CLASS NOTES with those who are on the hunt for new employment. I expect there may be more such events in the future, so keep your eyes and ears open about these opportunities. If you can volunteer your time to support the effort and/or act as a panelist, then please help our Alumni Association as it seeks to respond to this alumni need. I’m also greatly impressed with the number of you who have provided significant leads and/or assistance directly to our BRs who are looking for work. Continue to offer this support whenever you can, or send information to me, and I’ll send it either to our ’83 distribution or directly to specific individuals. In this same arena, keep VMI alumni in mind when seeking out other firms to do business with or to meet your own business needs. Knowing the background and character of whoever you deal with is definitely a strategic advantage, and we have a wide variety of skills, contacts and experience to draw on. Also in the vein of helping others and in a closing note, I’m passing along words written by BR Steve Schaaf about our deceased BR Ray Rushton. Steve titled this, “Ray ‘Flaky’ Rushton, VMI ’83 – A Standard Bearer of Integrity and Human Empathy.” I hope Steve forgives the editing I’ve made for space considerations, but his account of Ray’s gesture and follow-up action during our third class year is a great reminder of the simple things we can all do for other people that have lasting meaning. These qualities should make you proud of our support for the Class of ’83 Scholarship at VMI, which Ray’s name shares with Melvin Rucker … “During a sophomore year at VMI, there are perhaps 150 third class VMI cadets that can be considered as ‘average.’ This is a lonely and beleaguered time for these poor souls. Gone is the drama of the Ratline, Breakout, and completing a tumultuous first year, and remaining instead is the psychological isolation and austerity that often conspires to drive many ‘average cadets’ from the walls of the Institute. So comes the deep winter of 1981 and the grueling ‘dark ages’ for the third class, the Class of 1983. As an ‘average’ member of the class, one of my few respites was a twice-weekly military-duty-period workout in the weight room of old Cocke Hall. During that time, I was struggling to add some beef onto my lanky 19-year-old frame, and the efforts were slowly starting to pay off. I was gradually developing the muscular build that provides an imposing physical center of gravity, which is critical in the pursuit of a martial calling. Then, in late February or early March, a decree emanated from an out-of-touch and authoritarian administration: ‘NO REGULAR CADETS PERMITTED IN THE WEIGHT ROOM DURING MILITARY DUTY HOURS – WEIGHT ROOM FOR FOOTBALL
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TEAM USE ONLY.’ I was in shock and even further disheartened by my grim plight as a ‘regular third.’ Nevertheless, I subsequently recall being in a fortunate conversation with our Brother Rat Ray Rushton. Ray was one of the privileged permit few, a football hero – ultimately destined to become one of the tri-captains on the squad during our first class year. By all rights, he had no stake in my personal disappointment at being excluded from the weight room. He had no dog in the fight, as the saying goes. But upon hearing me out and hearing my poorly articulated complaints about the administration’s new regulation, Ray spoke well, ‘That weight room belongs to the Corps, not just the football squad. I’ll support you Steve.’ Ray was true to his word, and his words stay with me to this day. The two of us went to work, two third classmen, a football hero and a regular guy. As an unlikely team, we pursued an uneven contest – two third classmen against an unsympathetic administration which represented the faceless specter of evil to my young eyes. And in a classic David versus Goliath matchup, ‘Flaky’ and I somehow won the fight. The weight room was reopened to ‘regular cadets.’ With 25 years of hindsight, this little episode might otherwise have a tendency to grow pale in comparison to the struggles we all face in the modern day. But it’s not little, nor is it pale, to me. I’ve gone on to enjoy a full and rewarding life but only after prevailing against an early challenge which threatened both my success and my well-being during those fragile times. What would have become of me if Brother Rat Ray had not been there? What if he had not helped me? Things may have turned out differently and not for the better. Ray Rushton’s unnoticed demonstration of kindness, intellect and selfless empathy are among the most honorable and laudable human qualities I have had the pleasure to witness in all the years before or since that winter in 1981. He is still sorely missed.”
’84
Barry Coceano
Unfortunately, as I write my first class notes, I start off with sad news. As I’m sure most of you are aware, on Oct. 5, 2009, our dear friend and Brother Rat, Ron Abbit, passed away after a long and courageous battle with cancer. With his quiet demeanor and infectious smile, Ron was respected and admired by all who knew him. He was truly one of those rare guys who could fit in anywhere, in any situation, and be accepted for whom he was – a genuine and sincere person – and that is how I will
remember him best. In addition to being a fine student, having received a B.A. in economics at VMI and an M.S. from Purdue, Ron was also an incredibly gifted athlete. He had tremendous God-given athletic skills, yet he was amazingly humble and unassuming; there was never any bravado, no bragging and no selfishness. He was the ideal student athlete as a cadet, a role model and leader within the community, and a wonderful Brother Rat. Attending Ron’s funeral services and paying final respects were Brother Rats Jim Moore, Bill Gottwald, Bill Seaver, Mike Kay, Chuck Foster, Martin Heisrath, Sam Browne, John Brown and myself. Also present were Gene Williams ’74, Paul Perry ’80, Eugene Scott ’80, Ozzie Belcher ’82, Cedric Wins ’85, Darren Sawyer ’85, Chuck Rogerson ’85, LaMont Toliver ’85, Sylvester Davis ’85, Davis Estes ’85, Jersey Johnson ’86, Ambrose Phillips ’86, Tomas McHugh ’86, Keith Washington ’87, Bobby Blackwell ’87, Terry Fortune ’87, Mike Maxwell ’87 and Michael Wood ’88. (Editor’s Note: Ron Abbit’s obituary appears in the Taps section of this Review.) On a brighter note, what a great reunion we had in September! All the feedback that I received indicated that everyone who attended had a great time; I know I did. For those who were unable to attend, you’ll have to target the 30th Reunion, which I’m sure will be just as good as the 25th, so put it on your calendar now. Unfortunately, like I’m sure many of those who attended experienced, I wasn’t able to sit and talk with each and every BR at the reunion ... so many BRs and not enough time. The fact that we had so many BRs attend (119) is an awesome testament to our class spirit. To those I was not able to chat with, I apologize; hopefully, you will fill me in with e-mail correspondence. I also want to advertise Facebook as a medium for communicating as a class. We have a “VMI 84” Group on Facebook that many are frequenting. It’s a good tool for leaving messages or hanging photos, so please join the group if you haven’t already done so. Before I launch into the notes, I want to take this opportunity to thank Hank Selman for the tremendous job he did over the course of the past five years while serving as our class agent. Hank’s wife, Carol, informed me that she is pleased that Hank has finished out his five-year term. Seems every time Carol wanted Hank to do something around the house, he always used the excuse that he had to work on the class notes in order to get out of the chores. Hank, too bad that dog won’t hunt anymore; now get to work and do those things around the house that your lovely wife, Carol, has been trying to get you to do for the past five years. One of the best parts of any reunion is the
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