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
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