CLASS NOTES Our first loss was against West VA (the same one who went to the final four the year before). Moe made the trip and saw many VMI fans but no Super ’77ers. Kimber Latsha was at VMI for the December BOV meetings. He made it to both basketball games. Kimber and Moe sat together for one of the games, and between the two of us, we solved most of VMI’s problems. It was good to see that Kimber’s BOV appointment has not gone to his head and that he’s still the same normal guy we all remember. On Nov. 30th, Mr. Van Naisawald ’42 died here in Lynchburg. Moe saw Paul Seufer at the visitation. Lindy Callihan from Pittsburg wrote to let Moe know that no Oct. 30, 2010, her husband Steve Callihan obtained his private pilot’s license. After his check ride with 43 hours in his log book in a Piper warrior they flew to Carrol County, OH, for breakfast. Steve planned to start his instrument lessons in March. Lindy has about five hours in her log book. Moe’s nephew, Josh Favaro ’10, graduated on Dec. 18, 2010. Josh had stayed the extra semester to play his last year of football eligibility. He started his job with Boxley out of Roanoke on Jan. 11th. Boxley is a good company with numerous VMI employees. Moe was glad to see Josh get off to such a great start right out of VMI CE program. India Atkinson (Bob Atkinson’s wife) sent Moe a note to bring him up to date. Bob had lost his father and mother during the past year. Unfortunately, many of us who have been fortunate enough to have our parents live full lives are now starting to see their years start to catch up with them. Moe’s thoughts and prayers go out to all those who have lost and may lose loved ones in the near future. Thankfully on a better note, the Atkinsons became grandparents to Drake, son of their daughter, Ashley, and her husband, Jay. Another Atkinson daughter, Jennifer, served five months in Kuwait with the USAF Reserve. She and her husband, Stephen, are stationed at Langley AFB. They have two children: Andrew (6) and Cailyn (4). Bob’s daughter, Rachel, graduated from UNC Chapel Hill with an advertising and journalism degree. Their youngest, Marshall, is at VT in mechanical engineering. Marshall has been selected for the Formula SAE team for the next two years. Hopefully Marshall can stay clear of Tommy Cole’s corrupting ways in the racing world. Bob and India now have India’s 94-year-old mother living with them. It sounds like they are both very busy but still find time to make it over to VMI often. Another Roanoker wrote to say the Meise family has had a good 2010. Matt Meise is a senior in high school and should be graduating soon. Son David is 15 and daughter Elizabeth is 12. Peggy is still the guidance counselor at the
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middle school, and Mike is with the Roanoke library system. The Meises and Adkinsons have set the VMI attendance bar high for the Big Lick crowd. Moe also got word from John Quackenbush who is still with Homeland Security protecting approximately 2000 federal buildings. Quack has added another hot car to his collection: a 2010 Roush Mustang Convertible, supercharged with 435 horse power. Sounds like a blast Quack also mentioned another supercharger hottie which he has been dating for two years. Moe has read between the lines about the supercharger hottie part but it does stand to reason if he hasn’t caught her yet with all those fast cars she must be pretty evasive. They did make an eight-day trip to Mexico City this past summer where she grew up. Quack said it was a great trip and found it very safe and reasonable prices. Moe also enjoyed cards from Marianne and Bill Anderson in Chesapeake, VA; Debra, Robert and James Hartzell in Springfield, VA.; Marty and Bob Manteuffel in Richardson, TX; Irene and Elliott Shull in Cherry Hill, NJ; and Fred Wiggins in Pembroke, NC. Tim Thompson sent word from Tidewater that his karate team won the Christmas Holiday Karate show 2010. Check it out at www.dragon foreskaste.com and on you tube 1watch?v=8r2BGIRObu. Moe traveled to Asheville, NC, for the New Year’s Eve VMI-UNC Asheville game and after game party. Well, who would have expected to see Carol and Mike Conaway come walking in. They had been to Raleigh, NC, to visit Trish and Will Bynum and then headed west for the game, party and to see the Biltmore House and candlelight tour. The Conaways and Moe cheered the Keydets on to victory at the game. We also sat together at the party and had Pat and Mike Kelly ’73 join us. Mike is class agent for his class and also our BR, Steve Kelly’s, brother. It was great seeing Carol and Mike and having another Super ’77 BR help bring in the New Year. Jan. 20, 2011, brought the Running Roos to Lynchburg to play Liberty and things didn’t go to well for the Keydets. At least Feb. 15, 2011, we got even beating the Flames at Cameron Hall. The Jan. 29, 2011, game against UNC Asheville where they got their revenge against us, but Moe did get to see Will Bynum and his daughter at the game and in Moody Hall afterward. Will said it was his wife, Trish’s, college friends’ reunion at their house, and Will and his daughter decided to get out of Dodge or Raleigh. It’s reported that there was quite a bit of wine flowing that weekend at the Bynum’s home. Tommy Cole made it up for the game, as did Bert Deacon and Chris Perry. Chris was also at the board of governors meeting for the Keydet Club and Bert came for the Board of
Directors meeting of the Alumni Association. Moe also met Mr. Augustus Robbins III ’47 our BR Gus’ father at the Alumni dinner. Moe received a nice letter from Carol and Mike Conaway on Jan 11th. Their daughter, Carlin, earned a BA in communications and minors in business and leadership from VT. Christopher, their son, earned his master’s degree in strategic intelligence. Carlin is teaching in VA Beach and working toward a master’s degree in secondary education at ODU. Christopher deployed to Kabul, Afghanistan, on Feb. 11th for a 4- to 6-month hitch. Hopefully, he will be home safely soon. Mike continues to work as EVP of Tetra Tech Tasoro while Carol is involved with several ministries at church, one being a soup kitchen which serves hot meals 365 days a year. Carol is also a member of the Civil Engineer Corps Spouses’ Club. Mike and Carol continue to enjoy boating, fishing and their dinner cruises when the boat isn’t in the repair shop. Steve Neas wrote from Greensboro, NC, to let Moe know that he and Denise were married in J.M. Hall in Nov 09. Evidently the honeymoon did not give Steve time to write until now – Steve you da man! Quack was the best man; Bob Atkinson and Chuck Conner were also there. Steve said he sees Chris Nash and Tommy Underhill occasionally in the Triad area. Denise and Steve own some land in Rockbridge County near the Lexington Reservoir on Moores’ Creek Road. He hopes to build and be ready to host all early arrivals for the 35th Reunion out for a Thursday night cookout. More details closer to our reunion. Morris Siegel wrote from St. Louis, MS, to tell Moe that he and Bretta are doing fine after he was laid off on Jan. 28, 2011. He said their children, Brad and Blake, are out of college, and he hopes to have more time to attend some VMI events. Other than the ice and snow, Morris says things are going well, there is a roof over his head, clothes on his back and he is beginning to upscale to premium bacon and Bushes beans for supper. As we know, Morris is still a survivor and will come out of the Midwest on top. Feb. 5th was the Lynchburg Chapter’s 5th Annual Valentine’s Hop. Debbie and Steve Kelly, Martha and Paul Seufer, and Jane and Moe Massie were there to celebrate. There will be a group photo in our next issue. The event has continued to grow and brings VMI people from Roanoke, Lexington, Richmond, VA Beach, northern VA and South Boston. Karen and Dennis Kocik and Mark Bryant usually attend but were AWOL this year. Moe had a nice talk with George Borojevich at the VMI-Radford game. George seems to be doing well and plans to make it to more VMI events and games.
VMI ALUMNI REVIEW