest yellow cat in the nation named Lt. Col. Sandie Pendleton. They are hoping to travel a little more this upcoming year as Nat recovers from back surgery, and Chris is into her eighth year at the Estates. Jim Piggott has been retired going on eight years and seldom goes back to his office at the hospital. So, he sent me his home address on Old Trent’s Ferry Road in Lynchburg. His main effort in retirement is in growing wine grapes. He has a small two-acre vineyard outside of Lynchburg, which last year produced just short of nine tons of Cabernet Sauvignon. This time of year, he is pruning the vines with a nice view of the Peaks of Otter in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Dudley and Pat Price in Punta Gorda, Florida, report that one grandson, Brandon ’07, is Ranger trained and serving with the 101st as a first lieutenant platoon leader in Afghanistan. Another grandson, Ethan, is a third classman at VMI. They heard from Armand and Rita Wagner that they have a grandson, David, who is a Rat at VMI. Armand and Dudley were roommates all four years and married their VMI sweethearts. This past Christmas season, Dudley and Pat returned to Virginia, visiting with family, and Dudley filled in at the Fairfax County Mental Health Center in Reston. Warren Richardson had a great-granddaughter born in October, the day before his birthday. Skip has been having a great time playing Santa. He and Bettie have provided for nine needy children, besides their own 13 grandchildren and one greatgranddaughter. Malcolm Smith received his new kidney on

Christmas Eve in 2007, and all went well. He was able to travel to Ontario in the summer of 2008 to visit his daughter, and on Labor Day he flew to Spartansburg, South Carolina, to visit his brother. Charlotte and Bob Wagner in Hampton keep busy and notice that each year gets shorter and busier, and they are at a loss to explain why. Bob had a bad collision with his sailboat in May. Another boat ran into his Sea Slipper and took out a lot of hardware on the port side. It also took a few bits out of Bob. So they spent June and July getting the boat and Bob repaired. He was sailing again by late summer and completed the season on December 6th. Charlotte believes that “Sailboat racers are crazy!” Joe and Joan Wickes in Rockville, Maryland, have relatives in Seattle. On their last two visits there they had lunch with Bob Hall. They had fun talking about old times and catching up. Joe and Joan have three granddaughters. Two are in Maryland and one is in Seattle. As I was finishing these notes, The VMI Alumni Review 2009-1 arrived on February 12. This means notes written in November are read in February. I need to acknowledge our Brother Rats who have made a donation to our Class Bereavement Fund. Don Jamison wrote that the following have made a contribution: Russell Davis, Wade Douthat, Don Jamison, Howard Lawrence, Bill Moore, Paul Muldowney, Jay Musser and Dixie Thomas. I close on the happy note that as soon as I write several birthday cards, I have a lot of thank-you notes to write. I truly enjoy writing these notes to Brother Rats. It is almost like visiting with them.

Wes Roberts

’58

Class of 1957: Pete and Nancy Lincoln with 11 grandchildren.

2009-Issue 2

As I prepare these class notes on the 6th of February, where the temperature this afternoon is 60 degrees, I am reminded why we spend our winter months in Miami. Come on down. Gene Martin reported that he and Peggy were recovering from family visits during the holidays. Again, the price one pays for living in south Florida. We received a Christmas card from Bruce Baker’s widow, Sybil, thanking us for the Christmas card and confirming that she still resides in Denver, CO. Ewing Best sent us a photograph depicting the wedding of her and Charlie’s son, Michael and his

CLASS NOTES wife, Morgan. It was taken April 19, 2008. This BR Jack Boze himself said that nothing will owned and managed by Andrew Bemis, who was the last photo of Charlie before his passing. prepare you for dealing with insurance matis Wes and Annemarie Roberts’ son-in-law. I Jerry Paull advised that he had an appendecters, FEMA, HUD, county engineers and other hope you all played well and didn’t embarrass tomy before Christmas and is in full recovery. governmental agencies following destruction VMI. (Andy’s grandfather was a VMI man, Jules Berman, in keeping with his brainwash- on ones home after a hurricane. During one James R. Bemis ’21.) Brooke mentioned that ing program, noted that he had taken his grandof his frustrating contacts, he told a senior BRs Sam Woolwine, “Moon” Menefee, Stuart son to Lexington for the VMI Legacy Day. vice president of his insurance carrier that a Whitehurst, Jack Cunningham, J.O. Peters, BR Joe Gray said that he and Betty hosted Bill “normal” 72-year-old man would be on a slab Frank Norvell, Lee McCown, Onza Hyatt, and Agnes Kump, Flip and Sally Miller, and at the county morgue, to which this gentleBill Dunn, Stirling Williamson, Dave Camper Gene and Betty Grayson for a “mini and Brooke, took Bill Holland to reunion” celebrating VMI’s great baslunch Monday, Dec. 1. They all ketball team. They then played comenjoyed the gathering, and nobody petitive bridge, and Joe alleges that Bill got thrown out of the restaurant. Kump, former president of the Honor Amazing what age does to one! Court and an ordained minister, brings BR Dorsey Shipley said, “It’s a cheat sheet to the game. (It is assumed official.” The AOPA (Aircraft this was not a “certified” game.) Owners and Pilots Association), Speaking of Gene Grayson, the an organization from which he “famed?” trout fisherman, reported retired, is going to publish his that our BR Bob Buckland is leaving article on cross wind landings. Radford for Frederick, MD. Gene said Dorsey said it is a satire, and he that he and Betty were in Williamsburg hopes it will give the readers one and met with the “old bridge group,” the or two chuckles. The article will Class of 1958: Charlie and Ewing Best with Morgan and Grays, Millers and Kumps. He said be published in the 30,000-copy Michael Best on April 2008. they really miss those get-togethers. “instructor” magazine. Dorsey Gene noted that he took his grandson reiterated what many BRs have to the VMI/Gardner-Webb basketball said about our 50th Reunion, notgame – another victory for VMI – where he saw man replied that he was glad that Jack had a ing it was wonderful to see the Brother Rats and BR Onza Hyatt. Gene continued, saying that VMI’s sense of humor. Sadly, he did not realize that to relive the “good old days” at VMI. basketball team is really something to watch and Jack was SERIOUS! The Houston BRs – Jack, The writer has had numerous conversations added that it is the nation’s highest scoring team Paul, Sully and Jim – have an occasional with BR Bill Holland, who appears to be in good for the second consecutive year. He rated these fine get-together and yes, have a “few cocktails.” spirits and is continuously on the go with wife, young men on the team as representing VMI very Jack and Lynn hope to be back in their home Linda, visiting family, friends and most recently, well. On the Gim side of the house, Gene expects in early March. Australia, with his brother, Clancy and Linda. to have shoulder replacements in the near future and Flip and Sally Miller, in the company of eight Another frequent contact via telephone is BR hip surgery some time after he recovers from that. others, took a cruise to the Panama Canal. They Ron Swirk, who resides in the freezing cold He solicited any advice from any BRs with shoul- found it interesting to watch how ships go from climes (in winter) of Jasper, GA. Ron, a remote der and/or hip replacements. BR Grayson gave a the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean. This passage control-mode airplane buff who shares this “thumbs up” on the New Barracks, saying the VMI took about four hours. It was an enjoyable enthusiastic interest with his son, Francis, misses post is looking good and that the Leadership and cruise and money well spent. the warmth of South Florida. “Pop” Ron displays Ethics Center is completed. Brooke Doggett noted that he and “Moon” his culinary talents for Francis (who many of you BR Paul “Blotch” Johnson said that he had shot Menefee played golf at The Hollows in Richmet at the reunion) and family on Wednesdays, a red deer, which is a European version of our mond. This is noteworthy, as The Hollows is when he cooks for them. Ron has been known to elk. He noted he is planning to have a few beers when he cooks, but he attend his high school reunion of says it’s only to help keep him warm on the Oklahoma Military Academy, those frosty, Georgia winter nights. in Claremore, OK, in April. Paul Ending these notes with a touch of bragged that his junior and senior class, Onza Hyatt reported he was years in high school were acceptwatching C-SPAN on Nov. 20, and “lo able senior ROTC, whereby he had and behold,” our BR Tom Saunders six years of ROTC by the time he and wife Jordan were presented the finished VMI. Arts and Humanities Award by PresiEarl Bennett, our finder of lost dent Bush. (This is truly a “bad boy BRs, reported he ultimately found makes good” example. Wouldn’t the Sully Griffin in Peru, where Sully late Col. Lee Nichols ’44 be amazed, Class of 1958: Attending a November 2008 luncheon was working on a project for his surprised and PROUD!) Editor’s Note: held in honor of Bill Holland in Richmond, Virginia, were, company. Earl has been keeping An article about the Saunders’ award from left, Lee McCown, Stirling Williamson, Frank Norvell, tabs on Sully and Jack Boze. He appeared in the previous Review, John Peters, Stuart Whitehurst, Sam Woolwine, Onza reported that Jack is still coping 2009-Issue 1, Alumni News section. Hyatt, Dave Camper, “Moon” Menefee, Bill Dunn, Jack with rebuilding their home damGod’s blessings to all … Wes (and Cunningham, Bill Holland and Brooke Doggett. aged by Hurricane Ike. Annemarie)

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES

’59

Shep Shepard

It is with great sadness that I report that Elliott Young has passed away. Cecil was one of the gentlest and kindest guys I’ve ever known. Ann and I always looked forward to his trips to Florida, because he and his cat would drop by for lunch as he drove through Melbourne. Cecil will be missed. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and many friends. His memorial service in Norfolk was well attended by BRs and their wives. Harlee Pate gave the eulogy, and by all accounts it was superb. Others attending were the Falls, Wilkinson, McFalls, Elsarellis, Egglestons, Vermillions, Smiths, Myers, Keefers, Addisons, Bradford and Baxters. Mike Vargosko remembers Cecil as a cadet and how thoughtful he was then, but even more so in later life. When Cecil learned Mike had Agent Orange cancer, he came to him with tears in his eyes, threw his arms around him and told him how sorry he was. Being the man he was, he never let on that he too had cancer; his concern was for Mike alone. That’s how Cecil was. Jo Anne Dreelin Anstett spent Thanksgiving with the Dreelin family and all of her siblings, Patrick, Eric and Erin, and their families. She will retire at the end of February – an offer she couldn’t refuse. Jo Anne has

to admit that she is not ready, but as they say, “One door closes, another opens.” Jimmy and Linda Johnson visited with Don Ulm while in Seattle but couldn’t get Don to commit to attending the reunion. Jimmy will continue to work on him. Got a nice note from Jake Garcia who spends most of the time in Spain but comes to NYC every year to visit his grandchildren and spend time in Miami. For the past nine years, Jake has been doing medical missions to Peru where he performs open heart surgery. All work is pro bono, and it gives him pride and satisfaction knowing he is giving back to the poor and needy. Unfortunately for us but fortunate for the people in Peru, Jake will not be able to attend our reunion because of another trip to Lima. Jake has never forgotten his classmates, especially those who are no longer with us, and wishes all his BRs his very best. Sonny Bishop and Lillian “Skippy” Carpenter got married last October in Knoxville, TN. Their children, grandchildren and great-granddaughter witnessed the wedding. They honeymooned in San Francisco, followed by a cruise to the Mexican Riviera. We are looking forward to meeting the new Mrs. Sonny Bishop at the 50th. Last year, Bill Kirkland attended that memorable basketball game when VMI beat UK at Lexington’s famous Rupp Arena. The following evening, he and Susie went out to dinner with Earl Cox, the best known sports writer in KY. Bill carried a VMI hat with him and told Earl that he would give it to him if he would wear it to work the

next day. Earl, an avid KY fan, agreed, and when Bill opened the paper the following morning, prominent on the sports page was a picture of him wearing the VMI hat and a note beneath saying it had been given to him by an ex-VMI football player, Bill Kirkland. Looks like we can start recruiting in KY now. John Trout made it back to the Institute to attend the Liberty game. He had a great time visiting with VP Cheney and attending the mini reunion. John recalls that in the middle of our Rat year, he was on guard duty when the last member of the class of ’59 matriculated, Harvey Brown. John was designated to show Harvey around and explain how the Ratline worked. Harvey completed our Rat year but went to West Point the following year, graduating with the class of ’61. John checked the West Point Register and found that Harvey passed away in ’66 at his home in TN. Yet we have another ghost from the past. Tom and Shirley Hughes are fairing well in Houston, TX. Shirley recently had shoulder replacement surgery but is healing nicely, and Tom is holding his own with his fight with cancer. Our prayers continue to be with them both. Agnes (Inge) and Charlie Carter wrote to say that Agnes’ youngest son, Wallace Inge ’96, is running marathons to raise money to honor those from VMI who have “given their all” in the war against terror. He plans to put a memorial in the new Barracks. Other sons Tom ’89 and George ’91 and daughter Owen are all doing great, as are all 11 grandchildren who range in age from

Class of 1958: At the Institute Society Dinner in November 2008, were, from left, Paul Royer; Onza Hyatt; Howell Bowen; Joe Gray; Bill Kump; Howard Savage; Tarn Rosenbaum’s, Fred’s son; Dave Martin; Warren Yaun; Ernie Edgar; Charlie Hayes; Mike Smeltzer; Barney Odend’hal; Jan Woodman; Darrell Rice; Bill Holt; Bill Walker; Tony Lash; Jim Poteet; Drew Troxler; Bill Harshaw; Sam Witt; Hunter Clarke; Bill Dunn; Joe Parker and Hull Negley.

2009-Issue 2

CLASS NOTES 1 to 15. Charlie and Agnes do not let grass grow beneath their feet. They were in Montgomery, AL, attending Sonny and Nancy Eskridge’s daughter, Beth’s, wedding. Also attending were Harlee and Barbara Pate, who seem to be everywhere a VMI event takes place. Sonny and Nancy are doing pretty good, but Nancy was recovering from recent surgery. Jack and Joy Angolia moved into their new home and are gradually getting back to their old traveling ways. They took off for Austria and Germany in December to do some shopping at the Christmas marts and followed that with a trip down the Danube. Jack and Joy are holding fast to their position as the Class Globe-Trotters. Ina Ingram loves hearing about VMI and the class of ’59. She spends her time running back and forth to the Atlanta area to see her youngest son and his family. Daughter Carol and her family live in Richmond, and Ina loves watching her grandsons on the football field and basketball court. She did manage to sneak in a trip to Egypt last February with Carol. Ina’s other son lives in CA which is a little harder to manage,

but visits seem to be best when it is cold in Virginia. Max and Lee Ann Blanchard didn’t do a lot of traveling this past year but did enjoy many visits with family and friends. Max had a chest pain scare, but doctors found his heart was good, and after extensive physical therapy, he’s back to his old self. Max took Lee Ann on a cruise aboard the American Queen, a Mississippi riverboat, to celebrate her 39th birthday. They went with a friend who was a classmate of Max’s at Capital Page School many years ago. Daughter Mellanie and family spent Christmas with them while daughter Leslee and her family came before Christmas. After three years, Spence Tucker finally completed what might be his magnum opus, a six-volume, 1.5 millionword chronology of military history, beginning with sticks and stones and extending to the present. This is in addition to two other works due out shortly. Spence bravely faced cancer and was the victor and is now completely free of that dreaded disease. He continues to write, give lectures and repair the fence, while Beverly reclaimed her paint brush and spends hours

in her studio writing, reading or knitting. Both enjoy their respective organizations, and they recognize their good life. Bill and Jennifer Lee continue their travels to Europe enjoying one of their favorite places – Portugal. Although there many times, this was the first time they made it to Bon Jesus. Trips to CA to visit kids in the San Francisco area rounded out their fun-filled year. This year was busy for Royall and Geri Geis with their first trip to the Dominican Republic, a return trip to Vietnam and many wonderful times in San Francisco with family and friends. Vietnam was beautiful, and the people gracious and happy. Royall finally retired after the third try, and Geri thinks this one will stick. Geri continues to work with choruses but has picked up the brush and pallet once again and is back to painting. Plans to move from the area are still in the picture but not until the economy improves. Ned and Bunny Addison spend the bulk of their free time keeping up with their three daughters and their families. They have 10 grandchildren scattered from Mobile, AL, to Charlotte, NC, to Norfolk,

Class of 1959 Snap Shots 5

4 3

Photo 1: Mark Graybill ’63 and George O’Neill got together in Kingsport, Tennessee, to discharge some unfinished dyke duties. Photo 2: Rogers and Susan McCall with daughters Taylor, and Laura. Photo 3: Jennifer and Bill Lee at Bon Jesus De Monte near Braga, Portugal. Photo 4: Bonnie Pomponio enjoying her family in her new home in North Carolina. From left: Ellen holding John Thomas, Matt and Bonnie holding David. Photo 5: Bruce Mackenzie contemplating stealing the zero mile-marker in Key West, Florida.

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES VA, and try to see them whenever possible. Rogers McCall, the Matlock of Lee County, is a “struggling country lawyer” while Susan, an artist, continues to teach art at the local school. Both are extremely proud of their girls – Taylor, third year at UVa and Laura in her last year at Chatham Hall. Robert and Priscilla Martin exercise every day and enjoy good health. At our age, what more could you ask for. Robert continues to work part-time at St. Peter’s where he enjoys a loving congregation, teaching, performing the services and ministering to the sick. Priscilla continues to work on photo albums with this year’s objective to get the Martin ancestry finished. They have learned so much about their heritage, and it is awesome to review pictures taken over 100 yrs ago. All the kids are doing great, and they managed to get four of the five together last summer for a great vacation at the beach. Bob Haines checked in from Tikrit, Iraq, where he presented a VMI banner to the supervisor of the dining facility at Speicher, Iraq. There are hundreds of college and university banners and pennants from all over the United States hanging on the walls, and it is considered a badge of distinction to have ones school represented. Bob flew the banner over Baghdad Christmas night and presented it on behalf of the class of ’59 in honor of those VMI men and women who fought and died for their country in Iraq. (Editor’s Note: See photos of Bob in the OEF/ OIF section of this issue.) This was a big deal for the VMI class of 1959, and our thanks go out to Bob for doing it. Bob is about to hang up his goggles and join the rest of us in a well deserved retirement. Walt Ferony can’t figure out where the past 50 years have gone and is beginning to feel all those years he continued to play ball while the rest of us were drinking beer and watching football on TV, but he still looks and feels great. He manages to do a pretty good job of keeping the household in order, while at the same time walking the dog. Chuck and Margo Cotton continue to do well. Through trial and error, they have found what is best for Chuck’s Parkinson’s-like disease, and medication has helped a lot. It didn’t prevent Chuck from buying a new super duper Cobra driver or keep him off of the golf course. Even with snow on the ground, he finds a foursome to go to the local indoor virtual golf course to play St. Andrews. This is a big year for Chuck and Margo. Margo is celebrating her 50th birthday, and they will celebrate the 50th Class Reunion as well as their 50th wedding anniversary. In addition, son Russell will turn 40 which is always a big deal in the Cotton family. Christmas was great for the Cottons. Most of their family came to Frankfort before Christmas, and they had so much fun just being together, playing games,

2009-Issue 2

eating, puppet shows and just playing with the grandchildren. They were so tired when everyone left that they just about didn’t have the energy to decorate the church or distribute the 1300 gifts to the 178 needy families. Chuck did have a ball, however, at K-Mart shopping for 33 items of clothing, each one very specific. Ron and Mary Alice Marley went through a year of highs and lows, but the year ended on a high, and they have a great deal to be thankful for. As I’ve reported before, Ron was diagnosed with prostate cancer but had it treated, and the last report he got from his doctors was excellent. Mary Alice joined her sorority pledge sisters in Savannah last fall, leaving Ron to fend for himself. She also continues to make the survival quilts for the Clothes Closet, volunteers as a homebound Eucharistic Minister and counts the money for the church. Once Ron was cleared for travel, they hopped aboard a cruise ship and made it through the Panama Canal, ending up in San Diego where they visited the fabulous zoo. Zoo officials wanted to keep Ron and exhibit him, but Mary Alice wouldn’t let them, even though he is one of a kind. The kids are doing well and both are looking forward to attending the 50th Reunion. Both John Martin and I have put pressure on our roommate, Norm Shamus, to show up for the 50th Reunion, but I don’t think either of us will be successful. John is coming to the end of his term on the homeowner association, and his only commitment now is his chaplaincy at the local hospital where he does Monday night calls. Teddi does volunteer work at the hospital as well, so they both keep pretty busy. Life continues to be good for the Martin family, and their kids and grandchildren are doing great. Bonnie Pomponio spent her first Christmas in her new home in NC. She really enjoys living close to son Matt and his family, because she gets to spend lots of time with daughter-in-law Ellen and her two wonderful grandsons. They bring her such joy, but she is still a little homesick for her old church and friends. Time will make a difference. I hope we can get Bonnie back to VMI for our reunion; she hasn’t said “No” yet. Billy and Sue Kornegay have had a great year and continue to enjoy good health and happiness with their friends and family. Billy is still consulting for major firms resulting in several trips to Romania and Bulgaria where he gives seminars on enhanced treatment methods in an attempt to bring these countries up to EU treatment standards. Both he and Sue belong to a plethora of historical organizations including the local planning committee for Jamestown 2007, celebrating the first English expedition to Powhatan in 1608. Billy is deeply involved in his local American Legion Post which continues to provide care packages to our troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Sue continues to entertain shut-ins, nursing home residents and anyone else who needs a little cheer. All seven of their grandchildren are doing well. The oldest, Alex, is a second classman at VMI, and there might be a few more after him. Billy and Sue have put the reunion on the top of their “To Do List” and look forward to seeing everyone there. Eve Trumpore had such a wonderful time at the 45th Reunion that she will be at the 50th with bells on. Her 50th college reunion is scheduled for the previous weekend in Winston-Salem, and her son, Van ’89, will be celebrating his 20th Reunion at the same time we are, so the timing is perfect. After all that partying, we might have to assign some BRs to make sure Eve makes it back to Colorado. Look forward to seeing you again, Eve. Bill and Mary Kessler are running with a whole ’nother crowd now that their son, Bill, was this year’s winner in the “Weight Watcher’s Inspiring Story Contest.” You can see young Bill in the January issue of Good Housekeeping magazine on page 123. He also gets a trip to NYC where he will be treated like royalty with a television interview on ABC. Once you get that celebrity status, there is no turning back. Hopefully, Bill and Mary will talk to the rest of us at the reunion. Congratulations, folks. Bob and Anne Baillio are doing well in Houston. I wish I could show you the wonderful pictures of the Baillio grandchildren they had on their Christmas card, but as you know, I’m limited on the number of pictures I can include. Several months ago, the true spirit of the term “Brother Rat” was epitomized by Bob and Anne. Our son-in-law from Springfield, MO, was admitted to a Houston hospital, and Bob and Anne took our daughter, Colleen, and her son under their wing and nurtured them during this trying time. Ann and I can’t thank them enough for their kindness. John and Pat Van Kesteren spent the year either visiting or entertaining their grandchildren, which is a real feat since they are scattered from London, England, to Albuquerque, NM. They hope to squeeze in a cruise sometime this year, but with all that is planned so far it might not be possible. They continue to be thankful for their blessings. Dot Heishman writes that all is well in Woodstock, VA, and says she loves to maintain ties with VMI and read about the doings of Vern’s BRs. Jim and Martha Wood had a pretty good year. Jim did his part to help the American chestnut recover from the 1903 blight that almost led to its extinction. He planted crossbred and treated seeds and seedlings in the rocky soil of Stoddard, and by July, he had recovered his orchard. It repaid him with the largest harvest ever – two pears and a bushel of apples. Martha estimates that the apples costs about $500 each. Martha, on the other hand, continues to rediscover the

CLASS NOTES joys of quilting and past generations of family members. They both continue to be involved in the Town government – Jim looking after the trees and Martha affordable housing. Both are looking forward to our reunion. Lee and Marilyn Southard had a great year but are expecting a better one in ’09. They will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary, and Lee will celebrate 50 years out of VMI. Lee and son Jeff are doing great things at VascoGenix; lab reports are exciting. Kids and grandkids make them proud. Jeff and family are still in Olathe, KS; Tommy is in Loveland, CO, in commercial painting; Todd and family are in Tucson, AZ where he is senior pastor; and Brian and family are in Carmel, IN, where he is CEO of Principal Structure Fund. It’s been a busy year for Harry and Terry Mac Gregor. Terry and her daughter, Patti, toured Israel and the Holy Land while Harry took on the duties of grandparenting the children. They also had three grandsons go off to college this year, spreading them out from Furman to the Air Force Academy to VMI. They have 15 grandchildren, and all are doing well and give them so much pride. Got a call from Tommy Klemenko who is in the process of planning his annual trip to Fort Myers, FL. Hopefully, we’ll be able to get the Florida group together when he arrives to welcome him to the Home of the BCS National Football Champions. Heard from Steve Barcik for the first time in 50 years. Steve was in plastics for over 40 years and lived all over the world from South Wales, England, to the outback of Canada. He’s now settled in Humble, TX, just outside of Houston, loves it and has been in contact with some of the Houston gang. He’s doing pretty good; has a bit of a back problem, but it’s not going to keep him from coming to the reunion. Bruce and Norma Mackenzie spent a wonderful week in Key West, FL, enjoying the sights, the beautiful weather and learning how to do the Duval Crawl. George O’Neill had a visit from Mark Graybill ’62 who stopped by his house to discharge some of the duties he forgot to do as his dyke. Mark and George were also teammates on the ’58 Big Red football team. They spent most of the visit recalling, however incorrectly, how tough it was and how great they were, both in Barracks and on the football field. The myth of “The Eagle,” Big John McKenna, was embellished, and Marie, who really has the “true skinny” about VMI, patiently allowed them to ramble on and on without burdening them with corrections of their misconceptions. Not that it would have mattered that much to them. Jack and Gail Christie’s daughter, Nicole, the last of six kids, got married at Lake Las Vegas in October, and Jack, the proud father, got to walk his fourth daughter down the aisle. Nicole and her new

husband, J.D., live in Atlanta. Ed Thomas still keeps in touch with the girl he dated at Southern Sem 50 years ago. She’s a PA girl, and since her Steelers played his Cardinals in the Super Bowl, of course they had to bet. Both agreed that it won’t be near as exciting as seeing Nebraska, Thacker and Ross beat the Hokies in Roanoke, however. Mort Eggleston writes that there is another Michael Maupin in the world. Mike’s son, Will, and his wife, Jeanine, are the proud parents of twins, Michael William Maupin and Vincent Miles Maupin. They were born on Jan. 7, 2009, and live in NY. Mort’s already started the recruiting process for both of them. This past quarter has been good to Ann and me. We’ve been able to spend a lot of time with our grandchildren. They are such a source of pride, and all are doing so well. We still don’t have any at VMI yet, but that time is coming. We’ve been blessed with good health and good friends and family. Thanks for your support, and keep those cards and letters coming in.

’60

L. Edward Tolley

Brother Rats: Having just received the latest issue (November, ’08) of the Alumni Review, I am again impressed with all the hard work put forth by the staff of the publications office. As you are keenly aware, the timeliness of issue has improved significantly, the range of alumni news coverage is much greater and many more photos enhance the Review, not to mention the very professional and high quality of content and appearance. Believe me, when things are not accurate to the nth degree, you can credit guys like me. Case in point. My November notes were issued a day or so ahead of time. However, I received a couple 11th-hour phone calls and issued an “addendum” to my notes to include that news. My instructions were unclear, thus only the addendum got included in the issue. My apologies. That said, I am inserting those notes now. They are: ATTENTION WORLD! The VMI class of 1960 will celebrate 50 years of freedom, bliss, pain, hard work, leisure, battle, hard times, success, glory, reward, accomplishment and simple satisfaction from the Institute during the period Wednesday, April 21, 2010, through Sunday, April 25, 2010! The reunion committee, after a delicious dinner and enjoyable evening at the home of Nancy and Bo Bowles, had a meeting the following day, Oct. 28th, to get things organized and some things ironed out. Those attending were: Cochairman G.G. Phillips, Co-chairman Henry Brown, Bolling Williamson, Roy MacLeod,

Doc Ballard, Howie Moss, Bob Clay, Peanuts Elliott, Jimbo Smith, Jim O’Dell, Bo Bowles and yours truly. Hank Shirley and Dave Maddox, both committee members, had prior commitments and thus did not attend. The VMI Foundation sent Vice Presidents Buddy Bryan’71 and Pat Webb (our #1 Aggie) who will work with us to introduce us to policies, procedures and activities that have worked for recent past 50th Reunion classes. I trust that you received the September letter from G.G. and Henry that outlined preliminary events. It was an all-day meeting, and we accomplished a great deal. Keep the committee names in your memory bank, and should you have suggestions or need information, contact any of them or me. Activities and locations were discussed, but nothing is firm as of this writing. Our goal is to contact all matriculants who can be located for an invitation and to have at least 100 BRs attend. The next committee meeting is scheduled for Feb. 4 and 5, 2009, in Lexington. From Danville, I got a call from Hugh Blackwell, aka Buddy. Barely remembering his real name, I was on the verge of my routine, “Sorry, you must have the wrong number” when it struck me that it was Buddy. Had a good long chat. We remembered several war stories, who we roomed with, another Eagle Bayliss story and a good Col. Glover S. Johns Jr. ’31 story. Buddy and a Vietnam buddy were planning to come to Lexington for a visit and to simply grasp the fall colors, which were the most beautiful that I can remember. Buddy has two daughters who live in Richmond, and when he visits them, he has the opportunity to lunch with Roy MacLeod and Bill Giles. Joe “Bananas” Sisler returned my call to update me about the fantastic basketball game against Kentucky, VMI 111 - KY 103! Joe and Ella joined Don Webb (who came up with tickets) at the game. Joe was very impressed by the fact that, in Rupp Arena and down by 2 points (97-95), our men didn’t get rattled but kept cool, regained the lead and went on to defeat the Wildcats! As you know, that’s no small feat! As the Wildcats took the lead with time running out, Ella almost lost out to elbows and flying fists! Not to worry; we regained the lead, and Ella survived. No report of those poor souls in her reach who must have ended up with black eyes, fat lips and destroyed egos. Not surprisingly, Bananas’ phone was locked up all morning the next day. Now, to correct some bad information I had given you in our last notes, Joe’s grandson is NOT a Rat this year. He is a junior in high school and is on the receiving end of all the propaganda Joe can expose him to concerning the beauties of VMI. The young man may be softening up after a disappointing visit to a military prep school. Thanks for the

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES info, Bananas, and many thanks for another super contribution. Bill Knowles and I have been trying to reach Col. Lin Knight, aka “Fuzzy.” Our last known address was Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Another of Bill’s #339 roomies who is on the “lost” list is Chico Gates, last known to be in Azrou, Morocco. And Jon Quinn has been missing for ever so long. Also, Mo Seda is reportedly in Phoenix or Tucson, Arizona. Should anyone know the whereabouts of any or all of these men, please advise. Railroad Hamilton is doing great in retirement, as Susan continues her work in anesthesiology. He invited us to his lake front lodge 12 miles north of Iron Bridge, MI, for a weekend of R&R. R.R. says the place sleeps 10 and is six hours from Sand Point where he lives. Now, if you have never been to upper Michigan, this would be a trip well worth taking. It is quiet there, and the fishing is the best. He is looking forward to the BIG reunion and a visit with roomies, Zay and Collins. Finally got in touch with Dick Hand down in Mariana, FL. Dick is retired but still goes to the office to check mail and make sure the town is quiet. Dick had a very successful career as a CPA, having finished at Alabama in ’62 after a tour of duty in the Army. When I called, he and two daughters, who graduated from Auburn, were watching the Georgia/Auburn football game. Unfortunately, Dick was injured in an auto accident some 22 years ago and needs crutches to motivate. He wouldn’t commit to the 50th but has it on his list of things to do. Since we have so many Floridians who will be making the trip, should anyone be able to assist Dick on the trip, it would be great. Mariana is 18 miles from the Georgia line and likewise to the Alabama line. That’s peanut country, folks. Dick and Mary Ann Murphy just returned from a month in Winchester visiting children and grandchildren. While there they also drove over to Norfolk for the 50th high school reunion where Dick, Mary Ann and Seagull Coughlin attended. Dick says that Seagull has gotten himself a four-wheel yard tractor and is now into heavy yard work. Now, after the cushy Air Force job Seagull had, I asked Dick if he saw any blisters on the hands, but of course not! He isn’t into it that deep, and that’s the reason for the tractor. As you remember, Dick has done a fantastic job as the class historian since our first reunion. As part of the packet of information and memorabilia we will provide for the reunion, a booklet with the history and pictures from reunions past is on our list. Dick has a lot of dirt (?) and exposures of us in our younger years. Hope you can identify yourselves. Peanuts Elliott and I will be the ring leaders for the efforts mentioned in the above project of a

2009-Issue 2

time-line history of the class. It is our plan to use the Internet to benefit us as much as we can. Thus, we will call on Hap Miller’s help. As we firm up exactly what will be done, we will be contacting you. In the meantime, should you have a few pictures, old or new, that we might include in such a booklet, have them ready when we call. Caught Jay Jarrett with a few minutes to burn, and he updated activities of his year. He and Sandy went back to Kentucky to attend the graduation of yet another grandchild. By the way, there have been no fires around Hunting Beach, their home. Unfortunately, the Jarrett’s have had to reduce travels, since Sandy is suffering from Parkinson’s disease. Their usual trip to the Las Vegas Rodeo, always a grand excursion, was cancelled. Jay sounded great and he asked about several BRs, especially Dave Haycock. So, I called Brother Dave. Dave and Dana are both still working full time! Dave works at Edwards AFB involving advanced aircraft and enjoys the excitement. They live in Lancaster, CA, which is on the west end of the Mojave Desert and north of L.A./Palmdale. That is really intriguing country. As a construction manager, I built a train terminal near the town of Mojave for Unocal, some 15 miles north of Lancaster. There I would very often see real live roadrunners and coyotes, and they actually run very fast and stop abruptly. I never heard one beep-beep, though. And the headquarters for Acme Explosives was nearby (that may not be true). The Institute Society Dinner was held on the 10th of November. Steve Sewell, Dave Maddox and I were the only ’60 men there. Saw numerous members of other classes: Jim Mann ’56, Dick Smith ’56, John Woodfin ’61, Larry Wetzel ’61, Sal Vitale ’61, Rick Youngblood ’61, P.D. Troxler ’58, Harry Warner ’57, Ben Lynch ’61 and Bob Ross ’59. Gen. Peay ’62 gave an update on the status of the Institute. Then, on Founders Day, Nov. 11th, the Third Barracks Dedication occurred in front of the new archway, again with remarks by Gen. Peay about the history of the VMI Barracks from day one, down through the years to the new addition. The Barracks were opened to all who wanted to inspect the rooms, and many did just that. It is scarey how close the new looks like the old. The tower rooms are six-man rooms; most rooms are four-man. Cadets began occupying the new quarters after Christmas furlough. Having been involved in large and complex work with people occupying parts in close proximity to the work and being a “government” project, it is amazing how well the work has been completed and in such a compressed schedule. I am very impressed – not only concerning the Third Barracks but the entire scope of Vision 2039.

The very serious financial situation in the country highlighted in October and referenced in my first solicitation letter, if compared to an earthquake, would probably be on the order of magnitude 7.8! At the Class Agents Conference held during Founders Day week, VMI Foundation Inc. president Walter C. Perrin II ’62 presented some very sobering facts and numbers. As I mentioned, the state of Virginia has reduced participation in the current budget by 7% or $982,653, and a double-digit increase in the percent budget reduction for the next fiscal year is anticipated. As of June 30, 2008, the VMI Foundation Endowment market value was $263 million. On Nov. 1, 2008, that value was $205 million!! VMI is working to address the ongoing financial issues. Cost saving strategies include review and approval of hiring, purchases, and travel; program budget reductions; department budgets have been reduced; part-time and hourly budgets are reduced; intense management of filling vacant positions; and a 6-year financial plan is revised to reflect state budget reductions and national economic developments. I anticipate much more detailed information being sent to us. I cannot overemphasize how important your participation in the tradition of “giving back” is in these times. I encourage each Brother Rat to participate at the level he can afford and again stress, the number of participants is the most important number. Personally, I am not at all comfortable with the level of my retirement portfolio. However, I will continue at the level I participate. What the hell! It may mean that I must get out earlier, do more, work longer, but it will not be as tough as the Ratline was. And VMI is vital to the cadets, the state and the United States of America. God Bless the Class of ’60 and God Bless the VMI. Rah Va Mil. Nick Delaplane called a day or so after the addendum mentioned above was sent. He is in Augusta, GA, and works as a consultant to the Department of Energy’s Savannah River Plant. Since I had worked at the same plant back in the early 90s, we had a lot of common interests and rambled on for the better part of an hour. Historically, the SRP has been a government manufacturing unit of nuclear weapons materials, but since we are not in that business any longer, it’s primary function is the care and disposal of nuclear waste. Like several other BRs, Nick has tried to retire from his work, only to be coaxed to stay on in an advisory capacity. Nick is planning to make the 50th, so be ready to hear his life’s story. Nick, are you going to be around during Master’s week? And now for the February ’09 notes: I trust that you got your Christmas card from then-President George and Laura Bush. Ed and Sheila Davis continue their work in

CLASS NOTES Charleston – he with deacon functions and as chaplain at Canterbury House and with the Boy Scouts and she as a summer school teacher of American history at Charleston Southern University. Their big deal this year was a trip to Asia to visit son Jamie who lives in Indonesia and is getting married. They visited Bangkok, Katmandu, Singapore, Jakarta and Kalimantan (Borneo). Ed, we’ll have to get together and compare notes of Jakarta and Borneo. John and Christie Fulton have been battling snow and ice this winter. Last year, it was buckets of rain. So much for global warming. John, you are going to make the 50th, eh? … even if you have to walk. So plan on leaving early, if that’s the case. We need to see and chat with you guys. Alex and Barb Dunlap had a rather eventful ’08 according to their letter. Alex almost checked out as a result of a flu virus coupled with pneumonia that did severe damage to his ticker. He was in atrial fibrillation for several months! Then the AIG bust put the whack on his nest egg. Next on the “big events” list was the unwelcomed entrance to their living space by a copperhead snake! No one suffered a bite, but it meant that Alex finally had to block up the hole Barb had, on several occasions, “suggested” he repair. Still, Barb is shovel ready for that bugger. Of course, she could always catch his tail, snap the snake and the head will fly off. Got a neat letter from Phil and Carol Hamric. Retirement has afforded them a lot of time to hunt, fish, hike and – get this – dig dinosaur remains! Phil says the bones were, maybe, 65 million years old. It is a good thing you found them before they spoiled, Phil. Joe and Mary Collins are celebrating the offer of a full scholarship from VMI to their granddaughter! So, Joe, you will have to come back and check out the place to see if you really want her to challenge the watered down Ratline. No, they won’t shave her head. Seab and Pril Brown were anxiously awaiting the arrival of their first grandson and his parents from Portland, Oregon. The weather mentioned by John Fulton was playing “go-no go” to flights bound for Florida. How did that turn out, Seab? Then there are Ridge and Becky Parks dealing with 19 grandchildren! They are really busy. Didn’t even have time to say anything besides “God Bless.” Chris and Linda Fleet watch as their grandchildren continue to grow up. They spent a late spring hiking and camping through Utah, Colorado and New Mexico, then hit Vegas ... won some ... lost some. Old folks pains come and go. Jack and Jayne Seamon are holed up in Fort Myers again for four months. He takes the autotrain down in December and returns in April. That way, he gets the jump on his golf game, and Jayne gets to soak up some rays.

Tony and Joy DiCaprio are retired, but he is tutoring a colonel (Citadel grad) at the Army War College. Tony is still optimistic that peace can come to all. For me, I think that as long as we have terrorists who cannot or will not understand that the world is big enough for us all and that we can live with all the diversity in beliefs and cultures, there will be no real peace. Talked basketball with Buddy Blackwell after the Gardner Webb game. Buddy had plans to come to Lynchburg for the Liberty game in February. Nance and I have made all home games and have really enjoyed exciting, winning games. Even the losses have been good games. Buddy and I had another great chat. He related several Stevesville stories I hadn’t heard; of course, there are thousands. Doc and Glenda Ballard checked in from Morehead City, NC, where things are on a smooth retirement glide path. Doc has joined a multitude, +/- 25, who comprise the 50th Reunion Committee. The Benners, Carl and Barbara, had another good year. Carl gets his usual four or five rounds of golf per week, while Barbara is set on making the North Sonoran desert, her garden, green. They jetted back and forth to the East Coast a couple times and spent time in Fort Collins with son Jay. My ole roomie, Don Duncan, has been trying to retire, but Dominion Power won’t leave him alone. He still consults which involves some travel, but it cuts into his time working with the putter. I received a nice note from Bettina Graham, widow of Brother Rat Len Graham. She and her daughter keep in touch with VMI and recently attended a social at Fort Bragg. Bettina, you know that you will be included in our reunion festivities. Joe and Mary Ann Morabit are temporarily in Florida as an escape from the rugged and cold winter of Cumming, GA! Did y’all take granddaughter Sydney and the horse along, Joe? Come on, Joe. Cold in Georgia? Didn’t you read that we are going through serious global warming, polar bears are dying out, the Iditarod was cancelled due to no snow and Eskimos are forced to live in heated tents since igloos don’t last through the winter? Yeah, cold in Georgia. From the beach, Bill and Mary Lou Overman send confirmation that they will attend and are looking forward to the 50th. And how are things going in the ex-sanctuary city, Bill. Am glad you got that thing straightened out. Denny and Sandy Zay parroted Overman’s call above. This time, Denny, we want you to enjoy the entire weekend. Show some emotion. Cut a shine. You don’t always have to be so reserved. I’ll help you. Bless you, Linda Duncan, for the latest

concerning Big Ed. Ed had lasik surgery and can see better than ever! So much better that he bagged three bucks during hunting season – three bucks he would have not seen previously. The Duncan cattle herd continues to grow, and that takes some bull. Had a great hay crop, so they are ready for the cold winter predicted in the Almanac. Linda has good recommendations for a Nags Head vacation. Go! Jimbo and Ruthie Smith missed the reunion meeting but not to worry; they will be involved. And the Ax man, i.e., George and Ginny, has a new granddaughter who is an adopted Vietnamese, and can you imagine, they think she is cute. Of course she is. I’ve never seen a child who isn’t. The Axes are off to Spain and Portugal in celebration of their 25th anniversary. Tom and Ann Kurkoski have been following VMI basketball and like what they see. Tom, you would love to watch a game. It gets pretty helter-skelter at times and that is good for the Keydets. According to Coach Baucum, we expect to shoot 40 to 50 threes per game. No surprise that we lead the nation in threes shot and made. Last week, we were 80 shots made ahead of whoever is second place. We have a great class of Rats on the team who compliment the rest of a very good team. I love it. Don Hammonds says that Lynn had vowed to never do a Christmas newsletter, but since the year had so much to tell about, she published her first. And what a good thing that turned out to be. Son Christopher returned from 15 months in Afghanistan with no holes but crammed with experience. The Army sent him from Italy back to Fort Benning for a three-week stint during Thanksgiving week. It was a glorious homecoming and reunion. Amy and Joe are gainfully employed, still, and doing well. Joe enjoyed a course in stonewall construction recently. I think I need to talk to Mr. Joe to update my methods and style. Sadly, Don lost a brother, Joe, who passed after a year’s illness. Thanks for that letter, Lynn. Now, you will remember that BR Jim Bagby jumped ship after a year or so at the “I” and went off to some school up in Annapolis where he became a Navy man. Being a very intelligent man, understanding just where he really became worldly and issuing credit where credit was due, Jim noted on his Christmas card’s return address sticker, “VMI #1” and under the Navy logo, “#2” and a smiley face. Now, that’s a real man. But Jim has a shortcoming, i.e., he credited me with the compelling solicitation letter by sending us a second donation! Truth be known, Jim, Pat Webb’s group in the alumni office usually prepares a form letter that is sent to class agents for approval, modification or rewriting. I use the letter with some personal editing to hopefully spur additional interest.

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES Does it work? Obviously it did this one time. Thanks, Jim. Wayne and Judy LeBlang sent a beautiful card showing a tree in a forest covered with ice crystals and snow covered ground. The obvious message was that LaQuinta, CA, doesn’t get snow, and having spent a good portion of his life in the Chicago area, Wayne can look at a picture and get all the satisfaction of winter’s beauty that he needs. I’m with you, BR. Saw Bill and Sue Knowles at the reunion committee meeting. Both looked well. They are following the basketball team closely to great enjoyment. Their son, Pat, lives at Natural Bridge Station, so the Knowles get to the area on occasion. Miguel and Isobella Pitt sent greetings from Matamoros, I thought, until I pressed #1 for English. Lo and behold, it was none other than our BR, Mike Pitt, of Portsmouth. I guess what really threw me was the picture of the two. Miguel with a black, straight brimmed hat, black President Hayes mustache, Spanish lute and dull colored serape. Isobella, who was dressed in a slinky black dress, sporting castanets, red rose in her teeth, and high-heeled cloggers, tested my imagination. Mike, you ham, what gave you away was the white sneakers and no-holes-in jeans. Saw Dick and Mary Ann Murphy at the reunion committee meeting. Both are doing well but Dick’s macular degeneration persists. His condition does not keep him from doing what he does best, i.e., reading and hobbies. The Murphys spent a lot of time traveling to family in Winchester, to Norfolk for a high school reunion for Mary Ann and also a tour in Alaska. And Peanuts Elliott made the meeting. We missed you, Jan. Peanuts is going through the GM bailout sweats which is worse than his conquest of prostate cancer! Being the fox he is, Peanuts built a deer blind at the Lake Mullet tree ranch but named it Sydney’s Chateau in honor of granddaughter Sydney. She helped in painting the interior. I can see her eyes as Popup gave her the brush. Not to be partial, all the roads and lanes on the property are named for grandsons and other family members: Grant’s Boulevard, Todd’s Trail, Bissy’s Boulevard, Carson’s circle, Bill Elliott Drive and Janet’s Way (is there any other?). Ray and Terri Crickenberger sent a picture of the last known surviving polar bears, or was it the one Crick killed for the rug in front of the fireplace? Jimmy and Carol Seeley were part of the reunion committee meeting and were their usual bright and cheerful selves. The Seeley saga informed us of the very good news that daughterin-law Pamela continues to do well in her fight against cancer. Jim II is home from Afghanistan

2009-Issue 2

without holes, and daughter Melissa and Wes are well and happy. Jeep and Linda Goodwillie are enjoying their new digs at the Villages, Florida. The new location has been the site of several encounters with BRs and many friends. Jeep’s grandson, who is a Rat – sorry; fourth classman – is having a great year as a swimmer on the Keydet team. Already he has set six, I think, records. Another “personalized” card arrived from Bob and Betty Gianella. Dressed as ballet dancers, they are “dancing for the cure” for daughter Stephanie Connell and Betty’s survival of breast cancer. In the picture of the two, Betty looks the part – feminine, dainty and a possible ballet dancer. Bob? That’s another story. He looks very brown, like an Aztec Indian. Actually, I think it is suntan in a bottle. The fake breast Bob sports can only be seen at a strip joint in Myrtle Beach. John and Lin Hilliard are still at Satellite Beach, FL, doing their things; he is a tour guide at Patrick AFB, and she is at the Costal Poodle Rescue. In addition to trying to keep ahead of the stock market and pushing the grandchildren through high school and college, traveling breaks up their routine. And when I was resigned to the fact that Ed Martin would never stop working, he informs me that he has retired and loves it. See there, Ed; there is life after work. I’m sure Ingrid has some thoughts about that, as Nance did when I was at home all day. The Phillips platoon had their picture made in the middle of a stream, several seated in a canoe or in beach chairs, all smiling. As you know, G.G. and Henry Brown are the co-chairmen of the reunion committee. Frances was in Arizona at the meeting time, and we missed her pretty face. Bob and Jane Graves are anxiously awaiting our next reunion. He will be a big part of the memorial ceremony. Frank and Alice Bruce continue to travel to Tennessee and other less exciting places in the east. Actually, I think that Alice is trying to get Frank an audition with a country music records company. Alice, give it up! Ask Don Duncan. That voice of Frank’s will never make it. Of course, there may be a position with the CIA as a means of making terrorists sing, but it could be deemed torture and disallowed. Do the Ravens have a theme song? Can you sing it? Big Al and Cookie Walker send their best from Berlin, MD, where they are preparing to make the scene at the 50th. Likewise, news from Mike and Alice Shoemaker in Virginia Beach. And the Foxwell stars are gaining in brightness. Vaughn and Helen Foxwell can’t keep the buttons on their shirts with their three grandchildren being so precocious. An abundant soybean crop brought in a sack full of cash, and

after the harvest, a herd of deer helped fill the freezer with venison. A kitchen redo required a year’s hole-up in a barn apartment. Bet that was exciting. Been there, done that. That’s it, Brother Rats. During the upcoming months, it will be very important that we maintain an accurate database of your address, phone numbers, e-mail addresses, etc. Many of us have recently moved to a new location. Please, if there has been a change, notify me, Hap Miller or the Institute with the new information. Don’t ever hesitate to call me. Rah Va. Mil

’61

Sal Vitale Jr.

Not long after the Institute Society Dinner, Sue and I were off to Georgia for Thanksgiving with my sister and the annual quail hunt on Skip McDannald’s farm. We stayed with Skip and Harriotte in their new home, which is near Hawkinsville. We had a great hunt and a marvelous dinner. The Christmas holiday started with a party at Robert and Pat Williamson’s home. Pat had a very wonderful dinner party for a few of Robert’s yacht club members, and Pat was nice enough to include the Gibbings and us. We spent Christmas with our children and attended a get together with Dave and Charlotte Harbach. We enjoyed seeing Dave’s “kids,” granddaughter and former VMI Cadet First Captain David Furness ’87, now a Marine colonel on active duty, and his wife, Linda. Dave is still working full time and commuting from Detroit. We had a good visit. New Year’s was spent with the Bill and Joyce Gibbings and Larry and Joanne Respess who were in from California for the holidays. Both of the Respess daughter’s families are currently living in northern VA. Larry is also working full time. It seems like the holiday season came and went more quickly than previous years. The first week in January, Sue and I went to NYC to celebrate our 47-wedding anniversary. Bill and Shon Maurer came into the city and met us for lunch. Bill has been called back to work at the Statue of Liberty (quite an honor) and also asked to create an interpretative program for children. Dave Martin had hoped to join us, but he left for Spain as we arrived. Next on our party list was attending two Brother Rat 70 birthday parties. The first party was for “Rabbit” Patrick. Sue Patrick rented a house in Sandbridge for family and friends, and a bunch of Brother Rats and spouses turned out to wish him well. The partygoers included Don Kern, Irv and Sue Wells, Charlie and Quinby Amory

CLASS NOTES ’63, Lou and Pris Shuba, Robert and Pat Williamson, Bill and Joyce Gibbings, Willard and Pat Hoskins, Jim and Blair Bickford, Larry and Jerri Wetsel, Stu and Sylvia Woodcock, Dick and Anne Weede, Wyatt Durrette, Lee and Betsey Badgett, and “Sleepy” and Ann Hollowell. It was a treat to see Sleepy walk up and down stairs. The food was great (grilled venison marinated in NC moonshine), and the entertainment an eye opener. “Rabbit’s” daughter, Susan, belongs to a belly dancing group, and her performance for her dad was memorable. The following weekend, Larry Wetsel turned 70 and had a party at the City Club at the VB Town Center. What Larry didn’t know was Jerri, his wife, had arranged for a comedian to roast Larry. It was hilarious. Larry also was unaware that the Brother Rats in attendance planned to recognize his birthday VMI style and had him run the gauntlet. The usual implements were used, and after the run Larry said to me, “They really hit me!” Sylvia Woodcock baked and decorated a cake fit for a king, and we all had a good time. At this party, we saw: Warren and Kathy Copenhaver, Stu and Sylvia Woodcock, Bill and Joyce Gibbings, Ashby and Sandra Taylor, Ken and Sue Patrick, Lou and Pris Shuba, Dick and Anne Weede, Sleepy and Anne Hollowell, Lee and Betsey Badgett, Jim and Blair Bickford, Don and Ibis Kern, and Bill Cox ’64. Since Gibbings and I live close to each other, we had an opportunity to house several of the out of town Brother Rats and spouses. The morning after the Wetsel party, Sue hosted a brunch for the Gibbings and our houseguests. As always, we very much enjoyed ourselves. Between birthdays, Gibbings, Wetsel, Gibbings ’88 and I attended the Colonial Williamsburg 18th-Century Woodworking Symposium. As usual, we learned a lot through the process of osmosis. This year, George Henning could not make it, and we missed him. So, what has been going on with the rest of you? Here is what you sent me. Bill Hala experienced power outages in mid December when they had a terrible ice storm. Jim “Peaches” Miner had a great year running in mini marathons and road races for charity. Jim was in attendance when VMI beat UK in basketball. He said the crowd was not too friendly, but he wore his VMI sweatshirt around Madisonville for a week. As most of you heard on the news, the January ’09 ice storm in Kentucky was bad, and “Peaches” was hit very hard. When I heard from Jim, he had been out of power for two days, and no relief or power was in sight for a week or so. Thank God for cell phones. The Asian American Society of Richmond awarded Hugh Gouldthorpe “The Humanitarian Shinning Star” award for service to the community. Great job, Hugh! Paul and Deborah Johnston spent

at least a week a month in their cabin in the mountains and enjoyed kayaking on the New River. Paul said he was skiing with Fred Ayers in Vail in January when Fred was blitzed by a snow boarder and was bruised up quite a bit, but nothing was broken. He was still hurting when Fred was kind enough to take Paul to lunch at the Game Creek Club. Now, that’s a nice BR! Tolar Nolley’80 owns a house in Knysna, South Africa, and hosted Jim and Blair Bickford and Rhett and Jan Clarkson for three weeks. The couples saw all the high spots of South Africa with Jimmy Buffet playing on the car radio. Blair says it was the trip of their lifetime! Bob Coltrane writes that all is going well with him and Loretta. They had snow on the ground since before Thanksgiving, and everything was frozen solid. Bear hunting was poor this year due to the weather. The snow was also flying in Wisconsin with below zero temperatures and over five-foot drifts, says Doug Popp. Doug has been involved in a new business venture for a new lubricant called Gibbs Lubricant and will be taking over Gibbs Products on 1 April 2009. The Army Sniper School, several Special Forces Groups and others have approved the product for use. Doug’s distribution in Texas is through Steve Ramsey ’65 who dyked in Doug’s Bull room for ’61B during Doug’s last year. Lee and Betsey Badgett spent Christmas in Colorado and drove there through the wastes and snow of the Kansas territory. Lee wasn’t as concerned about the snow as he was about the driving through the “crime ridden” expanse of his home state, Illinois. Dick and Judy Youngblood as well as the Durrette grandchildren and Ken and Sue Patrick made the trek to Lexington to attend VMI basketball and enjoyed it. I watched the games either on TV or the computer. It is nice to see scrappy guys. The Woodcocks and Wetsels were able to enjoy a month’s trip to New Zealand and Australia, and it was a most memorable experience. Long lost Frank Deaner says he is doing well – just getting older. With no health problems other than the worn out parts (hip replacement three years ago and bad back), he plays golf several times a week, is still selling sportswear in the Carolinas and Virginia, and sees Dorsey Pender when he is in Tidewater. Now maybe Frank will continue to update us a little more frequently than every 45 years. Irv Wells, our own FBI “senior” warrior, returned in late December from Dubai, UAE, Qatar and Iraq. Irv promised to provide details and some pictures for another Review. Jim and Frankie Ring have been very busy in helping to expand a Christian school for troubled youth. Frankie is continuing her studies toward a master’s in divinity and says Greek is not easy, but wow. Randy Aylor had to remind me that he is not Russ. In any case,

he and his wife, Marlene, are fine and love living in Harrison, AK. Larry and Kay Dapra celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary by taking a 13-day Mediterranean /transatlantic cruise on the Norwegian Gem. This ship has a bowling alley and a two-story rock climb on board, and the ship didn’t rock, so you could bowl! Pete Roberts spent a Friday night with George Henning and Barry Orndorff (his roommates) and their wives at Henning’s house and had a great time talking about the last 55-60 years that they have known each other. Barry Orndorff has officially retired his business. Harrison Fridley went bird hunting again in SD with Fred Ayers and Alison Drescher. They had a good hunt and got a chance to catch up on Brother Rat doings. Harrison and Terry went to Asheville, NC, for the ceremony in which Battle Haslam was honored for his work both in the medical community and in Asheville. Battle has always been a Brother Rat who I could count on to help, and quoting a recent article on him sums it up for me. “John Battle Haslam is that rare combination of scientist and humanitarian. The highly trained physician is also an extraordinarily caring man.” Amen! More congratulations! Harrison’s son, Mitchell Fridley ’89, who is the assistant commandant at VMI, was promoted to lieutenant colonel. More congratulations! Wyatt Durrette continues to be very proud of his son, Wyatt III. In the last issue of the Review, I mentioned Wyatt III’s song “Chicken Fried.” Well, it made #1 on the top 40 country songs as reported by Billboard. This is a remarkable achievement, because few songs or artists attain a #1 hit with their first release. Congratulations to Bill Keech and his daughter, Kris, who was awarded the Loy E. Harris Award by the city of Manassas for making the city a better place to live. Bill continues to improve from his bout with a melanoma. David and Edwina Thomas had a busy year. Dave launched a new satellite that provides valuable information to the armed forces and the intelligence community. Dave manages to stay in shape by swimming 3600 yards a week. This year, Edwina traveled to Rwanda, Uganda, Israel, England and South Africa to visit the Church and mingle with Christians. John Purner is doing OK. He and Buzz Bossart manage to have dinner together once a week. John also swims every day either in the pool or the ocean. While swimming in the ocean, a rip current carried John out and there was no one on the shore to help. John remembered what Coach Arnold said during our Rat swimming, “to rest, float on your back,” and he did and was able to swim parallel to the shore and then in. (Fortunately, the sharks were not hungry that day.)

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES Lynn and Shirley Hartford enjoyed their in their new house in Talking Rock, GA, by ford Jr. who, as you remember, was killed in four-week, non-relaxing trip in Australia and spring. Suellen retired from her12-year cross- an airplane crash in 1963 while in service. The New Zealand. Shirley said the people are ing guard job, and the moms of the little ones scholarship is designated for a cadet matricugreat, and she will incorporate into their daily surprised her with wonderful brunch. Bob is lating from Wythe County and will be a full lives the “no worry” culture of the country. still hunting, and I heard he shot the mother scholarship (tuition, room and board) for that The Hartfords love cats, and Shirley has of all turkeys. (I wonder how Weede would cadet. What a nice way to be remembered. formed her own organization, “Friends Forclassify it.) I also heard that this retired Army Charlie Brown has had a trying medical time ever, A Cat Sanctuary,” which is dedicated Ranger got lost in the woods and had to use this past year. He spent eight weeks in a hosto rescue, spay, etc., and provide permanent his cell phone to get directions. Bob would pital in Wasilla, and then they moved him to a homes through adoption. The sanctuary will not admit he was lost – just exploring new rehab hospital in Anchorage where he remained have room for 200 cats and kittens and is a terrain! Ed and Phyllis Hollowell had an until mid December. He is home now and is non-profit organization. I received a strange enjoyable trip on the inland waterway from using a walker. I understand Donnie Wise is e-mail, which purportedly was from John Jacksonville to Charleston. Next year, they not in good health, but I don’t have up-to-date Wiggins, an importer from China. I sent are going north. Jim and Connie Oliver have details. Lee Everett is still on the chemo once an e-mail to John, and he said someone is had a more normal year. Son David now a week for three out of four weeks a month. using his name, and he doesn’t know why. owns Oliver Distributing Company, and Jim Lee is improving but weak. John Steadman John is still retired and spending the winter works for him. Their daughter, Mary Beth, got hit on unlucky Oct. 13th in a passenger on his boat in the Florida Keys. Not China! received her Ph.D. in cell molecular biology side collision. A woman ran a stop sign at Karl and Mollie Zick have had a good year and works part time at Clemson. The Olivers 40mph and knocked John’s car 90 ft. and with travels to California and New York and will be with us on the Alaska trip. spun him around. His car was totaled. John living every day to the fullest. Roger and Hannelore Garrison was pleasantly surhad just had a successful epidural on Oct. 4th Sherrill Suiter are enjoying their return to prised to receive the “Stories of the Class of and now has a spinal cord that is severely Charlotte and are close to the grandchildren. 1961” and found reading the personal stories restricted, and an operation will be very Roger still teaches chemistry at Winthrop of Haley’s Brother Rats both interesting and difficult at best. Buzz Bossart had his fifth and especially enjoys the interaction with his entertaining. She and her daughter are doing eye surgery, and the doctor said everything students. Spike and Mary Callander did a well. Maria Anjier is also doing well. Maria looks good, but only time will tell. His one fair bit of traveling with one trip to County spent three weeks in Australia and says it was good eye enjoyed seeing his beloved StealMayo, Ireland, for a family reunion. They a once in a lifetime experience. Maybe we ers win the Super Bowl. Barbara Phlegar is also managed to add Ohio and Californian to need to plan a class trip to Australia? Maria doing fine after her knee replacement, but the the travel log and will be with us in Alaska. has returned to work at Beaver Creek for the lingering effects of the chemo are still causing My second semester Rat roommate, Tom skiing season. Another lady that has surfaced a problem with her feet. I finally was able to Whalen, spent a month or so in Asia visiting is Julia Martin who we called “high pockets.” contact Mac McGinn’s wife, Diane. Mac has Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam. Now he is She was very pleased to receive a Red Book been very ill for the past several years and has back in Colorado skiing – his first love. Tom of our stories and had a few of her own to tell. lost a leg. He is in rehab and doing well. Diane Jones is snowed in at his home in Camden, She said we need to ask Gates Richards about says he is planning to be at our 50th. Mary Maine, and caring for ailing puppies – the Valentine Candy and the cheerleading squad Carolyn “M.C.” Harrison has had her share of current loves of his life. When he is able to about crosses forks. Enough said. problems, and I recently heard she is improvbreak out, he goes to Pilates and yoga classes Life is full of surprises. VMI informed me ing. Roy Schall has had several setbacks since at the local “Y” where he is the only barefoot that the Institute is receiving a bequest from we saw him on the Bermuda trip. Mary-Marman in shorts attempting to stretch with the the estate of William L. Woodford Sr. for the tha said he was on a liver transplant list in ladies. Does that paint a picture for you? Bill purpose of establishing a full scholarship in Indiana, but an emergency hernia operation Nelms is spending a quiet life and works memory of our Brother Rat William L. Woodand infection knocked him off his feet. He is part time for his son. Connie is now in rehab and hopes to go still active with dancing, and at the to Indiana and have the liver national competition in Ohio, she transplant in time to go on the came home with another trophy. class trip to Alaska. It is nice that Charlie Stevens is For those of you who do not back with us. Charlie and Ann have e-mail and hence do not especially enjoyed how the Brother know, I am sorry to inform you Rats welcomed them at the football that following a third and most weekend. Charlie received his massive stoke, Bud Alligood lost Ph.D. at ODU and was on their his wife, Ginger, 10 days before adjunct faculty for years. For those Christmas. Bud and Ginger had who get public radio in Roanoke, been together since Ring Figure Charlie’s daughter is a newscaster days, and she was his very best Class of 1961: Institute Society Dinner- Attending the for them. Jim and Nancy Gabbert friend. Brother Rat William (Bill) Institute Society Dinner in November 2008 were, from also have nothing but praise for Lackey, passed away Nov. 30, left, Hollowell, Badgett, Murray, Wetsel, Hirsch, Bickford, the way they were received at the 2008, in Alexandria, LA. I talked Youngblood, Woodcock, Clarkson, Copenhaver, Lynch, football get-together and love seeto his wife, Sally, and she said Haslam, Woodfin, Keech, J.C. Miller, Col. Brodie and ing people and telling old stories. Bill had been sick for years and Vitale. Bob and Suellen Reitz hope to be was not well enough to return for

2009-Issue 2

CLASS NOTES reunions. Sally and her children appreciated the flowers but were especially pleased to see Bill Haeberlein (who drove three hours each way) at the viewing. During my weekly worship service, we are asked to pray for those who are sick or in need and those who are in a better place. I always pray for good health for all my Brother Rats and spouses and a speedy recovery for those recuperating. I would ask you to consider doing the same, especially for those mentioned above. Even with the cost of stamps the following BRs took the time to send me Christmas cards, e-mail cards and letters so that we know they are still breathing: Oliver, Ed Hollowell, Lisiecki, Cleveland, Henning, Rishell, Harrison, Caples, Artman, Hunneycutt, Len Martin, Durrette, Fridley, L.T. Jones, Ramirez, Hartford, McNemar, Birindelli, H. Murray, Thomas, Miner, Badgett, Scott, Duncan, Bella, Reitz, Woodfin, Paul Johnson, Pete Roberts, Suiter, Bryant, Ederle, Floyd Roberts, Phlegar, Redd, Orndorff, Myruski, Shuba, Ring, Callander, Burks, Rice, Dick Stone, Bissell, Hirsch, Doleman, Tarrall, Maurer, Brown, Respess, Stevens, Moore, Hanlein, Nelms, Tom Jones, Hala, Dapra, Whalen, Gangemi, Bill Phillips, Van Orden, Keech, Elliott, Robert Williamson, Coltrane, Weede, Puette, Hoskins, Woodcock, Cohen, Jarvis, Daniels, Williams, Wetsel, Bickford, Alligood, Berger, Bell, Payne, Dick Butler and the following Sister Rats: Gaylia Hudgins, Maria Anjier, Mary Franklin Fulghum, Hannelore Garrison and my dyke, Ancher Lee Madison ’64. Sue and I enjoyed reading all of them, and the family pictures have been placed in our VMI ’61 scrapbook. I would appreciate it if those who have not given me their e-mail address please consider doing so. I only use e-mail to send you the current BR mailing addresses and telephone numbers and announcement of special class events like golf or trips like Alaska and for those BRs with serious illness or those who have passed on. I do NOT use the e-mail to solicit contributions for VMI. My email is: vitalesal@yahoo.com. I am looking forward to the Alaska trip, and by the time you read these notes, you will still have time to join us. All those BRs who have made the trip say it was worth the time and money. So think on it. You aren’t getting any younger! Finally, the last issue of the Review did not include the picture of the Institute Society Dinner, as well as others, so I am submitting only the Institute Society picture again. [It is included with these notes.] Thanks to all of you who support VMI, send pictures and stay in touch. I am really proud to be your class agent. So, remember – write, call, e-mail or just stop by. We would love to hear from you. God Bless all of you and VMI.

’62

Jerry Burnett

Dear Brother Rats, First of all, I mailed out 303 Christmas cards to all of our Brother Rats and the wives of our deceased Brother Rats. I appreciate some of you responding and updating me on your health and activities. I received an e-mail with an attached photograph of BR Edmund Strickler and Don Beckner with BR Gen. Binnie Peay on Binnie’s trip to Houston, TX, recently. I also received a note from Bill Mizell and Monty Williams that they were going to see Binnie at the VMI Board of Visitors meeting in Norfolk this month. The Alumni News section of this Alumni Review contains an announcement about BR John Mott Robertson. John Mott received the prestigious Clancy Holland physician’s service award at the annual Medical Society of Virginia meeting held in November 2008. He is now the associate medical director for Piedmont Community Health Plan, which is a medical insurance company that was formed in 1995 by the Lynchburg area physicians and Centra Health in a 50-50 partnership. PCHP has 31,000 members, and they compete with all the major insurance companies for group health insurance business. Actually, I practice in their service area, and they are an excellent organization. John Mott has a home in Lynchburg as well as Williamsburg, VA. I received a nice note from Mike Lilge thanking me for keeping our class posted on activities of the class of 1962 family as we reach our twilight years. He recently went to Washington, D.C., for the Veterans Day activities. Due to an automobile accident in 1962, he was a retired reservist in the USAF and was never on active duty. Mike is a Christian and is involved with “Veterans for Jesus,” a Christian outreach to veterans. He is still working at Argonne National Laboratories near Chicago, IL, and has a fiancée these days. I received a nice note from Skip and Sharon Davis. Skip writes that he “wants to share with his friends that 2009 will bring a long career to a close and open new adventures.” He will be retiring from Providence Health & Services where he has been for the past 12 years. He says that he had the good fortune to run Sacred Heart Medical Center (620 beds) in Spokane, WA, along with four other hospitals and a number of allied healthcare operations. Skip says he plans to stay busy in the coming years with some entrepreneur activities and consulting. They will take some time to be with their son and daughter and their children. They plan to do some selective travel and pursue those passions

that they never got enough time to do, with their busy schedules. They plan to play golf and go fly fishing and flying, and Skip wants to learn to play the piano and reread the classics that he read before he got so busy. He wishes best wishes and prayers to all of you and hope you remain healthy and blessed in the coming year. I received a nice note from Seymour Samuels who lives in Gainesville, VA. He and Linda, who worked for the same company, retired March 31, 2008. They have been fixing up a new home and traveling. They took trips to Montreal, Canada; visited coastal New England; and then took a 4,535-mile trip to Albuquerque, NM. They learned an appreciation of how great and beautiful our country is, and they wish everyone a happy and healthy 2009. Pat Lang is in the process of releasing the second book of his trilogy series, Death Piled Hard. I read his first trilogy, and it was wonderful. Pat sent the novel to none other than Bruce Seiling, our BR physics major in Pittsburg, PA, who did an excellent job of critiquing the novel, and I encourage all of you to get a copy, which is available in most of the commercial book houses. I am very excited about his final triology about Gen. Jubal Anderson Early who saved Lynchburg from Gen. Hunter. No friend to VMI, Hunter burned it to the ground except for BR Binnie Peay’s present residence. If I remember correctly, Gen. Early was on the VMI Board of Visitors. Gen. George Marshall, class of 1901, watched his older brother graduate, with Gen. Early as the graduation speaker. Ed Vinieratos reports that he is in Moscow, Russia, teaching. It is hard to contact him by e-mail. He has a power of attorney in California who can reach him, and I have his address, should any of you want to make contact with Ed. Allen Gustin called me over the Christmas holidays from Walterboro, SC. After he graduated in 1962, he spent three years in the U.S. Army. He started dental school at the Medical College of Virginia in 1965 and graduated in 1969. He has been practicing in Walterboro, SC, since. He and Ann were married and had twin boys. One of the boys married a girl from Allen’s home town of Martinsville, VA, and the other twin married a girl from Ann’s home town near Walterboro. Allen went to his 50th class reunion at Martinsville High School and saw Paul Ross, Skip Prillaman and Bill Mizell. He said Bob Shropshire and Bob Fagg were not there. Allen enjoys good health and is still enjoying his dentistry practice. I had a nice conversation with Debbie Woolard. Jay Woolard died July 4, 2007, with lung cancer; he had smoked for 30 years. He was in charge of the U.S. Department of Defense in Memphis, TN. They retired and moved back to Raleigh, NC, to be near their son, who has

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES three children, and their daughter. Debbie has had three major brain surgeries for benign brain tumors. They have one son in the bay area of California. Jay kept in contact with his childhood friend, Danny Kiser. It was nice hearing from Mercer and Carol MacPherson. You will recall that Mercer graduated from Virginia Tech, and they are ardent Hokie fans. In 2007, they traveled to Antarctica. He now possesses the only known golf ball in existence that has been hit on Antarctica by someone who has hit golf balls on all seven continents. They are living in southern California about 30 miles from their son, Tim, who lives in Carlsbad. Mercer plays golf, works out, does yoga and Pilates. Clyde Bryant wanted to wish everyone happy New Year. It has been one year since his heart transplant, and he is doing fine. He is busy trying to get the body to catch up to the new heart. Tom Henriksen is still at the Hoover Institute at Stanford University in Stanford, CA. An announcement about his most recent book, American Power After the Berlin Wall, appeared in the 2008-Issue 2 Alumni Review (page 147). Tom got his master’s and Ph. D. in history at Michigan State University. He has been a prolific writer, lecturer and advisory staff member for a think tank for the U.S. government, Joint Special Operations University and the Strategic Studies Department, which is the educational component of (USSOCOM), Macdill Air Force Base, FL. Tom is on the board of trustees of the George C. Marshall Foundation at VMI. I’ve enjoyed reading his books, periodicals and synopses of world affairs. I mentioned to you earlier that Tom has been on C-span, as well as BR John Anthony. Wayne Pacine wrote that the year 2008 simply flew by. “I found myself working six or seven days every week at the Federal Reserve Board of Governors,” he said, and he now has the greatest job he could conceive of at a time when he should be thinking about retirement.

planning to go to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republican to play golf. Bill says his arm is on the mend, and Bill and I plan to play in the Princess Ann Country Club Member/Guest in June at the beach. 2008 was a tough year for Monty and Carol. Monty had both carotid arteries cleaned out, as well as his gall bladder removed. He has recently had a right inguinal hernia repair. Even with all of his surgeries, he and Carol went to Oklahoma City, OK, to visit Carol’s mother. She is in a retirement home. They went to New York City in January 2008 to see some plays and shop. In April, they went to Las Vegas, Sedona, the Grand Canyon and Zion National Park. He said it was a lot of driving, but they enjoyed seeing all the beautiful sights. In September, they went to Washington, D.C., for a week to see some sights. In October, they went to the Pocono Mountains; Gettysburg, PA; and the PA Dutch country. In November, they went back to Oklahoma by way of Blowing Rock, NC, and Hot Springs, AR. On the way back, they went through San Antonio, TX; New Orleans, LA; and Destin, FL, for a total of 4,751 miles. This year, they are planning a trip to Santa Fe, NM, in the spring, the Canadian Rockies and Vancouver Island in the summer, and New England in the fall. Monty received the Navy Superior Civilian Service Award from the Vice Admiral of the United States Deputy and Chief of Staff of the United State Fleet Forces Command for his work in protecting the nation from nuclear radiation emitted by the eastern submarine fleet. In closing, I would like to tell you how proud I am of the men of the class of 1962 at VMI. I know there are those of you who have made invaluable contributions to your family, state and nation. BR Tony Curtis has issued a “Shake-ALeg” for the history of what each BR has done since our graduation in June 1962. This periodical will be available at our 50th Class Reunion. To date, I think he has only received about 15 responses, so it is very important that you send Tony the important events of your life from 1962 to 1970, 1970 to 1980, 1980 to 1990 and so forth. This should include contributions that BRs have made to VMI in terms of service to the various Institute functions such as TAC officers, professors, superintendents, class agents, Foundation services, Athletics, and the list goes on and on. Would all of you BRs who have served as class agents please drop me a note, and let me know when you served and who served before you and after you? In other words, we want to have an exciting and meaningful 50th Class of 1962: Don and Linda Beckner, left, and Edmund and Margie Strickler, right, Class Reunion. with Binnie Peay, in Houston, Texas, on Jan. 9, 2009, at a VMI function. In the Spirit … Jerry Burnett

2009-Issue 2

He also said, “I honestly do not contemplate retiring until the Lord tells me it is time to do so.” He reports to Steve Malphrus, the #2 man at the Federal Reserve Board of Governors. Their office is directly across the hall from Chairman Ben Bernanke. He has been traveling extensively, both nationally and internationally, to represent the board of governors. Jolin accompanies him on some of his trips. He said, “Unfortunately, my skeet/trap shotgun shooting has been hampered, but my goal is to shoot 100 straight in 2009.” I received nice notes from Linda Brantley of Troy, AL, who is the widow of our BR Buddy Brantley, as well as from Linda McMakin, wife of our BR Michael McMakin. Both of these BRs died with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) in 2003. Linda lives in Kilmarnock, VA. I had a nice note from Lou and Sue Ritchie. Sue and Lou still live in Palm Beach Gardens, FL, most of the year but maintain a home in Laurel, MD, for visits with their two daughters and four grandchildren. They live on PGA National Resort and Spa, which is the home of the Honda Classic, and Lou plays golf several times a week. He is still shooting at Olympic-style shotgun matches across the country but is not as competitive now as he was when he shot for the U.S. Army. He fishes for bass on the golf course ponds and sends all our BRs their love and regards. I received a nice note from Keith Block. You will recall that Rocelia passed away the same week as Linda Candler, BR John Candler’s wife. He thanks all of our BRs for the calls, cards and e-mails that he has received since Rocelia’s death. Monty and Carol Williams had dinner with Bill Mizell and Betsy in Portsmouth several weekends ago. They were going to the VMI Board of Visitors cocktail party on Feb. 12 to see Binnie Peay, as well as Walter and Mary Perrin. Bill was planning to go to Florida the first week in March to play in a member/guest tournament, and then on March 18-23, he was

CLASS NOTES

’63

Michael J. Curley

“Saying Goodbye Was a Festival Like No Other” read the Tampa Bay Online e-newspaper headline describing Judy Dibbs’ death from cancer on Dec. 17, 2009. Judy was Dave Dibbs’ beloved wife of over 40 years who died after bravely fighting a four-year battle against breast cancer. At Judy’s specific request, there wasn’t a formal memorial service, instead, a “festival,” and you absolutely must read about it at www.tbo.com! (“Search” for Judy Dibbs.) Dave, you are indeed a lucky man to have spent most of your life with such a neat gal! Our prayers are with you, Brother Rat. Let’s talk a little business first. A copy of the last Class Notes was mailed to everyone in the class along with a one-page survey to judge your reaction to the 45th Reunion and assist in planning the 50th. The responses were very gratifying, both in numbers and quality observations! Let’s cut to the chase and share your feedback. “Plus” points were earned by the bus transport, the picnic (thanks to Kent Wilson!), The Livery dinner (thanks to Hobbs Goodwin and John Mills!), casual dress rules, the Col Alto Hampton Inn and Chuck Weddington’s pictures. “Minus” points came from loud music, billeting in two separate hotels, cost (always an issue.), The Livery’s lack of open space for easy viewing and the DJ. Here’s a sample of what you say you want for the 50th: more time to mix and visit; tours of Lexington and the Institute (to include a First Class room.); a gathering space open to the class, 24 hours, with refreshments; no more gifts; name tags attached to foreheads (I really appreciate that one!); separate Company gatherings; memorial service (voluntary attendance); and music provided by either some of our music guys (Mike Smither and Mike Warring, for instance) or a small background music group or both. Bottom line: We’ve got four years before our 50th …only four short years! So, let’s start expressing our desires, investigating resources and formulating our plans early. I need your help! With the 50th Reunion looming, let me reiterate the giving rules for what is traditionally a class’s biggest monetary gift to the Institute. Everything that we contribute post 45th accrues to our 50th legacy. I need someone to volunteer now to head up and form a gift committee. I had the ideal candidate to head this project a few months back, but time constraints eliminated him from consideration. Please let me hear from you, and let’s discuss how we’re going to make this a record gift.

In that light, I’m happy to let you know that the class of ’63 recently donated over $4,000 to the Thomas Tucker Oliver Class of 1963 Scholarship. This sum represents surplus funds collected for our 45th Reunion. A little housekeeping consideration: Please notice that my address has changed to a “Henrico” VA address. Trust me, you don’t even want an explanation; let’s just say that it’s our wonderful Virginia Assembly hard at work. Mail addressed to Richmond, VA, still gets here just fine! One of the neat things about being “VMI” in Richmond, and moreover Virginia, is chance encounters that seem to occur regularly. Shortly after our 45th, Peg and I visited my cousin in Roanoke (she taught math, by the way, to George and Helen Vogel’s son at Northstar Academy) where we headed for the Roanoke Farmer’s Market for a little shopping (definitely not a Peg thing!). We slipped into what is probably the tiniest soup and sandwich shop on the block and were enjoying lunch at the counter, when I noticed a familiar face enter the place. Fortunately, I had tracked down this face about 6-9 months earlier after a 48-year absence, and I leaped down from the stool to greet my Rat year roommate, Ken and Rosie Saunders, as they came through the door. They told me they were preparing to visit their son and family in Vietnam (Vung Tao, I think) where he is a golf pro. How’s that, Paul Clare; a new place to golf? I haven’t heard from them since, but now that I’ve “outed” them in this Alumni Review, how about telling us about your trip, Rosie? Shortly afterward, Peg and I were in the check-out line at Costco in Richmond, and I heard the name “Dellapenta” spoken nearby. And that’s how I got to meet Joe and Bella Dellapenta’s son! As you may know by now, these February notes are my favorite to write, since I get to read a large pile of your Christmas letters and learn a lot about you and your family. The ones I love the best are those accidently left in the printer from the year before! I fondly remember Ted Chilcote doing just that a couple years back and blaming it all on Patsy. Tell me it wasn’t your fault, Patsy; I know the truth. Don and Candy Prystaloski skipped last year, too, but with good reason. They had a rotten year … that simple! Let’s summarize some of the news: Dan Ogle (Missy’s new husband, in case you missed the wedding news) continues to battle Hodgkin Lymphoma, driving (in his new Impala, by the way) to the VA Hospital in D.C. for his chemotherapy treatment. Missy says Dan is hoping to gain entry into a clinical trial for a new drug at NIH. Keep us posted, Missy. By the way, I managed to drop by for a brief visit with Dan and Missy recently after lunching with my daughter in D.C. where she now lives. I truly love Lee and Dianne Spessard’s cards

and letters … Boxer news and Boxer pictures everywhere. You do remember that their passion is rescuing Boxers, right? According to them, with the war and the economy in such a bad state, there’s plenty of need for their work. Highlights of Don and Karin Hargy’s year was their move to Wolfeboro NH; remodeling; a windjammer cruise out of Rockland, ME; and, of course, the 45th! Charlie and Cindy Peckham, like many others, are having their share of health issues, particularly his second spine surgery in August which makes even more remarkable his 45th attendance. Bunny and Judy Reynolds celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary with their sailing crew on Block Island. Judy says “H” also received a new motorcycle for rides in Nova Scotia and the Finger Lakes region of NY state. Jim Taylor’s year was highlighted by starting to write a new ultrawideband radar book; a two-day ride on horseback through the Montana Hills from Custer’s Last Camp to the Little Bighorn Battlefield, complete with horse-induced baths at every river; and attendance at our 45th. It would have been a good year had it not been for the fall from his horse right after the 45th, during which he suffered many painful injuries and learned first-hand both the values and perils of drugs. Bottom line is that he strongly recommends that everyone have a health care advocate. Completion of Harry and Sally Jones’ new home is finally in sight for March 2009 after nearly three years in the offing. This is actually good, Harry, since it’s given Sally much more time to shop, right? I always read Mary Ann and Dave Glantz’s letter with a dictionary at my side and www.Google.com on my browser. Remember that Dave and Mary Ann are spending a year at The Citadel. Mary Ann states: “Although [Dave] is enthusiastic over the opportunity to proselyte among his cadets, he has had to struggle mightily with the challenge of imparting the subject of his life’s work in 50-minute increments without expiring in utter frustration.” It’s clear, Mary Ann, that Dave needs me down there! From the “you’re getting old and can’t read a calendar” department, Sharon and Gary Eifried report that Gary was recently dissuaded by Sharon from taking a zip line ride in Kauai, Hawaii. Fortunately, there was an age limit on the ride, and Gary may make it to the 50th despite his dare-devil leanings. Bill and Betty Ann Shaner report that they’ve had their share of medical concerns recently, so we’ll just pray for a better 2009! Tom and Sharon Rountree’s year was similar to mine from a real estate perspective, since Tom and Sharon are both working as real estate appraisers in Florida. Need I say more? Tommy attended the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association of Florida, and I suppose “what happens at VHPA stays at

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES VHPA,” since he didn’t say a word too, have had a couple years of vexabout what went on at that meeting! ing and painful health issues Frank Unfortunately, a pall was cast over says, “Everything is working fine for their year when Sharon’s son was me. Sally is 12 days past her back diagnosed with a brain tumor. I unsurgery and recovering slowly. I rederstand his surgery was successful, ceived my semi-annual PSA results and he is presently undergoing radiayesterday, and they were down from tion and chemo treatments. We pray, .08 to .07. Life is good.” Sharon! Great pictures, too, from Pete Ippolito is always a stitch Peter and Diane Wick in addition to and is almost like a kid since we Class of 1963: Peggy and Steve Riethmiller returned from some from Kent and Celia McCraney got him hooked on some of our a visit to Buenos Aires in January 2009 where Denver complete the package. photos. He writes, “Mike, thanks Perkins and his friend, Judith Evans, took them out for From my large pile of e-mails: for the photos. I was surprised that an evening of catching up. Tom and Teak Whitford opine that I recognized so many of my BRs “compared to the ills and pains after 45 years. It was good that so …” (mjc: Hang in there, Milt; double E’s are of other Brother Rats, my broken many were able to attend [the 45th] tough!) Then, in February 2009, he continues, and have such a good time. I was deeply disapfoot’s a pretty minor inconvenience. I admit “Barbara and I are in New Mexico for the winter pointed that I could not attend. It would have getting around on crutches and one leg makes again, so NY is another country ‘news-wise.’ This been nice to rekindle friendships that have lasted for a few interesting moments each day, but year, we managed to avoid the medical commu- for such a long time. Just looking at the photos of this so-called ‘leg caddy’ is really pretty neat nity entirely. Our daily routine includes visits to my fellow BRs brought back a flood of memoand makes for a vast improvement in in-house navigation.” (mjc: Tom, how many times do ries for me. When I saw you and Rudy on the I have to tell you not to skate board inside?) I guard shack in the middle of the courtyard, I was am very fortunate to hear (i.e., by way of his reminded of how many previous class presidents ever-present Blackberry) from Si Bunting and agents that we saw do the same thing while frequently, and near Thanksgiving, he wrote, we were cadets!! (mjc: And they were all very “Diana and I are in California with three of our old, Pete, remember? We’re not, right?) West four kids and various grandchildren. One kid is Point may have their Long Grey Line, but we ’01 and another an HSC graduate. We spent part have our own long Keydet Line that goes back a of last night with Phil Gioia ’67, also out here. long way, too. We as a class shared the hardships, Good man. Warmest best. Si” agony and good times during our time at VMI, This year’s inauguration brought many to and we are better for our experience.” To put reminisce about our participation in the 1961 things in the proper perspective, everyone needs Inaugural of John F. Kennedy and other cold to remember that the guys attending their 50th Class of 1963: In January 2009, Pat events during our tenure at VMI. Taz Hubard Reunion during our finals week were members Kelly, left, visited with Richard Ballentine in Portland, Oregon, during writes to say, “Thought you might be interested in of the class of 1913! Proper perspective – hell, a business trip. this article. ‘Coldest inauguration on record.’ My that’s depressing! feet still haven’t thawed!” (mjc: That really was I might mention that there were a number of an experience, wasn’t it, Taz?) Kent McCraney our Brother Rats returning to the Institute for said, “Speaking of the cold – reminds me of the the workout room, pool and hot tub in the morning the first time since graduation; one such BR was turkey day in Roanoke when it rained the whole and a walk, followed by an hour or so sitting in Larry James! Another Brother Rat from whom game, VMI beat Tech by 6-0 and Kenny Reeder the sun in the afternoon. Really tough to handle! we have not heard a word since he left after our scored the only touchdown (and it was on the This routine may convince me of the advantages Rat year is Jim Horn, or “Oogie,” his nickname. very first series of the game). I mentioned that of true, full retirement.” Sally and Frank Allison, When I received the first e-mail from him, I had to Kenny at our 40th Reunion, and to inquire how he found his way he was surprised that I remembered back, and he replied, “I’m sorry, it.” Bonnie writes that husband Ken but Bill Wray is the culprit. [mjc: “was in the hospital with pneumonia Billy, you’re pretty good at this, a month ago. He is back to work now you know!] He has been keeping and recovering nicely. Really took a me informed and even sent me lot out of him; I’ve never seen him pictures of our Class of ’63 Year that sick. We lost his dad on Sept. Book. Having only completed one 19th. Needless to say, we very much year, this always made me shy feel his absence, but we are thankful away from class functions. I do his illness was short and his suffering not feel like I have earned or am Class of 1963: A check formation of Room 327 occupants held to a minimum.” entitled to the status of Brother was held January 2009 at Bob and Bromby Earle’s home Milt Simpson writes that 2008 “has Rat. I never graduated. I will have in Glen Allen, Virgina. Attending were, from left, Taz Hubeen a year that the lug nuts all came to get back with you regarding bert, Tommy Rountree, Ian Tissot, Bob Earle and Mike loose, but we were able to get them my past. I only went to VMI on a Godfrey. Class Agent Mike Curley said, “Mercifully, the retightened and keep the wheels on. dare. Everyone said that there was photo-taker didn’t take this shot from the side!” Spinal stenosis, stroke, Brady-Cardia no way I could get through a year

2009-Issue 2

CLASS NOTES at VMI. I showed them!” (mjc: You certainly did, Jim. Welcome home!) After attending their first reunion, Larry and Pam James contribute, “I’m writing to also tell you that I am collecting the wonderful VMI Christmas cards you send each year. Larry and I look forward to receiving one every Christmas. Also, we received your questionnaire about the ’63 Reunion. It was our first reunion, and we had a wonderful time! We plan to attend the 50th and hope that everyone can stay at the Hampton Inn.” (mjc: Glad you all enjoyed yourself so much … got the 50th penciled in yet?) I hear from Tony Hancock often. In his most recent e-mail, he said, “Thanks for responding to the guy who only lasted (went?) for one year, and thanks to you for your work as class agent; I appreciate it. P.S. Josiah is giving lectures in New York City at some kind of historical museum (?) on Civil War – sold out. I work with an old dog class of ’53 or ’54 who has gone to the museum and been turned away – no ticket. Josiah giving another lecture in next week or two also. Merry Christmas; ours is great because oldest son got out of Iraq in October from second tour. He and wife are touring Europe from Thanksgiving to New Year.” (mjc: Tony, please thank your son for his service on behalf of our class, will you?) Here’s Jim Hoge on Dave Glantz: “I just got an e-mail from Amazon advising that Dave Glantz’s latest book (I believe that the total number he has had published is now over 40) has just been published. Note that the Journal of Military History says ‘Glantz is the world’s top scholar of the Soviet-German War.’ Dave is to be commended for all of his works. I roomed with him our third class year. He prepared a paper that year predicting that a major war was going to occur in Southeast Asia. He believed that it would occur in Laos, as I remember, and not Vietnam. But his overall prediction as to the intensity of what was going to happen, unfortunately, proved to be remarkably accurate.” (mjc: He usually is, Jim!) “Thanks for the e-mailed links to videos and the press release regarding the VMI Corps of Cadets participation in yesterday’s Inaugural Parade,” writes Bob Matthews. “All this brings back memories of my participation in the Inaugural Parade for newly-sworn-in President John F. Kennedy (January 1961). Awful weather; ice-water swirled around our spit-shined lowquarter shoes all morning long. It truly was a miracle no one lost any feet, or even a toe, here and there ... I was in Band Company at the time, but no instruments were played that day; we had to trade in our musical instruments for M-1 rifles ... Those were NOT the Good Old Days, no matter what you might hear.” (mjc: Shake off the pain, Bob; it was a pretty special event!) “Peggy and I just returned from a two week

trip to Argentina,” writes Steve Riethmiller. “We had a lovely time, and one of the high points was having supper with Denver and Judith Perkins one night and lunch on the day we left. I hadn’t seen him in 45 years, but we hit it off immediately. They were both just lovely to us, and we really enjoyed catching up with them. I’ve attached a photo of the four of us at Judith’s favorite restaurant in Buenos Aires; it was a place which not many tourists visit. Lunch was at the Café Las Violetas, a beautiful place (they have a Web site and you can check it out if you ‘Google’ it). They promise to come to the 50th!” BREAKING NEWS! Chuck Weddington writes, “The major and blessed change is that I was married last Dec. 23rd to Christi Kincannon who comes from the Waco area. I got a GREAT Girl – she got ?????” (mjc: Are you expecting an argument about what Christi got? Never happen, Chuckie! Those that met her at our 45th agree that she is indeed intelligent and lovely, yet she still married you!) “I am doing OK – still living in New Hampshire, not skiing as much, as I hurt my shoulder and after two MRIs, no serious damage,” says Paul Quinter. Family is well; all six grandchildren are growing up faster than I can imagine. Oldest just returned from attending college in Germany, and the next oldest is at RPI with a dual engineering major getting straight A’s (not like his grandfather). Wish I could have made the reunion. All the pictures indicated a great time was had by ’63. By the time the next one comes around, I should have more free time on my hands. Say hello for me to any of our BRs you run into.” Our last contributor is my most dependable, Mike Smither: “Happy Valentine’s Day! New England remains in winter’s frozen grip (though it was 45 degrees this week). Skiing has been good to great. Betty and I have again taken up cross country skiing, going out after downhill or on days too cold and/or windy to ski downhill; anything to get out and about. We’re spending more time in NH than in MA. After sending in November’s class notes, I realized that I neglected to mention Len Peters, who met Hobbs Goodwin and Charlie and Quinby Amory and me on Big Toot’s journey south last fall. Not only did he join us for adult snacks on board, he also drove us to dinner and then to a supermarket for much-needed supplies afterward. No task too great for a BR, I guess. I keep thinking of our 45th Reunion and what a great time we had. Wish we could all get together more often. I go to our Web site frequently and also to VMI’s Web cams – always a treat – whatever it takes to satisfy the need.” That’s all from The Holy City for now. Pray for our troops in harm’s way, our departed and those on the GIM. God bless! … Curleyrat

’64

John R. Cavedo

As always, thanks to everyone who sent me news and photos. In early December, I e-mailed a copy of the class roster to all Brother Rats for whom I have an e-mail address. It’s handy when trying to find someone you’ve lost touch with. If you don’t have a roster, call me. We lost another Brother Rat in November. Fred Segesman died at his home in Florida after a long battle with cancer. His wife of 45 years, Char, is remaining faithful to VMI. Fortunately she has a son and other family members close by. Several of his Brother Rats attended a funeral service for Fred at his church near Tampa. On a personal note, I didn’t know Fred at VMI, but came to know him quite well on the Thailand mini-reunion. He had a wonderfully subdued sense of humor. His personality was of the “still waters run deep” sort. All of us on that trip discovered that Fred and Char had been married longer than any BR who stayed through graduation. Suffice it to say, it’s already over 45 years. Do the math. He assured us there was no honor violation. Fred and Char had dated while Char attended Southern Sem. Fred was on the judo team and was still a pretty tough cookie. He enjoyed going to NASCAR races with his grandchildren. I had talked to Fred a number of times in the past three years, including three times since his surgery. He was one of the most upbeat people I knew. We had a nice dinner together when they visited Hilton Head a year ago. Others sent in thoughts about remembering Fred. Ed Seager wrote, “I well remember Fred and Char on the Thailand trip in 2006. We had a great time together and I can still remember Fred on the bus ride back to Bangkok with his computer on his lap, editing photos and giving us all a narrative at the same time. I also have a great memory from 1982. Janice and I took our two children to Washington, D.C., to visit all the normal sights. One beautiful day we were standing in line to get into the Washington Monument when someone tapped me on the shoulder and when I turned, there was Fred. He and his family were also doing the Capitol Tour. I don’t think we had seen one another since graduation, but suddenly there was a rush to catch up on what had happened in our lives since we last saw one another. I also have great memories of Fred in the Glee Club while we were still in school. Fred was a fine BR and a good friend and we will miss him very much.”

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES 1

Photo 1: At the memorial service for the late Fred Segesman in November 2008, were, from left, John and Sherrel Cavedo, Dan and Sandy DeForrest, Butch Nunnally, Char Segesman, Ed Seager, Penny and Dave Kaliski, and Tom and Yvonne Myers. Photo 2: Lee and Roxane Fleshood, Margaret Carson, Dan and Sandy DeForrest, John and Sherrel Cavedo, Joan Nunnally, Don Carson, Butch Nunnally, and Yvonne and Tom Myers at the Carsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s home in Jupiter, Florida, January 2009. Photo 3: Jan and Paula Rudinof at a Mardi Gras party, October 2008. Photo 4:Â Celebrating Christmas on the Rhine Cruise in December 2008 were, from left, front row, Joan Nunnally, Betty Manne, Karen Sykes, Karen Walborn, Yvonne Myers, Lauranne Kitchen and Eunice Murray. Back row: Butch Nunnally, Jerry Murray, Bill Rodier, Norm Elam, Bob Manne, Betty Elam, John Cavedo, Tom Myers, Walt Sykes, Sherrel Cavedo, W.J. Kitchen, and Peggy and Bob Neely. Photo 5: From left, were John Thornton, Tom Davis, Walt Sykes, John Cavedo, George Warren, Bill Garber, Floyd Duncan, Buzz Birzenieks and Hank Cronin at the Lexington Country Club, November 2008.

Class of 1964 5

2009-Issue 2

CLASS NOTES Dick Atkinson wrote, “It was great to become reacquainted with Fred on the Thailand trip. He was a joyful and thoughtful person whom we will miss. I also will miss the corny e-mails he sent.” On to other class news. After our recent mini reunion to the Rhine River, Tom Myers submitted the following: “A 366 feet long Grand Circle Travel river ship provided the lodging for seven VMI couples on a cruise from Amsterdam to Basel, Switzerland. The December 11th-22nd cruise, billed as the Christmas Markets Along the Rhine, featured ports of call at cities in Holland, Germany and France. Travelers tossed aside all concerns for the holidays and cold weather, trees decorated and shopping completed early, as all left the country for Europe and a taste of Christmas in the land where the festive tree is said to have originated. The VMI ’64 group consisted of John and Sherrel Cavedo, WJ and Lauranne Kitchen, Tom and Yvonne Myers, Bob and Peggy Neely, Butch and Joan Nunnally, Bill Rodier and Karen Walborn and Walt and Karen Sykes. Traveling upstream (south on the Rhine), the river ship passed through 16 sets of locks, constituting a significant rise in elevation on the Rhine. Nimegen, Dusseldorf, Cologne, Mainz, Speyer, Heidelberg, Baden-Baden, Strasbourg and Keyseberg were some of the better-known river ports visited after departing Amsterdam on December 12. This was a culture-intensive holiday rich in western European history, and, as always in Europe, there were many castles and cathedrals to visit and Roman antiquities featured in museums. In the Rhine Gorge and other winegrowing areas, there were plenty of opportunities to drink and buy wine and holiday trinkets. Most days and some evenings were spent in port, with the ship sailing at night. The Rhine Gorge portion of the trip was done during daylight hours for viewing the vineyards and castles, but on most days, the ship was docked during the day. “Keeping warm is one secret to good memories on a vacation taken in winter in northern Europe. Warm, layered clothing is of course necessary, and the folks along the Rhine have another secret, a hot, spicy liquid called Gluvine. It’s sold at all the Christmas Markets from opening to closing, soothing the body and lifting the chill. For wine lovers who might want to make their own Gluvine this winter, take a bottle of red wine, 250 mil of water, juice from one lemon, cinnamon stick, and a few cloves. Put everything in a pot and make it hot … but not to a boil. Take out the cloves and cinnamon stick before serving and cut thin slices of the lemon and add it to the glass. Have sugar available to sweeten, if necessary, to the taste. “The riverboat accommodated 140, and this trip, the last of the season, had about 99 passengers plus crewmembers. There was little if

any engine noise, nor was there evidence of motion while underway, something for future travelers to consider who are susceptible to seasickness. Passengers were divided into three groups with one guide for each group; Marcus from Vienna was the VMI group’s guide. All passengers were issued headsets and receivers to conveniently hear the guide while walking through busy city streets – a nice feature. Most city tours were guided city walks for the first hour or so, as it’s difficult to get a bus around Germany’s medieval town centres. Then everyone was on their own to explore stall after stall of traditional foods and handcrafts, live Nativity scenes and holiday concerts. Many of America’s most cherished Christmas customs have their roots in this part of the world. Classmates enjoyed the opportunity to talk about old times and recent events in a relaxed and enchanting setting.” Walt Sykes e-mailed, “Mike Grine, Mike Hanna, Bus Weller, Robbie Knowles and I went to high school in Staunton, Virginia, and graduated together in 1960. You guessed it, Robert E. Lee High School. I see these guys pretty much every high school reunion. Mike Grine was an Air Force officer. I think he was a lt. col. and retired in Colorado. Most of us said we would never come back. A lot of us stuck to our word. I came back for the 15th reunion and had way too much fun. Ed Honabach was my roommate my Rat year. He had medical problems; seizures. He had a bad one our third class year. Not sure what happened to him.” Bill Grubb sent in a little of his recent medical problems. He’s facing another surgery in March (part of his spine needs some reconstruction) and another MRI in May, which may lead to yet another surgery. He has five small tumors in the lower lumbar region similar to the one that was removed from the thoracic region in 2006. If they are not growing again by then, they should be able to delay, postpone or eliminate another surgery. He said he was quite grateful to be still walking and talking, since most thoracic tumors are discovered after you are in a wheelchair. Dick Atkinson had a very busy year with a lot of new things. His family grew by four more grandchildren! Carrie had her fourth child, Courtney, on October 30, but her family had grown dramatically on 8-8-08 when she received custody of the three children of Dick’s niece who died last year. Dave, Carrie and the seven children live in Montana and Dave’s stone supply business continues to grow. Barbi and Duke’s four kids had a great Christmas program in which all participated – the grandparents were very proud. Debbie and John live in Palmyra, Virginia, with their six children and multiple animals, including the goats that Kirsten milks daily. Dick’s wife Susan is doing

a lot more of her theophostic prayer ministry and a number of people are coming from long distances in Virginia to see her. She is very thankful that her work seems to help people and that she is making a difference with her life. Dick’s company, Obetech, had a big event in April this year when he signed a contract with Scandinavian Clinical Nutrition in Stockholm, Sweden, to form a joint venture called Scandivir. Scandivir/SCN is providing research funds to develop a commercially viable lab test for the obesity virus on which Dick works. SCN is providing candidate antiviral compounds that Obetech tests. The plan is to co-market a test kit for the virus in Wal-Mart right beside the antiviral treatment. Will be great if we can both pull off our ends of it! Along with Dick’s three trips to Sweden, Dick and Susan took two memorable trips to Europe this year. First to Lausanne, Switzerland, in April for Dick to consult for Nestle, then from there to Sweden to do the final negotiations for the Obetech/ Scandivir venture (a great relief when the deal was signed!). A true highlight came in May: first they went to the European Congress on Obesity meeting in Geneva, then went on to France where they met up with 27 VMI Brother Rats and wives, plus Barbi and Duke, for a tour of the Normandy battlefields and other attractions of France. Dick hadn’t seen a couple of classmates since graduation in 1964. Seeing the beaches where our soldiers came ashore in WW II was stunning and humbling. We all have to be grateful to those brave heroes. Jerry and Sandra Reid stopped by our house at Hilton Head in January for a nice visit. Following graduation, he started work with Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Company of Virginia in Richmond. He and Sandra were married on August 8th of that year. He reported to Ft. Sill, Oklahoma, in September 1965 for officers’ basic school followed by Sergeant Missile School before being shipped to a Sergeant Missile battalion in Korea in July 1966. Their first son, Jay, was born at Ft. Sill. Sandra and Jay spent that year in Richmond with her parents. After returning from Korea, he started graduate work at Virginia Tech. Near the end of his first year, Col. Lee Nichols ’44 called and asked if he would come to VMI to teach for one year while a faculty member was on sabbatical. He finished his graduate work and returned to VMI in 1972. He finished his dissertation and received his Ph.D. from Virginia Tech in 1973. During their years at Blacksburg, they adopted their middle son, Charles James (named after Charles (Butch) Nunnally and James Brittingham). Their youngest son, Russell, was also born in Blacksburg. He returned to VMI and taught until 1976. He then went to work for Central Virginia Electric Cooperative in Lovingston, Virginia. He was the system electrical engineer

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES and in charge of engineering and operations. In 1987, he became vice president of Engineering and Operations for West Virginia Power and they moved to Lewisburg, West Virginia. In 1990, he accepted a job with a family-owned electronics manufacturing company, Appalachian Electronic Instruments, and tried to start up a new line of digital voltage and current monitors to be used by electric utilities. In 1994, Jerry went into business for himself trying to assemble and market the same meters under his company name (Reid and Rochon Associates). In 1998, with Butch Nunnally’s help, he started teaching part-time in the electrical engineering department at Virginia Tech. The part-time turned into full-time and, in 2004, Jerry became a full-time instructor. He teaches electrical theory to the non-electrical engineering. Sandra has retired from teaching high-school math after about 30 years. Their three sons are married. They have seven grandchildren. I received a note from Jerry after he and Sandra visited us on Hilton Head. He and Sandra took a 9,000-mile driving trip touring the Western United States. They are both doing well and are healthy except for the normal aches and pains. Jerry plans to continue teaching at Virginia Tech at least one more year. Sherrel and I spent two weeks on Palm Shores, Florida. On the way down, we had a nice visit with Andy and Callie Tucker. Andy gave us a tour of his cattle “spread” followed by a wonderful meal prepared by Callie. Before we left, Andy gave us a book written by his Dad describing what it was like growing up in the cattle business in Florida. A fascinating read about a rough and tumbles life. What a legacy! While we were in south Florida, Don and Margaret Carson hosted a bar-b-que at his house. Attending were Dan and Sandy DeForrest, Lee and Roxane Fleshood, Butch and Joan Nunnally, Tom and Yvonne Myers and Sherrel and me. A great meal and a perfect location. We got a tour of Don’s garage housing two classic cars and an antique boat and trailer. The Carsons, Cavedos and Fleshoods also attended Lee’s country club for a 60s party. A wild time. The costumes were clever. Pictures don’t do it justice. We spent a nice day in Plantation, Florida, with Tom and Yvonne Myers, lunch in Fort Lauderdale and dinner at their house. Next, accompanied by my sister, we also went out on Don’s boat, a beautiful 36-foot cabin cruiser. We came away thinking the Palm Beach/Ft Lauderdale area would be a great place for a mini reunion next Jan/Feb. Boating, dining, golf and warm weather. A great venue. Don and Lee will help get this going. Bus Weller sent a rundown of his career path, which he called low-key and uneventful. Starting after graduation through 1985, he worked for the Virginia Department of Highways,

2009-Issue 2

the USAF with base maintenance at Nellis in Nevada and Kunson in Korea, and then was a Sales engineer for a commercial construction company. From 1985-90 he tackled the real estate market as an agent, then pulled a stint from 1990-95 as a stay-at-home Dad. Since then he has been a handyman for a local Real Estate developer and still does odd jobs for friends in his “Retirement.” He’s doing well living in Staunton, Virginia, on 18 acres, which is managed as a wildlife habitat. His three daughters are doing well; two still in school. He enjoys splitting his own fire wood and has discovered, as many of us have, that being retired means you never get a day off. Hank Cronin, Harvey Sargent, Buzz Birzenieks, Walt Sykes, John Thornton, Dick Atkinson, Tom Davis and Pete Mazik all met at VMI for the weekend of February 7th. In addition to watching several sporting events, they all had dinner with spouses at the Lexington Country Club. I talked to Harvey after he and Hank had driven to Norfolk to visit Harvey’s mother. They are in the process of moving her out to Colorado to join them. Harvey said he’s almost fully recovered from his esophagus surgery last August. However, he has a serious shoulder problem caused by the emergency medics who took him to the hospital for his emergency surgery. They had to drag him by one arm out of the shower when he fell. His wife, Dolores, had been studying for her bar exam in Colorado. She intends to keep busy one or two days per week. Harvey had planned to practice dentistry part time, but with his shoulder problems, that’s on hold. Chuck MacDonald wrote, “Our schedule has dramatically, gratefully, slowed to the extent I have been able to respond personally to each of our BRs that have expressed their good wishes and concern for June. Getting the words out has been a wonderful act of kindness. I appreciate our BRs beyond words. June is still managing pain but is able to take food and liquid orally now; this is to the extent that she has not had to use her feeding tube for about three weeks now. Small victories!” I have had news of several other Brother Rats that are experiencing medical problems. Some serious. Many of them have asked that I not pass on the details. I respect their wishes. Nevertheless, testimony from those who have shared is that the support they receive from their Brother Rats is healing and well received, by both them and their families. Regardless, we are all bonded by something very real and tangible. Sharing at this point in our lives is therapeutic. Let me hear from more of you out there. If you’ve never written to me, or not for a year or more, I would love to hear about your

life. So would your Brother Rats. By the time you read these notes in the Alumni Review, it’ll be nearly deadline time for signing up for the 45th. See you there!

’65

Mickey Finn

Our reunion committee is forming. It is headed by Charlie Russell, and he is looking for volunteers! Scheduled for Sept. 17-19, 2010, our 45th will be a reunion you will not want to miss. Please contact Charlie, 540/891-2323, carussellsr@gmail.com, 6303 W Dranesville Dr, Fredericksburg, VA 22407 if you would like to help. Charlie approached me saying that new blood and new ideas were needed in this era of change. Both Mike Friski and I eagerly agreed, so we encourage you to support Charlie and volunteer. Look to your mailbox for further information as the various subcommittees gather the information needed to pull off a fantastic weekend for all the BRs of ’65! Bill Ryan and I rode the Metro to the National Archives Station on Pennsylvania Avenue and walked the one short block to join Rich Timmons for dinner at the Capitol Grill one cold and icy evening in January. We had a great time, learned a lot about the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (www.aslrra.org/ home/index.cfm), of which Rich is the president, and mostly shared memories and laughter. Rich has an apartment in D.C. and commutes to his home in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. The Rev. Philip R. Taylor reported that at the Dec 6th Charity Ice Hockey Game in Wake Forest, North Carolina, the score was VMI 5-The Citadel 0. This “1st Annual Military Classic of the South on Ice” charity hockey game raised $5,714.68 for the American Legion Legacy Scholarship Fund. Great job done by Phil! Our thanks to you for all your hard work! Woodie Watkinson opined: “Hi, Mickey, Thought I’d pass on some news. This August I finally sold the Watkinson family home in Courtland, Virginia. The old place was built in1794 and we like to say George Washington never slept there but he could have. My grandmother bought the place in 1939 and my father bought it from her in 1948. More importantly, the place was once a tavern and in 1832 was owned by Fielding Mahone, the father of Confederate General William Mahone, VMI class of 1846, famous for the Battle of the Crater in 1864. Billy Mahone grew up there in the 1830s and his family graveyard is just behind the house. Sad to let it go but I sold it to the Sons of Confederate Veterans and they plan to restore it to the 1860s

CLASS NOTES

Class of 1965: Russell Proctor, Brud Baillio, Al Orgain, John O’Keefe, Coke Marshall, Lou Siegel, Richard Moring, Lee Chapman, John Rasmussen, Larry Egan, Rusty Evans, Bill Wilburn, Godwin Jones. era and use it as a headquarters. Also, after a whirlwind courtship of 28 years, Simone Kiere and I were married in the Tavern’s living room on May 24. The minister was Ben Dyer, my roomie for three years (Benny likes to say he finally married his VMI roommate), and ’65 was also ably represented by Irmox McCumber and Cliff Watts. I retired 1-1/2 years ago (some say 38 years ago) and Sim and I are now living in Etlan, Virginia, just on the edge of the Shenandoah National Forest.” Larry Rose wrote: “Mick, Christmas cheers to you!, so feel free to take excerpts for our next class letter. My eldest son now teaches computer science at the American School in Bombay – he was at one of the hotels the terrorists targeted the weekend before they hit.” Larry got an e-mail from Cliff Fleet: “Dear Larry, It’s been way too long! Whatever e-mail address VMI had works. My wife, Carol, of now 25 years, has outlasted my first wife, Emily, by 11 years. I had three sons with Emily and inherited one daughter with Carol that I adopted when she was 24. We have one boy and a girl by my oldest here in Richmond, two boys and a girl by my middle son in Singapore, one girl by my daughter in Richmond, and one son, 2 months old, by the youngest son in Denver. BTW, youngest son is three months younger than daughter (she always introduced him as my younger brother even though he was a foot taller than she). Charlie is the only one who went to VMI and is the only person I know who spent three weekends in Lexington from the time he got out of the Rat Line until he graduated. He spent his entire second class year in Australia and Munich. When he graduated, my ex mother-in-law, who is married to a ’42 Sports Hall of Fame grad, said, ‘Aren’t you proud of him?’ My reply was, ‘Virginia, I would be if he had stayed here long enough to get the VMI experience!’ He got his master’s in CE at MIT the year after he graduated and followed one of his classmates from MIT back to her hometown of Denver and married her a year later.

“Carol’s first cousin, Binnie Peay ’62, our 2nd Battalion Commander our Rat year, is the superintendent, and it’s weird to have to ring the Supt’s doorbell every time we go to Lexington. We went to both his sons’ weddings, one in Sister Bay, Wisconsin, which is 60 miles northeast of Green Bay where his wife,

Class of 1965: Woodie Watkinson, Ben Dyer and Irwin McCumber celebrating the wedding of Woodie to Simone Kiere and officiated by Ben Dyer. Pam’s, parents live and Binnie has a lake house on Lake Michigan, and the other in Havre de Grace, Maryland, where Ryan’s wife is from. My youngest son, Charlie, tutored Binnie’s

oldest so, Jimmy, in CE at VMI when Charlie was a Rat and Jimmy was a third. After I had my stroke 13 years ago and became a disabled cripple with one arm, Carol said, ‘I married you for better or worse, but not for lunch – get the hell out of here.’ I still sit on various boards at one hospital and dictate discharge summaries for 8-10 MDs, so I am busy at least four full days a week at five hospitals. Have a great Christmas and keep in touch.” Jack Cook sent the picture of Irwin McCumber, Jack Cook, Donnie White, Brian McNeil and Clyde Bragg at the 2008 “Pup” Cup Golf Tournament at Ford’s Colony. The tournament was the kickoff event of the VMI-W&M Weekend in Williamsburg, Virginia, on Sept. 12, 2008. He reports that the ’65 golfers held their own against younger alumni! They teamed up to finish third in the net category of the annual tournament, which is held in memory of Jeff Morgan ’80. The Class of ’65 also took both of the long drive awards. Donnie White would have won both awards; however, Irwin McCumber beat him out on the second long drive hole by inches. Jumpin’ Al Orgain wrote in response to my e-mail check: “Mickey: Good to hear from you. Happy New Year to you and the other BRs. Jan and I had a busy Xmas w/Marc (’92) and Betsy and their twin nine- year-old boys in from Corpus Christi NAS, where Marc is a CDR is Asst OSO for CNATRA. The boys rode the go kart until the axel broke and then concentrated on the auto paintball range. Frazer Orgain ’99 and Corbin and their three-year-old boy and two-year-old girl (the first female Orgain in 100 years) also joined us for an action-filled holiday. We are w/ Frazer and Corbin at ATL on the way to Boulder for the wedding of Frazer’s BR and roommate USMC Capt. Isaac Moore ’99 of Wasila, Alaska. “Have a great new year. As with you, my thoughts of a quick retirement have changed as the 401k became a 201k.” Albert, I understand both your boys jumped off the fourth stoop as

Class of 1965: At the Keydet Club Pup Cup tournament in Williamsburg, Virginia, were, from left, Irwin McCumber, Jack Cook, Donny White, Brian McNeil and Clyde Bragg.

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES you had done (I was an eye witness). I further understand that at least one jump was disqualified as it received a 10, 2 and 10. True? Who got boned? I have also learned that the bags were on the back of a truck, thus diminishing the height of the fall but demanding accuracy! Godwin Jones wrote in response to my email check: “Mickey, my e-mail address should now be gsjones@va.metrocast.net. Getting a bit more involved with VMI now that we are back in Virginia. Went to a dinner in early fall and a Christmas party in December for Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula. In May, there were about 15 Brother Rats in Gloucester for Coke Marshall’s wedding. Thanks for the picture, Godwin! Bob Wilkinson writes: “I talked to Charlie Russell a couple of weeks ago and see Jim Hogler about once a month. I am still with CACI, same challenges different days. Took #5 Austin to Virginia Tech in August, transfer from George Mason. It was hard to put the Tech sticker on my car. He did well his first semester at Tech and seems happy. Adam’s girlfriend goes to UNC Wilmington so he travels there frequently. Mary Lee is ready to move to North Carolina or South Carolina but we need to get Austin through 2 1/2 years of college.” Bob, both of my boys went to Radford and I never even entertained the idea of putting a Radford sticker on my car. Perhaps that explains why they never came home to live after graduation! Jack Mountcastle writes that he is “still active at U of R; teaching Civil War history courses. Here are pictures of the Army ROTC cadets that I took to the Shenandoah Valley in September and my students in the Jepson School of Leadership Studies at UR during a trip to Gettysburg in October. Great fun!” Jack, the pictures were great and thanks for remembering to wear your VMI cap! And from Karl Zeller comes this amazing story: “Hi Mickey, HNY to you too. A fun BR story for you: My wife, Jill, does the annual audit for the WILD Foundation (International Wilderness Leadership Foundation that supports the protection and appropriate use of critical wilderness areas, wildland values and endangered wildlife, etc.). This past fall she was invited to attend the annual two-day board meeting with me as a guest held at the Colorado Chautauqua Center in Boulder since we live nearby. There were numerous technical, business and social meetings/gatherings for the small group. I had noticed the name Mike McBride as a board member and had the passing thought that it might be BR Mike, but when I saw him I didn’t think so and never took the occasion to single him out for conversation. Sunday morning I was seated where I could see his profile against a window, and the more I looked the more I thought ‘this might in fact be

2009-Issue 2

BR Mike McBride.’ I had to leave the meeting before its end that Sunday for other business so I decided to interrupt him just as I was leaving – I had to know. To my and his amazement it was BR Mike. He had gone through the same mental process and had concluded that no, I couldn’t be me! In the next three minutes before I had to leave, we exchanged hugs, exclamations of oh my goodness, etc. Outside the meeting area, as I opened the car door of the fellow who was picking me up, I noticed that I had a handful of Alaska fishing lodge propaganda that I have no idea how it got into my hand!” From Danny Hogan: “Mick, Thanks for the e-mail and update. I’m still hacking around (as in golfing a lot) here in Southern California ...captain of our club’s golf team for guys 60 and older. Love it. Liza and I travel a bit, mostly up to Big Bear where we have a second place. I get back to Roanoke and up to New York three times a year – Thanksgiving, spring and summer – to see daughters and eight grandkids (seven boys.) (All with VMI provisionals, including granddaughter, except for last grandson.) Life is simple, life is good. Best wishes for the new year ... looking forward to the reunion.”

By now you can tell that I sent out an e-mail blast to all the BRs whose e-mail addresses I have to encourage input for this column as well as to validate the addresses. So to continue, the next e-mail was from Larry Umberger. “Greetings, Mickey and ALL! Sorry to hear of your job situation. (your class agent was RIF’ed) May your business thrive! My own job does not look that secure if we do not get some more work, which is probably true of many. This past Friday Fi and I had our grandson Branner (2 1/2 years old) and our granddaughter Bella (3 1/2 months old) with us for most of the evening while David and Amy went out on a date. They are very special and you know we aren’t prejudiced at all! We really enjoy them though they may make us tired. But we get to send them home! May 2009 be a great year for all of you, my Brother Rats!” Next, Irwin McCumber sent this wonderful note. “I am looking forward to seeing some of our classmates at the VMI game in Lexington the first Saturday in February. Sorry to be this late answering your Happy New Year message, but I have fallen way behind on my e-mail. And you wonder what you would do if you retired. I

The Heritage Captain’s Chair and

Heritage Boston Rocker Solid hardrock maple chairs and rockers bearing the VMI seal on the crown of the chair are now available. The seal is engraved by a laser, and your chair can be personalized under the seal with your name and class year. These chairs must be purchased directly from the manufacturer and are not available in Lexington through the Alumni Association. VMI Engraved Captains Chair .................. $350 PRICES VMI Engraved Boston Rocker ................... $350 Optional personalization per chair ............ $25 Shipping and handling per chair ............... $29 * * For Texas, Rocky Mountain States and West, add $10.00 per piece. To order by American Express, MasterCard or Visa, please call the manufacturer at 978/632-1301. Call weekdays between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. (eastern time). Credit card orders can also be sent by mail. Please include full account number and expiration date. To order by mail, write to The VMI Alumni Association, c/o Standard Chair of Gardner, 1 South Main Street, Gardner, MA 01440. Include check or money order, payable to “Standard Chair of Gardner.” Allow 6-8 weeks for delivery. For rush service (2-3 weeks delivery) add $25.

CLASS NOTES wonder how I ever worked, as each day since I hung it up 1/1/07 seems to have flown by. When one of my son’s Brother Rats, Bob Clark ’88, became president of our firm, I figured I was old enough to move on. Another VMI fellow, Charles Ayers ’97, is now taking care of my old responsibilities running the Mechanical Engineering Department. He has some help from Adam Sheldon ’04, whom I hired a couple of years before I left. T.K. Farleigh ’87 heads up the Electrical Engineering Department, so you can see the VMI boys have made a few inroads amongst all the Hokie and Wahoo architects in the firm. I used to wonder if I was the first VMI guy to work at Baskervill & Son, but found out that our BR Bob Deaderick’s dad, who was Class of ’40 and who died last spring, had worked there in the 50s. “Was sorry to hear the company you were working with didn’t value some of their folks enough. Having been more or less selfemployed in the architectural and engineering business, with a number of partners, that was one thing I never did worry too much about throughout the years as the construction industry went through its cycles. We just kept taking cuts in pay when times were tough, rather than firing ourselves. On the other end of it, the days when I had to go in and tell one of our employees they no longer had a job were really low points. However, I believe things happen for a reason and I’m sure everything will turn out fine for you, regardless what activity you might choose, so don’t lose any faith in yourself. “I see some of the BRs fairly regularly. We hope to watch the Super Bowl with Cliff and Carol Fleet, as that seems to have become a tradition at their home. I play golf with Clyde Bragg fairly often. Jack Cook and I have played a number of times in the Keydet Club’s Pup Cup golf tournament each fall. Last September Jack recruited Brian McNeil and Clyde Bragg (they all went to high school together at Benedictine in Richmond) to fill out our ’65 entry at Ford’s Colony in Williamsburg, where we managed to sneak in third place net. The ‘Mighty Mite’ Donny White also participated and walked off with the long drive award on the front nine. I guess you could say we old guys held our own, but it would be great to see some more folks from ’65 support this tournament as it is always a lot of fun and it is a very worthy cause, raising money for the Jeff Morgan ’80 Memorial Scholarship. Also played with Bob Law in his club’s annual member-guest outside Baltimore last October. Somehow, in spite of my play, we managed to win enough one of the days to pay for most of our entry fees. We’ve been playing in his tournament a number of years and since Bob was on the VMI golf team, I usually saddle

him up and ride him hard, with me winning a hole here and there, just enough to barely get an invitation back the next year! We will hopefully see Bob and Lori Law in Hilton Head next month, along with BRs Brian McNeil, Hugh Dowdy, Wayne Chiles and Doug Thomas. Steve Smith lives at Spring Island, between Beaufort and Hilton Head, and Jack Cook is right down the road outside Savannah, so we are hoping they will be able to join us for some fun on the links. Linda and I bought a lot in a development at Raphine, near Steele’s Tavern, in late 2007. Since I was born at Stonewall’s house in Lexington, I guess it’s in my blood to want to get back closer to my roots and VMI. We had hoped to have a house under construction this spring but unfortunately with last fall’s terrible drop in stock market values that’s been put on hold for now. We are still hoping to make it happen somehow as it would be great to be near school and have plenty of BRs stop by when in the neighborhood. “Well, I’ve got to go and baby sit for four granddaughters, six years old and under, while my daughter and son-in-law go out for dinner with some friends, so that’s it for now. Hope to see you soon.” Thanks so much for all the news, Irwin! At noon on Feb. 6, 2009, Cadet Finn, laundry bag #628 in hand, reported to the Windham Hotel only to be turned away because the computer was down. Undaunted, he proceeded to the “I” to dine in the basement of J.M. Hall with Mike Friski. (Where did Arnold’s pool go?) Thus began the weekend arranged by Cadet Egan, L.P., Room 493, and smoothly run by VMI’s Director of Athletics, “Mighty Mite” Donny White. To the best of your poor scribe’s knowledge and memory (with great assistance from Larry Egan) we had the following in attendance: Donny White, Marshall Henry, Charlie Nelson, Ted Goodie, Bob Deaderick, Charlie Russell, Godwin and Sylvia Jones, Chuck Hough, John Cocke, Jack Frazer, Easley Moore, Mickey Finn, Bill Ryan, Richard and Mimi Moring, Bill Wilburn, Joe Straub, Bill Loughridge, Tom Lilly, Henry Brant, Carr Hyatt, Mike Friski, Jim Sinclair, Peter Trible, Jack McEwan, Irwin and Linda McCumber, Al and Jan Orgain, Jeff Wilkins, and Larry Egan (in thought and mind, as at the last minute he was unable to attend). All the attendees except Jeff Wilkins, who arrived Saturday morning, ate supper together Friday night at the Leisure Time Bar & Grill. First we toured the new facilities just being completed: The Center for Leadership and Ethics and the “Third” Barracks and the new Lejeune Hall attached to the west end of the new “Third” barracks. Cadet Egan, L.P., Room 493, summed up the tour “…

rumor is I may be moving to ‘Third’ Barracks next year but they say the rooms are painted pink!” Let me know if you have any questions. A BYOL meeting at the Wingate Hotel before and after SRC followed the tour. On tap for Saturday was an early riser BRC at Berky’s Restaurant outside of Lexington on Route 11, followed by DRC at the mess hall and a roundball game at 1400 hours at Cameron Hall. Gathering in Section 2, we rooted the Runnin’ ’Roos to a 94/88 victory over GardnerWebb. During the day, BRs also attended the All Academy Wrestling Tournament (Army, Navy, Air Force, The Citadel, Coast Guard, Merchant Marine and Norwich) in Cocke Hall and looked in on the Winter Relays in Cormack Hall. A busy weekend at the “I!” My thanks to Larry for organizing the gathering and especially to our host, Donny White, who made the entire weekend grand! As I left Moody Hall, Hugh Dowdy approached and explained he was there for the game with his family and was looking forward to our reunion in 2010. With seven BRs and wives, Harry and Lynn Bartosik, Jan and Connie Brueckmann, Bruce and Jan Herczogh, Easley and Alice Moore, Bill and Carol Ryan, Dees and Susan Stallings and Jane and I on the Inaugural VMI Alumni Association Caribbean Cruise March 14-21, we are second only to the class of ’63 in number of classmates in attendance. There will be a report in the next Review of our vacation. Until then, begin planning for our 45th reunion in September 2010 when we will all gather for an old yell, ’65!, ’65!, ’65!

’66

Al Carr Albert Conner

I’m really short of “new” news. Fortunately, I received a few updates after sending out some correspondence in late 2008 and a few others took time during the weary winter to contact me. We heard from Nick Nicodemus, who provided an update: “I retired after 30 years with AT&T in 1998. I am now drawing Social Security, paying for Medicare, awaiting my first grandchild, and working at two golf courses (here in Richmond, Stonehenge; and at Smith Mountain Lake, Waters Edge).” Joe Birindelli also responded to my last call for e-mail addresses for “lost” BRs. Joe adds that he “finally broke back into the cyber world after a lot of aggravations. I need a good 8-yearold here and all my grandchildren live out of town (four in Atlanta and three in Charlotte). Keep the good news coming!” Thanks also to Ed Guida for doing the same.

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES engineering/remediation company…For me, I’m Well, X. Parsons wrote with some very I want to express a great big thank you to BRs still plugging away at the County Sheriff’s Office, Cliff Martin and Al Carr for faithfully sending good news. He finished up his medical treatmanaging the budget. No retirement plans yet. along updates on VMI’s basketball triumphs ments with 2½ weeks of follow-up radiation Ginny and I took a week in October and biked this season. I’m sure I speak for the others rein November. His rebound treatments between on Mount Desert Isle/Bar Harbor, Maine, for the ceiving the bulletins that we always appreciate Florida and Virginia were aided by some kind leaf season. Overdosed on lobster!” friends he met earlier. They “opened their hearing these things. Rick Kiernan sent me a copy of an interestlovely home on the Sarasota Bay to me and Also thanks to Dale Saville for sending along ing article he published in the December 2008 treated me like family while I was there. It was some scanned images of cadet days for our ’66 great being in a regular environment as opposed issue of Tactics, the magazine of the Public digital archives. In case you missed or forgot Relations Society of America. It was titled to a motel situation and made the time away the memo, I’m storing all Class of 1966 images “Credible Chameleon: How to Successfully from home pass much more quickly.” He also of cadet and alumni days in a digital archive. Perform Several Communications Roles.” The enjoyed spending time with other friends he These will eventually be sent out on a listing met while going through therapy in the summer. roles are termed “The Firefighter, The Voice, and you’ll be able to “order” copies. The key is The Teacher and The Surveyor,” and they’re X. says the therapy went well, and he promises for you to scan them and e-mail them to me as each described. Google away or contact Rick or to stick to a monitoring protocol of monthly attachments. I’ll stick them in the proper bin for me for a copy. testing. He’s grateful for a positive prognosis posterity. All images will be backed up on an Clark Reifsnider was trying to reach Jay and great doctors, and is looking forward to external hard-drive and eventually on a second Adams. We tried a few different e-mail adnew adventures – he and Jean are considercomputer and backup hard-drive. dresses and think we found one that might get ing moving to New Mexico as a first choice Well, Brother Rats, hopefully these notes an answer. Jay, if you haven’t heard from Clark (if anyone is looking for a house in Roanoke, will find you healthy, happy and enjoying by the time you read this, do get a hold of him. contact him ASAP). He finishes with, “I hope beautiful spring weather. Take care and let me Don’t hesitate to use me as a locator. I’ll always that this is the last ‘medical update’ that I will hear from you. respond quickly to your e-mail with whatever need to send out. After all, barring significant Jan Abernathy information I have. Generally it works; but, the changes in my condition, there won’t be much to say. I do want to express my sincere gratitude other part of that is for you to make sure your address, phone, e-mail are correct with VMI. I for all of the prayers, positive energy, and carsend them in if I get them from you. They do ing thoughts sent my way. Having each of you the same when they send me a new printout. as part of my support network has made the last In the foreign intrigues department, Ken 12 months much more bearable and has kept Hello to all! By the time you read this it will Petrie sent me and some others a strange my spirits up, something that I firmly believe be close to graduation for the Class of 2009. e-mail he had received from someone named is so critical in fighting any illness. In fact, my But as I wrap up this issue on Groundhog Day it Michael Myers purporting to be an MIA hunter medical oncologist has written in his book on is the Dark Ages in Barracks. Rats are close to in Southeast Asia who was actively looking prostate cancer that he believes pessimism in finishing their Ratline. The “plague” still lingers for “Jefferson Dottson” and claimed to have itself is a disease that exacerbates the effects of and soon will come the Blood Mobile folks. Is photos, etc. and wanted to contact Scotty’s famcancer and retards recovery.” VMI still is in competition for blood donations Howie Lloyd, responding to my December 1st ily. Not surprisingly the consensus was that it with anyone? e-mail, thanked Eddie Miller for sending along was beyond fishy for a dozen different reasons. Notes and letters from Christmas and holiday VMI Washington Post articles and added a newsy If any others received such a message, please cards brought in a lot of news. In the past I have update: “Down here in North Carolina we don’t let me know. made reference to the number of see much of the Virginia /D.C. newsphotos on family newsletters as if it papers. As I read through the article, were a contest. If it were a contest I found myself there in Memorial the Chuns would win this year. Gardens, looking at our plaque and Eighteen pictures show them in all the other plaques, looking at the Annapolis, Jamestown, Yorktown, names and remembering our last Williamsburg, Chancellorsville, Reunion event, gathering in those Mount Vernon, Yellowstone, Jacksame Gardens on Sunday morning. son Hole/Tetons and on a cruise to I’m getting too emotional in my Alaska. A close second would be old age…My wife Ginny has been Dave and Allison Bristow. Their retired for 18 months. Our oldest dozen photos have the children in daughter, Danielle, completed seven various music venues, in college, years as a Naval Officer (Supply graduating from high school, family Corps) and had a full, fancy wedding celebrations (Dave’s mom turned in July at Annapolis to Navy husband when he returned from Iraq. They are 102!) and family travel. It was Class of 1966: Jessica Dictor and John Fout were marnow in Little Creek/Virginia Beach. cold in central Florida and Richard ried at the Colony Club in Richmond, Virginia. Attending Middle daughter Jackie is an internaStanard says he was considering were, from left, Knox McEwen; Joe Dictor; Mike Burke ’73, tional banker in Baltimore. Youngest moving further south. John Lee the bride’s uncle; Sara Dictor; Kathy Dictor; Mr. and Mrs. daughter Kristen has completed one says, “Life on the farm is slow and John Fout; Hugh Adams, and Richard AtLee, whose wife, year as field geologist in Greensboro, quiet as usual except for deer seaJudge Isabelle (Tommie), officiated at the ceremony. North Carolina, for an environmental son. Barney scored four, Sandy shot

’67

2009-Issue 2

CLASS NOTES two, I shot one and Max Toch got one on his visit. Thanks to Wall Street I am still working 12-hour days.” Mary Jane Tannen sent a nice note thanking all of us for our continued support. Margaret and Frank Oliver’s card again had her gorgeous hand-lettered calligraphy address. Bill Kiniry’s card (I think) just spilled green and gold sparkles all over my keyboard! Joan Easty said Kent was an official at the Olympic swimming trials last summer and she is planning to retire this May. She added, “God willing!” She may have spoken to John Lee about the matter. Rick Brooke expressed his reservations about the changes coming out of D.C. and how it might affect the defense business. He also noted that turmoil in the financial market might slow his retirement plans. George and Suzanne Elmore made a “fall colors” drive on the Skyline Drive and got off at Steele’s Tavern on their way to Lexington. Visiting with Cadets outside of Barracks left him with this impression: “…can’t see where much has changed in 40 years…” Randy and Sue Heneberger’s card wished me the best in coin hunting on the alumni cruise. He knows I take at least one metal detector everywhere I go, including an underwater one for the beaches. Cheryl McMenamin has retired from the EPA. She and Don celebrated with a trip to London. She says Don really enjoyed his $17 ice cream sundae at Harrod’s. They were off to Disney World as she was writing her cards. We either got two cards from Vance and Dawn Powell or I mixed the cards from previous years. Mike and Rebecca Schlosser’s card had a great family shot with sons David and Drew at Drew’s wedding to Angelique. There was no explanation but there were palm trees in the background. Shirley and Tom Mustard’s card had a great photo with a couple of dozen unidentified folks on the steps in front of Tom’s parish church in Bedford. Tom was wearing what appears to be his Easter cassock and vestments. Howard and Sandy Seal’s card included a great news article about the VMI museum and Cadets at New Market. Pete Wells wrote he had nothing to report as news and then went on to say he sees Randy and Anne Blanks and Jim Wilson at alumni meetings. He and Karen also keep in touch with Mary Jane Tannen. Ski and Carol Waskiewicz report the wedding for daughter

Raina was “The Wedding of the Year!” and that son Shawn graduated cum laude from the University of Central Missouri. Ski managed to take in four Redskins games this year and saw Jim Joyner at one. Ed and Rebecca Ernouf are expecting a second grandson in February. Bev Walker sent regards from Dixie and herself with thanks again to all of the ’67 support during her surgery and recovery. Tom Coughenour says his grandkids keep him busy and he is only working three days a week after retiring twice. He assures me that his new dog (sent a photo) “is a Shih Tzu and Pomeranian mix and is not a mutt even though she looks like a dust mop.” Bruce and Hollace Weiner celebrated their 40th with a bike trip through the vineyards of Burgundy after a week in Paris. Later they took a two-week trip to South Africa. Hollace has a new book out: Jewish “Junior League:” The Rise and Demise of the Fort Worth Council of Jewish Women. Jan’s note: the photo submitted of the bike trip could not be used. Hollace, let’s try for one from Africa. At a recent networking breakfast I was asked about the RATMAN emblem on my shirt. The fellow was a Georgia Tech grad and regaled me with how tough it was to have to wear a beanie etc. back in his day. I did not try to compare notes with him. People have no concept of our Rat Line. However, the Sports Illustrated article on the VMI basketball team was as well written and accurate as any article I have ever seen. At the Institute Society dinner last fall ’67 representatives filled two tables. Those in attendance included Randy and Anne Blanks, Carole and Bob Green, Jim and Barbara Joyner, Jim and Ann Phleger, Sam Heltzel, Chip and Jane Brooke, Jim Wilson, Joan and myself, Jack and Sandra Thompson and Ted and Carol Mervosh. The best part of the festivities was the parade in full overcoats. We met a great couple at the dinner and later found they were staying in our hotel also. Mr. and Mrs. Ron Collins, Pennsylvania Military College, ’64, were a delightful treat added to our time in Lexington. He is one of the PMC folks who generously supports VMI and is invited to the annual dinner. On occasion PMC alumni groups have reunions at VMI though I cannot recall the last one. I want to say “Thank you!” to the Collinses and to other PMC grads who support

VMI. It is gratifying to know there are folks outside of our unique VMI family who understand the significance of the citizen-soldier once produced by many state institutions but now by only a very few. Vernon Knuckles is back in the United States from Rio but anticipates a return if the dollar holds up against the Brazilian real. He was impressed with the VMI basketball win over Kentucky and asked if VMI “…has ever beaten Army in football…last time they played VPI … ever played Navy?” Well we played and nearly beat Navy when we were Rats in 1963. Any one want to answer the other two questions? Hey, our band has been in the Rose Bowl Parade! Mel Wright has officially retired. His and Lynn’s sixth grandson is due in April. Look for Jake deSteiguer’s photo in this issue. His fifth annual Land Rover club trip this year was several hundred miles through the Southeast Oregon sage desert and canyon lands. Jake said his ham radio license is K7VMI if anyone out there is on the net. Mike Bagnulo has long since returned to work after his laminectomy and disc fusion. He really appreciated hearing from so many BRs. Jay Mangan says he has “…been there Mike, hang in … ” Mike asked me to go to the VMI QM while I was on Post and to buy him a first classman’s belt buckle (comes with a belt, too). He complained about the length of the belt – something along the lines of no fat Cadets. My last e-mail from Jimmy Rogers says he is also back at work after a scare with a vessel bleed in his brain. Jimmy wrote, “I dodged a bullet.” I want to thank Hunter Taylor for updates on Jimmy during the first week while Jimmy was in various hospitals. Wayne Marshall sent an e-mail saying he and Dot were going to Hawaii for several weeks to visit some of her family. He anticipates there will be fishing opportunities. Ruth and Chuck Shorter are off to Hawaii by cruise ship in April. Chuck will put his father’s ashes into Pearl Harbor near the Arizona. His dad was a WWII sailor who always wanted to be buried at sea. Pastor Skip Hathaway checked in from Yorktown. John May and Bill Hughes both checked in from Maryland with new e-mail addresses. As always, addresses and e-mail contacts are available from me or Sam or the VMI Alumni Admin but do not get published in

Class of 1967: Photo left, Mary Lou and Peter Van Note at the Great Wall of China. Photo right, the Van Notes in front of the Olympic stadium in Beijing, China.

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES the AR except by specific permission. Brenda Ferrell checks in for Jimmy who was complaining to her about the “chunky air” in Kabul due to the stuff Afghans burn for fuel. A photo of Jimmy sitting on his new transportation element did not make the AR cut but is on our class Web site. Wayne McDermott sent his holiday greeting by e-mail. Wayne, how is the safari ride driving going at Disney? J.J. Bennett’s Christmas message was also on the Web on a day when it was minus 26 degrees in Simms, Montana. Bob Hess sent Christmas greetings via e-mail too. Finally, I am pleased to have heard from Ernie Kish by e-mail. He is in Aviano, Italy, teaching at a DoDDS elementary school. With the Web so available it is no wonder the Post Office folks are trying to drop back to a five-day delivery schedule. Bob Poland sent a funny to me on my birthday. I’m certain it was a coincidence that Monica Lewinsky has the same birth date but I don’t think Bob knew that. Dennis Telzrow has officially retired. He writes, “I attended the reception last week with General Peay ’62 here in Dallas. I was very impressed with him. Dave Fink was the only BR there. Dave retired again from the North Dallas Toll Authority. He is also retired from the Air Force. Tells me he is an expectant grandfather. Tom Rhodes was scheduled to come but seems he and Susie had a new grandbaby that day. Bruce Weiner lives in Fort Worth but Dave Fink said he was on a ski trip which is amazing what with his knee or hip replacement. I did see two 1965 grads I know, Norm Radford, who was in my company and was in Cadre, and John Marshall, who is a retired judge here in Dallas. Norm and I talked about him harassing me as a Rat.” Jan’s note: Dennis, send me a new e-mail address. Barrett Graham writes: “Well, I’ve finally learned how to send and receive e-mails! I got the birthday card; thanks. Sharyne took one look at it, shoved it into a frame, and insisted

Class of 1967: Bruce Bodner has a new avocation: astronomy imaging. He is shown above in his “astro tent” in northern Florida. “Finally after 40+ years I can return to a hobby I have always loved and with gusto. And if the economy gets worse, I can give tours!”

2009-Issue 2

that I put it on my little ‘VMI wall’ in the office. We watched the inaugural parade. Battalion Mass formation – very cool! VMI was the last marching unit in the parade, traditionally a place of honor. Both of us became quite misty when the Band, Pipes and Drums broke into ‘Shenandoah.’” Mel Wright, on the Corps: “Damn, they looked good. In step and without collars up! That had to be cold.” In November, Joan and I enjoyed meeting Captain David Gray ’01 (a former piper) at the Atlanta airport as he passed through for an R&R at home in Fort Campbell with his wife, Melyn, and daughter, Kaylyn. David is close to completing his third tour overseas with the 101st. Most of you will recall that it is not easy to get to a gate in any airport unless you have a boarding pass for a current flight. Wil Plentl came to the rescue here. A call to Wil gave me all the instructions needed to contact the military command at our airport and get passes to meet this young man. I suggest that you try this if you know anyone coming home from overseas. We had not seen David since his graduation and had a wonderful time catching up over a meal before he caught his connecting flight. Joan and I enjoy continuing friendships with a number of grads and we recommend this to all. It keeps us up to date on so many areas regarding alumni whose issues and circumstances are different from ours. Example: I had an e-mail exchange recently with Captain Joe DiDomenico ’04 and his wife, Lt. Blair Zaremba Didomenico ’07, around the time they were buying their first house in New York. They are both at Fort Drum and between them they have four tours in Iraq. Their wedding photo was in the last issue. Speaking of photos for the AR, each class is allocated a specific number for each issue. I submit what you send me but some don’t make it for color, number of pixels and several other things. But many of these can be put on the VMIAA 1967 section of the alumni association Web site. So, send your photos and the AR folks and I will do our best to get them out to the class one way or another. One that could not get into this issue of the AR was of Ron Lowry and his giant trophy elk…315 points! It is a terrific picture but the trees in the background and the hour of the day restricted the light as Ron sat on the animal’s rump holding up the massive antlers. This morning I received an e-mail from Ron saying he is well on the way to recovery from having his right shoulder joint replaced. With three major joint replacements (both hips too) he is the leader in the ’67 “First to reach Bionic Man” status. Ron is in the gym regularly rebuilding his muscles in order to continue his lifetime favorite hobby of fly fishing. He had his surgery just days after his official retirement in December 2008. The annual photo of

Class of 1967: Jake DeSteiguer during his fifth annual week-long outing in Oregon with his Land Rover club, August 2008. the “[Class of] ’67 medicos versus the gullible civilians” was also in the last issue. Bob Klink says the group will unfortunately be unable to add to the players until some time in the distant future. I have suggested the boys rent a condo(s) several times and have their meals in rather than spending so much for rooms and meals/drinks at a hotel. I have even volunteered to be their chef and bottle washer while they “play.” I work cheap (cheaper than hotel staff) and a number of BRs will serve as references as to my cooking talents. I await the call. Richard Stanard writes, “I plan to zip up to the Post for an overnight to catch the scheduled Runnin’ Roos match up with Charleston Southern on 2/9.” Dick will freely pass along his recent car buying experience and advice if any among us feels rusty on the subject. Dave and Bev Johnson wrote to suggest that Lee Iacocca’s new book is a great read on leadership. Skip Hathaway and Tom Gritzmacher both are encouraging me to join “facebook.” What I see in the news makes me skeptical. Any thoughts from you folks on this? John May: “Hi, Jan and Sam. I don’t have any really exciting news for you guys, but thought I’d touch base since it has been a while. I’m still here at the beach (Ocean City, Maryland). As previously reported, I have younger kids than most of my old fart contemporaries and need to get them through school before I make any changes. Luckily the boys are good students and actually believe they will get scholarships for either football or lacrosse. One can only hope! I also have a granddaughter now.” John got a note from Bo Traywick over the holidays. He’s still running a tugboat in the Richmond area. He said he recently visited the lodge at the Peaks of Otter where he, Tommy Thurmond and I played some music years ago. “Seems like yesterday! If any BRs come to the beach on vacation, give me a call. We would love to have you over for a beer and a burger!” Note: Check with me or Sam for the number. Randy Heneberger wrote that Ann Heltzel had surgery

CLASS NOTES on her knee but at this point I do not know any details. I will post anything I hear about Ann’s recovery on the ’67 site long before you read this. Annette and John Horner will be relocating to the Raleigh area later this year. They will have family close by. Their daughter, Rachel, is a JAG Corps member and is stationed in Iraq. Her husband, Adam, is due to change stations to Iraq soon. Fred Smith opted to give his son, David, a sophomore at Christopher Newport University, some practical work experience during Christmas. He had him cleaning and sterilizing and in general doing scut work in the dental office. Not certain if dentistry will be his career choice. Fred and Judy plan a three-week cruise around Australia and New Zealand for her 60th birthday. Chuck Krebs just finished a three-week Medical Person in Charge course with NOAA in Seattle. He and Mya now have an eighth grandson, Cooper Meek. Pete Wells checked in to say Steve Young will have a hip replacement in June. Pete says Rod McKinnon has had prostate surgery. Chuck and Ginny Keblusek took a train to Vancouver after visiting his sisters in Seattle. Then they boarded the cruise ship Sapphire Princess for the inner passage route to Ketchikan and Juno, Fairbanks and other points north. They suggest the combo of rail and ship gives the best of all worlds for an Alaska experience. Ann Marie Hancock’s letter will close this issue. She reports that Tom was recognized in three professional categories in 2008: Best Lawyers of America, Elite Lawyers of America and Super Lawyers of America. Congrats on the trifecta, Tom! The firm he started years ago, Diamond Health Care, now has 60 attorneys and is the #1 outsourcing health care corporation in America this year. Thanks to all of you who make these notes possible. Information comes in by e-mail, cards, letters, phone calls and just plain gossip. As I have said previously, each class is restricted to five pages of notes in font TIMES NEW ROMAN, regular type, size 12. Sam’s contributions are incorporated throughout. The amount of material often starts as eight to 12 pages and must be edited. Between us we make a special effort to include at least your name with a line or two. It is inevitable that some “good” stuff gets left out. Your contacts with the class are an important part of our VMI experience. Keep those cards and letters (and phone calls and e-mails) coming! I will accept critiques of the notes, but rest assured I am a sensitive person … who knows where you live! Travel when you can; we all need a break from our routine. Laugh often – it lightens the burdens we face. Call a Brother Rat if you need to talk out a challenge in your life with certain confidence in his ability to keep your confidence without any judgment. Be safe.

Tom Hickey

’68

Ron Gallagher

Ooops. After I submitted the November 2008 class notes, I found an e-mail from John Van Landingham (Eugene, Oregon) that I should have included. So for this edition I’ll start with excerpts from John’s wonderfully newsy note: “Got to see my beloved University of Oregon Duckies (source of my law degree) whomp my wife’s alma mater at Michigan Stadium in September 2007, with Lewis White (Virginia Beach) and his University of Michigan grad school daughter Annie in attendance. Traveled a lot – New York City twice, Quebec City, Big Sky, Chicago several times, Santa Fe, Fort Worth, Tucson, D.C. – following my hot shot wife Martha (Oregon Supreme Court, president of the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws). Our daughter, Cassie, graduated in May from Whitman College and shipped off in July for two years in the Peace Corps in Mali. Her assignment is in Tene, a tiny town with no electricity or running water. Our son, Johnny, continues to work as a science educator for Liberty Science Museum in Jersey City, and we got to see him present his own program on lasers to a typically inattentive New Jersey high school class. Had a delightful dinner with Alfred Smith’s widow Hallie and their daughter, Allison, and her husband, both of whom are lawyers in Chicago. Allison is in the placement office at Northwestern University Law School. “Had several typically fascinating visits with Ron Cowardin in Richmond. Missed Creigh Kelley (Englewood, Colorado) when he was in Eugene for the graduation of his daughter, Page, from the University of Oregon, but got to visit with Page earlier, and Creigh and half his family stayed in our house while we were out of town over graduation weekend. Had coffee in Eugene, my home, with Pete Farmer (Seattle, Washington) and his wife, Patty, as they visited their son at the University of Oregon, after we discovered at our reunion that Pete’s wife and mine were good friends at East Grand Rapids High School. Martha brought along their yearbook to compare histories. What a remarkable coincidence. While in Fort Worth, got to have dinner with Reverdy and Dottie Jones (Proper, Texas), giving them a chance to confirm that Martha does indeed exist. Spent the next day touring the Jones memorabilia and, in Rev’s VMI-colored golf cart, their neighborhood. Had

an overnight visit from Lewis and Mary Pelham White after they attended a wedding in the Columbia Gorge. “Finally, got to spend a lot of time with George Squires (Richmond, Virginia) in Bozeman and Big Sky, since we were there twice, the second time in July for 10 days for Martha’s Uniform Laws Conference annual meeting. Since Martha is the Big Cheese, we got comp’d with the penthouse suite – living room, office, four bedrooms, etc. George and his wife, Kitty Sue, joined us for several nights, until, unfortunately, George had a run-in with the cleaning ladies and, separately, a mouse. You’ll have to ask him for the details. Also, as the Chief Spouse, I had to give an opening talk to the other ULC spouses, and I let George talk me into using a famous Superfish quote – “Get off the walls!” – in my talk, as I urged the other spouses to get out of their comfort zones and meet new people. I do a lot of public speaking in my work and my avocation (land use planning), but I’ve never before quoted my old coach, Charlie Arnold.” Right after Thanksgiving, John English (Richmond, Virginia) provided the following update: “Fortunately, the economic slowdown hasn’t had much impact on my little corner of the software development world yet, so I continue to spend my time working and looking after my 91-year-old mother, widow of Gordon

Class of 1968: Gil Piddington, left, and Frank Pinizzotto at their annual Christmas lunch at John’s Sub and Steak Sandwich shop in Frazer, Pennsylvania. Steve Powers, not pictured, also attends the annual lunch. Editor’s Note: See more pictures from their lunch at www.vmialumni. org/alumnireview.

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES ‘Jeep’ English ’40. (Which reminds me, apropos of nothing, that I have found it amazing/ amusing/ironic to return to the old family home and find that we still receive mail addressed to my father, some 30 years after his death. He even gets e-mail – I kid you not – which is kind of spooky, considering that he died years before the internet was born.) Spare time is spent working on my music and exchanging the occasional left-wing/right-wing e-mail rant with my old roommate, Ed Anderson (Lynchburg, Virginia). Ran into Dave Law (Reston, Virginia) a couple of months ago, but other than that I’ve been doing the slightly-mad-butessentially-harmless eccentric recluse thing. As the baby rat I guess I can’t whine too much about getting run over by the old-age truck, but it certainly has slowed things down for all of us, I’m guessing.” Bob Waldron (El Paso, Texas) wrote in his Christmas letter that his wife’s business, Ram, Inc., had a great year. With all of the news about tough economic times across the country, it was certainly refreshing to read this. Bob, who has been working for his wife, now appears to be working for their daughter, too, as Shannon is now the chief accountant with the company. Their daughter, Bethany, graduated with another BS in nursing, this one from the University of Alabama in Birmingham, and promptly relocated to Austin, Texas, where she started working in the critical care unit. Son JC finished his MBA requirements at the end of the summer of 2008 and says that will be enough school for him for a while. Bob summarized, “Sam (aka his wife Sharon) keeps me on at the company because she thinks I am pretty. She has always been nearsighted when it came to me …” Ron Stultz (Fairfax, Virginia) reported, in part, on some of the family’s travels. Priscilla went to Italy with a fabric quilt group; and Ron, Jeff, Candy and Julie went to the High Sierra Music Festival in California. Ron and Jeff took two weeks in an RV to drive from Denver to the festival. Hal Hostetler (Portsmouth, Virginia) wrote about a trip that he and Brenda, his Ring Figure date, took to Hawaii, where they celebrated their 40th anniversary. When at home, he and Brenda enjoy bowling, swimming, shooting pool and a little tennis. They participate in the local Military Officers Association of America and the military ministry of their church. One piece of big news was that their son, Daniel, is engaged and planning an April 2009 wedding. Dianne and Rory stay busy raising Hal’s and Brenda’s two grandchildren, Connor and Dylan. Rick Brothers (Steamboat Springs, Colorado) wrote in his Christmas 2008 newsletter, “Jane retired from her #1 job as office manager and medical technologist for the practice in April to

2009-Issue 2

help out with our new grandson on May 8th.” Rick, who retired from active practice on June 30th, selling his practice and office to his partner of five years, continued, “After retirement we headed to our beach house on Hatteras Island, North Carolina, with our two oldest grandchildren, Ryan and Hannah, both four years old. The best five months EVER were spent fishing, crabbing, golfing, tennis and just ‘beaching it.’ All of our children and grandchildren were able to join us for part of the summer.” Also got a note from Dana Duthie (Colorado Springs, Colorado) who reports that he’s still working for the water and sewer district but Candy retired from the dentist office. Candy says that Dana is going to have to keep working forever because the stock market is taking all of his money! (Amen to that, BRs.) In spite of work, Dana is still riding his bike, swimming and running so he can eat and drink the way he did when he was a fighter pilot without getting too fat. Immediately after the President’s Inauguration, John Crim (New Market, Virginia) shared his reactions to VMI’s participation in the parade with some of us. Here’s and excerpt: “… Then, I looked up as the better half said ‘Here they come,’ and in the far background the camera picked up the VMI front rank beginning their Column Left. Unlike other units, as they cleared the turn out of the dark, the massed gray overcoats almost filled the street, wall to wall. The camera took some shots of the colorful group in front of us, but kept panning back to the steadily approaching gray wall. On they marched. The camera angles changed. It soon became apparent that this was no schoolrepresenting Company, nor was it a Battalion, this was the CORPS and, just like 1864, they were on the move with something to prove. You could almost feel the solid ‘chunk’ as heels dug in together, the concentration intent on not just getting it right, but getting it right. “Watching the gray wave roll toward the reviewing stand, the familiar, slight, leftright cadence shift of the front rank and the Battalion, I saw no-one out of step. On they came, rank after rank. The announcer told us that 1,200 and some Cadets were appearing in VMI’s thirteenth(?) Inaugural Parade. As the First Battalion passed in review, the camera shot a glance at the new President in time to see Mrs. Obama watching, clearly say Wow, and give them two thumbs up, while the Second Battalion closed the gap. “VMI wasn’t just there, today, VMI was heard from!” In mid-February I sent out some e-mails on Sports Illustrated and NY Times stories on the VMI basketball team. Rev Jones responded, “Don’t get a lot of information here in Texas about VMI. Hope they get to NCAA. I was at

the game in 1964 in Philly when they played Princeton with Bill Bradley and saw the other games in the 70s on TV.” At about the same time, George Sebren (Niceville, Florida) made a trip to Lexington to see his son, who was traveling with the USAFA wrestling team. His after action report read, “Great weekend at the ‘I.’ My son and I took a break from the All Academies Tournament and caught the last 15 minutes of the b-ball game. Good crowd. First time I had a chance to watch the b-ball team in person and I was not disappointed. Good win over Gardner-Webb. They played hard ’til the end and, I think, wore down G-W. I don’t know how G-W kept it so close. Better defense by VMI than I expected. Saw Phil Lanier (Monroe, Louisiana) and Howard Donald (Richmond, Virginia) after the game as they moved over to Cocke Hall for the wrestling finals. They both looked good.” George concluded with some personal news: “Don’t know if I mentioned that I will be retiring for the third time the end of the month. Will celebrate by joining my wife, Kay, in Costa Rica. She’s taking a Spanish immersion course down there for a month. We’ll bum around for a couple of weeks, including a couple of days of fishing in the Pacific. Supposed to be world-class fishing for sailfish and – hopefully – marlin. After that back home to fun in the Florida sun.” Also heard from Tom Boyd (Alexandria, Virginia), who wrote, “In the small world department, I was talking to one of the partners in my group here at lunch today and he mentioned that he was headed to Lexington this weekend. Turns out his father-in-law is Maj. Ty Wilson, my faculty advisor my Rat year. Maj. Wilson, whom you may remember, is now 90 and lives in assisted living in Buena Vista, and one of his neighbors is Gen. James M. Morgan ’45. Small world!” I’ll close this edition out with a selection of short notes I’ve accumulated over the previous three months. Kay and Skip Roberts’ (Lexington, Virginia) oldest daughter got married in Montana in the fall, three weeks after he and Kay had returned to Virginia from their annual summer visit to Idaho. Love those plane rides! Rev Jones celebrated his 40th anniversary during a three-week trip to France. He stays busy playing golf, playing with the grandkids and traveling. Curtis Beach (Salem, Virginia) is an independent contractor distributing Fuji films to Walmarts. He’s considering doing some substitute teaching following in the footsteps of his wife, Pat, who retired from teaching but is working 20 or so days a year as a substitute. T.A. Showalter (Hiwassee, Virginia) says he’s retired from painting but stays busy watch-

CLASS NOTES is). It made me proud to say that I went to VMI when visiting with friends during the next few days. There isn’t a week that goes by that I don’t think of all the memories I made during my 1 1/2 years in the Corps of Cadets (good and bad).” The spring 2008 quarterly report from Gateway Financial Holdings Inc. featured the announcement and short bio of new board of directors member Bill “Bunny” Paulette. Bunny had helped to start the Bank of Richmond and, when that bank merged into Gateway, he was added to the Gateway leadership team. I was honored to receive a bunch of cards and letters around Christmas time. Here are some of the people who sent cards and a few quick messages: Tom and Karen Buckner in photo with kids … New grandbaby is on the way. Parents visited a cousin in Hong Kong, Jakarta and Bali, Indonesia. Doug and Janet Marks: Beautiful Christmas Eve message from Doug, who was up late. Happiness is a growing family with healthy kids and grandkids. Not sure if the photo will make it but Doug sent a record of his newest grandbaby’s christening in Richmond. Mom and son, with both grandfather and greatgrandmother and father. Young Brooks is a provisional member of the class of 2030. Scott and Amy Rhodes: Christmas with three young grandchildren from son Jeremy and wife: “I had forgotten how much energy two- and threeyear-olds have.” Marvin Fayman: Season’s greetings from warm down-under. Courtenay Welton: Busy traveler these days. Rudy and Judy Segaar: Building a barn to store all the neat tools they have acquired in their country living. Rudy took one son to meet relatives in Holland. Rudy has all the fun: he gets to play with a power tool/wood splitter to get ready for winter in the Virginia mountains. Linda Lenz: sent a signed copy of Larry’s book. It was a great gesture to receive a gift from a man

who was obviously planning to pass on soon. Gordon and Pat Bailey: Travels and grandkids. Garry and Ellen Moore: Trip to New Zealand and lots of camping around the country. Eileen Nohava: Accepted her son’s offer to go skydiving! She is enjoying her kids and grandkids and still traveling. “Amo and Margy Judd enjoy the French Riviera and Amsterdam in September 08.” That headline seems to capture a lot of action. The pictures also showed beautiful spots. Glenn and Elizabeth Hammond: Glenn is hanging in there. Sam and Wendy Hoffman: Are now in Goochland, Virginia. Spunky and Linda Butler: Walter Judd Planning on being at reunion. Webb Hatch: Still coaching. Mike and Leigh Harper: Son Christopher, wounded in action, has recovered mostly from hip shot but found he will never have full use of his leg. He was medically Greetings, BRs and friends of the great class retired from the Army and the family distributor of 1969. It is late winter in eastern Virginia and business was glad. Mike has the most eclectic early flowers have not heard that the fat, furry travel schedule of anyone I know: for business animal up in Pennsylvania foretold six more he visited Singapore, Denmark and several weeks of cold. My yard has a bunch of spring African nations. Ask them about the Massa bloomers popping up and ready for spring to Mara preserve in Kenya. Jim and Beth Long: get here. VMI basketball has got to be the big That creative poet in their family shaped a short lead-in this time. The Keydets have begun a terpoem in a card cut like a Christmas tree. I wish rific season and in the last week won their 20th Mav much patience with such a creative family. game in another come-from-behind win. Many Warren and Linda Childress: Busy as usual. of our BRs have traveled down the road to see Mike and Mary Giles: Now living in Somerthe Runnin’ ’Roos in action. Hope this story ville, Massachusetts. Don and Noreen Mercer: ends with a lot more excitement. Fishing is a family sport to this Virginia Beach Attending the reunion committee meeting on group. And he appears to catch some good sized November 22nd were Ron Wall, David Prugh, ones each time. Joe and Michie Flanz: Wrote Tommy Thompson, John Sebrell, Chuck that they are entering their third year of current Becker, Glenn White, Jim Long, David Bush tour in Japan. Both are still enjoying their life and me. Most then witnessed the final football there and travel some to other Asian cities. Art victory of the 2008 season as VMI beat Presbyand Becky Bushey: Both are great at and are terian College in a terrific offensive show. enjoying golf. John DuBose: John contacted evSeen at one or more of the VMI basketball ery chemistry major in our class and invited all games this season were Jim and Beth Long; Glenn but one of them to meet at the reunion. Anyone White; Ron and Betsy Wall; David seen Brad Worthington recently? and Susan Prugh; John Sebrell; It is gratifying to get such support Tommy Thompson; Peyton and from John, who continues to teach Gail Brown; David Bush; Bob and in Charleston and enjoy activities in Ruth Waldo; Larry and Elizabeth the state militia. Not sure if you all Seekford; Tom Morris; Bruce heard but VMI resumes playing El Noel; Bunny Paulette; Tommy and Cid in football in 2011. We can all Nancy Catlett; and Scott and Amy go stay with John in Summerville! Rhodes. I apologize if I missed Roy ‘Dana’ and Kaye Swats: Spent anyone. It is hard to see everyone in time in both Orlando and their cabin the excitement of the place. in the Montana mountains. That After the VMI win at the Univeris a nice change in venues and is sity of Kentucky, I wrote to BR John fully enjoyed by the two with kids Hess of Kentucky. His response was and grandkids. Larry and Katherine priceless. “Walt, one of our twin Brydon: In another creative card. sons is an equine vet who graduated Homemade just does not do it jusClass of 1969: At Dick Jeter’s mother’s, Evelyn, sitting, from UK, and to put it bluntly, he tice. Works of art that are created or 90th birthday party, were, from left, Tommy Thompson, was speechless. Now my wife Riley developed at home would be a better Tom Jones, Jeter, K.C. Woodroof, Jimmy Chapman and and I went crazy cheering for our description. They both intend to Pat Branch. boys from Lexington (Virginia, that attend their “first” reunion in April. ing the stock market. T.A.’s son, T.A. III, is with an oncology group in Temple, Texas. M.L. Buchanan (Fairfax, Virginia) says he’s too old to hump heavy equipment around anymore so he does some instructing on combat weapons. His son, M.L. III, and his wife, Gina, are both Secret Service agents. His and Valerie’s daughter, Victoria, is in Oregon in nursing school. Jay Reeves (Lynchburg, Virginia) says he continues his criminal and domestic trials and estate law practice.

’69

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES Welcome back, Larry! Pat and Tricia Branch: Sent a collage of images of family. Kids and grandkids make a nice variety of photos and show lots of activity. Charlie and Cammy Bryan: Sent words of the grand retirement moments from the Virginia Historical Society and the start of his museum consulting firm. They visited their two kids all over the country and also got in a tour of WWII Italy with the VHS. Denny Clark: Still making music in D.C. Al Conner, ’66 class agent, sent this informative update on BR Tony Gentile, retired AF pilot and now commercial pilot. “After several rounds of phone tag, I heard from my dyke, Tony Gentile ’69. Since almost everything I learned was new to me, I thought I’d pass along some info for your class notes. ‘Tony Gentile from Philly’ now resides with wife Fran on the shores of Lake Martin in Alabama. Tony’s career has been centered around flying all sorts of large aircraft since departing from VMI. It got me right beneath my jump wings when he spoke of his days flying the beloved C-130. Tony became a master of the low-altitude-parachute-extraction-system or LAPES, conducting over 500 of them around the globe. For non-paratroopers and non-flyboys, the LAPES is when the C-130 comes within a few feet of landing and large cargo chutes are deployed, sucking massive loads (Sheridan light tanks, fuel bladders, whole blood containers, etc.) out the back. The trick is not to hit the ground, to handle the rapidly shifting load/center of gravity issues, and the all-important pulling up at the end of the dirt strip or flat space. After eventually managing a full USAF career, Tony subsequently flew for a number of commercial and private lines, most notably Fed-Ex. In the process, he thrilled (those who wanted to keep flying) and disappointed (those who wanted to retire) among his fellow senior commercial pilots by successfully lobbying Congress to extend the maximum age limits for the cockpit types. For over 15 years, in case your letters came back, he also lived on a succession of sailboats as his primary residence. Recently he and Fran (an artist) came ashore after falling in love with their current place during a visit with friends. He assures me that it’s about two hours from Atlanta and near a place called, no kidding, Jackson’s Staff, Alabama. By the way, He’s still actively flying – out of Anchorage, Alaska! And to think I used to complain about commuting a hundred miles a day to work in Washington. I told him he should have been the dyke of BR Hugh Adams ’66, formerly known as the world’s oldest helicopter pilot [and that is a story in itself].” No matter what your political affiliations are, you had to be proud to see the Corps looking so good as they passed the President and his wife

2009-Issue 2

during the inauguration parade in Washington in January. I watched the YouTube video several times and think we caught the eye of the new president. The Corps just kept coming and looked really good. Even our own military expert Drew Brantley said they performed well. “Very impressive. All ranks in straight lines and good marching music. They even made a fan out of Mrs. O.” Ask if you need the address to watch the video. Jim Long wrote from the “It’s a small world” department: “Beth and I go to Winston-Salem every year on the first weekend in December and spend two nights right by the Hanes Mall and get 90% of our shopping done for Christmas. You can’t shop the WHOLE time so we went to The Fox and Hound pub Saturday afternoon for a break in the action and to watch a couple of games. Appalachian State was playing Richmond in a 1-AA playoff game. Two young men at an adjacent table were obviously App. St. fans. I mentioned that Richmond was a huge team, having witnessed them first hand during the regular season. One of the boys asked where I had gone to school and of course I said VMI. He said his dad went there and inquired as to what was my class. Again, I answered ’69 and he said his dad was ’69. He was Malone Parham’s son, Fuller. Of course, Malone was killed in ’83 when Fuller was only two years old. His grandfather also went to VMI. Malone’s wife, Tippy, remarried and lives in Kinston, North Carolina. Fuller was an extremely nice and handsome young man. It is truly amazing how and where you can run into people.” Great report, Mav. Bob Luttrell has been serving as school superintendent for the Colonial Beach, Virginia, school system. Go to the county school Web site and see his name in lights. Bill Romanchick is teaching chemistry at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville. When John DuBose contacted many of the chemistry majors from our class to invite them to the reunion, Bill wrote that he would try but it all depended on his spring teaching schedule. In mid December W.C. “Reb” Anderson III wrote: “Thanks for the Christmas card. I’m alive and well in New Braunfels, Texas, 20 miles North of San Antonio. I’ve been here since 1976 when Uncle Sam saw fit to station me at Brooke Army Medical Center. In 1982, I opened a private practice in New Braunfels and I’m still at it, five days a week, 26 years later. Carol and I have raised three children. Our oldest son, Thomas is a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering and works for Exxon. Our second son, John Henry, is an M.D. in his internship and will begin a Dermatology residency next summer at the Medical College of Georgia. Our daughter, Erin, does medical research for

Abbott Labs. We live on a ranch about 15 miles from our office and raise Black Angus cows ... in a drought, not a good hobby. The only significant thing that happened to me was being named ‘Super Doctor’ by Texas Monthly magazine for the second year in a row, quite an honor for a small town doc. I hope to get to Lexington for the 40th.” Thanks, Reb and Carol, for persisting in getting me that message. By the time you read this, we will have completed our reunion weekend in Lexington. You will have your Tervis tumbler set (of glasses with our politically incorrect class sweater insignia enclosed) and have passed the test for recognizing at least five BRs who have changed shape and hair style in the past 40 years since you last saw them. You will have heard Charlie Bryan’s continuation of his 25th reunion remembrances and laughed at Pat King’s photo gallery from long ago Bomb planning. If, however, you missed all the fun and did not get your glasses or see the photo collection, let me know and we will get you info on how you get obtain them. There is still time to join the Keydet Club’s 75th anniversary challenge or contribute to any of several alumni association or sports team donor activities. If you want to get more info on the estate planning opportunities mentioned by Terrie Conrad at our Saturday dinner, let me know and we will get you connected. Life is good. I got to play golf with Tom Morris last week, Jim and Beth Long yesterday in the not-quite-spring weather – and then got honked at by Skinny and Barbara Baker as they passed me on my way home. You guys really do bring me a lot of fun and good times. Keep ’em coming! Yours in the Spirit, Walt

’70

Bill O’Connor

Greetings from Richmond. I trust everyone had a happy holiday and welcomed in the New Year with hopes for a better year than the last. The mail this quarter was very, very sparse. I suspect the reasons were many; however, I would like to think that everybody has been busy celebrating the Keydet basketball success. The Keydets started out the season beating Kentucky at Rupp Arena in front of 22,000 and haven’t slowed down a bit. As I write these notes the Keydets are 20-5 and are headed toward the Big South Conference tournament. Regardless of what happens there – congrats to Duggar, the assistant coaches and the players for getting us back to respectability. Speaking of basketball, two of ’70’s big men were honored at the VMI-Liberty basketball

CLASS NOTES game. Big Roy Reed Heddleston and Jim “Goose” Gillespie took center stage along with a number of other former VMI players prior to the start of the game. I asked Goose if he were going to play in the alumni game following the regular game, and he gave me a funny look and said something to the effect that he had more worn parts than a 1975 Yugo! Be that as it may, Goose and Roy looked good and made us proud. Further on the athletic side, it was recently announced that Lee Moon will be taking over the athletic reins of the University of Northern Florida, a Division 1 university. Lee has had a stellar career in athletics, having been the athletic director at Marshall University, University of Wyoming and, most recently, executive AD at University of Alabama-Birmingham. Well done, Leo; good luck and checkmate! I spoke with a number of BRs that I have not heard from in quite a while. Big Al Moccia (my roommate our Rat year) still resides in the Philadelphia area and is doing well. He still follows VMI and hopes to get down to a game or two next year. Moch left VMI after our Rat year and joined the Army and became a pilot serving a couple of tours in Vietnam. After he got out of the Army, he eventually moved to Florida and started a small home improvement company. Moch moved back to Philly after the passing of his wife and continues to work in construction business. You cannot find a better roommate than Moch – look forward

to seeing you again in the not to distant future. Called Mike Manis prior to the holidays to wish him a Happy Holiday. As reported in the previous addition of the Alumni Review with thanks to Dick Knight, Mike lives in North Carolina and is battling MS. Mike was a class guy while at VMI and continues to be one. It was great reminiscing and getting caught up. He continues to follow the Keydets and was wowed like the rest of us with the win over Kentucky. Called Steve “Quack” Talley who I have not heard from since 1971. Steve resides in Staunton, is happily married to wife Emily, and has two daughters in college. Steve sees on occasion Jerry VanLear, who is with the Highway Department, Johnny Ludt, who is now retired and enjoying life. Steve also sees Mike Iwanik, who is now married and is a professor at UVa. I believe Steve said that Mike was recently honored as a distinguished professor. Thanks for the news and update, Steve. George Yurchak checked in from Gulfport, Mississippi, where he works for IP Casino after having retired from the Air Force 12 years ago. George recently remarried; he met his wife, Sheila, while taking ballroom dancing lessons. It seems Shiela was his tango partner. You and Sheila have got to get out on the dance floor at reunion and show us what you got! Thanks for the note, George, and please stay in touch. January is over so that means the annual GOMBAC trip is in the record books. Although I could

not attend this year, I was told it was as good as always. This year’s group included Herb Braun, Jimi Mawyer, Stix Chandler, AC Arnn, Warren Grasty, Richard Balderson, Gary Weishaar, Charlie Walker, Roy Heddleston, Dave Schmidt, Warren Grasty and John Bailey. AC sent a picture of the group at the Caladonia course which appears in this issue. The GOMBAC trip is always a good time. Ran into Bill Gearhart at a basketball game and he indicated that Bob Copty had sold his realty business to a large firm. Bob is not retiring but will continue to do what he does best – make money with the new company. Speaking of changes, Kent Schlussel sent a note announcing his and Judy’s retirement. I apologize for not printing the details but I somehow lost the e-mail. I’ll get an update for the next issue. Herb Braun and former roommate Jack Hoffman went on their annual fishing trip, this time to Balize. The fishing was apparently unbelievable and the scenery the same. Herb continues to mark off the days on his retirement short timers calendar while Jack has already made the retirement plunge. Ralph Costen surprised wife Marsha with a 60th birthday party at the Kenloch Golf Club (isn’t that appropriate) which Herb and Susan Braun, Tom and Jill Cooke and Paula and I attended. The event was first class and Ralph made some very “touching” remarks about his life with

The Institute Society Dinner Class of 1970: The Institute Society Dinner, November 2008, were, from left: Bill and Marilyn Huffman, Neil and De Steverson, Bob and Susan Copty, Tom and Jan Zarges, and Kent and Judy Schlussel.

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES

Class of 1970: At the 2009 Annual GOMBAC Trip to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, were, from left, Stix Chandler, A.C. Arnn, John Bailey, Richard Balderson, Dave Schmidt, Gary Weishaar, Herb Braun, Jim Mawyer, Warren Grasty, Roy Heddleston and Charlie Walker. Marsha over the past 40+ years. It was truly a fun evening. Speaking of Tom Cooke, he is still in the healing mode with his shoulder which he injured in a fall back in June. Just so you know how serious it is, Tommy, for the first time in God knows how long, missed the GOMBAC trip. If there is an incentive for him to heal it’s next year’s trip. Our 40th reunion is just a little over a year away. I will be attending a class agent’s meeting in April and will get the particulars from Carole Green, who handles the reunions from the Institute’s side. I have had a number of BRs who have indicated they would like to help and I will be sending out a letter for volunteers after meeting with Carole. The most important thing we can do at this point is talk with as many BRs as we can about attending. If you have not seen or heard from a former roommate or good friend in the past few years, now is the time to try to get in touch with him and talk up the reunion. This reunion will be in spring 2010. That’s all I have for this issue. Please, please send me info about yourselves and what you are up too. I need to submit my notes by May 15th. If you haven’t made your pledge or donation to the Keydet Club or the Foundation, please do so. VMI needs our support now more than ever.

’71

James Kelly

These notes cover the period between 15 Nov 08 to 15 Feb 09. A belated Happy New Year to everyone since it is already the middle of February as I am composing these notes. I hope that 2009 is treating you well and that everyone is benefitting from the “Recovery Plan.” It certainly has been a long downhill ride for the retired folks among us who daily watch their savings dwindle and their hopes for a place in the Bahamas become even more of

2009-Issue 2

a pipe dream. If by chance some of you do make it I hope that you will remember Kathryn and me and invite us down for the winter. How about the Keydet basketball team! Opening the season with a win at Kentucky and (as of today) are 21-4 and on top of the Big South. We can only hope for a return to the glory days of the Sweet 16! We will know by the time you get this info. What great publicity this team has brought to VMI … ESPN to Sports Illustrated to the New York Times. Hats off to our coaches and fine young men on our team. The Class of ’71 has been well represented at many of the games. At the Liberty game in January over 25 BRs and wives were in attendance and provided with a special section in Cameron Hall. Thanks to all of you for your support. Just think where we could be with our added support of the Keydet Club! Kathryn and I received many nice cards, photos and year end notes during the holidays. Thanks to each of you who wrote and shared. I hope that all of you received your Institute card from us. Please remember to let VMI know if you change address so we can keep up with you. Also, there are several BRs that for some reason do not have their birthdates on file I sent each of you a card at the start of 2009 just to cover the bases, but I really would appreciate knowing the correct date. Dave and Donna Honeywell had a great year in 2008. Donna’s parents celebrated their 60th anniversary, Davey graduated from Marymount University, Donleigh ran in two marathons and Derin finished up a master’s degree. Dave still works for Scitor and Donna at Arlington Traditional School. From Louisville, KY, Spooky Mays is now in his 12th year with Pfizer and is still enjoying his work. Wife Nancy is now working part time in an educational center called Minds-In-Motion. Their children are doing well while pursuing different careers.

Carol and Buddy Bryan have a new granddaughter. This one was actually born in a hospital and did not require the assistance of her grandparents for delivery. All of their children are now located on the East Coast which has improved their opportunities to visit. Buddy is now in his 32nd year at VMI but Carol has now retired from teaching. Also joining the ranks of grandparents, Phil and Kimiko Hannum are expecting a grandchild in March. Their son, Terence, lives in Chicago where the event will take place. John Caulfield is still working for Northrop Grumann and is excitedly waiting a second grand child as well. Lanny Gault has been on the road quite a bit this year supporting VMI basketball. He and Ned Mikula have made several trips down to Lexington. Lanny’s wife, T.S., has had a very successful year (again) as a swimming coach with her team winning two state championships in a row and going for number three this year. Daughter Carter and her husband are in the process of buying a new house in order to become part of the “recovery.” Lanny ran in to Rich Clary at a beach music festival and has been in touch with John Roynane and Geoff Schelhorn. Carl Biersack wrote that he gets frequent e-mails from Bob Haywood, Ox Schrader, Rooster Westbrook, Billy Rose and David Allen. Carl noted that David has written many articles that are noteworthy and that we should “google” him at his WV newspaper to check them out. The Richmond ’71 lunch club continues to be active at the Penny Lane Pub. Last month’s gathering included distinguished BRs Glenn Cox, Speed Patterson, Jim Aldous, Fred Bannister, George Robbins, Burt Tuxford, Rick Pearman, Tom Martenstein, D. Walton and John Heisler. This group is very loyal to their gathering and is probably large enough

CLASS NOTES to become their own alumni chapter. I am glad that so many of them have the opportunity to be together and share the old war stories. Ken Yorgey sold his dental practice in South Jersey and has relocated to Virginia. He and Carol are living in Chester while building a home in New Kent County. Ken’s practice will now be in Quinton on Route 60 outside of Bottom’s Bridge. Ken and Carol hope to attend more VMI functions now that they are down south. Be on the lookout for his car tag “Ken 71.” Mike and Joyce Strickland are enjoying being grandparents and admit to spoiling Ava and Andrew. They recently were at a VMI game and had a reunion with Mike’s roomies Acuff, Lawson, Palmer and Coleman. Capital projects at VMI are moving along nicely. The Center for Leadership and Ethics is now ready, cadets have moved in to the Third Barracks and in April, Governor Tim Kaine will visit VMI for the dedication of Kilbourne Hall which is described as the “finest ROTC facility in the country.” In spite of the good news, VMI will likely face budget cuts from the State, making it even more important for each of us to consider increasing or beginning support of Annual Giving. The year is off to a fairly good start. Our class has a giving rate of just over twenty-eight (28) percent , translating to seventy –three (73) donors. The Institute goal is thirty-seven (37) percent so we have a little way to go and I am confident that we will respond. Those of you who gave last year should have received an itemized statement from VMI. If there are any questions or concerns you should address them directly to Pat Webb at VMI. Kathryn and I are looking forward to spring and getting outside. Lauren (’26) just turned five and Ryan (’27) is four. Chuck and Veronica are in Richmond and doing well. They actually live pretty close to Gault and Mikula and there are some other VMI alumni in their neighborhood. I hope everyone has a great spring. Next note deadline is 15 May so I hope to hear from you. Be safe out there. God bless our team and VMI … Jim

’72

Larry Houseworth

Brother Rats, Sister Rats, Legacies, Families, Friends: These notes cover mid November through Valentine’s Day. Much news to cover – so, to business first. For those who have not been to the I lately, much has changed. The beautiful Center for Leadership and Ethics is open and will begin hosting local, regional

and national events shortly. After Christmas furlough, cadets moved into the recently dedicated Third Barracks, and renovations began on New Barracks. And in April, Governor Tim Kaine will visit VMI for the formal dedication of Kilbourne Hall; which many are calling the finest ROTC facility in the country. And all of this in this face of the toughest economic environment in recent memory; declining revenues have forced Richmond to make major cuts in state funding for the upcoming academic year while simultaneously fulfilling costly mandates related to state performance standards and academic accreditation. Private support to higher education is off as the markets hammer tradition sources of donations needed to fill the shortfalls – yet … VMI’s annual giving is doing well at the halfway point of FY09. As of 1 January 2009, almost 25% of all alumni have made a gift to VMI – well on the way to achieving the goal of 37%. As a Class, we are slightly ahead of the overall rate with a 28.5% participation rate – good, considering that 2 years we were below 25% but … our Participation Percentage ranks 15th out of 21 for class years 1960 – 1979 and the Total Giving Percentage stands at 18th of 21. I’m asking that you think all that we have gained, individually and collectively, throughout our lives from our connection to VMI and consider giving whatever you can through the many channels available … thank you. Now to news from the Holidays … so much, I’ll get it into one paragraph to save space … Mary Martin send a wonderfully cheery note, and picture of smiling son Donald and Golden Lab, with news of family and the Raleigh BR contingent. She says that Drew Turner may bring Donald along with him and his kids to Legacy Day – Joe is smiling … Molly Benham sent a SmileBox card from Singapore of her and Bob’s travels throughout SE Asia –complete with Nat King Cole’s “Smile” – got a little choked up, I admit. Zeno and Jo-Ann Henninger’s letter was a veritable travelogue of Europe and Hawaii and a humorous recollection of Aug. 22, 1968. Shortly after the deadline for the last notes, John Freiermuth regaled me with news of his and Kay’s multi-generational family – he’s still teaching in Tarpon Springs, Florida, while Kay splits her time between her Medical Administrator’s career and the grandkids. Dave and Sue Hall’s plans for an eventual return to God’s Country got a boost when a renter wanted their Downers Grove, IL, bungalow in a week. They, and the cat, are back in Killeen, in their old home on the 10th green rekindling previous friendships and watching that part of Sam Houston’s Republic explode. Speaking of the great state of Texas, Chuck Holsen wrote from San Antonio where he’s been teaching elementary students since retiring from the Air Force 11 years ago. He teaches 4th graders in a

special bilingual program called “Dual Language”. Betsy Foster’s note included the sad news of Chris mother’s passing last April. On a brighter note, she wrote of her and Chris’ daughter Anne’s wedding to Keith Bachmann on August 23rd (see picture). Keith is in his third year of med school and Anne is in her last year of law school at UVa. Betsy praised the “village” of helpers who created what sounds to be a glorious occasion. She said Chris got in a visit to the practice rounds of the Masters, returning with some extraordinary photos to share. He’s lobbying hard for retirement on the Eastern Shore and Betsy stays busy with tennis, two book clubs, her women’s club, and her investment club – which is considering a name change from “Fat Assets”; surely due to the leaner financial times … Dwight and Rosalie Rowland’s picture-filled red and green news highlighted kids, grandkids; Dwight’s work with Turner Construction’s Yale-New Haven Hospital Center Project, Woodbridge baseball and volunteer fire department; Rosalie’s baby-sitting of the grandkids; and, trips to Williamsburg and L.L. Bean in Maine (whew!). Emily Griffith forwarded pictures from son James ’10 Ring Figure where he escorted Michelle Hughes, Powell and Deborah Hughes lovely daughter. She also wrote of her and Greg’s deep appreciation for the prayers and notes they received in the wake of the tragic deaths of her mother and sister-in-law in their family’s Lynchburg home fire. She says she “ … found the VMI family, Mothers in Prayer, Brother Rats of Edward, Greg, and James, and the extended VMI family in general to be a huge source of comfort and strength.” Harry and Susan Gore report all is well in Illinois where he is “ … comfortably employed … ” with LMI Government consulting. They recently welcomed grandchild #6 to the family with four of the six living close-by. Fortunate, indeed, BR … Jennie and Roger Hart announced that Roger’s favorite four-some is now complete with three grandsons and a granddaughter … Herb and Penny McCulloch wrote of vacations, careers and kids – Krista, a case worker for Richmond Behavioral Health Authority; Kara, a GS-11 with the State Department and soon to be married; and, Kelly who’s in her final semester of her master’s in Speech Pathology at George Washington University’s graduate school. Denise Redmond included some great pictures of “Pop-Pop” Ralph and the grandkids (9-year-old Samantha, 7-year-old Jack and 23-month-old Eva). Ralph and I occasionally get together for dinner in Alexandria – he was delayed a bit last month after getting rear-ended at a stoplight by a hit and run … not too much the worse for wear but supremely and justifiably aggravated was he. Phil Clayton’s note (with its gorgeous cover of their snowbound cabin at sunrise) spoke of a huge get-together he and Ava hosted over Thanksgiving at their Lexington home. During the year, they hiked the Grand Canyon and then – Mr. Tough Guy – underwent successful spinal

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES fusion surgery at University Hospital in Madison, interesting comparison of VMI tuitions then and ing good!” Jack Miller said “ … seeing VMI at the Inauguration, makes us proud and brings Wisconsin (he urges any candidates to contact him now – “ … tuition our First-Class year as an back memories about when we were young for advise and references). But the highlight of the Non-Virginia Cadet was $2585. My roommate men at the start of our adult lives. I can almost year – albeit bittersweet – was his retirement from (Joe) was a State Cadet so his entire cost was see Rob and Rog, Harry and Phil marching in American Airlines. He says the time is right and $685 … what a change!” For those of you who perfect step. If you remember -- our Rat year “ … Ava and I are ready to hit the road to enjoy a haven’t checked lately, it’s now $34,098 and was the first year that black cadets were at VMI. whole new phase in life. We’ll keep you posted!” $17,200 respectively. Now we have a president. Take a look at your The Gorski’s note announced that Paul, with AtDid you catch the Corps’ appearance in the ring: Change on one side, tradition on the other, lanta’s MARTA, was to be ordained as a Deacon Inaugural Parade on YouTube? Walt Chalkley HONOR above both. I’m sure it means differat the Cathedral in Atlanta on Feb. 7th. Elise is provided this -- “The Corps was awakened at ent things to different BRs but that is what good working at the Media Center at Blessed Trinity 0400, 20 Jan, got up and marched to breakfast, change meant when I wrote it. Good luck to the Catholic High School; son Joe ’00, daughter-in-law then loaded 26 buses for the 3.5 hour trip to young men and women who are at VMI now Jennifer and grandson John doing well with young DC, waited for most of the day in the buses, and will serve our country soon! We salute you. John often reminding Mom of Joe; son Thomas is went through security, and then staged at the You did an excellent job at the Parade.” Well with UVa as a Fraud Auditor; and daughter Chris- parade holding area for almost 2.5 hours prior stated, BR. tine is a freshman CE at Georgia Tech – whew, to beginning the 1.7 mile parade route. 1,206 Appropriately, Rick Bryan has a slightly again. The Worrells sent a beautiful montage of cadets represented VMI in a parade of 13,000 different take “ … not as impressive as the old “Captain” Norm at the helm of their boat “As You people. The Corps returned to VMI last night corps band at the Cherry Blossom festival. So Were” with First Mate Joy smilingly ensconced at midnight. For you former cadets addressed hung over that we did not even have enough on the deck. Included were pictures of the Haires moisture in our mouths to play our usual off(daughter Julie, USMC 1LT Kyle ’03, and child), key best … ” Rick also passes along this sports and daughter Jessica and her boyfriend – the girls gem “ … How ‘bout those Runnin ’Roos? … clearly get their looks from Mom. Mark Pieklik’s especially in Ohio, we enjoyed the VMI thrashnote was a copy of VMI General Order 54, dated ing of U.K. The Wildcats gave it their best and Dec. 24, 1914 – the Adjutant’s suspension of acagave us all they had, but it just wasn’t enough. I demic and military duties for Christmas Day and do hope U.K. stays Division I.” reminder that regulations “ … forbid cadets to take “Co-Drum Major” Dave Stauss wrote “ … outgoing trains on suspension days without special brings back old memories doesn’t it. I got choked authority”; Old Corps good-to-me’s! … Buzz and up watching them. My wife and I are still in a Martha Chacey say “ … we are at the age where marching band here in Atlanta called the Seed and we are becoming susceptible to the challenges of Feed Marching Abominable. We are considered life.” However, they are really liking SC and Buzz’ Class of 1972: The Pagones after a guerilla marching street band which evolved program at DOE where he is “ … working hard on their son, Jordan’s, return from Iraq from Kelly Morris’s Seed and Feed Theater which the construction of the Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabricain October 2008. folded many years ago but the band kept on going. tion facility that will burn weapons plutonium in We are now celebrating our 35th year. We have commercial reactors. Martha is doing really good no uniforms and we don’t march very well but we and we are much better off than last year at this in this message, the Corps received a haydown play fabulous and thrill the crowd with our antics time when we found out she had a heart attack.” and an optional BRC for this!” My God – they and interaction. They give us a theme (Tacky He’s contemplating retirement in a year or so to do looked good (as you can see from the Obama’s Tourist, Turbo Sparkly) and you make up your some consulting and spend more time with Martha reactions)! Dick Vogel, Chuck Wielgus, Buzz own costume. I’m the bass drummer and my wife while she has her health. The Stranskys said that Chacey, Geoff Bull and Dick Valentine wrote is a Despicable (Majorette, Dancer, Enforcer). Bob had knee replacement surgery Dec. 2nd (“Ho! to agree. Bill Cooper wrote “ … I recall our If I’ve peaked your interest go to our website at Ho!”). Linda’s been playing “Nurse Ratched” to Rat year when I was privileged to make the assist in his recovery … also heard from A.J. and trip with Echo Company for Nixon’s inaugural, http://www.seedandfeed.org.” He signed off Karen Fojt and George and Mary Jane Williams. and it was only that one Company (remember saying they were on their way to see the Hond Courtesy of Facebook, I hear from Tom Garnet Andrews?). I was astonished and proud Battle of the Bands (Historically Black Colleges Hathaway, Moon Mullen, Pete Grojean, Dick to view the clip and see the entire Corps lookand Universities) at the Georgia Dome. This is the Valentine, Geoff Bull, Rocky Yost, competition featured in the movie Zirc Bailey, Stan Crane and thanks “Drum Line.” to Pete, Jim (M.) Snead (owner of Zeno Henninger – “The Fox” Jim Snead Ford in Harrisonburg sent a delightful note letter of BR – free plug, BR). In the old smallcontacts and remembrances. He world department, “Snead-sie” and continues his campaign to inject I were two of five members of Fort our 1968 Ratline into the American Monmouth, NJ’s, Boy Scout Troop school administration in Europe – 49 who were at VMI at the same time but, so far, to no avail. While he and - others being Barry Robertson ’73, wife Jo-Ann were in Hawaii (she Bruce Rambo ’70 and Jim’s brother, for a class – he in search of the perClass of 1972: Chris Foster’s daughter, Ann, married Keith Mike Snead ’70. fect Manhattan – apparently found), Bachman. At the wedding were, from left, the groom, FosJohn Pittenger – a CPCU with Z stopped by an office of the Army ter, Marshall Pinkard, the bride and the late Lou Pappas. Travelers in Pittsburgh – shared an Corps of Engineers in search of Jim

2009-Issue 2

CLASS NOTES Bersson. When two young engineers looked at him incredulously asking “ … you know Jim Bersson? … he owns us!” While he and Jim couldn’t connect, Fox did get two a personalized viewing of a movie of Corps projects in Hawaii and assurances that Jim is an excellent boss. Zeno included this gem of an Aug. 22, 1968, memory – Let me think; my Dad drove me there in his ugly purple Malibu. Prague had just been overrun by the Soviets so that was the news we listened to. I had no clue where Prague was. We stopped at a men’s store downtown to get a black tie; the clerk looked at me and asked if I was entering VMI. I must have looked somewhat terrified. I said yes, he said, “Well, keep your mouth shut!” and smiled. So then we drove to the I, Dad drove in a back road, got a cadre guy all enraged, he parked illegally by Washington Arch, then I set off for Cocke Hall. Running my bags up to the fourth stoop I ripped my pants, dark blue pants ripped the whole fly section out. So there I was with this huge frontal portion of white which got attention of many folks. It was time to march (simulation of) to Crozet for their delicious cold cut lunch. Of course the road was lined with parents and there I was with my disabled pants providing a spectacle. We did not change into fatigues until after lunch and then the cadre dude marched us all over the parade ground in the blazing heat. We returned to Barracks for marching on the stoop, a fellow yelled out for to do and about face, I guess I did it correctly. He asked, “Where did you learn to do that, Rat?” I answered, foolishly forgetting the advice of the fellow in the men’s store “In my high school band, sir!” Well, all Hades broke out as I think every upperclassmen in the area had to visit me so I could demonstrate my technique which made me terribly dizzy and ill feeling, The rest of the day was a blur, I remember having steak that night but the upperclassmen would not let us eat as our straining was of poor quality. Then we marched off to be formed into companies where I met the quadratic equation of Glenn Kuntz ’70, Jim Dawson ’70, Howie DeWolf ’70 and Tom Zarges ’70 I believe.” In closing, Zeno wished prosperity to all and, the market be damned, passed along advice from Cam Fine … “Zeno, it’s cycles, remember – cycles.” The Fox just wonders when he cycle will come back to 360º. So, at the stroke of 2300 hours on deadline day, that’s a wrap – be safe, and be there for those you hold close and those who hold you in their light and love. Honored to be your humble scribe – God bless you and your families – and God bless America. … Larry Editor’s Note: Brother Rats: Just days before this issue’s print deadline, we learned of Lou Pappas’ tragic death. I admit to being deeply torn between deferring the photograph of Lou

until a later issue or leaving it in this one. But both Chris Foster and Marshall Pinkard counseled me that Lou would have wanted it to remain. Both shared that Lou’s happiest days in his last few months were the occasions of Chris’ and Betsy’s daughters’ weddings. The picture remains – and speaks for itself. … Larry

’73

Mike Kelly

Well, here we are on Friday the 13th in February and tomorrow is Valentines Day; Christmas has come and gone, we’re into a new year and a lot is taking place. It’ll be spring when you read these notes, so I’m sure we’ll be looking forward to some nice weather. It hasn’t been too bad of a winter for us, and we actually got some snow here in Raleigh! We may get some more bad weather, though, because on Feb. 2, Groundhog Day, which also happens to be Roland Tiso’s birthday, Raleigh’s Sir Walter Wally saw his shadow so that means six more weeks of winter! Writing the February notes is always nice because I’ve usually heard from many of you during Christmas, through your cards and letters, and this year was no exception. Unfortunately I do have to relay some sad news from the holidays. Doug and Beth Basham were unable to attend the reunion because Doug’s dad was ill. Beth called me right before Christmas to say that Doug’s dad had passed away. Our thoughts and prayers go out to you for your loss. During Thanksgiving, P.X. and Caroline English came by to see me; they were in town visiting relatives. Caroline’s dad became ill, and they were unable to attend the reunion, so they came by to catch up on some of the latest news. They were doing very well, and it was great to have them visit. The week after Thanksgiving, Pat’s son and I went to Campbell University to watch the VMI basketball team and got to see Doug Huthwaite. Unfortunately, his wife, Pat, was not there, but we had a good chat. He still sees Randy Marshall occasionally as they both work at Fort Bragg. I also saw John White ’74, at the game. I used to see John fairly often when he was in Raleigh working on some environmental issues. VMI fans were well represented that night! Doug and Pat Huthwaite said they had spent their 10th anniversary last year in the Dominican Republic and had also traveled to Germany to visit some friends. They had been to New York to visit their daughter, Brianne, and attended the last game in Yankee Stadium.

In early December, Dave Northcraft called me to say that he and Susan were doing well, although his business continued to be a little slow. He is still involved in a number of recruiting efforts in the Kansas City area. Dave had been in contact with John Kearney and sent me an e-mail address for him. John and I exchanged messages, and he said that they were really looking forward to Christmas because their daughter, Mary Karen, and her husband, Barry Crawford, would be coming home for the holidays. On Nov. 8th, Mary Karen gave birth to a young Keydet to be, Alexander Chase, and since they live in England, John and Eileen had not gotten to see their newest grandchild! The baby was to be christened over the holidays. John’s son, Jay, Class of ’00, his wife, Jo, and their daughter, Gianna, were going to be present as well. Barry is in the Air Force and is working in England as a combat controller. Jay recently went to work for the Department of Defense at the Pentagon. Tom and Bonnie Clark sent a Christmas e-mail message along with pictures of their daughter’s wedding. Becky and Robert (Niko) were married in July and live in the Denver area along with Colleen and Ron. Bonnie is still working at the Colorado College Music Department and swears that Tom is the “best house husband in Colorado Springs!” As I mentioned in some of my earlier notes, Charlie Havasy made a major career change last year and decided to follow a long held interest of his and join law enforcement. He sent me a note in December to say he became a Stafford County (VA) sheriff, and completed his 18-week law enforcement basic course in October. Charlie said it ranked right up there with his Ratline year! He finished second in the physical fitness test (behind a guy about half of Charlie’s age.) Charlie was awarded the Charles E. Murray Award for Top Overall Performance Achievement, which is the most important award the academy gives. Congratulations, Charlie, and best of luck with your new career. His wife, Susan, is enjoying her job as a kindergarten teacher in a Christian school environment, and they were looking forward to the holidays as both their children were coming home. Terry (my former roommate) and Nina Howlett got to spend some time last year traveling around the country for four weeks visiting friends and family. They stay busy with their various ministry activities and have added Crown Ministeries to their list. They also helped staff Interaction USA in Pennsylvania, which is a program that hosts military families from foreign nations for one week of discipleship training, followed by a week of visits to other military installations. Evan, their son, has continued to do well in his career with Suddenlink, a national cable company.

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES My other roommate, Roland Tiso, stays in touch Beth were doing well and looking forward to Ralph and Becky Littreal said they were with me pretty regularly. He and his family con- the holidays. He also included a CD of reunion looking forward to a little time in the Virginia tinue to do well. By the time you read these notes, photos and said that if anyone would like copies mountains over the holidays. Dennis (D.C.) and Roland will be on assignment in Pakistan as part of to let him know. Klaus Worrell and Tom JenJean Martin sent holiday cheers and were still a six-month tour, and expects to also spend some nings sent some photos, too, and I sent a numtalking about the reunion, as were John and Ann time in Afghanistan. We wish you the best and ber of photos to VMI for the Review. Several of Pinner, and Dave Sutherland. Bill and Mary will keep you in our thoughts and prayers. Judie them were in 2009’s Issue 1. Stoner sent holiday wishes from Austin, TX. received tenure at Cypress Creek School where In addition to the letters and e-mail, I received Bill and Shirley Van Deusen included a letter she is the lead music teacher, and is staying plenty a lot of cards from folks. Debbie and Larry in their card. They talked about the reunion and busy with her work. C.J., their daughter, continues Mays sent their best wishes for all, as did RB the 62 points scored by the football team. Bill to excel at the University of South Florida and has and Becky Newman. Becky said that their wondered if we had scored 62 points in a whole been chosen to go to Tunisia this summer with a November and December months were very season while we were there. He noted that he dance troupe from USF. Allie, their other daughter, busy as RB had a lot of Virginia guard functions had been fishing again, and one of his sons had has been accepted to study at the Lines School of and events to attend, but they were able to enjoy seven citation speckled trout last year. Ballet in San Francisco this summer. I know Roland some great family time at Christmas. I also had Stuart Seaton sent me a note and a picture of is really proud of his family. a fishing trip that he, John Pinner, Milt Salter sent a nice note wishing Frank Joyce, Darrell Rickmond and everyone a very happy and prosperous Frank Richardson ’74, had taken on new year. He continues to rebuild his Dec. 13. Mark Weiss had planned to business after taking a heavy hit with go but pulled out at the last minute. Hurricane Katrina, and the economy Check out their picture in this issue hasn’t been helping him much. He of the Review. Frank took them out also has to spend a lot of time on on his yacht named Pier Pressure the road between Mobile and New and cruised the Chesapeake Bay. It Orleans. Milt is looking forward to looks a little cold, but sounds like it a conference in Toronto this summer was a lot of fun. which will give him both a break and I had an inquiry from someone an opportunity to look up some family trying to get up with Neil Carlson, in the area. His grandfather grew up but I didn’t have a “good” e-mail in Toronto. Milt says if any of us are address for him. Klaus Wortraveling along I-10 to let him know rell helped me out by providing and he’ll do lunch. one, and I had a nice message Mike and Mary Burke sent a back from Neil. He and his wife, Christmas letter to say they are Virginia, are doing well, and I was doing well. Mike loves teaching successful in helping to get him Class of 1973: Pictured from left: John Pinner, Stuart Seaton, Frank Joyce, Frank Richardson ’74 and Darat the local St. Louis Community and an old Army buddy of his torell Rickmond. The group gathered for a picture after College-Meramec Campus, where gether. Seems they served together a rockfish fishing trip in December 2008. According to he is an assistant English professor. in the 1980’s but had lost track of Seaton, who submitted this photo, “Joyce captained He is continually amazed at the wide each other, so it was nice to hear his yacht, Pier Pressure, for a very enjoyable day on the mix of students in his classes. Mary from Neil about their reunion. Chesapeake Bay. Frank’s wife, Barbara, fixed us a very still works part time there teaching This issue’s “lost and found” tasty dinner at their Southall Landing condo in Hampton. a couple of courses in periodontics Brother Rat is Dr. Bob Luther. Also joining us for dinner was Ann Pinner.” and supervising the dental clinic. Although Bob only stayed with Not pictured and unable to attend was Mark Weiss. Their daughter, Emilie, attends us through his Rat year, he has school there and continues to excel continued to keep up with the in her work. Mike was still talking about his trip some really neat photos, including a picture of Institute and his class through the Review and to the reunion with Hugh White and what a great the Bushnells -- Bob, Sharon and their labs, Big other letters and notes, and decided to write me time they had. Turk and Little Cleo. Willie Wells sent a picture a letter. Bob lives in the Pittsburg area and is a I had a really nice letter from Rick and Reof himself and his two sons, William and dentist in Oakdale, PA. Although he only was at bekah Gribling and a recap of their year. One George. Willie said that he was excited about VMI for one year, Bob definitely feels the bond of their big highlights in 2008 was a trip Rick 2009 and hoped that the national leadership and is sure that the Institute was very valuable planned for them to the Atlantis Resort in the Ba- would remain strong for the challenges ahead. and influential in his life, particularly dealing hamas to celebrate their 25th anniversary, as well William is working at Brent & Beckies Bulbs in with challenges or confrontations. After leaving as a celebration of their daughter Rachel’s graduGloucester, and George is a senior at Fishburne VMI, he finished school at Pitt and continued ation from high school. Rachel had learned that where he is swimming and playing lacrosse. on there in dental school. Bob said he returns she had been accepted into the Honors Program John Sykes and family are still in the to Virginia frequently and has taken a special at James Madison University. While Rick and Blufton, SC, area and doing well. Blufton is interest in the Civil War. He spends a lot of time Rebekah experienced that “parental sadness” that near Savannah. And speaking of which, I had studying in the Old Dominion. He also has a occurs when you take your baby off to college, a card from H.B. and Leisa Weatherford that son, Rob, who went to Hampton Sydney and is they seem to be doing fine now. included a picture of their beautiful 11-yearnow an attorney in Williamsburg. His other son, Matt Tignor sent me a note saying that he and old daughter, Savannah. Kurt, graduated first in his class at Purdue in

2009-Issue 2

CLASS NOTES 2006 and is now in a Ph.D. program at Georgia Tech. Kristen, his daughter, is a junior at UVa. Bob said his wonderful wife, Melanie, has enjoyed going to Lexington with him over the years as he has visited some of his old stomping grounds. Bob indicated that about 15 years or so ago, he had a patient come into his office by sheer coincidence. The patient was Joe Duffy. Well, Bob, if you see Joe again, tell him to get in touch with me as he is currently on my “lost BR list.” It was great to hear from you, Bob, and please stay in touch. As I said in the beginning of these notes, it will be New Market when you read them, and graduation time, followed by vacation time. Things really do seem to move along faster as we age. I must also admit that a lot of things get better with age, not only a good Single Malt Scotch, but the Institute as well. The growth and change is phenomenal. The basketball team is currently 21-4; the Corps is at an all time high. On January 31, the Rat class got out of the Ratline after a day of very strenuous and team building activities – all 392 young men and women. After the Christmas break, cadets moved into the new Third Barracks. The new book store and PX are open. The Center for Leadership and Ethics, a one-of-a-kind facility in the world, has opened for business. In April, Governor Tim Kaine is scheduled to visit VMI to dedicate the new Kilbourne Hall, which is probably the finest ROTC facility in the country. It is absolutely amazing, and very exciting. And the Class of ’73 continues to be well represented with Rich Lykins as the president of the Alumni Association and Billy Stephens as president of the Keydet Club. Rich and Billy both have told me that they spend a lot of time working on VMI business but there are numerous challenges that need to be handled. Among them are budget cuts at the Institute. The Commonwealth has its own set of problems; and as I’ve said before, many of our endowments have declined, thus many financial situations must be handled through other sources of revenue to ensure that the school’s mandates related to state performance standards and academic accreditation are met. The Institute relies heavily on alumni for support and has a goal of 37 percent participation from VMI alumni. So far this fiscal year, the Class of 1973 has a participation rate of about 26 percent. In December, you received a mailing from me about annual giving, along with a letter on the class’s brick challenge. I also mentioned the Keydet Club’s 75th anniversary campaign. Thanks to many of you for responding. As of February 13, we have had 23 BRs answer that challenge and so far contributed more than $7,300 for the Keydet Club. VMI’s fiscal year ends June 30, so please try to contribute to the Institute this year, and let’s get

our class giving percentage up to a number we can brag about! Thanks again to everyone that does contribute on a regular basis. We have so much to be proud of. I hope all of you have a wonderful spring and summer. Please keep those cards and letters coming in. And as a reminder, if you change your e-mail address, or if you haven’t gotten an e-mail from me in awhile, please be sure I have a correct address for you. Take care, and start making those fall football plans! Hope to see you soon.

’74

Snookie Parker

Greetings, Brother Rats. Hear ye, hear ye, hear ye: Block your calendars: Reunion Dates: Sept.4-5, 2009. Planning guidelines: Fun, inexpensive, casual, and convenient. Here is the plan: Thursday p.m.: an informal get together for dinner/drinks for early bird arrivals. Friday: Set up class reunion HQs/Party Room for registration, class golf tournament, activities for the ladies, afternoon parade, casual buffet dinner/dance in Moody Hall and late night at the Class HQs – Breakfast and lunch on your own. Saturday: Breakfast and lunch on your own; Class memorial service, class meeting, class photo, parade, ballgame at 1:00 p.m., an outdoor BBQ at the Pavilion at McKethan Park and late night in the class HQs. Sunday: A farewell brunch. The Inn at Hunt Ridge has rooms blocked for our class. If everyone attends, we will have the place to ourselves. Looking for volunteers to continue to coordinate the plan and execute. Class Mementos this reunion: Under Armor VMI 74 Red Golf shirt with matching cap – white shirts will be available for the wives. Order forms and prices will most likely be out to you by the time you see these notes. Wife suggestions/input desired/ preferred. Don’t be shy. See you there! How about them Runnin ’Roos? High probability for an NCAA Tournament invite. Christmas Notes: Russ and Cheryl Takata, our Hawaii connection, send news of a Thanksgiving family holiday in Chicago. Daughter Courtnie and son in law Grant have moved into a condo in downtown Chicago (Grant is with Sagnoff and Weaver law firm). Daughter Alisa flew in from the San Francisco Bay area. Cheryl is still working for Healthways and Russ is contemplating retirement from the State Department of Health. Mike and Lera Andriani included the news of son Michael’s promotion to cadet captain and named the Bravo Company Commander for the West Potomac High School JROTC program in their Christmas note. Young Mike had early ac-

ceptance to VMI, Citadel, Randolph Macon and Valley Forge Military College. Of course he is going to VMI. Lera has been very active in local issues as the Treasurer of the Mt. Vernon Republican Women’s Club, and Mike has rejoined the ranks of government. In addition, Mike and Lera hosted a wonderful evening the third week of January for Charlie Gardner, Charley Banning and myself. We were treated to an evening of great company, good cheer, a table setting fit for a king, and a fabulous meal. Hats off to Ms Lera – she can rattle a pot and a pan. Speaking of Charley Banning, the eleventh edition of the Banning Christmas Gazette chronicling the recent exploits of Buff Daddy, She Who Must Be Obeyed (SWMBO), and Little Willie (aka Charley, Debbie and Will Banning) arrived without appropriate fanfare. Highlights of this year’s Gazette were SWMBO’s acquisition of a half Arabia, half Tennessee Walker horse and Will’s membership of the Falls Church High School marching band. Fortunately, administrators have seen it fit to treat Buff Daddy as the consummate substitute teacher of choice in Wake County … always nice to be in demand. Great note Charley – thanks! Don and Patti Kilcullen’s note began with big news: Son Michael joined the Marines in July … hooo-aaahhh! Now a serving member of the Sixth Marines touring the mid-east. A naïve young boy transform into a competent and confident young man in a matter of months is touring the world. Parent’s pride mixed with newness of the empty nest … it’s the circle of life Don. Nice note Patti. Rob and Joan Bacon send holiday greetings from sunny Florida. Rob is busy tending to family estate issues. Joan is still teaching and “grandma” to two: Sarah (4) and Chris (16 months). Son Sean is at U of N. FL. Daughter Elizabeth is enjoying motherhood. Next time I’m in Jax, we’ll have to meet for some of Jacksonville’s finest Bono’s BBQ, my all time favorite. Hope to see you both at the reunion. John and Tracey Crawley sent a nice Christmas Newsletter: Graham and Shelley Undercoffer sent Christmas greetings from Lexington, VA. Graham was home for Christmas on a much deserved break from the slings and arrows of mid-east misfortune. Sons Andrew and Brian are at VA Tech, son Cole is a starter in the Jr Varsity Basketball team, and daughter Caity, forward on a championship soccer team, and is 13 going on 21. Shelley continues with her support programs and keeps the home fires burning. Red is back in the box as you read this … who knows where? The infamous Kyber Pass perhaps! Head down, eyes peeled and come home safe. Hope to hear a story or two at the reunion … John and Ann Savage’s daughter, Tyler, and her husband are expecting their first child this

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES spring. It will be their first grandchild and John’s parent’s first great grandchild. Tyler teaches third grade and is working on her masters in speech therapy at the University of South Carolina. Son Mason is in his second year at UGA Veterinary Medical School and was elected student body president for this year. Wow! As John says, “We are very proud of both the kids and look forward to borrowing money from them someday soon.” Ann and John continue to ride motorcycles and have a great time at biker events. Ann got a new Triumph for Christmas and is really looking forward to biking this spring. Mason and John are headed to Daytona for Bikeweek and Ann and John plan to do Panama City Bikeweek this year as well. John says Sturgis maybe three to four years away but … he really wants to go to Speedweek at the Saltflats before he’s done. John, you may want to hook up with the Ambassador, Bob Trost … a Sturgis veteran and lead element of Rolling Thunder in DC. Received a nice note from Tim and Pat Bosse. The Bosse Man works for Booze Allan and hangs his hat in GA these days. Son Brian (USMA 04 Inf CPT) returned Afghanistan, got married, and is off to the 173rd Airborne in Italy with wife Elizabeth and headed to a follow-on third tour to Afghanistan. Other than a bout with Lime Disease and shoulder, life is pretty good for the Bosses. Thanks for the note Tim. Chip and Cathy Beaman had little news to report this Christmas – which is not a bad thing considering where we all are in the circle of life. Chip is still plugging away in the Norfolk City Attorney’s office, and Cathy is in her 12th year teaching pre-school. Daughter Catherine is with Nurse Choice in San Diego and son Rob is practicing law in Virginia Beach. It is always good to hear from you Chip! Sam -- the Bob Vila wanna be -- and Collen Mattocks have recently acquired “This Old House” in Old Town Petersburg. How old you ask: 1874. Sam’s son is an assistant coach for the state 4A high school basketball team in Apex, NC – in the heart of tobacco road where basketball is king … Sam’s daughter is engaged to be married this year – an F-18 Navy Fighter Pilot no less … Top Gun! Hope to see you and Colleen at the reunion so we can share home improvement insights. From Don and Barb Whitten’s Christmas note: Daughter Jenny, a senior at Wm & Mary, is enjoying her third year of crew and a fourth place finish at the Head of the Charles race in Boston. Congrats! Daughter Christine is in fashion merchandizing at the U of S. Carolina. Barb is still busy with her civil engineering work and Don is doing Info Assurance Policy with Booze Allan Hamilton. Short note with lots of info – thanks Don!

2009-Issue 2

Craig and Debbie MacFarlane’s brood are all doing well. Son Casey successfully defended his Masters of Music Education degree. Son Jared finished his degree in economics. Son Kevin has two semesters to go. Craig is still working for the Missile Defense Agency. Debbie is turning her attention to her version of “This Old House.” Deb, we should commiserate with the Whittens at the reunion. Thanks for the note Deb. Chuck and Louise Ward send greetings from Charlottesville, VA. Chuck retired from government work this year and went right back to work as a contractor – well go figure. They’re planning to be at the reunion. Thanks for the note Louise. Walt and Karen Wilson have had 10 inches of snow in the last 10 days, and it’s not letting up. Walts’ back surgery and physical therapy has gone well relieving him of some aggravating pain. Karen is dong well as the credit administrator for Columbia Bank. Walt says she is “hard core” on her lenders – consequently they are in good shape. When are you coming back this way … reunion I hope! Gus and Randi Elliott, almost empty nesters in Frisco, TX, send Christmas greetings. Gus retired from the Air Force (Tyndal AFB) – Hall Brodie witnessed the affair. Gus now works for Army and Air Force Exchange Services – the Real Estate Directorate and VP of Facilities Division. He is in the home office in Dallas. Randi was hired to open a new women’s center at the Baylor Medical Center of Frisco but now is the Chief Nursing Officer. They have a son who is with CBS Sports in San Diego, another son who is a research scientist and a daughter finished at FSU and is headed to a master’s program. John and Tracey Crawley are empty nesters, formerly known as parents. They have a daughter who is in Alexandria, VA, with Good Harbor Consulting. Son John is out of the Army and tending bar. Tracey is in her sixth year with the Navy’s Fleet and Family Support Center. BR John has moved from Government Service to Defense contracting in Norfolk for NATO. Nice newsletter John! Thanks! Mark Prentice retired in June and went to work as a BD guy for an engineering company. Wife Michelle and daughter Kristine keep the home fires burning in Williamsburg. All is well with Paul and Rose VanDoren. Suffolk, VA, seems is working for them. Paul is still a contractor for Joint Forces Command and Rose enjoys her Red Hatters among her many other activities. Hope to see you both at the reunion. Big news in the Lester household – David and Jan’s (really a proud momma moment) daughter, Rachel, was married in September. A gorgeous bride & thanks for the picture Jan. Henry and Peggy Moncure are full time residents at their “Rivah House” in Gloucester, VA. A Grady White Gulfstream boat acquired

this past July provided for fishing entertainment. Son Marc is a Marine PFC with Unit 1-9 at Camp Lejeune. Henry has retired but is starting to ease back into his consulting and real estate businesses. Peggy is two years away from retirement. When are we going fishing Henry! Pete Shelley sees Hall Brodie at the ACC swim meets. Pete and Susan’s daughter Taryn swims for NCSU. Hall and Brenda’s daughter, Layne, swims for GA Tech. They are to be in at the meet in Maryland the third week in February. If it works out, Pete and Hall will try to make a breakfast club meeting. The breakfast Club Grand PuhBah, Charley Banning will have to coordinate. We’ll see what happens in the next set of notes. Received a nice Christmas note from Wilson and Anne Johnson. Wilson is still in Moncks Corner, SC (near Charleston). Wilson retired from Santee Cooper and is now a Soils Consultant for foundation investigative work as well as other services. Anne enjoys her work at Northwood Academy. Son Matt graduated from Liberty U with a degree in Government and Political Science and has enrolled in a Masters program. Daughter Catherine finishes Fashion Retailing degree this year – 4.0 GPA at the U of SC. Her summer intern job this year: Atlanta or Paris. Tough choice. Thanks for the note, Wilson. As many already know, Glenn Greene has taken a very commendable role in support of Roy Heiderman’s immediate family. Glenn has led the way in coordinating support for the family. He is currently working to assemble a trampoline for the kids. I cannot say enough of how noble his effort has been to date. Thanks to all of our BRs who support this cause. Well done Glenn Greene – U DA MAN! Received some sad news this week – George VanLathem’s mother passed away. Say a pray for George, Anne and Ashley. Herbie and Mary Stuart Harlow sent a 1970’s vintage VMI Color Guard Christmas Card that Herbie had discovered stored at his parents’ house. Classic! Herby lives am just south of Atlanta. He retired from Delta Air Lines about four years ago (after 25 years), enjoyed that for a couple of years, then went back to work two years ago flying for Airtran Airways. Herby and Mary Stuart have a 22-year-old daughter that graduated from Emory University last summer, living in Florida and a 19-year-old son, who is currently at sea, attending the US Merchant Marine Academy. Thanks Herbie. Thank you to Rick Hess for keeping me and others posted on Rick Hissem’s heart valve surgery. Rick Hissem came through with flying colors. Season’s greetings received from Tom and Ida Patykula (Hawaii); Snap and Cathy Carlock (Richmond, VA); Bruce and Sue Jones; Andy

CLASS NOTES and Pat Young (Franklin, MA). Ted and Susan Telle (Germany); Mike and Lera Andriani (Alexandria, VA); Bert and Cherryl Graham (Philadelphia, PA); Steve and Pat Orr (Walkersville, MD); T.J. and Kerry Wilson (Harrisonburg, VA); George and Anna Van Laethem (Chesapeake, VA); Lane and Karin Toome (Southern Pines, NC); Charlie and Tommy Toler (Panama City Beach, FL); Frank and Jeanee Richardson (Newport News, VA); John and Suzanne Pate (Virginia Beach, VA); Kevin and Cindy Nettrour (Mascoutah, IL); Ricky and Page Kastelberg (Richmond, VA); Mike and Sarah Fisher (Rochelle, VA); Bob and Lisa Braren (Marco Island, FL); Craig and Debbie McFarlane (Woodbridge, VA); Heads up for a repeated message: Block your calendars: Reunion Dates: Sept. 4-5, 2009. Looking for volunteers to help plan/execute. Wife suggestions/input desired/preferred. Don’t be shy. See you there! That is all the news for now. CLASS AGENT PLEA! Please forward any news regarding births, deaths, illnesses, marriages and other significant events concerning your family and/or careers. Brother Rats are interested and do care. I know e-mail addresses have a half-life of about six months. Keep us current. Send your updated e-mail address to me snookieparker1974@earthlink.net, Charley Banning cbanning@cox.net or Kevin Nettrour (our Web Master) nettrour@accessus.net. Check out the Web-site. Send me a note. Yada, Yada, Yada and Yaba Daba Dooooo! Warm Regards … Snookie

’75

Robert Mills

Greetings, My Brothers: Welcome to the spring edition of our class notes. Allow me to commence with my heartfelt appreciation for all who sent holiday greetings and other assorted missives that make this column possible. One of the highlights of the holiday season for Emily and me was a festive repast put on by Oscar Richardson and his lovely wife, Anna, at their home in Chesapeake. We joined Ben and Anne Vanderberry and Rob and Sally Slaughter for cocktails and a genuine home cooked Indian meal which Anna had graciously modified to accommodate the fragility of the western pallet. It would be hard to pick a favorite but Anna makes a Tandoori chicken which is something to write home about! Andy Andisheh sent holiday greetings from snowy Calgary, while Jay Jones sent a contrasting epistle from Cozumel, Mexico, where the family had flown to celebrate the

nuptials of his eldest daughter, Shenan. Jay and Dawn returned home just in time to head out again to Sacramento, CA, for Dawn’s father’s 80th birthday. Their younger daughter, Caitlin, is working in Arlington as a corporate sales manager for Gold’s Gym, and Dawn has recently completed all the examinations necessary to make her a registered representative of the New York Stock Exchange. With all of the bargain basement bargains currently available on the market I guess we all now know who to call. Charlie Freeman sent that rare and most cherished of relics, a genuine handwritten letter. He reported that his youngest son, Chris, is busy surfing in California while working at Ferguson Enterprises studying for his MBA. He also trains as a forest fire fighter to account for any spare time that he might have. Charlie was thrilled to have joined Chris and his lovely bride, Courtney, for a baseball game between the Dodgers and Padres followed by a sweet ticket to see Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. Charlie’s oldest son, Alex, acquired his commercial driver’s license and is trucking around the country in an eighteen wheeler from his home base in El Paso. Charlie was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer but is well on the way to recovery. Charlie had heard from Len Riedel who was preparing for cardiac surgery. Len, our thoughts are with you. Tony and Teresa Farry reported that their boys, Kyle and Adam, are doing well with Adam set to graduate in May. Adam is on the golf team and the two of them have had fun following his nascent career. Tony still loves his caddy work which keeps him fit and tan, and hobnobbing with assorted celebrities in sylvan surroundings. Fellow golf fanatic Chris Smart is enjoying his new job in Abu Dhabi as chief petrophysicist for ADCO where he specializes in producing oil from carbonate reservoirs. Chris has a penthouse flat overlooking the golf course, and has converted the maid’s room into a workshop that he uses for the pursuit of his hobby in which he constructs the crooked implements with which one strikes that little dimpled dollop of joy and futility. Chris wants Reggie Webb to know that Kings Barnes in Scotland is, in his humble opinion, the finest golf course in the world. Chris recounted how he was teeing up at the Abu Dhabi National Golf Club when he noticed a fellow golfer wearing a VMI belt. This turned out to be James Gede ’79 whom our Brother Rat, Andy Dearman had recruited to play football for the Keydets. The two of them spent a splendid sun drenched day trying to work on the Gede slice and, no doubt, finished up the round with some frosty golden carbonated contraband. Paul, Abby and Chris Bernard sent Christmas greetings along with Kimo and Melanie Wong who wished everyone a “Mele Kalikimaka”

with a festive card that featured envy inducing photos from their recent trip back to Kimo’s home islands of Hawaii. Glenn Garland sent along a Halloween photo from Chapel Hill, NC. Glenn was dressed as Bill Clinton and his date as Sarah Palin (only hotter)! Way to go, Willie ... I mean Glenn. Bo “Bonecrusher” Temple switched jobs and offices to become the new Deputy Commanding General of Civil and Emergency Operations for the Army Corps of Engineers. His new position makes him responsible for national level civil infrastructure (harbors, ports, dams, levies, inland waterways, etc., as well as emergency response). Something tells me our next natural disaster may be met a bit more astutely managed than those of recent memory. Nancy Temple and her sister started TG Designs where they design and produce fused glass jewelry and assorted housewares. Bo and Nancy’s son, Peter, graduated from VCU with a degree in psychology and has been accepted into the Rehabilitation Counseling Program at the Medical College of Virginia where he quickly became a research assistant to Dr. Stephen West, M.T. and Faye MoghavemiTehrani sent holiday greetings and were happy to have both their girls back in the D.C. area where their youngest, Susan, is attending George Mason University. Heather Janes reports that she’s doing well at Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School in the Master of Divinity Program, despite continuing to work as a CPA preparing for tax season. Ollie and Bonnie Way’s son, Barrett, finished up his field goal kicking season at Ohio University with nine straight field goals. At last report he was testing the waters in the pro system; a field that is narrowing in the absence of arena football and the demise of the European league. Laughton Way ’04 will be finishing his second year of law school at William & Mary and will intern during the summer for Hunton & Williams in Richmond. It is with great sadness that we report that John Young lost his wife of 30 years, Joyce, following a massive stroke. Joyce had bravely confronted a series of medical challenges ranging from juvenile diabetes to heart disease and, most recently, lung cancer. She maintained a cheerful and courageous demeanor throughout her ordeal and is survived by her daughter, Michelle, and sons, John and Steven, all of whom were by her side for her final farewell. Our thoughts and heartfelt condolence go out to John in his time of grief and loss. Ellett Smith is still working at DARPA and putting three children through college. His oldest is completing his masters at George Mason University, with another at Radford University, and his daughter at Northern Virginia Community College. Jerry DeWaters is counting the days until spring when he plans to visit Guy

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES Conte to spoil yet another pleasant, long walk with clubs and sticks. Jerry keeps in touch with his Rat Dyke, Dan Thornton ’78. Bill and Edith Robson checked in to say that they are doing fine and had seen Bo Temple on TV shaking hands with certain dignitaries during a television special on Air Force One. Esteemed District Attorney Fred Edwards sent greetings from Texas and told of how he was selecting a jury in a particularly heinous sexual assault case only to notice the smooth genteel visage of a retired Air Force Engineer among the rugged, weather beaten features of the local ranchers and roughnecks comprising the typical jury panel in this locality. This was none other than Rick Davison who is now the proprietor of a gentleman’s ranch in scenic Waller County, TX. Apparently, this struck fear into the heart of the accused perpetrator, who elected the option of a long term residence in the state penitentiary; an outcome that not only served the interests of justice, but also spared Rick and Fred several arduous days in the hallowed halls of Justice. Bob Holby and his wife Shirley will be transferring from Travis Air Force Base, California to Hanscom Air Force Base in Massachusetts where Bob will work as a civilian. He was looking forward to all of the legendary St. Patrick Day festivities in Boston. Greg Diamontopulos was proud to report that his son, Peter, had accepted admission to our beloved Institute and will be matriculating as a history major and NROTC participant in the fall. Greg says that Peter is overjoyed and grinning from ear to ear. I have made a note to ask him about that again in December. Bruce “B.E.” Torbett and Darla welcomed a new granddaughter, Aubree, in December. Buckwheat laments that spoiling the three grandchildren has become more and more of an economic challenge given their grandmother’s ardor in this regard. Bernie Cobb, President of Taylor Chemical Company, has remarried after losing his wife, Martha, to cancer in 2004. Bernie and Carole, his new bride, got together with Guy Conte and Reverend Alan Hansen for a dinner in Atlanta. Bernie’s daughter, Laurin, was married last May and works at Agna Scott College and his younger daughter, Stacey, is completing her junior year at Furman University while studying in Africa. Apparently the Furman meal plan transfers, and the exchange rate is so favorable that a hamburger translates into a five course meal, including antelope and chocolate chili sauce. Guy Conte was glued to the tube on inauguration day to see son Chris ’10, pass in review along with the rest of the Corps. Barry Hughes spent December in beautiful Baghdad working in the Perfume Palace in one of the staff elements of multinational forces-Iraq. After enduring a festive Baghdad Christmas, he was back in

2009-Issue 2

Fairfax for New Years Eve! Charlie Hoon had just returned to California from Hawaii where his girlfriend attended a medical conference and was busy planning a turkey hunting trip to Iowa. Not long ago Charlie bought a Cessna 210 and has been doing some flying while awaiting ankle surgery to clean up the titanium in his bionic ankle. I guess that’s why he bought the plane … couldn’t make it through the metal detectors at the airport. Our favorite running back, Ronnie Norman had just finished work in Crystal City near the Pentagon and had just boarded the bus to the commuter lot when Barry Lineback walked by. Barry is the Acting Director of Program Operations in an independent federal agency and says that twin Larry is living in California where he teaches and works as a junior ROTC instructor. Barry made a commitment to attend the next reunion, and we intend to hold him to that! Artie Nunn reported some good news from Roanoke. Mike Fleenor has survived a long battle of different treatments, including a stem cell transplant at Duke University, and has now been declared cancer free! This cheerful prognosis also applies to John “Bimbo” Sheffield who made it through a similar procedure back in January. This is the spot where I remind you all not to neglect your annual physicals, including a PSA test! Artie Nunn keeps in touch with Randy Frank in Eugene, OR, where Randy had officially adopted the Oregon Ducks out of geographical necessity. Artie was present in Lexington along with Al Morgan, Rob Taylor, Tom Mason, Mike Hunter, Steve Chapin, Dave Schuyler, Chip Louthan, and Mark Hall at the basketball game against Liberty which featured a ceremony honoring the Keydet teams of ’77 and ’78. It was a great pleasure to see and chat with Ron Carter ’78, Dave Montgomery ’78, John Krovic ’77, Curt Reppart ’76, Will Bynum ’77 and other basketball legends of that era. Steve Chapin was so inspired by this assemblage that he went home and dug out a photograph of his wedding showing a lot of Keydets suitably lubricated and posing for posterity and hilarity. Bill Kern plans to return to Orel, Russia this summer to revisit his little Russian charges at a local church camp. He is busy brushing up on his Russian. The local kids call him “Dedeska” which, roughly translated means “Gramps.” His brothers and sisters call him Billy Nine Toes after he had his left great toe amputated as a consequence of a brief bout with melanoma. This doesn’t keep him from continuing to run road races and accumulate T shirts. Bill and Liz’s daughter, Rebecca, runs a book store in Atlanta where she has found a hard working, good looking, intellectual companion who speaks several languages, plays chess and is teaching her Japanese. This all contributes to

Bill feeling his age, a phenomenon compounded by the hot little blond babe that works at the wine store who keeps calling him sir and always offers to carry his wine to the car for him. Bill speculates that this nubile young merchant is understandably enamored of older, nine toed men with thick eyeglasses. Liz is predictably unconcerned. That’s all the news that’s fit to print. Hope everyone got a gander at the lengthy, well-written and astonishingly accurate portrait of the Keydet Roundball Team in the Feb. 9, 2009, edition of Sports Illustrated. Go Keydets! Until next time, stay young and stay in touch!

’76

William Bhatta

Brother Rats: Following a Class Agents’ meeting on Nov. 22nd, I went out to watch the parade. It was a cold one; the cadets were dyked out in overcoats. I saw Mark Sculley taking pictures as well as Gary Czupryna and his wife tailgating – thanks for breakfast! Mark was visiting his nephew and Gary was visiting his son, Chris Czupryna ’09. Both cadets celebrated Ring Figure that weekend. My wife and I intended to go to the VMIPresbyterian game but we both wimped-out due to the cold. Instead, we selected a much better option and spent the afternoon with Mei and J.R. Mott and Grigg and Cindy Mullen. Grigg and Cindy were celebrating Grigg Jr.’s closing on a piece of property (on the way out to Goshen). Grigg Jr. plans to establish a machine shop and home for himself out there. Grigg Sr. was very happy since he can start reclaiming space at home. Andrew, Grigg’s other son, is at the University of Mary Washington working on his degree in Spanish and Geography. I discovered great news about Col. Evan Haberman. Last year he received the Stuart R. Reichart Award for “the most outstanding achievement in the field of law within the USAF.” Evan was recognized at the Air Force Association Convention last September and at the USAF JAG award dinner in November for winning the award. Fred Bauer ’72 told me Evan has been the “go to guy” by his superiors and the White House. Evan recently completed a tour as Head of the General Law section which means he was responsible for supervising approximately 80% of all USAF legal matters. Razz Warf and John Strock are both working in Alexandria, VA, at the Hoffman 1 Building. They catch up with each other from

CLASS NOTES time to time. Razz is the Deputy Commanding Bill Danzeisen, his wife and son. The afternoon General at the U. S. Army Human Resources ended with a great win: VMI 103 – Costal Command and John is a sergeant major, supCarolina 102. On Jan. 17th, the Mullens hosted porting the Department of the Army Operation the pregame basketball luncheon at their home. Freedom Team Salute program. Col. Scott Hunt and Annette Ozmer, the Habermans, the Lloyd directed the same program until he Motts, Michelle and I were there. The chili was retired last year. Scott is now the Sudan Desk great and we had no problem keeping the beer Officer with United States African Command cold as it was 20 degrees out. At the game we (U.S. AFRICOM) in Stuttgart, Germany. Razz saw John Coleman and Carmen Villani. Curt said while he is working in Washington, DC, Reppart was also there; recognized at halftime his wife maintains their home back in the along with the other remaining players from the Chicago area, providing non-stop commuting 1976 and 1977 NCAA tournament basketball support for their 8th grade daughter’s piano teams. Unfortunately, the great alumni basketand dance lessons. ball team could not help the Keydets overcome Ted and Melanie Mouras started the year with a strong Liberty team on the court; VMI lost major home repairs -- a plumbing leak under 91 - 80. their concrete slab. They had the new plumbing Here is the 1976 health care update: (I re-routed through the ceiling so they spent the imagine this feature will continue to grow over next month having a collection of plumbers, the years) Jim Dittrich had surgery to repair a dry-wallers and painters wander in and out of their home. Then they spent two months cleaning up the mess. Ted’s days are busy with volunteer work, and some paid work in the same field. He’s developed a “niche market” as the only professional bird guide with a military ID card. He can take foreign tourists onto Fort Huachuca, where the birding is great but the access is restricted. He’s got quite an international clientele at this point. Melanie is working diligently on her piano skills, and spends some time nearly every day bonding with the baby grand. She’s also their travel planner, planning this year’s trips to Canada Class of 1976: Mark Conley and his and Mexico. daughter, Bridget ’12, after jumping out Jim and Tish Dittrich did not start the year of a perfectly good airplane! right either. Their son, Taylor, graduated from Johnson & Wales University in Denver, CO, with a culinary degree. On the way home, after detached retina and is doing well. Jack Christy graduation and helping him move back to Ar- finally stopped his disease of the month club kansas, they topped off the SUV with diesel fuel membership and is doing fine. Jack said now instead of gasoline. That’s when Jim discovered that health issues are behind him he is dediin Hays, KS, on a Sunday night it costs $400.00 cated to staying in the best physical condition to drain your tank. Jim still heads a distribution possible. He started swimming, his favorite center for Leisure Arts and new Sales responsi- exercise ever since VMI, and weight lifting, bilities. His wife is the Leisure Arts Director of his least favorite exercise. As a result he feels Finance & Administration. Jim’s second son, Ad- stronger and much better. Clyde Furr had a dison, graduate from the University of Arkansas knee replaced but his spirits are very good. Folwith a degree in journalism and also got married lowing his surgery Clyde said: “On Wednesday, last summer. His youngest daughter, Chelsea, I went back to physical therapy. After about 30 graduated from high school and started college minutes, I was crying and crawling towards the at the University of Arkansas this year. Jim said door; the Physical Therapy dude pounced on me “she has a steady boyfriend who read through my and dragged me back to the rack for more fun. instructions for dating my daughter.” Caught me two more times before it was over. Thanks to the Motts and Mullens for their Came home, took two pain pills, slept through hospitality during the basketball season. They the afternoon. That was nice.” Is anyone else hosted several BRs for lunch before the games. falling apart? On Jan. 10th, Jim Mallon, Lee Godsey and Mack and Paula Curle and Keith and Karen myself attended the Costal Carolina game and Dickson had lunch with the Furrs prior to had lunch at the Mott’s with Hunt Ozmer, Clyde’s surgery. Clyde’s son, John, is still Evan and Margaret Haberman and the Mulin Iraq with the 1st Armored Division, but lens. At the game we were able to link-up with scheduled to rotate back to Germany in June.

His daughter, Katie, and her husband, Morgan, are at Fort Sam Houston, TX, where Morgan is attending his Advanced Course. They will be going to California where Morgan will be working on a Medical Corps Evaluation Board. Clyde and Mary’s middle son, Matt, is working on a ranch in Oklahoma. Keith and Karen are doing well in Virginia Beach. Their oldest daughter Katharine is a junior at Martin Luther College in Minnesota. She’s a varsity soccer player. Their youngest daughter Colleen is a junior in high school, plays varsity field hockey and soccer, and sings in the school choir, which travels all up and down the East Coast. Keith continues to teach at the Joint Forces Staff College in Norfolk and also teaches a U.S. history course at ODU. He is finishing the last revisions of his book on the life of Douglas S. Freeman. His two volume World War II Almanac has appeared as a selection in the History Book Club. Mack and Paula are also going well, adjusting to the empty nest. They stay busy with their jobs and church; both eagerly awaiting retirement in about four years. Benjamin Curle ’08 lives in Greenville, SC, and works for Norfolk Southern Railroad. His National Guard company will deploy to Iraq in early July and conduct convoy escort missions. Unfortunately, some sad news: Mack’s mom passed away at her home last year. Mack said “she really loved her ‘boys’ from VMI: Grigg Mullen, Clyde Furr, Keith Dickson, Tom Moody and Garry Varney. Marion “Tony” Fauntleroy sent me his first update! Marion completed the Ratline with us -- he was determined to do so -- and has fond memories of Wayne Eastham and David Fielder in E Company. Marion is a 22-year veteran of the Richmond fire department. He married his high school sweetheart, Anne, 30 years ago and they had two kids, Carol and John. Carol is married to a Sergeant in the U.S. Army and John is a Marine Corps air traffic controller stationed at Cherry Point, NC. David Bass is still living in Indianapolis, IN; started his 16th year with Hewlett-Packard; is working out of his home and traveling less. His wife, Barb, is the vice president of a pest control company where she manages the company’s finances and operations across several states. Their daughter, Shanna, lives north of them and teaches special education at the high school level. David and Barb are going on a 10-day cruise this summer to St. Petersburg, Russia, and all the Scandinavian capitals. And now, the 1976 BR minute: The next time you see Col. Grigg Mullen on post, ask him what a “teeny-weeny-deanie” does at VMI. Bob and Louise Keneally’s number of

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES grandkids has grown to 10. Kurt and Cindy Luckenbill welcomed their fourth (not fifth as I reported earlier) grandchild -- Aaron Thomas -- on Dec. 3rd. Kurt worked at Wachovia Securities which was sold to Wells Fargo, so he expects changes in 2009. Hank and Debbie Foresman will be moving to the northern VA area. Debbie will be working for the Department of Agriculture and Hank -- who is really retiring from the Army this time -- hopes to work for the Department of the Army as either a contractor or civilian. Here is the latest Richmond BRC update from Jim Mallon: Jim had a good turnout in November: Lee Bradshaw, Lee Godsey, Charlie Keen, Rocky Glass, Bill Danzeisen, Bob Gleason and Tom Hawthorne were there. Rocky has been busy visiting colleges with his twins. Since both play lacrosse they are looking at those college opportunities too. Lee Godsey will be building a new house soon near Gloucester, VA, but hasn’t figured how he’ll get to his VDOT job in Richmond. He was trying to leverage his BR connection with Tom Hawthorne (VDOT’s Richmond District Administrator) to help him out but did not make much progress during breakfast. Charlie Keen is having his boat put up for the winter, but by the time you read this it will be back in the water! And Jack and Charlotte Christy are already planning to attend the 35th Reunion -- a plan everyone should begin developing as soon as possible. Fall 2011 is just around the corner!

’77

Bland Massie

Rah Super ’77, Rah, Rah, Rah, No rest for the weary. No sooner than the fall class notes were done, the Nov. 22, 2008, class agents briefing in Lexington was held. Moe was joined by Mike Davis. At first, Moe thought Mike was there to see him and reminisce about his time as agent. Well, it became clear he came to partake of the free breakfast with his son Will Davis ’06 who helps with the agent duties for his class. The news from VMI was what we might all expect … State Budget Cuts and how the Institute would make it work with less. (Just like we all have to do at home). VMI is in the middle of the pack for tuition for the state of Virginia schools of higher education. When one considers all that VMI tuition covers – room & board, haircuts, uniforms, etc., VMI is a strong contender in the most “bang for the buck” category. The quality of education is something we can all be proud of. The Third Barracks was opened in January 2009 and the back half of New Barracks was partitioned off to start renovations. Third Barracks is nice, but still like the rest of Barracks. Other than the new paint, floors, sinks, double pane tight sealing windows, etc. the main change

is no radiators. Don’t worry, the air conditioning is like ours was – open the window! There are 1425 cadets at VMI now. (Not sure how many didn’t come back after Christmas break). The bottom line is VMI needs our help so do what you can to make it work. As of this writing, the basketball team is off and running to the best season since we were cadets. There was a very nice article about VMI in the Feb. 9, 2009 Sports Illustrated (Super Bowl XLIII Cover). Moe has made all of the home games and seen a number of BRs. More on this later. In early December 2008 Max Floyd wrote to say he is alive and well in Houston, TX, working for Shell. Work took him to India and Malaysia in the fall of 2008 and to Russia for five to six months starting in January of 2009. He is leading the final commissioning and start up of a LNG facility on Sakhalin Island. Maybe he can get together with Rick Greene and Buster Pace in their travels to Russia. Hey guys you might have to huddle together tightly to stay warm in January. In February he wrote to say it was cold, especially without Buster and Rick. Max works six days a week minimum as the leader of the electrical engineering and maintenance group. Just think, Max; if you weren’t such a good engineer, you wouldn’t have gotten the Russian gig. It’s nice to see the VMI “good deals” never stop coming. Another first from Steve Turley in Colorado Springs, CO, to wish Moe a Happy New Year. Steve has spent ’08 working for a new company

Class of 1976

Photos clockwise from top left: At Mei and J.R. Mott’s wedding reception on Oct. 18, 2008, were, from left, Bill Bhatta, Mark Sculley, the bride and groom, Grigg Mullen and John Coleman. At a 2008 mini reunion, from left, were Jake Berberich, Marshall Coyle and Mark Sculley. At a mini reunion tailgate in 2008, were, from left, Andre Koneczny, Kevin Pardus, Jim Mallon, Bill Bhatta and Steve Savage.

2009-Issue 2

CLASS NOTES called Jacobs Technology supporting the same USAF client for the last 24-year-old son, Christopher, is still with Naval Intelligence and daughter nine years. They focus on strategic planning and logistics support for Caroline (20) is a communications major and a junior at VT. The picture acquisition of Air Force command and control systems. He has also of Carol in the last e-mailed notes with the Hokie bird was great. At first received his Certified Systems Engineering Professional status in ’07 Moe thought Mike was dressed for a Halloween party. Carol said they from International Council Systems Engineering. He says he is looking redid the landscaping in their yard and Mike put the sod down in 103° F forward to his son finishing school at Colorado University in December weather (you can tell he wasn’t in Naval Intelligence), but it looks great ’09. Sounds like things are going well, Steve. Congratulations! Steve now and only takes 20 minutes to mow. They also attended their 35th did mention in a February e-mail that he is watching the myriad of new high school reunion in October. How did you two get so much older than administration changes from the end of the dogs tail and it is wagging a the rest of us? lot! Sounds like the rest of us. All most of us know to do is tighten our Mike Meise also sent a New Year’s e-mail to say he has lunch often grip and hold on. with Bob Atkinson. Bob is working in the Roanoke County Community Christmas cards came from Debbie & Bob Hartzell. Moe missed not Development Office as an engineer. Mike is also excited about the way seeing Harts this past fall and Debbie’s hot apple cider. Bettie & Barton our basketball team is looking. Pasco’s card said to call them when in Richmond, but all of Barton’s numTom Orrell wrote to let Moe know that he hasn’t really “retired” in the bers are unlisted. Go figure! Maybe he is trying to tell Moe something. true sense of the word. He did retire from Verizon after 27 years but never Yanyong Phataralaoha sent a card of well wishes stopped working. For the last 13 from Bangkok, Thailand. It’s nice to know that months he has worked with an old Moe is international. Tammy & Michael Stephens friend of his who is the founder/ sent a picture card with greetings and noting their owner/president of Sofasco, Inc. 30th wedding anniversary. From the picture it is They sell cooling fans and indusclear Mike has aged 3x faster than Tammy. Must trial hardware fasteners worldwide. be that hot Tucson, AZ, weather. Tom says he is having too much Lucy & Michael Lindsay had a great trip to fun to consider retiring for at least Alaska this past summer. The vacation was divided a dozen more years. Brenda and between a cruise and land tours. Their daughter, Tom’s oldest daughter is an account Hillary, works as a physical therapist marketing manager in Philadelphia in Centerville, VA, with Inova Health and plans to wed this summer. His Systems. Megan their other daughter youngest daughter is a sophomore just completed her requirements for at Bridgewater College studyher Ph.D. and is doing a fellowship at ing psychology and criminal justice. Tom gets to see Glenn Oxford University in England. Her plans Trimmer and Tim Liles occasionally. Rumor has it that Tom’s are to be married in September of ’09. youngest daughter is using Glenn as her case study for her Sounds like Mike will be going across psychology major. Tom hopefully you can get back to the “I” the pond in September. soon and see all the changes before our next reunion. Peggy and Mike Meise haven’t been Rick Joslyn wrote from Sparta, Georgia, to send some able to attend as many things at VMI Class of 1977: Richard Joslyn pictures about one of his passions. He is involved with military this winter because his mother’s health infront of the B-17 Liberty Belle. history reenactments and public programs. In July ’08 he and Peggy becoming a world traveler. Their children Matt (driving now), David and Elizabeth are all doing well in school. They must take after their mother, not Mike – Hope to see more of you both this year. Mike sent a picture of a dry rocky river bed and the whole family in a row boat. This takes the “Michael rowed the boat ashore” a bit too far. Where did you drag that boat from anyway? John Quackenbush is very busy with his Homeland Security duties in a 15-mid-state region. His work has interfered with his car hobbies, but his ’32 Ford Coup has been painted and should be on the road this coming summer. Now that Lee Foresman is with FEMA and Quack with Homeland Security we should all be able to sleep better at night. Okay, okay, maybe we should keep one eye open just in case. New Year’s Eve was another exciting basketball event with the Runnin’ Roos beating Richmond in a hard fought battle in Lexington. Cameron Hall was rocking like the Pit used to in our day. Mrs. Moe was simultaneously running three fundraising events for her work that evening and couldn’t make the game. Moe upset Duggar Baucom (Basketball coach) when he showed up at the game with a sweet, young thing. What Duggar didn’t know was it was Moe’s daughter, Belle. Moe likes to keep them guessing. After our victory Moe and Belle shot back across the mountain to Lynchburg in time to watch the ball drop with Mrs. Moe (the other sweet, young thing) at her Mad Hatter’s Ball. What a way to end the year and start the new one. Carol & Mike Conaway sent word that ’08 was a good year. Their

100

toured with the restored B-17 Liberty Bell on the commemorative trip to England. They retraced the northern flight route over the North Atlantic, stopping in Labrador, Iceland; Prestwick, Scotland; and Cambridge. One of the highlights of the “Flying Legends.” His part was providing interpretation to the public at various stops, explaining aircrew duties, the contributions toward victory in Europe. Sounds like great fun Rick. Fred Wiggins wrote from Pembroke, NC, to catch Moe up. Fred has two children – Eric is 24 and Gates is 14. He has also had two poems published. Maybe he will let Moe know where he could read them. If any BRs are in Fred’s area, I am sure he would like to see them. Fred, you have been through a lot; never say die, it’s the VMI way. Keep us up to date. VMI played Coastal Carolina on Jan. 10 and Joe Santelli made it in for the game. He hoped to get with Wes Naff while he was in the area. The next weekend was the Alumni basketball game and the ’76 -’77 basketball reunion. ’77 team players were there in force. The ’77 team players and wives there were George Borojevich, Trish & Will Bynum and Charlotte & John Krovic. John played in the Alumni game and impressed everyone. He still has the touch to hit the long shots and looked pretty smooth for an old guy. Good job Kro – you only needed the oxygen twice. Other Super ’77 BRs in attendance were India & Bob Atkinson, Bert Deacon, Eric Hutchings, Jane & Moe Massie, Chris Nash, Buzzy Northen, Mark Street and Andy Tarr. Coach Schmans ’66, Kurt Reppart ’76, Ron

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES only hope that the season will end Carter ’78, Dave Montgomery up as good as we started against ’78 and Kelly Lombard ’79 were Kentucky. Go Keydets! also there. Kelly played in the Moe has rambled on long enough. game with Kro and shared his Now for the relaxing part. He plans oxygen. to take the VMI Royal Clipper Tim Thompson’s karate team Alumni Cruise in March. No other won more honors. This time it was ’77 BRs are signed up yet to keep an the 1st Place Team Grand ChamClass of 1977: Mike Conaway, center, with his children, eye on Moe. You all know the saypion Trophy and National Karate Carlin, and Christopher. ing, “What happens on the ship stays Champion Title at the World Cup on the ship.” Finals Martial Arts Championship ’09. Ellen & Buzzy Northen and Gail & Buster Rah, Rah VMI Whole Da*# Class. in Washington, DC. This happened Pace were also there. Great game and another In the Spirit of VMI, Never Say Die! Moe Jan. 17, 2009. His Web site has all the particuwin for VMI. lars. Great job, Tim! Feb. 11th was the VMI Legislative RecepThe VMI Corp marched in the Inaugural Tom Brown tion in Richmond. VMI hosts this event to give Parade on Jan 20th. If anyone didn’t see it on delegates a chance to meet alumni and cadets C-SPAN you may still be able to catch it on the to help promote good will at the legislative VMI Web site. The Corps looked and sounded level in the state. Craig Forbes, Janine & Eric great. They made us all proud. Hutchings, Jane & Moe Massie, Bill Talley Kurt Weidenthal brought Moe up to date and Lurline & Alan Wagner were there presswith much enthusiasm. Sue & Kurt went to Salutations, Class of ’78! ing the flesh. Disney World for seven days of fun. They 2009 has gotten off to an interesting start. Many Moe can’t say enough about the VMI took three kids who were home from college things are quite different and yet there is a slight basketball season thus far. These notes were (Trey, Brandy and Derek) and daughter Kaair of familiarity: new president, challenging ecowritten before the final outcome was known. trina, her husband, Dustin, and granddaughter nomic times and still it almost feels like thirty-odd Our record is one of the best to this point Skylar. Kurt said having four rooms made it years ago the way the basketball team is playing. we have ever had. It only remains to be seen easier in the evenings he could hit the sauna Hopefully by the time the notes are published in if we can win our tournament and go to the and have some time to relax with mama. late spring the team will have had the same win(Moe is reading between the lines here). They “Big Dance.” Our program has been turned ning results as during our cadet years. around by Coach Duggar Baucom. Not only were there over the Christmas holiday. Kurt Right after the last notes I received an update has Duggar had to overcome obstacles on the says he likes living in Huntsville, AL, and from Garry Brumback. He was just checking in. court with different players but also off the works as a Logistics Consultant with Booz Joe Tulskie and Ronnie Milligan had a bunch court with health issues. In spite of all these Allen doing prime contract work for NASA. over to Ronnie’s house to spend a weekend challenges he has found a way to make VMI He also states his “claim to fame” is he had with Mark Gentile. Garry can’t name them all win. Because of his leadership of our Runall four kids graduate from the same high but Steve Oddi, Shady Grove, Billy Way, Rob nin’ Roos, Moe has chosen him as the “Man school. Being in the military must have made Parker and several others were there. The crew Among Giants” for these notes. Moe can that almost impossible. Maybe a Guinness went to a Phillies game and had a ball. Garry

’78

record says Kurt. The Lynchburg Chapter had their 3rd Annual Valentine Hop on the Jan. 31st. Karen & Dennis Kocik made it from Charlottesville for the event. They have been all three years. The third class finance committee raises money for their ring figure helping with this black tie dance. Of course Thomas Pace ’11 wasn’t going to miss the party. Like father like son. Hopefully we could get some of the ’77 boys out for next year’s event. We did have VMI grads from Charlottesville, Roanoke, Richmond and Lexington. The Feb. 7th game against Garner Webb brought more BRs back to Lexington. India & Bob Atkinson, Lynne & Jim Bradshaw were up from Clemmons, NC, where they now live. Their son, James, should graduate this spring

2009-Issue 2

Class of 1977: Bob Manteuffel, John Quackenbush and Mike Freeman at Career Night at University of Texas Dallas.

reminded me that Baytown, TX, where Garry lives and is city manager, took a direct hit from Hurricane Ike. He says there was quite a bit of damage but looks like the community will bounce back well. As luck would have it Garry had a chance to see Tim Berkheimer because of the storm. At least there was some good to come out of the storm. Also checking just after the wire was Scott Singletary. He was at the Liberty football game and ran into Danny Thornton, Burt Loflin, Stu Gitchell, Glenn Dallinger, and Rick Wolfe after the game at Moody Hall. Sorry I was not able to catch up with all of you. Bruce Kay and I had a nice chat while I was up his way. Bruce was enjoying his Thanksgiving with his daughters back in town. Bruce had planned a gathering with Tony Pileggi but due to illness on my

101

CLASS NOTES part we were unable to assemble. Hopefully we can make it work next time Bruce. John Forsyth checked in for the first time since leaving VMI so many years ago. John retired in 2005 after 25 years in the Army, with his last assignment in Germany with the Special Operations Command - Europe. He is currently working in Stuttgart (Germany) with a small government crew managing IT projects on behalf of EUCOM and AFRICOM. John says it pays for the beer. He is still happily married to Susan after 27 years, and we have three kids, one of who is about ready to head off to college. John hopes to actually make a reunion some day saying he will target the 35th and perhaps something before. He says it is funny how it’s taken this long to become nostalgic! It is great to hear from you, John, and hope to see you soon. Paul Mitchell sent and up date of his adventures. Paul and Steve Oddi keep in touch often along with many from the Richmond area; Ronnie Milligan, Billy Way, Bill Hardy, Shady Grove, Jay Kinnier, Wads Bugg and Anthony Moore. Paul and Steve continue to challenge each other in the pool. Maybe we could have a ’78 swim meet next reunion. Bill Leavenworth sent a short note giving his latest location. Bill is in Harvest, AL, and is a senior analyst with MEI Company. Others making contact through Christmas cards were Bob Brown, Robby Burke, Alec Earle, Glen Jones, Ed Little, Mike Oelrich, David Ring, Bill Robertson and Tom Tanner. David Ring sent news that he has done a fair amount of traveling this past year and celebrated his 25th wedding anniversary. Ed Little also celebrated his 25th. Ed also retired from the Air Force Reserve this past year and is still working in government contracting in Arlington. Another traveler was Alec Earle. He hitting both coasts, Hawaii and Germany, this past year. He is still adjusting to living in San Antonio including downsizing his “fleet” as he no longer lives on a bay. Robby Burke is in his third year as a pastor of the Barboursville Baptist Church. The Burke’s celebrated their 30th anniversary this past year. Robby also continues teaching college level history classes to high schoolers in Woodstock and Strasburg. Bob Brown is still working at Fort Benning and enjoying time with his family. Many BRs were in attendance at the Lynchburg Valentine’ Hop. Jay Hutt, Jim Cure, Bill Robertson, Drew Faulconer, Danny Thorton, Mark McKissick and yours truly had a great time. The VMI Commanders provided the music and some of us even remembered how to dance. Jay told me he went to the VMI-UNC Asheville basketball game; VMI lost, but enjoyed seeing Zack Whitlow, now in Charlottesville, and Tommy Fields, who is in Birmingham.

102

Basketball games have been a great gathering place of late. Danny Thorton told me he saw a large number BRs at Cameron Hall. At another game Danny, Jay Hutt, Ned Riester, John Whitmer, class agent emeritus Glenn Dallinger, Stu Gitchell, Tom Sliwoski and I all managed to see a great game. Dallinger brought up some warm weather up from Florida for us to enjoy along with the game. He visited with Gitchell and stayed over our Lynchburg way on his way back south. Ronnie Milligan passed along his thanks to the many BRs who have helped out with Mark Gentile’s situation. For those of you who may not be aware Mark is battling MS. Unfortunately, Gino’s condition has regressed significantly over the past several years and he is now confined to a wheelchair. He has no use of his legs and limited use of his arms along with numerous other issues. A fund has been established to assist with Mark’s situation. Ronnie informs me that over sixty BRs have contributed and that the funds are helping immensely in managing Mark’s care. If you are able to assist you and make checks payable to Mark Gentile and can be sent to Ronnie. Bill Hardy, Shady Grove, Steve Oddi, Joe Tulskie, Rob Parker and Wads Bugg have all been instrumental in the work as well. Those wishing to assist in this great effort can contact me for details. To all of you who have passed along your support for my attempts to keep you updated, thanks. If I have left anything out from the November through February time frame please forgive me. I have had some issues recently with my ISP. Hopefully those will be resolved before the next set of notes is due. I hope you have a wonderful summer and send me news … and pictures!

’79

Michael Ogden

Editor’s note: There are no class notes from the class of ’ 79 in this issue.

’80

John Gibney Jr.

Hello, Brother Rats As you read, our 30th Reunion is about a year away! These notes cover the period Nov. 16, 2008, through Feb. 15, 2009. I hope you’ve all had an enjoyable Holiday season. The period began with an e-mail from Matt

Atkinson. Matt saw that his former roommate, Russ Early, was recently married and Matt wanted to send a card (if he didn’t, Russ is now pissed). Matt also wrote that he planned to attend the presidential inauguration in Washington, D.C. An e-mail then arrived from Walt and Mary Lynne Wood with an invitation to attend a dinner to raise money for a local orphanage. As the dinner was in Peru I had to decline. Andy Ludlum and I spoke coincident with is 50th birthday in November. Andy and Nicki are expecting their daughter, Heather, to deliver their first grandchild in May. Their son, Nathan, is in flight school and their daughter, Chrissy, is studying in Dublin this year. Elliott Wolffe called from New Jersey where he and his children were visiting for Thanksgiving. Elliott stopped at VMI on the way up from New Orleans and reported seeing Eli Alford, Gary Levenson and Wade Stinnette at the final home football game. Dennis Hackemeyer sent an e-card containing special Thanksgiving wishes. And, Patti and I share a late November wedding anniversary date with John and Anne Alerding that often falls on Thanksgiving Day. John sent an e-mail message acknowledging both. Gary Levenson brought Karen and their grandson, Tyler, to NYC for the Thanksgiving holiday. Since Patti and I were visiting her parents in Vermont, they stayed in our apartment. One of their adventures was attending the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. I spoke at length with Jay Melvin just before Christmas. Jay reports all well in Lexington where he continues to expand his businesses. Joe Brown sent an e-mail with an updated home address. Joe, a Brigadier General in the Air Force, completed a remote tour in Turkey and he and Sue are now at Offutt AFB in Nebraska. Their son, Daniel, is a junior at UVa on an AFROTC scholarship. Their daughter, Emily, is a freshman at W&M. Tom Bersson sent an e-mail noting that his daughter Beth was accepted, early admission, to NYU. Then, the Christmas cards began to arrive. Frank and Deborah Borsi sent a year-end newsletter noting that Jennifer has graduated from college and Jessica from high school. Steve and Cathy Andrews sent a card with a photo of Caroline and Virginia. Tracy and Jennifer Wilson sent a letter with photos of their daughters, Sienna, (4), and Ellie, (18 months). Walt Kreitler sent a Kreitlers@Christmas letter providing an update on Carrie, John and Robert. Walt is a program manager at L-3 Communications. John will graduate from West Point in May. Robert was the George Washington University

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES Male Swimmer Student-Athlete of the Year. Miami University in Ohio. Luke is a senior in Aerospace Structures Division. He has a son Aaron and Nancy Bush sent a letter with their high school. who is a sophomore at UNLV and a daughter Christmas card. Aaron is in his third year as a Donna and Dennis Milsten wrote in their who is a sophomore in high school. Joe also atteacher in Hershey, PA, following his retirecard, “Where have the years gone?” Dentached a photo from a ride he took last fall with ment from the Army. He teaches eighth grade nis works at the Veteran’s Administration in Ann and Paul Burkholder. algebra and coaches high school cross country Washington, DC, and Donna works for an Numerous e-mail messages were sent in conand seventh grade girl’s basketball. Nancy is architectural firm. In May, Nathan graduated nection with the Corps of Cadets’ participation very active in their church. Wes turned 25 in from James Madison University. Shawn is a in the presidential inauguration parade. Tom October and lives in northern Virginia. Zach project manager at a software company in DC, Gelles sent the first message and Tom Wilson (22) graduated from Radford with a B.F.A. in and Melissa is living in Richmond and working sent a message with a YouTube video and he Graphic Design. Kinsey (19) completed high for E&Y. copied many of our BRs. Hugh Fain and Phil school and is studying nursing. Jeremiah (16) is Tim and Becky Mecredy sent a card with a Altizer reflected on the Carter inauguration a sophomore in high school. full-family photo and an enclosed update. Their parade which also included a contingent of our Cards without photos or letters arrived from daughter, Emily, is an AP student who is beginBRs. Other respondents included Jody WeathGary Levenson, Karen and Tyler, erwax, John Blankenship (how’s John, Anne and Johnny Alerding, Cincinnati?), Kirk Deadrick, Bud Glenn and Peggy McCabe, Joe Zirkle, Jeff Washington and John Burns, Andy and Nicki Ludlum, Sean Rudolph. All noted how good the Gallagher, Matthew and Tanya Keys, corps looked. and Pat and Beth Griffin. Walt Wood checked in and John and Karen Priest sent a card noted that he and Mary Lynne will with a photo of Taylor, Blair and Ruby, be spending eight months away daughters and dog. Ed and Dianna from their Peru home beginning Baker sent a card with a family photo in late February to include travel that included Charlie and Katie. Phil throughout the US, including a and Kathy Munisteri sent a card with visit to Alaska. They will end in a photo of Meagan, Connor and their Virginia and plan to take in a VMI dog Sarge. The Quarles family photo football game. included a picture of Rob, Elizabeth, Larry Hupertz sent an e-mail Arkell (18), Marshall (16) and Fieldfrom his Cleveland home after ing (11). The Hageman card contained receiving his birthday card. Larry a picture of Dave and his three boys. wrote that Ohio set a record for Rob and Traci Robinson sent a card snowfall this year. Class of 1980: Paul and Ann Burkholder flanking Joe with a photo of their daughters, MadChris Dombalis sent an e-mail Paustenbaugh after a ride on the Skyline Drive in fall die and Caitlin. Chris and Jen Domfrom Asia following receipt of 2008. balis sent a card with a photo of their his birthday card with a promise daughters, Taylor and Alexis. Brian to get together in NYC upon his and Kim O’Neill sent a card with a photo of their ning to visit potential colleges. Their son, Mike, return in February. children, Kelly (22), Ryan (20), Tim (17), Kirsten is in his final year at Georgia Tech studying enDennis Maguire used receipt of his birthday (14) and Brendan (12). Finally, John and Sandrina vironmental engineering where he will receive a card as an excuse to call and gloat over the Hall sent a photo of their daughter, Emma, and combined bachelor’s/master’s degree. success of the Boston sports teams. He convetheir dog, Roxy. Wade and Lannie Stinnette sent a card with niently waited until the Giants were eliminated Andy and Sharon Brown sent a photo of their a photo of their three children taken in front from the playoffs! sons Joseph, Casey and Christian. They are of the Coliseum in Rome. Kathryn is a senior Mike Lunning sent an e-mail with the date of back in Coronado, CA, where Admiral Brown at Presbyterian College who studied in Rome the fall pilgrimage to VMI – October 16 and 17. is commander of the Fleet and Industrial Supfor a semester last year. Walker (possible Class Mark your calendars and make your reservaport Centers. They drove across the country of 2014) is a high school junior. Langhorne is tions as this is also Parent’s Weekend. from Norfolk. Joseph is a Naval Flight Officer teaching second grade in Columbia, SC. Tom Wilson also circulated the Sports Illusand is training on the E-2C Hawkeye. Casey is Bert and Peggy Schneider sent a card noting trated article about VMI’s basketball team. a VMI first classman, Regimental S-4, who may that when Tom Horan returns to Arizona they Phil Altizer wrote with an update. He noted attend medical school upon graduation in May. are practically neighbors. They planned to visit that Tom Bersson is planning to retire from Christian is in the eighth grade. over the holidays. the Navy this summer. Tom is stationed in Robby Wheeler wrote that he is still flying Lastly, Dwight and Joanne Pearson sent a photo Norfolk. Phil plans to attend and would like with American Eagle out of Texas. Ken and taken with their boys, Peter and Patrick. Psycho to get a group together for the event. We have Joanne Trotman sent a card with a photo of is a colonel in the Army and his reserve unit has quite a few BRs in the Norfolk area. What are Ken’s son, Owen, who is the battalion sergeant been deployed to Iraq. He left in November for a the details, Tom? Phil is also a captain in the major at VMI. Interestingly, Alex was listed on one-year tour where he is the director of the Joint Navy. He is the director of marketing for Navy their card as VMI Class of 2015. Reconstruction Operation Center. Recruiting Command in Millington, TN, a job Mark and Darleen Sobota sent an update with Joe Paustenbaugh sent the first message of he’ll hold until he retires in June 2010. Phil’s a page of digital photos and best wishes in the the New Year. Joe still lives in Salt Lake City oldest daughter is a freshman at Tennessee Big Apple. Their son, Chad, is a freshman at where he is the VP of Engineering for the ATK where she runs cross country and track. His

2009-Issue 2

103

CLASS NOTES youngest daughter is in the eighth grade. Phil closed by writing that he spoke recently with Tom Shedd who is doing well and working for US Customs and that he exchanged e-mail with Jeff Washington and Tom Wilson. Finally, the period closed with an e-mail from Dan Conn containing a reminder about a VMI Alumni Association Caribbean Cruise. Thanks to Steve Andrews, Tom Wilson and Dave Hageman for the politically incorrect e-mail messages. Please note the AOL e-mail address – we’re phasing out our current provider. Enjoy your summer and please keep in touch.

’81

Gerald Manley

Brother Rats, I was finalizing this edition of our class notes while sitting in the gathering room on the second deck (second “floor” for you Army types) of Moody Hall. I had the place to myself and fully enjoyed the quiet, periodically looking across the parade field to the Barracks and smiled at the memories. I came to VMI this night as I drove my daughter, Jenna, a high school senior, down so that she may attend the Winter Formal. A young Rat, whom she has known a couple years, extended the invitation. Given all the “hop” stories Jenna has heard over the years, she readily accepted ( … so you can all understand my concerns and why I accompanied her!) Actually, she had a great time and came back telling me stories of meeting Eddie Brown’s son, Mike Denton’s nephew, and a number of other upper classmen who seemed to be trying to snake her away … like that ever happens! Fortunately, she grew up hearing of the exploits of “Uncle Sloppy” at such events, especially on those cold winter nights, so she was well prepared and kept her wits about her. Hopefully my opening will lend itself as a good segue to our first inputs, those of which came from Eddie Brown. Ebo shared that his son, Chris Brown ’09 and eight of his First Class BRs visited Wintergreen Ski Resort in late January to support the Special Olympics of Virginia. The leader of the activities for the two-day event was no other than our very own BR, Gary Morgan. Chris, who receives an Army commission in May 09, thoroughly enjoyed hearing all of Gary’s Army and “Old Corps” stories, especially those of his’81 BRs. Eddie further shared that he attended a VMI Prospective Cadet Open House with his younger son, Clay, a high school junior. Ed reported that two of the most effective presenta-

104

tions during the entire open house agenda were those from VMI Professor of Military Science, Col. Hal Worrell, and Assistant Director of Financial Aid, Capt. Brian Quisenberry. After the open house, while driving his sons uptown for some chow, Ebo, stopped at Jackson Arch to say hello to Dave Saunders and his son, John ’09 (new Regimental Commander). While en route, Ebo nearly ran over Mark Kanter and his son, Robert, who will matriculate in August. Ebo also spent time with Clinker Moss and his son at the wrestling match that same day. Other comments from Ed are worth a direct quote: “Knowing that the only thing more fun than being a cadet is Graduating and becoming an Alumnus (only 92 days until the Class of ’09 enter the work force), I appreciate more than ever the work [Grover Outland] does with the Alumni Association. I don’t know how many meetings he attends, phone calls he makes or emails he sends on behalf of our association, but I know that just the Networking Forum alone that he organizes and runs each February is a significant undertaking. The cadets appreciate the fact that the alumni are working on their behalf even before they are out of Barracks. It makes me proud to know what a positive impact each of these BRs is having on the lives of so many young men and women of the Corps. I know that each of these old farts all love what they do, but it never hurts to be reminded how far your influence extends.” Very well said, Ebo! Could not agree with you more! ( … and thank you, Ebo, for the great inputs.) Speaking of Grover Outland’s efforts, the “Endo” has again been very actively engaged with the Alumni Association to support the coordination of a VMI Alumni Networking Forum scheduled for this month of February 2009. While the event is not intended as a job fair, the objective of the forum is to provide an opportunity for job-seekers to network, refine their job search and gain valuable insight from other alumni in the marketplace – an exceptional initiative that is reflective of the VMI bond and Alumni Association dedication to us all. Grover has arranged for a number of BRs to be panelists to include himself, Robert Digby, Scot Marsh, Ken Morris, Rick McCue, Ken Herbert, Gene Loving, Mark Gonsalves and me. I hope to have more details and pictures for the next Alumni Review, so please standby. In the meantime, to Grover and all those in the Class of ’81, the “Best Class in Barracks,” that have and will support him, we thank you all! Dave Hinchee also sent in a great e-mail. Dave and Jo Ann surprised Dean Beard for his 50th birthday as planned by his girlfriend, Carol. (Way to go, Carol!) Dave is still in the construction industry and owns a subcontracting business that does asbestos/lead abate-

ment, mold remediation and demolition. His company celebrates its 15th anniversary in April 2009. (We all remain intensely proud of you, Dave.) Things are going well for the rest of the Hinchee family, as well. Dave’s oldest daughter, Lauren, is successfully navigating her second year of dental school at MCV/VCU in Richmond. His youngest, Courtney, is completing her junior year at Virginia Tech as a Fashion Merchandising/Apparel Design major. Courtney is looking for a fashion industry internship in NYC in the summer of 2009. (While this edition may not be printed until the May/June timeframe, if anyone has connections in that field, please contact Dave.) Dave and Courtney visited NYC last summer when she held a previous internship and hooked up with Bob Munno. Bob graciously provided BR support and gave Dave and Courtney some guidance about her first visit to the city. Bob offered to be her “dad away from home” should she ever be in need. (For Bob, Dave was extremely thankful for you watching over Courtney that summer. You were a true friend and BR!) Before he left his daughter in Bob’s care, Dave was able to get tickets to a Yankee’s game after which Bob whisked them away on the subway to his place for some post game dogs, beer and celebration of the late inning win. When not engrossed in work, and as empty nesters, Dave and Jo Ann are involved in multiple activities - they are members of the local Parrothead Club where they co-chair the SPCA Committee raising money and goods for the local SPCA and they completed another year working the group’s annual Beach Ball to raise money for the local Alzheimer’s Association. (To Dave and Jo Ann, we would all do well to emulate you! You have great hearts and proud of how you are giving back to the community.) Jim Frishkorn reports that all’s well in Panama City. Jim and Mei-Ling recently purchased a home in Lynn Haven, FL. As Frish reports, they purchased the home from a Hokie and their realtor was from Newport News – small world! Jim is currently the Deputy Director for the Mission Support Group at Tyndall AFB and will soon become the base’s top civilian in April when he assumes duties as the Director of Staff for the 325th Fighter Wing Commander. Jim is still active in his Reserve career and is currently assigned to the PACAF/A7 staff where he works alongside John Cawthorne. Perhaps the most important news from Jim and Mei-Ling, Jim has fully recovered from last June’s bypass surgery and shared that he tested himself in early December while dragging a 10-point buck out of the woods. Jim spoke with Kevin Davidson in January while Kevin was in town leading a pavement evaluation of the Tyndall AFB runway. It was a busy week for

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES both of them and unfortunately schedules prevented them from getting together. Kevin and his team worked under the watchful eye of the base pavement engineer, Derryl Sullivan ’80. Jim also reported a visit by Mike Placzek while Mike was on travel to Tyndall AFB. Mike Placzek chimed in and provided his own update. Mike is still living in Harrisburg, PA, and is a corrosion expert with Spectra Energy where he oversees US gas pipelines running between the Mexico and Canadian borders. In his reserve capacity, Mike is assigned to the Headquarters Air Force Civil Engineering Support Agency as the Air Force’s Corrosion expert. Mike reports that he was promoted to full colonel in September 2007.

(Congratulations, Mike!) Mike also “ratted” out Jim Frishkorn in that Jim has been setting up a monthly dinner for local VMI Alumni in the Tyndall AFB area for 2Lt and up and taking on a tremendous mentoring role (For Jim, same comments we have provided to both Grover Outland and Dave Hinchee, very proud of you, too, Frish.). Greg and Ann Wolven continue to stay in touch. At time of this writing, Greg was currently in New Orleans for an engineering conference. Greg and Ann spent much of their time at home when Greg is not traveling for work or when they travel to their daughter Katie’s club volleyball games or to see their son, Chris, at school in Angola, IN. Chris, was on the Trine

University football team which won the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Conference Championship for the first time! Katie’s high school basketball team won the Big 8 Conference Championship and started Sectional play. Katie’s team went to the Semi-State Final Four last year. Instead of playing this year, however, Katie is the Athletic Trainer to ensure she does not suffer injury as she knows she’s going to be playing volleyball in college in the coming year. In addition to supporting the family, Greg keeps busy with work and still teaches Tae Kwon Do at the local YMCA. Was great to hear from BR Doug Blowe again. Doug shared a bit of personal history in that he received his master’s in education back in

Class of 1981 4 3

5 Photo 1: Lou Darden, Cadet Ethan Price ’11, center, and father Bart Price in February 2008. Photo 2: Mark “Gunny” Olson, left, and Gene Loving celebrating their 50th birthdays in January 2009. Photo 3: Dave and Jo Ann Hinchee with Dean Bigelow and his girlfriend, Carol, on the slopes to celebrate Dean’s 50th. Photo 4: Capt. Brian Quisenberry, USN, assumes command of the Naval Ordnance Safety and Security Activity from Capt. George Koban, USN, on Jan. 10, 2009, at Memorial Hall, U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland. Photo 5: Mark Kantor, wearing his nephew’s hat, with Clinker Moss, center, and John Ditillo, at the Gardner Webb game in February 2008.

2009-Issue 2

105

CLASS NOTES December 1994, from UNCC. Both Doug and his oldest son, Galen, are Black Belts in Muay Thai. Galen was awarded his belt in 1995 at the age of 12, is now working for MMA and hopes to be a pro fighter. Galen is considering military service with a possible goal of becoming a handto-hand combat instructor. At the moment, Galen is narrowing his college search and considering VMI as one of his options. To add to his resume, Galen is also a talented musician in the school band playing the quints (drums). Doug’s middle son, Ian, is also the source of great pride having recently brought home a 1st place ribbon in his schools science fair. (God bless you all, Doug, and for Galen, I hope you join the VMI ranks! If so, I will be one of the many “Uncle BRs” checking in on you.) Dutch Holland wrote that he and Penny were on their way to California to see their oldest son, Buck, his wife, Tess, and their grandson, Robbie. When Dutch returns he will head off to South America with a group of 16 War College students and a Latin American scholar for two weeks in March. In late April or early May he will be heading back to Baghdad for a projected six months. (God be with you, Dutch, in all your travels! Stay in touch when overseas.) Gary Morgan shared yet another incredible golf story. He was down in Pinehurst with a bunch of guys he plays golf with at Cannon Ridge in Fredericksburg. He shot a Double Eagle on #16 at Mid-Pines golf course with a 2 on a par 5. Gary hit a 6-iron from 163 yards and it hit the green eight feet in front of the hole, rolled, hit the pin, and dropped in. Incredible, Gary! Gary also was able to get Reg Ridgely to go stripper bass fishing together out of Virginia Beach. Reg caught his first stripper on that trip. Other quick hitters: - Gene Loving and Mark “Gunny” Olson have spent some time together as they celebrated their 50th birthdays in January. Gunny is back in the Northern Virginia area and will get more from him for next edition. (Glad you are back in the area, Gunny, and I owe you a beer!) - Bob “Clinker” Moss spent time with Mark Kanter, John Ditillo, Lou Darden and Bart Price during the VMI – Gardner Webb game on 7 Feb 09. If the pictures Clinker forwarded are printed in this edition, you can see that all of those BRs looked great. - Marc Barthello connected to extend his greetings to all. - Rob Costello extended his greetings, as well. I had the honor of meeting up with Cos in January when I travelled to Norfolk. Cos was in great spirits, as always! Great seeing you, Cos. - Paul Brier is still stationed in Guam but traveled to Hawaii in January and visited with Ken Pierro. Turns out Ken snapped his Achilles tendon playing kickball with some of the

106

neighborhood kids (No worries, Ken, as Paul reports it was an extremely tough game because some of the kids were actually pre-teens!) Paul continues to serve a key role for the Marine Corps in planning for the migration of over 8,000 US Marines, and their families, from Okinawa to Guam. - Ken Pierro did send in a separate report confirming the “battlefield” injury and shared that he truly enjoyed Paul’s visit. Ken has been “on the gim” for at least three weeks as of this report. Ken did try to weasel out of Paul what parcels of land in Guam would be a good to buy in order to set up off-base pawn shops, watering holes, etc., but Paul, being the unwavering professional, wouldn’t tip his hand. - Clay and Susie Wommack reported that they had a great rendezvous with Clarkson and Denise Meredith this past October in Sarasota. They enjoyed great weather and spent time sailing around Siesta Key and playing “touristimo” at St. Armands. - Bruce Gitchell will be working on a project at Fort Eustis over the next year or so in his role with Whiting-Turner Contracting Company. Bruce’s oldest son has applied for admission to VMI, and as of this writing is waiting for the word on his acceptance. - Brian Quisenberry assumed duties as Commanding Officer, Naval Ordnance Safety and Security Activity on a 10 January ceremony at the Naval Academy in Annapolis. I had the distinct honor of attending. It was a great ceremony with a tremendous reception that followed. - Bruce Kitchen has provided tremendous support in helping me obtain and consolidate e-mail addresses. By the time this is in print, you will have seen e-mails addressing the same. Bruce also shared that his son, Brett, has been accepted into the mass of 2013! (Congratulations to Brett and to your whole family, Bruce.) - George Chung shared that he and Ken Pohlig got together at George’s home in Ohio before the winter snow fell. - Dan Gallagher shared that he and his family have had some truly trying times over the past seven years with one of his sons sustaining six brain surgeries. Dan shared, however, that exercise, prayer and staying active provides encouragement that will get us all through the worst of times. (Sage advice, Dan. We pray for your son’s continued healing, BR!) - Bob Munno chimed in to confirm the rumors that he did, in fact, get married to a wonderful woman named Agnieszka. (We can’t wait to meet her, Bob.) - Corky Mitchell and I have been playing a mean game of phone tag. We have been able to share a number of e-mails and Corky remains a class act!

- Matt Merriman and I have connected by phone. Matt has been in the DC area working as a Crisis Management Exercise Coordinator at the Navy Operations Center in the Pentagon. - Dave Taylor shared a great update. His own career path is moving him into full-time ministry. He is still with CSC, and combined with my consulting and AF reserve days, he has a pretty extensive professional network and has already provided some assistance to a BR or two in the job search effort. (You are a great BR, Dave.) Well, that is about all I have to share in this edition, Brother Rats. As always, please keep me informed of e-mail and mailing address changes. If you have not gotten a group e-mail from me in the past several months, then I don’t have your address. I hope and pray that all are well and I look forward to seeing you in upcoming events! Until then, God bless you all! In the bonds, Jerry

’82

Charles Kause

Soren Kierkegaard once wrote, “Adversity draws men together and produces beauty and harmony in life’s relationships, just as the cold of winter produces ice-flowers on the windowpanes, which vanish with the warmth.” I guess old Soren had us in mind, as this winter has been particularly challenging, both to body and spirit. It was Arctic Cold in northern Virginia throughout this reporting period. I discovered I did not possess enough “snivel gear” to ward off winter’s chill during my treks in parking lots in my professional life as a salary man in the military-industrial complex. Thanks to the relentless bad news coming from the economic front, my 401(k) is now a 201(k). My IRA is now an IOU. I discovered my gentle employer failed to inform me my contract was on an about-to-run-out option year, and my noble client finally decided to exercise the final option year the week of Christmas. So, December was spent in stress positions, reminiscent of a bucolic six-class day followed by an inspection during Rat year. I informed my son, Eric (nee, the Clown Prince) that his grades reflected his college fund. Both are low and trending lower. I opined the Coast Guard might be just the place for a man of his latent talent. I have a year to get him focused on the fact that the gravy train ends and the world is a cruel place. I believe a stint on a cutter in the Bering Sea rescuing crab fishermen in Sea State 6 will do wonders toward his outlook and motivation. Evan (the Daughter of Darkness) has transitioned from soccer, where

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES she is a maniacal forward and top scorer, to bas- major general in the United States Air Force, Daryl Deke is still living on the West Coast and ketball. Although having played with the same and currently assigned as the Director of Air had a son Benjamin this past spring. Harry is team for three seasons, she has appeared unsure Force Communications and Public Affairs. his Godfather, so he flew out to Orange County and uninspired on the parquet. But Mrs. Kause, Darren’s promotion was in the Pentagon and for the baptism. Daryl’s oldest son, Scott, is ever the wise motivator, found her sweet spot. was attended by his wife, Evelyn; daughter graduating from UVa, second son Jeffrey is a Now, every time Evan steals a ball or makes an Keisha; Darren’s nephew Keith, a lieutenant in sophomore at University of Georgia and his attempt at a basket, Daddy gives her a quarter. the Coast Guard flying helicopters out of Fort high schooler, Jack, is on the school golf team Daddy no longer has beer money. Lauderdale, FL; and Brother Rats Darryl Horne in Charleston, SC. Tom O’Sullivan checked in on the net. He is and Joel Benefield. Keisha recently graduated I received a short note from Ed Howland. He busy at Blackhawk managing products and work- from the University of Washington with a BS in is a planner for the Department of Planning and ing marketing and sales in all channels. Black- Technical Communications. She has settled in Community Development in Powhatan County, hawk, I discovered, is the world’s VA, just west of Richmond. leader in designing, manufacturing, Ron Mecredy is still enjoying and globally distributing tactical and his avocation with the Sterling Voloutdoor equipment. Tom has been unteer Rescue Squad in Loudoun internationally-focused this past year, County, VA, and has now been traveling to Tblisi, Georgia; Amman, promoted to Emergency Medical Jordan; Bucharest, Romania; and Technician - Enhanced. He can now Brisbane, Australia. He will head off perform more advanced physical to the Middle East in early 2009 for examinations, starting IV’s and an extended trip around the region. ET’s, and administering 18 different Tom states he is having lots of fun and IV drugs, performing more adenjoying a very interesting post-Army vanced airway procedures … along career in business. Tom’s son, Conor, with the usual first aid skills. is midway through his freshman year Despite what occurred last year, at the University of Central Florida VMI once again invited me down in Orlando and is experiencing a to the Holy City, Richmond, to considerably different “college” exattend a reception in honor of perience than what we enjoyed. His the General Assembly. This year, daughter, Tara, is 16, doing well in though, I brought a buddy skilled school and keeps busy with competiin the arcane arts of diplomacy Class of 1982: Brig. Gen. McDew, USAF, chief of comtive cheerleading. Tom’s wife, Pam, and policy to keep me straight. My munications and public affairs for the United States Air Force, was promoted to major general in December 2008. is a realtor with Coldwell Banker in friend and best man, the HonorAttending the ceremony were, from left, Lt. Keith McDew, Hampton Roads and is as busy, as able Michael J. Polychrones, is USCG; Darren and Evelyn McDew; and daughter Keisha. ever, despite the downturn in the mara town councilman from Vienna, Editor’s note: After receiving this photo and information, ket; because working in a region with as well as the President of the we learned that Maj. Gen. McDew was selected for reasa large transient military population Virginia Municipal League. Mike signment as vice director, Strategic Plans and Policy, Joint helps turn properties around. Tom was kind enough to introduce me Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C. and Pam also just moved to a new to several Delegates and Senators house in Norfolk, which is always present at the Library of Virginia, open to any visiting BRs! Finally, where the reception was held. On Tom was gracious enough to forward the e-mail Seattle and is working for Boeing Commercial the way into the Library, I ran into Jim Cosby, addresses of those BRs he corresponds with on a Aircraft. Darren expects an assignment change who performed a drive by sweep of the buffet regular basis: George Seiferth, Jim Hickey, Jim soon, but believes he will remain in the Washline before heading home to attend his son’s Cosby, Guy Marangoni, Grey Hagwood and ington, DC, area. birthday. While hobnobbing with the movers Kevin Sharp. Boys … I will find you and will Geroge Mayforth sent me a cute Christmas and shakers of the capital, always expressing compel you to talk! card of his two kids, Izzy and Taylor, dressed as my thanks for their continued support for the Tom and Mike Ewing were kind enough to Hebrew shepherds sitting next to child’s crèche Institute and never making a beeline for the bar forward the official Air Force announcement of on the beach. How very Florida, George! or the poached scallops in a light cream sauce, I Darren McDew’s selection to Major General, Harry Bitzberger dropped me a note to met up with a few BRs. Apparently my reportbecause apparently the Director of Air Force catch up. On the home front things are going age from last year’s soiree was, how shall I put Communications and Public Affairs has more well; and in the Prez’ words, his business “has it … contentious? So I had to promise those important things to do than keep his Class not burned down yet.” He is coaching his son BRs present that nothing remotely scandalous Agent informed of his location and assignHarrison’s (age 9) baseball team and “he’s all would be relayed to you, my gentle readers. ments. Mike, however, informed me he finally Phillie’d up since they won the World Series.” Bob Louthan and wife Katherine were presretired from the Navy Reserve as a captain. He Daughter Morgan is all about dance. Harry’s ent and at their charming best. Chris Schrichte is still at his day job with CACI Corporation, older girls are doing “awesome” and he could came in from the nether reaches of Montana working out of their Navy Yard office in Washnot be prouder of them. Samantha is at the because he missed being on the East Coast. ington, DC, which is next to the Nationals’ new Fashion Institute in Manhattan studying to be a Andy Douthat, as witty and urbane as I ever stadium. Mike says, “Nice stadium, bad team.” designer, and Casey is a graphic design major at remember him, arrived from Roanoke because Speaking of Darren McDew, he is, indeed, a Rochester Institute of Technology. Bitz reports he heard the Beef Wellington was the talk of the

2009-Issue 2

107

CLASS NOTES town. When I saw Andy, he was chatting with Richard Collier’s parents, Sarah and Dick. I asked the usual question, “and how is Richard?” Unfortunately for me, I could only hear half of what Miss Sarah was telling me, as the VMI Herald Trumpets decided to spice up their version of “Rock me, Amadeus” to the pleasure of the noshing crowd. What I did pick up, though, is Richard and family are doing just fine in Atlanta, where he is still piddling in the property development world. Aside from his airplane, he is very proud that his son has started college at Northwestern University. Everybody was on their best behavior. I did not witness any smoke-filled room activities, and no deals were discussed while we were celebrating the General Assembly and the Institute. So, if you do not want me to approach your wife, girlfriend or mother to ask questions about you (because you just know they will talk and tell me everything about you), why don’t you get ahead of the Power Curve, drop me an e-mail or pick up the phone, and call me? You know I will always characterize you in the best possible light, especially if you tell me to do just that. Your significant others and sainted parents, however, usually do not comply and are under no compunction to say nice things about you. So the economy is still in the tank; winter is still blowing down the door; times are tough and may even get tougher. But … I just ordered my seeds for the spring growing season. One thing I do know, like Kierkegaard said … “the cold of winter produces ice-flowers on the window-panes, which vanish with the warmth.”

’83

Jim Outland

Greetings, BRs. As I write these notes in February, the 2008 final numbers for our 25th Reunion are in and I wanted to share them with you. We raised a total of $4,012,553.06 for VMI with 59.03% of our BRs participating in the reunion fund drive effort. The total dollar amount is about $12,470 higher than the number on “The Big Check” which we presented to Gen. Peay ’62 back in September. So, I wanted to thank the post shake-a-leg contributors who kicked in after the reunion and also give assurances that you will not be boned this time. Beyond the final reunion fund drive total, we also donated approximately $883.00 to the VMI deButts Skeet Club in the form of gate receipts, ammo, skeet, and other supplies, thanks to the shot-gunning members of our class and BR Doug Wainwright who coordinated this reunion weekend activity.

108

We should all be very proud of the significant support we have provided the Institute. Many of you stepped up in significant and varied ways this past year as well as throughout the 25+ years since our graduation. During these challenging economic times VMI will continue to need all of our support in any way we can provide it so don’t hesitate to roll up your sleeves and pitch-in whenever a unique opportunity presents itself. I’m also glad to report to you that have we not only covered all of our various 25th Reunion weekend costs, we also now have a positive balance in our class account which can be the foundation for any future activity. My thanks go out again to BR Hugh Daughtry for helping with the various accounting exercises and fire drills. They have helped keep both me and the VMI Financial Office on the straight and narrow in this regard. In other reunion statistics, we had a total of 111 Class of 83 BRs formed-up during our reunion weekend with an additional 70 spouses, guests, kids, etc also in attendance. Fortunately, there are no specific 12 oz. accounting numbers to report for the weekend, but BR Bill Cornett and my wife, Jodi, have a general idea based on how the hospitality run to Wal-Mart filled up my entire suburban. Suffice it to say, for those who attended, “A good time was had by all.” Several items of note have occurred at VMI since our reunion. Here are but a few. VMI basketball under Coach Baucum proves a force to be reckoned with, racking up a string of wins which include an impressive victory over Kentucky in the Fall. The team’s accomplishments were highlighted in several high-profile reports and articles which included a piece in the New York Times as well as a terrific article in Sports Illustrated magazine. The SI article is a great read and can be found at their website: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/ tim_layden/02/04/vmi/index.html The Corps also showed fine form in January while marching in the Presidential Inaugural Parade. For those of you who may have missed it, go to YouTube and search on “VMI in Inaugural Parade.” Hearing “Oh Shenandoah” and watching several angles of the marching Corps shows just how good they looked that evening. I’m sure today’s Corps will have several “good memories” of their chilly parade for President Obama which no doubt required a fair amount of cadet sacrifice (and frostbite), but watching that clip of the inaugural actually reminded me of our own rendezvous with presidential history during the October 1981 Yorktown Bicentennial Celebration. As you may recall, we were loaded up into a caravan of buses in front of Barracks at “oh-dark thirty” for shipment to Tidewater and then

marched later that day for President Regan, French President Mitterand and Lord Chancellor Hailsham. By the time we finally were able to pass in review, however, it was a hot, dusty affair as we paraded across Yorktown’s unpaved and well-tramped battlefield. A look at your old 1982 Bomb will provide a few pictures of the presidential event, but thankfully no photo exists of the “skewered and bloodied” cadet who was in the wrong place at the wrong time when his bayonet-fixed peer succumbed to the heat. Some of you who were on confinement at that time (you know who you are) probably only recall the following ‘immortal words’ with which President Regan began his address to the more than 60,000 people in attendance: “I open with something of an announcement before my remarks. Since today is a day to celebrate freedom, I feel it only appropriate that I exercise one of the more pleasant powers of the Presidency. After consultation with Governor Dalton and with his approval, by the power vested in me as President of the United States, I hereby grant amnesty to the Corps of Cadets of the Virginian Military Institute, under the terms and conditions specified by the Superintendent.” Understandably, the remainder of the President’s remarks probably did not register with any of us, but his speech “Remarks at the Bicentennial Observance of the Battle of Yorktown” are available online and well-worth a read. They are as pertinent today as they were when President Regan said them almost 30 years ago. Another recent event at VMI was the Founder’s Day dedication of the “New, New Barracks,” also known as “Third Barracks” or “Cell Block C.” Yours truly had an opportunity to tour the new living quarters and can describe them to you as suitably “Spartan” while still retaining a certain “Penitentiary-Modern” decor. I couldn’t help but wonder how a Rat of today could conceal a radio like BR Tom Spartz did in his Rat room back in ’79 with roommates Jamie Call and David Via. Apparently upper classmen never found the device they had hidden under the study tables in their room. It may have been because Spartz would wrap the cord around his big toe to quick unplug it whenever an upper classman came into their room. With the miniaturizing of today’s technology I’m guessing the hidden storage of radios or iPods does not provide as great of a technical challenge but I’m still wondering what type of on/ off device is needed for connection to a big toe. Another event from memory is first day of matriculation at VMI. BR Skip Goodwillie was able to relive this when checking in his son, James. I’m sure young Cadet Goodwillie and all of our BRs’ sons in the Class of 2012 are now “happier campers” since they successfully broke

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES out of the Ratline on Jan. 31, 2009, but here was the year when people actually want desperately South Carolina and into Charlotte on business. the scene that Skip observed when the “mass” to get INTO Barracks. The RDC president gave Who does he happen to see in traffic -- none arrived back in August: “Matriculation is much his ‘don’t-give-up-on-yourself-because-we’re- other than BR Hugh Daughtry. This chance different now. It’s done in Cameron Hall. We fill not-going-to-give-up-on-you’ speech. Then the meeting actually set off a “Seven Degrees of out many forms while waiting for his number to rest of the cadre was introduced. Then the oddest Dan Martin” chain reaction with my own be called. Then we go down on the floor to visit thing happened. Some of the Rats must have lost chance meeting here in Midlothian of Dan’s key tables, e.g., admissions, registrar, financial aid their contacts because the cadre told about three Ghetto Corner roommate, BR Clayton Wagner. and of course, his major. James will meet formally quarters of them to get on the ground. Up, down, I’m proud to report Wags was wearing his with his faculty advisor on Wednesday night, and up, down. The cadre was constantly reminding distinctive Class of 83 reunion hat when we ran he’ll be able to call home. I introduced James to them to continue looking. I don’t know if they into each other with our dogs at a local park. Donny White ’65, Steve Amato, Jay Williams, ever found the contacts, but it wasn’t from lack We had a good time catching up, remembering Steve Ross and Gen. Peay ’62. Gen. Peay said, of trying. The cadre members not engaged in the the reunion, and discussing a variety of topics ‘I knew your father.’ That was it; I didn’t press. I contact search were busy making suggestions to including politics and weather. If I had known told James that with so many Brother Rats on the the other Rats. I’m concerned that many of the then about Dan’s chance meeting with Hugh in faculty and staff, i.e., Wade Branner, Jay Wil- incoming Rats were hard of hearing as many of the Charlotte I would have cross-examined Clayton liams, Scott Belliveau, Steve Amato and Steve cadre had to increase their verbal commands and in more detail as I’m sure Wags had met someRoss, that he shouldn’t think of them so much many had to stand close to the Rats’ ears.” body who knew somebody who was connected as ‘spies’ as much as ‘a support group.’ On our Another VMI-related event this winter was to Dan in some way or another (as most folks way out of Cameron, the swim coach hailed us the passing of Col. Bates McCluer Gilliam ’40. apparently are). down and talked to him. There were 118 NCAA Many of us who took Col. Gilliam’s courses Also, in December I was surprised to see a athletes in James’ mass of 447 matriculates and all in History and/or Politics have fond memories front page article in the Wall Street Journal the coaches were there waiting for their recruits of “Smokey” and recall him as a teacher who describing the marriage of our BR Scott “Rock” to come by. We lugged all his stuff up to the 4th definitely made it fun. In relaying the date of his Donahue’s son, Lt. Eric Donahue (USMA stoop and it seemed as if every step triggered a arrival in the European Theater during WWII, ’07), to his new bride, Claudia (USMA ’06). memory as we found his room. If you look directly Col. Gilliam followed with a statement of its Eric, Claudia, “Rock,” and the entire Donahue over Jackson Arch at the highest 4th stoop window significance: “On this date, the fate of the Axis family were featured in the article “Families at with an arch, his is the one directly to the right. powers was sealed!” On economics, his advice War” which focused on the challenges faced After we unpacked him and he took his trunks to was “Buy low, sell high.” On the Latin translaby military families that have parents, children the trunk room (I gave him the black one I had tion of Virginia’s state motto “Sic Semper and other close relatives serving in Iraq and in Iraq), we were able to go uptown and have his Tyrannis,” he assured us it meant “Get Your Afghanistan simultaneously. It also described ‘last supper.’ We returned to Barracks where he Foot Off of My Chest!” Not only were many of the adventure “Rock” faced in attempting to changed into his gym dyke and we went back to his statements memorable, but taping a rubber return to the U.S. from Iraq in time for his son’s Cameron where Gen. Peay spoke. The gym dykes hand to his duty cap visor as a means of returnwedding. Many thanks for your service, BR, are not bad, red mesh basketball shorts that have ing countless cadet salutes firmly solidified and the service of your entire family! “VMI” on one leg and a grey VMI t-shirt. Then his place for us in a long line of notable VMI In other family-related news, many of you the 1st CPT came in for his ‘we’re-going-to-mold- professors. He will be greatly missed. have provided ongoing prayers and expresthem-into-VMI-cadets’ speech. Each company In the chance encounters department, a recent sions of support for Jack Manley, Anne and commander came in with their cadre and called all business trip had BR Dan Martin up from their family during Jack’s long fight with those in the audience assigned to them pancreatic cancer. Thanks to to fall in. James is in Mad Dog Delta. Anne’s updates at Jack’s CarEach company went in turn and it was ingbridge Web site, many of us very formal. Applause continued for have taken inspiration from their each company called. Cal Murray’s difficult journey and Jack’s posioldest son, Carter, is the Hotel Comtive attitude despite the terminal pany Commander and he did a fine condition of his cancer. In Anne’s job. The 1st CPT called the cadre to words, “Jack is without a doubt attention and barked the command, the most tenacious and deter‘Right Face.’ The stands erupted in mined cancer patient in Texas. His laughter as a quarter snapped smartly desire to stay on earth defies the to the right, a quarter snapped smartly odds given to us by every oncoloto the left and half of the Rats stood gist we see. There is no explanafrozen in place. Once the Rat mass tion for how he pushes through was formed, the band and bagpipes each day with such a positive provided the bass-laden cadence for attitude and a will to live.” As them to march out of Cameron, in front of this writing, Jack continues to of Foster Stadium, up around Crozet show his mettle as a fighter and and into Old Barracks via Washington has told Anne he intends to live Class of 1983: Scott Donahue’s son, Eric, married ClauArch. The arch’s gates were closed every single day as best he can dia, both USMA, on Sept. 27, 2008. The Donahues, from and guarded with the parents pressuntil his last. Surely these are left: twin daughters, Taylor and Morgan; Jenna; the bride ing up against them in hopes of one words, actions and attitudes which and groom, and Nancy and Scott. last glimpse. This is the one time of we should all be mindful of as we

2009-Issue 2

109

CLASS NOTES continue to pray for the Manley’s during these most difficult of days. That is all for now BRs. Please keep me updated with your news, address changes, and pictures. I have yet to provide the Alumni Review with one of those “alumnus on top of a mountain” photos, despite having climbed to the top of Nelson County’s Crabtree Falls with my family last August. The screaming four year old that I carried 3/4s of the way up there was in no mood for a picture when we finally reached the summit so I anxiously await one of you all to rise to the challenge and send me the photo to prove it.

’84

Hank Selman

Greetings, BRs. Consider this update “shake a leg” for our upcoming 25th Reunion. We have a great group from ‘84 that have been working very hard in order to ensure it is a great success. So block of Labor Day weekend 2009 now and get ready to party in Lexington! I recently spent some time with Sam Browne in Lexington. Sam is with the U.S. Department of Energy and is doing great. He was also kind enough to check in with an update as well: “Career wise, I am doing quite well and was recently promoted to acting director for the Department of Energy’s Office of International Science and Technology Cooperation (all those years taking liberal arts chemistry and calculus finally paid off). In this position, I manage staff and provide strategic policy direction as it relates to DOE’s international science and technology collaborative agreements, and leads interaction with other offices and USG agencies on energy science and technology issues. Been quite busy out of the office too; I serve as the president of my Homeowner’s Association in Lanham, MD. Terry Fortune ’87 is a neighbor. I am running to be a board member of the Energy Federal Credit Union (election is in March 2009). I will be traveling to New Orleans on Dec. 27, ’08 to Jan. 2, ’09, as part of a mission’s trip from my church (Woodstream Church in Mitchellville, MD). One of the church’s outreach groups, the Sparrows Nest Ministries, has partnered with Castle Rock Church in the Big Easy. I will be part of a nine person team that will be there to help in the rebuilding efforts -- materially as well as spiritually. I will share pictures on my return.” Tom Anthony is still in Djibouti supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. Working Peace Support Operations in East Africa. He says he spends most of his time training African of-

110

ficers, so the French classes back in Scott Shipp Hall have proven useful. Tom says it is not as glamorous as it sounds, and he would rather be shooting at Somali pirates or Al Qaeda. Tom let me just say we are proud of you and the work you are doing to help keep us free. I know it is not exactly Christmas time, but Barry Coceano dropped me a line last December and his note is just too good to hold off until the holidays. Do you guys remember the “dramatic” lighting of the VMI Christmas tree? I had almost forgotten one of the funniest moments of my cadetship until Barry sent me this: “One of the highlights of my Third Class year (you know life as a Third sucks when this was a highlight) was witnessing the ‘lighting.’ I was returning to my room at 0145 (my grades sucked so bad that semester that I was authorized late study for exams). It was dark and cold in Barracks as I transited the steps between second and third stoops. I was feeling down as I knew I was ill prepared for Dr. Chang’s Econ 101 exam the next morning. “Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a streaking light. I was mesmerized by the sight -- aghast in its glow. I felt like I was one of the three Wise men bearing witness to the guiding light from the Star of David. “With a sudden flash, the streaking light struck the Sentinel Box and burst into a fabulous inferno of flames, quickly engulfing the entire tree. I was fixed on the sight, unable to move and confounded by what was happening in front of me. Suddenly, I was brought back to my senses when a single voice bellowed through the silence – ‘Light the Tree.’ I felt a sense of euphoria rush through me. Like one of the three Wise men, I was one of the chosen; one of the few to bear witness to such a cataclysmic event. An event that like the tree would be seared into my eternal memory (a memory bank that my wife, Dawn, reminds me everyday is rather limited). “In a matter of moments, Barracks came to life, as the stoops filled with cadets, wrapped in their comforters and screaming as one voice -- making Col. Preston proud – ‘this truly was a crowd of honorable youths, pressing up the hill of science (or econ in my case), with noble emulation.’ “As quickly as the whole event transpired, it came to an abrupt and sudden end. Barracks was dark, the stoops were empty and quiet, and the only trace of this annual event was the solemn grow from the scorched skeleton of what was moments earlier our picturesque VMI Christmas Tree. “The next day, I no longer felt like a Wise man as I failed miserably Dr. Chang’s Econ 101 exam. And in true VMI fashion, I returned to my room after taking the exam, unable to show any emotion (lest we not forget that showing emotion was an honor violation during

exam week), only to find a green status slip on my door. I had missed the 0110 stick, and I was only authorized late study till 0100. As is always the case Third Class year, a fleeting moment of joy quickly transformed itself into a nightmare. Weird Harold (bless his soul) would give me two weeks of confinement the day before Christmas furlough for missing the stick, and my failure of Econ 101 would lead to my transfer to the History Department. So, as you can see, a seemingly insignificant event such as the Lighting of the Tree would become a defining moment for me. Merry Christmas and an early happy Silver Anniversary for the Class of ’84. See you at the reunion!” Barry let me just say that prose like that would have been wasted in the Econ department. Your reminiscence does us History majors proud! Now on a much more serious note. As many of you know as of the writing of these notes our dear friend and BR Ron Abbit is in a monumental battle with cancer. The situation currently is rather fluid, but Ron did just finish a round of radiation therapy. Many emails have been circulating on this and I am very proud of the way our class is responding. Reports are that Ron is battling like a champion, and all are very hopeful. I will keep the class posted as best as I can through out this difficult time. That’s it for this round. Keep those updates coming, and I plan on seeing you all at the 25th!

’85

John Eckenrode

Editor’s note: There are no class notes from the class of ’ 85 in this issue.

’86

Clint Hubbard

Greetings in mid-February! As you will likely see these notes in print around April-May, let me wish one and all a Happy New Market Day. Leading off top of the order this quarter is a couple of long-lost BRs – first up is Tom Batt. Many will recall Tom who was with us for our Rat year and with many of us as we participated in the “VMI Summer Scholars” program (the one in Lex-Vegas; not the one at Oxford) in the summer of 1983 where we stretched two semesters of Rat Chemistry into three. BR Batt offered the reader’s digest version of the last 26 years of his life. After our Rat year and subsequent summer school, Tom enlisted in the U.S. Army (19D Cav

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES Scout) and reached (his words) the exalted rank Can you say ‘road-trip’? Thanks for checking a program manager for a manufacturer of of Specialist 4. His decorations include the Army in, Dan, it was good to re-connect with you. commercial floor-sweeping equipment. Kathy good conduct medal which he acknowledges A fabulous update from another missing BR says they experienced the coldest day of their might have been due to a clerical error but he has came in from his bride. BR John Stanek joins lives, at 18 below Fahrenheit (the temp – not it and has no plans for giving it back! After his the long list of those who married up in that including the wind-chill!). Kathy offers it was enlistment was up, BR Batt decided to go back Mrs. (Kathy) Stanek is obviously a real peach. a gorgeous area, but too far from family so they to school; to Salem State College in Salem, MA. Her great quote is “despite my ‘reminding’ moved to the Cincinnati, OH, area in 2007 where He chose this particular center for higher learning John over the years, it’s not looking too good John got a new job in engineering management based on a variety of factors; foremost was the that he’s ever going to get around to sending for BAE Systems, working on MRAPs. ratio of females to males at seven to one. After you a VMI BR update, so we’ll join the ‘wife As for family, Kathy reports they have two VMI and the Army, Tom decided that women wrote in for him’ club and buy the 5th round girls and a dog. Over the years, they’ve tried to were to be the focus of his existence for awhile. of drinks at the 25th Reunion. Which we really make it back to Virginia every two years or so He finished with a BA in History and set out to hope to make this time – wanted to go to the to visit family, and usually make a trip to VMI, be a teacher but those plans were interrupted by 20th Reunion, but it was the same day as our plus a drive in the mountains. According to going to work “part time” in his their mom, the ‘Stanekettes’ have family’s car wash equipment sales fond memories of looking in the and service business. Twenty-some Barracks, walking around Post, and odd years later, Tom is still in the browsing in the VMI gift shop. car wash business now working Sister Rat Stanek closed with a for Wash Depot a national chain in great “small world” story … long facilities management. Along the before John and Kathy ever met way, BR Batt reports he was lucky there was an evening in DC in enough to find and woo the woman which our BR Stanek had been of his dreams, Ms. Amy Conroy and (ahem) ‘over-served’ and in a state they presently live in Andover, MA. of advanced inebriation, John lost Among his other skills, Tom says he his class ring in a Washington DC has taken up playing the bagpipes street. Sporting what was likely a much to the dismay of their cat, large hangover, he searched for it Fiona. We had a good laugh when the next day but never found it. At I recalled that Tom showed up in his wedding, his mom gave him a summer school Rat chemistry class replacement ring as a wedding gift. with purple hair; he reports that it is Several years later, after they now mostly gray rather than purple had moved to Michigan, John got Class of 1985: Mike Schwitter took a picture of the Matterhorn, Swiss Alps, when he was in his DG-800 glider but he is thrilled to still have it. Tom a call from a guy, saying he had plane. closed his message with the valedichis VMI ring. The man owned a tion “In the Spirit” which he reported plumbing company, was retiring, he enjoyed saying! Welcome back to and was getting all his records the fold, BR Batt; it was great to hear from you. daughter’s First Communion. We’re coming up in order and packing up his business. It turns While we are still on the topic of longon our 16th wedding anniversary, and since we out that when BR Stanek threw his ring that lost BRs, I likewise got an update from Dan met after college, I’ve always wanted to go to a long-ago night, it had rolled down a D.C. street Hooker. Dan was with us for our Rat and third VMI reunion and meet the BRs.” See, you can and into a D.C. drain. Later, a plumber was class years. Just when things got better at VMI tell Kathy’s a gem in that she wants to come to called to fix a broken valve or something in and we became 2nd Classmen, Dan bolted a reunion. Sister Rat Stanek says that John still the D.C. plumbing system, and the plumber for the greener pastures of Cornell University keeps in touch with Eric Morehouse and Dave found the ring. The plumber was the owner’s from where he earned his bachelor’s degree. Grimm; both of whom were part of the Stanek son and he gave the ring to his dad, who put BR Hooker stayed with the military in that wedding party in Baltimore in 1992. it in the safe, intending to try to find the ring’s he served 5 different stints with the Marines Kathy reports our BR Stanek worked in owner. Sadly, the son was killed in an accident over the years before retiring from the USMC design engineering on mobile bridging for the soon after and the ring was forgotten; it sat in Reserves in 2007. Somewhere in between, Dan Army/Fort Belvoir in Virginia right after VMI, the back of the safe for years. When the man found time to work in the insurance industry including a 1-year internship at the Pentagon. was closing his business, he came across it in and later for American Defense Systems, serve They moved to Michigan in 1995, where the safe and wanted to return it, as John’s name two terms in the New York State Legislature John continued to work on mobile bridging at was engraved inside. Fortunately, his attorney and earn an MBA. On top of that, Dan also TACOM (the “tank plant”), near Detroit. He was a VMI graduate and helped locate John married the former Tara Carway and they have left the government a couple years later and via the alumni records. So John met the man two children; Danny and Erin. It is good to hear then worked in engineering management for on their next visit to Virginia and retrieved his from you, Dan, and we are glad to know our Isuzu Motors on commercial trucks. During this ring. The original ring was a bit scratched up BR Hooker is staying active! Dan closed with time, BR Stanek got his MBA from University from being in the D.C. plumbing system, but a generous offer; he is presently working for a of Michigan, Dearborn. After traveling to Japan John says that he now has a VMI ring to give philanthropy that oversees the National Baseover 20 times in 6 years for Isuzu, the travel to each of their two daughters someday. In the ball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY, and BR got to be a bit much and the Staneks moved meantime, our BR Stanek has had fun showing Hooker offers any BRs a free tour of the place. to Minneapolis, MN, in 2004 where John was off his “beer-bottle-opening VMI ring” to new

2009-Issue 2

111

CLASS NOTES friends/neighbors in the 3 states we’ve lived in (MI, MN, OH), opening their bottles around the firepit. What a terrific ring recovery story and thanks a million for a great update, Kathy. Best wishes to you in your yeoman’s task of keeping John Stanek in line! Before we leave the subject of “who’s buying?” … in the last edition, I mentioned Karen Corwin wrote in for Mike – so BR Stanek will be picking up the 6th round after BR Corwin picks up the 5th round. Just so we all remember, I believe the list of benevolent BRs at the bar goes something like: Jenkins, J.M.; Mays, R.O.; Dillon, J.T.; Diehl, S.A.; Corwin, M.A.; and now Stanek, J.D. I still stand by my earlier assertion that we stick it to Jenkins twice – he was a ranker after all. Maybe we should also require Mays to pony-up twice since he was a pseudo-townie from BV. Do I hear a motion from the floor? The ‘what are you looking at’ award for this quarter goes to Tony Hirtz. Tony attended the VMI-West Point basketball game (at West Point where Tony is stationed) which the Keydets won and Tony reported that he was very visible in that he was the only guy in the place wearing a yellow gym dyke sweatshirt circa 1986. No report as to whether or not the “Hirtz, AD” was still legible. A nice Aloha from Hawaii came in from Steve Gray. BR Gray says that “Life in Hawaii is good ... and warm!” Steve recently traveled to Taiwan where he connected with TK Liu. Steve reports that TK is doing great; he’s married and about to be promoted to major general in the Security services! Steve said they didn’t get together in person as the Mainland China representatives were in Taiwan and there were a lot of protests keeping TK busy. BR Gray said he hopes to meet up with BR Liu on his next trip. Steve said that TK’s English language skills over the phone were far better than the Tim ‘the Goat’ Spivey’s, Wayne Fuller’s or your’s truly ever was. I think he was sticking it to us! BR Gray says there is not much else to report except his dog ‘Jaeger’ is doing exceptionally well, and they’ve been pheasant hunting with John Cawthorne ’81 on a regular basis. Speaking of great pheasant hunters, on a Sunday evening in December, Todd and Donna McCullough were returning home from a dinner in Fairfax County headed south on Route 123 when they were passed by a car with VMI monogram logo plates that read ‘SWH86’. BR McCullough’s Walter Mitty like fascination with state troopers kicked in and he initiated pursuit; fortunately the car pulled into the next 7-11 within a mile. Todd wheeled in beside the car and when the driver stepped out he surprised BR McCullough with his good memory when he looked at him and noted “Hello Mr. McCullough.” It was none other than Brother Rat Sam Hayes. Sam was stopping for a

112

caffeine fix to help him make the trip home to Dinwiddie. BR Hayes’ day job is working for VDOT, and he has retired from the USAF Reserves. Todd said they had a nice quick visit before taking off. Hmmm, in the days of yore, they’d have been stopping at a 7-11 for more beer for the trip rather than caffeine. Stew Barnes spent his Christmas holiday with his in-laws in Wilmington, DE. As far as we know, there is only one BR who lives in the entire city of Wilmington, DE – J.J. Walker. On Christmas Eve afternoon, BR Barnes calls me on my cell to tell me he has made contact with BR Walker completely by chance in Wilmington. He then asked me to guess where the encounter took place. I told Barnes that if the location wasn’t at (a) a liquor store (b) Victoria’s Secret or (c) Hooter’s then I was going to report that it was at a gay cabaret show. BR Barnes proudly reported that he had run into BR Walker at a liquor store! Just imagine – on Christmas Eve, the holiest of days in the Christian calendar and our two stalwarts bump into each other where? Not at a Christmas Eve communion service but at a liquor store; I’m sure their mothers are proud of them now. On a Saturday afternoon in early February, I had the occasion to be at the University of Richmond with my son sailing his batterypowered boat on the lake. There was a baseball scrimmage going on so we walked up to take a look and ran into Bill and Lisa Barber. You will probably recall that their son, Billy, is a Spider baseball player and the Barbers are regulars at the games. As said before, we wish the Spiders best of luck in all games save one. Bill is still living in Stafford/Fredericksburg and commuting daily into Washington, DC. Well, that’s a wrap on this installment. It has been many moons since we heard from or about Troy Lanier – that always makes me nervous. Likewise how about an update from Chris Bass, Doug Brennan, Ralph Frye, Henry Ingram, Rob Nentwig, Glenn Phillips, Joe Pinhak or Tony Zimmer? Take care, Brother Rats.

’87

Ernie Edgar

Brother Rats, as I write this for submission to the Alumni Review, our basketball team has spent the last three months whacking the heck out of whomever they faced – starting with Kentucky and continuing through the Big South regular season schedule. Whatever the results of the season and March Madness, this has already been a great year with lots of positive attention paid to the Institute. I hope you all have

enjoyed the ride as much as I have! In addition, I thought the Corps looked pretty damn good marching in battalion mass in the Inaugural Parade. Meanwhile, I’ve received lots of news from our BRs for which I am very grateful – keep those e-mails coming! The first piece of news is the most difficult. As many of you now know, Kenny Walters is battling cancer at the Rockefeller Cancer Institute in Little Rock, AR. He was diagnosed this past summer in the midst of moving to a new command assignment in the Carolinas. The Air Force reassigned him back to Little Rock Air Force Base (where his wife, Amy, and their kids still were) so that he could receive treatment at the Rockefeller Institute. So far, Kenny’s progress has been good. In addition, once he settled back in Little Rock, the base commander, General Schatz, assigned Kenny as the Director of the Staff of the 19th Air Wing. This, I think, speaks both to the leadership of General Schatz and the caliber of officer that Kenny is. Kenny and Amy have set up a Web site through CaringBridge where you can track his progress and leave him online notes. The address is: http:// www.caringbridge.org/visit/kenwalters. Thanks especially to Bruce Bangley, Paul Munson, and our old TAC Officer, Jim Dittrich ’76, for spreading the word on Kenny’s condition and providing links to Kenny’s CaringBridge site. Paul is also headed into hip replacement surgery, which was scheduled for Feb. 10. He was originally injured in a car wreck in 1988 and the hip had continued to degenerate. Hopefully, this surgery will do the trick and he will be up and around soon. Capt. Dittrich (as we knew him then) retired from the Army about 10 years ago and moved to Little Rock, where he is vice president of Operations for Leisure Arts Inc., which publishes and ships books on crafts, cooking, gardening and the like. He says: “I never expected to end up in Arkansas but now hope never to leave. Little Rock has a lot to offer and is a great place to live and work.” He and his wife “live on 60 acres, 25 miles west of town. I grew up a city boy but have adjusted well to country life. I have a couple of horses and our property is by the National Forest so we can ride as far as we want.” On a happier note, Dean Kratzenberg hosted a “farewell” get together for Matt Sutton, who had finished some TDY training in the DC area and was heading back to his duties with the Border Patrol in Arizona. Jeff Temple and Mike Hooper were also there to grill some ridiculously large steaks and tell stories about the Old Corps. From the Army, more great news about Colonel-selects, which also include Paul Duray and Dave Cochran. Since completing the

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES Naval War College in June, Paul and his family moved to Rockville, MD, and Paul reported in to the military’s first Joint Medical Task Force, headquartered on the National Naval Medical Center installation in Bethesda, MD. He reports that they went fully operational in October and exercise tactical control over all the military medical hospitals and clinics in the National Capital Region for daily medicine and contingency missions. They also oversee the BRAC merger and construction of the new, joint Walter Reed National Military Medical Center at Bethesda, and a second joint medical hospital at Fort Belvoir (about $2 billion in new construction). Paul also ran into Dave Smith (Navy CEC) at the Metro stop and sent along the attached photo! Dave Cochran returned from Iraq in May of 2008. Dave, Christine and their two girls are now stationed in Hohenfels, but after five years in Germany, are looking forward to returning stateside. Also, this past August LTC John Ferguson changed status from National Guard AGR to Regular Army. The Army has sent him back to school to finish his doctorate, so he’ll be at George Mason University until May of 2010 with an overseas deployment likely to follow. Congratulations to all of you! As an additional duty, Paul Duray was involved in the DoD planning and support of the Presidential Inauguration and got a big kick out of the fact that the Corps of Cadets was the biggest single unit of all. Thanks, by the way, to Macon Snowden and Mike Maxwell, who circulated the various C-Span and YouTube clips of the Corps passing in review on Pennsylvania Avenue. That generated a lot of internal ’87 comments from John Ferguson, Scott Jones, Bob Eckhoff, Andy Kestner (who took Jack Avis’ name in vain!), John Johnson (who advocated hay down for the Corps), Derrick Johnson (who agreed with John), Bobby Blackwell and Brad Chandler. Lt. Col. Bob Merkel remains in the Baghdad AO with his 192nd EOD Battalion. They continue to respond to a wide variety of EOD missions including removal and disposal of weapons caches (which from his descriptions include a wide array and vast amounts of ordnance), as well as forensic analysis of past EOD attacks. Although orders to return home are notoriously fickle things, it looks as though Bob and his battalion are on the downhill stretch of their deployment. Adrian Garcia and Chip Bierman checked in from the Naval War College in Newport, RI. Adrian and his wife, Kathy, have been enjoying the frequent and deep snowfalls in Newport (they sure don’t get those in Florida!) while Chip pinned on his eagles on December 1. Chip will graduate in March, after which he’ll take command of the 3rd Marine Regiment presently in

2009-Issue 2

Afghanistan (as of now, Chip isn’t sure whether he’ll take command this summer in Afghanistan or in the fall back in Hawaii). Either way, he says “I’m excited to be going back to the same Regiment where I just commanded a battalion for 30 months.” Given the winter, Chip also says his family is looking forward to PCS-ing to Hawaii, while it’s still freezing in Newport. Chip also brought me up to speed on all the new Marine Corps colonels from the Class of ’87—all came out on last year’s list and have now pinned on: Dave Furness, Bill Callahan, Ted Anders (who left after our Rat year), Jon Sachrison, Jim Bright and Chip.

Class of 1987: Capt. David Smith, USN, left, and Lt. Col. (P) Paul Duray in the crosswalk outside the National Naval Medical Center, in Bethesda, Maryland. The two met by chance as one was leaving and the other entering the center. Lt. Col. Al Greene is the executive officer for the Marine Corps Air Station at Camp Pendleton. It’s still a flying job, which he really enjoys. Al has transitioned from helicopters and now flies the UC-35, which is the Marine version of the Cessna Citation (small business jet). Since Christmas, Al has been in Qatar for a few months to fly Marines between Iraq and Afghanistan. Stu Wharton is a captain in the Navy Reserve and just finished a three-year recall to the Pentagon where he worked for the N6 as the Deputy CIO for Enterprise Architecture, Data Strategy, Information Assurance, and Strategic Planning. Back in reserve status, he is the State Emergency Preparedness Liaison Officer for West Virginia. In his day job, he works in Winchester, VA, for a technology company that supports FEMA’s Di-

saster Management Interoperability System. Stu and his wife, Cheryl, still live in Charles Town, WV, with their two kids Ally (8) and Zach (3). Hugh Bettendorf retired from the Marine Corps last April after 20 years. He and his wife, Allison, relocated to Sarasota, FL, where Allison is a trust attorney with a local law firm. Hugh, meanwhile, has taken a position as a Project Manager with PAE- Lockheed Martin running a US Government-owned logistical depot in Sierra Leone. He works there for about four months then comes home for three-week vacation. In a somewhat mild understatement, he says “Sierra Leone is an interesting place to work.” Warren Michelsen has stayed busy with Trane. He is now Trane’s district manager for its Seattle and Alaska business and manages all aspects of Trane’s business (equipment sales, parts sales, service and contracting) in that market. He says “it is the job that I have been working towards for the last 10 years and has finally come to fruition.” As if that weren’t enough, he will be starting his MBA, through Ingersoll Rand, at the Kelley School of Business in Bloomington, IL, this March. His wife, Jennifer, and their girls will be staying in Albuquerque while Emily finishes her senior year and then they’ll move to Seattle in May. Emily will then be off to Willamette University in Salem, OR, where she has committed to play volleyball for them. On a more difficult note, Warren’s dad, John Michelsen ’57, is now battling lung cancer after having beaten throat cancer. There must be some kind of tech revolution hitting us 40-somethings because, recently, several BRs have justifiably gotten on my case to join Facebook and the other social networking sites. I say this is a revolution because, up until Labor Day, I thought Facebook was something to be avoided like the plague (especially by my kids)! But as more than one BR has pointed out, it’s not just for kids any more. In that vein, and in addition to Facebook, there is a VMI Alumni group on LinkedIn (which several of our BRs, myself included, have joined) and the VMI Alumni Association has launched its own VMIspecific site through InCircle. Our class already has a group on InCircle with upwards of 30 BRs. You can join InCircle through the VMI Web page by accessing the links to the Alumni Association. One of the fruits of all this activity is that I reconnected with Steve Glenn, who in addition to being a BR was also a good friend in high school. Steve and his family are settled in Raleigh, where Steve is an Emergency Management consultant with PBS&J. Steve has spent his career in Emergency Management. He started out by heading up a HazMat team for the Winston-Salem Fire Department and then joined the North Carolina Emergency Management Office for several more years. From there, he became a FEMA Branch

113

CLASS NOTES Chief based out of Atlanta. But after a host of high profile missions (among them 9/11 response, the Olympics, the Space Shuttle Columbia accident investigation, the 2004 Florida hurricanes followed by Hurricane Katrina in 2005), Steve’s wife, Amy, had had enough of his being away so they moved back to Raleigh, where Steve happily reports he became a beltway bandit! So, more to follow, I guess as we get better and better connected electronically. Meanwhile, thank you again for all the e-mails, photos and news that you have sent and please keep them coming! Ernie

’88

Drew McKone

Hello, Brother Rats! I am happy to say that after almost 20 years, I heard from Joey Swink! Joey responded to the Christmas card and we had a good time catching-up over the phone. Joey and his family are doing well. Joey is still selling pharmaceuticals in the Rockbridge County area. We’ve made a commitment to get together sometime later this year. If you did not receive a Christmas card, it probably means that you need to update your address with the Alumni Association. For those of you who have not embraced Facebook, you now have another reason! Our resident “Techie,” Hugh Brien, has created a “VMI 88” group. If you’re on FB, please join the group and encourage others to do the same. It’s a great way to keep in touch! I am still living in Poolesville, MD with my wife, Stacy, and our two kids, Steven (19) and Laura (18). Both kids are in college but only one is studying! The son has decided to take this semester off to work and save money for his different adventures. Steven works for an outdoor adventure company and takes groups on rafting, mountain climbing, kayaking and all sorts of other trips. In the past few months he’s been to England, Utah, Montana and Wyoming. We told the kids to find something they enjoy doing and then make a living doing it. He always liked to play outside so now he’s making money doing it! The daughter is my studious one and she is starting her second semester at the local community college and looks to transfer to a four-year school her sophomore year. Stacy and I hope to start construction on our new home before May. I am still with M&T Bank and we’re doing relatively well in this environment. We’re actually buying other banks that got themselves in trouble. It’s always better to be the predator rather than the prey! John Williams checked in to share the following Jack Ryan-like update: “After my retirement in May 08, Rosemary and I took two months

114

and sailed our boat up to New England to really separate from the Marine Corps. After visiting Block Island, Newport, Cuttyhunk, Woods Hole, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, Boston and Provincetown and many lobsters later, we made our way back down the coast and home to Annapolis. It was a GREAT trip – the ideal vacation and we’re already planning for another evolution of it as soon as the economy recovers … I spent the fall doing some consulting for a couple of companies inside the beltway and in Jan 09 started back at the Naval Academy as the Deputy Director of the Center for Middle East and Islamic Studies. It’s a great job; keeps me in the classroom and provides opportunities for travel – only this time without a ruck and a rifle.” (Now, doesn’t that sound like something out of a Tom Clancy novel?) The following is from our well-traveled BR Dave Olmstead: “I usually have nothing to report but this issue is full of news! We have returned to Robins AFB, GA, where my wife, Barbara, is the deputy group commander of the 116 Operations Group (J-STARS). I am still hanging on as a reservist but about every month or so, they try to boot me out! Can’t really understand that; most of my days I don’t get paid for! Guess the Air Force theory of ‘why get work for free when we can pay big money for it’ is true! Anyway, because of the troubles I’ve had keeping a Reserve job; I am putting a package in to go back to active duty or full-time Guard or Reserves (whoever shows interest first!). “We took a long vacation over the holidays and drove from GA to NC, VA (through VMI of course!) and PA to visit with my family. Then we drove to NH to visit Barb’s family. On the way back, we visited Jason Dahlquist in Francestown, NH. It was great to see him and meet his great family (Denice, Ashley and Justin) at their fantastic home! They gave us a great welcome despite that they, themselves, arriving home at 3 a.m. that same morning from DC. We had lost track of each other after graduation and had a lot of catching up to do! Then we had to hit the road back to PA, SC and GA but had a great trip. I’ll keep you updated! Take Care!” Thanks to Joey, John and Dave for checking-in and sharing their updates! Please continue to share your updates via e-mail, phone or Facebook. In the Spirit! Drew

’89

tough situations. I know many of us are in some tough situations. One of the things I draw strength from is our time at VMI and how it helped form us into leaders to confront these difficult times with courage, cool heads and determination. I believe the adversity and challenges we had to overcome as young men helped prepare us for these very times. Many people I meet today have never really faced any tough times and have taken their good fortune for granted for a very long time. I think we are conditioned on a deep level to better handle and overcome the difficult hardships many people are facing. I hope you feel the same. Notes are kind of light as I think there has been a lot of activity leading up to the reunion. First was a great note I received from Michelle Leonard in November from the wife of Scott Leonard. Scott is now a lieutenant colonel in the USMC and is currently serving his fourth tour in Iraq as the Battalion Commander for the 1st LAR BN. In January 2008, the Leonards moved from Camp Lejeune, NC, to Camp Pendleton, CA, in order for Scott to take command of the 1st LAR in March 2008. Scott left for Iraq in September and will return in April (hopefully in time for the reunion). Scott does not get too much time in front of the computer as he is out in the dessert a lot. Thanks for the note Michelle and please pass on our best to Scott. We hope to see you both at the 20th. Early in February I received some great news from Steve Boyd. Wendy Boyd delivered their second daughter, Sara Dean, on Jan. 28, 2008. Both Wendy and Sara are doing great. Samantha (Sara’s older sister) was particularly excited to have a little sister and older brother Cooper is warming up to another sister as well. Steve was particularly impressed with the timing of his newest child because she arrived in time to watch the Steelers take home their recordbreaking 6th Super Bowl. The Boyd family wishes all a great 2009. Gentlemen, that is all I have to report. I am looking forward to the 20th. Take care … Andrew Tunnard

Andrew J. Tunnard

Dear Brother Rats: Well, we are now well into the year 2009 … 20 years post graduation from VMI. The world is quite a different place than the one we graduated. It seems like the news all around us is not good, and people are in really

Class of 1989: Sarah Dean Boyd was born on Jan. 28, 2009 to Steven and Wendy.

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES

’90

R. Hunter Trumbo

Howdy, BRs. Winter is always a great time to get updates from folks, so this set of class notes is chock-full of information. I received a nice note from Tom Pegram, who’s living in Ridgeway, VA, near where he and his wife, DeeDee, grew up. Tom has his own general contracting and land development business (TCP Construction), and does most of his work just across the border in North Carolina. The Pegram’s keep busy raising their kids Kara (17), Sarah (15), Hannah Grace (12) and Thomas III (11). Tim Bosetti sent in an update from Germany, where he and Christi (his wife of 17 years), have been spending time with their son, Joseph (almost 2), while the Army sees fit to keep Tim busy during the day. They’ve gone native during their time in Europe, diving head-first into the local customs & festivals. This summer the family will be returning to the U.S. and are heading to Fort Lewis, WA. Also from Germany, my roommate Brett Turner e-mailed an update that he and his family are probably moving back to the states this summer, but they are not sure where he’ll be posted. His family has enjoyed being in Germany and they’re trying to see more of Europe before they head home. He also let me know that about 10 alumni were getting together at their local club to celebrate Founders Day, and he was hoping to run into Tom Talley, who he had seen over the summer and is working at AFRICOM. Checking in from Montpelier, VA, William Gaspar let me know that things are busy but going well for him and his family. He’s working with Sam Stocks on the new high school in Henrico County. With Sam’s project management and Bill’s structural engineering, I’m sure the high school will finish up ahead of schedule, under budget, and be the safest place in the county! Seriously, it’s always cool to see our BRs working together now that we’re almost grown-ups. Andy Kvasnicka dropped me an update with what’s going on in his world. He’s a pipeline engineer with Columbia Gas in Petersburg by day, and has been an auxiliary police officer (some would say volunteer hero) for the last 11 years. He’s and his wife, Tricia, are the proud parents of Bain (8) who just finished his first season of tackle football and is a straight A student. Andy says that he gets his athletic ability and brains from his mom, but I think he deserves some of the credit for coaching & tutoring too.

2009-Issue 2

I recently heard from our BR Jim Burke who extends a “Hi” to everyone. He was glad to read about his Rat roomies Payne and Liu in the last few class notes. Jim is married to his college sweetheart, Trish, and they have twin 8-year-old daughters, Bettina and Maraline. In his work life Jim is a senior inspector with US Marshals, and for fun he’s still an avid rugby player on the over 35 side. He says he plays with the younger folks, too, if they need players, and he’s in denial about his age on that particular day. Jim has broken both of his legs and ankles over the years and just tapes them up tighter nowadays. If any BRs are still playing rugby, he’s on the military alumni e-mail list and can be found at Can-Am, Ft. Lauderdale, and most of the old boy tourneys. Word on the street is that after Chuck Smith returned from his tour in Iraq, he and his wife, Wendy, made the move to San Diego where he’s working with Aegis Combat Systems as the Testing Officer. Their kids, Trevor and Emily, have adjusted to California lifestyle quickly and are enjoying camping trips as well as the amusement parks the area has to offer. Who would have thought that one VMI room could have spawned such a brain-trust, but Attorneys Mike Trahar, Bill Donohue and Joe Burns spent some time with chemical engineer Pete Wick during a holiday roommate get-together. While the evidence they provided was a cellphone self-portrait, it is obvious that the boys were enjoying some merriment. My bet is that they were embellishing stories of prior good times. I managed to make it down to VMI for a couple of sports events since the last set of class notes -- those always are great times to catch up with folks. The Ring Figure football game brought back many memories, and I ran into Todd Northrop & his family who were making a stop between their home in Georgia and visiting Baltimore for Thanksgiving. I also had a quick catch-up chat with Chilton Morris in the Cadet Bookstore while we were buying the VMI paraphernalia we all need. Matt Schwarzmann and his family helped me entertain my son, Jacob (6), while we were in town. The Schwarzmann’s are living in a great home near the Maury River, across from the VMI cliffs where we learned to rappel and rock climb as Rats. The basketball game against Liberty was a nail-biter, and I was able to catch up with Paul Kricorian who’s enjoying smallish-town life in Staunton, VA, as well as Chris Huff who had not been in Cameron Hall since our own graduation. Both guys look exactly the same as they did at graduation – they must be living right. Again offering local hospitality, Mr. Schwarzmann and his wife, Joellen, were kind enough to host a post-basketball gathering at their home. John Burleson, Dave Kaulfers, Keith Kornegay, John Aydlette, Mike Mullori,

Kelly Musick and Trey Wetsel all dropped by and we recounted old corps stories. Other rumored sightings during the basketball weekend included Chip Chenery and Chris Callahan. Todd Blekicki dropped me a note to share a story about Luis Del Valle calling him from a bar in Manhattan one night last fall because Luis needed someone to vouch for him. Apparently Luis was having trouble convincing several skeptical female attorneys from New York, who of course were otherwise allured by his Cuban charm, that he also had a spiritual Zen side and that he was in fact, a “Surfer Dude” (Todd’s words). Luis’s surfboard is in Todd’s garage, so of course Luis called Todd to back up his story and to start coordinating an upcoming surfing expedition with the newly acquainted counselors. Yes, our BRs continue to coordinate field operations and act as virtual wing-men even when off duty and a thousand miles away. Bob Butler sent me an update to share that he and his wife, Marcella, had their 8th child in April of ’08. Noah is approaching his first birthday and a joy to his siblings Kendal (15), Kelsey (13), Isaac (11), Daniel (8), Anna (7), Joy (5), and Mary (3). Bob has been working at the Capital Group (American Funds) since 1993, and has been managing a group of programmers for the last two years, which is always entertaining. Bob let me know that he had run into Lenny Carson and his daughters at the YMCA last summer and that he’s looking forward to our 20th reunion. I reached out to make sure our BRs in Taiwan were getting their VMI mail (there’s no escaping the Institute mailings), and received an update from Charlie Lin. After spending 10 years with Verizon Communications (then Bell Atlantic), Charlie, his wife, Mary, and kids Jessica (15) and Zachary (14) moved from Boston back to Taiwan in 2000. The kids are attending the American school in Taipei, and Charlie is working at the local phone company, Chunghwa Telecom, where he is the senior advisor for their Yellow Pages and Local Search operations. He’s also helping with his father’s food export business during spare time. Charlie let me know that he had recently seen Jay G Li, who has spent most of his career with the semiconductor industry and is currently the distribution sales manager at On Semiconductor in Taiwan. As of this writing, he and his wife, Rebecca, were expecting their first child to arrive at any moment. Charlie also received an e-mail from Peter Wang a couple of months ago, who has retired from the Taiwanese Army and is enjoying parenthood with his wife, Mandy. A great photo was forwarded over Barry Johnson of his son, Carter, and two friends at the New Year’s Eve basketball game against Richmond. The young men had painted VMI on

115

CLASS NOTES their chests and went out on the floor of Cameron Hall shirtless, getting some air time on the TV broadcast. Barry keeps up with Damon Williams who lives a few houses away. Barry’s kids like to launch water balloons at Damon while he’s mowing the yard (you’re starting their artillery training a little early sir). Damon is busy officiating college basketball games and working at First Citizens Bank in Roanoke. As always, thanks for keeping in touch guys. If you haven’t seen your name in print in a while (or you think an e-mail may have been caught in the Yahoo spam-filter), please feel free to drop me a note. By the time you read this we’ll be about one year from our 20th reunion (April 2010). It really is amazing to think that it’s been more than 22 years since we first strained our way up to the 4th stoop. Hope to hear from you all soon, Hunter

’91

George Petty III

Improving upon my tendency to do everything shortly after I should have done it (e.g., showing up 15 minutes late for BRC 18 years ago today), I am happy to report that these notes are being pulled together on Feb. 14th instead of their due date of the 15th. Also, I have the necessary supplies for the annual service on the bike. This means I should be ready for a ride through the mountains and view the blooming rhododendrons this April/May. If you have a bike and are within 300 miles of VMI, e-mail and we’ll plan a ride. First I want to brag about Evan Brown. As I type this Evan is among the final 40 applicants for the next astronaut class at NASA. Over 3500 qualified applicants were pared down to 120 for in-person interviews. Evan was shocked/elated/bewildered that he received a call to return for medical experiments, er, tests. By the time you receive this copy of the Review, Evan will know if he has a future in eating freeze-dried Chinese Beef-n-Peppers from a tube. Join Facebook.com and you will know the results as well as catch-up in real-time with more than 50 BRs. Lee Bewley wrote in November saying how proud he was of the Keydets’ victory of the Wildcats. Lee sent a picture of Victoria and him taken at his promotion reception party. Lee has joined the crowded room of lieutenant colonels and commanders in our class. Victoria and Lee have three children: Ashley, 8, Brittany, 6, & Alexander, 4. The Army has Lee in the Fort Sam Houston area teaching Economics and Strategic Management. He is the program direc-

116

tor of the Army Medical Department’s MHA\ MBA program with Baylor University. Steve “Whip” Blasch is the Mini-Boss on the U.S.S. George Washington (CVN 73). Steve and family are home-ported in Yokuska, Japan, until 2010. In the last few months he has been touring the Pacific including a call to Busan, Korea, where I saw Chris Cruz (Chris is the CO of the Military Sealift Command unit there). The Air Force ROTC Detachment Commander at the University of California Berkeley, our own Lt. Col. Brian Stone exchanged a few e-mails with me since November. First, Brian and Valerie announced their son’s birth. “ … Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2008, at 1613. He was born at Alta Bates Hospital in Berkeley, CA. He was a whopping 9 pounds, 8 ounces, 21 inches. So maybe a lineman in 18 years for the Keydets!” Brian has met Col. Steve Amato ’83, the new VMI Air Force ROTC commander, a few times. Steve is no relation to our BR Matt Amato, who has not been heard from in some time. Hey Matt, where are you? Ian Connor wrote from Burlington, VT. Ian and his bride of three years boast for a very active 2 and one-half-year-old son. He must be taking after his dad. ( Ian is marketing director for Mammut Sports Group-North America – meaning he travels around the world skiing and throwing parties to show off Swiss mountain gear.) Ian’s son said, “ … he couldn’t wait to ski this year, so he “could go really fast and jump really high!” To which Ian reacted by taking out more health insurance. Ian’s notes included the following: “My little brother Liam [Connor ’00] is currently a captain in the 501st PIR and is stationed in Fort Richardson, AK. Apart from the year-long deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, it’s nice having him up there as it gives both of us an opportunity to go ski some fun stuff and have some good times. I’ll have to tell you about our failed attempt to hike to and ski a glacier in September a few years back … at the time it was a nightmare but now we can look back on it and laugh. I’m looking forward to heading back up there in the spring of 2010 so we can tick off a ski/climb we’ve both wanted to do for a long time. I’ll keep you posted on that one!” Marty Hawks is currently in Baghdad. He enjoyed a flight to Doja, Qatar, on a four-day pass recently. He said there were some “funny speaking Australian soldiers” on the plane. Umm, could some kind soul send Marty a recording of himself in a care package? Lorraine says I am one to talk, so I won’t, I’ll just keep on typing here. Brain Snider wrote from near Buffalo, NY, where wife Robin and he make their home. Brian has left the military and traded flying C130s for Delta Airlines and a 767. Brian flies an international route from JFK. Robin and Brian have a daughter who was 6-months-old back in

December. The only BR Brian has seen lately is Matt Sprouse who lives in Baltimore with his wife, Sara. Wacky Davis said howdy and says he sees Dr. Andy Apostle and Chris Nunn occasionally. Matt Childs sent a picture taken in front of the US Embassy Seal in Kabul. He said it is the only place where a picture can be taken. Matt relocated the family to FL before promptly leaving for this repeat tour in Kabul. Matt is with the State Department. While standing in the chow line, Matt bumped into Ben Lilly ’93. Ben’s engineering firm has a contract with the embassy. Matt gets a couple weeks back here in March when he plans to get in touch with Omar Land and Tony Marro. Chris Buckland has long ago left the navy. After spending a tough life of flying the rich, famous and notorious around before landing his current gig as a corporate pilot with GEICO. OK; where do you folks find all these cool jobs? Chris is married to Jeannine. They thoroughly enjoy their children: Alexa, 8, and Samantha, 7. Chris sees Dan Robinson frequently and has bumped into John Gray a few times. He reports that John is also commander now and is stationed at the Pentagon. Chris sees John Jeter and his wife Penni in Dallas when GEICO duties take him there. Also in touch with Chris are Matt Gaddis in Wisconsin, Walt Rogers who is currently deployed, Steve Blasch, and Steve and Cara Costello who are both Methodist ministers in Ohio. I am waiting for Chris to get me an autographed picture of the Gecko. Bill McKay is living/working in Eugene, OR. He is doing well and wishes he could get back to his home away from home (VMI) more frequently. Art Cajigal is wondering if anyone knows how to get in touch with Chung-Sun (Boomer) Wang. If you are out there Boomer, shoot me an e-mail. John Hale took time from his studies to send this update. “John and his wife, Vanessa, are at Fort Leavenworth. John is attending SAMS. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel in 2008. Their kids are both in the army, one at Fort Sam Houston and one in OCS, completing PA school. They are all doing great. Anyone in that area, check in with them via AKO.” Back in January Kai Torkelson met with John Shorter and Jim Demers for a weekend with the families. This made Kai wonder if there is any interest in a mini reunion in May around about the 18th. If there is, get on the horn quick, because you’ll be reading this most likely on the 12th! Here is another good reason for a Facebook account. Speaking of Facebook, J.T. Mistr promises information for the Review we’ll receive in August. His wife, Shannon, was harassing him because he didn’t have notes in the February issue.

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES Ray Dotterweich sent a picture of himself with “ … TC Guy Gormley ’88 and Maj. Mike Kamin ’92 when we completed The Big Schloss 50K in September 2008. The Big Schloss 50K is a 50 kilometer (32.1 miles) trail run in the George Washington National Forest that straddles the Virginia/West Virginia border between Shenandoah Co., VA, and Hardy Co., WV.” Greg Booth wrote from Fort Jackson, SC, while going thru the Navy’s NIACT course. He was preparing for deployment to Afghanistan and will be there Feb. thru Aug. He’ll be headed to NECC in Va Beach in Sep/Oct timeframe. Matt Childs said Greg will be nearby and hopes to see him while in Kabul. Hans Peeders sent pictures from Cmdr. Scott M. Smith’s Change of Command ceremony. Smitty is now the commanding officer of the U.S.S. Klakring (FFG 42). Hans thought it was grand time, enjoyed the reception at the Officer’s Club, the tour of the ship and pondered on the

wisdom of allowing a former RDC president and frequent resident of parties at Zolloman’s the keys to a warship. Smitty took command and decided to promptly take ship on a party tour through the Med with plenty of port calls. Here’s a sample of his upcoming schedule. “As I write this, we have left Funchal, Madeira, off the coast of Africa and are dodging another weather system before joining our allied friends off of Lisbon. The deployment will take us into the Med, Baltic, Aegean, Adriatic and Black Seas and to 18 different ports.” He also says, “Trey Wilhelm will also be taking command shortly and I think Stan Chien will as well.” Steve Dudar recently posted this message. “Got back from San Diego just before Xmas. Made the trip up with the family in the camper as snow blanketed the NW. We hugged the coast and faired pretty well. Been talking to the detailer. Next stop is Yokosuka, Japan. I will be reliving the Production Officer out there

sometime this summer. Shannon and Stephen are very excited.” Eddie Insinna and wife Joan provided this. “We are living in Staten Island, NY. We have three sons, Christopher (11), Michael (9) and Kevin (6). Eddie is working for New York City Transit, Department of Buses. He is the general superintendent of maintenance at one of the city’s bus depots in the Bronx, responsible for the inspection, repair and cleanliness of 300 buses.” Chris Edmonston also has one of those really cool jobs. He works with BOAT U.S. and frequently appears on hunting and fishing shows. He has been on North American Hunter, North American Fisherman, Bill Dance’s show, Oneill Outside, Hunters Handbook, Cabela’s Americana Outdoors, Fishing and Hunting Texas, The World of Ducks Unlimited, Bassmaster, Fishing Ventures, and a few other regional shows. Chip McLean sees Chris Geideons out at Camp Pendleton. Chris has his change of command in

Class of 1991

Photo 1: From left, Lt. Cmdr. Clark Twiddy ’98 and Cmdr. Greg Booth at Navy Individual Augmentee Combat Training course in Fort Jackson, South Carolina, January 2009. Photo 2: Cmdr. Scott Smith, USN, took command of the U.S.S. KLAKRING (FFG 42) on Jan. 23, 2009. His wife affixed the Command-at-Sea pin. Photo 3: Brian and Robin Snider with their daughter, Sophie, at their home near

2009-Issue 2

Buffalo, New York, December 2008. Photo 4: Elijah Reaves Stone was born on Dec. 9, 2008, to Brian and Valerie in Berkeley, California. According to Stone, “Mother and son are doing well.” Photo 5: Ian Connor works with Mammut Sports Group-North America. Above are Ian and his wife, Annie. Editors Note: Please see another picture of the Connors at www.vmialumni.org/alumnireview.

117

CLASS NOTES June before he takes family east to Top Level School as a Brookings Fellow in DC for a year. Todd and Wendy Hubbard shot a note over from Suffolk, VA. Todd has also been promoted to lieutenant colonel and is the CO of the 1/111 Battalion of the Virginia National Guard. While not busy with military matters, Todd is the Circulation Manager for Daily Press. Wendy and Todd have three daughters: Emily 16, Lauren 14, and Caroline 9. Thanks, for all the notes. I think this is the largest turnout yet. If I left someone out, I apologize. It was really great having to sort through all the messages instead of wondering how to hold forth on the great properties of leaf mold as a soil amendment. As always, we are off I-64 exit 96 and ready for visitors. I promise I won’t make you work in the yard … much.

Adam Gregory

’92

Andy Tate Andy Tate

Gentlemen: Like many of you, I was deeply troubled after reading a recent edition of our Class Notes. Of course, I’m referring in particular to Chris Bergen’s desperate cry for help. As you know, that was immediately followed in the last edition by a somewhat minimalist approach, to say the least.

Unlike many of you, I responded to Bergen’s pathetic plea. Within seconds thereafter I was awarded the honor of succeeding him as CoClass Agent, as well as the privilege of preparing our Class Notes going forward. Sweet for me! In all seriousness, the Class owes BR Bergen many thanks for his faithful service over the years, especially in light of his ongoing (not to mention exceedingly more significant/important) service to the Nation. As an update, Chris reports that he’s “heading back to NAS Whidbey Island and after some refresher training, report to VAQ133 in June as the XO and then will fleet up to CO (after 15 months).” Best of luck Chris, and thanks for serving the Class so well. Your senior Co-Class Agent, Andy Tate, reports that he’s: “at Camp Lejeune. Not too many BRs down here though. Keith Frantz just returned from Iraq but I have not seen him since he returned. We have traded e-mails and he is doing fine. Bob Burgess just left last month. He is the Intel officer for RCT-8 and will be spending the next 12 months alcohol free in the Al Anbar Province of Iraq. Probably a good thing to keep him away from alcohol anyway. I have orders and will be moving to the DC area this summer to work at HQMC in the Pentagon.” Kenner Koon also kindly e-mailed to report that he recently left York International (after 10 years) to join his brother-in-law at an independent HVAC Rep Firm. Kenner says he’s excited about this opportunity, seeing it as more fun and lucrative. As to his progeny, Kenner reports that “Meagan is now 13 and Thomas is almost 10. They are both into lots of activities with soccer, dance, piano, etc.” Rob Fowler reports that he was married on Sept. 13, 2008, to Amy Hilgeman (now

Fowler). Rob mentioned that he “proposed to her at Natural Bridge during the last reunion weekend (Oct. 13, 2007).” Many congratulations to Rob and Amy. I stay in contact with Jon Thibodeaux, who’s an investment broker at Merrill Lynch in Richmond. As an update, Jon married Kat Whittington (now Thibodeaux) in 2004, and they now have two baby girls (Madison Brooks (2) and Sarah Glinn (6 months)). Jon took me along to “Mountain Man” last fall, an estrogenfree camping trip held annually in the remote hills of the Blue Ridge, somewhere northwest of Charlottesville. Needless to say, we flew the flag and indulged a bit. I also stay in touch with my old roommate Trent Dudley, who reports that he and his wife, Sally, “are still loving life in VA Beach.” Trent says: “I’m still working in Wachovia’s Real Estate Finance Group. Spend most of my free time coaching both my kids’ (Sydney (9) and Mason (6) soccer teams. Sydney now plays for a travel team and pretty much year-round.” Trent later added that: “Sydney competed in an AAU dive meet at GMU in the Junior Olympic division (which is the highest) and received a second place silver medal ... We were very proud that she had the nerve to go to a large college aquatic center and compete, much less actually do very well.” Mike Haverty, another old roommate, reports that his son, Will, “just turned 6; Lauren, our daughter, just turned 4. We took a Christmas trip to Florida/Disney and the kids had a blast of course. Tricia and I did the Richard Petty Driving Experience, in which you get to drive a 600HP NASCAR after a few hours of training. We’re not into the NASCAR thing, but had

Class of 1992 Weddings

Photo above: Thomas Adam Gregory married the former Rebecca Lynn Hord on May 10, 2008. Photo at right: Rob Fowler married the former Amy Hilgeman on Sept. 13, 2008.

118

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES one hell of a good time driving on a race track. Tricia and I have been riding dirt bikes for a few years. I ride a 250 Enduro/Motorcross bike and she rides a 100 Trail bike.” “About a year ago we went mountain climbing / trail riding with the dirt bikes along some of the Shenandoah Trails, but we usually just ride at a family farm … We usually ride dirt bikes in the spring and fall and spend our free time in the summer jet skiing. The rest of our time is typically divided between [baseball, guitar, dance and piano] lessons. I occasionally play guitar, but not as much as I would like.” Mike added: “I still travel some for work, but luckily have some control over when and how long. I usually take a couple of trips/month; usually just a day or two. I usually travel to port towns along the East and Gulf Coasts and occasionally to the Caribbean Islands. In the last several months I have had to travel to Cape Canaveral, Boca Raton, Tampa, Galveston and St. Kitts.” Jason Kight, yet another old roommate, reports that: “I am married, living in NoVA with my wife, Suzan. After graduating from VMI, I have been working for the State Department’s Bureau of Diplomatic Security Service. I have been assigned to our San Francisco Field Office, the Secretary of State’s protective detail (Albright and Powell), served as the Assistant Regional Security officer at the U.S. embassies in Vienna and Bolivia, and as the Regional Security Officer at our embassy in Suriname. Most recently I was appointed as the special assistant to the Director for Anti-Terror.” Jason continues: “Live in Fairfax. No kids. Ride the Metro, etc. Saw Rob Johnson in Peru during the Presidential trip to the APEC Summit.” Congratulations on the promotion, Jake. As for me, I’ve practiced law in Richmond the last 10 years (save one year in Raleigh). On May 10th of last year, I married Rebecca Lynn Hord (now Gregory). Our ceremony was held at my family’s place in Scott’s Hill, NC, and BRs Dudley (serving as a groomsman), Thibodeaux and Kight were in attendance. No arrests were made, despite the fact that two of them conveniently left their wives at home. Thanks to all those above for their contributions. I look forward to helping Andy serve our Class, and encourage you to contact me with updates for inclusion in forthcoming editions of our Class Notes (preferably by e-mail or regular mail). I will happily include them in the next edition (subject to my edits for readability, good taste, common sense, etc.). As BR Bergen recently mentioned, the Class Notes are due on the 15th of February, May, August and November, respectively. Best regards Brother Rats, and best of luck to all of y’all serving in harm’s way. Adam

2009-Issue 2

’93

Bill Cox

I hope these notes find everyone in good company, good health and good humor. This winter seemed to last forever and when these notes go to press, summer should be on the horizon. There are a lot of things going on with guys from our class so I will jump right in (by the way, I majored in chemistry so I tend to ignore common rules of grammar, punctuation and proper English). Chris and Molly Kemper are expecting their second child; a daughter in late February. Chris has changed jobs and is now the recruiting territory manager for the Georgia Army National Guard in the Atlanta Metro Area. Raleigh Trumbo is the proud parent of a daughter, Anna Elizabeth, born on Oct. 29, 2008, to keep him busy with his son, Luke. He used her pending birth as an excuse for not attending the reunion; the jury is still out on whether or not that is an acceptable excuse. Raleigh and Brian Piccioni make it to some basketball games, and Raleigh tells me that Brian has three sons. Chris Chernisky is the head baseball coach at Niagara University in Niagara Falls, NY, where he has been for over five years. I plan to check out his record when I get a moment (www.purpleeagles.com). Craig Chwojdak dropped me a line the other day and told me he recently started work at Boeringer Ingelheim Chemicals Incorporated in Petersburg, VA. He is employed as an analytical chemist in the methods development group and said he is glad to be back in the pharmaceutical arena again. He, his wife Judy, three Labradors and one golden retriever are all doing well living in Richmond. Craig stopped by my farm on Christmas Eve as he has done for the past several years. It was great to catch up on old times and I thoroughly enjoyed watching my daughter Addison (age 7) whip him at all the games on the Wii. Craig also passed along that Rich Goodman, his brother in law, is back from Iraq and enjoying spending time with his wife, MaryBeth, and their newborn son, Richie. Craig attended Richie’s baptism and Rich’s recent pinning on ceremony as lieutenant colonel. He said it was followed up by a crab picking at the Goodman’s. Also Rich, while not eating crabs or doting on his wife and son, recently found time to go out and kill an eight-point buck. Craig also sees a good bit of Chris Hackett at Boeringer Ingelheim. Mike Wallace welcomed a son in early January. Duncan Stewart Wallace was born on Jan. 16th @ 6 lbs 4 ozs and 19.5 inches. Mom and son are doing well and got out of the hospital in time to fight the inauguration madness on Jan. 19th & 20th. I am checking the

AR for a provisional for the class of 2031 for Duncan’s name. Kenji Iwai dropped me a line as well from Kobe Japan. Kenji is CEO of his own company he started about two years ago offering translation work in patents and intellectual properties all over the world. He has an 11-year-old daughter who is a black belt in Karate. Kenji referenced one visit to the States in 1995 to get married and another three-month stint in the US for business. He did say he would be back in 2013 for our 20th. I plan to hold him to that. Granville Higgins (Higgy baby as I call him) invited me to a hunting trip in Lex Vegas in late November which I couldn’t attend unfortunately. Some of us have to work for a living; at least show up to nap at our desk. Higgy was planning on Eric Eversole, Gerry Bingeman and Hunter Hutchens attending. I don’t know how the hunting part went but I am sure it was a grand time. Kevin Morello also touched base. He is also a proud new parent of Michael “Grady” Morello born on Nov. 24, 2008, (7 lb. 10 oz. 19 ¼ in.). Tom Kent passed me an e-mail from Tom Miller’s father. Tom Miller’s brother, Patrick, recently received his masters and wore Tom’s captain’s bars at the ceremony. Let us never forget the sacrifices of Tom & Paul and all those who have given the ultimate price to secure our way of life. Tom Kent lives in Lynchburg, and I see him on a pretty regular rotation of VMI Alumni Chapter events. He is working for Buffalo Air Handling as an Application Engineer. Paul Meadows is in the Lynchburg area as well, and while I haven’t seen him (I do live 14 miles

Class of 1993: In Kabul, Afghanistan, December 2008, were, John Childs ’91, left, and Ben Lilly.

119

CLASS NOTES from Lynchburg) I blame this solely on him. Paul John Moore got in touch and is relocating from where he will call home after that but it will be is an IT consultant in the area (www.Distribute- Dubai to Texas. He is looking for friendly faces. with Air Force. Kevin mentioned that Matt BowdITS.com) and doing well from what I hear. I know Phil Grant is in the area but if you are ers is at Ramstein as well and made the lieutenant Brandon Freel started a new job with Stewart in TX, let me know. We have got to look out for colonel list for his promotion sometime in the Associates in Pa. He is leading their expansion one another. Kevin McCluney was recently spring. Kevin offers to share his extensive knowlinto Maryland and NoVa. If you need some extra promoted to lieutenant colonel in the Air Force. edge of local brews with any who pass through real estate, give him a call. Scott Davis chimed Congrats, Kevin. Greg Viggiano e-mailed from Ramstein. Matt Eads and his wife, Rebecca, are in from Anchorage, AK. If you think the weather Seoul where he is stationed with the Army. He in Atlanta still with their three children, Nathan was poor where you live, Scott was happy it was opens the door to BRs who pass through the area. (8), Caroline (5) and Anna (3). Nathan came with out of the -20s, and his current concern was a If heading that way let me know. I wish I had Matt to the 15th and Nathan is now firmly conrecently gone active Volcano which is supposed known when I went there a few years back. A vinced he wants to be a pilot. I don’t who put such to cover Anchorage in ashes (and I thought I had VMI face would have been great to see so far foolishness in little Nathan’s head but you should issues with a ¼ in of ice in Lynchburg). On top from home. Matt Gill is expecting twins shortly. be ashamed of yourself. As for you Matt, subjectof this, Scott just went through an earthquake as He was kind of enough to invite me a Super Bowl ing your children to VMI guys at such an early well. What was so humorous was how non-chalant party at their lake house on Smith Mountain with age … Matt works for the family business in Inhe was about it. And I quote “We had an earth- other trouble makers. Matt is selling medical vestment Counsel. I checked out his website quake the other day and a nearby volcano is about supplies for Med-Tex in the area. I tried to help (www.Eadsheald.com) and it is impressive. Matt to erupt … ” Yeah I would be that calm. Scott and him with a supply chain for spun bond polypro- offers a special VMI management fee. Brian Van his wife, Nurten, have two boys, 10 and 7. He pylenes. If you can help, contact him (matt@ Deun is completing a tour in West Africa and threatens to send them to VMI if they don’t shape med-tex.com) because I don’t think I did. Dan should be back in the States (DC area) in the up which sends them running to their rooms. Scott Zawadzki sent me an e-mail waiting to get on summer. I ran into Tray Petty at Lynchburg VMI works for Chugach working with DoD gig. His wife is expecting a boy and other fed agencies along the lines shortly to join their household of of base operations support, engineertwo girls, 5 dogs, a bunch of chicking, construction and IT services. Scott ens and some uninvited predators. is looking for Engineers and Architects Tray has a beautiful piece of land and project managers with Gov’t conoutside Lynchburg and hosts a tract experience. If interested, drop me great party for the Lynchburg a line, and I’ll put you in touch. Scott chapter each year. He mentioned mentioned that Vic Tran got married that Andy Joyner is staying quite and didn’t invite anyone. Scott assured busy with his twins. Also at the me he had harassed Vic enough for all Lynchburg Chapter Ball on 31 of us. Strangely enough, I got an e-mail January were Tom Kent and P.J. from Vic within 20 minutes of the one Ackerman. I have a great picture from Scott. Vic is in NoVa with his of us in which Tom looks like he wife, Debi. He just finished a mutual is half straining. Chris Davila is in aid assistance program with the US Leesburg, VA (outside DC) teachClass of 1993: In Lynchburg, Virginia, Jan. 31, 2009, Secret Service Uniform Division for ing second graders and still playing were, from left, Tom Kent, Bill Cox and P.J. Ackerman. the inaugural. He complimented the tennis. Chris Campbell is in RichSecret Service as good hosts but said it mond working for Royal Cup was pretty cold by the Lincoln MemoCoffee and is over office sales for rial on the big day. Vic and Debi were married on a plane for Houston for a job interview. Dan is Richmond, Fredericksburg and Va. Beach. He has April 5, 2008, in Las Vegas. If anyone if ever currently in Indiana but was excited about his two boys ages 8 & 11 which keep him on his toes. passing through Prince William and needs a prospects in Houston. I don’t know how it Ben Lilly was back in Kabul, Afghanistan in Dec. friendly face, Vic offers his help. Marc Mueller turned out but I’m hoping for the best. Bud ’08 and ran into John Childs ’91. Ben didn’t also got to enjoy the Jan. 20th festivities up close DaRin is in Hong Kong with the US Consulate. recognize John at first and when John spoke Ben and personal. His wife, Kelly, posted some great He sent me a quick note commenting on me said the world turned dark and the blood left his pictures on Facebook of his adventures in the putting up the American flag every day at my head. I know we all have such fond memories of Inaugural as well as the Christmas party with the farm. Steve Grim sent is in LA (Lower Alabama our master sergeants. Guy Berry is graduating Bush family. Lou Petrillo has been in touch as for those of you not in the South). He and his from Villanova in the spring and will be moving well. Lou is in Williamsburg as operations man- wife, Alison, have two sons, Steve and Edward. to Annapolis to teach all those less fortunate that ager for Vulcan Materials. Pat Schuler also He is rotating back to the DC area in the sum- us at the Naval Academy. Rick Barnes was protouched based. He is being deployed to Iraq after mer. Gotta love his e-mail address: STVREAP- moted to lieutenant colonel on Feb. 6th at the his assignment in Hawaii. Pat was recently (Jan. ER@aol.com. Kevin Smith said hello from National Museum of the Marine Corps at Quan29th) promoted to lieutenant colonel in the army. Ramstein Air Base, Germany. He is com- tico. I still have the coolie cup from Marine One Stay safe Pat; if we can help with your family (I mander for the 435th Logistics Readiness in my office. Will your next posting be as cool? think they are in the Norfolk area, let us know). Squadron. Kevin just pinned on lieutenant Last but not least, Tom Nelson got in touch from Charles Leggett is back from overseas and in the colonel on Feb. 1 and is deploying to the big Suffolk, VA. He is still in the Army stationed at Fort Sill area. He is doing well and in his words, sandbox (the one in Iraq) for a six month vaca- JFCOM. He is expecting his third child, a little “fighting some medical problems” but assures me tion in April. When he gets home to Germany, girl, in February. Tom spends a lot of time travelhe is fine. Sorry no other info but get well Charles. he will stay there until June 2010 and is unsure ing between the Middle East and the States, but

120

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES often sees Craig Price in the halls at JFCOM. Tom did say he would be back in Iraq this summer. David Hurst is looking to relocate to Raleigh Durham so he can rejoin his wife, Jennifer, who moved in November to take a position with the Veterans Affairs Medical Center. As of now, David is still in Richmond working with IT services for the state. They are expecting a second child in April and David is hoping to relocate by then. Congratulations to all those moving up the ladder in the Military. Our hats are off to you guys. You guys returning to Iraq/Afghanistan and those of you already there, be safe out there. We are all proud to be associated with you. I made it up to Lex Vegas for Founders Day and the dedication of Third Barracks. My how the times have changed. The living space per cadet is significantly increased compared to when we were at the I. I ran into Gil Minor at the dedication. He is doing well living in Chicago. As far as the Cox family; we are doing well. My daughter, Addison, continues to impress me beyond belief and I am positive that both her intelligence and beauty come from my wife, Kelly. We are currently struggling with a coyote problem on our farm. They almost killed one of our dogs the other week. He is a 96 lb Lab so needless to say we are a little concerned. Now when I walk the dogs I take a 270 with me but such is life. I ran across a black bear over Thanksgiving on the farm as well. Needless to say, I am doing some extra fencing at the farm these days to try and protect the dogs from themselves. The dog that got attacked is a wonderful animal but I compare him to Lenny in “Of Mice and Men,” not that I am a literary giant. We have a handful of DVD’s leftover (break-

out and graduation) from the reunion which are up for sale at $6/each and about 80 of the VMI1993 Glasses @ $5 each. Let me know if you are interested in them. I hope these notes cut the mustard. It is my first swing at the plate. God Bless the Armed Forces, VMI and the class of 1993.

’94

Christopher L. Doyle

I hope everyone is doing well. Our 15-year reunion is scheduled for Oct. 2-3, 2009. Please spread to word to any BRs that you are in contact with. I hope to see everyone there! Steve Colvin is currently deployed to Iraq. He is expected to be gone about six months. He hopes to be at the reunion in October. Tim O’Boyle wrote to say that his wife, Melissa, gave birth to twin boys, William Lawrence and Brendan Emmett O’Boyle, on Nov. 26, 2008. Congratulations go out to the O’Boyles. Tim is currently living in Carrolton, VA, and working for the FBI. Ty Johnson got out of the Army and joined the Secret Service. He is currently training in Maryland. Brad Rees is currently at Marine Corps School of Advanced War fighting (with George Schreffler). His class recently went to Europe to conduct campaign studies in Turkey, Italy and France. Brad has received orders to stay at Quantico following school to serve as the lone Army Officer at the Marine Air Ground Task Force Staff Training Program. Brad has a two-

year assignment with a third-year option. Chris Coolidge wrote to say that his wife, Mandy, gave birth to their third child. Their first daughter, Ella Cassidy, was born on Jan. 8, 2009. She weighed 8.7 lbs and was 21 inches long. Chris says “she is beautiful,” which is his way of saying “she looks like her mother.” Ella’s brothers, Brodie and Wyatt, are excited to be big brothers. Hernan Barrero checked in to Marine Corps Combat Development Command at Quantico in October. He is the Infantry Integration Officer at Fire and Maneuver Integration Division. Hernan, son Danny and wife Ivonne are living in Alexandria and doing well. Jason and Beth Nichols announced the arrival of their daughter Charlotte Grace on Nov. 22nd. She was a little early and came via an emergency C-section. She was 2 lbs 15 oz at birth, but quickly put on some weight was able to go home. Congratulations to the Nichols family! Sean Murray produced a short video for a contest on youtube. It can be seen at http:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qi6rvJJKAC8. Sean Lanier is gearing his unit up to redeploy. He is not going with the unit, but needs to ensure that his unit’s equipment is up to standards. Sean is awaiting orders that will send him to Intermediate-Level Education (ILE, formerly Command and General Staff College). Sean will move to Fort Leavenworth for a year. After ILE, Sean is looking to either stay in Kansas for School of Advanced Military Studies (SAMS) or apply for a Joint assignment (hopefully in Stuttgart, Germany; Miami, Hawaii or Norfolk). Sean hopes to get back to VMI for the 15 year reunion. I appreciate all of the updates. I look forward to seeing everyone in Lexington on Oct. 2nd.

Class of 1993 Photo at left: Anna Elizabeth Trumbo was born on Oct. 29, 2008, to Raleigh and Tina. Photo at right: Duncan Stewart Wallace was born on Jan. 16, 2009 to Mike and Susan.

Welcome, Future Keydets 2009-Issue 2

121

CLASS NOTES Rick Killmeyer

’95

Dan Williams

We have all been caught up with the prospects and resolutions of the New Year, but I understand a number of you are keeping up virtually via LinkedIn and Facebook. I’m not in that Web 2.0 pool, so keep the e-mails and phone calls coming. No doubt most of you were heavily sedated when the election news came, but pleasantly surprised that we did not get “Clintoned” at the inaugural parade – the boys marched in the dark with precision and poise, making us all proud. The New Year has brought us all a new focus and perspective – one more year till our 15-year reunion … beer? Rick Killmeyer and I catch up about once a month or more, depending on the pace of life, after playing phone tag about four times. Rick reports that he and Lizann had a great holiday season. They visited his mother in Pittsburg for Christmas, among other festive activities, and will be making the annual sojourn out to Beaver Creek in March, for some vertical. Rick’s also making us all jealous that he found the time and cabbage to run down to the Super Bowl

Class of 1995: Both Maj. Robert Davis and Capt. Doug McBride ’98 were assigned to the U.S. Army Forces Command at Fort McPherson in Atlanta, Georgia. They are pictured above, in February 2009, at the headquarters, which is named for Gen. Marshall, class of 1901.

122

and watch his boys pull it out in the last quarter – good game! Jodie and I had an early holiday season at the in-laws in Maui this year, because of the pregnancy. Jodie is due two weeks from this writing, so by the time you read this, our 2 ½-year-old daughter will have a baby brother. We had our first Christmas tree together this year, because we’re normally not home until the New Year. While in Pacific Isles, we took a three day trip over to the Big Island to see lava flowing and to play some golf on a volcano. While there, had the pleasure of a few meals with Rich Hauben’s parents, who are 13 year patriots of Hilo, HI – gracious hosts, like family to us. Speaking of babies, a few more have come along of late. Last class notes, Rick reported that Sean Burke and Erin were due for their third son, and Murphy graced the world back in October. Thom “the voice” Brashears and his wife, Jill, are expecting their first in about six weeks from this writing as well – they are waiting to find out the sex, but are just happy with a healthy child either way. Thom reports that he will soon be supporting the Keydet Club and our class in a new role as the Keydet Club class agent. He’s enthusiastic about being able to keep us all updated on the programs, stats, and new development in Lexington. Speaking of updates from Lexington, I put in a call today to the Institute and got a startling statistic. All this financial turmoil that is eroding the state’s coffers is subsequently cranking up the college tuition bill. I was told that next year’s resident tuition (not including room and board) will likely exceed $20k per year (I think ours was $4k), so get your college funds started now. BR Terrin Tucker also reported that he and his wife had their third child (girl) this past February, named Karsyn. He says that he is still working in Winston-Salem, NC, in the mortgage industry and times are tough, but he has also started his own consulting company in the IT field. Terrin has gotten back in touch with a few BRs lately; he played in a golf tournament with his old roommates (Jeff Hubbard, Eric Mattocks and Tim Williams) and managed to place 4th, despite horrible putting – pretty good! … I can empathize with that. He and Jeff caught up with John Mayo and Lester Johnson when they attended an event their company as hosting and those guys appear to be doing well. Jeff is still working with Terrin in NC and is extremely busy trying to help people stay in their homes and keep them from paying claims – sign of the times! Eric Mattocks and his wife, April, are still in Atlanta, and he’s working for Wells Fargo. Tim is still living in Richmond and has switched careers to financial planning. Thom Brashears also reports that he keeps up with Matt Reiner a few days a week. They are going to brunch with Matt and his family this

Sunday. Thom says he is looking into working with Matt on writing some screen plays. Matt got the idea from an HBO movie about escorting fallen Marines back from Iraq. In other news, I also got an update from USMC Major Brian Kellner, who moved since our last update. He said his lovely bride got her wish, waterfront property with a lovely view of Lake Michigan, too bad it’s in government quarters. Actually, it’s more room than they had, and the price is right. Brian reports that he is the new S-3A of the Marine Air Control Group 48 in Chicago. He says Dave Johnson is stationed in Quantico and Drew Warren in Va Beach. He spoke with Rick Franco, now in Little Rock, AK, and still developing a business dealing with security. Last I spoke with Rick (spring ’07?), he was still with my firm, Booz Allen, after he was training to go back oversees and had a falling accident that put him out of the running. I also caught up briefly with Rich Hauben. He is thoroughly enjoying his new job at SOCOM. He has not seen many alumni, let along BRs, but in due time … as is the military way. He tells me that Ken Jambor is still flying and was promoted recently (I think). Ken is still flying for an Air Force National Guard outfit and enjoying that, without the PCSing of active duty. Also heard from the hardest working tow truck company owner in America, Ryan Feeney. Ryan reports that their two daughters are doing very well and that he was really fired up by the YouTube video of the corps marching in battalion mass at the Inauguration. I also keep up with Hunter Trumbo ’90, on occasion. His brother, Raleigh ’94, used to work at my firm as well but has since moved on. We are trading ideas and sharing economies of scale with other classes for class schwagg. Hunter reported today that Raleigh now sits down the hall from him at Strategy Analysis, Inc. I also caught up with Christian “last man standing” Hoff ’96, lately. He’s another Booz Allen type, who is doing well for himself. He tells me things are going well in his piece of the woods and that Rusty McGuire ’96 is a proud father (last class notes). My wife reminds me that I owe Rusty a special thanks for wearing his VMI ring to the Old Ebbitt grille that one cold February, Sunday night, or else we might no be here today. I had to inform her that a drive-thru car wash wasn’t enough to get Rusty’s indelible present off my car door and window the next morning either, after I drove all over Arlington looking for Christian’s house at 2:30 a.m. … COLD, window DOWN, Rusty hating it. Who loves you baby!? I’d vote for you Rusty, but I live in Nebraska now. Thanks, everyone, for your contributions here and to our country. Tough times call for tough people. Please keep the word coming and send pictures – God Bless!

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES

’96

Rusty McGuire

I cannot believe it is time to write another addition of our class notes. Let me first tell you why it is a small world after all. I was speaking at a conference in Orlando a few weeks ago and we managed to get to Disney the weekend before the conference. I ran into a guy I went to high school with and an hour later I rode the ride it’s a small world with my daughter. We finished the ride and headed over to the next ride where we I ran into Bobby Prince who was also enjoying Disney with his family. We talked about VMI’s awesome basketball team this year. I could tell Bobby wanted to back on the court. I also connected with Mike Diehl who told me he is doing well but has been diagnosed with Multiple Scleroses. He is upbeat, and he still gets to ride his motorcycle, but let’s keep Mike in our thoughts and prayers. I also heard from fellow f-trooper Chad Kaschak. He is currently living in northern Virginia working for Booz Allen Hamilton (separated from the USAF in 2007) and advising the Director of Central Intelligence on Counterterrorism issues. He is getting married this spring (May 15, 2009) to Ms. Laura Lipinski. They have been dating for approximately three years. He still deploys overseas on a regular basis. He runs into the occasional BR at work-site and mumbles the F-Troop anthem from time to time. Congratulations, Chad! I was glad to hear from John “Mud” McElory the day after his helicopter crashed which coincidently was a day before the passenger jet crashed into the Hudson. Both crashes resulted in 0 fatalities. John is enjoying the Long Island life style, and he loves the unit he is with. This past fall he attended the VMI vs. Stony Brook football game and spent the day with about 50 alumni. He spent most of the day with Justin Wolfe ’98. Justin is a traditional guardsman and a HH-60 pilot for the Rescue Wing. He hopes that the next time VMI plays on the island he can get a few BRs to come up and spend the weekend in New York with his family. John wants to thank all of those that sent thoughts and prayers to his family, men, and himself this past winter when their HH-60 crashed in the mountains of Afghanistan. It was truly amazing that the crew and his three-man guardian angel Pararescue/Combat Rescue Officer team walked way. It happened a few hours before link up with QRF, and about that same time the sun came up. It was then that they had the opportunity to see just how lucky they had been.

2009-Issue 2

Joey DuBose is currently in Iraq as the chief or trauma surgery for the 332nd Air Force Theater Hospital in Balad … all OIF casualties go through there. They have weekly teleconferences with the OEF folks to discuss all injuries and their evacuation and clinical course … he is so glad that Mud was not one they had to discuss … and wants to extend all of our thanks for his safety. Tom and Leanne Danielsen are on the move again. Tom was promoted to a product manager with Covidien in December. They’re in the process of moving to the Covidien corporate office in Mansfield, MA (outside of Boston). So far they have been greeted with one of the snowiest winters in a long time. So, it’s been a rapid adjustment from wearing flip flops in Florida to heavy winter coats. They have actually been fortunate with their move … so far, Leanne’s found a job, and they actually sold their house (for a loss, but they are just happy it sold with all things considered). So far they are still in corporate housing, on top of an Irish Bar in Fanueil Hall (Historic Boston), so it could be worse. Wes Parmer told me that he got married to Pascale Royon on Jan. 26th on the island of Antigua. He said there was beautiful weather, a handful of friends and family, definitely a good time. VMI attendees were his Rat, John Boland ’99, and friends Hunter Phelps ’99 and Bryan Bailey ’98. It was nice to have VMI represented there. Wes recently came back on active duty and is working at the National Guard Bureau in Arlington, VA. He is living in Leesburg, VA. Dave Lawson told me that they welcomed Grant Cooper Lawson (6 lbs. 1 oz.) on Nov. 25, 2008, to their family. He and Maria are both doing well, and they got to bring him home on Thanksgiving. Big sisters Hannah (7) and Mallie (3) are both happy to have a baby brother. They took the family up to VMI on New Year’s Eve to watch the Keydets beat Richmond. They were able to catch up w/Greg and Lorrie Harris while at the game. He knows it wasn’t an official visit, but he wanted to get baby Grant some face time w/ the football coaching staff. He also heard from Lawrence Barr on facebook. He’s in DC area and has two little girls. Dave Tran told me that Jeni just gave birth to their third child, a girl. Reilly Mary-Ayleen Tran was born on Oct. 29, 2008. She joins her big sisters Brittanie and Brianna. He now lives with four women. He is so outnumbered it’s ridiculous. He said it is “kind of scary … LOL. Hell, even my lab Brownie is a girl.” He works in Fairfax for The Peterson Companies, a retail property management firm. He is a property manager and loves what he does. He is involved in running shopping centers and office buildings, commercial real estate. They live in Manassas, VA, on two and one-half acres of

wooded bliss. They just built their house about one and one-half years ago. Matt Bogusky recently moved back to Fairfax (Dec. 08) and started another chapter in his evolving government career. He is in the first of the year of his agency’s systems engineering office conducting an enterprise-wide study on service delivery for DoD. Mark Foutz wrote his first update I’d love he came over to my house for our annual Chirstmas Party. The Foutz family joined the McGuire family, which includes my sister and her husband Merlin Ikenberry ’95. We rocked the house with some karaoke and Virginia Gentleman. Mark also lives in Hanover County - God’s Preferred Country, and they have 4 wild boys, ranging from 8 to 1 year old. They are continuing to grow their seven-year old Painting and Industrial Coatings business traveling up and down the East Coast. It is great to hear from Mark and Dave Tran this issue as old roomies it is great to write about both of them in the same issue. Frank Roberts and his wife, Keeshea, still reside in Fairfax, VA, they are expecting their first child in June. Frank is a Project Manager for Fairfax County Public Works working on Facility/Building projects (i.e. Police, Fire, Health Lab, Courthouse, etc.). I heard from Shawn Callahan who was installed as the president of the Roanoke Regional Home Builders Association on Jan. 10, 2009. He has held several other leadership positions in the association over the past 11 years. That

Class of 1996: Wes Palmer married the former Pascale Royon on Jan. 26, 2009.

123

CLASS NOTES night, he also received the honor of being named 2008 Member of the Year “Builder” and received the 2008 Big Spike Award Builder Member for Excellence in Membership Achievement. While things are busy at work for Shawn he says the kids are growing like weeds. They are still in the same house, just a few upgrades, and he is working on his master’s degree. It is hard to believe Ironclad India, Callahan, has come so far from being my old roomie.

’97

John Duckworth

Gentlemen, Please accept my apologies for the absence of our Class Notes in this issue. The last few months have been an exceptionally busy time for me, both personally and professionally. Please keep your updates, announcements and photos coming in, and I’ll be sure to submit them for the next issue. In the Bonds ... John

’98

Hamel Reinmiller

Now that 2009 is in full swing, I hope that everyone is doing well and enjoying life! By the time you read this, I will have returned from our Class Agent’s Conference in Lexington in April and VMI will be close to commencement and in the throws of preparing for another fabulous New Market Day celebration! As a brief aside for those who are curious, 392 members of the now Class of 2012 went through Breakout on 1/31/09 & the VMI Basketball team has enjoyed the school’s best start in 32 years and now owns one of four 20-win seasons in VMI’s history. From a brief survey of the 2nd Quarter Annual Giving Report it gives me great pride to report that the Class of 1998 has produced the highest Total Giving, Number of Donors & Percent Participation for any class since 1983. I hope that each of you, are continuing to prioritize those pledges we made last October in Lexington. I have heard from a number of you and am enjoying keeping up with you on Facebook! For those of you that are not aware, we have started a “VMI Class of 1998” Group on Facebook and I want to invite all of you to join us. Please continue to call, write and send

124

pictures and news on your lives. I look forward to hearing from, seeing and updating our Brother Rats on each of your lives. For those of you that are deployed or in harms way, we wish you all the best and pray every day that you will stay safe and return home quickly. We miss you all! Lastly, if there is anything I or we as a Class can do for you or your family, please let me know and PLEASE continue to keep your contact information current on the VMI Web site at www.vmialumni.org, as that that will definitely continue to serve as our primary means of communication … and that’s the memo! I recently got an update from Tim Berry who wrote to advise that he is still working for the DoD and will be headed to California in March but will be looking forward to coming back to Virginia as he & his lovely wife, Jill, are expecting their first child around the first of May. Congratulations, Tim & Jill! Please keep us posted. Tim also confirmed that Kris Dietrich has moved to Texas with his family, but since Kris has yet to confirm he is in God’s Country, I can offer no further details at this time. I did have an opportunity to chat with Tyler Shelbert who is about to complete all of his course work and begin his thesis. He plans to graduate in June from the University of California Santa Barbara with a master’s in Political Science. In July Tyler will report to the Command and General Staff College (CGSC) at Fort Leavenworth, KS, where I have no doubt he will become fully indoctrinated for the next year. (Tulsa isn’t far, I look forward to seeing you this summer, Tyler.) Tyler also reports that he received a brief e-mail from LCDR Josh Brown who is the chief engineer aboard the U.S.S. Nitze (DDG 94) who is out patrolling the seven seas. We look forward to hearing from Josh when he comes up for air. Ralph Ohland wrote in to confirm that he is also in Texas working for the state police as a sergeant with the Criminal Law Enforcement Division while enjoying his 16-month-old son, Noble, and continuing his training for the Olympic Weightlifting Team. Don’t be surprised if we plan a Class function around one of your competitions! Ralph noted that he is in regular touch with Trey Parker, Billy McGann & Jason Doucette & that Trey is in Dallas with his two little girls. While we are on the subject of Texas, my air waves were blessed by the one, the only, Michael T. Runyan, who reports that he and Kim are expecting another baby in early October! Congratulations, you guys! OK, so this one took me back … J.C. De Los Reyes wrote in to update us that the reason they were unable to attend the reunion was that his wife was 7 months pregnant. Gabriella Arianna De Los Reyes will be their second child and

will have big shoes to fill following their 3½- year-old son, Antonio. J.C. is currently a supervisor in the Parks and Recreation Department for the City of Wellington in Palm Beach County, FL. He just finished his master’s degree in Sport Management from Barry University along with his industry’s National Certification Exam (CPRP). All I can say is I completely understand, I too was just certified by my industry’s National Certification program (CPL). Congratulations man, I know how rewarding it is to have that behind you! I am now getting regular updates from Joey Bates who wrote in to announce that all is well for him and his lovely new bride in Charlotte as they have just bought their seventh house and are slipping further and further into the role of professional landlords. Joey also updated us that Dale Paxton has just had his baby boy, Cooper, who it appears may have been “inspired” by the Bates’ Island Wedding! Congratulations, Dale, and please keep us updated on Cooper. Chris Buchness shot up a flare and noted that he and his wife, Jen, are doing well and have their hands full with Aiden and Paige. They recently moved from the Annapolis area to the Patuxent River area. Chris is still with BAE systems and doing design work for the Navy. Chris is still with the National Guard and awaiting his next deployment. Chris said that he had heard from Brady Gallagher who is at the CGSC for the Army and should finish up his tour soon. It’s great to hear from you Chris! Keep in touch buddy! Talking Points also heard from James Trout who missed the 5th Reunion due to a move to Florida and the 10th due to over seas deployments but is looking forward to our 15th. James is currently attending Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA along with several other BRs. James is married to Erica Palmer Trout from New Orleans and has been serving as a Navy Supply Corps Officer that included sea tours on the U.S.S. Wyoming SSBN 742 and Seabee Construction Battalion, NMCB 5. James recently returned from a tour in Bahrain as an Assistant Supply Officer supporting all 5th Fleet ships and assets supporting OIF and OEF. Brother, it’s great to have you home, and thank you for your service! Speaking of California, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Shane Finley who is currently distributing his latest release of “Shane Wines.” I have personally ordered a case and can’t wait to get it so that I can report back on the fabulous care we all know Shane has taken in his “work.” We wish you all the best, Shane, and I hope you will all check out his Web site at www.shanewines.com. In later news, there was a Dave Nash sighting in Oklahoma back in January. Although I was

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES not in town at the time, I am told that Dave in the triathlon club, we all know they are no of you may know, the Boykin’s recently had was in route to California where I believe he match for his extreme athleticism. All kidding their second child, Sara Grace. Todd, Christina is working on his Masters! Sorry we couldn’t aside, Paul is excited to be traveling with the and Saddler have begun the indoctrination proconnect Dave. Let’s try it again on your way team to the USAT National Championships in cess and are completely absorbed by the joy she back through. Lubbock Texas in April. Good luck out there has brought into their house! Congrats! I have also heard from Jimmy Peay who I Paul and keep the updates coming! Brendan Toolan sent a few e-mails to let believe is now in Larkhal over in the UK as an Brian Kurtz is doing well in Oklahoma City everyone know that he is in Afghanistan and Exchange Officer at the British Royal School and shot me a quick note to alert everyone that it doing well. He is anxious to return home and of Artillery along with Matt Bertsch (with appears Rick Feese may have surfaced in Washcatch up with family and friends but is keepEmily and Jack) who is now stationed with the ington State. Rick, we implore you to confirm ing up with the fabulous Keydet Basketball AF in England. this report and update us on your status. I heard program while playing in the sandbox!! Come For those who don’t know, I heard from Edie from Aaron Sims who is doing well and is back home soon brother!! Speaking of coming Hidalgo who wrote in to express his excitement in Birmingham with his lovely wife Carla and home, Talking Points has learned that Matt for the project he has recently finStaton has returned home and ished at the Pentagon with the new found the attached picture of him 9/11 Memorial. Eddie has spent the with his beautiful little girl Sam! past two-plus years with Balfour Welcome Home Matt. Beatty Construction, and he has had Last but certainly not least, T-2000 the honor to be highly involved with (Mike) Lorence reported in that he the construction of this memorial and his youngest daughter both have as the general contractor. I believe birthdays around Easter weekend. it opened Sept. 11, 2008 and is a Bella Ward will turn 3 and Mike will tremendous source of pride for Eddie turn 33 (starting to show). The Lorand many others whose lives were ence’s finally moved into their house directly affected by the events of after 13 months of construction and that terrible day. Eddie wanted to let Mike has started another company everyone know that if you’re in the called “Small Business Blackarea and want a personal tour, just say belts.” With this company, Mike the word. Also, I have attached some is helping small business owners pics from the construction process become entrepreneurs by coaching and finished product. I hope those of them through easy to understand you in the area will stop by to see this. how-to methods on Marketing, Eddie, great job, man; rest assured Sales Management & Operations. that I will be in touch next time I Mike is giving away $997 dollars Class of 1998: Bill Beard with his entire family just after am in DC. (Editor’s Note: See page of free services to any VMI alumni the birth of their most recent addition. 5 of this issue for an article about wishing to learn more!! Congrats, Hidalgo and the memorial.) Mike, on all of your successes! From DC to Vegas, I have been blessed to have two children. Mark Redmond appears to have Remember us when you get to the top. numerous conversations with Mr. Vegas, Dave surfaced along with Matt Baldwin who are both Mike also updated me on Josh Metcalf who Burns who is officially “Living the Dream” and currently in Dothan Alabama. It appears Matt he saw recently. For those who were not at loving it! Thanks for everything Dave! As always, has begun his assimilation from Rotary to fixed the Reunion, apparently Josh and Amelia had it was great to see you again! wing, but will soon move on to Texas for some their fourth child, Daniel, about 6 months ago I also heard from Kwabena Gyimah who further training (God knows he can use all he can and Josh recently made partner at his law firm, wanted to update everyone that he and his lovely get). I know how much Matt is missing his beauForman & Perry. Naturally this comes as no wife Emily had a baby boy, Benjamin Kwaku tiful wife Kristen and his boundless baby girls surprise since we all knew that Josh would soon Gyimah on 8/6/08. Gyimah notes that he is who are back at Ft. Campbell anxiously awaiting take over the world. Congratulations man; that deployed in support of OEF at CJTF HOA and his return. Fly safe Roomie! is great news! sends his regards to all. For those that didn’t get For a brief stop in Richmond, I heard from I would like to congratulate each of you on a chance to tell you in person at the Reunion, Christian Craft who (God Help Us) just started the exciting news in your lives & thank you CONGRATS, & it was great to see you again! school again and is hoping to have his MBA for writing in to share your updates with our For those that are not aware, we have embedwrapped in short order, which is fabulous. class. If I have missed anyone’s update please ded one of our brethren in deep cover with the However, the headline is that Christian and accept my apologies and send it again as I Virginia Militia in Lexington and are enjoying Chasity are expecting their second child in Auhope to have enough updates for our next ediregular updates from Paul Moosman. Paul gust. Congratulations guys! And of course no tion to force Moody Hall to tell me I have to writes in to inform that he and Deanne are very Richmond update would be complete without limit the size of our “Notes” … ’98, ’98, ’98! much enjoying Lexington and have volunteered an update from Todd Boykin who is not only I hope that the next few months bring health to help Chaplain Park and been drafted into serving on our Executive Committee (with and wealth into each of your homes. Please further service as Assistant Coaches with two Mike Lorence, Jeff Taylor, Gardner Mundy & keep in touch and let me know if you are ever fabulous teams (Deanne with the swim team Marc Schweigert), but also as our Scholarship passing through Tulsa in your travels (My door and Paul with the Triathlon Club). Although Committee Chairman. Todd is still working as a is always open). Paul notes that there are many solid athletes Project Engineer at Malcolm Pirnie & as many In the bonds … Hamel B. Reinmiller

2009-Issue 2

125

CLASS NOTES

’99

Brad Wineman

Greetings Brother Rats. I hope all are enjoying a new year and having a productive 2009. If you haven’t figured it out, it is our 10th reunion year. Plans are currently being put together for our reunion scheduled for Oct. 2-4. Hopefully by the time you read this, more information will be available to you. I cannot thank Dallas Clark for helping the class out putting this together so far. Also Matt Hart, who is taking time from his busy ministry (and his new Volvo hobby) but put the class Facebook page together. We now have 100 BRs on the site and connected to each other. Dallas and Matt, I can’t thank you enough. Got some great updates from classmates that we haven’t heard from in a while. I got a note from Kevin Azar who in Scottsdale, Arizona where his company Executive Command is making big strides as well as headlines. He’s been featured in PC Magazine and (very soon to be published online), the Wall Street Journal and in Entrepreneur Magazine (Mar 2009). Cornell Lewis is also succeeding in the business world as a mechanical engineer for Cisco in Lawrenceville, Georgia. Ned Hardy checked in having relocated to Charlottesville from Richmond. He is still selling equipment for Caterpillar and he and his wife have a son, Ross Hardy that is 4 and a daughter Ava Hardy that is 1. Got a great update from long lost Pat Geoghegan. He and Virginia have relocated to San Francisco where he has taken on a new job. Also heard from Chris Work for the first time in while. Chris and wife Kelly are having their first baby this coming May 10th (Mother’s Day), a baby girl. He has also taken up a new mechanical engineering job which he feels lucky to have landed given the economy. Chris hears from Keith Webster who is expecting his 3rd baby sometime in the summer. Keith keeps busy with his other

two boys, named Jacob and Zachary. And for those of you who remember, I got a note from Matt Kerr. Matt had to leave VMI after second class year after several knee surgeries. Fortunately, he finished his degree at Bridgewater College with a double major a B.S. in Biology and Environmental Science and is still working for the college. He now has three kids and trying to pursue a doctorate in entomology in the fall at University of Delaware. Thanks for keeping up with us, Matt. New babies continue to enter our class family. Nick and Sabrina Devincenzo welcomed their first “bambino” on 26 January, Liam Duncan. Fellow New Jersey-ite Anthony Kasprzyk and wife Heidi had a little baby boy, Brody Alexander, on New Years Eve of 2008, just making the tax break. Charles Faulkner announced the arrival of Stephen Faulkner V, was born on September 30. Charles also reports that he has left the State Department and moved to a new position at the Pentagon working at NORAD/US Northern Command. He is still an Air Guardsman working Air Ops where he braved the cold working Inaugural Security last month. He has lunch with Jason Trubenbach, Dale Durlach, and Jeremy Obenchain, who are all nearby in the DC area. And finally, attention on the stoop, Matt and Kristin Irving have informed us of the impending arrival of their first later this year, already affectionately dubbed, “the Mirvling.” Down in Richmond, I heard much from Jake Britt. He is still in Powhatan and working in Chesterfield for the fire department. He and Nichole keep busy with son Jameson who just turned 2. He keeps up with Jeff Geisendaffer every once in awhile and is planning a fishing trip with him in March. Jake also spoke with Jay Witt before he deployed to the Middle East. He and Heather and new son Eli are doing great. He also heard from Robbie Trent and Nicole who are also expecting this year. He also keeps in touch with Bill Steinbach who is working for Booz Allen and living in Alexandria. Also in Richmond, I heard from Chris Magee who is in the pro-

The VMI Bookstore Looking around for just the right gift? Outgrown your old VMI sweatshirt? Address: Manager, VMI Keydet Bookstore, 300 Crozet Hall, Lexington VA 24450 Phone: 540/463-4921 126

cess of starting yet another company focusing on construction consulting. He reports his kids are growing up quickly, as they are in second and first grade now. He’s also been traveling much with upcoming trips to Costa Rica and Belize planned later this year. Wes Barrow also checking in from Richmond where he is working at Ernst & Young as the Lead college recruiter for the Richmond, McLean and DC offices. He is currently getting ready to go back to grad school to get a Masters of HR Management. He recently got together with old teammates Brannon Howle, Ben Bradford, Pat Abelon, Hank Morgan and Michael Goldman ’00 at the Niagara - U. Richmond baseball game in Richmond, VA where Chris Chernisky ’93 is now the Niagara Head Baseball Coach. I was lucky to receive several updates from our classmates serving in uniform across the globe. I heard from Josh Kling currently in Afghanistan (a welcome break from three Iraq deployments) where he is serving with IIMEF. He and Christiane will be returning here to Quantico this summer while he attends EWS. Heading to Afghanistan in May is Barry Williams who is currently at Fort Campbell as a newly minted contracting officer for the acquisition tour. He reports that wife Fatina, son Bryce and new daughter Morgan are all doing well. Also currently stuck in Afghanistan is John Wilcox who reports he is only there for a “quick six month tour” this time. In other desert-like places, I got an update from Woody Cromley who is still serving with the Army Reserve in Albuquerque, New Mexico where he and Shauna have bought a new house. Closer to home, I heard from Chuck Reinhold who is still with the Virginia National Guard in the 29th Division. His boys, Caelan and Corban, are about to begin kindergarten and pre-school respectively. Also report from combat zones closer to home, Eric East is finishing his first tour on the VMI Army ROTC staff in Kilbourne Hall. He says he got a nice visit from Mike Nelson in Lexington but who is now back in Iraq doing “secret squirrel stuff” for Special Forces. A note from those leaving the military, I heard from Randy Brown who left the USMC in April 2006 and took a job at Gilbarco Veeder-Root in Greensboro as an Operations Supervisor and then moved into a role as a Quality Engineer. He loves his job and is enjoying time with wife Stacy and daughter Gracie Lynn who all return to VMI frequently for games. Although technically not in a war zone, Greg McDearmon has been battling Mother Nature in Kentucky with the worst ice storms

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES in decades. Greg’s house went without power or heat for several days. Fortunately, things are starting to thaw and he and his family are back getting life to normal. We also have a handful of classmates who are plugging away in the field of government. Jason Berg has taken a unique opportunity to step out of uniform as serve on Capital Hill as the Military Fellow for Congressman John Spratt of South Carolina. Jason was also just selected for major. Chris Colbow is a Program Analyst at the U.S. Agency for International Development. He manages our anti-Trafficking in Persons portfolio. He keeps in regular contact with Dan Wilbun in Baltimore, MD working for Northrop Grumann; Shane Stille in Newport News, VA working for a Swedish Corporation; Les Apedoe also in Newport News, VA; Ale Rodriguez who is still in USAF at Bolling AFB; and Ali Morales in northern VA. And if you haven’t heard, Randy Eads unfortunately lost his run for a seat in US Congress in Mississippi’s 3rd District this past fall. He sent me a great note with all the details. Randy also received the tragic news of his brother passing away in a tragic car accident. He wanted to express how grateful he was for all the support he received from the class and the VMI community in dealing with both of these tough blows, especially from Mike Wright, Jamie Campbell, Alex Marrone and Jason Trubenbach. The good news is that he and wife have returned to Virginia to his hometown of Abingdon and are looking for visitors. Welcome back Randy and thank for the invitation (and remember you asked for it … ). Finally we have a replacement for John Holmes for our Lucky Classmate of the Year. I just heard from Van Carson who is now in Northern Italy working at a contractor for the DoD building facilities for troops overseas. He and his wife just welcomed their first child, daughter, Marcella Marie, on Sept. 8th and have traveled all over the country and will continue for the rest of their three year tour there (sent me a picture from Venice). Van, congratulations on everything and from all of us in the class, a very jealous “we hate you.” Thank you all again for the updates and please keep them coming. We are looking for a maximum turnout for reunion this year. We are the “honored class” this year as this is the first one where we present the “big check” at parade. Chris Magee has volunteered to serve as the Reunion Fundraising Chair. Hopefully you will be hearing from him and our class committee soon on the details for that project. Please do keep in touch for more details on reunion and keep me posted on where you are and what you are up to. Thanks again, everyone!

2009-Issue 2

’00

Christian Arllen

As I write, Kenny Myers, Paul Staton, Mike Gereau, Conrad Bicknell, Chuck Minski, Chris Abbott, Joey Carter, Brian Skusa, Adam Priest, Don O’Sullivan and Ryan Cengeri are in the thick of coordinating a BBQ for BRs in the general vicinity of Florida. There was extensive discussion of crashing the party which was all the more humorous since it isn’t a closed event. Speaking of parties to crash: Matt McComas’s Annual Groundhog’s Day Party always receives good reviews, and I hear John Lee is getting hitched somewhere in the vicinity of “The I” in June. I confess I missed Matt’s party again this year, but the point is that class gatherings are happening sans permit from Col. Williams all the time. Hopefully at least one non-incriminating picture from the aforementioned events will make it this way for publication. I periodically pull an address list from the alumni agency database and use it to map you all around the globe. It helps with the e-mails I receive: “I am traveling to … who lives there that I can grab a beer with?” Drop me a line if you are interested in a pointer to the map, it is reachable online and can help find guys in your neck of the woods. The updates are a bit sparse this time around: Lee Davis is deploying aboard the Acushnet out of Ketchikan, AK as chief engineer. Aaron Taylor returned home from his third tour in Iraq as an AH-64D Longbow pilot and is stationed at Ft. Riley, Kansas. Ryan Cengeri has a few more weeks left before rotating back to the states from Afghanistan where Pat Haddock is also stationed. Matt Milburn is back in California after deployments to the East Coast and Anthony Rayome graduated from the language institute in Monterrey. At some point his detailer will assign him to live in a country with a warm dusty climate for a while. God speed to all of you in harms way, Christian

’01

Jason Whitaker

Welcome to 2009 everyone! If you haven’t been paying attention to VMI’s Runnin’ Roos basketball team then you have missed out on a lot of excitement. The team is playing well and is right at the top of the Big South Conference.

Their success has brought a lot of attention to the school with TV appearances on ESPN and a five-page article in Sports Illustrated’s February 9th issue. Thanks to Jeff Akers I got some tickets to the VMI-High Point game on January 24th and watched the Keydets win another game. The arena was packed with people and the crowd was the loudest I have ever heard at the Institute. While there, I saw Mike Gantert, his wife, Erika, and sons Cameron (age 5) and Connor (age 2 ½). Mike informed me that they have not missed any home basketball games. In fact, Mike said they’ve been to so many games that his son, Connor, knows the “Doxology” and both boys think the “Star Spangled Banner” is a VMI song! Mike and Erika are expecting their third son in May. Mike recently ran into Jarrett Somers and his wife, Heather, who have a 14-month old and are living in Lynchburg, VA. Prior to going to the game, I attended a house-warming party for Parker Reeves and his wife Jenni. Parker and Jenni have a beautiful home in Vinton, Virginia just outside Roanoke. Also attending the party was Jeff Akers and Drew Dickinson. Jeff recently moved from Miami back to the Roanoke area where he is working for English Construction and is a field superintendent for the Roanoke County Recreation Center. Drew’s wife, Erin, gave birth to their first child, a son named William Andrew Dickinson IV on Jan. 29, 2009. Drew was very excited and said he had already purchased all the VMI gear for his son as and was working on a provisional appointment to VMI. Drew said if his math serves him right, his son should matriculate in the Class of 2031. Our class continues to make its difference in the War on Terror and bringing peace and freedom to this world. Keith Allen’s dad, Jae, informed me that Keith was called back by the Army in August 2008 for a thirteen-month activation period and is currently serving with the 442nd Infantry Regiment at Camp Virginia, Kuwait. Keith’s company mission is to provide convoy security as they convoy fuel, food and ammunition to various locations in Iraq. Keith’s father said Keith’s largest challenges are managing the civilian truck drivers who speak little English and enforcing convoy security since civilians in Iraq appear to do what they want when they want on the roads. Jim Bourie returned to Afghanistan in January and Rich Groen left for Afghanistan in early February. Rich is the troop commander for Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 1-40 Cavalry Squadron (Airborne) out of Fort Richardson, AK. Wil Alley provided the following update from Mosul, Iraq where he is the Battalion Chaplain for 3-8 Cavalry Squadron, 1st Cavalry Division. “Greetings from Mosul! I am back in Iraq for the second time … first time as a battalion

127

CLASS NOTES chaplain. I started out this new phase of my Army career by spending two months at the basic course with our BR Chris Butera! We both graduated in September, and while I headed off to my first assignment at Ft. Hood, he went back North to finish his civilian ministry time as a priest. It was great to spend some time with him again, and it brought back memories of our many ME classes together. A week after I signed in at Hood, it was off to NTC where I ran into a platoon leader who is one of our grand-Rats, Ray Mattia ’07.After a month of fun, we came back and got a new S-4 who is also a Keydet, George Cushman ’04.So in one battalion, we have three representatives from our dyke-line. We are working on convincing my chaplain’s assistant to apply for VMI when we get back. Before we deployed I found out

Harley Jennings ’04 is also in the BDE and have run into him a few times at the DFAC here on the FOB. I think that is all the sighting I’ve made so far. Being a deployed chaplain has been very different from my previous experience, but I am enjoying the new role and challenges. As for other BR news … I saw Tappan August and Wilson Mustian briefly on my last trip to Richmond, VA before deploying. I had the opportunity to preach from my dad’s pulpit on Veteran’s Day weekend, and so they came by to show some support. It was great catching up with those guys again. Tappan is a busy entrepreneur and Wilson is making his way through law school. I think that’s about it from the past few months. Before that, I graduated from George W. Truett Theological Seminary at Baylor University in May, and was ordained as

a “minister of the Gospel” earlier in the spring. In between, I had the opportunity to perform a wedding for Tappan’s Rat, Brandon Boor ’04 and his wife, Erin. Good times!” Tony Gelormine and his family have been living in Okinawa, Japan, since August 2008. Tony is a Battalion S1 for the third time and this time for 1-1 Special Forces Group(A). Tony and his wife Heather welcomed their son, Anthony, into their family on July 30, 2007, while living in Colorado Springs, CO. Tony is trying to get his stuff together to get his son an honorary appointment to the “I.” Tony’s daughter, Brenna, is now 5 and starts kindergarten in the fall. Tony expects they will be in Okinawa until the summer of 2011, and said “if you know anyone heading this way, please let them know our door is always open to visitors.”

Class of 2001

128

Photo 1: Annabelle “Ellie” Karen Ford is the daughter of Seth and Sarah. Photo 2: Ben and Dawn Norris’ son, Walker Benjamin. Photo 3: From left: Chris Tyree, Eric Gannon, Silke Niederhaus, John Niederhaus, Hasan Grari, Randy Hager and Joseph Smith ’00. Photo 4: From left: Tony and Heather Gelormine with their son and daughter, Anthony and Brenna. Photo 5: Holding Jonathan Mazur’s bride, Jessica, on their wedding day in Owasco, New York, were, from left, Jeffrey Kuehne, Greg Martin, Justin Harber, the groom, Parker Reeves, David Debruyn ’02, Andrew Carbone and Jamie Dillon.

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES The Keydet world continues to grow as we congratulate our classmates who recently welcomed children into the world. Seth Ford and his wife, Sarah, welcomed their baby girl, Anabelle “Ellie” Karen Ford on Nov. 3, 2008. Seth will finish his ophthalmology residency in June and it looks like he’ll sign with a practice in Cleveland, TN, about 15 minutes outside Chattanooga. Justin Prior’s wife, Amanda, gave birth to a baby boy, Jaymeson Alan Prior on Jan. 6, 2009. Justin and his family will move to Cincinnati in June when he completes his current job training. Ben Norris’ wife, Dawn, gave birth to their son, Walker Benjamin Norris on Jan. 5, 2009. Ben and his family are now living in Birmingham, AL. Ben left active duty service in May 2007 and moved from El Paso, TX, to Birmingham after going through the Cameron-Brooks program for Job Placement. Ben said he and Dawn are doing well as he is a commercial insurance broker and she is an elementary school counselor. Both of them are from Massachusetts and weren’t sure what to expect in the “Deep South,” but Ben noted the Birmingham area is a great place to live and they are very happy there. Chris Simpson and his wife, Kacie, are expecting a baby boy in early May. Songho Pak and his wife, Janet, are expecting a baby in August. Randy Hager attended the wedding for John Niederhaus and his bride, Silke, on Jan. 3, 2008, in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Randy said Silke is a doctor in her residency at the University of Wisconsin hospital. She also is a University of Alabama graduate who is in love with the place so the wedding was on the University of Alabama campus and the wedding color was crimson. Among the groomsmen were Eric Gannon, Hassan Grari and Randy. John is still living in New Mexico but will be “working remotely” with his job so that he can be with his bride in Madison, Wisconsin, where he just spent four years getting his doctorate. Hasan is living with his wife, Liz, in Dallas, Texas and is still working for the same company maintaining a computer database of their customers. Randy is still a police officer and Joe Smith ’00 is an engineer in China. Randy commented that John did a really good job finding a beautiful, smart, successful wife, who is, most importantly for him, a very dedicated Christian. Chris Tyree also attended John’s wedding and is living in Frederick, Maryland. Chris is working for Bechtel Power Corporation, which is also in Frederick. Chris works as an engineer in the nuclear side of the power business unit helping with the licensing of the new generation of nuclear plants that are being talked about a lot in the media. In mid

2009-Issue 2

February, Chris will be leaving Maryland and moving to Florida to help with a steam generator replacement at a plant located north of Tampa. Chris will be there for about eleven months. So, if any BR’s need a place to crash in Florida, he said he should have an extra room available. Cannon Moss got married on Feb. 9, 2008 in Key West to Mackenzie Hayden from Chicago. Cannon said he and Mackenzie are currently living as “DINKs” (i.e. dual income, no kids) in Norfolk where Cannon works as a manager of market development for Norfolk Southern Railroad. In addition to Cannon working for Norfolk Southern, Nate Charles informed me that the VMI Class of 2001 is working on taking over the railroad industry specifically Norfolk Southern. Nate is a trainmaster in Cleveland, OH; Brady Daniels is a service design manager in Atlanta, GA; Cabell Brockman is an assistant terminal superintendent in Macon, GA; and Kristopher Sandlin is a coal superintendent in Roanoke, VA. Steve Skakandy left active duty service in the Marine Corps in 2005 but remained in Jacksonville, NC. Steve has been running his real estate company since 2006 and started a building company in 2008. Steve suggested his timing probably wasn’t the best for the latter, but feels he is better off than a lot of folks. Steve hopes to make it up to the “I” around New Market Day and looks forward to seeing any other classmates who are in town that time. Stewart Curcio resigned from the Marine Corps in August of 2007 and over the past year and a half he worked his way to Colorado where he is now a police officer with the Aspen Police Department. Stewart will be at the Police Academy until May of this year and then will begin in the patrol division. Stewart has been married to his wife, Amanda, for six years and they have a 4-year-old daughter named Madison. Melissa Williams and Kelly Sullivan plan to go on the VMI Alumni cruise through the Caribbean Sea in March. Charlie Bunting is working at LA Air Force Base in California and stated anyone in the area can contact him for a beer and surfing. Thanks again to all those who submitted notes for the Review. I ask everyone to continue to spread the word to all classmates you are in contact with to send me updates if they like. There are many classmates we have not heard from in a while so if they are interested to catch us up on their activities and accomplishments please tell them to contact me. I cannot thank enough those of you in our class serving abroad in the Armed Forces and in the civilian sector. Your efforts do not go unnoticed and you and your families remain in our constant prayers. God bless you all. Your BR ... Jason

’02

Salmaan Khawaja

Brother Rats, I hope that this edition of the Alumni Review finds you and yours well. As many of you know, the entire Corps of Cadets did an excellent job marching in the Inauguration Parade for President Obama, and VMI was certainly heard from on that day. I wasn’t brave enough to cope with the traffic nightmare in DC but caught the parade on TV, which is just as well, I guess! I have really enjoyed receiving updates from many ’02 BRs and appreciate the time many of you have taken to drop me a line. For those of you who have not sent in notes in awhile, please feel free to let me know how you’ve been doing, send me your pictures, and I will be more than happy to include them in upcoming editions of the Alumni Review. For those of you in contact with BRs who are serving our country overseas, you can let them know that the Review is also available online through a password protected site on the VMI alumni Web page. Scott and Ashley Hunsberger wrote in to let me know that they are still down in Cary, NC, just outside Raleigh. Scott is still an avid hockey player and enjoys hitting the ice with his Rat, Ian Foley ’05. They also got a puppy from the pound (thinking that it was a lab but now they’re not sure) who was just introduced to the rare incidence of snow in North Carolina. Jason Breeding took a few hours out of his very busy academic and work related schedule to visit Laura and me at our new home in February. As you know, Jason has been working diligently sending out Holiday and Birthday cards to our BRs and I wanted to write a line in the notes commending him on all of his excellent accomplishments, the most important (not) of which was his recently being the honorary MC for his high school’s pageant! In all seriousness, however, I think you all know how wonderful Jason and Amberlea both are and we wish the Breeding family luck as he makes the final push towards a doctorate degree. Christian Collamore wrote in from Greece, where he has been living for the past year running SRO missions in the med (sensitive reconnaissance operations). Christian let me know that he is now the assistant director of operations and will be heading back to Offutt in April 2009 to fly the OC-135 “Open Skies” (treaty verification platform) and WC-135 “Constant Phoenix” (air sampling scientific platform). When he’s not flying, Christian has been hanging out having fun on the on the island of Crete, “taking a break from going to the sand box.” At the time of these

129

CLASS NOTES married to Carolyne McGonnell Francis and expecting a baby very soon. Good luck Marc notes (February 2009), he’s flown about 700 Jackson Castleberry was the best man. and congrats to Sam and Leslie! combat hours over Afghanistan and Iraq flying JR Fidler living in his hometown of Warsaw, Jackson Castleberry finds it hard to be the RC-135 “Rivet Joint.” In addition, he says, Virginia, and has taken charge of the family believe that he has been out of the Navy for “I have flown SRO sorties all over the world construction business building piers. He’s not over 1.5 years. Jackson was out in California and been able to see some incredible sights, but married yet but says he’s getting closer. JR keeps working for Google this last summer as part I’m looking forward to getting back stateside in touch often with David Brown, David Ross, of the MBA summer internship and said it next month and going to squadron office school David Ellington, Brad Brickhouse and Travis was a pretty amazing place to work. Currentbefore I head back to Nebraska.” ly, he’s wrapping up the last couple months Paul Knick is back home in Woodbridge Guidt and let me know that David Brown is in of his MBA from the Darden School at the working for Bearing Point as an IT consultant Pittsburgh Penn with his wife, Angie, and little University of Virginia. Jackson says, “the job with the Dept of Health and Human Services. boy, Tommy. He is still in the Marine Corps market is tough, but more than likely I will Chris Brander dropped me a line to say he’s in and going to law school as well. (As a sidebar, be in the DC area working as a consultant.” Iraq right now and will be until Sept. 2009. He’s when I read that, I thought that only a VMI And lastly but certainly not least, Christian doing OK, but “I’m just bored out of my mind.” alum can (1) start a family, (2) actively serve in Blanch dropped me a quick line to stay that Chris says he can’t wait to get back to normal the Marine Corps and (3) attend Law School all at the time these notes were written (February life, and hopefully will be able to do so soon. at the same time. Rock on, Dave! Also, David 09), he was still waiting on the Navy to let Matt and Kelly Hylton just moved down to Ross is still in the fire department in Richmond him know about going to OCS in March, so Redondo Beach, CA from North Pole, AK last and just recently got promoted to LT. David Elwe’ll hopefully know for sure by the time September. Matt said that they had a long but lington is an engineer who is also in Richmond you read these notes. Right now Christian is fun 10 day / 3400 mile drive down to Southern with his wife, Meg, and little girl, Juliann. Brad living the good life down in Boca Raton, Fl. Cali camping out every other day along the Brickhouse now has three kids and is still way. On a personal note, I would have just preliving in Chesapeake, VA. Travis Guidt just got In the Spirit ... Salmaan ferred the camping part … not the driving. Matt back from overseas. He is still living in Sumter, is stationed at LA AFB now. He just successSC, and in the Air Force along with his wife, William Talley V fully finished the Air Force Space Supplemental Jennifer, and little boy, Jackson. class at Vandenberg AFB and is now getting Ed Skarda was promoted recently at ready to deploy to Balad for 6 months (Mar JPMorgan Chase and he is now a business Sep), where he’ll be working as a quality assurbanker. He let me know that he still plays Phil Kerns ance program manager for the Defense Contract rugby and ice hockey and that he recently Management Agency (DCMA). played in a hockey game where his team won Tim Donovan wrote me after a morning of PT 8-6, and Ed scored all eight goals, which Ed following a night out in San Antonio with Mark said was “unbelievable I know but it is what “Freaky” Mills. Tim said that that it was a good it is.” Ed also has recorded a few songs with night and that they try to get together about once a a hardcore band as the singer. In addition, he Greetings, Brother Rats! As I pen these notes, week. Of course, he made no mention of how bad was excited to note that he got to get on stage it’s mid February and I hope everyone has had a the PT the next morning must have been! Appar- live with his all time favorite punk band and mild winter, especially those serving on foreign ently, Mark is the “same” as how he was at VMI, sing his favorite song with them, which I’m soil. Things have been relatively quiet this quarter. and for those of us who know and admire him, he sure was a really memorable experience. Angee and I have been quite busy this winter was always full throttle. Whenever I go back to the Marc Yelle graciously took time out of with our on-going wedding planning. Over New “Mother I” I stop by the museum and watch clips his very busy schedule studying for his Year’s weekend, we were able to visit with Bryan of Mark’s interview during the PBS special taped national licensing exam (USMLE Step I) to Wacker, his wife Andrea, and their daughter during our Ratline. I’m sure Mark still gets grief let me know that Sam and Leslie Carney are Kylie for a few days. Dan McNair, David about it from time to time. Tim told Woody, and his wife Denise and their me that “Mark, Howie Cook ’01 and son Bryce were also there to join in I are often out and about reliving the festivities. Many adult beverages our youths in Texas telling stories were consumed over hours of Rock about great things we did back at Band and re-tellings of C-30 stories. VMI.” Frank Slavin and “Freaky” Bryan’s family is doing well and he is showed up at Tim’s apartment one still enjoying his work as a Loudoun night in June, after Freaky took a County Sheriff’s deputy. David and co-worker skydiving and almost lost his family recently relocated to Fort her to a drop malfunction, but luckBragg, NC, where he is continuing ily everything worked out alright. his SF training. I give young Bryce Frank has deployed again, but we Woody about six months before he is don’t know exactly to where at the rappelling out of his crib and making time of these notes. ghillie suits from disposable diaper Brian Francis moved to Durham, remnants. Dan is still living in ArlingNC from Norfolk, VA about two ton, VA and wrapping up the tail-end years ago. Brian is still a police of his MBA program at Georgetown. I Class of 2003: At a family reunion, Elizabeth Davis, left, officer and looks like he’s really was also able to stop and meet up with with cousins Jim McLeod ’72 and Jack Shuler ’65. enjoying his job. Also Brian was Brandon Matthews a few weeks ago

’03

130

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES while I was driving through Richmond. Brandon was recovering from a recent shoulder surgery, but doing well otherwise. Brandon did request that fellow Charlie Company BRs send him your email addresses so he could put together a mailing list. (His e-mail is MAT@co.henrico.va.us). Reporting for Alpha Company, Mark Carr e-mailed me and said that Brian Andrew is finishing up his first semester of the William and Mary MBA program. Mark also reported that Rollin Steele is serving as the platoon commander for the USMC Silent Drill Platoon, stationed in Washington, DC. Doug Bahrns e-mailed Mark from Wilmington, NC and said that he is the Company Commander for Bravo Company, 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion at Camp Lejeune. Doug is looking at deploying in the spring for his 4th deployment, scheduled for Iraq. Brian Desautels caught informed Mark that he is living in Valdosta, GA where he became a pilot flying the HC-130P which is a Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) aircraft. He bought a house with a study and in ground pool, and is currently living the American dream. If anyone is passing through GA and needs a place to stay, let him know. Brian told Mark that Aaron Fegley is out in Hawaii with the Army. His wife is pregnant with their first child, which is going to be a girl. He also said that Scott Trask is out in Hawaii with the Navy where he is attached to the Marine Corps. His wife is pregnant with his first child, which is going to be a boy. Lars Wagner is still up in NJ, and over a couple beers he told Mark that he recently had a successful elk hunt with his bow in Colorado. Blake Traina, representing Delta Company, e-mailed me and said that he is still working in the Pentagon for Army G-3/5/7. Blake said that everything was going well and that he has had the opportunity to run into many VMI alumni around the DC metro area. He also would like to put out another plea to fellow Mad Dog Delta members for their e-mail addresses, as he is trying to get a good list together. Blake’s e-mail

is Stephen.B.Traina@us.army.mil. Blake said that Andy Onello is still working for Booz Allen Hamilton on a Dept. of Homeland Security contract and is staying busy now that he has started a masters program at the University of Maryland. Blake also said that Cullen Monk is still working for the Dept. of Defense. John Roche told Blake that he is coming back home from overseas and will be at Ft. Hood until he separates from the Army in April. Vadim Simakhov told Blake that he and Lindsey are still in Fayetteville, NC and that they saw A.J. Schmaus in Alexandria, VA for a couple of weeks in late 2008. Jon Anderson wrote Blake to report that he will give up his Company Command position on 9 Feb. 09, and that he and his wife, Mandy, are moving from Fort Drum, NY, to Athens, GA, where Jon will be an ROTC Instructor for the MSIIIs down there. Jon said it was a true dream job! The torch has been passed in Echo Company, as Chris Adams has replaced Matt McQueen as the official representative in a bloodless coup. Chris reports that he moved to San Marcos, TX (45 miles north of San Antonio) at the end of October for his new job as his unit’s Readiness Officer. Chris states that he has been doing the job for 5 months now in preparation for his unit’s mobilization and loves it. In his off time, Chris has been duck hunting and saltwater bay fishing in Rockport, TX as much as possible. Chris says “everything is great down here in the Motherland, and I’m thinking about making a trip up to ‘The I’ for New Market Day if anyone is interested.” Nick Foster told Chris that things are well in NC, and that he is still flying F-15Es stationed at Seymour Johnson AFB. (Note: Nick swears this is really the name of his base.) Nick is getting ready to go back overseas this summer and is trying to renovate his house so he can make some money off of it. Nick reports that he ran into Kyle Haire a couple of times and Kyle even came up to fly with Nick’s unit, where Kyle served as the mission commander. Joe Vorhees told Chris that things in Va Beach

Class of 2003: Celebrating New Year’s Eve James Bond-style at the 007 License to Thrill gala in Washington, D.C., were, from left, Sungmin Kim, Steve Nakazawa, Jared Swanson, Marc Motyleski, Shawn Herrick and Marco Midence.

2009-Issue 2

are going well, to include home renovations and a new dog since last quarter. Rob McLean reports that things in Hotel company have been quiet. Rob heard from Jeremy Ongley, who just finished up a 15-month tour in the Horn of Africa with the Army and is getting ready for Special Forces School at Fort Bragg. Will Johnson told Rob that Shawn Herrick is on his way home from an overseas deployment and that he and Daren Williams were hanging out in Washington, DC. Allen Maxey is scheduled to go to Afghanistan in March as a combat surgeon and Cliff Cook recently had one heck of a Halloween Party in DC (no details given). Mike DeMayo is still over in Iraq working as a civilian contractor. A large contingent of Hotel guys made it to Danny Goldberg’s wedding in Houston in January. Rob also stated that him and Joe Pederson are just starting their second semester at the Darden School at UVA. Jared Swanson e-mailed me an update on Band Company. Jared said that Dave Burdette is marrying Blair Coin in Boca Grande, Florida this coming April. Also, Jared reported that Lee Davis is in Kuwait, and will soon return to Fort Lee. Apparently, John Noonan is still playing with Missiles in Cheyenne, and recently he and Drew Murphy spotted Mike Newton in Las Vegas, on leave from Iraq. David Mayo is making waves in the academic community, earning both the NacME Sloan Fellowship and the Aerospace Corporation Fellowship.

Ryan Shealy

’04

C. Justin Roberts

Hey, Brother Rats: I hope the New Year is treating everyone well! Just wanted to thank everyone who submitted updates for this edition of the Alumni Review. I got a few emails with some updates, thanks to those who contributed! Eric Waters is down in lower Alabama with his wife, Staci. On January 22nd, they welcomed their daughter, Savannah Lee Waters. Congratulations, Eric! Andy Harris wrote in to say that he’s finishing his second tour in Iraq with the 4th Infantry Division in the Multi-National Division – Baghdad. Andy will be attending grad school in DC in the fall, too. He ran into Jeff Van Cleave who is coming in with the 1st Calvary Division to replace Andy’s unit. Also with him in the 4ID is Gary Cutler, Mike Roscoe and Wes Smith. He

131

CLASS NOTES ness meeting in Richmond and highly recomhas also had the chance to serve with Colin Timothy Johnson mends them to everyone if they’re available. Mahle ’00 and Brett Prilliman ’02. Sean He’s in Charlotte now, where he runs his own O’Donnell dropped a quick note to say that business, ScreenVisions Consulting, a health he’ll be deploying for four months to Guam and fitness as well as sales consulting company. where he’ll be the maintenance officer supWilliam Ray He has a handsome three-year-old boy, Christoporting the B-2 deployment there. Jim Bean wrote in from his deployment to pher Alexander Walton Screen. As for me, I’m still jet-setting across the US give a quick run down of everyone he’s run into while on deployment. He ran into Mike Bang in to my company’s plants. Just finished up a big the DFAC on Camp Victory not too long ago. project that went to 11 of our plants nationwide. Brother Rats, I hope the New Year is treating He was just passing through. He told Jim about I also am keeping active in the Richmond scene you well and that despite the hard times, you are being activated and deployed, as well as how and am playing in rec leagues for soccer, footfinding success in all of your endeavors. I was Iraq made him miss his “Yuppee reading through the last Alumni lifestyle.” Jim sees Dave Jennings Review, in particular, the Class every now and then and reports of ’43’s notes, where their class that he is still working in Al-Faw agent mentioned it was a good set Palace with MNC-I. Jim is looking of notes because no one had died. forward to running into a few more While this is a grim view to some, alum’s at the VMI Meeting and it made me think of how fortunate Social on Camp Stryker at the end we are as class to know that many of February that Doug Massie ’00 of our best days are ahead of us. has put together. Also, he informed There may be some bad times, me that Leigh Anne Lindenmuth but there are many great things will complete med school this left to be accomplished by the spring. Good job, Leigh Anne! Class of 2005. Many of you are Rich Connaroe is in Baghdad with earning degrees, getting married, his MITT. When he redeploys this having children, or progressing spring/summer, he will head off in your careers. I encourage each to law school before becoming one of you to tell us what you are a lawyer for the Army. Devon doing so that we can share in your Class of 2004: At Mariah Green’s wedding were, from left, front row, Sarah Johnson, Ella Springer, Mariah Green Connaroe has already moved back joys and successes and help and Goodall and Libby Olson. Back row: Anna Goodall, Sarah to Virginia from Fort Sill with their carry you through the down times Goodall, Liz Springer, Rachel Guilfoyle, Erica Ardolino and two children, and actually lives in life. With that being said, I’ll Amanda Green. about an hour away from where get to the notes. Scarlett Bean ’05 is going to her Austin House checks in from Career Course. Jim got to hang out with Jessie ball, dodgeball and kickball as well as picking Thailand where has been since he graduated Stewart ’05 a few Sundays back while she was back up MMA. Between those and planning early in 2004. He started a non profit organion a convoy with her unit from Kuwait. After they the upcoming five-year reunion with Justin zation called “Farthest Corners” a few years caught up over some Green Bean’s Coffee, they Roberts, John Casper and Bryan Gould. I’m ago that focuses on helping people in the war took the obligatory pictures in and around Al Faw staying pretty busy. zones of Burma. He also helped when Cyclone Palace. I expect to see those pics, Jim! Nargis hit Burma this past spring. Farthest Hope everything goes well in the next few Brad Haywood is still working in Fairfax Corners has a children’s home that supports months and looking forward to hearing from County and surprisingly run into almost around 40 children (mostly orphaned). They everyone soon! no one up North, but then again he hopes do some evangelism and also help support ’04 ’04 ’04 … Ryan Shealy and Justin Roberts he doesn’t see them since that would mean clinics and mobile teams with medicine and they’re calling 911. Brad got engaged in July whatever they can scrounge up for the suffer’08 and the wedding is planed for September ing people (books, clothes, food, etc.). Austin of this year. Only person he has really run collects these items and then talks with friends into is Joel Andrus and his wife Joy, while in the resistance to get it where it needs to be. he was at a work conference in November in Whenever he has the opportunity, he goes into Norfolk. Craig Hamilton got off active duty the jungles to be with his brothers and sisters with the Marines and has moved to Northern who are suffering from all sorts of problems VA where he is a contractor working with caused by the Burmese Army. Austin has come Homeland Security, and has joined the Madown with malaria 4 times now and had typhus rine Corps Reserves as well. a couple years ago which almost killed him, but he recovered as “the Lord is good and wanted Congratulations to Dave Harris on becoming him around a little longer.” In addition, Austin a father! His son, Devin Wyatt Harris was born Class of 2004: Eric Waters with is in a Master of Divinity program in Thailand on Dec. 30, 2008. I hope you already have his his wife, Staci, and their newborn and should graduate in the fall of 2009. He says provisionary appointment in for the class of daughter, Savannah Lee, born on “it’s awesome to be the only westerner in class, 2030, haha! Jan. 22, 2008. and I get to learn a lot from all my classmates Derik Screen recently attended a VMI busi-

’05

132

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES from countries throughout Southeast Asia. The best part was I met my wife, Sinte, there and we were recently married on November 22, 2008. She is a hill tribe woman from the Chin people who live along the Burma-India border. She currently teaches the bible at a local seminary. Let our BR’s know they are all welcome to come out and join me here anytime. I plan to be here as long as the Lord wills it and I am happy to be a guide and show them around some pretty cool places.” Rob Gibson checks in from Al Asad, Iraq where he is deployed and “living the dream” with Marine Air Support Squadron 1. He’s not sure when he will be back home, but is not too concerned over it either. He sends his best to all of the Brother Rats of 2005 and promises to send some “sexy” OIF photos when he finds the time. He’ll be sure to try very hard to come up with a chiseled war-face picture that “won’t have Newsome or Gorski kicking my butt for looking fake sometime … er … before I leave.” Donnie Barbaree just finished training to be a Cobra pilot in California at Camp Pendleton. He headed to MCAS New River, North Carolina to check into his squadron this February. He promised to have some good pics for one of the next Alumni Reviews from BR Marc Lyons’ wedding in June. Ian Dunlap returned from a year deployment to Iraq around Thanksgiving. After the obligatory rounds of drinking and family visitation, he returned to Camp Lejeune. In January, he spent three weeks doing the Marine Special Operations Command (MARSOC - the newest branch of SOCOM) Assessment & Selection and performed well and was invited to begin training with the unit. He is extending his contract with the Corps and plans to take orders to MARSOC this summer. In the meantime, he is the XO of an artillery battery that is in the process of standing up down at Camp Lejeune. Since the last set of class notes, we welcome new spouses and little ones to the ranks of the VMI Class of 2005 family. On September 2, 2008, Dan Spanu wed Miss Abby Cather. The couple resides in Northern Virginia where Dan works as a Diplomatic Sales Manager for Audi. In January, Dan, John Sakaleros, and Greg Staat headed out to Berkley, California to take part in the wedding of Felix Guerra and Siobhan Boyle. Felix is still in the Marine Corps and deployed to Iraq shortly after the wedding. Greg is working as an Algebra teacher at a boarding school in Connecticut and John continues to work in insurance and with the family business in Greece. On his trip to the states, he stopped by New Jersey to visit with his uncle, John Merrill ’62 and visit with Tony Iliadis and his family. Jeremy Coffman recently got married in a jus-

2009-Issue 2

tice of the peace ceremony to the former Crystal Stotlz and says he has “absolutely found the one girl for me.” Congratulations, Jeremy and Crystal. After nearly four years at the 1st Special Operations Communications Squadron, Jeremy is moving to a NATO assignment in Belgium. He will report there on the 10th of March. He said his time “with the 1st Special Operations Wing has been amazing. I’ve been fortunate enough to deploy in support of OIF/OEF as well as do a host of other things not normally available to a young lieutenant. During my time here I’ve run into/worked for Col. Mark Johnson ’87, Jason Reinitz, Chris Marr ’06 who is an AC-130 Navigator and Paul Welsh ’06 who is flying U28s. They’re all doing great and have high hopes for AF Special Ops.” On October 18, 2008, John and Kat Fisher welcomed a daughter, Jolie, into the world. Mother and baby are doing fine. John and family live in Mechanicsville, Virginia, where John works as an engineer for Virginia Dominion Power. Scott Kreckman and his wife, Victoria just purchased their first home in Huber Heights, Ohio just before Thanksgiving. If you’re in the area or passing through, drop Scott a line. Mark Lloyd is working for NATO in Europe and was recently accepted to graduate school at the University of Notre Dame. Mark and Matt Woyanski met up a few times over the holidays and spoke with Chaz Ehnot who is working in Northern Virginia for Booz Allen Hamilton. Peter Formica graduated this past December from Long Island University Graduate School with a Dual Masters in Childhood Education/Special Education. In the fall, he plans on enter the school’s doctorate program in Educational Leadership. Currently, Pete is teaching in New York City while living in Queens. Mike Tittermary will be graduating from the University of Richmond School of Law on May 9th and is scheduled to take the Virginia Bar Exam this July. He has been hired by the Hanover County Circuit Court as the law clerk for Judge Harris and will start in that capacity on August 3. A quick update on what your class agents have been up to: In December, a few of the Brother Rats gathered for the annual Melton family Christmas party in Bedford, Virginia at the home of Jim and Marsha Melton, parents of our own G. Benjamin Melton. Members of the class in attendance were Lawton Way, Andy Karnes, Greg VanPelt, Brian Duncan, Ian Dunlap, Josh Sullivan and his girlfriend Anna, Ben and his girlfriend Courtney, and Will Ray. Ben should be headed to Ft. Bragg in the spring to start the Q-Course. Andy is still living in Newport News and Lawton is still at W&M Law School. Greg continues his training at Ft. Bragg and Ian, as mentioned earlier is gearing

up for his MARSOC training this summer. Brian and Josh continue to work for their respective companies with nothing new to report. Needless to say, a great and festive time was had by all that brought the Christmas spirit out in everyone -- can’t wait to do it again next year. A few weeks later in January, I made my annual pilgrimage to the Low Country Oyster Festival in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina. Ben Melton, Jon Proctor, Chris Johnson, Duke Acors and Will DeShazor joined me in the festivities. Jon continues in his 2nd year of law school at Ole Miss. Will and Duke are still working and living life to the fullest and enjoying all the greater Charleston area has to offer. Chris is in his 2nd semester at the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta and seems to be enjoying his time despite the long hours and demanding study schedule. After a few hours of oysters, beers and some cigars, they shut the party down and sent us on our way, but not after plenty of good times were had by all and plans were made for next year’s roast. On a professional level, I continue to run a fitness company with a friend of mine and business is steady, but not great. Outside of the company, I just finished coaching a high school swim team which was a bit of a challenge as it was the first year of the program. In the spring, I’ll be coaching a high school soccer team in Richmond. Will Ray is still living in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and studying at the UNC School of Public Health where he hopes to earn his Master’s in Public Health with a concentration in Public Health Leadership in December 2009. Outside of school, some major changes are heading young William’s way as he proposed to his girlfriend, Miss Emily Miller over Christmas break on December

Class of 2005: Greg Staat, Felix Geurra and Dan Spanu at Geurra’s wedding in Berkley, California, on Jan. 3, 2009.

133

CLASS NOTES He’s ready to get out of there and go back to Germany. He hasn’t recently run into any VMI here but he knows Searles is at COP Carver to M East. Chris Foltz is deployed to Kuwait and rooms with a Citadel guy. While traveling throughout the AOR he spent a night with Terry Slack and has run into several ’05 guys. Adam Rosenbaum just got back from Iraq and is on block leave. He met up with Clark Dudley, Kyle Rosch, Dan Wilmoth, Tyler Monger, Bud Webb and Marc Antonelli for a basketball game. He is getting married this September, so he is staying busy with that. He is still down at Fort Stewart. Chris Gilliland and Andrew Walton will be visiting for St. Patrick’s Day in Savannah next month. Will Davis Ben Chovanec is still in Iraq with Mike Pasquale, Nolan Maxwell, Jay LaCerda, Gabby Canceran and Matt Noreus. Ben, Mike, and Nolan should be back in March sometime but they aren’t sure. Matt and Jason got to Iraq about a month ago, but they all plan Greetings, Brother Rats, on taking a picture with the VMI flag soon. I hope this edition of the Review finds all Ben heard from Q Rohlfs also, and says that healthy and happy. he’s over in Wyoming or Wisconsin (it’s a There is no new news for me. I am still state with a W) flying helicopters and breaking stationed at Tinker in Oklahoma City. Here’s hearts. what has been going on with our class since Anthony Oliver has been back at home in last quarter. Birmingham teaching since we graduated. Matthew Plant got back in June ’08 from This is his third year. He just finished up my Iraq deployment. He got stationed in Norfolk, masters in education from UAB and is coachbought a house in Chesapeake, and spent 3 ing football and baseball. months home. He was then deployed again on Dennis Crump is assigned to the submarine his new ship. U.S.S. Toledo. They just finished a 23 Dan Osborne is TDY en-route at month shipyard period in Newport Camp Bullis (Jan 5-Apr 24) and then News, VA, and just got back yesterday was onto F.E. Warren. from sea trials. The boat will be changMatt McGonegle proposed to Laura Ashley Woods in mid December, and ing homeport back to Groton, CT and They Were Heard she said yes. They are excited about they will then be preparing for their their engagement and eager to begin next deployment. On a personal note, From—VMI Alumni wedding planning. Congrats from the he bought a sail boat and he wrote this In the Civil War class, Matt. update while sailing it from Norfolk, Author: B. David Mann Colin Adams currently works for VA to Groton, CT. It is a 30ft. Catalina. (‘46/49 - C) Booz Allen Hamilton and has been on Tim Papenfuse and his wife, Erin, This monograph details the roles client site for a year at the Department had a baby boy in January 2009. of VMI alumni on both sides of the of Homeland Security as a program Alexander Garth Williams is still @ Civil War. Paper Back . . . . . . . $6.95 analyst. Bud Webb is working as a WPAFB in Dayton, doing acquisition. superintendent for Shelton CorporaHe likes this much better than standard The Corps Forward tion, a Richmond grading and utility finance. Editor: Col. William Couper (1904) contractor. He bought a house in the Christopher Stolle is stationed in Foreword: Col. Keith E. Gibson (1977) Midlothian area about a year ago and Yokosuka, Japan on the Fitzgerald The gripping story of every cadet sees Tyler Monger a lot. Bud met up DDG 62. He has been hanging out and faculty member who marched with him, Wilmoth, Rosch, Dudley, with Phil Lundberg whose on the to New Market. Rosenbaum and some other classmates George Washington. He has also been Hardcover with Dust Jacket . .$49.95 a weekend in February for the Gardner hanging out with Brandon Turner and Paper Back . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$19.95 Webb game. Justin Vorassi. All sales benefit VMI Museum & Alumni Association Jack Herzog got married in June of I have had several compliments on 2008. He married his ring figure date, the accomplishments of our class from Order direct from Mariner Publishing Laura Dantoni. He just purchased his people who read our class notes. Keep (540) 264-0021 first home and plans to move in March up the good work making VMI proud. www.marinermedia.com/bookstore.html 30, 2009 in Prague, Czech Republic. Will and Emily are planning on having wedding this summer and will most likely stay in the Chapel Hill area after the wedding while Will finishes up grad school. Congratulations, Will and Emily! Those are all the updates I have for the latest edition of class notes. For those who haven’t sent anything in yet, please send me your updates. We’d love to know what’s going on with you. If you guys ever need anything, don’t hesitate to contact me. Hopefully, I get to see a few more of you before the next set of notes. Until next time … In the bonds … Tim Johnson

’06

2009. He is currently a Narcotics Detective with the Baltimore Police Department. He has a full beard now so we might not recognize him if we saw him! Dan Frank, is now a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps. He is stationed at 29 Palms in California. Dan is loving the Marine lifestyle. Dan was Jack’s best man in his wedding. Steel Nardozzi, Randy Wainman ’05 and Jason Major were all Jack’s groomsmen. Several other VMI guys were in attendance. Doug Ziegenfuss is living in Virginia Beach at the Oceanfront, taking his first masters classes in history at ODU. He saw Frank Dolberry when he was on leave and they had a pretty competitive game of soccer. Doug and Joey Zyra hang out whenever Joey is in town from northern Virginia where he’s a state trooper about once or twice a month. Seth Enterline wanted to let everyone know that he and his wife, Jamie had a son. His name is Parker James Enterline. Christopher Eaton married to Ashley Elizabeth Johnson on 29 Dec. 07. He visited VMI in beginning of January and saw the finished mess hall, finished “Third Barracks,” the new leadership center, improved football field and improved Kilbourne Hall. He says it was quite amazing to see the improvements in such a short time. He visited Sgt. Maj. Neel, Gen. Peay ’62, Lt. Col. Gary Levenson ’80, Maj. Faust ’96, Sandi and Brig. Gen. Brower. All were still the same characters, doing well. He is currently deployed with Bravo Battery, 4-27 FA at FOB Mahmudiyah as the XO and FDO.

True accounts of VMI’s remarkable Alumni in the Civil War

134

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES Flathers is still in Sheffield, UK working on his postgraduate degree as part of his Marshall Scholarship. Jeremy Clement was kind enough to give me a few updates on a few of our Brother Rats. Jeremy is working for Bloomberg as an energy commodities analyst. He is going Editor’s note: There are no class notes from to spend a month in Mumbai, India, training the class of ’ 07 in this issue. vendors who Bloomberg out-sources to. Jeremy noted Lam Ly is working as a governRobert Hill ment contractor in D.C. and Lam made a trip to party with Jeremy over New Years in NYC. John Sollock finished his first season as Assistant Men’s Soccer Coach at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. The team finished with a 6-12-2 record. John is also working on his master’s while coaching. AnGreetings to all of you. Hopefully, you’re drew Todd is also getting married at the end enjoying the spring weather these days. I am of May to Ms. Julia McCabe. pleased to say that my address book Ensign Chris Malta is assigned for our class has begun to expand. I’d to the USS Princeton (CG 59) say I have approximately a third of as a Strike Officer and Legal the class with some kind of contact Officer. They are scheduled to information. It’s a great start but deploy in early 2010. John Crishopefully as you read these notes, tiano recently finished BOLC II you’ll think to send me an email with and started BOLC III for Field an update of your location and what Artillery. In April after BOLC III, you are up to. John will be going to Korea for Erin (Cipperly) Propst sent me his first assignment. a note. She married 2LT Spencer Dave Jacobs, Phil McCloskPropst (USMA) on December 27th ey, and Matt Mitchell are all at at Warner Hall in Gloucester, VA. Fort Knox for BOLC III. Dave The wedding was well attended by was randomly selected as the the VMI Family. In attendance were class leader and has yet to be 2LT’s Jared Grastrock (groomsman), fired. Alex Gray is in the class Kellan Travis, Manny Maldonado, behind Dave and company and Andee Walton, Carrie McAtee ’07, Peter Blades recently graduKatie Bopp, and Brittany Ray. Also ated. After graduation, Peter in attendance were Nohelia Martin, went to Airborne School at Heidi Beemer ’11, Carolyn Kenaley Fort Benning. In March, John ’11 and Ashley Camper ’11. CurRoland and John Nikiforakis rently, Erin and Spencer are stationed will be starting BOLC III in in Fort Campbell, KY. Erin will start Fort Knox. Special thanks to Army OCS on June 29th. Congrats Dave for providing the update Erin! Also married recently were on everyone! John Nikiforakis and the former Ms. Peter Borchelt dropped me Heather Robinson. The two wed in a note from Laughlin AFB in New Hampshire on October 18th. John Texas. Peter is living with Jason Lingamfelter was the best man and Pettengill after he was activated 2LT’s Lynn Larson, Lawton Drake, in November in the Air Force. Mike Karlson, Brandon Delong, as Jason and Peter are waiting to well as Chris Bass attended. Jake start pilot training this upcoming Vishneski and the former Ms. Susie summer. Good luck! Labonte were married on January 3rd. Class of 2008: Erin Cipperly married 2nd Lt. Spence Adam Barr sent me a note that In attendance were Chase Williams, Propst. Pictured with the bride and groom, kneeling, were, he went through the AF MainteDerek Bryant, Chris Lomicka, John first row from left: Carolyn Kenaley ’11, Ashley Camper nance Officer School at Sheppard Walaski, Scott Sanders, Phil McClo’11, Nohelia Martin, 2nd Lt. Katie Bopp and Brittany AFB, in Texas the summer skey, Roger Leonhart, David Kerr, Ray. Second row: Heidi Beemer ’11 and 2nd Lt. Carrie after graduation. Following his Joseph Swearingen, Jeremiah SexMcAtee ’07. Third row: 2nd Lt. Manny Maldonado and time at Sheppard AFB, he went ton, Joe Pickenpaugh, Alex Gray, Andee Walton. Fourth row: Jared Gastrock and 2nd Lt. through ASBC at Maxwell AFB Brian McGettigan, Lynn Larson and Kellan Travis. in Alabama. After ASBC, he has Jeremy Clement.

’07

Sally Coffman Arciero

’08

2009-Issue 2

Matt Harrison recently got engaged to Lauren Hasky. Matt is still in Florida for flight school for the time being. Also recently engaged is Dawson Boyer. Dawson asked Ms. Corey Prior to marry him in Paris on Nov. 27, 2008. They are planning the wedding for Oct. 17, 2009. Christoph Lohr and his long time girlfriend, Katharine Fish, were engaged the day before Thanksgiving in Sedona, AZ. They are planning on getting married in March of 2010 in Phoenix, Arizona. Congrats to Matt, Dawson and Christoph. John Lingamfelter is stationed at Minot AFB as a Contracting Officer. John says it’s pretty cold in North Dakota. John also wanted to mention his brother is now a member of the Class of 2012, as the recently broke out in late January. As I mentioned previously, Will

135

CLASS NOTES been station at Spangdahlem AB in Germany and will be there for two years until October of 2010. Mike Karlson has been very busy since graduation. He completed BOLC II at Fort Sill in Oklahoma, Transportation BOLC III at Fort Eustis, VA and Airborne School at Fort Benning. Following his stay in Georgia, Mike was assigned to Echo Troop, 1-17th Air Calvary, Combat Aviation Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division. He is currently the company XO. His company is scheduled to deploy to Afghanistan sometime in April. The class comedian, A.J. Betts, is currently in a management training program for a bank in New Jersey. A.J. is currently waiting to hear if he will be selected for the Coast Guard OCS program. Tim Bowman is working for Braunch Atomic Universal National Chemical Housing Group. He is writing computer programs for a nuclear plant. I’m still at Penn State, enjoying the real college experience. I recently found out that I’ll be living at the fire house here in State College

BIRTHS MCCOY – A son, Ty Walker James, to Tracy and Kenneth L. McCoy ’96 on Oct. 30, 2008. ATKINS – A son, Finley Liles, to Allison and Jonathan D. Atkins ’98 on Sept. 1, 2008. CATES – A son, Ethan, to Becca and Ryan C. Cates ’01 on Oct. 28, 2008. COLLINS – A son, Hudson Riley, to Erin and Sean J. Collins ’01 on Aug. 27, 2008. SCHINDLER – A daughter, Abigail Elizabeth, to Jessica and Daniel A. Schindler ’01 on Nov. 5, 2008. ANNIS – A daughter, Kiersten Jean, to Theresa and Jason W. Annis ’03 on Sept. 11, 2008. HAYES – A son, Kemper Maddux, to Jill and James E. Hayes ’05 on April 6, 2008. LYLES – A daughter, Riley Angel, to Jeanette and Joshua M. Lyles ’05 on Sept. 12, 2008. 136

next year, sure beats having to pay for a place to stay. A few things to wrap up the notes, Mike Karlson has a great idea for those of you being deployed overseas. If you could let me know where you are being deployed, I could forward that onto others who have been deployed so you might possibly be able to meet up while serving. If you’re interested, please forward me as much information as possible. If you would like the contact list that I have made, feel free to email me as well and if you can add to it, I would really appreciate it. By the time you read these notes, another class will be days away from graduation, and hopefully the Runnin’ Roos will continue to shine under the national spotlight. Take care and God Bless. Rah Virginia Mil!

Actual size: 15 1/2” X 10 1/2” X 7 1/2” deep

Choose from New VMI Jewelry Boxes & VMI Ring Boxes, Plus VMI Plaques – All Customized!

Shown in walnut – also available in cherry. See website for more options.s

The Deluxe VMI Alumni

Keeping Box

Our famous handcrafted Virginia “Keeping Box”, similar to English keeping boxes found in colonial homes, is now available in solid walnut or cherry with the VMI spider or seal with the graduate’s name/class year laser engraved into the wood. An ideal gift for graduates that will be seen and used for many years. Hand-Made in Virginia

Order online:

www.halwoodworking.com or Call Toll Free 800-755-8546

MARRIAGES MOTT – Mei Han to John R. Mott Jr. ’76 on Oct. 18, 2008. KOSTOFF – Andrea Finley to J. Steven Kostoff ’91 on Oct. 18, 2008. MAZUR – Jessica Lynn Hickey to Jonathan E. Mazur ’01 on Sept. 22, 2007. BURKET – Gilda Ramos Pagarigan to James R.M. Burket ’02 on July 19, 2008. HARR – Elizabeth Ann Bogdanski to Jason R. Harr ’03 on June 21, 2008. ANGLE – Christina Griesemer to William P. Angle ’05 on Nov. 8, 2008. HANSEN – Amanda Haidenthaller to Daniel J. Hansen ’05 on Nov. 1, 2008. HAYES – Jill Elizabeth Nester to James E. Hayes ’05 on July 8, 2006. HERZOG – Laura Dantoni to John R. Herzog III ’06 on June 14, 2008. CZAPLICKI – Nicole Labuda to Andrew J. Czaplicki ’08 on June 8, 2008.

email: info@halwoodworking.com

WILSON – Jessie Peyton Thompson to Michael W. Wilson ’08 on Oct. 4, 2008.

DEGREES David G. Taylor ’81 M.A. Christian Leadership Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary Lynchburg, VA December 2008 Steven D. McKone ’88 M.A. Leadership Executive Master’s in Leadership Georgetown University Washington, D.C. December 2007 Jason M. Fye ’98 Computer Science Wake Forest University Winston-Salem, NC May 2008

M.S.

Andrew J. Lewis ’98 M.B.A. Business Michael G. Foster School of Business University of Washington Seattle, WA June 2008 VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

PROVISIONAL APPOINTMENTS APPOINTEE’S NAME

ALUMNUS-CLASS

RELATIONSHIP

APPOINTEE’S NAME

ALUMNUS-CLASS

RELATIONSHIP

Class of 2028

Class of 2013 James Marx

Wiley M. Clapp, Jr. ’57

Grandfather

George Anderson Foster

Saul R. Newsome 2005 Elisha J. Evans, Jr. ’51

Brother Grandfather

McKenna Lee Luke Hudson Rickli Luke Crawford Trumbo

Class of 2014 Silas Jeremiah Newsome David C. Jackson Rouleau

P. Wesley Foster, Jr. ’56 Larry A. Foster ’63 Brian M. Lee 2000 Randolph S. Taylor ’70 Raleigh Trumbo ’93

Grandfather Great Uncle Father Grandfather Father

Brian R. Hunt 2006

Father

James M. Ayers ’99 Charles E. Ayers, III ’97 Alexander H. Mason ’48-A Alexander H. Mason, Jr. ’85 Alexander Hamilton, 1871 Alexander D. Hamilton, 1897 William H. Cocke 1918 Alexander H. Ayers 2002 William A. McVey ’64 Samuel P. Smith ’35 Christian Craft ’98 Stuart Craft 2007 Preston Craft 2011 Christopher Donnelly 2002 Frank Novakowski ’69 Edward E. Holland ’81 Joseph F. Inman, Jr. ’51 Brian R. Hunt 2006 Walter M. Ivkovich ’70 Donald F. Nelson ’69 Charles A. Sternberg ’93 Patrick Szvetitz 2003

Father Uncle Great Uncle Cousin Great-grandfather Great Uncle Great-great-grandfather Uncle Grandfather Great-grandfather Father Cousin Cousin Father Grandfather Grandfather Great-grandfather Father Grandfather Grandfather Father Father

Class of 2029

Class of 2015 Michael Stephen Adams Jr. Wallace Raymond Greene II

William R. Sarvay, Jr. ’79 John D. Greene ’75

Uncle Father

Ethan R. Hunt

Class of 2030 James Mason Ayers, Jr.

Class of 2016 Daniel Fort Flowers III

Brogan Grace Jones

Richard W. Flowers ’72 Daniel F. Flowers ’40 Fred F. Flowers ’40 Gwynne H. Jones, Jr. ’50-B George L. Jones, III ’55 Joseph R. Jones 1848

Cousin Grandfather Great Uncle Grandfather Great Uncle Great-great-greatgrandfather

Class of 2017 Nicholas Kirby Brennan

Dave Brennan ’85

Father

Gwynne H. Jones, Jr. ’50-B George L. Jones, III ’55 Joseph R. Jones 1848

Grandfather Great Uncle Great-great-greatgrandfather

Michael A. Jussila ’87

Father

Kelly R. Holbert ’93 Gwynne H. Jones, Jr. ’50-B George L. Jones, III ‘55 Joseph R. Jones 1848

Father Grandfather Great Uncle Great-great-greatgrandfather

Ralph L. Costen, Jr. ’70 Ralph L. Costen, III ‘97 Harland E. Sisler ‘70

Grandfather Father Grandfather

Daniel Lawrence Boehling Carter Jackson Craft

Class of 2018 Maeve Beatrice Jones

Class of 2019 Rachel Erin Jussila

Class of 2022 Tyler Randolph Holbert Nula Rose Jones

Class of 2027 Ralph Lynch Costen, IV

William Cole Donnelly Jordan Scott Hammontree Robert Edward Holland II Troy R. Hunt Dylan Michael Ivkovich William Garrett Nelson Cooper Beckett Sternberg Colton James Szvetitz

Class of 2031 William O. van Deusen ’73 Orville O. van Deusen ’38 Michael Fellows ’95 Aubrey Michael Fellows Nathaniel Anders McMurry Richard M. McMurry ’61 William Lawrence Mullinx III Buzz Birzenieks ’64 Raleigh Trumbo ’93 Anna Elizabeth Trumbo Aiden Michael Elbon

Great-grandfather Father Grandfather Grandfather Father

VMI’s 25 Most Senior Alumni According to the records of The VMI Alumni Association, the men listed below constitute the 25 senior alumni of the Institute. Please contact the Alumni Review should any errors be noted. William E. Cantrell ’26 Oct. 17, 1905 Prentis P. Smith ’29 May 19, 1906 Richard D. Schmitz ’31 Feb. 24, 1908 Ernest C. Johnson ’29 May 19, 1908 Kenneth W. Chapman ’30 July 27, 1908 Thomas M. Zeledon ’30 Dec. 21, 1908 William B. Walshe ’32 Nov. 30, 1909 Richard C.Wight Jr. ’30 May 26, 1910 John A. Chambliss Jr. ’31 Oct. 21, 1910

2009-Issue 2

Howard J. Bell ’33 William R. Landrum ’34 James Heine ’34 E. Lane Whitley ’34 William R. Vivian ’32 Wayne C. Weaver ’33 Emmett J. Heerdt ’34 John D. Todd Jr. ’34

Nov. 25, 1910 Dec. 3, 1910 Mar. 18, 1911 April 1, 1911 Aug. 3, 1911 Dec. 6, 1911 Feb. 27, 1912 June 30, 1912

Richard H. McCormick ’34 Robert B. Rust Jr. ’34 Thomas St. John Arnold ’35 Alfred J. Snapp ’35 Francis T. Follin ’35 James E. Kirk ’36 Oscar E. Roberson ’38 Leonard M. Todd ’35

Dec. 4, 1912 Jan. 4, 1913 Sept.8,1913 Sept. 18, 1913 Sept. 19, 1913 Oct.25,1913 Nov. 13, 1913 Dec. 10, 1913

137

“Put the Boys In…

and may God forgive me for the order.”

General John C. Breckinridge New Market, May 15, 1864

“Put the Boys In” by Don Troiani On a drizzly May 15th in 1864, a small Confederate force risked being overwhelmed by a larger Federal unit commanded by Franz Sigel near New Market, Virginia, in the Shenandoah. Suffering the combined effects of Union muskets and artillery canister rounds, the center of the Confederate line evaporated. Confederate Gen. John C. Breckinridge quickly realized his options: repair the gap in the line or fall back. With the young cadets from VMI as his only reserve, he hesitated, but then commanded, “Put the boys in,” he stated, “and may God forgive me for the order.” The young cadets advanced, cheering loudly, with many losing their shoes in the muddy field. The cadets engaged the Federals of Von Klieser’s Battery who attempted to defend their position. Moments later, Cadet Oliver Evans jumped up on a captured cannon, madly waving the VMI flag as the cadets cheered wildly, having helped rout the Union force. Afterward, Gen. Breckinridge rode up to the young men stating, “Well done, Virginians. Well done, men.”

Don Troiani, one the finest military artists of this century, has created a beautiful and arguably the most historically accurate portrayal of the VMI cadets at the Battle of New Market in his latest work, “Put the Boys In.” The original oil is an 80”x 50” masterpiece which hangs in Moody Hall. Print Size: 19 x 29 inches. Including white border, the size is 23-1/2 x 32

The Cross of Honor

Order Your Copy of Troiani’s “Put the Boys In” Today! To Order: Call the VMI Alumni Association at 800/444-1839 or send check to Lisla Danas, VMI Alumni Association, P.O. Box 932, Lexington, VA 24450. Make checks payable to: VMI Alumni Association UNFRAMED PRINT: $250 + $15 Shipping & Handling = $265.00 (VA & CT residents add $15.90) = $280.90 FRAMED PRINT: $545 + $75 Shipping & Handling = $620.00 (VA & CT residents add $37.20) = $657.20 138

“CROSS of HONOR” VMI SPECIAL EDITIONS: There are only 400 “VMI Special Edition” prints of the total 950 produced. These prints, uniquely, have the “Cross of Honor” (shown above). In 1904, The VMI Alumni Association presented to each member of the New Market Corps or his descendant a bronze “Cross of Honor.” Description: Suspended from a bar bearing the words “For Valor,” is a cross which appears around the seal of the state of Virginia, “VMI Cadet Battalion, New Market, May 15, 1864.” On the reverse is engraved the name of the battle veteran. Please Note: Print numbers may vary from 1 to 950. VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

TAPS TAPS Paul deWitt ’33

Paul deWitt ’33 of Greenville, North Carolina, died on Nov. 27, 2008. He was 97. deWitt matriculated from Virginia Beach, Virginia, and attended VMI for two years. A veteran of World War II, he served as a first lieutenant in the U.S. Army’s 45th Division Thunderbirds, 157th Infantry Regiment, and fought in the Allied invasion at Anzio Beach, Italy, in January 1944, and in the breakout battle for Rome in May, marching with the liberation forces into Rome on June 4, 1944. Following his discharge from the Army in 1946, deWitt and his wife, Naomi, built the Blue Water

Apartments in Virginia Beach and operated them for 48 years. He was employed by the Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company for 43 years and received national recognition as top sales representative. He was a member of Galilee Episcopal Church in Virginia Beach where, in his later years, he served as an usher for Sunday services. He was a regular attendee of the weekly Men’s Prayer Breakfast at Galilee, served as a volunteer for Meals on Wheels, and was a charter member and past secretary of the Virginia Beachcombers Kiwanis Club. He was a charter member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Virginia Beach Post.

deWitt’s family home, deWitt Cottage, which was built in 1895 and is located at 1113 Atlantic Avenue in Virginia Beach, was the first brick cottage on the oceanfront and is the last one remaining. It remained in the deWitt family until 1988. It is on the Virginia Landmarks Register and is now home to the Atlantic Wildfowl Heritage Museum and the Back Bay Wildfowl Guild Inc.

He is survived by a son, Paul deWitt Jr. of Alexandria, Virginia; two daughters, Paula Brewerton deWitt of Virginia Beach and Martha Fleming deWitt of Greenville; and a granddaughter, Bonnie Brace deWitt of Greenville. His wife of 64 years, Naomi Harrell deWitt, died in 2006.

Hansell Merrill Pasco ’37 Cincinnati Medal Recipient, Class Vice President was Recipient of the VMI Foundation’s Distinguished Service Award H. Merrill Pasco ’37 of Richmond, Virginia, died on Nov. 28, 2008. He it into one of the South’s premier law firms. He was the firm’s managing was 93. partner for more than 10 years in the 1960s and 1970s. He became Senior Pasco served as a member of the VMI Foundation Board of Trustees from Counsel in 1980, but continued to serve as counsel for the Hot Springs 1945-68 and was that board’s president from 1963-67, after which he served as Corporation, Stratford Hall and Richmond’s Hollywood Cemetery until general counsel to the Foundation. He was awarded the Foundation’s highest he fully retired in 2000. honor, the Distinguished Service Award, on Nov. 11, 1971. He was very active in his community. He served two terms and was In addition to his service to the VMI Foundation, chairman of the State Council of Higher EducaPasco served on two VMI-related boards, the George C. tion. He was a member of the Board of Trustees Marshall Research Foundation and the VMI Research of the Protestant Episcopal Seminary for two Laboratories. four-year terms. He was a director, a member Pasco matriculated from Monticello, Florida, and held of the Executive Committee, vice president and a bachelor of arts degree in liberal arts from VMI, where counsel to Hollywood Cemetery for more than he wore academic stars for four years and was designated 40 years. He was a board member and chairman a Distinguished Graduate. He was awarded the Cincinof the Children’s Home Society of Virginia. He nati Medal for efficiency of service and excellence of was instrumental in the organization of Chippencharacter. ham Hospital and was a member of its board and While at VMI, he served as vice president of his class its counsel for a number of years. He was a board and as a captain and regimental adjutant, and was a member of Christ Church School, chairman of member of the Honor Court and General Committee. the board of St. Catherine’s School, a trustee He also served as president of the Athletic Associaand vice president of the Church Schools in the tion and the Athletic Council. An outstanding member Diocese of Virginia, a member of the Diocesan of the track team, he served as its captain during his Missionary Society, and trustee of the Diocese fourth and first class years. He set Southern Conference of Virginia from 1966-2007. He was general records in the 100- and 220-yard dashes, and reached counsel and secretary of Virginia Hot Springs the finals of the 1936 Olympic trials. He was inducted Inc. from 1972-2000 and was for many years as a charter member into the VMI Sports Hall of Fame counsel for the Robert E. Lee Memorial FoundaPasco ’37 on Nov. 4, 1972. tion. He was a past president of the Richmond Pasco earned his law degree in 1940 from the UniverRotary Club, a member of the board of the sity of Virginia Law School, from which he graduated with academic distinc- Richmond YMCA, and a board member of the Commonwealth Club of tion. He was a member of DKE Fraternity, the Order of the Coif, Phi Delta Richmond. He was a member of the Country Club of Virginia and the Phi Honorary Fraternity and the Raven, Eli Banana and “Z” societies. Richmond German. In 1946 he joined St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in He began his law career in June 1940 in Richmond with the firm now Richmond, where he served as Sunday school superintendent, vestryknown as Hunton & Williams. man, junior and senior warden, chairman of its Endowment Fund and A veteran of World War II, he served in the U.S. Army from 1941-45. He member of the board of St. Paul’s Church Home. was an Assistant Secretary and, later, Secretary of the War Department General He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Carrington Lancaster Pasco Staff in Washington, D.C., from December 1941 until Nov. 15, 1945. During of Richmond; four children, Hansell Merrill Pasco Jr. of Hilton Head, that time he had a close and daily association with Gen. George C. Marshall South Carolina, Dabney Lancaster Pasco ’67 and his wife, Laura, of ’01, Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army. For his service with General Marshall, Hot Springs, Virginia, Robert Lancaster Pasco of Strasburg, Virginia, Pasco was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal. He also was made an and Carrington Pasco Brown and her husband, Trigg, of Richmond; 13 honorary Officer of the Order of the Military Division of the Most Excellent grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and his brother, John Pasco Jr. ’39 Order of the British Empire by King George VI. Pasco was promoted to of Richmond. His father was the late John Pasco, VMI class of 1900. colonel in the U.S. Army at the age of 29 when he became Secretary of the In addition to his brother and son, he is survived by three VMI nephWar Department General Staff in 1945. ews, John Pasco III ’67, James G. Pasco ’71 and Barton C. Pasco ’77, Following the war, Pasco returned to Hunton & Williams and helped build all of Richmond.

2009- Issue 2

139

TAPS Charles R. Clark Jr. ’38

Col. Charles Robert Clark Jr. ’38 of North Egremont, Massachusetts, died on Dec. 16, 2008. He was 90. Clark matriculated from Plattsburg, New York, and attended VMI for one year before receiving an appointment to attend the U.S. Naval Academy, from which he graduated in 1939. Following graduation from the Naval Academy, he served on the cruiser U.S.S. San Francisco, the destroyer U.S.S. Fairfax and the battleship U.S.S. Texas. In December 1941 he was assigned to the Submarine School in New London, Connecticut. After serving a year each on the submarines U.S.S. O-2 and U.S.S. Dace, he was ordered to the Commissioning Detail of U.S.S. Sennet as executive officer. He made three war patrols in this position before fleeting up to commanding officer for one more patrol. Going into the Sea of Japan through minefields, he sank four Japanese ships. He was awarded the Navy Cross for this action. Following World War II, Clark was CO of the submarine U.S.S. Quillback, which was assigned to the Navy Underwater Sound Laboratory in New London. From there, he spent a year in the Office of Naval Research in Washington, D.C., before going back to sea as CO of the destroyer U.S.S. Hawkins, and then returned to the Destroyer

Force Atlantic Staff in Newport, Rhode Island, for two years. Upon leaving the staff, he was assigned to Havana, Cuba, as U.S. Naval Attache from 1957-60. He was there throughout the Cuban Revolution, including during almost two years of Fidel Castro’s rule. Just before the U.S. broke relations with Cuba he was assigned as CO of the destroyer tender U.S.S. Tidewater in Norfolk, Virginia. After one year he was ordered to the staff of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. While in the Intelligence Section, he predicted the location where the Soviet missiles would be found in Cuba and received the Joint Service Commendation Medal for this contribution. His last active duty was three and one-half years as U.S. Naval Attache, Madrid, Spain. While still on active duty, he had founded the first Overseas Council of the Navy League in Havana. Following retirement from the Navy, Clark worked for Merrill Lynch as a financial consultant for 16 years. During this time he was active in the Navy League of the U.S., serving as its national treasurer for two years and as assistant treasurer for eight years. After retiring from Merrill Lynch in 1983, he and his wife lived half the year in their home

in southern Spain and the other half in North Egremont. In 2004 they moved permanently to North Egremont. He is survived by his wife, Edith (Micky) Bartholf Clark of North Egremont; and three children, Robert Louis Clark of McLean, Virginia, Anne Copeland Clark of Bedford, New Hampshire, and Edith Campbell (Dibby) Clark of Falls Church, Virginia.

Harrison Hubard ’38

Col. Harrison Hubard ’38, USAR (Ret), of Virginia Beach, Virginia, died on Oct. 28, 2008. He was 91. Hubard established the Harrison Hubard Class of ’38 Electrical Engineering Scholarship at VMI. Hubard matriculated from Bon Air, Virginia, and held a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering from VMI, where he wore academic stars for four years and was designated a Distinguished Graduate. At the time of his graduation he was awarded the John H. French Medal, awarded to the graduate with the highest proficiency in mathematics. While at VMI, Hubard served as the A Company first lieutenant and was a member of the cross country, track and tennis teams. An equestrian, he was also a member of the jumping team.

Bates McCluer Gilliam ’40 VMI Professor Emeritus of History and Politics Col. B. McCluer (Mac) Gilliam ’40 died on Jan. 11, 2009. He was 90. Gilliam was a professor of history and politics at VMI from 1949-84, and served as historian of The VMI Alumni Association from 1987-91. Gilliam matriculated from Lynchburg, Virginia, and held a bachelor of arts degree in liberal arts from VMI. He held the rank of corporal during his third class year and was the editor of the 1940 Bomb. A member of the Cadet newspaper staff for four years, he was its associate editor during his second class year and its assistant sports editor during his first class year. He served on the executive committee of the Lectern Club for two years. During his first class year he was a member of the Turn-Out staff and vice president of the Press Club, and as a second classman he was assistant manager of the football team. Prior to going on active duty, Gilliam went to graduate school for a few months at Harvard. A veteran of World War II, he served in the U.S. Army from 1940-46 and in the U.S. Army Reserve from 1946-78, attaining the rank of lieutenant colonel. While on active duty he served in the G-2 Military Intelligence Service of the European Theatre of Operations, serving in London, Normandy, Paris and Berlin. He retired from the Army Intelligence and Security Branch in the Reserve in 1978. After the war, Gilliam went to work in

140

Lynchburg, Virginia, for a grading contractor, A. B. Barton. He then taught as history master at the Virginia Episcopal School for three years before returning to VMI to teach economics for two years, after which he taught government at VMI before going to graduate school. He earned a master’s degree in foreign affairs from the University of Virginia in 1951 and a doctorate in politics from Princeton University in 1961. During the summer of 1967, Gilliam participated in a post-doctoral program in Israel. A devoted Democrat, he was the faculty advisor to several student organizations. He was a member of the Bethesda Presbyterian Church in Rockbridge Baths, Virginia. He was elected to the Lexington City Council and served from 1963-69 and again in the 1970s. He was cochairman of the Rockbridge County Democratic Committee and vice-chairman of the Rockbridge County Electoral Board. He was president of the Rockbridge Historical Society and a founding board member of both the Rockbridge Area Conservation Council and the Valley Conservation Council. He served as president of the Virginia Social Science Association and the Virginia Conference of the American Association of University Professors, and was active in the Southern and American Political Science Associations. He was a member of the Beta Chapter of Kappa Alpha Order. A 1936 cum laude graduate of the Virginia Episcopal School, he later served as a member of its board of trustees.

Gilliam ’40 He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Mary Stuart McGuire Gilliam of Lexington; a son, Jay Gilliam of Raphine, Virginia; two daughters, Catharine Gilliam of Brownsburg, Virginia, and Molly McGuire of Memphis, Tennessee; two grandchildren, Stuart McCluer of Oxford, Mississippi, and Nell Gilliam of Raphine, Virginia; and two great-grandchildren. His father was the late James R. Gilliam, VMI class of 1910.

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

TAPS Following graduation from VMI, Hubard went to work in the fall of 1938 for the Westinghouse Corporation in Springfield, Massachusetts, and moved to Pittsburgh in 1938. After completing a training program, he resigned from Westinghouse in 1939 and began working for the Virginia Electric and Power Company (VEPCO) in Norfolk. He subsequently lived in Norfolk, Richmond and Fredericksburg, Virginia, as well as in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina. A veteran of World War II, he served in the U.S. Army from 1941-46 and in the Reserve from 1946-72, attaining the rank of colonel. He was assigned initially to Fort Knox, Kentucky, Camp Campbell, Kentucky, and Key Field, Massachusetts, after which e was ordered to the Mediterranean Theatre of Operations, where he served in North Africa, Italy and Corsica. As one of the first air to ground support officers, he arranged air strikes for the Allied Forces during the campaign in Italy. He completed his active duty tour as an instructor at the Ground Liaison Officers School, Biggs Field, Texas. Hubard returned to Richmond in 1946 and resumed working for VEPCO as an electrical engineer. He retired as vice president of the Eastern Division, the largest division within VEPCO, after 42 years of service. He served on the vestries of St. Stephen’s Church in Richmond and at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Norfolk. Boards on which Hubard served included First and Merchants Bank of Tidewater, Medical Center Hospitals and the Old Dominion University Research Foundation. He was also on the board of the Hampton Institute and Virginia Wesleyan University, where he served on the President’s Advisory Council. He was a member of the Virginia Society of Professional Engineers and a senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. He served in the capacity of licensing professional engineers. He was a past commodore of the Fishing Bay Yacht Club and the Princess Anne Country Club. He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Mary Knox Hubard of Richmond; a daughter, Molly Hubard Parsons of Norfolk and her husband, Tim; two sons, Harrison Hubard Jr. ’66 of Richmond and his wife, Kenzie, and Conway Knox Hubard ’69 of Richmond and his wife, Shirley; six grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. His grandfather was the late William James Hubard, class of 1865, and his father was the late Nathaniel Walter Hubard, class of 1898.

Marion D. Lucas Jr. ’41

Marion DuBois Lucas Jr. ’41 of Florence, South Carolina, died on Dec. 6, 2008. He was 89. Lucas matriculated from Florence and held a bachelor of arts degree in liberal arts from VMI, where he was an F Company second lieutenant and was a member for three years of the Lectern Club. A veteran of World War II, he served in the U.S. Army from 1941-46, attaining the rank of major. He served as an intelligence officer in the 669th

2009- Issue 2

Field Artillery Battalion in the Asiatic Pacific Theatre of Operations during the war. Following the war Lucas returned to Florence to work with his father in real estate at Lucas and Company, helping him develop many Florence neighborhoods and taking over the company at his father’s death. He named many of the Florence streets after South Carolina rivers, such as Edisto and Santee drives. He left real estate to concentrate on a very small bottled gas company, Peoples Gas Company, and later added natural gas and expanded the company from Florence into Darlington and Sumter counties. At the time of his retirement as president of Peoples Natural Gas Company, the company was bought by South Carolina Electric and Gas. Lucas served on the boards of directors of Colonial Life and Accident Company, Liberty Corporation, Mount Hope Cemetery and South Carolina Savings and Loan. He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Finley Plunkett Stith Lucas of Florence; five children, Finley Stith James and her husband, Albert James III, Robert Boyd Stith III and his wife, Barbara, Sheryll Stith Kenyon and her husband, Alan, Marion DuBois Lucas III and his wife, Patricia, and Ruth Lucas Hinton and her husband, John; nine grandchildren, Lucas James Hardy and her husband, Tim, Graham James Segars and her husband, David, Albert Law James IV and his wife, Harper, Robert Boyd Stith IV, Marie Hebron Kenyon, Marion William Lucas, Benjamin Edward Lucas, Katharine Fallon Lucas and John Henry Hinton; and three great-grandchildren, Finley Foss Harby, David McCarver Segars Jr. and Annie Alexander James.

Wadsworth Bugg Jr. ’43

Wadsworth (Waddy) Bugg Jr. ’43 of Richmond, Virginia, died on Nov. 7, 2008. He was 87. Bugg matriculated from Norfolk, Virginia, and held a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering from VMI. A veteran of World War II, he served in the U.S. Army from 1943-46, attaining the rank of captain. He served in the Philippines. He returned to the United States following the war and served in the Virginia National Guard until 1954. He was discharged holding the rank of major. In 1946 he joined Virginia Electric and Power Company, now Dominion Resources, as a junior engineer assistant in Norfolk. In 1978, after numerous positions in Fredericksburg and Richmond, he became vice president of transmission and distribution and chief electrical engineer. In 1985 he became vice president of system planning and power supply until his retirement in 1986. He was a member of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church and of the Virginia Society of Professional Engineers. He is survived by three children, Martha Hughes and her husband, Jerry, Wadsworth (Wads) Bugg III ’78 and his wife, Wendy, of Richmond, and Elizabeth (Boo) Stauffer and her husband, Mark,

of Greensboro, North Carolina; six grandchildren, Allen Hughes of Houston, Texas, Katie Hughes, Elizabeth Bugg and Worth Bugg, all of Richmond, and Tom and Matt Stauffer, both of Greensboro. His wife of 59 years, Martha Kight Bugg, died on Feb. 28, 2008.

Frank S. Moore ’44

Frank Shaw Moore ’44 of Reedville, Virginia, died on Jan. 21, 2009. He was 86. Moore matriculated from Goshen, Virginia, and held a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering from VMI. A veteran of World War II, he served in the U.S. Army Air Corps 1942-46, attaining the rank of captain. Moore was a retired cattle rancher. He is survived by his wife, Carolyn W. Moore of Reedville; a daughter, Monnie M. Armsworthy and her husband, Sidney, of Reedville; a son, A. Brooks Moore and his wife, Stephanie L. Moore, of Staunton, Virginia; six grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. His first wife, Pauline V. Moore, died in 2001.

Charles D. Grojean ’45

Rear Adm. Charles D. Grojean ’45, USN (Ret), of San Antonio, Texas, died on Dec. 8, 2008. He was 85. Grojean matriculated from Decatur, Illinois, and attended VMI for one year before receiving and appointment to the United States Naval Academy, from which he graduated in 1945. In 1958 Grojean was selected to enter the Navy’s submarine nuclear power program on the staff of Admiral Hyman Rickover. He commanded two nuclear powered submarines, eventually becoming commander of the Submarine Force in the Mediterranean from 1969-71. His shore assignments included duty on the staffs of the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Chief of Naval Operations, where he served as the director of Political Military Affairs. Grojean was awarded four Legions of Merit and the Meritorious Service Medal. He retired from active duty as a rear admiral in 1975 and relocated in 1976 to San Antonio, where he was a venture capital investor and partner in the firm of Southwest Venture Partnerships. In 1987 he joined his son, Peter, and formed Admiralty Management Company and engaged in a number of entrepreneurial businesses. In 1990 he became executive director of the Admiral Nimitz Foundation in Fredericksburg, Texas, which provides support to the National Museum of the Pacific War. While serving in this capacity, he endeavored to raise the nation’s awareness of the sacrifices of those who served in World War II and to teach the younger generations the vital lessons of that war. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Joanie Stewart Grojean of San Antonio; two sons, David Grojean of Boulder, Colorado, and Peter Grojean of San Antonio; two daughters, Charlotte Grojean of Boulder and Peggy Grojean of Kansas City; 11

141

TAPS grandchildren; a great-grandchild; and a brother, Joe Grojean of Jacksonville, Illinois.

Philip A. Read ’45

Philip Allen Read ’45 of Virginia Beach, Virginia, died on Oct. 13, 2008. He was 85. Read matriculated from Lynchburg, Virginia, and held a bachelor of science degree in chemistry from VMI, where he was a sergeant. He was a member of the Cadet newspaper staff for three years, and was a member of the track team for three years and of the cross country team for one year. He also was a member of the Hop and Floor Committee. A veteran of World War II, he served in the U.S. Army Medical Corps from 1942-44. He also was a member of the U.S. Army Reserve. He attended the Medical College of Virginia in 1944 and 1945, and worked in the pharmaceutical industry for more than 40 years, primarily for Eaton Laboratories and its antecedents, NorwichEaton and Morton-Norwich of Norwich, New York. His career as salesman, regional manager and district manager established in him Charlotte and Greensboro, North Carolina, Alexandria, Virginia, Atlanta, Georgia, and Virginia Beach. At the time of his retirement in 1994, his company was a division of Proctor and Gamble of Cincinnati, Ohio. Read was a member of Rotary International for more than 50 years and was recognized in the summer of 2008 for maintaining 49 years of perfect attendance at its weekly meetings. He was a charter member of the Greensboro Rotary Club in the 1950s and became a charter member of the Courthouse Rotary Club in Virginia Beach in early 2008. He is survived by a daughter, Ida Katherine Read of Virginia Beach; a son, Philip Allen Read Jr. of Virginia Beach; a sister-in-law, Martha Bynum Thomas Read of Lynchburg; two nieces, Martha Read Hoekstra of Greensboro and Julie Read Morrison of Wilmington, North Carolina; a nephew, John Pendleton Read III of Lynchburg; and two cousins, Phyllis Allen Eifert of Tryon, North Carolina, and Langhorne Sydnor Mauck of Martinsville, Virginia; and a VMI cousin, Phillip D. Payne III ’49B of Lovingston, Virginia. His wife of 53 years, Ida Constable Read, is deceased, as are his brother, John Pendleton Read Jr. ’30, and a cousin, Robert D. Ramsey Jr. ’45.

Rutland D. Beard Jr. ’46

Col. Rutland Duckett Beard Jr. ’46, USA (Ret), of Potomac, Maryland, died on Dec. 21, 2008. He was 84. Beard matriculated from Chevy Chase, Maryland, and attended VMI for six months before leaving to join the Army. A veteran of World War II, Korea and Vietnam, he served in the U.S. Army from 1942-46 and from 1948-78, attaining the rank of colonel. His unit was sent to Korea with the Marines for the Inchon invasion and the liberation of Seoul. While in Vietnam, he had three command assignments: an airborne infantry battalion in the 1st Air Cav-

142

alry Division, the 196th Infantry and plans officer at the U.S. joint military headquarters in Vietnam. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for Valor, two Joint Services Commendation Medals, the Army Commendation Medal, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry and 17 Air Medals. He held a bachelor of science degree from Georgetown University. He is survived by four children, Rutland D. Beard III of Silver Spring, Maryland, David Stewart Beard of Odenton, Maryland, Dr. Jonathan D. Beard and his wife, Dr. Jane Dalton, of Rochester, New York, and Kathe Renee Beard Garren of Marlton, New Jersey; seven grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

John W. Giesen ’46

John William Giesen ’46, M.D., of Blacksburg, Virginia, died on Nov. 11, 2008. He was 82. Giesen matriculated from Radford, Virginia, and attended VMI for two years and three months. He was an F Company sergeant. A veteran of World War II, he served in the U.S. Army from 1944-46, attaining the rank of corporal. He was assigned to the European Theatre of Operations with the 70th Division, 274th Regiment. Following the war he earned a bachelor of science degree in chemistry from Roanoke College in 1948 and a medical degree from the Medical College of Virginia in 1952. He interned at Johnston Willis Hospital from 1952-53 and served his residency in internal medicine at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Houston, Texas, and in Richmond, Virginia, from 1953-56. He practiced medicine for 46 years at Radford Community Hospital, where he was a past chief of the medical staff, Carilion New River Valley Medical Center and St. Albans Psychiatric Hospital. He was a past president of the Medical Society of Virginia and the Radford Lions Club, a past chairman of the Christ Lutheran Church Council and a past commander of American Legion Post #30. He said on the boards of the New River Valley Friends of the Roanoke Symphony, the Radford Heritage Foundation, the American Red Cross, the American Cancer Society and the Glencoe Museum Foundation, and he was an active member of the Republican Party of Virginia. He is survived by his wife, Cornelia Francis Giesen of Blacksburg; two daughters, Martha Giesen Hale, and her husband, Tom, and Anne Giesen Sayers and her husband, Dennis; a son, John H. Giesen, and his wife, Dana; six grandchildren, Sarah and Meg Hale, Jake and Laura Giesen, Morgan Sayers and Jane Katharine Sayers Martin and her husband, Jeff; a sister, Elizabeth Ann Litton; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. His uncle, Arthur Rossa Giesen ’27, died in 1990.

John B. Senter Jr. ’46

John Boules Senter Jr. ’46, O.D., of Norfolk, Virginia, died on Oct. 27, 2008. He was 83. Senter matriculated from London Bridge,

Virginia, and attended VMI to work on his family’s farm. A veteran of World War II, he served in the U.S. Army from 1944-46. He served in the European Theatre of Operations with the 76th Infantry Division. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal and was discharged holding the rank of technical sergeant. He then attended the Norfolk Division of the College of William and Mary (now Old Dominion University), and later graduated from the Illinois College of Optometry in Chicago where he was a member of Phi Theta Upsilon optometric fraternity and the Tomb and Key Honor Fraternity. He practiced clinical optometry in Norfolk and Virginia Bach for more than 49 years before retiring in 2000. He was a member of the American Optometric Association, the Virginia Optometric Association and the Southern Council of Optometrists, and was charter president of the Tidewater Optometric Society. He was a member of the Rotary Club of Norfolk and of Epworth United Methodist Church. He is survived by two sons, John B. Senter III, and his wife, Mary Frances, of New York City and Robert R. Senter and his wife, Paula, of Ellicott City, Maryland; a grandson, R. Reed Senter of Ellicott City; a sister, Marian Philips; a nephew, the Rev. J. Kevin Philips; and two sisters-in-law, Louise Arnold and Mary Watson. His wife of 49 years was the late Harriette Falls Senter.

Benjamin G. Smith ’46

Benjamin Gilbert Smith ’46 of Norfolk, Virginia, died on Sept. 27, 2008. He was 83. He attended VMI for one year and earned a degree in chemical engineering from Cornell University in 1947. While at Cornell he was a student mathematics instructor. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II. He was principal owner of Clark Smith Associates of Norfolk, specializing in mechanical engineering, and was a member of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, where he taught Sunday school and was a Scoutmaster for its Boy Scout troop. He is survived by a son, Richard M. Smith II and his wife, Marie, of Fairfax, Virginia; two daughters, Linda M. Frazier and her husband, Keith, of Norfolk and Lauren M. Schmidt and her husband, Robert, of Seattle, Washington; five grandchildren, Richard M. Smith III, Benjamin G. Smith III, Keith McCrae Frazier Jr., Matthew T. M. Frazier and his wife, Evalyan, and Andrea H. Schmidt; two sisters, Elizabeth G. Hardy and Ann D. Craft; and a brother, Alexander P. Smith and his wife, Fleecie. His wife was the late Henrietta D. Smith.

Charles E. Schneller ’47

Charles Edward Schneller ’47 of Sea Isle City, New Jersey, died on March 12, 2008. He was 82. Schneller matriculated from Catasauqua, Pennsylvania, and attended VMI for one year. He held

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

TAPS an undergraduate degree from Lafayette College and a master of arts degree in education from Columbia University. A veteran of World War II, he served in the U.S. Navy from 1944-46 as a lieutenant junior grade. He was a retired teacher in the Abington, Pennsylvania, School District. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge, Townsend’s Inlet Yacht Club, Sea Isle Methodist Church and the Civic Club. He was president of the South End Association and past president of the AARP. He is survived by a daughter, Margie McErlean of Glenside, Pennsylvania; a son, Chip Schneller and his wife, Natalie, of Melbourne, Florida; a grandson, Kyle McErlean; and a beloved friend, Louise Dalrymple.

Graham P. Davis ’48A

Graham Powell (Skip) Davis ’48A of Franktown, Virginia, died on Nov. 8, 2008. He was 81. Davis matriculated from Virginia Beach, Virginia, and held a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering from VMI, where he was the A Company first lieutenant and a member of the Honor Court and the Executive Committee/ General Committee. A veteran of World War II, he served in the U.S. Army Signal Corps from 1946-47, holding the rank of corporal. He entered investment banking with Scott, Horner & Mason in Lynchburg, Virginia, and then moved to Willis, Kenny & Ayres Inc. in Richmond, Virginia. He returned to Virginia Beach, his home town, in the mid-1950s and went to work for Investment Corporation of Virginia. He subsequently became president and CEO of Investment Corporation, where he remained until the firm was acquired by Scott & Stringfellow Inc. He was a member of the Norfolk German Club, an honorary member of the Princess Anne Country Club and a former member of the Virginia Club in Norfolk. He is survived by his wife, Fleet Gregory Davis of Franktown; a daughter, Holland Davis Braden of Richmond; a son, Hugh Wheelwright Davis II of Raleigh, North Carolina; a stepdaughter, Sarah Ambler Mangold of Kilauea, Hawaii; a stepson, John Jaquelin Ambler III of Virginia Beach; two grandsons, Peter Tucker Braden and Christian Wheelwright Braden; and three step-grandchildren, Asher Mangold, Jesse Mangold and Seth Mangold. His cousin, Joseph C. Wheelwright, VMI class of 1867, was severely wounded at the Battle of New Market on May 15, 1864, and died on June 2, 1864, in Harrisonburg, Virginia.

William E. Sager ’48A

William Emory Sager ’48A of Childress, Texas, died on Sept. 27, 2008. He was 82. Sager matriculated from Childress and attended VMI for one year. He later attended the University of Texas. A veteran of World War II, he served as a

2009- Issue 2

sergeant in the U.S. Army’s Military Police from 1944-46. As a young man, Sager worked on several ranches and returned to Texas to work cattle with his father and uncle on the T. V. Ranch outside of Childress. He bought Ernst Davis Motor Company in the early 1960s, which he owned and operated as Sager Motor Company until his retirement. He is survived by a daughter, Mary Kathleen Saied and her husband, Sammy, of Amarillo, Texas; two sons, William Emory Sager II and his wife, Kelly, of Alta, Iowa, and Malcolm Ray Sager and his wife, Leesa, of Corpus Christi, Texas; 10 grandchildren, David Saied and his wife, Margie, Mark Saied and his wife, Danielle, Sean Saied, Stephen Saied, Mary Katherine Saied, Meghan Sager, Beth Sager, Joshua Sager, Alexis Sager and Hayden Sager; and four great-grandchildren. His wife of 56 years, Ray Ann Green Sager, died on Sept. 22, 2008.

Fergus matriculated from Monroe, Louisiana, and attended VMI for two years. He also attended Louisiana State University and Centenary College, where he graduated with a bachelor of science degree in geology. He also attended the master’s program in geophysics at the University of Texas. He joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1950 and attained the rank of first lieutenant. He later worked for Sohio Petroleum Company, Union Producing Company, Delta Petroleum and Seis Com, and was self-employed until retiring in 1986. He is survived by his wife, Jeanne Fergus; four children, Kathleen Fergus Nau, Daniel Fergus and his wife, Magda Sayeg, Karen Fergus and Kathryn Fergus; the mother of his children, Peggy Cannon Fergus; and seven grandchildren, Hunter Nau, Sean Nau, Henning Wallace, Isaac Fergus, Aiden Fergus, Beryl Fergus-Peterman and Blythe Fergus-Peterman.

Samuel S. Finney ’48B

Howard Morton Allen ’52 of Glen Allen, Virginia, died on Jan. 15, 2009. He was 78. Allen matriculated from Lynchburg, Virginia, and held a bachelor of science degree in chemistry from VMI, where he was an E Company second lieutenant. He also attended the School of Business Administration at the University of Richmond. He served in the U.S. Army with the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment at Camp Pickett, Virginia, and Fort Meade, Maryland, from 195254, attaining the rank of first lieutenant. He then joined Virginia-Carolina Chemical Corporation in Richmond, Virginia, as a research chemist. After four years with V-C, he joined Reynolds Metals Company, where he was a senior development chemist, project director, section director, product manager and director of packaging for Reynolds International, the international subsidiary of Reynolds Metals Company. At the time of his retirement in 1992, he was the director of overseas liaison. He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Martha (Peggy) Graves Allen of Glen Allen; and two nephews, J. D. Allen IV of Madison, Virginia, and John F. Allen of Lynchburg. His great-grandfather was John Marshall Morton, VMI class of 1867.

Samuel Scott Finney ’48B of Bluffton, South Carolina, died on Sept. 25, 2008. He was 81. Finney matriculated from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and attended VMI for one year. A veteran of World War II, he served as a private in the U.S. Army from 1944-46 on Okinawa. His career was spent in the steel business, starting with shoveling coal into the furnaces to sales at Sharon Steel in Cincinnati, Ohio; executive sales for Republic Steel in Cleveland, Ohio; and vice president of Universal and Caine Steel Companies in Detroit, Michigan. He then started Finney and Son Company. He retired from the steel business and moved to Culpeper, Virginia, where he was a member of the Culpeper Country Club. He then spent 15 years working for the government. He is survived by two daughters, Joanne and Tara Leigh; a son, Samuel Scott Finney Jr. and his wife, Lynn; two grandchildren, Samuel Scott Finney III and Skylar Lynn; and two brothers, Charles Finney and John L. Finney ’52 of Gloucester, Virginia.

George Wagner ’48B

George Wagner ’48B of Syosset, New York, died on Nov. 7, 2008. He was 81. Wagner matriculated from Woodhaven, New York, and attended VMI for one year. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II and had a 24-year career with Grumman. He is survived by his wife, Ruth Devine Wagner of Syosset; two sons, Robert Wagner and his wife, Shelley, and Michael Wagner; two grandchildren, Kathryn and David; a brother, Gus Wagner and his wife, Marilyn; and a brother-in-law, John Devine.

William P. Fergus III ’50B

William Preston Fergus III ’50B died on Dec. 25, 2008. He was 79, and lived in the Houston, Texas, area.

Howard M. Allen ’52

William A. Bickerstaff ’52

William Arthur Bickerstaff ’52 of Richmond, Virginia, died on Oct. 21, 2008. He was 78. Bickerstaff matriculated from Richmond and held a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from VMI. Allen served in Korea from 1953-54 as a first lieutenant with the 578 Engineer Combat Battalion, 40th Infantry Division. He was a former purchasing manager at the Virginia Department of Transportation and a longtime manager with his family business, Bickerstaff Auto Parks. He was a volunteer with St. Mary’s Catholic Church and St. Mary’s Hospital, where he spent over 26 years serving in Hospice

143

TAPS and the emergency room. He also served on the board of directors for Our Lady of Hope and St. Mary’s Woods and was a lifetime member of the Knights of Columbus. He is survived by five children, William Arthur Bickerstaff Jr. of Richmond, Virginia, Louise McCallon and her husband, Eddie, and their son, James, of Fleming Island, Florida, Beverley Pack and her husband, Gary, and their children, Dylan and Kori, Susan Rogers and her husband, Bryan, and their children, Rebecca and Mason, and Margaret Walker and her husband, Scott, and their children, Nicholas and Thomas, all of Richmond; two sisters, Agnes Bickerstaff Whitlock of Richmond and Ann Bickerstaff Beauchamp of Maitland, Florida; his dear friend and companion, Gaye Moran of Adelaide, South Australia; and numerous nieces and nephews. His wife was the late Mary Louise Dollard Bickerstaff.

Robert T. Nyman ’52

Douglas E. Andrews ’53

Douglas Eugene Andrews ’53, M.D., of Morristown, Tennessee, died on Jan. 19, 2009. He was 77. Andrews matriculated from Roanoke, Virginia, and held a bachelor of arts degree in biology from VMI, where he was a Band Company corporal and a member of the Bomb staff. Andrews earned his medical degree from the Medical College of Virginia. He served his internship at Stuart Circle Hospital in Richmond, Virginia, and entered general practice in Tappahannock, Virginia, in 1959. He stayed there for 10 years. In 1967 he started a residency program at MCV and moved to Richmond in the fall of 1969 as assistant professor of anesthesiology at MCV. He practiced anesthesia in Morristown from 1973 until his retirement in 1996. He served two terms as chief of staff of Morristown Hamblen Hospital, was on the boards of the Helping Hands Clinic and the Morristown Hamblen Healthcare System. He was active in planning for the Heart Gala sponsored by the hospital. He served on the board of the Sons of the Revolution and was a member of the Scottish Society of Knoxville and Clan Barclay International. He was a founding board member of the Encore Theatrical Company and was active with the Theater Guild for many years. He is survived by his wife, Fay LaRue Andrews of Morristown; four children, Joseph Andrews, Duane C. Andrews ’81 of Knoxville, Tennessee, Tamara Wheeler and Webster Andrews; 10 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Robert Ture Nyman ’52 of Stuart, Florida, died on Sept. 7, 2008. He was 79. Nyman matriculated from Saddle River, New Jersey, and held a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from VMI, where he was an E Company sergeant. He played football and basketball and was a member of the Monogram Club, and also was a member of the Officer of the Guard Association. He served as a first lieutenant in the U.S. Army from 1952-54. After attending basic training at Fort Knox, Kentucky, in 1952, he attended the Artillery School at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, in 1952-53, and was stationed in Germany with an Alfred W. Baldock ’55 artillery battalion from 1953-54. Alfred William Baldock ’55 of Amherst, VirAfter his discharge he began his civilian career as ginia, died on Jan. 3, 2009. He was 76. a sales engineer with the Aluminum Company of Baldock matriculated from Glasgow, Virginia, America (ALCOA) from 1955-60. From 1960-62 and attended VMI for one year and five months. he worked in sales for Reynolds Metals, and from He was a D Company corporal. A veteran of Korea, he served in the U.S. Army 1962-64 he was in sales with Beryllium Corporation in White Plains, New York. He then founded from 1953-55, attaining the rank of corporal, and in the U.S. Army Reserve from his own firm as a manufacturer’s rep1955-61. resentative. Throughout his life his He was retired from the Virginia sideline was speculation and general Department of Transportation after 32 contracting of luxury homes. years. He was a member of Amherst He lived in Upper Saddle River Presbyterian Church, where he served for 28 years and in Stuart for 19 as a deacon and elder, and was a memyears. He belonged to the Upper ber of the Amherst Rotary Club, which Montclair Country Club in Clifton, he served as president and was a Paul New Jersey, for 10 years and the Harris Fellow. Martin County Golf and Country He is survived by his wife of 48 Club in Florida. He was an elder years, Joanne Staton Baldock of Amof the Hobe Sound Community Nyman ’52 herst; two daughters, Susan Baldock Presbyterian Church. Litchford and her husband, William, of He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Marilyn Doig Nyman of Stuart; two daugh- Madison Heights, Virginia, and Elizabeth Ashby ters, Debbie Hollender of Ridgewood, New Jersey, Baldock of Portland, Oregon; and two grandchiland Linda Hollender and her husband, Douglas, of dren, Willow Hope Litchford and James William Ramsey, New Jersey; four grandchildren, Jamie, Litchford, both of Madison Heights. Keith, Lindley and Ryan; two great-grandchildren, Harrison and Ele; a brother, Donald H. Nyman James H. Edmondson III ’55 James Howard Edmondson III ’55 of Dallas, ’56 of Hilton Head, South Carolina; and a cousin, Texas, died on Nov. 29, 2008. He was 75. Craig A. Burch ’66 of Palmdale, California.

144

Edmondson matriculated from Dallas and held a bachelor of arts degree in history from VMI. He attended the University of Texas law school for a semester before being called to serve in the U.S. Army in 1956. Upon his return to Dallas, he entered the insurance business and, after working with the Connecticut Mutual Life Insurance Company, established his own firm, Jim Edmondson & Associates. He was a member of the Dervish Club, the Calyx Club, the Terpsichorean Club, Idlewild, the Dallas Ski Club, the 200 Club and Who’s Who. He was a 32nd degree Mason and a member of the Northwood Country Club and the Petroleum Club, as well as various historical societies, including the Society of the Cincinnati, the Sons of the American Revolution and the Sons of Confederate Veterans. He is survived by one son from his marriage to Carol Gilliland: Frazor Titus (Ty) Edmondson III and his wife, Dana Olson Edmondson, of Dallas, and two sons by his second wife, Jan Elliott: James H. (Beau) Edmondson and Robert Chase Elliott Edmondson, both of New York; two granddaughters, Sally Elizabeth Edmondson and Grace Gilliland (Gigi) Edmondson; a sister, Sally (Cissie) Edmondson, and her husband, Ben Hines Sparkman, of Dallas; two nephews, James Howard Sparkman and Ben Hines Sparkman; and his caregiver and first friend, Glenda Mitchell of Dallas. Edmondson’s great-grandfather was Frazor T. Edmondson, VMI class of 1876, and his father was the late Frazor T. Edmondson II ’27.

George H. Scherer ’55

Lt. Col. George Halford Scherer ’55 of Hampton, Virginia, died on Jan. 20, 2009. He was 74. Scherer matriculated from Gulfport, Mississippi, and held a bachelor of arts degree in English from VMI, where he was a member of Band Company and the Cadet newspaper staff. Scherer served in the U.S. Army from 1956-72 and in the U.S. Army Reserve from 1972-94. He served in Vietnam, Korea and Germany, and his awards included the Bronze Star Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal with Cluster and the Army Commendation Medal with Cluster. A Mason, he belonged to Monitor Lodge 197, Kecoughtan Royal Arch Chapter #42, Junction City Commandry and Mariner Forest of the Tall Cedars of Lebanon, Newport News Scottish Rite and the Allied Masonic Degree. He was Past High Priest of Kecoughtan Royal Arch Chapter, Past District Deputy Grand High Priest for the Third Capitular District/Sovereign Master, Allied Masonic Degrees and Grand Tall, Mariner Forest. He is survived by his wife, Dolores Nartowicz Scherer of Hampton; three children, Janice, Kate and Hal; eight grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

Clifton D. Slough ’55

Clifton Dwight Slough ’55 of Vienna, Virginia, died on Jan. 10, 2009. He was 76.

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

TAPS Slough matriculated from Glasgow, Virginia, and held a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from VMI, where he was a C Company corporal. He served in the U.S. Army from 1956-58. In 1997 he was awarded lifetime membership in the American Society of Civil Engineers for his career achievements. He worked for Southern Railway System and in the Army Corps of Engineers, and had been employed by the District of Columbia and the Federal government as a civil engineer. He retired from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in 1992. He is survived by a daughter, Stephanie Elaine Slough of Vienna; a son, Clifton Christopher Slough of Arlington, Virginia; and brothers and sisters, Jackson A. Slough Sr. and his wife, Elizabeth, of Lexington, Virginia, Vernelle Walker and her husband, Harold, of Roanoke, Virginia, and Melvin Lloyd Slough and his wife, Bernice, of Glasgow. His wife was the late Bonnie Carolyn Jarvis Slough.

Linwood H. Clark Jr. ’56

Linwood Hardy Clark Jr. ’56 of Lexington, Kentucky, died on Nov. 28, 2008. He was 75. Clark matriculated from Richmond, Virginia, and held a bachelor of arts degree in history from VMI, where he was a B Company second lieutenant and served as vice president of the Armed Forces Club during his first class year. He was named a Distinguished Military Student at the time of his graduation. Following graduation, Clark graduated from the Armor Officer Basic School at Fort Knox, Kentucky. He served in the U.S. Army from 1956-58 and in the U.S. Army Reserve from 1958-60, attaining the rank of captain. He was later recognized by the Secretary of Defense for his services during the Cold War. In 2002 Clark was commissioned a Kentucky Colonel by the governor of the commonwealth of Kentucky. Clark either owned or served as an executive in furniture manufacturing companies in North Carolina, Virginia and Kentucky for over 50 years. He traveled extensively to South America, Canada, Mexico and many European countries in connection with his job. Most recently he was the founder and owner of Liss & Company, IIC in Lexington. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Donnetta Devine Clark of Lexington; two sons, Linwood Hardy Clark III and his wife, Lisa, of Smyrna, Georgia, and William Devine Clark and his wife, Bonnie, of Charlotte, North Carolina; and three grandchildren, Aiden Palmer Clark of Smyrna, Hannah Elizabeth Clark of Charlotte, and William D. Clark Jr. of Charlotte.

Walter E. Kidwell ’57

Lt. Col. Walter Edward Kidwell ’57, USA (Ret), of Prairie Village, Kansas, died on April 8, 2008. He was 72. Kidwell matriculated with the class of 1957

2009- Issue 2

from Arlington, Virginia, and held a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from VMI, where he was the E Company captain and was a member of the Glee Club, the Floor Committee and the Hop Committee, which he served as business manager. At the time of his graduation with the class of 1958, he was named a Distinguished Military Student. Kidwell served in the U.S. Army from 195878, attaining the rank of lieutenant colonel. He attended the Industrial College of the Armed Forces and was qualified in Airborne, Ranger and Flight Schools. He served in Korea, two tours in Vietnam, Germany and various locations in the United States. He was stationed at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, for his final assignment. He was awarded two Bronze Star Medals, 41 Air Medals, the Meritorious Service Medal, three Distinguished Flying Crosses, two Army Commendation Medals and two Silver Stars. He had a second career in family financial planning, and had been retired since 1989. He is survived by his wife, Lily Boghossian Kidwell of Prairie Village; two sons, Michael Kidwell and his wife, Mary, and Steven Kidwell and his wife, Jill; and five grandchildren, Christopher, Thomas, Natalie, Laura and Nathan.

Buddy B. Rogers ’57

Buddy Benjamin Rogers ’57 of Salem, Virginia, died on Dec. 20, 2008. He was 73. Rogers matriculated from South Boston, Virginia, and graduated from VMI with a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering. He was named a Distinguished Graduate. He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1958-61, attaining the rank of first lieutenant, and retired from General Electric after 36 years. He worked with the G.E. Elfun on talking books, and was part of the buildings and grounds committee at Grandin Court Baptist Church. He was a member of the Taylor Masonic Lodge. He is survived by his wife, Peggy Loftis Rogers of Salem; two daughters, Kelly Yohe and her husband, Gary, and Tammy Rogers; a son, Terry Rogers, and his wife, Valerie Rogers; five grandchildren, Brad Yohe, Kerri Yohe, Eric Yohe, Brian Yohe and Kendall Rogers; a brother, William Rogers of Lynchburg, Virginia; and a number of nieces, nephews and cousins.

Elliott I. Young ’59

Elliott Irwin Young ’59 of Norfolk, Virginia, died on Nov. 20, 2008. He was 71. Young matriculated from Norfolk and held a bachelor of arts degree in history from VMI. He earned a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Richmond’s Executive MBA program. Young served in the U.S. Marine Corps for five years. Upon moving back to Norfolk, he became a commercial real estate developer, investor and consultant. He founded his own company, Investment Brokers & Consultants, which completed real estate deals and consult-

ing assignments across the United States. He was a Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCMI), a designation that is awarded by the CCIM Institute, and sat on the board of Real Estate Tax Appeals for the City of Norfolk for many years. He was on the founding board of the Virginia Stage Company, and was an active member of the Beth-El Congregation, where he attended services nearly every day and participated in Torah study groups. He was a supporter of the Southern Poverty Law Center, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and various animal rights groups. He took up flying at the age of 70. He is survived by a daughter, Karen Young Levi, and her husband, Gary, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His wife of 34 years, Donna Peltz Young, died in 2006.

William M. Lackey ’61

William Murray Lackey ’61 of Alexandria, Louisiana, died on Nov. 30, 2008. He was 70. Lackey matriculated from Lexington, Virginia, and held a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from VMI. He served in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from 1962-65, attaining the rank of first lieutenant. He retired from the U.S. Forestry Service after 34 years of service. He was a past president of the Elks Lodge, and was a member of Horseshoe Drive United Methodist Church for over 30 years. He is survived by his wife, Sally F. Lackey of Alexandria; a son, William Todd Lackey of Houston, Texas; two daughters, Dawn Lynne Roy of Pineville, Louisiana, and Robin Eve Lackey, also of Pineville; eight grandchildren; two greatgrandchildren; and a sister, Cynthia Sheppard o Methuen, Massachusetts.

Frederick C. Segesman ’64

Frederick Carol Segesman ’64 of Oldsmar, Florida, died on Nov. 24, 2008. He was 65. Segesman matriculated from Ridgefield, Connecticut, and held a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering from VMI, where he was a member of the Regimental Band, the Glee Club, and the wrestling and judo teams. He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1964-68, attaining the rank of captain. He was the president, owner and broker of Systems Realty Corporation and East Lake Marketing Corporation. He is survived by his wife, Charwin (Char) Harmstad Segesman of Oldsmar; two sons, Steven Segesman and Scot Segesman and his wife, Annette; and three grandsons.

Thomas M. Salisbury III ’68

Thomas Milton Salisbury III ’68 of Ladysmith, Virginia, died on Sept. 26, 2008. He was 62. Salisbury matriculated from Arlington, Virginia, and attended VMI for two years. He was a member of the boxing team. A veteran of Vietnam, he served in the U.S. Army from 1966-70.

145

TAPS He was a Russian intelligence analyst for the U.S. Army (Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence) until his retirement as a civilian employee in 1997. He was a member of the Order of Indian Wars and a life member of the Society of Friends of Historic Fort Hays. He received the Editor’s Choice Award in 1995 and 1996 from the National Library of Poetry, and had several professional articles published in Military Review and Aviation Digest. He is survived by two brothers, Charles C. Salisbury, and his wife, Yvonne, William A. Salisbury; a sister, Carol S. Hays, and her husband, John; nephews, Michael T. Stovall, David

T. Salisbury and his wife, Nicole, Sterling M. Salisbury and Jonathan J. Salisbury; and a niece, Tracy L. Hays.

Robert F. Woollard ’72

Robert Frank Woollard ’72 of Surry, Virginia, died on Nov. 12, 2008. He was 58. Woollard matriculated from Portsmouth, Virginia, and held a bachelor of science degree in physics from VMI, where he was an A Company corporal. He was a member of the Scuba Club and the soccer and judo teams. He was the owner of Scotland Wharf Enterprises, and was a member of the Surry Volunteer

Rescue Squad and of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Surry. He was a member of the crew that sailed a full-scale replica of the Jamestown ship, Godspeed, on its recreation of the voyage from England to Virginia, as well as numerous other blue water passages. He is survived by his wife of 25 years, Brenda Woollard of Surry; three daughters, Melissa McCarter, Melanie Hagan and her husband, Mark, and Amanda Woollard; a son, Jake Woollard; four grandchildren, Cassidy Dietz, Michael Hagan, Benjamin Hagan and Laura Hagan; his mother, Gertrude Colligan; a sister, Eleanor Woollard; and a brother, Paul Woollard.

Death in the VMI Family Col. William J. Stockwell Deputy Superintendent for Academics and Dean of the Faculty Col. William John Stockwell of Lexington, Virginia, died unexpectedly on Feb. 4, 2009. He was 56. Upon learning of Stockwell’s death, VMI’s superintendent, Gen. J. H. Binford Peay III ’62, said, “He was an easy man to like with tremendous empathy, and he had a knack for quickly putting people at ease and befriending them. He was conscientious and incredibly competent. “For so many of us – me included – he was the ‘go-to’ guy for the technical issues about the academic organization, for insight into the thinking and feelings of faculty and cadets, and for a dose of general good sense.” Stockwell was a 1974 graduate of Springfield College, and earned his doctorate in health education from the University of Virginia in 1984. He joined the VMI staff on Jan. 1, 1974, as an instructor in the Physical Education Department and rose to full professor of physical education, remaining with the department until his promotion to associate dean in 1994. He served as acting dean of the faculty for the 2000-01 academic year, and served as the deputy superintendent for academics and dean of the faculty for the current academic year. While serving as associate dean, Stockwell served as secretary to the Academic Board and the Academic Affairs Committee of the VMI Board of Visitors. He played a role in numerous projects, including VMI’s selfstudy and subsequent accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges, liaison with the State Council of Higher Education in Virginia for the higher education restructuring plan, the strategic plan for the Institute’s forthcoming capital campaign, and coordination of the relocation effort for the Scott Shipp Hall renovation. Stockwell served as director of VMI’s summer session program, director of physical fitness testing and remedial fitness, taught a computer application course to first-year cadets and adults in VMI’s evening college, and was a lecturer in health education at the University of Virginia. From 1982-92 he was chairman of the VMI Drug Abuse Committee. In this area, he was a consultant to the University of Virginia for alcohol education programs, a trainer for peer alcohol and counseling programs at Washington and Lee University, and implemented alcohol and tobacco related workshops for Region Ten Community Services Board in Charlottesville. He received VMI’s Thomas Jefferson Distinguished Teaching Award in 1986. That award recognizes a young professor who inspires in cadets the development of traits of intellect and character that lead both to individual betterment and contribution to society in general. Stockwell was active in the community and served as coach for various sports for all of his children. He was an avid sports fan and particularly

146

Stockwell supported the New York Giants, VMI and University of Virginia athletics. He was a season ticket holder for UVa football. A funeral service was held in Stockwell’s memory in VMI’s Jackson Memorial Hall on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2008, with a reception following at the Hall of Valor in the new Center for Leadership and Ethics. He is survived by his wife, Jill Stockwell of Lexington; a daughter, Jaclyn Stockwell; two sons, Robert Stockwell and Bredt Stockwell; his mother, Margaret, of Asheville, North Carolina; a sister, Martha, of Asheville; and two brothers, Richard of Manalapan, New Jersey, and Robert of Atlanta, Georgia.

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

THE VMI ALUMNI ASSOCIATION DIRECTORY The VMI Alumni Association, Inc. President

Richmond P. Lykins Jr. ’73 1882 Elmhurst Dr. Germantown, TN 38138 vmi73agent@aol.com

First Vice President Randolph M. Blanks ’67 4773 Charter Ct. Woodbridge, VA 22192 vmi67@comcast.net

Second Vice President Robert A. Heely ’69 507 Westover Ave. Norfolk, VA 23507 bob_heely@wcbay.com

The VMI Foundation, Inc.

Executive Vice President

President

Walter C. Perrin II ’62

Adam C. Volant ’88 P.O. Box 932 Lexington, VA 24450 adam@vmialumni.org

Immediate Past President

James F. Spellman Jr. ’85 jfspellman@vmialumni.org

James L. Adams ’71

The VMI Keydet Club, Inc. President

William H. Stephens Jr. ’73

Historian

Thomas W. Davis ’64 davistw@vmi.edu

Executive Vice President

Executive Vice President Gregory M. Cavallaro ’84

Terms Expire June 30, 2009 Terms Expire June 30, 2010 Michael Zirkle ’97 mzirkle@vmialumni.org Rick Hall ’79 rick.hall@ljbank.com Michael Soares ’75 mLodington@gmail.com Heidi Nagel ’02 Heidimason@aol.com Terms Expire June 30, 2011 Kenneth Herbert ‘81 kherbert81@cox.net Douglas Burdett ’82 douglasburdett@yahoo.com

Directors at Large

Region/ Director

Chapter Name

Chapter President

President’s E-mail

Chapter Representative

Hawaii Greater Los Angeles Bob Clingenpeel ’69 New Mexico Northern California bclingenpeel1@ Pacific Northwest gmail.com Rocky Mountain San Diego Inland Empire Chapter Alaska Arizona Las Vegas

Russell Shun Takata ’74 Matthew R. Hemenez ’90 William P. Johnson ’81 Todd E. Arris ’87 James R. Farmer ’68 Charles G. Decher ’00 Jay C. Wegrzyn ’66 Andre J. Gibson ’78 Trent L. Boggs ’83 Joseph S. Howard III ’97 Kenneth S. Krynski ’89

takatar@earthlink.net mrhemenez@cox.net william_johnson@nmcourt.fed.us tearris@gmail.com seattlefarmer@comcast.net gillespie77@mac.com jcwegrzyn@yahoo.com andrejg@aol.com tboggs@gci.com jhoward211@cox.net kenkrynski@aol.com

Russell Shun Takata ’74 Robert W. Edwards ’83 R. C. Saunders III ’66 Todd E. Arris ’87 James R. Farmer ’68 James R. Greathead ’60 Nathaniel P. Ward IV ’65 Peter H. Lyons ’54 Marcus Bruce Paine ’81 Thomas D. Kelly ’50B John D. Christie ’59

Region II Midwest

San Antonio Centex Chicago Kansas City, Missouri North TX - Dallas Rio Grande SE TX - Houston Southwest Ohio St. Louis Detroit Little Rock Bluegrass Third Coast (Corpus Christi) Oklahoma

Robert R. Costigan ’70 Jeffrey L. Minch ’73 Jeffrey T. Golden ’99 Jeffrey D. Vordermark ’79 Timothy S. Feagans ’90 Alexander E. Woelper ’80 Joseph J. Leonard Jr. ’83 Michael A. Demers ’80 Harry W. Gore Jr. ’72 David C. Hagemann ’80 James F. Dittrich ’76 Gregory G. McDearmon ’99 Walter J. Kleine ’63 Hamel B. Reinmiller ’98

bcosti@mindspring.com jminch@littlefield.com jeff.t.golden@smithbarney.com vordermark@juno.com tfeagans@marcusmillchap.com alexw@enconinternational.com Joseph.J.Leonard@uscg.mil michael.demers2@wpafb.af.mil goreharry@vmialumni.org david.hagemann@us.army.mil jim_dittrich@leisurearts.com ggmcd34@earthlink.net WKleine@STX.RR.com HBRvmi98@vmialumni.org

Jimmie V. Thurmond ’56 Jeffrey L. Minch ’73 Donald A. Noschese Jr. ’92 Todd J. Jacobs ’90

Greater Rhode Island New England NY City - Long Island North Jersey

Patrick L. McGuire ’85 Matthew L. Camfield ’94 Robert A. Munno ’81 Will C. Adams ’76

magsvmi@email.com matthew_camfield@msn.com ram81vmi@aol.com vmikeydet76@msn.com

Patrick L. McGuire ’85 John W. Wainwright III ’82 John R. Gibney Jr. ’80 Will C. Adams ’76

Owen J. Curley ’87 Duane E. Williams ’66 John D. Kearney ’73 Allan R. Berenbrok ’80

ojcurley@niles-law.com dwilliams@pa.net kearneyjd@msn.com aberenbrok@chesterengineers.com

Thomas J. Hickey Jr. ’68 Lester C. Martin ’68 John D. Kearney ’73 Robert A. Lane ’75

Terence L. Bowers ’68 Thomas N. Daniel Jr. ’60 Charles C. Schoen IV ’86 John R. Savage ’74 Richmond P. Lykins Jr. ’73 Parker W. Duncan Jr. ’64

tbowers68@comcast.net tomdaniel60@charter.net ccschoen@comcast.net

Raymond R. Lawson ’81 Campbell C. Hyatt III ’65 Charles C. Schoen IV ’86 John R. Savage ’74 Richmond P. Lykins Jr. ’73 Charles S. Sanger ’82

Region I Far West

Fred Lehman ’91

Fredrick.Lehman@ morganstanley.com

Region III Northeast

John Gibney ’80 jgibney@ actuary.nyc.gov

Region IV Mid Atlantic

Baltimore Central Keystone Grover Outland ’81 Delaware Valley outland@ Western PA - Pittsburgh techusa.net

Region V Southeast

Guy Conte ’75 guyconte@ gmail.com

2009- Issue 2

Augusta Appalachian Atlanta Coastal GA - South Carolina Midsouth Middle TN - Nashville

vmi73agent@aol.com pd2@att.net

Walter E. Woelper Sr. ’42 Steven P. Weiss ’86 Michael A. Demers ’80 Robert C. Polk ’61 Mark A. Benvenuto ’83 Hugh R. Hill ’85 M. Douglass Payne ’73 Michael A. Davis ’06

147

THE VMI ALUMNI ASSOCIATION DIRECTORY Region/ Director

Region VI Carolinas

Lane Toomey ’74 toomeyl@ pinehurst.net

Region VII Deep South Jim Joustra ’76 Jim.Joustra@ Walgreens.com

Chapter Name

President’s E-mail

Chapter Representative

Club of the Triad Benjamin A. Booth ’03 Cape Fear Charles L. Toomey ’74 Central NC - Raleigh Michael J. Tutor ’96 Charlotte James A. Sharp ’93 SE N. Carolina/NE S. Carolina Palmetto, South Carolina Coastal Carolina, SC Donald P. DeLuca ’62

benjamin.booth@volvo.com toomeyl@pinehurst.net mike@tutorresumes.com jim@twpllc.com

John R. Fisher ’89 Charles L. Toomey ’74 Jonathan D. Atkins ’98 E. Hugh Daughtry III ’83

Birmingham Central Florida Mobile NE Florida - Jacksonville Southern Florida Tennessee Valley West Coast FL - Tampa Southwest Florida-Fort Myer

William H. Cather Jr. ’65 James G. Joustra Jr. ’76 Charles M. Rogers IV ’83 Michael T. Fellows ’95 John A. Weekes Jr. ’97 Herbert U. Fluhler ’77 Larry L. Fluty ’78 Bradford T. Herrell ’01

billcather@bellsouth.net jim.joustra@walgreens.com max.rogers@mobileinfirmary.org michael.fellows@mac.com jweekeslaw@gmail.com huf2000@aol.com lfluty@tbegroup.com vmigrad1@hotmail.com

William H. Cather Jr. ’65

Lynchburg Roanoke

William A. Madison ’90 Thomas R. Kent Jr. ’93 W. Ware Smith Jr. ’62

bmadison@themadisonfamily.net tr6kent@juno.com ware.smith@ubs.com

William A. Madison ’90 John T. McCarthy ’87 W. Ware Smith Jr. ’62

N. Shenandoah Valley Chapter Charlottesville Blue Ridge Rockbridge County Allegheny Highlands Stonewall Jackson

W. Douglas Thomas ’65 James E. Duncan ’98 G. Wayne Eastham ’76 Thomas E. Jenks, III ’67 T. Troy Barbour ’89 Roger A. Jarrell II ’91

wdtllt@comcast.net jim@realcentralva.com weastham@carrhyde.com tedjenks@comcast.net troy.barbour@hcahealthcare.com rjarrell@spilmanlaw.com

Kevin J. Callanan ’78 Mark H. Bryant ’77 R. Edward Duncan ’60 Lewis V. Graybill ’62 Harrison L. Fridley Jr. ’61 Roger A. Jarrell II ’91

Robert W. Leatherbury ’80 David G. Tyler IV ’86 Douglas N. Burdett ’82 Edward M. Plucinski ’86 Gary J. Haste ’77 John L. Rowe Jr. ’66

lbcpa2@verizon.net

Thomas F. Wilson ’80

douglasburdett@yahoo.com ed.plucinski@hanson.com ghaste@associatedcontracting.com johnrowejr@verizon.net

James A. Parsons ’80 David J. Trenholm ’70 H. Ali Mahan ’80 Oliver D. Creekmore ’66

Sean P. Boyle ’91 Joseph E. Blanks ’94

boyle100@comcast.net vmijoe@hotmail.com

R. Rucker Slater Jr. ’88 Douglas B. Warner ’03

James R. Smith III ’93 William H. Talley IV ’77

rrsmith@bbandt.com wht4@whts.com

Samuel N. Stocks ’90 Augustus Robbins III ’47

Carl J. DeBernard Jr. ’94 Richard A. Duke ’90 Peter J. Kokolis ’96

carl.debernard@dhs.gov rduke@mcguirewoods.com Peter_Kokolis@ml.com

R. C. Thompson III ’74 Robert B. Powell ’63 John J. Kokolis ’96

Vaipot Srinual ’72 Ching-Pu Chen ’85

Region VIII New River Valley Southwest VA Turner Perrow ’96

tperrow@ perrowconsulting.com

Region IX Shenandoah Valley Ted Jenks ’67 The4jenks@ adelphia.net

Region X

Eastern Shore Hampton Roads J. Sills O’Keefe ’93 Norfolk sokeefe@ Peninsula norfolkacademy.org Virginia Beach Western Tidewater

Region XI Metro D.C.

Sean Boyle ’91

George C. Marshall Potomac River

Chapter President

dpdl123@aol.com

Karl L. Klinar ’54

John H. Friend III ’82 Grafton D. Addison III ’82 Christopher R. Jones ’72 Raymond J. Pietruszka ’77 Andrew M. Neff ’79 Brett R. Martin ’00

boyle100@comcast.net

Steve Nakazawa ’ 03

steve.nakazawa@gmail.com

Region XII Central VA

Richmond Robert Louthan ’82 Tri Cities rpl@aocp.com

Christopher Ratchford ’94 christopher.l.ratchford@ wachoviasec.com

Region XIII

Fredericksburg - Quantico Rappahannock Rappahannock Eric Nost ’79 Williamsburg enost@cffc.copm

Region XIV Pacific Rim

Thailand Taiwan

Vaipot Srinual ’72 Ching-Pu Chen ’85

chingpu@saturn.yzu.edu.tw

Europe

Italy

Steven G. Cade ’87

steven.cade@us.army.mil

148

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

ALUMNI NEWS ALUMNI NEWS In fall 2009, work will be completed on a held until he was killed in a jeep accident earned a master’s degree from the University memorial sculpture to honor the late Wal- on Dec. 23, 1950. He is buried at Arlington of Virginia Medical School and served with ton Harris Walker, class of 1909, father National Cemetery. the Army Medical Corps in Vietnam. of Gen. Sam Sims Walker ’45, USA (Ret). Walton Walker is credited for being the “unAt the November 2008 open house and In November 2008, John Battle Haslam sung hero” of South Korea by maneuvering ribbon cutting ceremony for the new John- ’61, M.D., received the Mission St. scant forces to preserve the country. son Health Center Women & Children’s Joseph’s Hospital Founders’ Award in According to a January 2009 TDTNews. Services building in Lynchburg, Virginia, Asheville, North Carolina. com (Temple, Texas) article, “His military Dr. Peter Houck ’60 was honored with the According to the Mission Health System victories led to the creation of the Republic first Dr. Peter Houck Services Award. The Web site, recipients of this award have of Korea as a sovereign nation, according to event also marked the 10th anniversary of been associated with healthcare locally for military officials. Walker’s leadership during the opening of the original Johnson Health at least the past 10 years and have demonAugust and September 1950 helped Allied Center (JHC). strated accomplishments that are clearly Forces strengthen Korea’s defenses.” Houck is JHC’s pediatric medical direc- recognizable as positive contributions to The groundbreaking ceremony of the tor. The center opened its doors in 1998 “to better healthcare for the community and sculpture was held on Dec. 23, 2008, the serve the medically needy and uninsured region. Also considered in the selection 58th anniversary of Walker’s death, at the populations in Lynchburg and surrounding process is the recipient’s involvement in 8th U.S. Army Headquarters building on communities,” according to the JHC Web healthcare activities at the state or national the Yongsan (South Korea) Main Post. site. In 1998, JHC averaged 2,500 patients; level, current or past leadership positions As stated in the TDTNews article, “Lt. they project 15,000 in 2009. This growth in healthcare activities, and current or past Gen. Joseph Fil, current 8th U.S. Army spurred plans to create the new Women connections with what is now Mission commander, credited Walker with holding & Children’s Services building across Health System. back communist aggression during the be- the street from the JHC, which will alHaslam founded modern radiation onginning of the Cold War. ‘Had it not been low Houck and his associates to focus on cology in Asheville when he began his for the way he decided to maneuver the children who are on Medicaid and “track practice in 1971 as the first board certiforces’ defense against the North Korean … from prenatal exams through their fied radiation oncologist at Mission St. troops,’ Fil said, ‘many feel South Korea childhood years,” he said in a news article Joseph’s Hospital. He retired in 2000. would have not pulled into an offensive in November. Haslam said the award took him by position during the war, nor would they Houck was quoted as saying, “I’ve al- surprise. “I thought the echoes of my have been able to establish the peace South ways had a soft spot for kids, and it will footsteps had long since faded.” Korea has experienced since the beginning be a very good thing to give them their A fellow physician stated that Haslam of the armistice.’” own place. We’re going to have a whole “was very thorough in patient care, a Walker matriculated from Belton, Texas, kid-friendly waiting room.” model physician for clinicians and the attended VMI from 1908-09 and graduated Houck who matriculated from Lynch- institution, who commanded respect from from the U.S. Military Academy at West burg, Virginia, graduated from VMI with a his peers … as a fair and honest person.” Point in 1912. bachelor’s degree in biology. In addition, he In his acceptance speech, Haslam The TDTNews article exsaid, “In all of my training and plained that, as commander of preparation, VMI stood head the IV Armored Corps and XX and shoulders above the rest Corps during World War II, and gave me the confidence and Walker was commended for his the willingness to embark on a military abilities in the Eurodemanding career path.” pean Theater of Operations by Haslam matriculated from BirGen. George S. Patton, class mingham, Alabama, and graduof 1907. Walker was promoted ated with a bachelor’s degree in to lieutenant general and in biology from VMI. He was on the 1948 was appointed commandHonor Court, was regimental S-1 ing general of the 8th Army in and president of the Glee Club. He Japan. With the communist incurrently serves as a trustee on the vasion of South Korea on June board of the VMI Foundation. 28, 1950, the 8th Army under Several of his family members Battle Haslam ’61, standing, fourth from left, with famWalker was directed to stop the also attended VMI, including ily and friends after receiving the Mission St. Joseph’s invasion. Under Gen. Douglas his father, John Billups Haslam Hospital Founders’ Award. Seated at far right is his son, MacArthur, Walker was made ’25; his brother-in-law, Charles Bryan Haslam ’90, and standing at far left is Harrison commander of United Nations F. Bryan Jr. ’69, who recently Fridley ’61 with his wife, Terry. forces in Korea, a position he retired as the CEO of the Virginia 2009- Issue 2

149

ALUMNI NEWS Historical Society; and his two sons, J. Bryan Haslam ’90 and the late Mark H. Haslam ’91.

Editor’s Note: A profile on Adams appeared in the spring 1990 Alumni Review on pages 80-81.

Editor’s Note: Dr. Haslam was featured in a fall 2005 Alumni Review article, pages 22-24.

As a result of his personal experience with prostate cancer, Robert W. Hess ’67 formed the Prostate Cancer Awareness Project (PCaAP). According to the organization’s Web site (www.prostatecancerawarenessproject.org), its mission is to increase the prostate cancer survivor rate by increasing the rate of early detection, with the objective that no man experiences a surprise, postmetastasis prostate cancer diagnosis. A simple blood test allows for the early detection of prostate cancer, which is the second most common cancer among men. Each year, 200,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer in the United States, and of these, 30,000 die from the disease. However, research shows that prostate cancer is treatable if discovered early. Recent American Cancer Society research states that “fully one-third of these [cancer] deaths are linked to poor diet, physical inactivity and carrying excess weight.” In response to this, the goal of Hess’ project is “to leverage America’s favorite pastimes to create recreational and competitive events

J. Mott Robertson ’62 has received the Clarence A. Holland Award presented by the Medical Society of Virginia (MSV) in Williamsburg. According to an MSV report, the award is “presented annually to a Virginia physician for his or her outstanding contributions promoting the art and science of medicine and the betterment of public health through political service.” Robertson matriculated from Lynchburg, Virginia, where he lives now, and earned his bachelor’s degree from VMI in biology. He attained his master’s degree from the University of Virginia in 1966. John B. (Jay) Adams Jr. ’66 succeeded Gen. Edward C. Meyer as chairman of the board of the George C. Marshall Foundation in January 2009. He is the ninth chairman since the Foundation’s founding in 1953. Prior to Adams’ election as chairman, he had served as vice chairman and chairman of the Development Committee. He has been a member of the Marshall Foundation Board since 1988. Adams matriculated from The Plains, Virginia, and earned his bachelor’s degree in history from VMI. In 1969, he attained his juris doctorate from Washington and Lee Law School. Adams, who is the president and CEO of the Bowman Companies in Fredericksburg, Virginia, served as president of the Keydet Club Board of Governors from 1991-93. He has also been the chairman of The National Theatre Corporation in Washington, D.C., and president of Keep Virginia Beautiful, Inc., among other organizations. Several of Adams’ family members attended VMI, including his father, John B. Adams ’36; his uncles, George M. Brooke ’36, Thomas T. Adams ’60, James T. Adams ’27 and Samuel T. Adams ’37; and his cousins, George M. Brook III ’36, James T. Adams Jr. ’53 and Samuel T. Adams Jr. ’71. 150

that will simultaneously raise prostate cancer awareness and serve as programs for ongoing fitness and prostate cancer prevention.” The Tour de Skyline Drive is one in a series of Prostate Cancer Awareness Project Black Tire Affair® events to raise awareness. This year’s Tour de Skyline Drive takes place on Aug. 22-23, 2009. As stated on the event’s Web site (www. tourdeskylinedrive.org), Skyline Drive offers some of the most stunning scenery in the United States. Hess’ organization has developed a new “out and back” format, beginning and ending in Front Royal, Virginia, including an overnight stay on Skyline Drive. Hess will be riding in and leading the event, which is dedicated to his Brother Rat, the late John B. Foret Jr. ’67, who died of prostate cancer in 2008. In September 2008, William S. Scherer ’70 set two world records on his ZX-14 Kawasaki motorcycle in Bonneville, Utah. Scherer reached a top speed of 199.67 mph, setting two new world records and one American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) record in his bike class. The second record was set in what is called the “modified” category, meaning no fairings or windshield. This was Scherer’s third world and fourth AMA record in his three years of land speed racing. Scherer and his motorcycle were also featured in 2008-Issue 1 of the Alumni Review.

Scherer ’70 on his ZX-14 Kawasaki motorcycle in Bonneville, Utah.

Bob Hess ’67 riding for prostate cancer awareness.

Richard L. Clary ’71 has accepted the position of associate vice president of investments with Ameriprise Financial, formally H&R Block Financial. Clary matriculated from Richmond, Virginia, and has a bachelor’s degree in history from VMI. VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

ALUMNI NEWS James L. Adams ’71, Ed.D., has accepted the position of vice president for Institutional Advancement at Coastal Carolina University, effective May 1, 2009, according to an announcement by University President David A. DeCenzo. As the leader of all the university’s advancement functions, Adams is responsible for developing relationships to support the institution, including identifying and cultivating major donors, creating and managing highgoal capital campaigns, and guiding the staff of the OfAdams ’71 fice of Institutional Advancement. Previously, Adams had served since 1998 as executive vice president and CEO of the VMI Foundation Inc. and executive director of the VMI Development Board. During his tenure, he led a development effort that raised more than $280 million, including a successful $175 million capital campaign. Under his management, VMI’s endowment increased by 50 percent, peaking at $370 million. Adams earned a bachelor’s degree in English from VMI, a master’s degree in English literature from James Madison University and a doctorate in educational leadership from the University of Tennessee. He served two years on active duty in the U.S. Army and retired from the Army Reserve as a lieutenant colonel in 1999 after 28 years of commissioned service (and six months of active duty during Operation Desert Storm in 1991). Prior to his position at VMI, Adams served as director of membership and development at the U.S. Naval Institute in Annapolis, Maryland. He also has been a fundraiser and public relations manager at The Citadel, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and an earlier stint at VMI. Adams has been involved in many professional organizations, including service on the planning committee of the Association of Governing Boards; as an over 25-year member of the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education; on the Advisory Board of the John A. Adams Center for Military History and Strategic Analysis at VMI; and as a member of the Naval War 2009- Issue 2

Robert P. Frisbie ’75 has been named senior vice president of STG Inc., Defense Sector, a provider of information technolThe Honorable James D. Pagones ’72 ogy, technology, technical security, engihas been re-elected to a 10-year term neering and scientific services. Frisbie will as Surrogate’s Court Judge of Dutchess oversee approximately 700 employees and County, New York. nearly $150 million in revenue. The court handles the adminIn a January 2009 Centreistration of trusts, estates and daily.com article, Frisbie was guardianships of minors and quoted as saying, “I am depeople with disabilities. lighted to join the STG exPagones has also been assigned ecutive leadership team. STG’s as a full-time, trial-level acting growing expertise in network justice of the Supreme Court. operations and cyber defense Pagones matriculated from will be of significant value Poughkeepsie, New York, and to our country in this time of earned a bachelor’s degree increased cyber threats. With from VMI in history. He then a focus on program execution, Pagones ’72 received his juris doctorate we will help our government from New England College in customers integrate enhanced Henniker, New Hampshire. defenses for cyber network operations.” STG Defense Sector provides perforSamuel C. Powell ’74 was honored mance-based support for war fighter with the Kiwanis Citizen of the Year systems and IT operations for the DeAward at the Kiwanis Christmas 2008 partment of Defense and intelligence banquet in Alamance County, North agencies, including enterprise network Carolina. Powell, a member of the Bur- and server operations, weapons systems lington Kiwanis Club, was the recipient development, software and application this year because of his “outstanding development, enterprise architecture, Web devotion and exceptional dedication to design, business process reengineering, those principles we, as Americans, hold test and evaluation support, enterprise help dear,” according to Nelson Young, the desk operations, linguistics, and financial club’s president. management, according to the article. Powell was unaware he would be receivPrior to joining STG, Frisbie served as ing this award when he attended the ban- vice president of the Northrop Grumman quet with his wife, Karen. The Burlington Information Technology Intelligence (North Carolina) Times-News quoted him Group, Information Operations and Netas saying, “It was a very nice and pleasant centric Defense operating unit. Before surprise. I was tremendously honored to joining Northrop Grumman in 1997, he get an award of that type with no expecta- served as director of strategic planning and tions in return.” information operations for Questech. According to the article, Powell has been Frisbie matriculated from Springfield, a Scout, educator, medical researcher, Massachusetts, and earned a bachelor’s soldier, civic and business leader, advocate degree in electrical engineering from VMI. and historian, and now the Kiwanis Citizen He joined the Army and attained the rank of the Year. of lieutenant colonel. Powell matriculated from Burlington, North Carolina, and graduated from VMI Col. Daniel C. Schultz ’75, USMC with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry. In (Ret), has been named vice president and addition, he earned a master’s degree in general manager of Lockheed Martin’s biochemistry from Old Dominion Univer- Integrated Defense Technologies (IDT) sity and a doctorate in biochemistry from line of business and its 12 geographic Loyola University of Chicago. locations across the United States. Part of Powell and his wife live in Burlington, Lockheed Martin’s Maritime Systems & North Carolina. They have two children Sensors (MS2) business unit, IDT is based and two grandchildren. out of Washington, D.C. College Foundation and the Military Officers Association of America.

151

ALUMNI NEWS Prior to being named to his new position, Schultz was vice president and general manager of MS2’s Maritime Security & Ship Systems business. In that role, he led Lockheed Martin’s effort to build the nation’s first Littoral Combat Ship, which was delivered to the U.S. Navy in September 2008. Schultz joined Lockheed Martin in 2006 as MS2’s vice president, Operations & Global Sustainment. In that position, he led MS2’s Operations and Manufacturing function, as well as its Global Sustainment programs. Schultz matricuSchultz ’75 lated from Virginia Beach, Virginia, and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from VMI. He attained his master’s degree in national resource strategy from the National Defense University. He is a graduate of the Department of Defense System Program Management Course and the Senior Acquisition Course, and he is Level III certified in program management. He serves on the Maryland Science Center’s Board of Directors. Schultz and his wife, Laura, live in McLean, Virginia, and they have twin daughters.

As area manager for the Albuquerque and El Paso Trane offices, Michelsen was instrumental in transitioning the offices from franchise to company owned, integrating the offices to Trane’s business systems and processes, while assimilating them into the overall Southwest Trane District. Previously, Michelsen served in numerous roles of increasing responsibility, including equipment sales leader for the West Territory; equipment sales leader for Arizona Trane; national operations and product manager for Trane Rental Services in Charlotte, North Carolina; and marketing engineer in both the Lexington, Kentucky, and Pueblo, Colorado, factories. Michelsen matriculated from Verona, New Jersey, and received his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from VMI. He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1987-92, during which time he attained the rank of captain. He and his family relocated to the Seattle, Washington, area in May 2009. Bruce A. English ’91, PE, passed the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Certification exam, earning his LEED Accreditation from the U.S. Green Building Council. As a LEED accredited professional, he will help ensure that sustainable design practices will be

employed for projects within the firm. English is an associate with the firm and is the director of structural engineering for the Charlotte, North Carolina, office. He is a registered professional engineer in North Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee and has over 14 years of design experience. English matriculated from Roanoke, Virginia, and holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from VMI, from which he graduated with distinction, and a master’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin. English was involved in Urban Search and Rescue programs through the Federal Emergency Management Agency as a structural specialist for Virginia Task Force 2 from 1995 to 2005 and North Carolina Task Force since 2005. Two works of art by Maj. Michael P. Solovey ’96, USA, have appeared on the Lifetime network show “ArmyWives.” Solovey’s work, “Brotherhood” and “Desert Eagles,” hangs on the office walls of the character who plays a general officer in the show. According to a Fort Leavenworth (Kansas) Lamp article, Solovey was flying to Qatar when one of his bags was lost, and two of his uniforms made their way with other surplus uniforms to the set of “ArmyWives” for use

The Army Officer’s Guide has been in publication for more than 75 years. Its 51st edition, by Col. Robert J. Dalessandro ’80, USA, is now available (Stackpole Co. 2009, ISBN-10: 0811735281). Condensed from Army regulations and the customs and traditions of the service, the guide provides the latest information and advice on a variety of issues relating to service life. Dalessandro, who matriculated from Plainview, New York, received a bachelor’s degree in history from VMI. He also co-wrote Organization and Insignia of the American Expeditionary Force 19171923, which was featured in 2008-Issue 3 of the Alumni Review. Warren W. Michelsen ’87 was promoted to district manager for the Western Washington/Alaska Trane District effective Aug. 15, 2008. 152

In December 2008, Douglas A. Hill ’85 was reinstated in the U.S. Army Reserve as a captain. In the photo above, Hill is being sworn in by Maj. Gen. Robert B. Newman ’73 who is the adjutant general of the Virginia National Guard and was president of the Alumni Association from 2003-05. To see Hill with his Brother Rats at this event, please see the class of 1985 class notes.

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

ALUMNI NEWS in the show. A director noticed Solovey’s nametape and decided to find him via an Internet search. The search revealed Solovey’s Web site and artwork, which the director then asked to use on the set. Solovey works mostly in pencil and watercolors, and his subjects include soldiers, military equipment and symbols, architecture, furniture and motorcycles. Every graduating Command and General Staff College (CGSC) class has a print commissioned that represents their class. Solovey was asked to participate in the design competition for his class, which he said was an honor and rarely done by students. He requested suggestions from his class, and since most of the class are combat veterans,

decided to do a collage with symbols, flags and shields in front of a map of the world with the Twin Towers in the foreground. Solovey’s design, “Don’t Tread on Me,” came in second place, but the CGSC Alumni Foundation decided to commission Solovey’s design, as well as the first place concept. Solovey matriculated from Williamsburg, Virginia, and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in modern languages and a minor in fine arts. In June 2009, he will attain his master’s degree from CGSC. Editor’s Note: Solovey was pictured in the 2008-Issue 3 of the Alumni Review on page 154.

Maj. Russell E. McGuire ’96, USA, was one of the creators of the Iraqi Freedom Veteran License Plate which was approved by Virginia Governor Timothy Kain in September 2008. Pictured above, McGuire ’96, second from left; Governor Kaine, second from right; and Virginia House Delegate William R. Janis ’84, far right.

... Book Announcements ... Book Announcements ... Book Announcements ... Book Announcements...Announcements Book Announcements ... Book Announcem ... Book Announcements ... Announcement Book Announcements ... Book Announcements ... Book Announcements ... Book Announcements ... Book Announcement While You’re Up by John M. Camp Jr. ’40 BookSurge Publishing, 2008. ISBN: 1-4392-1236-8 John M. Camp Jr. ’40 spent most of his life in Franklin, Virginia, where his family was engaged in the wood products industry. In 1956, Camp Manufacturing Company merged with Union Bag to become Union Camp. Jack Camp’s memoir paints a vivid picture of a big company situated in a small town where farm life was the everyday background of his youth and early adulthood. However, his memories encompass a larger world. He presents clear pictures of experiences such as his schooling at VMI, flight lessons, Air Force service during World War II, his year in India, his one experience flying “The Hump,” travel, romance, family life, hunting, fishing and riding. His positive philosophy of dealing with problems, including aging, is remarkable and has served him well. The book was dictated by Camp and recorded, transcribed and edited by Susan Taylor Block. Camp did not use notes in the interviews; every account, except for the letters from India, were from his memory. Camp’s 44 tape recordings are being donated to the Southern Historical Collection at UNC-Chapel Hill. About the Author: John M. Camp Jr. matriculated from Franklin, Virginia. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry. While at VMI, he was on the Bomb staff. He was a member of the George C. Marshall Foundation Board of Advisors, and he was president of the VMI Foundation Board of Trustees from 1984-87. In 1993, Camp received the VMI Foundation Distinguished Service Award. Camp has been married since 1988 to Rachel Cameron Camp, and has four children from his marriage to the late Jean Stafford Camp.

2009- Issue 2

153

INSTITUTE INSTITUTE

First Gottwald Chair of Leadership and Ethics Appointed at VMI

Sorley

tion and the family of Floyd D. Gottwald Jr. ’43, for whom the endowed visiting professorship is named. Eventually, the center will support four endowed visiting chairs who will be positioned in various disciplines to support the center’s programming efforts and to complement the core course, “Leadership in Organizations,” that is now a graduation requirement for all cadets beginning with the class of 2010. No stranger to the classroom, Sorley has taught at the Defense Intelligence

and Thunderbolt: General Creighton Abrams and the Army of His Times. As the Gottwald visiting chair, Sorley is embedded in the Department of Psychology and Philosophy and is teaching PH 370, which examines the ethics of command from his perspective as a military historian. He is using some of the subjects of his books – including Gen. Harold K. Johnson, a World War II and Korean War veteran who served as Army Chief of Staff in the 1960s, and Gen. Creighton Abrams, an officer whose

ith the completion of the new Center for Leadership and Ethics at VMI comes its first visiting faculty member. Assuming the Floyd D. Gottwald Jr. ’43 Visiting Chair in Leadership and Ethics is Dr. Lewis Sorley, a retired Army “The endowed visiting chairs are a crucial eleofficer, historian and former CIA official. He is holding the ment of the leadership program that will become chair for the spring term and a hallmark of this Institute and will support our is teaching cadets about the mission of developing leaders who will help shape ethics of command. “The opening of the new the future of our country.” Center for Leadership and Gen. J.H. Binford Peay III ’62, superintendent Ethics is an exciting milestone in the life of the Institute, and it seems fitting that the Gottwald family is playing an important role in College, U.S. Army War College, U.S. career spanned three wars and who the launch of its programming,” Military Academy, Virginia Tech, Uni- also served as Army Chief of Staff in the said Gen. J.H. Binford Peay III ’62, versity of Virginia, George Washington 1970s – to help his students increase superintendent. “The endowed visUniversity and the University of Rhode their appreciation for the privilege iting chairs are a crucial element Island. Most recently, he has brought and obligations of service and commitof the leadership program that will his experience in the Army and at ment to becoming principled leaders. become a hallmark of this Institute the CIA to bear by serving as a writer, A third-generation West Point graduand will support our mission of deresearcher and policy analyst, and au- ate, Sorley holds a doctorate in national veloping leaders who will help shape thoring books such as A Better War: The security policy from Johns Hopkins the future of our country.” Unexamined Victories and Final Trag- University. He served in Vietnam as Sorley comes to the Institute edy of America’s Last Years in Vietnam; executive officer of a tank battalion and thanks to the generosity of RichHonorable Warrior, General Harold K. following his career in the Army, was a mond-based Albemarle CorporaJohnson and the Ethics of Command; senior civilian official at the CIA. 154

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

INSTITUTE

Cadet Sees Great Future in Center for Leadership and Ethics Since he took part in the 2006 groundbreaking ceremony for VMI’s Center for Leadership and Ethics, Cadet Thomas Gottwald ’09 has watched the building rise with anticipation. It’s an impressive addition to the Virginia Military Institute campus, and its completion in February has allowed Gottwald to get a glimpse of what it will bring to the Corps of Cadets and the Institute community. “This building is amazing, and the auditorium is phenomenal,” said Gottwald, a mechanical engineering major who recently presented on VMI’s engineering program in the auditorium. “While this facility is top shelf, I think the programming that is planned also will be a great resource for cadets and others who come to Post.” The center provides state-of-the-art facilities and services to enhance and support the Institute’s programs in leadership and character development. It features a 500-seat auditorium for presentations and performances; a multipurpose assembly hall that can accommodate an audience of up to 700 people for presentations or dinners; and meeting rooms that are technologically advanced

and flexible in design to accommodate break-out sessions for conferences and meetings, or to serve as press rooms. Gottwald’s grandfather, Bruce Gottwald ’54, has played a key role in supporting construction and initial programming for the center, and members of the Gottwald family and the Albemarle Corporation’s leadership endowed the Floyd D. Gottwald Jr. ’43 Visiting Chair in Leadership and Ethics in honor of the cadet’s great uncle. Gottwald is humble about his family’s support of VMI and the center, but he minces no words about their love of the Institute and its values and the importance his family places on leadership development. “I was raised on the VMI system,” said Gottwald. “All the values VMI has instilled in two generations before have filtered down to me. While leadership was not a new concept to me when I came to VMI, I have benefited from the lessons learned here and think leadership development is important for all cadets. “Everyday we face challenges, and having the new leadership and ethics courses and electives in the Core Curriculum and the center’s new programs provide

additional great resources for cadets,” Gottwald added. “I’m excited about the possibilities the center brings to the VMI community, and I look forward to enjoying it as an alumnus.” The change in status from a cadet to an alumnus in May 2009 appeals to Gottwald, especially after spending time with his father, Thomas E. “Teddy” Gottwald ’83, and his classmates at their 25th Reunion last fall. “I looked at other colleges, both military and non-military, but VMI is the only school I applied to,” he said. “It’s been a great experience, and I have gotten so much from my major, the guys ahead of me and being on the rifle team. Also, I know almost all of my Brother Rats on a first-name basis, and I think that’s pretty special.” While Gottwald will reap most of the rewards of the center as an alumnus, he’s enthusiastic about the new programs cadets will experience as more funding becomes available. He particularly likes the idea of the Leader-in-Residence Program, which will bring a current or former leader in government, military or business to Post for several weeks annually; Friday Night at the Movies, in which films with leadership and ethical themes will be shown to cadets in the auditorium; and an increased effort to include the wider community in symposia that are held at the center. To learn more about supporting the Center for Leadership and Ethics, contact Douglas E. “Red” Taylor, vice president operations, VMI Foundation, 540/4647287; rtaylor@vmiaa.org.

Cadet Thomas Gottwald ’09 in front of the Center for Leadership and Ethics. Gottwald’s grandfather, Bruce Gottwald ’54, has played a key role in supporting construction and initial programming for the center.

2009- Issue 1

155

INSTITUTE Lippiatt Joins Prestigious List of Rhodes Scholars Cadet Gregory E. Lippiatt ’09 is one of 32 American men and women selected to receive the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship. In the process, the York, Pennsylvania, native also became the 11th cadet from VMI to earn the honor since 1921. Gen. J.H. Binford Peay III ’62, superintendent of VMI, noted that Lippiatt is a well-rounded cadet, excelling academically, athletically and militarily. “We are all very proud of Greg,” Peay said. “In addition to being academically accomplished, he is a battalion commander, which is a senior position in the Corps of Cadets. He is well liked and respected. He will be a splendid Army officer.” A member of the Institute Honors program, Lippiatt ’09 is double majoring in history and English, with a concentration in military history. His scholarly interests are focused on the medieval period, and he intends to pursue a doctorate in medieval studies following his study at Oxford and his service as an Army officer. Lippiatt plays for the VMI rugby club and the College Bowl team; is editor of Sounding Brass, VMI’s literary magazine; has written for a military history journal; and has acted in four college plays. In 2007, Lippiatt studied medieval British history at Oxford University’s Magdalen College. He is proficient in French and reads Latin and Middle English, and at Oxford, he plans to use those skills to work on a master of studies degree in Byzantine studies. Elliot F. Gerson, American secretary of the Rhodes Trust, called the Rhodes Scholarships, “the oldest and best known award for international study and arguably the most famous academic award available to American college graduates.” The scholarship program was created in 1902 by the will of Cecil Rhodes, British philanthropist and African colonial pioneer. The first class of American Rhodes Scholars entered Oxford in 1904. Lippiatt was one of more than 1,500 students to apply for the scholarships. Of those, 769 were endorsed by 207 different colleges and universities. The Rhodes Trust pays all college and university fees, provides a stipend to cover necessary expenses while in residence in Oxford as well as during vacations, and transportation to and from England. Gerson estimates that the total value of the scholarship averages approximately $50,000 per year. In addition to being selected as a Rhodes Scholar, Lippiatt is a finalist for the Marshall Scholarship, a two-year opportunity for study in the United Kingdom, and a nominee for the Gates Cambridge Scholarship, which allows students from outside the United Kingdom to study as graduate students at the University of Cambridge. 156

Institute Prepares Cadets for Scholarship Opportunities

Each year, thousands of the nation’s best and brightest college students apply for prize scholarships such as the Rhodes, Marshall, Truman and Gates Cambridge. The competition is fierce, and only a small percentage of applicants win the prize. However, for the past six years, cadets from VMI have brought home quite a few. Cadet Greg Lippiatt recently was awarded one of 32 prestigious Rhodes Scholarships reserved for Americans. (See article at left for more about Lippiatt.) The last cadet to receive this award to study at Oxford University was Michael Lokale of Kenya in 2003. Also, Will Flathers ’08, VMI’s first Goldwater Scholar, currently is studying engineering at Sheffield University in England as the Institute’s first Marshall Scholar. Chris Fields ’07, the Institute’s first Jack Kent Cooke Scholar, is studying law at Washington and Lee University, and former cadets Lawton Way ’05 and Rich Meredith ’07 were selected for the highly competitive Teach For America program. (Continued next page)

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

INSTITUTE (Editor’s Note: See article about Way and Meredith in the front section of this issue.) What’s in the water on Post that is creating such success in the pursuit of scholarships? According to Lippiatt, it’s the support of the Institute Honors Program and the guidance of Col. Rob McDonald, associate dean of the faculty, and Louis Blair, the Mary Moody-Northen Chair in Arts and Social Sciences. “Col. McDonald and Mr. Blair were immensely helpful in my application process,” said Lippiatt. “I also credit the Institute Honors Program for the reinforcement it provides in academic pursuits. Being part of the program gives you more exposure to the world outside of the Institute; you get closer to your professors, and you are encouraged to take advantage of opportunities like these scholarships.” Lippiatt had heard of the Rhodes Scholarship when he came to Post as a fourth class cadet, but he never dreamed it would be within his reach. Under the direction of McDonald and Blair, Lippiatt began the application process for the Marshall and Rhodes scholarships last April. He considered putting his name in the hat for the Truman Scholarship but decided that it was not the best opportunity for him. According to McDonald, participants in the Institute Honors Program aren’t just VMI’s brightest students. They are leaders with interesting backgrounds and are active in a variety of nonacademic pursuits. “Any cadet who has a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or above can be considered for the program, but it is not just about academics,” said McDonald. “Participation in co-curricular activities and the regimental system, club sports and leadership activities are important. Therefore, we view Institute Honors cadets as prime candidates for these prestigious national awards, and they receive a regular flow of information, encouragement and assistance in applying for them.”

2009- Issue 1

McDonald added that, unlike other institutions that have full staffs on hand to support scholarship application, VMI takes a less formal approach. Institute faculty members begin talking about these opportunities in a broad way, and Institute Honors cadets in all years of their cadetship receive information on scholarships as it becomes available. “Some institutions identify potential candidates when they are freshmen and groom them throughout their four years,” he said. “It is like a beauty pageant in some cases. With that approach, we could have more nominees, but I like to see them percolate up on their own.” McDonald credits Blair’s ability to help cadets identify the right opportunity as part of the Institute’s recent success, as well. A visiting professor for the past two years, Blair brings a unique perspective to the application process. For 17 years, Blair was the Truman Scholarship Foundation’s executive secretary, and he serves or has sat on selection committees for the Stennis Congressional Staff Fellows Program and the Truman, Marshall, Gates Cambridge, Rhodes, Coca-Cola and Robertson scholarships. In that capacity, he has visited more than 200 college campuses and interviewed more than 3,000 candidates. “I remember the days when you could type up an application in an afternoon and get a Fulbright – those days are long gone,” said Blair. “These programs require more than exceptional candidates; you really have to know how to market yourself, and you have to show these programs why they should invest in you.” Blair added that a good applicant must have an excellent transcript, a well-labored personal statement, participation in pertinent activities, winning letters of recommendation and good logic. Candidates must spend a great deal of time thinking about who they are, what they believe in and what they want to do with their lives. He and McDonald invest a great deal of time

with cadets interested in scholarship opportunities doing just that, and their role in reviewing applications can be critical. Lippiatt can attest to that. He returned to Post last fall with a draft of his personal statement, which Blair and McDonald rejected. He went back to the drawing board and found his second draft to be less contrived and more genuine. Obviously, the Rhodes committee did, too. While the process of self-exploration can be time consuming in an environment where every minute counts, it is the only reward some cadets receive. Cadet Rammy Barbari was a finalist for the Truman Scholarship and is VMI’s first nominee for the Soros Fellowship, which provides graduate study support for new Americans. Either opportunity would have supported his desire to earn graduate degrees and eventually work for the federal government. “I had to really dig deep and do some soul searching for these scholarships,” said Barbari. “I had to really think long and hard about my values, beliefs and moral compass, and I had to really research and plan out an outline for my future. “I learned just how fierce the competition is at the higher-level stages of these competitions – the intellect and accomplishments of my competitors unparalleled anything I’ve experienced before,” he added. “Not receiving either scholarship was disappointing, but I did gain a lot professionally and personally from having gone through the experience.” Note: In addition to Greg Lippiatt, the following VMI alumni have been awarded the Rhodes Scholarship: Samuel W. Washington Jr. ’21, Henry H. Cooke ’21, John W. Pendleton ’28, Robert Q. Marston ’44, William B. Adams ’47, George W. Hardy III ’54, Lee D. Badgett ’61, Josiah Bunting III ’63, Robert C. Randolph ’67 and Michael Lokale ’03.

157

INSTITUTE McDonald Named Acting Dean of VMI Col. Robert L. McDonald has been named VMI’s acting deputy superintendent for academics and dean of the faculty. He takes the place of Col. William J. Stockwell, who was acting dean until his death on Feb. 4, 2009. McDonald has been the associate dean for academic affairs since 2000. He has a Ph.D. from Texas Christian University and has published work in his major field – 20th-century American literature, particularly southern literature – and on methods of teaching composition. He has edited two books on Erskine Caldwell, The Critical Response to Erskine Caldwell and a book containing a collection of letters. He also co-edited the books Southern Women Playwrights – New Essays in Literary History and Criticism; Teaching Composition in the 90s – Sites of Contention; and Teaching Writing – Landmarks and Horizons. He is also a professional photographer. McDonald has received the VMI Distinguished Teaching Award, the VMI Thomas Jefferson Teaching Award and the Matthew Fontaine Maury Research Award. At the time of this writing, VMI is in the process of a national search for a permanent dean. The search is expected to be com-

pleted during the spring and the new dean is expected to begin work during summer 2009.

Smith’s Glasses Restored Overman ’50B and Wife Anne Assure Completion of Repair In the photo at left, Andrew Baxter of Richmond is cleaning and repairing the bronze statue of Gen. Francis Smith, VMI’s first superintendent, which stands in front of Smith Hall. When the late William C. Overman Jr. ’50B noticed that vandals had taken the glasses that earned Smith the nickname “Old Specs,” he committed to having the statue repaired. Regrettably, Overman passed away before the work could be accomplished. His wife, Anne, picked up the project and assured the completion of the important work as a tribute to her husband’s love of the Institute. During the statue’s restoration, Baxter re-fabricated the glasses and welded them into place. VMI photo by Kevin Remington.

158

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

INSTITUTE Award-Winning Poets Headline Poetry Symposium Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Yusef Komunyakaa headlined VMI’s second annual Poetry Symposium at an event that brought together student poets and critics from nine area colleges, including VMI, Hollins, Washington and Lee, Southern Virginia, Bridgewater, Roanoke, Lynchburg, Randolph and the University of Virginia. The symposium began with a reading by Komunyakaa and celebrated lyric poet Julia Kasdorf on March 6 in the Nichols Engineering Hall auditorium. Earlier in the day, the guest poets were on hand for interviews, classroom appearances and workshops. “According to former United States Poet Laureate Robert Hass, Komunyakaa’s work is among the best writing on our war in Vietnam, and many readers have been greatly affected by ‘Facing It,’ his poem on Washington, D.C.’s, Vietnam memorial, and other creations,” said Col. Gordon Ball, VMI professor of English. “Ms. Kasdorf’s poetry, particularly that in her 1998 volume Eve’s Striptease, has been noted for its vivid lyricism and its tension between the author’s Mennonite upbringing and experiences in the larger world. We are fortunate to have both here for our symposium.” Komunyakaa In addition to winning the Pulitzer Prize, Komunyakaa has received a National Endowment of the Arts fellowship and the prestigious Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize, among others. He is a distinguished senior poet in New York University’s graduate creative writing program and has taught at the University of

Indiana, University of New Orleans and Princeton University. Kasdorf has won the Pushcart Prize for Poetry, Thomas Wolfe Memorial Poetry Prize and the Book of the Year Award from the Conference on Christianity and Literature. She is associate professor of English and women’s studies at Pennsylvania State University and has taught at New York University. “For some, VMI and poetry may seem an unlikely pairing, but many others recognize that the Institute has a history of outstanding poetry connections,” said Ball. “There have been memorable readings on Post by Allen Ginsberg, Elizabeth Seydel Morgan, Iraq War vet Brian Turner and many others. Today’s Kasdorf creative writing classes are filled to capacity; the student literary magazine, Sounding Brass, showcases our many student poets; and last spring’s first-ever poetry symposium featured readings by Pulitzer Prize-winner Claudia Emerson and Vietnam veteran Bruce Weigl.” On March 7, students presented papers on poetry and original poems, and Komunyakaa delivered the keynote address, “Poetry at Work in the World.” In addition, Kasdorf took part in an afternoon roundtable on writing and teaching poetry. The symposium was sponsored by the Office of the Dean, Office of Undergraduate Research, Institute Writing Program, VMI Department of English and Fine Arts, Sigma Tau Delta, and the Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation.

Institute Honors Daniels ’61 at Cathedral in England During the Christmas 2008 holidays, the Institute honored Jonathan M. Daniels ’61 by placing a floral arrangement in the Corona Chapel at Canterbury Cathedral in England. The chapel honors modern saints of the Episcopal Church, including Daniels, who sacrificed his life in 1965 in order to save the life of a young girl, Ruby Sales, in Hayneville, Alabama. In the photo at left is retired VMI Economics and Business Department faculty member Bill Schwartz in front of the floral arrangement and card that reads, “The cadets, faculty, staff and alumni of the Virginia Military Institute honor the memory of its alumnus, Jonathan Daniels ’61.”

2009- Issue 1

159

ATHLETICS ATHLETICS

VMI Basketball Featured in Sports Illustrated

Seniors Travis and Chavis Holmes.

At the time the above feature article appeared in Sports Illustrated (Feb. 9, 2009), VMI had a 20-4 overall record, was leading the country in points per game, had equaled the record for fastest Big South team to attain 20 wins and had set a new school mark for conference wins, with 11. In short, VMI was enjoying the school’s best start in 32 years. Press time update: In a March 2009 statement, Athletic Director Donnie White ’65 said: “Although VMI is not participating in any of the postseason college basketball tournaments that include teams that didn’t qualify for the NCAA tournament, ... we are proud of our basketball team’s accomplishments this year and salute Coach Baucom and the team for a job well done; 24 wins, leading the nation in scoring for three consecutive years, and noteworthy national publicity are some of the accomplishments that produced the most exciting VMI basketball season in three decades.” See http://www.vmikeydets.com for more postseason information. Image copyright Sports Illustrated, provided by VMI Communications and Marketing. Photos by Greg Nelson and Chuck Steenburgh/SportsPhotoGuy.com.

160

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

ATHLETICS A Blistering Start for VMI Basketball Entering the month of February 2009, the basketball team was off to its best start in over three decades and stood at 17-3. The Keydets, who had to replace graduated senior and two-time national leading scorer Reggie Williams ’08, opened the 2008-09 campaign with a shocking upset of national powerhouse Kentucky, 111-103, before 22,000 fans at storied Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky. It marked VMI’s first win over an SEC opponent since 1975-76 when VMI topped Tennessee, 81-75, in the first round of the NCAA tournament. The Kentucky victory, which could be considered the greatest regular season win in the program’s 101year history, catapulted the Keydets to greater heights not seen since the glory teams of the mid-70s. Other 2008-09 basketball mid-season notes as of Feb. 1 are as follows: • VMI stood 10-1 at home for its best mark at Cameron Hall since the 1995-96 season. • The Keydets canned a school record 24 three-pointers in its 113-92 win over Southern Virginia on Jan. 29,

surpassing the old mark of 22 and falling just four shy of the NCAA Division I record. • VMI continued to lead the nation in scoring and was bidding to become the third school in Division I to lead the country for three straight seasons. • The 17-3 overall mark as of Feb. 1 was VMI’s best start since the 197677 campaign when it opened the year 22-1. • VMI seniors Travis and Chavis Holmes became the all-time leading NCAA Division I twin brother, scoring duo against High Point and surpassed VMI standouts Ramon and Damon Williams who played between 1987-90. At the time of the record breaking, the Holmes brothers had 3,262 points. • A record crowd of 5,029 spectators filled Cameron Hall for the first sellout in the facility’s 28-year history when VMI played Liberty on Jan. 17.

2009- Issue 2

161

ATHLETICS

Football Players Honored by Big South on Postseason Squads Six football players were named to the 2008 Big South All-Conference second team, as announced in conjunction with the leagueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s postseason awards. Named on offense were junior quarterback Tim Maypray, junior fullback Howard Abegesah, junior offensive lineman George Handler and sophomore offensive lineman James Boatright. Named to the second team defensive squad was redshirt freshman linebacker A.J. Gross. Senior tight end and long snapper Travis Ludden was named to the second team as a long snap specialist. Both Maypray and Abegesah are repeat second team honorees as positional players. Maypray was also a 2007 first team pick at kick returner. Senior linebacker Jacob Rochester was also voted ScholarAthlete of the Year by the league sports information directors. (See article on Rochester in this section.) Season recaps of each player honored are as follows:

Quarterback #28 Tim Maypray, Junior Madisonville, Kentucky (Randolph-Macon Academy) Ranked third in the BSC in rushing. Became the first QB in BSC to rush for over 1,000 yards in a season. Rushed for a career-high 235 yards vs. PC and also caught a 75-yard TD pass while accounting for 232 all-purpose yards which is second most in BSC history. First BSC player with 1,000 career

Junior Howard Abegesah is ranked fifth in the Big South Conference in rushing.

rushing and receiving yards. Second in career all-purpose yards in BSC history (4,279). Had six rushing 100-yard plus rushing games in 2008 including 134 yards vs. W&M and 130 yards vs. Ohio. Named BSC of the Week for Sept. 8, Oct. 13 and Nov. 22. Had seven straight games with at least 40+-yard run and four games with at least a run of 60+ yards. Caught seven passes on year including a 75-yard TD vs. PC. Had 12 rushing TDs, tied for third most in school history and set Big South QB season record in that category. Second in BSC in rushing TDs (12) and holds top two all-purpose games in BSC history. Named National Player of the Week by the Sports Network for his game against Presbyterian Nov. 22.

Running Back #31 Howard Abegesah, Junior Beltsville, Maryland (High Point) Ranked fifth in the BSC in rushing and finished the season with back-to-back strong effort against Stony Brook (109 yards) and Presbyterian (151 yards). Had 124 yards and three touchdowns including a career-long, 63-yard TD run against Chowan. Rushed for 102 yards and a touchdown against Charleston Southern. Ranked fifth in BSC in yards per carry (6.6) and sixth in the BSC in rushing TDs (6). Was 10th in the league in total offense (86.1). Sidelined two games (week 5 and 6) with knee injury. Accounted for five runs of at least 27 yards or more on the season.

Offensive Lineman #60 James Boatright, Sophomore Grayson, Georgia (Grayson)

Junior Tim Maypray helped spark the VMI offense at both quarterback and slotback.

162

Has made 22 consecutive starts on the offensive line â&#x20AC;&#x201C;all at center. Has led the VMI offensive line in knockdowns over the last two years and has amassed 172 over that time. Helped VMI to its third consecutive Big South Conference rushing crown and a school and Big South record 3,932 yards and 357.5 VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

ATHLETICS yards per game which topped the FCS charts. Helped VMI pile up 300+ yards rushing in eight games in 2008. Also helped Keydets convert 26 of 32 (81.2%) red-zone scoring opportunities.

Offensive Lineman #55 George Handler, Junior Quinton, Virginia (New Kent) Has made 30 consecutive starts on the offensive line and is the only VMI offensive lineman to have played all five offensive line positions during his career. Lined up at left guard in 2008. Has consistently graded as the highest offensive lineman and helped VMI to its third consecutive Big South Conference rushing crown and a school and Big South record 3,932 yards and 357.5 yards per game which topped the FCS charts. Helped VMI amass 300+ yards rushing in eight games in 2008. Also helped Keydets convert 26 of 32 (81.2%) red-zone scoring opportunities.

Linebacker #7 A.J. Gross, R-Freshman Waldorf, Maryland (Westlake) Led the team in tackles with 67 stops and also paced the defense with 14.5 tacklesfor-loss which ranked second overall in the Big South. Led the Big South in tacklesfor-loss in conference games with 8.0 for 33 yards. Four sacks for 20 yards including three 3.0 in BSC games which placed him

Senior Jacob Rochester was named Big South Football Scholar-Athlete for 2008.

second. Was named Big South Defensive Player against Coastal Carolina Oct. 11 when he logged a season- and career-high 13 tackles including six solos, seven assists, five tackles-for-loss for 27 yards and three sacks for 20 yards. Forced a fumble against Presbyterian. Also had nine tackles against Liberty with a tackle-for-loss. Ranked 9th in the league in tackles per game (7.4) in conference games.

Long Snapper #90 Travis Ludden, R-Senior Fredericksburg, Virginia (Massaponax) Handled long snapping duties for 10 of 11 games. Helped VMI convert 48 of 58 PAT attempts and a 96% PAT percentage which topped the Big South Conference. Had just one punt blocked on the season in 45 attempts. Also played tight end and caught two passes for 45 yards and a touchdown and rushed for a two-yard touchdown in season finale. One of just four eligibility seniors on the squad.

Military Classic of the South Returns in 2011

The Citadel and VMI athletics departments have agreed to bring back the “Military Classic of the South” football game. The agreement is for both teams to meet on the gridiron for six years – three in Charleston and three in Lexington, alternating seasons, with the first at Johnson Hagood Stadium in 2011. The series between the two schools dates back to 1920. Since 1946, the teams have met every year with the exception of 1956, 2004 and 2008.The Bulldogs lead the series 34-30-2 with 21 of those wins in Charleston, where the teams have played on 31 occasions. The teams have met in Lexington for 26 games and at neutral sites for nine. “I am very happy that VMI and The Citadel will resume the great football rivalry,” said VMI Athletics Director Donny White ’65. “We look forward with great anticipation to the Military Classic of the South in 2011.” The series was coined Military Classic of the South in 1976 by Citadel President Lt. Gen. Seignious. In 1976, the game was held in Charleston, and VMI graduate

2009- Issue 2

Bobby Ross ’59 was the head coach for The Citadel. The Keydets claimed the first victory, 30-14, and returned to Lexington with “the Silver Shako,” the official trophy of the classic. The Citadel first gained possession of the Silver Shako in 1978 with a 14-3 win in Charleston, and the prized trophy has changed hands many times since. At this time, the Bulldogs maintain possession after a 2007 victory in Lexington. The Military Classic of the South has also received national attention throughout its history and has been televised to a national audience four times throughout the series – in 1983 on TBS, in 1989 on Family Net, in 1994 on Prime Network (the forerunner of Fox Sports Net) and in 2007 on CSTV (now CBS College Sports). “I am excited about renewing the series between The Citadel and VMI,” said Citadel Athletics Director Larry Leckonby. “I know the rivalry has been a significant part of the football tradition here, and we look forward to bringing it back in 2011.”

163

ATHLETICS

Men’s Soccer 2008 Season Wrap-up Men’s soccer concluded its season on Nov. 13, 2008, with percentage (76.1%), and eighth in goals against average. a defeat in the first round of the Big South Conference The second-year netminder pitched a pair of shutouts, coming in back-to-back games in mid tournament. Despite the setback, October, to boost VMI to their two the Keydets had several positives wins of the 2008 campaign. In adcome out of the 2008 campaign. dition, the Yorktown, Virginia, naOn Oct. 18, VMI knocked off the tive led the Big South in saves per Appalachian State Mountaineers game, having stopped 5.58 shots 2-0 at Patchin Field. Longtime per contest, more than 1.3 better Keydet rival Appalachian State than the next-best goalkeeper. had been 37-1 all-time versus Joining Sowell with postseason VMI, but as a result of goals from honors were Daniel Welsh, Ayou Andrew Self and Brian Harding, Sossou and Brandon Gary. Gary the home team beat the Mountainand Sossou, two defenders who eers for the first time since 2002. saw frequent action in 2008, were In that victory, Keydet keeper Brian Keydet keeper Brian Sowell ranked fourth named to the All-Freshman Team, Sowell made six saves. He enjoyed in the Big South in save percentage with a 76.1%. while Welsh was named to the Allan outstanding regular season and Academic Team. Welsh was also was rewarded with a berth on the named to the ESPN the Magazine/ Big South All-Second Team. Despite missing the campaign’s first three games, he finished CoSIDA Academic All-District Second Team on the strength the regular season ranked fourth in the Big South in save of his 3.8 GPA and stellar academic record.

Linebacker Jacob Rochester ’09 Receives Academic Accolades Senior linebacker Jacob Rochester (Dallas, Texas/ Bishop Lynch) has been voted 2008 Big South Conference Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year. The annual award is voted on by the conference’s sports information directors. Rochester, who as of this writing holds a 3.93 grade point average as an economics and business major, is a 2008 ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic AllDistrict selection for the third straight year and has also been named to the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Athletic Directors Association (ADA) National Academic All-Star squad three years running. Rochester is a three-time Big South Presidential Honor Roll

member and has twice been named to the conference’s all-academic team. Rochester started all but one game in the 2008 season for VMI and ranked sixth on the squad with 52 total tackles. His tackle-for-loss number of 8.5 placed him second on the team. Rochester had a season-high 16 tackles and 3.0 TFL with an interception vs. Presbyterian on Nov. 22. He also had seven stops and an interception against Coastal Carolina on Oct. 11 and posted 3.0 TFL and 2.0 sacks in the season opener against Saint Francis. Before graduating from VMI, Rochester is spending his spring 2009 semester studying abroad as part of the Semester at Sea program.

Editor’s Note: Unless stated otherwise, the articles and photos in the Athletics section of the Alumni Review are provided by the VMI Sports Information Office.

164

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

VMI FOUNDATION, INC.

2008 Distinguished Service Award Grover C. Outland ’49C On Nov. 11, 2008, the VMI Foundation presented Grover C. Outland ’49C and G. Gilmer Minor III ’63 with its highest honor, the Distinguished Service Award. The Distinguished Service Award is presented to alumni and friends of the Institute who have shown extraordinary dedication to the welfare and advancement of VMI and to the work of the VMI Foundation on behalf of the Institute. On that day, after they were presented with the Award, both gentlemen addressed the audience assembled for the Founders Day Convocation in Cameron Hall. Mr. Outland’s remarks are presented below. Grover C. Outland ’49C Biography: Grover Outland matriculated from Norfolk, Virginia, in July 1945 and graduated in January 1949 with a degree in English and a commission in the field artillery. Only days after he graduated from Washington and Lee University’s Law School in August 1951, he reported to active duty. Outland served with the 235th Field Artillery Observation Battalion in Korea from late 1952 until August 1953. For his service, he received the Bronze Star. He began practicing law in the Tidewater area in October 1953, focusing on litigation, estates and corporate law. He ultimately formed the partnership of Outland & Gray with George H. Gray (who he had met at Washington and Lee), which later became the firm of Outland, Gray, O’Keefe & Hubbard. Outland retired from the active practice of law on Jan. 1, 2002. Outland has participated in many civic activities in the Norfolk area. He has been president of the Central YMCA and the Norfolk Council on Alcoholism as well as a member of the Rotary Club and the American Legion. He has decades of service to VMI and the VMI Alumni Agencies. He has served on the board of directors of The VMI Alumni Association since 1965 and as the president 2009- Issue 2

of the association’s Norfolk Chapter. From 1981-83, he was president of the Alumni Association. He served for one term on the VMI Board of Visitors from 1992-95 and one term on the board of governors of the Keydet Club in the 1970s. Outland’s Remarks: It is with a good deal of pleasure that I accept this Distinguished Service Award, the highest honor of the VMI Foundation, and can only say that any service I might have rendered to VMI over the past 60 years was because of my love for this great school and what it stands for: duty, honor, country and a well-rounded education. My class of 1949B, with approximately 170 Brother Rats, matriculated 63 years ago this past July 10th. World War II against Japan was still going on. VMI was in session 12 months each year with two classes, A and B, entering during the 12-month period, approximately every six months. My parents drove me up from Norfolk, Virginia, and as they dropped me off at J.M. Hall, my mother said, “You go in, register, get settled in your room, and then we will take you into Lexington for something to eat.” You and I know that was not to be. I marched past my parents several times after that; my mother was crying, and I thought to myself, “What is she crying about? I’m the one in trouble!” Soon as there were eight to 10 of us, they formed us into a squad, and we went into Barracks through Washington Arch. All of the upperclassmen were yelling and shouting at us as we walked down the Ratline with our gear. I had a tennis racket. I was a football Rat. An upperclassman yelled at me, “Whoa, you Fat Rat. Step out of the Ratline;” which I did, whereupon he said, “What’s with the tennis racquet? What do you think this is? A country club?” I laughed. He took my name, and I knew I was in for it. At that time, VMI cadets roomed on the first two stoops, and the Army Specialized

Training Program (ASTP) roomed on the third and forth stoops. This [the ASTP] was a program in which enlisted personnel, if qualified, could enter and continue their education under the auspices of the Army. This was a good program until casualties in Europe began to mount in the winter of 1944-45 with the Army running out of troops. Some of these young men were transferred to the Army as replacements, most of them in the infantry, incurring considerable casualties in Europe, particularly in the Battle of the Bulge. Whenever there was a drumming out for an Honor Court violation, the members of the ASTP were marched into J.M. Hall while the Corps held the Honor Court proceedings in the courtyard of Barracks. As I proceeded through the crucible known as the VMI system, I witnessed Brother Rats and members of other classes being drummed out for honor violations and dismissed for either academic deficiencies or misconduct. The actions taken regarding the honor violation made a lasting impression on me which I remember to this day. During my cadetship, we had some interesting professors, one of whom was Col. B.D. Mayo, a math professor here at VMI for many years, who had some witticisms that he used when addressing a cadet such as I who was having a particularly tough time in his class. They were as follows: “You stand as much chance of passing this course as a one-legged man in a butt-kicking contest;” or “There are two ways to close a transom. You can push the button and close the transom very easily, pushing up on a rod attached to the transom, or you can stand on your hands and kick it shut with your feet;” or “There are two ways to kill fleas on a dog. You can put flea powder on the dog, and it will kill the fleas, or you can sprinkle a little bourbon on the dog and then put sand on him, and the drunken fleas will stone themselves to death.” I never did understand what these 165

VMI FOUNDATION, INC. witticisms had to do with mathematics, 29th, having passed the state bar exam in the battery and had sat at my table as a Rat but interestingly enough, I have never July 1951. – most of the time under the table! The CO forgotten them. I reported to the 235th Field Artillery of our battery was a West Point graduate. And then there was Herb Patchin, the Observation Battalion in September 1951 We operated on the main line of resistance head trainer at VMI for many years who, at Camp McCoy, Wisconsin, reporting to approximately 50 miles northwest of Seoul when we upset a particular football team Lt. Col. Salvo Rizza, a West Point graduate. in the mountainous area of Korea. such as Vanderbilt and North Carolina The previous battalion commander had The battery did an outstanding job and State – which we did in 1945 at their home- been court-martialed and separated from received a unit citation as a result of its accomings –would very judiciously say, “The the service along with most of the battalion tions in locating Chinese artillery, mortars Christians ate the lions.” officers. Col. Rizza had been assigned to the and other intelligence through sound, flash During my second class year, my par- battalion to straighten it out. He reviewed and radar. ents came up to VMI one weekend and my 201 file and then said, “I see you graduYou will find once you have entered were present on the Parade Ground for ated from VMI.” To which I replied, “Yes, the armed forces or civilian life that VMI the Friday afternoon garrison graduates, even though we are review. My mother was talking few in number, are everywhere. to Col. William Hundley, one “The Institute will be heard of our professors who we called from today” is as relevant today (behind his back) “College Bill.” as it was in 1863 when, at the As the cadets were marching Battle of Chancellorsville, as off the Parade Ground, my his army prepared to roll up mother told Col. Hundley, “How Gen. Hooker’s right flank, Gen. wonderful it is that we know Jackson, observing so many VMI where our son is every night.” alumni on his staff and in the With that, Col. Hundley took ranks of his army, made that his rather large cigar out of his statement. mouth and said, “Madam, if you When you graduate, rememknow that, you know a lot more ber the monkey will be on your than we do.” back, whether in the armed Approximately 90 of us graduforces or in civilian life, to live ated on Jan. 29, 1949, with me up to the reputation established as a first class private. Most of by those VMI graduates who the class was called to active have gone before and have been duty because of the Russian faithful to the principles of duty, Grover C. Outland ’49B addressing the Founders Day blockade of Berlin and other honor and country. Convocation attendees. Photo by Kevin Remington, VMI. unrest in the world. (Sounds Participate in the affairs of familiar, doesn’t it?) I was aclocal, state and national govcepted by Washington and Lee ernment. Become active in the Law School after graduation from VMI and sir.” With that, he said, “I don’t have to Alumni Association; support the Foundaentered Feb. 15, 1949, in the middle of the tell you a thing. One of the finest officers tion and the Keydet Club, and as you proacademic year. I found Washington and I served with in World War II was a VMI ceed through life, remember the following Lee to be so unlike VMI but quite similar graduate. Now go out there, and give them quote by William A. Ward: in many ways: small colleges, small classes, hell.” Accordingly, I did just that. “Each of us one will be judged by our an excellent honor system, proud traditions The monkey was then on my back to per- standard of life ... not by our standard of livand outstanding academics. This was before form up to the VMI standards and reputa- ing; by our measure of giving … not by our the co-eds, but there was a vibrant social life tion established by the many VMI graduates measure of wealth; by our simple goodness in which I felt compelled to participate. who had served in the armed forces, includ- … not by our seeming greatness.” The Korean War began on June 25, ing Brother Rats who had been wounded Thank you. 1950, which resulted in additional orders or killed in Korea. I immediately forgot being issued. I did not receive my orders any idea of being an Army lawyer and went for active duty until April 1951. Since I to work within the battalion as executive had accelerated my graduation date from officer of C Battery, 235th Field Artillery Editor’s Note: Unless stated otherwise, all articles in the Foundation law school by attending two summer ses- Observation Battalion. The battalion was section of the Alumni Review are sions, I obtained a delay in reporting for ordered to Korea in October 1952. Another provided by the VMI Foundation. duty until Sept. 6, 1951, which allowed VMI graduate, Richey Dickson ’50B, who is me to graduate from law school on Aug. present here today, was the survey officer of 166

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

VMI FOUNDATION, INC.

New Trustees Join VMI Foundation When the VMI Foundation’s Board of Trustees convened its fall meeting on Nov. 9, 2008, four new trustees, all of whom joined the board on July 1, 2008, attended their first meeting. T. Bryan Barton ’68 is a vice president and partner with IBM Corporation’s Global Business Services organization with responsibility for application software development, consulting and systems integration services for federal, state and provincial governments. His special areas of focus are customs and border management, with clients in major countries around the world. With the exception of service as an armored cavalry officer in the U.S. Army from 1969-71, he has been with IBM his entire professional career. During this time, he has held a variety of management positions in sales, marketing, product development, consulting and professional services. He assumed his current position in 2000 and is based in IBM’s Fairfax, Virginia, headquarters for Government Operations. As a cadet, Barton majored in biology and was a member of The Virginia Academy of Science. He was a cadet captain and company commander during his first class year. Barton was also a Distinguished Military Student and Distinguished Military Graduate. During his Rat year, he was a member of the swimming team and was a charter member of the Soccer Club his first class year. He actively participated in a variety of intramural sports and was a member of his class’s Ring Committee. Barton was a member of Mary Baldwin College’s Advisory Board of Visitors and in 2007 was elected to the college’s board of trustees. His other civic activities include working with Volunteer Fairfax – Fairfax County’s Emergency Medical Response program – and serving as mentor to the Student Government Association at James Madison High School in Vienna, Virginia. He and his wife, Mary Ann, are the parents of three grown children and live in Oakton, Virginia. Kim-Ying (Danny) Chu ’83 graduated from VMI with a bachelor of science degree in physics. As a cadet, he was a four-year member of the Karate Club and served as its president during his first class year. Chu’s professional life has been spent in the information technology sector, starting as a junior programmer with JWK International Corporation in Annandale, Virginia, in 1984. Until 1996, he worked for numerous companies, such as NEC Technologies, Inc., and Hughes Information Technology Corpora2009- Issue 2

Miller ’61

Jumper ’66

Barton ’68

Chu ’83

tion, specializing in technical project management, computer programming, system design, database management, user training and documentation. In 1996, Chu founded his own IT company, LEX, that focused primarily on fingerprint matching and other biometric technologies for customers in the field of law enforcement, healthcare and biometrics. When he sold his interest in this company in 2001, it employed more than 90 people, had annual revenues of more than $13 million and had merged with Keyware Solutions, Inc. In 2001, Chu founded two businesses. The first business, Digipixart, develops and operates an online photo viewing, sharing and purchasing system for professional photographers and other organizations with a need to display digital images for revenue generating purposes. The second business, XEL Solutions, which is based in Falls Church, Virginia, provides consulting services in areas of information security, system design, and biometrics technology planning and implementation. Its customers include the U.S. Census Bureau and NASA. He also serves as an expert witness in legal matters involving biometrics technologies. Danny and his wife, Lois Ann Bumgarner, live in Haymarket, Virginia. In September 2005, John P. Jumper ’66 retired as the 17th chief of staff of the U.S. Air Force, the first VMI alumnus to be a chief of service since Randolph M. Pate ’21 served as commandant of the Marine Corps from 1956-59. Gen. Jumper’s service as Air Force Chief of Staff capped an extraordinary military career during which he served as commander, Air Combat Command, and commander of U.S. Air Forces Europe and Allied Air Forces Central Europe. A fighter pilot for decades, Jumper also commanded two fighter wings and an F-16 fighter squadron. During his career, he accumulated 5,000 flying hours and more than 1,400 combat hours. Jumper holds a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering from VMI and a M.B.A. from Golden Gate University. During his cadetship, he achieved the rank of lieutenant and participated in many activities including the Newman Club, intramural basketball and the VMI Firefighters. He was a distinguished aerospace student and received the Air Force Vice Commandant’s Award as a first classman. He serves as director of many publicly traded companies, including Goodrich Corporation and SAIC, and is a strategic consultant and public speaker. Besides 167

VMI FOUNDATION, INC. the VMI Foundation, he also is a trustee of the Air Force Association, the George C. Marshall Foundation and the Air Force Village Charitable Foundation. Jumper and his wife, Ellen, live in Burke, Virginia. John C. Miller II ’61 returns to the board of trustees, having previously served from 1991-99. He is the son of Hugh L. Miller ’23 and the brother of Hugh L. Miller Jr. ’59. Miller graduated with a degree in history and served two years with the Army in a cavalry unit in Germany during the Berlin Crisis. After service, he began his career in the insurance business with the Aetna Insurance Company, rising to regional manager by 1970.

He returned to his native Saint Louis in 1971, and after four years with a national insurance brokerage firm, formed C.J. Thomas Company, Inc., which today is one of the largest and most respected regional insurance brokerage firms in the Midwest, with offices in Saint Louis and Richmond, Virginia. Today, he serves the firm as director and chairman emeritus. In 1986, he founded Rural Housing Reinsurance Company, Ltd., of Hamilton, Bermuda, and serves as that company’s president. Miller married his ring figure date, Bette, and they live in Saint Louis. They have two children, Dr. Elizabeth Miller Buchan, a urologist in Seattle, and David Miller, a real estate developer in New Orleans.

Class Agents Even More Critical for VMI Few other colleges can boast of the loyalty of their alumni as VMI can. The intense interest in and dedication to the Institute that VMI alumni of all ages demonstrate is well known within Virginia and, indeed, the country and is an object of pride among the VMI family. The many reasons for this loyalty are numerous, but the hard work and devotion of the dozens of class agents, representing classes from the 1930s to the current decade, are among the more significant. “Our class agents stoke the famous VMI Spirit among our alumni by spending countless hours keeping up with their Brother Rats through telephone calls, e-mails and letters; contributing to the Class Notes section of the VMI Alumni Review; and making visits to Post that allow them to inform their classes of VMI’s progress,” said Patrick Webb, vice president of Alumni and Reunion Giving for the VMI Foundation. “They are, therefore, an enormously important link between the Institute and its alumni.” Another vital role of class agents is as fundraisers. “Every year, they appeal – often many times – to their Brother Rats to provide VMI the private money it needs to sustain and advance the Institute’s extraordinary education,” said Webb. Proof that these appeals work, Webb declared, can be seen in the fund168

raising results of the most recent fiscal year. “When the three funds of VMI Annual Giving – the Foundation Fund, the Keydet Club Scholarship Fund and the Athletic Operations Fund – closed their books for Fiscal Year 2008, they had exceeded their collective goal of raising $6.2 million in support of the Institute,” continued Webb. “While the majority of credit for this success is owed to the thousands of alumni and friends who provided the gifts that made up this magnificent grand total, without the diligent work of the class agents, surpassing the goal would have been impossible.” As pleased as the VMI Alumni Agencies are with the results of VMI Annual Giving in the past few years and the record of class agents as volunteer fundraisers, the current economic situation means that the need for private money and, therefore, alumni participation in Annual Giving is all the more pressing. “The money raised through the Foundation Fund, the Keydet Club Scholarship and the Athletic Operations Fund always has served an important role on Post, providing critically needed support of VMI’s academic, athletic and co-curricular programs,” explained Webb. “Now, however, the recession has prompted a marked decline in the amount of money that

the commonwealth of Virginia can spend on higher education. This cut in public funding could very well stop or even reverse the progress that VMI has made in the past few years, unless it matched by a substantial increase in private donations.” For VMI, the greatest potential source of private money is within its alumni body. “In FY 2008, Annual Giving received gifts from 4,569 alumni; that’s 35.69 percent of all active VMI alumni,” said Webb. While the 2008 figure represents the latest instance of a steady increase in alumni participation, it is not sufficient for these economically troublesome times. “Right now, VMI needs the highest possible level of support from its alumni in terms of giving. Our goal – and it is a realistic one – is to have an alumni participation rate of 50 percent. The men and women who heed the call of their class agents to give to VMI show what can be done for VMI, and all of us at the VMI Alumni Agencies are grateful for their example of dedication to VMI. Who we need to engage and encourage are the thousands of alumni who, for whatever reason, are not supporting VMI financially.” According to Webb, the biggest pool of potential alumni donors is among the younger classes. In general, classes that graduated 40 years ago or more are VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

VMI FOUNDATION, INC. Class Participation The VMI Foundation and the VMI Keydet Club greatly appreciate the support of all classes but are especially grateful to the classes listed below, right, that received support from 50 percent or more of their Brother Rats in the 2008 Annual Giving campaign. Class frequently successful in reaching and surpassing the 50-percent participation mark. For classes that graduated from the late 1960s through the early 1980s, participation hovers in the range of 30 to 40 percent. The percentages fall into the 20s and teens for younger classes, and they are lower than 10 percent for the five most recent graduating classes. “It is entirely understandable that many younger alumni have relatively little discretionary income,” Webb said. “They are faced with college loan payments and the demands of starting their working lives and raising families. However, many are under the mistaken impression that only relatively large gifts are of value to VMI. So, they refrain from giving. “The truth of the matter is that all gifts, no matter their size, help VMI. Moreover, a large number of small gifts can have a very big effect. Let’s say that 1,000 younger alumni decided to give VMI an amount resembling their class year, such as $19.95 or $20.06, a month. Annually, that would mean almost an extra $250,000 for VMI, money that would help make up the probable cuts in state funding.” According to Webb, another important effect of early giving is that it becomes something of a habit. “Young alumni who begin supporting the Institute early on are more likely to continue giving throughout their lives, and that sustained support will make a huge difference to VMI’s future. “Of course, it is unfair to place the burden of increasing alumni participation solely on younger alumni,” continued Webb. “There are many older alumni who do not give to VMI, even though they fully acknowledge the positive effect VMI had on their lives and the importance of VMI’s mission of graduating honorable and purposeful leaders.” All alumni are called to play an active role in the Institute’s life. The first step to answering that call, according to Webb, is to support class agents in their work on behalf of their Brother Rats and the Institute. “You need only to do a few simple things: keep in touch with them, provide them updates on your work and personal data for alumni records and material for class notes, offer to help with their duties, and finally, thank them for their dedicated service.” The second step, said Webb, is to heed class agents’ appeals to take part in the 2009 Alumni Giving campaign. “Many of our class agents visit Post at least once a year, and during their visits, they see first-hand the progress VMI is making and the positive effect private money has on this progress. Their requests for donations, therefore, have an affect on alumni that few other requests can have. This year is an important one for VMI, with much at stake. So, it is critical that the remainder of the 2009 Annual Giving campaign be a success. I am hopeful that all alumni, regardless of age, will listen to their class agents, their Brother Rats, as they make the case for participation with an open mind and then rally to VMI’s cause by making a gift to Annual Giving.”

2009- Issue 2

% Participation

1930 100 1931 100 1932 100 1933 100 1935 100 1940 100 1944 90 1934 89 1948A 80 1939 74 1958 74 1950B 72 1938 71 1947 71 1943 70 1949A 69 1951 67 1954 67 1955 67 1953 66 1950A 64 1937 63 1942 62 1946 62 1949B 62 1957 61 1936 60 1960 60 1952 59 1948B 58 1959 58 1961 58 1945 57 1949C 57 1956 57 1964 57 1966 55 1941 54 1963 54

169

VMI FOUNDATION, INC. Memorial Gifts The VMI Foundation, Inc., and the VMI Keydet Club, Inc., received the following gifts in memory of deceased alumni, parents and friends during the time frame of Nov. 1 through Dec. 31, 2008.

Mr. John B. Adams ’36 Mr. Michael L. Thompson ’75

Joseph R. Alfonso ’62, DDS Mr. L.B. Wilson Jr. ’62

Mr. and Mrs. Ronald J. Allen Sr. Lt. Ronald J. Allen Jr. ’00, USN

Mr. Allen H. Allison ’47 Col. Maximilian Lamont ’49C, USAF (Ret)

Mrs. Diane Ames Mr. Ronald M. Bryan ’55 and Mrs. Bryan

Col. Harry E. Atkinson ’51, USMC Col. James P. Connolly II ’51, USMC

Mr. Robert Emerson Balch ’71 Mr. Ronald L. Gault Jr. ’71

Mary M. Ball Lt. Col. Alan S. Fojt ’72, USA

Col. Mark C. Bane Jr. ’35, USAF Mr. Jeff C. Bane ’53

Mr. C.S. Venable Barclay ’54 Mr. Jack R. Huyett ’54

Mr. Samuel G. Barnes Allen J. Ellender Jr. ’41, MD

Mr. Robert M. Bartenstein ’43 Mrs. Robert M. Bartenstein

Mr. Charles T. Benedict ’64 Mr. Bernie G. Hylton ’64

Mr. William A. Bickerstaff ’52 Mr. John J. Beall Mr. and Mrs. Thomas N. Innes Mr. Robert L. Lambert ’52 Andrew J. Metz ’45, OD Mr. Ernest J. Oglesby Jr. and Miss Cameron Oglesby

Mr. H. Paul Bigler ’39 Mr. Ilbert D. Brayshaw ’39

Mrs. Rocelia C. Block Mrs. Julia L. Campbell Ms. Elizabeth H. Dietrich

170

Mr. Edwin H. Bodenheim II ’71 Mr. Ronald L. Gault Jr. ’71

Mrs. Nancy P. Bouis Mr. O. Burton Palmer Jr. ’67

Mr. David W. Brazier ’93 Mr. and Mrs. Hunsdon Cary III

Col. George M. Brooke Jr. ’36 Mr. Michael L. Thompson ’75

Mr. James E. Brophy ’56 Mrs. James E. Brophy

Mr. Claud P. Brownley III ’39 Mr. Trenholm L. Brownley ’46

Col. William J. Buchanan ’50B The Honorable Thomas P. Harwood Jr. ’50B and Mrs. Harwood

Mr. Wadsworth Bugg Jr. ’43 Mr. Walter C. Ames III ’52 Mr. William W. Berry ’54 Mr. J.E. Burton IV ’79 Mr. Tazewell Ellett III ’44 and Mrs. Ellett Mr. and Mrs. Richard Fafara Mr. William W. Grove Jr. ’78 Mr. and Mrs. Peter D. Grover Mr. Harry G. Lee ’47 Leipertz Construction Tony and Kathy Lucas Rear Adm. Terence E. McKnight ’78, USN Mr. Charles H. Norris ’80 Ms. Catherine P. Northen Mr. Hayden J. Silver Mr. and Mrs. Frank Talbott IV

Mr. Christopher N. Bunn ’88 Mr. L.B. Wilson Jr. ’62

Mr. Richard L. Burton ’68 Mr. David H. Kennedy ’71

Mr. John W. Butler ’86 Mrs. Marian P. Butler

Mr. Paul Cabell ’42 Mr. Walter E. Woelper Sr. ’42

Mr. Daniel D. Cameron ’42 Mr. Walter E. Woelper Sr. ’42

Mr. Linwood H. Clark Jr. ’56 Mrs. James E. Brophy Mrs. Ann Bowers Catterton Ms. Nell C. Dove Mrs. Sallie R. Gaddy Mr. and Mrs. H. Lewis Garrett Mrs. Sonja G. Kombs Ms. Ann Lathrop and Fred and Mildred Rees Mr. Kenneth McDonald Jr. ’56 Mr. and Mrs. William H. McLarin

Mr. and Mrs. John S. Miller Jr. Mr. and Mrs. R. Edward Nance Ms. Louise L. Painter Mr. and Mrs. George W. Patteson Mr. George E. Penn Jr. ’56 Dr. Paul A. Stroup Jr. and Mrs. Stroup Mr. A.T. Witherington

Lamar W. Coleman ’55, PhD Mrs. Lamar W. Coleman Mr. Ralph A. Frye Jr. ’55

Mr. Ronald S. Cottrell

Mr. Graham L. Undercoffer ’74

Maj. Gen. Richard C. Coupland ’15, USAF Mrs. William R. Coupland

Mr. William R. Coupland ’55 Mrs. William R. Coupland

Mr. G. Powell Davis ’48A

Mr. Waverley L. Berkley III Mr. Thomas C. Brown Jr. ’67 Mr. Thomas C. Broyles Mr. and Mrs. Michael S. Colo Mr. and Mrs. George L. Consolvo Mr. Thomas J. Crooks Jr. Mr. Philip G. Denman W. Andrew Dickinson Jr. ’52, MD Farrell & Zarnegar, PLC Mr. John C. Gayle Jr. The Honorable Elmon T. Gray ’46 Mr. Joseph S. Lovering Mr. Robert P. Martin Mr. B.B. Munford III Mr. Joseph R. Newell Jr. Mrs. William C. Overman Jr. Mr. Robert H. Patterson III ’79 Mr. David Pender III Mr. Sol W. Rawls Jr. ’40 Mr. and Mrs. Warren L. Rose Mr. and Mrs. Karl Schwartz III Mr. and Mrs. Hubert S. Taylor Jr. Mr. John W. Trumbo ’48A and Mrs. Trumbo Mr. Bertram L. Warren Jr., MD Robert H. Patterson Jr. ’49C and Anne M. Whittemore, Esquire

Mr. William L. Davis Jr. ’45 Mr. Michael T. Davis

Mr. William W. Davis ’34 Col. Thomas W. Davis ’64

Richard R. Davison ’47, PhD Col. Maximilian Lamont ’49C, USAF (Ret)

Mr. Robert H. Deaderick ’40 Mr. Marshall Henry III ’65 Sally (Deaderick) and Gary E. Thompson

Mr. Charles W. Dean ’55 Mr. Jones W. Roach ’55

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

VMI FOUNDATION, INC. Deceased Brother Rats Class of 1972 Mr. Lawrence E. Houseworth ’72

Deceased Brother Rats Class of 1969 Mr. John A. Walters ’66

Deceased Members of 1966 Mr. John A. Walters ’66

Martin D. Delaney III ’66, MD Mr. B.F. Halloran ’66

Mr. Stephen M. Delich Jr. ’58 Class of 1958 Lt. Col. Theron A. Henry Jr. ’58, USAF (Ret)

Mr. Thomas A. Dicks ’55 Mr. Benjamin L. Angle III ’55

Cpl. Alan L. Diedricksen ’66, USMC Mr. George D. Dyer ’66

Mrs. Elizabeth F. Dillard Mr. William A. Gregory ’66

Col. Herbert N. Dillard Jr. ’34 Mr. William A. Gregory ’66 Mr. Carson L. Tucker ’70 Mr. Walter E. Woelper Sr. ’42

Maj. Gen. John A. Dillard Jr. ’42, USA Mr. Walter E. Woelper Sr. ’42

Sgt. Ryan E. Doltz ’00, ANG Mr. and Mrs. Howard J. Cook Jr. Col. Thomas W. Davis ’64 Capt. Anthony J. Rayome ’00, USMC

Mr. Henry S. Dunbar III ’48B Mr. Ronald L. Gault Jr. ’71

Donald J. Dunlap ’54, DMin Mr. Jack R. Huyett ’54

Col. John H. Earle ’36, USMC Mrs. John H. Earle

Mr. James H. Edmondson III ’55 Mr. Benjamin L. Angle III ’55 Mr. Ronald M. Bryan ’55 Mr. William T. Nolley ’55 Mr. John R. Taylor Jr. ’52 Mr. and Mrs. Robert Verhalen

Mr. Wayne R. Eggleston ’88 Mr. and Mrs. Wayne R. Eggleston Mr. David T. Hart ’91

Mr. C. Richard Eichhorn ’48B Mrs. P.S. Richardson Jr.

2009- Issue 2

Mr. Stephen M. Evans Jr. ’50B Mr. John R. Taylor Jr. ’52

Mr. Russell H. Ferrey ’39 Mr. Allan E. Ferrey ’46

Mr. Samuel S. Finney ’48B Mrs. P.S. Richardson Jr.

Capt. O. Kennedy Forbes Harvey C. Woodruff III ’64, DDS and Mrs. Woodruff

Col. Douglas C. France Jr. ’41, USA Mr. Daniel H. Forsyth ’49C

Mr. Douglas C. France III ’71 Mr. Ronald L. Gault Jr. ’71

Mr. J. Rawles Fulgham Jr. ’48B Mrs. P.S. Richardson Jr. Mr. John R. Taylor Jr. ’52

Mr. Seaton B. Fulghum ’61 Mrs. Seaton B. Fulghum

Lt. Arthur L. Galloway Jr. ’69, USA Mr. Russell S. Evans Jr. ’65 Lt. Col. Joseph N. Flanz ’69, USA (Ret)

James Samuel Gillespie III ’94 Mr. Christopher L. Doyle ’94 Col. and Mrs. George Piegari Mr. John C. Reed ’59

Mr. Robert W. Gleason ’45 Mr. David H. Kennedy ’71

Mr. Lester O. Gluesenkamp Mr. Irwin Probstein

Mr. Steven Wayne Good ’71 Mr. Ronald L. Gault Jr. ’71

Mrs. Barbara J. Goode Mr. and Mrs. Blaise C. Plageman

John B. Gorman ’48B, MD Mr. Michael H. Gorman ’93

Mr. Kent P. Graybeal ’42 Mr. Walter E. Woelper Sr. ’42

Eugene R. Griffith ’55, MD Mr. Jones W. Roach ’55

Mr. Eugene S. Groseclose Jr. ’67 Mr. and Mrs. Hunsdon Cary III

Mr. Maxwell Gunnell Mrs. Maxwell Gunnell

Col. Oscar W. Gupton Mrs. Clentis M. Gupton Mr. John R. Hilsabeck Jr. ’67

Mr. J. Addison Hagan Jr. ’42 Mr. Walter E. Woelper Sr. ’42

Col. Leroy D. Hammond ’57 Ms. Katharine M. Vaughan

Mr. Rufus A. Harman ’47 Col. Maximilian Lamont ’49C, USAF (Ret)

Mr. Richard A. Harris Jr. ’46 Mrs. Richard A. Harris Jr.

Mr. Guy H. Haskins Jr. ’43 Mrs. Guy H. Haskins Jr.

Mr. Roy William Heiderman ’74 Mr. Graham L. Undercoffer ’74

Mr William A. Herbert ’97 Mr. Christopher L. Doyle ’94

Lt. Col. David E. Hess Jr. Ms. Lou Ellen Benter Mr. and Mrs. Stephen E. Blasdell Mr. and Mrs. Arthur L. Bohm Mr. and Mrs. Peter S. Christensen Ms. Victoria J. Clemen Dick and Dee Falkenrath Gordon J. Maier & Company, LLP Ms. Pam Hess Dr. and Mrs. Patrick L. McGinnis Employees of Gift Bricks Inc. Mr. and Mrs. James A. Schrank Ms. Kathleen Zuelke

B. Richard Hill ’68, DDS James C. Burns ’68, DDS

Mr. O. Halsey Hill ’39 Mr. Robert R. Copty ’70 Col. E. Lane Whitley ’34, USA (Ret)

Mr. William H. Hoofnagle Jr. ’36 Mr. Jackson M. Andrews IV ’68 Mr. William H. Hoofnagle III ’67 and Mrs. Hoofnagle

Mrs. Frederick W. Hope Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Gary B. Baker Capt. John M. Chandler ’82, USN and Mrs. Chandler Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin G. Cottrell Mr. William L. Counselman Mr. W.C. Coupland Jr. ’57 Joanna Cubilla The Reverend and Mrs. David F. Lassalle Mr. and Mrs. Harry E. McCoy Mr. Grover C. Outland Jr. ’49B and Mrs. Outland Ms. Anne K. Redfern Ms. Harriet M. Robinson Mr. Calvin E. Sherrill Mr. Peter Stewart and Joanna and Keven Felts

171

VMI FOUNDATION, INC. Mr. Harrison Hubard ’38

Mr. Walter C. Ames III ’52 Ms. Katherine L. Bennett Mr. William W. Berry ’54 Mr. Patteson Branch Jr. ’69 and Mrs. Branch Ms. Dianne E. Butler Coates & Davenport Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin G. Cottrell Mrs. Linda D. Devine Mrs. Dorothy H. Glaize Mr. and Mrs. John H. Guy IV Mr. and Mrs. Brenton S. Halsey Mr. and Mrs. John T. King Mr. and Mrs. Michael J. McCaffrey Mr. and Mrs. W. Levi Old Jr. Mr. Grover C. Outland Jr. ’49B and Mrs. Outland Ms. Mary M. Park Mr. and Mrs. Jim Ransone Mr. Sol W. Rawls Jr. ’40 Mr. John G. Sebrell ’69 Mr. and Mrs. John S. Shannon Mr. P. Lee Starkey Mr. Vincent J. Thomas ’43 and Mrs. Thomas Mr. and Mrs. William T. Thompson III Mr. and Mrs. Seldon T. Tompkins Ms. Mary P. Williams

Mr. Albert H. Jacoby Jr. ’71 Mr. Ronald L. Gault Jr. ’71

Mrs. Charles E. Johnson Jr. ’26 Ms. Elisabeth J. Jones

Col. Royce E. Jones ’55

Maj. Gen. Thomas H. Tait ’55. USA (Ret) and Mrs. Tait

Class of 1969

Mr. Bruce A. Leve ’64 Mr. Thomas E. Sebrell IV ’64

Mr. Roy I. Lloyd Jr. ’55 Mr. Benjamin L. Angle III ’55

Mr. Paul A. Louis ’45 Mrs. Joseph C. Campbell Sr.

Mr. Charles E. Maddox Jr. ’68 Mr. Cyrus K. Kump ’68

Mr. Peyton J. Marshall Jr. ’52 Mrs. Peyton J. Marshall Jr.

Mr. Joseph E. Martin Jr. ’72 Mr. W.R. Beerbower ’72

Mr. Michael W. Maupin ’59 Mr. John C. Reed ’59

Mr. Albert A. Mavrinac Ms. Yvette VanRiper

Mr. Robert V. Mazzoni ’71 Mr. Ronald L. Gault Jr. ’71

S. Christa McAuliffe The Honorable Steven J. McAuliffe ’70

Mr. C. Irvin McClelland ’55 Mr. Benjamin L. Angle III ’55

Mr. Michael A. McCrory ’69 Lt. Col. Joseph N. Flanz ’69, USA (Ret)

Mr. Samuel P. Jordan Jr. ’64

Mr. John McKenna

Mr. Thomas A. Joynes

Mr. Walter H. Meier III ’72

Mr. Anthony S. Kania

Mr. Thaddeus J. Meler ’48A

Mr. John W. Keith Jr. ’48B

Mr. Giles H. Miller Jr. ’24

Mr. Warren C. Budd ’64

Mr. Gregory M. Cavallaro ’84 Mrs. A.S. Kania

Mr. and Mrs. J. Patrick Keith Mr. David D. Limbrick Mr. Albert L. Loth Jr. ’48B

Mr. Howard F. Kempsell Sr. ’48B Mrs. P.S. Richardson Jr.

Clark King, PhD Mr. Gregory M. Cavallaro ’84

Cadet Robert R. Knight ’11 Ms. Traci Shoffner and Virginia Grace Knight

Mr. Gregory C. Lee ’68 Col. James D. Polley IV ’68, USA (Ret)

172

Mr. Lawrence R. Lenz ’69

Col. Thomas W. Davis ’64

Mr. W.R. Beerbower ’72

Mr. Thomas R. Meler ’62

Col. Thomas W. Davis ’64

Mr. Hugh L. Miller ’23 Dr. and Mrs. J. Stuart McDaniel

Mr. Hugh L. Miller Jr. ’59 Dr. and Mrs. J. Stuart McDaniel

Mr. Robert L. Millirons Jr. ’64 Mr. David H. Kennedy ’71

Mr. Jeffrey J. Morgan ’80 Col. Thomas W. Davis ’64

Mr. John L. Morgan ’55 Mr. Matthew H. Morgan ’87

Col. Richard Moriarty ’41, USA Class of 1941

Mr. Joseph D. Neikirk ’32 Mr. and Mrs. Hunsdon Cary III

Mr. Corville J. Nohava ’69 Lt. Col. Joseph N. Flanz ’69, USA (Ret)

Mr. Charles D. North ’30 Mr. and Mrs. Dennis R. Howard

Mr. Temple R. North Jr. ’73 Mr. and Mrs. Dennis R. Howard

Mr. Robert T. Nyman ’52 Mr. George E. Becker Jr. ’52

Mr. C.W. O’Leary Jr. ’47 Col. Maximilian Lamont ’49C, USAF (Ret)

Capt. Thomas T. Oliver ’63, USA Mr. Howard I. Reynolds ’63

The Honorable Nelson T. Overton ’49B Mrs. Nelson T.Overton

Ms. Nelson Palmer Mr. O. Burton Palmer Jr. ’67

Mr. Jack M. Parrish Jr. ’43 Mrs. Jack M. Parrish Jr.

Mr. H. Merrill Pasco ’37 Mr. Robert P. Buford Mr. and Mrs. Charles M. Crump Mr. Tazewell Ellett III ’44 and Mrs. Ellett Mr. and Mrs. W.B. French Jr. Mr. William A. Gregory ’66 Col. B.F. Harmon III ’49B, USA (Ret) Mr. Harry G. Lee ’47 Mr. and Mrs. W. Cabell Moore Mr. G.G. Phillips Jr. ’60 Mr. Gordon F. Rainey, Jr. Mr. Thomas G. Slater Jr. ’66 The Honorable Joseph M. Spivey III ’57 The Honorable and Mrs. J.M.H. Willis Jr.

Mr. Robert N. Petrola ’71 Mr. W.R. Beerbower ’72 Mr. Ronald L. Gault Jr. ’71

Mr. J. Robert Philpott Sr. ’35 Philpott Foundation Inc.

Mr. J. Robert Philpott Jr. ’68 Mr. Cyrus K. Kump ’68 Philpott Foundation Inc.

Col. George M. Pickral Jr. ’43 Mr. Rick F. Hall ’79

Mrs. George M. Pickral Jr. Mr. Rick F. Hall ’79

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

VMI FOUNDATION, INC. Lt. Terry L. Plunk ’88, USA Mr. William G. Rogers ’86

Mr. Lewis B. Puller ’21 Sgt. A.L. Scarborough

Mr. John H. Randolph Jr. ’42 Mr. Walter E. Woelper Sr. ’42

Col. Beverly M. Read ’41, USA Col. Thomas W. Davis ’64 Mr. Walter E. Woelper Sr. ’42

Mr. Philip A. Read ’45

Mr. and Mrs. Eric S. Hoekstra Mrs. John Pendleton Read Jr. The Reverend and Mrs. Robert D. Morrison Jr. Mr. and Mrs. J. Pendleton Read III

Mr. Lawrence K. Rearick ’52 Mrs. Lawrence K. Rearick

Mr. Reed A. Remington ’71 Mr. Ronald L. Gault Jr. ’71

Mr. James D. Reynolds ’55

Mr. Benjamin L. Angle III ’55 Maj. Gen. Thomas H. Tait ’55, USA (Ret) and Mrs. Tait

Col. George H. Ripley ’52, USMC Mr. Christopher L. Doyle ’94

Col. John W. Ripley

Mr. Albert M. Orgain IV ’65 and Mrs. Orgain Mr. Edgar James T. Perrow Jr. ’96

Mr. Robert H. Romm ’73 Mrs. William H. Romm

William H. Romm ’43, MD Mrs. William H. Romm

Mr. James W. Rountree Jr. ’67

Frank E. Oliver ’67, MD and Mrs. Oliver

Mr. William H. Russell ’45

Mr. L. Douglas Pritchard ’45 and Mrs. Pritchard

Mr. John A. Bowman ’78 Mr. Gregory M. Cavallaro ’84 Mr. Theodore C. Cooley ’62 Thomas H. Henriksen ’62, PhD Mr. Mark D. Jamison ’83 Mr. Robert W. O’Connor ’75 Col. and Mrs. George Piegari Maj. Gen. Thomas H. Tait ’55, USA (Ret) and Mrs. Tait Mr. John E. Woodward Jr. ’57 Mr. Andrew M. Tarr ’77

Mr. Fred C. Segesman ’64 Richard L. Atkinson Jr. ’64, MD Mr. William L. Black Jr. ’64 Col. James H. Brittingham ’64, USAF (Ret) Class of 1964 Mr. Walter S. Duryea II ’64 Mr. Ronald E. Fischer ’64 Mr. Frank C. Gaetje ’64 Mr. C. Ted Gammon ’64 William F. Grubb III ’64, PhD Mr. William A. McVey ’64 Mr. George M. Rapport ’64 Mr. Edward M. Seager ’64 Mr. Thomas E. Sebrell IV ’64 Mr. Donald F. Stickles II ’64 Col. Phillip E. Tucker ’64, USMC (Ret)

Mr. Jack Sidney ’55 Mr. Ralph A. Frye Jr. ’55

Mr. O. Lee Slayton Jr. ’48B Mrs. P.S. Richardson Jr. William C. Ruffin Jr. ’48B, MD

Mr. Benjamin G. Smith ’46 Charles W. Anderson ’46, MD

Mr. Millard G. Smith ’43 Mr. Byrd S. Heaton

Maj. Gen. John W. Squire ’17, VANG Mr. George D. Dyer ’66

Mr. Owen Stamey Jr. ’55 Mr. Jones W. Roach ’55

Joseph Sakakini Jr. ’55, MD

Maj. Stephen M. Sullivan ’84, USMC

Mr. Thomas M. Salisbury ’68

Mr. Hartwell T. Sweeney ’46

Mr. Helmut Schrader ’51

Mrs. Powell H. Taylor

Mr. Vincent C. Scott Jr. ’66

Capt. John R. Teal ’94, USANG

Jay R. Sculley ’62, PhD

Ms. Susan V. Thompson

Mr. Jones W. Roach ’55

Class of 1968

Col. G.S. Meader Jr. ’51, USA (Ret)

Mrs. Vincent C. Scott Sr.

Col. Victor J. Bernet ’85, MD, USA

2009- Issue 2

Mr. Gregory M. Cavallaro ’84

Col. Maximilian Lamont ’49C, USAF (Ret)

The George E. Cohee Foundation

Mr. Dustin H. DeVore ’94

Mr. Craig B. Lewis

The Reverend John E. Timberlake Jr. ’48A Mr. John W. Trumbo ’48A and Mrs. Trumbo

Mr. Christopher A. Touhill ’85 Mr. John A. Walters ’66

E. Thomas Upson ’29, MD Ms. Marie U. McGraw

Mr. Robert L. Watson ’64

Jane and Buzz Birzenieks ’64

Mr. Julian M. Weaver Jr. ’25 Mr. Ronald L. Gault Jr. ’71

Mr. Richard C. Weaver ’21 Mr. Ronald L. Gault Jr. ’71

Mr. Jack Wedding

Harvey C. Woodruff III ’64, DDS and Mrs. Woodruff

Brig. Gen. C.P. Weidenthal ’53, USA Ms. Corinne Weidenthal

W.R. Whitehurst III ’49B, MD Mr. Grover C. Outland Jr. ’49B and Mrs. Outland

2nd Lt. Mark C. Whittier ’66, USMC Mr. George D. Dyer ’66

Mr. Boguslaw J. Wierzbicki ’72 Mr. Wade L. Houston ’72 Mr. John M. Pearson ’69

Mr. Thomas S. Williamson, Jr. ’19 Mr. T.S. Williamson III ’54

Mr. Thomas W. Williamson ’42 Mr. Walter E. Woelper Sr. ’42

Lt. Mark R. Wilson ’88, USN

Mr. and Mrs. Marc A. Allocca Mr. and Mrs. Juan A. Astruc Jr. Mr. Leslie M. Fleming Fox Consulting, LLC Ms. Betty L. Herndon Mr. and Mrs. Edward C. Kottcamp Leveltek Processing Company Mr. and Mrs. C.A. Londoner Mr. Mark I. Pittman Prentis, LLC Pure Culture Consulting Inc. Mr. Bradley S. Reed ’88 Mr. Thomas F. Reimann ’88 Ms. Lilly Sabadash Ms. Sally A. Sledge Mr. and Mrs. L.A. Taylor Jr. Mr. Leslie W. Watson Mr. John P. Wilson Mr. and Mrs. Paul L. Wilson Jr. Mr. and Mrs. T. Glenn Wilson Mrs. Gilbert J. Wirth Mr. and Mrs. Henry A. Yancey Jr.

173

VMI FOUNDATION, INC. Mr. John W. Windle Jr. ’54 Mr. Robert C. Albritton Jr. Mr. Jack R. Huyett ’54

Mr. S. Frederick Winiker Jr. ’61 Mrs. S. Frederick Winiker Jr.

Mr. T. Foster Witt Jr. ’50B The Honorable Thomas P. Harwood Jr. ’50B and Mrs. Harwood

Mrs. P. Earle Wood Jr. Col. Maximilian Lamont ’49C, USAF (Ret)

Mr. F. Robert Woollard ’72 The Honorable James D. Pagones ’72

Mr. DeWitt S. Worrell ’62 Mr. Christopher L. Doyle ’94 Col. and Mrs. George Piegari Mr. Edward B. Willis ’66

Mr. Gregory R. Wright Jr. ’95 Mr. Thomas G. Slater Jr. ’66

Wyalt-Hatchett Baby Harvey C. Woodruff III ’64, DDS and Mrs. Woodruff

Mr. Elliott I. Young ’59 Lt. Col. Michael M. Irvine Jr. ’59, USA (Ret) Mr. Joseph H. Keller ’36 Mr. Richard E. Phillippi ’59 Mr. Robert J. Ross ’59 Mr. Samuel B. Segar Jr. ’55

Mr. Robert L. Young ’43 Mrs. Robert L. Young

Matching Gifts The following companies or related foundations have made contributions to VMI, matching the gifts of alumni and friends listed under each. These gifts were received during the time frame of Nov. 1 through Dec. 31, 2008.

Altria Group Inc. Mr. Heartwell L. Bradshaw ’76 Mr. Curtis M. Hinton ’84

American Electric Power Mr. David H. Altizer ’69 Mr. William G. Rogers ’86 Mr. John H. Tucker ’78

AT&T Foundation Mr. Joseph J. Reynolds III ’47

The Boeing Company Col. Randolph M. Blanks ’67, USAF (Ret) Mr. and Mrs. Gregory Parker

ChevronTexaco Corporation Mr. Robert R. Laville ’51

Coille Limited Partnership LP Mr. Robert P. Kyle ’67

Datatel Inc. Mr. William H. Dunlap ’72

Dominion Foundation Mr. David E. Ayers ’64 Mr. B. Claiborne Christian ’44 Mr. Richard A. McDonald ’78 Mr. William W. Berry ’54

The Dow Chemical Company Foundation Mr. Ronald L. Wagner ’62

The Duke Energy Foundation Mr. William G. Greig ’55

EAI Corporation Col. Gary C. Eifried ’63, USA (Ret)

Entergy Operations Inc. Mr. S.M. Henry Brown Jr. ’60

Fannie Mae Foundation Mr. Thomas S. Greenspon ’85

Graphite Metallizing Corporation Mr. John A. Michelsen ’57

3M Foundation Mr. Michael Y. Moss ’60

Accenture Foundation Inc. Mr. Randolph S. Knipp ’56

Aetna Foundation Inc. Col. Douglas A. Stephens ’65, USA (Ret)

174

Johnson & Johnson Company Mr. and Mrs. Harry F. Meade

Liquidnet Mr. Troy Mosby ’97

The Merck Company Foundation Mr. William Terpeluk ’75

Merrill Lynch & Co Foundation Inc. Mr. Willard D. Hoskins III ’61

New York Life Foundation Mrs. Neelam Salmen

Norfolk Southern Foundation Mr. Christian A. Hoeser ’48B Mr. Phillip R. Ogden ’63 Mr. John R. Savage ’74 Mr. William M. Westerman ’56

The Northrop Grumman Foundation Capt. Brian C. O’Neill ’80, USN

Public Service Electric & Gas Company Mr. James J. Schaffer III ’77

Raytheon Company Lt. Col. Daniel J. Conn ’80, USMC (Ret) Mr. Kenneth C. Herbert ’81

Russell and Eleanor Horn Foundation Mr. Karl R. Swartz ’79

SCANA Corporation Mr. John M. Cobb ’72

Shell Oil Company Foundation Mr. Stephen J. Barcik ’59

Teledyne Technologies Mr. R. Bernard Groome ’71

Turner Construction Corporation Mr. Richard J. Falcone Jr. ’92

UBS Mr. M. Anderson Williams ’65

United Technologies Corporation Mr. James R. Greene ’87

Universal Leaf Foundation Mr. John B. Adams Jr. ’66

The UPS Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Greg Hurley

Verizon Foundation Mr. Edgar L. Brown Jr. ’53 Mr. Glen N. Jones ’78 Mr. David F. West ’76

Wells Fargo Foundation Mr. Daniel R. Owens ’97

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

KEYDET CLUB KEYDET CLUB

Basketball Teams ’76 and ’77 Receive Recognition Photo at left: Members of the 1976 and 1977 Championship Basketball Teams were recognized during halftime of the VMI vs. Liberty game on Jan. 17, 2009. From left, Harlan Niehaus ’79, Doug Conyers ’80, Kelly Lombard ’79, Dave Montgomery ’78, Pat Kelly ’78, Ron Carter ’78, John Krovic ’77, Will Bynum ’77, George Borojevich ’77 and Curt Reppart ’76.

If you were not in Cameron Hall on the afternoon of Jan. 17, 2009, you missed being a part of the largest crowd to witness a basketball game in the history of the VMI arena, and you also missed seeing some of VMI’s finest during a special halftime presentation. The VMI basketball team and Keydet Club hosted a reunion of former players earlier that day. To everyone’s surprise, not only was it the largest group to attend, but most of the members of the 1976 and 1977 championship teams showed up for the event. These former champs were recognized at halftime, and after the regular game, the former players demonstrated the skills they still have on the court. Those attending the reunion were: Fred Anson ’51, Bob Benninger ’74, George Borojevich ’77, Aron Buss ’95, Will Bynum ’77, Ron Carter ’78, Steve Chapin ’75, Tim Cole ’02, Doug Conyers ’80, Bob Frank ’74, Jim Gillespie ’79, John Goode ’81, Tim Gundlach ’73, John Gupton ’67, Reed Heddleston ’70, Warren Johnson ’97, Pat Kelly ’78, John Kemper ’68, John Krovic ’77, Kelly Lombard ’79, Curley Mason ’57, Dave Montgomery ’78, Matt Murrer ’07, Harlan Niehaus ’79, Don Nyman ’56, Bill Ralph ’54, Curt Reppart ’76, Charlie Schmaus ’66, Bill Stephens ’73, Tom Tait ’55 and John Yurachek ’63. After the 1976 and 1977 teams were recognized, the Keydet Club and VMI recognized two alumni who have made a significant difference in the continued growth of VMI’s basketball program and the Institute’s overall ability to serve the Corps and the community: Bruce B. Cameron Jr. ’38 and the late Daniel D. Cameron ’42. These men provided the foundational funding in the late 1970s that VMI needed to obtain state funding to make Cameron Hall a reality. The new facility was dedicated in 1981. Bill Stephens ’73, president of the Keydet Club, presented the Keydet Club’s highest honor, the Spirit of VMI Award, to Dan Cameron and, posthumously, to his brother in recognition of their important contributions to VMI and especially its basketball program. Gen. Peay ’62, superintendent, and Donny White ’65, athletic director, then unveiled a portrait 2009- Issue 2

Congratulating Bruce Cameron ’38, left, were Sports Hall of Famers Charlie Schmaus ’66, assistant coach for the 1976 Championship Team and head coach for the 1977 Championship Team, center, and Ron Carter ’78, outstanding guard/forward for the 1976 and 1977 teams.

of the Camerons that now hangs in the entrance foyer of Cameron Hall next to the original Dedication Plaque. While at VMI for the ceremony, Cameron was also introduced to the nine cadets from North Carolina who are the current beneficiaries of Cameron scholarships held by the VMI Foundation. These cadets were also recognized at the game. (See more ceremony photos on the next page.) “It was an honor for the Keydet Club to recognize brothers Bruce and Dan Cameron with the Spirit of VMI Award and to do so with so many members of their families present,” said Greg Cavallaro ’84, chief executive officer of the VMI Keydet Club, Inc. “In addition, it was even more special, because it was done in front of the greatest basketball teams ever to play at VMI – the 1976 and 1977 teams – and before the largest crowd in Cameron Hall history!” The two greatest basketball teams in the history of VMI are the 1976 and 1977 teams. In 1976, the Keydets won the Southern Conference Championship and advanced to the East Region Finals in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, defeating Tennessee and then DePaul in overtime, and losing to Rutgers. In 1977, the team repeated as Southern Conference Champions and made it to the NCAA East Region Semifinals, defeating Duquesne and losing to Kentucky. (The 2009 Keydets made up for this loss!) 175

KEYDET CLUB

Camerons Receive Spirit of VMI Award

The 75th Anniversary Challenge – Are You In? As of this writing, the Keydet Club is midway through its 75th Anniversary Celebration. Have you submitted your $75 Anniversary Challenge Gift? Are you in? By the end of January 2009, 1,412 supporters had contributed a $75 Challenge Gift. Of these, 857 were new Keydet Club Members! To encourage broad support from the VMI family, a group of loyal Keydet Club leadership members has agreed to match every $75 Challenge the Keydet Club receives – making each gift worth $150.00! The following is a quote by Herbert Nash Dillard ’34, professor of English at VMI:

Photo above: VMI Superintendent Gen. J.H. Binford Peay ’62, left, with Bruce Cameron Jr. ’38, his nephew, Bill Cameron, and his grandson, Adair Graham ’99, during the portrait unveiling of Cameron and his late brother, Dan Cameron ’42. Standing behind them are the cadets who are the current recipients of Cameron scholarships at VMI. Photo below: Congratulating Cameron, second from left, on his award were Bill Stephens ’73, left, president of the VMI Keydet Club who presented the award, and Gen. Peay. The Spirit of VMI Award, pictured in the foreground, is the Keydet Club’s highest honor.

Editor’s Note: The articles in this section of the Alumni Review were provided by the Keydet Club.

176

“The friends of VMI who enthusiastically support athletics are also the donors who are most generous in their support of academic excellence – scholarships, financial aid to deserving students, faculty grants, faculty leaves and faculty salaries. Only the shortsighted think that expenditures for athletics detract from academic superiority. The two arts ought to go hand in hand.” The Institute’s Division I Athletics Program has long formed the foundation for the perpetuation of the VMI Spirit, as was written in the 1928 Bomb, and is the essential third leg of a complete VMI education. Since 1934, alumni and friends have provided the Institute with financial resources through membership in the Keydet Club. These resources have been needed to field competitive teams worthy of the red-white-yellow uniform, and this loyal generosity and commitment are now netting positive returns for the first time in several decades. The Institute is confident that its alumni and extended family will not let current state funding cutbacks and economic uncertainties undermine its overall education mission. A $75 gift to the Keydet Club, beyond what was given last year, from all alumni, parents and friends will underscore the important contributions of Division I Athletics to the VMI experience. Direct your 75th Anniversary Challenge Gifts to the Keydet Club Scholarship Fund or any individual varsity sport program’s Athletic Operations Fund (for example, AOF-Baseball). Gifts can be submitted in lump sum or divided into periodic payments by check or credit card, postal mail or online, as follows: VMI Keydet Club, Inc. PO Box 932 Lexington VA 24450 Phone: 800/444-1839 E-mail: vmikeydetclub.com

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

V.M.I. alumni and family Day! Get your tickets online!

MAY 30, 2009

Discount tickets & meal Package!

Only $40 49

Place your credit card order online at www.KingsDominion.com Click on tickets, then corporate partner. Your company ID is: VMIFAD4 TWO ONLINE PURCHASE OPTIONS 1. Print your eTicket off the web. Online eTicket purchases can be made up to the day of your visit. Just print out your eTicket and bring it with you to the Park. There is no service charge. 2. Have your tickets mailed to you. Online purchases can be made up until midnight May 20. There is a $5 service charge per order. Deadline to purchase tickets is midnight, May 27, 2009.

A $70 98 VALUE!

Per person ages 3 to 61 AND 48" tall or taller.

senior package

Only $

38 49

Per person ages 62 and above.

junior package

Only $

31 50

Per person ages 3 to 61 AND under 48" tall. Children ages 2 and under admitted FREE.

MEAL ONLY FOR SEASON PASSHOLDERS

Regular $ 14 99 Junior $ 8 00

Your Package will include All Day Admission to Kings Dominion!

All-You-Can-Eat Private Picnic — served from 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm — Including Fried Chicken, Hamburgers, Pork BBQ w/slaw, Baked Beans, Potato Salad, Rolls, Soft Drinks, Iced Tea and Ice Cream Treats. Drinks and Dessert will be served from 1:30 pm-3:00 pm.

Celebrate Family Fun Come and enjoy a full day of fun at Virginia’s Premier Theme Park with your family and friends!

Virginia’s only 2-in-1 Theme & Water Park!

For up-to-date Park information, go to: www.kingsdominion.com

Park Opens April 4, 2009. WaterWorks Open May 23, 2009. KD09-244