Alumni Review 2014 Issue 2 by VMI Alumni Agencies

VMI

ALUMNI REVIEW 2014-Issue 2

Commemorating the Battle of New Market: May 15, 1864 —150 Years

2 1

Charles T. Corling, New Market Battle Veteran, ca. 1900. Photo: VMI Archives.

Contents

VIRGINIA MILITARY INSTITUTE Alumni Review 2014-Issue 2 PUBLISHER The President of The VMI Alumni Association, Inc.

IN THIS ISSUE . . . This issue includes class notes and news items covering the time period of Nov. 1, 2013, to Feb. 15, 2014.

FEATURES

Valor in Korea Postscript: Walker, Class of 1909 9 In Memory: Kathryn Wise 10 Alumni Review Editor to Retire 12 The Battle of New Market Reenactment: The Tradition Continues

Zarges ’70: How Alumni Can Help VMI 17 Astronaut Hopeful Heidi Beemer ’11 One Step Closer to Reaching Red Planet

DEPARTMENTS 2 President’s Letter 154 Association Directory 162 The Institute 170 VMI Athletics 176 The Foundation 188 The Keydet Club

2014-Issue 2

Volume 91, No. 1

NEWS AND UPDATES 4 6 19 21 26 147 147 148 149 156

Alumni in Theater Our Alumni Serving Association/Chapter News New Cadet Recruiting Class Notes Births, Marriages, Degrees Most Senior Alumni Provisional Appointments Taps Alumni News

170

Editor: Hope Hennessey Assistant Editor: Margaret Weimer Editorial Assistant: Jordan Moore Graphic Artist: Adam McBryde 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 PRINTER Progress Printing Co., Inc. Lynchburg, Virginia 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. ATTENTION POSTMASTER: Send changes of address to: VMI Alumni Review, P.O. Box 932, Lexington, VA 24450 Periodicals postage paid at Lynchburg, VA. 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. 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

WEBSITE ADDRESSES Alumni Agencies: www.vmialumni.org VMI: www.vmi.edu ON OUR COVER Front: In honor of New Market Day, we feature Class of 1867 officers and New Market Cadets, from left, standing: Hardaway H. Dinwiddie and Gaylord B. Clark. Seated: Edward M. Tutwiler, John L. Tunstall and Thomas G. Hayes. Inside Front: Circa 1900, Charles Thompson Corling, Class of 1867, wearing the New Market Cross of Honor, the Southern Cross of Honor and reunion medals. Photos courtesy of VMI Archives.

A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT Greetings from the Institute! It’s an exciting time at VMI. Cadets are gearing up for finals, commissioning ceremonies and graduation. Perhaps most importantly, VMI is preparing to celebrate the day the Corps of Cadets fought as a unit at the Battle of New Market – May 15, 1864 – 150 years ago. As is the custom, events for the day will include a ceremonial formation, roll call, and the ceremony and review. Additionally, on May 16-18 at New Market Battlefield State Historical Park, there will be a re-creation of the famous battle, living history presentations, lectures and book signings by Civil War authors. For those who will not be here to help us mark this important 150-year anniversary, I know you will join me in remembering the brave young men who fought and died at New Market. In this issue of the Review, we also remember and pay tribute to a recently deceased member of the VMI family: Kathryn Wise, former vice president, VMI Alumni Association, and former editor of the Alumni Review. We honor Kathryn for her significant, noteworthy contributions to the Institute and to the Alumni Association.

Bob Heely ’69 and wife Lush Heely

Additional points of interest in this Review are: • •

• • •

“The Battle of New Market Reenactment: The Tradition Continues,” by Col. Keith E. Gibson ’77 and Maj. Troy D. Marshall, commemorates the 150th Anniversary of the Battle of New Market. The crucial leadership of Gen. Walton H. Walker ’909 during the Korean War and his Distinguished Service Cross award are highlighted in an article by J. Bolling Williamson ’60. This is an update to the “Valor in Korea” article by Williamson that appeared in the last issue of the Review. The Bill Davis ’68 Memorial Basketball Scholarship, as well as the establishment of an athletic scholarship by Bland Massie Jr. ’77, are announced in the Keydet Club section. There is a thoughtful Q&A with Thomas H. Zarges ’70 in which the alumnus reflects on his cadetship, how it has shaped his life and why alumni should help support the Institute. The article titled, “Astronaut Hopeful Heidi Beemer ’11, One Step Closer to Reaching Red Planet,” shares the story of one young alumna’s journey in a competition that could make her one of the first astronauts on Mars.

In the Foundation section of this issue, VMI Foundation President Walt Jeffress ’68 bids farewell, as he will complete his three-year tenure as president on June 30, 2014. The Foundation also says goodbye to Frances Arehart, corporate secretary, who will retire after almost 50 years of service. In closing, I invite you, once again, to come back to VMI. As this magazine goes to press, we are preparing to welcome alumni from the classes of ’44, ’49A, ’49B, ’49C, ’54, ’59, ’64, ’74, ’84 and ’94 for spring reunions. The fall reunions and football season aren’t far behind, and the 175th anniversary of the Institute’s founding is also on the horizon: Founders Day, Nov. 11, 2014. Visit the Institute, see the many positive changes taking place, reunite with friends and take part in the activities. I guarantee that you’ll be glad you did!

Rah Virginia Mil!

Robert A. Heely ’69, President The VMI Alumni Association, Inc.

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

Letter to the Editor

Scout troop family dinner in my capacity as a commissioner to make a presentation. I was directed to sit at the parents’ table and found myself seated next to Ed Schowalter, whose son was a Scout in the troop. I told him I had marched in the parade mentioned above, noting a couple of the remarks made by Gen. Kilbourne that day. Ed said to me: “Barney, the thing that means so much to me about my Medal of Honor is that my men got it for me. We had been taken out of the line, and I was in the hospital, having been recommended for other medals. In those days, GIs were more afraid of their first sergeant than they were of the enemy, but I found out later that a bunch of them went directly to the commanding general and put me in for the Medal of Honor. That made me feel more special than any other Medal of Honor recipient – my men, not the medal.” Our conversation then degenerated into alumni talk – running the block, Bill the Bugler, the horrors of the mess hall, Col. B.D. Mayo and other such mutual memories. I never really got to know Ed Schowalter, and I only saw him from time to time around the neighborhood. BUT I’ll never forget the character of the man who put his men above himself. In the bonds of VMI, Edwin B. “Barney” Lawless III ’55 Fairfax, Virginia

Alumni Review Contributing Writers

Medal of Honor recipients Maj. Gen. Charles E. Kilbourne ’894, left, and Edward R. Schowalter ’51 at VMI.

Dear Editor, In the [2014-Issue 1] Alumni Review is an article by J. Bolling Williamson ’60 about Edward R. Schowalter ’51 and his receipt of the Medal of Honor for his actions in Korea. [“Heritage of Valor in Korea,” Page 13.] Ed Schowalter graduated from VMI just before my rat year, so I never knew him as a cadet. Sometime after Ed had received the Medal of Honor, there was a parade at VMI to recognize the award. Fellow Medal of Honor recipient Gen. Kilbourne ’894 spoke at that parade, but the sound system being what it was in those days was not too clear to those of us in the rear ranks of Company F. There is a photo of Ed with Gen. Kilbourne taken at that parade on page viii of the “2010 Register of Former Cadets.” [See photo above.] This was a moving experience for us in the Corps at the time, especially to those who had known Ed when he was a cadet. Fast forward a number of years. I had been invited to a local 2014-Issue 2

J. Bolling Williamson ’60 J. Bolling Williamson ’60 earned a bachelor’s degree in history from VMI and, in 1969, a master of business administration degree from the College of William & Mary. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1960-67. In 1969, he joined Crestar (now Sun Trust) Bank, where he remained until he retired in 2000 as senior vice president of Commercial Lending. Williamson has written a number of highly regarded historical articles about alumni for the Review. He explains his motivation as follows: “VMI alumni have established a record of service and valor that is virtually unmatched, and the objective of my articles is to increase awareness of our heritage.” Rich Griset Rich Griset graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a bachelor’s degree in mass communications (print journalism), minoring in religious studies. He is an award-winning freelance reporter and theater critic in Richmond, Virginia. His work has been published in Diverse: Issues in Higher Education, The Virginian-Pilot, Daily Press and Richmond Magazine. He’s a regular contributor to Style Weekly and the Chesterfield Observer. Griset refers to himself as an Air Force brat and was born in Germany.

Alumni in Theater* Recognizing Alumni Serving in Afghanistan * Theater is defined here as the entirety of the air, land and sea area that is involved in declared war operations at this time.

Pictured at the Kabul Military Training Center in Kabul, Afghanistan, is Vic Tran ’93 (holding the VMI flag) with the rest of Operational Detachment Alpha 0333 10th Special Forces Group out of Fort Carson, Colorado.

An Update The following alumni names have been received since the publication of the 2014-Issue 1 Alumni Review. This update does not include alumni names received after Feb. 15, 2014. 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 Theater, but they all have served at one time. Names and photographs are emailed to us almost every week. Because we have to have a cutoff 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 (email: review@vmiaa.org). For a complete list of names that we have received, go to http://www. vmialumni.org and click on the link titled “Directories” and then the link “OEF/OIF,” or go directly to http://www.vmialumni.org/oifoef.

Class of 1993 Tran, Viet Hoang, Civilian

Class of 2011 Hefner, James Nathaniel, USMC Harris, Robert Ross Jr., USA 4

Brother Rats Nate Hefner ’11, U.S. Marine Corps, and Ross Harris ’11, U.S. Army, holding the VMI flag in Afghanistan.

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

Alumni in Theater VMI Seeks Commissioning Information for Classes of 1990-2009 In order to more accurately reflect commissioning percentages at VMI, the Institute is seeking to uncover those alumni who have commissioned in any branch of service following their graduation through an Officer Candidate Program or other commissioning avenue. VMI believes that there may be a sizeable number of alumni in this category. If you commissioned after graduation, by some means other than direct commission through VMI ROTC, please contact Lt. Col. Gary Bissell ’89, assistant chief of staff, by e-mail at bissellga@ vmi.edu or by phone at 540-464-7104.

Brother rats and classmates since high school, U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Douglas Bahrns ’03 and U.S. Air Force Maj. Brian Desautels ’03 both ended up in Alpha Company while at VMI and were reunited while deployed. Bahrns, right, is the SPMAGTF 14.1 Operations officer. Desautels, left, is director of Operations for the 79th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron (HC-130J).

Holding the VMI flag is Vic Tran ’93 with Task Unit Kabul, which includes Operational Detachment Alpha 6211 (Romanian) soldiers, at Kabul Military Training Center in Kabul, Afghanistan.

2014-Issue 2

U.S. Army 1st Lt. Logan Barnhill ’10 flying his Kiawah around New York City, New York, and, as he put it, “Doing some recruiting!”

Our Alumni Serving Recognizing Those Who Serve Others in Their Communities, Country and the World In addition to recognizing those who have served in Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom (as shown on the previous pages), the Alumni Association would like to pay tribute to other citizen-soliders, who are, as Col. J.T.L. Preston said and as printed on the parapet, “an honor to our country and our state, objects of honest pride to their instructors ... and ready in everytime of deepest peril ... .” Those alumni whose photos and articles appear in this section of the Review could be members of the armed forces serving in non-combat capacities anywhere in the world, or they could be members of police and fire departments, doctors offering

their services to those less fortunate, alumni volunteering at food pantries or serving as Boy or Girl Scout leaders. If you or someone you know is serving others, please submit a high resolution photo (3 or 4 megapixels, minimum) taken at the location you are serving or with the people whom you serve. Along with the photo, please submit a caption that explains what your service is, where you perform it and for whom. Send these to the VMI Alumni Review staff at review@vmiaa.org or by mail to VMI Alumni Review, P.O. Box 932, Lexington, VA 24450, Attention: Editor. We will review your submission and consider it for publication.

Are you or someone you know serving the community, country or the world? Send in a photo and a description of what you’re doing, where and for whom. See instructions above.

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

Graduates of the Institute recently posed for a photo opportunity after the 89th Airlift Wing change of command ceremony held at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. Presiding over the Sept. 6, 2013, ceremony was 18th Air Force Commander Lt. Gen. Darren McDew ’82, center. Also in attendance were 89th Maintenance Group Commander Col. Ley Havird ’90, left, and 811th Operations Group Commander Col. Gray Riddick ’90, right, both stationed at Andrews.

U.S. Army Maj. Brian Withers ’99, U.S. Army 1st Lt. Even Rogers ’10 and Jamie Dillon ’01 at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado.

Leo Pambid ’95, Virginia State Police senior trooper, received the Commonwealth Meritorious Service Medal from Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling, left, and Secretary of Public Safety Bryan Rhode, right, Nov. 19, 2013. The award was presented for his role in extinguishing a fire burning an 8-year-old girl who became fully engulfed in flames as she was standing next to a car that was being serviced.

Pictured in the lobby of an undisclosed location just outside of D.C. are the VMI alumni currently stationed with the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization. U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Johnson ’77 is the director (commanding general). From left: Lt. Col. Heath Wells ’91, Ronnie Norman ’75, Johnson, Clint Mundinger ’00 and Dave Baber ’02. (Not pictured: Justin Cole ’00.)

2014-Issue 2

Valor in Korea Postscript: Walker, Class of 1909 by J. Bolling Williamson ’60, Contributing Writer

Editor’s Note: After publishing the article “Valor in Korea” (2014-Issue 1 Alumni Review), some additional information concerning U.S. Army Gen. Walton H. Walker ’909 came to light. Specifically, we learned that Walker had been posthumously awarded an oak leaf cluster (second award) to the Distinguished Service Cross, a fact that was not noted in his VMI records. J. Bolling Williamson ’60, who wrote the “Valor in Korea” article, offered to prepare the following article that provides background to Gen. Walker’s award.

“We must fight until the end. If some of us must die, we will die fighting together.” Gen. Walton H. Walker – July 29, 1950 “We are fighting a battle against time.” In June 1950, forces from North Korea suddenly and without warning swarmed across the 38th parallel to invade South Korea. A limited number of American troops were immediately sent from occupation duty in Japan to reinforce the South Koreans, and shortly thereafter, mobilization orders were issued. Lt. Gen. Walker was ordered to reposition the headquarters of the 8th Army to South Korea and take command of other American units when they arrived from Japan and the U.S. But in the interim, the defenders were rolled over by the North Koreans whose army was numerically superior, well trained and equipped with modern weapons from Russia. The South Koreans and their American allies repeatedly established defensive positions, only to fall back and abandon them.

“There will be no retreating, withdrawal or readjustment of the lines. There is no line behind us to which we can retreat.” Three weeks after the invasion, Walker’s situation was desperate: The enemy seemed to hold all the cards, and the below-strength and unprepared American units were getting hammered. Walker’s forces had retreated the entire length of the South Korean peninsula, almost to Pusan – the last port from which they could be evacuated. An atmosphere of failure and confusion depressed the troops and was communicated back to an American public, who were dumfounded that the Army, which had simultaneously defeated Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan forces only five years earlier, was being kicked around by a Third World country.

Walker’s defensive line was so long and so thinly manned that he resorted to shuttling units back and forth in order to keep the enemy guessing about his strength. He later stated that he was using every available man to the extent that, if enemy guerillas had penetrated the lines and threatened his headquarters, he would have been unable to muster even a platoon to defend it. “You won’t find that in the books, will you?” he asked a correspondent later. “They would say you are crazy to fight a war without reserves. But that’s what we’re doing, because we have to.” On July 29, 1950, Walker issued his famous “stand or die” order to his units, which was intended to stiffen the resolve of the demoralized troops. Reinforcements continued to dribble in, and the Americans managed to fend off several strong North Korean attacks during August and early September. The defensive line occasionally buckled but didn’t break, despite an ammunition shortage that forced Walker to ration his guns to only five rounds per day for a brief period.

“I want everyone to understand we are going to hold this line. We are going to win.” The amphibious landing of American troops at Inchon on Sept. 15th opened a second front behind the North Korean forces, relieving the pressure on Walker. He immediately went on the offensive and led the 8th Army into North Korea until the Chinese army forced the withdrawal of all United Nations forces to the 38th parallel in late December. He was killed in a noncombat accident shortly thereafter, and his body was escorted home by his son, then-Capt. Sam S. Walker ’45, who would later become VMI’s 11th superintendent.

Gen. Walton H. Walker, Class of 1909

A Second Distinguished Service Cross Walker believed in being visible to the soldiers doing the fighting, and during the time his troops were besieged by the North Koreans, he spent much of his time with the front line units. The defensive line he had been charged to hold ran more than 100 miles over difficult terrain. Since he needed to know how the enemy had deployed its troops over this 100-mile area, he commandeered an unarmed, single-engine, two-seat observation plane and made numerous flights over the lines at tree-top level, so that he could see for himself. Undoubtedly, this was a disconcerting experience for the pilot, who knew the plane made a tempting target for enemy riflemen. Yet, Walker sat in the second seat, calmly making notes on his maps, undeterred. Following his death in December 1950, Walker was posthumously promoted with a fourth star and awarded an Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a second award. The citation noted his “fearlessness and courageous leadership” and “repeated aerial reconnaissance flights over enemy territory.” At the dedication by the South Korean government of a statue of him on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the war, an official said that “[Walker] saved this great nation from an extremely precarious state.” In the words of prominent journalist Hal Boyle: “When the military history of that frustrating operation is written, it must show General Walton Walker as a crucial figure. One wrong guess by him, and the war would have been over within the first two months. We would have been shoved off the peninsula.” (Quote from “Late General Walker Was Key in Saving Korea,” Hal Boyle, The Associated Press, July 31, 1955.)

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

In Memory of Kathryn Wise Vice President, VMI Alumni Association

Kathryn Ann Wise of Lexington, Virgin- Safety Commission; a former member in the summer of 2007, she was named ia, died Feb. 3, 2014. She was 64 years old. and one-term director of the Lexington vice president and senior editor. Among She was born Aug. 27, 1949, in London, Branch of the English-Speaking Union; her accomplishments while serving as England, the daughter of the late Helen and a former member of the National editor of the Alumni Review, she was most Giddings Wise of Lexington and the late Trust for Historic Preservation. She was a proud of her efforts to maintain a list of U.S. Navy Capt. Allen Pitchford Kauffman longtime gardener. alumni participation in the Gulf War, by of Punta Gorda Isles, Florida. class, in both Operation Desert She was the stepdaughter of Shield and Operation Desert the late Gene Wise, Ph.D., of Storm. She began this list in Lexington, who taught chem1991. Prior to that, VMI had istry at VMI from 1950-86. not kept records of alumni parShe spent her childhood in ticipation in wars since World Naples, Italy; Monterey, CaliWar II. In 2003, she began and fornia; and Beirut, Lebanon subsequently maintained a list where her father was the asof alumni participation in Opsistant naval attaché at the eration Enduring Freedom and American Embassy in the late Operation Iraqi Freedom. She 1950s. She attended second was also proud of the pictures and third grades at the Amerishe took of alumni, whom she can Community School in Beiconsidered to be the world’s rut, and as a child, she was flubest subject matter because ent in both Arabic and Italian. of the character and wisdom Following her return to the in their faces, and of the color United States, she attended photographs of the Institute school in Bethesda, Maryland, and alumni reunions which before moving to Lexington in often graced the magazine’s 1964 when her mother marfront cover and pages. ried Gene Wise. She graduated Also during her tenure as from Lexington High School editor, the Alumni Review was in 1967, from Southern Semifirst perfect bound beginning nary Junior College in 1969 in 1986. In partnership with Kathryn Wise was editor of the VMI Alumni Review from 1990 to summer 2007. and from Lynchburg College the magazine’s printer, Progin 1971. While at Southern ress Printing, she initiated limSeminary, where she was a ited use of color in the magaday student and earned an associate deShe worked from June 1971 to July zine in 2001, and by 2003, the conversion gree in art, she was named to Phi Theta 1972 as an exhibits specialist at the VMI to full-color photography and graphics Kappa (the national junior college honor Museum, where she had worked in the was complete. society), Who’s Who in American Junior summers during college. In July 1972, At the time of her retirement from the Colleges and the dean’s list and served she joined The VMI Alumni Association VMI Alumni Association in April 2010, as co-editor of the school yearbook. She Inc. as assistant editor of the VMI Alumni she was presented with the Meritorious earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in art Review. She was named the magazine’s as- Service Award and a resolution from VMI, from Lynchburg College, where she was sociate editor in 1986 and editor in 1990. signed by the superintendent and the nominated for Phi Beta Kappa. In August 1999, she was one of the first president of the VMI Board of Visitors, and In the late 1960s, she was a volunteer two employees to receive an award from a resolution from the VMI Alumni Associawith the Rockbridge Christmas Basket the VMI Alumni Agencies Appreciation tion. Program, which her stepfather chaired or Fund, which was established by Kay and She is survived by her sister, Jennifer co-chaired for more than 32 years. In the Skip Roberts ’67 to recognize employees Carol Wise, of Lexington and her special 1970s, she was a volunteer place judge at who provide exemplary work and service friends, Susan Trettel, whom she had VMI track meets. She was a former mem- for both alumni and VMI. known since childhood, and Joseph Trettel ber of the Colonial Dames XVII Century; a In 2004, she was named a vice presi- of Rockville, Maryland, and their children, former member of the Lexington Highway dent of the VMI Alumni Association, and Ian and Marisa.

2014-Issue 2

Alumni Review Editor Retires, Existing Staff Step Up

ffective July 15, 2014, Hope Hennessey, the editor of the VMI Alumni Review, will retire after more than 14 years of service. At the same time, current Review staff members Margaret Weimer and Jordan Moore will be promoted to communications editor and managing editor, respectively. Together, Moore and Weimer will be responsible for creating and distributing the Alumni Review, in addition to other duties. Hennessey joined the VMI Alumni Association staff in May 2000 as associate editor of the Alumni Review, reporting to Kathryn Wise, editor. When Wise was named a vice president in summer 2007, Hennessey was promoted to editor of the Review and has held the position since then.

Jordan Moore joined the Alumni Association staff as editorial assistant in October 2013. Her primary responsibilities have been to serve as point of contact for the 75 class agents and other alumni who need assistance pertaining to the department; magazine layout, design and final assembly; editing photos; Taps (obituary) section creation; managing the obituary process; writing; copy editing; proofing; and other essential tasks that keep the office running smoothly.

In her 14 years with the magazine, Hennessey has filled all roles related to the magazine’s production, including class notes editor; writer; copy editor; proofer; and graphic designer. “It has been a great joy to continually improve the magazine over the years and to help VMI in the process. I’ve loved my work, as well as the people with whom I’ve worked. I will miss them a great deal.”

In her new role as managing editor, Moore will also be responsible for creating and managing the daily production schedule; overseeing internal magazine contributors; creating and managing the editorial calendar; acting as liaison with the printing company; managing the department budget and purchasing; distributing schedules and estimates; and representing the department at staff meetings.

Hennessey

Margaret Weimer joined the Alumni Association staff as assistant editor and communications specialist Weimer in July 2013. Her primary responsibilities have been to write feature articles and other content for the Review; assist with layout, design and photography; edit copy; proof; edit photos; and oversee creation of the online and iOS versions of the magazine. Recently, she has also taken on the task of maintaining the Alumni Association Facebook presence with daily posts. In her new role as communications editor, Weimer will also be responsible for managing the processes and activities related to reunion photos, feature articles, freelance writers, photographers and videographers. She will be a member of the Campaign Communications

Team and Campaign Website Team, and she’ll continue her participation on the Social Media Committee. Additionally, she will represent the Publications Department at Alumni Association Board committee meetings.

“These are two highly capable, bright and accomplished people,” said Hennessey about Weimer Moore and Moore. “We’ve been working together for quite some time now, and it’s clear to me that, together, they can maintain the quality and timeliness of the Review. I have the utmost confidence in them and their abilities. So, I know I’m leaving the magazine in very good hands.” About these changes in the Alumni Review management and staff, Volant, who is the Alumni Association COO and executive vice president, said: “The Review remains the most sought-after source of information from our alumni and readers. With this transition, we are sustaining this excellent publication and encouraging further growth from our team. No question, Hope’s leadership has been the critical ingredient in making the Review function on time and with such appeal.”

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

VMI Locket is Available for Purchase

Unique, One-of-a-Kind Jewelry Honors VMI Legacy and Tradition This magnificent Fabergé-style egg locket hides a surprise that would please the master himself. Fashioned from 925 (millesimal fineness) sterling silver and 24kt gold vermeil, this inaugural locket honors the service and legacy of the graduates and families of Virginia Military Institute. Featuring exquisite guilloché patterns covered with hand-applied Italian enamels, this locket is adorned with the “VMI” monogram on both sides. The piece opens to reveal the VMI shako, the traditional parade hat and recognizable cadet uniform item, hanging from a gold chain. This truly unique piece of jewelry was handmade in the United States by immigrant Russian master jewelers in the same style and tradition as the czar’s treasured pieces. Attractive and indicative of the quality expected by alumni, this special gift includes your choice of an 18- , 20- or 24-inch gold-filled chain, manufacturer’s certificate of authenticity and an exquisite presentation box. Suitable for wear with formal, business or casual attire, these lockets are wonderful keepsakes and conversation pieces. Pricing is as follows: VMI Locket Shako Pendant only

The locket is adorned with the VMI Spider monogram on both sides. Above, the shako is displayed.

$124.99 plus shipping $34.99 plus shipping

Shipping cost for Locket and Pendant: $6.00 ground, $15.00 overnight

To order, call 800/444-1839, or mail a check or money order to The VMI Alumni Association, Inc., P. O. Box 932, Lexington, Virginia 24450. To order online, go to www.vmialumni.org/vmilocket. About the manufacturer: For nearly two decades, The Artel Collection has provided the most creative, original and inspired assortment of egg pendants to major Fabergé exhibits across the United States. The manufacturer is currently the source of original egg pendants offered at numerous museum shops, jewelry stores and fine gift shops across the United States and abroad. 2014-Issue 2

When opened, the locket reveals the VMI shako hanging from a gold chain.

Commemorating the 150th Anniversary

The Battle of New Market Reenactment: The Tradition Continues by Col. Keith E. Gibson ’77 and Maj. Troy D. Marshall

The Battle of New Market is widely recognized as one of the most important secondary engagements of the American Civil War. “Seldom did a small victory have so large an effect,” concluded Lee biographer Douglas Southall Freeman. “Had not Sigel been driven back when he was, the Valley of Virginia might have been occupied by the Federals before the wheat crop was harvested … Short as was the time saved by the Battle of New Market, it was invaluable.” The significance and subsequent notoriety of the battle has a great deal to do with the participation of the Virginia Military Institute Cadet Corps. Fate more than planning resulted in the untried cadets being in the critical place at the critical moment. It all began with a short, simple request: “Staunton, Va., May 10, 1864 “Maj. Gen. F.H. Smith, Superintendent VMI: “Sigel is moving up the Valley – was at Strasburg last night. I cannot tell you whether this is his destination. I would be glad to have your assistance at once with the cadets and the section of artillery. Bring all the forage and rations you can … “Yours respectfully, “John C. Breckinridge, Major General” With these few words, VMI and the Battle of New Market are irrevocably linked. The military stakes were higher than they had ever been in spring 1864 in the Shenandoah Valley – so were expectations. The VMI cadets hoped that this spring would not repeat previous years when the classroom monotony was occasionally broken by a country march after phantom Union cavalry. Youthful bravado reigned supreme at VMI, and all saw the barracks as their prison. All of that changed on the evening of May 10 when Maj. Gen. Breckinridge required the cadet battalion to bolster his understrength force of 5,000 men. His opponent, Maj. Gen. Franz Sigel, and his seemingly limitless force of almost 9,000 men were heading south into the valley.

After a two-day, 35-mile march, the cadets joined Breckinridge’s army in Staunton. Seasoned veterans greeted the school boys with jeers and suspicion. The young ladies of the Augusta Female Seminary greeted the cadets with a grand ball. Cadets danced on tired and blistered feet, little thinking that battle and death loomed a few days into the future. In the early morning hours of May 15, 1864, Col. Shipp’s battalion of cadets lumbered groggily toward the small hamlet of New Market. Here, they waited an eternity until the sun was high overhead when they would finally advance against the Union line to their front. Though undoubtedly the best drilled troops on the field, only a few cadets had experienced real battle – “seen

the elephant,” as the veterans called it. The average age among of the Corps was 18 years; the youngest was barely 15 years old. Battle is no respecter of persons. By mid-afternoon, the battalion could see Union Gen. Sigel’s main line on Bushong’s Hill. Sigel attempted to capitalize on a break in the Confederate line which had been created by the Union artillery. His infantry attack was repulsed when the break was filled by the VMI Cadet Corps. Now, the entire Confederate line stormed across a rain-soaked wheat field – later known as the Field of Lost Shoes. The cadets wrestled a cannon away from Von Kleiser’s Battery B, 30th NY, after brief but decisive closequarter fighting. By end of the day, the battalion had suffered (continuned on pg. 14)

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

Of the Battle of New Market, May 15, 2014

Above: Officials attending the 1923 reenactment of the Battle of New Market were, from left, VMI Superintendent Edward Nichols; Commandant of the Marine Corps John Lejeune (later to be the fifth superintendent); Governor Elbert Trinkle; Secretary of the Navy Edwin Denby (whose father was Charles Denby, Class of 1850); Medal of Honor recipient Col. James M. Schoonmaker; and Brig. Gen. Smedly Butler, USMC. Col. Schoonmaker directed that his Medal of Honor be presented to the VMI Museum after his death as a token of respect for the Institute, where it resides today.

Above: VMI cadets near the Bushong Farm orchard fence at the 1923 reenactment of the Battle of New Market.

Above: VMI cadets preparing to leave for the 1923 reenactment of the Battle of New Market. Left: VMI cadets engaged in the 1964 reenactment.

2014-Issue 2

(continued from pg. 12) 47 wounded out of 257, with five dying and five more succumbing to their wounds later on. The battle was not large compared to Gettysburg or Shiloh, but it was tactically important and inspirational. Members of the Cadet Battalion went on to serve on other fields until the smoke finally cleared and scars of battle were hidden by time, leaving only legacy and memory. The Cadet Cemetery at VMI carefully preserved the final resting place of six of the 10 fallen cadets until a more fitting monument could be made. Remarkably, this memorial was made by one of their own – a veteran of New Market, Cadet Moses J. Ezekiel ’896, who created the statue “Virginia Mourning Her Dead.” Dedicated in 1903, the mournful figure of Virginia still stands her somber guard over the cadet remains. On May 15, 1914, VMI commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Battle of New Market with a daylong slate of events at New Market, including the first reenactment of the battle. “Early [on] the anniversary day, the town filled up and ran over,” reported the May 21, 1914, edition of the Shenandoah Valley newspaper. “The crowd is variously estimated at from 6,000 to 8,000 people. They came from all parts of the country – on the trains, in vehicles, on foot, horseback and in automobiles – probably 400 or 500 automobiles motored in …” VMI brought 327 cadets under the leadership of Commandant Col. Jennings C. Wise ’902, son of New Market Cadet John S. Wise ’866. He led them in stages from the town center up to Bushong’s Farm, pausing only when explanation of the action required it. Spectators followed at a respectful distance. A Shenandoah Valley newspaperman remembered, “As the Cadet Corps marched over the field of battle … crowds viewed the spectacular parade from the rear end of the dwellings, lots, fields and Valley Turnpike to the east.” Then came the memorable recreation of the cadet charge. Col. Wise ordered his line to halt, kneel and fire two volleys toward an imaginary Union line. His order echoed along the line – “Fix Bayonets! Charge! Double-time! March!” Up the hill they went, just as their gray-clad forbearers had done. Ceremonies, speeches and a public parade ended the day for thousands of attendees, including 27 aging New Market Cadet veterans, participants in the action a half-century before. This would not be the last day that crowds would descend on the town with the crack of rifle filling the air. On Sept. 20, 1923, Brig. Gen. Smedley Butler brought 3,500 U.S. Marines to New Market for 14

Above: From left: Sen. Henry DuPont, an 1861 West Point graduate who commanded the Union 5th Artillery at the Battle in 1864; Gen. Edward W. Nichols, Class of 1878 and superintendent from 1907-1924; and Col. John McElroy, a Union Officer.

the first modern reenactment on the battlefield. stood in place of Sigel’s Union troops, and the VMI cadets reprised the role of their predecessors. A staggering crowd of 100,000 spectators and 25,000 automobiles descended on the small Shenandoah Valley town for the event. At the conclusion of the mock battle, both sides relocated to Lexington, Virginia, where the Marine football squad took on the VMI Keydet team. The cadets were victorious on both fields of battle. In 1961, the attention of the nation returned to the American Civil War with films, programs, commemorations and reenactments. These were not, however, the reenactments of half a century earlier. Centennial reenactors prided themselves on their realistic dress, weaponry and attention to detail on the field. On May 15, 1964, reenactors and spectators once again arrived on the old field to witness the Battle of New Market. That same year, 150 acres of the battle site and the Bushong Farm, which had been purchased years earlier by VMI graduate George Collins ’62, officially became a part of the Institute as Collins’ bequest. The grounds opened to the public in 1967. The centennial reenactment was a modest sized event by today’s standards, but it planted the seed for future reenactment

Above: A crowd gathered in 1923 at the Bushong house. During the Battle of New Market, fighting surrounded this family farm. After the battle, the house was used briefly as a field hospital.

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

events at New Market. The park adopted the annual reenactment as the flagship event of its historical interpretive programing. Today, New Market is the nation’s oldest annual reenactment held on the original ground. May 15, 2014, marks the 150th Anniversary of the Battle of New Market. The Institute and New Market Battlefield State Historical Park is commemorating the historic milestone with a slate of special events and, of course, a grand reenactment. The park begins the commemoration on the 15th by offering a very special 150th Anniversary “at the actual moment, on the actual ground” guided tour of the battlefield. At the same time, the Corps of Cadets pays solemn tribute to the New Market Cadets in the annual commemorative parade on the VMI Parade Ground in Lexington, just as they have done since 1866. In New Market, reenactors from around the nation and several foreign countries are gathering to kick off the May 16-18 weekend of living history and battle recreation. Each day, speakers – including best-selling historical novelist Jeff Shaara – are presenting at public lectures. Demonstrations and battle reenactments (three, in all) have been specially choreographed to follow the historical action on that particular day. Friday, the 16th, focuses on the Union forces moving into New Market; Saturday, the 17th, features the cavalry duel; and Sunday culminates with the infantry battle and the celebrated cadet charge. Memories and experiences, along with moments of reflection on the past and how we use it to shape our future, is also a part of the weekend for visitors to a once in a lifetime event. The tradition continues. For more information, contact the Virginia Museum of the Civil War at 866-515-1854 (toll free), or visit the website at www.vmi. edu/newmarket.

2014-Issue 2

Zarges ’70 How Alumni Can Help VMI

Thomas H. Zarges ’70 has more than 40 years of experience in global engineering and construction. He has worked across the United States and in more than 20 countries, including Korea, India, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Iraq and Russia. Zarges serves as chairman of Nuclear Management Partners, a company based in the United Kingdom that manages the nuclear program in Great Britain. Additionally, Zarges works as a consultant for URS Corporation where he has held a number of senior management positions, including president and chairman of the Energy & Construction business and senior executive vice president of Operations. Zarges is a Rockbridge County resident who serves on the VMI Foundation Board and enjoys maintaining his vintage car collection. He matriculated to VMI from Flourtown, Pennsylvania, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering. We recently had an opportunity to chat with Zarges and asked him a few questions about the Institute, his cadetship and giving back.

: How have you seen

the Institute advance during the past decade or two?

: Obviously,

VMI has changed. I know some of my contemporaries think it isn’t like the Old Corps when they were here – that it’s not as harsh or hard, and there are more liberties taken with the restrictions on daily life. But back in the old days, normal college wasn’t the same either. I think if you compare the distinction between a regular college and VMI, that level of distinction still exists in

equal measure. While VMI has changed, everything has changed. I think the Institute continues to instill a sense of discipline, purpose and common experience that is just as righteous as when it was founded. I still think it’s the right framework, and the right motivation is imparted to the kids.

: Do you think attend-

ing VMI and holding leadership positions, such as first captain and Honor Court member, prepared you for the leadership roles taken in your professional life?

: In my class, we had ca-

det officers who have done really well in organizations where they can be exemplars and exert leadership and accountability. There are just as many 1st Class privates who became entrepreneurs and founders of businesses. At VMI, there’s room for everybody to learn about how to be accountable and how to follow. You don’t have to be a cadet officer to achieve leadership or merit later in your life. That is no indicator, as far as I can see, of success, accomplishment or achievement. I think it’s the whole package, and 15

cadets can choose to express themselves in many different ways within the confines of the VMI system. I think having a strong framework and the sense of balance that VMI imparts are really important. Most students don’t appreciate that until they’ve had a chance to reflect on it and get some perspective.

in alignment with those of corporations and philanthropic organizations. VMI’s values have particular resonance with the goals and the aspirations of a lot of these corporations and foundations. We just need to make sure that we establish these connections in the proper way and convince them that our goals and theirs serve the same worthy purpose.

Q A

ing has tremendous value, more today than it ever did. It’s important to make sure our voice is heard and our goals are communicated

often very common. Alumni can help by speaking to these people and groups about VMI, its mission, needs and success stories.

: Why have you made it a priority

to support VMI with your time and resources, and what have you observed about the cadets who are pursuing an education at VMI today?

: I’ve thought about my formative

years and the things that shaped my sense of duty, character, purpose and integrity. The four years I spent at VMI put my character together and gave it a push in the right direction. I can’t think of anything that was demonstrated to me at VMI or was a part of the mission and atmosphere that didn’t serve me well after I got out of school. When I was a little older and got a chance to recruit some of the kids (from VMI), I saw the same thing in them, even if they didn’t realize it. When I see the quality of these graduates and how they take what they have been given and apply it, either consciously or subconsciously in their lives afterward, it makes me want to ensure that all of this carries on. VMI cadets represent a fine cross section of people from different backgrounds, difZarges ’70 with his brother rats during Air Force field training exercises in spring ferent means and different 1969 at White’s Farm in Rockbridge County. Standing, from left: William P. Williams, Donald S. Crawford, Howard G. DeWolf, Linwood N. Steverson and Thomas B. Clingwalks of life. It’s really imerman. Standing in front of the jeep: Ronald A. Henry, Capt. Wood (Air Force TAC portant to help the kids in officer) and Clifton R. Brooks Jr. Zarges is seated on the hood, and James R. Marshall need, who have merit and is at the wheel. accomplishment written all over them, who may not have the means to go to a school like : How can VMI alumni help in that : Why is corporate and foundation VMI with the lack of state and public regard? support so important to VMI? aid. If we’re going to continue that and recognize merit – we’ve got to provide : Alumni can help shape the opin: Every kind of financial support some help. That’s how I went to VMI. is important to the Institute. It ion and direction of the compaMy parents couldn’t afford to send me comes from many sources and with nies or foundations with which they are to school. I needed a scholarship, and many different motives in mind. I think engaged. They can have a direct bearing military scholarships aren’t available everybody knows that government sup- on how VMI is perceived. We all know like they were when I was in school. port for higher education has dramati- people who are on foundations or corWe, us alumni, have got to help these cally fallen off, and it’s extremely chal- porate boards whose goals resonate kids reach their goal to get a really lenging. Whatever we can do to ensure with the mission and the philosophy of good education in an environment that that the resources are available to con- VMI. Whether they are alumni or not helps shape their future, as it did mine. tinue the work that the Institute is do- is immaterial, because the goals are

Editor’s Note: Photos on this and previous page provided by Thomas Zarges.

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

Astronaut Hopeful Heidi Beemer ’11 One Step Closer to Reaching Red Planet

hen U.S. Army 1st Lt. Heidi Beemer ’11 received word that she was one step closer to realizing her life-long dream of exploring Mars, she was having coffee with friends at a Gatlinburg, Tennessee, Starbucks. “The email popped up a few hours early, so it caught me completely off guard,” Beemer said. “I was just really excited to find out I made it to the next round, and to have that weight lifted off my shoulders for a little bit felt really good.” Beemer, who has dreamed of exploring Mars since she was 8 years old, was recently accepted into the second phase of the astronaut selection process for Mars One, a not-for-profit organization that seeks to establish a human settlement on Mars by 2025. Of the more than 200,000 applications received by Mars One, Beemer is one of the 1,058 who will continue to the next stage. “By 2015, six to 10 teams of four individuals will be selected for seven years of full-time training,” stated a Mars One press release. “In 2023

2014-Issue 2

(recently postponed to 2025), one of these teams will become the first humans ever to land on Mars and live there for the rest of their lives.” According to the Mars One website, applications flooded in from around the globe, 140 countries in all, with the highest number of submissions from the United States. The mission to Mars is a one-way trip, and astronauts who are selected will not return to Earth. Considerable challenges are inherent with being among the first to travel to Mars, including the physical and psychological effects of long-term space flight, living in extremely close quarters with other astronauts, potential exposure to radiation and more. “You don’t want to make a decision like that lightly, but this is an opportunity I’ve been waiting for my entire life,” Beemer said. “Going to Mars is

important to humanity as a whole, to continue to expand and push everything in new directions by going to new places and doing new things that no one has ever done before.” Stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, Beemer is in charge of 21 soldiers in the 63rd Chemical Company, a decontamination platoon that deals with chemical defense and homeland security. Beemer said she believes the experiences and skills she has developed through her Army career and cadetship, combined with participation in not one, but two NASA research

internships, make her well suited for a mission of this mag- Beemer made observations and took measurements of actual rock nitude. layers. “I have the confidence and training,” Beemer said. “The big“After all the research I did, we found three different sites that gest concern is always the unknown, but VMI taught me a lot would have been suitable for tunnels, and we determined that, about how I operate. That will put me above my peers.” yes, it was feasible to use this on Mars.” Beemer, who came to VMI According to a Mars One on a soccer scholarship, press release, there are sevgraduated with a degree in eral more selection phases chemistry. Prior to her cathat will carry over into detship, she attended Ocean 2015 to include simulations Lakes Math and Science that will test the physical Academy in Virginia Beach, and emotional limits and Virginia. abilities of the candidates. Beemer’s father, David, Beemer said that the third said she was consistently round of the selection proencouraged to pursue scicess will include some form ence from an early age. of public involvement, but “One year, when she was that Mars One has not spelittle, we were visiting her cifically outlined how. Since cousins in Connecticut and starting her journey to the had Santa deliver a teleRed Planet, Beemer has been scope – she was actually interviewed by several media shaking and crying when outlets, including CNN, and she opened it up,” the elder Above: Beemer ’11 wearing her spacesuit at the Mars Desert is engaging in community Beemer said. “We used it Research Station in Utah, where she was the crew executive outreach as well as enhancto look at Venus, Mars and commander, crew geologist and science team leader of Project ing her social media presJupiter-that was part of the LAMBDA for Crew 99. She spent two weeks conducting simu- ence. lation work and living in a two-story habitat. beginning for her.” Col. Daren Timmons, Ph.D., During her time at Ocean head of the VMI chemistry Lakes, Beemer was able to intern with Dr. Michael Hempsch, a department and professor, was Beemer’s adviser and said that her NASA Langley scientist, as part of her capstone thesis conduct- dreams of exploring Mars came up frequently during her time in ing wind tunnel testing for the Orion capsule escape module. his lab. In 2010, while attending VMI, she was selected to participate “She has been very purposeful about going to Mars, so it doesn’t in the highest tier of NASA internships, a 3-month-long op- surprise me to see her flooding Facebook and being interviewed portunity at NASA Ames Academy working on a project titled on CNN,” said Timmons. “I think if anybody should go to Mars, it “Newton Crater: Mars Habitability and Life Potential.” should be Heidi.” “For my individual project, I was working with Dr. Nathalie Follow Beemer’s progress on Facebook at www.facebook/beeCabrol on a specific crater on Mars, looking for possibilities mer2mars and on Twitter @beemer2mars. of landing a future robot there,” Beemer said. “I was looking at geological features and determining if this place may have been habitable in the past, and if we went there, would it be scientifically relevant and worth looking into.” After Beemer graduated from the academy, she and her team decided to continue their research at a Mars analog in Utah – one of several locations on Earth that share similar environmental characteristics to those on Mars. They applied and were selected. There, Beemer joined her six teammates as crew executive commander, crew geologist and science team leader of their project, Life Analysis and Metabolic Biological Detection Apparatus. “I spent two weeks doing research in a tin can in the middle Photo above: A close-up of of the desert while squeezing in my homework on the side,” Beemer’s spacesuit at the Mars Desert Research StaBeemer said. “Every time we went outside of the habitat, we tion. Crew members were were in full spacesuits, and we used ATVs to get around.” required to wear spacesuits While in Utah, Beemer’s research included investigating use while conducting research outside of the habitat. Photo of rock layers as a natural shield against the high radiation at right: Beemer’s research at the Mars Desert Research levels that exist on Mars due to the lack of atmosphere. Using Station included studying the use of rock layers as shields the Rock Mass Rating scale, a method that helps scientists against the high levels of radiation that exist on Mars. determine if a rock layer is suitable for supporting a tunnel,

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

ASSOCIATION NEWS ASSOCIATION NEWS First VMI Career Fair is Big Success by Eric Hunter ’08, Career Networking Officer, Alumni Association

What started as a vision and suggestion by Bret Wilkinson ’94 resulted in 34 companies and more than 150 cadets and recent graduates attending the first VMI Career Fair on Jan. 10, 2014, at the Richmond Country Club. Before the career fair began, it was exciting to see two rooms filled with employers and the foyer packed with cadets and recent graduates, all eager to speak with each other about entry-level positions and internship opportunities. The companies in attendance were very pleased with the quality of the candidates who participated. At the end of the event, many of the company’s representatives asked when the next event would be held. One employer mentioned, with a stack of resumes in his hand, that he never receives this many qualified candidates at other career fairs. It will be great to see how this event develops over the years. Thank you, employers and alumni who supported the VMI Career Fair! If you want your company to be represented in 2015, please email Eric Hunter ’08 at ehunter@ vmiaa.org. A special thanks goes to Bret Wilkinson ’94 for casting the vision for this event and for providing continued support through the VMI Club of Richmond!

Branch and Associates, Inc., was one of 34 companies that attended the Career Fair. Thank you, Branch and Associates, Inc., for your presence and support!

Companies in Attendance:

Recent graduate Brandon Page ’10 shook hands with Adam Morgan ’13, a MassMutual Financial Group representative.

Cadets spoke with representatives from Edward Jones, McAfee and Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc., among others. See list at right.

2014-Issue 2

Amazon Appendix R Solutions Atlantic Constructors, Inc. Automated Cargo Transport Systems Bizport Boxley Branch & Associates, Inc. Concrete Pipe & Precast, LLC Dominion Dominion Voice and Data ECS Mid-Atlantic, LLC Edward Jones Entry Guard Systems Gannett Fleming Hanover County Sheriff’s Office Henrico County Police Division Home Care Delivered ITAC Engineers and Constructors Jacobs Johnson Controls, Inc. KBS Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. Leidos Liberty Mutual MassMutual Financial Group McAfee Ricoh USA Skanska Target Transamerica U.S. Patent & Trademark Office Virginia Premier Health Plan VAMAC W.M. Jordan

ASSOCIATION NEWS 2013 Cadet-Alumni Networking Forum Receives Strong Alumni Support by Eric Hunter ’08, Career Networking Officer, Alumni Association

Each year, alumni from more than nine industries travel to VMI to network and answer career questions from cadets. On Dec. 7, 2013, 34 alumni attended the Cadet-Alumni Networking Forum to meet cadets and talk about their careers. This year, the event was held in the Center for Leadership and Ethics Hall of Valor. The large alumni turnout demonstrated to cadets the strength of the VMI network, which was made more apparent by the Hall of Valor medal displays commemorating the service and sacrifice of VMI alumni in time of war. Many thanks to all alumni who participated in the event! It will be great to have you back on post next year. If you are interested in participating in a future Cadet-Alumni Networking Forum, please email Eric Hunter ’08 at ehunter@vmiaa.org. Photo at top: Alumni present at the forum were, from left, Tom Kelly ’80, Rick Fowler ’80, Jack Keane ’80, Casey Jones ’06, Chris Haney ’00, Patrick Griffin ’80, John Williams ’88, Chris Parks ’84, John Shuman ’80, Bob White ’80, Martin Welsh ’78, Grover Outland ’81, Wayne Huggins ’07, Caleb Gibson ’11, Virginia Taylor ’10, Nick Gelles ’12, Quinn Adams ’11, Mike Fleenor ’75, Tom O’Sullivan ’82, Douglas Burdett ’82, Randolph Williams ’66, Ken Morris ’81, Mike Meads ’94, John Garrett ’13, Joel Andrus ’04, Patrick Gregory ’04, Gary Worley ’09, Bobby Ross ’59, Marlin Ikenberry ’95, John Weeda ’93, Ashley Johnson ’84, Bret Wilkinson ’94, Tom Puskas ’74 and Bill Miller ’89 (not pictured).

Ashley Johnson ’84 and Chris Parks ’84 at the December 2013 Cadet-Alumni Networking Forum.

Hawaii Chapter Celebrates Founders Day

On Nov. 9, 2013, the Hawaii Chapter met at the Hale Koa Hotel to celebrate Founders Day. In attendance were, from left, Chapter President Russ Takata ’74, Ian Brooks ’97, Mark Bryant ’77, Aric Southworth ’94, Joe Grealish ’89, Rob Pedigo ’90, Tom Smyth ’58 and Chris Crawford ’89.

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

ASSOCIATION NEWS New Cadet Recruiting Committee Hosts Recruiting Receptions across the Country by Nichole Kramer ’03, New Cadet Recruiting Officer, Alumni Association

The New Cadet Recruiting Committee and alumni recruiters met with prospective cadets across the United States during fall and early winter 2013. From the East Coast in September to the West Coast and Hawaii in December, alumni came out in full force to host New Cadet Recruiting receptions. Prospective cadets and their parents use this great opportunity to learn about VMI from staff members and, most importantly, to interact with our own alumni. Stay tuned to the next issues of the Review and the VMI Alumni Association website (vmialumni.org) for the fall 2014 schedule. If you would like to join our recruiting ranks, contact Nichole Kramer ’03 at nkramer@vmiaa.org to discuss options. Photo at right: Cadet Scott Beasley ’16, left, and Jamel Lynch ’94, right, at an NCR event in Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina, October 2013.

Young Alumni Committee Corner

Follow-up: Alumni Buried at Normandy After the appearance of the article on seven alumni buried at the cemetery at Normandy (in the 2013-Issue 4 Review, pages 14-16), the staff of the Alumni Review learned of another alumnus who is interred there. U.S. Army Lt. Lawrence C. Blanchard ’30 landed on Utah Beach June 6, 1944, with the 29th Field Artillery Battalion, 4th Division, and was killed June 8, 1944. The 29th was the first artillery battalion to land in Normandy and had the misfortune to lose an entire battery on the way in to the beach when one of its landing craft struck a German mine and sank. Upon landing, it quickly took up its mission of providing fire in support of the attack on Cherbourg. Lt. Blanchard was killed two days later and was decorated posthumously with the Silver Star for gallantry. Blanchard is buried at Plot H, Row 13, Grave 32. 2014-Issue 2

5K Young Alumni Run SATURDAY SEPT. 27, 2014 LEXINGTON, VA

• FREE • Open to Young Alumni* and Spouses * Young alumni defined as alumni who have celebrated 1-15 years since graduation Sponsored by:

VMI Alumni Association

More information/register: ehunter@vmiaa.org nkramer@vmiaa.org

PRIZES

Haydown on Sunday YAC Schwag

ASSOCIATION NEWS 2014 Graduate Reception We welcomed them as rats in our own special way ... now let’s welcome them as alumni! Please join the Young Alumni Committee in giving warm and hearty congratulations to our newest alumni ranks, the Class of 2014! We will celebrate with them at 6 p.m. May 13, 2014, in Moody Hall.

For more information, contact Nichole Kramer ’03 at nkramer@vmiaa.org or Eric Hunter ’08 at ehunter@vmiaa.org.

Northeast Florida Chapter Founders Day Oyster Roast

Announcing Graduate School Partnerships Virginia Military Institute has forged relationships with some of the best graduate and professional schools in Virginia and across the United States. These agreements offer a range of opportunities, including admissions concessions, internships, guaranteed interviews and, in some cases, guaranteed admissions. Partnership institutions include Virginia Commonwealth University, University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, College of William & Mary, Florida State University, Norwich University, Arizona State and the Via College of Osteopathic Medicine. Programs vary but include law, medicine, business, engineering, communications and other fields. If interested in learning more about the available partnerships, please contact Barry Cobb at cobbbr@vmi.edu. 22

On Nov. 8, 2013, members of the Northeast Florida Chapter, along with their families, attended a Founders Day oyster roast at the home of Gray Chandler ’70 and wife Nancy, overlooking Lake Chandler in Orange Park, Florida. The attendees, from left, were Ron Marley ’59, Dennis Witt ’69, Frank Brooke ’55, Jason Goldstein ’02, Adrian Garcia ’87, Chandler, Shawn Jones ’07, Carter Bostwick ’92 and Duke Addison ’82.

VMI Veterans Transition Program Are you retiring or planning to transition from active duty military service to another job or career? If so, The VMI Alumni Association, Inc. can help. Please contact Placement and Career Networking Officer Eric Hunter ’08 at ehunter@vmiaa.org, and discover how you can find a rewarding career in the civilian workforce through networking with other alumni.

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

ASSOCIATION NEWS Tampa Chapter Celebrates Founders Day and Veterans Day

The Tampa Chapter gathered to commemorate Founders Day and Veterans Day. Chapter President Bob Bailey said of the event: “By chance, a member of the Tampa-area United Service Organizations was seated close to the group. He couldn’t avoid hearing ‘VMI’ and ‘the Institute’ or notice the VMI hats and shirts. Making the link between VMI and those in uniform, he asked if he could address the group and talk about the services provided by the newly opened USO at Tampa International Airport. A more appropriate, although impromptu, guest speaker couldn’t have been planned for this day of celebration.” Attending, from left, were Omar Land ’91, Cal Lloyd ’62, Vernie Reichling ’87, Tony Buntyn (U.S. Air Force Reserve), USO Board of Directors member Jim Haney ’68, Whit Owens ’87 and Bailey. Present but not pictured were Dave Schrader ’71, Mike Zanetti ’02, Ernie Edgar ’87 and Ann Lloyd.

VMI Club of Richmond The VMI Club of Richmond held its annual dinner on Nov. 20, 2013, at the John Marshall Hotel in Richmond, Virginia. Two of the attendees were 2013 Boston Marathon participant Chris Ratchford ’94, right, and Dic Donohue ’02, left, a Boston police officer who was severely wounded in a shootout during the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing.

16th Annual Daniels ’61 Pilgrimage Planned for August 2014 As has occurred for the past 15 years, the Episcopal Diocese of Alabama will honor one of its heroes, Jonathan Myrick Daniels ’61, in Hayneville, Alabama, on the second Saturday in August 2014. Daniels, a martyr of the church, was shot and killed Aug. 20, 1965, while protecting the life of a young African American woman, Ruby Sales, from the gun fire of a segregationist. The pilgrimage includes a procession which begins at the Courthouse Square in Hayneville, continues to the old county jail where Daniels and others were detained, then moves to the Cash Grocery Store where Daniels was murdered. The procession then returns to the Courthouse Square for a prayer at a memorial erected in Daniels’ honor by E. Cabell Brand ’44 and his wife, Shirley. The pilgrimage ends at the courthouse where the man who killed Daniels was tried and acquitted. All alumni are invited and welcome to attend this event. Contact Dr. Thomas Jones ’69 at t3uptake@yahoo.com for information.

Chicago Chapter Hosts Party

The Chicago Chapter hosted a joint VMI/Citadel party in downtown Chicago for the VMI vs. Citadel football game.

2014-Issue 2

ASSOCIATION NEWS Taiwan Chapter Celebrates Founders Day and Visits Sun ’927 Memorial Hall

Photos at left: The Taiwan Chapter of the Alumni Association held a reunion celebrating Founders Day 2013. Photo above: Members of the Taiwan Chapter visited the Gen. LiJen Sun ’927 Memorial Hall in Taichung. Present were Yu-Cheng Huang ’93, Ying-Chie Hsieh ’08, Zhen-Xiang Ho ’92, Han-Lung Jin ’06, Tzu-Jen Fang ’92, Chin-Pu Chen ’85, Peter C. Fang ’93, Pei-Chun Lee ’04, Guan-Jiun Jang ’95, Yao-Zu Peng ’00, Kuo-Ruey Liang ’03 and Wei-Ying Chang ’06.

Alumnae Gather for Fellowship and Networking by Nichole Kramer ’03, New Cadet Recruiting Officer

Alumnae from VMI, the Citadel and Norwich University met for brunch at the Columbia Firehouse in Alexandria, Virginia, Feb. 22, 2014. Organized by Jessica Remick Schmaus ’04 (VMI), Stephanie Wethe ’04 (Norwich) and Kristina Romero ’06 (the Citadel), the event provided an opportunity for women to enjoy fellowship and network with other women who have had similar experiences. The goal of the event was to generate energy among alumnae to become or remain involved in alumni activities. Cathy Lanier, the first female police chief of the Metropolitan Police Department of Washington, D.C., attended as guest speaker. Lanier shared her experiences and is an example of a woman who has overcome much adversity in a male-dominated career, which resonated with the 23 alumnae in attendance. Lanier also echoed the suggestion for more alumnae involvement throughout the respective alumni associations. The event organizers hope to continue the momentum through other events. If you would like to be added to their mailing list or have an idea, please email Nichole Kramer ’03 at nkramer@vmiaa.org or Jessica Schmaus at jessica.schmaus@gmail.com.

Photo above: From left, Schmaus, Romero and Wethe, the organizers of the event. Photo at left: The alumnae with Chief Lanier at the brunch.

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

ASSOCIATION NEWS New England Chapter Rat Send-off On Aug. 1, 2013, the New England Alumni Chapter hosted a Rat Send-off in Norwood, Massachusetts. Six new cadets from the chapter are attending the Institute this year, four of whom were at the send-off with their families. They were, front row, from left, Brody Stofflet, John Rusnock, Michael Griffin and Jake Goulet. Old Corps, standing, were Joe Barra ’83, Chapter Representative Jack Wainwright ’82, Chapter President Pat Griffin ’80, Mike Soares ’75, Dennis Maguire ’80, David Wagner ’12, Nick Gelles ’12, Jay Wainwright ’16, Doug Reddington ’80 and Samantha Alpert ’14. New cadets not in attendance were Doug Gardner and Kory Patten.

New England Chapter Stayed Busy in Fall 2013 1

New Cadet Recruiting Event Nov. 15, 2013 Framingham, Massachusetts

Chapter Gathers to Watch VMI/Citadel Football: Pat Griffin ’80, Bruno Loefstedt ’80, Nick Gelles ’12, Ben Kimsey ’09, Jack Wainwright ’82, Joe Barra ’83, David Wagner ’12, Jim O’Book ’82, Ed Carter ’80 and Bill Wieners ’85 gathered in Foxboro, Massachusetts, to watch the VMI versus Citadel football game Nov. 16, 2013.

2014-Issue 2

1 & 7: Attendees at the event. 2: Bruno Loefstedt ’80 spoke at the event. 3: J.T. Rusnock, father of Cadet Jack Rusnock ’17, spoke about his experience as the parent of a rat. 4: Ben Kimsey ’09 and Nick Gelles ’12. 5: Cadet Jay Wainwright ’16 spoke to prospective cadets and parents. 6: Patrick Griffin ’80, New England Chapter president, gave a presentation to the attendees.

CLASSNOTES NOTES CLASS Richard H. Knight Jr. ’70

’35

Eddie Arnold celebrated his 100th birthday Feb. 7, 2014, in the company of his large family. Four generations of Arnolds flew to Albuquerque, New Mexico, from New York, South Carolina, Texas and California to join those who were close enough to drive. According to Dr. Tom Arnold, Eddie’s son, it was quite a party. Here’s a hearty “well done” and a tip of the kepi to ’35’s senior man! (And thanks, Tom, for supplying the photos.) Jim Sherman is right behind Eddie (March 31), but a report of Jim’s centennial celebration will have to wait until the next issue. Jane Ferrell (Mrs. William B. Ferrell) wrote and apologized that she had no news. “Nothing much is happening at age 95,” she said. A two-page handwritten letter followed. Jane wrote from Vero Beach, Florida, where her view overlooks the Atlantic Ocean. She said she observed schools of 6-foot marlins playing right outside her window and that she had written Eddie Arnold to congratulate him on his milestone birthday.

Jane remarked that I had nice handwriting. (That is actually the first time anyone has ever told me that, but I digress.) Jane confessed that she struggled to read the letters that “Nip” wrote to her during his military service, because his handwriting was so bad. She remembered that the post office was inside a little country store, not far from her mother’s home, called Bush Hill. It was near Charles City, Virginia, where they lived. When Jane walked to the post office, a pet pig would follow. However, it was far from a “Norman Rockwell-type” existence. Jane recalled that she and her mother rented the old slave quarters at Bush Hill to tenant farmers. The tenants suddenly departed, leaving Jane and her mother to cope the best they could. Jane milked cows, groomed horses, chopped wood and built fires for light and heat. There was no electricity. As I read Jane’s letter, I couldn’t help but think of my own mother, growing up at the same time on a small farm, Mount Valley, in Orange County, Virginia, and enduring the same hardships. Finally, the Rural Electrification Act brought electricity out to Mount Valley, but by then (1939), my mother was at Averett Junior College in Danville, Virginia. Mount Valley never had running water. I wonder sometimes if the younger generations truly appreciate what it meant to be “poor” in those days.

Class of 1935: Eddie Arnold’s 100th Birthday Feb. 7, 2014

Top left: Eddie Arnold posed with his birthday cake, which was covered with photos of his life. Above: Arnold and his grandchildren and greatgrandchildren all wore T-shirts that read, “A Celebration of Life: 100 Years.” Front row, from left: Scott, Alice, Arnold, Ashley and Blake. Back row: Everett, Chris, Jeff, Aaron and Austin. Bottom left: Arnold and his sons, from left, Bruce, Tom and Walt.

By the time these notes are published, Jane will be back in Virginia for an extended visit. Thank you, Jane, for these interesting reminiscences. Over the years, I have inherited quite a few yearbooks, called Howitzers, from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. In many of them, I have found nice references to VMI. I’ll give you an example. VMI met West Point “upon the friendly fields of strife” for the first time in 1917. Turning to the 1919 Howitzer, I found the following: “VMI was next taken into camp: 34-0. Although the Virginia Kaydets were a much lighter outfit than the Army, they put up a hard scrap and worried us more than the score indicates. The first period was all VMI’s. However, by the time the first half was over, the Army had awakened enough to push over a touchdown. The old steam roller got busy in the last half, leaving us no reason to doubt the outcome.” Remember that Army, Navy, Yale, Harvard and Notre Dame (and one or two others) were always competing for the mythical national championship back in those days. So, Army’s words were generous and sporting. They were also true. The Institute’s famed Flying Squadron was getting ready to lift off. Here is another VMI reference that I think the readers will enjoy. Ben Miller Campbell of Lexington, Virginia, graduated from West Point in 1920. Since he was from Lexington, I read his entry in the 1920 Howitzer. It concludes: “Throughout his entire Kaydet life, there have been just two things which Benny talked of with unbroken regularity: one is that playful little dog he left behind in Old Virginia; the other, the femme who really cared too much for VMI.” Well, we didn’t win the football game, but at least we won the lady! It is a privilege to represent the great Class of 1935. Until next time, I remain Respectfully, Dick ’70

’36

There is no class agent for the Class of 1936. If you would like to be the class agent, contact John Wranek ’85 at 800/444-1839.

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES

’37

Frank Forsyth’67

I don’t have a lot of news. However, I will share what I’ve received from class members in the past few months. I believe two alumni, W. Barton Baldwin and Judge J. Randolph Tucker, remain in the ’37 ranks. Helen Church (Bill) took time to get a card out to your class agent relaying warm wishes for a wonderful Christmas season to everyone. Although she said she had little news to share with her ’37 family, Helen wished all a very happy and contented New Year. Margery Couper (John) also dropped a Christmas card, apologizing for its lateness. She also provided a holiday greeting and shared that she was enjoying an extended visit with her son, who lives near Annapolis, Maryland. No need to apologize, Margery. We’re just happy that you had an opportunity to spend the holidays with family. The first Sunday of January, I received the nicest telephone call from Dorothy “Dot” Helfrich (Robert B.). Dot enjoys her surroundings and neighbors at Trellis Crossings on Richmond’s west end. Dot related that she was not very happy with the Polar Vortex invading the South, commenting that she is affected much more these days by the cold temperatures. I replied that my father also suffered the same plight. Dad would have been perfectly content to be in the Florida Keys year-round, if he could. He never understood why his wayward son never settled in Florida! Dot also advised me that Robert’s son (David Warfield Helfrich ’65) and a grandson (Michael Scott ’94) attended VMI for a time. Donna Callar (Don) shared her Christmas letter, which was chockfull of news. Donna wrote that she is busier than ever, beginning with her work with Jefferson County, West Virginia, Community Ministries. What began as volunteering a couple of days now consumes much of Donna’s week. From the tone of her letter, I have the feeling that Donna thoroughly enjoys the opportunity to share her counseling expertise and administrative skills with those in need. As the ministry’s intake coordinator, she schedules volunteers to interview 2014- Issue 2

people who are coming in to learn of the services offered by the ministry, such as clothing, food and counseling regarding available community services. The JCCM assists those in need of prescription medication with advice and coupons, as well as gasoline, heating fuel and propane coupons redeemable at local enterprises. Donna found that there has been a marked increase in the number of people needing some kind of support this past year. She remains energized to do whatever she can. Additionally, she remains involved with her community in other ways. She continues as president of the airport’s pilots association, member of her church’s governing board and treasurer of the area’s historical society. This past year she was elected to again serve on the Bolivar Town Council. Donna did take time last August for an Alaska cruise (her third) with five friends. Next June, she plans to join some of her fellow Alaska travelers on a West Coast sightseeing tour from Washington to California. Whew, I’m exhausted just reading about all she is doing. Keep it up, Donna! Nancy Worsham (James R.) took time to provide a long, chatty note full of enthusiasm about a near-future move she is planning to Cedarfield, a senior living community west of Richmond proper. The community offers several different living arrangements to suit various lifestyles. Since Nancy continues to enjoy her independence and drives herself where she needs to go, she feels the independent living arrangement offered at Cedarfield would be a good match. Besides getting about on her own, she continues to enjoy cooking, sewing, knitting and reading, as well as a good bridge game. She relates that her son (J.R. ’67 who goes by “Tucker”) so enjoys his work at Framatrome Technologies, Inc., that he continues to “punch the time clock.” The Confucius adage, “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life,” comes to mind and applies to many of Tucker’s ilk. Nancy did lament her lack of proficiency with the computer, although she appreciates the 20-year effort of her daughter-in-law, Sue, to help her become computer savvy. Nancy said her daughter is in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, close to her sons, daughter and two granddaughters. Well, Nancy, more power to you, and keep enjoying everything in your

life, whether at your present or future location! Please drop us a note once you are settled in your new surroundings. I had the opportunity to enjoy a nice telephone conversation with Judge J. Randolph Tucker in late January. I was unaware that he recently relocated to another residence in his Westminster-Canterbury, Richmond, venue, but after overcoming a couple of technical challenges, we were successful in connecting via a staff member’s telephone. He related that he had injured his right hand recently and found it difficult to manage a pen. Otherwise, he said he would have responded to the Christmas note I mailed to the class. I told him I was just pleased we could connect via the phone. It was so good to speak with him again. The judge was in good spirits but not very enamored with the weather around Richmond this winter. I said that I had heard the same comment from my brother rat, Bill Hoofnagle ’67, who lives out his way and still practices law in downtown Richmond. The judge recalled another carrying that name, and I verified he was thinking of Bill’s father, William H. “Hoofie” Hoofnagle Jr. ’36. Judge Tucker fondly remembered his Keydet years, as well as the eight years he served on the VMI Board of Visitors. He was pleased that he could represent the Class of ’37 at the 75th Reunion. He commented that the Alumni Association treated him like a king that weekend, seating him next to the superintendent, Gen. J.H. Binford Peay III ’62, during dinner – a dubious honor bestowed on the most senior reunion alumnus. The judge remains impressed with Gen. Peay’s leadership and reiterated his support of the superintendent’s vision for the Institute. Although Judge Tucker has been sticking close to home recently, he’s looking forward to the Westminster-Canterbury group’s annual gathering usually held each spring. He believes around 25 people with VMI connections reside at his location. I complimented the judge on his longevity, since he will mark 100 years in June. Consider sending Judge Tucker a birthday wish by June at the following address: Judge J. Randolph Tucker PHC 9335 Westminster Canterbury 1600 Westbrook Avenue Richmond, VA 23227 It was a pleasure hearing from Helen, Margery, Dot, Donna, Nancy and Judge 27

CLASS NOTES Tucker. It would be great to hear from other members of the ’37 family. And I’m happy to continue as your class agent as long as ’37 members want to share what’s happening in their lives. I wish the Class of ’37 a very pleasant and comfortable year and look forward to receiving more correspondence.

’38

Glenn Foust

I am interested in our Class of 1938 from VMI. This includes five members of the class. Dr. William Preston Boyer of Virginia Beach, Virginia. George Lee Fosque of Onancock, Virginia. Dr. G.T. Jim Foust of Tucson, Arizona. Henry Belt Johnson of Danville, Virginia. Robert N. Mathews in South Pines, South Carolina.

’39

Frank Parker III ’64

I received the following note from Ira Saxe: “I’m still hanging in there. Must use the walker all the time now, but I still drive my Chevy Volt to go out for meals, etc. I’ll be 96 Feb. 9. I don’t know how much longer I’ll last.” John Chiles’ son writes, “My mother, Elizabeth ‘Libby’ Talman Chiles, continues to do very well at Kendal in Lexington. She remains extremely interested in everything about VMI. She keeps up with all of the local, Virginia and world news. She does her crossword puzzles with a ballpoint pen, and she completes them! She enjoys and is very competitive at bingo. On Jan. 14, she said, ‘I’m going to enjoy being younger for one more day.’ She turned 97 the next day. Three of her four ‘kids’ were there celebrating with her.” Out of the blue in February, I received the following note: “My name is Dottie Newman Brown, the oldest daughter of Jim Newman, and I am assuming our fathers were both together in the Class of ’39! I see the reunion is in March. What a blessing for those able to attend, and what a joy for all of us on 28

the sidelines as we appreciate the friendships and experiences that have bonded this class together for all these years. I grew up on post since Daddy was here teaching physics. Six years ago, my husband, Ted, and I returned to Rockbridge County and are living in my parents’ home. It has been great being reconnected with VMI, and we have especially enjoyed experiencing it with a grandson who is a 4th Class cadet this year. (They had Breakout recently!) Thank you for handling the class notes. I am always interested in reading news from Daddy’s brother rats. Ted and I are hoping to be at the reunion parade in March!” Marcy and I just returned from a cruise with 14 of our friends to Roatan, Honduras; Belize City, Belize; and Cozumel, Mexico. We had a great time and really enjoyed what passes here in southern Texas for winter. Keep well and keep in touch.

’40

Robert Smith

When I reflect on visiting with our remaining BRs by telephone for a few minutes in order to prepare this report, it brings the rather rare feeling of knowing exactly what I’m doing and why I’m doing it! Also, I’m looking for a kind of glow of satisfaction that we have all survived since I called everyone last November, and for that great feeling of belonging to a tradition that has been going on for so many years. Conversations with Sol Rawls show that he enjoys a rather quiet life but is intensely aware of all the news about VMI. One day, Sol phoned to draw my attention to an item in the Alumni Review that had just arrived, 2014-Issue 1. On page 141, it listed the 25 oldest surviving alumni. Our brother rat, Edwin Franklin Deberry, was on the list! I had no idea he was still with us, because he was not on the list given to me when I became class agent several years ago. That caused me to never inquire about him. An amazing coincidence was the last known address for him, which was on a very short three-blocklong street in Virginia Beach. It was the exact street on which I stayed in a rental for our summers years ago. On that same street lives extended family, including some of our closest friends, who we have visited many times

and talk to all the time. We call them “our Virginia Beach cousins.” He may have been only an arm’s length away from me at times. It turns out that BR Deberry no longer lives there, and as this goes to press, I have not been able to find him or his family. I’ll try some more. Sol also sent an interesting note about his daughter, Patricia (Trisha), who lives in Norfolk. You may recall she was written about in this column last year, as well as in an article in the Alumni Review. Those writings were about her raising funds for the restoration of the Sir Moses Ezekiel ’866 statues in the Norfolk Botanical Gardens. In March, she was honored as the 2014 First Citizen of Norfolk at a banquet. The award was presented by Norfolk Mayor Paul Fraim ’71. Some 40 years ago, Trisha, as a freshman at Hollins University, dated Paul, a 1st Class cadet at VMI. Sol and Jean are blessed to have Trisha and three other wonderful children. Congratulations. Finally, Sol told me that his secretary, Dianne Duncan, who has been with him for 38 years, has a grandson in his 4th Class year at VMI. He is Lewis Mayes ’17. So, there is still another way that Sol keeps up with what’s going on in Lexington. When we talked in early February, Matt Friedlander and Jacqueline were hunkering down in their Atlanta apartment looking out at the aftermath of the powerful storm that kept their city in the national news for a week or more. It is in the Buckhead area, and they are on the garden floor of a 12-story high-rise that houses about 23 families. For those who don’t know Atlanta, Buckhead is described as “the uptown district of Atlanta, comprising approximately the northern fifth of the city. That district’s high-rise office buildings, hotels and condominiums form a highly urbanized core along Peachtree Road.” Matt said he plays bridge with a Dr. Fuqua of the well-known philanthropic family of Atlanta. Jacqueline also talked about their belonging to the Atlanta Bridge Club and playing most days. The club is about 4 miles down Peachtree Road from them, and they both still drive. Jackie was most enthusiastic about the views from their apartment but said Matt is less demonstrative about them. They have owned the apartment since it was built about 15 years ago, but they only used it for business for years. Recently, they redecorated and made it their home. VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES I caught up with Ben Hardaway while he was in Fitzpatrick, Alabama, on another of his hunting trips, and he sounded as spry as ever. (Google Maps shows that about 7 miles north of Fitzpatrick is a settlement called Hardaway and a Hardaway cemetery.) He and his party were riding in a Jeep when we talked on speakerphone. There was a twoway radio going in the background, which made things a little confusing, so perhaps some of my details reported here are not correct. However, this will give you an idea of what was said. I apologize for any errors. Everything I heard confirms the active life he lives. His party was hunting coyotes, and another party and set of hounds had come to join in on the fun. His daughter, Ann Taylor, who lives in Banbury, England (of “Ride a Cock Horse to Banbury-Cross” fame), about 30 miles west of Cambridge, was visiting and had joined him in the Jeep. Ann and I talked briefly. She told me that she has a “horse trial” farm, and I told her that I have a daughter, married to a retired major general in the British army, who lives in the village of Bratton in Warminister. It was heartwarming to talk with her. She was sweet, and it was like a chat with my own daughter. Ben said his health is about as good as can be expected and specifically mentioned that Beverly, his personal assistant, gives his back some procedure every day that helps make him comfortable. He is doing all he can to enjoy life. Good for him. Brian Scott Crockett, chief executive officer of the VMI Foundation, thoughtfully volunteered the following report: “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 $23,140 in support to the following cadets: Paul O. Dugger ’15, a mechanical engineering major from Lynchburg, Virginia; Skyler P. Farr ’16, a mechanical engineering major from Kansas City, Kansas; Miles E. Manley ’16, an English major from Glen Allen, Virginia; and Ryan T. Spencer ’14, a civil engineering major from Cape Charles, Virginia.” Dugger, Manley and Spencer were recipients last year, as well. As of June 30, 2013, the close of the last fiscal year, the Class of 1940 Scholarship Fund had a market value of $531,674. Betty-Jane and I are enjoying the nice social activities our TidePointe retirement 2014- Issue 2

community offers. There are about 325 units here with fine amenities and an offering of programs for intellectual stimulation and amusement. The most common pleasure is the dining service – it’s funny that life comes down to such simple dimensions. There are “Life-Long Learning” lectures and a sprinkling of entertainment. The great thing is that we moved in while we were young enough to be open to new friends and activities. Now, after 12 years here, we are old-timers in this place, which the residents sometimes affectionately call “God’s waiting room.” In a week from this writing, a new regional chapter, “VMI Alumni Association of Coastal Georgia & South Carolina,” will have its first quarterly meeting in a place only a few miles from my home. I am just delighted this is happening. The absence of local meetings over many years always seemed to be a void that needed filling. It is certain to be fun to meet alumni who will be outstanding, interesting people, who may share and evoke memories of the great Institute.

’41

Walter Richards

’42

Charles B. Miller

John Howerton ’66 sent me the obituary of his mother, Martha, who is the widow of Davis Howerton. She and Davis, an attorney, were married 65 years. Nothing seems to stop the back pain Jack Patton has been enduring since before the 70th Reunion. He is surviving the Colorado forest fires and floods and “keeps up with some of the 43-D widows.” I got my wings in the class of 43-B, February 1943. Gordon Moore died in late November 2013. His daughters sent a nice, multicolored, Christmastime newsletter with pictures of Bunny Rabbit enjoying time with his daughters and his newest great-granddaughter, Lea. I am concerned about your class agent. I had a number of communications ready to send in my notes, and now I cannot find them. There was a nice, long, handwritten note from Harry Siebert, which I had trouble reading. I got one of the young ladies on the staff at Westminster Canterbury, where I live, to figure it out and type it up for me. Now, I cannot find the letter or the copy. Harry gave great credit to the staff at his Daytona, Florida, Veterans Affairs hospital that was doing so much for him and the other vets. He had read a great book about the war in Europe. Maybe I will have the name by next time. Harry is using a cane or a walker. I do a lot of shuffling, but I have not gone to a cane yet. I grab a handrail or somebody when going up or down steps. Harry suggests we have a mini reunion! I

Hi, there, ’41! Here I am again. I had to quit because my eyes made it difficult. Brothers Rooklin and Kirby previously answered the call of our leader, Stuart Seaton, but conditions prevented their continuing. We have bad news. Carl Payne passed away Dec. 24, 2013. Because of his leaving before graduating, many of you may not have known him. Carl entered the U.S. Air Force as a private and retired as a lieutenant colonel. He attended our last reunion. We got returned Christmas cards from Charlotte Adler, Jackie Goldsmith and Marge Moriarty. Returned mail helps keep track of ’41. Veterans Affairs has just provided me with a document reader that should help me do a better job. We have heard from Ruth Class of 1942: P.X. Geary and Vi enjoying the good Maxson and Beth Bache. life by the beach in Santa Barbara, California. Keep the spirit! Red

CLASS NOTES think we were lucky to get six, part time, for the 70th Reunion. I am available, if we can get at least four of us to sign up. There was an email and letter from Lloyd Leach’s daughter and son telling of the loss of Lloyd’s wife, Virginia. Jane, his daughter, is married to George Brooke ’67. Lloyd’s son, James Leach ’78, said his father, who is in a service hospital suffering from dementia of the Alzheimer’s type, brightened up a little when James played “The Spirit” on the organ at Virginia’s memorial service. George Rhea died in December. He had been in Bethany Health and Rehab, Nashville, Tennessee. DeMelt Walker’s wife, Marianne, wrote in response to my birthday card for her 92nd birthday, “My age somehow does not bother me, since I am fortunate and thankful to make the best out of every day.” It was noted in the Review that I had been to St. Petersburg, Russia, and Marianne said it is a place she would have liked to visit. She might get a kick out of some of Catherine the Great’s favorite paintings at the Hermitage – very risqué.

’43

Jeffrey G. Smith

I’m a bit squeamish about starting off with an overused cliché, but, indeed, “time flies by.” I had almost forgotten it was time for a new set of class notes until the editors at the Review reminded me. Most of the following was culled from the Christmas cards and gifts I received from several of you. Many thanks. We lost our brother rat Harry Tudor Jones Jr. of Thomasville, Georgia, Dec. 2, 2013. He was a sweet and gentle man – all that, yes. However, he was a great soldier in World War II, during which he became a U.S. Army aviator, flying light aircraft for the 413th Armored Field Artillery Battalion on many reconnaissance missions. His battalion received the surrender of 50,000 German troops as the war ended and went on to assist in the release of prisoners held at Dachau. Harry was a very successful businessman, a pillar of his church, and a loving husband, 30

Class of 1942: Bob Goodman and his wife recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary surrounded by their children and grandchildren.

father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He married his longtime sweetheart, Celetta Ransom Powell, who survives him. A more informative obituary can be found in the Taps section of this Alumni Review. With Harry’s loss, by my unofficial count, we are down to 30 surviving classmates. My most personally gratifying news is that my son, recently retired U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Jeffrey G. Smith Jr. ’79, was named the new dean of the faculty at VMI. I believe that in my notes in the previous issue of the Review, I stated that young Jeff earned a doctorate from Princeton and was an assistant professor at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point for three years. He is no stranger to academe – or the vicissitudes of war and a disciplined military life. (Editor’s Note: Please see the Institute section of this Review for an article on Smith Jr. ’79.) I have observed all and personally known most of the VMI deans since our cadet days. When our class matriculated as 4th Class cadets, the dean was Brig. Gen. James A. Anderson ’913 – father of our brother rat, James A. Anderson Jr. I don’t know how my brother rats perceived him, but when Anderson ’913 took the stage in Jackson Memorial Hall to greet us newly sworn in rats, he personified VMI to me. If I were to meet him today with my eyes closed, I’d recognize his booming and commanding voice immediately. We have been blessed with some truly

great VMI deans. One that comes to mind instantly, is Maj. Gen. Jim Morgan ’45, arguably the most memorable and effective VMI dean. We were fellow cadets and, I’m proud to say, members of the same company. In 1960, I was the new commandant and Gen. Shell ’931 was the new superintendent. Anderson ’913 (then retired and living in Lexington) was a very strong supporter of ours when we newcomers enforced some long-standing regulations that had been ignored in recent years. The crackdown was not universally well received by cadets, especially those in the Class of 1961. Prominent in the tightening was the regulation that prohibited married cadets. Although, when we (in our class) were cadets, a handful of cadets were married. The circumstances surrounding those rare occurrences were closely held secrets within the Corps. To my surprise, when I was stationed at Fort Monroe, Virginia, in the 1950s, I gathered that VMI was openly tolerating married cadets. VMI authorities clearly had a resounding “so what” reaction to a prominently displayed story in the society pages of the leading newspaper in the Newport News area. It featured the marriage of a VMI 2nd Class cadet, and much was made of the fact that he was a VMI cadet. Little was I to know that, in a few years, I would be deeply involved in the marriage issue as the new commandant. The crackdown on marriage in 1960 forced the resignations of several rising 1st VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES Class cadets and some 2nd Class cadets. The failure of former Superintendent Milton ’920 to enforce the marriage prohibition remains a mystery. However, it’s fair to say his tenure was not noted for its disciplinary environment. In the 1950s and 60s, all VMI graduates were required to accept regular or Reserve commissions unless physically disqualified. The armed services pre-commissioning procedures (then, as now) required a cadet to disclose whether he were married. Every cadet’s marital status for many years, well into 1960, was known by – or was readily available to – many officials at VMI, including the commandant and superintendent, through cadets’ ROTC records. However, an understanding apparently had evolved among VMI authorities that what was known about a cadet via ROTC channels was only for use in those channels. Thus, a commandant who was also the professor of military science (as was most often the case in those days) knew which cadets were married. Yet, not until the simultaneous advent of both a new commandant (me) and new superintendent (Shell) in mid-year 1960 was corrective action taken on transgressions known or available through ROTC records. When Shell and I took office the summer of 1960, I told him that I was honored to serve as the professor of military science, as ordered by the Army. However, I could not also serve as the commandant (a VMI position) and turn a blind eye on married cadets as had our recent predecessors. Shell was dismayed that such practices had been allowed and ordered an immediate change. All cadets were required to sign a statement that they were not married as they returned from summer furlough in 1960 – and annually thereafter. I can only assume that some sort of annual statement regarding marriage continues to be required at appropriate intervals during a cadet’s time at VMI. I had a very heartwarming chat with Vince Thomas a few days ago. He remains wheelchair-bound but never a word of complaint. Betty, fortunately, remains in good health and is the principal guardian of his health. Vince is always upbeat and remains an active voice 2014- Issue 2

in the affairs of Norfolk, Virginia, where he was its longtime mayor. Now, another VMI graduate is mayor, Paul Fraim ’71. Needless to report, the two mayors have an excellent rapport and much to discuss. One of Vince’s grandsons will enter the Corps in summer 2014. He has a twin sister, but she will not be joining her brother. Congratulations to Vince, Betty and the young man! Our super generous Bill Gottwald called me a couple of months ago. Unsurprisingly, he keeps busy, not only with work (from which I hope he is easing off a bit) but with physical fitness. His daily routine includes the treadmill and stationary bike. He reported that John Halsey plays tennis almost daily. Great work, John and Bill! Retired Judge Donald H. Foster sent me a very warm and gracious thank you for our 70th Reunion. The loss of my best friend and wife, Jane, has caused some events to be jumbled in my memory. They are not forgotten but somehow rearranged. I almost forgot to mention that Don has a new electric car. It uses only the equivalent (whatever that really means) of 115 miles per gallon. That certainly made an impression on me, despite my recently giving up driving. Johnny Van Landingham sent me Christmas greetings in the form of an ample and highly addictive supply of specially prepared peanuts. I have no change regarding my previous report on Shirley. Gordon Smith recently had an upbeat telephone chat with Johnny. In very late October 2013, Dick Catlett wrote a gracious and warm letter thanking me for my work as class agent and expressing condolences on the loss of my Jane. He and Barbara had a very pleasant visit with Betty and Vince Thomas and Indie Bain Bilisoly in Norfolk. Settle Frank wrote at Christmas that it would never be the same without his late wife, Pauline. I can vouch for that. He gave Pauline a diamond ring on Christmas Eve 1946, and he and Pauline spent 66 Christmases together before her death. Barbara Young, who I have known longer than my beloved Jane, wrote that she is well and enjoys the closeness of her children. I met Barbara when first she dated Brother Rat “Si” Young (her

future husband) at VMI. Maxine Mahone writes from the Florida panhandle that she lives alone. However, she still drives, but she didn’t mention night driving. She plays bridge at least weekly. “We stay busy at Harrogate,” so say Bruce and Joan Suter. They ought to know, because that’s where they live in New Jersey – and obviously like it. As almost all the retirement communities do, Harrogate “has a full agenda for those who want to take advantage of it.” In the Suters’ case, there are river cruises, plays, winery visits, dances and shuffleboard. Bruce won the gold medal in the New Jersey Senior Olympics and had the honor of placing the wreath during the Veteran’s Day celebration. Well done, Bruce! Brian Bowen, owner of the premier jewelry business in Lynchburg, tells me that his 21-year-old grandson will become the fourth generation to join the family firm. Congratulations. You must have set a good example, Brian. Brian had just returned to work when we recently spoke. He had an emergency catheterization to remove a blood clot in his leg. He had lunch recently with about 25 VMI alumni, who included Bill Stokes ’56. Early in his career, Bill and I served together when I was the VMI commandant. He went on to have a truly distinguished career in the U.S. Army, serving in some top-level assignments. Returning to Brian, he hopes to shake loose from the walker upon which he currently relies with some ongoing intensive physical therapy. Gordon Smith sent me a much appreciated gift of gourmet cheese – guaranteed to add an inch or two around the waist for the undisciplined. I talked to him Feb. 9, and he recounted the workouts he performs several times a week. I’m reasonably sure that those sessions put most of our brother rats to shame. One room of his house is devoted to his “gym.” Jim Hodgkin’s widow, Sally, sent me the obituary of Emma Gray Emory (Bill Emory’s widow). Emma Gray was a resident, as are so many VMI-connected people, of Westminster-Canterbury in Richmond. She was 91. Sally also reported that she and Bob Bartenstein’s widow, Frances, are “hanging in there” in Warrenton, Virginia. 31

CLASS NOTES In my past class notes, I have included an account of how our class is doing in comparison to other classes in annual giving to our alma mater. Strangely, I have not received any numbers from the Alumni Association or the Foundation beyond the first quarter of the VMI fiscal year. As a reminder, I believe that the 2014 Fiscal Year is from July 1, 2013, to June 30, 2014. As I write, I am reminded that I have not contributed yet. However, I certify that I will!

’44

Tom L. Peyton Jr.

There is a substantial time lapse between the preparation of these notes and when they appear in the Alumni Review. With that in mind, I find myself writing about our 70th Reunion before it occurs in March, but when you receive this in May 2014, the reunion will have already occurred. So, bear with me. Health and age loom as major issues in determining whether attendance at the reunion is possible. However, I remain hopeful that about a dozen of our brother rats, accompanied by family members, and some of our widows will be present in late March when we meet for this memorable gathering. A word for those who haven’t visited the Institute for some years: Prepare yourself to be pleasantly surprised at what you see and hear and to have your pride renewed in this unique institution. It was with great sadness that we recently informed you of the passing of our brother rat Ezra Trice, who died Jan. 8, 2014. He was one of our class leaders at the Institute and continued throughout his life to provide strong support to our class and VMI. Ezra completed three years at VMI and then, with many of us, was called to active service with the U.S. Army Reserve. He was subsequently commissioned and served in Europe with the 776th Field Artillery Battalion, seeing action during the Battle of the Bulge. Ezra returned to VMI after World War II for his final year and graduated in 1947. Later, he was again called to active duty and, as a captain, served during the Korean conflict. His service awards included the Bronze Star and the Air Medal. Ezra’s entire business career 32

was spent with The Southern Industries Corporation, and he retired in 1984 as chief executive officer. Ezra was married to the late Jamie Crawford of Mobile, Alabama. Together, they raised five sons who survive them, along with nine grandchildren. His hobbies are reported as many, but some of us know about his skills at making delicious homemade bread that he generously shared. I most recently spoke with Ezra in mid-December 2013. As most of us our age frequently do, we grumbled about our aches and pains, but there was no hint that he would be taken from us in three weeks. Patrica Wen wrote that her son, Stanley Wen ’77, died suddenly of a heart attack Aug. 20, 2013, only seven days before his 59th birthday. Stanley’s father was our brother rat, the late Patrick Wen. Patricia and her daughter, Lillian, took Stanley’s ashes back to Taiwan. Patricia’s letter stated, “We arrived Sept. 2. Then, we held another farewell service for Stanley Sept. 14 and buried him on Yang-Ming Shan, near the Yang-Ming Cemetery.” He will rest peacefully there forever. Patricia asks that we place her son in our hearts and remember him always. I have assured Patricia that we will do that – an easy commitment to this lovely lady. We have received belated word that Edwina Ragland, widow of brother rat Stuart Ragland, M.D., died Feb. 20, 2013. As some may recall, the Raglands lived at Gallows Bay, Christiansted, in the Virgin Islands for a number of years, and that was our most recent address for her. Details are meager, but her stepdaughter, Evelyn Zink, wrote how much Edwina loved VMI and the connection with our class and the Institute, even after her husband, Stu, passed away. We have mail returned as “undeliverable” for several of our Class of 1944 family. They are: Jack Merchant, Velma Johnston, Anne Burbridge and Esther McVeigh. If anyone can provide further information about any of them, please let me hear from you. In a couple of preceding class notes, I have written about the VMI Brick Program sponsored by the VMI Foundation as a “thank you” to donors who contribute $2,500 or more to the Foundation’s support of VMI. There are 61 bricks in place with the names of members of our class. The bricks are in the sidewalk outside of the barracks and are grouped by class. I had earlier promised

a report on this program so that everyone could know who is represented. There have been delays in determining whose names will be in the next group of bricks to be installed this spring. However, I have now been advised that the names of 42 members of our class will be added. This latest group will bring our total to about 43 percent of the Class of 1944 that entered in September 1940. I am disappointed that this is less than I had been expecting; nonetheless, I will continue to push this effort. Meanwhile, the long promised progress report is now ready and will be put in the mail. I wish to acknowledge additional brief but meaningful notes from Betty Metcalf, Betty Bond Nichols, Bob Smothers, Bill Eickelberg and Marguerite Ellett. Also, phone conversations with Cabell Brand, John Ingles, John Irby, Bob Sherrard, Bob and Miriam Helmen, Bob Jones, Mabbot Warren, Bettie Sorensen, and Chrys Eickelberg. Meade Bell wrote that he and Ginny are still adjusting to their new life in a retirement community. Does that sound familiar? He said that there are plenty of good reasons to be there, but their home was hard to give up. “Considering all – a good decision,” he wrote. Meade also reported on an interesting item. One of his granddaughters is married to a U.S. Military Academy at West Point graduate, who is a Ranger captain with the 101st Airborne Division. He recently returned from Afghanistan where he became friends with some VMI officers. He considered them to be outstanding – so much so that he told Meade that if he and his wife have a son they would consider sending him to VMI. Such a comment may surprise some, but based on my current observations and discussions with VMI cadets, it properly reflects the caliber of young men and women who are graduating from our great Institute today. In November 2013, I went to Lexington to attend the Founders Day events and for a brief class agent conference. VMI never looked better, and all was aglow following triple varsity team sports victories, which included football! Most of these activities and events have been or are being reported elsewhere, but I want to comment on two elements of the conference. The first was the participation of our superintendent, Gen. Peay ’62. He spoke informally about VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

Nate L. Adams

CLASS NOTES the many issues that currently require his attention. It was made very clear that VMI alumni are important elements of the total picture at the Institute, and our support is vital to achieving the multiple goals that make VMI such a special place. The second element of the conference related to a forthcoming new edition of the VMI Alumni Association’s Register of Former Cadets. The Association is already aware of the many criticisms of the most recent edition and is planning a substantially revised approach in assembling the new edition. Adam Volant ’88, executive vice president of the Alumni Association, is taking the lead on this effort. If you have any views you wish to air while the new publication is still in the planning stage, you can reach him at avolant@vmiaa.org or at The VMI Alumni Association, P.O. Box 932, Lexington, VA, 24450. At some point, we will have an opportunity to edit our individual entries. When this time comes, please take the time to respond accurately and timely. By the way, I made a typo in listing my telephone number in a recent class notes section. The correct number is 540-8372432. That’s it for this time. I hope to see you in Lexington at the reunion.

’45

Richard A. Matheis

I can’t believe another three months have gone by. It must be a product of my age. The time between issues seems to be getting shorter each issue. I’m on the brink of trying to be creative! You would see right through that, so I will resist the temptation. I do have a happy occasion to report. Sandra and I were invited to the 90th birthday party for Dan Walser Feb. 9, 2014, held at the home of his daughter, Tracey, here in Naples, Florida. All three of Dan’s daughters were there, including one from Cook Island in the South Pacific! The entire family treated us as though we were royalty. They were most gracious. Tracey had spoken to Doug Quarles, Dan’s old roommate, and his wife, Kitty, regarding the party, but they were unable to attend due to the distance involved. 2014- Issue 2

Class of 1945: From the 1945 Bomb

Nate L. Adams

Daniel C. Walser

I am sorry to have to report the loss of two more of our BRs, Nate Adams and Walt Bristow. After I saw Nate last year in Lexington, his wife, Eloise, has been great in keeping me posted on their activities. The first was when Nate had a heart attack before we met in Lexington, followed by a note when they moved from the beautiful mountain air of Lexington to their home in hot, humid Vero Beach, Florida, in July. I received another letter advising me of his recovery from two serious falls. Lastly, a fourth informed me of his dying in his sleep Nov. 20, 2013. Sad news, indeed. I recently learned that Nate was an accomplished jazz musician and had an outstanding military career in the U.S. Marine Corps. He served during World War II, Vietnam and Korea, and he retired in 1972 as a lieutenant colonel. Our hearts go out to you, Eloise. Please stay in touch, and most importantly, join us at the 70th Reunion. Until recently, I knew little about Walt Bristow. He had a notable record in the military, was a lawyer and a judge, in addition to holding a number of public offices. Our deepest sympathies go out to Walt’s family. It is unfortunate that, so often, we learn so much about our friends after they have left us. Back to a happier note, I want to thank all of you who favored me with Christmas cards. (Yes, I know you are reading this in May!) If my memory serves me correctly, cards were received from the families of Gantt, Pettigrew, Williams, Esser, Walker, Welles, Jean Pates and Jo Pittman. For the first time in many years, I did not

Robert G. Moore

send out cards – the number had grown to more than one hundred, and I had a little problem with inertia. Please forgive me. The Gantts’ card was not received until late January for an unusual reason. It seems it was sent properly, but the post office decided to send it along with other “held” mail to a neighbor’s home in Massachusetts. Our neighbor elected to keep it until returning to Naples after the holidays in order to personally deliver the card to us. It included a pleasant surprise – a number of photos taken by Kay during the 65th Reunion. Into my scrap book they go. Our great white hunter, Bob Moore, checked in with a report. I quote, “Still wild turkey hunting at 90 years old. They are getting smarter each year. Haven’t brought home any yet this season.” Hmm, I wonder about them getting smarter. I received a very nice note from Lois Rice (now Andors) who formerly lived in Roanoke. She reported that BR Frank, who died in 1989, worked at GMC in manufacturing development engineering for 30 years. She added he loved his time at VMI and talked about it often. She currently lives in Venice, Florida. She has had a very active life, even to this day, both in business and avocations. For no particular reason, as I was going to sleep last week, I reflected on the thrill I have experienced during our reunions when the Corps emerges from Jackson Arch with splendor and precision at the beginning of the dress parade. The band, with its thunderous sounds plus the bagpipes, is quite a change from the little group of local musicians doing their best back in our days. I’m always bursting with pride and wondering how we ever pulled off this same act years ago. 33

CLASS NOTES Kendal in Lexington, then Buddy Metz at the Westminster-Canterbury in Richmond. There have been several others who I do not recall at the moment (yes, I do have a little of that problem). Most recently, Dan Walser made the move to such a facility in Maryland. Giles Upshur moved to the Hermitage on the Eastern Shore in Onancock, Virginia, and the Gantts recently moved into the Westminster-Canterbury senior residential community of Lynchburg. Kay enthusiastically reports their new home is spacious and overlooks the rolling hills of their beautiful area. At Dan Walser’s party, Dan told me the Quarleses are contemplating a move to a Westminster-Canterbury facility – I think the one in Charlottesville, Virginia. Class of 1945: The plaque that was They are all very happy with their moves, recently installed in the VMI Memoparticularly Giles. He writes, “I welcome rial Garden to remember the brother any of my classmates to visit the Hermitrats of the Class of 1945 who died age. There are many residences still empty in World War II and the Korean War. and available. All spaces are on the ground floor. I think it would be well worth a visit Why am I mentioning this, you might to the Eastern Shore of Virginia to look at wonder? Two evenings ago, a friend of the Hermitage.” How many of you suspect mine stopped by for a drink. He is a comhe may be a stockholder? Just kidding, puter whiz and invariably sits in front of my Giles. computer to be certain it is running propRemember the name of Jule Spach ’46 erly. This time, he was touting the virtues in the last edition of the notes? He was the of YouTube, telling me you can find almost friend of Paul Louis during his prisoner-ofanything there. “As an example,” he said war days in World War II. He asked how he as he looked at all the VMI material in my could reach Paul’s wife, since he did know den, “how about pulling up VMI?” In less her name or address. He did contact Nancy, than a minute, I was looking at a video of and she wrote a very nice letter in return. I the Corps exiting the Jackson Arch, folwas advised of this, and at the same time, lowed by a limited view of the dress pahe offered me a copy of a book he had writrade! (I better be careful of what I wish for.) ten about his experiences during the war, Recently, I have become more aware of much of which coincided with Paul’s. Inthe popularity of extended living facilities cluded were details of their being part of enjoyed by a number of our brother rats and the German “March of Death” in January their wives. The first was Jim Morgan at 1945. What a horrible story! More than 10,000 officers had to travel almost 600 miles on foot in one of Germany’s worst winters with little clothing and even less food. Many died of frostbite, diseases and malnutrition. The book, entitled “Every Road Leads Home: Memoirs of Jule C. Spach” is available from Professional Press, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Our last reunion is now a little less than one year from now. Please make plans for attending if you can possibly Class of 1945: Nancy and Paul Lewis at travel to Lexington. We are already the 60th Reunion. laying plans to hopefully make it the 34

best ever, since it will be our last hurrah. Our goal is to achieve an attendance of 16. I already know of 10 who plan to attend. One item on the schedule, as mentioned last issue, is the commemoration of the class plaque honoring our BRs lost in World War II and Korea. Incidentally, the plaque was the result of an inspiration of John Williams, if I haven’t mentioned it before. I know it will be a struggle for some to attend the reunion, as it will be for me (and that includes climbing to the top of the sentinel box for the class yell!). Also, this probably will be the last gathering of the surviving members of the great Class of ’45 and the last chance to view all of the physical changes to the Institute. Y’all come. That’s it for now. Thanks for reading. God bless VMI and the Class of ’45. Dick

’46

William A. Eliason

Once again, I find myself confronted with a very blank sheet of paper upon which I shall endeavor to generate sufficient interest from a very few items in order to warrant your time spent reading them. Due to virtually no communications from my brother rats, I have resorted to such sources as a few holiday greeting cards, two checks from BR widows, obituaries (some old, some new), personal recollections and a large quantity of thin air. So, please bear with me. Let’s start with my congratulations to the remaining brother rats of 1946. Based on an average age of 18 at matriculation in September 1942, we have entered our 10th decade of life, and these class notes are rapidly moving forward in these pages. I suppose that when one reaches 90, he qualifies as a “patriarch,” if of nothing else but his own family. At least that was the sobriquet bestowed on me at our last Christmas dinner! Next, I’d like to recognize the two checks I received shortly after the holidays in response to the plea enclosed in my cards. The first I received was from Carolyn Scott, the widow of Louis Scott who left us in December 1942 to enlist in the U.S. Army Air Corps. He had a distinguished World War II career flying P-47s – the VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES Republic Aviation Corporation’s powerful long-range fighter, nicknamed “the Thunderbolt.” It is quite possible that I had a hand in building the engines for his ride while working at the Chevrolet plant in Tonawanda, New York, building the P-47’s Pratt & Whitney R-2400 radial engines. (That is what I was doing during my two unrequested “furloughs” in 1943 and 1944.) While I was aware of his passing at the time (2010), the Alumni Association just received his obituary the same week I received the check. The check from Lynda, “Zan” Stuart’s widow, recalled a story. Zan was another less-than-a-year BR who finished his degree elsewhere (in Charlottesville at the University of Virginia) but never lost his pride in VMI and our class. Zan’s full name was William Alexander Stuart III, with his nickname being derived from his middle name. The following is the story I remembered when I received Lynda’s check: One cold Thursday night during November of our 4th Class year, a 1st Class cape stuck its head into room 419 and asked, “Any of you rats want to go to Hollins Saturday?” Dumb me called back, “Sir, what is or are Hollins?” Turned out that, for something like five bucks, I’d get to taxi to just north of Roanoke and meet some “real girls!” Shortly after supper roll call Saturday, a Plymouth “limousine” (a 1940 Plymouth sedan with the stretched body of a 7-passenger Chrysler limo) was jammed full of nine rats and a driver. Four of us were in the back, three were in the jump seats meant for two and two were up front with the driver. The 42-mile trip took a little less than an hour and a half, given the 35 mph wartime speed limit. Somewhere around Natural Bridge, we all introduced ourselves. I was at the right door of the rear seat, and Zan was immediately to my left. He said, “Stuart, W.A.” and I replied, “Eliason, W.A. What does your ‘W.A.’ stand for?” He told me and then asked, “Yours?” My answer was, “The same!” He then invited me to meet his mom and his sister, who were waiting at Hollins University. When we told his mom about our name coincidence, she turned to me and asked, “Bill, what did you say your last name was?” When I told her, she shrieked at me with delight, “You were 2014- Issue 2

both named for the same man!” According to Mrs. Stuart, Zan was named for his father, who was named for his father, who was the older brother of Maj. Gen. James Ewell Brown “Jeb” Stuart, commander of the Army of Northern Virginia cavalry. My grandfather, Dr. Talcott Eliason, was Stuart’s good friend and rode with him as his staff surgeon from First Manassas to Gettysburg. My great-grandfather, for whom Mrs. Stuart said we were both named, was U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Maj. W.A. Eliason, U.S. Military Academy graduate of 1819, who supervised the construction of several of the Eastern Shore forts, including Fort Monroe in Hampton Roads and Fort Macon near Beaufort, North Carolina. I inject this personal reminiscence, because it is the kind of tale that I would like to be getting from you. I realize that our long-term memories get much keener while our recent recall gets a bit fuzzy, and that’s probably just as well. So, think back to our 4th Class year when we were all together for at least a few months, and send me one of your fondest memories of your cadetship. A week or so ago, the Style section of The Washington Post featured an article about the avant-garde poets of the 1960s and ’70s, such as Alan Ginsburg and William Burroughs. This article generated a long letter to the editor by a reader who took four of these questionably famous (or perhaps, more likely, notorious) writers from an award ceremony at the Kennedy Center to a dinner in their honor at a “great Georgetown mansion” in 1974. Guess who the host and hostess were? None other than “the socialites Huntington ‘Bucky’ Block and his charming wife, Amie.” Another writer of that era by the name of Warhol would call that Bucky’s “15 minutes of fame!” Bucky was nationally known and respected as the premier insurance specialist for fine arts and antiques, serving many of the finest collections, both private and in museums. I will close with our class losses since the last issue. We lost two brother rats who elected to join the class of ’49C because that’s who they graduated with after World War II. However, they still went through the Rat Line with us, so I say they were also our BRs. They were Jud Ellis ’49C and Cappy Moncure ’49C. Their obits were in

the 2014 Issue 1 Review. Recently (as this is being written in February 2014), I was notified of the passing of two more BRs: that “Georgia peach” slow-tawkin’ Tom Shelton and Waldo Forster, who was my golf partner at our 50th Reunion. Both were great guys who we will all miss. Their obituaries are in this issue’s Taps section. I’d love to get some stories on them from you. Let me hear from you, and take care of your loved ones and yourselves. Bill

’47

Gus Robbins

It is so sad that I must report more bad news as it continues to arrive monthly. BR Richard D. “Dick” Hudson died Nov. 12, 2013, in his hometown of Stuart, Virginia. Dick was one of our many BRs who left VMI to serve in the last two years of World War II with the U.S. Navy. He did not return to VMI after the war, but he attended Hampden-Sydney College and then graduated from School of Pharmacy at Virginia Commonwealth University’s Medical College of Virginia. Following the death of his brother, George, he became the owner and operator of Hudson’s Drug Store in Stuart for 47 years. While at VMI, Dick played on the football team. The team of 1943 was composed of nearly all 4th Class cadets. He and his wife, Kitty, attended the 40th anniversary of the team in fall 1983 at VMI. Dick is survived by his wife of 63 years, Kathryn (Kitty); a son, Rick, of Fort Worth, Texas; a daughter, Kathy Hudson Walker, of Stuart, Virginia; and a niece, Jane Hudson Richardson of Bridgewater, Virginia. Dick was a dedicated public servant and was presented a lifetime achievement award by the Chamber of Commerce of Patrick County. BR Peter T. Burks died Nov. 22, 2013, at his retirement home in St. Louis, Missouri. He was a Navy veteran of the Korean War. He is survived by his wife, Charlyne; children, Susan George (David), Dr. Robert Burks (Karen) and Elizabeth Underhill (James); and grandchildren, Rachael, Peter, Thomas, Baihly, Jessica, Matthew and Andrew. I had a very nice note from Carol White 35

CLASS NOTES that contained a lot of good news for the family of BR Dick White. Richard Jr. is a lawyer in Gainesville, Florida, and arranged a Saturday afternoon visit with Carol back in August 2013. She also enjoyed dinner and brunch with Taylor White, Dick’s grandson and student at the University of North Florida. In the spring of last year, Dick’s daughter, Wendy, who is a lawyer in Washington, D.C., and her husband visited the village in Centenary, South Carolina, where Dick is buried with his ancestral family. While there, the family attended the 107th birthday of Dick’s aunt, Mrs. Harry White. Carol is happy to have such a wonderful family. I also had a lovely note from Lolly Smith, widow of BR Al Smith, who continues to live in their condo in Coronado, California. Betty Lane and I visited them in Coronado on our honeymoon 15 years ago! That is hard to believe, but as they say, “time flies when you are having fun!” Lolly says she is getting along pretty well, and she enclosed a generous check to be forwarded to the VMI Foundation in Al’s memory. Many thanks to all of you BRs of ’47 for your Christmas cards and kind notes of thanks and encouragement to your class agent for his efforts, humble though they be. In closing, I remind you all of a quote from our dear departed BR Bill Hallett as well as good ole Snoopy in Peanuts: “There is nothing more lonesome than an empty mailbox.” Let me hear from you … snail mail, email, phone, pony express, whatever. I will be glad for any news to report. ’Til next quarter, keep the spirit!

’48A

Dale E. Wykoff

Our class has undergone a bad patch in recent months with the loss of Cmdr. Don Florence in June 2013, the loss of Paul Stagg three months later and, now, with the departure of our much respected brother rat, Billy Bond Jan. 6, 2014. Billy served in the U.S. Army during World War II as a sergeant in the South Pacific, the Philippines and Korea. He then received a commission and served as a second lieutenant in the Army Corps of Engineers. Later, he was employed by the General Dynamics Corp. for 40 years. He always remained in close 36

Class of 1948A: For Christmas, one of the sons of the late William Whitmore Jr. ’48A, M.D., made this collage for his mother. It depicts Whitmore with his shako, center, surrounded by his children, grandchildren and one greatgrandchild – all wearing the same shako. The only two family members missing from the collage are his wife and one grandchild.

contact with VMI and was a consistent supporter of 1948A. With the loss of these three, we have seven known surviving brother rats from the 50 who matriculated in February 1944. Over in California, Blake McFeely sends his greetings to all and wants everyone to know he is in good health and well-recovered from his stroke. Closer to home, J.Y. O’Neal in Birmingham, Alabama, is doing well after a recent three-week stay in the hospital, a two-week residence in rehab and a two-month rest at home following a bout of pneumonia and continuing visual difficulties. He wants everyone to know that he’s delighted he can still drive! It is always enjoyable to talk with Irene Sadler, remembering the days in 1951 when she, Jack Sadler and I enjoyed bumming around Tokyo together – that relatively unsophisticated postwar city, as we found it more than 60 years ago. While the rest of us were enduring bitter winter weather, John and Barbara Trumbo basked on Florida’s Marco Island. Both are in good health, but they eventually had to return home to Stuarts Draft, Virginia, and feel the last days of our nasty winter.

Dora Meler has resumed work in New York City after a brief bout of ill health that demanded she work from home in New Jersey. It is always a pleasure to talk with her – our connection to our “younger generation!” It has been several years since I heard directly from Gilly Williamson, but in January, I received a much appreciated handwritten note from him. He lives in Greenfield Assisted Living, where he has lived for the past five years. Mary Ann, still living in Edinburg, Virginia, joins him in sending best regards to all of ’48A. I was unable to contact Bev Laws and must find a different way of doing so. Hope all goes well, Bev and Katie. Mike Calhoun remains active in local politics and still sounds like the young man we used to know. He is still battling what he considers frivolous and wasteful spending of tax money for a sewer line to the airport. Hang in there, Mike! Finally, Dale Wykoff has settled down in the Deerfield Retirement Community of Asheville, North Carolina. With 500 of us here, there are endless activities in which to participate. Some of the residents who are more than 90 years old make me realize that being that age isn’t as unquestionably VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES ancient as I once thought! Thanks to your contributions, the 1948A Scholarship is alive and well. Remember that in a few years, you may have little use for all those dollars saved, but the 1948A Scholarship will unquestionably live on. This year, it has been awarded to Cadet Donald A. Grant ’14. He is an economics major from Gastonia, North Carolina, and received $5,500. The scholarship has a market value of $125,154. Please contribute to the scholarship when you can, and keep in touch!

’48B

Louis Castellano Jr.

Recently, out of the blue, I heard from Bunn Rhea, who is living in Avon Lake, Ohio. Although Bunn was a short-term student, like many of us, he never lost his respect for the VMI spirit and message. The last I heard, Doug Hamner was still on a walker but otherwise healthy. Lionel Wolford had some stents inserted. He has recovered and is back on the golf course. There was a service at Arlington National Cemetery for Brother Rat Paul Applin, who passed away in May 2013. Rev. Jim Warrington officiated the service. I received annual Christmas greetings from Brother Rat Jim Warrington, along with an essay on U.S. railroads. Rod Kallgren recently called me. He is living in West Bloomfield, Michigan. Interestingly, the mother of VMI Athletic Director Dave Diles sings in the choir at Rod’s church. I believe there are 35 members of his family. His first great-grandchild, Delani John, arrived recently. His grandson, Brian Albertson, is practicing medicine in Brooklyn, New York. His son, Fred, is a very good golfer and is living in Pinehurst, North Carolina (which is also the home base of Brother Rat Joe Josephson). One of my grandsons, Jack Fischer, attends University of Richmond. Recently, he had a significant fever for about a week. Through Doug Hamner’s son, Matt, I was able to secure the name of a physician for Jack to go to, and he is now well on the road to recovery. For the 2014 lacrosse season, VMI has among its opponents the U.S. Military 2014- Issue 2

Academy, the U.S. Naval Academy and the U.S. Air Force Academy. That is a very challenging schedule, considering the small enrollment at VMI. Lacrosse is a huge sport in the eastern part of the United States. One of my grandsons, Brian Fischer, goes to Harvard University. However, the door only opened at Harvard because of his lacrosse skills. He certainly was well-qualified academically, but it never would have happened without the lacrosse background. John Ayers is in the commercial real estate business with his son, Steve, in Louisiana. Ed Cortwright, as you all probably know, served 26 years on the Chancery Court in the state of Mississippi. Each time Ed ran, he had no opposition. He has been retired since 1997. Bob Duke lives in Redding, Connecticut. Unfortunately, Bob has multiple medical problems and is very limited in his activities. Bob’s address will be in the new roster in case any of you have a chance to send him a letter. Robert Lettas left VMI in June 1945. He spent one year as a cadre at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He went to Officer Candidate School and was discharged as a captain. He worked for A&T for 34 years before he retired. He lives in San Diego, California. Al Loth has been retired for several years and is involved with teaching reading to adults in the Richmond, Virginia, area. He deals with classes of about 12 adults. He is also involved in what you might consider mission work. He distributes food to those who do not have sufficient food stamps. Tom Iszard came to VMI for a short time before joining the U.S. Navy. After his discharge from the Navy, he went to Bucknell University. He taught middle and high school in Towanda, Pennsylvania, for about 25 years. He has been retired for more than 15 years. George King is retired from the insurance business and lives in Glen Allen, Virginia.

’49A

James Harrington

This update from Charlie Tiller: “I was talking with Joe Fil when we both realized the time has come to send some notes to you.

So, maybe the fourth time will be magic. We have been covered up with Nancy’s knee problems since May 2013. She has had so many operations, it is hard to keep track of what and when she went through the last time. Anyway, after having a new knee for more than two years, she developed an infection. That was treated for two months with antibiotics through infusion in a rehab facility. The infection was still there, so the prosthesis was removed and a spacer was put in. After six weeks of antibiotic infusion, the new knee replaced the spacer. She was then ready for therapy. This began in early October 2013, and she was able to come home the third week of January 2014. We are grateful that she can now get around with a walker and once more enjoy therapy until she is able to walk again. We have enjoyed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s in conversation only. We will catch up with the missed duties next year. Right now, we are undergoing a fancy snow fall which is supposed to create a record in the history books. When we moved from Elgin, Illinois, I thought we had left this kind of weather behind us. I love snow, but since we live on top of a little mountain it does not take much to have us snowed in. It is a great place in the summer. Any of you with plans to come this way will be welcome. We have lots of room and would love to have you.” From Joe Fil: “You would not believe that I have been fiddling with this computer for more than two hours. I hope this gets to you. I will attend the 49A reunion, but Sue will not be coming with me. Sue has been in the hospital and rehab for the past two years. She really is on the way to full recovery, but she is not there yet. However, three of our four sons will accompany me. I’m really looking forward to seeing you and our remaining brother rats. Since we have lived so long in California, two of my younger boys have never seen Lexington or the Institute. We are looking forward to being there. I had a very pleasant phone conversation with Allen Penniman a while back, and it was nice catching up with him. We traded information about our families and just had a general discussion on the world in general. He remains, as always, the perfect gentleman. There isn’t much going on around here. I try to keep busy with little projects around the house and spending time with family and friends. I’m wiring in motion sensor 37

CLASS NOTES lights on the front porch and backyard in an attempt to spook some of the local deer population from my plants. It probably won’t work, but it might keep me upright when I’m stumbling around at night. I also have to repair a few sections of a stone wall in the back. Life is so exciting that a big event today was to clean out a kitchen cabinet and get rid of a lot of pots collected for more than 60-plus years. We have been blessed with a few wet days – not enough to eliminate the drought, but welcomed, nevertheless. Today was foggy but pleasant and gave me an opportunity to take a walk with my great dog, Grace. The trees are all in blossom, and the daffodils are all coming up. So, I guess spring is on its way here. My oldest boy, Joe Jr., spent 10 days with us recently. We were able to spend a few days at the lake and were able to gather our family for a reunion. Joe’s wife, Miss Wendy, prepared a huge batch of jambalaya, which was enjoyed by all.” Bill May called me. Apparently he was separated from his computer by the snowstorm, so I’ll try to summarize our conversation. Briefly, he said the rabbit hunting season was disappointing (I don’t know why), but he has used his “snow days” to plan his spring travels. After the reunion, he intends to take a Florida river cruise and attend a family wedding. I guess we’ll know more about his adventures after the reunion. Bill says he took time to read the Alumni Review and the Institute Report, which he found to be interesting. Harrison Whitten explained his absence from the reunion: “I am sorry that I will not be able to attend the reunion. Diane and I are in Islamorada, Florida, until March 15, and then we leave March 22 for Italy for eight days. If any pictures are taken, I would like to see them.” We’ll try to get some photos for Harrison, and we’ll look for a report of his travels in a later issue. Herb Johnston also offered an excuse: “I believe that the last time I wrote Jeanne was recovering from vasculitis, an autoimmune disease that required hospitalization starting in November 2012. Fortunately, the doctors at the Ohio State Medical Center started treating it right away, and after almost a year, she is in remission now. We were able to fly to Norfolk (we always drove before) and spend time with our children on the Outer Banks. Everything was 38

well until Oct. 11, 2013, when Jeanne fell in our front yard and fractured her femur and her left hip. She had surgery the next morning. After a few days in the hospital, she went to an excellent therapy facility for three weeks. She is doing OK, but it is a slow process. It is shocking how one misstep can cause a major change in your life. We haven’t done any traveling and many other things that were in our plans. This is a long way of letting you know that we will miss the reunion in March. We hope the rest of the class is OK, and we look forward to hearing about the fun time you had.” Allen Penniman’s comprehensive report is much more upbeat and much appreciated. Otherwise, I’d have little to submit for this issue. “Looking back at my last notes, I signed off after our trip to Bentonville, Arkansas. It was great, and when the springtime arrives, I highly recommend it. Thanksgiving came, and we had lunch with our Baton Rouge, Louisiana, families. The numbers were small since we have only three families here in Baton Rouge. The spirits were high. We celebrated our lives and were indeed thankful for so many things. That day, we especially thought about our country and how fortunate we are to have been born here and to have the opportunity to live here. Sometimes, we don’t think about these things enough. The Christmas signs were up and the plans began to be made for this important celebration. Since all of our families are grown and have their own homes, Joanie and I had a very quiet Christmas here at home. It was nice, and we celebrated the spirit. After having been surrounded by families, namely my own, for more than 63 years, we have learned to enjoy important celebrations with just the two us. It is interesting, and it took a while for us to adjust. It is a natural happening and a sign of one’s aging. We are all connected with computers, iPhones and cell phones, so little is lost other than the closeness a family feels when all are seated around the table. Times change! Before we could blink an eye, the New Year was upon us. The featured attraction for January was Joanie’s LXXX birthday. It was a memorable occasion. We decided we would include only her children, because all of them live out of town, and the opportunity to gather is more difficult. Invitations went out and the three family groups from Amarillo, Texas,

Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Santa Fe, New Mexico, joined us on Canal Street in New Orleans. Everyone stayed at the same hotel and had a wonderful time walking the streets, enjoying the sights and especially the food for which New Orleans is so famous. We walked and talked and enjoyed ourselves for four full days. It was really interesting, because we had a large family room, and we could all gather and visit. The stories were wonderful and went all the way back to when Joanie and I were first married almost 40 years ago. It was a wonderful occasion and a treat of a lifetime for her. Our motto was, ‘Love conquers all.’ “Now we have the opportunity to begin a new year, and we are certainly looking forward to this. Our weather has been a bit severe, but it has been much milder than some of you have been experiencing. Anything less than 40 degrees in Baton Rouge, and we run for cover. Hopefully, it will improve shortly so we can come out of hibernation. Joanie and I have thought a lot about this New Year, and we have great expectations for it. Although our activities seem somewhat limited, we still are out and about and both enjoy remarkably good health. I know I mention this in every note I write, but at this point it is certainly most important.” As this is written, the Harringtons are holed up in our winter quarters, having experienced the snowstorm that Charlie and Bill mentioned. We have pretty much completed our rounds of the sprawling Pinehurst medical complex, having been pricked, prodded, fondled, excised and radiated, but have passed the tests and are otherwise reasonably healthy. Old age and the accompanying infirmities are not much fun, and being snowed in limits our travels. At Christmas, we enjoyed a visit from our nearby daughter, together with her family, including our U.S. Army grandson, who is hoping for reassignment to the East Coast. We experimented with Skype on Ann’s computer for a visit with our new great-grandson in Connecticut. I had Christmas cards from Margaret Butler and Sunny Millimet, who asked that I convey their greetings to all. As I write this, the snow has moved north and the weather reports suggest a warming trend. The calendar indicates a trip to Lexington soon and a return to our island home. We should be back there by the time you read this, and I’ll have VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES some thoughts to share from the reunion. I hope we will have seen you there.

’49B

Dan Smaw

In mid-November, I received a note from Charlie Rammel that included an article from the Philadelphia Inquirer talking about the death of Brother Rat Bobby Thomason. The article was chiefly about Bobby’s time playing for the Philadelphia Eagles. Bobby died Nov. 5, 2013, in Charlotte, North Carolina, of heart failure, according to his sonin-law. He was an outstanding athlete, playing football, basketball and golf at a very high level. For years, our Christmas cards told of Bobby and Jean going to Connecticut, and Louise and Dan going to Michigan – both places colder than either of us liked. They were very happy to give Connecticut up when Jane and her husband moved to Charlotte. We don’t go to Michigan anymore, either. Our condolences go out to Bobby’s wife, Jean; daughter Jane and her husband; two granddaughters; and a greatgrandson. Tommy Bowers and Jack Evans called about Bobby’s obit. They both had roomed with Bobby. I sent the Philadelphia Inquirer article to Jack. In November, Greg Nelson wrote that his son from northern Virginia and his son from North Carolina, along with his two sons, went to a football game at VMI. They had a fine time, with great weather and lunch in the mess hall. His grandsons are 11and 13, so I imagine they thought the mess hall was pretty “cool” – maybe enough so they will end up joining a growing list of ’49B grandsons who have gone. Lon and Doris Walter called in late December to say they had been busy with company and Christmas and had not done any Christmas cards. They wanted to know how we were doing. They were doing OK and winding down from a busy Christmas. As usual, the February set of class notes contains information included in Christmas notes and letters and is generally the longest of the year. This year, there were fewer cards and letters than usual – as we get older, it gets harder to put these Christmas letters together, apparently. What follows is from Christmas notes and letters, for which I thank you. 2014- Issue 2

Carel and Ikey Humme’s clan is at 24 members, with one more on the way. In August, Carel swallowed a large portion of commercial grade vinegar which put him in the hospital. That was followed by a long bout with pneumonia that totaled three months, including rehab. It was good when he finally got home. The grandchildren are very busy, and the great-grandchildren are growing by leaps and bounds. Carel and Ikey wish everyone a happy New Year. Beth Myers wrote that she spent Christmas in California with Dan’s children and her son, Mark, and his family. She was planning to attend the reunion in March, but some health issue has come up that prevented her from coming. We hope it is nothing too serious and that you will be up and around as usual, Beth. Risque and Felice Benedict enjoyed Christmas by staying home and trying to avoid the flu. They updated their heating system, so now they can stay in front of a roaring fire and watch 50 geese take off and land on Golden Pond. They have plans for a cruise up the Danube from Budapest to Munich in July. This will be the first big trip in several years. Bob and Barbara Jeffries are doing fine and visited their son, Andrew, and his family in New Delhi, India, in March. That visit was at the same time as our reunion. We missed having them with us but can easily understand. Barbara still has her job with the retirement home and Bob does some volunteer computer work. John and Mary Haggerty had only one major trip during 2013 – a visit to Oregon at Thanksgiving to celebrate with their daughter, Patti, and family and friends. They then had a visit with their daughter, Mary Ann, in Washington. In February, John had triple bypass surgery when a blockage was found while checking out a slow pulse rate. In October, a pacemaker/defibrillator was implanted as a precautionary measure. That only temporarily slowed down their singing, dancing and making music with the Sunset Strummers Ukulele Band. Mary stays busy with tennis, line dancing and bridge, and John with Serra Club activities. Joe and Shirley Spitler had visits from their four daughters and their spouses along with some of the grandchildren and great-grandchildren during 2013. Only one grandchild lives in Tucson, Arizona. Joe

had his left hip replaced for the second time in January. The first was recalled. His recovery went well. On Good Friday 2013, they went to lunch and were gone for an hour. When they returned, their house had been burglarized, and lots of stuff was taken. Nothing was recovered, but insurance was generous and they replaced the essentials (TV, computer and binoculars). They now have a security system. They took no overnight trips and tried more gardening with minimal results. Joe is volunteering as a reading coach at a nearby elementary school. They celebrated their 61st anniversary in October. It was a good year with their health holding up, but they are slowing down. (Aren’t we all?) Harv and Barbara Bradley moved again. Duties as nurse, cook, yard person and canine keeper became a bit much for Barbara. Their new condo reduces yard and outdoor maintenance, so both of them are doing better. Harv is feeling much better and has started playing a limited amount of golf. Barbara is happy that two of her high school friends and their husbands have moved into the condo complex. Their son, Colby, lives in downtown Atlanta, Georgia, and enjoys working for Norfolk Southern. He will marry in May. That ends the Christmas notes. Fewer than usual, but as they say, we are all slowing down. Benny Harmon wrote in January that the Richmond Times-Dispatch had an extensive story about the $4.1 million renovation of an ancient movie theater in Hopewell. It included two pictures and several references to Nux Enochs, whose construction company is the managing contractor for the project. Benny said it was a good article. In late January, I received a notice from the Alumni Association saying Brother Rat Starke Dillard died Jan. 24, 2014, in Raleigh, North Carolina. Starke attended the Institute for two years, then left to attend the University of North Carolina. After graduating from the Virginia Episcopal Seminary, he served as a U.S. Air Force chaplain until 1955. A service was held for him Jan. 28, 2014, at Christ Church in Raleigh. He is survived by his wife, Angela; three daughters; 10 grandchildren; and three greatgrandchildren. Our condolences go out to Angela and the family. Ding and Nobbie Patton called in late 39

CLASS NOTES January to say they were going to Florida in February to take a three-week cruise. He had recently talked with Vaughn Maxwell who told him they would not be coming to the reunion. I talked with Lon and Doris Walter in late January who said they would not be able to make the reunion. They are sorry not to be there and send their regards to all the attendees. They are doing OK and living one day at a time. George Wolfe wrote in early February that he had a long talk with Charlie Rammel who told him that both he and Joan have mobility problems that make travel difficult. Anything more than two hours travel time is too much for them, so they could not make the reunion. George really enjoyed the conversation, which was very upbeat and covered old times. Some time ago, Bill Sweeney realized that he and his three surviving Lynchburg brother rats seldom saw each other on a regular basis. He contacted George Dooley, Max Feinman and Bob Massie, and they agreed to have lunch once a month on the last Friday of each month. It has worked out well, and they have a great time. Adam Volant ’88, executive vice president of the Alumni Association, and Dr. Bland Massie ’77 asked if they would organize a similar luncheon for the VMI senior alumni in the Lynchburg area. Adam mailed Bill some 70 names and addresses of the Lynchburg senior alumni. Bill sent them a letter inviting them to lunch on Jan. 31, 2014. The letter stated there would be no program and dress was casual. About 20 showed up for the first lunch, and they hope the number will grow to around 40 in the future. This sounds like a good idea for other areas of the country. I appreciate Bill telling me about it, because I know what a good time the ’49Bs have had at their lunches. At one of the earlier lunches, they were so enthusiastic that a nearby diner said, “VMI is being heard from today.” I recently talked with Vaughn Maxwell, who told me he feels good but tires easily – usually from using his wheelchair. He received the article Benny Harmon mentioned earlier about the renovation of an old movie house in Hopewell. There were two pictures of Nux Enochs since his company is doing the work. Vaughn said the pictures 40

of Nux are very good, and the article was good. Vaughn sends his best to all the BRs at the reunion and wishes he could be there. I had a recent conversation with Charlie Upshaw. Greg had called him about the reunion, and Charlie told him he could not go since Laura was not able to travel. Charlie said his grandson, Andrew Upshaw ’06, is now a company commander in Korea but will be going to Germany sometime in summer 2014. In closing, thanks to all who have contributed to annual giving. God bless America, VMI and ’49B.

’49C

Haywood France

While writing these notes in February, I am thinking ahead to March and wishing that all of us could be present for our 65th Reunion. My records are not the best, but at my count, there are 13 BRs and 17 SRs still answering roll call. It looks as if we might possibly have 7 BRs and 11 SRs present for the reunion. I will be resigning as your class agent and thus far have found no BR willing to take over these duties. We will discuss this situation and the future of the Class of ’49C at our upcoming reunion, as well as other class problems brought up at the meeting. We will get the results of these discussions to you as soon as possible. I recently received information concerning the ’49C Scholarship Fund. This school year, there are six Keydets receiving assistance from the fund. At the end of the last fiscal year (June 30, 2013), the market value of the ’49C Scholarship Fund was $619,874. Keep the spirit and have a great summer.

’50A

Bill Moore

News is so scarce this time that I was tempted to write, “As usual, the Class of ’50A is keepin’ on by keepin’ on” and leave it like that. Then I got a lovely, breezy, newsy email from Charlotte Logsdon (Harold “Loggie”) that inspired me and turned

this letter completely around. She says it’s been cold this winter in her part of Texas but not much ice or snow. There was one day in December that she’d rather forget. That particular day, her son borrowed her car to go and see about getting his pickup truck fixed. He got stuck a block from her home and had to park her car. A few hours later, the police called to tell her that her car had been involved in a hit-and-run. Charlotte had to have a rental car for 3.5 weeks while hers was being fixed. She says, with the car rental and the costs of repair, the United Services Automobile Association is not too happy with her. The good news is that her grandson, J.D., who is in the U.S. Army, got married while stationed in Korea. His wife is also in the Army and stationed in Korea. However, almost as soon as they got married, he was transferred to Fort Meade, Maryland. They all hope the Army will honor its policy of keeping married couples together. The nice part of the whole story is that J.D.’s mom, Cheryl, who was at our last reunion, works the Maryland/Virginia area and gets to see J.D. on a regular basis. Barbara Barnes (Hugh) wanted me to be sure to correct a mistake in my reporting when I told all of you that Barbara was in an assisted living facility. She is in an independent living facility, still getting around well (with the exception of driving) and is able to do for herself, thank you very much. She sends her love and hopes she can persuade son Clark ’85 to drive her up to our reunion in spring 2015. Dick Mandt is still in the assisted living facility in Mooresville, North Carolina, that he has been in for some time now. His health is holding up well, especially when you consider the problems he has had in the past. Jennings and Harriet Bunch are enjoying grandchildren, great-grandchildren and good health at their lovely place in the gorgeous southeastern Pennsylvania countryside. They have four great-grandchildren – two boys and two girls. I’m afraid Anne and I got started a little too late for me to expect any great-grandchildren any time soon. Elliott and Nan Hudgins don’t take many long trips anymore but are active in the New Bern, North Carolina, area with dining and socializing with friends. Joanne Miller (Ed) tells me that she has been pretty much a prisoner in her northern Virginia home because of the foul weather VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES we have had. Both of her daughters live nearby and are a great comfort to her. The one brother rat and wife who have done something and gone somewhere since I last wrote are B.J. and Kenny Stagg. They had a lovely trip to Hawaii. B.J. had a very successful year in real estate, as well as a very tiring one, so they decided to celebrate and unwind with a nice, long trip. Good for them. My lovely, red-headed girlfriend, Debra, and I did the same thing on a lesser scale the first week in March. We’re spent the week at “our” North Litchfield Beach, South Carolina. Not-so-coincidentally, our Keydet basketball team played in the Big South tournament in nearby Conway, South Carolina. Debra and I have enjoyed the VMI basketball games this winter – the glorious wins and gut-wrenching defeats. They’re good; the best team since the “great ones” of ’75-’77. Bev Read ’41 once told me we’d be lucky to have another team that good in his and my lifetimes. It took 37 years, but we’re close this year. They’re fun to watch and could win it all. Notice I said “could” and not “would.” Mary Ripley (Joe) says that she’s been mostly enjoying reading, painting and the company of her friends and daughter. Ralph and Judy Mooney are still comfortable in their mountain hide out and see Ed Olivares, Joe Olivares’ brother, quite often. It doesn’t seem that Gene Witcher and I are going to see the likes of Key West this winter. Oh, well, Gene, hope springs eternal. Unfortunately, Gene has lost several cousins this winter and says his trips have all been to funerals. The up side is that he got to see some of his living cousins. He’s having considerable trouble with erratic blood pressure this winter. No accurate diagnosis has been made as of this writing. Syd and Beverly Stealey have experienced an Alaskan winter with many extremes in weather. Some days it has been warmer in Fairbanks than in Jacksonville, Florida. Things are well with them, and we all join them in wishing to see everybody at the reunion in 2015. My report usually brings you up to date on the Moores. Unfortunately, there are no more Moores, only Moore. Fortunately this Moore has been introduced to a magnificent, lovely, red-headed person, Debra, who is the love of my last 2014- Issue 2

stage of life. I never had any inkling that I would ever know such a wonderful woman after my Anne died. As you know, all of my love and concern was focused on Anne for 57 of our wonderful years together. Nothing and no one can ever replace that, nor is that my or our intention. Debra is looking forward to meeting all of you at our 65th Reunion. She has heard so much from me about all of you that she already loves you almost as much as I do.

’50B

Robert White

It was another rough year for our class in 2013. We lost some fine brother rats: E.B. Burwell, Donald D. Kirsch, Peter M. Meredith, Dr. Sheff Daniel Olinger Jr. and Erskine Williams Jr. The core problem, of course, is that even the youngest in the class is 85, or almost so, with some of the veterans who started with us in 1946 being four, five or even six years older than those just out of high school. There are very few of those veterans left. Our lives have been interesting, to say the least. Korea, Vietnam, making a living, marrying and rearing children. VMI has been a big help and remains so for what amounts to life’s final adventure. Braxton and Judith Green were visiting Mary Virginia Harwood in January. Alice and I met all three of them, plus the Greens’ grandson, Brett, at the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables, Florida, for lunch. It was a special occasion. Braxton is still pumped up about our 65th Reunion in April 2015. I believe that it will be a great success, and I hope that all of our brother rats who are able to travel will be there. Braxton also plans for it to be special for widows and other sister rats. Mary Virginia told me that her son, U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Thomas P. Harwood III, is stationed in Saudi Arabia and is in charge of training for the U.S. Armed Forces there. Mary Virginia had planned a trip to Saudi Arabia, but it was canceled because of medical problems of a grandchild. The problem is serious, but thankfully the prognosis is for complete recovery. I received a Christmas card from Jane Smallwood. She did not say how she was doing, but the card had her picture on it and

it was clear that she is just fine. She also had a beautiful Christmas tree. David Fleming wrote and said that all is well with him and Joan. The winter is cold in Michigan, which it is supposed to be. David says he does not ski anymore and does not miss it. His middle ear problem with vertigo is under control with medication. He walks regularly and says that is enough contact with the weather. Nancy and Jim Flippen are fine. Nancy was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease several years ago, but it obviously has not slowed her down in any way. She still shops, drives and is active in about six different organizations that she belongs to. Jim’s routine involves having lunch at the Virginia Club in Norfolk followed by several hours of shooting pool. Sounds like the priorities are well structured. The one very sad note was about the sudden death of their older son, a successful trial lawyer, several years ago. All of their other children and grandchildren are well occupied and doing well. Jim did say that he, Bill Kelly, John Taylor and Joe Kohen represented the class at the Institute Society Dinner in November 2013. I talked to Edie Robertson. She and Peyton have moved back to Norfolk. They live in Harbor View Apartments, where many other VMI people live. Unfortunately, Peyton broke his hip last September. It has been slow to heal, but he has been graduated to a walker. Otherwise, everything is good. My guess is that Peyton is not being too patient with his recovery. Tom Kelly sent a picture of him and the family. Except for his lack of mobility, he and Norma are doing well, as are Sue and Kelly and all grandchildren. I received a nice card from Marilyn Warren. She seems to be well except for missing Ralph so much. The rest of us do, too. He was one of the best (if not the best) class agents that we have had – and we have had some good ones. Mary Buchanan writes that all is well with her gang, which now includes 12 grandchildren. She also likes her home in Williamsburg, Virginia, including the weather and many new friends. Tom and Pat Drumwright, except for moving slower, are doing well. My response is, “Congratulations and welcome to the club.” 41

CLASS NOTES Dick Leithiser wrote from Queensburg, New York, where he was for the holidays. He spent Thanksgiving at his niece’s home in Albany, New York, with 34 family members. He said that it was a happy and loud gathering. Dick said that 2013 was a good year with no surgeries, and he is still able to live independently in the mountains and in Cape Canaveral, Florida. His mobility is somewhat limited, and he has some arthritis in his hands. George and Nell Oliver miss living in the mountains and hope to spend more time there this year. Alice and I hope this means that we can resume our summer lunches with them in Highlands. I received a nice card from Ruth and Red Bragg. He said that he and Bookie Bond made the same trip to Camp Breckinridge that Hoge Sutherland and Ed Burwell did in October 1950. Red and Ruth are fine. Bob and Nancy Lynd spent three months (November 2013 to Jan. 31, 2014) in Sanibel, Florida, (as usual) and enjoyed it (as

usual). Last spring, Bob’s doctor found “something” on his lung and wanted to operate, but he finally concluded with a biopsy that the “something” was benign. This enabled them to make a scheduled trip to Normandy, a long standing item on Bob’s bucket list. Needless to say, the trip was enjoyable and fascinating. Bob and Nancy really miss our mini reunions in Fort Myers, Florida. Those were something else and were so well organized by Ralph and Marilyn. Ann Witt sent a card with a picture taken last summer at her 75th birthday party. All of her children and three of her five grandchildren were there. One of them was Foster Witt, of course, and it was heartwarming to think about his father, whom our brother rats knew so well. Alice and I lived right across the street from Foster Sr., Hoge Sutherland and Tom Harwood when we were all in law school. I remember sometimes when Foster and I were in the library, I would say that I had to go to the grocery store, and he would say he would go with me. That meant he

Class of 1950B: In Memory

Donald B. Kirsch

Peter M. Meredith

Erskine Williams Jr.

Sheff D. Olinger Jr.

Edward B. Burwell

was coming to dinner. That happened a lot, and Alice and I remember it fondly – very fondly. Let me hear from you. Your brother rats want to know how you are and what you are doing.

’51

John Ross

These notes cover the period of Oct. 31, 2013, through Feb. 10, 2014, and are basically in sequential order. On the last day of October, I failed to reach Tusten Lanning in Birmingham, Alabama, and left birthday greetings on her message recorder. I likewise failed to reach Harry Bailey at the beginning of November and left a birthday message. Gloria Cowherd called for info, which I supplied, and reported that she and her family are doing well. I wished Des Wray in Staunton, Virginia, a happy birthday and visited with him, during which time I reported on his roommates, Richard Chaplin and Harry Bailey. Jake Wamsley thanked Win Baber for assuming our email coordinator duties and requested that he “keep it up for the indefinite future.” Dick Knight ’70 would like to contact one of our BRs that he met at a Society of Cincinnati function in Washington, D.C. I had a nice visit with Marion Carozza ’50B in Baltimore, Maryland, in which she acknowledged appreciation for having received a valentine card from VMI. I informed her that Buddy Bryan ’71, vice president of the Foundation, was responsible for this activity. Marion subsequently sent me a very informative and impressive biography and obituary of her husband, Tom. I wished Mrs. Whitlow a happy birthday. I traveled to Lexington for the Institute Society Dinner on Founders Day. The Corps looked great, and the dinner was very well attended. I was joined by Harry Bailey, who was accompanied by Dorothy Ann Reason, the widow of an old U.S. Army friend. Harry described the dinner as “a wonderful affair,” including a presentation by Gen. J.H. Binford Peay ’62 and a performance by the Glee Club. However, VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES he was disappointed that more BRs didn’t make it. I left birthday greetings for Janet Lemley in Stepside Beach, South Carolina. On Nov. 14, I received a call from Anita Chaplin alerting me that she had moved BR Richard into hospice care. The next day, she called to report his death. I notified VMI and informed the class. I sent a condolence card to Anita and made a memorial contribution to the Institute. I called Henry Bailey, Richard’s roommate, to inform him of the death and asked him to pass the word to Des Wray, another roommate. I received an email from Genya Skvortsov ’06 seeking info for a book he is compiling as to who James Little Croswhite ’54 dyked in our class. Paul Robinson called seeking info on Beano Graf, which I furnished. He is back in Wisconsin and reports that Jeanne is still very tired. I wished Dave Kneessy in Indianapolis, Indiana, a happy birthday. He says he is “doing well” and hopes to make the next reunion. I finally reached Paul Robinson with belated birthday wishes. He had a great Thanksgiving with his adult children. I wished Walt Carraway in Beaumont, Texas, a happy birthday. He is fighting chronic leukemia but hopes to make it to the next reunion. I reached Barbara Guthans in Mobile, Alabama, with birthday greetings. She was going out for lunch, and her children were taking her out for dinner. I attempted to wish Bill Leck in Rockville Center, New York, a happy birthday, but Maureen reported that he was back in the hospital with an infection. At the end of November, I left birthday wishes for Clyde Green with his son, Tom. On the first day of December, Sam Scott called to report on the visit of George and Marty Cohen, who are doing well, and Cindy and Jim Marshall, who were down for the Citadel game. Unfortunately, Jim is still suffering substantial pain in his back. On the same day, I once again failed to reach Ken Crisp in Huntington, West Virginia, in order to wish him a happy birthday. I wished Jack Hill a happy birthday Dec. 6. He and Nancy are doing well and were going out to dinner that evening. 2014- Issue 2

I left birthday greetings for Jane Owen in Wilson, North Carolina, on her voice mail in the middle of December. I was unable to reach Beetle Travers at the same time for a similar reason. In the midst of the holiday season, I received sad news from VMI that we lost two more of our BRs – Hap Higby and Bill Leck both passed away Dec. 17, 2013. I informed the class and wrote notes of condolence to Renate and Maureen. On Dec. 20, I reached Bounce Carstens in Alexandria, Louisiana, to wish him a happy birthday. He and Sally are doing well. On Christmas Day, I called Jigger and Ursula Baxley to wish him a happy birthday and both of them a merry Christmas. Backing up to early December – when I finished and mailed 129 Christmas cards (81 to BRs and 48 to SRs) – Marie and I received in return numerous cards, notes and letter that wish us well and provided a wealth of news. Our first note was a very thoughtful essay entitled “Keeping Christmas” from Homer and Marie Ambrose. This was closely followed by a pretty card from Pat Gray. Thereafter, we received, in no particular order: A card and long letter came from Dick McFarlin, reporting a nasty fall resulting in two broken wrists which required six weeks to heal. Nevertheless, he was able to make a family trip to Scotland. Jane Catlin reported in an artistic letter that she is enjoying her retirement facility in Columbus, Ohio. However, her mobility is severely restricted by her rheumatoid arthritis. Steve Meader provided in his card his vacation telephone number and in a short note reported he was spending Christmas with a daughter and family in Issaquah, Washington. Jean and Paul Robinson, in a long, handwritten letter, reported that they returned to Wisconsin after spending three months in Florida supervising the repair of their flooded townhouse. While in Florida, Jean suffered intestinal blockages which required hospitalization and surgery. Paul and Polly Shrader’s letter opened with great news. “In general terms, we had a great 2013!” Then, it proceeded to describe a frenetic travel pace. Europe (France, Spain

and Italy) in April; a mid-summer wedding in Jonesboro; an October trip to Atlanta, Georgia; San Francisco for a cruise around the Hawaiian Islands; ending at Christmas with family in Maryland. They concluded with, “Semper Fi.” Dick Cole and Louise enclosed a long, artistic letter with their card, which disclosed that Dick took Louise to Lexington to see VMI. Dick also enclosed pictures – one of Dick, his son and his grandson on a goose hunt and a second of Dick and his grandson trap shooting. Julie and Henry Pitot sent a short, typed note in which Henry reported, “A tremor has destroyed my handwriting (and is working on my voice),” and that Julie has gastrointestinal problems. Harry Bailey sent a long, festive Christmas letter describing his cruise to Alaska, a boat trip from Memphis to New Orleans and a visit to his daughter, Jennifer, and family in Norway. He also reports that health-wise, he is “in pretty good shape,” except for hearing and vision problems. Henry and Joan Bryan have returned to their Port Huron, Michigan, home. Lee Duval sent a beautiful card depicting a large crèche from Lewisville, Texas. Ann Penner wished us comfort and joy for the holiday season. Peggy and Willard Hays wished us a happy and relaxing holiday season. Fred and Rose Anson wished “love, peace and joy” for Christmas and all through the year. Ray and Sheila Marshall wished us a wonderful holiday. Ellen Nelson wished a merry Christmas to us and “to all the brother rats of ’51.” We also received cards with similar wishes from Jackie and Fred Taylor, Sookie and Nancy Hill, Beverly Beazlie, Henry and Ursula Baxley, Pat Holloway, Jack and Barbara Lowden, Robbin Jordan, Anna and Joe Stump, Mary Ellen Connolly, Pete Philip, Cindy and Jim Marshall, Phil Barton, Jim and Jean Enochs, Marilyn and Gib Gay, Eday and Jake Wamsley, Jack and Joyce Evans, Sid Hannah, Don and Jody Baldwin, Bob and Jeannie Nolley, and Fred and Marilyn Watson. We also received some cards with news: Joe Tom Howard reports that he is “still recovering from complications from heart surgery but will survive.” 43

CLASS NOTES Glennie Brown was in California in November and visited Tom and Pinkie Wornham. They had a great time. Sally and Bounce Carstens reported on a New York City trip they described as great, despite terrible weather. Bill Moore, showing the Christmas spirit, continued his practice of sending a check to the VMI Foundation. Anita Chaplin sent us a moving letter touching on the death of our BR, Richard. The last Christmas card received was from Sam Scott, who maintains without certifying that it is one he procured from Bob Raeburn. In early January, we received a beautiful Magi card and note from Mary Hedge with her contact info, as she has moved from Hawaii to California. We also received around the same time a packet from Ginny Bolling, Beano Graf’s daughter, with pictures and news of the Graf and Bolling family. She reported that Ann’s “health is fragile,” but she still dispenses “valuable advice and is happy to get her Jack Daniels!” Also in mid-January, I had cards returned as “not deliverable” for Mrs. Don Gross and Robert Travers. Now returning to sequential order, I made my last birthday call for 2013 to Tom Wornham in California Dec. 28 but was forced to leave voice mail best wishes. On Jan. 2, 2014, Marie wished Pat Holloway a happy birthday, and they had an informative visit. On Jan. 3, I made my first birthday call of the year to Jack Lowden in Williamsburg, Virginia. He and Barbara are doing well and had a pleasurable holiday experience. Sam Scott called once again to complain about the lag time or delay in announcing the death of a brother rat. I wished Johnny Blakemore a belated happy birthday and learned he had celebrated with his daughter at a luncheon. We discussed the sad status of the Washington Capitals hockey team. I checked in with Frans Kasteel, as I had not heard anything from him lately. He and Shirley are both well, and he is still very active in the Coast Guard Auxiliary. Renate Higby called to thank me for my condolences for Hap, and I learned she is, naturally, still adjusting. I checked on Willard Hays and learned 44

from him and Peggy that he is still very limited with his back problem. Further, surgery is not feasible. Maureen Leck thanked us for our expressions of sympathy on Bill’s death, and we had a nice visit. She is doing well but is quite busy with administrative details. I reached Henry Bryan in Port Huron, Michigan, to wish him a happy birthday. We had a long visit reminiscing about Alexandria, Virginia, which is his hometown and my present residence. Henry is not very mobile due to leg problems and uses a wheelchair. I wished Ray Moncrief in Georgetown, Texas, a very belated happy birthday. He reported they are very happy with the move to Texas – they have great neighbors and a wonderful church. I received a note from Country Lauerman ’49B, enclosing an obituary for Beano Graf and wishing us “happiness and health for 2014.” I replied with thanks. I twice failed to reach Jim Smith with birthday greetings and left a message on his voice mail. Jane Owen called from Wilson, North Carolina, to thank me and inquire about Scott Underwood. I did not have any current info on Scott and so informed her. I did assure her I would make another effort to locate Scott. I immediately called Bob Nolley, who lives in Richmond, to ask him to try and locate Scott, as his last address and phone number were in that city. Jean answered my call, because Bob was not at home, and agreed to have him call. I did learn that Jean had a bad fall and severely injured her left arm, which may require surgery. Bob called back later that day and agreed to my request. Bob and I had a long conversation about many problems he perceives at the Institute. Once again, I am reminded by our lost contact with Scott that we should let the Institute know of any change in contact info. In this regard, I still have not made contact with Ken Crisp or Claud Eley. Before my editorial deadline, I tried to reach my last two birthday celebrants in January with best wishes. I reached Jack Davis in Southern Pines, North Carolina, and learned that he is, in his words, “hanging in there” – he has heart problems requiring a defibrillator and oxygen and the early stages of Parkinson’s disease. I did not reach John Phillips in Richmond

and left best wishes on his voice mail. On Feb. 1, Bob Nolley called to report he was unable to trace Scott Underwood. Then, the following morning, he emailed me an obituary that appeared in the Richmond paper reporting Scott passed away Jan. 28, 2014. I passed this info on to Jane Owen and notified the Institute. I subsequently made a contribution to VMI for Scott. Once again, it is sad to note that the drumbeat of mortality for our class continues in the New Year. I left birthday greetings for Gibson Gay on his voice mail. On Feb. 4, I received a call from Maurice King in Hallieford, Virginia, reporting on the death of Scott Underwood. We then had a nice visit in which Maury reported that he and June are “hanging in there.” He also inquired about his roommate, Henry Pitot. I passed the inquiry to Henry and supplied him with Maury’s email address. Henry reported he and Julie were leaving for Biloxi, Mississippi, in the near future and would not return to Madison, Wisconsin, until April. I called Marion Carozza in Baltimore and learned she is recovering from a fall and the resulting broken knee cap. Marion agreed that I could advertise that she has Bombs for the years 1948-51. These books are in great condition, and she wishes them to be given to someone with VMI connections. Incidentally, she tried to give them to the Institute, but it has multiple copies. Let me know if you have any interest. Before closing, I would like, as in prior years, to remember our brother rats who left us in 2013. Sadly, this number continues to grow – nine in 2013. John Batsakis (1/20/13), Charles Ironmonger (5/31/13), Robert Laville (6/20/13), Thomas Twitty (8/12/13), William A. Graf (8/28/13), N. Brent Kennedy (9/15/13), Richard W. Chaplin (11/14/13), Henry R. Higby (12/17/13) and William J. Leck (12/17/13). May they rest in peace, and may loving memories of them sustain their survivors. More sad news. After submission of these notes, I learned from Jim Close that our BR Joe Tom Howard passed away Feb. 5, 2014. Marie and I want to thank all of you who so kindly remembered us during the holiday season and to wish everyone a happy, VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES healthy and prosperous 2014. Semper Fi – Jack

’52

James M. Mecredy

I learned of Don Williamson’s death from Myles Hutchinson. Don passed away Sunday, Oct. 13, 2013. He has been a Hampton resident for 50 years. He retired from the U.S. Air Force in 1970 after 20 years, which included service during the Korean War and Vietnam War. After retirement, he worked as a pilot for Flight International and retired in 1994 after 22 years. Don is survived by his wife of 54 years, Eleanor C. Williamson; sons, Michael C. Williamson, Douglas C. Williamson and Joseph M. Williamson; and grandchildren, Anna and Luke. I talked to Weir Goodwin and found him in good spirits. I gave him Joe Craven’s phone number so they can exchange notes about the loss of a leg. As I reported in the past, Joe lost his leg several years ago, and as I reported in a recent set of class notes, Weir lost his leg in 2013. Red Austermann and I had a pleasant talk two days after his birthday, on Halloween. He is staying healthy and enjoys a hobby of painting miniature solders (his wife calls them toys). I told Red to send me a picture of himself and some of his miniatures to put into the Alumni Review. He stays in touch with Joanne Price (Jim Price’s widow), Rem Simpson and Joe Webber. John Taylor returned my call and sent me a note thanking me for his birthday card. John is generally feeling good, but he says he seems to hurt someplace more often than he did before he reached his 80s. He exercises two or three times a week to stay healthy. He did have a fall last March which resulted in a concussion. It knocked him out, and the paramedics woke him up on the way to the hospital. He recovered quickly and has no aftereffects. Esther Stringer (George Stringer’s widow) is recovering from bronchitis, so we could not talk long. She told me she will be doing fine as soon as she finishes recovering her voice. She keeps in touch with Chris Holland, Sally Birge, Barbara 2014- Issue 2

Class of 1952: Lou Delisio and Ella enjoying dinner, September 2013.

Navas and Jan St. John. My birthday card to George Bookman was returned, because I did not check the address on his birthday label. I immediately realized that his address had changed, so I readdressed the birthday card and mailed it a few days late. I followed up by calling Bookie and wished him a happy birthday as well as told him the card was still coming. He appreciated being remembered anyway. He and Nancy have been at their new address long enough to be well-settled. Howard Williamson has his hands full caring for Bernie. She fell and fractured her femur, plus she is burdened with Alzheimer’s disease. On top of that, Howard is finding cracks in the foundation of his house because of roots from his neighbor’s tree. Consequently, at the present, life is a burden. I can partly relate to Howard, because my wife, Lucette, fell two weeks ago and seriously injured the muscles in her back. So, I have been caring for her for two weeks while she heals. She is getting better and able to do more things for herself. She and I both will be glad when she is well again. I called Howard again a few days later, and he was encouraged and Bernie was well enough to go out to dinner occasionally. Pat Barry is losing sight in both eyes now, and he says he uses a red and white cane for navigation. In spite of the loss, he sounds upbeat and is taking life a day at a time. That is actually all any of us can really do. John Greenwood continues to fly and is in good health. The insurance company makes him take a physical every year because of age. It doesn’t seem to count that he has to take an aviation test every six months. He said in his last test, one of his ex-students checked him out.

Dick Falwell sent me a wonderful story of a little girl in the Atlanta, Georgia, airport who ran up to some soldiers embarking for Iraq. She asked one solder to send a message to her daddy in Iraq. He agreed, and she reached up and gave him a kiss for her daddy. The soldiers were immediately able to contact the Marines in Iraq by radio and spoke to her father. He told the soldier to give her a hug and tell her he would be home soon. Zeke Finney sent me several interesting emails. The first was about the history of the details on our dollar bill. The second was a video of a huge boating rescue during 9/11 when people were panicking to get off Manhattan Island with all transportation shut down. Hundreds of boat skippers brought their boats to the docks and sea walls to load people and transport them to other shores. The video showed thousands of people being evacuated by these volunteers, and the report concluded that 500,000 people were evacuated in nine hours. By comparison, 300,000 soldiers were evacuated from Dunkirk during World War I in nine days. I don’t think this was widely reported at the time of 9/11. Jay Grumbling is still in the ranching business with a number of horses and a 150-acre farm in New Hampshire. Now that he has had another birthday, Jay allows that everything in his body that works hurts, and the things that don’t hurt don’t work. He claims he is slowing down, but the day we spoke, he had just spent half the day out in the barn cleaning up after the horses. It sounds to me like he is in better shape than most of us are. I talked to Myles Hutchinson and learned that he had a dizzy spell that the doctor diagnosed as heart fibrillation. He went to the hospital overnight and was pronounced well enough to go home. His heart apparently corrected itself. He was told to stay off things that were not good for him and start taking medicine for his heart, and he would be all right. He is OK now. Cecil Welsh claims he is doing well for 84, even though he has a problem with neuropathy in his left leg. I had called him to wish him a happy birthday. Barbara Navas was admitted to the hospital in early November. She fainted, and in the hospital they learned she had a fair amount of blood loss (which is why she 45

CLASS NOTES fainted). Her heart was weak, and her kidneys were not functioning as well as they should be. I emailed everyone about her condition and heard back from many of you. Lou Delisio wrote back to report that Barbara was improving. On Monday, Nov. 18, 2013, I learned from Lou Delisio that Barbara Navas died the previous Saturday. While in the hospital, she began to improve and was told she might go home by the weekend. She had a good day Friday and died peacefully Saturday with her family around her. The funeral was held on the following Saturday. The class of ’52 was well represented at the service. Lou and Ella Delisio, Sarah and Zeke Finney, Sugar and Chris Holland, Sally Birge, Carol Clingempeel, Martha Leighty, and Peggy and Jim Stallings attended. Bill Shunk returned my call and brought me up to date on his well-being. He spent a week in Hilton Head, South Carolina. Bill has some medical issues that keep him in touch with the doctors. His view is that he gives any ailments over to the Lord, who is better equipped to take care of him than he is. His wife had recovered from cancer years ago, but the doctors did not know how to cure her. She lived until last November. We had a good conversation, and I brought Bill up to date on the people he remembered. One person he remembered is Bill Myers. I have no knowledge about Bill, and he is missing from my roaster. That reminds me to call VMI and find out what they can tell me. Bill Shunk last heard that Bill Myers was in San Francisco with the Air Marshall program. VMI told me that Bill Myers had asked to be taken off their contact list. I do not know why. I called Andy Dickinson and Bob Lambert to wish each of them a belated happy birthday. Andy and Bob are both doing as well as can be expected since they are not as young as last year. Zeke Finney wanted Bob to go with him to visit a new concrete plant being dedicated for the concrete company Zeke bought back in the ’60s. Originally, he had one truck and grew the business to five trucks in a few years. Nowadays, the company has 60 trucks and a couple of hundred employees. Zeke’s son manages the business and is very successful. Zeke couldn’t be more pleased and proud. 46

I got behind on calling for birthdays, Charlie McRae just had all five grandkids so I played catch up. Clarence Brauner ages 3 through 8 over to help him celebrate was not home, so I left a message. Char- his birthday. He also has a 22-year-old lie Hansrote was home, and both he and grandchild. He did not say if the older one Melva are staying healthy by frequent visits was among the gang that had just left when to the doctors. Both have nonthreatening is- we spoke, taking all of the noise with them. sues that the doctors are taking care of. Charlie still plays golf occasionally. I got a call from Jack Lanford who wantWalt Ames called me to let me know that ed Chris Holland’s phone number. Jack Frank Tuck died Dec. 13, 2013. A memotold me that VMI played a good football rial service and reception was held Jan. 3 game against the Citadel for three quar- at the Galilee Episcopal Church in Virginia ters, but Citadel got their act together in the Beach, Virginia. fourth quarter to win the game. One of the rewards of being class agent is I talked to Eva Tuck (Win Tuck’s widow). that I get to hear from most of our brother She had seven of eight grandchildren help rats during the year. I have received Christcelebrate her birthday. Most of the grand- mas cards from: Martha Allen, Ed Wilbargkids are in colleges around the South. Eva er, Myles Hutchinson, Bill Massie, Rose is in good health, for which she is thankful. Rearik, Henry and Betty Nanninga, and I received an email from Cheryl Meola Gary and Sandra Pittman. asking for help ordering a new class ring for our BR Warren Meola, who lost his ring last year. I learned that reordering a class ring from Jostens requires a confirmation from VMI. At this point, I do not know how long it takes to receive one. I passed the information on Class of 1952: Clarence Brauner stayed at the Big Sky to Cheryl, and I pre- Inn, military guest quarters. sume she made the I got a laugh from Ed Wilbarger, whose order. Clarence Brauner is still enjoying travel- wife, Lila, persuaded him to find his ancesing. He and Dotty recently enjoyed a trip try. Ed is related both to Napoleon Bonaparte to Kentucky for Thanksgiving to see their and Marie Antoinette! I also heard from Chris daughter. He returned my earlier call while Holland, Charlie Hogge, Sandy O’Conner, he was in Tullahoma, Tennessee, having John Roche, Walt Ames, Boyd Guttery, dinner at Arnold Air Force Base, where Yancy Clark, Mary and Charlie Shoaf, Rob they stopped for the night on their way Gerdetz, Red Austermann, Bill Shunk, home. I have included a picture of Clarence Cecil Welsh, Clarence Brauner, Pat Powat one of the military guest lodges he uses ers, Jeff Hanna, Martha Leighty, Charlie McRae, Charlie Piper, Chuck Haley, Army when traveling. Al Marshand gave up playing golf and and Barbara Welford, and John Taylor. Jeff Hanna’s 17-year-old daughter is a is enjoying watching his grandsons play champion high school golf. The older gymnast competing at the national level and grandson, age 17, plays an average of 71.6 is a cheerleader. Jeff is slowing down along and just received a golf scholarship from with the rest of us in our 80s. I called Bill Gilley, and his son answered. Louisiana State University. The younger one, age 14, is almost as good when he is Bill is in poor health from a series of events “on,” but at this point, he is more erratic. Al that placed him in a nursing home. I may be stays healthy by taking all of the pills the able to talk to him at a later date if his son feels he is up to talking. doctor prescribes. VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES Gary Pittman, Cecil Welch, Andy Dickinson, Walter Ames, Bob Perkins, Rich Valack, me and our wives. At the reception, which followed, we all had the opportunity to discuss our numerous health issues with one other. Even at a time like this, it’s always good to be with those with whom we Class of 1952: Jim Mecredy, class agent, with his new share great memories. Let’s continue to pray Ham radio. His call sign is KK4RWO. for each other.” I left a message for Jim Martin. Bob Yore tells me that Cambridge, MaryBo Perkins was out running an errand land, is colder than it has been in years, but when I called. Martha says he is doing well, he is staying healthy anyway. He finally sold and they appreciated hearing from me. I his sailboat a few years ago and is doing his called him again and learned that he retired sailing in a dingy. from dentistry a year ago, and they are enNatalie Long has been living in Florida for joying life. They were going to the funeral several years now and is doing well. for Frank Tuck. Jim Truscott is OK after some concern for Cecil Puckette did not answer when I his wife, Helen, who was hospitalized in Nocalled, so I left a message for him. He called vember 2013. It turned out that she became me back later. Cecil and Carolyn celebrated allergic to some medicine, and she is slowly their 60th anniversary in July 2012 at Myrtle recovering. Beach. Their three children, a son and two Rem Simpson was not home when I daughters, and six grandchildren joined called, so I left a message. Later, Rem rethem. Only two grandchildren are still in turned my call. He had missed my call becollege. The other four are out of college cause he was in Florida to escape the winter and working. Cecil reports that he is in good weather. Rem reported that both he and his health at 185 pounds. He was up to 228 from wife are in good health. 165 when he retired. I recently qualified for an amateur radio Bill Ruffin is working to raise funds for the license, so I can now identify myself as a Moses Ezekiel Statuary Restoration Fund in ham operator with call sign KK4RWO. I the Norfolk Botanical Garden (see Alumni am learning to send and receive calls on Review 2013-Issue 4). If you have forgotten, very high frequency bands (144 megahertz Moses Ezekiel ’866 sculptured “Stonewall and 440 megahertz). Does anyone else in Jackson” in front of Jackson Arch and “Vir- ’52 have a ham license? I have included a ginia Mourning Her Dead,” as well as a few picture of me holding my new radio. hundred other statues. On Jan. 16, I received an email from Lou Mary Shoaf writes that Charles has moved Delisio about a heart cauterization that he to a different nursing home where they can underwent the day before. The findings better care for severe memory loss, and he indicate that his aorta valve is not opening is responding well. In the meantime, Mary enough and needs to be replaced. In addikeeps busy with the Atlantic Classical Or- tion, they found two blocked branches, one chestra and the Garden Club. completely and one 70 percent. He said he Jim Wiley sent me this email about the was going to have open heart surgery Jan. memorial service for Frank Tuck. “Dear 21, 2014, to replace the valve and bypass Jim, Carole and I attended the beautiful and the two branches. Since then, Ella kept us meaningful memorial service for Brother abreast of Lou’s progress every couple of Rat Frank Tuck in Virginia Beach. In atten- days. On Jan. 28, Ella sent us an email endance were a number of our class, including titled “Home at Last.” She took Lou home 2014- Issue 2

from the hospital that evening. They are both thrilled that he will be able to recover and get back to normal at home. His recovery plan began immediately with a home health nurse and home physical therapist visit the day after he returned home. They will both come three times a week. After six to eight weeks, he will go back for outpatient cardiac rehab. In the meantime, Ella hopes to put some weight back on him, as he is now 10 pounds lighter. I have included a picture of Lou and Ella from September 2013 while he was still hale and hardy. On Jan. 28, we joined with the rest of the South with a once-every-10-years snowfall. We stayed at home and did not experience any of the difficulties so many people experienced. The news report stated that the amount of snow we received would have been an inconvenience anywhere in the North, but in the South, people do not know to slow down. We lived in Minnesota for years, and the amount of snow we got here would be identified there as “good winter driving conditions.” That is all for this report. May God bless and keep each of you. Your brother rat, Jim

’53

William C. Noell Jr.

Brother Rats, The first thing I would like to say is Judy and I are very tired of this cold weather, along with snow to add to what seems like a long winter. Even at our lake place in Tennessee, our next door neighbor’s “winter” pontoon boat was frozen into the water for about a week – and we are on the main channel, so the water is always moving somewhat. This is the first time it has frozen since before we moved there in 1994. We are more than ready for lake time – at least for us 80-plus year olds that live up above Georgia and Texas. It seems the older we get, the less we like it. I sure do not care for this snow we have as I write these notes in February – currently 11 inches with more coming down right now. During the months since our 60th, Warren and Win Koontz as well as Parker and Annah Cross have sold their longtime homes, downsized somewhat and have moved into 47

CLASS NOTES houses that are part of a retirement community. One thing is for sure, they will not have as much maintenance as they did with their beautiful, old, much larger homes. Warren’s new place is at Cedarfield in Richmond, near where Herold Hofheimer is living in the health care facility. Warren saw Herold recently and said he is about the same as when we last saw him. Ellen is there every day and feeds him his lunch. Warren says she is doing as well as can be expected. An email from Lois Wooten said that she and Frank were down on the Outer Banks in the cold and rainy weather – not for the pleasure, but to check to see if their house there has survived the winter weather. On a sad note, Jack Townes’ younger sister, Sara Cheely, died suddenly in January after a brief stay in the hospital just before Christmas and some time in a rehabilitation center. Betty Woodward attended the memorial service in Richmond, and afterward she was able to visit with Jack and Meredith, but the later burial services were family only. Jack Trigg finally had to place his wife, Peachy, in an Alzheimer’s unit of the nursing home in Birmingham, Alabama, where she lives. Jack was able to keep Peachy at home for three years with her illness, and it was nice that Judy and I were able to visit with them a couple of times a few years ago. As Jack said, “It was sad, but it had to be done.” Our heart goes out to Jack, as well as to a couple other brother rats who are facing similar situations with their wives. Jim Morris has been having hip problems since way before football season. Since Christmas, he has had a very difficult time getting around and sleeping and is in pain most of the time. He was finally able to have a hip replacement operation in January and then started the recovery process. We saw Jim after a football game in 2013, but he did not spend the night at his “house on the hill” behind the football field. He felt he needed to get home, as he did not want to leave Marilyn alone all night. Marilyn was in the hospital for a while in the fall with a flare-up of her multiple sclerosis, but she is doing well now, considering the disease. I talked with Ernie Jones in January, and he is in Greenville, South Carolina, at his sister’s house for some medical maintenance 48

for his leukemia that flared up in September. He said he certainly could get better treatment down there than in the remote area of Banner Elk, North Carolina –where I would assume their specialty is repairing broken bones from skiing accidents. John Gilbert lost his wife, Doris, in December before Christmas due mostly to stomach cancer. It was determined when she became ill that she could not be taken care of at home, out in the country north of Lexington, so she was taken to a local nursing home under hospice. Judy and I attended the visitation here in Lexington but were not able to attend the funeral services in Richmond. Warren and Win Koontz and Bobby Miller attended these services. Doris was very active in the garden clubs in Lexington. A note from Jack Trigg said he had a 30-minute conversation with Ned Clopton recently. He said Ned is doing fine and still living near Philadelphia. Judy and I go to all the home basketball games and sit on second row, right behind the coaches. The games are fast paced and enjoyable but at many times are hectic. Would you believe we went into four overtimes during an away game? However, the Keydets are battling for the top of the conference, and we plan to go to the tournament in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, in March. Periodically, we see Jim Morris’ son, Bob ’81, at the games here in Lexington. Judy, Jennifer, Addie Jay and I went to Virginia Beach in January to see my new greatgrandson, Kaylor Gregory Beale. He is the fifth great-grandson. The sixth will be born in April. The rest of the news for these class notes comes from the Christmas cards you sent with notes of some kind: I received a Christmas letter from Jim and Marilyn Meek containing many pictures of their family. They continue to move back and forth between Ohio and California every two or three months. They went to our favorite vacation place, Ocracoke Island on the Outer Banks, with family to celebrate their 50th anniversary. Elizabeth and Wes Gray sailed across the Atlantic on the Queen Elizabeth 2 cruise ship and visited Southampton, Hamburg and Norway in June 2013. A note from Helen in the Maddux card said that Webb got the year off from writing

the Christmas letter – that did not happen for me. A note from Faye Andrews said that she went on a river cruise down the Rhone in August, and she had a great time at Doug’s 60th Reunion. In Jack Trigg’s card, he said he still has not recovered from the Alabama State loss to Auburn University. In Gayle Shorter’s letter, she notes that she is now in treatment for myeloma in the bone marrow. She says she is responding well. Jack Trigg had already told me last fall that he was going to Montgomery every Monday for treatments. Trivia, of sorts: Since we are all now in our 80s, we certainly know family, friends or even acquaintances who have that incurable disease that comes to older people, Alzheimer’s. That being said, I thought that I would mention a book Judy and I recently read entitled “Still Alice.” It was first published in 2007 and is by Lisa Genova, a doctor of neuroscience from Harvard University. Some of you might find this book of interest, as it certainly gives us on the outside an inkling as to what it is like to have Alzheimer’s – scary! The book is written from the point of view of the patient, Alice, and not from the caregiver’s point of view, which I understand is the case with most books on this subject. Although it is a novel, the subject was well researched and many interviews were conducted. It also outlined

Class of 1953: Mary Jude Beacham, age 3, and Judson Beacham, age 6, the two youngest of Bill and Judy Noell’s 11 grandchildren.

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES available medicines, including a fictional trial drug. To me, one of the worst parts was when Alice could no longer read a book – she could not hold her mind to it. Alice, a very active professor at Harvard with three grown children and a husband who also worked as a Harvard professor, was diagnosed with early onset of the disease at age 50. Judy and I found it very interesting and enlightening. It gave us a better understanding of the trauma a patient goes through when faced with this incurable disease. The book was endorsed by the National Alzheimer’s Association, and at this time, it is the only book of its kind to receive this endorsement. It is a good read.

’54

Ran Phillips

Bill Turner relinquished the position of class agent in November 2013. Ran Phillips assumed the position of class agent in March, just after the reunion. His assumption of the position occurred after the deadline for class notes for this quarter.

’55

Read Hanmer

As I settle in to draft these class notes in February 2014, the weather predictions for the southeast and the east are dire indeed. At my advanced age (should I say our advanced ages?), it seems that the worse the weather predictions become, the eventual results do not live up to the predictions. It’s presently Wednesday, Feb. 12. I won’t finish these notes until Saturday, Feb. 15, so I’ll let you know at the bottom whether I, or the forecasters, had it right. First, some great news. Charlie Luck has received the Hope Award from the Virginia Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. The Dinner of Champions, as it is called, was held at The Jefferson Hotel Oct. 1, 2013. Gil Minor III ’63 was the dinner chair and master of ceremonies. The guest speaker was Charles Luck IV ’83, president of Luck Companies. The Cup of Hope is a solid sterling cup manufactured circa 1885. The motif represents the society’s 2014- Issue 2

hope that corporate and individual bene- for those who have had their 40th reunions. factors would be inspired to give of their We were greeted by Jim Robertson, whom resources toward the achievement of the Bill and I hadn’t seen since 1955. We had a goal to create a world free of multiple scle- long chat. I still drink senior coffee at Mcrosis during the 21st century. The award is Donald’s with Jack Owen occasionally. I presented to someone who has maintained had to have a second operation on my left an exceptional leadership role in the com- hand to remove the scar tissue from the first munity. During the presentation ceremony, operation. This has been an ongoing probBilly Nolley and Sam Hill participated in a lem since August 2013. Eastern Virginia video about Charlie and his contributions to has had the coldest winter since 1977, so I’m heading south in two weeks – plan to treating multiple sclerosis. In addition to a generous gift to the VMI see Dick Southerland during the trip.” You Foundation, Rudi and Tissie Ansbacher are making us stuck-at-home northern Virhave made a large donation to develop the ginians jealous, Marty. Bill Wainwright is proud to report on his Women in Academic Medicine Leadership program at the University of Michi- grandson, who is in the VMI Class of 2016. gan Medical School. The University noted, His grandson is a corporal and is on the “This gift reflects Dr. Ansbacher’s lifelong dean’s list. Bill’s daughter tells her friends commitment to mentoring and advocating and neighbors that her son is a VMI cadet for women in his leadership roles in the who wears “stars and stripes!” Bill noted U-M Department of Obstetrics and Gyne- that Boots is scheduled for her second knee cology, the U-M Medical Center Alumni replacement in late February. We all wish Society, and in state and national organiza- you well, Boots, and I hope to be able to tions within the field of obstetrics and gy- report complete success in the next class necology.” Well done, Rudi and Tissie. notes. I received a nice note from Ken Carstens, The unseasonal weather in the South inreferring to the “unseasonal” weather in spired Tom Williamson to write the followLouisiana. Ken says: “As we sit by the fire- ing note: “The 50th Reunion coat has been place looking out the windows at the snow, my favorite this cold winter. When we got it is hard to believe that we are in Louisi- it nine years ago, I thought it was too heavy ana. This is the second day we have been to be of use to retirees in Florida and South snowed in. I talked to Ned Whitlock yester- Carolina. How wrong I was. It is a good day (class agent note: early February), and coat, and occasionally someone will comhe says he has only ice on the streets. The ment on the VMI emblem. I hope others snow is really beautiful around my house have gotten as good use. Thank you for the and backyard (me again: Ken’s pictures birthday wishes. I spent my 80th birthday were too low a resolution to include here). on the golf course. I agreed to buy drinks Beyond the pond is the number 10 green. for all the golfers. It was the warmest day Since we probably won’t see this again for of the year, and the course was crowded, so many years, we are enjoying the beauty.” Ken also noted that he was asked to display his paintings of native Louisiana birds at the local Kent House Plantation during the month of February. Still on lighter notes, Marty Fisher said: “As I write this, I’m enjoying sipping Balvenie Doublewood scotch! Bill Wainwright and Class of 1955: Sam Hill, left, and Bill Nolley, center, I attended a Williams- participated in a program for honoree Charles Luck III, right, at the Dinner of Champions. burg alumni meeting 49

CLASS NOTES I shudder to see the bill!” Bob Bancroft sent along an address for Nick Goetzinger. Bob noted that Nick will be celebrating his 80th birthday in December. You can send Nick a note at: The Fremont Memory Care, Attn: Nick Goetzinger 1520 E. Bates Street Springfield, Missouri 65804 Joe Brenner writes that all is well in Connecticut despite another testing winter. He says he hasn’t been so cold since 4th Class year when he performed as a captain of the window closing detail. The other news, Capt. Joe Brenner (Joe’s son, U.S. Naval Academy ’88) is on the faculty in Annapolis in the oceanography department, teaching atmospheric thermodynamics and other phenomena that drive window closing worldwide. Another Joe (the third) has a provisional appointment to the Institute. With wife Zelda, they toured the Rhine River in October 2013 from Amsterdam to Basel. A long note from Frank Brooke informs that the Brookes are doing well in Jacksonville. He wrote: “The Northeast Florida Alumni Club had a New Year get-together in early January with a nice social hour followed by a delicious dinner. There were seven decades represented with the latest being from the Class of 2012 and the earliest from the Class of ’55! Yes, I was the oldest one there! We are definitely in the senior alumni classification! I have been watching the Keydets playing basketball on ESPN3. They are having a great season and are in first place in the Big South, North Division. There is a 4th Class cadet on the team, Q.J. Peterson, who is setting all kinds of records. I hope no other school lures him away. Judy and I plan to go to Myrtle Beach for the Big South tournament the first weekend in March. We went last year and had a great time! I hope to see some brother rats there like we did last year. I hope you and Lois are surviving the winter and the cold.” So far, so good, Frank, but see below for a report on mid-February weather in Falls Church, Virginia. Nanalou Sauder writes: “My Ring Figure dress is now on display in the fall and winter exhibit of cadet life in the VMI Museum! I kept the dress all these years, along with the gown I wore to the Final Ball at graduation – both were in good condition 50

for being 60 years old, and I didn’t have the heart to throw them away. When I moved, I asked Keith Gibson ’77 if the VMI Museum would be interested. He said yes. They had a couple of gowns but none that had been worn at Ring Figure by a wearer who married her Ring Figure date. I delivered them along with our Ring Figure picture under the arch and did not think much else about it until an assistant attorney general (who represented both the VMI Board of Visitors and the Mary Washington Board of Visitors) told me he had seen all three on a visit to the museum and recognized me in the picture. Then, early last fall, the cadet life exhibit was installed and there it was – pristine white among all the blue and gray stuff in chronological order beginning with the 1840s, including Col. Jim. Newman’s cavalry uniform. I used to be current events; now I’m history!” Thanks, Nanalou! Turning to less pleasant items: Mitzi Belenky reports that Mike had a stroke in January. Mitzi said, “He was stricken Jan. 3 and spent four nights at Anne Arundel Medical Center. He was then sent to a rehabilitation facility in Laurel, Maryland, for 10 nights. He was discharged Jan. 17, two weeks after the initial stroke. He had a right hemisphere stroke that was a clot (not a bleed) which, I’ve been told, is the better kind of stroke – if there are ‘good’ strokes – as the recovery from a clot is generally better. His left side is affected, with his speech being the most concerning to him. The speech is improving, but the paralysis of the tongue is the problem – he sounds like he has a mouth full of cotton balls. Since being home, we have visiting health care aides – a nurse, physical therapist, occupational therapists and speech therapists visit on a regular basis. Mike is walking with a walker and is obviously improving daily. We have a first floor library room that was converted to a bedroom this past weekend. It’s something we always said we’d do when the need arose, so it is now needed as a bedroom. This room is right next to a first floor bathroom. We are now living on the first floor of the house. Things are as comfortable as they could be under the circumstances. They say that we could see improvements for up to six months after such strokes. If the improvements continue at the rate they have been, we’ll be better than ever six months from

Class of 1955: Joe and Zelda Brenner in the Black Forest of Germany.

now! Things are going very well for Mike!” Mitzi, please keep us posted on Mike’s progress. I received notice just after the previous class notes closed that James Francis “Jimbo” Thornton died Nov. 10, 2013, in Athens Georgia. Jimbo graduated from VMI with a civil engineering degree and joined the 82d Airborne Division after graduation. He then returned to Athens, Georgia, to join the Thornton Brothers Paper Company and became president of the company for many years, retiring in 2003. He served as president of the board of the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce and was on the board of the Athens YMCA, among numerous other activities. Mac McCants died Jan. 19, 2014. A graveside service was held at Blandford Cemetery in Petersburg, Virginia, Jan. 25, and a memorial service was held Feb. 1. Here is a tribute to Mac prepared by Bob Rennicks: “I have the sad duty to report the death of my lifelong friend and VMI roommate Albert ‘Mac’ McCants. Mac passed away Jan. 19, 2014, at his home in Virginia Beach (Sandbridge). Upon graduation from VMI, Mac served briefly in the U.S. Army Reserve but elected to work in private industry as an engineer for British-American Tobacco, AMF and Allied Signal/Honeywell. Mac was a respected engineer in his field, a great husband, father and grandfather and a positive influence on all those around him. He was an active contributor to his church and community wherever he lived. Upon his retirement to Virginia Beach, he became a dedicated volunteer in several worthy organizations. Mac was a staunch supporter of VMI. He established a family scholarship for worthy cadets and was a member of the Institute Society for many years.” At VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES

Class of 1955: Charles Luck III received the Hope Award from the Virginia Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society at the Dinner of Champions Oct. 1, 2013. From left: Gil Minor ’63, master of ceremonies for the dinner; Sherri Ellis, the chapter president who presented the award; Charles Luck III; and Frank N. Cowan, chairman of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

the memorial services, eulogies were delivered by his brother rats, Bob Bowden and Bob Rennicks. Mac’s services were well attended, including Brother Rats Tom and Margaret Tait, Bill Davidson, Dusty and Rody Rhodes, Gene and Frances Ferguson, Ron and Nita Bryan, Fielding and Betsy Tyler, Carvel Valentine, and Jim and Barbara Parker. Herb “Tuggy” Southgate’s wife, Joyce, died Jan. 17, 2014. Herb provided the following: “Joyce died Jan. 17, 2014, at age 79 in Lexington, Kentucky, where we had been living since 1964. She is buried in Petersburg, Virginia. She, Bob Rennicks and Mac McCants graduated together from the same high school in Petersburg.” Herb and Joyce were married Nov. 5, 1955, and they had 58 years together. She is survived by Herb; two sons, Paul and Ken; two granddaughters; three grandsons; and two greatgranddaughters. During February of our 4th Class year, Herb and Joyce met at Madison College (now James Madison University) and were in their respective Glee Clubs. There were several occasions where small groups of the two Glee Clubs would sing together at some function, the best one being at a conference at The Homestead Hotel. They sang in their church choirs all their married life and for 28 years in the Lexington Singers, a community chorus made up of 150 members. On one European tour, the Lexington Singers were invited to join and sing with the Mozart Orchestra in Vienna, Austria. They gave concerts in Innsbruck 2014- Issue 2

’56

and Salzburg, Austria, and then went on to Paris where they sang during a Saturday night Mass in Notre Dame Cathedral. Herb commented: “What an experience!” Well, the old clock on the wall says it’s time to close. The predicted giant snowstorm I referred to earlier turned out to be somewhat of a bust here in Falls Church. We are all plowed out, didn’t lose any power and continue to operate on all cylinders.

Richard M. Smith

I am writing these notes on New Year’s Day 2014, and I find myself still enjoying pecking away at the keyboard to you all who have made my life so meaningful. My hope is for this year to have pleasing and successful adventures for each of you who take the time to read this. My idea is to enlighten you on what has happened in the lives of those who sent me notes in their Christmas cards: Lou Rossie and wife Libby sent best wishes from Salem, Virginia. He said to give my “boss” and to give my bird dog a big hug as he does with their little dogs. Libby fell and broke her hip and is going through an adjustment with new hip replacement. Fred and Mary Jo Farthing planned to be in Florida in February to see their granddaughter run in the Disney Marathon. They will visit the Allisons. Jim Dillard is getting over the period of mourning after Frances’ death last summer. He has joined the widowers club and agrees with their statement about grief: “God does not move parked cars.” He was planning to be with his family in San Jose, California, for Christmas and planned to come back to visit in Virginia during late January. I received a sad surprise note from Charlotte Nicolls that Willard died Oct. 2, 2013. We roomed together our 3rd Class year. She

received the picture I sent in my Christmas card of Willard during our matriculation and said she would always treasure it. Scottie and Ardis Boland sent a note saying they were fine. They said they would be sending me some more oranges soon and looked forward to a visit in March. Sandra and Ken McDonald included a lengthy epistle in their card that included our get-together at the Chamberlain Hotel. A dedication of their McDonald Azalea Garden at Norfolk Botanical Garden took place April 28, 2013. Both Ken and Sandra enjoy attending meetings with groups who support rhododendron plants. A large number of relatives were in attendance at Sandra’s father’s funeral in Kansas City. He was 100 years old. Walt Tatum sadly informed me of the passing of his wife, Noel, from lung cancer. He has two daughters nearby in Tampa and St. Augustine, Florida, and was planning to spend Christmas with them. Hoppy Holsinger wrote that he and Sallie are well after another trying year of health problems. He had a brain tumor removed and has finally regained his balance. Sallie had the aortic valve replaced in June and went through a touch-and-go situation before getting released. They have taken a number of trips to interesting places. First and foremost were Wytheville and Pigeon Forge for breakfast and dinner! Later, they made it to Atlanta to visit Sallie’s daughter and see Lake Oconee in Georgia. Another outing took them to Ohio and Amish country, and they have been researching their genealogy. Finally, they visited longtime friends in Tampa for Thanksgiving. Wallie and Suzanne Schutt from Clinton, Mississippi, sent “three cheers” for the Institute. Another lengthy note came from Margarete and Russ Wiltshire, highlighting many worthy achievements and numerous awards won by their children and grandchildren. Besides several interesting trips to various locations in the U.S., they were in foreign places such as Morocco, Rome and Greece. As usual, one of the most beautiful Christmas cards came from Larry and Betty Miller in Camano Island, Washington. Jon and Jane Roach were with their two sons’ families in Texas for the holidays. A family reunion in July 2013 in Topsail Beach, North Carolina, brought together 51

CLASS NOTES Pittman in Franklin, Virginia. He checked in with Mummie (Ina Gee) to let her know he found his way to my place. I had a chance to chat with her over the phone, and she is just as much fun to talk with as ever. Jack is hanging in there as best possible. I had a good fire going to warm Jim up after his travels over snow and icy roads. We also toasted some Jim Dillard and Jo Heslep. Betty Mann and Motsy Foster Betty and Jim Mann. Famous Grouse Scotch before with Bill Lamb and Irene Myers. steaks and baked potatoes. With warmer weather thawing out things, he departed around noon the next day. I look forward to his visiting Virginia again in the spring. In the batch of mail I had after spending a week in Colorado visiting my sons and grandchildren was a letter from Scott Don Heslep, Betsy and Doug Gottwald, Jim Dillard, Jo Heslep, and Les and Pat and Les Belsha. Belsha. Boland. He let me know he was sending me a box of Orall but one member of the family. Several convenient to all the necessary daily func- lando tangerines. Fortunately, one of my hunting buddies, while checking on my bird of the grandchildren received degrees from tions. Don and Jo Heslep decided they have been dog, saw the box labeled “perishable” on Kent State University and Baylor University. Another foster son has been added to on all the trips out of the country, so now my porch and took them home. It turned out their family. they are planning a drive across the country there were also some of Scott’s home grown tomatoes in the box, which I loved. He and Bill Alexander said he and his daughter to see many of the sights in the west. represented the class at the VMI versus CitBill Lamb is working on a ski trip to Ardis have been cleaning out her mother’s adel game. He sent a picture of them siting Massanutten Resort to see if he can still house, which they sold after her recent with Gen. Peay ’62. handle my old skis. Irene is just hopeful he death. He said they found everything in the house except money. He had recently talked Finally, a cute card came from Linda returns in one piece! Jones wishing all of us in ’56 a most happy Jim Dillard visited his relatives in Ra- with John Kirchmier, who is no longer New Year. Thanks to the effort of Jim Dil- leigh, North Carolina, prior to the Super able to drive. Scott asked me to visit them lard, a sizable group of us got together for Bowl and made plans to come by my place in March and do some fishing. He said he lunch at our favorite Richmond restaurant, to spend a night. I assured him I would have only had one gig to act early in the month. Scott’s generosity is only exceeded by his Brios. Jim and Betty Mann came, and Jim some wild game to feed him! was getting along very well using a walker I talked with J.P. Moore at his home in good looks! That’s why he has had such a after breaking his leg last year in a fall at Shreveport, Louisiana. He told me he is successful career as an actor. I received a nice Valentine’s Day card and home. doing cardiac and neurological rehabilitaPat and Les Belsha are also back in the tion after experiencing a triple stroke from note from Marge and Fred Dreyer in Nicevthick of things after a fall left her with a a blood clot going to two areas of the brain ille, Florida, the panhandle. They enjoyed compound fracture of her leg. They are plan- and another to the heart. He is either a tough Christmas with daughter Chris and family ning a trip to Louisiana to learn about Cajun customer, very lucky or his number just in New Smyrna Beach in their newly comcooking and historical background. wasn’t up, as he puts it. He still chides VMI pleted home. Their granddaughters were Motsy Foster looked good and has been for being in a conference where they can’t also there for the holidays. Their daughter, enjoying watching her grandchildren play win in football. He is looking forward to get- Cathy (whose husband, Kevin, is a retired U.S. Air Force general), recently received sports, but she hasn’t been to see any of VMI ting back to the next class reunion. I was blessed to have the company of Jim her second star in the Air Force Reserve and sporting events lately. Doug and Betsy Gottwald have recently Dillard, who spent the night with me on the spends several weeks each month in Washdecided to move into a retirement com- way down to North Carolina to visit some ington, D.C. Fred continues to battle with munity in Richmond. They are going to be of his family in Charlotte and Raleigh. He Alzheimer’s disease but is still the sweet, in a large apartment in the main building, had earlier had lunch with Jack and Ina Gee gentle man he has always been. Class of 1956: A gathering at Brios Restaurant Jan. 17, 2014, was arranged by Jim Dillard, who had returned from California to settle the affairs of his wife, Frances, in Tappahannock, Virginia.

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES

’57

Clayton M. Thomas III

Dawn and I plan to relocate after living in Plantation Bay for 15 years and three months. We have been happy here, but we look forward to moving into John Knox Village, an excellent retirement community, which more meets our needs. One disadvantage in writing these class notes is that the place is in disarray. At Christmas, we received a plethora of cards from brother rats and widows wishing us well on our move. Howard Lawrence hosted a gathering in Roanoke at the Shenandoah Club, and 20 brother rats showed up for the luncheon. In attendance were: Lynn Avis, Bob Bolling, Dick Collier, Bill Colvin, Joe Davidson, Russell Davis, Wade Douthat, Kirk Hubbard, Don Jamison, Howard Lawrence, G.E. Murray, Bob Newbill, Phil Peters, Jim Rust, Van Sessoms, Charlie Smith, Joe Spivey, George Sydnor, Harry White and John Whittle. I am impressed at the turnout, and I believe the class could have a gathering here in Florida. An excellent location could be Walt Disney World, the happiest place on earth. Martin and Lynne Andersen in Valrico, Florida, celebrated their first wedding anniversary Dec. 21, 2013 – an easy date for Martin to remember, as it is also his birthday. In May 2013, Lynne went to New Zealand to visit her son and see her new granddaughter while Martin went to Brazil to buy rock minerals and gemstones. He also spent 10 days in Tucson, Arizona, attending the largest rock and mineral show in the U.S. They finished the year with a seven day cruise to Mexico, Belize, Honduras and the Grand Caymans. Martin continues to keep in touch with Kay Schwendinger, Charlie’s widow. He is building an addition to his house and moving Kay into it by March 2014. Joan Atkeson sent us good advice on our pending move. “Be brave. Remember what you don’t need is only stuff! Once gone, soon forgotten! Let it go. I have done this 26 times.” Joan is still in Monterey, Virginia, and she is expanding her shop in 2014. 2014- Issue 2

Virginia. Of the 33 happy, smiling people, Dick says five are VMI graduates. Bob and Susan Christopher in the Northern Neck of Virginia have two young lady friends at VMI who will graduate in May 2014. Bob continues to hunt and fish, and Susan takes care of two homes in Wicomico Church, Virginia, with dogs, cats and chickens. Wiley and Nancy Clapp Class of 1957: A pyramid of Drew and Joanne Fox’s grandchildren. in Minden, Nevada, keep busy. Wiley works full Sam and Betsy Barker took a trip to time in the firearms industry, and Nancy’s Maryland and Pennsylvania in August 2013, focus is currently on rehabilitating her knee and Sam doesn’t remember anything after after her second knee replacement. “It is an the third day. He regained consciousness in amazing world!” Carroll County, Maryland. He had kidney Don and Judy Coombs continue to enjoy stones and his gall bladder removed. Also, life in Texas Hill Country. Don’s three-year his heart stopped while he was on the operat- term as a deacon in his church is up, but he ing table, but the doctor was able to restart keeps busy playing golf and taking care of it. Now, back in his home in Merrell’s In- the house and yard. They both seem very let, South Carolina, Sam will need a heart happy in Kerrville, Texas. valve replaced. We wish Sam good luck Ken and Katie Dickinson left Roscoe, and a speedy recovery. South Dakota, in early December 2013 and Al and Carolyn Bumgartner in Powder are warming up on Merritt Island, Florida. Springs, Georgia, had an eventful 2013. Even with their thick fur, cats Bear and Puff They went zip-lining in Georgia and in were ready for the warm Florida sunshine. Glacier National Park, Montana; took a Dawn and I will get together with them cruise to the Caribbean; and Carolyn ran soon. over herself with the car. She stopped to put Lew and Kay Diuguid continue to enjoy some letters in the mailbox and thought the life in Baltimore Harbor, Maryland, but car was in park, but it was in reverse. The made no mention of following the Orioles’ car rolled backward over both her legs up baseball team to their Florida spring trainto her knees. Al drove her to the hospital, ing camp this year. where 17 x-rays revealed no broken bones! Linda Dunn sent Dawn and me a beautiAfter six weeks of moaning on the sofa, the ful card at Christmas and wished us an enpain disappeared. Carolyn is back on her joyable life in John Knox Village. feet and running around like always. Ben and Damaris Elmore continue to Maria O’Donohue Brookhouser in Oma- invite us to come visit them in Pensacola, ha, Nebraska, appreciates that the widows Florida. We plan to accept their kind offer are included in the class notes. I am happy soon. to include the widows – they have better Bob and Connie Fravel in Port Clinton, handwriting! Ohio, are fine, but they left for Florida the We are sad to report that both Bill and Vir- day after Christmas to get out of the freezginia Brooks passed away. Virginia died of ing weather. cancer two years ago, and Bill died suddenly Joanne and Drew Fox from Haverford, in February 2013 from a brain aneurysm. Pennsylvania, sent a Christmas card feaThey are survived by their daughter, Leslie turing a pyramid of grandchildren at the Duvall. ocean. They need one more grandchild for Dick and Sarah Collier sent a photo of the top. their family gathering in North Chesterfield, Belkis and Clint Glover in Antioch, 53

CLASS NOTES Illinois, missed us at the Founders Day activities. They enjoy going to the Institute and seeing lifelong friends. Clint was impressed by how well the Corps looked and by the entire atmosphere. “General Peay [’62] continues to do a great job.” Ann and Frank Gilmore in Alexandria, Virginia, offered us a place to stay in April after the Class Agent Conference. In 2013, they celebrated their 50th anniversary in Butte, Montana. “It has been a great 50 years,” they said. Sandra and Bill Haas are doing well in Gibsonia, Pennsylvania. Bill has been cancer free for more than two years and is living the good life. He claims they have been keeping a low profile and keeping close to home. Betty and Bill Huffcut in Tallahassee, Florida, are busy with friends, family and church activities. They have traveled to Nashville, Tennessee; Montgomery, Alabama; and took a fun trip to Washington, D.C. They even toured the Holy Land for 10 days with their church group. Patti Hammond in Lexington, Virginia, became a great-grandmother Dec. 13, 2013, with the birth of Alan Hollister Meredith. Since her great-grandson was born on the 151st anniversary of the Confederate victory at the Battle of Fredericksburg, I will give Patti my copy of Edward J. Stackpole’s “The Fredericksburg Campaign,” which she can read to him. Patti and her three daughters also took their best trip ever recently. They toured Germany, Austria and the Netherlands. The

trip was perfect in every way, with delicious food and wonderful weather. Harry Huneycutt passed away in Verdi, Nevada, Sept. 29, 2013. I sent Rita, his widow, a Christmas card, but it was returned to sender. We hope she is well and stays in touch. Tommy Hunter in Milam, Texas, stays busy traveling to trap shooting tournaments and visiting his children from coast to coast. In January, he headed to California to visit his son. Cindy and Mo Levine in Westminster, Colorado, sent a picture of them in the snow and mountains of Alaska. They look forward to our visit to Colorado. We hope to make it this year or next. Jim and Diana Kyle hope our move to Orange City, Florida, turns out to be all that we wished for. “You will be missing the beautiful, snowy mornings we have had here in Poughkeepsie, New York,” they said. We received a letter from Karen Ashbaugh, Jack Maticic’s widow, in Fairport, New York. She promised her son, Max, she would give him a trip to Europe when he graduated from college. “So, maybe I forgot to mention that he didn’t get to go without his mom.” They were blessed with good weather and flawless travel to Amsterdam, Rome and Paris. Lucy McCormack in Virginia Beach sent a photo of Rod McCormack marching into barracks at a long ago reunion. “Rod was never happier than at VMI,” she said. Betty Mixson in College Station, Texas, is looking for smaller quarters – perhaps

Class of 1957: The Dick and Sarah Collier clan in north Chesterfield, Virginia.

a senior living community. She thinks downsizing may be the hardest part – especially the books. Betty still has most of Joe’s books. Her children have taken some and suggested she could give most of them to the Mixson Library at the Marine Basic School in Quantico, Virginia. Randy and Betsy Pendleton in Charlottesville, Virginia, envy our weather in Florida. Theirs is awful. They are hoping to spend some time on Siesta Key near Sarasota soon to thaw out. Nat and Chris Pendleton in Fort Myers, Florida, are staying put as Nat takes treatments every three weeks at Mayo Clinic and commutes to Jacksonville. Chris keeps busy as chief executive officer of the Edison Ford Winter Estates. They hope to get up to Virginia and VMI when Nat’s treatments stabilize and time permits. Pat and Dudley Price celebrated Christmas with their family at their farm near Stanley, Virginia, and returned to Punta Gorda, Florida, as soon as possible. Ed Powell sends a group photo of his family every year. Sadly, this year his wife, Betty, was missing from the photo, as she passed away in July 2013. Ed also wrote that we should soon receive an autographed copy of a new historical novel about the Battle of New Market written by John Powell ’60. Skip Richardson in Virginia Beach stays young by trying to keep up with his 2-yearold granddaughter. His oldest granddaughter is in college at the University of Mississippi. Ruth H. Smith, Ron Kaye’s caregiver for many years, keeps in touch and contributes every year to VMI. She lives in San Marcos, California, and spent 10 days with a great group and beautiful weather in Hawaii in October 2013. Nelda Snyder in Richmond has much going on in restoration, road building and dam construction. Her son, Chip, and grandson, Chase, come often and labor hard and long. They have tackled overgrown areas, restored the vegetable garden and put in additional rows of blueberries. Nelda has even rebuilt and widened the spillway to handle floodwaters. She still has time for gourmet and healthy cooking. Our widows are amazing. Jack and Jo Trant in Virginia Beach sent a picture of five beautiful grandchildren – four VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES girls and one vastly outnumbered little boy. Armand and Rita Wagner from Ware Neck, Virginia, proudly announced the happy news that they have another grandson who entered VMI in August 2013. He should hopefully be a 1st Class cadet in 2017 when we celebrate our 60th Reunion. Bob and Dot Wood will be our new neighbors in John Knox Village. We look forward to seeing them often. Finally, we received notice from VMI that our brother rat, Maj. Gen. Robert E. Wagner was buried in Arlington National Cemetery Feb. 14, 2014.

’58

Lee McCown

I begin these notes having just returned from Lexington, where the Keydets defeated Charleston Southern 92-84 in an excellent basketball game. Our team is, at the time of this writing, 7-3 in the Big South Conference and on a roll – this was their fourth win in a row, including the fourovertime win over Gardner-Webb University. I trust you got the video link I forwarded from the Keydet Club on that one. We have the talent to win the tournament, which would be great in our last year in the Big South Conference! The House Mountain wedding of our nephew Allen McCown ’11, who is also a class agent, to Rebecca Dancy took place on a November 2013 weekend filled with VMI sports. We won the Military Classic in basketball, beating both the Citadel and the U.S. Air Force Academy, and a football game against Gardner-Webb. I was able to see the Citadel game Friday night and half of the football game before heading up the mountain to the wedding. I told Allen that his timing was bad – he should have gotten married at halftime when the band performed. He played saxophone in the jazz band and was the guidon bearer for Company B while at the Institute. I am sure Col. John Brodie (Hon) would have been happy to make the wedding part of the show. I saw Lorna and Ken Godfrey at the Southern Inn that Friday night and again at the football game Saturday. Later, Ken shared their 2013 travel schedule from their home in Virginia Beach. It included trips 2014- Issue 2

to Florida, 12 Midwestern states, Portugal, Spain, Mexico and Arizona, with additional trips to Lexington and other parts of the beautiful valley of Virginia. Since our most recent Alumni Review, as you all know by now, we have lost three more BRs and a beloved wife of a BR. These deaths happened too late to mention in previous issues: Billy Thomas died Aug. 19, 2013, shortly before Mary Jo, who was the one in hospice and expected to die first. Earl Bennett died Dec. 22, 2013, and George Shrieves died Jan. 6, 2014. All were outstanding men, and we will miss them. The Thomases were a real love match, and many of us consider it a blessing that they left this earth so close together. Billy proposed to Mary Jo on their first date. She laughed and reminded him that he had several years at VMI left. Our best to their son, Steve. I heard from Kirk Dance ’61 of Lynchburg, who was Billy’s dyke (or valet, as he put it, Downton Abbey style) and was dismayed to learn of Billy’s death in the 20141 Alumni Review. He said he was lucky to get such a nice guy to dyke, and he also remembered Wes Roberts as “one of the nice guys.” No surprise there! Earl had been confined to home for some time but was in touch by phone with many of you, including Jimmy Moore, Paul Royer and Jan Woodman, right up until his death. All reported that his spirits were high. We are all hoping to see Sue at future VMI events or when any of us are in Oxford, Mississippi. Buttercup (as Drew Troxler called him based on a Gilbert and Sullivan performance they both participated in) was one in a million. Our love to Sue and the family. Laura and I went to George’s funeral – as did Sheila and Jules Berman, Bill Dunn, Carol and Moon Menefee, and Janice and Gates Sykes – and I read the tributes many of you had so kindly sent about George. Harriett and the family greatly appreciated this, and our deepest sympathy goes out to them. George’s funeral took place in the church he grew up in, very close to where he was living at the time of his death, and the church was packed. You may recall that George had a long career with the Federal Highway Administration, where he reached a top position.

Jan Woodman sent a nice arrangement of flowers with a ribbon saying “BRs of ’58” that was also appreciated. Our class regularly sends a memorial gift to the VMI Foundation upon the death of any BR. Thanks to Class Treasurer Mike Smeltzer for handling this. You all know that the VMI Foundation is happy to have contributions memorializing BRs. Just be sure to put Class of ’58 somewhere in your mailing. Speaking of Jan, he called Wes Roberts, Stir Williamson and me on Thanksgiving to spread some joy. He reported he had called Jack Payne and caught him on a ship between Turkey and Abu Dhabi. I recently saw an article in the Richmond paper about a development at the Virginia Holocaust Museum here in Richmond. It has a very interesting life-size recreation of the Nuremburg Trials courtroom, which reproduces with mannequins the participants in that history-making event. Jan’s father was a U.S. Army officer who had an important role in setting up the original courtroom. “He found the place and got the carpenters to build the court and set up the prison facilities. He hired the secretaries and set up a kitchen to feed everyone,” said Jan. “Throughout the trial, he supported the systems and the judges. We lived near Nuremburg, and I remember that it was extremely hot that summer. We had a great German cook who liked her scotch. She figured out how to get a glass straw into all of my father’s bottles, which she would sip from and replace the scotch with tea.” Jan has some artifacts we hope he will contribute to

Class of 1958: Sam Witt sent this photo of his wife, Sally, with their first grandchild, Henry Witt.

CLASS NOTES The Robertsons had been trying to sell their house and downsize, without success, but they said with the approaching fire that “it looked like we might really be downsizing!” Robbie got an excellent report on his latest prostate cancer situation. We mentioned Landa and Bill Holt’s 50th anniversary in the last notes, and according to those who attended, it was the party of the century. Sandy Yon wished all of Dan’s brother rats the best and reports that she spent three weeks in Morocco during Christmas. “It was a very interesting trip, especially the scenery, the history and learning all about the Berbers. Next month, I am leaving for a month to visit Bali again and Vietnam for the fourth time in the past 12 years. And finally, I just booked a Greek Island cruise on a yacht in November. Class of 1958: Landa and Bill “I’ve stayed very active, both at the hosHolt enjoyed a dance at their 50th pital and the Virginia Aquarium. We had a anniversary party. sad dolphin season this past summer with the museum which, thanks to a recent donathe death of more than 400 dolphins off our tion of materials, will soon become one of the coast. The whale season has been fantastic world’s top places to study the Nazi regime. so far with many sightings of three different Frank Norvell has decided to downsize baleen whales: fin, humpback and menki. from his big, beautiful Fan District house Life is good!” Sounds like it, Sandy. Keep in Richmond and has bought a condo that it up and send us some photos! he expects to move into soon. The word from Tom Nance is that their Jack Cunningham asked me to pass on daughter, Kim, recently visited for “a stress to Frank the news that Bill Dunn has taken break,” as she was trying to sell a house and up painting recently and will offer some big move to her husband’s new job location competition in the art world, as he is presiin North Carolina. “If you know anyone dent of the McLean Art Association and who needs 16 acres with a farmhouse in received a blue ribbon for one of his recent Ocala, Florida, call me,” Tom said. “We’ve paintings. “The pressure is on, Frank, so get booked a cruise on the Allure in April. We busy,” says Jack. were done with cruises but decided on one And speaking of the Cunninghams more just to see the Allure. It’s supposed to and art, Jack and Jane’s daughter, Nancy be the largest cruise ship afloat, with more Mauck, was selected to do the than 6,000 passengers. We’ll see. official portrait of then-Virginia “I’m afraid my tennis days are Gov. Robert McDonnell, which slowly getting fewer and fewer. was unveiled Dec. 4. In celebraLegs and knees are getting prettion of the 200th anniversary of ty rickety. However, Ru is just the Virginia Executive Mansion, hitting her stride and playing where our governor lives, Nancy four and five times a week on painted the governor on the porch two separate teams. God bless of the house with the statue of her.” George Washington in the backJohn Peters reports that sevground. It’s a fine piece of work, eral BRs showed up for his and our congratulations to the book signing in Norfolk at the whole family on her achieveMacArthur Memorial, where ment. Parents always get to take there was a good crowd. NumClass of 1958: John Peters had some backup for a book bered among those present a bit of credit. Dave Pai did not have the best signing in Norfolk, Virginia, with Hunter Clarke, Bill Har- were Staff Balderson, Hunter shaw and Staff Balderson. 2013. He had four surgeries in two Clarke and Bill Harshaw. John hospitals, including a heart ablation to stop an atrial flutter and the repair of a leak that made his abdominal aortic aneurysm grow. The Pai’s Christmas letter says, “Thanks to modern technology and a wonderful vascular surgeon, he has survived and is healing.” Their annual trip from North Carolina to Oregon could not take place, but Dave and Anna and their sons’ families gathered at Hilton Head for Thanksgiving. The Pais continue to play golf and bridge. Anna is working on her autobiography and is excited to have new information about her parents’ families. The family corgi sounds like some kind of genius dog – he managed to open a screw-top food container! This small-world story comes from Bruce Haldeman: “I was eating breakfast at a Hampton Inn in Wilson, North Carolina, on Christmas Eve morning. The place was empty except for one other ‘old man.’ He said he was from the mountains of Virginia. I asked him where in the mountains, and he said Marion. I remembered one guy from the Class of ’58 at VMI from Marion, Paul Greer. I said, ‘Is your name Greer?’ He said yes. It was Paul! He only stayed at VMI one semester before going on to Emory & Henry College and then the University of Virginia School of Law. He is now a retired judge in Marion (and Punta Gorda, Florida, in the winter). His daughter and mine both live in Wilson, North Carolina.” Pat and Robby Robertson report that the Black Forest fire (near their home in Colorado) put them in pre-evacuation mode – packed and ready to leave – but they did not have to. Almost 500 homes were destroyed, including those of some of their friends.

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES really appreciated the support. fits! He likes golf, but walking I called Walter Leach during the has become very painful. I told second big Raleigh snowstorm. He him that it was time for TV, but is still in his home and sounded he won’t listen! He is going to strong. He makes no secret of his have an ankle replacement in memory loss, but he says he can Houston, and I am (with Peggy) still take a walk and find his way going to hold his hand. Pray back home. also!” Jim was planning a May Heard from Cos Cosentino in trip to Richmond (or as he calls Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania. it, “the Holy City”) and hoped He is still selling fireplaces in the to see some BRs. “I don’t know winter and patios in the summer. Richmond now,” he said, “but He enjoys time with his family still consider it my hometown. I and all sports telecasts. Travelonce threw papers on the Bouleing is on hold for him right now vard and on Grace Street, riding as he undergoes chemotherapy bikes with Sam Witt and Bob for lymphoma. He is hoping to Greathead, but that was in the Class of 1958: Anna and Dave Pai enjoyed Thanksgiving get to remission by May and at Hilton Head with their children and grandchildren. late ’40s. It seems like a long then go to Disney World with the time ago.” family. “Grandchildren fill our house, as to see the triplets [grandchildren] and the Roy Palmer says, “I still have all of my three daughters are within 10 miles, and rest of the family. Since our other daugh- original body parts. We have had a rather grandma is still the provider of outstanding ter lives closer in Shelby, North Carolina, mild winter in the Northwest but are flying meals. I often think of all my classmates we get to see her more often. Our grandson to Hawaii next week for some sun. I think and the formative moments of my three just started at Appalachian State in Boone, we need a mini reunion before 2018. We years at VMI bridging the class of my entry North Carolina, in fall 2014. We never get are getting older, as evidenced by the fact (’59) and the class of my graduation(’58) a chance to see any BRs out here in upstate that our class notes in the Review are now that enriched me personally. Sad to hear of South Carolina, but if anyone passes by on closer to the front of the publication.” our departed mates, knowing full well we I-85, we’re halfway between Charlotte and Per wife Annette, Duke Johnston has all will make that formation as God calls Atlanta. Drop in.” had three operations since the reunion: us. Our families grieve, and our classmates Ted also reports surviving their 1 inch one in June for a melanoma, one in July remember the formative moments.” of snow in Anderson, South Carolina, and for a hernia and one in October for a knee Becky and Ted Henry’s 2013 travel in- making a quick recovery to having adult replacement. She says he is now getting cluded stops at the Panama Canal, Colum- beverages on the deck instead of in the around without any assistance from a bia and Jamaica. “Becky and I are still go- glassed-in sun room. walker or cane, and considering that he has ing to the gym about five days a week, but I Jim Poteet reports that he and Peggy Parkinson’s disease, she thinks he is doing still can’t seem to lose any weight – my me- had a great visit from Lynn and Jack Boze great. “Santa gave him new golf clubs for tabolism must be really slow. We still peri- in November. “Jack broke his right ankle Christmas. That has given him something odically drive out to Natchez, Mississippi, many years ago, and it has just given him to look forward to when the weather gets better. Mark, our son, has taken him out to practice, and he played two times. We would like to go back to all the really fun days of our life. I think our blessings outnumber our problems. We pray for good health to all the brother rats and families so we all can meet again. Love to all.” Thank you, Annette. It sounds like, given the circumstances, Duke is doing very well. We agree with you and Roy Palmer that we do need to get together as often as possible. Gene Martin is still recovering from back surgery, but his doctor says he should start to feel better once spring arClass of 1958: Lee McCown’s family at the wedding of Allen McCown ’11 to rives. “Thank goodness I live in Florida Rebecca Dancy McCown. McCown alumni pictured are Lee; Lee’s son, Derek where the winter temperature isn’t as cold McCown ’89; brother, David McCown ’73; and nephew, Allen McCown ’11. this time of year compared to the remainder 2014- Issue 2

CLASS NOTES of the country.” Here’s hoping for an early spring, Gene. Stir Williamson and Sam Witt went to a recent University of Virginia basketball game together. Sam’s trips to Charlottesville are more frequent now that grandson Henry is on the scene, but he preferred to provide a photo of Sally, not himself, with Henry. Ernie Edgar reports that the Auburn University football season was magical. “While we were saddened to come up on the short end in Pasadena, we could not be more proud of the team and coaches ... champs to us and class all the way.” Ewing Best was going to Charlotte right after Christmas for the birth of her second grandchild, a girl. “We will be told her name after she’s born. Sure wish Charlie was here to enjoy this. We miss him even more this time of year. After the holidays, I’m headed to Los Angeles in January. I have never been there. A friend and I are going to the reopening of The Forum with a concert by the Eagles, my favorite band. The boys are headed to 70, so this may be their last tour. I’m just hoping it will be warmer there.” Annemarie and Wes Roberts had visits from their sons, John and David, two weeks before Christmas. “They came down to make sure Dad was behaving and to help with a few chores,” Annemarie reports. “A week before Christmas, Wes had surgery to take care of a blood clot in his right leg. Fortunately, the procedure was minor surgery, and he was home the same day. However, we did learn that Wes’ system was producing way too many blood platelets, even while on blood thinner. This can lead to the possibility of strokes and other complications, so we took on yet another doctor, a hematologist. He is trying to figure out why this happened, and in the meantime, Wes is taking medication to reduce the number of platelets. It seems our purpose in life is to keep the medical community of south Florida in business! We are so saddened by the passing of the latest group of BRs ... Such a loss to all of us. Praying that the rest of us work hard on sticking around for a while.” Wes talks regularly with Ron Swirk and Moon Menefee and still has the occasional chat with BR Gene Grayson. Right now, Wes and Annemarie are enjoying the Florida winter and extending an invitation to anyone who needs a place to thaw out. Gene reports, “Not much news from 58

southwestern Virginia. I have been making the trips down to Lexington for the games, and the hour-and-a-half trip home has been much more pleasant following the wins. I hated to read about Kathy Wise passing. [Kathryn Wise was the former, long time editor of the Alumni Review.] … Back in the ’70s, she was an unbelievable help to us class agents by helping us get away from writing longhand and transitioning to computers! “Betty had a heart catheterization and stress test to make certain she could go through a back surgery. So far, so good. She has been down for more than a month. I talk with Bob Jordan frequently. He is hobbling around like the rest of us. Joe Gray keeps me posted on our Williamsburg home. I hope VMI gets the first tournament game at home. The conference is really close with four teams that could finish number one.” Give our best to Betty, Gene. Laura is something of a fiend with her Civil War reading. She recently re-read “Mary Chestnut’s Civil War,” the renowned 800-plus page diary of a South Carolinian aristocrat who spent much of the war in Richmond among the war’s leaders. Her name may ring a bell because she was frequently quoted in Ken Burns’ great Civil War series on public television. Laura spotted a section of the diary set in Columbia, South Carolina, where Mrs. Chestnut’s husband was posted in 1864 to try to scrounge up all the old men and young boys left to fight. Things were desperate for the South by then, and the Confederacy was beginning to recruit immigrants, too, as the Union had done for some time. Here’s what Mrs. Chestnut said was happening next to her Army-provided housing in Columbia Dec. 3, 1864: “Foreign legion now muster 1,100 strong. The War Office has sent down a corps of youngsters from the military institute in Virginia to drill and muster this battalion into service. And a finer set of young men I never saw ... These splendid 6 feet boys with their clear white and red complexions, fresh from the mountains, bright and laughing faces – withal made irresistible by their uniforms ... A formidable force, I should say, to anxious mothers of grown daughters.” On Dec. 5, 1864, she wrote: “These splendid young fellows have fine old Virginia

names – Dinwiddie, Barton, Brockenbrough – absolutely historic.” This was seven months after New Market, where cadets with those same names had all fought: Hardaway Hunt Dinwiddie, Bolling Walker Barton and Robert Lewis Brockenbrough. Thanks to those of you who sent me Christmas letters. They were a great help with these notes. Rah Virginia Mil, Lee

’59

Shep Shepard

Max and Lee Ann Blanchard have enjoyed excellent health this year and pray that it continues. They have nothing but kudos for the accomplishments of their grandchildren, two recent college graduates. They won’t be at the reunion. Max’s power chair makes it difficult for them to travel, and since he doesn’t drive, Lee Ann would have to shoulder the 4-day drive to get to VMI. They hate to miss seeing everyone, but it’s just too difficult. It looks like Ron and Mary Alice Marley are in for another tough year. Ron was diagnosed with melanoma. He had lymph nodes removed from under his arm and has been suffering through chemotherapy treatments that last until November. The side effects cause weakness and severe headaches, causing them to opt out for the reunion. It won’t be the same without them, but our first and only concern is that Ron gets better and is cancer free for life. Lee and Nancy Southard are just about settled into their new condo, where they have a magnificent waterfront view. Their grandson, Chase, plays basketball and, with luck, we might have another star basketball player at VMI named Southard. It looks like the VascGenix project Lee was working on will not be able to continue operations. That is too bad, because Lee has put so much into this new treatment for heart failure. Lee’s new pacemaker/defibrillator is working fine, but unfortunately he was diagnosed with prostate cancer and will begin radiation treatment immediately. This means they will miss the reunion. VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES Joe Simpson’s daughter is a high-profile hunter and sportswoman, as well as a Washington, D.C., attorney. Joe finalized his schedule and plans to visit her, shoot a few weapons from her collection, visit his folks and do a “bucket list” trip to Lexington for the reunion. Bill and Susie Kirkland were hoping to close out 2013 with a bang. Bill had a hip replacement and recently found out that it was defective. He had to undergo another operation, but he admits the second hip is better than the first. He is currently rehabilitating. Larry and Nancy Wood had a wonderful 2013 despite Nancy’s hip replacement, which has since healed nicely. Nancy returned to the scene of the crime and joined her cohorts at her high school reunion. No news as to what happened. Larry spent the fall visiting Israel and sent me pictures of him standing on a destroyed Russian tank used in the 1973 Yom Kippur War, now part of a monument on Mount Bental overlooking the Valley of Tears. I was stationed in Tabuk, home of the Saudi Arabian Army Northern Area Command, shortly thereafter. I recall we received lots of retrograded battle-damaged equipment from the Syrian border, much of it bearing contraband whiskey stuffed in every conceivable location on the vehicle, from gun tubes to gas tanks. Larry said that it was one of the most moving experiences on his tour. He also visited the Golan Heights, Masada, Mount of Olives and the Sea of Galilee, and he took a bike tour around the Old City of Jerusalem.

Tommy Kelmenko is doing pretty well for a bachelor of his age. He tells me he has so many girlfriends he can’t keep track of them all, but that’s what happens when you start to lose your memory. Tommy does remember our reunion, and he plans to be there. Walt Ferony is doing well. His four children and 100 grandchildren keep him busy. His day consists of getting up, going to church, mowing the grass and going to the American Legion, then back to bed. After reading Spence and Beverly Tucker’s Christmas letters year after year, written of course by Beverly, I’ve come to the conclusion that she is Spence’s ghost writer. All these years, all those books –who knew? Actually, Spence and Bev are quite spry and have had a good year. Spence, alias Beverly, has had 43 books and an encyclopedia published. Beverly has come out of the closet and has had three books published in her own name. Spence still splits and hauls wood, gardens and works on his collections. Bev writes, paints, volunteers and plans to travel to Italy in June to paint. They both chase Sophie, their dachshund diva better known as the Terror of Pennoke. John and Pat Van Kesteren love their new digs in the “Land of Enchantment,” New Mexico. They miss their friends in Myrtle Beach, but the reality of their age weighed against continuing to live far from their children. They live close enough to their son to be mutually supportive. They still plan to spend time in Virginia, where they will visit their daughter and her family. The light is in their adobe window, and the hospitality rug is out – if you’re in the area, stop by. Don and Judy MacWillie had a good year. Judy still enjoys quilting, supports many social clubs and goes to the gym daily. Her dedicated support for Class of 1959: The Chuck Cotton family. Back row, from left: the soldiers who have Will and Melissa Cotton, Ann and Doug Blanford, Beth and given their lives for this Russel Cotton, Margo Cotton, Shula Cotton, and Matt Jen- country is of particular kins. Middle row: Claire, Allan and Chuck Cotton; Kate Blan- importance to her, as ford; Shelton and Mindy Cotton; and Doug and Ann Jenkins. she places and recovers Front row: Nate, Lilly and Abby Cotton, and Audrey Blanford. Christmas wreaths on

2014- Issue 2

Class of 1959: The Bud Mease fam-

ily enjoyed Christmas together. Front row, from left: Kera MacGilvery, Susan Mease, Sydney Abeloe and Erik Abeloe. Second row: Madison Hebrink and Bud Mease. Third row: Stacey Mease, Suzann Hebrink, Kelli Mease and Kristen MacGilvery. Back row: Michael Mease, Scott Hebrink, Tyler Hebrink, Max Tripp and Keving MacGilvery.

each gravesite at the local Veterans Cemetery each year. Don works with his genealogy, lends his support to the Order of Daedalians and Quiet Birdmen, and continues his daily workouts at the gym. After many years of research and rewriting, he has completed the story of his father’s life. The hardest part was researching his father’s activities in central China, where he lived with his medical missionary parents. Brad Willard has plans to be in Garmisch, Germany, and can’t make the reunion. He will be skiing and hiking in the Bavarian Alps. He will likely consume liters of good German beer as a motivator. Brad just seems to go from one beautiful site to another. He lives on Harstine Island, Washington, just north of Olympia, where he has a majestic view of Mount Rainier. Carl and Phyllis Kasko checked in from Mobile, Alabama, where all seems to be well in the Kasko camp. Harlee and Barbara Pate checked in from Norfolk. Truman and Jackie Baxter answered the roll from Virginia Beach and also seem to be doing well. 59

CLASS NOTES Bill and Yvonne Traylor are doing well living arrangements – in Orlando but, due to an unexpected visit Florida in the winter from family, will not be able to attend the and Pennsylvania in the reunion. summer. Bill and Mary Kessler are as well as can Bud and Denyse Krambe when you live in Long Beach, Califor- er live in Sanford, Florida, nia. and, after many moves Niels and Maggie Andersen love their over the past 10 years, Tennessee location and weather, but they they have decided to stay do have a get-away place on the East Coast. put for a while. Ned and Bunny Addison are doing well, Buzz and Virginia Nowas shown in the photo they submitted. All lin are well in Hot Springs, the family looks beautiful, handsome and as are Mort and Audrey Eggleston living in their Class of 1959: The Baillio family in Costa Rica celebrating prosperous. Art and Ginny Brandriff are doing pretty Westminster-Canterbury Bob and Anne’s 50th wedding anniversary. From left: Callaghan, Pat, Avery and Robert O’Hare; Anne and Bob with garden apartment in Rich- Shamblin, MacSwain and Wiley; Frank and Leigh Melcher; well and look forward to seeing everyone. Billy and Sue Kornegay are doing great mond. and Avery, Stephen, Leo and Meg Culp. Chris and John Patane and continue to keep Powhatan on the straight and narrow through their commu- are busy getting ready for the 55th as well care of our class funds and sends flowers to nity service. Billy is up to his ears running as the follow-on VMI ’59 cruise to France the right people at the right time – an unsung hero who needs to be stroked next time you the 55th Reunion, which expected to be one in June. of our best. Thanks, Billy and Sue. Joe and Pat Lawson keep Bristol squared see him. Chuck and Margo Cotton are doing OK George and Marie O’Neill continue to away as does their close friend and neighbor, keep the bustling town of Kingsport, Ten- Rogers McCall. Rogers said he and Susan considering the Parkinson’s disease but not well enough to make it to VMI. The famnessee, at the forefront. Mike and Julie are well and prospering. Vargosko are keeping the folks in northern Bonnie Pomponio continues to tolerate ily continues to grow and get better looking Virginia safe. Monroe, North Carolina. She lives close each year. Ann and I failed the test of naming Russ Chew wrote from Hagerstown, to her grandchildren but is “way out in the all the Cottons in the picture they sent in. Mel and Jean Anderson had a great year Maryland, that all is well. sticks.” She misses the excitement of VirJoAnne Dreelin Anstett and Joe write that ginia and all her friends and family in Mary- of travel and adventure extending from they are comfy and cozy in Ruther Glen, land, but the cost for being close to her boys Key West to Norway with many stops in between. Their daughter, Bonnie “the adis worth it. Virginia. Bob and Anne Baillio love getting their venturer,” took two of her daughters on a John and Anne Reed sent regards from Fishersville, Virginia, and admit they keep family together, as is apparent in the family “short” trek along the Appalachian Trail – a total of 2,185.9 miles. Too many stories to young and fit by trying to keep up with son photo they sent in. Rusty Loth continues to keep the Rich- tell and not enough space – just know that Jack. Eddie and Carolyn Barnes are looking mond group in line. He’s the guy who takes they made the trip safely and are in the process of planning their next trip, forward to catching up on what evwhich will include Mel and Jean. eryone has been doing for the past Bill and Jennifer Lee didn’t five years. They have been busy travel this past year, but they were traveling, working and doing volblessed with visits from sons, unteer work. wives and grandchildren. They Phil and Betty Sellers are still managed a trip to Fargo, North in Tallahassee, where they spend Dakota, to attend Jennifer’s 50th time on the golf course with Bill reunion, and it was absolutely and Betty Huffcut ’57. Everything fabulous. It was her first, and she seems to be in order in the Huffcut had so much fun. family; children and grandchildren Penn and Betty Whitescarver are flourishing. They get away from are in a full-court press to sell Tallahassee often and enjoy time at their beach house in Mary Ester. Class of 1959: The Robert Martin family. Front row, from their home in Florida. It’s amazLon and Patty Martin from San left: Bailey and Bella Reynolds; and Nolan Harell. Second ing what can be found in closets row: Annabelle Martin; and Shea, Braxton and Carolyn and drawers that haven’t been Antonio report all is well. Don and Carol Messner from Harrell. Back row: Steven, Kim, Shawn and Pete Markham; opened in 20 years. But it is a Robert and Priscilla Martin; Jeannine and James Martin; bonanza for Goodwill. Penn still Port Charlotte, Florida, write that and Marilyn and Roy Reynolds. runs his environmental business they couldn’t be happier with their 60

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES the lodge, Bud skis. They send their best. Jimmy and Linda Johnson can’t make it to the 55th, because March will be dominated by their move from Houston to Georgetown. Moving is a piece of cake, says Jimmy, as he watches Linda pack and label all the boxes. A prince! Jimmy is Class of 1959: The Addison family got together for a family doing much better since picture. From left, front row: Randolph Williams, Charles he had his second ablaand Edward Weaver, Harrison Williams, and Grafton and tion and new pacemaker. Mimi Lagarde. Middle row: Ned and Bunny Addison and He’s reset his mark at one Page Lagarde. Back row: Addison Lagarde, Grace Weaver, century. Paul and Ann Clarke Lagarde, Eran and Martha Meade John Martin is looking Weaver, Lang and Lucy Williams, and Paul Lagarde Jr. forward to seeing everyand is traveling twice a month. He manag- one at the 55th, but unfortunately Teddi will es to fit in a round of golf and a few sets of not be able to attend. She has a previous entennis now and again. After having shoul- gagement. John’s second retirement has been der surgery, Betty began playing golf again, filled with golf and family, while Teddi, who and although she’s lost some distance, her gave up her job writing the weekly neighoverall game is improving. Their children borhood newsletter, has replaced it with an and grandchildren are doing great, solving afternoon volunteering at the hospital. plumbing problems, installing home theI received a nice note from Jeff Strunk, aters and teaching the youth of America. Jud and Marti’s boy. Jeff and his family live Robert and Pricilla Martin think that near Sugarloaf Mountain, Maine, where 2013 went by far too quickly. Robert con- Jeff is involved in a number of enterprises tinues to work part time at St. Peter’s Epis- – one being serving as the co-owner of The copal Church in Plant City. He had cataract Rack, a bar located at the entrance to Sugsurgery and now is able to minister to those arloaf. Jeff is co-owner with Seth Westcott, in the back rows of the church. Priscilla the men’s snowboard cross gold medal winenjoys gardening and helps their daughter, ner in the 2006 Olympics. If ever you visit Marilyn, with her first graders. The family The Rack, you will be warmly greeted by is well and employed, and Robert and Pris- not only Jeff but a VMI flag hanging promicilla enjoy their frequent visits, even if it is nently from the ceiling. Their other son, only to enjoy their pool. Joel, just finished writing and directing the Bud and Susan Mease had some tough film “Anatomy of the Tide;” a story of three choices to make as to where they would island boys who plot their hopes and dreams put down for Christmas, but they settled filmed in Maine by “downeasterners.” It’s on skiing in both Utah and Colorado. They nice to keep in touch with the Strunks. live such a hard life. They are both reasonHarry and Terry MacGregor felt like their ably healthy and stay busy, albeit Susan has home was a hunting camp in fall 2014. Dads to undergo some back surgery in the near and grandchildren swarmed all over their future. Otherwise, Susan occupies her time property and brought home a dozen deer. with the Parish Ladies Guild, Red Hats and When bow season opened, the count went the Retired Officers Wives. Bud has the du- even higher and included a black bear. It bious distinction of being president of the was a successful season, and now their meat Parish Senior Group, affectionately known locker is filled with enough meat to last until as the “Fun Bunch.” Much of the winter is spring. This is Harry and Terry’s last year as spent hosting family and friends who come area directors in the Gideon Ministry, where out to enjoy the mountains. They live just they look after seven Gideon camps in the 30 minutes from the slopes. So, while Susan Shenandoah Valley. Both continue to work enjoys her Kindle and a few piña coladas at as hospice volunteers, but the workload has 2014- Issue 2

eased a bit this year. Harry was scheduled to make a presentation at a Veteran’s Day service but was struck down by a kidney stone. Col. Lee MacGregor, their son, stepped in to save the day and made them proud. They can’t wait to see everyone. Ralph and Janice Rae Lawson found that 2013 was a continuum of recent years, home and away for fun and games. Plans for next year will be a continuation of the past year, highlighted by the reunion and a Seine River Cruise. They hope their health continues to hold up and setbacks such as kitchen hand wounds or slips and falls are kept to a minimum. Karen Irvine wants everyone to know how much she appreciated all the wonderful emails, cards, support and flowers she received from all of Mike’s BRs. She recognizes what we have all known for years – the BRs spirit is real. It is what makes VMI so special. Like Karen, we miss Mike a lot and will always keep him in our thoughts and prayers. Cecil MacArthur and Gordon felt like they were being ignored when they received no emails from me about what was going on in the class. Come to find out, I had the wrong address. All is well now. Cec says they suffered some heartache earlier in the year with the loss of their beloved grandchild, Katie, who succumbed to complications from the flu. We are all so sorry for your loss, Cec. Please know our thoughts and prayers are with you. Jim and Mary Lew Edmunds looked back and surmised that 2013 was a pretty good year. Despite Mary Lew’s health, they managed to squeeze in a number of long awaited trips – Kauai, Santa Barbara, Coronado, Sausalito and Santa Rosa. Mary Lew’s health is about the same. She is still receiving blood transfusions every couple of weeks to counteract low hemoglobin, and hopefully, she will be able to tolerate chemotherapy treatment in 2014. Jim is fully retired, putting in only a few hours each month. He keeps pondering the to-do list that has been on the refrigerator door for the past 10 years and can’t seem to get past the title Mary Lew gave it: “Retirement Activities.” Jim thought nothing had to be done. Jim and Bet Vermillion make lots of trips to Charlottesville to visit their daughter and her family. A new granddaughter is expected, and that makes the trip that much more 61

CLASS NOTES exciting. Jim admits he is getting a bit “long in the tooth,” and the drive is beginning to wear on him, but after being greeted by the grandchildren, it all seems worth the suffering. Skip and Linda White seem to think that the older we get, the busier we are. Where in the world did we find time to have a career? I expect it has to do with their 13 of 14 grandchildren who live in North Carolina where they are involved in sharing their energetic lives. Skip and Linda are always motivated to keep up with this wonderful generation. They continue to be involved in their church and volunteer work. Skip is still involved in building furniture and produced a number of beautiful pieces this year. I don’t know how Skip had such beautiful daughters – it certainly had to come from Linda’s genes. For those who follow the career of their talented daughter, MacKenzie Mauzy, take a look at her new movie “Into the Woods,” where she plays the role of Rapunzel. Her husband, John, is on Broadway in “Matilda,” where he has received great reviews. Ask about them at the 55th. Jim and Martha Wood had a busy year. The family cruise to Alaska was awesome with all the beautiful scenery and wildlife, but the best part was being with the family. The weather in New England was so bad this year that Jim and Martha had to sneak down to Florida for a little warmth, only to have to come home early to face a fierce winter storm. You can’t win! Other trips included Atlanta and New Hampshire. Jim continues to specialize in trees, although they lost both of their apple crops again this year to a hungry bear. Jim is thinking about switching to orchids. Martha writes, quilts and does needlework. Both continue to be very much involved in their community/town governance activities. Their children and grandchildren are doing great, participating in sports, singing, music and theater. Life is good. Jack and Joy Angolia recently returned from a month’s cruise from Barcelona to Buenos Aires. They left Argentina where it was 91 degrees to return to Kansas where it was 17 degrees. Unfortunately, Jack and Joy will not be able to come to the reunion, primarily due to the threat of dangerous weather conditions that time of the year. The 55th will not be the same without them. They have been staunch supporters for many, many years. 62

Bobby and Alice Ross stay busy participating in family events, church and visiting old friends. Bobby had a hip replacement, and he is doing great. Both work out regularly and try to stay healthy and young at heart. Alice says the children and grandchildren are growing too fast. Children retiring from careers and grandchildren graduating from college all make us look ancient. We’ll really start to feel it when the first great-grandchild arrives. Ed Thomas heard from his roommate, Larry Parker, whom he hadn’t heard from in 20 years. He received a Christmas card from him and a copy of the movie “Mardi Gras.” Larry lives in Raleigh and has a son who teaches at the University of Keeley, U.K. Hal Dayhuff reports that Barbara is working feverishly on getting him better but not in time for our reunion; they will be there in spirit. Hal’s health prevents him from being away from doctors and people who know his situation and can respond to his needs immediately. God bless, and I hope your health improves so you can join us at the 60th. Ann and I are well and healthy. Most of our children and grandchildren came to visit for Thanksgiving. We got in a few rounds of golf and a trip to Orlando to see a University of Central Florida football game. We recently spent a week in Pompano Beach with Bud and Susan Mease and my brother and his wife. We had a great time playing new golf courses and checking out new eating establishments. On our return trip, we stopped by Fort Myers and had lunch with Lee and Nancy Southard. Keep those emails, cards and letters coming in. Yours in the spirit, Shep

’60

L. Edward Tolley

As I write these notes, the background jabber on the boob tube is about the impending snowstorm due in the valley of Virginia and up the East Coast. It is just below 30 degrees on this beautiful, blue-skied day. I put on a pot of pinto beans and will make some cornbread to sop up the liquor of the beans. Let it snow! (Class agent’s

note: Yep, it was a good one. We got around 14 inches of snow and no ice!) I recently received notification that we lost a brother rat with whom I was not acquainted, Wayne A. Switzer. He signed in at around 3:30 p.m. on the day, just after Alex Dunlap and before Willard Gates and Dave Bisset. He was a Waynesboro resident and member of the Masonic (Lee) Lodge. The grim list is ever so grim. George Salaita suffered an aortic aneurism as he was teaching a class. He described the onslaught as a pressure in his chest that caused him to excuse himself and walk out into the hallway, where he passed out. The emergency medical services crew hustled him to a hospital where he was operated on at 2:30 a.m. The issue was resolved, and he remained in the hospital for a short spell. That was in January. As I write these notes in February, he is “doing nothing” at home, save for various chores that get him up on his feet and moving around, like emptying the dishwasher and trash basket, wiping counters, cleaning the sink, and scrubbing pots and pans. Welcome to scull drudgery, George. Similarly, George Coulbourn suffered “the elephant sitting on his chest” back in mid-January. The classic symptoms – numbness of arms, sweating and aching jaws – made his diagnosis of heart attack easy. First tests at the hospital did not indicate George’s diagnosis. However, an inside look found an aortic blockage requiring surgery. It was very touchy, but so far everything passes. After a week, George returned home. That is excellent news. Smooth sailing, George. Dick Murphy and Phil Hamric endure the ravages of dementia/Alzheimer’s. Both are fortunate to have family living close to lessen the complications of old age. Dick and Mary Ann are in the Winchester area; Phil and Carol are in Boise. On a semibetter note: Although bad knees, bad results of cataract surgery and heart problems have curtailed much physical activity, Jeep Goodwillie is ably nursed by Linda. Jeep acquired a metal detector and now searches for diamond rings and old Spanish coins on the beaches of Florida. Oh, and he volunteers at a local federal penitentiary. Now, Jeep didn’t expand on his duties at the penitentiary or clarify if that meant doing time VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES for inmates. You know Jeep, so you fill in the gap. Down in San Antonio, Darryl Markland has been confused, as he mowed the grass one day only to scrape ice off his windshield the next! I guess the fall season happened overnight. That’s Texas, folks. Of course, the climate change capital of the world is in the oil fields, so we understand. Also from Texas, Jon Parnell sent a very nice confirmation of his generous gift to the VMI Foundation. Ed and Linda Duncan reported on their cruise to Alaska, our largest state with the largest mountains, largest animals and largest mosquitoes during the hottest July in many years. Now, they both know big. Linda expected to find blood donor bags attached to the large volume, blood sucking, bird sized, culex tarsalis mosquitoes! Live there? Never! It was a good vacation, especially since their very capable son, Brian, kept things going back at home. Jim Schaaf found what sounds like a great retirement part-time job, i.e., tutoring first to fourth graders in math! He sees them twice weekly and loves the giggling, happy faces. Jim also helps startups get things going successfully. Good work, Jim. Becky lost her dad this past year. He was one of our paratroopers who jumped in the night on D-Day. What a brave group those men were. George and Judy Miller spent the holidays in Wisconsin with their daughter. They have returned and thawed out. Weekends are often spent in Mesquite, Nevada, their escape from the slipping slope that is San Clemente. Carl and Barbara Benner spent the year in Barbados, Rome, Colorado and Newport Coast, California. I guess the foot/ankle is better. Hit ’em straight, Carl. Ed and Sheila Davis celebrated their 50th year together by globe-hopping, again! Spain, Portugal, Singapore, Jakarta, Chiang Mai and places in between were on their year’s journey. Ed is still very actively serving as a deacon in the Diocese of South Carolina and the Boy Scouts of America. Itchy feet put Mary Ann Pipping and Jerry Herrmann on a global trek during the year. A 23-day tour through Eastern Europe, especially the former Yugoslavia, was somewhat depressing but enlightening as to the suffering during communist domination. 2014- Issue 2

Trips to New York City and Connecticut before Thanksgiving and Christmas were a blast with family and friends. Tony and Joy DiCaprio traveled to Germany and Poland this year, which ties nicely into the work Tony does with the U.S. Army War College as mentor to foreign officers from central Europe. Both are still very involved with church work and ask for prayers for world peace. Recently, George Uhlig was given a very nice surprise by the University of Utah. They named him a “distinguished alumni in the chemistry department.” His work on plasma chemistry has taken much longer than originally anticipated, partially due to a broken hand suffered in a bike wreck back in summer 2013. Later, a drill he was using to bore into a stud hit something, twisting it and tearing the hand between the thumb and forefinger. More delays! Not to worry, George. You have time. Sadly, Evie is not doing too well. The soy beans turned out this year, per Vaughn and Helen Foxwell. Not only that, there was yet another addition to the list of grandchildren, a boy, Tilghman Vosne Gentil-Foxwell. Now, what are you going to call him, Foxey? Suggestion ... Foxey 2. Henry and Ginny Shirley spent more time in doctors’ offices and the operating room than their plans allowed. Ginny’s hip replacement redo and Henry’s aortic valve replacement messed up the schedule, but all turned out well. The family is still growing, and all seem to be stroking smoothly. Chris and Linda Fleet traced Henry Shirley’s tracks down the Grand Canyon through Arizona, Utah and Colorado. They even ate a dinner-sized cinnamon roll in Bluff, Utah. What a year! Ah-ha! It slipped out in the Christmas letter that Peanuts Elliott slipped on the ice last spring, tore a tendon in his knee and spent two months in rehab! Imagine a Michigander, with all that sure footed ice navigation experience, slipping on ice! He couldn’t trim the trees! Peanuts, you need to take Jan out there with the loppers, give her some tree climbing on the job training and turn her loose. You can’t let the growth get ahead of you. C’mon, Jan. If you are fortunate in being on Jim and Reba Greathead’s email list, you might think that is all they do. Wrong. This year’s Christmas letter was a classic. Two pages,

crammed full! I kind of got lost between the children and dogs’ names, but that’s all right. Jim does his Publisher’s Clearing House thing with the same results I had back in the mid-’60s. Reba, your fantasized trip as a result of the PCH win was not too different from my wonderings. Reba, send me a list of your published books. Maybe we can get a couple sold to brother rats. Dave Bisset sent the first email Christmas letter with some “rub-it-in” relative to cold weather in the winter. The temp was 70 degrees as he composed the letter. Ha-ha, big boy. I hear that Tidewater got a big dose of crystalline water during mid-February 2014. How’d you like that? Seriously, Dave has embarked on writing a personal biography of an 81-year-old farmer, Civil War warrior and wanderer. Lots of research is required, eh? Keep us posted on the completion, Dave. Joe Morabit says he both had a hole-inone and shot his age this year! What took so long, Joe? Sisler, Horner, Pool, Benner, Phillips, Bagby, Seamon, Willard and O’Dell all did that years ago! Maybe I shouldn’t have published that “old news.” Jimmy and Carol Seeley were blessed to have all the children and grandchildren inhouse for Thanksgiving. The good news is that tests indicate that cancer is gone from Jim’s brother, Tom, and daughter-in-law, Pamela. Also, son Richard returned safely from his tour in Afghanistan! Jimmy flies The Spirit quite often and can now retract and extend the landing gear. That’s important, Jim. John and Lin Hilliard continue their community work around the Cape and animal sheltering. Your prayers, please, for their grandson, Zach, who is still in Afghanistan. I got cards from Jim Bagby, Eva Gillespie, Ed Martin, Ed Robertson, Joe Sisler, Mike Shoemaker, Ray Crickenberger, G.G. Phillips, Jimbo Smith, Bob Gianella, Bill Driver, Cookie Walker, John Fulton, Ashby Chamberlin, Wayne LeBlang, Buddy Frith, Mary Lou Overman, Don Hammonds, Bob Graves, George Ax, Bettina Graham, Sam Miller, Seab Brown, Reed Myrick, Liz Duncan, Val Cochran, Jack Seamon, John Olsen, Bill Knowles, Tom Kurkoski, Denny Zay, Mike Pitt and Bill King. All were very uplifting and told me that the spirit is alive and doing well. Thank you for holding the bonds tightly. Thank you, ladies, for your very important 63

CLASS NOTES contribution to the happiness and good work of my brother rats. Thank you, everyone, for your very generous support of VMI. And, most of all, thank each of you for your service to this great country. Rah Virginia Mil, Ed

’61

Sal Vitale Jr.

Brother rats of the Class of 1961 were present at Founders Day and the Institute Society Dinner Nov. 11, 2013, and, as a matter of fact, accounted for the largest number of attendees from any class. Those present from the Class of ’61 included: Bob and Bronnie Polk, Dick Lindquist, George and Edna Henning, David and Charlotte Harbach, Gates and Margaret Richards, Lee and Betsey Badgett, Larry and Jerri Wetsel, John “J.C.” Miller, Willard and Pat Hoskins, Hershel Murray, Ed and Phyllis Hollowell, Ray and Sally Hanlein, Harrison and Terry Fridley, Don Wilkinson and Elaine Werner, Battle Haslam and Elisabeth Wharton, Fred and Carolyn Ayers, Stu and Sylvia Woodcock, Dick and Judy Youngblood, Sal and Sue Vitale, Carl and Becky Hirsch, Ben and Diane Lynch, and Graham King. John “J.C.” Miller retired from C.J. Thomas and moved his remaining company to a small, “cheap” space near his home in Kirkwood, Missouri. The savings in rent and gas will be applied to enhancing John’s expertise in golf, or maybe Bette’s wardrobe. Fred Ayers had the assignment of escorting the editors of the Ski Journal of Japan on the Vail slopes, and in return, the editors published a picture of Fred in their November 2013 edition with a caption in Japanese. Dude Copenhaver sold his business and will become a resident of The Villages, Florida, by summer. Sue and I were with the Copenhavers in Key West in February – though you will have to wait to hear who was there and what went on. Those of us who play golf know that Dude has supplied golf balls for our events. Well, according to Ray Hanlein, John Tharrington has become the Dude of lacrosse balls. John finds them by a field near his house. He 64

Class of 1961: Hershel Murray, left, and John Moore attended the Nov. 17, 2013, premier of a Public Broadcasting Service documentary at the Venice Theater in Venice, Florida.

delivered 300 balls on one visit to VMI and then had Ray deliver another 350 balls when the Hanleins attended the Institute Society Dinner. When the Hanleins were in Hilton Head, they had dinner with Hugh and Nelle Gouldthorpe. Lee and Betsy Badgett made four crosscountry trips in 2013. Between their grandchildrens’ graduations in Ohio and North Carolina, Lee’s third hip replacement, and repair work at their Point Harbor, North Carolina, home, I guess you can say they’ve been busy. During their annual trip to Cancun, they were notified that, after 25 years of returning to the same resort and living in the same villa, the resort will be closed. What a bummer! When the Badgetts attended a dinner function in Denver’s University Club, Lee saw a window that had 24 individual emblems representing different educational institutions somewhere in the world. In the middle vertical row of emblems, third from the top, was the VMI seal with “Virginia Mourning Her Dead.” Nice coincidence! On the 207th birthday celebration of Robert E. Lee, Don Wilkinson presented a lecture at Stratford Hall entitled, “The Most Good for the Confederacy: Capt. John Wilkinson, CSN.” Unfortunately, I was in Atlanta taking care of my sister, Jean, and could not attend. I want to thank those of you who know Jean for your prayers. A special thanks to

Bob and Suellen Reitz, Jim Harrison, and Bob and Jeanne Burks for driving to that congested city during rush hour to have dinner with me. We had dinner at a wonderful Italian restaurant, Alfredo’s, on Cheshire Bridge Road N.E. and had a great time. They all offered to help with airport pickup lodging, which I greatly appreciated. I also want to thank Skip McDannald for helping me understand what was happening to my sister, who has a form of leukemia called myelodysplastic syndrome and is scheduled for a bone marrow transplant. The recovery time is long, and I expect that Sue and I will be in Atlanta during her recovery until mid-June if the doctors stay on schedule. Please keep us in your prayers. Preparing the class notes at this time of the year is most enjoyable. Sue and I read all the cards and especially enjoy looking at the family pictures and seeing how the families have grown. Sue maintains an album of all VMI family photographs, and looking back to the old pictures is most interesting. From the letters and notes in Christmas cards and emails, I have the following to report: Roy and Nancy Whitehouse spent the Christmas holiday in Florida, and then it was back to Blackstone for the cold and frosty days. Jim Gabbert spent the last several years taking care of his mother. She was six days shy of her 96th birthday when she passed away. Jim hopes that he will have more time now to get together with his brother rats. Tim and Sandy Bryant are feeling great and spending a lot of time square dancing (5-6 times per month) when they are not enjoying their grandchildren. Paul and Debbie Johnston said there was a good turnout at the VMI football reunion in September. One of Paul’s bucket list items is to attend beer and cookies at Gibbings’ with Larry Wetsel. For New Years, Bill and Joyce Gibbings hosted a dinner, and Larry and Joann Respess, Larry and Jerri Wetsel, and Sue and I were there. The Respesses were on the East Coast visiting their children. I finally heard from Joe and Nancy Preston. They are living in Ruckersville, Virginia, and are experiencing many of the “old people” syndromes. Lynn and Shirley Hartford have had a very busy year. As you may recall, Shirley VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES is very involved with rescuing cats. his baby 1991 Acura Integra To support this effort, they rented GS away for the winter just in 4,000 square feet of commercial time. During the January winter space to house the cats and a thrift storm, Bill was snowbound in shop. Fundraising, volunteers and Bruce County, Ontario, with an revenue from the thrift shop have outside temperature of 27 below allowed them to pay their monthly zero, 40 mph winds and a good bills. Lynn finished his term as an 3-4 feet of snow. To add a little elder in their church is serving on drama, his house in Monroe, the Auburn Symphony board of New York, froze up because the directors. furnace failed. Joe Engelhard (Battle Haslam’s John and Linda Moore had rat roommate) is enjoying his rethe pleasure of joining Hershel tirement and has been shoveling Murray at the Venice Thesnow daily since early November. Class of 1961: On Jan. 9, 2014, at Alfredo’s Italian ater for the premier of a oneRestaurant in Atlanta, Georgia, from left, seated, were Joe stays in touch with Battle and Sal Vitale, Jeanne Burks, and Bob and Suellen Reitz. hour Public Broadcasting Service documentary, “Character Jep Housley (their other rat room- Standing: Bob Burks and Jim Harrison. mate). Makes The Man – The Story Tom and Annette Jones had a fantastic tion program was somewhat successful, of the Kentucky Military Institute: 1845year. Annette took the American Red Cross but Ed doesn’t think he’ll be doing it again. 1971.” Hershel, KMI ’55, and several life-saving course and became a part-time Perhaps they may rent a bull. other alumni were interviewed in the film Chuck and Sue Morris are doing well about their experiences as a cadet. After lifeguard. She teaches swimming classes at the YMCA for children 2 to 4 years old, in Madison, Mississippi. Chuck says if I the show, Hershel participated in a quesaltruistic beginning swimmers and special travel to Mississippi, I’ve got the upstairs tion-and-answer session with the sold-out audience and told some more interesting needs adults. Tom tries to keep up with An- bedroom for the night. Fred and Sheila Kressierer have been stories. nette by swimming several days a week at the YMCA and taking yoga. Finally, Tom’s busy with church activities and Fred’s Bob and Loretta Coltrane also had an hounds have been well. The pictures of his work at the Redeemer Crisis Center. They interesting story to tell when a large mama basset hounds and their rescue dog are a are both in good health and enjoying their bear with three cubs came by for a visit a nine grandchildren. Spike and Mary Cal- couple of times. They ate the entire deer hoot. Bill and Connie Nelms have had a very lander have moved to an “over 55” Del lick, a block made out of oats, seeds, and good year. Bill enjoys his monthly break- Webb community in Ashburn, Virginia, hard corn that the porcupines, squirrels, fast with his Richmond brother rats and named Potomac Green, which is located raccoons and even the turkeys really like. visits to Virginia Beach after the Labor Day between Fairfax and Leesburg. Until the Bob used his “translator” to tell her in weekend. They were able to have dinner unit is completed, they are living at Mar- 12-gauge to go away, but it was too late – with Irv and Sue Wells, and they said Sue riott Residence Inn at the Dulles in a King nothing was left of the block. Suite with separate bedroom, full kitchen seems to be doing very well. Jim and Ann Miner had a great year with Jim and Connie Oliver are trying to and off-course maid service. Mary said trips volunteering and visiting with family complete their bucket list. The next trips that Spike needed to will be to St. Antonia and with the class get some toilet bowl on the Panama Canal trip. When asked, cleaner so that he Jim helps his son, David, with Oliver Dis- can stay in practice but that’s not selling tributing (his old company). Bob von Helens is working only four (Smile). Also movdays a week, and unfortunately, he hasn’t ing and downsizing had much time to fly either his glider or were Randolph and propeller planes. You probably remember Marlene Aylor. After that Bob was a military brat. When he was spending 18 years in in the Cairo American School in Egypt in Arkansas, they are the mid-’50s, he had a schoolmate, Nancy. now in Springfield, Well, 55 years later they met at a CAS re- Missouri. Randy said, “Older people should union in Texas and are together again. Linda and Ed Duncan had a wonderful not be allowed to Class of 1961: Denis Nicholas’ family gathered at trip to Alaska and were quite amazed at move. They have too church in Seaford, Virginia, Nov. 13, 2013. From left were his grandson, Cameron; widow, Geraldine Nicholas how large mosquitoes can be. Life on the much stuff.” Moore; daughter, Karen Nicholas; and grandson, Ethan. Bill Hala tucked farm goes on, and the artificial insemina2014- Issue 2

CLASS NOTES and friends. They were able to work in a George and Edna Henning, Barry and Military School Alumni Association. This cruise to the Caribbean and two golf out- Betty Orndorff, Jim and Connie Oliver, year, the Hollowells took a trip with the ings with the brother rats at Orange County, and Harrison and Terry Fridley had a good American Cruise Lines on the upper MisFlorida, and Laurel Fork, Virginia. Ann is time and decided this will be an annual sissippi River. They cruised from Minneinvolved with a new program that provides event as long as they can do it. A picture apolis to St. Louis and said it was great. shoes for needy children. This year, Happy was mentioned, but nothing arrived. I un- Maybe we should consider a class trip on a Feet = Learning Feet delivered 473 pairs of derstand the picture looked just like the one river. What you think? from two years ago, and since no one aged, What a surprise it was to hear from David shoes to county schoolchildren. Hill and Heather Browning are enjoy- why bore the BRs? Jim and Frankie Ring Martin. David said that it was about time ing their time in Bonita Springs, Florida. have been in Virginia Beach with Mime, physics majors should communicate with In 2013, they were able to visit with Larry Frankie’s mom (96 years young). This year, the class. (Bill Kelly, how about you?) DaWilliams and frequently lunch with Jack Frankie has served as a chaplain in the vid and his wife, Sandra, retired 10 years and Nancy Bell. Jack participated in their women’s prison in South Carolina and ab- ago but still enjoy working part time. Sanclub’s annual “Bloody Mary Open” golf solutely loves that ministry. She also men- dra teaches Spanish at a local college, and tournament and watched the Rose Bowl tors and counsels a number of women in David measures naturally occurring rawith neighbors. He sees Dave and Judy El- both Virginia Beach and Georgia. Jim and dioactivity in drinking water. (Of course.) liott periodically for a bowl of soup, as well Frankie stayed a couple of nights with the David and Sandra travel, and this year they as similar activity with Hill and Heather Hanlein’s during a Hilton Head trip. went to a wedding in Madrid and Malaga Browning. Jack and Nancy were planning Congratulations to Jim Ring ’88, who during January. Dave Hancock also lives to cruise on their beautiful boat again in graduated from the U.S. Army War College in New Jersey and enjoyed the quiet that March 2014. By the time you read this, I and is now commander of a brigade sta- falls between Christmas and the New Year. may have had an opportunity to take a boat tioned at Fort Belvoir. He is in charge of all Why? There’s no work for a teacher during the Army National Guard fixed air wings, the break, so during that time, Dave’s feet ride with Jack. Andy and Peggy Myruski traveled to Ori- Operational Support Airlift Agency. are up, the cat is lying nearby and reading is ental, North Carolina, which is just off the Ed and Phyllis Hollowell are staying busy underway. But come Jan. 2, 2014, it’s back intercostal waterway and is a major stop for and are healthy. Due to the sequestration, playing high school teacher. cruisers going north and south. Every year, Ed’s summer visit to the U.S. Coast Guard Gerry and Charlene Eubank just returned Oriental has a pre-holiday weekend, during Academy was canceled. However, Ed is ac- from a southern Caribbean cruise and plan to which all the local businesses have open tive serving their Anglican parish and sits be in the Bahamas in March and at the Mashouses and sales. The Myruskis will be in on the board of directors of the Fishburne ters in April. Otherwise, Gerry and Charlene Naples, Florida, until spring. Dave and Cammy Bella sent me a news clip about BR Jonathan Daniels. The article said, “An exciting hurdle has been crossed by the Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island’s Jonathan Daniels House project, which aims to open a service-oriented intentional community for young adults. After three years of planning and preparing, last week JDH received official membership into the Episcopal Service Corps, a national network of more than 25 Episcopal young adult service programs across the United States.” Two years ago, several Class of 1961: The Class of 1961 attendees at the Nov. 11, 2013, VMI Institute Society brother rats got together at Dinner were, from left, front row, Sal Vitale, Carl Hirsch and Ben Lynch. Second row: Herthe Swinging Bridge Restau- shel Murray, Ed Hollowell, Ray Hanlein, Harrison Fridley, Don Wilkinson, Battle Haslam, rant in Paint Bank, Virginia, Fred Ayers, Stu Woodcock and Dick Youngblood. Back row: Bob Polk, Dick Lindquist, and finally did it again. George Henning, David Harbach, Gates Richards, Lee Badgett, Larry Wetsel, John “J.C.” Miller and Willard Hoskins. Present but not pictured was Graham King. Tom and Barbara Phlegar, 66

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES

Class of 1961: Attending the H. Bland Hudgins wing dedication Nov. 17, 2013, at Matthews Memorial Library in Matthews, Virginia, were, from left, Willard Hoskins, Walter Graham ’56, Gaylia Hudgins, Bland’s portrait, Harrison Fridley and Sal Vitale. Standing in back were Larry Wetsel and Bill Gibbings.

take ballroom dance lessons and play golf. Chris Eubank ’91 still commands the Army Support Group Kuwait. Craig Eubank ’93 commands a U.S. Navy Reserve Unit in Norfolk and designs tires for Michelin. Daughter Kim still works for General Dynamics and is getting married in 2014. John and Irene Gangemi have been frequent attendees at the brother rat golf events. John and Irene stay very busy with activities and clubs. John has become a member of the vestry at their church and especially enjoys being involved with the church expansion project. David and Edwina Thomas traveled to Alaska and experienced the same activities we did on our class trip. Edwina is still active with Sharing of Missions Abroad. This year, she went on a mission trip to Honduras to conduct a retreat for about 50 clergy and seminarians of the Episcopal diocese of that country. They also attended the Melbourne, Florida, division championship soccer matches and saw their granddaughter, Megan, named to the all-tournament team. She was one of 12 girls selected from 260 participants. I am very pleased that many of our brother rats’ widows communicate with the class. Carolyn Brown has difficulty writing, and she wishes that her hand was steady enough to tell us about Charlie’s bear hunting and fishing escapades and his time with the Alaska State Highway Department. Carolyn 2014- Issue 2

did write about the famous Charlie Brown Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel walk and Charlie’s walk from New York City to Cordova, New York – a distance of 417 miles – where he met Carolyn and their life together started. Now, that is a story! I always look forward to hearing from Maria Anjier. Maria said she decided to get back to bicycling, and she started biking to work and working out on a stationary bike at the recreation center. In May, she biked from Salzburg to Vienna, Austria. Following that, she biked from Munich via Garmish-Partenkirchen back to Munich. Back in the states, she participated in two bicycle benefit rides in Colorado, one of which was from Breckenridge over Vail Pass back to Vail. She concluded by saying that back in 2002, all that bicycling was a piece of cake. Now it was an event of a lifetime. Elfriede Winiker was one of the first widows to stay in touch with the class. I’m happy to say that she is in good health and enjoying her five grandchildren. Gaylia Hudgins has also made an effort to stay in touch. Gaylia returned from Wyoming in October to finalize the plans for the dedication in November of the H. Bland Hudgins, M.D., Wing of the Mathews Memorial Library in Mathews County, Virginia. It was a community event with a standingroom-only dedication ceremony. There were lots of speeches and singing followed by a library tour and refreshments. The brother rats in attendance were Willard Hoskins, Larry

Wetsel, Bill and Joyce Gibbings, Sal and Sue Vitale, Harrison Fridley, and a cousin, Walter Graham ’56. It was very nice of Dennis Nicholas’ wife, Geraldine, to send me a family picture with Dennis’ daughter, Karen, and her two boys, Camden and Ethan. After Dennis was killed, Geraldine remarried. In 2012, Fay, her husband, passed. This year, Geraldine attended a Christmas celebration at her church hosted by the men, and Karen had a chance to meet a few of Dennis’ high school friends. Karen works for the commissioner of revenue for James City County in Williamsburg, so try to visit her if you are in the area. Karen would like to know more about her father. Ann McCormick says life is so different without Pete. She says, “We are blessed with such loving children and grandchildren.” Ann flies her American flag daily with love and gratitude for all who have served our USA. Barbara Jean LeFon is still working in real estate and does some traveling. There are many BRs and spouses who are plagued with illness or other problems and are in need of your prayers. I hope you will join me in praying for them. Barry and Betty Orndorff are doing fine, and Betty has recovered nicely from the knee replacement. James Palmer, Mary Franklin Fulghum’s husband, said that she is now in assisted living due to her Alzheimer’s. Should anyone be in the vicinity of the Spring Arbor Assisted-Living located at 9991 Ridgefield Pkwy, Henrico, Virginia, you may want to stop and say hello. Tom Artman says his wife, Jan, has been off chemotherapy now for nine months, and they are hoping that her next scan will show a great improvement in her condition. Jep Housley’s (Battle Haslam’s rat roommate) health has improved, except he can’t walk very well, because he has a balance issue. He wishes he was closer so that he could get to know his brother rats. Clayton Smith said thanks for all the prayers. His son, Jeff, has undergone surgery for his cancer, and his wife, Rachel, is remaining stable. Fred Stephenson’s wife, Kathryn, came through two surgeries with no serious complications, and they are both looking forward to her complete recovery. Ken Ayala had a partial artery blockage 67

CLASS NOTES to his bowels, resulting in low energy level, and in December, he had an operation to open it with a stent. Sleepy Hollowell has moved in with his daughter in West Point, Virginia, and is doing a lot better. Ann Hollowell had her knee reassembled after the infection cleared up and is doing OK. Lou Shuba had his hip replaced using the anterior method, which is minimally invasive, and rehabilitation and restrictions are greatly improved. Lou is doing well and will be able to help Pris when she has her shoulder replaced in February. Howard Dyer had a total left knee replacement in December and plans to be back on the tennis circuit by summer. I hear you may have to spot him a few points (Smile). Floyd Robert’s (my roommate) cancer is still taking its toll, and Floyd just copes. His condition, pain-wise, has been getting worse and worse, even with the pump and supplemental pain pills he can take every three hours. He has cardiomyopathy, chronic systemic congestion heart failure and high blood pressure to add to it. The whole spine has cancer, top to bottom. Floyd is a gutsy guy and says his quality of life is OK, so he keeps on fighting. Don Rishell’s son, Len, is on kidney dialysis and has been for some time. He is doing very well while he waits for a transplant. That requires that either Ann or Don be with him to help if an emergency comes up – they have had three in 2013. George Ward says his health is sort of holding its own, whatever that means. Others still coping include Henry Huntsberry, Jan Artman, Rita Huneycutt, Ann Woodfin, Bill Keech and Mike Payne. Brother Rat Roy Schall died Jan. 18, 2014. The family said that Roy wanted a military funeral, and as of Feb. 14, 2014, I do not know what the funeral arrangements are. Roy had signed up for the class trip in March and canceled a week or so before he died. It was his idea to have a bottle of brandy set aside for the last man standing, and Jim Bickford secured a 1961 vintage Calvados for the lucky BR. Roy was always ready to be with his brother rats, and he joined us on our first cruise to Bermuda. He missed the Alaska trip, because he was due for a liver transplant the day we were leaving, but while he was on the operating table, the doctors canceled the transplant.

Roy was in a wheelchair for our 50th, and he made every function, including flying cross-country to be with us. May Roy’s soul rest in peace. I want to thank all of the following brother rats who took the time to remember Sue and me at Christmas. They are as follows: Alligood, Maria Anjier, Artman, Randolph Aylor, Badgett, Bell, Bella, Berger, Bickford, Bissell, Carolyn Brown, Browning, Bryant, Burks, Coen, Coltrane, Copenhaver, Daniels, Drescher, Durrette, Elliott, Joe Engelhard, Gerry Eubank, Mary Fulghum Palmer, Gabbert, Gangemi, Gibbings, Gilbert, Nina Grazulis, Hannelore Garrison, David Hancock, Hanlein, Harbach, Hartford, Henning, Hirsch, Ed Hollowell, Willard Hoskins, Jep Housley, Gaylia Hudgins, Jarvis, Johnston, Tom Jones, Keech, Kiger, Kressierer, Lisiecki, Magee, Maurer, Barbara Jean LeFon, Len Martin, David Martin, Miner, Moore, Charlie Morris, Myruski, Nelms, Geraldine Nicholas Moore, Oliver, Orndorff, Parker, Bill Phillips, Phlegar, Preston, Puette, Redd, Reitz, Respess, Rice, Ring, Rishell, Floyd Roberts, Pete Roberts, Beverley Scott, Shuba, Holmes Smith, Clayton Smith, Fred Stephenson, Dick Stone, Tarrall, Thomas, VonHellens, Wash, Weede, Wells, Wetsel, Whalen, Whitehouse, Williamson, Elfriede Winiker, Woodcock, Duncan and my dyke, Ancher Madison ’64. At this point in our lives, no news worries me, so please stay in touch. May God watch over you, your families, those serving our country and, of course, VMI.

Tony Curtis

’62

Jerry Burnett

In golf, every time a golfer makes a birdie, he must subsequently make two double bogeys to restore the fundamental equilibrium of the universe. And, so it seems, the same goes for losing one of our brother rats. We went three quarters without losing one of

them, and now we have lost four! On Nov. 30, 2013, we lost Brother Rat Jay Dee Patton after a long illness while living in an assisted living facility. His wife, Ada, was sorry for the short notice. Most of the family was there visiting from long distances for Thanksgiving, and the decision was made to have the services while they were already there. The service was held Dec. 3, 2013, at the Shandon Presbyterian Church in Columbia, South Carolina. John Anthony wrote that Ada called him, and they talked about John and Jay Dee’s long, deep and valuable friendship. John went on to describe their lifestyle when they were roommates in Washington, D.C., in 1968. He was in the doctoral program at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, and Jay Dee was stationed at the National War College receiving further education and training in the intelligence field. Jay Dee wrote a superb paper on the history of Iran’s communist party that has remained a work of extraordinary insight into Iran today. John continued that since Steve Matthews, Bill Hope and Jay Dee have all passed, his only remaining roommates are Mike Fox and Skipper Carter. Have any brother rats heard from or about either? John provided the following for those Virginians who like local history: Mike Fox’s father was a graduate of VMI and also of John Marshall High School Corps of Cadets (longtime feeder for VMI Keydets!) in Richmond, Virginia. Mike knew John’s father, John C. Anthony ’925, who became commandant of the JMHS Corps upon graduation from VMI and remained so until 1942. Among some of JMHS alumni were Gen. Binnie Peay’s father; past VMI Superintendent Maj. Gen. John Knapp ’54, who, in addition to his father having preceded John’s father as JMHS commandant, was our VMI Class ’62 faculty adviser; Arthur Lipscomb, who was director of admissions when we were cadets; Maj. William Kelly, who was our class sponsor one year; and Sam Witt ’58. Also included are as many as four members of Virginia’s delegation and House of Representatives simultaneously, the last of whom was longtime House Armed Services Committee member Norman Sisisky, who passed away only a few years ago. The late Sen. Harry F. Byrd Jr. ’35, who was a member of the JMHS Corps when his father was governor of

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES are a veteran, we allow the disVirginia, is also included in this group. In Richmond’s Hollywood count. Remember them in your Cemetery, there is a special secprayers, as they have sacrificed tion dedicated to the 81 members so much!” of JMHS Corps of Cadets who Cal Lloyd says he was the died in World War II, all of whom senior alum at the Tampa Bay, were John’s father’s cadets. Florida, VMI Founders Day BR Bill Hoerter wrote that we breakfast. lost BR John Henry McCray Ed and Margie Strickler visin Lightfoot, Virginia, Dec. 12, ited Tony and Judy Curtis for 2013. John was with us for only “digestion day” after Thanksgiva month, but Bill knew him and ing. We enjoyed a great day of his family while growing up “catch-up” and history, going in Bon Air, Virginia. His was a all the way back to the Battle large family with many talented of New Market and when Gen. children. They lived on the south Hunter’s (Yankee) artillery was Class of 1962: Sam and Linda Samuels in Reykjavik, side of the James River on what Iceland. positioned on Ed’s family’s land they called a plantation. John when they fired on the barracks! graduated from the University of Virginia emphysema. The center continues to be a I learned the real reason Dick Spidel came in 1966 and earned a doctorate degree at leader in the research of this disease, which back for our 50th Reunion and many more the University of Georgia. He retired as an primarily targets women. stories that you can get from Ed at our Ed Northrop writes: “On Friday, Nov. 8, 55th Reunion! accounting professor from the College of 2013, the Burger King in Sylvester, GeorWilliam and Mary after 24 years. Ed Vineratos wrote from Russia. He’s Walter (Joe) Gwaltney Jr. died Jan. 8, gia, served sausage biscuits to more than still teaching and glad he still has the intel2014, after a brief illness. Jim Vest visited 200 veterans, their children and their grand- lectual activity to do so! He’ll take a “thaw him several times a week until his depar- children at the Worth County Elementary out” holiday back to his ancestral Greece ture. Jim wrote a superb article about a School in coordination with their principal, Jan. 2-12, 2014, with some excursions. true Southern gentleman who had been his Mr. Stacy Rutledge. This is the fifth year There was a very nice article in the Richfriend for more than 55 years! Joe was very we have been doing this. The staff at the mond Daily Progress about BR Gerry competitive in any sport he played, and as local Burger King prepared the sausage Quirk and the courses he teaches as an adJim put it at Joe’s retirement, “Joe Gwalt- biscuits starting at 5:30 that morning to junct professor (See the last class notes) at ney was the most gracious winner I have have them ready at the school by 7:45 a.m. J. Sargent Reynolds Community College, ever met.” The service was held at Christ The cafeteria staff at the school served the as well as the Richmond School of ProfesEpiscopal Church in Roanoke, Virginia, biscuits, along with other items provided sional and Continuing Studies. Gerry has with Rev. G. Thomas Mustard ’67 offici- by Burger King. I and one of our manag- been teaching economics, marketing and ating. BRs Jim and Renee Vest, John and ers, Johnny Hilman, who has worked for business courses since 1984. David Loope, Bonnie Shelhorse, Ware and Bell Smith, 31 years with our company, attended and the vice president at Reynolds, said adjunct Lewis Graybill, Columbus Cartwright, helped. Activities that morning included professors bring an important perspective Dennis and Barbara Easley, and Carolyn the presentation of the colors by the local to the classroom precisely because “they high school JROTC unit; singing the na- are first and foremost professionals in their Worrell were present. Kenny Johnson died Jan. 15, 2014. The tional anthem; the Pledge of Allegiance; field.” Of additional note – 100 percent mass was at St. Olaf Catholic Church in recognition of veterans by branch of ser- of Gerry’s students gave him maximum Williamsburg, Virginia. BRs attending vice, both retired and active; singing of were Don Kane, Patsy and Bowles Pend- patriotic songs by the local middle school er, and Mott Robertson. Two VMI 1st choir; and a short speech by a retired U.S. Class cadets assisted as ushers and oblation Army command sergeant major. We had bearers. Don Kane assisted the family with about nine active duty U.S. Marines and five the release of white doves. Kenny’s widow, U.S. Army servicemen present. The other Caroline, released the spirit dove, and the 125-plus veterans were all old and gray! We three children released the three trinity had veterans from the U.S. Coast Guard, doves. Kenny and his previous wife, Victo- U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps ria, had made an initial gift of $1 million in and U.S. Air Force. On Veterans Day, Nov. 2005 to establish the Victoria Johnson Cen- 11, all our restaurants provided a 10 percent Class of 1962: From left, Bill Bryant, Mott Robertson, Bowles Pender ter of Obstructive Pulmonary Lung Dis- discount to all veterans. We used to try and and Don Kane at the Williamsburg ease Research at Virginia Commonwealth ask for some form of identification, but that senior alumni luncheon. University. Vicki died in 2007 of severe simply got too complicated. If they say they 2014- Issue 2

CLASS NOTES grades in all areas! Well done, Lou and Sue Ritchie write Gerry! from Florida: “In mid-October, Terry Lou and Bill Ritchie I was in north central Idaho for wrote that two of their four chilan annual elk hunt. Wolf packs dren visited over the holidays, are increasing, which is causing with nine of their 14 grandchilelk depredation. I went pheasant dren. Their son, Chris, lives nearhunting with my brother north by, but son Bill teaches at James of Pierre, South Dakota, but no Madison University, so they birds, either!” They returned to spent a few days there with him their home in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, for golf, yoga in December. They hope to see and social activities. Just before son Lou in Palm Beach soon, as Christmas, they flew with friends well as daughter Maria in Austin, to Frankfurt, Germany, for a sevTexas. Bill is going to Costa Rica Class of 1962: Rosser and Kate Bobbit celebrating the en-day Viking River cruise. They for a couple of days to check on New Year. stopped at a new city daily, bethe aquaculture project he started cause every city had their Christmas marwith Mote Marine Lab’s help three years mission trips to Brazil and Russia. Tom Meler wrote that he was selected in kets running. They finished at Nuremberg, ago. They continue with mission work with churches in northern Costa Rica and south- 2010 to referee soccer matches at the Na- and he revisited Heidelberg where he was ern Nicaragua. Bill is still teaching a full tional Special Olympics held at the Univer- stationed in 1979-80. This was their second schedule of Spanish at St. Pete College and sity of Nebraska-Lincoln. He was just no- Viking cruise, and they highly recommend Clearwater Christian College. Terry Lou tified that he was selected again to referee them for any of their itineraries. broke her shoulder in June and is still in re- these matches in Mercer County, New JerMarcus (Moot) Muth is still running his hab for that injury, but she is coming along. sey, June 14-21, 2014. He is truly grateful farm in Rockfield, Kentucky, and writes and humbled that he was selected again for with his standard humor about Kentucky Bill hopes to slow down in 2014! Fred and Judy Shirley have a new (sev- this unbelievable experience. and its “mild winters.” “I went out this Mott and Diane Robertson sent a picture morning at 2 degrees. I kept the Gator in the enth) granddaughter, Dayton, and the entire family gathered for July 4. Christmas was of their group at the Keydet Club Leadership garage overnight, so it started right up. The celebrated in Texas with Kevin, Holly and Outing. In attendance were Randy Camp- dogs happily jumped up into the passenger the children. Maddy, Will and Owen are all bell (Julia was somewhere else!), Nell seat until I got outside. When the cold air busy in school and sports. In Arizona, Ken- and Howard Cobb, Phyllis and Columbus hit them, they took no time abandoning me dra and Ben are busy between school and Cartwright, Carolyn Worrell, Jerry Wag- and getting right back into the garage before soccer games with Maya, Abby and Nate. ner, Diane and Mott Robertson, and John the door closed. The ponds are frozen over The big news is that Fred will finally have Traynham. Some of the day’s activities for the first time in years. The ice was not retired by the time you read this! Welcome were affected by rain, but the dinner was very thick, so it was easily broken to let the delicious and the evening program was calves drink. Stay indoors and keep warm, aboard! Clyde Bryant’s widow, Faye, wrote that well done. See the report of the meeting in they say.” There was a picture next to a she had a delightful holiday with all their the Alumni Review 2013-Issue 4. plowed, snow-covered field (too small to Randy Campbell’s wife, Julia sent an ex- print) saying, with true farmer humor, “surf children and their families (18 headcount). On Christmas Eve morning, she went up to cellent article about Randy (the whole ar- at your own risk.” the Indian-Town Gap Veterans Cemetery ticle sent out as a class blast) that appeared Rosser Bobbitt says his wife, Kate, has to visit Clyde. It was cold, beautiful and so in local newspapers. A younger VMI gradu- been asked to stay on as priest-in-charge ate, Keenan Entsminger ’02, who teaches at Trinity Episcopal Church in Portsmouth, peaceful. Buck Bradley says he and Louise will be at the same community college Julia does, Virginia, through June 2014. They love her taking an early fall river cruise on the Elbe invited Randy to speak to the students in a in spite of/because she’s tough and compasriver, starting in Berlin, which he has not history class that he teaches at a local high sionate. His dyke, Elder Lash ’59, and his been back to since he was stationed there in school. The students sent Randy some very wife live in Portsmouth and stopped by the 1963-65 with the 40th Armor. They’ll visit nice thank you notes – one wrote that it was church to see Kate. Rosser still hasn’t seen Potsdam, Meissen, Dresden and Prague. really special to meet someone who was them! He spent Thanksgiving in Warsaw, They hope to see everyone at the 55th Re- “part of history.” (Aren’t we all? Just ask Poland, helping son Max polish up his masyour grandkids!) Julia was talking with a ter’s thesis and pack to move to Brussels to union. Bill and Mary Jane Ricketts built their granddaughter living in Hawaii about how join his wife, who works at the European home in Luray, Virginia, in 2010. Since cold it was in Virginia, and she quickly Union. Thanksgiving was in a French restauretirement, he now serves a Baptist church, replied, “Grandma, you don’t know what rant – no turkey but fun. Rosser still works works in the local United Methodist church- cold is! It is 69 degrees here, and we’re full time for the Institute for Defense Analyes and the community, and has been on freezing!” Everything in perspective! ses. His big programs are the Nett Warrior 70

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES

Class of 1962: At the Keydet Club Leadership Outing were, from left, Randy Campbell, Nell and Howard Cobb, Phyllis and Columbus Cartwright, Carolyn Worrell, Jerry Wagner, Diane and Mott Robertson, and John Traynham.

XM25 rifle and C-17 Globemaster spacing reduction with the T-11 parachute. One of the Army folks on the C-17/T-11 project is Keith Allen ’01 from the Yuma Proving Grounds. He’ll probably retire within a year, but he is still having too much fun! They sent a nice photo from New Year’s Eve. Joe Weakley sent a wonderful Christmas YouTube video taken in Europe. If you haven’t seen or heard it, sign in and enjoy. Thanks, Joe! http://www.youtube.com/embed/VhiF-PD4E_c Nick Nicholson wrote to Jerry Burnett that after he sold his condo in Atlantic Beach, Florida, to Dan Sizemore of South Boston, Virginia, a letter from Jerry arrived. Dan told Nick, “Wow, I know that guy. I’m from South Boston, too.” Dan graduated from Virginia Tech, as had Nick, in 1963! Small world! On another note, Nick told Jerry he had met his brother in the Norfolk, Virginia, airport. He spoke to him, due to the gaudy VMI tie he was wearing! The world does get smaller as we get older! Bob Gesner sent a long, beautiful Christmas poem about the soldier in the cold and snow guarding us all. Thanks, Bob! Seymour (Sam) Samuels’ travels: “In October, we went on a Road Scholar (formally Elder Hostel) tour of the National Parks in Utah. It was great, and I recommend the tour to anyone who has not seen the wonders of Utah. On Jan. 1, 2014, we came back from a Road Scholar tour of Iceland that included incredible fireworks on New Year’s Eve 2014- Issue 2

in Reykjavik, the capital. I recommend that everyone in the class put that trip on their bucket list!” Sharon and Skip Davis were excited that their new home is in Sandpoint, Idaho. It was featured in USA Today as one of the “10 Picture-Perfect Mountain Towns.” Skip said, “We may finally be in a neat place before mass discovery!” Carole and Jim West took a Christmas cruise on the Norwegian Epic with their daughter, Susan, and her family. They departed Miami and went to St. Maarten and Nassau. Carole says Jim is doing well but slowing down. (Who isn’t?) Diane and Mott Robertson sent a photo of Bill Bryant, Mott Robertson, Bowles Pender and Don Kane, who were at the Williamsburg Chapter of the Senior Alumni Group lunch meeting. As mentioned before, if you’ve had your 40th Reunion, you are now a senior alum! They have a fairly large group of VMI alumni in the Williamsburg area, and more than 30 seniors attended. They had a great time, as usual, retelling “Old Corps” stories and discussing many topics about VMI, then and now. They plan to meet for lunch every three months. Terry and Rob Sheldon have moved from Ohio to sunny Las Cruses, New Mexico, and are enjoying every minute of it. BRs are welcome, if you are passing by, but they will still spend summers at their family cottage on Lake Erie. The primary reason for the move was to escape work opportunities

and get fully retired. He also mentions that his fellow physics majors always seem to have the highest percentage (80-ish) by major at the reunions! Klaus Burmeister emailed me from Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, where he has retired as a professor of German (Vat else?) at the Regina University. He invites any BRs headed his way to email him (kburt0417@gmail.com), and he’ll be glad to pass on info about that part of creation. When I phoned Dick Speidel, I caught him and Ginny in the hot tub working on her broken ankle. When I asked what they’ve been doing lately, here was his response: “In May, we went to Turkey to visit old haunts and to Ireland in August where Ginny’s ancestry originated. Summer was spent at home and grounds, as well as a beach trip with old friends to Corpus Christi, Mustang Island and et.al. During October and November, I went to Korea to visit friends and Vietnam to keep up my hand in scuba diving (the tanks get heavier each year) and a short visit to Cambodia to visit new haunts. In December, Ginny and I headed to Hawaii to the Volcano National Park. Unfortunately, she broke her ankle/ lower leg as we were winding up our visit, and it was wheelchair city all the way back to San Antonio. We plan to continue to travel around a bit in March when she’ll be up on her foot.” Cal and Roxanna Seybold announced the wedding of their son, Lt. Col. Clinton Seybold ’92, to Windy Tieu. (See story in Alumni Review 2013-Issue 4, page 67.) Nancy and Bob Miller had a busy year. They both had cataract surgery. (Who hasn’t these days?) After, they went to Atlantis in the Bahamas for a great time. This was followed by a Baltic Sea cruise starting in Copenhagen and visiting Tallinn, Estonia; St. Petersburg, Russia; Helsinki, Finland; and Stockholm, Sweden. They finished in Berlin, Germany, where they lived in 197779. The rest of the year was spent at soccer fields! Betty (Nelson’s widow) Prince is keeping busy with women’s clubs and many civic activities. Most of all, her wonderful daughters and grandchildren are helping to fill the void. Pete Pettit writes with great pride about the full-page advertisement for “Foot Smart” that was created by Content Science. His 71

CLASS NOTES daughter, Colleen Pettit Jones, is principal of the company. Way to go, Dad! Patsy and Bowles Pender had supper with Diane and Mott Robertson to celebrate Mott’s 74th birthday. Pender was glad there was at least one BR older than him. BR Peay attended meetings in Atlanta, Georgia, March 11; The Villages, Florida, March 12; and Tampa, Florida, March 13. Binnie gave updates on the Institute and showed a sneak preview of five minutes of “Field of Lost Shoes,” a New Market movie, some of which was shot at VMI! If you didn’t get my last email about financing for our 55th Reunion, it’ll be about $300 per person for hotel, food and entertainment. Add your transportation costs and divide that total by 36 – the number of months from May 2014 to April 24-25, 2017 – and start saving that amount now. If you still need any help, contact Tony or Jerry as soon as possible. In the spirit of ’62, Tony and Jerry

’63

Michael J. Curley

Another of our brother rats, Garry James Kemple, has gone on before us through God’s mercy to a better life! Garry spent the last 25 years of his life ravaged by multiple sclerosis and died Dec. 22, 2013, from complications of his multiple sclerosis and pneumonia. Although Garry never returned to VMI once he passed through Jackson Arch in June 1963, his rat year roommate, Tommy Myers, remained in contact with him over the years. Tommy said, “I told his step-daughter, Amy Barro, I would take him off the respirator if it were my call. He would have gone to a nursing home had he made it out of the hospital, and he would never have wanted that. His body was gone. I also got emails from Wayne and Bob. I was part of the room our rat year – me, Garry, Wayne Kohwles, Jack Harris and James Horn. Garry was the only person I roomed with for more than one year. Administrative changes on roommates caused some interruptions for me, along with falling a year behind when I ran out of money after the rat year. Garry is survived by his two sons, his sister, Sherrie, and a brother, 72

Gregg. Perhaps BRs in the Los Angeles area can attend a memorial service. Keep in mind that, to the best of my knowledge, Garry never returned to VMI after graduation, and other than myself, very few BRs had contact with him. Pat Kelly took the time to pay him a visit a couple of times within the last few years, and there were some phone calls from a few of his basketball Class of 1963: The Class of 1963 was in atteammates. As I said, I intend to go tendance at the Institute Society Dinner and to California. The service better not all had a marvelously festive evening thanks be any later than Jan. 15, because to the VMI Alumni Association. Photo courYvonne and I are leaving in late tesy of Becki Wells. (Editor’s Note: Due to low January for Antarctica [for a trip photo resolution, we could not print this picture any larger.) with] Tauck Tours.” Tommy wrote later to say he did attend Garry’s service. “Mike, when the dust settles, let’s please He was joined by Pete and Barbara Ippoli- talk about mini reunions. It is my opinion to, who later wrote to me and said, “Mike, that there is great interest in meeting more I wanted to let you know that Barbara and I frequently than every five years. We held attended Garry’s visitation in West Covina. them years ago in Richmond, Williamsburg Tom Myers and his wife, Yvonne, flew in and Virginia Beach with some success. I for the ceremony, as well. We were able to believe the time has come when we should meet some of Gary’s family. It was nice to meet on a more regular basis, i.e., yearly. catch up with Tom and Yvonne.” This needs planning, of course, but not the Our hearts and condolences also need to super planning needed for our five-year be extended to Joe Dellapenta on the loss reunions. A couple of BRs, plus one in the of his beloved, Bella, to cancer in Decem- area, and lots of press would be enough. ber 2013. She was such a pleasant, beauti- Let’s discuss this after the holidays. In the ful lady, Joe, and we know you will miss meantime, we hope that Peg and you enher dearly. joy a very merry Christmas, a very Happy From Buff DeLeo: “Everyone receiving New Year, and much happiness, health and this picture was a subject of conversation relative prosperity for the coming year.” He at some point during our mini reunion last continues in a later email, “Mike, I had a night and this morning at the great break- wonderful time at the VMI Sports Hall of fast at Carl Loop’s house. In the picture are Fame induction. I drove down with Bunny Eddie Patnesky, Lenny Peters and Johnny Reynolds. We enjoyed four days with Pete Macrae, who brought their ‘dates.’ LOL. I Brunel, Dusty Custer and Sleepy Moore am sending this to all who were mentioned in Burkes Garden, Virginia. It doesn’t get by name at one point or another during our much better than that! See you soon, I hope. 24-hour crash mini here in Greenville. If I hope this is not too much, seeing as how any of you receiving this have Eddie Pat- we missed November’s deadline.” nesky’s or Johnny Mac’s email address, In response to news that Kenny Reeder was please forward this to them – or else they fighting pneumonia, Bobby Byrd responded will talk about me, and it won’t be nice. in typical fashion: “God pulled off three LOL. God bless y’all, Buffer.” (mjc: I will miracles! Two basketball wins over Citadel email the picture to anyone who requests and the U.S. Air Force Academy (both conit.) vincingly) and a football win! And all three Mike Smither has been coming up with were on ESPNU or ESPN3! I watched them great ideas for years, and this is one of them. all with great glee. Good exposure for the InAlthough, I rarely get around to implement- stitute! God bless Kenny!” (mjc: Did I hear ing them, because I have this other life … you Bobby say, “Oh, by the way ... ?”) know, real estate, family, church, etc. But it Nothing thrills me more than hearing from a never fails to induce a large case of Catho- BR who hasn’t been in touch very much, and lic guilt for not taking his good suggestions. one would be Richard Ballentine. When he VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES wrote, I was elated. “I didn’t make first time in a few years. BR Jim the reunion. In fact, I didn’t make Ellis and Tic came over for our graduation, either, but I spent the Christmas open house. We left for longest year of my life as a rat in Rome on New Year’s Day. We visited Assisi and Orvieto for a few Lexington. I do keep up with you days then went back to Rome. A folks through the Alumni Review week later, we flew to Tel Aviv to and came to one reunion. I still begin a 10-day Holy Land tour. have great respect for the place That’s where we are now. We will and you BRs that stuck it out, but return to Rome on the 18th and I finished my formal education at then spend another week in Rome Western Michigan University. If there are any extra caps, I would Class of 1963: From left, Bob Earle, Chuck Weddington, with my cousin, Bill Kelly, and Bill Jones, John Lacy and Pete Brunel reflected the spirit his wife, who were also in Israel like to purchase one. Rah, Virginia of the evening at the Institute Society Dinner. Class Agent Mil!” (mjc: You got a hat, right?) Mike Curley said, “The question: Was Bobby telling that with us. February should be a bit slower, but we’ll be building up Much to his credit, Randy Wil- same old golf joke again?” liams is a strong motivating force for the North Texas Irish Festival, who operates mostly behind the scenes. Re- transformational success over a period of which takes place the first week in March. member that Randy instigated and nurtured time. Not bad for a history major.” (mjc: Preston and Judy Holtry are expected to Kenny Reeder’s induction into the VMI Once again, I will email the article to any- visit in the spring – at least that is their Sports Hall of Fame. Now, he has been gener- one who requests it, OK?) intention at this time. We are still soaring Although I haven’t actually logged in- over the fun we had at the 50th, mixed ous enough to work promoting Bill Pearson’s new book. “If you didn’t see this, I thought formation on the amount of trips and with sadness over Garry Kemple’s passyou might enjoy the article in this weekend’s miles traveled by our brother rats, Pat and ing. Just one more argument for why we Virginia Gazette about our brother rat and Gwen Kelly seem to be at the top of the should all be gathering as often as we can. newest author, Bill Pearson.” (mjc: Bill’s list. Patrick reported on Jan. 3, 2014:“Hi, All the best, Pat.” Fabulous news from Derith Bennett book is entitled “Icarus Parallel,” published folks. We’ve been in Rome for two lovely by Herons Wing Press, and it has received ex- days now – weather in the high 50s and no about her husband: “Jerry is doing great. cellent reviews from many of our brother rats rain during daylight hours. That’s about to No tumor growth in more than a year. We and those outside the VMI community. I will change, I suspect, as England and North- are so thankful!” (mjc: We all celebrate email the article to anyone who requests it.) ern Europe are getting hit hard today. that news, Derith!) When I was scrambling for topics for last Should be here by Sunday, I suppose. We Now, we’re in for trouble as Charlie quarter’s notes, Pete Brunel generously leave Rome for Assisi Sunday, then on to Straub checks in: “I’ve had a couple responded with, “Other items that you the mountaintop town of Orvieto Monday glasses of wine and have just written a might want to check out: Bunny and Judy afternoon. We are having a great time do- long email to Gilmer Minor hoping to help Reynolds’ Scandinavian cruise, Bill and ing no tourism stuff – just walking around a senior at Christiansburg High School Carolyn Jones’ trip to Spain and Portugal, the neighborhood and taking the metro to (also a friend of our daughter, Maggie’s) Bill Jones’ salmon fishing trip to Iceland get used to how it works. We ate lunch at get into to our beloved school. So I am and, finally, Judd Downs’ retirement from an outdoor place near the Vatican today – tired. Maggie’s sister, Mollie, is 13 years the North Carolina bench.” (mjc: While I lovely meal. The place is absolutely packed old. She has an interest in VMI, but she is pondered just how I was going to cover all with people. At our hotel, we have a lovely quite different from Maggie. If my math is this turf within the limits of this column, I room with a balcony and a king size bed. right, and if she goes to VMI, she will be believe it best that I request each of those There is a great TV, and the food is OK. My a rat in 2018. (Maggie’s roommate’s sister cited to send me something in writing and/ biggest complaint is that the folks around here is going to VMI, so they already have a or pictures about these wonderful trips, re- sure talk funny! They don’t understand Texan dyke for Mollie.) If all that happens, Lynn tirement, etc., please. Why is everyone so at all! Oh, well! All the best, Gwen and Pat.” and I will probably host a party the weekIn a later message, Pat continued, “Slow time end of the 55th Reunion at our hunt club!” stingy with their pictures?) Thanks to Kirke White and others who for us. We spent last half of August and Sep- (mjc: Promise, Charlie?) He writes in an have offered me valuable guidance and tember in Ireland. We only had one couple earlier email, “Thanks and merry Christsupport for my surgical experience. Just come visit us this time, but we showed them mas. Thanks for the birthday/Christmas as when I did the cataract thing, your input the island in style. In October, I studied for card. Maggie brought home a young man was super helpful and encouraging. Thanks my amateur radio general class operator li- who graduated from VMI and who was cense and got it. Gwen also passed her test commissioned in the U.S. Marine Corps very much! “Jim Rogers ’67,” says Gil Minor, “gave and earned a technicians class license; so now the same day. I made everybody sit down me this wonderful article on Cliff Miller we spend a bit of time each week checking and watch ‘Brother Rat’ last night. At the that appeared recently in the Chesapeake the airways and messing with radio equip- rate I am going, I probably will not get our Bay Journal. This is a remarkable story of ment. We spent Christmas at home for the card out until after Christmas.” 2014- Issue 2

CLASS NOTES like seeing Ken with low energy levels, “I want to take this opportunity to thank but I shouldn’t worry, as the doctor said it you for all the hard work you have done takes time to recover from pneumonia, esas our class agent,” says Carl Colonna. pecially with diabetes in the picture. When “We had a card forthcoming to you guys Ken felt chilled the other night, I threw his for Christmas, although I don’t know if we robe into the dryer before he put it on. He can top yours. (mjc: Yes, Carl, that did get a said that really felt good, so remember that bit of attention, didn’t it?) Thank God I am if you ever get chilled yourself! I worked in still going strong since I retired from Christopher Newport University. Although, I the hospital, and as you know, they always have thought about going back, because I warm blankets for patients – it’s soothing. I think it was a slower paced life than retirehope this finds you and Peg keeping well. I ment. Jamie is still teaching Reading Rewish you a lovely Thanksgiving with famcovery and says she will retire before she ily and friends, Michael. I think of you and dies. I am spending some of my summers our VMI friends all the time. Love, BonClass of 1963: Class Agent Mike Curley nie.” (mjc: We’re happy for you both!) in Wyoming. I like the summer climate said of this photo, “With his trusty steed Surprising news from Bob Walton: “Hi, there, and I have developed a network of tied up at Alumni Hall, our very own Mike. Just a note to say that Mike and Betfriends there. However, it is way too cold cowpoke, John Mitchell, managed to ty Walton stopped by our home for cockfor me in the winter. We have a daughter change into his tux in time to take bride Maudie to dinner. Looking good, John!” tails a couple of months ago. After which at Longwood University in her junior year. we all went to dinner at Chowning’s TavOur older daughter and son each have one ern in Williamsburg, a favorite of theirs. daughter. Our son is expecting another. visits to finally get a definitive response that I have completed another book. It is in its I had pneumonia. After which, I was put into We had not seen each other for some time, second printing, and its title is ‘The Role the Hackettstown, New Jersey, hospital. I because they still live in Austin, Texas. We of Economics in the Civil War and Seces- was there for four or five days and endured enjoyed the opportunity to get caught up. sion.’ I have been giving various talks, and all the harassment that most patients expe- They were in town to attend a family wedthis January, I will be speaking to the Sons rience. I’ve been home now for three days ding in Virginia Beach. Around that same of Confederate Veterans. I am donating the and seem to be getting stronger every day. time, Chuck Weddington called from his proceeds of the book sales to the Oakwood In addition to this hospital experience, Bon- son’s house, which is now in Williamsburg, Cemetery. Apparently, there are efforts un- nie and I have just moved into a townhouse to inquire about the status of a particular $1 derway to try to forget or rewrite our Civil surrounded by numerous cardboard mov- transaction that appears to be on hold at the War history. We certainly should not forget ing boxes still to be opened! I’ll be at full moment. Stay alert, Chuck. Best wishes rethe dead who have sacrificed their lives. strength in a few days. Thanks again for your garding your upcoming surgery, Mike.” As most of you realize, I broke a tradiAgain, thanks for your excellent job. Take kind thoughts and concern.” From Bonnie, care, Carl Colonna.” (mjc: Thanks, Carl. “Ken is improving slowly. The doctor wants tion sending Christmas cards and substiPlease write more often. We are pleasantly another chest X-ray in two weeks. I don’t tuted some surplus birthday cards in lieu of the usual seasonal variety. Because this surprised to hear from you!) card featured a picture of the revered As you can guess, Ken and Bonnie Reeder have exchanged a number of emails VMI color guard, it became the topic of with me between Kenny’s Sports Hall of conversation and debate for everyone Fame induction and then his subsequent who had ever carried a saber. A flurry of bout with pneumonia. This email is from emails ensued. Ken: “I want to thank all of you who have From Artie Phaup: “Seems it wasn’t sent heartwarming concern about my bout too long ago that the cadet noncommissioned officer saber salute was with with pneumonia. It is much appreciated. I a raised saber. This was no doubt due apologize for not responding to each of to the fact that NCOs as we knew them you personally, but as you can see, responding to each individual will take me (first sergeant, supply sergeant, color a long time. I also appreciated those who sergeant) usually marched behind a took the time to include a friendly performation and could accidently impale sonal message. I am in awe of your conone in a preceding rank. However, I’ve cern and personal interest. Your contact noticed recently that NCOs are now saClass of 1963: Tommy Myers with a porluting as officers with the saber down. and expression of concern has been very trait of the late Garry Kemple at Garry’s Makes sense if officers and NCOs with much appreciated. I’m certain that my memorial service in West Covina, California. Also in attendance at the December the expanded rank structure at VMI are wife, Bonnie, has conveyed my bout with service were Yvonne Myers and Pete and mixed in a staff formation. It was the pneumonia these past weeks to most, if Barbara Ippolito. picture on the Christmas/birthday card not all, of you. It took a week of doctor 74

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES

Class of 1963: W.O. Jones and Bunny Reynolds took in the Founders Day review from Alumni Hall.

that brought this to mind. I’ll bet that Mike Smither could shed some insight.” (mjc: You bet he can, and he did!) Mike responds, “Art, I was happy to do some research and learn how it’s done now. To my memory, we three color sergeants never had to draw our sabers, as we always had a flag in our hands. The regimental sergeant major and supply sergeant, Beaver Bevins and Harry Tatum, went through the manual but not the color sergeants. Anyway, I never had to learn or practice the saber manual of arms – perhaps that affected my growth at VMI! Merry Christmas, yourself!” Housekeeping: 50th Reunion hats: Those of you with email are aware that we ordered and distributed a number of class hats in addition to those distributed at the reunion. Because I am such an incompetent supply sergeant, I just found an additional 48 hats properly stored in my basement ... no wonder I couldn’t find them, Mr. Jones! So, please let me know should any of you desire an additional hat, and we will ship it out to you as soon as is practical ... free! Pictures: Anybody want to suggest a good Web-based site for posting lots of class pictures easily? You all are missing some good pictures that for one reason or another can’t be published in the Alumni Review. As you know, we are allowed only five photos for each issue, and they have to be of very high quality. Most of the ones I 2014- Issue 2

receive are of insufficient quality. Money: FYI, Class of 1963 funds are now banked locally under the able care of one W.O. Jones so that we can respond more quickly with funds when they are needed. Your class agent, Treasurer Richard Warren, Artie Phaup and Bill Jones structured the account to accommodate our current needs with dispatch. Christmas cards and letters: Thanks to all of you who sent Christmas cards and letters to Peg and me. As always, the most interesting are the letters (New: Three were emails ... we’re finally getting there, folks!) where, to my joy and amazement, you share your personal and family accomplishments, travel, volunteer work and newly minted talents – to wit, the surprising number of published authors in our midst ... we are truly blessed, aren’t we? Godspeed, everyone! Curleyrat

’64

John R. Cavedo

These notes will arrive via the Alumni Review after our 50th Reunion. George Rapport sent, “Brother Rat Warren Budd and his lovely wife, Courtenay, stayed with us over the weekend. We all went to the game together where we met

up with Warren and Coutenay’s daughter, Becky, as well as her husband and their two young sons. Their grandson, Candler Rich, is a freshman at Yale University. He was the highest-ranked high school football player in the state of Georgia in 2012-13. He plays running back and was first put in by the Yale coach at the Fordham game, where he ran for a 163 yards in 11 carries and scored a touchdown. In the most recent game, he started playing from the beginning and scored three touchdowns. He is a wonderful young man – a credit to his family and to Yale. Warren and Courtenay are coming back in a couple of weeks and staying with us for the Yale versus Harvard University game.” Michael Carlson: “I can’t make it to the 50th. I will be in the middle of two geology and geophysics classes – GEOS F214 petrology and GEOS F225 field & computer methods in geology – at University of Alaska Fairbanks. The latter course isn’t always available, so one has to grab it whenever one can. These courses start in January. The first two months of the classes are the coldest months of the year here in Fairbanks. By April, the question is how much snow and ice will still be around and when will break up occur. Break up is when the ice starts to unlock and thrash around on the rivers. Final exams will come in May. Perhaps I will be able to make it sometime in the future. What are the chances of holding a major class reunion in Fairbanks, Alaska, in June? Look on the bright side. Everything is green, there are plenty of mosquitoes, there are no blizzards, bears and moose are walking around, and tourists get placed on the flights ahead of freight. It’s the reverse after the Labor Day holiday. Freight comes before people. It is not so unusual to get an interrupted flight schedule for several days, because a lot of freight just pre-empted your paid-for seat on a winter flight. But that is Alaska. Our priorities are different up here from the lower 48 states and Hawaii. Tourists first in summer, freight first in winter. Even air conditioning has a different orientation up here: open a window and turn on a fan. Alaska probably has the lowest air conditioning expense of any state in the union. All bodies of water that occur naturally are fed by the Alaskan water table, which is glacially fed. Ever heard of an Alaskan surfing in Alaska? I haven’t.” 75

CLASS NOTES Don Jones described Veteran’s We had dinner and lots of conversation designed to solve all the world’s Day celebrations: “Had a great time problems. Bill had made a quick, Monday, as Colonial Williamsburg one-day trip down to see an old high really went all out to honor veterans. George Washington [reenactor] school classmate whom he hadn’t addressed the troops (veterans), as seen in a long time. did Virginia Sen. Tim Kane. At the Ed Seager wrote, “Attached is end of the ceremony, all passed in a photo taken on our recent trip to review to a roaring crowd of thouSoutheast Asia. It was taken Nov. sands led by the Colonial Williams17, 2013, in Joe Chompaisal’s burg Senior Fife and Drum Band. house in Bangkok. I’ve cropped it, The ceremony also included three but it is still 2.4MB, which I hope volleys by the Colonial Williamsis sufficient resolution to make the burg Militia and Cannon.” cut for the Alumni Review. Janice On Founders Day, several brother and I traveled with Mary Jo Jordan rats and wives attended the Instiand Bill Bandy for three weeks in tute Society Dinner. They included: November. We visited Hong Kong, Tom and Helen Davis, Floyd and Class of 1964: In December 2013 at Joe Chompaisal’s Thailand, Cambodia and Bali, IndoDonna Duncan, Bill and Marion home in Bangkok were, from left, seated, Janice Sea- nesia. While in Bangkok, we were Garber, George and Jane Rapport, ger, Pongsri Chompaisal and Mary Jo Jordan Bandy. graciously hosted by our BR Joe and Bob and Cathy Warren. Sher- Standing: Bill Bandy, Ed Seager and Joe Chompaisal. and Pongsri Chompaisal in their rel and I had to cancel at the last home. We had a marvelous time. minute due to doctor’s appointments which for the weekend were Sherrel and me, Tom Joe and Pongsri traveled with us to Bali, and Penny Sebrell, John and Ronnie Thorn- so they were able to stop hosting and enjoy couldn’t be missed. Over that weekend, VMI did better than ton, Bob and Peggy Neeley, John Manley, some vacation as well. The photo was taken well at athletic endeavors. They won two and Ted and Sherrie Gammon. We went to at Joe’s home in Bangkok, which is lovely. basketball games and beat Gardner Webb several meals together and then watched Both Joe and Pongsri (as well as the rest University in football. Joining in the week- the Keydets. They were ahead at halftime, of us) are looking forward to our 50th in end, in addition to those already mentioned held their own through the third quarter and April.” above, were Buzz and Jane Birzenieks, then simply collapsed in the fourth quarter. Tony Putamanonda also sent in, “With Pete Mazik, Bill and Betsy Taylor, and They played hard but simply couldn’t fin- all the political turmoil that has happened ish strong. John and Ronnie Thornton. in Thailand in the recent months, 2013 The day following the game, Bill and Marion is coming to the end. All of us here keep On Nov. 16, VMI traveled to play the Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina. Gathering Garber came by our home in Hilton Head. hoping that 2014 will be a better year. A few friends have kindly conveyed their concerns that the country might be falling apart. We told them that whatever has happened here shall pass. Our opinion is that we Thais will no doubt survive. And we can look forward to improvement as to how this country is run, for there is lots of room for that. “For us as a family, we have been able to manage more than hanging in there in 2013. Perhaps the most significant event of the year is when Bee, our younger twin son, decided to move his family from Sydney back to Bangkok in October. Even though Dusadee and I had always hoped and expected it to happen eventually, we did not think that it would be soon. The prospect for the two of us being able to watch Pam Class of 1964: In October 2013 at a Yale University football game were, from and Pearl, our two granddaughters, grow up left, front row, Asa and Alexander Caramico. Second row: Anthony and Becky in front of our eyes does excite us. Bee has Caramico (the Budds’ daughter and son-in-law), Candler Rich (the Budds’ managed to secure a good job in Bangkok, grandson), Courtenay Budd, Jane Rapport, Warren Budd and George Rapport. working as an associate vice president of 76

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES

Class of 1964: Frank Parker, Tony Munera, Dan deForrest and W.J. Kitchen atop Machu Picchu in October 2013.

the largest agribusiness company in Thailand. He will be traveling a lot in his new position. In the span of a month and a half, he has already gone to Cambodia and Brazil. “The other twin son, Aee, continues to thrive in his banking business. As the managing director of the Standard Chartered Bank of Thailand, he is the most senior Thai staff of the outfit. He will have to leave the country or move to one of the Thai banks in his next promotion. He and Thip, his wife, have not been so lucky with starting a family with children, and time is running short for them. “Koi, our youngest, is still overseeing operations at two branches of Lisa Ramo, a modern coffee shop chain, in Bangkok. She continues to keep busy between jobs and travels. Although she lives with us, Dusadee and I do not see her a lot. She is always out with a bunch of friends, and she hardly comes home before our bedtime. “For Dusadee and me, 2013 has been a very busy year. Domestically, we are always on the go between Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Hua Hin. With lots of political protests on the street lately, Bangkok is a good place to be away from, as the city of “mother of all traffic jams” becomes a reality. “We also took four foreign trips this year. We went to Korea, Kashmere, Germany and Spain. In Spain, we went on a 10-day cruise around the western Mediterranean that was nice and relaxing. The only problem we 2014- Issue 2

encountered on the ship was that we had to control ourselves on the consumption of foods and drinks, for they were so plentiful and inviting. “We sincerely hope that 2014 will be the best year ever for all our friends. First and foremost, may health problems stay clear from you all. Despite all the bad publicity about political mess Thailand has received of late, there are lots of nice places to visit other than Bangkok, where protests tend to concentrate. Therefore, please let us know if you want to come to this way. We’ll be very pleased to show you around.” Bob Warren emailed, “Cathy and I are heading to Las Vegas for five days at the end

Class of 1964: Bill and Mary Jo Jordan Bandy with W.J. and Lauranne Kitchen in Argentina prior to their Antarctica cruise in January 2014.

of February to celebrate our anniversary and Cathy’s birthday. We are looking forward to the reunion in April. In May, we will return to Key West for a week of fun and sun and a visit with our youngest, David, who works at the Marriott Beachside Hotel there. “We had to be in Portsmouth, Virginia, for a funeral in December and spent several days with Bill and Dyan Crone. We were busy with family during the day, but we had lots of fun and revelry in the evenings while Bill and Dyan provided great hospitality. We always love to get together with brother rats.” In January, Dan and Sandy DeForrest hosted a mini reunion at their home in St. Petersburg, Florida. Prior to that, Bill and Marion Garber stopped by our home on Hilton Head for a night en route to see Bill’s brother, who also lives in Florida. The night prior to the start of the reunion, Bill and Dyan Crone also stopped by our home on their way to St. Petersburg. The next morning, we left our home (both driving separate cars) and stopped for breakfast at a Waffle House (where Bill accidentally left his VMI cap) before continuing the drive. The Crones arrived in St. Petersburg nearly 30 minutes before us. Bill is always complaining about the number of speeding tickets he gets ... and no one knows why. After arriving, we assembled in a hotel lobby before going to a really great restaurant the DeForrests had selected. Attending were Sherrel and me, the DeForrests, the Garbers, the Crones, the Carsons, the Nunnallys, and Penny Kaliski, who had flown all the way down from New Jersey. Ken and Barbara Dice were in town, but Barb was suffering from a bad back and couldn’t join us that night. They were to leave on a cruise the next day. Andy Tucker had planned to join us, but a fall and injury two days earlier prevented his coming. The following two days, we ate lunch in restaurants, went to museums and screwed around. Both of the following nights, Dan and Sandy hosted dinner at their wonderful 11th floor condo overlooking St. Petersburg harbor and marina. During those two days, Don Carson worked with Bill Crone practicing the guitar. Don is an old pro, while Bill is just beginning. All in all, it was a great three-plus days. None of us wanted to call it quits. 77

CLASS NOTES The next week, the Crones spent a day and night at the Carson’s, which is just a short skip across Florida. Apparently, the guitar classes continued. On our drive home, we stopped back by the Waffle House near the South Carolina/ Georgia border, and surprise of all surprises, they had held onto Bill’s hat. When he and Dyan arrived at our house during their drive back north, it was waiting for him on their bed in our guest room. Bernie Hylton has been working on one of his true passions, history. He compiled and shared with a few of us on his mailing list what he called his “Trilogy.” It was especially good. The story is compelling and timely. At my specific request, he has encapsulated it for my inclusion in these notes. If you want the full, unedited version (which I can’t recommend strongly enough), email him at hyltonbg@comcast.net or call him at 540-786-0063. As always, my heartfelt thanks to those of you who took the time to call and share your thoughts and travels and to those who sent emails, letters and photos. There would be no class notes without your input. The following is an excerpt from Bernie Hylton’s “Trilogy:” “New Market and the Class of 1964: “For years I thought of New Market in a macro sense: There was a battle, the VMI Corps of Cadets participated, and the fight and victory became the foundation of VMI lore. But from work on the New Market Legacy Award, I have a more micro view

of New Market: the small events of the march to and from New Market, details of the battle, and most importantly, the stories of individual young cadets who charged into combat that day. “Unlike the cadets of 1864 whose studies were frequently interrupted for field military duties, members of the Class of 1964 had no such problems, but we do share with them post-graduation experiences. After the war, the New Market cadets moved on to a wide variety of careers spread across the states and into some far reaches of the globe. And so it has been with us – including some remarkably similar careers. “Fifty of the surviving New Market cadets became farmers, 52 lawyers (two judges), 47 merchants and 14 were involved in education at local and college levels. While the Class of 1964 has no farmers, it does have a cattleman like four of the New Market cadets. We have several brother rats in businesses that would qualify as merchants, and we have a high school teacher, a corporate instructor and college professors. We have 19 engineers – New Market had 14 engaged chiefly in railroad construction and mining. They had a railroad locomotive engineer – we have an airline pilot. “We have six clergymen; New Market had four. We have a teacher/artist; New Market had Moses Ezekiel ’896, whose sculpture, ‘Virginia Mourning Her Dead,’ keeps watch over six of the New Market

Class of 1964: Standing outside the Dali Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida, January 2014, were, from left, Bill and Dyan Crone, Butch and Joan Nunnally, Penny Kaliski, Bill and Marion Garber, Dan and Sandy DeForrest, John and Sherrel Cavedo, and Don and Margaret Carson.

cadets on the VMI post. Eighteen New Market cadets became physicians (one a career U.S. Navy surgeon and one a U.S. Army surgeon, who found himself with the Custer command in the Sioux Wars). “At least 24 1964 brother rats had military careers. Aside from the two military surgeons, only one New Market cadet had a military career and that was with the Virginia State Forces. Thirty-four years after New Market, five received commissions for brief service during the Spanish American War. “While we need look no further than our class ring for an artistic rendering of a New Market story, there are many other examples like the magnificent Clinedinst painting in Jackson Memorial Hall and Don Troiani’s recent, ‘Put the Boys in.’ “We share more with the cadets of 1864 than the ‘64’ in our graduation year and the Centennial New Market Class designation. I urge each of my brother rats to seek his own personal connection to New Market. I found that I share a multi greatgrandfather with a New Market cadet and that I received a scholarship established by another.”

’65

Mickey Finn

Let me start this off with an important request from our reunion chairman, Lou Siegel: “I hope everyone got the save the date letter with the magnet – April 24-26, 2015. Chuck Hough is putting together a special book for this reunion, and we need pictures now. Send them immediately to Chuck Hough – either digitally or the old-fashioned way. He wants cadet years, past reunions or other ’65 gatherings. Chuck can convert them, and he promises to send them back. Chuck’s contact info is: chuck.hough@gmail.com or 909 Serenity Grove Terrace, Purcellville, VA, 20132. “The 50th Reunion Social Committee got together in January. We’re excited, and there are a lot of classmates jumping in to help. This committee is composed of Granny Amos, Easley Moore, Charlie Price, Carr Hyatt, Cliff Fleet, Charlie Russell, Donny White, Mike Friski and Harry Bartosik. Peter Trible is retained as a BR with an opinion. A survey is planned, so please use it to make comments. I’ll do a ‘bring you up to date’

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES note on the survey. You don’t have to wait for the survey if there’s something you would like to say now. Email me at louissieg@cox.net. All BRs are encouraged to send in suggestions. We are using the two hotels just east of Lexington, the Holiday Inn Express and the Best Western. These are located next to each other, and it is easy to walk from one to the other – no driving necessary. We used the Holiday Inn Express at the 45th Reunion. “We all had our own personal experiences at the Institute. Some of you have been to many reunions, others to a few and a few have been to none. We’ve all changed. VMI continues to be a force for developing character, integrity and a will to learn. This 50th Reunion is an opportunity to get back together in a significant time frame in our lives and renew friendships. Plan to get to Lexington April 24-26, 2015!” Floyd Taylor writes: “I am coming to the 50th with my Ring Figure date and first wife. Gene Marshall and his wife, who was almost his Ring Figure date, are coming. I think Imre Lipping is, too. If so, Imre might get the ‘greatest distance award’ for coming from Estonia. (Scribe’s note to Lou Siegel – an idea for the Reunion Committee!) I also talked to Billy Wilburn to get fishing reports for saltwater trout and bass – one of my favorite activities. The reports? Weak from there to here, but the bag lunches and scenery are good. We’ll leave the light on and the fridge stocked with beverages, so come on. Best – Floyd.” Jack Mountcastle: “Thanks for all you do to keep us informed. You are a candidate for sainthood – no kidding! (Scribe’s note: Thanks, but one should not dumb down the award of sainthood!) Susan and I had a wonderful experience in early December when we traveled back to the areas in Northern Bavaria. There, we spent 10 years over the course of three tours of duty in the VII Corps [of the U.S. Army] armored units during the Cold War. We attended the annual ‘Christkindlesmarkt’ in the old city square in Nuremberg, visited with German neighbors from years gone by and took a sentimental journey to the Franconian towns where we were stationed. With the threat posed by the USSR long since gone, the only town that still has an active American presence is Bamberg. The caserne there will close down in September. Along the way, we had some grand German food (and beer!) and stored up some wonderful memories. It was great fun, and we are so glad that we made the trip!” Bob Whaley: “Can’t think of much – will let you comment on your visit to the Keys. I did have lunch with Kirk Stewart’s widow and his sister in Key West about a year ago, and I don’t remember

2014- Issue 2

if I previously reported that. They expect to be back down here in a few weeks, and Linda and I look forward to seeing them again. That’s it from Whaley, R.E., Fairfax, Virginia, sir.” Danny Hogan: “Thanks for the note. Nothing really to contribute to the Review, as things are going along routinely. I am looking forward to the 50th. Last summer, I organized a 70th birthday party in Roanoke for 100 friends from junior and senior high. It was fantastic, and I’m sure our 50th will be also. Keep up the great communications; I appreciate it. I never got the save the date letter, so thanks for that info also.” Skip Sterling sent this wonderful update: “I can report that all is well on the West Coast. I have been living in San Diego, California, for 45 years, and I have to say that as long as the ground does not shake, this is the greatest place to live. I like it so much that it has controlled my career path. I have worked for Shell Oil, McDonald’s, Applebee’s, Sprint, AT&T and Verizon. I worked as a construction project manager building restaurants, gas stations and wireless telecom networks. I would not relocate, but I would travel. And travel I did. In my 45 years, I worked in all the states in the western and southwestern U.S. I feel very blessed. I was married at age 32, and my wife, Linda, and I produced two great children who have now gone on to produce two grandsons. My son is an emergency room doctor and a surfer dude living his family life on the Gold Coast in Australia. We travel to Australia at least once a year. We also have visited New Zealand. If you want to go back in time to the late 1950s, visit New Zealand. My son’s wife is going to be a doctor, also. They tell me to not worry; they will take care of me when the money runs out. I am retired and loving every minute of it. I feel very lucky with my work history that I was able to retire at 65. That was the year I had the misfortune to experience a heart attack followed by open-heart surgery. It was all those Big Macs that did me in. I worked for McDonald’s for 17 years. In closing, I would like to say that I am really looking forward to the reunion. The last one I went to was 39 years ago, or was it 34?” Breaking news from Dave Kiger: “I have finally decided to retire July 18, 2014, and will have my retirement party at a dental convention at Atlantis in the Bahamas the following week. I hope my roommates, Dick Waters and Dick Phillips, make it to the 50th. I have seen Waters once since we graduated in ’65, and I have seen Phillips maybe four or five times, which is as much my fault as theirs.” Jack Cook reported about the VMI versus

Citadel game in Charleston, South Carolina: “In the last Alumni Review, my update about planning to attend the VMI versus Citadel game and my hope of seeing some BRs was posted. Well, I made the trip and stayed in the Marriott where many of the VMI alums and fans were staying. There was a good crowd at the hotel, the hospitality room, the pregame meal and the game. I did run into Ken Jordan and Liz, as well as Larry Umberger and Fi, at the pregame meal. We proceeded to the game and ran into Bob Deaderick at halftime. Good weekend, overall. Even though the Keydets fell to the Bulldogs, the Keydets did beat the Bulldogs in a friendly fundraising challenge. (Editor’s Note: See article titled “VMI Beat Citadel in First Silver Shako Showdown” in the Foundation section of this Review.) With our 50th Reunion approaching, all BRs need to make a special effort to attend, especially while we’re still ‘young.’ 65! 65! 65!” This is a remarkable report from Ron Obenchain: “As I have said to many folks lately, in my 56 years of cheering for VMI’s teams, I have never seen the ‘never say die’ tradition on display more dramatically than it was during our fourovertime victory over Gardner Webb University Feb. 5, 2014. Was there any alum not proud of our team and the coaches? Having had a very close call with the grim reaper in early December, there have been many moments since then when I have thought, ‘I could have missed that!’ But at no time has that sentiment been more heartfelt than after that truly amazing game. (Admittedly, I have not experienced the birth of any more children during that time. Praise the Lord!)” Michael Carlsen brings another view to living with the cold: “As I have said before to others, Alaska is as much a state of mind as a state of being. It has been my experience that many of those who do well up here do not fit in easily with others in the lower 48 states. They can fit in, uneasily. I like Alaska. Yesterday, I wore my mukluks when I went to class at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. They keep my feet warm when all else fails. High-tech boots do not work nearly as well as the natural materials that make up the mukluks. If you want to know how to adjust properly to bitter cold, ask an Eskimo or an Alaskan Native Indian. They know. I find that I am increasingly using the natural fibers and materials and increasingly ignoring the high-tech stuff when it gets really cold by Alaskan standards. The outside temperature yesterday was about 30 below zero, which is normal for this time of year. We have had a mild winter so far. The lowest temperatures have been about 39 below zero. Of course, there

CLASS NOTES is plenty of snow and ice around and people are into creative driving habits here in Fairbanks. It’s a seasonal thing.” Dave Arensdorf relates his adventure in winter travel. “Mickey: Here is my second attempt to provide you with info for the Review. My wife, Jane, and I returned from Las Vegas, Nevada, in early January. Why, you ask, would we return in the dead of winter from a warmer climate to Illinois? The reason was to represent our County Fair Board where I am a director at the Illinois Agricultural Fair and Exposition Conference in Springfield, Illinois. Little did we know the problems we would encounter traveling in our 37-foot Class-A recreational vehicle and towing a car as we progressed to the frigid regions of the North. Since we were going to freezing temperatures, we winterized the RV Jan. 2 and were traveling ‘dry’ (no water) – just generator power and heat, stopping at night with our most gracious host, the 24-hour Wal-Mart. The first couple of days went OK, as the weather was marginally warm, but it turned bad the Sunday before the Bowl Championship Series championship game. We traveled more easterly to avoid the 45 below zero temperatures promised in Wichita and hit heavy snow instead. Monday, game day, we traveled in heavy snow with the truckers leading the way. Finally, we stopped at 2 p.m. to stay overnight at a Holiday Inn Express in St. Robert, Missouri. We showered up, enjoyed a great pizza while watching the game and continued on the following morning after a battery delay. You guessed it, I left the traveling lights on, but got it started after using the generator to charge the coach batteries and then use that assist to start the engine battery. The roads were better, but the highway was littered with trucks that should have stopped as we did. We drove all day and arrived home at dusk. Lesson learned: If you go south for the winter, stay south until spring. You would think after 70 years I would have already learned that lesson. It is great to hear more news about the 50th. Jane and I are planning to attend. I sent Chuck Hough a couple of pictures taken at Death Valley and will try and send a few more. You will love the ‘Devil’s Golf Course.’ Take care and stay warm.” Norman Land: “I will be on research leave from the University of Missouri-Columbia next academic year (2014-15) to write a book on alleged murders committed by artists, including Michelangelo. Lord willing, I’ll be at the 50th reunion.” Larry Umberger was also at the Citadel game. “First, let me say thank you for all that you do for us! In November, Fi and I enjoyed spending time

with Jack Cook and Ken Jordan and his friend, Liz, at the Citadel football game, but we did not enjoy the final score. As best as I can recall (and that gets more difficult), Jack is really enjoying retirement. However, Ken is still working fulltime, and I am working two days per week. “On Jan. 9, Fi gave me a real scare. After running a fever the last half of the day, I later found her at the bedroom doorway, weak and holding onto the door opening. When I supported her and started to help her to the bed, she collapsed on me. As I eased her to the floor, her eyes were looking straight ahead with no signs of response. On the way to the telephone, I asked God for help. I called 911 and was asked if she was breathing. When I checked, her eyes were normal, and she was breathing. In the emergency room after they had taken several tries to start an IV, I saw her pulse rate drop from the 80s down to about 40. The heart doctor later explained that is the way the body can react to stressors. Turns out she had pneumonia. After almost five weeks, she is almost back to full strength. Let me encourage you all to really appreciate and enjoy your wife each of the days you have to share with her. “We are doing great in the midst of a lot of hype about the snow/ice storm here in South Carolina. We are planning to be at the 50th and do encourage everyone else to be there, if at all possible.” Now, let’s talk about the rumor of snow here in Wilmington, North Carolina. Actually, it ended up being a half of an inch of ice on the streets Jan. 30 and 31, 2014. My snow shovels remained in Leesburg, Virginia, and would have been of little use anyway, so why whine about it? The sun came out Feb. 1, 2014, and everything was right with the world. Bill Ryan did call from his winter retreat in Florida and graciously offered comfort and a room to stay in for Jane and me. Since we celebrated our 48th wedding anniversary on Little Torch Key from Dec. 28, 2013, until Jan. 10, 2014, we declined his kind offer. For part of the time we were there, Greg Robertson and Dottie joined us. Together, we saw Bob and Linda Whaley of Pine Key, Florida, and their very special Key deer friends. We enjoyed dinner in Key West with them, as well as several visits to their home – one of which was for dinner. They also took us to the No Name Bar (located on No Name Key, where else?) that is decorated with $1 bills completely covering the walls and ceiling. It is a new year, so what better way to start it than with an Old Yell? Are you ready? Let’s go! “Rah Virginia Mil, Rah! Rah, Rah! Rah, Rah, VMI, ’65!, ’65!, ’65!”

’66

Albert Conner

For those who didn’t receive my email report, Jane and I managed to get down to Lexington for the Institute Society Dinner, Class Agent Conference and a visit with the history department. We had 14 BRs signed up for the dinner in the Marshall Hall Center for Leadership and Ethics. All came except Bill Gregory who, on inquiry, reported he was just too tired after a recent visit to France and a board retreat. Otherwise, he’s in good shape. At the dinner were Jay Adams, George Dyer, Bill Gehr and Jan Zimmer (the latest addition to our class family and a really sweet lady), Butch and Kandi Herbaugh, Bette Hines, Rich and Dorothy Hines, Ray and Mary Melton, Parky and Mary Fran Parkman, Doug and Arona Richard, Paul and Joanne Robblee, Tom and Scottie Slater, Spence and Dorcas Wilkinson, Randolph and Priscilla Williams, and your class agent and his best girl, Jane. They showed two film clips. One was an advance clip from the film “Field of Lost Shoes” about the New Market cadets. (It looks good from what we saw.) The other was a documentary film clip on the daily life of today’s cadets. It was great to see everyone, and I really appreciate the outflow of love and support from all. This event ended up as a mini reunion of sorts, and it is always great catching up. I’d also call your attention to several intra-class initiatives that seem to be working really well. Specifically, our “Georgia-group” has done a great job in getting together in a number of ways. Our physics majors have followed up on their highly successful mini reunion at our 45th. This is a real credit to those BRs and an example to the rest of us to find additional ways to get our favorite cluster-groups together. One of my suggestions at the class agent get-together was that VMI should build on those subgroups to establish linkage between alumni and today’s cadets. I used as an example that our football facilities could honor someone like BR Jamie Browder, a guy who went to VMI on an athletic scholarship, played hard for the old place throughout his cadetship, went on to become a major general in the U.S. Army Reserve and chief engineer of Virginia Department of Transportation. He never failed to give back to VMI’s athletes. There should be little “shrines” all over post to connect the past with the present. We received a sweet letter from Doma Browder, Jamie’s widow, thanking the class for

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES

Class of 1966: The brother rats of 1966 attended the Nov. 11, 2013, Institute Society Dinner and welcomed back Class Agent Al Conner, seated, after a rough year. From left, Paul Robblee, Randolph Williams, Ray Melton, Spence Wilkinson, Rich Hines, Doug Richard, Butch Herbaugh, Tom Slater, Bill Gehr, Parky Parkman and George Dyer. Missing from the photo is Jay Adams, who was also in attendance. donations in Jamie’s memory. She wrote: “Class of ’66 brother rats, please accept my heartfelt thank you for all the letters of support and donations to the Foundation Fund and Keydet Scholarship Fund in memory of my late husband, Jamie Browder. Jamie loved VMI. He held his college close to his heart. He was proud of this institution, its history and his brother rats. With deepest gratitude ... .” I also received a thoughtful remembrance from Kendall Rhodes on the subject of Jamie and Carl as BRs: “We all have lost class member Jamie Browder. Carl and Jamie were roommates at VMI for the entire four years, beginning on the first night of early football in summer 1962. Jamie’s girlfriend was his hometown sweetheart, Doma, and Carl and I were high school sweethearts, as well. After VMI, Jamie and Carl were in each other’s weddings, and as our families grew, their friendship continued. We visited at least once every year, always including a football weekend at VMI. Our children became great friends, as well. We shared the ultimate highs in life as well as sadness. I would say that Jamie and Carl represented the true meaning of brother rat.” Our sister rats, and here I would add P.J. Eckert for her faithful concern and correspondence, are a real testament to our class. Some of the best work we’ve done in our lives is to convince all these wonderful women that we were worthy of them. I’m always amazed and inspired by how much these ladies love VMI through their husbands and directly. The class agent conference provided a VMI

2014- Issue 2

status report from Gen. Peay ’62 and new chief of staff, Col. Jamie Inman ’86. As usual, it all blew by pretty quickly. I tried to get as much info for you as possible. So, here goes: The superintendent passed along that our moving back to the Southern Conference is fully underway. Football, of course, is the major downer, but he still believes that “winning the VMI way” – e.g., we’ve won the Big South Sportsmanship Award for seven of the past eight years – is more important than any other consideration. The new athletic director, Peay says, has the toughest job in America by trying to make the Institute’s teams competitive. Several of us added “amen” to that. I’d add that being the VMI football coach is pretty much the worst job, as we tend to spoil the resume of otherwise good men. They are trying to put together a $35 million athletic endowment to place greater emphasis on athletics. In a discussion about alumni-school interchange of ideas, Peay commented, “The greatest thing about VMI is the level of passion for our school. The worst thing to deal with is our passion.” If you have a gripe about something at VMI, sports or otherwise, please start with your proud class agent or our sports reporter, Cliff Martin, and we’ll try to get a responsible answer for you. I asked, based on class discussions through BR Cliff’s reporting, for the leadership’s take on cadet participation at sporting events. Peay said that he’s hesitant to return to the mandatory attendance requirements of our youth. Home football games are mandatory; otherwise they hope that a combination of cadet spirit and interest and team performance

will draw the crowds. The plain fact is that they are very reluctant to throw more weight onto the cadet schedule. The Founders Day weekend success in defeating Gardner-Webb University in football and winning against the Citadel and U.S. Air Force Academy in basketball brought in big numbers and increased spirit. Among the Keydet Club faithful, it approached near euphoria. The shorthand answer is they’ve “maxed-out” on available cadet time and will live with the consequences. On the whole, I think that’s a pretty rational approach. The Corps started the year at a record high 1,675 Keydets. The size as of November 2013 was 1,625. That required “managing to the bed level.” This year’s 4th Class was huge at 502 (including 61 females, the largest matriculating number we’ve had). Virginia students (65 percent) and non-Virginia students (45 percent) are the starting figures. The emphasis on increasing science, technology, engineering and math related majors is going well. It appears to end up 50-50 between STEM and liberal arts by graduation. Our current graduation rate is 63 percent in four years and 82 percent after six years. We have 422 National Collegiate Athletic Association student athletes (including 73 women) and 456 club athletes. Army ROTC is still the largest contingent with 1,000 cadets, of which 578 are on a commissioning track. We are still the largest supplier of U.S. Army officers after West Point. An interesting figure is that 178 athletes are on a commissioning track. They said, despite the optimistic Vision 2039 goal of 70 percent commissioning, the reality is likely going to be more like 50 or so percent. National Guard and Reserve commissioning is going to get even more emphasis. Academically, they are trying to do a better job at matching cadets with majors that will help them succeed and graduate on time. Mechanical engineering, civil engineering, history, international studies and (I believe) economics are all doing well. Physics, modern language and English are difficult to fill. As you know, picking the right major early is very important, and minimizing the number of later transfers helps everyone. I heard from Frank Louthan that our physics major group is trying to help find cadet prospects for that major. Academic success is enhanced for all cadets through several centers designed to help all academic levels of cadets to perform to their academic potential. Graduate school partnerships are working nicely in general grad, law, medical and business fields. Our graduates, owing to VMI’s generally lower and tougher grade point averages, get a real shot at the best schools through this program. Forbes ranked us 17th among national public liberal arts schools (meaning all subjects); U.S. News and World Report has us ranked fourth in the same category. As an aside, our visit with Col. Mark Wilkinson and Lt. Col. Brad Coleman

CLASS NOTES ’95 of the history department tells me we’re truly blessed to have real “teachers” in our faculty. Hearing from professors in other departments in recent visits, mostly those involved in the terrific undergrad research program, further strengthens that opinion. The day of the droning lecture is over, guys. The Marshall Hall Center for Leadership and Ethics programs are entering their fourth year. Conferences held there split about even on leadership/ethics and substantive topics. The CLE is encouraging cadets to grab every leadership possibility in the cadet experience. Construction related to academic and student life for the past years totals $238 million with $120 million to go. The refurbished New Science building of our days has been re-dedicated to Maury-Brooke Hall. Nichols Hall has a new conference room. Obstacle courses, marksmanship training facilities and a leadership reaction course are recent and near-term projects. A new physical fitness building and upgrades to Cocke Hall and Cormack Field House are in various stages of development. The simple fact, I believe, is that Gen. Peay saw this need and followed through, even when everyone must have raised an eyebrow thinking this much renovation and resurgence could never have been drawn out of the commonwealth of Virginia – especially given trends and economic realities. This, folks, is a real legacy of his superintendence ... a minor miracle, actually. Assuming there would be a 2015 Register of Former Cadets product, I asked about the next register and expressed the hope that it would better than the 2010 in terms of process and product. Adam Volant ’88, executive VP and CEO of the VMI Alumni Association, said they are committed to that and are “starting over” with this one. It will be more of a VMI Alumni Association (vice consultant) product. That said, it will be crucial for all alumni to answer an online questionnaire to get the facts straight from the very start. Please, treat your initial response with due diligence, and provide them with accurate data. That will give us a fighting chance to have a worthwhile and accurate final product. When that phase begins, I’ll try to use this as an opportunity to put the basic ’66 facts accurately on record. They’ve promised to get the class agents a draft version earlier than last time in order to reduce the very high error rate. We are now the sixth-most expensive Virginia public college or university in regard to tuition and fees. These have become the major income stream for the Institute (vice state support and alumni and friends giving). This has pretty well pushed costs to the limit. Within a short time, the cost per year for a non-Virginia cadet will be approaching $50,000. One out of four cadets is getting financial aid (merit or need-based get about equal amounts), and the average indebtedness on

graduation has climbed to $27,000. While it is good news to know that 96 percent of our graduates are finding gainful employment, that amount remains a heavy individual burden. The VMI Foundation is trying to structure the endowment to get as much annual income as possible for cadet support. Therefore, we are in great need of support to scholarships as well as operations. Please consider that in your giving plans. VMI needs unrestricted annual giving to academic excellence programs and initiatives, but it also needs scholarship funding that can help today’s cadets as much as possible. I sent out an email remembrance on the John F. Kennedy assassination, what I remembered of that day and its effects on our subsequent lives. It’s too long to include here. If you didn’t get it and would like to see it, please contact me at the email address above. I’m going to add to it the specific memories it prompted from other BRs that were sent to me. They are all reasonably consistent, which is surprising considering the halfcentury distance in time. If you’d like to add your memories of that period, please send them along for inclusion in the class archive. On this subject, I heard from Bobby Cooper, Charlie Rothwell, Tom Slater, John Kirk, Don Nemetz, Leon Vannais, John and Judi Robertson, Dave McKinley, John Walters, Cliff Crittsinger, Jim Toler, Bill Cowles, Randy Urmston, Pres Graves, Rich Hines, Dave Whitt, Jim Hannah, Bob McKain, Evan Farmer, Larry Sonstein, Clark Reifsnider and Dave Dunkle. Emails from BRs on various subjects included Nick Hoskot, Tom Slater, Bill McClure, Charlie Ramsburg, Bill Gregory, Rocky McCutcheon, John Kirk, Donnie Barrett, Neil Fisher, John Walters, Roy Alford, Mike Burton, Reyn Young, Rich Hines, Ian Ackroyd-Kelly and Vice President Clark Reifsnider. I also heard from BR Rev. Nick Mager that he has retired. I asked if he had any specific retirement plans, wondering at the same time if that was an oxymoron. He answered, “Plans are very simple ... whatever I want! Actually, our plans mostly involve travel to see children and grandkids. Debbie and I have five children (between us) and five grandkids from Columbus, Ohio, to Shanghai, China. We are also discovering what this thing called a ‘weekend’ is, and so far, we really like it. I will actually continue some commitments to presbytery responsibilities and will keep some other commitments on committees and boards at a local Presbyterian retirement community and with Ohio Presbyterian Retirement Services. By the way, I just saw in a recent brochure from VMI that the track and field team will be at Youngstown State University for a meet in January. If the snow’s not too deep, I may go to cheer on the red, white and yellow.” I had an email exchange with Syl Zahn. While

searching for Vietnamese connections from long ago, I ran across an interesting piece of war history about the husband of our language teacher at Fort Bragg. It turns out that her husband was actually playing for the other side before he tried to engineer a coup in 1964 and was executed. He had the dubious distinction of being promoted posthumously to brigadier general in both armies. Bernie Halloran emailed and related what sounds like a great trip to Florence, Italy. He roamed about for six weeks trying to consume as much of the city’s art and culture as possible. I’m sure art history and humanities professors Badgett ’50 and Byers ’44 would be very proud, Bernie. I had a wonderful call from our class president, Marshall Taylor, responding to my November letter to the class. It was great catching up with him. Marshall was particularly moved by my closing the letter with the “full armor of God” quotation, because Kathleen had once taught a Sunday school lesson using the passage. He mentioned getting together and remembering old times with his roomie, Donnie Reed. Marshall related that Donnie had reached out to the widow of their late roommate and our late BR, Ricky Parker (another great guy). Marshall is facing cataract surgery, so include him in your prayers. Marshall’s call put me in mind of the fact that we have such terrific class officers. Marshall, Clark Reifsnider and Historian Randy Urmston are all wonderful brother rats. I also had a phone call from Dave Adkins in which we shared Civil War collecting stories. Unfortunately, the call was interrupted with a minor plumbing emergency in our house. I received this from BR Ken Petrie: “Meant to send this to you sooner. This article appeared in our local paper, the Easton Star-Democrat, back in mid-January. While the headline showcases his business, the article is really about our BR Dick Goodall and the good works he does without fanfare here locally. I know Dick would never blow his own horn. I read in the article about how he tried to blend in with the crowd and refused an invitation to speak, so I figured I would ask you to blow it for him in your next alumni notes. What Dick has done for Kent County really is in the very best tradition of the Institute and the concept of the citizen soldier.” Well said, and amen! I also hope you all saw the great articles in the last Alumni Review on BRs John Jumper and Jay Wegrzyn (and SR Cathy) and their selfless contributions to VMI and society. Please make 2014 the year you resolve to reach out to a BR, and include in that special outreach the wives and children of our departed brethren. Also, please commit to sending me an update on where you are in your life and to give back to VMI from what you have been given or earned. I’m proud to report that an embarrassingly large

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES number of references were made at VMI to single out the great class of 1966 by the Foundation officers, Keydet Club leaders, annual giving people and other alumni. They see, as I do, what a truly remarkable, loyal bunch we are. That is a real tribute to each of you and to the long line of outstanding class agents who have preceded me. With that, let me close by again expressing my appreciation to all for your kind thoughts and sustaining prayers. Those of you with physical challenges are a constant example for me, and hopefully, we can all persevere and follow the mantra of our BR, the late Jim Guy: “It’s not how much time we have, it’s what we do with the time we have.” I hope we will all use that time to strengthen ties with family, BRs, friends and neighbors. May God bless our class and VMI.

’67

Jan Abernathy

Sometimes, I have to ask for news. This time, I think I can fill up the five pages fairly easily. To start, I will add what those on ’67 email already know about Bo Traywick. In the February AR issue (2014-Issue 1), I said Bo did not have email or voice mail on his home phone and that he was seldom there to pick up a call. Snail mail was his only true contact, and that could be slow if he was out on the water. I believed it when I wrote it. His publisher now has him launched into reality with email and voice mail. I should also mention that Bo was voted by his high school classmates as “most likely to secede.” Several BRs have contacted him for a signed book copy, including Terry Moore and Mike Andrews. From Bo: “A big ‘howdy’ to BR Mike Andrews, if he’s listening! I haven’t heard from him in a coon’s age! Glad he’s still doing fine! I remember and, I’m sure he does, too, the cadre of ‘exalted lance corporals’ giving us confirmed grubby rats in 437 (in the room above theirs) their devoted attention on many memorable occasions.” King Von Schilling ’64 is a name many among us will not soon forget. He contacted me in order to reach out to his rat dyke, our ailing BR Don Harrison. I do not have a response follow-up from either of them yet. In November 2013, Bill Fleshood said he and Jo are building a house in Marietta, Georgia, to be near the grandchildren. By February, he said the foundation had not been poured and blamed it on the weather ... the sort of weather he and Jo were trying to leave behind in Connecticut. They took a two-week tour of Italy in November. John and Lynn Anderson have moved to Washington, North Carolina. Andy says the fishing is great, and they have salt and fresh water access.

2014- Issue 2

Birthday contacts (even when I am late or miss someone) often bring news, especially if you were able to open the photo I included. Bill Baker: “Since I’m probably the oldest brother rat, no big deal. I stopped having birthdays last year.” Dave Neel: “For some reason, the VMI records must be wrong. I was born in January!” (I made a correction with the alumni folks.) Barry Hedquist: “No pictures, but I can tell you that we are planning to pull up stakes here in California and move to Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, sometime in the first half of 2014. I can’t begin to tell you how much I enjoyed the reunion. I’m looking forward to the next one.” Austin Pritchard: “At this age, birthdays can be a little depressing, but having one certainly beats not having one.” Bob Barr: “Toni and I are celebrating a late birthday in Australia and New Zealand.” Jim Phlegar: “No big deal. I stopped counting at 60.” Rod MacKinnon: “I appreciate the photo gift. Couldn’t have included some squat butts, though the mutants I see pictured do look familiar.” Dan Wells: “What a motley crew! Not a lot to share ... we had a week at the beach and are planning a trip to do the Camino de Santiago next year.” John Forsyth: “That’s a great picture of the BRs lined up for the alumni parade. I recognize most in the picture, but why did they all bleach their hair white?!” Richard Stanard: “Only update for now is I am flying out tomorrow to spend six weeks on my new Dufour 45 sailing cruiser that is waiting for me in Tortola. I hope to buzz all around the area to include St. Martin, plus the passage islands of Culebra and Vieques just east of Puerto Rico about which I have read so many wonderful accounts. Right now, I have my eye on the storm system working westward from Africa about 600 or so miles from the islands where I am headed.” Jack Sheeran: “I hesitate to mention medical events in light of the horrendous conditions so many BRs are coping with. I had a hernia operation about three weeks ago, but I’m on the mend

Class of 1967: Joe and Joyce Stafford on the River Thames in London with the London Eye in the background.

to the point that Patty and I will be able to go ballroom dancing this weekend. “John Burgess: “My birthday is on Sept. 6 – the day after we matriculated at VMI!” Gretchen Fox: “Actually, you are four months early. My birthday is Dec. 8, and the year is a big secret!” Terry Moore: “Thanks for the birthday wishes! Getting older but getting better. Today and yesterday I went red snapper fishing with my son in the Gulf of Mexico. We caught our limit and had a great time. Of course, I was worn out after it all, but I held my own throughout. Wayne Marshall would have been proud of me and my fishing.” Ed Wittel: “Thank you for thinking of me. I keep waiting for the prize for getting old, but it never comes!” Allen Sprinkle: “I hope you and all our brother rats and their families are well.” Robert Klink: “June and I spent my birthday week at Pine Needles Resort in Southern Pines, North Carolina. We have a membership there. I wear a VMI hat when I play golf. It sometimes attracts alumni. This time, we had the pleasure of meeting Wade Houston ’72. Wade is from northern Virginia and is a government defense contractor (whatever that means). Dave Neel and I recently paired up in a local golf tournament. Thanks for carrying me, Dave. We were one stroke out of the money! I haven’t fully retired, but I am limiting my time in the office to about 10 hours a week.” Perry Ritenour: “Chip and Jane Brooke visited with Lee and me out in northern California in October. We had a wonderful time sampling the wines of Sonoma and Napa vineyards under beautiful fall California skies.” Tom Gritzmacher: “Lucy and I have had a very quiet year. In April 2013, we took a 10-day riverboat cruise in France. This also allowed me to take Lucy to Easter mass at Notre Dame. We even managed to get seats, which was a minor miracle in itself. About two months ago, we began taking horseback riding lessons to prepare for our trip next year that will include a trail ride in Wyoming.” Pat O’Brien: “I’ve finally hung up my teacher’s spurs, and for now, I’m fully retired. I figure I’ve got a few more months until Diana kicks me out of the house. My son, Matt, who was a rat not that long ago, is getting his ring [soon]. These things are humungous! I don’t know how big our rings are, but I weighed mine in the high school physics lab and did the conversion (can’t help it, I’m an engineer) and came up with approximately 25 or 26 pennyweight. These new ones are 44! I think most of them also get a combat ring (which has no stone and [, as part of the ring package,] is partially subsidized by the VMI Foundation) that they can wear every day.” Joe Stafford: “Joyce and I, along with another

CLASS NOTES

Class of 1967: Sandi and Dennis Telzrow on the Zambezi River near Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. couple, had a great trip to London, the French Riviera and Provence in August and September. We went for 26 days and were very fortunate to have good weather throughout the trip. On the Riviera, we stayed in Theoule Ser Mer, which was on the coast just 6 miles from Cannes. We visited all of the coastal towns, from St. Tropez all the way to Monaco. My favorite part of the trip was in Provence’s Luberon area where we visited the mountaintop towns Rousillion and Gordes, along with the villages of Eze and St. Paul DeVence in the Cote d’Azur.” Bob Randolph: “The big news in the family is the arrival of our first grandchild, Hugo Charles Randolph, produced by our son, Isham, and his Texas bride, Olivia. He was named for his maternal grandparents. I am off to Sao Paulo, Brazil, this evening (Nov. 12) to help the Arbitration Chamber of Brazil train a new crop of mediators and expect to be traveling back to Turkmenistan early next year to do the same. Nina is doing well and has a hankering to follow up on her pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago with a walk across England with me, most likely, in tow.” Robert Klink: “June and I are happy to announce the birth of a grandson, Hudson Alexander Klink. Hudson made it successfully into the world Oct. 24, 2014. Everyone is doing well. Provisional appointment is in the works. On another note, we went to Lexington for the All-Military Classic in early November. It was a ‘three-win’ weekend, since VMI won the basketball tournament and the football team trounced Gardner-Webb University.” John Chiles: “Friday, I got a surprise at the YMCA in Nags Head. I was telling a younger guy that when I was on the swim team in college, we didn’t have goggles. Since it was all guys, we didn’t even wear bathing suits in practice. He asked me what school, and I told him. A white-haired, mostly bald guy in the corner asked, ‘Did one of you say VMI?’ I told him I did. He asked, ‘What class?’ I told him. He said, ‘You and I are classmates!’ Wayne McDermott and I shook hands. I said, ‘Long time, no see.’ (More than 46 years to be exact.) It’s a small

world and an even smaller locker room. Wayne is the first brother rat I’ve seen face to face in more than 20 years. Yeah, I know, I know.” I sent out an obituary for Cliff Brooks ’70. It turned out he was Randy Blanks’ rat dyke. Brenda Orrison was recognized as a top-10 lawyer in Georgia in 2013, and she opened her own practice, too. Congratulations, Brenda! Neil Schlussel: “As mentioned in the last AR, I went to southern Africa (South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, Namibia and Zimbabwe) with my brother, Kent Schlussel ’70, his wife, Judy, and my friend, Shelli Ross. We had a great time. We saw lots of animals and interesting sights. We even took a helicopter ride over Victoria Falls. One of the things that amazed me was that everywhere we went, we could drink the water – something I have not been able to do in most of the countries I have visited (49 so far). One of the highlights of the trip was when we climbed the Big Mama (that is its name) sand dune in the Nambi Desert near Sossusvlei, Namibia. It was about 600 feet high. Of course, we made it to Cape of Good Hope, wine tasting in the Winelands of South Africa and to the top of Table Mountain. We were in South Africa just before Nelson Mandela died and felt very fortunate to be able to visit his home in Soweto and prison cell on Robben Island before all were closed for his celebration of life. Another area that stood out was the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens in Cape Town. We also rode elephants in Zimbabwe and saw too many wild animals to count. Some of the more rare animal sightings included the black rhino, cape buffalo, blue wildebeest, oryx, gray go-away-bird, African

jacana, rock dassie, southern ground hornbill and the spotted eagle owl. I would highly recommend this area of the world to visit. The people are very friendly, and you can eat and drink all the local food and do some unusual things.” I also visited Victoria Falls, the Skeleton Coast of Namibia, the wine country in South Africa and most places in between. Joan and I managed to attend a convention in Salt Lake City, Utah; visited her sister in Avila Beach, California; attended Joan’s 50th high school reunion in Las Vegas, Nevada (it is not practical to return to the now-closed Tehran, Iran American School); and went to the wedding of a niece in Toronto. Has anyone else tried the McDonald’s McLobster sandwich that is for sale in Canada? It costs a little more, but it is not too bad for previously frozen and re-heated lobster. Dixie and Bev Walker hosted BRs for the VMI versus Clemson University basketball game. J.B. Farley: “With every passing year, I am more thankful for the opportunity to have been a cadet at VMI. I hope every one of us will reinforce this with the current Corps. VMI is truly a very special old institution.” Richard Stanard: “All is going fairly well down here in Florida, the good Lord’s gigantic waiting room.” Bob Green (the other Bob) is working on a plan to visit India and other nearby countries. His folks were stationed in Thailand and Afghanistan years ago. Janice and Jim Clarke: “Our 4-month-old grandson, Zeke, came home from Children’s Hospital D.C. after a 6-day stay for open heart surgery to repair his atrioventriclular septal

Class of 1967: Jimmy Ferrell giving Orville Wright a flying lesson during a visit to Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES

Class of 1967: Neil Schlussel almost at the top of Big Mama Sand Dune near Sossusvlei, Namibia. defect. He did just great. Thanks for all of your prayers.” Continuing with notes from birthday and Christmas responses (sometimes things run together), Wiley McIlrath reminded me his birthday is in November and not December. Ted Coe: “Thanks for remembering each year, but as time goes by, it is more like just another day when I say, ‘Thank you, Lord; I woke up this morning, and I will make the most of it.’” Bill Korink: “Planning to attend the next reunion. The trick is if I can get McDermott to get someone to care for his horses so he can take an out-of-town break.” George Barletta: “I’ve always believed that the only thing I did to achieve that was to not have died during the last year. I’m glad, of course, but not responsible in any way for that accomplishment. Besides, I don’t have birthdays anymore.” Chuck Krebs: “Had a ball on the Island Princess. Went out through Vancouver, British Columbia. We spent seven days on the boat and four onshore. We had a nice final day in the Hotel Captain Cook in Anchorage. We would recommend Princess Lines to all.” Rick Davis: “Went to my high school 50th since it was 3 miles from my house. Everyone was old. Very depressing. Still gotta get me one o’ them kilts.” Bruce Bodner was one of the BRs I missed with an on-time card, and his response to the late greeting was, “That means I didn’t age this year! Thanks!” Gene Potter on his late card: “Mai pen rah cop. (No sweat!) One of the very few Thai phrases I learned in 1969.” Gene, you still owe

2014- Issue 2

I was hoping to see him at the last reunion.” Note: I did. As I write this, Vance Powell is still on his way to Alabama and his new job at the University of Alabama Medical College. His old phone is not in use, and his new office says he is not there yet. Capers Dixon has moved from the mountain top into the town of Brevard, North Carolina. Bill McHargue: “I know I have not been good about staying in touch with the class, so I decided to send an update. I retired in mid-March 2013 from Hughes Network Systems, where I ran North American Operations. I got tired of 24/-7/365 on call, so I decided to retire.” He has moved to Waynesboro, Pennsylvania. Fred Smith: “I finally transferred my dental practice to a new dentist, and I officially retired as of Feb. 7, 2014. Packing up the 40-foot fifth wheel and heading to Florida for a month or two to visit family and friends we met while serving in the U.S. Air Force at Wright Patterson, Dayton, Ohio. I am trying to talk my son, Brian, and his wife, Beth, into bringing their two sons, Seth and Tucker, down to Orlando and Disney World for a week. We are leaving Tuesday and hope we will miss the snow that may fall in the Carolinas on our way down. (Note: I think Fred was snow delayed.) Mel Wright offered to send me a bag of sand and salt for the second round of Georgia’s ice and snow. I suggested he keep it for the following reasons: First, he was going to need it himself, as the same storm was only a day away from Fredericksburg. Second, neither the postal service nor UPS/FedEx was able to deliver here just now. Third, there was not enough snow and salt in Virginia to resolve Georgia’s problem. Lastly, the sun and 50-degree weather was only a day away for us. Wayne Marshall: “From all of the weather reports, it appears that you southern folk thought that you could save on a northern skiing vacation by importing a little Yankee winter weather down into peach country. Besides the snow, we have

me the promised photos. On Bo Traywick getting a phone and email, Carter Melton said, “Good gawd! The thought of Bo leapfrogging anywhere is enough to make me reach for the Canadian Club.” Vic Tambone: “Not to worry. At my age, I don’t mind if we skip a few. Thank you for the thought.” Bob Morin: “Thanks for the birthday wish. Not much new here. I’m still working with the elderly and enjoying it. My Irish pub band is gearing up for the St. Patrick’s Day crunch. It’s a lot of fun, but no one is quitting their day jobs.” Tom Tomlinson: “You’re forgiven for lateness. Like VMI reunions, I only celebrate every five years, anyway.” Max Toch: “I remain very grateful that you have so diligently remembered so many birthdays for the BRs and me in the past. Besides, when we have collected as many as we have, it’s nice to pass one or two unremarked.” Dave Wilkinson: “No news or photos at this time. The semiannual golf trip with BRs to Pinehurst is coming up in April.” Ron Neidermayer: “Jan, can you forward Ted Coe’s email address to me? He was my roommate for all four years. We last met about 15 years ago in Washington, Class of 1967: Ken and Monica Chun in Maui for D.C., when I was auditing a Christmas 2013. hospital in northern Virginia.

CLASS NOTES been dealing with a lot of really cold weather, 13 or 14 below zero in the morning, which we refer to as ‘crunchy.’ When you walk out the door, your nose hairs freeze, and if you should sneeze, a whole bunch of little frozen missiles shoot out and imbed themselves in your glove. I received a photo of Ron Lowry and Richard Stanard, but it may be a counterfeit, as there was no fish in the picture. Bill and Linda Hughes have moved to an elevation of 8,500 feet in Angel Fire, New Mexico, but they left a cruiser on the Chesapeake for occasional visits. I finally connected Wiley McIlrath and Tom Tomlinson! Apparently, the email I had for Mr. BugX (Wiley) had been adjusted. Wiley is mostly retired after turning over daily operations to his son. The New Market info I sent out in January brought a lot of queries. Bert Burckard has joined me in signing up to be part of the VMI alumni contingent – 20th Virginia, Echol’s Brigade. Fortunately, I already have a musket bought in 1962 with paper route money and will be dyked out as a ragged Confederate. Plans are to have my grandson, Stephen, with me as a drummer boy. Terry Moore and I find we likely have a distant connection to the Stone family in Virginia. One of the Stones on his side married a Triplett who had a son in the class of 1866 and was a New Market cadet. Mine was from the non-VMI side of the Stones. A reminder from Bob Hess for the New Market weekend: “I don’t think I’ll make the reenactment, but the Corps of Cadets will march within 10 feet of my house in Mount Sidney, Virginia, and I plan on hosting a party to cheer them on as they pass. The house is the Markwood House in Mount Sidney, built in 1834.” You should receive this AR about a week before things get going for the weekend, so y’all come to Bob’s and the battle reenactment just up the street from his house. In closing, I find I have a couple of pages still to add from Christmas cards, but the AR limits the space for each class’s notes. I will email most of it soon. I hope those not on my ’67 email list will check in so as to not continue to miss additional class doings. Spring is springing as my crocus and jonquils are sprouting! Woohoo!

’68

Tom Hickey

I’ll open with a personal update. 2013 was a year of travel for me and Rosemary. In June, we took a 15-day river cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam. We were on three of Viking River Cruises’ boats. The Danube was above flood stage, so river traffic was either shut down or limited. In August, we went to California to visit our son,

Billy. We went to San Diego and toured the USS is a nice change from my previous cancer pracMidway. Then, we went to the San Diego Zoo’s tice in Norfolk. It keeps me out of mischief and Safari Park, where we took a truck tour of the allows me to contribute some support to an area animal enclosures and ended up feeding several needing urologic coverage. I recently hosted a giraffes and a rhino from the truck. We capped off ham radio event at our Outer Banks, North Carothe year with a trip to Buenos Aires, Argentina, lina, beach house. Tom Morehouse ’70 was one and Ushuaia, Argentina, where we boarded a ship of the attendees. I am really sorry to miss the for an Antarctic cruise. We made a dozen land- reunion this year due to an unavoidable family ings, some on islands, but more than half were on scheduling conflict.” Janice (Mrs. Billy) Davis (High Point, North the mainland of Antarctica. It was a fabulous trip. In mid-January, I had my left knee replaced, so Carolina): “VMI and Billy’s friends there are beI am on the mend as I write this. The highlight coming as important to me as they were to Billy. of the year, though, was all of the time we spent My family and I loved being at the reunion and with our granddaughter, Harper. At 16 months old so appreciate all that was done for us. It is good in February, Harper is a joy to be with. However, for Will and Emily to have VMI friends and remaybe the best part is watching our own child sources. I sold our home to the only people who (my daughter, Katie) go through what she put us looked at it and bought a cottage at Pennybyrn, a local retirement village. I will probably spend through 30 years ago. Ahhhhh, payback! Dee Biggs (Acton, Massachusetts): “I retired in the month of January moving and every day until May from Welch Foods after 35 years. It was a then, sorting and trying to decide what to do with great run, and I enjoyed it all. However, I have everything! At the moment, it seems overwhelmtaken a part-time job working for Broward Col- ing, but I am a fairly organized person. I have my lege in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, to develop a sup- ups and downs, but friends have been wonderful. ply chain program for them. This will go on for They give me my space but don’t leave me alone a few years and will get me off the streets and too long. I miss Billy so very much, and someout of my wife’s way. I also run the boy’s travel times, just for a minute or so, I can make myself basketball program in town and coach one of the believe he is napping, etc. Reality sets back in fifth grade teams each season. The object is player eventually. I am sure everyone who has lost a development, but we are loaded with talent this loved one has that same feeling.” Steve Wilson (Mathews, Virginia): “Really enseason. My wife, Linda, continues to be a ball of energy and is involved with lots of things in joyed the 45th Reunion. We enjoyed catching up our community. She is working hard to spoil our with BRs we had not seen since graduation. I conthree granddaughters. She is a retired elementary tinue to serve on a number of boards in Mathews school teacher, and the schools need more teach- County as a volunteer. Linda and I are planning to ers like her. Our three children are all doing great. take trips starting next year to see the U.S.” Creigh Kelley (Centennial, Colorado): “I have Bryan is in Boise with his family and working for Micron. Bryan and his wife, Michelle, who is a been on the go since the reunion, announcing runhuman resources consultant, have two beautiful ning events almost every weekend (Quad Cities, and smart daughters. Jenna is in Portland, Oregon, Akron, Des Moines, St. Louis, Brooklyn, Denteaching photography at the high school level and ver, Scottsdale and, this weekend, Alexandria, has one gorgeous and smart daughter. Jenna’s husband, Jeff, teaches fifth grade in Portland. Our son, Casey, has been working at a local thirdparty logistics company since he graduated from college. All are doing well, and we are proud of them.” Don Lynch (Virginia Beach, Virginia): “We are well. After being underfoot here at home, I have taken a locum tenens general urology job at a nice community hos- Class of 1968: From left, Carole Burton, Bob Crenpital in Berlin, Vermont. shew, Norma and George Buzzard, Wayne Burton, and Bob and Noreen Schmalzriedt at dinner in Charleston I am up there about two after the Citadel football game Nov. 16, 2013. weeks a month, and it

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES same thing. It was fun. At age 67, you no longer have to worry what people say. Just be happy. There’s a song in there somewhere.” Terry Bowers: “I have had a great week or so. For Veteran’s Day weekend, Joyce and I drove to MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida, to visit our son Matthew ’93 and his family. We attended a couple of Veteran’s Day programs while there, including one at grandson Class of 1968: Rosemary and Tom Hickey standing on David’s school, Tinker an ice floe in the Lemaire Channel near Antarctica dur- Elementary School. This was quite appropriate, ing a December 2013 cruise. since I was stationed at Virginia!). I am heading to Paris for a few days Tinker Air Force Base a long time ago. Chaplain Nov. 20, 2013. I needed a quick trip to keep my Caudill and his wife, Jan, spent the afternoon with United flying status intact! I will be back here for our family, Saturday. Unfortunately, Matt had to Thanksgiving to announce the 9,000-plus Turkey leave on temporary duty Sunday, but we still had Trot – you might’ve participated at some point? a good visit and fun with our grandsons. A day (From Tom: No chance!) After the Turkey Trot, I after getting home, Joyce and I received a surprise will have dinner with my children, who are flying dinner invitation from Jack and Benita Long (Auin from all over the country. Page, the youngest, is gusta, Georgia). Wayne Burton and his wife, Carcelebrating her 27th birthday, and she is engaged ole, were in town for some training for her, and to be married next summer! After that weekend, Jack had us all to his home that Thursday. We had I’m heading to the USA Track and Field meet- a great evening together. Yesterday, my son, Timing in Indianapolis, Indiana, then, back to Denver, othy, and I went to the Citadel game in Charleston, Colorado, for our annual company holiday party South Carolina. The score doesn’t tell how well we to benefit our charity, the Kipture Primary School played. A few bad plays in the fourth quarter cost Foundation in Kapsabet, Kenya. We built a kitch- us dearly. While leading 10-7 at the half, we manen, a library and several classrooms. I will fly to aged a mini ’68 reunion in the stands that consisted Kenya on the Dec. 12, 2013, to visit the school of Wayne Burton, George Buzzard (Waynesboro, and friends, and I will return on Christmas Eve. Virginia), Bob Schmalzriedt (Marietta, Georgia), In January, I head to do a week’s worth of fun Bob Crenshaw (Fletcher, North Carolina) and announcing and emceeing work at Walt Disney Dave O’Connor (Hartfield, Virginia). It was probWorld for the marathon. It was so great to see our ably the largest gathering of ’68 I’ve witnessed outBRs in September and to visit at Skip and Kay’s side of Lexington. It was a good time, and it was beautiful home. They’ve been through so much great to see each of them again.” [in 2013] and deserve lots of blessings going into Wayne Burton also sent a report of the same 2014. Naturally, we all are quite proud of Skip great event. He added: “Carole and I had dinner being at the Marshall Foundation! My running is in Charleston old town with George and Norma getting stronger. I’m very impatient to get back Buzzard, Bob and Noreen Schmalzriedt, and to my pre-cancer fitness level so I can race again, Bob Crenshaw. We picked up where we left off but Renee, my angel, insists that I should simply at the reunion. I emailed John Crim (New Market, be thankful to be able to be upright!” Virginia) about the New Market events in May In the last set of notes, I included a note from 2014. He said there will be big doings and that we Terry Bowers (Martinez, Georgia) saying that should make hotel reservations early. Terry said Wayne Burton (Kingsland, Georgia) had been he has a VMI flag that he intends to take across leading cheers at the VMI versus Presbyterian the battlefield for the second time.” College football game (more from both of them M.L. Buchanan (Salisbury, North Carolina): below). When asked about his, Wayne responded: “For Valerie and me, the past year has been a mix “Two years ago, I was at the Presbyterian game, of ups and downs. Valerie broke her right hip in and Bill Batten ’57 started leading cheers. I early June, but she has made a good recovery so jumped up to help him. Bill was a Keydet cheer- far (a down and an up). We have been in the new leader. He was at this game, too, so we did the home in North Carolina for more than a year now

2014- Issue 2

(a definite up). Also, all of our immediate and inlaw families are doing well (another definite up). Our daughter has accepted a medical mission offer and will accompany a group of other Portland, Oregon, doctors and nurses to Peru to perform surgeries on children with cleft lips/palates. They leave Jan. 17, 2014, and return several weeks later. In all, Valerie and I feel very blessed and fortunate, despite the occasional setback!” John Warwick (Virginia Beach, Virginia): “I hate winter about now, but it will soon pass and spring will be here before you know it. I am in the middle of changing jobs right now, and I’m really looking forward to a different type of work. I will let you know how it turns out once I get my feet wet. Otherwise, things are going well. Trudy and I are in good health and doing fine. I still remember the barracks like it was yesterday.” David Wagner (Littleton, Colorado): “A big happy birthday right back at you. (TJH note: Dave and I share the same birthday.) As I reflect on the big day for both of us, I am overwhelmed by gratitude. There is so much for me to be grateful for. First, making it to age 68. Then, there is my family, my reasonably good health, a comfortable retirement, great friends and still some interesting work yet to do at the School of Mines. I also think sometimes of the BRs we have lost this year, particularly Bennie Hicks, John Chapla and Bill Davis. Bill was my roommate rat year, along with Doug Schnabel (Brentwood, Tennessee) and Tony Aveta (Leesburg, Virginia). John was from the same part of Ohio as me. Benny was a good friend at VMI. I still correspond with Doug occasionally but no other BRs, other than you. I was sorry to miss

Class of 1968: Creigh Kelly at the Kerita Dam cross-country championship Dec. 21, 2013, in Kenya. Kelly, an honored guest at the event, spoke and handed out awards.

CLASS NOTES the reunion. Something came up, as it often does. This January, I passed the presidency of the Mines Foundation on to a full-time president. However, I remain the chairman and chief executive officer. The foundation’s net endowment assets recently passed the quarter billion dollar mark, so it was time for a full-time president. The executive committee offered me the job, but I do not want fulltime work. I will continue as a part-time chairman. My wife and I are off to Maui for the last two weeks of February. In April, I have a golf trip to Orlando, and then, it is golf season in Colorado. After that, it is football season. Then, the holidays. In January, the cycle starts again. This summer, we are staying home. I love Colorado in the summer. I think that it is the best place to be. Last summer, we went to Scotland for three weeks. We drove 1,100 miles all over the country. We had a great time. Maybe we will do it again someday.” Di Johnson (Humble, Texas): We split our year 50-50 between Texas and New York, summering mostly in New York. Suzie and I have found a wonderful group of folks to work and play with at the Arts Center of Yates County in Penn Pan, New York. We both help them out in the main gallery and are pitching in on planning improvements at the center’s summer teaching lodge called Sunny Point on Keuka Lake. I get fired up with antique boats and outboard motors and, once again, helped with our display at the big Houston Boat Show in January. We exhibited our classic Thompson runabout at Keels and Wheels in Seabrook, Texas, as well as at the Wine Country Boat Show in Hammondsport, New York. The ol’ gal garnered awards at each.” Hal Hostetler (Portsmouth, Virginia): “I have accepted the new role of minister of music at Calvary Baptist Church. It’s a big job that I haven’t held since our days at Meadow Hill in Louisville in the ’70s. Christmas is upon us, so we have home caroling, a Candlelight Carols program and other concerts to prepare and perform. The Tidewater Concert Band is an important part of Christmas, as well. I continue to play clarinet, sing and announce once in a while. We have continued to be involved in missions at different levels from our hometown to some at the ends of the earth. Brenda and I traveled to Panama to lead training sessions in teaching and preaching the Bible by the use of stories. In July, we worked in Spanish again on the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay.” Hal Switzer (Blanco, Texas): “We spend our winters in our recreational vehicle travelling in the great state of Texas. In March, we went over the cliff and bought 2 acres of land in Blanco, Texas. So, we put our house in Cambridge, Maryland, on the market. We were leaving right away for a six-week trip that included Israel, so we thought it would be a good time to be away with less hassle to keep the place ready to show.

Class of 1968: The wedding of Anne Wiltshire (Washington & Lee University ’07) to Jon Henry (University of Virginia ’04) afforded a room 135 roommates’ reunion for Dick Wood, Jim Henry, Chandler Williams and Jack Ferguson. Pictured, from left, are Dick and Letty Wood, the newlyweds, Jim and Susan Henry, Robbie and Chandler Williams, and Leah and Jack Ferguson. Well, the place sold in two days. Our marvelous Cambridge friends supervised the movers’ pickup and the sale of the house. The trip to Israel was just great, aside from Sandy being hit by a car in Nazareth the first day. Fortunately, there was no injury, except being very sore for a few days and a very big bruise.” Ron Stultz (Fairfax, Virginia): “Well, 2013 started out rough with a fire in our garage late one night in February. It did smoke damage to the entire house, garage and partly burned Priscilla’s BMW Z3. But after insurance repaired the garage and I repaired the Z3, all is right again. Priscilla got juried into the Torpedo Factory Art’s Center in Old Town Alexandria, once again confirming her status as a nationally recognized garment creation artist.” Jim Polley (Stafford, Virginia): “Our big news is the engagement of our son, Charles, to Elizabeth Camby of Spartanburg, South Carolina. Charles is still at Fort Hood, Texas, and is now working as the executive officer for the U.S. Air Force commander. He expects to be reassigned this spring to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, to support the 82nd Airborne Division as an air liaison officer. I’m still working full time and made a number of trips for the trials at Guantanamo. Each is a three-week cycle of preparation, court session and after session work, so trips in successive months pretty well eats up the time. Having made something like eight trips in 2013, it’s getting a bit old.” Wes Padgett (Montgomery, Alabama): “Ruth and I continue to work full time while sandwiching a bit more leisure into our schedules. We had travels to Tennessee, Missouri, Georgia, Florida, Texas and Virginia. Our daughter, Catherine, and our grandchildren, Jacob and Brenna, are in San Antonio. Our son, Eric, and his wife, Jennifer, are in Dallas. Our son, Matthew, is the executive chef

with House of the Blues in New Orleans, while our youngest son, Michael, continues with his acting career in New York City.” Dixon McElwee (Boca Raton, Florida): “Our oldest daughter, Devon Virginia, is living in Westwood, California, with our two grandsons, Henry and George. Our daughter, Caleigh, is living in Winston Salem and working at her alma mater, Wake Forest Business School. Our son, David Dixon, is working in the family business, a startup home health care agency based in St. Petersburg, Florida. I’ve retired the golf clubs for next year as I spend a majority of the month in St. Petersburg working. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing my BRs at Billy Davis’ memorial service and golf tournament. I’m still in touch with Groovey’s son, Will, who is a great young man, just like Billy!” Tayo LeDuc (Hiawassee, Georgia): “We took a month-long vacation in June. We went to Niagara Falls and stayed with a Vietnam platoon member. We then went to New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. We stopped in Maine and saw another platoon member for the first time since 1969. We stop by VMI every time we go see our daughter in Fishersville.” Ed Anderson (Los Alamos, New Mexico): “I officially retired from AREVA, a nuclear engineering company, Dec. 15. I’m trying to figure out what to do with this freedom.” Chuck Taylor (Norfolk, Virginia): “We’ve been cruising on our 42-foot sailboat, Long Gone, for the past five years. We spend eight months each year in the Bahamas, Mexico or Belize, and the balance of the year in the U.S. recovering and readying for the next trip. This summer, we began renovation of a house in Deltaville on a lovely creek. We moved in just before Christmas and will winter here. We hope to

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES

Class of 1969: From left, Rig Burroughs, Debbie and Mike Maguigan, Wendy Burroughs, Debbie McGrady and Lloyd McGrady standing in front of the gingerbread house at the Lake Oconee, Georgia, Ritz Carlton the weekend after Thanksgiving 2013. cruise to Maine this summer.” Will Robertson (Virginia Beach, Virginia): “I found some pictures of Bill Flavin (Carlisle, Pennsylvania) in his underwear, but I’m waiting to have them appraised.” And on that bombshell, I’ll close.

’69

Walter Judd

Greetings, BRs and friends of the Class of 1969, We look forward to our 45th Reunion this fall and the opportunity to renew relationships and enjoy good times. Not making it this time will be track star Mike Engle, who passed away in midJanuary. “Michael Robin Engle passed away Jan. 17, 2014, at Lewis Gale Alleghany Hospital. Mike was born in October 1946 at the C & O Hospital in Clifton Forge, Virginia, to the late Edward H. Engle and Lillian Sink Engle. Mike grew up in Clifton Forge and went on to attend VMI. While there, he loved running on the track team. From VMI, he went on to serve his country as a lieutenant in the U.S. Army, which included a tour in Vietnam. Upon returning home, Mike worked as a house painter for a number of years. He loved to fish and liked the challenge of difficult crossword puzzles. Mike was so fortunate to have many friends in the area who he spent time with over the years.” After I sent out a short email update in early November 2013, L.R. Williams wrote: “I wish all a good time next year, as I will not return to Myrtle Beach until the end of September when the humidity decreases. The big fire in Sun Valley in August 2013 came within 1 mile of our home, and we were evacuated for five days. The

2014- Issue 2

2,600 firefighters do a heroic and remarkable job. I still remember preparing a fire line as a volunteer firefighter when at VMI! Unfortunately, we had three days of rain after the fire was put out, and now, my fishing river is full of mud. As my brother, Gordon ’70, said, I should never have to worry again [about a fire], as it will take 30 years for the pine trees to regrow. VMI played a great half [of football] against my other team, Coastal Carolina University, and I hope they can do the same against the Citadel, the school many of my Myrtle Beach friends attended.” Now, on to Christmas greetings from BRs. If you did not see my collection of pictures and a little narrative in your Christmas card, go to the site: http://www.vmialumni.org/file/documents--class-agents/69Holiday2013.docx. I thank all of you who sent cards and notes. They were well received and get some notice here. Cards and greetings came from the following: Sam Hoffman; Webb Hatch, who is still coaching at Frostburg State University; Lloyd and Debbie McGrady, who recently moved to the Florida panhandle; Mike and Mary Giles, in the Boston area; Jim and Beth Long, who had their last child graduate from college in December; Bill and Jane Kirkpatrick; Larry Riegner, who is enjoying life in Florida; Gordon and Pat Bailey; and Spunky and Linda Butler, in Hanover County, Virginia. I also received greetings from Bob and Sandy Clingenpeel, both are retired and enjoying travel to see children and grandchildren all over the country; Courtenay and Ellen Welton, who are big fans of the study/travel courses offered on cruise liners; Peyton and Gail Brown; Pat and Tricia Branch, with a bunch of children and grandchildren in a beautiful photo; Don and Noreen Mercer, who seem to go everywhere for photo shoots; Tom and Karen Buckner, all dolled up for their son’s wedding; John and Carol Edenfield; Jay Jennings; Harold and

Jane Fleischer; Frank Novakowski, who sent a winter scene from Michigan; Tommy and Becky Hudson, who included stories written and illustrated by their grandchildren; Mike and Leigh Harper; Tommy and Elizabeth Jones, our triathletes; Joe and Jenny Howard in New Mexico; Wayne Keesee; and Rick and Mary Anne Snow, our potters and grape farmers. Gary Mackey sent his greetings via email: “For years, Christmas Eve has been my favorite day of the Christmas season. You can give and receive presents on Christmas Day, but the best gifts are family and friends. Peggy sends our attached Christmas letter to friends and relatives we don’t see much during the year and always does a great job. She did not capture that this year I spent my 66th birthday at a Washington Nationals game with all my children and grandchildren. I’ve been blessed by many things, but my friendships at church, Kiwanis and the brotherhood of VMI have rewarded me many times over. On a sad note, I learned recently that when Walt Disney died, he was 65 years old. I thought he was an old man. Have a wonderful Christmas Eve, and may you, too, understand how blessed you are.” Gary attached his letter to the message and gave me inspiration to do the same. His letter had pictures of family members and pets, while mine focused on my grandson. I have to admit, the U.S. Navy engineer still has some great ideas and super support. Bob Clingenpeel sent me another of the photos used in the Christmas letter. His showed the BRs who attended the Nov. 11, 2013, Institute Society Dinner at VMI. Joining Bob and me were Bob Flowers, Mike Santoro, Bob Heely and Fred Downey. Even though Charlie was traveling that night, Cammy Bryan joined us for the dinner and short visit with Alumni Association President Bob Heely in the Moody Hall suite. Heely sent this short note and a small photo in early December: “Gary Mackey and I were at the Onancock [Eastern Shore, Virginia] Holiday Home Tour and ran into George ‘Rose’ Budd. George earned his doctorate degree in geological engineering at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill and had been out West until he retired to Onancock 10 years ago.” George got double-teamed by BRs as he tried to explain why he had not been to Lexington recently. Also connecting on the Eastern Shore were Gary Mackey and Bob Byrne. First, Gary: “Peggy and I bought our house in Onancock in 2003. We still live in Norfolk, but we use our house there as a retreat. It is a small two-story farmhouse (circa 1890) in the town. Bobby Watts also has a place nearby and will eventually retire there one day. Our house in Onancock is not big enough to retire in, but it is great to get away from the rat race of city living. Peggy’s mother was born in Onancock. When we decided to buy a second home, we chose there for the memories and the

CLASS NOTES love of the town and area.” Then, Bob: “We bought a lovely old home just above the Virginia/Maryland border a number of years ago. Onancock is one of our favorite towns on the Eastern Shore. We love that restaurant by the town dock. We bought our house near Princess Anne, Maryland, (an hour north of Onancock) about the same time as you, although we still live/work in the New York City area. It is a little gentleman’s farm built in 1816. We use it mostly in the spring through the fall and keep a couple of boats there. It is the most restful place on earth.” Don Mercer takes his cameras and equipment to some pretty exotic places and to some not so far off places, as well. He sent reports from the Shenandoah National Park, Virginia; the Congaree National Park, South Carolina; the Caribbean Sea (from the deck of the Royal Caribbean’s Majesty of the Seas); and several wilderness sites in Southern Africa. As he pointed out, the campingin-the-rain days just don’t excite him as much anymore, yet his quarters in the boonies of South Africa had other excitement to offer. It’s not often you have to keep the door to your room closed to keep the baboons out! Go to the following site for some great photos and stories: http://www. rustic41creations.com/content/power-point-presentations-draft/an-african-photo-safari-tellingthe-story/. Tommy Jones sent the following report of the VMI at El Cid football game in mid-November: “Elizabeth and I had fun in Charleston. The team looked good until the final quarter. Jimmy and Beth Long were there with Beth’s sister. It was hot, but the VMI cadets kept their blouses zipped up. The Citadel jerks looked [bad] with open blouses and undone collars. We went to the Citadel Museum. For your information, it was founded in 1842 as an academy and an arsenal in Columbia. When Sherman was coming through on his way to Savannah, all the records of Citadel, Military College of South Carolina or Academy – whatever the name – were sent to the arsenal, as the thinking was that Sherman would burn Charleston. Well, he burned Columbia, so there are no historic records. The Citadel did not reopen until 1882. The governor at the time wanted to make Clemson the military school and never reopen the Citadel. I respect the Citadel graduates I have met, but there is just no comparison when you talk history.” Right, Dr. Jones! Ron Wall convened one of our reunion planning meetings during Ring Figure weekend in late November so we could all note the differences between the current cadets’ Ring Figure and our own. We first noted the weather was fantastic. Glenn White, Jim Baker, Tom Morris and I arrived at noon Friday and played golf in beautiful fall weather. We then took two Tidewater 4th Class cadets out for supper and saw many 2nd

Class of 1969: In honor of the many VMI men who served in the War Between the States, Kirk Materne and Waite Rawls ’70 placed this plaque at the new Appomattox location of the Museum of the Confederacy. The above photo was taken during summer 2013. Class cadets with dates and families out on the town. It turns out the dance was later that night, and it all started that evening with dinner at local restaurants. All else looked normal until the next morning when we saw a 2nd Class cadet standing in front of a local motel with his hay roll. Apparently, he had a free night after the dance, but his family’s room did not have enough beds. No problem, it seemed. I remember carrying a red comforter around with me, but never my hay roll! From “Little Waite” (BR Brantley’s name for Waite Rawls ’70, the Museum of the Confederacy president and chief executive officer) came the following message: “Kirk Materne has been a member of the Museum of the Confederacy for years (along with a lot of your BRs). With our new location at Appomattox, he wanted to commemorate the service of VMI men to the Confederacy. I checked with Col. Keith Gibson ’77 (VMI Museum) to determine the best estimate of the number, and it is 1,800. The result is a plaque on the wall, just outside the door of the Appomattox museum. Kirk thinks a lot of VMI men should be interested in going to Appomattox. There are 12 Institute men whose artifacts and photos are featured there.” The pilgrimage through central Virginia now should include the Bedford World War II memorial and the new Museum of the Confederacy site. Some of the “small world” connections I see still amaze me. In November 2013, I traveled to the Boston area for Thanksgiving with my daughter’s family. I stayed in a bed-and-breakfast in Brookline and was pleased to be near her house. At breakfast the first morning, my wife and I met other folks who were also staying

there. It did not take long for the couple across the table to establish the VMI connection and do the mutual friend routine. To cut to the chase, in a few minutes I was talking on the phone with BR Paul Kowalski in Kentucky! My tablemates and Paul were close friends in the Episcopal Church in Lexington, Kentucky, and Alice wanted me to say hi to Paul. What a fun conversation! Fortunately, Paul was awake, as it was still pretty early. He had gotten up to walk the dog. I hope these situations also happen to others. Lloyd and Debbie McGrady have moved back to Florida and settled in Navarre (near Destin in the panhandle). If you saw the Christmas letter I posted, you saw a picture of the McGradys with Rig and Wendy Burroughs and Mike and Debbie Maguigan. The three couples got together for dinner at Lake Oconee near Atlanta after Thanksgiving and sent me visible proof that all was well. They went to the Ritz Carlton for supper. Uh, a different Ritz ... . John DuBose posted a picture on social media of himself with South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley at a reception for members of the South Carolina State Guard. John was kidded by several BRs for “bracing” in his picture. Hard not to do when the governor is handing out kudos. Mike McCrary was also on a social media site advocating Hawaiian music. He loves and treasures his and his friends’ talents in the special arrangements. He physically lives in California, but mentally, he is in Hawaii among the Oahu crowd. In early February, I traveled to Lexington for an evening with the Sebrells (including their 3-year-old granddaughter!), a reunion meeting and basketball game. Ron Wall led the meeting and received reports from several committee members. John Sebrell and Jim Long have worked out the details of the motel and the informal night activities. They are getting bids for the supper meal and a big tent on the motel site. Chuck Becker met with Aramark and made arrangements for the more formal dinner the Saturday night of our reunion at the Center for Leadership and Ethics on the VMI post. Jim made plans for golf (BRs and family members) for the Friday of the reunion at the Lexington Golf & Country Club, while Glenn White is all set to arrange tennis for all interested persons. Dave Prugh and Jim Long have been coordinating with VMI-connected artisans to develop a unique belt and belt buckle for our class. Tom Morris sent his report on the unique New Market tartan wool scarfs and ties he is researching. We will have some very interesting favors this time that will show our support of creative and historically correct persons. Other committee members hard at work include Gary Braswell, Tommy Thompson, Bob Waldo, Skinny Baker, Jim Chapman and Walt Judd. Plan to join us in

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES Lexington for the 45th Reunion Sept. 11-14, 2014. At the basketball game that same February afternoon, I saw Jim and Beth Long, Dave and Susan Prugh, John Sebrell, Ralph and Mary Alice Wright, Charlie Bryan, Glenn White, Skinny Baker, Ron and Betsy Wall, and Marty and Cathy Parks. Bob Heely was also in town that weekend, leading Alumni Association meetings both Friday and Saturday. VMI beat Charleston Southern University in a good game and maintained their first place position in the league. For some reason, some of our stars looked a little tired in the second half, but they had an excuse. They had played four overtimes at Gardner-Webb University the previous Wednesday night (in a magnificent, gutty victory) and then had to return by bus to post for a normal (read: up early!) Thursday. That same week in February, I was invited to a gathering of the “Old Corps” members from the Williamsburg area. Nearly 40 men met in the New Town area of Williamsburg for lunch and short speeches. “Jim Dan” Gibson (our BR Dan who got renamed Jim as he worked in the military and industry after VMI) and several others from classes on both sides of ours sat together and talked business, golf and VMI. It was a fun time. “Good to Me” Jim Henry, the leader of the group, did a great job of finding VMI alumni and letting them know where to meet. We plan to do this on a regular basis over the coming months. Sometimes, I serve as a middleman in getting BRs together. I especially enjoyed an exchange between Doug Marks and Joe Farrar. Doug had pictures and a copy of the roster for our rat football team from fall 1965. We had a full team of relatively small but scrappy players. Ask Doug or me for the picture and roster if you are interested. John Dick and Tony Gentile were both listed at 155 pounds, with Tom Catlett, Joe Farrar and Richie Daub close behind. Our “heavies” included Gene Beale, Ken Parris and Hugh Tompkins at more than 230 pounds at the start of their 4th Class year. Our starting defensive ends, Mike Giles and Lee Stillwell, were both in the 170s! Times have changed, haven’t they? These notes are on the way to the editor in midFebruary. As I complete them, I note the snow is starting to fall – again – in my community, and all of the East Coast states are getting pounded by ice and snow. I checked social media one last time and saw all sorts of reports about snow. From the mountains of Tennessee came words from Tom Ruffin: “Snow and playing ‘trailer dawgs.’” From Cammy Bryan in Richmond: “Thunder snow!” From Jim Long in Salem, Virginia: “Eighteen inches on the ground and more coming.” From Gary Mackey, who was visiting in California: “Stuck on vacation until the airports open again.” Rebel Good in North Carolina was shown shoveling the white stuff off his porch. Lastly, Mike Hanna in Birmingham, Alabama, sent a photo of his community bathed in

2014- Issue 2

snow. Not too concerned was Brant Collins, who was swimming and paddling in Maui. I also know the VMI baseball team got on the field for the first time recently and started their season Valentine’s Day weekend with games against the University of North Carolina Wilmington and the University of Virginia, the preseason topranked team in the country. The basketball game in Lexington is scheduled to go as planned in spite of the wintry weather. Such is the sports scene for VMI these days: get out and do, no matter what the weather. Take care, BRs, and plan to join us in Lexington in September for the 45th Reunion. Look for the information and your invitation in coming weeks. Yours in the spirit, Walt

’70

Warren Grasty

Unfortunately, I have to start off this report on several very sad notes. As you should already know, we lost Cliff Brooks in November to cancer. Cliff served in the Vietnam War as a Marine Corps officer. I didn’t know Cliff that well at VMI, but it was clear to all that he was a leader. Less well known was that he also had a keen sense of humor. After leaving the Marine Corps, Cliff served his local community in Florida in numerous ways, including as a teacher and a school resource officer for the sheriff’s department. Representing our class were Phil Anderson and David Schmidt, who joined more than 150 people in paying their last respects to Cliff at Florida National Cemetery. On Christmas Eve, Dave Payne’s father, Retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Carl N. Payne ’41, died at the age of 94 in Lansdowne, Virginia. I had a very nice visit with Dave and Mary Kate at the funeral home after they arrived from their home in San Diego earlier that day. Payne ’41, who entered the Army Air Corps as a private and retired 32 years later from the U.S. Air Force as a lieutenant colonel and a World War II veteran, will be buried with honors at Arlington National Cemetery later this spring. On a much happier note, while trolling through Facebook, I discovered that Dave Curry was married June 1, 2013, to the former Jane Greaves of Houston. They had planned to get married while in Italy in May, but bureaucratic complications intervened. While in Europe, they spent a week in Sicily (where Dave’s grandparents came from), six days on a farm near Sienna and a few days in Zurich after taking the train through the Alps. In November, they spent Thanksgiving with Dave’s son and family in Breckenridge,

Colorado. Also, after the stock market value of the Brazilian independent oil company he worked for tanked, so to speak, Dave joined Maersk Oil in Houston. All in all, 2013 was a pretty good year for the kid from San Antonio. Liz and I enjoyed the many Christmas cards we received from brother rats around the world. From the left coast, Dave Lawrence wrote to say that he and Pam met up with Bob and Tari Grossman and Roland and Jeannie Vaughan last summer in Ventura, California. In an unmistakable attempt to keep up with the gentleman farmer Dave Price (based upon indisputable video evidence provided by Dave Trenhom), he and Pam recently bought a small farm in Tennessee. Which brings to mind the lyrics, “Oh, give me a home where the buffalo roam, and I’ll show you a messy house,” compliments of the Truth in Songwriting Association. Moving right along down the road in Mississippi, Jay Tice reported that he and Liz have their hands full working full time and shuttling 8-year-old J.J. to and from his various commitments, including baseball, soccer, karate, basketball and Cub Scouts (Jay and Liz are co-den leaders). J.J. also finished in sixth place in the Regional Science Fair at Jackson State University. Liz continues her podiatric and surgical practice and was elected vice president of the state Podiatric Medical Association. Jay is in his eighth year as director of the Innovate Manufacturing Extension Program for Mississippi. In April 2013, Jay had a second major ablation procedure for atrial fibrillation. He was due for a third one in January. We await word of a clean bill of health from the doctors. Ned Haley somehow found the time to write, saying that he and Fricka did the fall foliage tour of western Massachusetts in October, after which they headed to the coast to see granddaughter Tessa. They flew to Doha, Qatar, for Thanksgiving with Fricka’s son, Patrick, and his wife, Jennifer. A traditional Arabic meal (with nary a drop of alcohol) was followed by pumpkin and apple pie. Next up was Munich for some Christmas shopping in the Cristkindle Market. From there, they drove to Austria to spend a few days before flying back to Doha for the return flight home. Later in December, they visited son Adam and his wife, Sandi, at State College, Pennsylvania, where Adam is an adjunct professor and Sandi is an international student adviser at Pennsylvania State University. Whew! Note: The week after the last class notes were due, I headed down to Gray and Nancy Chandler’s home in Orange Park, Florida, to spend a few days before riding with them up to Charleston, South Carolina, for the VMI versus Citadel football game. Ergo, that’s why you are reading about football in the springtime. Anyway, joining in on the weekend’s festivities were A.C. and Beth

CLASS NOTES

Class of 1970: February 2014 annual GOMBACS golf outing in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. From left: David Schmidt, Gary Weishaar, Gray Chandler, A.C. Arnn, Warren Grasty, Dave Eden, Bill O’Connor, Charlie Walker, Herb Braun, Tom Cooke, John Bailey and Mike Snead. Arnn, Gray and Nancy Chandler, Al and Ann Kirk, George and Lisa Ritko, David Schmidt with the lovely Katie Longshore, and Gary and Lynn Weishaar. We were kindly invited to join a pregame tailgate party hosted by Dallas and Mary Richards ’96, who put on quite the spread. It’s a wonder we even bothered to go to the game. That evening, on the way to dinner, we ran into Tom Jones ’69, with whom we commiserated about the Old Corps. During the previous week in Orange Park, I was the guest of the Chandlers at the annual dinner and ball of the local chapter of the Military Order of the Stars and Bars, which is a Confederate Heritage Organization. I am certainly no marketing whiz, but if they would simply add “Yomama” to their name, their acronym would be MOSBY, which, in my humble opinion, would be very apropos. Luckily for the Chandlers, I refrained from making this observation during dinner. Speaking of which, these people really take this stuff seriously. Not only were most of the attendees decked out in their finest gray uniforms, the main dinner course was hard tack, served with the obligatory johnnycakes. Scrumptious. On a related note, in November, Museum of the Confederacy President Waite Rawls announced the MOC’s merger with the American Civil War Center, which is located at the historic site of the old Tredegar Iron Works in Richmond. Soda and ACWC President Christy Coleman will serve as co-chief executive officers of the yet-to-be-named new organization. Among their first tasks is raising $30 million, of which $20 million has already been committed, for new facilities that will provide a world-class experience for visitors. In addition, discussions are underway with the Virginia Historical Society to preserve, digitize and distribute the letters,

has just been released in paperback and is available on Amazon. It sounds like it will be a great read, even for an engineer. Several pieces of more recent history were produced by Chip Humphrey, i.e., our Ring Figure magazine and the letter that Gen. Shell ’931 sent to our parents early in our 4th Class year. You remember – this was the letter that you hoped contained the words, “Your son has proven himself incapable of adapting to ‘the system.’ Please come and haul his butt away immediately.” Alas, either this wording was excluded from the letter my parents received, or tragically, it was lost in the mail. Chip also stumbled across some pictures from our years in barracks that I am, very slowly, trying to put together for distribution. Also contributing was Mike Hannum with a copy of the picture of himself with his other two 4th Class roommates, Ned Haley and Gary Weishaar. Which begs the question, “Why were these people smiling?” Anyway, while we’re on the topic of old things, Diehl Jones wrote in to say that he and Pat have been invited to show their 1966 Mustang GT in the Pinehurst Concours d’Elegance in May, one of only 119 cars to be shown. Last year, you may remember, they showed their 1953 Chrysler. As was the case then, Diehl said the highlight of the event was the annual Iron Mike Rally in which the car owners drive wounded warriors in their antique cars from Pinehurst to the main post parade ground at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Then there’s the case of Tom “I-Need-To-GetA-Life” Massey, who, in December, mercifully completed his 23-year-long (yes, folks, years) search for a VMI cadet figurine. This saga began way back when Tom lived in Clemson, South Carolina. These figurines were reportedly made

diaries, books and photographs of the MOC through VHS’ renowned archival capabilities. Well done, Soda! Also newsworthy was the announcement of Senate Joint Resolution 359, which was passed last November by the Virginia Senate and sponsored by Virginia Sen. Frank Wagner. This resolution commended Boys’ Home in Covington, Virginia, for its work spanning more than 100 years helping boys in need from the commonwealth and around the country to grow into productive members of society. Congratulations to Donnie Wheatley, executive director, and to everyone involved with this amazing organization, including board members Betty Brown and Julie Strock. While we’re on the history thing, Bob Hawthorne uncovered the 1964 document describing the 100th anniversary of the reopening of VMI after the Civil War in 1864. Wasn’t that about the same time that S.O.S. was added to the breakfast menu? In any case, Bob generously donated this document to the VMI Archives at Preston Library. Powell emailed me recently to say that his brother, John S. Powell Class of 1970: At a VMI versus Citadel pregame tail’60, has just completed gate party in Charleston, South Carolina, were, from his second book, “New left, George Ritko, Gray Chandler, David Schmidt, A.C. Market,” a historic fic- Arnn, Laura Richards, Warren Grasty, Gary Weishaar, tion novel centered on the Al Kirk and host Dallas Richards ’96. Battle at New Market. It

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES

Class of 1970: Bill Scherer with Wayne LeBlanc ’60 on the PGA West course in Palm Springs, California, in January 2014. after World War II in occupied Japan, which, of course, adds to their value immeasurably. He saw a collection of said figurines representing all of the service academies and non-service schools, but the owner would not sell the VMI cadet figurine by itself. So, the quest began. Then, 23 years later, said item was found for sale on, drum roll, please ... eBay. It was being sold by the estate of a Class of 1949 alumnus. No word yet as to what purpose Tom has for the rest of his life. After I sent an email around about this curious affair, Bill Scherer was sensitive enough to inform Tom that he had just thrown away a box of these figurines, since McDonald’s now gives them away with Big Macs. A more reputable source, George Jones, said that he still has the one he received from his mother as a Christmas gift in 1966. Speaking of search sagas, Kathy McAuliffe recently completed her quest to obtain a replacement class ring for Steve as a 65th birthday present. It seems that Steve lost this ring while snorkeling years ago. Ed Trinkle assisted her in tracking down the right people, i.e., Diane Brown in the VMI Alumni Association office. Unfortunately, most of us have the problem of our rings being too tight. If you need to have your ring enlarged, Diane is the person to handle that, too. In his email documenting this story, Ed also inserted some random trivia concerning the number of graduates who matriculated at VMI from James Madison High School in Vienna, Virginia. It seems that only three guys matriculated at VMI from the school’s founding in 1961 through 1965. Then, lo and behold, in 1966 five young men did so, namely Ed, Jeff Lyon, Chuck Thompson, Jay Tice and Bob Randall. The mind boggles. Obviously in need of a break, Ed and Marky headed to Hawaii in

2014- Issue 2

late January for a wedding on the Big Island fol- by at least 10 percent. Also supporting the Runnin’ Roos are George lowed by some time on Kauai. Their tour guides were none other than Dave and Alene Pittman, and Lisa Ritko, who were to meet up with David who reside there four months every year pulling Schmidt and the aforementioned Katie for a basgrandparent duty for their grandchildren. Having ketball game in late February. Speaking of whom, just come in from shoveling 14 inches of snow, I in December, David took a flying leap. Actually, am wondering where I went wrong. Fortunately Katie gave him an hour of flying/dog fighting time for you people, I am not allowed enough space for his birthday. Basically, the real pilot handled to go into all of that right now. the takeoff and landing, but the rest of the time, Reporting from a different island – Edisto Is- David was flying the aircraft. I’m not exactly clear land, South Carolina, to be exact – Scott Kinsey what the rules of engagement were, but according said he had a great visit with Ned and Florence to the Red Baron – I mean David – “I ended up Perrow at their getaway place in early February. with a 6-3 win rate for the two hops. Each time Scott was almost as impressed with Cloudy’s I got killed, I got impatient, pushed the edge of oyster steaming skills as his ability to retain his the envelope, stalled the plane and became a sithair after all these years. ting duck.” I am just thankful all this transpired Another get-together among brother rats hap- several states away. In January, I had a nice exchange of emails with pened in Williamsburg, where Neil and Di Steverson spent a weekend in January with Cy and Artie Pates about my slowly-gelling plans with Mary Margaret Dolph. Neil related that Cy looks a few other BRs for a trip to Memphis in spring just like he did back in the day, which is about as 2016 to check out the local music and barbecue, possibly followed by a paddle wheeler cruise depressing as Cloudy’s full head of hair. Tommy Cooke said that he ran into Dave and down the Mississippi to New Orleans for a few Diane Nuckols one recent Friday night in Rich- more days of music and food. Artie, who lives mond. Since Tom made no mention of Dave’s in the Memphis area, volunteered to act as tour hair or how he hadn’t changed over the years, I guide and bail bondsman. Also making future travel plans are Gordon Wilcan only assume that this is not good news for Dave. liams and Mike Carruth, who have scheduled a In late October and early November, Gray golf trip to Scotland in July with some other friends. and Nancy Chandler went on a Mediterranean It seems like only yesterday Gordon was traipsing cruise that included stops in Rome, Venice and around the Old Course at St. Andrews with his son. the Greek Isles, including Ephesus, where they I never realized haggis was so addictive. Also playbought a carpet. Can you imagine Stix haggling ing some golf at PGA West in Palm Beach, Caliwith a Greek carpet vendor? Visions of magpies fornia, no less, was Bill Sherer, who got in a round come immediately to mind. with the only other VMI alumni member there, Also in cruise mode were Russ and Elaine Mar- Wayne LeBlanc ’60. Bill mentioned something shall, who took an eastern Caribbean cruise out about playing in sunny, 85-degree weather in midof Baltimore in late January. Upon returning, they January, but I chose to ignore him. After reading checked out their house on Lake Anna, which was the following paragraph, I will let you be the judge fine, but the lake was frozen over. Obviously, they as to the appropriateness of my response. The end of January brought came back too early. This with it the latest installment summer, they are planning an of the annual Myrtle Beach Alaskan cruise, though most golf trip known for some likely not out of Baltimore. reason as GOMBACS. This Also in November, Howie year’s participants were A.C. and Barbara DeWolf made Arnn, John Bailey, Herb the trek from northern VirBraun, Stix Chandler, Tom ginia to Lexington with their Cooke, Jim Mawyer, Bill daughter and her six children O’Connor, David Schmidt, in tow to attend the VMI Mike Snead, Charlie Walker versus Gardner-Webb Uniand Gary Weishaar. Our versity football game. Their newly appointed trip meister, efforts were rewarded with Herbicide, did an excellent good weather and a win. job on all counts except the Plans are underway to return weather. We have never beto Lexington for a basketball game with their son and his fore had play canceled due six children. If VMI could Class of 1970: Dave Schmidt to frozen greens. Although, somehow get the entire De- in the cockpit prior to his aerial truth be told, getting there Wolf clan to attend a game, dog fighting games in Decem- and back wasn’t nearly as ber 2013. exciting as it was several gate receipts would increase

CLASS NOTES would be hard to conyears ago during Snowvince a whole lot of mageddon. A.C. brought people around the counnews that son Patrick and fiancée Jessica have set try who have been in the their wedding date and icebox forever it seems. location, which is Sept. 6, Even our brother rats 2014, in Jessica’s homewho have migrated south to spend their golden town of Portland, Oryears have had just about egon. Patrick will leave enough of the “polar vorItaly in April for his next assignment at Eielson tex.” The rats had their Air Force Base, Alaska. breakout Saturday, Feb. Just as exciting, daugh1, so they didn’t have to ter Sarah and hubby Class of 1970: Ralph Costen, Bill be concerned about the Michael announced the O’Connor, Bill Paulette and Jim winter storm named Pax. planned arrival of grand- Chapman at the 1969-70 Golf Chal- So, when these notes apchild number one in June. lenge in Palm Springs, California, pear, things will be better January 2014. It was all proud papa/ for everyone. grandpa A.C. could do not VMI certainly has a big to bust through his seven layers of clothes while celebration coming up with the 150th anniversary playing golf. of the Battle of New Market. I hope to make it The weekend following GOMBACS, Stix and up to the parade May 15, but I may not make it Nancy Chandler hosted their annual oyster roast to New Market for the reenactment scheduled for in Orange Park, Florida, which was attended by May 18. I am told that motels are already pretty John and June Bailey and David Schmidt. Several well booked. If some of you make it up there for days later, the Chandlers and Baileys headed to the weekend, I hope you will share some pictures Key West to take respite from the cold. Reporting and accounts of the event. on any notable mayhem resulting from this trip will Most of you are aware by now that our class has have to wait until the next issue of class notes. lost another brother rat. Charlie Raymaker died From a much more productive segment of soci- Jan. 6, 2014, in Florida. Charlie matriculated to ety came news that Carson Tucker was recently VMI from Richmond, Virginia, but left during our unanimously elected to the position of chairman of 2nd Class year. He later completed his degree at the board of supervisors for Powhatan County, Vir- American University and was a veteran of the U.S. ginia. Carson joined the board in 2007 following Army. Following his Army duty, Charlie worked his retirement from Philip Morris USA. Thanks to as a special agent with the FBI and later ran his Ned Haley for passing this information along and own private security company. The Class of 1971 extends its sincere condolences to the members of congratulations, Carson! For the grand finale, I am pleased to report that Charlie’s family. (See obituary in the Taps section Ralph Costen and Bill O’Connor finally, after 10 of this Review.) About a week before Christmas, Mike Stricklong years, defeated Jim Chapman ’69 and Bill Paulette ’69 in the annual Class of 1970 versus ler was at the Shenandoah Regional Airport to 1969 golf smack down out in Palm Springs, Cali- pick up his daughter, Amanda, arriving from Sefornia. Maybe it’s just me, but Rufus and Big beat- attle. He ran in to Phil Klim who also was there ing Weasel and Bunny sounds more like the plot to pick up his daughter, Emily, who was flying in from a twisted children’s bedtime story than the from Houston. Mike and Phil chatted for a while result of a golf match. It’s even causing flashbacks and remarked about what a small world we live in to my formative years watching “Fractured Fairy- and how you never know when a brother rat will suddenly appear. I imagine that the girls had a few tales” on Saturday morning television. Mercifully, that’s all there is. Besides, I’ve got to connecting flights on their journey to SRA, but at least they have planes there. When we get a plane get back to the snow shoveling. to land down here in Dublin, Virginia, they radio In the spirit! ahead so that we can mow the runway. One of these James Kelly days, we will get our stimulus package and once again fill the skies, but for now it remains pretty quiet. Kathryn and I thank everyone who sent Christmas cards and letters. We use all of your cards as part of our decorating, and this year, we even had These notes cover the period of Nov. 1, 2013, to to create an expansion area. Featured were cards Feb. 15, 2014. from Schelhorn, Friend, Hepler, Bryan, Ginder, Winter is about to enter its last month, but that Good (Jo Ann), Kern, Neville, Roder, Berkness,

’71

O’Loughlin, Strickland, Czupryna, Kardian, Coble, O’Donnell, Schrader, Hannum, Stallings, Gearhart, Wadsworth, Price, Sanetti and Zirkle. On the first Saturday in January, many of our Northern Virginia Chapter of ’71 alumni gathered for a dinner at the Overwood Restaurant in Old Town Alexandria. This Christmas dinner occasion continues to grow each year. Brother rats on hand (many with guests) included Lindsey, Nilon, Metzger, Paton, Schelhorn, Noon, Tashima, Biersack, Piernick, Price, Fogleman, Frothingham, Pearman and Roder. I believe that Fogie was the organizer for the dinner, which was followed by a group visit to a nearby ice cream shop that is owned and operated by one Charles Lindsey. According to Metzger, Charlie is very scientific about when to open the shop and keeps a close eye on the local temperature and weather conditions before giving the green light to start cranking out the ice cream. Big John called a day or so after the dinner, and we talked some about the next events at the lodge. A small gathering is planned for April, but John says that he plans to make the fall mini reunion his main focus this year. I will be sharing some of the details as they are released. John Zirkle joined many of us in the 65 and older crowd with a big birthday celebration Jan. 18 at Journeys Crossing in Elkton, Virginia. Dannette set up the event for “Johnny” (as she calls him), and among those attending were Ken and Carol Yorgey, Sam Kirby, Mal Kerley, Tom Martenstein, Russ Driskell, Speed Patterson, Dickie Sedwick and John Metzger. Ron Lewis and Steve Price were given special mention by Dannette for their continuing support of John through the years. John had an especially tough year in 2013 with the loss of his father and some additional health problems. I know we are all glad that he was able to have this special day with some old buddies, and we wish him the best for 2014. At least one good thing comes with growing older, which is the fact that many of us are blessed with grandchildren. Reid Dudley’s son, Clark ’06, and wife Kate welcomed the arrival of Jackson Thomas (will he be called Stonewall?) Jan. 14. According to Reid, “He will go to VMI.” Buddy and Carol Bryan are expecting yet another granddaughter later in 2013. Between son Paul and daughters Amy and Heather, the family will feature eight granddaughters. I chatted earlier with Buddy to get confirmation on the newest addition, and he did not seem too surprised with another girl. He says that it is every alumnus’s dream to be “surrounded by women who all love him.” So, life is good. The Keydets played Radford University in Radford Jan. 14, and the game was well attended by members of our Southwestern Virginia ’71 Alumni Chapter. Dinner was held at Sal’s in Radford followed by the game (a big win for VMI). Those making the outing were Ken Coleman, Jerry

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES

Class of 1971: Members of the Class of 1971 and their guests at the VMI versus Radford University basketball game in Radford, Virginia. From left, front: John Saunders and Alan Saunders ’06. Back row: Dave Bush ’69, Jim Gearhart, Buz Booker, Jerry Acuff, Rick Littleton, Ken Coleman and Buddy Bryan. Acuff, John Saunders (and sons), Jim Gearhart, Dave Bush ’69, Buz Booker, Bruce Rush, Rick (chapter president) and Bev Littleton, and Buddy and Carol Bryan. I did receive a partial group photo. Ken Coleman has officially retired and, according to Mouse, the members of room 139 were planning to get together at the VMI game in Lexington Feb. 22, 2014. While we are talking basketball, it should be noted that the Runnin’ Roos have had a pretty interesting season. I saw them early on against the Hokies of Virginia Tech in Blacksburg when our shooting was not up to its usual standards, and Tech was on fire from the floor. Even with those factors, we still were in a position to win but could not quite pull it off. As of this writing, VMI leads the nation in scoring (90.2 points per game) and is in first place in their division of the Big South. The four-overtime win against Gardner-Webb University made national news as the college basketball highlight of the week. To date, it is also the longest Division 1 game of the season. The team has been strong at home and hopefully will be able to make a good run into the conference tournament. National Signing Day for high school football recruits was Feb. 5,. and VMI was able to sign 14 players – nine defensive and five offensive hopefuls. Eight of the signees are Virginia natives, including one stand-out player from Rockbridge County and a couple from the Roanoke area. Coach “Sparky” Woods was quoted as saying that four or five of these young men could have an “immediate impact” on the team. Once again, hope springs eternal for a good football season as we make the move back to the Southern Conference. On Facebook, for this edition, I found several posts from brother rats and/or their wives including Coleman, Patterson, Rose, Caul, Brumfield, Kirby, Jolissaint, Carver, Ashman, Bryan, Yorgey, Kreamer and Pearman. In addition to our personal pages, we also maintain a Class of 1971 page, so feel free to “like” us or “friend” us. Kathryn and I visited with the grandchildren Lauren ’26 and Ryan ’27 during Christmas and,

2014- Issue 2

then again, unexpectedly, when a snow/ice event closed schools in the Richmond area for a week, and we were called to report for duty. For Christmas, they each received a framed photograph of Stonewall Jackson and the inscription from the Jackson Arch. Each has the photo displayed in their rooms, and they reflect daily on how “you may be whatever you resolve to be.” I still have not gotten the feeling that they have “resolved” yet to go to VMI, but I have a few more years to work with them on that. As I wrap up this edition of the notes, I want to once again express my thanks to all of you who support VMI through annual giving. The Institute has continued to grow and prosper, and your support is instrumental in making that possible. I am also glad to see an increase in the gatherings of our classmates in so many different places and the formation of Class of ’71 alumni chapters. The friendship, commitment and support that we have together redefine what being a brother rat is all about for me. God bless our team and VMI. Jim

’72

Larry Houseworth

Brother Rats, Families, Friends and Followers, These notes cover mid-November 2013 through mid-February 2014. The comfort brought by knowing you’ll read this around New Market Day greatly softens the environment in which it’s written. February’s “snowpocalypse” has left your nation’s capital with the all the warmth and coziness of wet cinderblock. But the times they are a-changin’ – the Nationals’ pitchers and catchers are reporting as I write this! Customer needs kept me from attending the 2013 Institute Society Dinner and Class Agent

Conference in November. Information from the Foundation concerning the state of the “I” paints an impressive picture. If you haven’t done so, read the 2013 VMI Alumni Agencies Annual Report, particularly, the introduction. Entitled “Always Changing, Never Changing,” it frames perfectly VMI’s vision, mission and ethos, and it echoes our motto of “Change – Honor – Tradition.” Were you aware that the VMI Corps of Cadets is now the largest it has ever been? With the Class of 2017, it now stands at 1,729. My math tells me that’s more than 30 percent larger than in our years. And yet, the state’s contribution to VMI’s annual operating costs is significantly lower than in our years. More than 27 percent of the Institute’s support now comes from private sources. Please keep that in mind as you consider giving. Thanks. I’m doing everything possible to hang on to my cruise tan – slothfully gotten on Delbert McClinton’s annual Texas roadhouse rock soiree to the Caribbean. Warren Grasty ’70 and entourage warned of potential low distilled spirit levels upon leaving St. Thomas the day before we arrived, but we persevered and soldiered through. From there, we were on a slow troll to Tortola where said tan was reinforced amid tales of the frigid “back homes.” Then, it was back to an icy, gray Washington, D.C. Speaking of cruises, George and Mary Jane Williams’ delightful Christmas letter featured a photo of Ms. Mary Jane scaling the main mast during the Alumni Association’s cruise through the eastern Caribbean. Apparently not content with such still waters, they returned to cruising South America with Overseas Adventure Travel. George said, “This time, we went all the way south and spent 16 days among the southern Andes in Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego and the Chilean Fjords. It was a vast wilderness area full of glaciers and spectacular scenery – truly a special trip.” Their pictures look like they are straight off the Discovery Channel. Phil Clayton and Ava Tucker’s note (and spectacular photo of their snow-covered Hawkridge Farm at sunset) spoke of a mid-summer weeklong sail down the Rhone followed by another week motoring through the south of France. They toured Normandy and returned to Hawkridge in time to entertain friends from Denmark. The highlight of their 2013 was the arrival of Ava’s second grandchild, Nora Catherine, in June. Ah, la dolce vita. Chris and Betsy Foster (and I quote) “… checked off an item from Chris’ bucket list by signing on for an Oct. 15-30, 2013, birding tour of tropical Australia. This trip was our 40th wedding anniversary gift to each other. Obviously, Chris had decided that 40 years were quite enough, because one of the books that we read to prepare for the trip was Bill Bryson’s ‘In a Sunburned Country,’ which flashed warning signs for those headed

CLASS NOTES Down Under!” The news that Australia has more things that will kill than anywhere else and this poetic snippet, “if you are not stung or pronged to death in some unexpected manner, you may be fatally chomped by sharks or crocodiles, or carried out to sea by irresistible currents, or left to stagger to an unhappy death in the baking outback,” did nothing to deter their enthusiasm. There are delightful photos of their July 4 trip to visit the children (and the Indians) in Cleveland, of Betsy with a friendly Australian King Parrot perched on her head and a classic t-shirt shot – his says, “Sarcastic comment loading, please wait.” Hers says, “I have CDO; it’s like OCD but all the letters are in alphabetical order as they should be.” You crazy children – don’t ever change! Herb and Penny McCulloch’s holiday notes almost leave me winded. Penny leads off by saying that they “… made the decision in late October (after much discussion, prayer and number crunching) that it is time for Herb to retire after 16 years working as a defense contractor. No definite plans for retirement except to relax, spend time with family, spoil the grandkids and take cooking lessons. (The children gave Herb a chef’s hat, apron that has ‘Retired’ sewn on the front and a gift card for cooking lessons.) Herb may do some consulting if the opportunity presents itself, but will not actively look for work. I want to continue working at Richmond Pediatrics for several more years before I take the plunge. Until then, I expect Herb to have dinner (hopefully edible) on the table when I get home in the evenings. My biggest fear is Herb’s plans to ‘organize’ the kitchen.” Daughter Krista and son-in-law Paul welcomed baby Miles and moved into a new home. Daughter Kara, son-in-law Ben and grandson Jack “lived a very domestic life” as young Jack cultivated his tastes for basketball, cars, and all things sticky and gooey. Daughter Kelly and son-in-law Joe are back in Virginia and loving life as Joe recovers from back surgery. Whew! Norm and Joy Worrell sent along a colorful montage and cheery letter. (And thank all that’s holy, the photos prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that the girls got their mother’s genes). Joy says that Carston Hillson spent a few days with them before the holidays. Her note goes on: “Just a quick note to say hi. We have been in Arizona for 10 days during Christmas helping Juli get ready for the new baby. He is due on Jan. 10. His name is going to be Jack Weston Haire. He will be named Jack after Juli’s granddad and Weston after Kyle’s best friend (note – U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Kyle Haire ’03, F-18 pilot). We had a great year traveling to the Grand Canyon this summer and welcoming baby Blakely Joy March 10, 2013! It seems like we are either at Juli’s home or at Jessica’s helping our children with children, moving, etc. We have had a lot of fun with the grandchildren. Kyle is still flying F-18s, and he will move

to the East Coast this summer with Juli and family. Jess and Jon bought a home in Ashburn. I have filled out my retirement papers, and June 20, 2014, I quit! I can’t wait ... Getting up at 5 a.m. is getting hard to do now. I will miss some parts of teaching, and I love being the debate coach, but heck, it is time for someone else to take the wonderful job!” The photos she sent included Jess, Jon and Blakely (adorable as Cinderella); Kyle and son Taylor, dressed as a Marine aviator, just like Dad; Juli; the Grand Canyon; and their boat (in the road, post-Sandy). Thanks, Joy! John and Mimi Cobb were all smiles and news from Columbia, South Carolina. Mimi wrote, “This year has been filled with celebrations ... and time spent planning, traveling, and enjoying family and friends at said celebrations. Also, for John and me, resting up for the next celebration. Between baptisms, birthdays and vacation weekends, we are kept quite busy, and we like it that way.” She said that “John and the children totally surprised me on my 60th birthday in February,” and another special event this year was when the entire family (28 at present) got together to celebrate mom and dad’s 65th wedding anniversary. John finished his engineering career March 1 and started his new job as house husband and recreational golfer. Mimi says he’s “... successfully made the transition to golf buddy already. Stay tuned to see how he does with the home honeydo list. He hasn’t had more than two weeks off in a row since he started work in 1972, so this should be interesting to watch.” She’s planning to continue teaching at least one more year to reach the minimum Social Security age and give John time to settle into his retirement routine. She says she’s looking forward to coming home and asking John “what’s for dinner,” and “what did you do today,” as well as a reduced amount of ironing each week. (Hmm, sounds just like the McCullochs. Maybe Mimi and Penny should compare notes on how the boys do.) Zeno Henninger’s annual correspondence is always a treat. A sample: “Letter from Echternacherbruck, December 2013. (It means the bridge at Echternach, but there are three bridges; the locals don’t update their files in a timely manner.) Greetings, as they say in Antwerp, Wenst u enn vrolijk Kerstfees en veel geluk in voospoed in het Nieuwe Jarr. Antwerp is a fascinating city, amazing port, amazing food, superb center of jewelry (Jo-Ann likes this). The railroad station is a splendiferous palace, choo-choos coming in on four different levels of a 19th century structure remade for 21st century technology. And yes, there is a Starbuck’s on the ground floor. So much for my travelogue ... we are well into our 32nd year at Bitburg Elementary School, ‘The Bear.’ Next year, we get to assimilate the crowd from adjacent Spangdahem, as their school is undergoing a total renovation. We will go from

160 students to perhaps 600 over a summer. We are healthy and wise; well, for me, one out of two is acceptable, and batting .500 in the major leagues would be great. Our dentist (a genius) and ophthalmologist say we are all right.” While shopping New England for retirement locales, he and Jo-Ann seriously investigated Brunswick, Maine. Zeno says, “Maine is beautiful, and we’ll just ignore February. We’ll find something, and of course, it will have a guest room.” He closes with, “2013 has been an interesting 365 days. I met some great people and students, dined well, have a surplus of HP sauce in the basement and great tea in the larder. Nice travels to London, Brugge and a few other towns I cannot pronounce, but I try.” Well and colorfully stated, BR. There were great family pictures from the Griffiths, Pools and Pagones (from Capt. Jordan Pagone’s ’06 change of command ceremony at Fort Campbell). Bill and Pam Collier’s card was of a glowing bride and groom (Will Collier ’06 and wife) under arched sabers. I also heard from Buzzy Chacey, Harry and Susan Gore, Sandy and Dianne Edens, A.J. and Karen Fojt, Paul and Elise Gorski, Al and Betty McElroy, Doug Davenport, Chuck and Mitos Holsen, and Rob and June Murray. Well, compadres, that’s it for now. Let me hear from you, let our BRs hear from you, and till next time, stay well, do well and Rah Virginia Mil! Larry

’73

Mike Kelly

This has certainly been a cold and snowy winter. It is almost Valentine’s Day as I finish these notes, and it is snowing here like crazy. Fortunately, when you read them, it will be spring and you will be enjoying the May flowers. I hope you are preparing to head to Lexington and New Market for the 150th anniversary of the Battle of New Market. Pat and I plan to spend a couple of days in the Shenandoah Valley (Woodstock) and go to the battlefield. We will probably go over and visit my son, Derek, in the Washington, D.C., area for the weekend. There are activities going on the entire week of May 15, culminating in the actual reenactment of the battle May 18. I heard from many of you during Christmas with a lot of cards and newsletters. I also have received several notes since the New Year began, which really makes it easier for me to write our report for the Review. Thanks for staying in touch. It was on a sad note that I reported to you Jan.

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES 1, 2014, that Steve Chadwick’s wife, Geraldine, passed away that day. Steve lives in the Fort Polk, Louisiana, area. Please keep him and his family in your thoughts and prayers. I also sent out a note saying that BR Thomas (T.J.) Burke’s wife, Barbara Ann, died the first week of November. Please keep T.J. and his family in your thoughts and prayers, as well. I was able to report some good news earlier in February. For those of you on Facebook, you saw the tremendous response to Tom Clark’s message about his surgery. Tom had surgery in January, and his test results afterward were all good news. Tom sent me an update in February saying that he was experiencing some pain in his leg. This led to the discovery of a blood clot in his calf and under his knee. The doctor put him on a strict treatment regime. Otherwise, he said he continues to improve. Tom and Bonnie had a wonderful trip to Hawaii with their children in October, but they are hunkering down with some stormy weather in Colorado Springs. Roland Tiso stays in touch regularly. He is in Afghanistan for what he thinks and hopes will be his last trip. He is working with the government and our military as they prepare to bring home our soldiers from Afghanistan. He hopes to be home by the end of June. He and Judie spent their 30th wedding anniversary in November on St. Martin’s Island, the same place they honeymooned in 1984. Their daughters are still active in dance and ballet; Allie is in Pittsburgh and C.J. still in Chicago. We are looking forward to your safe return home, Roland. Hang tight, and keep your head down! Pat and I hope to get down to see you when you get back, as my mother is in Tampa at my sister’s house. Bill and Mary Stoner sent their Christmas wishes. They have moved from Austin to Roanoke, Texas, into an apartment near their family members, Margaret and Ben, so that they could be closer to the grandchildren. Their other child, Frank, and his wife, Jess, live in Austin. Frank plans to work on a Ph.D. Bill said Mary retired from the hospital, but they both may start looking for jobs this spring. Doug and Pat Huthwaite continue to enjoy their retirement in Kure Beach, North Carolina. Doug just sent me a note to say they were snowed in and without power. They had plans to go to Hilton Head, but won’t if the power doesn’t come back on. However, they are planning trips to Ireland and Australia soon. Their daughter had plans to work in London this year. Doug said they were looking forward to a stopover in England to visit with her, but it looks like she is going to stay in the states. Unfortunately, we missed our annual trip to the VMI versus Campbell University basketball game and Mexican fiesta with Doug and Pat. They live in Kure Beach, and Pat and I had a dinner for several

2014- Issue 2

church folks that same weekend. However, we hope to get together soon. Mike and Mary Burke are adjusting in St. Louis. Their daughter, Emilie, is off to college at Missouri State University. Mary has taken on some delegate responsibilities for the American Dental Association that require her to travel frequently. Mike, meanwhile, is adjusting to doing some things on his own. He works as a sponsor for an on-campus veteran organization, as well as on various committees at the community college where he teaches. I got a nice Christmas letter from Blake and Sandy Thomas. It did not have their usual picture of an airplane on it, because Sandy said they didn’t build one last year. However, they spent a lot of time flying around the county in their planes and having fun with friends on crosscountry trips. Blake is still flying for Southwest Airlines, although Sandy said he probably would retire “one day.” John and Helen Kearney sent their best wishes to all for a merry Christmas. They had a busy year with their travels and children. Barry was awarded his pilot wings in July and is off to F-16 training in Arizona. John and Jay ’00 spent some time together at the U.S. Open last year and had a great Father’s Day, which was the same weekend. Jay works with the Department of Defense in Chantilly, Virginia. John is still working as a staff attorney for Selective Insurance Company and commutes between Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and Mount Laurel, New Jersey. Milt Salter spent much of 2013 traveling around the countryside visiting with family and friends. This included the reunion and a trip to Chicago for a Cubs game and lunch with an old U.S. Army buddy! Milt still works along the Gulf Coast as a financial adviser and has his fingers crossed for a fruitful 2014. I received an interesting Christmas card and note from Doug Muirheid and Claudia Russell. The cover of their card included pictures taken at our reunion. In one picture, Doug is proudly standing in front of Gen. Jackson’s statute, and another picture is of him and his roommate, Bob Marks, standing in front of their 1st Class room, 112.. Doug and Claudia went with their son, Patrick, to Disneyland in August to celebrate his 21st birthday. Christmas photo cards are really neat. Over the years, you see how the families grow and change as folks are added along the way – children, boyfriends, girlfriends, grandkids and pets! Dale and Toots Kitchen included pictures of their children: daughter Kaitlin, who works in the D.C. area; son Cody, who is a senior at Princeton; and a young man Kaitlin met while studying abroad in South Africa, who is a Texas Tech graduate. Bob and Sharon Bushnell had pictures of their growing family including a new grandchild, but

all of their adorable pets were absent. R.B. and Becky Newman sent a card with the Newman family photo, which includes all of the children and grandkids. Willie Wells sent a picture (somewhat Photoshopped, I believe!) of himself with his dog, a lab named Bo, and his cat, Stu, all sitting in the front seat of his 1986 F-150 named Leo. Willie said they were enjoying the fine weather and having a great time on the farm. The fine weather probably isn’t happening as I write this, as I heard parts of Maryland had 18 inches of snow. I am missing one card: In the past, I have gotten a card from Hank and Leisa Weatherford that has a picture of their daughter, Savannah, and her horse. I don’t think I heard from them this year. Savannah may be off to college now. We also received lots of warm wishes and Christmas greetings from Tom Napier, Stuart Seaton, John and Kathy Riding, John and Michaela Sykes, Matt and Beth Tignor, A.J. and Ruth Kendrick, Scott McCarthy, and Dave Sutherland. In their note, Paula and Joe Wyatt expressed their sorrow in having to miss the reunion. Joe was on guard duty that weekend, and his boss told him to come to work! Larry and Debbie Mays sent a card and best wishes. Prior to that, Larry sent a nice picture of Ed Hall and me standing in front of barracks at the reunion. It is a great picture (if I do say so myself!), and it is now posted in the lower level of our house (the VMI, University of North Carolina and travel poster party room). Thanks a lot, Larry. Tom Napier sent a message with his new email address. Apparently, his old one had been spammed. Let me know if you need his new one. John and Ann Pinner said they were doing well and enjoyed their trip to Peru. Ralph and Becky Littreal said they were looking forward to a great Christmas and were headed back to southwest Virginia (Rural Retreat) to visit family and friends during the holidays. Ralph said the biggest news in San Jose continues to be the extended drought, and they hope to get some steady rains soon. George and Renee Goodwin were looking forward to the holidays and said they enjoyed the VMI versus Citadel game in Charleston, South Carolina, with Malon and Barbara Updike and Steve Smith. Bob Poynor said he enjoyed the holidays, but he was having some trouble recovering from hernia surgery. He said he has gained a deep appreciation for the little things in life, like getting out of bed, because he now feels those things tensing his abdominal muscles! Hope you recover soon, Bob! He also said the new website he has been working on for a long time is up and running at the U.S. Air Force doctrine center. I know he is

CLASS NOTES breathing somewhat easier about that. In some of the past messages, I mentioned that Rick Gribling’s daughter, Rachel, finished school in England and went to work in Edinburgh, Scotland. While at St. Andrews in England, she met a Scottish lad, and they have plans to get married this summer. Rick and Rebecca are going to spend more time in Scotland, and Rick said they may even rent a flat in Edinburgh for a while! Wow – we love it there. Congrats to all! We hope things go well for the happy couple! Rick is still teaching at the Joint Forces Staff College in Norfolk. Pete and Karen Walters sent me a note Feb. 7 to say that they were blessed with their first grandchild at 12:23 p.m. that day. Pete said Peter Custer weighed in at 7 pounds, 5 ounces and that everyone was doing fine. Peter Custer also has a provisional appointment! Congratulations, Pete! Grandchildren are wonderful! According to P.X. English, they were still busy recruiting for the Maryland Chapter and recently had Col. Jamie Inman ’86, VMI chief of staff, speak to their lunch assembly. Thanks so much, P.X., to you and all of our BRs who spend time recruiting for the Institute. He said they thoroughly enjoyed their holidays, as all of the children were in and they had a super family-laden Christmas celebration. Mary, their youngest daughter, is a veterinary technician in Knoxville, Tennessee, and was thrilled to add a Belgian draft horse to her menagerie this Christmas. She also has a Great Dane and a rottweiler. Their middle daughter, Sara, is married and lives in Columbia, South Carolina. The couple is getting settled into a home they completed building right before Christmas. Last June, P.X.’s oldest daughter, Katherine, presented them with their newest granddaughter, Morgan Rachel. Both grandchildren were there for Santa. On Oct. 1, 2013, P.X. retired and has stayed busy working with the ministry of Boy’s Home in Covington, Virginia. Donnie Wheatley ’70 and BR Steve Lane are also working with the Boy’s Home. Also mentioned was that P.X. and his wife, Caroline, may move to the Carolinas in the near future. Come on down, BR; we have plenty of mountains and great beaches. Bill Stephens sent a reminder about the mini reunion for the annual Pinehurst Open with “Elvis” Lykins, “Coach” Weiss, “Chalkman” Chalkley, “Yearly” Kenneally, “Gunner” Gundlach and “Woody” Napier. March 27 is the kick-off date for this big event. Bill said they would be including some guys from outside the VMI family who have become accustomed to their hours of laughter and late night discussions embellishing their youth. “Misto” also included another note to pass on to Roland Tiso. He said, “Tell BR Tiso that it is time for him to retire to Florida and take up some target practice at the

driving range. They sell camo golf hats at most pro shops!” OK, Ro, you heard it here. Tuck Bowie was lamenting the 10 inches of snow they had in January. (I expect you got some more in February, as well.) He said that while the children enjoyed being out of school, it basically shut his business down for three days. Tuck develops land and builds houses in the Virginia Beach area, and he is still hopeful that the market will continue to get better this year. Neil Carlson sent a Christmas email to say he was looking forward to the New Year, and he plans to drive up to New Market in May for the reenactment taking place May 18. Neil lives in Shreveport, Louisiana. I see postings on the Facebook page frequently from Jeff Minch. He sent me a season’s greetings e-card, as did Dave Schwab. Both of them are doing fine. Jeff is still in Texas, and Dave is in Germany. Ed Hall sent me a Christmas e-card, as well. Those things are really fun and joyful to watch! I had a note before Christmas from Wes and Ivonne Carr. Wes has decided to take advantage of AT&T’s buy-out offer and retire. He wasn’t ready to quit work, but he is thrilled to have an opportunity for other adventures. Congratulations, Wes. I’m sure you will enjoy it! In January, I received a call from BR Thad Smith’s widow, Patricia. She has stayed in touch with me over the years and said she would send a note updating me on her and her daughter’s activities. However, as of this date, I haven’t received it. Patricia was looking at options for Thad’s class ring and wanted to know if VMI had a program similar to Texas A&M University that uses donated class rings to help defray the costs of purchasing one for cadets in need of financial assistance. VMI does have such a program. Thanks for staying in touch, Patricia. I look forward to your message. I really do appreciate hearing from all of you. Part of the fun with this “job” is hearing from many of you and relaying the information out to our BRs. One of the things I hope never changes about VMI is how the comradeship is developed through the brother rat system. Nothing else in the world can compare to it. I really do appreciate your thanks for notes and cards. I also want to say “thanks” to the BRs who sent me a big birthday card in December! It was signed, “All of Your Brother Rats ’73.” I have it laying right here on my desk! It is important to keep your email and addresses up to date. With the Christmas messages, I received several new email addresses and notices that some of you have moved. (Be sure to log on to VMI Ranks to change your information in there, as well.) We also have a lot more folks on the ’73 VMI Facebook page. I try to keep up with the widows and family members of our deceased

brother rats. Please, let me know if you have knowledge of or contact with these folks so that we can keep them in the ’73 family. Hopefully, we will get to see some of you this spring at VMI or New Market. I want to remind you that VMI’s 175th anniversary will be this fall, so I’m sure the Institute will be having a larger-than-usual Founders Day celebration! Just a reminder before I close, VMI’s fiscal year ends June 30, which is when contributions and class participation rates are calculated for the year. Thank you to all of you who so generously give to the Institute. I ask that any of you who have not given back to the Institute please consider doing so. Thanks again! I hope that you all have a wonderful and safe summer! In the bonds, Mike

’74

Snookie Parker

Greetings, Brother Rats. As I sit here composing these notes, it is snowing heavily in Wilson, and an ice storm cometh. It is a good time to be inside writing. Here goes! Marla and I met Judge Nottingham at Metro Diner for breakfast early on a November morning at Neptune Beach, Florida. The restaurant is a featured venue on Guy Fieri’s “Diners, Drive Ins and Dives.” It is always good to catch up on the hometown news with Judge! We enjoyed the visit and venue. A week prior, I spent the evening at Pat and Sue Flynn’s house at St. Augustine Beach, Florida. Pat cooked ribs on the grill, and children and grandchildren were on hand for the big Sunday feast. I think Pat and I did some work that weekend, as well. Not long after the St. Augustine visit, Marla and I met Pat and Sue Flynn in Charleston, South Carolina, for the VMI versus Citadel football game. We had a grand time despite the game’s outcome! The highlight of the weekend was a Class of 1974 dinner at the Rue de Jean restaurant hosted by Donnie Ross. Attendees were Pat and Sue Flynn and Mark and Michelle Prentice. There was even a surprise visit by Al Aksomitas. Although they were in town, George and Anna Van Laethem could not make the dinner. We saw John White at the game and heard Mike and Sarah Fisher were at the game ... must have been sitting on the wrong side. Paul Van Doren, grand pooh bah of the Tidewater Area Breakfast Club, reported great turnouts at the most recent gatherings. There were 11 BRs at the Nov. 15, 2013, gathering and eight at the Jan. 18, 2014, feast. The Nov. 15 attendees

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES included John Williams (who surfaced a little while ago and attended for the first time), Steve Ham, Frank Richardson, Dave Sheppard, Al Rasper, Sam Turner, John Crawley, Mike Ernzen, Chuck Cayton, Paul Van Doren and Mike Hogan. “Hogmeister” had to run before a photographer was commandeered. I’m told the group stayed and talked a long time – an unusual amount of reminiscing yet, at the same time, lamenting the decline of their memory. For instance, Sam Turner “claimed” he accidentally hit a hawk with a 50 caliber machine gun but didn’t let on when all the witnesses cheered his marksmanship. During a somber moment, Sam mentioned how sad it is that outside of our cadet experience we have seen a weak concern for truthfulness. The group all agreed how sad it is to have significant public figures who are not afraid to lie on the grandest scale. Chuck Cayton mentioned he is having his new house renovated. Sounds like a toga party ... uh, I mean housewarming party ... is a possibility. How about it, Chuck? Attendees for the Jan. 18 gathering were Mike Ernzen, Steve Ham, Paul Van Doren, Bill Pennypacker, Chip Beaman, George Van Laethem, Dave Shepard and Chuck Cayton. I want to thank all for the Christmas cards and send kudos to Glenn Greene for spearheading support for Barbara Heiderman and family during the Christmas holidays. By the way, Grace Greene has published her fourth novel, entitled “Beach Winds.” I have not read it yet – I received my signed copy, but Marla captured it to read first. I have lots to report and limited space in which to do so. So, cryptic Christmas notes follow: Rob and Joan Bacon were under the impression that once you turn 60, things slow down – not! Rob is on the board of directors of their gated community and is the maintenance director. I’m sure, with his neighborhood characters and their unusual complaints, that Rob has enough material for a reality television show. Joan is still enjoying teaching her eighth graders, and I think the grandparent duties are their real thrill! Charley Banning’s 16th edition of his Annual Christmas Gazette is a classic. It contained several interesting articles, but the feature article that caught my attention was Buff Daddy’s Man Cave at Casa de Banning. I do not know how Debra (she who must be obeyed) puts up with these shenanigans. Charley has talent and should be writing for some comedy sitcom! I received a nice Christmas note from Bill Candler! Bill and Judy are living about two to three hours west of Chicago. I am not sure how one could enjoy living there after this brutal winter. Hope you are staying warm. Thanks for the note!

2014- Issue 2

Class of 1974: At the Class of 1974 Tidewater Breakfast Club meeting Nov. 15, 2013, were, from left (as heads appear), John Williams, David Sheppard (along the back wall), Stave Ham, Frank Richardson, Paul Van Doren (closest), Al Rasper, Sam Turner, John Crawley, Mike Ernzen and Chuck Cayton. Not pictured: Mike Hogan. John and Tracey Crawley sent a Christmas newsletter from the Tidewater area filled with pictures of their adventures. In 2013, they traveled to Park City, Utah; Nashville, Tennessee; and took two trips to Florida. John is still with the Joint Staff, and Tracey enjoys counseling. The big Crawley news is their daughter, Danielle, married Joshua Sander Dec. 15, 2013, on a beach in Key West, Florida. They honeymooned in St. Martin. Congrats! Andy and Marcie Eason celebrated their one year anniversary Jan. 18. Andy is having a tough year, medically. He is on his seventh surgery, which has grounded him, and he still needs an operation on his shoulder. We are getting old, and our body parts are not working as well as they once did. Hang in there, Andy! With six grandchildren (and those are just the girls’ children), Rich and Ann Forbes always enjoy Christmas. Their son, Chris, got married May 24, 2014, in Raleigh, North Carolina. We were there! Jim and Robin Garten celebrated their 31st wedding anniversary at Jimmy Buffet’s Resort in Pensacola Beach, Florida. (This is the old Holiday Inn, for veterans of the Fourth of July celebration on the Redneck Riviera). As Jim noted, there is a big clock in the foyer where the hands are stuck at 5 p.m. – meaning it is 5 p.m. somewhere! Having vacationed there, Marla and I concur with Jim and Robin’s assessment. It is a great place to celebrate ... whatever! Jim did mention a visit to Arizona by Gary and Alison Trinkle, and he stays in touch with Mike Davis and Ronnie Vigneault. Thanks for the note, Jim. Congrats on 31 years! Wilson and Anne Johnson’s news was that their daughter, Catherine, got married Sept. 29, 2013, to Matthew Douglas Loveall in Hilton Head, South Carolina. Their son, Matthew, just earned his master’s degree in political science. Anne retired from teaching, but she still teaches fifth grade Sunday school. Wilson lives in Fredericksburg,

works in Washington, D.C., for the Department of Agriculture and travels with the mission team from Spotswood Baptist Church (they went to Guinea in May 2013). Wilson and I are still trying to mesh schedules to meet at Parker’s BBQ as Wilson passes through the area on the way to and from South Carolina. I’m buying! Thanks for the note, Wilson. Bob and Pam Johnson celebrated their 39th wedding anniversary in Montreal, Canada. Bob retired from the U.S. Army Reserve in September 2013. His last assignment was at Arlington National Cemetery, where he helped correct records and approve the replacement of headstones with errors. Pam is still with the Department of State. I think they really enjoy living in D.C. proper! Thanks for the note Bob ... and for your service to the nation! Bruce and Sue Jones’ news included that Bruce Jr. married Sierra Kelly Oct. 5, 2013, at the Koru Beach Club in Avon, North Carolina. Bruce and Sue are empty-nesting since both boys are married! Tom/Tex Mascot reports that both daughters, Elizabeth and Rebecca, are doing well. Elizabeth works for a law firm in D.C., and Rebecca is a dean’s list law student at the University of Arizona. Wife Patti is on the mend from a fall and back injury last spring. Tom is still flying with Southwest Airlines, and he plays golf and fishes when not flying or tending to his girls! Thanks for the note, Tom! Sam and Colleen Mattocks visited their granddaughter and grandson in Los Angeles, California. Then, they headed to Cleveland, Ohio, to spend Christmas with their six other grandchildren. Coast to coast grandparent duties – you have to love it! Tom and Ida Patykula’s oldest son, Tom, and his wife, Jessica, had a baby girl, Leighton. Congrats to the new grandparents! Pete and Susan Shelley’s daughter, Taryn, is to be married to Zach in October 2014. Pete

CLASS NOTES

Class of 1974: The Class of 1974 Tidewater Breakfast Club meeting Jan. 18, 2014, attendees were, clockwise from left, Sam Turner, Steve Ham, Paul Van Doren, Bill Pennypacker, Chip Beaman, George Van Laethem, David Sheppard and Chuck Cayton. had to come up with two goats and a unicorn for her dowry! Their son, Ryder (and Sheryl), moved from New Orleans to Dallas as part of their symphonic music careers. Susan, the queen of jazzercise, whose part-time bank information technology support job has evolved to almost full time, has survived several small bank mergers. Thanks for the note, Pete! Ted Telle, still teaching and loving every day in Europe, reports that all is well in Germany. Susan plans to retire in June 2014, and Ted will retire June 2016. If you are going to visit Ted and Susan in Germany, you better plan it before June 2016! The 2013 Terry family Christmas letter was a treat to read. Where to begin with this emptynester saga – the eighth annual turkey bowl, a Terry family flag football tradition, or the Ken Terry man cave? Suffice it to say that Betsy, the red-headed energizer bunny, has not slowed down a bit, and Ken has not been sent to husband purgatory. Thanks for the note ... so entertaining! Gary and Alison Trinkle have been doing some traveling to trim their bucket list. They visited Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater house outside of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. They also went to Toronto, Canada; Niagra Falls; and Cooperstown, New York, to see the Baseball Hall of Fame. These are some of my bucket list items, as well. Gary says Alison’s health care practice is thriving, despite the current health care environment. So, Alison plans to work another five years. Gary, on the other hand, is winding down his working career and is considering volunteer work options. Thanks for the note, Gary! For the first time in two years, Red Undercoffer has been home for Christmas and New Year’s. Red, Shelly and family enjoyed this year’s holiday. Then, Red was off to the Philippines for disaster relief ... a new area of the world for Red! His kids are doing well. Andrew

100

is a mechanical engineer with Munter Corps in Boston. Brian is an aeronautical engineer who graduated from Virginia Tech and is working in Jackson, Wyoming. Cole is a business major at Virginia Tech. Caity is a senior in high school, captain of the swim and soccer teams, and is applying to Virginia Tech and James Madison University. Shelly and Caity are keeping the home fires burning. Stay safe, Red! George and Anna Van Laethem’s daughter, Ashley, married Alan Hyman May 31, 2014, near Pawley’s Island, South Carolina. A proud papa moment: Ashley, second year law student at the Charlotte School of Law, was inducted into the legal honor society, Phi Delta Phi International, in October. Anna is in her ninth year with Western High School’s guidance department. George had a tough year recovering from three surgeries but continues his work with the Chesapeake Planning Commission. He was appointed to his third and final four-year term. Hang in there, George! Walt and Karen Wilson sent Christmas greetings from the great northwest. Walt reports that he is fully retiring after 39 years of service in the Army. Walt said he had no major plans at the moment. He intends to take a vacation cruise in 2014, play more golf, get into better shape and learn to cook using fresh ingredients. By the way, Walt’s second hip surgery is doing much better than the first, but Walt cautions that it is still early. Andy and Pat Young sent Christmas greetings from the not-so-great northeast. Their big news is that Dr. Andrew Young retired from the Department of Defense as of Jan. 3, 2014. I guess they will have more time for travel. Although, they do already visit their daughter Gracie in Minneapolis and take their annual summer trip to Topsail Beach, North Carolina. They also recently returned from an October river cruise. They

began in Prague, boarded the boat in Nuremburg and sailed down the Danube, stopping at Regansberg, Passau, Melk, Vienna and Bratislava, ending in Budapest. What a trip! (Side note: A river cruise in Europe is top on my bucket list. I believe Pat and Sue Flynn are booked on this same trip in November, along with Pat’s brothers and sisters.) In other Andy Young news, as part of the “Andrew Young Farewell Tour,” the American College of Sports Medicine, Andy’s major professional society, presented Andy with the 2013 ACSM Citation Award. In addition, Andy, the chief of the military nutrition division of the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, was invited to give a keynote lecture at VMI and provided Cadet Harrison Kee ’14 with an ACSM scholarship. Andy addressed a group gathered Nov. 12, 2013, at the “I” to celebrate the launch of VMI’s exercise science minor. This will allow Cadet Kee, the first cadet to register for the minor, to attend the spring 2014 meeting of the ACSM. Thanks for your service to the nation. Well done, Andy! (Editor’s Note: See the Institute section of the Review for more on Young’s presentation.) Randy and Martha Gleason had quite a scare at the beginning of the year. Randy’s New Year’s resolution was to get in shape and lose weight. On a Monday in February after a workout, Randy noticed something did not feel right. After going home and resting, things still did not feel right. He woke up Tuesday, felt the same and threw up. So, he went to see a doctor. The doctor could not find anything wrong, so he sent Randy to the hospital for an enzyme check to see if it was a heart attack. The test showed no sign of a heart attack, so the emergency room prepared to release Randy. As Randy got up to leave, he fell to the floor. He was having a heart attack right there in the emergency room. They tried a stint but had to proceed to a bypass. The good news is that Randy is alive and well and was home to see the Super Bowl. The lesson learned for Randy: If you are going to have a heart attack, the best place to be is in the emergency room. For the rest of you “yah-whos” out there – we are not getting any younger. If you are not feeling right or are having chest pains, do not hesitate to get checked – the emergency room is a good place to be in those circumstances. Others who sent Christmas cards: Mike and Lera Andriani (Alexandria, Virginia); Mike and Sarah Fisher (Rochelle, Virginia); Snap and Cathy Carlock (Lexington, Virginia); Randy and Martha Gleason (Salem, Virginia); Bert and Cherryl Graham (Berwyn, Pennsylvania); Rick and Page Kastelberg (Richmond, Virginia); Mike and Clay Morrissett (Roanoke, Virginia); Kevin and Cindy Nettrour (Mascoutah, Illinois); Steve and Pat Orr (Walkersville, Maryland); John and Suzanne Pate (Chesapeake,

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES Virginia); Tom and Ida Patykula (Malilani, Hawaii); Bruce and Peggy Pence (Salem, Virginia); Mark and Michelle Prentice (Williamsburg, Virginia); Frank and Jeanee Richardson (Newport News, Virginia); Russ and Cheryl Takata (Waipahu, Hawaii); Charlie and Tommie Toler (Pensacola Beach, Florida); Lane and Karin Toomey (Southern Pines, North Carolina); Paul and Rose Van Doren (Suffolk, Virginia); Chuck and Louise Ward (Charlottesville, Virginia); Kent and Brenda Wheeless (Rocky Mount, North Carolina); Don and Barbara Whitten (Manassas, Virginia); T.J. and Kerri Wilson (Harrisonburg, Virginia); and Ted Zajac (Avon Lake, Ohio). In the second week of February, Paul Van Doren started a new job with Wyle. He will be working with operations research systems analysis on the Joint Precision Timing Quick Reaction Test. The team is supposed to produce tactics, techniques and procedures for the folks that run the infrastructure connecting the atomic clock to a whole bunch of military and commercial systems. Sounds like really interesting work. Congrats, Paul! Here is a small world story. Bert Graham was in the Roanoke Regional Airport after disembarking from a flight from Philadelphia Feb. 5 when some tallish type in a VMI cap came briskly striding up to him. He said, “I know you – Class of 1974, right?” It was Mark Hays, who was on his way back to the Salt Lake City area. Mark explained his mother had just passed away, so he was in town for the funeral. Mark said his sister lives in Roanoke, and that is where Mark’s parents ended up. Mark told Bert he retired from the U.S. Army after about 30 years, and he works for the U.S. Air Force as a civilian employee. He said he is inching toward a second retirement, because the Air Force wanted to relocate him away from the Salt Lake City area to another base – in Florida, I think. Mark said his wife, Gwen, who works for Delta and snow skis a lot, told him no way. Thus, the possible second retirement is in the works. Mark has three married daughters – Tara, Jessie and Scarlett. Our sincerest sympathies go out to Mark and Gwen for the passing of Mark’s mother. In other sad news, Paul Hollyfield’s mother, Julia Edmund Courter Hollyfield, died at the age of 98 in January. Our sincerest sympathies go out to Paul and Wilma. By the time you are reading these notes, our 40th Reunion will be a recent but fond memory. As of this writing, all 80 rooms blocked at the Best Western Inn at Hunt Ridge have been reserved, and we are still more than two months away from the reunion date. I am encouraged – it appears we will have more than 200 attending the reunion (100 BRs). Also, I had to order a new batch of class coins.

2014- Issue 2

If you are without a coin for whatever reason, contact me. At the time of this writing, it is Valentine’s Day. Every girl wants to hear these three words whispered in her ear: “Rah Viginyah Mil!” Class agent plea! Don’t be caught without your class coin. If you need one, send me $10 for the cost of the coin and postage. Please, forward any news regarding births, deaths, illnesses, marriages or other significant events that concern your family and/or careers. Brother rats are interested and do care. I know email addresses have a half-life of about six months, so keep us current. Send your updated email address to me, snookieparker1974@earthlink.net; Charley Banning, cbanning@cox.net; or Kevin Nettrour (our webmaster), nettrour@accessus.net. Check out the website. Send me a note. Yada, Yada, Yada and Yaba Daba Dooooo! Warm Regards, Snookie

’75

Art Nunn III

I hoped that I would never have to report news like this, but for those of you who are not part of the class email list, I deeply regret to inform you of the death of Brother Rat Jim Berney. Jim was an anesthesiologist living in Boardman, Ohio, with his wife, Susan. In addition to Susan, Jim leaves behind daughters Kathleen, Meghan, Coleen and Lauren. As you may remember, Jim double majored in biology and chemistry at VMI. He went on to study medicine at Virginia Commonwealth University’s Medical College of Virginia. Then, he spent time in the U.S. Army at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, where he started as a resident and eventually rose to the position of assistant chief of cardiac anesthesia. His career led him to Youngstown, Ohio, where he practiced at Northside Medical Center for 10 years. After that, Jim founded his own anesthesia corporation, Columbiana Anesthesiology Consultants, and was chief of anesthesia at East Liverpool City Hospital. As a fellow chemistry major, I remember Jim well and fondly. The desire of Jim’s family is for memorial gifts to be made in Jim’s honor to the VMI Foundation – a VMI man to the end. At Jim’s memorial service, the eulogy was delivered by Phil Brzozowski ’76. At about the same time as Jim’s passing, I was sorry to report that Reggie Webb’s father passed away. Thanks to Paul Blair for passing that information along to us. In other disturbing news, Mike Mulligan

wrote to inform us all about a battle being fought by Todd Sain. Todd asked that everybody be informed that he was recently diagnosed with a brain tumor. He requested our positive energy, prayers and spirit. Todd wanted to reach out to us, his brother rats, because of the impact we had on his life when we were cadets. Despite the distance in years, his fondness and respect for our class has never waned. Todd and Vicki have relocated temporarily from Las Vegas to Orlando to treat his medical condition. I have heard from Todd a couple of times, and his spirits are unbelievably high. He had a five-hour surgical procedure mid-January, and he was awake for most of it. The surgeons were able to remove 98 percent of the tumor. As of late January, Todd reported that it was difficult to speak and process things quickly, but progress was being made. He also wanted to thank everybody who has reached out to him and to Vickie. Todd’s spirits are very high, and he is committed to fighting hard to win this battle. Thankfully, that is the end of the bad news for this set of notes. Now, on to some other news. Vic Arthur wrote to say that he and Tricia are both well and living in his hometown of Winchester, Virginia. Tricia teaches piano lessons to children in their home, and Vic works for Navy Federal Credit Union (Oliver Way’s favorite bank!). Vic and Tricia have extended an invitation to all to visit them if in the area. After two years of living on his savings following being laid off in August 2011, John Young officially retired Sept. 1, 2013. John is drawing all four (yes, that’s right – four) pensions each month and has successfully weaned himself off spending his savings to cover utilities, gas, groceries and everything else that requires legal tender. More importantly, John became a grandfather for the first time Sept. 24, 2013. Granddaughter Sydney Joyce Young was born to John’s son, John IV, and his wife, Sara. John has already submitted an application for a provisional appointment for Sydney. He expects some resistance from her parents, both of whom went to Norwich University. John’s son, John, commands a field artillery battery at Fort Drum, New York. However, he and his troops are on a nine-month deployment in Afghanistan. Robert Mills checked in with his ever-present literary excellence. Immediately after our fall mini reunion, Robert and his significant other headed straight for the Valley of Napa, where they “walketh through the shadow of the grape vines” in the perfect sun-splashed California weather! They put the top down and motored from vineyard to vineyard, imbibing with clarity, purpose and passion! Randomly, while chatting over a glass of petite verdot at the Darioush Winery, a remarkable edifice that looks like it landed from Persia, they found themselves sitting next

101

CLASS NOTES to Rich and Dawn McGruder ’79! The next day, they drove to San Francisco to meet Dan and Lisa Dellosso in Berkeley for dinner. They had barely opened the wine when an older gentleman at the next table fell on the floor unconscious! Danny sprang into action. His prompt and effective ministrations not only assured that this fellow left the place alive (on a stretcher), but also earned dessert on the house for the entire party! Afterward, they headed up into the hills overlooking the bay for a nightcap in the Dellosso’s lovely home. After spending more than a week thoroughly reconnoitering Napa and Sonoma, they headed back to San Francisco for a Sunday afternoon party on the bay at the residence of the inimitable Steve Long ’07. It was an outing that somewhat assuaged the sadness of leaving, as they were both a bit anesthetized upon their early morning departure! Now that Robert’s wine cellar is stocked, he needs to get Ben Vanderberry to tell him if it’s any good. A few weeks later, Robert ventured to New York City for the Metropolitan Opera and more carousing. According to Robert, at our age, no opportunity should be neglected. Just so there will be some reference to work in this note, in August, Robert and Butch Slaughter tried a case to a seven-figure verdict! In other career-related news, Bo Temple joined Dawson & Associates as a senior adviser. They are lucky to have him. (Editor’s Note: See article in the Alumni News section of this Review.) In more completely non-work-related news, which appears to be the only kind he has to offer, Randy Frank wrote to tell us about his vacation in Hawaii. The weather was marvelous for the most part. He and Terry loved staying in the most reasonably priced district of Hawaii, where they were able to rent an entire house with an ocean view – and close enough to hear the surf – for less than $700 a week! They had a large lanai where they spent much of their time. Randy also had an extensive range of running options without having to worry about traffic. They were in proximity of the town of Pahoa, which he describes as a rather funky little town with raised wooden sidewalks reminiscent of the Old West. That is, until you gaze upon the local citizens. There were lots of refugees from the 1960s selling tie-dye shirts and, unless Dr. Frank misses his guess, frequently partaking in the pleasures (medicinal purposes only) of cannabis inhalation. Lots of local color. One night, they discovered the true guardians of the faith by attending an evening party where aging hippies, 70-ish hipsters and proponents of marijuana for all that ails you reign supreme. Randy, why is it that whenever we talk, you are supposedly working. Yet, all I hear from you is about your vacations? OK, I am turning a bit green here. I had the pleasure of running into a number of brother rats at various basketball games this

102

season, including the likes of Allen Morgan, Scott Rizzer, Dave Schuyler, Tom Baur, Mark Hall and Tom Mason. Sandy Morgan reported that, after one of our home games, several of our BRs were gathered outside Cameron Hall when Tom Mason walked up and started dancing “Gangnam Style,” complete with jacket swirling over his head. Somehow, Sandy drew the conclusion that the guys of ’75 can still rock. Greg Stultz wrote that he and Anne were surviving this horrid winter in northeast Ohio. Greg said that he never meant to stay there this long, but he has evidently lost his touch for getting a job transfer like in his early days with Michelin. Felix Wolkowitz is alive and well in New York, and his family is doing fine. Felix recently had breakfast with Guy Conte. Devery Miller went into the emergency room Jan. 20 with chest pains, but the worst pains were three days earlier when he didn’t go. They found his echo cardiogram to be OK, no damage, but when the heart catheter was done, he had two restrictions (95 and 75 percent) that had to be opened with stints. Two other areas further downstream were 25-30 percent restricted, but they are being handled with the medicines. Dev and Bette Lou changed their diet over a year ago, so all his blood chemistry came back in normal ranges. Meanwhile, their son (Andy ’05) and his wife have four girls (ages 6, 4, 2 and a newborn). He has a line number for major and is teaching C-130J aircraft tactics at the Weapons School Squadron at Little Rock Air Force Base. Devery stopped working at U.S. Transportation Command Oct. 1, 2013, to spend more time with the granddaughters. Bette Lou says the girls will go to VMI as she did – as Ring Figure dates! He worked for 37 years for Uncle Sam’s military – 24 years active duty and contracting for 13 years – and it was a pretty good ride. Devery is looking forward to volunteer work or a little part-time “here and there” to support his flying habit, since he owns a 1957 Cessna 172 and a small hangar on the local grass strip. Getting in some fishing and golfing now and then wouldn’t be too bad, either. Rich Mines wrote that he and his family (Rich, Beth, Andrew and Daniel) spent a week in the Tetons and Yellowstone. They put 1,700 miles on their sport utility vehicle in five days, driving around looking for wildlife and the elusive wolf pack that could never be found. In August, the family spent a weekend in the Big Apple to attend his nephew’s wedding with James and Katie Plunkett. Dan and Vickie Darnell are doing well in northern Virginia. They have recently added their seventh grandchild to the Darnell family, Walter J. Darnell IV. Dan says that he can already see him on the mound at Gray-Minor Stadium mowing down the Virginia Tech Hokies!

Len Riedel had a great trip to Saipan, Tinian and Guam, having barreled down Alpha Runway at 100 mph – the same view Col. Tebbits had on Enola Gay. He walked in the footsteps of Lem Shepherd ’917on Guam and peeked in the caves where the Japanese commander on the island committed hari-kiri. The temperature every day was 85 degrees, while it was 0 in Danville. Len’s hotel, the Hyatt Guam, overlooked Tumon Bay, where the Japanese came ashore in December 1941. Len also reported that he had a great reunion with Charlie Freeman and Bob O’Conner. He and Charlie found the old College Inn and hit the old Paramount for breakfast. They had dinner at the Natural Bridge Hotel and some Rare Turkey sipping bourbon, which made for a nice weekend. They also very much enjoyed Ben and Anne Vanderberry’s tailgater and a good visit with Allen and Sandy Morgan and Tommy and Judy Baur. Harry McKnight wrote that the big event last year was the wedding of his daughter, Kate. In attendance were Ben and Anne Vanderberry. It was a great event. The hit of the evening was Ben and Anne cutting it loose on the dance floor. At Harry’s 60th birthday celebration, his other daughter, Megan, presented him with a photo album containing pictures and quips from dear friends. (Needless to say, some of our brother rats remembered things that should have been forgotten.) There was a picture of Ben and Harry at Harry’s wedding. He put it next to a picture of the two of them at Harry’s daughter’s wedding. They were amazed to see that neither had aged a day in 37 years. (Note: Statements made to the class agent for the preparation of class notes are not – say again, not – certified.) I guess that brings us to the Nunn household, as if any of you care! I have two new knees, and life is significantly better that before. My dad, Bill Nunn ’43, celebrated his 92nd birthday recently. I only mention that as a warning to our brother rats that, if family lineage means anything, you may be stuck with me for quite a while – not as class agent, as my tenure has only about one year left. Judy and I, as well as all of our children and grandchildren, are doing well. We stop to take note every day of how lucky and blessed we are. I want to mention something about the effort underway to establish a Class of ’75 Memorial Scholarship. This effort, spearheaded by Guy Conte, is an attempt to develop an ongoing endowment in the name of the Class of ’75. As a class, our participation level of annual giving has always been a bit disappointing, though I greatly respect the decision and position of all of our class. During the last several years, I have heard brother rats offer different reasons why they choose not to donate to VMI. Whether or

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES not I, or anyone else, agree with those stated positions is completely immaterial, as we all have a right to make our own decisions. However, this endowment is an opportunity to directly help cadets in need of financial aid. The money will not be used by the Institute, the Alumni Association, the Keydet Club or any other organization related to VMI. Funds in this endowment will serve only one purpose – to help cadets who might not otherwise be able to afford a VMI education. I would like to encourage all of our brother rats to consider supporting the development of a Class of ’75 endowment, whether in addition to your current support, as a part of your current annual support or as a first-time donor. The more money we can raise in this and future years, the more young people we can help for many years to come. It is also a way to come together as a class to support one another. Please think about it. One other thing: I have mentioned this several times before, but our class email list does not include everybody – by a long shot. I encourage any of you who are not pestered by my occasional but highly informative (in my own mind) emails to drop me a note with your email address so I can add you to the list. Hey, if Mike Hunter can learn to use email, we all can! That is it for now, my brothers. As always, I am deeply indebted to you for your support. Stay safe, my friends. Stay happy, stay healthy and please, stay in touch. In the spirit, Artie

’76

William Bhatta

I wrote these notes Feb. 15, 2014, after two days of trying to get home from business in Nashville, Tennessee, through Snowmageddon 2014. I am still smarting from the trip. After sitting on an airplane for two hours, scheduled to fly from Charlotte to Richmond, the flight was canceled for maintenance reasons. Passengers could wait 36 hours before the next available flight, so almost everyone decided to rent cars to drive to Richmond. The rental car agencies were prepared – the cheapest car rental I could get was $500, and it wasn’t even a nice car. The rental agencies had everyone from Richmond over a barrel, and they stuck it to us with a smile on their faces! Andre and Lois Koneczny are doing great, working at a strong pace and enjoying life as much as they can. Their oldest daughter, Kristen, is 30, and their youngest daughter, Erika, is 27. Kristen is engaged, and the wedding is planned for June 2014 on the banks of the Potomac River

2014- Issue 2

Class of 1976: Mack and Paula Curle at the National Museum of the Marine Corps at Quantico, October 2013. at River Farms (one of George Washington’s five local farms he maintained between the city of Alexandria and his estate at Mt. Vernon). Erika is an events coordinator for Ric Edelman Financial. She plans events across the United States and loves being single. Andre said, “We are not grandparents yet ... though Lois can’t wait. Me, not so much right now.” Jerry Eggleston is working hard at the Union Pacific Railroad in Salt Lake City, Utah. He just bought a new townhome in West Valley (a suburb of Salt Lake City). His son, John, is 23 and attending his second year at college at Brigham Young University-Idaho in Rexburg, Idaho. His daughter, Danielle, is 19 and began her mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints last December. She attended the mission training center in Provo, Utah, for two weeks and moved to Salem, Oregon, where she will serve for 18 months. In March, Jack Christy will retire from Boeing after 35 years of service. Jack and Charlotte are planning to build their retirement home northwest of Seattle in Anacortes, Washington, on Fidalgo Island (the first of the San Juan Islands). Jack said, “The San Juan Islands are a vacation paradise. [We have] whale watching tours, salmon fishing, hiking year-round and snow skiing at nearby Mount Baker – just a few hours away from Whistler, British Colombia, which has world class skiing in winter and golf in summer.” Here is an update from Dick Williams: He lives in Woodbridge, Virginia. He retired from the U.S. Army in 2000 and was hired by the Defense Intelligence Agency shortly after Sept. 11, 2001. He was on the road to his interview at the Pentagon when the plane hit. He spent six years in the Joint Staff J2 from 2001-07 and has been a senior Middle East intelligence analyst ever since. He is currently on special assignment supporting Retired U.S. Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen’s Israeli-Palestinian security dialogue as

part of the secretary of state’s Middle East peace effort. Dick has three children. His oldest daughter graduated from Mary Washington University and just started a year-long internship with International Justice Mission in the Philippines. His youngest daughter graduated in May 2013 from high school and is in pre-nursing studies at Northern Virginia Community College. His son is a 3rd Class cadet at VMI majoring in international studies on an Army ROTC scholarship. Dick said, “I’ve been reconnecting with the Institute since my son has been going there!” He is on VMI’s Parents Council and recently spoke about Israel to some of the international studies majors at VMI. Dick said he saw Hank Foresman at the Pentagon a few times and at last year’s rat send-off in Alexandria, Virginia, but he has not seen many other BRs. I received a great Christmas letter from Jim and Tish Dittrich. Last year, he discovered how important it is to always travel with a cooler in your car. Jim said, “Life in Arkansas continues to amaze us. Our company recently relocated to Maumelle, Arkansas, on the north side of the Arkansas River. I was driving to work on the Arkansas River Bridge when I saw a crowd of people looking over the side of the bridge. I pulled over and saw a woman in the water. The crowd said she jumped. I learned that I was the only one in the crowd who did not have a cooler in my car, because the crowd started tossing coolers to the swimmer. She was holding on to a half dozen of them, some with adult beverages floating nearby. She survived. Only in Arkansas.” Mack Curle reported he had a partial knee replacement last September and is doing well. Mack and Paula were exercising this past winter at a local fitness facility in anticipation of a granddaughter in February – Benjamin Curle ’08 and his wife, Megan, are excited to have a baby girl. Mack and Paula are staying busy in retirement. She is involved with Delta Kappa

103

CLASS NOTES

Class of 1976: From left, Dyke Davies, Allen McCarthy, Wayne Eastham, Dexter Gilliam and Curtis Butterworth (with their wives) celebrating together in Richmond, Virginia, in January 2014. Wayne said, “It was truly great to catch up and hear what Curtis has been doing and hear about the support he is getting from some of our BRs.” Gamma, a teacher’s honor society, and enjoys her weekly women’s Bible study at church. Mack is a Gideon and keeps busy with his church. He is involved in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) on a regional and national level. He is on the presbytery of the James’ Committee for the Preparation for Ministry – they guide ministerial candidates through the ordination process – and was selected as an alternate commissioner to the Presbyterian General Assembly being held in Detroit in June 2014. After years of hard labor, Ted Mouras declared that he had completed post-fire recovery yard work. His local community in Arizona was engulfed in a large forest fire a couple of years ago. Ted said, “Now, I can get back to the regular yard work, which is ... hmm ... also hard labor.” Last year, Ted and Melanie vacationed in

Africa and visited five countries. They flew to Dubai, had a day trip to Zimbabwe, stayed in South Africa for a week, spent a couple of days on the Zambian border and spent a week in Botswana. Ted said, “The people were friendly, the exchange rate generally favorable and the wildlife was simply incredible.” Ted continues his volunteer work with various conservation and ecological groups and leads birding tours when he gets a chance. And now, the BR minute: Billy and Susan Karnes announced the birth of their second grandchild, William Edward Karnes. He was born Nov. 26, 2013, in Charleston, South Carolina, to Paul and Kara Karnes. Billy said, “The VMI provisional appointment has already been requested.” For Hank Foresman, Feb. 3, 2014, was “run

Class of 1976: The Mullen family, from right: Grigg, Accacia (his new daughter-in-law), Grigg III, Cindy, Andrew and Melissa. Grigg III and Accacia were married May 2013 on the Mullen’s neighbor’s hilltop.

104

into BRs day” around the Pentagon. Hank said, “On Friday, I had a long conversation with Dan Commerford in a hallway, met with Razz Waff this morning and just ran into J.W. Swain waiting for a bus. Small world.” Last year, Dave and Barb Bass had the opportunity to take a Danube River cruise. They flew to Prague, Czech Republic, and toured two days there before getting on the riverboat. They visited Slovakia, Hungary, Austria and Germany along the way. Dave and Barb still work and look forward to retirement. Class agent administration: First, please note my email address changed to wkbhatta@gmail. com. Second, I think it is time for a fall mini reunion. If we avoid the reunion and parent weekends, potential dates and locations are: Annapolis, Maryland, Oct. 11, 2014, (football – VMI versus the U.S. Naval Academy); Lexington, Virginia: Nov. 1, 2014, (football – Furman versus VMI); or Lexington, Virginia, Nov. 22, 2014, (football – Citadel versus VMI). Any preferences? Send me some feedback! Finally, since most of us have or will turn 60 this year, below are the top 18 signs you are 60 years old (just in case you did not realize it). • Your back goes out more than you do. • Your best friend is dating someone half their age, and they aren’t breaking any laws. • Your idea of a night out is sitting on the patio. • It takes longer to rest than it did to get tired. • Your address book has mostly names that start with “Dr.” • “Getting lucky” means you found your car in the parking lot. • The gleam in your eyes is from the sun hitting

Class of 1976: Andre Koneczny with Lois and his daughters, Erika, left, and Kristen, right, during a vacation in Europe September 2013. They stopped in Paris, Munich (for Oktoberfest), Prague and finally London. Koneczny said, “Four type-A personalities collided for 12 days – it was a great, once-in-a-lifetime trip.”

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES your bifocals. • Your children begin to look middle aged. • Your favorite part of the newspaper is “20 Years Ago Today.” • Your knees buckle and your belt won’t. • You quit trying to hold your stomach in, no matter who walks into the room. • Your ears and nose are hairier than your head. • There is nothing left to learn the hard way. • You have a party and the neighbors don’t even realize it. • Your investment in health insurance is finally beginning to pay off. • Your joints are more accurate meteorologists than the National Weather Service. • Your childhood toys sell for a fortune on eBay. • You save all your important reading for the bathroom. That is all for this issue. I hope to hear from you soon. Have a great summer! Until next time, keep the VMI spirit alive!

’77

Steve Neas

The week of Jan. 27, 2014, was going to be a good one for me. I had several meetings set up, and they looked promising. At 9:23 a.m., an email from Chris Nash came: “Donnie Ross ’74 just informed me that Bert Deacon died this morning of a heart attack.” What a shock to us all. I sent out emails and posted on the VMI ’77 Facebook page. There is little I can say about Bert that you do not know or have not experienced for yourself. He touched all of us. I received dozens of testimonies from BRs through email and Facebook. I packaged them all up and

Class of 1977: Steve and Debbie Kelly at the Lynchburg Chapter Valentine’s Day Hop Feb.1, 2014.

2014- Issue 2

sent them to Meg. There was a memorial service that Friday in Richmond. Meg and the family most graciously reserved front pews across from the family for the class. Bruce Cann was most helpful that week by keeping us all informed. The attendance from the class was overwhelming. I will not list all I saw or spoke to for fear of missing someone. The gathering was a mini reunion. The love and warmth felt in that place for Bert, the family and for one another, was palpable. This has been a tough year for Super ’77. Five of our beloved brother rats have fallen in the past 12 months. We all know the shadows are beginning to grow long. Many of us must think back to the days when were cadets during alumni weekends, looking at those old men walking around who were so in love with the place wondering, “Will VMI mean much to us when we return in years to come?” Well, those old men are us, and I think we understand. This occasion gave me an opportunity to talk to Kimber Latsha. How fortunate we were to elect Kimber as class president back in 1974. Could you think of anyone better in our class to lead us? We agreed that we would set up a Class of ’77 memorial fund to send flowers or a plant to the families as our BRs pass. If you want to participate or have other ideas to remember our fallen BRs, please let Kimber and me know. On to more uplifting news! Tom Pender sent a nice note. He continues to work as a judge at the U.S. International Trade Commission. You may remember the last post about Tom; rooms full of file cabinets for him to consider. Tom corrected me. He works with a pocket full of thumb drives. His second granddaughter arrived in October 2013. Tom continues to work toward building the grandchild trap in Rockingham County, Virginia. I understand the judge has been talking to the county agent about crop rotation.

Mike and Lucy Lindsay still live in Warrenton, Virginia. Their daughter, Hillary, earned a doctorate in physical therapy in May 2013. Their other daughter, Megan, is an assistant professor of biology at Pennsylvania State University. Another empty nest couple. Other than the email mentioned above, Chris Nash stays in touch. Chris lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, but is very involved in happenings at VMI. Remember, College Oriented Workshop will be coming up this summer. I received a great email from Stu Kinniburgh. He seemed to have dropped off the earth. After reading about his doings, I understand. Stu is the director of development for the Quo Vadis Institute (Google it). It is an organization based in Salzburg, Austria, that seeks to help establish cultural change in Europe by working with influential thinkers throughout Europe. As an example, the organization just hosted a conference in Brussels on economics that brought representatives from 12 countries together for three days of conversation. Stu’s passport must be well stamped. He is also working as an associate pastor at a small church in Orlando, Florida. Stu stays true to music. He plays with local bands from time to time. Stu said he gave up his motorcycle – too many crazies on the road with their noses buried in their smartphones. He drives a Corvette – a yellow 2002 convertible. My pastor doesn’t drive a Corvette, so his collections must be good. Stu Kinniburgh: another ’77 rock star and former Company B member who made good. Hank Bungay checked in. He still lives in Troy, New York, and, as previously reported, is retired. Hank regularly travels to Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, Florida, Montreal and Las Vegas to play poker. He tries to treat it as a job. Hank has renewed his offer to set up a VMI ’77 game, anytime, anywhere. A friendly

Class of 1977: Bert Deacon at the 35th Reunion in 2012.

105

CLASS NOTES

Class of 1977: Many brother rats from the Class of 1977 attended the memorial service of Bert Deacon. game ... he will bring the cards. I assume he will also bring Internal Revenue Service forms for everyone to report their winnings. Hank did say it would be an “honest game.” On Christmas Eve, many of us received a safety minute from none other than James Scott “Maddog” Bentley. Maddog related a story in which he had been out in a social engagement that involved some adult beverages. Instead of getting in his car, as usual, and driving home, he ordered a taxi. He got home safely that night, and the cab drove right past the police checkpoint without incident. Divine intervention? You can imagine the responses from the many BRs that were copied on that email. Jim, thank you for the safety minute. It was good to see you in Richmond. Jerry Corley and Tom Orrell all checked in to give me their email address. They are alive and well. I spent some time talking to Randy Hartley at Bert’s service. Randy and Sue were at Fort Lee, attending the commissioning of their son. They are empty nesters and are doing well in Orlando.

Class of 1977: J.J. and Hope Marshall ate dinner with Craig and Claire Forbes in Richmond, Virginia.

106

Buzzy Northern sent an email from Jacksonville, Florida. He has been there since the middle of December receiving some medical treatments. He seems to think everything will work out, and he should be home by the time this is published. However, this prevented him from making it to Bert’s service. Bob Gutjahr checked in, as well. Bob retired as a U.S. Army colonel. For those of you who do not remember Bob, he is one of those who touched base at VMI and moved on to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He remains true to his roots, though. His son is VMI Class of 2016. Bob works for Leidos in Aberdeen, Maryland. Bob, just because you wear a West Point ring does not mean you are not welcome at the next reunion. Steve Kelly emailed a photo of him and wife Debbie at the Lynchburg Chapter Valentine’s Day Hop. I understand this is becoming “the” event in central Virginia. Steve spotted Moe, also known as Bland, and Jane Massie at the event. One more story, and these notes need to go to presses. While I was in the ROTC department at VMI in the ’80s, I lived across Turkey Hill Road from Chuck and Patsy Conner. Chuck and I dabbled in the chicken, turkey and pig business for fun and food, not profit. We agreed not to name any of the animals we planned to consume; it did not seem right. I spoke with Chuck at Bert’s memorial and asked him about cattle. Chuck said that he was feeding out two steers at that time. He has broken the rule about naming animals going to slaughter. The two steers were named “Eat Me” and “Eat Me 2.” There is plenty of snow on the ground here in Rockbridge County as I write this. Denise, ever hopeful and optimistic, is ordering seeds. Also, tree buds are beginning to show, so I think there will be a spring.

’78

Tom Brown

Greetings, Brother Rats, Hopefully, as you read these notes, you are enjoying the warm, wonderful and welcome effects of spring. As I am writing this to you, most of us have been enduring an unusually cold and snowy winter. The dark days of this past winter saw many changes for the class. Sadly, we lost Mark (Gino) Gentile after his long battle with multiple sclerosis. He was a fine friend and gentle spirit who will be greatly missed. Many of you supported the funding of his care over these last years that was so kindly coordinated by Ronnie Milligan. Another tragic loss occurred as Danny and Melissa Thornton lost their only son, Peter, to an unfortunate accident. During this terrible time, many of you were present to support them at their home and at Peter’s memorial service in an overflowing church. We continue to stand by them as they heal. A memorial scholarship has been set up. To contribute to the Peter Thornton Memorial Athletic Scholarship, contact the Keydet Club. Our prayers and thoughts go out to both families. The Lynchburg Alumni Chapter’s Valentine’s Hop saw a gathering of many BRs. As usual, ’78 had the largest contingent there with Terry Dorn, Jay Hutt, Andy Faulconer, Jimmy Cure, Bert Loflin, Stu Gitchell, Tom Brown and their ladies. Everyone enjoyed a great time catching up and a little dancing, as well. Terry was in the ‘’Burg with his wife, Beth, to enjoy the hop experience. Andy loves being a new granddad. Stu is working on a project down in the Abingdon area. Jimmy is dealing with the challenges of the Affordable Care Act. Jay continues to be on the

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES not heard or have been living under that proverbial rock, Jeffery Smith has been selected for appointment as VMI’s new dean of the faculty and deputy superintendent for academics. Peay’s statement upon the announcement of Jeff’s appointment included, “His superior academic and leadership abilities, his passion for our cadets and their education, his passion for the faculty, and his boundless energy will benefit VMI for years to come. He is steeped in academia and soldiering: a wonderful combination for all at the Institute. We look forward to Gen. Smith’s Class of 1978: The Class of ’78 at the Lynchburg Valentine’s Day Hop. arrival.” A retired brigadier general, Jeff had a remarkable 34-year career in the U.S. Army. He was a distinguished graduate of VMI and earned road with his work. Bert continues to be busy Michael Ogden Bachelor of Arts degrees in English and biology. with his financial planning business. We hope to He also earned a Master of Science degree in see more of you next time. Please plan for the national security from the National War College Saturday before the 2015 Super Bowl to join us and a doctorate degree in English literature from for the next hop. Princeton University. Doctorate?! Princeton?! Rick Wolfe was in Lexington for the alumni While teaching at the U.S. Military Academy at board meeting representing north New Jersey. Rick and Danny Thornton enjoyed seeing a Greetings from the Eastern Shore of Virginia! I West Point (oh, and he taught at Princeton, too!), he founded the literary journal, “The Circle in basketball game. Danny came over the mountain hope this finds everyone safe and well. with Bert Loflin; Peter’s girlfriend, Kate; and For starters, congratulations once again to Tom the Spiral.” He is also a published author. His Chip Mason. Rick got his picture in a recent is- Trumps on his incredible tour as commandant book is entitled, “The Literature of Disillusionsue of Golf World, which caught him in a “char- of cadets. It has been a fantastic seven years! All ment: Public War Correspondence from Wateracteristic and habitual pose,” trying to recover the best from ’79 to you and Nancy! We all wish loo to Khe Sanh.” In other words, Jeff has done from a bad tee shot in the woods. Rick says it you continued success, wherever the next chap- kind of OK and seems somewhat qualified for is the pinnacle of his golfing career. Mine too, ter takes you. Your hard work and dedication the job. Upon the announcement, Jeff said, “I have accomplished so much. Along with Gen. can imagine no better position that defines my Rick. Alec and Sheila Earle are enjoying retirement. Peay ’62, you have helped return VMI to its elite calling in life than to serve as the dean of the facThey drove their motor home from Washington, status as one of this country’s premier producers ulty and deputy superintendent for academics at D.C., to San Antonio, Texas. After a meandering of young leaders and professionals! Virginia Military Institute. The Institute is where trip, they arrived in San Antonio, where they are So, what now? In addition to Tom’s big I found my footing, and it is my expectation to getting settled into their home. Alec and Sheila change, Jeff Curtis has moved on from being become fully immersed in shaping the success also recently took a 10-day Caribbean cruise, chief of staff for the superintendent to serving and future of the Institute, its remarkable faculty which was fantastic. The Earles and its splendid cadets.” Congratulaare planning a three-month trip tions, Jeffery! ’79 ’79 ’79! this summer in their motor home My largest single concern regarding to Alaska and Canada. FollowTom’s and Jeff’s “retirements” is obviously the loss of their yards on post ing Alaska, they plan to take an– so convenient for the Parade Ground other cruise (this time from New and tailgating, etc. (Hey! It’s all about York to Montreal) and will drive me, remember?) Well, in response to the motor coach to Albuquerque, my congratulations email to Jeff – the New Mexico, for the annual Balvery day Peay made the announceloon Festival. Alec says he saw Ralph Wilment – Jeff emailed, unprompted by liams at a reception at Randolph me. “I am happy to have the ‘TrumpsAir Force Base. Ralph is still in es’’ place open for business during all sports events. The house will be open civil service and riding herd over a multimillion dollar renovation to all and everyone starting in Auof the U.S. Air Force Personnel gust!” Aww right! August, huh? Don’t Center. The first phase is complete we have a reunion, like, in September? Class of 1979: Bob “Stosh” Morris and Hank Chase at and is absolutely beautiful. Alec Hmm. Hank’s company Christmas party. says Ralph is doing a great job! On to some notes from BRs: Brian Jimmy Leech checked in with Tollie hasn’t had any BR sightings or not much new. He is just waiting for Mary Car- as the executive assistant to the VMI Board of anything “else,” but he does pass along that he Visitors ... a tad more consuming job than he or will be back in the states for the entire month men’s visa to be approved. That does it for this issue. Please send along the superintendent realized, I hear! What now, of May. He will move back home permanently any changes to emails if you have not been get- indeed? How about, I don’t know ... dean of in mid-June, so he should be around for the fall faculty! Yeah, why not the trifecta! If you have reunion. ting updates.

’79

2014- Issue 2

107

CLASS NOTES

Class of 1979: During summer 2013, Tom Baltazar, right, along with his son, son-in-law and brother-in-law, went on an Alaskan fishing trip with Papa Bear Adventures, an outfitter owned and operated by two VMI brothers, Steve Powers, left, and his brother, Karl Powers ’90. Steve piloted the float plane, pictured in the background, which took Tom’s party to the lake to begin their eight day float, ending in Good News Bay. Jim Elliott ran into Howard and Marcie Adams. Jim writes, “Just got home and was checking the mailbox as they [the Adams] were driving past. Thankfully, they stopped, and we were able to spend a few minutes catching up. As mentioned, Marcie was with him so the conversation stayed ‘PG,’ which was probably for the best! Since they’ll be empty-nesters in the near future, they were doing a little window shopping on where their next move might take them. Who knows? Could be next door!” The high school football team of Jim’s youngest son, Buck, had the best season they’d had in 30-plus years! They finished 10-2, made it to the playoffs and Buck even managed to receive a few postseason honors. Jim says, “Several schools in the Mid-Atlantic were recruiting him to play, including our beloved Institute, but in the end he chose the U.S. Naval Academy! The plan is for him to report to the Naval Academy Prep School in Newport, Rhode Island, this summer and on to the academy after that!” (Naval Academy? Congrats and all, but what the?) Jim’s oldest son, Sam Elliott ’14, just completed his duties on the Rat Disciplinary Council when the rats broke out recently. Jim thinks Sam was happier for it to be over than the rats were! Sam is on track to graduate in May with a degree in economics and business. His interests lay in the equity capital markets, so if any of you know of an opportunity in the financial services industry for a bright, energetic young man who wants to be a “billionaire,” please let Jim know. Sam does not want to move back home for a prolonged time, and honestly, Jim doesn’t want him to, either! John Kailey says he talks to Al Soltis periodically, who he envies for pursuing his dream with

108

the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. John also sees Jim Pigg every now and again, as Jim and he both officiate lacrosse games. Beyond that, John continues “the gig” with Emory, along with his full-time job and taking steps to get his oldest son into college. His son lettered in football and wrestling this year – he is 6 feet, 2 inches tall and weighs 225 pounds, so needless to say Dad can no longer wrestle him. John survived the big “snow-jam” in Atlanta. He said it took him five and a half hours to travel 12 miles round trip to pick up his family. He even managed to write a magazine article about Iraq during the “trip!” Jay Virtue became a grandfather for the first time in August 2013. The little boy’s name is Jonathan Grant Virtue. Jay calls him “Griz” and has made plans for an Appalachian Trail hike in Maine in 2025. “Griz” will be 12, and Jay will still be 46. (Yeah, right, along with the rest of us!) “Living the dream!” Thanks, Jay, and congratulations to you and Debbie! Lenny Snead (for the first time in a long time) writes that his son, Cadet Luke William Snead ’14, will graduate from VMI in May this year, and he is extremely proud! Congratulations to both! Great hearing from you, Lenny! Howard Adams sent in, “I have been fortunate to catch up with several BRs in the last several months, including Chip Humphrey, Mory Wood, Jim Leavitt, Meade Spotts and Dave Houser. I see Chip at the gym, where we both are still trying to look like we did in the day ... haha. Jim’s son and Dave’s daughter go to school at Douglas Freeman High School here in Richmond, along with my step-daughter, so we run into them from time to time. Everyone is doing

great. Jim’s son is a standout football player at Freeman headed to the Naval Academy. Dave’s daughter is a great athlete, too. I was remarried in August 2012 to a Gertie girl from Richmond, Marcie. Mory, Meade and the group made a stop at the house for a little happy hour. (No damage was done!) Also, I saw the guys during the holidays. I speak with Tim Fitch from time to time. He and Mary are doing well and are grandparents. Steve Lyon is in Charlotte, and we catch up by email. It’s almost golf season, and Mory, Chip and I hope to hit a few.” Thanks for the update, Howard! Did you say golf? Dale Drury checks in from the West Coast and reports all is well in Sacramento, California. He works in Medicaid long-term care planning, so he works with seniors and veterans (like me!). His wife, Debi, has a garment embroidering business. Dale says all six (yes, six) children are doing well (Kevin, 25; Kyle, 20; Jocelyn, 19; Chelsea, 16; Aidan, 7; and Jackson, 5). Some great news is that Dale plans to come to our 35th Reunion in September! John Colonna says that he saw Fletcher Lumpkin (Frankie Lumpkin’s son) at a Hampden Sydney College versus Virginia Wesleyan University basketball game at VWC. Fletcher plays for Hampden Sydney (No. 30 in your programs). John got to talk with Fletcher briefly after the game, as he and his teammates were headed to their bus. He said he and Patty are doing well, which is great news. Thanks for the update, John! Meade Spotts says, “Noel Harris and Eric Nost have abandoned their jobs (they work?) and their families to become full-time hunters. They spend most of their time in Eric’s kitchen, approximately 75 feet from their favorite goose blind, which can be easily located by the mound of No. 2 yellow corn placed nearby. Brad Jones has gotten so lazy, he trains deer to come to his back door – seriously. Drive to his estate in greater Cumberland County and meet young Fred before the button buck is on the menu.” Always interesting news from Meade! Ted Kientz gets us all caught up with his comings and goings. “I had the great privilege of finishing my 30 years of service with the U.S. Army Special Operations Command. I was responsible for moving the 7th Special Forces Group down to Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. Being back on jump status at 52 was exciting. I found out I can fall out of an airplane just fine. It’s when earth meets body at 52 years old that the realization sinks in that you’re not a young pup anymore. Anyway, I had fun while it lasted. “After my mandatory retirement date in May 2009, I became the first U.S. Army Forces Command employee at Fort Bragg, responsible for overseeing the construction of the FORSCOM headquarters, Marshall Hall in honor of Gen.

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES George C. Marshall ’901! The headquarters was completed in June 2011. I became responsible for the FORSCOM Counter Improvised Explosive Device Program. I have 200 retired senior officers, warrant officers and noncommissioned officers who work with me ensuring that our Army’s operational forces are prepared to conduct military operations anywhere in the world in an improvised explosive device environment. Pretty neat stuff for a retired combat engineer! By the way, this makes two BRs from the Class of ’79 who are actively working C-IED; BR “Stosh” Morris isn’t the only one! On Nov. 15, 2013, Lt. Gen. J.D. Johnson ’77 visited FORSCOM to meet with the CG, G3 and me to discuss the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization’s program. Before Johnson left, we had our picture taken in front of George C. Marshall’s portrait. I believe that this is the first photo of a VMI general officer taken in front of this photo in Marshall Hall (FORSCOM).” Great hearing from you, Ted! Congratulations on your retirement after 30 years and your continued work with C-IED. The most interesting notes input winner: I received a letter – yes, handwritten, sent via the postal system (if you can call it a system) – from Katie Bright, Tom Bright’s wife of four years. Her letter was a thank you to Renee and me for keeping in touch and stated they were hoping to make the reunion. I cannot tell you how nice the letter was. The letter. The letter from Katie. The letter from Katie, not Tom. If you keep up with the class notes, you know how much I appreciate and value the many letters and emails I get from all of your wives and significant others. I say thank you with sincerity. You help to keep this ragamuffin group we call a class together. Thank you, Katie, and thank you to all of you other “non BR” contributors! Finally, from “Uncle Stosh” Morris: “We all continue to wait for Pete Alvarez to schedule his long-awaited retirement party, and it’s starting to cause Rat Line flashbacks. I am sure many of us wake up at night in a cold sweat wondering if today is the day. I’m thinking that perhaps several of us need to just go to his house at 4 a.m., kick his door in, tell him that ‘resurrection’ started and he needs to get moving with it. “While we wait somewhat impatiently, I had the pleasure to attend the Christmas party for Hank Chase’s company – appropriately named Integrity Consulting. Many thanks to Hank for not reading the memo that someone obviously sent far and wide warning about inviting me to events where the public may be present. It was a great time; no small children were involved, so there was no risk of them being emotionally scarred for life. “More recently, Meade Spotts invited me to roll cigars for the eighth annual Super Bowl party hosted by Virginia Sen. Frank Wagner in the ‘Holy

2014- Issue 2

City’ of Richmond. A good time was had by all, except for Spotts who obviously thought we were going to a Philadelphia Flyers game and wore an orange shirt. As always, I was grateful for the experience and the great lessons learned from Spotts on how to influence those in power (who likely should not be). It was almost magical how he could change team colors for the two Super Bowl participants as he moved from group to group working the room. I was a bit concerned at one point when a particularly quick change caused him to come out with Bronco orange underwear on his head and a Patriot blue shirt on backward, but he recovered beautifully. By the end of the night, I felt more comfortable moving from group to group, alternately expressing unbridled outrage or limitless glee at the score, depending on the fan base. “I had some great exchanges with Henry Foresman, Doug Doerr and Doug Simms ’77, as the plans for the Jethro Tull benefit concert for our veterans’ programs look more positive for October 2014 in Richmond. I understand warnings are already out from the ‘I,’ and the superintendent has been coordinating with Putin to borrow his ring of steel from the Olympics to try and prevent Henry and me from meeting to conspire.” Thanks, Stosh. I think. Planning for this September’s 35th Reunion marches along. If you have not received initial information on what our plans are, you need to get in touch with me soon. Every effort has been made to make our reunion as fun, enjoyable, stress free and affordable as possible, with the hope of maximum attendance. Another reminder: Try and get your contributions up to meet the brick requirement! They always get the new bricks added just before the

reunion weekends start, so you still have time! We also plan to have our plaque on the new sentinel box unveiled as well as our inductees to the Hall of Valor completed. Everything is geared up for Sept. 12-14! It kind of makes you want to be there, eh? Life is grand on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. Renee is pressing on with classes, and Wally the cardigan is fully assimilated as a member of the family. I got a promotion at work which, for a GS, means a parking space 15 paces closer to the front door, my picture moving up one row on the command photo board and that huge (as in nonexistent) pay raise. Time for my annual physical. How about you? As always, keep safe and stay well. – M

’80

John Gibney Jr.

Hello, Brother Rats, These notes cover the period of Nov. 1, 2013, through Feb. 15, 2014. As I type, the Winter Olympics are underway and nearly 50 inches of snow have fallen on New York City, but pitchers and catchers have reported to spring training! The period began with a birthday call with Tolar Nolley. His company, the Oyster Company of Virginia, is doing very well and was a corporate sponsor of the Oyster Festival. Hunter Davis sent an email that said he and Debi planned to visit NYC in December. They were looking to connect with me and Patti. On Nov. 10, Tom Gelles and Tom (Gunny)

Class of 1980: Several 1980 BRs got together at the Alumni-Cadet Networking Forum Dec. 7, 2013, to share their experiences in the real world with the cadets. Representing the class were, from left, front, Pat Griffin, Bob White and Rick Fowler. Back: Jack Keane, John Shuman and Tom Kelly.

109

CLASS NOTES

Class of 1980: At the wedding of Brian O’Neill’s son, Timothy, were, from left, front row, Brian O’Neill; his wife, Kim; daughter-in-law, Morgan; son, Timothy; and daughters, Kelly and Kirsten. Back row: O’Neill’s son, Brendan; daughter-in-law, Heather; son, Ryan (deployed on the USS Missouri); and son-in-law, Kevin.

Class of 1980: At the Bucknell University football game were, from left, John Blankenship, Allen Ramer, Bud Zirkle, Tom Johnston, Josh Priest, Ken Trotman, Tolar Nolley and Paul Burkholder.

Class of 1980: Bill Kelly, holding grandchildren Rebekah and Seth, with his wife, Patty, holding grandson Liam, in San Antonio, Texas.

110

Kelly sent an email message noting the 238th birthday of the U.S. Marine Corps. Patti and I traveled to Lexington, where I attended the Foundation board meeting. We stayed with Gary Levenson, who reported seeing John Alerding and Bob White, separately, on post. We also visited with Hugh Fain, a Foundation board vice president, at various board events. Pat Griffin was also on post to attend the Institute Society Dinner and to play rat daddy to his son, Michael, and seemingly half of the rat mass. Note to Tuck Masker: Please have a word with Pat! Pat said, as the president of the New England Chapter, he ran a New Cadet Recruiting event as well as a get-together of local alumni to watch the VMI versus Citadel football game. Attendees included Ed Carter, Bruno Loefstedt and Doug Reddington. (Editor’s Note: See photos in the Association News section of this Review.) I had a birthday call with Jay Melvin who reports all is well in Lexington. Jay and Trudy planned to drive to Colorado for Thanksgiving to visit their son, Jason. Their daughter, Sarah, is in a master’s degree program at James Madison University and planned to fly out and back. Jay also reported seeing Hugh Fain and Pat Griffin at the Institute Society Dinner. Matthew Keys had surgery to remove a mass from his kidney. Patti and I had dinner with Matthew and Tanya just before Thanksgiving. They reported that the surgery was successful, and all is well. I had a birthday call with Steve Andrews. He and Cathy have a daughter, Virginia, who is a senior at Virginia Commonwealth University. Their younger daughter, Caroline, is a freshman at Clemson University. They all planned to gather in Richmond for Thanksgiving. November closed with an email from Allen Ramer. Allen attended the football game against Bucknell University and got together with John Blankenship, Paul Burkholder, Tom Johnston, Tolar Nolley, Josh Priest, Ken Trotman and Bud Zirkle. December began with a plan to meet Tuck Masker in New York City on his way home to Washington, D.C., from a business trip to Boston. Transportation issues prevented us from getting together. George Filer sent an email containing his new home address in Bluefield, Virginia. His son, Mark, is a cadet at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Tim Hodges sent an email in advance of an ice storm in Lexington. Tim wrote that he and Vicki are doing well as empty-nesters. Their son, Mark, is living and working in Lexington. Their daughter, Ruthann, is a sophomore at Roanoke College. Tim also wrote that he attended an Alumni Association function at VMI where he saw John Alerding, Rick Fowler, Pat Griffin,

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES Mark and Darlene Sobota sent a card with a Jack Keane, Tom Kelly and Gary Levenson. Fi- Disney World; Dicky and Judy Lockridge; Phil nally, Tim has been named head of the physics and Kathy Munisteri and their children, Con- page of photos and a letter from their home in department, a fact confirmed on the VMI web- nor and Meghan; Ivan Pupulidy and Crista with Ohio highlighting 2013. Their son, Luke, was photos of their three-week trip through Italy; married to Kylie in March. Their son, Chad, and site. Congrats, Tim! Rick Fowler then sent an email explaining that Rob and Elizabeth Quarles and their children, his wife, Megan, moved to Shriever Air Force several of our BRs attended the Alumni-Cadet Arkell, Marshall and Fielding; Rob and Traci Base in Colorado where Chad, a second lieutenNetworking Forum Dec. 7, 2013. In addition to Robinson with a photo of their daughters, Mad- ant, is a military communications officer. Mark, Rick, representing our class were Pat Griffin, die and Caitlin; Terry and Kelly Stoneman with retired from the Air Force, is employed at Wright Jack Keane, Tom Kelly, John Shuman and Bob a photo of their extended family; and Elliott and Patterson Air Force Base in the F-35 Joint Strike White. Amy Wolffe with photos of their combined fam- Fighter program. Ivan Pupulidy sent an email with a status up- ily. Tracy and Jennifer Wilson sent a card with a John and Anne Alerding sent a card with a note and family photos containing daughters Sidate. He has been selected as the U.S. Forest Service director of the Office of Learning. Stay note and photos from their home in Lexington. ena (9) and Ellie (6). They live in D.C., where tuned for further details. Congrats, Tracy works with the Pacific NorthIvan. west National Laboratory, and Jennifer Ed Kopsick sent a note with phoworks at the International Monetary Fund. They enjoy attending Washtos from his home in Georgia. Ed bought a speed bike and logged ington Nationals games. Their 2013 more than 4,000 miles in 2013. His travels included trips to the Dominican 2014 goal is 5,000 miles. Ed visRepublic, the Seychelles and Canada. Aaron and Nancy Bush sent a note ited with Bill and Molly Wallace at from their home in Pennsylvania with their home in Alabama. Ed taught a page of photos showing their famthem how to shoot a shotgun and a pistol at a local range. The Wallacily and recapping their 2013 activities. Their big news for 2014 is the expected es planned to visit Ed at his home birth of their first grandson. for another lesson. Walt and Carrie Kreitler sent a Christmas wishes arrived note from D.C., where Walt works for throughout the month in variNorthrup Grumman, with several phoous forms. Ben and Sheree Judge sent an email that included a new tos of the “team.” John, now a captain mailing address in Harrisburg, in the Army, is stationed with his famPennsylvania. Steve Letts sent an ily at Fort Gordon, Georgia. Robert is Class of 1980: Bill Wallace and Ed Kopsick in Georgia, December 2013. email with a new cellphone numa program analyst at the office of the secretary of defense. He will begin a ber. Walt and Mary Lynne Wood doctorate program at George Mason sent an email from their home in Ayacucho, Peru, with an announcement that their John and Anne teach at VMI. John is retired from University in September. Walt and Carrie toured ministry launched a Facebook page. They also the U.S. Air Force and from teaching in Buena Germany in November. Lastly, Brian and Kim O’Neill sent an update wrote that Dan Sweeney will be heading up the Vista but teaches math at VMI. Anne is a biology Bean’s Bottom run at our 35th Reunion. professor. John’s son, Johnny, is an Air Force letter with an enclosed photo taken at the wedCards arrived from Larry and Lynn Avery lieutenant in flight school. ding of their son, Timothy. They live in Virginia from Niceville, Florida; Dan and Marge Conn Steve and Cathy Andrews sent a card with a Beach where Brian, a retired U.S. Navy captain, (they were married in August) from Wood- note highlighting 2013.Their younger daughter, works as a civilian for the submarine force. They bridge, Virginia; Vince and Sheila Copenhaver Caroline, graduated high school and is a fresh- have five children, three of whom are married. January began with an email from Hal Snyder. from Rocky Mount, Virginia (their daughter man at Clemson. Their older daughter, Virginia, got engaged); Gary and Karen Levenson from is a senior at Virginia Commonwealth Univer- Hal is retired from the Army and has a dental Chester, Virginia; Tim and the entire Mecredy sity, majoring in psychology and biology. The practice in Fredrick, Maryland, that Kathy runs. Their daughter, Margot, lives in London and got family from Augusta, Georgia; Bert and Peggy family vacationed in France last year. Schneider from Oro Valley, Arizona (their son, Jody Morgan sent a card with a note from engaged in 2013. A 2015 wedding is planned. Chad, got married); Michael and Robin Smith Wintergreen Resort, where she is a real estate Their older son, Hunter, also lives in the U.K. from Midlothian, Virginia; Wade and Lannie agent. Jody also lives in Nelson County. Her son, and attends graduate school at Oxford. Their Stinnette from Columbia, South Carolina; and Jake (28) and his wife, Alicia, live in Fredericks- younger son, Connor, is a high school senior Alex and Shelly Woelper and their daughter, burg. Jake is a second-year architectural student who has applied to VMI. Bill Kelly sent an email with a photo. Bill and Naili (age 20) from El Paso, Texas. at Catholic University. Jody’s older daughter, Cards with photos arrived from Chris and Jen Hannah (25), is a junior at VCU majoring in Patty live in San Antonio. Bill has two married Dombalis with a photo of their daughters, Taylor mass communications. Her younger daughter, daughters, four daughters at home, two grandand Alexis; Pat and Beth Griffin and their sons, Cameron (23), graduated from Appalachian children and a third grandchild on the way. Michael and John; Dave and Diana Hageman State University in May 2013 and works in RaSteve Andrews sent an email with an attached with a photo taken with Gen. Colin Powell; John leigh. Jody wrote that, in December, Jeff (Pup) joke about college students in the commonwealth and Sandra Hall with a photo of their daughter, was inducted into the E.C. Glass High School of Virginia, which reminded Steve of our days as Emma; Larry and Vera Hupertz with a photo Hall of Fame. Rick Gilbert flew in from Dallas cadets singing about our opponent in the week taken with their daughters, Alex and Monica, at to attend. leading up to the annual VMI versus Virginia

2014- Issue 2

111

CLASS NOTES Polytechnic Institute & State University football game. Steve apparently still sings this song, sometimes in public. This does not please Cathy but makes your class agent very happy to communicate his behavior to his BRs. Pat Griffin sent an email with an update on his son, Michael, a 4th Class cadet who had a much better first semester than his father did. At Christmas, Michael brought one of his BRs home to Massachusetts. He is from Taiwan and, according to Pat, is now a Catholic with a Boston accent who has become very adept at operating a snow blower. Jan. 28 came and went, and no one contacted me to commemorate this special day in VMI history. I had a birthday call with Dennis Maguire, who also lives in Boston and who complimented Pat Griffin on doing a fine job as the chapter president. Dennis is doing well. Business is good, and he bought a condo in Florida and spends his weekends on the Cape. His daughter, Hannah, a junior in high school, is considering the University of North Carolina and Wake Forest University. I also had a birthday call with Chris Dombalis. He was in Seattle on business, trying to fly back to New Jersey on the Friday before the Super Bowl. Chris and Jen live in New Jersey with their two daughters, but Chris runs a shipping company and commutes to Jacksonville, Florida, each week. A week after sending a detailed email, Pat Griffin called to tell me everything he wrote a week earlier, plus several other earth-shattering items that I am sure you will find interesting. For example, Dennis Maguire still hasn’t paid Pat for the VMI t-shirt that Pat brought back from one of his recent visits to VMI. Apparently, Dennis cannot squeeze into a size large. Robby Jones provides personal services for Pat’s son, Michael, including Roanoke Regional Airport transportation. Also, Pat had no interest in the Super Bowl, since the Patriots were eliminated. Finally, Pat spoke with Frank Bell, who was skiing in Wyoming, and with Phil Munisteri whose son, Connor, joined ROTC. February began with Patti and me hosting Matthew and Tanya Keys for the Super Bowl. Their son, Bryan, is getting married in November. Then, a 2014 Happy New Year photo-card arrived from Andy and Sharon Brown and their three sons, Joseph, Casey and Christian. Andy was promoted to vice admiral in October. Christian will graduate high school and plans to attend Emory University in Atlanta. Casey will graduate from medical school and is an intern in Lewisburg, West Virginia. Joseph is stationed in St. Augustine. I spoke with Elliott Wolffe. He and Amy traveled from their home in New Orleans to

112

Ralph Northam has been elected lieutenant governor of Virginia. This next section is a series of updates on Gordie Ivascu: Peter Sirrico, who is up in Plymouth, Massachusetts, shared that Gordie’s spirits are good. He is still able to work a bit at his pizza shop every day. He is not a quitter and is focused on getting better. Gordie shared with Peter that he has received calls from people he had not spoken to Trip Lloyd in more than 30 years, and it meant a lot to him. Just before Thanksgiving, Gordie said, “I cannot express to all of you how touched I have been by the calls, emails, cards and Facebook messages I have received from my brother rats. I Dear Brother Rats and Families, am truly blessed, as we all are, to have been part Spring has arrived, and despite the meager of [the] greatest class in barracks. After all the snow in northern Virginia, the “arctic blasts” years, to hear from people I have not heard from made for some cold nights. I had the family out in years has really kept me positive. Thank all of skiing several times and discovered that when you, and God bless.” your knee makes the sound of Rice Krispies Grover Outland wrote that he visited Gordie breakfast cereal (snap, crackle, pop!), it’s a bad Nov. 10, 2013, at his home. He looked fine and thing. My daughter and I are again involved in was in remarkably good spirits, having driven the Virginia Renaissance Faire, and I am work- down Interstate 81 to the “I” the day before ing in a managerial role. I’m the mayor in char- and taken in the Keydets’ football win against Gardner-Webb University. acter and have become the Gordie mentioned he had mayor in fact. My bride and walked all over post and to I just finished performing Alumni Field – he had fortogether onstage. My son is just about ready to earn his gotten about all the stairs Arrow of Light and move and hills (ups and downs) on to the Boy Scouts. I will and had not done that much be brought along to the Boy walking in quite a while. Scout troop, and the scoutHe even got a few blisters. Nevertheless, he had a great master already talked to me time! Gordie also said that, about taking a leadership since his most recent round role. I am enjoying my 1 perof chemo, he feels like the cent pay increase along with tumor has shrunk, because all other federal employees breathing is a lot easier when at the U.S. Agency for Interwalking. He had mentioned national Development, and I that, after his initial diagnoam delighted that I can now Class of 1981: Gregory A. Wolven, P.E., was named to sis, breathing difficulties had afford to get cheese on that the National Electric Safety forced him to give up walkhamburger. Things continue Code, Subcommittee 3. going well in the Lloyd ing his dog around the beauhouse. tiful lake that sits well below Randy Ferris and I had their hilltop home. At the a long conversation. He worked with Special end of Grover and Gordie’s brief get-together, Forces and most recently with the Postal Ser- Gordie emphasized how moved and motivated vice. He lives in northern Virginia. He is look- he was by all the cards, emails, letters, etc., that ing for “Brother Rat” on DVD. Does anyone he has received from BRs. Tim Hesson wrote that he was in Front Royhave any leads on that? Doug Blowe contacted me with the sad news al, Virginia, Nov. 18 and went by to see Gorthat his wife of 24 years had passed away on die. Tim talked to Gordie’s daughter, who told Jan. 5, 2014. Phoebe Goode Blowe was 44 and him that Gordie was at the Cancer Center startdied at her home. She was born May 22, 1969, ing a second round of chemo. Tim called him in Statesville, to Betty Greenwalt Goode and after the treatment. Gordie was understandably the late Dr. T.V. Goode III. Doug is a college tired but remained positive. Gordie shared that history professor who taught middle school for they removed less fluid off his lungs, and he a long time. He and his three sons, Galen, Ian felt that was a good sign. His daughter said he and Owen, live in Mooresville, North Carolina. was feeling upbeat. visit with family in New Jersey. Finally, Walt Wood celebrated his 60th birthday Feb. 13! Our 35th Reunion is fast approaching, and I am in my 15th year as your class agent. Where has the time gone? Thank you for the opportunity to serve and for all your support.

’81

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES

Class of 1981: Gordie Ivascu and Peter Sirrico in Gordie’s restaurant, Anthony’s Pizza, in Strasburg, Virginia. The latest update came from Peter Sirrico Feb. 12, 2014. Gordie and Peter had lunch at Gordie’s Strasburg, Virginia, restaurant, Anthony’s Pizza. Gordie remained spirited, and it was great to catch up and reminisce about their time together in barracks, playing marathon chess tournaments in 311 and endless games of spades. Peter said Gordie seemed to be doing quite well, and the treatments were making a dent in his cancer. I am sad to share that John Cawthorne’s father, Robert Vincent Cawthorne Jr. of Colonial Heights, Virginia, died Nov. 10, 2013. He was born Oct. 11, 1931, in Henderson, Virginia, and he lived most of his life in Colonial Heights. Affectionately known as Robert or Bob to friends and “Debo” to family, he is survived by his wife, Pat, of 55 years; son, John Robert (Lisa) Cawthorne; daughters, Mary Cawthorne and Laura (Burke) Steele; brothers, Wallace (Jo) Cawthorne and William (Sylvia) Cawthorne, both of Henderson; and many loving nieces, nephews and an extended family, including six grandchildren. A 1955 civil engineering graduate of North Carolina State University, Robert was a professional engineer and registered land surveyor who served as a U.S. Air Force civil engineer in Turkey and Greece for four years. Then, as an overseas contractor for the Air Force, he and his family spent 10 more years in Turkey. Upon return to the United States, Robert worked as plant engineer at Brown and Williamson Tobacco in Petersburg, city engineer for Colonial Heights and ran his own land surveying practice until his death. Scott Falls wrote to say he is still in Arkansas working as an FBI agent. The bureau closed his Hot Springs office, so he works out of their headquarters in Little Rock, still covering some of the same territory. He hopes to hold on for

2014- Issue 2

another two years and retire at the end of 2015. Mike Denton is working a number of Caribbean and Central American projects as a Knight of Malta, mostly connecting players in large organizations. One effort is helping his neighborhood Catholic parish in their Haiti mission work to improve a road erosion problem that is isolating several villages from their only hospital. Mike reached out to his network of BRs, and Jerry Manley immediately thought of using concrete rubble from the earthquake to begin securing walls of the river bed. Dave Hinchee’s restored yellow British-Leyland TR6 was featured on “Velocity – Fantom Works.” Gregory Wolven was named a principle member of the National Electric Safety Code Subcommittee 3, Electric Supply Stations. Greg also spearheaded the WIN Energy alpha test site for both Landis & Gyr AMI and Milsoft OMS and Engineering Analysis. He went to work at Central Virginia Electric Cooperative in 1981 and learned all of the jobs during his career there, starting as a groundman, meter reader, etc. Throughout his career, Greg has been responsible for engineering, staking, metering, system planning, line construction, load management, telecommunications, creating and coordinating an outage reporting system, mapping, drafting, writing long range plans, working outages, and many other responsibilities. (Editor’s Note: See Alumni News section of this Review for more about Greg Wolven.) Paul “C.P.” Davis wrote that his oldest son, Tyler, graduated from North Carolina State University and landed a position with Norfolk & Southern Railroad (where C.P.’s dad worked for 40 years). His daughter, Courtney, graduated from Country Day (Charlotte) and is about to finish her freshman year at N.C. State. His

two younger sons, Jackson and Thomas, are in middle school at Charlotte Latin. The boys play tournament tennis and are members of their school’s travel baseball teams. C.P. is a partner in a turnaround management and advisory firm, Cardinal Point Partners in Charlotte. As part of his work, he serves as interim chief executive officer of a specialty textile and apparel firm outside of Charlotte. He has made two trips to Nicaragua and one to Japan as part of his CEO-level duties. He also works on various mergers and acquisitions sell-side projects. He shared that he heard from Jim Friskhorn and Bill Leftwich, his former roommates. The two of them recently got together in Chatham, where Bill lives and teaches at Hargrave. Mike Placzek wrote that he and his wife, Lynn, are now grandparents to Kayla Marie Placzek, who was born Jan. 18, 2013. Bill Gavazzi wrote to share that Jeff White retired from the Department of Veterans Affairs in January after 32 years of federal service. John Owens wrote that he was promoted to chief warrant officer 5 in the U.S. Army Reserve, Active Guard Reserve Program, Dec. 2, 2013. Accepting this promotion obligated him to another two years in the Army. He is in charge of all of the depot maintenance for the Army Reserve watercraft throughout the United States. As part of the deal, he was transferred to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, to the U.S. Army Reserve Command headquarters G-4. He and his wife, Robin, bought a little place out of town and are enjoying the country life. Steve Thomas wanted to say thank you for all the heartfelt well wishes he received during the past couple of months. He lost both his mother and father, Bill Thomas ’58, nine days apart at the end of August 2013. His mom and dad gave out roses to our 1981 Ring Figure dates. They spoke of that until the day they died. Bill lives outside of Houston, Texas, with his fiancée and still flies 777s with American Airlines out of Miami, Florida. John Dixon wrote that he is enjoying another great year at Carson Long Military Academy teaching chemistry, physics and “The Junior Experience.” He is the faculty officer in charge of one of the dormitory buildings that houses 30 high school cadets and is the junior class adviser. He also helps a good friend from Norwich University coach the junior high school, junior varsity and varsity basketball teams. His wife, Patti, is doing well with PNC Bank in Newport, Pennsylvania, and never hesitates to whisk him away to Gwynn’s Island for a few days of much-needed rest and relaxation! Jerry Manley shared that the northern Virginia contingent of the class got together for the quarterly-ish International House of Pancakes breakfast. Included were: Jeff Adler, Joey

113

CLASS NOTES Provenzano, Jim Langan, Kurt Owermohle, Noel Williams, George and Robin Depaoli, Grover Outland, and Jerry Manley. Rich Bartholomew wrote to say he and his family are still in San Antonio, Texas. He has been with AMEC Environment & Infrastructure since he retired from the Air Force in 2007. He is the operations manager for the company’s San Antonio office, which does architectural-engineering and environmental design consulting. The big news is their first grandchild, Katelyn Grace Bartholomew, arrived Feb. 7, 2014. His son and his son’s wife live in San Antonio, so Rich and his wife, Nancy, are looking forward to beginning the “spoiling” process. Rich claims he failed as a parent with his two children (neither went to VMI). His son is a registered architect, and his daughter is getting her master’s degree in architecture. Rich will start working on Katelyn immediately and may have better luck either by getting her to attend VMI or convincing her to become an engineer like her granddad. Nancy and Rich will celebrate their 33rd wedding anniversary this year. They were cleaning out a closet a few weeks ago and came across a box full of letters they had written to each other during his time at VMI. It rekindled a lot of happy memories. Several VMI grads have gotten together in San Antonio and kicked off the local alumni chapter again. They had a nice VMI Founders Day celebration in November with about 30 in attendance. It was great hearing “war stories” from everyone, including one ’59 grad – the year Rich was born. Ken Pierro wanted to thank everyone for their prayers and support during his son’s recent treatment for Lyme disease. He spent three months at a clinic in Arizona being treated and returned home in early February. The family hopes he’ll be strong enough to get back to school soon. Luckily, Ken’s wife, Diana, was a rock during the ordeal. She kept their son on the strict regimen and got him on the road back to health. Ken played “Mr. Mom” to their 15-year-old daughter while his wife and son were “deployed” for three months, and it was quite an experience. Ken hopes his daughter recovers soon from his sensitive, nurturing parenting techniques. It was a horrible experience for his son, but Ken said, “I can’t tell you how much it meant to know so many guys were pulling for us. Thank you to the best class barracks has ever seen!” Dave Richards wrote that his boys are all off in their careers, school, etc. Dave accepted a new position in manufacturing with Genzyme, a rare disease bio tech company in Massachusetts. He has chatted with his old roommate, Dave Harbison, and exchanged Christmas cards with Nate Tabbert.

114

’82

Charles Kause

See how Soracte stands glistening with snowfall, and the labouring woods bend under the weight: see how the mountain streams are frozen, cased in the ice by the shuddering cold? Drive away bitterness, and pile on the logs, bury the hearthstones, and, with generous heart, out of the four-year-old Sabine jars, O Thaliarchus, bring on the true wine. Leave the rest to the gods: when they’ve stilled the winds that struggle, far away, over raging seas, you’ll see that neither the cypress trees nor the old ash will be able to stir. Don’t ask what tomorrow brings, call them your gain whatever days Fortune gives, don’t spurn sweet love, my child, and don’t you be neglectful of the choir of love, or the dancing feet, while life is still green, and your white-haired old age is far away with all its moroseness. Now find the Campus again, and the squares, soft whispers at night, at the hour agreed, and the pleasing laugh that betrays her, the girl who’s hiding away in the darkest corner, and the pledge that’s retrieved from her arm, or from a lightly resisting finger. – Horace: The Odes, Book One, IX Winter has been downright brutal for us denizens of the Southeast and East Coast. So, in times of bitter cold and after snow and ice storms, it is helpful to remember Horace’s advice to throw another log on the fire and break out the good booze. Dave Kohler has taken Horace’s advice seriously. Every year, I receive the best Christmas letter from him. He regales his readers with his adventures in the Holy City that leave them wishing they could be him. While still gainfully employed with Dominion, Dave is expanding his real estate portfolio in Richmond. In his words, his quest has been “infrastructure

development and neighborhood revitalization,” which translates into rehabilitating commercial and multipurpose space with two specific projects: “crack house to donuts” and “abandoned homeless/pigeon housing to commercial/college apartments.” In an effort to reduce the overall debt crisis, Dave has placed roughly half of his properties for sale. Early in 2013, Dave met a nice girl who took him to Italy last May, but alas, the relationship fizzled out. Fortunately, Dave and younger sister Mary celebrated her birthday by touring Austria and France. During Halloween, Dave reprised his perennial role as the grand goblin (master of ceremonies) for the annual West Avenue Halloween party. Dave’s class agent requests nice pictures of the goblin outfit for next year’s notes. Mike Albert is deep in the heart of Royse City, Texas. The retired U.S. Marine Corps officer is scaring the fourth and fifth grade students at Our Lady of Perpetual Help into disciplined math, science and social studies scholars. Mike was disappointed when he was called up for jury duty at the local federal courthouse, because he never makes it to a trial. It seems defense attorneys do not want graduates of the Naval Justice School and former summary courts-martial officers as potential jurors. However, Mike is dying to prove his worth. He knows he would be a faithful juror for a defense on a technicality but an appeal to his emotions ... not so much. In other news, Mike’s daughter, Rebecca, has been married for a year, purchased a house and acquired a dog. Mike opines a grandchild may be in the future with all the nesting taking place. Shaun Gillilland will no longer seek a life on the ocean waves and a home on the rolling seas. He has placed his sextant on the mantle, near his cutlass, and no longer will haul dangerous cargo in big ships. Instead, Shaun accomplished an item on his bucket list when he ran for and won a seat on the Willsboro, New York, town council in November. For the geographically challenged, Willsboro is located in northeastern New York, sandwiched between the Adirondack Mountains and Lake Champlain. The region was first settled by Europeans in 1765 by William Gilliland (Shaun’s great-great-great-great-grandfather). Originally called Milltown by its founder (for the saw mill he located on the falls of the Boquet River in the center of the town), it was renamed Willsborough (subsequently shortened to Willsboro) shortly after the Revolutionary War in honor of the founder. Despite being a New York civil servant, Shaun will have to continue to run his farm alongside his saucy wife, Linda, as the pay is not as lucrative as it is in New York City. Is a position in Albany in Shaun’s future? Jose Suarez has also taken a different path in his career. Jose is the managing director, North America mining industry lead at Accenture, an

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES international consulting firm. He is living in the Toronto area. Recently, Jose appeared in a live interview on Business News Network, a Canadian national television show, discussing cost containment in the mining industry. Jose was invited to appear for one segment on Canada’s leading commodities show and, while on the air, was spontaneously invited by host Andrew Bell to stay on for another segment – totaling 11.5 minutes of live national television exposure for Accenture’s mining practice in Canada. It would be difficult to describe Bryan Glynn’s post-U.S. Air Force career as glamorous and exciting. In fact, it has been a struggle finding meaningful work. However, Bryan persisted and was eventually rewarded with a government gig in Florida. In March, he became the supervisory logistics manager for the Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Office of Aviation at Patrick Air Force Base. In essence, Bryan is managing the logistics support for a fleet of 155 aircraft performing counterdrug enforcement flights in lovely places like Colombia, Peru and Afghanistan. Bryan got the word out when George Mayforth suffered serious injury in a motorcycle accident near his home in Florida. If it had been any of us soft in the middle, comfortable gentlemen, I bet the outcome would not have been good. But this was George, a triathlon aficionado. George’s wife, Tansy, reported that he would only undergo surgery to plate his collar bone. The doctor and the surgical team believed plating nine ribs was too risky, due to most of the injured ribs being located too close to the spinal cord. “All the doctors agreed George would heal quickly because he is ‘that guy!’” Will Council dropped me a note to update me on his Christmas drive-by in Richmond to see his parents. He also saw some BRs, including Jeff Modisett, Emmett Heltzel and Bob Louthan, who met Will for a few drinks at a local watering hole. Will tried to be hip and announce his arrival using the VMI ’82 Facebook page, but “it” let him down by not receiving any responses. So, Will relied on the wives’ mafia to get the word out. Kathy Louthan passed the Facebook announcement along to Bob as a reminder, since Bob had not been keeping up with the page. (For shame!) Sister Rat Lynn was busy but sent Emmett along to play. Jeff was late arriving but then proceeded to tell the BRs that he almost did not come, because the Skip Castro Band was performing downtown that evening. If you remember them, they were the premier college party band during the 80s. The BRs almost left right then, and they probably should have, except no one brought Gator shoes. Next time, they will. Will had a great time catching up with the guys but was informed by Bob to plan the next

2014- Issue 2

get-together through him next time. During the summer, Will and family went to the Boy Scout National Jamboree in West Virginia. They brought their Coed Venture Crew to the event, which was a first for scouting. There were 35,000 scouts, mostly from the states, in attendance – but the Jamboree also had 4,000 foreign and Venture Scouts. It was a fantastic experience, and Will was so glad that he finally got the opportunity to attend. This coming football season, VMI is returning to play the University of Tennessee Chattanooga in Chattanooga. Will is planning to host an alumni tailgate party and has started making arrangements through the Alumni Association. He did this several years ago when VMI was leaving the Southern Conference. VMI does not have a chapter in Chattanooga, but the Atlanta Chapter is huge. They came up for the game, and that really made the event work. It will be interesting this time around, since both of Will’s children are attending UTC, and he got them hooked on attending the football games this year. The free student section is on the visitor side, so they will get to sit with the rowdy VMI fans. Tom O’Sullivan dropped me a note to inform me that brother rat spirit is alive and well within the ranks of ’82. Tom was treated unfairly by his former employer, Alliant Techsystems, a $5 billion defense corporation. The company refused to pay Tom an earned bonus, so Tom called on his BR and roomie, Jim Cosby, to represent him in a court of law. Jim proceeded to eviscerate ATK throughout a three-day jury trial. Tom said Jim was brilliant. “It was like watching a great courtroom movie, with Jim playing the lead role. It made me proud to watch my BR, roommate and lifelong friend work his craft – a stunning performance by a great VMI alumnus!” And, according to Tom, it was fun. The scene of Jim, Tom’s wife, Pam, and Tom walking out of the courthouse laughing after the verdict was the perfect ending. Tom joined Doug Burdett in December to represent ’82 at the Cadet-Alumni Career Networking Forum, which was held in Marshall Hall at the VMI Center for Leadership and Ethics. In the words of Frank Rosenthal, commenting on Tom and Doug’s attendance and contributions to this most serious event, “I think it is wise of them to present both good and bad examples. It calibrates their expectations.” Doug opined his presence served as a “scared straight” approach for the cadets. Doug sent me a note to spread the word that his ’79 dyke and Company F’s rat platoon commander, Jeffrey G. Smith Jr. ’79, was selected as VMI’s new dean of academics. Jeff was an English and biology double major (3.8 gradepoint average) and later earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree in English from Princeton

University, as well as taught at the U.S. Military Academy. An airborne ranger and veteran of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, he recently retired from active duty in the U.S. Army Signal Corps as a brigadier general. And just when I thought the Corps was going all candy on us, they get a gentleman warrior to bear down on their already tough academics. Whither goest the remainder of the English department? Speaking of English, I am broadening my horizons. I needed something to do this winter, besides shovel snow, so I am taking a study course at the community college to prepare me to pass the Project Management Professional examination. Many government agencies require contractors to have that certification, so it makes good business sense to earn it. I have not worked this hard since I wrote my thesis at Johns Hopkins University in 2002. The citizens of Schloss Kause are eagerly awaiting the return of the clown prince from his two-year posting in Okinawa, Japan. He received orders to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. I had the means and wherewithal to interfere with his orders, but I learned to let go to allow him to make his own stupid mistakes. The daughter of darkness is schlepping her way through high school with as little effort as possible. Mrs. Kause is busy healing a broken hand, which she earned when she slipped and fell on an icy road while walking the dog after receiving a stern and specific warning from me not to do so. My domestic tranquility may be in constant distress, but inside I am smiling, because I was right.

’83

Hugh Daughtry

Brother Rats, These notes should find you in late spring. The sun is shining, the snow is gone, the trees are green and the rats are out of the Rat Line. In fact, they broke out Feb. 1 this year. That was a big day for several of our brother rats, as their sons completed the time-honored tradition and joined the Corps as 4th Class cadets. Bill Cornett’s son, William, was one of those. Bill relates that, as would be expected, the week was one of high stress and extreme physical activity. There were fun activities around the barracks, post and out at McKethan Park, culminating in a charge across the Parade Ground to seize a battery manned by their dykes. After a banquet in Crozet Hall, the new class retired to barracks for much needed rest. Bill relates that William was happy to get some rack time and the next day was hoping to regain the feeling in his legs! I am sure similar stories would come from

115

CLASS NOTES

Class of 1983: From left, Steve and Mary Amato with Mary and Tim Craul at Arlington National Cemetery Dec. 14, 2013, laying wreaths for “Wreaths Across America.” Scott Belliveau’s son, Michael; Warren Groseclose’s son, David; Mike Laughon’s son, Holmes; and Jim Outland’s son, Matthew. Sad news came at Christmastime, as we learned of the death of Eli Caison. Eli was piloting an aircraft from West Palm Beach to Destin, Florida, when he experienced engine trouble. He died as he was attempting an emergency landing near Panama City Dec. 18, 2013. Eli had retired from active duty in the U.S. Air Force in 2006 after 23 years of service. He flew B-1 Lancers in Strategic Air Command and C-130 Combat Talons in the Air Force Special Operations Command. He had quite an illustrious career, and after retirement, he founded Grey Aviation,

Class of 1983: Hugh and Robin Daughtry with Moe Nov. 16, 2013, at the VMI versus Citadel football game in Charleston, South Carolina. Please note the number “83” on Moe’s jersey, signifying the Class of 1983 winning the Keydet Club Class Challenge for the third year in a row.

116

Class of 1983: At the VMI versus Citadel football game in Charleston, South Carolina, Nov. 16, 2013, were, from left, Lynn Seldon, Richard Hewitt, Calvin Murray, Hugh Daughtry, Brent Dunahoe and Jim Henry. In the back is Pete Maslin, Citadel ’83, stealing the show.

Class of 1983: From left, Max Rogers, Tracey Jones and Hugh Daughtry Dec. 27, 2013, following the memorial service in Shalimar, Florida, for Retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Larry Eli Caison.

a company in Destin that provides airborne surveillance and special mission capability to U.S. and foreign military and other government agencies. He was very successful and logged many hours all over the world. I was able to attend his service Dec. 27 in Shalimar, Florida, along with Tracey Jones and Max Rogers. It was a wonderful day with a lot of reminisces from his service and business associates. Thanks go out to John Dodge, who arranged for a beautiful red, white and yellow flower arrangement. The special operations community is very special. Tracey, Max and I enjoyed joining them to toast Eli’s memory and hear some great stories. Our class made a contribution in Eli’s name to the Wounded Warrior Project. Tracey Jones flew in for the service from Las Vegas, Nevada. Tracey is still an Air Force surgeon but is looking forward to retirement this year. He plans to stay in the Las Vegas area to teach and enjoy the many amenities the Las Vegas area has to offer. Tracey flew with Eli in special ops while stationed in Okinawa, Japan, and was one of many of Eli’s former comrades who attended. Max Rogers came over from his home in Mobile, Alabama, for the service. Max and Mandy have an empty nest, as the girls are married off or at school. He plans to get back to VMI for more games or class activities after a few years off the grid tending to dad duties. November brought the renewal of the battle for the Silver Shako, this time in Charleston. Our class was well represented and converged on a spot across from the stadium where Brent Dunahoe hosted an excellent tailgate among several Citadel graduates from our era. Of special note was Pete Maslin, Citadel ’83, who attended U.S. Marine Corps Officer Candidates School with Brent and saw fit to invite himself into our picture. Brent and Lisa are in Charleston after

retiring from the Marine Corps in 2011. At the time of his retirement, Brent was the professor of naval science at the Citadel. Knowing several young men from the Charlotte area who were attending El Cid during Brent’s tenure, I can assure you he did not disappoint. Brent is enjoying the good life in Charleston as a selfdescribed “war profiteer.” Coming by before and after the game were, of course, the ubiquitous Richard Hewitt, Jim Henry, Chris Eversmann, Cal Murray, Lynn Seldon, Dave Warriner and Keith Sawyer. Brent and Chris both have sons at El Cid, but their loyalties were in the right place that day. We may have lost on the field, but Brent led us to victory in the party. Steve Amato dropped me a quick update and a wonderful picture. He and Mary were joined by Tim and Mary Craul to help lay wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery as part of the “Wreaths Across America” program. More than 143,000 wreaths were laid by several thousand volunteers. What a great activity for the holiday season! Rock Donahue checked in with an update from Fayetteville. Retired U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Brig. Gen. Donahue is adjusting to civilian life and considering several career paths in the government and the private sector. After Rock’s long and illustrious career, a little time to catch your breath is in order. In the meantime, Rock is staying busy helping wife Nancy advance her wood crafts and embroidery business, supporting their two oldest (and their spouses) serving in the Army, and helping their twin daughters navigate the turbulent waters of their freshman year of college. Just as I was attempting to ready myself for Snowmageddon 2014 and make the deadline to the Alumni Association for class notes submission, a great update came in from Steve Hodak. If an award was handed out for detailed and

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES funny updates, Steve would win hands down. I trust all will remember Steve and his rather dry sense of humor. His update started out: “Evening, Brother Rat (assume nasal, droning quality to the voice) … ,” and went from there. Steve spent the holidays in Myrtle Beach where he and Crystal celebrated the season with a fiber optic tree. Steve is certainly a man of the 21st century. The big news from Steve was his promotion to business/finance manager and subject matter expert for the Naval Engineering Support team in the Marine Corps System Command System Engineering, Interoperability, Architectures and Technology Directorate in Dahlgren, Virginia. I know what you are thinking – that’s easy for Steve to say! Basically, Steve controls millions of dollars and dispenses them as he sees fit to Naval Warfare Centers in California, Florida, Maryland and Indiana. Steve’s son, Nathan, is a recent graduate of Longwood University and is “enjoying” his transition to the real world at a certified public accounting firm. Steve matriculated from Buffalo, New York, so all the excitement surrounding winter storm Pax did not exactly excite him. Lake effect snow is apparently a whole different animal than what we are used to in the Mid-Atlantic. That concludes this update. I hope many of you enjoy the email banter of our Yahoo group. The group provides a good means of communication. If you are not currently subscribed, drop me a line, and I will get you added. Also, I encourage you to get back to the Institute if you have not been in a few years. You will be impressed with the changes. That is all.

’84

Barry Coceano

I hope these notes find everyone doing well. By the time you read these, we will have already celebrated our 30th Reunion together. I had originally written a paragraph concerning the reunion logistics and then came to the realization that the information will have already been executed by the time you read this. Oh, well. In advance, I hope all who attended the reunion had a great time (even though it hasn’t happened yet as I write this). I know in advance I had a great time. This is weird, I feel like a character in the movie “Back to the Future.” Enough with the nonsense. On to more important things – the class notes. Sam Browne sent me the following: “As I write these few words for the class notes, I am in a somewhat melancholy mood. As I think about this important class reunion milestone, I cannot

2014- Issue 2

help but remember fondly the BRs who have gone to their eternal rest and the families they left behind. I routinely run into Jamie Clark at the Department of Energy, and there are some rare, infrequent sightings of Chris Murnane. Where are you, Bobby Jones? I very much look forward to catching up with you and the rest of the gang in Lexington!” Thanks, Sam. There will always be a special place at the table and in our hearts for our fellow BRs who have passed. Jon Drof sent an update from his home in Germany. “At the end of January, I completed eight years here at Headquarters Marine Forces Europe/Africa, located in Stuttgart, Germany. I was recently promoted from the G-3 exercise coordinator, responsible for the conduct of all facets of planning and execution of U.S. Marine Corps exercises in Europe, to the deputy G-7. As the deputy G-7, I am responsible for the conduct of all facets of planning and execution of Marine Corps exercises in Europe and Africa, as well as readiness and assessment of the headquarters and other Marine Corps units executing operations and exercises in Europe and Africa. And may I add, Stuttgart has only 0.6 inches of snow this year, unlike my brother rats on the East Coast! So, come to where it’s overcast and snowless.” Jon, what a coincidence. I opened your email update while sitting at home (telecommuting), because we got 10 inches of snow last night, resulting in a complete closure of the Washington, D.C., federal government. Congratulations on your promotion. Ty Dawson, who is extremely proactive with the VMI Parents Council, sent me this: “Greetings from Ashburn, Virginia! Our 1st Class cadet, Abigail, has just made the dean’s list for the second consecutive semester and should be graduating on time in May. She is a lieutenant in Company F and was the rat platoon leader. She is looking for a job post-graduation and looks forward to getting into the workforce. Our newly minted 4th Class cadet, Emily, had a very successful first semester and is enjoying her new privilege of rounding corners. She looks forward to this semester and has gotten the knack of taking classes with upperclassmen only. She hopes to eventually work on a rat challenge station next year, as well as seek other opportunities. Debbie and I are still on the VMI Parents Council. We will be on it for our fourth year next year as we continue our duties as co-chairs of the recruiting committee. Our oldest daughter, Kimberly, is getting married two weeks before our reunion. I saw Chuck Foster and Jeff Levenson during a tailgating session this past November. Steve Ljubenko attended one of our tailgates earlier in the fall while visiting Lexington. We have tentative plans to link up with him at the U.S. Naval Academy game in fall 2014. Last, but not least, I had a live sighting of John Minehan in mid-

October in upstate New York while visiting our old high school. I ask all who read this to plead/ beg/convince John to come to the 30th Reunion. Take care, and I will see you in April.” Ty, thanks for the note and thank you for all the time you and Debbie have volunteered while serving on the VMI Parents Council. When Jim Dillon sent me the following note, it dawned on me the number of BRs who have had sons or daughters attend VMI. The following are the ones I know – Dave Collie, Steve Hupp, Mo Khandan-Barani, John Munno, Steve Reardon, Don Craighead, Andy Protogyrou, Ty Dawson, Jim Dillon and R.G. McManus. I’m certain I have missed some, and my apologies to those I missed. Back to Jim Dillon – here’s what he had to say. “Now that he has made it through Breakout, I’d like to congratulate my youngest son for becoming a full-fledged member of VMI’s newest class … the Class of 2017! Garret has made his mom and me very proud of his accomplishment! It’s pretty remarkable that we are already celebrating our 30th Reunion, and he is just starting to experience all those same events that are now memories to us. It’s been nice to know that, while a lot has changed since we left the Institute, much of the challenge and character building remains the same. I look forward to being able to introduce him to many of my BRs this April at our reunion.” Jim, thanks and we look forward to meeting Garret. Warren Winning checked in with the following: “I am looking forward to our 30th Reunion in April. It will be great to catch up with you and others from our class. We are still living in Cincinnati, Ohio but managed to escape the cold and snow with a trip to Puerto Rico during the holiday break. I have recently crossed the 26-year mark with Procter & Gamble Co. and work in the global business service area on acquisitions and divestitures. BR Reggie Smith also works for Procter & Gamble Co. and lives in Cincinnati, so we try to hit the links occasionally. Anita works as a special education teacher, which helps to pay for the children’s tuitions. My daughter, Adrien, is finishing her junior year at Ohio State University, majoring in neuroscience. My son, Nathan, is a junior at St. Xavier High School and started at defensive end. St. Xavier has one of the largest high school football programs in the country and plays some of the best teams across the country. I am looking forward to next year!” Warren, I look forward to catching up with you at the reunion. Please convince Reggie Smith to come, also. It would be nice to see Nathan playing defensive end in two years for OSU. Better yet, it would even be nicer to see him playing defensive end for VMI! Phil Schied sent me the following: “Life is good! Professionally, I am extremely proud to

117

CLASS NOTES tell you that my company is installing the helical pier foundation supports for the American Veterans Disabled for Life monument in Washington, D.C. The monument is scheduled for dedication this fall. Personally, I’m heading to northern Michigan for the Labatt’s U.P. Pond Hockey Tournament. My brother and I have been competing in this tournament for the past five years. It started out as a ‘bucket list’ item and has turned into an annual release from reality! I look forward to seeing everyone at the reunion.” Dr. Phil (I bet you’re tired of hearing that, but I’m envious of your Ph.D.), that’s an awesome event that seems to have transcended from bucket list to annual event once you and your brother got a taste of the experience. Have fun and no fighting! Steve Hupp wrote me after a recent big VMI basketball win: “I actually received your email while sitting in Cameron Hall watching our Runnin’ Roos beat Charleston Southern University to strengthen our hold on first place in the Northern Division. The team played well. I saw Bob Chapman and Ted Comer. Cav was out of town. I also saw that the new commandant is one of our rats from the Class of ’87 – Col. Bill Wanovich. My son is now a 3rd Class cadet and enjoys hanging out with his BR, Ben KhandanBarani, Mo’s son. He also sees 1st Class Cadet Gregory Reardon often. I am looking forward to a great reunion and a huge turnout in April!” Steve, I’m hoping this is the year for our Runnin’ Roos. I’ve told my wife that, just once in my remaining time on earth, I want to see the VMI basketball team make it back to March Madness. When that happens, I will be on a plane to whatever city they are playing in to cheer them on. I know you will, also! John Karafa provided this update: “It was a great year for me and Kimberly, as we got married on the beach in South Nags Head, North Carolina, Oct. 11, 2013, followed by a two week honeymoon in Italy. Curt and Una Hinton came along with us as we traveled to Rome, Pompeii, Positano, Orvieto, Florence and Venice. We all had a wonderful time together. My daughter, Emily, is a sophomore at the University of South Carolina and was on the dean’s list all semesters, making her pop proud. I’m serving as the president of the Williamsburg Chapter of the VMI Alumni Association, and I’m looking forward to a productive year with many activities on tap. Business remains strong with many active and completed federal construction projects including Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, Fort Benning, Langley Air Force Base, Quantico National Cemetery, Panama City, Memphis and the U.S. Air Force Academy.” John, congrats to you and Kimberly. Also, thanks for stepping to the plate and accepting the chapter president position. You’ll find it very rewarding.

118

Jeff Roach wrote from his home in Texas: “I retired from the U.S. Air Force two years ago and serve as a civilian as the chief of training for the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program. I miss the flying a lot! Mary Ann and I will celebrate our 30th anniversary in May. Our oldest, Jon, works as a software engineer in Rockwall, Texas, and our triplets, Nathan, Shannon and Madison, are sophomores in college. Our youngest, Matthew, is 9 years old, and we are in the process of adopting a 3-year-old little boy, Caleb, from China. We hope to travel later this year to pick him up. We also began fostering a 15-year-old young man named Trevor in October. We have helped start an orphan ministry in our church and are dedicating this season of our life to helping children find forever families. I recently finished reading ‘Always a River’ by Todd Henderson and highly recommend it. If our BRs have not read it yet, please pick up a copy. Though I have lived in Texas (Wichita Falls) most of my adult life, it brought back a whole lot of memories of my time at the Institute and reminded me of how grateful I am for that experience.” Jeff, great update. Sorry you will be unable to attend the reunion this time around. I hope you can create some space in your schedule in five years for the 35th. Don Craighead, who I saw on this dock at Smith Mountain Lake last summer, sent me the following email: “I hope you and the family are well. I am still living in Virginia, making occasional trips to the ‘I’ to visit our son, Drew, Class of 2015. Very proud he and his brother rats got their rings last November. They are huge!” Donnie, with the price of gold as high as it is, I am sure those huge rings come with a huge price tag, but they are worth it. Great picture of you and Drew. (Unfortunately, the photo was too small to print in the Review.) Shawn Flores wrote to me in September. However, somehow his update didn’t make it to my account. He resent it to me in November, but it was after my November submission. So, finally, I am able to get Shawn’s update into the notes! Here it is: “Post-Marine Corps, I’ve been a deputy sheriff in North-by-God-Carolina since 2006. I recently purchased the ‘estate,’ and thus far we have culled four deer this season. It is nice to have your blind sited maybe 300 meters from the back porch. 160 pounds, 140 pounds, 100 pounds and, we are ashamed, a button buck! Nine days left to hunt! Child units are 26, 21, 12 and 8. The eldest is out of the nest, and the second is semi-out of the nest, as she is renting the house we left in the city. The two youngest drive me crazy.” Shawn, thanks for the note. Got any extra deer jerky? Also, I wanted to provide everyone the list of items you came across when cleaning out the attic during your recent move. Sounds like you can open a VMI flea market

with this list of items: Register of Former Cadets from different years, the academic course catalogue from 1979-80, a 1982 Rat Bible (Shawn has no idea how he came into possession of it!), Graduation Bible and three of the cross dykes used to mark uniforms when we sent them in for pressing (one of which belonged to Shawn’s dyke, Marc Guy Barthello ’81), which he used to mark his sea bags while in the Marine Corps. Frank Kolmansperger, always a great source of information (which I greatly appreciate), provided me the following: “Jamie Shoemaker, Alex Thompson, Dave Pruitt and I went duck hunting in Chesapeake. Alex hosted. Great time – we were wise enough to sleep in Saturday morning after we broke through one and a half inches of ice the afternoon before. We attempted to hunt for a couple of hours Saturday – no bounty or broken bones but lots of laughs. A great Bible study started by my dyke, Tom Mitchell ’87, a few years ago continues with a nice VMI flair. The Bible study has a great group of guys: Josh Copes ’07 has just joined us along with the older guys – Kemper Wharton, Chris Bruch and Hal Hamner, when he is in town. Hank Selman cleaned the snow off my wife’s car recently, so VMI chivalry lives. Recently experienced a fun hunt on the Eastern Shore with three generations of VMI Outlands (‘Big’ Grover ’49B, ‘Little Big’ Grover ’81, Jim ’83 and Matthew ’17). Steve Reardon invited me to Ralph Northam’s ’81 lieutenant governor event, and I may see John Karafa next week.” Frank, thanks again for the email updates you always provide. Better watch Selman – I don’t know if it is chivalry or chicanery, but my bet is on the latter. You may want to ensure you still have your hub caps. That’s it for my last edition of the notes. It has truly been a pleasure and fun serving as the class agent for the past five years. I appreciate the responses you all provided during my numerous last-minute requests for updates, and I hope I have met your expectations. Without the email and phone call updates, the bulk of the class agent job (the class notes) would be a challenging chore, which it was not, due to the inputs I always received. So, in closing for the last time ... Good night, Steve Bruening, wherever you are in the universe!

’85

Matt Daniel

Welcome to spring 2014, Brother Rats! At least, I hope that we have reached spring by now. I write these notes in mid-February, having just endured a snow-pounding by Mother Nature

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES along with the rest of you. The snow motivated Marshall,” named after our own Gen. George me to draw you all a little picture that may bring C. Marshall ’901, former Army chief of staff back memories of some pretty good times. during World War II. Jake’s youngest daughter is a high school “Springtime for Keydets in Lexington ... ,” so senior. He and his wife decided it wouldn’t be the song goes or something like that. I hope you enjoy the artwork. Now, on to right to change schools just prior to graduation, so Jake is living as a geo-bachelor. (Agent note: some notes: The day I am writing this is Davis Estes’ Good option, Jake!) He spends much of his birthday (Feb. 14). Happy birthday, Davis! U.S. Navy Capt. John Shimotsu, chaplain, continues to make us proud. As the 7th Fleet chaplain in Yokosuka, Japan, he oversaw the chaplain support for the Department of the Navy during the 2013 Philippine typhoon disaster relief effort. What a great dude. Big man U.S. Army Col. P.W. Sarver retired in March. It is a relief for most of the U.S. Air Force officers in the Pentagon; the five-sided wind tunnel has finally rid itself of its most feared lunch money shakedown officer. A collective “whew!” from all Air Force guys was heard in Arlington in March. The U.S. Coast Guard guys were crying with glee. I’m not even kidding. I received a very touching note from John Strock ’98 regarding our dear, departed Brother Rat, Kurt Iverson. Attached to the note was a story written by a ’98 Keydet. The article is too long to include here in these notes. Please tell me if you’d like to read it, and I will gladly send it along. This note makes me so proud to have known and Class of 1985: Artwork by Matt Daniel. been friends with Kurt Iverson. The note from John Strock: “Matt, My name is John Strock, VMI Class of ’98. I do the class notes “away time” trying to respond to the thousands for our guys. While I was a cadet, Kurt Iver- of posts that Bill Wieners makes on LinkedIn! BR Bill Warnock is going through the Navy son was a tactical officer and a former high school teacher of one of my roommates. Cmdr. Individual Augmentee Center Training course Iverson would often stop by our room, cigar in before a year-long assignment as the Navy dehand, just to shoot the spit while on duty. He fense attaché in Kenya. Fun fact: Bill was born was such a great man and a great influence on and raised in Kenya. Who knew? Pete Sniffin many of us. I wanted to share a story written is also at Fort Jackson. Pete is the deputy comby my BR, Pat Roberts ’98. It recalls a time mandant at the U.S. Army Chaplaincy School. when he was on guard and Kurt was the TAC, U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Matt “Sanka” Carter is but it goes beyond that. I hope you will share the commander of the Navy’s Patrol and Reconthis with yours and Kurt’s BRs. He was a spe- naissance Squadrons and oversees the Navy’s cial man and leader. Best, John.” (Agent note: conversion from propeller driven P-3 aircraft to That he was, John. Thank you from all of Kurt’s jet powered P-8s. He is working at U.S. Fleet Forces Command. He is still really tall. BRs.) Bob Ivy is living in the dragon’s lair. He is the Jake Spivey is back on active duty for his last hurrah. He is the officer in command of director/attaché for the Department of Energy the U.S. Navy Individual Augmentee Combat in Beijing, China. I believe we should task him Training detachment at Fort Jackson, South with supplying all our class fireworks for our Carolina. This is where Navy sends 90 percent 30th Reunion (less than a year away!). Recently, Cary Westin was promoted to diof its reservists and some active duty personnel to train as combat service and combat service rector of economic and international developsupport personnel (also known as Army train- ment for the City of El Paso, Texas. Congratulaing: “Army training, sir!”). tions, Cary. Jakes’s staff includes U.S. Army Lt. Col. Bob Wydler left his sweet job (Dam Neck, on Karl Painter ’96. The name of the task force the beach) as commanding officer, training supcharged with training the sailors is “Task Force port center in Hampton Roads and transferred

2014- Issue 2

to U.S. Fleet Forces Command. Bob is the head of Integrated Fleet Capabilities Requirements. He and Sanka Carter are within walking distance of each other. Sometimes, they walk together and hold hands into the sunset. Matt Hadley got promoted and is the director of information technology business development for Berkshire Hathaway Media General. Berkshire Hathaway is Warren Buffet’s conglomerate. Matthew is a proud, home-brewing phenomenon. I cannot wait to taste some of the spoils. John Dixon changed positions within his company last March to become the standardization manager for Check 6, Inc. Check 6 provides training and mentoring based on the Topgun syllabus. Many of its employees are former Navy and Marine Corps pilots. They do a considerable amount of work safety processes and programs on oil rigs and platforms. Nice work, J.D.! John Keppel is president and consulting architect at KepTech Systems Consulting, LLC in Richmond. Tom Roltsch has retired from the Army’s Chaplain Corps and lives in Texas. David Ames has a new job. He is the northeast region sales manager at Energy Systems Group. I had a nice meeting and lunch with Marc Boswell in the Pentagon in January. Marc is looking good and feeling good, Bill Ray. He has grown 3 inches since graduation. I am not kidding; he is about 6 feet, 4 inches tall now! Chuck Baker sent a nice note. I will just keep it in its entirety. “I’ve had an interesting few years since retiring from the Navy in 2010. When Capt. Chuck Baker piped over the side, a whole new world began. I went into running the ship maintenance programs for the amphibious ships at BAE Systems Norfolk Ship Repair. A year later, I was asked to come out to run the Hawaii shipyards, ‘for a couple of months,’

Class of 1985: Retired U.S. Navy Capt. Chuck Baker with his wife, Mollie.

119

CLASS NOTES while they found a permanent general manager. After about a month, I realized I loved the people of Hawaii and would do anything to ensure they kept gainfully employed in a safe operation. I’ve been the general manager for the past two-and-a-half years, and I continue to love the workforce here. I enjoy running the shipyard and maintaining all of the cruisers and destroyers that are home-ported in Pearl Harbor. It looks like my time here will come to an end in a few months, and I’ll make my way back home to Norfolk. This has been a fantastic experience and a true blessing for me. My son, Carl, is an airman on USS Eisenhower, and I couldn’t be prouder of the young man. One of my daughters has been married for the past two years and delivered our first grandchild last year! I have another daughter marrying a sergeant from Schofield Barracks here in Hawaii Dec. 23, 2013. She and her new husband will move to Hawaii to set up their home. Another daughter is marrying a mechanical engineer in Michigan in June, and she will head back to the tropical climate of northern Michigan. We have one 17-year-old at home, but his sites are set on East Coast colleges, and we are proud of him. Very strange to have seven children, and we are getting down to only one or two left at home. (Agent note: Seven children! Holy smokes.) Mollie is fantastic and is spending her time planning a couple of weddings. I’m a geo-bachelor in Hawaii and can’t wait to get to Virginia for the holidays to do a little deer hunting and much catching up. This is like a deployment ... post-Navy! My nephew, Sam Baker ’17, matriculated this year and is enduring the Rat Line. We are very proud of him and know that he will continue to make us proud as a VMI cadet. I attached a picture of Mollie, ‘the green eyed girl who worked in the PX,’ and me from earlier this year. We got married four hours after graduation, and she hasn’t thrown me out yet! Sincerely, Chuck.” OK, gents, no RNDrops this time. Have to keep you guessing. Oh, and the annual Charlie Company Golf Safari will be July 25-27 this year. Semper fi all and send me your news! Brother Rat Boom

’86

Clint Hubbard

As I write these notes in February, it is the heart of the dark ages. It has been the coldest winter in several years, and Virginia is smack dab in the middle of our biggest snow in quite a while. This latest storm started in the Deep South and moved northward, blanketing snow

120

Class of 1986: Mike Castaldi’s family gathered for a picture at his change of command ceremony at Delaware Air National Guard Base. In front is Castaldi’s son, Peter. Second row, from left, are his wife, Joanne; sister, Mary Castaldi; and mother, Ann. Back row: Castaldi’s mother- and father-inlaw, Mary and Andy Mitzcavitch; Castaldi; and father, Ray Castaldi.

Class of 1986: Mike Castaldi, along with wife Joanne and son Peter, greeted Vice President and Mrs. Biden when they visited the Delaware Air National Guard Base on Christmas Day 2013.

and ice from Georgia to Maine. Scott Wagner had a saying about snow … [which can’t be quoted here, since it’s a family publication]. The news this quarter has been almost as scarce as a roll of toilet paper on a Sunday morning, but let’s get on with what we have. Just after the last edition was submitted, I got a great note from Bryan Amsel that will make him our lead-off batter this quarter. Bryan lives in Chester, Virginia, and has been there for three years. He works for the Defense Acquisition University and teaches Department of Defense contracting people how to build and manage government contracts. BR Amsel says he loves what he does, and “it is great to give back to the people in my career field.” Bryan is married to his Ring Figure date, Caroline, and they are twothirds of the way to being empty-nesters. Their two sons are living close by, and their 14-yearold daughter is still in school. Bryan has been trying to convince her that VMI is a good option for her, but so far that is falling on deaf ears. He pledges to keep pushing. BR Amsel had the pleasure of meeting up with Adam Dickerson at VMI in October. They had not seen each other in 22 years. Bryan reports that BR Dickerson is getting ready to retire from the U.S. Air Force in a few months. Adam is currently stationed at the Pentagon and is planning to stay in Virginia after he retires. BR Amsel says they had a great time walking around post and even talked the officer of the day into letting them visit their room on the first stoop. Bryan summed it up: “It was hard to believe that was the first time in more than 27 years that we were at VMI at the same time. We had a great time reminiscing about our time at the Institute. Whenever I go to VMI, I am in awe of what we

went through there, and it reminds you what a special place VMI is.” Well said, Bryan. While on post, BRs Amsel and Dickerson ran into Jamie Inman, VMI chief of staff. Bryan said, “It was great seeing him.” I know Jamie really enjoys seeing his BRs and guys from our era stopping by when they pass through Lexington. BR Inman really has a critical job at VMI – most everything of substance comes across his desk at some point, and he is at the beck and call of the superintendent 24/7. I know we’re all proud to have him there, as he is one of ’86’s very best. On a somewhat similar topic, here’s a shoutout to Bill Wanovich ’87, who has been named as the next commandant and will assume that position in summer 2014. While I didn’t know Bill well when we were cadets, I’ve gotten to know him better during the past several years. He is a great guy with a great love for VMI and the cadets. On behalf of the Class of 1986, we wish Bill a successful tenure in his new role. As these notes cover the period of fall and winter, which is, of course, hunting season and the ’86 boys have been afield in full force. Several of our boys are great hunters – Todd McCullough, Wayne Fuller, Tim Spivey, Dave Miller, Rick Chambers and others come to mind. These boys travel far and wide in pursuit of ducks, deer, turkeys, elk, etc. McCullough and Miller went to Colorado in fall 2013 to hunt elk. They camped in the snow at about 12,000 feet. They didn’t meet their usual success, but they did have an enjoyable outing. Closer to home is the story of Tim Keilty and his hunting exploits. It seems that ol’ T.K. began to notice signs of an uninvited visitor having been in his house at night. A prowler? Yes, indeed. After careful examination of the

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES

Class of 1986: After not seeing each other for 22 years, Bryan Amsel and Adam Dickerson met at VMI in October 2013. They were even able to visit their first stoop room. Class Agent Clint Hubbard said he can neither confirm nor deny that the photos were taken by post police telltale footprints and noting what was missing, BR Keilty launched into full vigilante mode. Deciding to take the law into his own hands, our hero hatched a plan to nab the culprit in the act. A lesser man may have relied on professional law enforcement, but this is Tim Keilty we’re talking about. He doesn’t need no stinkin’ cops. BR Keilty examined the scene and was able to establish a profile of the uninvited guest. He noted that his visitor always came in the dead of night when everyone was fast asleep. Tim quickly ruled out Jim Jenkins, Roman Malavet, Jim Urie, Kenny Walpole and Glen Ralston, as they don’t come to visit at night – or day, either, for that matter! After establishing the pattern, Kool-Tay launched into action. One night when all was dark and quiet, the miscreant, thinking that the coast was clear, came back for another visit. What he wasn’t counting on was our boy waiting to spring his trap. I mean that literally, as Tim allowed the masked bandit to enter unmolested to an elaborate surprise that was waiting for the hooligan when he entered the Keilty castle. Without firing a shot, BR Keilty confronted the invader and apprehended him on the spot. Through sheer courage and cunning (and some bait), T.K. enticed the perp to enter a Havahart trap and the raccoon was nabbed. Yes, it was a real raccoon visiting through the dog door! The varmint has since been relocated to another venue, and I believe the Keilty castle dog entrance has been secured. As of press time, there was neither confirmation nor denial of BR Keilty handling this task “alfresco.” After all, it was nabbing a prowler, not Christmas caroling. Speaking of hunting (down long-lost BRs), Brett Hayes checked in with a report from San

2014- Issue 2

Diego, where he and his family visited this past summer. Being Tim Perez-like with few words, Brett noted that while he was eating lunch one afternoon, he noticed a handsome guy giving him the once-over. It turns out it was Dave Spears. They had a nice, albeit short, visit. BR Spears is still toughing it out in the San Diego area in a law enforcement role. Wait a minute ... a law enforcement officer keeping an eye on BR Hayes? The paint-by-number picture is starting to come into focus now. In December, I was dining at the Henrico Doctors Hospital cafeteria in Richmond and ran into Rich Hill. Rich has worked in logistics and supply for Hospital Corporation of America for a few years and recently assumed that role at HDH. He and his family still live in Fredericksburg, but both he and Julie (Mrs. Hill) are working in Richmond. With their children at college, they are likely to move back to the Richmond area in the next few years. It was great to see BR Hill. Enjoying the HCA cuisine with a BR took both of us back to the days of Club Crozet, so we both pounded the table when we left the mess hall. From the pages of LinkedIn came the news that George Sheild has a new job – president of Pavilion Properties, Inc. George has enjoyed a lengthy career in commercial real estate in the Charlotte, North Carolina, area. LinkedIn is sketchy on details, so it would be nice to hear from the horse’s mouth about the new venture. I hope BR Sheild sees this and replies posthaste, so I am not forced to change the moniker from a horse’s mouth to another part of the equine animal. Speaking of new jobs, Mike Castaldi checked in from the People’s Republic of Maryland with

news of his new gig. In November 2014, Mike was reassigned from the Pentagon back to the Delaware Air National Guard as their new maintenance group commander. BR Castaldi assumed command Nov. 1, 2013, and says that he is “blessed with a professional team with a clear mission and no shortage of challenges.” Best of all, he says his new commute is about three hours shorter than his previous four hour and 20-minute daily round trip to the Pentagon. Back in July, before he left the Pentagon, BR Castaldi helped retire a fellow reservist and alum, Col. Keith T. Jarvis ’82, at the Hall of Heroes in the Pentagon. The first big duty for BR Castaldi was to welcome the vice president of the United States to the Delaware ANG base on Christmas Day. Vice President Biden has a home in Wilmington, Delaware, just four miles from the base in New Castle. The vice president returns home almost every weekend, and the colonels on the base get the duty of greeting him for departures and arrivals. Being the newest O-6 on base, Mike says he got the short straw on Christmas Day. Mr. and Mrs. Biden were returning from Washington, D.C., after visiting wounded and recovering troops at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. BR Castaldi kindly added, “Regardless of his politics, Mr. Biden and his wife are incredibly gracious and decent people.” I understand that the vice president had a similar impression of the Castaldi family. In addition to rubbing elbows with Vice President and Mrs. Biden, Mike says he speaks with Rob Ramos about once a month. Mike added, “As one gets older, it pays to have a doctor as a former roommate.” Rob has rediscovered his gift of patience by allowing Mike to bounce questions off him about “Old Man Disease.” So far, Dr. Ramos hasn’t found a cure, but his empathy soothes the soul of his former roomie. According to BR Castaldi, Rob is doing well with a new job and seems to be adjusting well to his halfcentury-old life. (BR Ramos turned 50 Jan. 17.) Over the summer, BR Castaldi caught up via email with Mark Laughon. When Mike thought his U.S. Air Force career was about to draw to a close, he asked BR Laughon for some help with the airline pilot recommendation process, which Mark willingly obliged. However, right at about shake-a-leg, BR Castaldi got “volun-told” (his words) to return to Delaware Air National Guard to take command of their maintenance group. Mark is doing well, living the dream as a Delta Airline pilot. He lives in Roanoke, Virginia, but flies out of Washington, D.C., doing long hauls to Africa. Speaking of Roanoke, Virginia – with the coming of spring, our favorite patron of the high life, Mr. Big Shot Stewart Barnes, is undoubtedly planning his next exclusive golf outing. Perhaps

121

CLASS NOTES Scotland, as I haven’t heard him make mention of the old country yet. Since we haven’t heard from him in a while, he has probably enjoyed an Austrian ski holiday or some other similar high-browed excursion in these dreadful winter months. Hopefully, the tea and crumpets have been up to his standards. Heaven help the menial service employees who forget to fill the ice bucket, fail to turn down the bed or otherwise fall short of the lofty standards and expectations of Hizzoner Lord Barnes! Speaking of big shots, the word on the street is that our own Mark Hicks has pinned on his second star and is U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Hicks. I wish my old roommate from the prestigious VMI Summer Scholars Program would have some flunky 0-6 confirm that news with an update! Well done, BR Hicks. We should go to Goshen for an afternoon of celebration. If you’re wondering about the VMI Summer Scholars Program, it’s all about spin; you gotta put a little extra jam on the bread, baby. This is the year of the big 5-0 for many members of the Class of 1986. That does provide the opportunity for some parties, as if an opportunity were needed. Here is a bit of advice: If you ever hear of a party being given by Jennifer Ball, run, do not walk, to attend it! The occasion of Jay’s 50th was the reason for a most excellent evening of fun, food and drink. Yes, Mrs. Ball knows how to throw a bash! The theme was a tropical one to help keep our minds off the actual temperatures in January of about 25 degrees. (I know, that’s Christmas caroling weather to the Ghettocorner boys!) While the barbecue and chicken were big hits, the margarita machine was over the top! Among the attendees who helped BR Ball usher in his 50th year were: Mikey Calkins, Trip Duerson, Wayne Fuller, Brett Hayes, Clint Hubbard, Andy Mason, Jon Moody, Gordon Poindexter, Tim Spivey and Scott Davila ’88. Despite the initial postulation that this crew of face-men was invited mainly to be eye candy for the ladies, they were kept in check by most of their lovely better halves who also attended the great party. I’m referring, of course, to Kelly Calkins, Courtney Fuller, Kelly Hayes, Amy Hubbard, Ginny Poindexter and Beth Spivey. If you’re wondering about Jim Jenkins (and I’m sure you are), he, of course, wasn’t there. Among its other amenities, the Ball hacienda features a lovely patio and outdoor fireplace. Despite the temperature, a number braved the chill to enjoy the fireplace. In addition to being welloiled from the margarita machine, your class agent thought he was well prepared by wearing flannel-insulated khaki pants. While engaged in a game of old codger one-upsmanship with BR Duerson, I showed him the lining of my trouser leg (from the cuff, you nitwits; this ain’t Hayes and Spears we’re talking about!), only to have

122

Trip call me on it and show me he had on the same kind of pants! That’s right, two virgin privates from Company F with a combined cumulative grade-point average of approximately 4.2 (do the math) were the warmest guys in the place. (Side note: You can get a pair of flannellined pants for yourself at L.L. Bean; both Duerson and Hubbard highly recommend them.) Well, as they say, all good things must come to an end. For that matter, this installment of the class notes has pretty much run its course, too. Between now and next time, we will celebrate another class birthday (our 31st), and many will celebrate their 50th anniversary on this earth. For many of you, had you known you would live this long, you should have taken better care of yourself! Reach out to a BR and make plans to get together. Then, send an update or a picture to let the rest of us know how things are going. A photo is appreciated, particularly if you happen to catch any of the following guys on film: Steve Anderson, Chris Bass, Brad Bradshaw, Charles Cook, Patrick D’Antonio, Tom Kardos, Al Miller, Tim Panoff, Jim Pingree, John Rapacki, Russ Spriggs, Dan Whalen, or the aforementioned Urie, Malavet, or Walpole. I know you’ll have to get out the “Bomb” and look some of them up. They’ve been missing for a while. Are any of you boys out there? Take care, bravo romeos!

’87

Gerry Tertychny

Brother Rats, Lots of good things have happened during the past few months. First, as many of you may already know, Col. Bill Wanovich was recently selected to be the next commandant of cadets. Bill will move into the commandant’s office this summer, following the departure of Col. Tom Trumps ’79. The superintendent surely made a fantastic choice. Bill brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the position, and having served at VMI for the past four years, he understands the current situation at the Institute. Congratulations, Bill, on your selection. Best wishes and many thanks to you and your family for your years of service to our U.S. Army, our nation and for your continued service to VMI! Paul Duray checked in from Ijamsville, Maryland, in Frederick County. Paul retired from the U.S. Army in October and now works in the D.C. government, where he is involved with the federal, state and local health emergency response effort in the national capital area. Paul’s wife, Amy, does some part-time consulting work and looks after their children, Caroline (7) and James

(5). Despite the activity, Paul still manages to get in some marathon and triathlon training and competes regularly. Old habits die hard, I guess. John Eubank sent me a great photo of his oldest daughter, Alyssa’s, wedding. Alyssa married U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Joseph Taylor at the Marine Corps Museum in Quantico, Virginia. VMI was well represented at the ceremony. Also attending were Kurt Hauk, Pastor Denny Burnette ’71, Matt Sutton and Cadet Hannah Best ’14, who served as a bridesmaid. John pointed out that Cadet Best is this year’s Rat Disciplinary Council president and that he never imagined, back when we were doing pushups as rats, that there would be an RDC president at his daughter’s wedding. You’re right, John; we’ve come a long way since the ratline. In addition, Jeff Temple stopped by John’s home in Charlottesville back in November on his way out to Las Vegas to meet up with Dean Kratzenberg to run a race. Not sure if they were really going to “run a race” or if that was code for “party in Vegas.” I have the image of another “Hangover” sequel in my mind. Scott Jones contacted me a few months ago. He, Andrea and their son, Adam (13), live in northern Virginia where Scott works as a defense contractor. Adam is quickly catching up to him, height-wise, but Scott reports that he still has him beat with regard to muscle mass and treachery, at least for now. Scott and Adam were able to visit Will Fuller in Erwin, North Carolina, in summer 2013 to pay their respects to Will’s father, command Sgt. Maj. William Fuller, at his funeral. Fuller was buried with full military honors provided by Special Forces soldiers from Fort Bragg, North Carolina. I had a few back-and-forth emails with Bill Zins. It turns out Bill and I live fairly close to each other. Bill has been serving as a police officer with the Newport News Police Department since shortly after we graduated. Hopefully, we can get together in the near future. Thanks to you, Bill, for your many years of service to the Newport News community. Col. Mark Bartholf was recently selected for command of a troop program unit in the U.S. Army Reserve. He’ll be responsible for training the instructors who conduct programs to prepare observer/controllers in support of major training installations like the National Training Center in Fort Irwin, California, and the Joint Readiness Training Center in Fort Polk, Louisiana. Though Mark and his family live in Richmond, the majority of his new command is located throughout the Far West (Wyoming, Nevada, New Mexico), so he’ll have to put in some considerable travel time. U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Mark Johnson returned to VMI in November to address VMI’s Air Force ROTC Detachment 880. At the Air

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES

Class of 1987: From left, Kurt Hauk, John Eubank, Alyssa Eubank Taylor, LCpl. Joseph Taylor, Pastor Denny Burnette ’71, bridesmaid Cadet Hannah Best’14 and Matt Sutton.

was invited to present his findings at the AMCSUS annual meeting in Alexandria in February, an event attended by hundreds of education professionals associated with military schools. Congratulations, Kelly, on your achievement and the justifiable recognition it brings! As for me, I’ll be moving out this summer to join the U.S. Army War College faculty at Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania. Though the weather is bound to be a bit colder than it is in Yorktown, it’s a great opportunity to teach and to explore a different part of the country. I’ll also have the opportunity to spend some time with Mike Wright and the rest of the Central Pennsylvania crowd. Ernie Sacco – where are you, and what are you doing? Enquiring minds want to know. In the spirit, Gerry

’88 Class of 1987: Kelly C. Jordan, Ph.D., Holy Cross College dean of students. Force Dining Out event, Mark spoke to the cadets about the importance of dedicated service and building relationships with fellow airmen. He currently commands Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, a subordinate field activity of the Defense Logistics Agency. I can’t think of a better example for VMI’s young cadets to aspire to, and I’m sure they benefited from Mark’s experience and perspective. Hopefully, I’ll see him when he comes through Suffolk, and we’ll have an opportunity to catch up. Kelly Jordan, dean of students at Holy Cross College in Notre Dame, Indiana, has written a manuscript on the benefits of military schooling. His original work, entitled “Formation in Formation: Military Schools’ Distinct Advantage in Forming Young Male Leaders of Character,” was written in support of the Association of Military Colleges and Schools in the United States and is the first in the AMCSUS Educational Practice Papers series. In addition, Kelly

2014- Issue 2

Sam Tate

Brother Rats, I hope these notes find you doing well and, by the time this is published, rolling into a great summer. I know everyone has had a busy winter, and these notes capture only a portion of what everyone has been involved in since November. In early November, I represented our class at the semiannual class agent meeting at VMI. I went for the whole weekend and caught up with a few brother rats. I attended the VMI U.S. Marine Corps Birthday Ball with my brother, Andy Tate ’92, and had a chance to mentor a few cadets about the U.S. Navy-Marine Corps team. During the weekend, I was also able to tailgate and go to the football game with Fred Ferares. He was with his son and a group of prospects from his son’s high school cross-country team. I had coffee with Aiden McGraw and Rob Starling ’17 before parade. I caught up with Todd Friewald by phone. He and his family are doing well in Woodstock, Virginia, and Jake Friewald ’17 is screaming through his 4th Class year and Marine Corps ROTC. Joe King was able to visit with his son, Danny King ’17, during Christmas break. Speaking of VMI legacies, our BRs have recently added a few more. Jake’s younger brother, Ryan, was just accepted for next year and earned a four-year Army ROTC scholarship. Tom O’Buckley’s daughter was also accepted for next year. John Keppler’s son, Bubba, has also been accepted to the incoming rat mass. Walt Coleman’s son, Sam, was accepted and is working through his decision process. In the meantime, Walt Coleman took a moment

recently to send the following: “A quick update on what I’ve been doing for the last couple of years. I’ve been with Meadwestvaco, headquartered in Richmond, for two years. I lead the sales team for our home and garden business unit for North and South America. ([This includes] lots of injection molded items for dispensing systems such as the Windex trigger, closures, etc.) I’m traveling quite a bit across the region, and I’m improving and building a solid sales team. I have been in Midlothian (Salisbury neighborhood) for almost seven years, and it has been great to be in Virginia. My wife, Missy, and I celebrated our 25th anniversary last October. My oldest son, Ben, is transferring to Virginia Commonwealth University next semester and is pursuing a degree in history/English/business. My son, Sam, a senior at Midlothian High School, applied to VMI and is hopeful to hear that he’s been accepted soon. Daughter Olivia is in ninth grade at Midlothian High School and plays on the lacrosse team. They won the state championship last year, which was cool. Missy is teaching first grade in Chesterfield County and is enjoying her third year back after taking a 15-year break. I still run, mountain bike, stand-up paddle board on the James River, fly fish in the Shenandoah Valley and generally stay busy. I had a great time at the reunion. Mucho kudos to the entire reunion team for putting on such a great event. We rocked it with our class donation. I loved that our class came together to meet our goal, and we also blew away ’88-1’s donation from last year.” John Gillespie also sent in an update recently. We are all relieved to hear that he recovered from his recent bout with malaria: “After working in Iraq for a couple of years, I ended up working in Africa for a couple more. I am back in the states due to a medical evacuation and civil unrest in the Republic of South Sudan. In the beginning of December, I contracted malaria. That was an interesting first for me ... nearly being done in by an exponentially reproducing parasite. I assumed it was a close brush with heat stroke. When treatment for that failed after a couple of days, and I became delirious, I was taken to one of the best clinics in the capital. That’s when I found out I had malaria. I was treated unsuccessfully and, at one point, turned a rather unnatural shade of yellow. After a couple of days, I was evacuated by air to Nairobi. The doctors and nurses in Kenya were on strike because of some law requiring them to work in the area from which they originated. (Somewhat like telling me I could only practice in my hometown.) The following night in Juba, South Sudan, very serious fighting broke out between different tribal factions of the presidential security detail. The airport, which only operates during daylight hours, was shut down. I was lucky to have made it out of the country the previous day. The country simply does not have

123

CLASS NOTES

Class of 1988: Cloyd Tavenner celebrating the Marine Corps birthday.

Class of 1988: At a Christmas party at Hugh and Regina McGloin’s house were, from left, Tom Kennedy, Dan Shrimpton, Michael Mcgraw, Sam Tate, Hugh McGloin and Hugh Brien.

Class of 1988: Frank de Venoge was in San Diego on business and caught up with high school classmate and BR Al Cuellar outside of Claytons – a famous Coronado corner cafe.

124

a Western standard of medicine as of yet, and I would probably not have made it otherwise. Not to mention that there was a T-72 main battle tank parked in our driveway, firing along the road into town at various opposing forces and strongholds. Anyway, to make a short story a little longer, I was brought back around by four different antimalarial drugs administrated by a French doctor who hailed from Italy but was working in Nairobi. I was really tired of being in a hospital room as the holidays approached but was able to be returned stateside just prior to Christmas. Thankfully, I was able to sleep the majority of the time in business class in one of those seats that convert into a bed. As is the family tradition of my lovely wife, Kim, we spent Christmas Eve with two score of my in-laws in Pasadena, Maryland. “So, here I am, having sold my home of a dozen years and moved into our new house in Kearneysville, West Virginia. Kim’s employer, the American Public University System, which includes American Military University, will be demolishing our 111-year-old house to make

way for an expansion of their east campus. Kim works for the School of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics and actually gets to talk to professors who are astronauts, which I think is pretty cool. I am waiting for word to return to Africa, as a cease-fire agreement has been signed, but the situation on the ground is still unstable. I am sorry I missed the reunion, but I’m happy to see our BRs on Facebook and your almost daily posts on our class page.” Ted Wagner was promoted to chief information security officer at The Analytic Sciences Corporation in Chantilly, Virginia, in November 2013. The announcement included the following biographical information: “Ted is a cybersecurity professional with deep experience operating within the cyber domain. He has served more than 25 years in the U.S. Army. He currently serves in the Army Reserve as the deputy chief of staff, G6 (chief information officer), 80th Training Command, Richmond, Virginia. He holds the rank of colonel. He has led cyber teams employing tactical to strategic level capabilities. His experience includes completing the certification and accreditation process for agency level programs, developing the curriculum for the Computer Network Operations planner course and establishing a team validation process for deploying cyber teams. He is published by the U.S. Army War College in the book ‘Cyber Infrastructure Protection.’ Ted graduated from VMI with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and attained a Master of Arts degree in economics from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. He is a certified information systems security professional, information system security management professional and information security manager, and is certified in risk and information systems control. He has presented at national and international conferences, lectured at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and serves on their Geospatial Data Center advisory board for cyber security. His recognitions include the Bronze Star Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster and MIT’s Applied Cyber Security Award.” (Editor’s Note: An announcement about Wagner also appears in the Alumni News section of this Review.) Cloyd Tavenner reached out from China: “I hope all is well. I am just sending a picture along as evidence that I am complying with the standing orders given to me by Col. Christopher C. Starling that I support my local Marine Corps detachment. Here you can see me directly supporting Staff Sgt. Sam Speck at the 238th Marine Corps Ball in Shanghai with the help of his fellow Marines. The fading black eye was due to occupational rugby the week prior. In my final game, I scored a try and took a thumb in the eye. Not bad, and it rhymes! I now commence my fifth and final retirement from the game. As is

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES typical in these cases, I had important business meetings in America to attend immediately after acquiring this latest trophy. We are coming back to America Dec. 20 and probably will be located in Connecticut, initially. Things change in aerospace, and we are living a life of high familial adventure. I am truly blessed to give my wife and children an opportunity to see the world like this. I’ll be looking to reconnect with any local VMI alumni in the region after I return.” Charles Nelson joined us on Facebook and asked me to share the following: “After a tour with the U.S. Army, I went back to school and received a master’s degree in health care administration. I am currently a nursing home administrator. I have two wonderful daughters: Ashley, a registered nurse, and Savannah, a junior at VCU. We live in Richmond, and in spite of my advanced age, I am enrolled in a post-baccalaureate program in information systems at VCU with the hopes of a career change in the next couple of years." Mike Coleman also provided the following via Facebook: “I’m living in northern Virginia with my wife, Marie, and two children, Emma and Gus. I keep in regular touch with Bill Cronenberg, Matt Wauben and Bill Nixon. I was also happy to see Tom O’Buckley and Jim Maggelet in Oberammergau, Germany, last September when I was there for a NATO Senior Officer Course. They look great and are doing good things for the Army. It was nice to catch up, since I don’t think that I’ve seen either since graduation! As some folks know, I’ve been tapped to head to Japan to be the deputy commander and chief of staff for Commander U.S. Naval Forces Japan. I’m really looking forward to the challenge and the opportunity. If any BRs are in Yokosuka from February to July, look me up, and we’ll try to get together. I hope that everyone is doing well.” Kent Latimer checked in via email with the following: “I’ve frequently told family and friends that surviving my 4th Class year was a huge determinant in my persistence as an artist. From the outset, I was disinterested in pursuing a career. What I wanted, first and foremost, was to find something in myself that was truly authentic. I knew there was something there, and I knew I would recognize it when I found it. Only then would I turn my focus on to conventional ‘success.’ It was a tremendous gamble, and it took great faith and sacrifice. At my lowest points, when things seemed hopeless and the path looked to disappear, I would ask myself whether what I was going through was worse than my 4th Class year – an experience I had already survived and triumphed over in my own way. The answer was always ‘no,’ so I kept going. VMI showed me a strength I hadn’t realized. I’ve drawn on it ever since, and it’s never

2014- Issue 2

lessened. Things started to break for me in 2012. I was invited to show a body of zip tie sculptures at a gallery during the Fiber Philadelphia Biennial. This is a citywide destination event for artists and arts professionals from all over the world. Any artist would be thrilled to have an application to the show accepted, much less to be invited! I knew it was a huge opportunity for me, and I worked like crazy for a year getting ready. A few months before the show opened, I saw that I could combine the zip ties with leftover materials from another body of work to create some funky plastic jewelry – and that’s when the ‘ah-ha’ moment finally came. Shifting from fine art into commercial design was not something I ever saw coming, but I never had any expectations of just where this path was leading me. Anyway, I loved it! I was still working in a very sculptural way but with a different focus and purpose. I made a bunch of new things for the show, and it was a huge hit. The topper came when the gallery manager and owners of Snyderman Works came through and invited me to show in their main gallery that same summer. In the art and craft gallery world, Snyderman is as blue chip as it gets, so an invitation from them is a stamp of arrival. Fast forward a year. I’ve just resettled in Nashville. In what I hope is a harbinger of good things in 2014, my first commission was from a very famous semi-retired rock star of our generation. I’m getting introduced to high-end designers, dealers and gallerists. I’m here. Everything that I’ve worked for is poised to happen, and it feels great. Thanks for reaching out.” Andy McAllister shared that he has taken a new position at the Richmond Federal Reserve Bank. “After 22 years of engineering and program management work, I have moved to human resources. I am the vice president for talent management and organizational development at the bank. Although it is a lateral reassignment, it gives me an opportunity to grow my portfolio of skills and expand my experience base and exposure in a radically different area of the bank.” Hugh and Regina McGloin graciously hosted Tom Kennedy, Dan Shrimpton, Mike Mcgraw, Sam Tate and Hugh Brien at the annual McGloin Christmas party. I had the pleasure, during the past few months, to touch bases with the following BRs on the phone or via email: Al Cuellar is on the cusp of retiring from the Navy next summer and continues to enjoy the life in Coronado, California. Al was able to spend some time with Walt Coleman and Frank deVenoge. Ben Griswold and Carlos Lofstrom recently reconnected. Cliff Heathcote joined our group on Facebook.

Chris Goerner sent a note of appreciation for the class agent meeting notes. Chris Goff and Brent Hashimoto enjoyed some liberty together in Japan. I was able to relocate Steve Stepnowski in Korea. He and his wife just had a beautiful baby daughter, Zhea Amber Stepnowski, born Dec. 21. John Parrott retired from the Army last September and is looking for work in the Williamsburg area. He recently reconnected with Mike Owen and Tim West. John MacMichael also completed his transition from the Navy in February after more than 25 years. Mike Wood had a hip replacement in December but is back at work and mending well. Eric Woodhouse is enjoying his second postArmy career with Virginia Beach Public Schools. Kelly Alexander also just completed his transition from the Marine Corps. Bill Cronenburg is a regular on Facebook and continues to keep track of his BRs from Estonia. Paul Hicks recently got married. He is enjoying life in West Virginia and his continued service with the Army. Terry Huffman retired from the Navy this past year. Join me in offering our condolences to Bobby Harris, whose mom died in December, and to the family of Terence McMillian, who lost Terry after a long illness in February. Two ongoing events in the Virginia area are worth your while. For those BRs in Richmond, Bob Clark, Frank de Venoge, Mack Carr and Rob Campbell have initiated a monthly gathering on the second Wednesday of each month at 6:30 a.m. at Aunt Sarah’s Pancake House on 4205 West Broad St. In the northern Virginia area, John Keppler has kept the drumbeat by coordinating a group get-together once a month, usually at the Globe and Laurel Restaurant outside of Quantico. The last group included the following usual suspects: Chris Starling, Mike Mcgraw, Sam Tate, Jim Florio, Tom Kennedy, John Keppler, Lew Sigmon, Mike Owen and Kirk Dewyea. They were joined by Rob Starling ’17, Aiden McGraw and Bubba Keppler. John Doyle posted a great video tribute to the 25th Reunion. Because of Facebook restrictions, he had to post it on Dropbox. Thanks, John, for lending your time and talent to this project. Go to the following link to view the video: https://www.dropbox.com/s/seo7iyo2zy2xc10/ VMI%20Class%20of%201988%2025th%20Reunion.mp4. Brother Rats, I hope you enjoy reading these notes as much as I enjoyed compiling them. It was a joy to reach out and hear back from each one of you I was able to contact since the last

125

CLASS NOTES set of notes. As always, you can reach me at the following: VMI 88 Facebook page (join 210 BRs) 571-659-0904 (home) 703-772-0854 (cell) samtate88va@gmail.com

’89

Nathaniel L. Cross

The author of these notes wishes to remind the reader that these notes are not and have never been certified. Also, due to my limited time in service to our country, all references to your military activity are seen through the eyes of a pure civilian or whatever you call them now. It’s been pretty slow, but I have gotten some official reports from several of you. The great news came from Ed Rodriguez. He was married Oct. 19, 2013, to Karin Bra of Buenos Aries, Argentina. They met in Atlanta. Ed, I’m assuming you guys will continue to live there. I know I can speak for the entire class in welcoming Karin into the ’89 family. We look forward to seeing both of you in Lexington this fall. I also heard from Bob Spieldenner. He has left the beauty and cosmopolitan life of Richmond, Virginia, to work at Virginia Tech, also known as Hokie High. I told Bob that Biviano works there, too, and can introduce him to the locals. Bob will be the communications manager supporting the emergency management and facilities departments. Bob, you will be missed in RVA, and I’m

not sure what we will do when the next hurricane comes through! From some different sources, I have put together the following update from the military: Scott Leonard is leaving the balmy beaches of Hawaii to command the Marine Mountain Warfare School in California. The Leonards will have to trade in their surfboards for snow skis, but all is well. Scott’s son is a 2nd Class cadet this year and got his ring last fall. Scott, keep up the good work. I guess you will continue to get your guests in the winter months. Speaking of leaving the warmer climates, Marty Malloy will be leaving South Florida to take command of the U.S. Coast Guard station in St. Louis. Congrats on the command assignment, Marty! You’ll just have to trade in some of those speedos for a pair of earmuffs. I hear the professional baseball is pretty good there, and I like Bud products, so it’s not too bad! I saw pictures of Ed Herrington with a very large boat (ship) docked in Diego Garcia. Seems that Ed is the captain, and when he says they need to stop in a tropical port for a couple of days of rest and relaxation ... they do! Lastly, from Facebook, I know that Joe Grelish is stationed in Hawaii and really enjoying himself. Joe, the pictures of your lovely family on some tropical beach or in a jungle or restaurant with umbrellas in your drinks were a hit during this long, cold winter! Going back to the lack of notes, I finally understand it. We are in the age of Facebook, and that really is a great way to keep up. Hey, it only took me 10 years to understand that. There is a reason that I didn’t have academic stars! Anyway, with a lack of info to report from you,

Class of 1989: Ed Rodriguez married Karin Bra Oct. 19, 2013. His brother, Tim Rodriguez ’92, was his best man.

126

I’m going to share some thoughts that I have had and formed over the last four years. First off, you are a pretty good bunch of guys. I’m not sure if VMI made us who we are or if guys like us seek out a place like VMI. I do know that when I’m around you, there will be laughter in the air. You can make a joke out of anything, and that is a true gift. You are also successful. You are in command of major military organizations. You have started your own companies or climbed the corporate ladder. You are educating future generations and taking care of the sick. So, again, is it you or was it your time at VMI? I guess it really doesn’t matter. I am looking forward to seeing you in September. We just got the Review that had ’88’s reunion pictures, and I know one thing – we look much younger than those guys do. See you in September.

’90

Robert Clark

Greetings, Brother Rats and Friends and Family of 1990! As I write these notes in February, spring is not too far away. That is great news, as most of us, including the Institute, endured a tough winter. It won’t be long before the cadets will be burning their woolies (Do they still do that?) and ripping open their white ducks for spring. (Again, do they still that?) Before I get to the notes, let me reiterate that we are merely 16 or so months away from our 25th Reunion, which will be in fall 2015 (date to be determined). We have formed planning and fundraising committees and are off to the races. Hunter Trumbo is the leader of our fundraising committee. He formed a great group of folks, including Terrence Kerner, Brian Albro, Daren Payne, Andy England and Matt Schwarzmann. We meet on a regular basis, and it has been great planning and reminiscing about stories that nobody outside of our class would understand. We could always use more help, so please drop me or Hunter a note if you are interested in joining the group. It’s going to be a great time, and I know everyone is excited to see one another again! I’m thrilled with the number of notes I get from our BRs regarding their children, who are attending VMI or will attend the Institute in the coming year. The legacy of 1990 is clearly building at VMI. Fred Minnigerode checked in to say that he will spend more time in Lexington, because his oldest son, Charlie, accepted his offer of appointment. He will matriculate next fall. Fred also

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES

Class of 1990: Doug Harper, Jim Dufford and Carol Fernandez recently ran into each at other a security conference in Washington, D.C.

Class of 1990: Ricky Robinson ’93, Paul Hartigan, Andy England and John Lythgoe recently met in Denver, Colorado, for a mini reunion. Andy England visited the group from Salinas, Kansas. passed along that he, Andy Beasley and Brian Sadler continue to work at Ferguson Enterprises, a place they have all been for more than 20 years. I was pleased to hear from Chris Dixon, who has been busy traveling the world serving in the U.S. Marine Corps. Chris passed along that his son, Brendan, broke out of the Rat Line in February 2014 and is now a 4th Class cadet. In addition, Chris’s daughter, Kate, recently accepted her appointment to VMI and will matriculate next fall. Congratulations to both Brendan and Kate! Chris has been on the move. He just completed more than four years in the 2nd Marine Division. During this time, he had a tour as the commanding officer of the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marines, which deployed to Helmand Province, Afghanistan, during 2011. He recently completed his tour as the assistant chief of staff G-3 and was promoted to colonel in January 2014. He is moving to a new assignment at the Navy War College in Newport, Rhode Island. Brian Haslam’s nephew, Wynn Haslam ’17, finished up his 4th Class year. Wynn is the latest member of the strong Haslam family legacy at VMI.

2014- Issue 2

Brian also said that he traveled via plane and helicopter to a very remote area of the Northwest Territories for a 15-day expedition in the Ragged Range in September 2013. He made the fifth ascent of the highest mountain in the NT called Nirvana. The actual ascent took two days, and it involved glacier travel and rock climbing up to a grade 5.8. Despite being higher than Mount Sir James MacBrien, Nirvana is not officially named on Canadian maps of the area. So, you’ll have to consult Brian on how to get there! Brian and his wife, Susan, sailed a 24-foot Morgan sailboat for a week around the Abacos Islands, Bahamas, in fall 2013. They will be heading to St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands, for a week this winter. Happy sailing! Tom Tolley passed along that his nephew, Tyler Tolley ’14, is counting down the days to graduation. Tom, on the other hand, is counting the days to his wedding in April. He lives in Buchanan, Virginia, where he is a field service representative for Excalibur Lab Specialists. He recently ran into Steve Fitton and crossed paths with Wheedon Gallagher and Michael Manning. Wheedon Gallagher checked in this winter. He recently moved from the Maryland Army National Guard to the Virginia Army National Guard. He is the division engineer for the 29th Infantry Division at Fort Belvoir. Wheedon and Mike Swanson look forward to graduation from the U.S. Army War College this summer. He said he also looked forward to a mini reunion of roommates at Mike Manning’s house in Quantico, Virginia, that he, Laurence Farrell and his new bride, and Mike Swanson will attend. Sean Carty dropped me a line from Bucks County, Pennsylvania, just outside of Doylestown. Sean is traveling a ton in his role as regional director of business development for North America military with Esterline CMC Electronics. He travels primarily around the U.S., Canada and Korea. Sean’s 19-year-old twins attend Wells College and Utica College, respectively, and will complete their freshmen year. His daughter is on the Utica basketball team, so he enjoys taking in her games when he can be there. Andy England said that the England clan is doing well in Salina, Kansas. Andy is still the president at St. John’s Military School. He has two high school seniors who will be headed to Lexington in the fall. Andy was recently in Denver and was able to meet up with Ricky Robinson ’93 (his dyke), Paul Hartigan and John Lythgoe for a mini reunion. In other news, several of our military BRs are on the move. Rick Kimmel will soon transfer to Fort Lee, Virginia. Be on the lookout for Rick as he comes back to Virginia.

Brett Turner was promoted to colonel last summer. At the time of this writing, he was still in Korea but will move with his family to Hawaii in June. He will work for U.S. Army Pacific as the exercise chief and will be stationed at Fort Shafter. Chris Whittaker checked in and said that he will retire from the Army this spring and plans to move to Texas to begin his life after the Army. Chris is finishing up his time as the VMI Alumni Potomac River Chapter president. In this role, he has had some great opportunities to get together with our classmates in the area and other VMI alumni. I follow Chris on Facebook and can tell you that Chris provided outstanding leadership for the chapter. He conducted some wonderful gatherings and events for the group! Charlie Tujo and his family are still at Travis Air Force Base in California. Charlie just took over as the flight commander of the radiology department and is finishing up his fourth year as the consultant to the surgeon general for radiology. Charlie’s son, Pierce, made the varsity baseball team at his high school as a sophomore. His daughter swims and plays water polo. Garrett Peck checked in with an update and a photo of a recent Lexington gathering with Kelly Musick, Chris Whittaker, Paul Tallat-Kelpsa (“T.K.”), John Aydlette and Chip Chenery. It sounds like the group even stayed in the basement dorm in Moody Hall – just like the night before matriculation! In other news, Garrett’s new book– his fifth – entitled “Capital Beer: A Heady History of Brewing in Washington, D.C.” came out in March. The book has generated quite a buzz in the area, and his spring should be quite busy with numerous book talks and beer tastings to promote the book. John King checked in from icy Atlanta, where he and his family are well. John is the president of Standard Register Healthcare. He continues to see Paul Holland often. Paul just started a new job as head of sales for a health care revenue cycle company. John also connects with Fritz Schrichte, who’s doing well running his own executive recruiting firm. It was great to hear recently from Jim Dufford, whom I have not heard from in a while. Jim ran into Doug Henderson and Carlos Fernandez at a security conference in Washington, D.C., in January. Apparently, the three “ran the block” and played a little hooky from the conference to catch up on old times. Carlos Fernandez, by the way, was recently named the director of Salient Corporation’s Cyber Security Center of Excellence. Carlos will be responsible for developing and implementing Salient’s cyber security strategy and expanding market innovations through the center. Finally, Sam Stocks dropped me a great note to

127

CLASS NOTES catch me up on our BRs in Richmond. Sam and Glenn Thompson serve together on the board for Associated General Contractors for the State of Virginia. The two get to see each other frequently. At a recent event at the Homestead, Sam got to enjoy drinks with Glenn, Terrence Kerner, Carter Baldwin ’94, Turner Perrow ’96 and Marshall Luck ’99. Sam remains very much involved on the Alumni Association Board, which is well represented by our class. Also on the board are Rich Duke, Matt Hemenez and Damon Williams, as well as Matt Schwarzmann, who works for the Alumni Association. This past fall, Sam was able to connect for an impromptu tailgate with Chuck Smith and Tim McLaughlin. Chuck and Tim live in the Fredericksburg area and are doing well. Thanks again, as always, for your notes and updates. Have a great summer and stay in touch! Rob

’91

George Petty III

Todd Hubbard was recently promoted to colonel in the Virginia National Guard. He is working on his master’s degree. Two of his daughters attend James Madison University. Wendy is just proud as punch, as she should be. Also joining the ranks of colonel are John Hale and Bill McClary. John is billeted at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, and is assigned to the 5th U.S. Army as the chief of future operations. Bill is at Fort Lewis, Washington. Pat Krug sent a picture of a bunch of VMI guys

Class of 1991: Pat Krug, along with his brother, Andy ’92, his son, Jarrod ’16, and some of Jarrod’s cadet friends ran in the 2013 Turkey Trot 5K in Ebensburg, Pennsylvania, on Thanksgiving Day 2013.

128

at a road race. In the photo are Pat; his brother, Andy ’92; his son, Jarod ’16; and Jarod’s friends, Connor Chow ’16 and Nathaniel Fowler ’16. Nathaniel is from Burke, Virginia, and Connor is from Los Angeles, California. They stayed with Pat during Thanksgiving furlough. Andy’s son, Ty, is a prospective 4th Class cadet next year, and his other son, Nathan, is a freshman in high school. The Turkey Trot is a 5K that is run every Thanksgiving Day by 700 runners in Ebensburg, Pennsylvania, near Pat’s home. At 9 a.m., the start time, the temperature was 15 degrees with a “real feel” of 2 below zero. Nathaniel Fowler ’16 came in 12th overall, and Jarod Krug ’16 came in 20th overall. Andy and Pat apparently chanted “never say die” the entire run. Perhaps the Krugs should come back to Virginia the last Saturday of April each year to take part in the park-to-park half marathon. This runs from Waynesboro to Stuarts Draft. I have a gathering planned after the event this year and would like for it to become an annual mini reunion. Please mark the calendars for 2015 and beyond, even if you do not participate in the run. My house is not Moody Hall, but the beer is cold, and you can heckle the “PTers” as they pass mile 3 next to my backyard. Doug Yeabower, Rufus Owen, Jack Daniels and Kevin Rumsey are planning to run this year. There will be details in the next issue with pictures. Have a great summer. Rah Virginia Mil.

Adam Gregory

’92

Andy Tate

Gentlemen, I hope everyone is enjoying their summer and doing well. Here are the latest updates from your BRs. Col. John Brodie reports: “I just got back from a VMI chapter meeting in Fairfax, where I got to see a lot of band alumni. I saw BR Anhtuan Nguyen and his son – great time. I took the VMI Brass Ensemble to Greece Jan. 4-11, 2014. We had a great time. (Editor’s Note: See the inside back cover of this Review for pictures and more about the Greece trip and the Glee Club.) I will take the band to Savannah for St. Patrick’s Day March 17, 2014. Busy as usual. The best to all my BRs.” U.S. Army Lt. Col. Doug Vincent wrote that he is “currently stationed in Hawaii with the 25th Infantry Division as the division G3. The

Class of 1992: Lele (Kent Gring’s friend), Gring, Frank Neto, Linda and Anhtuan Nguyen, and Mike Arness in Springfield, Virginia, September 2013. weather is great, the surf is up and the family is doing fine.” Bill Buckner updates: “I just retired from the U.S. Navy after 21 years. I moved the family north of Dallas and met up with Kevin Williams for breakfast a couple of times.” Anh-Tuan Nguyen writes: “I had dinner with Tom Gnecco and his son, Jake (my godson), Jan. 25, 2014, at Chasin’ Tail Crawfish Restaurant in Arlington, Virginia. Tom and Jake were enjoying weekend ski trips, and they both were doing great. I talked to Laird Knights a few nights ago – he, his wife and his two daughters were doing well. Tom Gnecco, Frank Neto, Kent Gring and I live in the northern Virginia area – any BRs interested in good food and drinks, please let me know (linda_antoine@yahoo.com).” Jay Frey posted: “We’re finishing up our third year in Belgium. We will likely head back to the East Coast this summer. I come back to Washington, D.C., often and link up with Dan Shipley and Tony Sexton in my travels with U.S. European Command/Supreme Allied Commander Europe.” Chris Keever reported: “Although I live in Atlanta (Peachtree City), I was recently in Richmond for some training. I was on the second level of the Omni, where the ballrooms are, which is where I believe our Ring Figure party was held. Of course, I reminisced about our wild night. There are two distinct things I will always remember about that night. One is going into the elevator and hearing BRs on top of the elevator (in the elevator shaft) riding up and down mocking the passengers. Thank God no one went to the penthouse suite! I have no idea which BRs they were, but maybe in a subsequent Alumni Review you can identify yourself. The second thing I distinctly remember is BRs dancing on top of the grand piano. I have this image in my head of Keith Frantz wearing a tie around his forehead dancing on the piano – or maybe it was Steve Brandtner? Well, gentlemen, this

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES As many know, Jeff Eget is more of a talker than a writer. So, his wife, Barbara, kindly wrote: “Jeff, the boys and I are doing well here in New Jersey. Jeff has been selected for a fellowship at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for next year as part of the U.S. Army War College. So, he will be up in the Boston area from July 2014 until June 2015.” Congrats, Jeff! As for me, I work at a law firm in Richmond and see Jon Thibodeaux fairly often. He’s the same unassuming and kind Cajun you all remember. I also saw Charlie Martin recently, and he’s doing well. Thanks to all for the updates. Best regards, Adam Class of 1992: Exhibit A – Scuff marks still appear on the piano at the Omni in Richmond, Virginia, allegedly caused by the Class of 1992. [referring to a photo] is the piano Keith or whoever was dancing on! If you look closely, you will see rounded scuff marks that look much like the rounded edge of our VMI shoes. Although I hear the Class of ’92 is banned from ever being at the Omni again, I politely kept that to myself during my visit.” Thanks for the ride down memory lane, Chris, though I tried to black that night out. Chris continued: “On the personal front, I have three teenage children, one of which has expressed interest in attending VMI. I think he could make it and actually thrive there, but he obviously has no idea what he’d be getting into. For those of you that do not know, I married LeeAnn Piegari, daughter of Col. George Piegari (Hon) from the computer science and mathematics department. It has been such a blessing to be the son-in-law of such a distinguished professor. Not only did VMI name the computer science lab after him, he was recently honored as the 26th person in VMI history to become an honorary alumnus of VMI! As you can imagine, the VMI Alumni Association Board of Directors does not hand out honorary awards to just anyone. As for me, I am still selling water and wastewater treatment equipment down here in ice-laden Georgia. I am thankful to be in business and not spending half my time in the airport. Lastly, I spoke to A.J. Bonoldi a while back, and he is doing well. He is still living up in Massachusetts working for the government, I think in the intelligence area. He has a very happy family, and I look forward to visiting him this June.” Capt. Dean Case reported: “My family and I moved to the D.C. area from Hawaii over the summer, and I’m now working in the Pentagon. I’ve run into Chris Jones and Chuck Douglass in the building. While we miss Hawaii’s weather, it has been good to reconnect with folks here on the East Coast.”

2014- Issue 2

’93

Jim Sharp

I hope these notes find everyone in good spirits. Chris Kemper sent the following words: “I am in Afghanistan and serve as the deputy commander for Camp Marmal/Camp John Pratt. We work with a multinational group consisting of Germans, Croatians, Armenians, Mongolians and others. We have been here since January. Since then, I’ve run into Kendall Clarke ’95 (call sign: Stalwart 6). He is the battalion commander for the 1st Battalion, 41st Infantry, which is also in Afghanistan. Molly and the girls are well and in Atlanta. I hope this email finds everyone well and healthy. I look forward to coming home later this year.” I received a couple emails from Europe. Tom Nelson is in London, England, with his wife, Liz, and three children. “I work at the Permanent Joint Headquarters in Northwood, which is sort of like working in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. We are having a good time in the U.K. I thought I would let you know that the U.S. Army selected me to attend the U.S. Army War College. However, we will probably attend in the summer of 2015. It is pretty exciting. For now, though, we are enjoying the sights in London and Europe.” Jonathan Kucera still lives in the Netherlands while his wife finishes up her postdoctoral research. “Busy days commuting to and working in Germany, combined with an active kid’s schedule, keep us on our toes. We make the most of our time in Europe with trips to Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Germany and Rome. We are planning trips to Italy, France, St. Petersburg and Croatia this year.” Matt Eads dropped a line from Atlanta. In January 2014, rat room 436 got together for a mini reunion. Matt Eads, Rob Peterson, Steve

Allison and Andy Poteate had a fun night. They took a photo together on the floor of the Georgia House of Representatives, where BR Steve Allison serves as a state representative. Michael Wysong is back working in Baltimore, Maryland, for CARE Pharmacies, a drug chain of about 90 retail and specialty pharmacies located in 10 states. He would love to catch up with any BRs in the area. David Youngclaus sent in a photo. “I hope all is well. Just a quick update. We had our annual ice fishing trip Feb. 8-9, 2014, with Dan Delawyer and Coach Bartlett at Lake Winnisquam in Laconi, New Hampshire. We did not catch many fish, but a great time was had by all.” U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Dom D. Ford chimed in, too. He recently assumed command of Marine Wing Communications Squadron 38 in Miramar, California. Heath Bono sent in an update in late November. “I recently returned from a vacation in Scotland where I visited one of the castles. While reading some of the history in the display cases, I started laughing. My wife, Wendy, asked what was so funny. I told her that we are on the other side of the globe in the Scottish Highlands, visiting a random castle and a piece of this castle’s history includes VMI. It was Castle Blair in an area known as Athol. It is still a functioning blood line, as there is currently an 11th Duke of Athol, but the duke no longer lives at the estate. It was opened to the public many years ago to help keep some money flowing to it, so the estate is not lost to time. The 10th duke, who apparently was progressive, made many changes, including getting the estate nationally and internationally recognized. The duke had his own army and bodyguard. They are strictly ceremonial now, but they do parades and Highland exhibitions. I read about some of the tours the 10th duke had gone on, and he was at VMI in 1987. VMI has had so many adventurous alumni and has been around so long, that it is bound to have touched on almost anything globally. There I was, standing in one of the castle galleries (you can’t read everything) and just happened to read a sign that had VMI on it.” Heath continued, “The family is well. I have one daughter who is sick with the flu, but otherwise life continues. My youngest is 12 today. My youngest! We are getting old. I was recently promoted to lieutenant colonel in the New Jersey National Guard and took command of a training battalion. I am supposed to be running an Officer Candidate School for foreign students next year, which will be the first time a National Guard is going to do something like this. We are supposed to get some Albanians next spring, but it all revolves around funding. The way our government is going, it may get delayed or canceled.” As for me, things are plugging along in

129

CLASS NOTES Charlotte. I am busy with family and keeping up with a 3-year-old and a 5-year-old. I went on a Disney Cruise with the family this past January and really enjoyed it. It’s a good alternative to Disney World; i.e., less walking. Thanks for all the updates. If anyone needs to track a BR down, I will surely try to help.

’94

Christopher L. Doyle

Greetings, Brother Rats, I’d like to offer sincere condolences to the family and friends of Ms. Kathryn Wise, who passed away Feb. 3, 2014. I’d like to recognize her for her tireless work at VMI and the Alumni Association. She was instrumental in developing the Alumni Review into the first-rate publication that it is today. The Class of 1994 salutes her. Chris Myers is traveling between London, England, and Hartford, Connecticut, for work. He is also finding time to work on his doctorate at University of Manchester in England. He says that any BRs who visit London are always welcome. Chris met up a few times with John Cunningham and his wife, Aimee, while spending time in Connecticut. He also got together with Sean Lanier, Vince Porter and their families during the Christmas holiday in Washington, D.C. Congratulations to Sean and Autumn Small, who welcomed their daughter, Oakes Leah Small, Dec. 17, 2013.

Class of 1994: Mike Eason, Jim Pugel ’91 and Rob White ’89 gathered in Ankara, Turkey, on Founders Day 2013 to commemorate the founding of the Institute.

130

Mike Eason wrote to report on a small Founders Day gathering he attended just prior to moving from Ankara, Turkey. Also in attendance were Jim Pugel ’91 and Rob White ’89. Mike reported that he was glad to see the Keydet basketball team play in the All-Military Classic on Armed Forces Network. Jon Lauder was selected to attend the National War College next year. Jon will turn over command of the U.S. Marine Corps’ 2nd Tank Battalion and relocate back to northern Virginia. Congratulations to Sean Harrington’s son, Jon, who recently signed a letter-of-intent to play soccer at VMI. It is hard to believe our children are starting to attend VMI. It is yet another reminder that we are getting older. George Schreffler recently graduated from the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island. He reported to Joint Special Operations Command in North Carolina. Congratulations to Paul Whitmore, who was selected to be on the staff at Boston University’s U. S. Air Force ROTC department. He’ll be the commander of AFROTC Det 355 and the professor and chair of the Department of Aerospace Studies. He is excited to bring his family back to the East Coast. Please be well, and keep in touch!

Thomas A. Brashears

’95

Dan Williams

I’m not sure about the rest of you, but as I’m writing these notes in February (digging out of 16 inches of snow), I’m trying to figure out where the time has gone. Life here at the Institute is rolling along. In just under three months, the Class of 2014 will graduate, and we’ll be getting ready for the next batch of 4th Class cadets. As I write these notes, Marlin Ikenberry has his Keydet baseball team at the University of North Carolina Wilmington for a round robin tournament that includes UNC-Wilmington, the University of Virginia and the University of Kentucky. It’s the first time since 1996 that the baseball team has started the season off with a round robin tournament. I actually have several updates to include for these notes. The most I’ve had, I think,

since I became the class agent. First, I received a note from Tim Collier. He and his lovely bride, Carol, are stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where Tim is the 3rd Special Forces Group civil affairs officer. He informed me that his daughter will be at the Institute for an admissions open house this spring. Tim hopes she will be the very first legacy from the Class of 1995. Wow ... is it time for that already? Brad Moses is a battalion commander in the same SFG as Tim Collier. Brad commands the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group. He will remain in command until later this summer, at which point he’ll most likely transition to be the executive officer for the U.S. Army Special Operations Command’s commanding general. Brad said he’s still having fun and spends most of his weekends on the road with his boys, who play travel hockey. I also got a note from Kurt Polk. He and his family live in Darien, Connecticut. Kurt was married to his wife, Angie, in 2009 by VMI’s Chaplain Park. Together, they have a 3 and-ahalf year-old son named Griffith and a daughter, Charlotte, who recently turned 1. Kurt said he sees Charlie Branch and Ante Sucic every now and then in the New York area. He looked forward to spending the month of March in Florida watching the St. Louis Cardinals spring training. Also, Kurt began serving on the VMI Foundation Investment Committee in 2011 and has been on the George C. Marshall Foundation Board since 2009. Ray Jaklitsch wrote to tell me that his daughter, Calista, is doing well with her chemotherapy and should finish that in August 2014. He is very appreciative of all the support from our class. I encourage each of you to continue to send prayers their way. Ray also mentioned that he’s leaving The Vanguard Group and moving back to Texas to work for the United States Automobile Association as their director of national sales and strategy. Benji Bird was able to stick his head up from “God’s country” ... although, he lives in northern Virginia now. He let me know that he ran into Shannon Lucas one day as Shannon was getting ready to brief the vice chief of staff of the U.S. Army. Benji said that Shannon was doing well and should be at VMI sometime this semester to brief future Army leaders on the Military Police Corps. Benji was full of information, as he also let me know that Buddy Meador recently returned from Afghanistan. Buddy will relinquish command of his battalion later this summer and head toward the national capital region for an assignment at the Pentagon. Bob Staley shoots me a note every now and then and said he is hoping to get back to VMI

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES at some point with his son to catch a basketball game. Bob is still serving as the director of secondary education for Hanover County Public Schools in Virginia. Jerzy Mikulski sent me a note to say he was headed home soon from Afghanistan. He was elated, because his deployment was ending early, and he’d be at home for the birth of his first child. Jerzy noted that being home early would surprise his wife, Marina –very cool! Dave Tillar sent me an email recently to say that he ran into Dave Groseclose one day when he was picking his son up from school. Apparently, Groseclose’s daughter goes to the same school as Tillar’s daughter – small world! Chris Hoskins wrote recently to say that he should be making a permanent change of station move back from Italy this summer, but he is not quite sure where to, as of this writing. Chris is working in a NATO job. He and his wife, Becca, have two sons, Carson and Harrison. Larry Burris wrote one evening while Tim Miller was at his house. Larry had just relinquished command of his battalion and was preparing to head toward Newport, Rhode Island, where he is now a student at the Naval War College. Larry is also a promotable lieutenant colonel and should pin on O-6 sometime later this year. Joe Doyle was on post recently, because his barbershop singing group sang the national anthem at one of VMI’s basketball games. He, his lovely wife and their two children are doing well. Dave Doss wrote recently and said that he lives in Burke, Virginia and attends the National War College at Fort McNair in Washington, D.C. Dave said that he has run into Travis Homiak there at the National War College. I also received several other emails in response to my notes about doing our 20th Reunion at the Homestead Resort from folks such as Joe Musso, Sean Burke, Billy Kelly and Mark Hagan. By the time you read these notes, everything should be locked in for our 20th Reunion to be held at the Homestead in late April 2015. You have a year to plan and get ready to attend. We need maximum participation, and it really should be a great event. I look forward to seeing everybody there. Finally, let me just say that Jill, our children and I love living in Fairfield, Virginia, and I love working at VMI. Being around the cadets and helping them fund their goals and dreams while they pursue an education is a very rewarding experience. Please drop us a line, or give us a call if and when you’re in this area. Rah Virginia Mil, Go Big Red! ’95,’95, ’95!

2014- Issue 2

’96

Peter Segersten

Brother Rats, I hope you all survived what was a very tough winter for most of the nation. We have about a foot of snow here in Northern Virginia as I write these notes in mid-February. Anthony Martin, the commonwealth’s attorney for Nelson County, Virginia, was in the news again. At a January press conference, Anthony announced that new charges would be filed against a suspect in the disappearance of a Nelson county teen. Anthony ordered a special grand jury, which resulted in the indictment of the suspect on charges of first-degree murder, first-degree felony murder and abduction with intent to defile. The victim was a 17-year-old girl. Congratulations to Anthony for his continued efforts in helping to bring justice for the victim, her family and loved ones. Tom Danielsen filled me in on some news concerning a couple of brother rats. Rusty Parrino joined Covidien, a global provider of health care products. Doug Bartlett was recently promoted to vice president of sales and marketing for respiratory and monitoring solutions for Covidien. Doug is in the process of moving back to Boulder, Colorado, after spending two years in Israel. Tom is doing well in Massachusetts and had the chance to ski at Whistler Blackcomb. Jon Dano dropped a line while on vacation in South Carolina. Jon and his wife recently moved to Moorestown, New Jersey, and they have an open-door policy for any brother rats who are in the area or might be passing through. Jon recently spoke to Phil Alicea. Phil was promoted to sergeant in the Jacksonville police department and just moved into a new home in St. Augustine, Florida. Congratulations on the promotion, Phil! Jon also mentioned that Josh Lewis is moving to Holly Springs, North Carolina. During the Christmas season, some of the Washington, D.C., area brother rats met up for a happy hour at the Mad Rose Tavern in Arlington, Virginia. In attendance were Shannon Hume, Bryan Eberhardt, Wes Parmer, Pete Segersten and Matt Bogusky. It was great catching up and having a beer or two. I will be organizing more of these events in the future, so come on out if you are in the D.C. area! I ran into Jim Flaherty and John Pearce at my wife’s annual charity Christmas ball and breakfast. We had a great time at the ball and then had breakfast with Santa for the children. A great time was had by all, and it was good to see them. That is it for the class notes! Please continue to

send your input to vmialum1996@gmail.com, or reach out via our Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter feeds. Cheers, Pete Segersten

Class of 1996: On May 5, 2013, Jamie Yoxtheimer, center, married his wife, Jennifer, alongside Brother Rats Ricky Mattoso, left, and Cliff Weddington, right.

Class of 1996: Cliff Weddington, Jamie Yoxtheimer and Ricky Mattoso celebrating Jamie’s marriage to his bride, Jennifer, May 2013 in Mexico.

’97

David Zirkle

Editor’s Note: We did not receive notes from the Class of 1997.

131

CLASS NOTES Hamel Reinmiller

’98

John A. Strock

Hello again from sunny Falls Church, Virginia, where it’s 60 degrees one day and 9 degrees the next. I hope everyone fared well in the wild weather most of us have had this winter. I’m ready for spring. I’d like to start this edition off with the return of Hamel Reinmiller in his own words: “I have been busy as can be in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I want to publicly thank all of those who helped us plan and execute our 15th Reunion. I hope everyone had a great time – I know I did. I have been consumed with work on the Tulsa Association of Professional Landmen and the American Association of Professional Landmen, our local and national respective boards of directors for landmen. That has created required trips to Seattle, the Greenbrier and San Antonio. Those are combined with personal trips to New Orleans for the Sugar Bowl and a few others to Houston, Dallas, Oklahoma City, and Norman for business and pleasure. It has been a busy few months! My company, Eagle Rock Energy Partners, announced a $1.3 billion sale of its midstream assets, and I am honored to serve as the honorary chair for a

Class of 1998: At the Infinity Medical 1980s-themed Christmas 2013 party were Daniel Smith, Adam Werner and John Strock.

132

Class of 1998: The class at its 15th Reunion Sept. 27-28, 2013. fundraising event, White Party, for Family & Children’s Services, which is a charity I love here in Tulsa. I look forward to connecting with as many members of the class as I can on my travels, and I hope that you guys will let me know if there is anything I can assist with at the ‘I’ or if you are ever passing through T-town!” Tyler Shelbert’s second son, Finn, was born in August. They also just moved to Canton, Ohio, where he took a job with Zimmer Surgical as a global brand manager. Other than that, he stays in regular contact with and often sees Josh Brown. Josh is still in the U.S. Navy and is living in Norfolk with his wife and three children. Neil Holloran lives in Fredericksburg, Virginia, and is married with three children (for now) and a dog. He, Don Rauch, Tim Berry and Tim Hough had an impromptu reunion at his old house in summer 2012. Don, Tim and Tyler run the circuit around Washington, D.C., for work and ran into one another, deciding that beers would be good. Neil ran into Tim at a fun run obstacle course event – he was working it in his hula skirt. Getting caught up was fun, and they are due for another, but “marriage and children are a bigger time suck than the ‘I’ ever was.” He invites any BRs on their way down Interstate 95 on those dark lonely nights to stop by. His wife is a wonderful cook, and

there’s always Irish beer in the fridge. Take it easy! Brad and Todd Cooke went to ski Wintergreen for the day and ran into Matt Staton, as he was running the Wounded Warrior Project up there. They got to ski a few runs with Matt and catch up. Jim Peay moved to Fort Bragg in Southern Pines, North Carolina, in June 2013. He is currently a battalion S3 for the artillery battalion in the 4th Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division. Mike McDermott ’99 is in the brigade, as well. Jim will change out this summer but is not sure of his next job, which will likely still be at Fort Bragg. As many of you know, Heather and Jim got married June 29, 2013. [Jim sent two photos of the wedding.] It was a very intimate, family wedding with a few friends. Justin Molloy and his wife, Gretchen, made it down. Justin and Gretchen are still living in D.C. and are doing great. They have a little girl named Francis who is about a year old. Steve Schwanke (SchwankO!) moved to Raleigh, North Carolina, in fall 2013. Steve’s and John Moder’s wives surprised John for his birthday in December. Heather and Jim drove up for the day on their way to his parents’ for Christmas and got to see them for a couple of hours. He also saw Brandon Bissell over Christmas, who is still at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and is a public affairs officer with 5th Special Forces Group. Dan and Anna Smith were in Sausalito and San Francisco in late January. They enjoyed great food and wine. Jackson turns 8 this year and is whooping it up. Thanks to everyone who submitted notes this time around. It’s great to hear from you all, so keep it coming.

Class of 1998: Jim and Heather Peay enjoying their wedding reception.

Class of 1998: Co-dykes Stefan Barr, Sean Williams, Ham Reinmiller and Sean Casto.

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES for resurrection. Did we call it that in our day? I don’t remember. I’m getting old. I’m still waiting for my first visitors from among my brother rats. Who’s up for a trip to the southwest coast of France? I’m two hours south of Bordeaux on the beach, just minutes from the border with Spain. I can put up at least a couple visitors at a time, play tour guide and inClass of 1998: Justin Malloy, Ryan Peay ’02, Gen. Peay ’62 and the groom at Jim and Heather Peay’s wedding. terpreter, and throw in a surf lesson if the conditions are good. We’ve had a serious run of storms lately that have thrown William Steinbach up some waves that only the pros dare surf. As far as my work goes, I’ve been here as a missionary since 2010, teaching in a language school and teaching tap dancing, as well. I’m involved in a project to plant several ‘surf churches’ along the coast over the next few years. Never a dull moBrother Rats, Greetings from snow-covered Alexandria, Vir- ment, I can assure you!” Connor Powell and his wife, Atia, moved from ginia. Our 15th Reunion is set for Sept. 26-27, Kabul to Jerusalem in the first part of 2013. Con2014, and planning is in the initial stages. Patrick Geoghegan and his wife have resettled nor is still with Fox News, and his wife has a book published by Penguin Books coming out in Sepin Roanoke and are happy to be back in Virginia. Powell Harrison sent me the following update: tember 2014 called “The Secret Sky.” The U.S. Marine Corps has seen fit to send Ja“I just got back to Biarritz, France, after a whirlwind trip back to the states – just one week. That son Berg to Afghanistan again. I guess he did not week included a weekend at VMI to participate get enough of it in previous trips. Charles Fleet tells me he has thrown a bolt loose in the Sacred Assembly at the invitation of Chaplain Park. During the Sunday morning chapel and started running marathons. He is prepping for service, he installed John Casper ’04 as VMI’s his third annual marathon from Kona to Waikaloa first ever associate chaplain. (Editor’s Note: See on the Big Island in March. He says his best run more about this in the Alumni News section of last year was the Pikes Peak Marathon – just a this Review.) The buzzword among the cadets quick 7,000-foot sprint up to the top and back. that weekend was ‘rez week’ – ‘rez’ being short He saw that BR Jeff Morrison just moved to

’99

Class of 1999: Charles Fleet at the Pikes Peak Ultra Marathon.

2014- Issue 2

Colorado, and he is trying to meet up with him for a coffee or hike. Charles Gallion is waiting for the U.S. Army to figure out where to send him. He took his son to Disney World April 13-18, 2013, and hoped to interview Disney princesses for the “Mrs. Gallion” vacancy that is currently open. Woody Cromley is still at Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He is halfway through and should be returning to Fort Bragg afterward. He says there are a lot of older alumni around there. He hasn’t been in touch with anyone directly, and the winter there has been pretty harsh. Woody headed to Mexico for some fishing in March, because he got a spring break. Funny, I did not know the Army did spring break now. I got ripped off. Brian Withers took an advanced satellite communications class in January and ran into Jaime Dillon ’01 and Even Rogers ’10. Andy Fox says he doesn’t have much to report but is looking forward to the reunion and seeing the fellas. Jake Britt sent me this note: “Things are moving right along here. Everyone is fine. The children are growing up too fast, but what’s new, right? I don’t know if you remember Gary Compton ’97. (Bill’s note: Yes, I do.) He was Company A’s operations sergeant. Jameson is playing basketball this year, and his team played Compton’s children’s team. It was the first time I had seen him since VMI. We had a small chat after the game. This time I strained him, though! Ha! I traded a couple of emails with Jay Witt. He’s in West-by-God Virginia, supposedly working for some sort of energy company. I think it’s just a cover-up, though. I think he’s finally living like a hippy, growing his own smoke and making his own whiskey in the mountains. I spoke with Chris Varner on the ninth anniversary of Cliff Flournoy’s death. We spoke of Cliff and old times for a while. It was

Class of 1999: The above brother rats celebrated the winning of the March Madness fundraising challenge at a Keydet Club tailgate in spring 2013.

133

CLASS NOTES hard for both of us to believe Cliff has been gone for nine years. We still miss him dearly and think about him every day. Varner is doing well, but he said I’m not allowed to talk about what he does. I also spoke with Jake Abel. He’s staying busy doing the construction thing, but he only calls me when he needs a favor! (Bill’s note: I believe that 100 percent.) Joking! I also keep up with Mike Wilson. Unfortunately, I saw him at his grandmother’s funeral not long ago. She was a great lady and loved the Institute. Mike and family were doing well under the circumstances. [Matthew Irving, also known as] the MIRV, was there, as well, and as I sat beside him in the church, he kept me entertained as usual! Same old Irving. He’s doing well and staying busy with the copier business and his 4-year-old son.” The big update of this issue comes from Saul Fan. He sent me this email: “I am Chin-chia Saul Fan from Company C, and I am currently working for Taiwan Mission to the European Union in Brussels, Belgium. It is nice to hear from brother rat. I am looking forward to participating in our 15th Reunion.” We had a decent turnout at our Keydet Clubhosted tailgate that our class won from last spring’s March Madness challenge – around 15 or so guys came out. A hat tip to Wes Barrow for spearheading the challenge. That is all for this edition. There will be more to follow on the reunion. In the bonds, Bill

’00

Matthew McComas

were Willie and Mary Ransom (Charles’ parents), Charlie Bunting (who spoke), Will Felvey, Jon Mazur, Andy Rogers, Songho Pak, Jeremy Guy, David Wilson, Nick Pomaro, Will Charlet and others. Greg Martin let me know that he and his wife, Caren, are expecting another child in May 2014. Looks like Skylar and Anslee will finally be getting a little brother! Brady Daniels and his wife, Jessica, had their third son Dec. 30, 2013. Caleb Alexander Daniels weighed 6 pounds, 10 ounces and was 19 inches long. Jessica and Caleb are both in great health. Connor Curtis recently moved to Fort Wayne, Indiana, to take the position of director of global project management office for a company called Franklin Electric. He also recently earned his Master of Business Administration degree from Purdue University and has been traveling quite a bit, both personally and for work. He sent in a photo of himself at the Great Wall of China. Chris Simpson is still working for the same company supporting the Missile Defense Agency and Boeing, and he is serving in the Tennessee Army National Guard. Jim Bourie came down to Huntsville to visit Chris in January. He spent a few nights and shared some good stories. Chris planned to see Jim again, as a bunch of them were trying to get back into shape to avoid hurting themselves during the annual Conway Cup in Lexington Feb. 23, 2014. At the time of this writing in mid-February, their team included: Jason Whitaker, Hassan Grari, Justin Harbor, Jim Bourie, Parker Reeves, Fred Hair, John Koubaralis, Jon Mazur, a friend of Hassan’s and Chris. Chris said, “Maybe we will actually win a game this year!” Brian Lakin is working for a general contractor as a project manager and, as of July 2013, has

Class of 2001: Connor Curtis on the Great Wall of China.

Class of 2001: Caleb Alexander Daniels, born Dec. 30, 2013, to Brady and Jessica Daniels.

Editor’s Note: We did not receive notes from the Class of 2000.

’01

Brandon Farris

Greetings to all Brother Rats and their Families, I hope everyone is doing well. I mentioned in the last Review that the Midlothian American Legion Post was renamed after our brother rat – The Maj. Charles A. Ransom American Legion Post 186. Our class donated a sign for the building, and the turnout at the dedication was great. Former Virginia Gov. George Allen and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor spoke. The Class of 2001 was well represented. My apologies in advance if I missed a few of you, as there were so many of you there. Among the people I saw

134

Class of 2001: At the dedication of the Maj. Charles A. Ransom American Legion Post 186 were, from left, Brandon Farris, Charlie Bunting, Andy Rogers, Songho Pak, Jeremy Guy, David Wilson, Willie and Mary Ransom (Charles’ parents), Will Charlet, Randy Hager and Mark Bauserman.

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES student of history, is volunteering with the U.S. Coast Guard in addition to working as facilities coordinator for Riverside Health Systems in Yorktown, Virginia. I know many of us keep in close touch on Facebook and other social media, so many of you may not think to add your information to the Review. I would highly encourage you (and your loved ones) to submit notes to me at salmaan.khawaja@ gmail.com. This is especially important for our BRs serving overseas who may not have regular online access but do receive their Reviews. Thanks so much, and I hope to hear from more of you soon. (Hint, hint!) In the spirit, Salmaan

been charged with mobilization of the company to U.S. Army Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands. There, they will complete several contracts and set up a semi-permanent operation. Brian will be there for at least a year. Here is what he said when I asked him if he’d stay longer than a year: “Ahh, Marshall Islands. It is a tiny little tropical island chain in the Pacific – very remote. Look up U.S. Army Kwajalein, and you can see that the island I’m on is only about 4 square miles or something. It’s fun, and I’m having a relatively good time. The diving is great, but it’s too small for me. One year will be my limit, I’m pretty sure.” Drew Carbone, Will Felvey, Steve Kolenich and I planned our annual trip to Atlantic City in March. Hopefully, it will be a lot more of the same – pretending we are in our 20s again, drinking too much, killing a buffet and all of us passing out in a single hotel room. It used to be embarrassing when there were eight of us in the same hotel room, but now that there are only four of us, we can make an argument for only needing one room. Thanks again to all who submitted. Talk to everyone soon. Brandon

’02

Salmaan Khawaja

Brother Rats, I hope this edition of the Review finds you and yours well. As I write these notes, the East Coast has just survived “Snowmageddon 2014,” and spring is right around the corner. It’s been a busy year at Chez K. Laura and I are happy to announce

Class of 2002: U.S. Air Force Maj. Christian Collamore is one of only 16 pilots in the Air Force who can pilot the “doomsday plane,” a specially outfitted Boeing 747 that protects the president and his key personnel during times of crisis.

2014- Issue 2

William Talley V

’03

Nichole Kramer

Class of 2002: Kai Lhogan Khawaja, born Jan. 27, 2014. the birth of our son, Kai Lhogan, born Jan. 27, 2014. Baby and mom are doing quite well. I have accidently ring-tapped him once already. Kai didn’t mind half as much as I did. Jason Breeding took some time off from his very busy schedule as an assistant principal to visit the three of us. He and AmberLea are doing well. U.S. Air Force Maj. Christian Collamore was chosen as one of only 16 pilots in the Air Force to fly the so-called “Doomsday Plane” out of the National Airborne Operations Center at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. A set of four E-4BS, these modified Boeing 747-200s were designed to support the military’s doomsday communication needs. Christian provided some great links for those who are more interested. One can be found here: http:// www.military.com/video/aircraft/military-aircraft/ inside-americas-doomsday-plane/2568075042001/. Christian sent in a photo of himself and the plane during a recent presidential support mission. Of course, the honor of flying the plane comes with tremendous responsibility. While I hope we will never see the day these planes are used for real, we can rest assured that he is one of the great pilots flying them. Larkin and Nichole Scott welcomed their daughter, Leslie Gwen Scott, to the world Jan. 13, 2013. Leslie was born at 5:42 a.m. and weighed 6 pounds, 8 ounces. She was 19 inches long. Larkin reports that both mom and baby are doing well. Mark and Stephanie Mills got to enjoy the ski slopes at WinterPlace this winter. Mark, an avid

Well, Brother Rats, As I write this, it is mid-February, and it feels like just the other weekend many of us were in Lexington celebrating our 10th Reunion. Currently, it’s about 11 p.m., and these notes are due to be submitted by midnight. I feel like I’m back in barracks cramming for an exam. I’m going to try and remember many of the things that have occurred since our reunion, but I know at this hour my mind will not recall all the data that I’d like. Here we go. I want to thank you for answering the call that was put out for the reunion campaign. I’m still waiting on the final figures, but the campaign officially closed Dec. 31, 2013. I do know that we exceeded the goal that the committee set and also came close to our goal for participation among the class. I was honored to stand with BRs Traina and Hancock to present our check to the superintendent, Gen. Peay ’62. I hope those of you who attended the reunion had a good time. It was great to see how much our class has grown with all of the spouses, significant others and children present. Based on the number of pregnant wives, we’re slated for a lot more growth in the coming months. The sight of Chaz Wagner in his coatee dyked-out was a memorable one, as well. I urge you all to come back to VMI again and visit frequently. Don’t wait until our 15th to make another visit. I know I’ll miss some folks here, but speaking

135

CLASS NOTES

Class of 2003: U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Doug Bahrns and U.S. Air Force Maj. Brian Desautels ran into each other on base while deployed overseas. Bahrns, right, is an SPMAGTF 14.1 operations officer. Desautels, left, is the director of operations for the 79th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron (HC130J).

Class of 2003: Paul and Mihaela Guberovic Froehlich’s welcomed their youngest child, Tera Noreen, on Sept. 27, 2013. of growth – the following BRs have welcomed new additions, and some are also listed later in the notes. Kyle and Julie Haire welcomed a baby boy, Jack Weston Haire, Jan. 18, 2014. He was also welcomed by big brother Taylor. Blake and Jennifer Traina welcomed a baby boy, David Lee Traina, on Jan. 16, 2014. Paul and Lindsey Quinn welcomed a son, Jase Edward Quinn, Feb. 10, 2014. Jase will be carefully looked after by his two older sisters. Phil and Angee Kerns welcomed a daughter, Chiara, Oct. 27, 2013. In addition to all of these arrivals, there will be three new additions in either late March or April alone for our class, with several more a little further down the road. Andy and Chelsey Biesterveld are due in mid-April; Chris and Jennifer Adams are awaiting the arrival of their son, Jackson Weston Adams, in early April; and AmieAnne and I are expecting our third to be on the scene in late March or early April. So, one thing I can promise is baby-friendly tailgates at football games this fall! I plan on having an entire section

136

filled with baby pictures in the next set of notes. Moving off the baby track, I’ve had communication with Kuo Ruey Liang over the last few months. He is living in Taiwan with his family. His son, Nicholas, is 6 years old and in the first grade, and his daughter Zoe is 2. Kuo Ruey is working with the Taiwan military in the procurement area. Nichole Kramer received the following update – Doug Bahrns and Brian Desautels ran into each other on base while deployed overseas. We remember them both being in Company A, but they also went to the same high school and are from the same hometown. It seems to make sense that they are now both majors and in operations billets – though Doug is in the U.S. Marine Corps, and Brian is in the U.S. Air Force. Brother rats and brothers in arms! See the Alumni in Theater section of this Review for another photo of these two. Mihaela Guberovic Froehlich and husband Paul welcomed baby number four, Tera Noreen, on Sept. 27, 2013, in their home in Olympia, Washington. “I am sure most of our class was having a good time while I was working hard on bringing that baby out.” They anticipate a move in June, once Paul gets out of the Army. The destination is to be determined. Jared Swanson reports the following from Company B – Chris Noah is stationed at Patrick Air Force Base. He and his wife, Sarah, adopted their son, Matthew, in May 2012. Jason Boatright was assigned to GTMO Public Works shop. If you are ever in Omaha, give Jordan Fox a call. He needs something to do. That is all for now. I apologize for those I missed, but I ask that you please send updates and photos to me, Nichole or your company representative. Rah Va Mil! ’03 ’03 ’03!

’04

C. Justin Roberts

Editor’s Note: We did not receive notes from the Class of 2004.

Timothy Johnson

’05

William Ray

Editor’s Note: We did not receive notes from the Class of 2005.

’06

Clark Dudley

Class of 2006, Here is the latest edition of notes. I hope all of you are well, both abroad and home, and I send warmest wishes to you and your families. My wife, Kate, and I welcomed Jackson Thomas Dudley into the world Jan. 24, 2014. He weighed 7 pounds, 5 ounces and was 21 inches long. Both Jack and Kate are doing great. Since he was born so close to our breakout day, I hope that’s a telltale sign of his commitment to being a Keydet. Cory Murray and Allison Hyland were excited to announce that their son, Francis Edward Murray, was born Jan. 26, 2014. The whole family is doing well. Mike and Jennifer Werner welcomed Emmalyn Jewel Werner Dec. 7, 2013. She was born at 1:43 p.m. and weighed 5 pounds, 8 ounces. Congrats! I also spoke with Chris Smith. He was excited to tell me that he and his wife, Chrissy, will welcome their second child, a son, in spring 2014. I caught up with Adam Rosenbaum in January at the Vienna Inn. He has been on the road quite a bit during the past year with Verizon and is doing well. He and his wife, Katie, threw a great party for their little girl, Abby, this past winter. In attendance were myself and my wife, Kate; Tyler Monger and wife Alison; and Mike Carney with his wife, Lauren, and son Cole. I spoke to Jon Kelton in late January, and he was finishing up at New York University Stern Business School and will be off to Wall Street this summer. Best of luck. I had lunch with Todd Wilson in February. He is doing great working at Booz Allen Hamilton. He and his wife, Brigid, were looking forward to a nice trip to Ireland in the late winter to visit her family. When they return, Todd will have his 16th fight. He is still undefeated and is looking at larger prospects on the horizon. It was great to catch up, and a one-hour lunch easily turned into two hours. Best of luck, Todd, on the travels and fight when you get back home. Todd let me know that Chris Stolle is back on the East Coast in Norfolk with the U.S. Navy. In other relocations, Bud Webb and his family moved to Houston, Texas. Mark Searles has settled back into Washington, D.C., with the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (better known as The Old Guard), but I’ve not been able to meet up with him yet. From the Facebook page, it looks like Andrew Upshaw and Ken Rhee celebrated Andrew’s 30th birthday in Seoul. From the pictures, it looked like a good time.

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES

Class of 2006: Jackson Thomas Dudley, son of Clark and Kate Dudley.

Class of 2006: Francis Edward Murray, son of Cory Murray and Allison Hyland.

Class of 2006: Emmalyn Jewel Werner, daughter of Mike and Jenn Werner.

I heard from Tony Cavalero: “It’s been a good year! I have been on ‘Hart of Dixie’ on the CW, ‘2 Broke Girls’ on CBS, ‘Dads’ on Fox and ‘Adam Devine’s House Party’ on Comedy Central. I also starred in the Paramount feature film ‘Ghost Team One.’ I continue to perform at the world famous sketch comedy theatre, The Groundlings. I’ve had visits from Brett Whitsett ’08; Brian McGill; my co-dyke, Dave Trimble; Todd Wilson; and Brian Peeler ’08. I was also able to make it back for alumni weekend this year and play in the alumni lacrosse game. My girlfriend and I are developing a sitcom to pitch for pilot season.” After I received the above from Tony, I think most of us saw him on the AT&T commercial as well. Congrats on the success, Tony. Class of 2006, please keep posting to the Facebook page, sending me emails to my Gmail account or sending me notes on Facebook.

with Federated Insurance. Also fresh from a move is Justin Chetney, who moved back from Alaska recently. Justin is looking forward to starting a new chapter of his life back in Hampton, Virginia. Matt Kania is pursuing a master’s degree in aeronautical engineering at the Air Force Institute of Technology in Dayton, Ohio. Two BRs just deployed to Afghanistan. Jonathan Woloshuk is deployed as commander of D Company, 1-41, 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division to Regional Command – North. I hope I got all of those letters right. Jonathan Fredericks is in Eastern Afghanistan, where he is advising the Afghan National Police with the 101st Airborne Division. He says he will be there until the end of the year. Greg Schwartz married Megan Harrison in Charlottesville Nov. 9, 2013. In attendance at the wedding were BRs Rich Meredith, Brian Welch, Ryan Young, Josh Copes, Graham Forbes, Maury Denton, Wes Haines and Ryan McLean. Kyle Richards ’06 was also there to help Greg and Megan celebrate. Tommy Lloyd is working in Atlanta, Georgia, as an initial loss reporting claim team manager with State Farm Insurance. He wrote that his daughter, Brynna, recently turned 1 and his son, Jace, is 2. Tommy hopes to move back to Virginia

and asks everyone to keep him updated with any job opportunities. Scott and Christine Pistochini welcomed their first son, Aaron Seabring Pistochini, Dec. 12, 2013. The family lives at Camp Pendleton, California. Congrats, guys! I look forward to hearing from y’all again in time for the next notes. Don’t hesitate to contact me with your needs/concerns/questions, etc. I’ll help with whatever I can. In the bonds, Sally

’07

Sally Bushore

BRs, I hope these notes find everyone safe and sound in the aftermath of the crazy winter that a good number of us experienced. Meanwhile, I was sunbathing in Las Vegas. (Sorry, I just had to write that.) Thanks to everyone who sent me an email or message. I appreciate every little piece of correspondence I receive. I know everyone enjoys reading the class notes, so keep ’em coming. Don’t forget to update your address and/or email with the Alumni Association if you haven’t in a while. I received an email from Pat Magno whose wife, Lindsey, recently gave birth to their daughter, Amelia Kristine, Aug. 22, 2013. In October, the growing family moved to San Diego, California, where Pat is stationed as an instructor pilot for the MH-60R. Victor Rosen informed me that he, along with his wife, Nicole, and son, Trap, relocated to Charlottesville, Virginia. Victor is starting a new career

2014- Issue 2

’08

Robert Hill

Hopefully, everyone has thawed out from the cold winter (at least for those of us on the East Coast) by now. I want to start off with congratulations to Ben Curle and wife Megan on the birth of Ada Josephine Feb. 11, 2014. Ada tipped the scales at 9 pounds, 5 ounces and was 21 inches long. The stay in the hospital was quite short due to the impending snowstorm, and all are doing well. Andrew Czaplicki checked in from the 276th

Class of 2007: Greg and Megan Schwartz with the wedding party at their wedding in Charlottesville, Virginia, Nov. 9, 2013.

137

CLASS NOTES Engineer Battalion of the Virginia National Guard, where he is serving side-by-side with Artur Taryan. Previously, Andrew was the company commander of the 229th Chemical Company of the Virginia National Guard through Nov. 17, 2013. He held that position since Sept. 11, 2011, and utilized lessons learned at VMI to succeed. Shortly after you read these notes, Andrew, Ben and I will be working together at a regional exercise, Vigilant Guard, during Mother’s Day weekend in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Both Ben and Andrew will be operating with the National Guard, and I’ll

Class of 2008: Alice Elizabeth Vishneski, born Jan. 25, 2014.

Class of 2008: Brian Peeler with a successful catch in the Alaskan wilderness.

Class of 2008: Mike Vinacco with his newborn son, Luca David, and potential dyke, J.J.

138

be working with the Dauphin County Hazardous Materials Team as we go through a large training event. Look for pictures in August! Brian Peeler and wife Christine are doing well in Alaska and celebrated their third anniversary March 26, 2014. Brian has successfully transitioned from the U.S. Army to civilian life, and he thoroughly loves the outdoors throughout Alaska. Brian is working for Northern Industrial Training and building his career in the health, safety and environment field as an instructor for the oil industry. Kyle Makinen and Matt Payne are scheduled to visit Alaska and hit the slopes of Alyeska in late February. Sean Ruppert is doing well in Charlotte, North Carolina, and is still working for Bank of America. Sean recently attended his brother’s wedding (reunion weekend) and completed a Tough Mudder. While at the T.M., he ran into Pete Mycio, who also completed the same race. James Andrews also made the trip serving as Pete’s personal cheerleader. Sean reported that Josh Gemedschiew lives in the Charlotte area, as well. And finally the big news, Sean and wife/Ring Figure date Maggie are expecting their first child. Maggie is due in August. Tim Green checked in from the Institute. Tim is finally back and anticipates graduating from the Mother I in December 2014! Mike Vinacco, wife Lisa and son J.J. welcomed Luca David to the family on Jan. 23, 2014. Luca weighed in at 8 pounds, 2 ounces and was 21 inches long. Mike commented that J.J. could be Luca’s dyke in about 18 years! Mike has been selected to cross train to maintenance from engineering and will likely be headed overseas. They hope to end up at Kadena Air Base, Japan, where Ben Switzer and family are located. Congrats to the Vinaccos, and best wishes in your new endeavors. The ’08 family increased Jan. 25, 2014, as well. Jake Vishneski and wife Susie welcomed Alice Elizabeth to the family. All are doing well, and they are still based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Congrats to the Vishneski family. Lauren and I had the chance to meet up with John Sollock and Matt Mitchell in Washington, D.C., the first weekend of the 2014. Matt was on his holiday leave and spending time on the East Coast visiting family and friends. John was kind enough to host us for drinks, dinner and a night out to watch the Saints take down the Eagles. Matt and Dave Jacobs will be deployed to Afghanistan in late February. Hopefully, it will be for just a short amount of time. Lauren and I will be moving soon, as well. We are looking forward to our first home. We have plenty of room for visitors, and we can meet up with the Curles! I hope everyone enjoys their summer, and I look forward to hearing from more of you! God bless and Rah Virginia Mil!

’09

Bradley Simpson

Brother Rats, I hope that this edition of the Review finds all of you and your families well. Time is flying by. By the time this issue gets to you and yours, the year will be nearly halfway over. It’s been great catching up with the class throughout the last couple of months. First, I would like to congratulate Christina Stalnaker. She married her husband, Andres Ibarra, July 12, 2013. Christina left the U.S. Army, but her husband is stationed at Joint Base Lewis McChord. She told me she loves living in Washington. She is studying at Evergreen State College to become a master of environmental studies and also training to become a professional dive master. In November 2013, I was able to celebrate Founders Day at the Institute Society Dinner with my wife, Ashley; Amanda Moore; Rob Kelly ’08; and Ben Popko ’10 and his date, Amy Dederich. Some congratulations are in order for Rhys Keller and his wife, Sarah. On Oct. 23, 2013, Sarah gave birth to a baby boy, Elliot Isaac Keller. Elliot weighed in at 8 pounds and was 21 inches long. Rhys said everyone is doing extremely well, albeit a little sleep deprived. Conor Franklin is a U.S. Air Force captain stationed at Dyess Air Force Base. He is assigned to the 317th Airlift Group and the 40th Airlift Squadron, flying the C-130J Super Hercules. He has been at Dyess since June 2013 and headed out in March 2014 on his first deployment to Afghanistan for six months in support the drawdown efforts. Kurt Seidl spent nine months at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, and graduated from the Navy School Explosive Ordnance Disposal in January. He is now stationed at Dyess Air Force Base, where he will remain for the next three years. Shane Keys moved down to Atlanta, Georgia, after graduation to work as a supervisor on the railroad for Norfolk Southern. After moving there, he met and is now engaged to Genevieve Prieur. They haven’t set a date yet, but they are thinking spring 2015. Shane gets visits from time to time from the likes of Adam McClish, who is up at Langley Air Force Base, and Conor Franklin. Derrick Leland and Nick Mims are both in Afghanistan. Derrick says they run into each other a lot. Well, that wraps up the news for this issue. Please let me know what you all are doing. I want you to be listed in these notes. I hope everyone is doing well and doing big things. Stay classy, 2009!

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES

Class of 2009: Christina Stalnaker and new husband Andres Ibarra, with a plethora of Keydets who attended their wedding.

Class of 2009: Shane Keys with his soon-to-be wife, Genevieve Prieur.

’10 Class of 2009: From left: Ashley and Bradley Simpson, Amanda Moore, Rob Kelly, Amy Dederich and Ben Popko enjoyed the Young Alumni Cocktail Party in Moody Hall on Founders Day 2013.

Class of 2009: Class Agent Bradley Simpson said of this photo, “In past editions, I have mentioned Michelle Lukenbill’s wedding Sept. 20, 2013, in Tipp City, Ohio. This picture is from the wedding day.” Pictured are Jill Weatherford with her daughters, Maebry, Evalyn and Hazel; Holly Giacolone; Chelsie Kosecki; Amanda Moore; Jed Miller; Capt. Riester; and Michelle’s rat, Samantha Jones.

2014- Issue 2

Cody Hennelly

Let me start by saying thank you to Matt Allen for all he has done for the class during the last four years and, most importantly, for giving me the opportunity to uphold the position of class agent! Matt has had some serious medical issues since leaving the “I,” but he recently told me he is feeling well and looking forward to getting back on track. I got the chance to visit with some BRs. As you can imagine, it was like no time had passed at all. I met up with Chris Czuprina, Jack Curtis and Zach Williams in Austin last spring – needless to say, we had a good time! All three are currently stationed at Fort Hood, Texas. Jack and Zach are serving overseas – Jack as a company executive officer and Zach as a battle captain. Chris is waiting to attend selection this March. Best of luck to them! In my travels, I also got to link up with my rat roommate, Evan Aquirre, in Seattle, Washington. Evan is doing well and is stationed at Fort Lewis. While Evan was on a convoy operation in Afghanistan, his truck was struck by a rocket propelled grenade and overturned into the river. During the course of the attack, Evan took shrapnel to his right shoulder and disregarded his own safety to jump into the river to rescue his drowning private. For his heroism and sacrifice, Evan was awarded the Purple Heart and a Bronze Star. Evan got selected to become an executive officer with 1st Special Forces Group after that deployment to Afghanistan.

139

CLASS NOTES Since we are on the subject of being a bad #!$ ... Silas Belt has made quite a name for himself in the law enforcement world. Silas is a West Virginia state trooper, and two incredible stories arose over the last couple of years in which he risked his own life to rescue others. In one, he saved two children from a burning house. Most recently, he saved a man from drowning. In both instances, he disregarded his own safety to do so. This does not surprise me one bit! I always find it interesting when I hear about VMI alumni either being stationed together or working for the same company. I got stationed in Alaska this past summer. To my amazement, Ray Starsman, Kenny Green and Dan Frederick are up here, as well. Ray and his wife, Jessica, are doing well. Ray will be attending Captains Career Course this spring. Kenny is doing great things, as well. After Ranger School, he got a position as a troop platoon leader and is adjusting to the cold quite well! Dan is stationed out of Fort Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, and is enjoying the great outdoors quite a bit. I caught up with Ray Kirchner, who, after some time at Fort Bragg, recently got stationed in Vicenza, Italy, with Battle Company 2/503 PIR 173 Air Brigade. Gil Mercedes is also in his platoon, and Corey Morgan just picked up a PL slot in another platoon. Even across the world, we always find ways to link up! Dan Parker is working on staff in the S3 at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and Clayton Melton is an executive officer within the 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment at Fort Campbell. Both are expected to attend Captains Career Course this year. Hunter Cantrell will also be attending Captains Career Course this spring. He and his wife,

Tiffany, are expecting their first son, Holden Barrett, due March 11, 2014. Congrats! Shawn Fox and Jacob Robertson are stationed together at Fort Brag, North Carolina. They are working on their first feature-length film, which documents Eddie Prieser’s deployment to Afghanistan. I’m sure it will be a hit! I better get a shoutout in the next Facebook clip! Jacob is planning his wedding for June 2014 with his fiancée, Brittany Cox. They grew up together in Chesterfield, Virginia, and hope to settle down in the Richmond area. Jacob is planning to transition out of active duty this June and is excited about working in the civilian sector. Jared Hendee has been living it up with Preston Landt at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Jared is starting to look at job opportunities in the Southern California region for when he gets out of the U.S. Marine Corps in June 2014. Preston is up for promotion to captain this spring. Andrew Baity, Julie Markow, Drew Horgan and Dave Padgett all attended The Basic School together in October 2010. They have all gone their separate ways since. Drew ended up becoming an artilleryman with 5th Battalion, 11th Marines, shooting the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System out of Camp Pendleton. Dave selected combat engineers and has been in Japan for the last couple of years. Julie became a logistician, went to Okinawa for a few years and is now heading a Motor T platoon at Twentynine Palms, California. Andrew went to Pensacola for flight school and ran into a couple VMI guys there. Paul Bowman and Travis Travis were a little ahead on the U.S. Navy side of the training syllabus. Paul recently winged as an F/A-18F weapons system officer/naval flight officer and is completing his Fleet Replacement

Class of 2010: Elizabeth Dobbins and Michael Moskowitz at their wedding December 2013.

Class of 2010: Andrew Baity and his bride, Elizabeth, with Elizabeth and Michael Moskowitz, at the Baity wedding in Nashville, Tennessee, January 2014.

Class of 2010: Brother rats gathering outside of Fort Bragg, North Carolina, were, from left, Jacob Robertson, Shawn Fox, Dave Lochart, Rob Stockman, Steve Kerr and Owen Trotman.

140

Squadron syllabus as we speak. He is stationed out of Oceana, Virginia, with Strike Fighter Squadron 11. Travis and Scott MacDonald went the helicopter route and are flying MH-60s. Travis is with Fletcher Wasson ’09 in Guam with the Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 25. Andrew attended primary flight training in Milton, Florida, with Evan Farley and Ericsson Davis. Both of them selected MV-22 Osprey helicopters in New River, North Carolina. Evan is heading to the West Coast soon, as he will be stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. He’ll be joining Matt Babcock and Jack Kielty. Matt told me he and Jack are in the same squadron. Again,

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES

Class of 2010: Racheal and Casey McElligott’s daughter, Kaylin, born November 2013.

Class of 2010: Chrissy Beach’s daughter, Kailee, born July 2013. small world! After Andrew finished the FRS, he reported to Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 169 “World Famous Vipers.” He told me he has met a lot of VMI guys in the HMLA (Cobra/Huey) community, including an instructor at Marine Light Attack Helicopter Training Squadron 303, John “Jerk” Coleman ’05. The squadron is across the street from Combat Logistics Regiment 15, where Capt. Dave Phillips currently holds his billet, and surprisingly enough, two neighbors of Andrew’s are alumni. He didn’t say what class, though. Andrew also tied the knot with an amazing young lady named Elizabeth, who he met during his time in flight school. She’s currently a physician assistant in the U.S. Air Force. The two did a quick backyard wedding following his graduation from Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape School, but recently they had the chance to have a larger wedding in Nashville with friends and family. He informed me that Mike Kromm was married in June to an extremely nice girl, and they are expecting their first child in February.

2014- Issue 2

Mike was stationed in Twentynine Palms with the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, but has since left the Marine Corps and lives in Kansas City, Missouri. Ross Hussman is deployed to Afghanistan, where he is accompanied by a couple of majors who are VMI alums. He told me they are trying to get together for a picture for the Alumni Review at some point. Hopefully it works out. I have also received several emails and phone calls from BRs from across the world. We are certainly making our mark. Emily Neuman has been stationed in South Korea since graduation, but tells me she is looking forward to being stateside to attend the Air Defense Artillery Captains Career Course at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Garland Gray is in his second year of Law School at the University of Richmond, Hunter Naff is in his second year of law school at Regent and Jason Morgan is about to finish up his second year of law school at Appalachian State University. Hunter and Justin Brinkman live together in the Virginia Beach area, and Justin is currently working for a general contractor called Armada Hoffler. Elizabeth Dobbins Moskowitz graduated from the University of Virginia School of Law and passed the Virginia Bar Exam in 2013. She married Michael Moskowitz Dec. 14, 2013. She is a first lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps, serving on active duty in the Office of Counsel to the Commandant at the Pentagon. She was selected for promotion to captain in Fiscal Year 2014 and will attend The Basic School and the Naval Justice School this year. Alex Houser starts his family medicine residency at Womack Army Medical Center, Fort Bragg, in July – after his graduation from school in May. Sean McCoy is stationed at Fort Bragg, as well. He is a year behind Alex. Alex said, “Obviously, we still live together.” They are even contemplating a dual marriage ceremony since, of course, their girlfriends are best friends. Let us know when and where, boys! Alex told me that Audrey Falconi starts her family medicine residency in July at Tripler Army Medical Center in Oahu, Hawaii. Saving lives and kissing babies! Berley Rister is married and has an eightmonth-old son, Berley L. Rister IV – go figure. Berley works at Areva in Lynchburg and is working on a master’s in nuclear engineering at Penn State. Rory Alfree graduated from Virginia Tech in winter 2013 with a Master of Science degree. He will be working for Scott-Long Construction in Chantilly, Virginia, in spring 2014. Matt Graham is working on his Master of Science degree in intelligence and national security at the University of Texas at El Paso. Matt is stationed at Fort Bliss and recently returned from his deployment to Afghanistan, where he

served as the executive officer for Cobra Troop, 6th Squadron, 1st Calvary Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division. His current role is headquarters troop executive officer. Matt has his Special Forces packet in for the 2014 board, along with his captain’s board (where he will be selected for promotion), which will meet in April. He let me know he is dating a wonderful girl from his hometown named Kirsten who lives with him in El Paso. Matt is also looking at starting a local chapter out in the El Paso area. So, anyone in the Fort Bliss area, let him know if you’re interested. Karsten Bloomstrum got married May 21, 2010, to a lovely woman named Meg, and the two had a beautiful baby boy named Eliam Sept. 15, 2012. Since graduating from Pararescue School in 2012, Karsten has been deployed twice. The family lives on Moody Air Force Base in Georgia. We have two BRs, that I know of, who went the teaching route. The most notable is Tanner Sewell, who is living in northern Virginia. There, he is a high school teacher and wrestling coach, as well as a self-made fashion designer! He recently led his wrestling team to the conference championships. Great job, Tanner! The other is none other than Chris Dommert who, after he returned home from Afghanistan, was selected to teach ROTC at … wait for it … the Citadel! At least those cadets can be taught by a real officer! Chris is married and has a beautiful baby boy. Speaking of beautiful babies, Chrissy Beach gave birth in summer 2013 to a little girl named Kailee. Chrissy and her family live in Las Vegas. Racheal Toman McElligot also gave birth in 2013 to a beautiful little girl named Kaylin. Tim Howard was working in engineering out of Arlington after we graduated and figured out he didn’t like it. Now, he is a Delaware state trooper. He explained that he works the beaches and said, “It’s awesome.” Paul Devalk started up a new division in his region at work. He explained that it is exciting as well as frustrating, but it’s a great experience. Paul is starting to get a plan together to attempt an ironman in October in North Carolina, which he is excited about. Best of luck, Paul! I briefly caught up with Edward Burton, who is currently on the job hunt but says he is living well. Tyler Kerr is living and working out of the D.C. Metro area and told me he loves it up there. John Krahling has had a rough couple of years medically, but he assures me he is staying positive and is looking forward to the job hunt once he leaves the Marine Corps this spring. Believe it or not, I got a chance to catch up with

141

CLASS NOTES none other than the Honorable Wes Whitcomb! Wes is doing great and informed me that, after the last few years in Hawaii, he has recently tried out for and was selected to serve in the Ranger Regiment! Always knew you could do it, big guy. Last, but not least for this go around, I caught up with Howard Abegesah who is working at Johns Hopkins University and living in Beltsville, Maryland. He seems really happy. I want to leave you with something that Howard said to me: “The success of our class is one of the forces that pushed me to reach higher levels in life.” Until next time! Continue to do great things, VMI Class of 2010, for we are the greatest class to ever come through the “I.”

Allen McCown

’11 This past fall, I married the love of my life at the House Mountain Inn with many Keydets in attendance. My wife, Rebecca, picked the location. I had mixed feelings about returning to Rockbridge County for our wedding. However, I was reminded of the beautiful scenery that surrounds Lexington, even though we may not have appreciated it much while confined to the Institute’s walls. Jeremy Lucier, Quinn Wicks and Tom Louderback were three of my groomsmen. It was an unforgettable weekend. However, it would not have been a weekend in Lexington without a visit to Berkey’s, a tailgate

Class of 2011: All of the class rings present at the wedding of Allen McCown in fall 2013. on the Parade Ground and heckling our grandrats – all prior to the wedding ceremony. My father, David McCown ’73, was able to work an embarrassing story from our 4th Class year into the toast at the rehearsal dinner, and Quinn was able to remind me that “this is the life you chose” during his subsequent comments. I was glad that some BRs made it from far away, including Hank Baker from Florida and Korey Tighe and his wife, who drove up from Georgia. Hank reported he is doing well and working as a property manager for an apartment complex. Korey and Emma are expecting their second child. Congratulations to you both! The same weekend, VMI won the football game as well as the All Military Classic basketball tournament. All I have to say is: You’re welcome, and Go, Keydets! Writing this set of notes has me reflecting on the past six years. This February, our grand-rats

Class of 2011: Jeremy Lucier, David McCown ’73, Conor Ingram ’16, Lee McCown ’58, Derek McCown ’89, Billy Bacci ’13, Josh Applewhite, Allen McCown, Tom Hamlin, Josh Parker, Sharif Gray, Rebecca Dancy McCown, Tom Louderback, Quinn Wicks, Chris Martin, Korey Tighe and Hank Baker were all present at the wedding of Allen McCown to his bride, Rebecca Dancy McCown.

142

broke out and formed the class of 2017. This is the last time I will write notes while our rats are still cadets. Soon enough, they will join us among the ranks of alumni and be reading their own class notes in the Review. I am very glad to report that Shane Wilkinson was able to speak at 2017’s breakout dinner. Shane said he was glad to be a part of the event and said it was a great breakout. Shane was recently promoted to corporal and is training in Texas. One month prior to my wedding, Rebecca and I attended the wedding of our close friends, Matt Parmer and the former Courtney Morris. It was a beautiful weekend in the bride’s hometown of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. It kicked off with some time on the beach and mini golf with Jeremy Lucier and his girlfriend, Madison. Along with best man Zach Pittard, Tod Robison and Dave Arthur, we learned more about Greek Orthodox wedding practices during their wonderful ceremony. Zach gave a rousing toast that reminded us all about enjoying the moment and the times we share together. I hope everyone enjoyed the holidays with their friends and family. I know a number of our class spent the holidays overseas. We hope you guys are home soon! I heard from Ross Harris that he and Nate Hefner will be in Afghanistan until early summer 2014. Nic Williams is in Afghanistan, as well, serving as an infantry company executive officer. Nic is at Forward Operating Base Shank and is working closely with special operations on personnel recovery operations and regional quick reaction force. Stay safe, Nic, and we hope you’re home soon! Tom Pace continues to enjoy sunny Florida. Tom ran into Matt Jordan at the Atlanta airport. Matt is doing well and is at the Navy School Explosive Ordnance Disposal at Eglin Air Force Base. Matt Talbott made his way down to Destin, Florida, to see Tom and celebrate the New Year in the sunshine state.

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES Curtis Register sent me an email from Japan after returning from Operation Talisman Sabre and Operation Damayan. Damayan took him to the Philippines to aid in the relief effort after the typhoon. He also reported he is gearing up for a Marine Expeditionary Brigade training mission in Korea. This will be the first training mission of its type since before Sept. 11, 2001. Trent Gordon is stateside, stationed at Fort Bragg. He reported he is eager to get out of Fayetteville. Amhed Conteh is also underwhelmed by the number of things to do near Moody Air Force Base in Georgia, where he is stationed. Good luck, guys! Casey McElligott recently moved from the south to Colorado and seems to be enjoying the very snowy winter. Racheal Toman McElligott ’10 recently gave birth to their daughter, Kaylinn. Congratulations! Matt Long is stationed at Fort Carson and has enjoyed the snowy winter snowboarding at Breckinridge. Also out at Fort Carson is James Lockett, who recently got engaged. Congratulations, James! James, along with Zach Kier, is preparing to deploy to Afghanistan later in 2014. Eric Tyson is deployed out of Fort Carson, as well. Although Colorado and the Eastern Seaboard have seen some snow this winter, Jordan Peck wanted to remind everyone that he is still frozen up in Alaska. Aaron Castro was in the middle of moving from Fort Knox, Kentucky, to Fort Bliss, Texas, during the first of the storms this winter. Aaron was pleased to stay in a cavalry unit, transferring from the soon to be deactivated 6th Squadron, 4th U.S. Cavalry to the oldest squadron in the 1st U.S. Cavalry. Gabe Itoka sent me an email stating that he is still enjoying his time in Morocco with the Peace Corps and should be back in the states in April 2015. Before his departure, Gabe started an athletic training business in the Washington, D.C./Maryland/Virginia area called the Elite Athletic Program. Upon his return, he plans to continue to build the business along with his partner who is currently stateside. Alex Crow recently returned from being stationed in Japan and is in transit to his new duty station in Norfolk. Alex enjoyed some time off before reporting to Norfolk for duty and went on a road trip in the south including New Orleans, Louisiana. James Clayton is headed to Norfolk soon from Newport, Rhode Island. James is preparing to take over as the damage control officer on a big deck amphibious ship stationed in Norfolk. He is set to deploy later this year, as well. Travis Bowman got engaged in January and said that his wife has no idea what she is getting

2014- Issue 2

into by marrying a Keydet. Congratulations, and I hope to see you both at a tailgate soon! I would like to extend congratulations to Woody Hall and his wife, Spenser, on the birth of their daughter, Andie Leigh Hall. Recently, I got together with Sharif Gray, who just returned to Charlottesville, Virginia, after a semester working closely with the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. Sharif is in his last semester at the University of Virginia and has enjoyed his time as an infantry officer with a reserve unit in Charlottesville. Also in Charlottesville is Andrew Tunnell, who recently became a Virginia state trooper. He is assigned in Greene County. Andrew is also staying busy working on his master diver Professional Association of Diving Instructors certification. Along with Andrew, I saw Travis Daniel in late fall 2013 for a skeet shoot. You can imagine that the BR who had a clay thrower at his house and the state trooper outshot me by a little. The hardest part of this past winter was saying goodbye to one of our own, Rick Lee. I hate to close on a sad note, but it is the reality that every day we share with one another is numbered. As we sat together during the service, I was silently grateful for the unique and allencompassing bond we share. It is often spoken of but is rarely physically seen. I saw it in the faces of our brother rats in attendance, in the arms over shoulders, and in the embraces and tears we shared with the Lee family. I most importantly saw it in the love we brought to the service. Not simply a familial love but a love that is present in every time of deepest peril that drives us to steer our lives toward one another in good times as well as bad. I hated to

say goodbye to Rick, but it was a wonderful celebration of his life and what he brought to this world. I was lucky to be able to attend the funeral that, along with a beautiful service, was completed with former members of the Men in Grey singing “Shenandoah.” There was hardly a dry eye in the church. Stay in touch! It is never too late to send something in. I look forward to hearing from everyone. Rah Virginia Mil, Allen

’12

Bruce Howard

Brother Rats: I hope this edition of the Review finds all of you well. It’s hard to believe how quickly time flies, as our rats prepare to be 1st Class cadets soon. It has been great getting updates from everyone the last few months. I missed getting this in the last Review, but congratulations to Samantha Price, now Samantha Henke, who married Zachary Henke ’11. The two wed Oct. 26, 2013, at Jackson Memorial Hall, the VMI chapel. They continued the wedding festivities with a honeymoon in Jamaica. Again, congratulations, and I wish you both the best. Josh Visconti and his wife, Katie, celebrated the birth of their second child, Avery Addison Visconti, born Nov. 16,, 2013. Congrats, Josh. Karter Rivera and Matt Elliot got together with a few other alumni one night for an event at a local brewery in Norfolk, Virginia.

Class of 2012: Samantha Price with her husband, Zachary Henke ’11.

143

CLASS NOTES

’13

Class of 2012: At the wedding of Samantha and Zachary Henke were, from left, Tatitana Wabrek ’15, Mackenzie Perkins ’15, Tessa Smith ’15, Raquel Sanchez, Samantha Henke, Bridget Conley, Alexis Wissinger ’15, Elisha Clark ’15 and Tiffany Haines ’15.

Class of 2012: From left, Justin Topping ’11, Karter Rivera, Matt Elliott and John Garrett ’13. Trey Copenhaver lives in Moscow, Russia. He is teaching English and is doing well. Best of luck, Trey. Thank you to everyone who sent in your notes. I look forward to hearing from more of you in the next few months. Please feel free to

144

send me updates anytime. I want to make sure everyone sees what great things our class is doing. Also, if you move, please update your new address. For those of you who have been sending me their new addresses, I appreciate it. Thanks again and until next time.

Charles P. Jones

2013, As each edition of the Alumni Review rolls around, I enjoy getting updates from everyone about what they’re up to. This particular edition’s notes for our class may be short, but I wanted to pass along information sent to me about what some of us are doing. If you have a career change, major life event such as a wedding or birth of a child, or anything else you’d like to update the class on, please send it my way so I can include it in the class notes. Jeff Sexton recently finished airborne training as well as Special Forces selection at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He is beginning his Q-Course training as an 18B (special forces weapons sergeant). A number of our BRs are progressing with their military training in all branches and all specialties. Benton Roe will soon be finishing Basic Combat Training with the U.S. Army at Fort Benning, Georgia, and will start Officer Candidate School afterward. A number of our classmates are pursuing degrees from various graduate programs. This includes, but is not limited to, the following: Phil Wulfken is pursuing a doctorate degree in astronomy at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. Kacey Hall is working on a doctorate degree in chemistry at Duke University. Blaine Groat is pursuing a doctorate degree in chemistry at Florida State University. Iain McPherson is earning his doctorate degree in organic chemistry at the University of Wisconsin Madison. Sam Cain is pursuing a master’s degree in criminal justice. Kayla Johnson is working on her Juris Doctor degree at Liberty University School of Law. Taylor Jenkins is pursuing a Master of Science degree in commerce at the University of Virginia. As I mentioned above, those are only a few of our classmates who are further pursuing education. A good number of our classmates have recently gotten engaged or married. If you have gotten or are getting married and would like it announced here, send me an email or call me. I’ll be sure to put it in the next edition of our class notes. Fred Vilushis and Jenna Moye recently got engaged and will be getting married in May 2014. AnnieMarie Ngotho and Rob Incontro also got engaged this past November. Be sure to congratulate all of them if you speak to them. The last career update I have is that Sean Rogers is a police officer in Arlington, Virginia. Don’t worry; he hasn’t changed that much. As always, feel free to contact me if you’d like anything published here in the class notes. I hope everyone is doing well!

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

CLASS NOTES

BIRTHS

MARRIAGES

SEGERSTEN – a daughter, Charlotte Marie, to Katherine G. and Peter H. Segersten ’96 Feb. 4, 2014.

RODRIGUEZ – Karin Bra to Edward Rodriguez ’89 Oct. 19, 2013.

SUMMERS – a son, Josiah Gabriel, to Betsy and Ben Summers ’97 Sept. 6, 2013.

MICHELSON – Suzy Spiceland to Michael L. Michelson ’68 Feb. 15, 2014.

DANIELS – a son, Caleb Alexander, to Jessica and Brady Daniels ’01 Dec. 30, 2013. KHAWAJA – a son, Kai Lhogan, to Laura and Salmaan Khawaja ’02 Jan. 27, 2014. SCOTT – a daughter, Leslie Gwen, to Nichole and Larkin Scott ’02 Jan. 13, 2014. FROEHLICH – a daughter, Tera Noreen, to Paul and Mihaela Guberovic Froehlich ’03 Sept. 27, 2013. DUDLEY – a son, Jackson Thomas, to Kate and Clark Dudley ’06 Jan. 24, 2014. MURRAY – a son, Francis Edward, to Allison Hyland and Cory Murray ’06 Jan. 26, 2014. WERNER – a daughter, Emmalyn Jewel, to Jennifer and Mike Werner ’06 Dec. 7, 2013. CURLE – a daughter, Ada Josephine, to Megan and Ben Curle ’08 Feb. 11, 2014. VINACCO – a son, Luca David, to Lisa and Mike Vinacco ’08 Jan. 23, 2014. VISHNESKI – a daughter, Alice Elizabeth, to Susie and Jake Vishneski ’08 Jan. 25, 2014.

DEGREES John H. Friend III ’82 Clinical Counseling and Psychology University of Southern Alabama Mobile, Alabama July 2013

Ph.D.

Larry R. Williams Jr. ’82 Ph.D. Computer Science Virginia Commonwealth University School of Engineering Richmond, Virginia December 2013 Christopher D. Noe ’96 Grantham University Kansas City, Missouri August 2013

MBA

Jason M. Fye ’98 Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Wake Forest School of Medicine Winston-Salem, North Carolina December 2013

Ph.D.

VMI’s 25 Most Senior Alumni According to the records of The VMI Alumni Association, the people listed below constitute the 25 senior alumni of the Institute. Please contact the Alumni Review staff if any errors are noted. William E. Cantrell ’26 Richard D. Schmitz ’31 Ernest C. Johnson ’29 Thomas M. Zeledon ’30 Howard J. Bell ’33 William R. Landrum ’34 E. Lane Whitley ’34 Emmett J. Heerdt ’34 Richard H. McCormick ’34 James E. Kirk ’36 Edwin T. Arnold ’35 James C. Sherman ’35 Gardner F. Goodwyn ’36 2014-Issue 2

Oct. 17, 1905 Feb. 24, 1908 May 19, 1908 Dec. 21, 1908 Nov. 25, 1910 Dec. 3, 1910 April 1, 1911 Feb. 27, 1912 Dec. 4, 1912 Oct. 25, 1913 Feb. 7, 1914 March 31, 1914 April 27, 1914

J. Randolph Tucker Jr. ’37

June 29, 1914

John A. Gialanella ’36

Aug. 28, 1914

John H. Divine III ’36

Nov. 13, 1914

Joseph H. Keller ’36

Feb. 5, 1915

W. Barton Baldwin ’37

July 26, 1915

Henry B. Johnson ’38

Aug. 9, 1915

Robert N. Mathews ’38

Feb. 26, 1916

Floyd S. Smth ’41

Sept. 7, 1916

Raymond W. Parks ’37 James M. Whitt ’39 Edwin F. DeBerry ’40 Glenn T. Foust Jr. ’38

Oct. 6, 1916 Dec. 23, 1916 April 3, 1917 May 18, 1917 145

PROVISIONAL APPOINTMENTS APPOINTEE’S NAME

ALUMNUS-CLASS

RELATIONSHIP

APPOINTEE’S NAME

ALUMNUS-CLASS

RELATIONSHIP

Stephen Putnam ’08 John P. Bruchalski ’15

Cousin Brother

Eli Matthew Tatum (cont.)

Lewis N. Miller ’932

Greatgrandfather

R. Edwin Blair Jr. ’72 Roberto Gorbea ’62 Jon Moody ’86

Uncle Grandfather Father

Garrett D. Field ’97 Christopher Meacham ’94 George M. Mason ’86

Uncle Father Uncle

2018 Joseph Francis Bruchalski

2019 Tristian Thomas Blair Roberto N. Gorbea Turner Moody

2020 Andrew Timothy Field Jacob Meacham Dylan Weller

Jackson James Otto Anthony Todd Anthony ’01 Joshua Matthew Biesterveld Andrew Biesterveld ’03 Chris Catanzaro ’01 Maria L. Catanzaro Jaroslaw M. Dyhouse ’01 Kevin A. Ryan ’01 Skipton Michael Ryan Kristopher Turpin ’99 Maxwell Pierce Turpin Joshua Visconti ’12 Eliana Grace Visconti Katie Gill Visconti ’13

2034

2021 Ethan John Wanat

2033

John J. Wanat ’88

Father

Sam Moody Alexander Edward Ford Remingtin Claire Xiolin Parker

Jon Moody ’86 H. Ross Ford ’55 Frank M. Parker III ’64 Frank M. Parker Jr. ’39

Maya Catherine Sweeney

Sterling Sweeney ’96

Father Grandfather Grandfather Greatgrandfather Father

Charles J. Foster IV ’84 Ronald P. McGovern ’82 Sterling Sweeney ’96 Sterling Sweeney ’96

Father Father Father Father

Anna Marie Bryan

2023

2025 Skylar Anne Foster Catherine J. McGovern Alden Luke Sweeney Eliza Margaret Sweeney

2026 Gage Michael Parks

Donnie S. Cox ’12

Uncle

Charles J. Foster IV ’84 Charles J. Foster IV ’84

Father Father

2027 Darcy Elizabeth Foster Porter Mirvis Foster

James A. Michaels ’62 Kevin A. Ryan ’01

Grandfather Father

Ronald P. McGovern ’82 Robert A. Benson ’72

Father Grandfather

2029 Patrick J. McGovern Cruz Kathryn McLamore

2030 Charley Rose Ocello Hudson Arthur Ryan

James A. Michaels ’62 Kevin A. Ryan ’01

Grandfather Father

Todd Anthony ’01 Garrett D. Field ’97 Donnie S. Cox ’12 Angela Vizzi ’02 John Vizzi ’77 Scott S. Miller ’71

Father Father Uncle Aunt Grandfather Grandfather

2031 Schuyler Grace Anthony Greyson DeRuyter Field James Lee Parks John Michael Podoll Eli Matthew Tatum

146

2035

Clayton Timothy Blair Charles John Ehnot III Easton Landry Field Sawyer Hoffman Caleb A. Love Rain Selena Mainvielle Luke William McComas Brendan William Nevatt Hunter Sloan Nevatt Nickolas MacLean Page Alice Dona Peay Jonathan Presley Pool Jr. Katherine Marika Rawles

2028 Lauren Grace Ocello Wesley Tyler Ryan

Brecken Arthur Kantola

Sydney Joyce Young

2036

Ryne Henry Carter Ryan Douglas DeLong Catherine Jane Frantz William Edward Karnes Hudson Alexander Klink Emmett Gregory Mullinix John Payson Rhodes David Lee Traina Avery Addison Visconti Virginia Noël Whitmore

Warren J. Bryan ’71 Paul T. Bryan ’05 Ronald M. Bryan ’55 Kramer Reeves ’89 Colin Boynton ’96 Theodore C. Nevatt ’02

R. Edwin Blair Jr. ’72 Charles J. Ehnot Jr. ’05 Garrett D. Field ’97 Kirk Murray ’71 Mark C. Shepard ’81 Angela Vizzi ’02 John Vizzi ’77 Matthew S. McComas ’00 Theodore C. Nevatt ’02 Theodore C. Nevatt ’02 Nathaniel R. Hoskot Jr. ’66 J.H. Binford Peay III ’62 Jonathan Pool ’07 Thomas Goehring ’07 Robert B. Gregory ’69 Robert H. Gregory II ’04 Robert H. Gregory Jr. ’32 Robert A. Boyd ’863

Father Uncle Father Uncle Father Father Father Mother

Grandfather Father Great-greatuncle Uncle Uncle Uncle

John L. Young III ’75

Grandfather Father Father Grandfather Grandfather Mother Grandfather Father Father Father Grandfather Grandfather Father Godfather Grandfather Uncle Great-grandfather Great-great-greatgrandfather Grandfather

Jim W. Baker ’69 Branden D. DeLong ’08 David G. Frantz ’65 William G. Karnes ’76 Andrew J. Karnes ’05 DRobert W. Klink ’67 U. “Buzz” Birzenieks ’64 H. Paul Rhodes ’62 Blake Traina ’03 Joshua Visconti ’12 Katie Gill Visconti ’13 Paul H. Whitmore ’94

Grandfather Father Grandfather Grandfather Uncle Grandfather Grandfather Grandfather Father Father Mother Father

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

TAPS TAPS Carl N. Payne ’41

Retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Carl Norris Payne ’41 of Lansdowne, Virginia, died Dec. 24, 2013. He was 94. Payne matriculated from Roanoke, Virginia, and attended VMI for four years. He is survived by his wife, Alberta Costello Payne; children, Claudia Payne Grice (Frank), David Woodahl Payne ’70 (Mary Kate), Amy Payne Hornaday (John) and Richard Morris Payne; seven grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; sister, Juanita May Overstreet; sister-in-law, Mary Louise Costello Everhart; brotherin-law, Wilbur Costello; and stepchildren, Tom Boothe (Katy) and Sharon Boothe Dodrill (Fred). He was preceded in death by his first wife, Josephine Woodahl Payne.

Gordon E. Moore ’42

Gordon Eldridge Moore ’42 of Chico, California, died Nov. 28, 2013. He was 93. Moore matriculated from Fort Howard, Maryland, and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI. He is survived by his daughters, Liz Moore, Tricia Moore and Alice Pertuit (Glen); grandchildren, Felicia, Marissa, Lindsey, Lauren, Kevin and Kristin; and great-grandchild, Lea. He was preceded in death by his wife, Florine G. Moore.

George H. Rhea ’42

George Hearn Rhea ’42 of Nashville, Tennessee, died Dec. 24, 2013. He was 92. Rhea matriculated from Nashville and earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from VMI. He is survived by his brother, Bunn Rhea (Mary Evelyn); two nephews, Alan Rhea (Mary Patricia) and James Rhea; and niece, Marjorie Rhea.

Harry T. Jones Jr. ’43

Harry Tudor Jones Jr. ’43 of Thomasville, Georgia, died Dec. 2, 2013. He was 93. Jones matriculated from Norfolk, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from VMI. He later earned his Master of Business Administration from the Wharton School of Economics at the University of Pennsylvania. 2014-Issue 2

Jones is survived by his wife, Lella; children, Randy Jones, Margaret Berry (Ves), Harry T. Jones III (Holly), Powell Jones (Caren) and Nancy Fox (John); grandchildren, Andrew Henderson (Michelle), Lauren Strine (Brenton), Emily Hutchins (Julian), Catherine Berry, Roddey Jones, Austin Jones (Eva), Laura, Rebecca, Christopher, Mallory, Madison and Marshall Jones, and Anna and Jay Fox; great-granddaughter, Lucy Catherine Henderson; and brother, Randolph Lee Jones ’46. He was preceded in death by his father, Harry T. Jones ’908, who died Sept. 16, 1979; daughter, Catherine Roddey Jones Henderson; sisters, Perry Lee Jones Cummings and Catherine Jones Frith; and brother, William Roddey Jones ’45, who died Oct. 27, 2007.

Ezra B. Trice ’44

Ezra Bouchelle Trice ’44 of Mobile, Alabama, died Jan. 8, 2014. He was 92. Trice matriculated from Boligee, Alabama, and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI. He is survived by five sons, Ezra Bouchelle Trice Jr. (Beverly), David Thornton Trice (Suzanne), James Crawford Trice (Terri), Daniel Hall Trice (Cindy) and Richard Radcliff Trice; and nine grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Jamie Crawford Trice.

Nate L. Adams II ’45

Retired U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Nate Lavinder Adams II ’45 of Vero Beach, Florida, and Lexington, Virginia, died Nov. 20, 2013. He was 89. Adams matriculated from Westfield, New Jersey, and attended VMI for one year. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Washington and Lee University. He is survived by his wife, Eloise Knox Adams; sons, Hawes (Karen), Robert Knox (Cathy) and Nate III (Liza); and grandchildren, Kimbrough, Cabell, Lee, Rob and John Adams. He was preceded in death by his father, Isaac F. Adams ’908, who died Nov. 6, 1967; grandfather, Isaac H. Adams ’881, who died July 11, 1933; and brother, Hawes N. Adams ’43, who died June 12, 1943.

Walter J. Bristow Jr. ’45

Retired South Carolina Army National Guard Brig. Gen. Walter James Bristow Jr. ’45 of Columbia, South Carolina, died Nov. 30, 2013. He was 89. Bristow matriculated from Columbia and attended VMI for two years. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of North Carolina, a law degree cum laude from the University of South Carolina School of Law and a master of laws degree from Harvard University. He is survived by his wife, Katherine Stewart Mullins Bristow; son, Walter James Bristow III, M.D. (Anne); grandchildren, Abbot Land Bristow, Katherine Stewart B. Patrick, M.D. (Richard), Walter James Bristow IV and William Melton Bristow II; sister, Caroline Melton Bristow Marchant; and brother, William Melton Bristow, M.D. He was predeceased by his daughter, Katherine Mullins Bristow.

H. Waldo Forster ’46

Horace Waldo Forster ’46 of Richmond, Virginia, died Jan. 20, 2014. He was 91. Forster matriculated from Washington, D.C., and attended VMI for six months. He is survived by his wife, Virginia.

Louis A. Scott Jr. ’46

Louis Allen Scott Jr. ’46 of El Paso, Texas, died Dec. 13, 2010. He was 85. Scott matriculated from El Paso and attended VMI for two months. He is survived by his wife, Carolyn Lee Scott; children, Shelley Agatha Scott (Tom Forbes), Roderick Stuart Scott (Mary Pat), Sanford Lee Scott (Cathie), Sharon Laffey Scott and Louis Allen Scott III (Lori); and 15 grandchildren, Matthew, Lillian, Christopher, Patricia Ann, Madelyn, Camille, Blaine, Kyle, Kate, Phillip, Ryan, Parker, Shain, Connor and Caley. He was predeceased by his brother, John David Scott, and sister, Barbara Scott Helton.

Thomas C. Shelton Sr. ’46

Thomas Connally Shelton Sr. ’46 of Atlanta, Georgia, died Jan. 9, 2014. He was 88. Shelton matriculated from Atlanta and attended VMI for two years. He earned 147

TAPS his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and his Juris Doctor degree from Yale Law School. He is survived by his sons, Thomas Connally Shelton Jr., James Dunlap Shelton (Elizabeth) and David Butler Shelton (Susie); grandchildren, Lindsay Katharine, Taylor Elizabeth, James “Jack” Dunlap Shelton Jr., Virginia Green, Clifton Butler and Douglas Stone. He was preceded in death by his brother, Charles Bascom Shelton Jr. ’38, who died Feb. 11, 1990.

Peter T. Burks ’47

Peter Talmadge Burks ’47 of Webster Groves, Missouri, died Nov. 22, 2013. He was 87. Burks matriculated from Charlotte, North Carolina, and attended VMI for two years. He is survived by his wife, Charlyne Burks; children, Susan George (David), Dr. Robert Burks (Karen) and Elizabeth Underhill (James); and grandchildren, Rachael, Peter, Thomas, Baihly, Jessica, Matthew and Andrew.

Richard D. Hudson ’47

Richard Dunkley “Dick” Hudson ’47 of Stuart, Virginia, died Nov. 12, 2013. He was 87. Hudson matriculated from Stuart and attended VMI for one year. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the School of Pharmacy at Virginia Commonwealth University’s Medical College of Virginia. He is survived by his wife, Kathryn “Kitty” Hale; son, Richard “Rick” D. Hudson Jr.; and daughter, Kathy Hudson Walker.

William J. Bond Sr. ’48A

William James “Billy” Bond Sr. ’48A of Fort Worth, Texas, died Jan. 6, 2014. He was 87. Bond matriculated from Fort Worth and attended VMI for one year. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Texas at Austin. He is survived by his wife, Betty Bond; children, Beth and Will Bond; daughterin-law, Jean Bond; grandson, William Seth Lopez; and great-granddaughters, Kaity Bond and Lilian London. 148

Elbert H. Wampler Sr. ’48B

Elbert Hale “Ebbie” Wampler Sr. ’48B of Wytheville, Virginia, died Jan. 20, 2010. Wampler matriculated from Galax, Virginia, and attended VMI for three years. He was preceded in death by his wife, Peggy Wampler.

Starke S. Dillard ’49B

Rev. Starke Spotswood Dillard ’49B of Raleigh, North Carolina, died Jan. 24, 2014. He was 85. Dillard matriculated from Greensboro, North Carolina, and attended VMI for two years. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and he also graduated from Virginia Theological Seminary. He is survived by his wife, Angela Hamer Dillard; three daughters, Mrs. J. Clark Hipp (Susan Dillard), Mrs. James C. Griggs (Chane) and Mrs. Richard W. Salmons Jr. (Hamer); two sisters, Mrs. Fred M. Kirby (Walker) and Mrs. William L. Burns (Dottie); 10 grandchildren; and 3 great-grandchildren.

Robert L. Thomason ’49B

Robert Lee “Bob” Thomason ’49B of Charlotte, North Carolina, died Nov. 5, 2013. He was 85. Thomason matriculated from Leeds, Alabama, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI. He is survived by his wife, Jean; daughter, Jane Johnsen (Sig); granddaughters, Laura Elizabeth Mettler and Katie Priester (Jay); and great-grandson, Jack Priester.

Hans W. Henzel ’49C

Retired U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Hans Wilhelm “Heinie” Henzel ’49C of Wake Forest, North Carolina, died Dec. 6, 2013. He was 87. Henzel matriculated from Albany, New York, and earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in history from VMI. He was preceded in death by his wife, Alwine Henzel.

Richard B. Burroughs Jr. ’50B

Richard B. Burroughs Jr. ’50B of Jacksonville, Florida, died Nov. 30, 2013. He was 85.

Burroughs matriculated from Jacksonville and attended VMI for one year. He is survived by his wife, Caroline Ross Burroughs; sons, Richard (Nancy Bartmess) and Chandler (Janie); grandchildren, Hadley, Richard IV, Annie and Sally Burroughs; and sister-in-law, Betsy Lovett. He was preceded in death by his sisters, Mary, Sarah, Josephine and Jane; brother, Edward D. Burroughs ’50B, who died Nov. 8, 2002; father, Richard B. Burroughs ’906, who died April 20, 1966; and uncle, George R. deSaussure ’927, who died Sept. 24, 1962.

Charles C. Gray ’50B

Charles Carlton Gray ’50B of Dallas, Texas, died Nov. 20, 2013. He was 84. Gray matriculated from Minden, Virginia, and attended VMI for two years. He earned his Juris Doctor degree from Louisiana State University Law School. He is survived by his wife, Tracy; children, Carmen Felice Gray (Wade Stallings) and Charles C. Gray Jr. (Fell); grandchildren, Clara, Alden and Charlie; and sister, Sandra Gray Hunt.

Donald D. Kirsch ’50B

Donald David Kirsch ’50B of San Marcos, California, died Dec. 6, 2013. He was 85. Kirsch matriculated from Steubenville, Ohio, and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from VMI. He later earned his Master of Science degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and his Bachelor of Laws degree from Northeastern University. He is survived by his children, Donald, Eric and Donna; grandchildren, Michael, Janet, Nicholas, Christian and Kyle; and four great-grandchildren.

Richard W. Chaplin ’51

Richard Wesley Chaplin ’51 of Tarzana, California, died Nov. 11, 2013. He was 83. Chaplin matriculated from Hot Springs, Virginia, and was a distinguished graduate of VMI, earning his Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering. He earned his Master of Science degree from the University of Southern California. He is survived by his wife, Anita. VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

TAPS William J. Leck ’51

William John “Bill” Leck ’51 of Rockville Centre, New York, died Dec. 17, 2013. He was 84. Leck matriculated from Rockville Centre and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI. He earned his Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Pennsylvania. He is survived by his wife, Maureen; children, Debra Ciccarello (Gerald), Karen Molloy (Peter), Lori O’Neil (Shane), Donna O’Connor (Frank), William H. Leck (Anne) and Thomas Leck; 20 grandchildren; and sister, Nancy Galas (Joseph).

Henry B. Higby Jr. ’51

Henry Baldwin Higby Jr. ’51 of Bonita Springs, Florida, died Dec. 17, 2013. He was 85. Higby matriculated from Petersburg, Virginia, and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI. He is survived by his wife, Renate; children, Stefanie Higby-Baker (Tim) and Brig. Gen. Patrick Higby (Heather); sister, Heanne Stapp; and three greatgrandchildren, Brenna, Hannah and Noah.

Scott T. Underwood ’51

Scott Thomas Underwood ’51 of Richmond, Virginia, died Jan. 28, 2014. He was 83. Underwood matriculated from Richmond and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from VMI.

James M. Stallings ’52

James Melvin Stallings ’52 of Glen Allen, Virginia, passed away Jan. 31, 2014. He was 83. Stallings matriculated from Norfolk, Virginia, and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI. He is survived by his wife, Margaret D. Stallings; daughter, Margaret; son, James Duncan; and grandchildren, Christopher, Brittany and Jeffrey.

Franklin D. Tuck ’52

Franklin Dandridge Tuck ’52 of Virginia Beach, Virginia, died Dec. 13, 2013. He was 82. Tuck matriculated from Richmond, Virginia, and attended VMI for one year. He is survived by his wife, Pauline 2014-Issue 2

Speight “Polly” Tuck; sister, Mary Tuck Echols; daughter, Harriett Tuck Snyder (John); son, Franklin Scott Tuck (Laurie); grandsons, Scott H. Snyder and Frederick Scott “Scotty” Tuck; and granddaughters, Meredith T. and Caroline A. Snyder and Claire D. and Paige J. Tuck.

Henry S. Hulme Jr. ’54

Henry Squire “Hank” Hulme Jr. ’54 of Arlington, Virginia, died Nov. 25, 2013. He was 81. Hulme matriculated from Arlington and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI. He received a Master of Hulme ’54 Science degree in civil engineering from Catholic University. He is survived by his wife, Barbara; sons, Michael Henry Hulme (Donna), Rev. Dr. Gary Lee Hulme (Chris), David Steven Hulme (Taunya) and Gregory Squire Hulme (Robin); son-in-law, Michael James Gallagher; grandchildren, Andy, Tony, John (fiancée, Tiffany Johnson) and Tia Hulme, Curtis Gallagher (Lisa) and Sara Gallagher (fiancé, Timothy Bronson); great-grandsons, Allen Michael Hulme and John Yates; sisters, Susan Virginia Hulme Cissel (William) and Patricia Marie Hulme (Berthie); and brother-in-law, Clyde Watkins. He was predeceased by his daughter, Cynthia Ann Hulme Gallagher, and sister, Nora Lea Watkins.

Albert E. McCants Jr. ’55

Albert Eugene “Mac” McCants Jr. ’55 of Virginia Beach, Virginia, died Jan. 19, 2014. He was 80. McCants matriculated from Petersburg, Virginia, and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI. He is survived by his wife, Joyce C. McCants; children, Albert E. McCants III, Kimberly T. Smigo and Daren F. McCants; five grandchildren, Albert E. McCants IV, Emily G. Smigo, M. Tyler Smigo, C. Eric Smigo and Carter S. McCants; and sister, Ann M. Carter.

James F. Thornton Jr. ’55

James Francis “Jimbo” Thornton Jr. ’55 of Athens, Georgia, died Nov. 10, 2013. He was 80. Thornton matriculated from Athens and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI. He is survived by his wife, Lyn Woodward Thornton; daughters, Rosalind Thornton Gilbert (Walter Jr.) and Kathleen Thornton Inabet (William III); grandchildren, Anne Lanier Gilbert, Frances Grace Inabet and William Barlow Inabet IV; sister-in-law, Kathy Woodward Mitchell; and brothers-in-law, Richard Dowdy Hester and Hampden DuBose Kenan. He was preceded in death by his sister, Jane Thornton Hester, and sister-in-law, Anne Woodward Kenan.

Robert J. Real ’56

Robert Jere Real ’56 of Lynchburg, Virginia, died Nov. 16, 2013. He was 79. Real matriculated from Jackson, Mississippi, and was a distinguished graduate of VMI, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. He also earned Master of Science degrees from the University of Mississippi and the University of Virginia. He is survived by a brother, Edward H. Real; nephew, Bill Jackson; niece, Misty Harris; and long-term friend, Peter Q. Santini.

Charles W. Adkins ’57

Charles William Adkins ’57 of Dallas, Texas, died Jan. 16, 2014. He was 79. Adkins matriculated from Joliet, Illinois, and attended VMI for four months. He is survived by his wife, Sandy; children, Denise (Steve Kapp), Sindy Gerlach, Sheree (Jim Madden), Chris Edwards (Brenda), Craig Edwards (Amy), Jody (Kenny McCullough) and Bill Blaydes; and numerous grandchildren and greatgrandchildren. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Connie Adkins, and sister, Jean Hague.

Harry E. Bennett Jr. ’58

Retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Harry Earl Bennett Jr. ’58 of Oxford, Mississippi, died Dec. 22, 2013. He was 77. Bennett matriculated from Norfolk, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from VMI. He received his Master of Arts degree from the University of Northern Colorado. 149

TAPS George M. Shrieves ’58

George Matthews Shrieves ’58 of Parksley, Virginia, died Jan. 6, 2014. He was 78. Shrieves matriculated from Hopkins, Virginia, and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in civil enShrieves ’58 gineering from VMI. He is survived by his wife, Harriett Stockley Shrieves; children, William Shrieves, Robert Shrieves and Anne Shrieves Birch (Gregory); twin sister, Madelle Hastings; sister-in-law, Joyce Doty Shrieves; and four grandchildren, Christopher, Kevin, Jessica and Victoria Shrieves. He was predeceased by his brother, John William “Bill” Shrieves, and brother-in-law, William Hastings Jr.

William M.F. Bayliss ’60

William Murray Forbes Bayliss ’60 of Norman, Oklahoma, died Dec. 19, 2013. He was 77. Bayliss matriculated from Manakin Sabot, Virginia, and attended VMI for two years. He earned his Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Richmond, T.C. Williams School of Law. He is survived by his daughters, Janie Preston Bayliss Reed and Catherine Murat Bayliss Branch (David); grandson, William Murray Forbes Branch; brother, John Temple Bayliss; sister-in-law, Lynn S. Bayliss; and dear friend, Martha A. Faulkner. He was preceded in death by his wife, Janie Preston Munford Bayliss, and brother, Edward Victor Bayliss.

Wayne A. Switzer ’60

Wayne Allen Switzer ’60 of Staunton, Virginia, died Jan. 29, 2014. He was 75. Switzer matriculated from Waynesboro, Virginia, and attended VMI for four months. He is survived by his lifelong companion, Donna Lambert, and his brother, R.L. Switzer (Shirley).

Roy F. Schall ’61

Roy Franklin Schall Jr. ’61, Ph.D., of Glendora, California, died Jan. 14, 2014. He was 74. Schall matriculated from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and earned his Bachelor of 150

Science degree in chemistry from VMI.

Walter C. Gwaltney Jr. ’62

Walter Carl “Joe” Gwaltney Jr. ’62 of Roanoke, Virginia, died Jan. 8, 2014. He was 72. Gwaltney matriculated from Fredericksburg, Virginia, and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI. He is survived by his wife, Mary Page Greene Gwaltney; daughters, Sarah Gwaltney Flint (Rick) and Katherine Ann Gwaltney; son, William Allen Gwaltney (Jessica); granddaughter, Brooke Elizabeth; and brothers, William David Gwaltney ’67 (Joy) and Allen Morgan Gwaltney ’67 (Wendy). He was predeceased by his mother, Elizabeth Lee Gwaltney, and father, Walter Carl Gwaltney ’932, who died Aug. 11, 1967.

Kenneth F. Johnson ’62

Kenneth Franklin Johnson ’62 of Williamsburg, Virginia, died Jan. 15, 2014. He was 73. Johnson matriculated from Waverly, Virginia, and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI. He is survived by his wife, Caroline C. Johnson; children, Steven Wayne, Gregory Powell and Cassandra Johnson; granddaughter, Cecillia Coke Johnson; siblings, Cathy and Eddie Young, Connie Johnson and Ed Saunders, and Keith Johnson; and stepchildren, Julianna Snyder, Rebecca Snyder Hughes and Jonathan Cottle Johnson. He was preceded in death by his brother, Carlton Johnson.

John H. McCray ’62

John Henry McCray of Lightfoot, Virginia, died Dec. 12, 2013. He was 73. McCray matriculated from Richmond, Virginia, and attended VMI for one month. He is survived by his wife, Jennie Ruth Smith McCray; daughters, Hildreth Lee McCray and Jennie Ruth McCray (Kevin Mason); granddaughter, Sydney McCray Mason; brother, Bernard Winn McCray (Eve); and sister, Hildreth Davis McCray Wheeler (Gordon). He was predeceased by his brothers, George Cole Scott McCray and twin, Lanier Dunn McCray.

Jay D. Patton Jr. ’62

Retired North Carolina Air National Guard Lt. Col. Jay Dee Patton Jr. ’62 of Columbia, South Carolina, died Nov. 30, 2013. He was 74. Patton matriculated from Richmond, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from VMI. He is survived by his wife, Ada Wyman Patton; son, Craig Matthew Patton (Natalie); daughter, Sarah Patton Floyd (Tom); and grandchildren, Eden Elisabeth Patton, John Rhys Patton and Georgia Allerton Patton.

Garry J. Kemple ’63

Garry James Kemple ’63 of Chino Hills, California, died Dec. 22, 2013. He was 73. Kemple matriculated from East Liverpool, Ohio, and earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in biology from VMI.

John D. Chapla ’68

Retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. John David Chapla ’68 of Alexandria, Virginia, died Jan. 5, 2014. He was 66. Chapla matriculated from Lorain, Ohio, and earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in English from VMI. He is survived by his wife, Leah; daughters, Maren Hoecker (Charles) and Marie Hill (John); grandchildren, John “Jack,” Claire and Lauren Hoecker; sisters, Linda Chapla and Valerie Romer; nephew, Brian Romer; and niece, Colleen Wintermute.

Michael R. Engle ’69

Michael Robin Engle of Clifton Forge, Virginia, died Jan. 20, 2014. He was 67. Engle matriculated from Clifton Forge and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in math from VMI. He is survived by his wife, Bessie; brother, Butch Engle; and sister, JoAnne Wilhelm.

Clifton R. Brooks Jr. ’70

Clifton Rowland “Cliff” Brooks Jr. ’70 of St. Cloud, Florida, died Nov. 25, 2013. He was 65. Brooks matriculated from Bethesda, Maryland, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in modern languages from VMI. He is survived by his wife, Amy; son, Clifton R. Brooks III (Kristen); grandchildren, Elizabeth Ann, Chloe and Phoebe; VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

TAPS brothers, Daniel R. Brooks, Ph.D., Maj. Gordon B. Brooks (Jean) and Philip Brooks (Lori). He was preceded in death by brothers Lucien and Duncan Brooks.

Charles A. Raymaker ’71

Charles Anthony “Charlie” Raymaker ’71 of Tallahassee, Florida, died Jan. 6, 2014. He was 65. Raymaker matriculated from Richmond, Virginia, and attended VMI for two years. He is survived by his former wife, Roberta Raymaker; son, Brett Raymaker; brothers, John Raymaker (Crista); Rudy Raymaker (Pat); nephews, Mike Sealy (Debbie), Delton Friedman ’82 (Julie), Peter Friedman (Sylvia), John Raymaker (Sooni) and Brian Raymaker; and nieces; Mary Goyne and Catherine Jones. He was predeceased by his sisters, Nelly Sealy and Lynn Friedman.

David A. Stauss ’72

David Alan Stauss ’72 of Atlanta, Georgia, died Dec. 9, 2013. He was 63. Stauss matriculated from Falls Church, Virginia, and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI. He is survived by his wife, Cheryl Fenter Stauss; father, William A. Stauss; brothers, Gary (Carolyn) and Drew (Julie Sammons); sister, Martha; niece, Amelia; and nephew, Forrest Mickey.

James J. Berny ’75

James Joseph “Jim” Berny ’75, M.D., of Boardman, Ohio, died Nov. 19, 2013. He was 60. Berny matriculated from Jackson Heights, New York. He was a distinguished graduate of VMI, earning his Bachelor of Science degree in biology and chemistry. He earned his doctorate in medicine from Virginia Commonwealth University’s Medical College of Virginia. He is survived by his wife, Susan; his daughters, Kathleen Campopiano (KevBerny ’75 in), Meghan Graham (Richard), Colleen Berny and Lauren Berny; grandchildren, Mason Campopiano

2014-Issue 2

and Olivia Graham; mother, Stella Berny; and brother, Robert Berny (Janine).

Felix E. Deacon III ’77

Felix Ebert “Bert” Deacon III ’77 of Richmond, Virginia, died Jan. 27, 2014. He was 58. Deacon matriculated from Spartanburg, South Carolina, and earned a bachelor’s degree in history from VMI. He joined the VMI Alumni Association Board in 1983 and served the organization as second and first vice president, before being named president in 1998, a position he held until 2000. Deacon is survived by his wife, Margaret Barrett Deacon, the daughter of VMI history professor, the late John G. Barrett; two children, Rebecca Gilchrist Deacon and Barrett William Deacon; and numerous other relatives.

Mark A. Gentile ’78

Mark Anthony Gentile ’78 of Santa Fe, New Mexico, died Dec. 25, 2013. He was 57. Gentile matriculated from Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, and earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in history from VMI. He is survived by his sons, Gabrielle

Anthony and Nicholas Christian Gentile; daughter, Francesca; mother, Margaret Ann Taylor Gentile; and brother, Lt. Col. Anthony B. “Tony” Gentile ’69 (Francesca).

Larry E. Caison ’83

Retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Larry Eli Caison ’83 of Fort Walton Beach, Florida, died Dec. 18, 2013. He was 52. Caison matriculated from Hampton, Virginia, and earned his Bachelor of Science degree from VMI. He is survived by his mother, Lorie Caison; sister, Lisa Branham; former wife, Nancy Caison; daughter, Loren Caison; and son, Owen Caison.

Richard E. Lee Jr. ’11

Richard Eugene “Ricky” Lee Jr. ’11 of Covington, Virginia, died Dec. 15, 2013. He was 24. Lee earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from VMI. He is survived by his parents, Tonya K. Jones and Rick Lee Sr.; stepmother, Debbie Jo Lee; sister, Jeana Denise Lee; friend, Dustin Ross Colberg; and grandparents, Wendell and Judy Jones. He was predeceased by his grandparents, Jean P. and George F. Catlett Sr.

Deaths in the VMI Family Stephen A. Farris Jr. Former VMI Air Force ROTC Officer Stephen Adam Farris Jr. of Alexandria, Virginia, died Jan. 20, 2014. Farris graduated from the U.S. Military Academy in 1944. He was an Air Force ROTC officer at VMI from 1950-54. He is survived by his children, Jeanne Farris, Stephen A. Farris III, Bobbie McGowan and Susan Farris; numerous grandchildren; and great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his son, James Farris; his sister, Loretta Farris; and his brother, Robert Farris.

Kathryn A. Wise

Former Vice President and Editor VMI Alumni Association Kathryn Ann Wise of Lexington, Virginia, died Feb. 3, 2014. She was 64 years old. Her obituary appears in the front section of this Alumni Review issue.

151

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

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

First Vice President

Edgar J.T. Perrow Jr. ’96 P.O. Box 3133 Lynchburg, VA 24503-0133 tperrow@wwassociates.net

Second Vice President Robert P. Louthan ’82 809 Lindsay Ct. Richmond, VA 23229-6823 rlouthan1@gmail.com

The VMI Foundation, Inc.

Executive Vice President

President

Walton M. Jeffress Jr. ’68

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

Immediate Past President

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

Brian S. Crockett

The VMI Keydet Club, Inc. President Chief Executive Officer

William A. Paulette ’69

Historian

Thomas W. Davis ’64 davistw@vmi.edu

Chief Executive Officer

Directors at Large

Gregory M. Cavallaro ’84

Terms Expire June 30, 2015 Jessica J. Schmaus ’04 jessica.schmaus@gmail.com Matthew Hemenez ’90 mhemenez@surefire.com

Terms Expire June 30, 2014 Terms Expire June 30, 2016 Kenneth Herbert ’81 kherbert81@cox.net Joel W. Andrus ’04 jandrus@kemperconsult.com Dallas Clark ’99 clarkdb@vmi.edu A. Damon Williams ’90 damonwilliams@msn.com

Region/ Director

Chapter Name

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

Region I Far West

Region II Midwest

Jim Dittrich ’76

jim.dittrich @leisurearts.com

Region III Northeast

Felix Wolkowitz ’75 fwolkowitz@ wolkowbraker.com

Region IV Mid Atlantic

San Antonio Centex Chicago

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

C. Patrick Haddock ’00 vmitranspo@ hotmail.com

152

President’s E-mail

Chapter Representative

Russell Shun Takata ’74 Brian K. Andrew ’03 Todd E. Arris ’87 James R. Farmer ’68 William V. Trumpore ’89 Thomas R. Clark III ’73 Micah T. Wei ’99 Andre J. Gibson ’78 Trent L. Boggs ’83 Kevin Black ’99 Kenneth S. Krynski ’89

russell.takata@yahoo.com brian.k.andrew@gmail.com tearris@gmail.com seattlefarmer@comcast.net vailkeydet@gmail.com vmiman@comcast.net mwei100@yahoo.com andrejg@aol.com tboggs@gci.com kblack@executive-command.com krynskiks@pendleton.usmc.mil

Russell Shun Takata ’74 Matthew R. Hemenez ’90 Todd E. Arris ’87 James R. Farmer ’68 William V. Trumpore ’89 Katrina D. Powell ’06

Daniel J. Fitzgerald ’89 Stephen J. Barcik III ’85 Daniel C. Young ’88 & Molly. M. Hastings ’13 Jeffrey D. Vordermark ’79 Robert L. Manteuffel ’77

Daniel.Fitzgerald@hdrinc.com steve.barcik@htds2.com dan.young@wfadvisors.com hastingsmm@mail.vmi.edu vordermark@juno.com rlmanteuffel@sbcglobal.net

Thomas R. Shaw ’78 Jeffrey L. Minch ’73 Donald A. Noschese Jr. ’92

Joseph.J.Leonard@uscg.mil j.micah.north@gmail.com goreharry@vmialumni.org dhag80@aol.com jim_dittrich@leisurearts.com ggmcd34@earthlink.net WKleine@STX.RR.com HBRvmi98@vmialumni.org BSkusa@kforce.com

Steven P. Weiss ’86 J. Micah North ’00 Robert C. Polk ’61 Mark A. Benvenuto ’83

Patrick L. McGuire ’85 Patrick J. Griffin ’80 George T. Mosby ’97 Richard C. Wolffe Jr. ’78

magsvmi@email.com anchors80@comcast.net gmosby@liquidnet.com RWolffe@tspcapitalmgt.com

Patrick L. McGuire ’85 John W. Wainwright III ’82 John R. Gibney Jr. ’80

Thomas M. Wirth ’98 Duane E. Williams ’66 Frederick J. Killmeyer IV ’95 Allan R. Berenbrok ’80

twirth@mragta.com dwilliams@pa.net rkillmeyer@mcintyre-group.com allan.berenbrok@tetratech.com

Thomas J. Hickey Jr. ’68 Lester C. Martin ’68 John T. Pace IV ’77

terrybowers@vmialumni.org tomdaniel60@charter.net nageldr78@hotmail.com partonmp@gmail.com rpquarles@buckman.com ktkirby@comcast.net crj2112@gmail.com

Raymond R. Lawson ’81 Campbell C. Hyatt III ’65 Charles C. Schoen IV ’86

Kansas City, Missouri North TX - Dallas Rio Grande SE TX - Houston Steven P. Weiss ’86 Southwest Ohio J. Micah North ’00 St. Louis Harry W. Gore Jr. ’72 Detroit David C. Hagemann ’80 Little Rock James F. Dittrich ’76 Bluegrass Gregory G. McDearmon ’99 Third Coast (Corpus Christi) Walter J. Kleine ’63 Oklahoma Hamel B. Reinmiller ’98 Cleveland/Northern Ohio Brian D. Skusa ’00

Baltimore Peter Charrington ’66 Central Keystone Delaware Valley pcharrin@ Western PA - Pittsburgh comcast.net

Region V Southeast

Chapter President

Augusta Terence L. Bowers ’68 Appalachian Thomas N. Daniel Jr. ’60 Atlanta David R. Nagel ’01 Coastal GA - South Carolina Mark P. Parton ’08 Midsouth Robert P. Quarles III ’80 Middle TN - Nashville William E. Kirby III ’96 East TN - Knoxville Christopher R. Jones ’96

Trent L. Boggs ’83 Joseph S. Howard III ’97 John D. Christie ’59

Todd J. Jacobs ’90

Hugh R. Hill ’85 M. Douglass Payne ’73 David R. Yockel Jr. ’90 Stephen M. Chiles ’89

Philip J. Altizer Jr. ’80 Charles S. Sanger ’82 Kevin L. Snell ’82

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

THE VMI ALUMNI ASSOCIATION DIRECTORY Region/ Director

Chapter Name

Chapter President

President’s E-mail

Chapter Representative

Region VI Carolinas

Club of the Triad Cape Fear Central NC - Raleigh Charlotte Camp Lejeune/Crystal Coast Palmetto, South Carolina Coastal Carolina, SC Wilmington, NC

Terrin R. Tucker ’95 Charles L. Toomey ’74

tuckertr9@hotmail.com toomeyl@pinehurst.net

Michael S. Anderson ’88 John Moder ’98

mike.anderson@allentate.com john.moder@gmail.com

Charles H. Alligood ’61 Charles L. Toomey ’74 Jonathan D. Atkins ’98 James A. Sharp ’93

John Guggenheimer ’93

Steve E. Hively ’72 john.guggenheimer@wellsfargo.com Henry Brown ’60

Birmingham Central Florida Mobile NE Florida - Jacksonville Southern Florida Tennessee Valley West Coast FL - Tampa Southwest Florida-Fort Meyer Greater New Orleans Mississippi The Villages - Florida Treasure Coast

William H. Cather Jr. ’65 J.C. Nagle IV ’87 Charles M. Rogers IV ’83 Jason M. Goldstein ’02

billcather@bellsouth.net jay.nagle@parsons.com max.rogers@mobileinfirmary.org jmgoldstein@mactec.com

Herbert U. Fluhler ’77 Robert M. Bailey ’72 Bradford T. Herrell ’01 Rhys D. Williams ’07

Raymond J. Pietruszka ’77 huf2000@aol.com bobngracebailey@tampabay.rr.com Andrew M. Neff ’79 Brett R. Martin ’00 vmigrad1@hotmail.com rhys.david.williams@gmail.com

Tony Curtis ’62 Don Carson ’64

tonyvmi62@gmail.com dcarson678@bellsouth.net

Tony Curtis ’62

New River Valley Lynchburg Roanoke

Charles R. Schindler Jr. ’91 Alan G. Soltis ’79

vmimwc@comcast.net al@landordbros.com

Christopher M. Boswell ’00 J. Patrick Henderson ’99

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 T. Keith Jarvis ’82 T. Troy Barbour ’89 Jason K. Gruse ’97

wdtllt@comcast.net jim@realcentralva.com weastham@carrhyde.com jarvistk@vmi.edu troy.barbour@hcahealthcare.com jasongruse@hotmail.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

Eastern Shore

vmi79classagent@aol.com dtyler4@cox.net joshua.p.priest@navy.mil ed.plucinski@hanson.com ghaste@associatedcontracting.com jrowe66@cox.net

Thomas F. Wilson ’80

Norfolk Peninsula Virginia Beach Western Tidewater

Michael S. Ogden ’79 David G. Tyler IV ’86 Joshua P. Priest ’80 Edward M. Plucinski ’86 Gary J. Haste ’77 John L. Rowe Jr. ’66

George C. Marshall Potomac River

Douglas B. Warner ’03 douglas.warner1@gmail.com Christopher J. Whittaker’90 cwhittvmi@gmail.com

Henry J. Foresman Jr. ’76

Richmond Tri Cities

Wadsworth Bugg IV ’07 Samuel L. Mattocks ’74

worthbugg@gmail.com samuelmattocks762@gmail.com

Samuel N. Stocks ’90 Augustus Robbins III ’47

Rappahannock Richard Duke ’90

Fredericksburg - Quantico Rappahannock Williamsburg Southside

Carl J. DeBernard Jr. ’94 Stephen E. Wilson ’68 John E. Karafa ’84 George D. Dyer ’66

carl.debernard@dhs.gov sewilson68@verizon.net john.karafa@leebcorservices.com spookfive@aol.com

R. C. Thompson III ’74 Robert B. Powell ’63 Jim E. Henry ’68

Region XIV Pacific Rim

Thailand Taiwan

Vaipot Srinual ’72 Ching-Pu Chen ’85

chingpu@saturn.yzu.edu.tw

Charles Ramsburg ’66

clramsburg@gmail.com

Region VII Deep South

Walter Chalkley ’72

waltchalkley@aol.com

Region VIII Southwest VA Bland Massie ’77

William H. Cather Jr. ’65 John Nagle ’87 John H. Friend III ’82 Grafton D. Addison III ’82

super77@vmialumni.org

Region IX Shenandoah Valley

Thomas K. Jarvis ’82 jarvistk@vmi.edu

Region X Hampton Roads Asa Page III ’79 vmi79@verizon.net Michael Ogden ’79 VMI79ClassAgent @aol.com

Region XI Metro D.C.

G. Anthony Esteve ’00 anthonyesteve @gmail.com

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

Region XII Central VA

Hilbert Wilkinson III ’94 vmirichmondnetwork @gmail.com

Samuel Stocks ’90 sstocks@kbsgc.com

Region XIII rduke@ mcguirewoods.com

2014-Issue 2

Vaipot Srinual ’72 Ching-Pu Chen ’85

153

ALUMNI NEWS ALUMNI NEWS The February 2013 issue of Voices of Experience, the National Speakers Association’s monthly audio magazine, featured an interview with retired U.S. Army Col. D. Richard “Rick” Kiernan ’66 detailing the keys to becoming an effective spokesperson. Kiernan, who credits the development of his public speaking skills to his time spent as a cadet, uses his experience to help others who might not be as comfortable behind a podium or in front of a camera. He stresses the need to practice speeches beforehand and to recap talking points at the end of a speech to ensure the audience has a firm grasp on what was presented. A self-described professional communicator, Kiernan has been the managing editor of three weekly newspapers and a monthly magazine, as well as host of a public television show. As a career U.S. Army officer, he served in combat in Vietnam and later as a Pentagon press spokesman during the first Gulf War. Upon his retirement, he acted as director of press operations and public information for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Later, Kiernan served as senior vice president of strategic communications for L-3 MPRI, a government services defense contractor based in Washington, D.C. In this role, he was corporate spokesman and was responsible for public affairs program management around the world. Kiernan matriculated from Valley Stream, New York, and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from VMI. He also holds a master’s degree in mass communications from the University of South Carolina, where he was named The Distinguished Alumnus in 2005.

Kiernan ’66 154

Charles J. Rothwell ’66 has been appointed director of the National Center for Health Statistics, the nation’s principal health statistics agency and part of thCenters for Disease Control and Prevention. He is the center’s seventh director since its inception in 1960. In this position, Rothwell directs a comprehensive program of statistical activities designed to monitor the health of the nation and produce the information needed for research, policy and programs. He came to NCHS in 1987 as the associate director and was responsible for bringing new information technology and data dissemination technologies to the agency. Prior to becoming NCHS director, Rothwell was director of the NCHS Division of Vital Statistics. Earlier in his career, he worked in the State Health Department in North Carolina and founded the North Carolina State Center for Health Statistics. He also served as an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps, reaching the rank of captain. He is a fellow of the American Statistical Association and the 2011 recipient of the Hal Dunn Award in Biostatistics. In February 2013, Rothwell was selected from a field of 62 nominees as one of the five Top Leaders in Federal Service. Rothwell, who matriculated from Andover, Massachusetts, earned his Bachelor of Science degree in physics from VMI, his Master of Science degree in operations research and systems analysis from the University of North Carolina, and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Maryland. John E. Kemper ’68, chief executive officer and founding partner of KLMK Group, recently integrated his company with CBRE Group, Inc., the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firm. Based in Richmond, Virginia, KLMK Group serves health care systems throughout the U.S. and is a leading provider of facility consulting, project advisory and facility activation solutions to the health care industry. KLMK Group will be integrated into the CBRE Healthcare platform under the direction of Jim Hayden, executive managing director of CBRE Healthcare.

The CBRE Healthcare platform provides comprehensive facility solutions to more than 60 major hospitals and health care systems and more than 4,500 physician practices throughout North America. Kemper is serving as senior managing director and is assisting Hayden in the integration of the two companies. “Joining forces with CBRE gives our team access to the industry’s most powerful health care platform and increases the depth and breadth of services we can provide to hospitals and health care systems on a broader geographic base,” said Kemper. Kemper matriculated from Alexandria, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI. Paul V. Hebert ’68, Ph.D., served as the Floyd D. Gottwald ’43 Visiting Professor of Leadership and Ethics at VMI during fall 2013. During the semester, Hebert taught a self-designed class, International Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Management, to 14 cadets. On Dec. 9, 2013, Hebert gave the sixth lecture by a holder of the Gottwald ’43 visiting professorship to the 2nd Class cadets. His speech, entitled “You Can Improve the World You Live In – Just Step Up to the Plate,” focused on non-military leadership. He spoke of the leadership qualities possessed by VMI alumni and others who were not in the military but still made an impact on society. The final lines of his speech stated, “... [Y]ou have an obligation and not just the opportunity in your lives to step up to the plate to help guarantee a better life for the children of today. Your humanitarian and ethical leadership will be necessary to achieve this end and to ensure that we as Americans chart a path to a just and peaceful world.” (Go to www.vmialumni.org/hebert68 for a complete copy of Hebert’s speech to the 2nd Class.) Hebert, who was the 2011 recipient of the Jonathan M. Daniels ’61 Humanitarian Award, is a retiree of the United Nations, where he served a long career as a humanitarian aid worker. Hebert matriculated from Richmond, Virginia, and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI. He earned his Master of Science degree in electrical engineering degree and

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

ALUMNI NEWS his Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of North Carolina. (Editor’s Note: See the Institute section of this Review for an article about Hebert.) Keith A. Frey ’75, M.D., has been named chief physician executive for Dignity Health, a network of nonprofit hospitals in Arizona, California and Nevada. Frey ’75 Frey previously served at Mayo Clinic in Arizona as professor of family medicine, the medical director of applied clinical informatics and the associate medical director of science of health care delivery. Maintaining close ties to the bedside, Frey also spent about half of his time in clinical practice as a member of Mayo Clinic’s department of family medicine. He is board certified in both family medicine and clinical informatics. In his new position, Frey is initiating the clinical alignment of Dignity Health hospitals, outpatient centers, joint-venture partnerships and physicians in Arizona. Building strong relationships with independent community physicians, hospitalbased physicians and co-management physician partners is a key focus. Before joining Mayo, Frey was the founding program director of the Family Medicine Residency Program at Providence St. Peter Hospital in Olympia, Washington, and division of family medicine chief at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. Frey matriculated from Clarksville, Virginia, and graduated with distinction from VMI with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology. He earned his medical degree from Virginia Commonwealth University, and he holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Duke University. Dewberry, a leading professional services firm, has confirmed retired U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Merdith W.B. “Bo” Temple ’75 to its board of directors. Temple is a licensed professional engineer in the commonwealth of Virginia and a certified project management professional. He is a fellow and member of the

2014-Issue 2

Society of American Military Engineers; a fellow and member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and a member of the ASCE Industry Leader Forum; and a member of the Army Engineer AsTemple ’75 sociation and International Navigation Congress. In 2012, he received the Outstanding Projects and Leaders Award from ASCE for a lifetime achievement in government. In 2009, Engineering News-Record named Temple a Top 25 Newsmaker. Temple matriculated from Richmond, Virginia, and graduated from VMI with a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering. He earned his Master of Science degree in civil engineering from Texas A&M University. Timothy R. “Tim” Berkhimer ’78, P.E., has joined Dewberry, a privately held professional services firm, as the debris program manager in the firm’s Virginia Beach, Virginia, office. In this position, Berkhimer is responsible for managing a wide range of disaster debris-related programs in the emergency management, disaster and mitigation services Berkhimer ’78 group. He is also responsible for providing direction and compliance with federal and state programs, as well as the management, administration, logistics and operations of debris-related activities and programs during emergency deployment situations. Berkhimer has more than 30 years of experience in civil engineering with a strong focus in municipal infrastructure and local government disaster response preparedness, as well as response and recovery operations. Prior to joining Dewberry, Berkhimer spent more than 20 years in public utilities and public works for municipal governments, most recently as the assistant director of Public Works/Operations in Suffolk,

Virginia. He also spent more than a decade working in the private-sector disaster response and recovery industry, including time as director of the disaster recovery group for the firm that served as the prime contractor for the forensic recovery effort following the World Trade Center terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. Berkhimer matriculated from Virginia Beach and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI. Robert C. Moss III ’81, P.E., has been promoted to the position of branch manager in the Richmond, Virginia, office of Engineering Consulting Services MidAtlantic, LLC. His duties in this position include service line operations management, senior-level engineering consulting, technical review and oversight, business development, and client relationships. A member of the ECS team for 15 Moss ’81 years, Moss has more than 25 years of experience managing projects for geotechnical and construction materials testing programs focused in multiple market sectors. Moss matriculated from Richmond and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI. He holds a Master of Engineering degree from the University of Virginia. He also served for eight years in the Virginia Army National Guard as a combat engineer officer. Gregory A. Wolven ’81, P.E., was recently named a principle member of the National Electric Safety Code Subcommittee 3, Electric Supply Stations. On this subcommittee, he represents the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. According to the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, “the NESC sets ground rules for practical safeguarding of persons during the installation, operation or maintenance of electric supply and communication lines and associated equipment.” In addition to serving on the NESC Subcommittee 3, Wolven presently serves as chairman of the NRECA’s Software

155

ALUMNI NEWS Integration Initiative (MultiSpeak) Board and has been a member since its creation in 2002. In addition, he serves on the NRECA Substation Design Committee and is a Rural Utilities Service-approved engineer. Wolven has been a presenter at TechAdvantage, a national conference for rural electric utilities, multiple times during Wolven ’81 the past 20 years. An electrical engineer and director of engineering at Western Indiana Energy Rural Electric Membership Corporation, Wolven has worked in rural power utilities in Virginia and Indiana since 1981. He is a member of the National Society of Professional Engineers, the Indiana Society of Professional Engineers, the IEEE, the IEEE Power Engineering Society and the VMI Department of Electric and Computer Engineering’s Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology Reaccreditation Committee. Wolven matriculated from Virginia Beach, Virginia, and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering. John D. Dodge II ’83 volunteered to skipper a boat during the Wounded Warrior Project’s second annual Wounded Warrior Sailing Regatta in Annapolis Sept. 14, 2013. His boat won the regatta. The Wounded Warrior Project, an organization dedicated to serving wounded veterans, provides an opportunity for veterans to participate in fun, empowering events to help them heal. An event such as the regatta allows soliders to get out of their hospital rooms and enjoy a friendly sailing competition. Each boat in the regatta was assigned one or two soldiers from Walter Reed Veterans Affairs Hospital. Dodge was assigned 21-year-old Sgt. Cassandra Pusateri of Wisconsin, a veteran with a severe spinal cord injury. On Dodge’s boat were Cassandra, her mother, her best friend and a first year Midshipman from the Naval Academy. Except for Dodge, no one on his crew had ever been on a sailboat before. The boats used in the regatta are specially designed to include a rotating chair 156

interim police chief since the previous July. He has been with the Altavista Police Department since April 1997 and held various positions within the department before becoming the deputy chief in 2007. In a press release, town manager Waverly Coggsdale said, “Ken’s familiarity with the community and his understanding of the Altavista Police Department were key factors in his selection as the next police chief.” Walsh matriculated from Lynchburg, Virginia, and earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in history from VMI.

Dodge and his crew with their first place trophy after the Wounded Warrior Sailing Regatta.

with a seat belt and leg brace to keep the soldier safely in the chair. Dodge explained that Cassandra was anxious at first but became much more comfortable after they won the first race. In the second race, they came back from fourth place and finished second, then went on to win the third race and the entire regatta. The top award for winning the regatta was presented by Vice Adm. Cullen who is based at the Pentagon. Dodge said, “Giving back, making a difference in the lives of those less fortunate (especially those who are fighting for our freedom) and seeing the smiles of joy on the faces of the soldiers were priceless.” Dodge matriculated from Oxford, Maryland, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from VMI. William Brett Hayes ’86 has been named to the board of trustees of the Virginia Retirement System. As a trustee, he helps oversee the commonwealth’s $60 billion employee pension and retirement savings plan. Hayes matriculated from Hampton, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from VMI. Hayes ’86 Kenneth I. Walsh Jr. ’87 was named police chief of Altavista, Virginia, in December 2013 after serving as the town’s

In November 2013, U.S. Army Col. Edward D. “Ted” Wagner ’88 was promoted to chief information security officer at The Analytic Sciences Corporation in Chantilly, Virginia – a leading advanced systems engineering, integration and decision-support services company that delivers national security and public safety solutions. The firm has more than 300 federal contracts in intelligence, defense, homeland security, space and aviation. Wagner is a cybersecurity professional with considerable experience in the cyber domain. His experience includes completing the certification and accreditation process for agency level proWagner ’88 grams, developing the curriculum for the computer network operations planner course and establishing a team validation process for deploying cyber teams. He has presented at national and international conferences, lectured at MIT, and serves on MIT’s Geospatial Data Center advisory board for cyber security. He is a recipient of MIT’s Applied Cyber Security award. Having spent more than 25 years in the U.S. Army, he currently serves in the Reserve as the deputy chief of staff, G6 (chief information officer), 80th Training Command, Richmond, Virginia. Wagner matriculated from New Canaan, Connecticut, and graduated from VMI with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics. He earned his Master of Arts degree in economics from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

ALUMNI NEWS Casper ’04 Named First Associate Chaplain to the Corps Maj. John Casper ’04 was recently named the Institute’s first associate chaplain to the Corps of Cadets. Casper joins Col. James Park, chaplain, in reaching out to the Corps of Cadets with double the impact. Adding Casper to the Office of the Chaplain comes at a time when the Corps is expanding, and the needs of cadets are increasing. Park reflects, “Eighteen months ago, I began a discussion with Gen. Peay [’62] regarding my desire to increase the ministry footprint at VMI. We began a conversation wherein Gen. Peay, with the support of the commandant, fully endorsed my aspirations. With the financial backing of Mr. Richard Goodall ’66, a strong advocate of the VMI chaplaincy, an endowment was established which has enabled the employment of a full-time, salaried associate chaplain to the Corps of Cadets. Together, John and I will now bring a much more visible, active presence of God to the Corps.” As the associate chaplain to the Corps, Casper is primarily responsible for establishing relationships with cadets and reaching out to them in various forms of ministry. From oneon-one counseling with cadets in his office and participating in rat forced marches to officer-in-command duty, his role is to be ready, available and visible as it relates to the needs of the Corps. Starting in 2015, Casper will also be responsible for overseeing the Character Counts program within the Lexington middle schools. In response to his new position, Casper states, “This is the definition of a dream job for me. Lauren and I are thrilled at the opportunity to minister to cadets and be part of the VMI community on post once again!” Casper moved to Lexington with his wife, Lauren, and two children, Mareto, age 3, and Arsema, age 20 months. Prior to their move, he was a youth and young adult pastor in Virginia Beach from 2009-14. He also served at VMI as an assistant director of admissions from 2005-09. Casper graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from VMI and holds a Master of Arts degree in theology as well as a Master of Education degree in Christian education from Regent University.

... Book Announcements ... Book Announcements ... Book Announcements ... Book Announcements ... Book Announcements ... Book Announcements ... Book Announcements ... From Marshall to Moussaoui: Federal Justice in the Eastern District of Virginia by John O. Peters ’58. The Dietz Press, June 2013. ISBN: 978-0-87517143-2. Available direct from the publisher at www.dietzpress.com. A compelling argument can be made that the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia has the richest, most diverse and most important history of any trial jurisdiction in America, state or federal. This court’s significance to the commonwealth of Virginia is equally impressive. Beginning with the Founding Fathers and the first judiciary act in 1789, this court has been confronted with vital issues that touch virtually every aspect of American life. There is perhaps no better way to chronicle the history of a state or nation than through its courts. During his entire tenure as chief justice, John Marshall sat

2014-Issue 2

on circuit on the bench of this court as trial judge. Two of his epic confrontations with his cousin and antagonist, Thomas Jefferson, took place in this court. Even now, the competing philosophies of the Federalists and Anti-Federalists continue to find voice in the courthouse. One of the most enduring aspects of the court’s history took place between 1950 and 1974, when school cases flooded the docket. The Brown case and its progeny placed the Eastern District center stage in the struggle for civil rights and integrated schools. And perhaps no legal case has spoken to its time more dramatically than the trial of terrorist Zacharias Moussaoui in 2006. The book focuses on the jurists who

have presided over the U.S. District Court cases that range from treason and trespass to liquor and libel, and from Civil War to civil rights. Geography, history and politics combine to make this court unique in the vast panoply of justice in America. About the Author: John O. Peters matriculated from Richmond, Virginia. He graduated from VMI in 1958 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and went on to graduate from the University of Virginia School of Law. He practiced law in Richmond for 30 years as a commercial litigator and appeared in the United States District Court for the Eastern District on numerous occasions before many of the judges about whom he writes.

157

ALUMNI NEWS Death in Emily 3 by Preston Holtry ’63. Moonshine Cove Publishing, LLC, October 2013. ISBN: 978-1-937327-323. Available via amazon.com and Kindle, or order direct from the publisher at www.moonshinecovepublishing.com. The novel is set in Arizona in 1915 – a time when the state was the first to give women the right to vote, the motorcar was replacing the horse and electric lights were no longer a novelty. Despite these signs of modernity, Arizona mining towns were wide-open and turbulent because of conflict between mine owners and the mining unions. The fictional town of Adobe Wells is no exception. When Morgan Westphal receives a telegram informing him that Frank Shaw, his volatile younger half brother, has been jailed for murder in Adobe Wells and needs help, he thinks Frank just might be guilty. Against his better judgment, Morgan goes to Adobe Wells and finds his brother accused of killing Phillip Hardesty in Tunnel 3 of the Emily Mine. Morgan questions whether the mangled body of the murdered man in the town morgue is even Hardesty. By the time Morgan discovers who was killed in Tunnel 3 and why, he will risk his life in the Emily Mine, become embroiled in a turbulent labor strike and have a deadly confrontation with a sadistic deputy marshal. The novel is the first in the Westphal series, with two other novels now completed drafts and in the queue. A fourth novel is also underway. Holtry said the novel was inspired by a casual mine tour in Bisbee, Arizona. By the time he left the mine, the concept of the novel and the setting were established, and book character Morgan Westphal was conceived.

158

About the Author: Retired U.S. Army Col. Preston Holtry is an avid traveler, alpine skier and novelist. He graduated from VMI with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and completed graduate work at Boston University. He was a career Army officer and served twice in Vietnam, in addition to a variety of other infantry and intelligencerelated assignments in Germany, England and the United States. He lives in Tucson, Arizona. The Icarus Parallel by William M. Pearson II ’63. Heron’s Wing Press, September 2013. ISBN: 9780615785738. Available from amazon.com, Barnes & Noble and Kindle. “The Icarus Parallel” is set in the ’60s, mainly on the island of Crete. A young American, Carter Martin, is sent to Greece by the Agency to find and recruit a veteran of the French/Algerian War of Independence, Jean Paul Bonisseur. With a price on his head in both Algeria and metropolitan France, Bonisseur, a man literally without a country, settles on Crete. The Agency’s interest in him is that he is the only known person who can identify Belkacem ben Boulaid, now known as Abu Bekr. Of Algerian origin, Abu Bekr disappeared following Algeria’s successful quest for independence in 1962 and is strongly suspected to be the mastermind behind the terrorist group Palestinian Alliance. The operation to take down Abu Bekr becomes sidetracked when Carter and Jean Paul find themselves embroiled in the lucrative,

yet highly illegal and dangerous, trade of Minoan antiquities. The discovery of a 25th century B.C. tomb containing a wealth of varied artifacts brings Barba Yorgi, the feared Bull of the Mountains, into the mix – the results of which are greed, mayhem, murder and loss. About the Author: William M. Pearson was born in 1941 in Savannah, Georgia, and raised in the South in Georgia, Tennessee and Virginia. He matriculated from Franklin, Virginia, and attended VMI for two years. He received a degree in political science from Old Dominion University. He served in the U.S. Air Force and worked in intelligence through the ’60s and into the ’70s as an analyst and linguist. During this time, he lived in various locations in Europe, including six years in Greece, and the Far East. Having retired from business, he lives with his wife in Williamsburg, Virginia. The Last Wilderness: Alaska’s Rugged Coast by Michael McBride ’65. Fulcrum Publishing, September 2013. ISBN: 9781-938486-37-1. Available at www.amazon.com. “The Last Wilderness” is a remarkable story of how Michael McBride and his family pursued a dream of living off the land and raising a family, isolated in the wilderness. In the face of incredible hardships, the McBrides not only carried out their vision but, in the process, built the world renowned Kachemak Wilderness Lodge that has become a model for ecotourism everywhere. Told with both humor and sensitivity, McBride chronicles the many people and events that could only be part of Alaska’s rugged coast. About the Author: For almost 50 years, Michael P. McBride has lived at Kachemak Bay Wilderness Lodge, which has been the focus of extensive magazine, newspaper and film coverage – largely because of its environmental activism.

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

ALUMNI NEWS McBride is a member of the Explorers Club and a Fellow of the Royal Geographic Society. He has extensive experience as a wilderness guide and bush pilot and is a licensed Coast Guard captain, a marine biologist, a conservationist and a voice for nature. McBride matriculated from Poquoson, Virginia, and earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in history from VMI. Resilient Ministry: What Pastors Told Us about Surviving and Thriving by Bob Burns ’72, Tasha D. Chapman and Donald C. Guthrie. Intervarsity Press, February 2013. ISBN: 978-0-83084103-5. Available from amazon.com, Kindle and direct from the publisher at www.ivpress.com. What does it take to have fruitful ministry over the long haul? The stresses of pastoring are well-known and can be a match for even the best prepared and most experienced in ministry – multiple tasks, long hours, taxing responsibilities and, yes, some challenging personalities. Too often the results can be burnout, being run out or just feeling worn-out. To find out how pastors can thrive as well as survive, the authors undertook a five year in-depth research project among working pastors. Here in this ground-breaking book is the distilled wisdom of dozens of pastors who have been on the front lines of ministry. We hear from them what works, what doesn’t and what distinctive issues people in ministry face. The authors uncover five key themes that promote healthy, sustainable ministry that lasts –spiritual formation, self-care, emotional and cultural intelligence, marriage and family, and leadership and management. These themes are unpacked from the

vantage point of ministry on the ground. Questions for personal evaluation and reflection are included throughout the book to bring home the significance of each section. This is the perfect companion for a peer cohort of pastors to read together. It can also be of value to church boards and others who want to better understand how to help sustain their pastors in ministry. About the Author: Robert R. “Bob” Burns, who matriculated from Bethesda, Maryland, counts his two years at VMI as some of the most valuable training he has had in preparation for working in the church. A veteran of over 40 years in ministry, he received a master’s degree from Covenant Theological Seminary, a Doctor of Ministry degree from Westminster Theological Seminary and a Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Georgia. He currently serves on the staff of Seven Hills Fellowship in Rome, Georgia. Uncover: A Tale of Caution by E.O. Shiflett ’75. Jabez Books, March 2014. ISBN-13:978-1493584178. Available from amazon. com, Barnes & Noble and www.eoshiflett.org. It’s 1955 and Dr. Alfred Johnson is the second smartest man in the world – according to Albert Einstein. Dr. Johnson has been encouraged to not only target his efforts into neuroscience but to develop a process of transferring human knowledge from one person to another. Johnson and his partner escape death when he discovers his success is against the wishes of some

in the U.S. government. After 50 years of successful and secret progress, his group, Advanced Human Development, serves no government and is ruthless in its decisions to keep mankind from destroying themselves. To stop a new terrorist threat, AHD leverages a small technology firm, Cannon Electronics, as their latest pawn in a deadly chess game that is being played by several rogue governments. Company President Evan Cannon and Chief Technology Officer Jake Bryant must stay one step ahead of unknown assassins and the FBI to keep them in a game they have no clue they are playing. With the unexpected aid of the local sheriff and ex-FBI agent, Veronica Green, the climax is unexpected and reveals AHD as a very dangerous and advanced organization. Set in the high-tech area of North Dallas, Texas, “Uncover: A Tale of Caution” presents a new world order established by AHD to overcome and control rogue countries that wish to destroy rival groups. Many times, the decisions made by AHD are disturbing and destructive. As mankind has found over the years, there are ramifications to playing God. About the Author: E.O. Shiflett matriculated from Buchanan, Virginia, and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI. Since graduating in 1975, he has spent his time working in sales and research and development in the fiber optics industry. He lives in McKinley, Texas, with his wife, Susie. “Uncover: A Tale of Caution,” the first novel in the New Eden series, was inspired by his experiences in the high-tech industry. Shiflett is donating a dollar from every book sold to the VMI Foundation.

... Book Announcements ... Book Announcements ... Book Announcements ... Book Announcements ... Book Announcements ... Book Announcements ... Book Announcements ...

2014-Issue 2

159

INSTITUTE INSTITUTE As a Cadet, Overman ’50B Oversaw Aid to Germany by Rich Griset, Contributing Writer

being the epitome of a Southern gentleman, In the aftermath of World War II, much of those who knew his aunt. “We are very much enjoyed to know that always well-dressed and well-mannered. Europe was devastated. “I called him Mr. Jefferson,” Anne OverIf losing your home and loved ones wasn’t there are friends in America who know man says. “He could do bad enough, those who survived often had the need in Germany anything.” a hard time coming by necessary items like in such things,” reads A distinguished gradufood, money and clothing. These hardships a letter from Germany, ate, Overman earned didn’t fall on deaf ears, and on Nov. 27, dated June 21, 1948. a bachelor’s degree in 1945, the Cooperative for American Remit- “We are three brothers civil engineering from tances to Europe (CARE) was founded. and sisters. Our parents VMI and then received a Just months after the close of World War are dead. Mrs. Schmidt master’s degree in saniII, private organizations began giving relief is a lady friend of our tary engineering from to the needy in war devastated Europe. In grandmother, and she the University of North 1947, VMI’s Church Clubs organized a was so kind so to leave Carolina at Chapel Hill. branch of CARE in barracks, headed by you our address.” He returned to VMI William C. Overman Jr. ’50B. The group One of the letters to teach before being held at least one concert to gather donations thanking cadets for their called into the Army as and collected clothing, food, money and old effort included a watercolor painting. The As a cadet, William Overman Jr. a sanitary engineer. magazines to send overseas. Overman designed the For Overman, there was a special reason artwork showed a man ’50B had the idea to collect old to pitch in to help Europeans in need. He in shabby dress. To his uniforms and send them to survi- Virginia Beach home vors of war-devastated Europe after in which he and Anne was half-German, with his grandfather com- right, the same man was World War II. raised a family and was ing to America in the 1860s. After his father depicted wearing nice died, Overman became man of the house at clothing, above the words, “Before and after successful in the realms of finance, engineerthe age of 8 and was closely connected to the gift parcels! Many thanks!” The slacks ing and real estate. He served on numerous his German relatives in Richmond, Virginia. of the nicely dressed man were VMI gray. boards and traveled on trade missions with He was particularly close with his aunt, The VMI Cadet newspaper published ar- Virginia former-Gov. George Allen to Marie Schmidt, who his widow describes ticles about the endeavor, including one dis- Canada and Central America. He held his German ancestry in high recussing how old uniforms were repurposed. as a second mother. “Since most of them are in a rather dis- gard, and in spite of lung cancer, he decided As a young woman, Schmidt went home to Germany to visit relatives and ended up reputable state of appearance, those who to travel to Germany to visit relatives. The marrying a man there. After living through receive them turn them wrong side out to trip turned out to be an ordeal, and Overget the new looking side,” man was hospitalized while in Germany. two world wars, Schmidt’s states an article dated Oct. Upon returning, he said he was still glad he husband died, though he 17, 1949. “One woman told made the trip. never served in the German “He said, ‘Anne, as awful as that was, I of taking the black stripe off army. Upon Schmidt’s return the gray trousers and fixing would do it again so that my grandchildren to America in 1947, she described conditions overseas up a black pair for her hus- could meet their relatives,’” says Anne band. One family received 17 Overman. He died in his home Dec. 11, to Cadet Overman, who pairs of trousers in the same 1995. decided to help out. After his last visit to VMI, he asked his package and was able to find “He had an idea that he was wife to restore the eye glasses on the statue good use for all of them.” going to collect old uniforms, Longtime friend and class- of the college’s first commandant, Francis and Tante Marie gave him mate James H. Flippen Jr. H. Smith. The statue, which stands in front the name of a family she had ’50B remembers Overman of Smith Hall, was nicknamed “Old Specs,” lived with in Neuwied [Germany],” says Anne Overman, as being extremely friendly because its glasses could be removed and, some time ago, had disappeared. Anne William’s widow. Cadets One of the letters thank- and outgoing. collected their old uniforms ing cadets for their effort “You couldn’t talk to him Overman contacted VMI after her husband’s included the watercolor and sent them to Europe to painting shown above. The very long without liking death and had the glasses restored (though be reused. Overman received slacks of the nicely dressed him,” Flippen says. “He’d they’re now permanently adhered). “He loved his brother rats, as all VMI men letters from a number of man, right, were VMI gray. give you the shirt off his do,” says Anne Overman. “VMI brought out people who benefited from Both photos were provided back.” the VMI program, including by Overman’s widow, Anne. His widow describes him as the very best in him.”

160

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

INSTITUTE Smith ’79 Named VMI Dean of Faculty and Deputy Superintendent, Academics

Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Smith Jr. ’79, left, at his U.S. Army retirement ceremony with his father, retired U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Smith Sr. ’43.

Retired U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Jeffrey G. Smith Jr. ’79 – son of former VMI commandant, Army Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Smith Sr. ’43 – has been selected for appointment as dean of the faculty and deputy superintendent for academics at VMI. Smith will take up the position after Brig. Gen. Wane Schneiter steps down May 31, 2013, to return to the teaching

faculty in the VMI Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.“General Smith brings to VMI all the skills and attributes we expect in a dean,” said Gen. J.H. Binford Peay III ’62, superintendent. “His superior academic and leadership abilities, his passion for our cadets and their education, his passion for the faculty, and his boundless energy will benefit VMI for years to come. He is steeped in academia and soldiering: a wonderful combination for all at the Institute. We look forward to General Smith’s arrival.” Smith comes to VMI from Alexandria, Virginia, having retired in 2013 after a 34-year career in the U.S. Army. A distinguished military graduate, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and biology from VMI. He also holds a Master of Science degree in national security from the National War College and a Doctoral degree in English literature from Princeton University. “I can imagine no better position that defines my calling in life than to serve as the

dean of the faculty and deputy superintendent for academics at Virginia Military Institute,” Smith said. “VMI is where I found my footing, and it is my expectation to become fully immersed in shaping the success and future of the Institute, its remarkable faculty and its splendid cadets.” Smith began his Army career with company grade officer positions at Fort Lewis, Washington, and in Europe in the Pershing II Nuclear Missile Command. He later served as an instructor at Princeton University and taught at the U.S. Military Academy, West Point, New York, where he founded a literary journal, The Circle in the Spiral. He has held leadership and staff positions in Bosnia/Herzegovina, Iraq, Afghanistan and Europe. He concluded his military career as the deputy commanding general of the Army’s Cyber Command. Smith’s decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal (2), the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit (3) and the Bronze Star (2).

Gray Named New Director of Center for Leadership and Ethics Retired U.S. Army Col. David R. Gray was recently named director of VMI’s Center for Leadership and Ethics. He will report for duty in August 2014. “Colonel Gray brings the perfect combination of skills, experiences and intellectual acumen to take the Center for Leadership and Ethics to the next level,” said Gen. J.H. Binford Peay III ’62, superintendent. Gray’s 30-year Army career included tours as an operations officer and strategist on the Joint Staff and the Department of the Army Staff. He also participated in both peacekeeping and combat operations in Haiti, the Balkans, Afghanistan and Iraq. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, Gray, an infantry officer, commanded the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division in northern Iraq in 2005 and 2006. He has taught at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, where he served as an assistant professor of history as a captain. Later, as a colonel, he held the Chair of Officership at the academy’s William E. Simon Center for Professional Military Ethic. Gray also taught history at the University of Maryland and at Ohio State University. A native of Herscher, Illinois, Gray earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Western Illinois University. He holds a Master of Science degree from the U.S. Army War College and

2014-Issue 2

a Master of Arts and doctorate from The Ohio State University. He attended the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and the U.S. Armed Forces Staff College. Gray retired from the Army in 2010. He is currently in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where he teaches senior officers at Saudi Arabia’s War College. Gray and his wife, Karen, have three daughters, Stephanie Bankson and Jennifer and Megan Gray. “Service and education are passions for me,” said Gray. “I am very honored and humbled to be selected to lead VMI’s Center for Leadership and Ethics.” Gray’s military awards and decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit (3), Bronze Star Medal (2 awards), Joint Defense Service Medal (2), Army Commendation Award (2), Army Achievement Award (2), Armed Forces’ Expeditionary Medal (2), Combat Infantryman’s Badge, Expert Infantryman’s Badge, Ranger Tab, and Parachutist and Air Assault badges. Dedicated in 2009, VMI’s Center for Leadership and Ethics develops and sponsors programs to advance the understanding, practice, and integration of leadership and character development at the Institute and to share insights gleaned from the VMI programs with a broader national audience.

161

INSTITUTE Wanovich ’87 Appointed New Commandant U.S. Army Col. William J. Wanovich ’87, commander of VMI’s Army ROTC unit since 2010, has been appointed commandant of the VMI Corps of Cadets. He will take up his duties during summer 2014, following the retirement of Col. Thomas Trumps ’79. Trumps has been commandant since March 2007. “Col. Wanovich’s experiences throughout an impressive Army career give him the skills and perspective to develop the leadership capabilities of young men and women,” said Gen. J.H. Binford Peay III ’62, superintendent. “Given his familiarity with the VMI philosophy and the daily challenges that cadets face, I expect U.S. Army Col. he will seamlessly transiWilliam J. Wanovich ’87 tion into and build upon the great program Col. Trumps has put into place.” Wanovich takes this position following a 27year career in the U.S. Army. Commissioned upon graduation from VMI in 1987, Wanovich deployed to Operation Desert Shield/Storm in 1991 and, the next year, served as a battalion supply and logistics officer in Homestead, Florida, providing humanitarian assistance as part of Operation Hurricane Andrew. He served

162

in a number of leadership and staff positions in Egypt, Africa and Iraq. In addition, he served as the Special Troops Battalion commander at Headquarters, XVII Airborne Corps, and Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He was deployed to Iraq for 15 months where he served as the Task Force Dragon commander, providing support and services to more than 4,100 members of the Multi-National Force and Multi-National Corps staff. He is a graduate of the U.S. Army War College. His awards and decorations include a Bronze Star Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (7), Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Joint Service Achievement Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, Master Parachutist Badge and Ranger Tab. A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Wanovich and his wife, Tina, have two daughters: Regan, 12, and Grace, 11. Tina Wanovich teaches at Rockbridge County High School. Wanovich also has two stepchildren: Katie, 25, who is attending nursing school in San Antonio, Texas, and Jordan, 22, who is an emergency room nurse technician in Zanesville, Ohio. “We’re excited. We’re thrilled to stay here and be a part of the VMI community,” said Wanovich of his transition from the Army ROTC unit to the commandant’s post. Approximately two-thirds of the Corps of Cadets is enrolled in VMI’s Army ROTC unit. As commandant, Wanovich will be responsible for the entire Corps. “Now I get the other third,” he commented.

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

INSTITUTE Glantz ’63 and Cadet Bolen ’14 Form Unique Partnership by Jordan Moore, Editorial Assistant, VMI Alumni Review

expertise was in the Military Academy, the U.S. Army War very same field. Lt. College’s Center for Land Warfare and The Col. Bradley L. Cole- Citadel, to name a few, and has authored man ’95, director of several books on Russian military history the John Adams ’71 and doctrine. Since 1988, he has served Center for Military as editor-in-chief of the Journal of Slavic History and Strategic Military Studies (formerly the Journal of Analysis, introduced Soviet Military Studies). Because of these Bolen to Glantz, and accomplishments and numerous others, they met in the sum- Glantz is considered the nation’s leading mer of 2011 for the authority on Soviet military history. first time in Carlisle, Glantz stated, “By far, the most imporPennsylvania – which, tant and rewarding of these many tasks coincidentally, is the has been that of locating ... and guiding Col. Geoff Jensen and John Bolen ’14 discuss Bolen’s town both scholars call talented young men and women to work research. VMI photo by Mary Price. home. in this important field. In particular, this After their initial has involved identifying individuals who “You wouldn’t think you could just meeting, Glantz kept the lines of com- are keenly interested in this field, who are go out and contact the world’s leading munication open for Bolen to consult him acutely capable of conducting necessary expert in Soviet military history, but you by telephone and email. Glantz said of research and writing coherently on assocican,” said Cadet John Bolen ’14 of his their discussions, “… the focus was on the ated subjects, and, most important, who mentor, retired U.S. Army Col. David M. operational level of war and operational possess the candor and courage necessary Glantz ’63. Referring to the bonds that can art – concepts developed by the Red Army to seek out, determine and forcefully exdevelop between alumni and cadets press the truth as they see it. ... John who share common interests, Bolen Bolen, whose potential is virtually commented, “VMI carries through.” unlimited, is the most recent of these Bolen, a history major who plans to promising young scholars.” commission in the Army after graduation, in the 1920s and 1930s but not understood Over the past three years, both Jensen developed an interest in military history and embraced by the U.S. Army until the and Glantz have had the opportunity to during his 3rd Class year while taking Col. late 1970s and early 1980s.” witness Bolen’s success at becoming a Geoff Jensen’s class, European Warfare Glantz, a distinguished graduate of VMI skilled researcher. Of Bolen, Glantz said, Since 1871. One of the ideas introduced in who earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in “… John’s enthusiasm for these concepts Jensen’s class was operational art, which is history, has kept busy since his graduation was complimented by his acute knowledge defined by the Department of Defense Dic- from VMI. In July 1963, of their development and tionary of Military Terms as “the cognitive he entered the Army where evolution and his capacity approach by commanders and staffs – sup- he served for 30 years for understanding them, ported by their skill, knowledge, experi- and six months. During which is a very rare quality ence, creativity and judgment – to develop this time, he also earned indeed.” strategies, campaigns, and operations to his Master of Arts degree This scholarly partnerorganize and employ military forces by from the University of ship between cadet and integrating ends, ways and means.” North Carolina at Chapel alumnus illustrates how Bolen explained, “I’d never heard of Hill, as well as graduunique and durable bonds operational art, but I thought it sounded ated from the U.S. Army’s between alumni and cadets interesting, so I decided to research it.” Command and General can be formed and proves He has since turned that interest into the Staff College, the Defense that the networking postopic for his honors thesis, focusing on Language Institute, the sibilities of such a brotherGlantz ’63 the intellectual history of operational art Institute for Russian and hood are endless. in Russian and German warfare between Eastern European Studies, and the U.S. Army War College. In addition to his Editor’s Note: A few quotes in the preceding the years of 1870 and 1945. Little did Bolen know, he would soon academic achievements, Glantz taught article are excerpts from an article that apgain the assistance of an alumnus whose at such institutions as the United States peared in the December 2013 Institute Report.

“VMI carries through.”

2014-Issue 2

163

INSTITUTE Hebert ’68 Shares Experience with Humanitarian Missions Forty-five years after he graduated from VMI, Dr. Paul Hebert ’68 found himself back at the Institute – and in two roles that he scarcely could have imagined when he graduated. Not only -was Hebert teaching in the international studies department, which didn’t exist in 1968, but he also found time to take the stage in two productions being put on by the VMI Community Theatre. In December, Hebert appeared as the commissioner in Sherlock Holmes’s “Christmas Goose” and as the father in “Christmas Every Day.” “I’d done a little bit of theater a long time ago, so I decided to go over and see what it was all about,” said Hebert of his decision to audition for the roles. Nor has Hebert confined his activities to post. While in Lexington, he’s used his time to take singing lessons and attend meetings of the local Rotary Club, as he’s been quite involved with Rotary International. He added, “I just keep myself busy.” Keeping busy, it seems, has never been a problem for Hebert. Hebert, a resident of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, who retired from the United Nations after a long, continent-hopping career as a humanitarian aid worker, served as the Floyd D. Gottwald ’43 Visiting Professor of Leadership and Ethics in fall 2013. In that capacity, Hebert taught a self-designed class on international humanitarian aid and disaster management, with an enrollment of 14 cadets. “It’s a very practical course, based on my experience working with the United Nations and non-governmental organizations in development and humanitarian relief,” said Hebert of the class. “[I] really enjoyed working with the cadets in my course.” In teaching the class, Hebert brought an international background and expertise that few visiting professors could hope to match. Because of his numerous accomplishments in the area of humanitarian aid, Hebert was honored with VMI’s Jonathan M.

Paul Hebert ’68, Ph.D., rehearsing with the VMI Theatre. VMI photo by H. Lockwood McLaughlin.

164

Daniels ’61 Humanitarian Award in 2011. Previous recipients of that award, which is named for civil rights martyr Jonathan Daniels ’61, include former President Jimmy Carter and former Ambassador Andrew Young. After graduating from VMI with a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering, Herbert went on to earn a master’s degree and eventually a doctorate in environmental engineering from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Over the course of a 30-year career, he lived in 10 countries on four continents. Because of this, he noted, he was unable to attend any of his VMI reunions between the 10th and the 40th. He attended his 45th reunion, however, held in fall 2013. “I’ve reconnected with a number of brother rats ... which has been really nice,” Hebert noted. Hebert began his work in 1974 in pre-revolutionary Iran and later worked in the Philippines, using the first generation of microcomputers to design and develop low-cost water and sanitation systems for rural communities. In 1991, while living in Geneva, Switzerland, Hebert went to work for the U.N. He was assigned to Serbia following the overthrow of Slobadan Milosovic and later moved to Africa, where he worked in Ethiopia and Kenya. He retired from the U.N. in 2008. During his time on post, Hebert not only taught and acted, but he also moderated a weekly forum for cadets enrolled in the Institute Honors Program. “That [was] very interesting as well,” said Hebert, who explained that the cadets had chosen topics as varied as modern-day slavery, the high cost of a college education and NATO intervention in Syria. On Dec. 9, 2013, Hebert addressed the Institute’s 2nd Class cadets, as previous holders of the Gottwald chair have done, speaking on leadership. Hebert, who served two years in the U.S. Army Medical Corps after graduating from VMI, spoke about non-military leaders. “[I talked] about the qualities of leadership outside of the military and [related] them to a couple of VMI graduates, one of whom was Jonathan Daniels,” said Hebert. “The majority of VMI graduates wind up not having a career in the military.” Col. Jim Hentz, chair of the international studies department, praised the background and insights that Hebert brought. “Dr. Hebert has added a dimension to international studies at VMI barely explored in my 16 years here: the U.S. role in humanitarian missions around the world,” said Hentz. “He brings a lifetime of real world experience. … His academic credentials combined with his work on the ground give cadets a unique perspective on the importance of humanitarian missions around the globe.” Editor’s Note: A copy of Hebert’s speech to the 2nd Class can be found at www.vmialumni.org/hebert68. Hebert is also mentioned in the Alumni News section of this Review. VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

INSTITUTE Young ’74 Helps Launch Exercise Science Major On Nov. 13, 2013, Andrew Young ’74, Ph.D., chief of the Military Nutrition Division of the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, addressed a group gathered to celebrate the launch of VMI’s exercise science minor. Following the talk, Young shook the hand of Cadet Harrison Kee ’14 as he presented Kee with a scholarship provided by the American College of Sports Medicine. The scholarship will allow Kee, the minor’s first registered cadet, to attend the spring 2014 meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine. VMI photo by Kevin Remington.

Johnson ’87 Addresses Air Force Cadets Air Force ROTC Detachment 880 honored an old military tradition in its dining out event Nov. 1, 2013, held for the first time in Washington and Lee University’s Evans Dining Hall. Cadets from VMI and Mary Baldwin College enjoyed entertainment that included skits performed by each class of cadets and a motivational video montage showcasing some of the cadets’ recent accomplishments. U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Mark K. Johnson ’87, who commands Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, a field activity of the DLA, closed out the evening’s events with an inspirational message to the cadets. During his message, he described his less-than-stellar academic performance during his early years at VMI. He used his experience as an example to show that, with dedication to developing attention to detail and by building relationships with fellow airmen, “even a C-average student can become a general.”

Donohue ’02 Speaks at Ring Figure Supper On Nov. 21, 2013, Richard “Dic” Donohue ’02 spoke at the Ring Figure supper in Evans Dining Hall at Washington and Lee University. Donohue, an officer with the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority, was injured last spring in a shootout with the Boston Marathon bombing suspects. VMI photo by Kevin Remington.

2014-Issue 2

165

INSTITUTE Dean’s Office Fills Gap in Lab Equipment Maintenance Funds Five of VMI’s academic departments received money in 2013 specifically for the maintenance of expensive lab equipment. The dean’s office set aside $60,000 for the biology, chemistry, mechanical engineering, physics and psychology departments to help keep crucial equipment in good working order. “It’s nice to get new equipment, but if you can’t maintain it that can be a problem,” said Assistant Dean Capt. Michael Sebastino. “This is something the departments have been asking for. ... We’ve funded everything they have requested.” Sebastino explained that he reviews every request to make sure that the contracts the departments enter into are maintenance contracts that require regular service, not extended warranties that offer response only when there’s a problem.

This is what the chemistry department did with its share of the funding. The department has eight to 10 instruments, some as costly as $250,000, under maintenance contracts, and the money distributed toward the department was used to fund those contracts. “In the past, we had to wait until something went wrong and then use our own department money to pay for someone to come and troubleshoot it and get it back up and running,” said chemistry department head Col. Daren Timmons. “That’s an expensive way to do things.” The biology department has its most expensive pieces of equipment on maintenance contracts but is also using the dean’s office funds for repairs of less expensive instruments. “Our Sorvall high-speed centrifuge is currently broken and needs repair, and we have a Nikon stereoscope that currently has a malfunctioning piece that must be repaired,” said Col. Wade Bell, professor of biology. “Both items would be unusable in their current state, and department funds are insufficient to maintain the large volume of sophisticated equipment that modern science education dictates. The dean’s office funds will allow us to repair these items quickly … .” “Those equipment maintenance funds are very important, and they’re one of the things that are neglected at many schools,” said Bell. “We’re lucky to have them.” “It has been really critical to keep the instruments in good shape so the quality of instruction and the quality of research remains high,” added Timmons. “Protecting the investment on a $200,000 piece of equipment so students can have an amazing experience in the lab with top-flight instrumentation – that is exciting. It’s the most financially efficient way to do it.” Sebastino realizes that more requests are on the horizon, challenging the dean’s office to come up with enough money. Or, he said, “We may not be able to fund everyone 100 percent.” But every little bit helps. “Until [recently, the departments] were paying for this themselves,” Sebastino said, “so I think anything we give them will be better than nothing.” “There’s a real need here,” Timmons said. “The dean’s office deserves ... credit for putting this together. It’s a great help.”

Col. Wade Bell works with Ashley Hill ’14 as she looks through the epiflourescence microscope in a VMI biology lab. VMI photo by John Robertson IV.

166

Editor’s Note: Unless stated otherwise, the articles and photos in the Institute section of the Alumni Review are provided by VMI Communications and Marketing.

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

INSTITUTE Dernovsek ’06 Helps Prevent Spread of HIV and AIDS

Dernovsek in Lesotho, Africa, where he served with the Peace Corps after graduating from VMI. Photo provided by Dernovsek.

Andrew Dernovsek ’06 is executive director of Universal Chastity Education, a nonprofit organization that promotes, through Christian principles, abstinence and faithful marriage as the healthiest way of life. On any given day, Dernovsek might find himself speaking to students, raising money or providing financial oversight to the organization, whose work helps prevent the spread of HIV and AIDS in Uganda, Burundi and Tanzania, and is also active in Dernovsek’s home state of Colorado. After graduating from VMI, Dernovsek spent two and a half years with the Peace Corps in Lesotho, Africa, educating people about HIV and AIDS and initiating projects to improve the standard of living. Often he spoke to groups and organized projects using the country’s native language, which he learned on site. Thanks to his efforts, a small country in Africa has a fully solar powered computer school with more than 100 laptops, a group of widows has a solar oven bakery, and a community has a library and a school garden. After his time in Lesotho, Dernovsek returned to the United States and began his duties with UCE while earning a Master of Arts degree in international administration and a certificate in finance from the University of Denver. “VMI,” says Dernovsek, “prepared me as a leader and gave me the tools I needed to succeed at whatever I do. At VMI, I learned patience, flexibility, discipline and, above all, integrity.” He adds, “On some tough days, I think back to VMI, and I’m just thankful that I’m not caught on the third stoop during a free period doing push-ups until my arms fall off!”

Gragg ’13 Learned Arabic Language and Culture through VMI’s National Security Minor For Kimberley Gragg ’13, the Arabicspeaking world is not just a collection of place names with strange vowels. It is a world where she can speak the language and navigate the culture with confidence. During her cadetship at VMI, Gragg spent time in both Morocco and Egypt, as well as at Oxford University in England. She double-majored in international studies and Arabic, and she also earned VMI’s new national security minor. In the summer of 2012, Gragg held an internship at the Marine Corps University in Quantico, Virginia. While there, her job was to translate al-Qaida documents found on online forums from Arabic into English. An internship such as this is a requirement for cadets earning the national security minor. To get ready for her internship, Gragg spent six weeks at the Arabic Language Institute in Fez, Morocco. For four hours each day, she studied reading, writing and 2014-Issue 2

grammar in Arabic. While there, she lived with a Moroccan family – and faced the challenge of putting her formal, classroom Arabic to use in a country that has its own local dialect. Just one day after she returned from Morocco, Gragg reported to Quantico to begin her internship. Over the Christmas 2012 furlough, Gragg traveled to Egypt with a professor who was then visiting at VMI. She and the other cadets on the trip toured historic sites in Cairo, Alexandria, Luxor and Aswan. They also ate meals with Egyptian families and met with an Arab League official. Gragg’s long-term goal is to earn a master’s degree in economic development.

Kimberly Gragg ’13 as a cadet. VMI photo by Kevin Remington.

167

INSTITUTE

VMI Brass Quintet in Greece

Glee Club and Brass Quartet at The Omni Homestead Resort

168

Members of the VMI Glee Club and Brass Quartet performed at The Omni Homestead Resort in Hot Springs, Virginia, during the winter holiday break, Dec. 27-29, 2013. The group, under the direction of Col. John Brodie, was led by Cadet Mary Schriver ’14, president of the Glee Club. This was the fifth consecutive year that the club has provided entertainment at the resort. Accompanied by the Brass Quartet, cadets performed each evening for two hours, singing Christmas music, holiday favorites and others in the club’s repertoire. They were warmly received. On Jan. 4, 2014 – a week before the end of the winter holiday break – the Brass Quintet traveled to Greece. Highlights of the week included appearances at the U.S. Embassy, a concert for a group of military attachés and lunch at the embassy. The quintet also performed at the Hellenic Army Academy in the town of Vari, one hour south of Athens. “The Greek military are magnificent hosts, and the cadets were accommodated overnight with Greek officer candidates at the academy,” said Col. John Brodie (Hon.), VMI music director, who traveled with the quintet to Greece. “They were treated to an afternoon luncheon, complete with a briefing and tour of the post. The cadets performed a one-hour concert that evening for approximately 1,000 Greek cadets and staff in a large auditorium.” VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

INSTITUTE

“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 inches.

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 Cowles, VMI Alumni Association, P.O. Box 932, Lexington, VA 24450. Make checks payable to: VMI Alumni Association UNFRAMED PRINT: $250 + $20 Shipping & Handling = $270.00 (VA residents add $16.20) = $286.20 (CT residents add $17.15) = $287.15 FRAMED PRINT: $545 + $100 Shipping & Handling = $645.00 (VA residents add $38.70) = $683.70 (CT residents add $40.96) = $685.96

2014-Issue 2

“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.

169

ATHLETICS ATHLETICS

Keydets Win All-Military Classic

The Keydets captured the 2013-14 All-Military Classic with two wins at Cameron Hall Nov. 8-9, 2013, in front of the largest crowd in arena history.

Led by a combined 55 points from their three leading scorers – Darius Jamar “D.J.” Covington ’14, Quentin Le’vel “Q.J.” Peterson Jr. ’17 and Rodney F. Glasgow Jr. ’14 – the VMI Keydets claimed the All-Military Classic championship with a 71-63 win over the U.S. Air Force Academy Falcons Nov. 9 at Cameron Hall.The win marked the Institute’s first title in the three years the tournament has been held, and Peterson was named most valuable player. Glasgow was tabbed to the All-Tournament team. Covington led the Keydets in the title game with 20 points and seven rebounds, while Peterson chipped in with 19 points and his second straight four-steal game. Glasgow added 16 points and five assists against only one turnover. Falcon Marek Olesinski had 23 points and nine rebounds to pace Air Force in front of 4,195 fans, the sixth-largest crowd in Cameron Hall history. The victory was VMI’s first in an in-season tournament since Jan. 3-4, 1978, when the Keydets won the Siena College Tournament by defeating the Cleveland State Vikings and the Siena College Saints. 2013-14 All-Military Classic All-Tournament Team

2013-14 All-Military Classic Results

Q.J. Peterson, VMI (MVP)

VMI defeated The Citadel

Tre Coggins, U.S. Air Force Academy

U.S. Air Force Academy defeated U.S. Military Academy

Rodney Glasgow, VMI

U.S. Military Academy defeated The Citadel – Third Place Game

Kyle Wilson, U.S. Military Academy Brian White, The Citadel

170

VMI defeated U.S. Air Force – Championship

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

ATHLETICS Lacrosse Athletes Participate in Army Ranger “Lead The Way” 5K Seven cadet-athletes and a coach rucked more than three miles with 40-pound packs in the 6th Annual “A Run Down Hero Highway.” The lacrosse team members made their way to Manhattan Nov. 24, 2013, to participate in the event that, according to the website, “pays tribute to local hero Sgt. James J. Regan and helps raise money for the Lead The Way Fund.” “Lead The Way Fund, Inc. is a non-profit organization established to raise funds in support of disabled U.S. Army Rangers and the families of Rangers who have died, have been injured or are currently serving in harm’s way around the world,” stated the Lead The Way Fund website. The members of the VMI team were led by assistant coach Staff Sgt. Michael Grimm, a former member of the 75th Ranger Regiment in the United States Army. Cadet-athletes who participated were Rory Dillon ’14, Gage Snowbarger ’16, Daniel Bull ’16, Joseph Amato ’16, Ian Marinacci ’16, Garrett Warren ’16 and Benjamin Huger ’16. Marinacci and Warren are pursuing commissions in the Army after graduation from the Institute. Dillon, a senior co-captain for the 2013-14 academic year, received his branch assignment recently and was selected for infantry. He will attend the Infantry Basic Officer Leader Course upon graduation. Army Capt. David Jacobs ’08, who is assigned to the 4th Infantry Division at Fort Carson, Colorado, played midfield for the team from 2005-08 and joined the group in the run. Jacobs recently completed Ranger School, headquartered at Fort Benning, Georgia. More than 1,100 people turned out for the “patriotic and family-friendly 5K 2014-Issue 2

run/walk/stroll,” which was established by the Regan family of Manhasset, New York, in honor of their son who was a former lacrosse player at Duke University. Regan was killed in action in February 2007 while serving in Iraq with Charlie Company, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment. The VMI lacrosse athletes joined other NCAA Division I lacrosse programs participating in the event, including Duke and U.S. Military Academy. “I’m so proud of this team,” said Grimm,

“Knowing that I have the backing of the entire VMI lacrosse family makes it more special. Knowing Sgt. Regan’s connection to the game, what a tight-knit group the Ranger community is and how close the lacrosse community is, it’s great to be able to honor someone who had such an impact in both worlds.” For the second year, The American Fallen Soldiers Project presented original portraits to the families of beloved fallen Rangers Sgt. Andrew Nicol and Spc. Bradley D. Rappuhn. In addition, continuing with the tradition of supporting other hometown heroes in the New

Members of the VMI lacrosse team, Rory Dillon ’14, Gage Snowbarger ’16, Daniel Bull ’16, Joseph Amato ’16, Ian Marinacci ’16, Garrett Warren ’16 and Benjamin Huger ’16, participated in the 6th Annual “A Run Down Hero Highway.”

who knew Regan during his time in the 3rd Ranger Battalion. “When they said they wanted to take part in a community service event, the first thing that came to mind was the Lead The Way Fund and Jimmy. It’s great that we can bring these worlds together and have it mean something to our cadet-athletes – to not only participate, but to come away from an event that gives them a broader perspective of the service and sacrifice of so many.” Every year the event brings together a diverse and spirited group of runners, walkers, soldiers, veterans, moms, dads, kids and more along the Hudson River. The round-trip run/walk starts at Pier 46 and continues along West Side Highway, past Ground Zero, in constant view of the Statue of Liberty. The festivities continue with a post-race celebratory brunch at The Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers that features great food and drink, raffles, and live entertainment. “As someone who is receiving a commission soon, I feel honored to participate in something like this,” Dillon said.

York Police Department and New York City Fire Department, The American Fallen Soldiers Project presented a portrait to the family of NYPD 9/11 first responder and Bomb Squad Detective Claude “Danny” Richards. For more information on the Lead The Way Fund, go to www.LeadTheWayFund.org.

Williams ’08 Signs with NBA Development League’s Tulsa 66ers Reggie Williams ’08 signed with the Tulsa 66ers, a National Basketball Association Development League, Dec. 20, 2013. Williams had been in training with the Houston Rockets during the NBA’s preseason. As of of Jan. 27, 2014, Williams has played in 11 contests and averaged 21.5 points per game, a teamhigh, in his second stint in the DLeague. 171

ATHLETICS Five Keydets Earn Big South Football Honors Four VMI football players were named to the Big South All-Conference postseason All-Conference second team, and another Keydet earned BSC All-Academic team honors. The announcement was made at the league office in Charlotte, North Carolina, Nov. 26, 2013. Redshirt senior inside linebacker Weston Reber ’14 (Huntersville, North Carolina), redshirt senior punter David Eberhardt ’14 (Chesapeake, Virginia), senior center Will Lucas ’14 (Hartsville, South Carolina) and sophomore wide receiver Samuel Patterson ’16 (Keswick, Virginia) were named to the second team. In addition, redshirt junior inside linebacker Tyler Garvin ’14 (Kingsport, Tennessee) was named to the Big South All-Academic Team for the second consecutive year. Garvin has a 3.4 cumulative GPA in civil engineering. He made starts in all 12 games at inside linebacker and was third on the team defensive charts with 73 stops. Capsules on each honoree are below:

David Eberhardt ’14: Punter Ranked second in the Big South in punting average (38.8), Eberhardt had a career-long of 58 yards and punted 50-plus yards 11 times during the season. He punted eight times and averaged a season-high 44 yards against North Greenville University and punted a 56-yarder. Eberhardt also had a 56-yarder against Robert Morris and averaged 45.7 yards. He booted only two touchbacks on the year and had 12 inside the 20-yard line.

William Lucas ’14: Center

Samuel Patterson ’16: Wide Receiver

Voted 2013 preseason All-Conference, Lucas started all 12 games at center. He graded out top marks in Glenville State, Liberty and Gardner-Webb games, and he played more than 70 snaps in four contests. Lucas was on the field for the most snaps of any offensive lineman and converted tight end playing his second full season at center.

Patterson was second in the Big South in touchdown catches with eight, and he was fifth in receiving. He caught at least one pass in all 11 games and snagged a touchdown reception in five consecutive games. Patterson had seven touchdown catches in the last seven games of the season. He caught seven passes for 161 yards and two scores at Presbyterian. Patterson caught four passes for 109 yards and a touchdown at Coastal Carolina with seven games of at least three receptions.

Weston Reber ’14: Inside Linebacker Reber led the team in tackles with 82 and ranked fifth in the Big South overall. He led the BSC in fumble recoveries with three and had three games of 10 or more total tackles. Reber had a season-high 11 tackles against Glenville State and 10 tackles each against North Greenville and Coastal Carolina. He had eight tackles, a sack and recovered a fumble for a touchdown against Gardner-Webb. Reber recovered two fumbles at Richmond.

172

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

ATHLETICS 2014 Football Schedule Announced In the 2014 football season, VMI will return to the Southern Conference where it played 79 years as a member from 1924-2003 before an 11-year run in the Big South Conference. The first home SoCon game will be played against Mercer Sept. 27, 2014. Other home SoCon games include Furman (Nov. 1, 2014) and The Citadel (Nov. 22, 2014) in the Military Classic of the South. The Institute’s non-conference schedule features two Football Bowl Subdivision opponents: a road trip to MidAmerican Conference champion Bowling Green Sept. 6, 2014, and a game against Navy Oct. 11, 2014, VMI’s second trip to Annapolis in three years. It will be the first time since 2010 (Virginia, Army) that VMI has faced two FBS opponents in the same season. For the third straight season, the Keydets will open the 2014 season on the road. They will begin at Bucknell, the

same opponent that closed out the 2013 campaign in Lexington. VMI’s home opener against Davidson Sept. 13, 2014, will mark the Wildcats’ first visit to Foster Stadium since 2006. Gardner-Webb, a member of the Big South who played VMI in its former conference since 2003, will return to Lexington Oct. 18, 2014, for a non-conference tilt on Parents Weekend. Home games are scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. Road games will be announced at a later time. Season tickets for 2014 will be on sale later in the spring. Tickets may be ordered at www.vmitickets/com or by calling 540-464-7266.

2014 Football Schedule Aug. 30

at Bucknell TBA

Sept. 6

at Bowling Green TBA

Sept. 13 DAVIDSON 1:30 p.m. (First Reunion Weekend) Sept. 20

at Samford * TBA

Sept. 27 MERCER * 1:30 p.m. (Second Reunion Weekend) Oct. 4

at Chattanooga * TBA

Oct. 11

at Navy TBA

Oct. 18 GARDNER-WEBB 1:30 p.m. (Parents Weekend) Oct. 25

at Wofford * TBA

Nov. 1

FURMAN * 1:30 p.m.

Nov. 8

Open

Nov. 15

at Western Carolina * TBA

Nov. 22

THE CITADEL *1:30 p.m.

Home Games in Caps * Denotes Southern Conference game

2014-Issue 2

173

ATHLETICS Helmke Paces Men’s Cross Country as Keydets Host Big South Championships

Sean Helmke ’16, right, with Big South Conference Commissioner Kyle Kallander. Helmke led VMI with an all-conference finish at the 2013 Big South Championships.

The Keydet men’s cross country team finished fourth at the Big South Championships Nov. 2. The event was hosted by VMI at the Vista Links Golf Course in Buena Vista, Virginia. Sean Helmke ’16 was the Institute’s top finisher, placing 10th to earn his first All-Big South honor. Helmke led the way for VMI in 26:38, with Cabell Willis ’14 serving as the Keydets’ No. 2 runner, finishing 18th in 27:15. Patrick Spahn ’16 was 21st in 27:21, with freshman Luke Phillips ’17 stepping up to the No. 4 position, thanks to a 27:28 time that landed him 24th place. Avery Martin ’16 was 26th in 27:37, with William Thompson ’14 in 31st at 27:45. Brandon White crossed the line in 37th at 28:02, with Jacob 174

Lysher (28:29/52nd), Zachary Chase ’17 (28:51/57th) and Matthew Pasier ’17 (30:48/76th) rounding out the Keydet competitors. In the team standings, the Keydets finished with 99 points, 12 behind third-place Campbell. Liberty won the team title with 40 points, besting High Point’s 48 markers, and Coastal Carolina was fifth with 104. It is worth noting that Coastal had two runners finish in the top eight, but VMI stayed ahead of the Chanticleers by putting all five of their scoring runners in the top 26. Coastal, meanwhile, had its 4-5 runners finish 35th and 46th, respectively. Continuing the team standings, University of North Carolina Asheville (189) was sixth, while Longwood

finished seventh (195) and edged Radford by a point (196). Winthrop (237), Gardner-Webb (329), Charleston Southern (351) and Presbyterian (368) rounded out the team results. “My goal going into the season was third, and for an hour, I thought we had it,” said Jennifer Fazioli, VMI head coach. There was a timing issue that briefly showed VMI in third over Campbell. “I didn’t know if High Point would have Patrick Crawford, although they obviously did, so I felt like we could have snuck in for second after what we did at the Blue Ridge Open a couple of weeks ago. I thought the team effort was a good one, because we had people step up when we needed them. Avery Martin wasn’t quite himself, and Sean Helmke really put everything together today. He looked strong the entire way. Luke Phillips as well, running as a freshman, was our fourth runner today in a banner effort. I’m still trying to digest that we were third for a time, but all in all, it was a positive day.” Patrick Crawford of High Point took the lead about halfway through the opening lap and never relinquished it en route to the victory, his first Big South XC title and a win that led a High Point University sweep of the top two spots. However, the difference in the team standings came in the 4-5 spots, as all five of Liberty’s scoring runners finished inside the top 13, while High Point saw its 4-5 finish 14th and 19th, respectively. Willis was VMI’s All-Academic team representative. Editor’s Note: Unless stated otherwise, the articles, schedules and photos in the Athletics section are provided by the VMI Sports Information Office.

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

ATHLETICS Kuhar is VMI’s Top Finisher at Big South XC Championships Dalton Kuhar ’14 finished 19th overall to pace the VMI Keydet women’s cross country team at the Big South Championships. The Keydets finished eighth overall in the team standings. Kuhar’s 19:22 clocking was good enough for a top-20 finish at the Vista Links. Hannah Dickinson ’15 finished 36th in 19:52, while Molly Western ’14 surged late for 42nd in 20:11. Kelsey Newcomb ’16 was 60th in 20:46, while Hannah Best ’14 rounded out VMI’s top five, finishing 61st in 20:55. Casey Clune ’17 (21:25/69th), Kelly Russell ’17 (21:56/76th) and Samantha Conde ’14 (22:49/81st) were the other Keydets in action at the last Big South Championship VMI will host. “On the women’s side, my goal going in was sixth or seventh,” said Jennifer Fazioli, VMI head coach. “I told the women to go out conservatively because of the course, but some of them may

have been too conservative. I don’t think Hannah Dickinson was pleased with her race, and it certainly doesn’t indicate what she’s done this year. I was very pleased with Dalton. She made her move around the two-mile mark, but her form looked off. She recovered nicely, and the final hill that’s eaten up so many people on this course seemed to reinvigorate her. Molly Western continues to give gritty, solid efforts through injury, and we both feel like she may have more in her. I also want to commend Casey Clune, the walk-on who continues to improve. She’s been a good addition to the team, and she ran well today.” In the team standings, Coastal Carolina (56 points) claimed a resounding victory thanks to a 1-2 finish, won by prerace favorite Letitia Saayman, and four runners in the top 11. Liberty was second with 76 points, while upstart University of North Carolina at Asheville

had its best finish in a decade, placing third with 78 points. High Point (83) led Campbell (111) and Winthrop (153) for the 4-6 spots, with Radford (178) and the Keydets behind them. Charleston Southern (259), Gardner-Webb (302), Longwood (311) and Presbyterian (349) rounded out the team standings. The overall race was won by Saayman, as many expected beforehand, but not without drama. Asheville’s Melanie Kulesz led virtually from the gun, starting early with a hard pace, but with less than one kilometer remaining on the extremely difficult, hill-laden course, faded and wound up 14th. Saayman was able to overtake Kulesz and Liberty’s Jacy Christensen to win the title, with Coastal’s Kyla Van Graan finishing second and winning Freshman of the Year honors. Dickinson was VMI’s All-Academic team representative.

Three Soccer Players Earn Big South Laurels Daniel Kitchen ’14, Hunter Morgan ’16 and Killian Buckley ’15 earned postseason honors for the men’s and women’s soccer teams, respectively. The announcement was made in fall 2013 by the Big South Conference. Kitchen, a native of Richmond, Virginia, earned the first allleague honors of his career. One of the top keepers in the conference, Kitchen was the only netminder to have multiple games with double-digit saves in league play. He stopped 10 shots against Campbell as well as completed 13 saves, a career-high, at Radford. The co-captain’s save total at Radford tied for the second-highest in the country during the regular season and tied for the most in the Big South Conference over the same span. As of Nov. 10, 2013, the Keydets were ranked third in the nation in saves per game, stopping 6.56 per game. Achieving

2014-Issue 2

that number was aided largely by Kitchen, who was ranked 14th in the country with 5.36 saves per game. He was the first VMI player to earn all-conference honors since Brian Harding ’11 in 2010. Kitchen finished the 2013 season with 75 saves, and he played in 14 games with 13 starts. He logged 1,142 minutes of action, en route to a career season. Morgan was named to the men’s soccer all-academic team, while Buckley was tabbed to the women’s all-academic team. Buckley is a double-major in international studies and modern languages and cultures. She played in all 18 games this season for the Keydets, starting four. Her first career goal was scored Oct. 9, 2013, against Gardner-Webb. It was the game-winner against the Runnin’ Bulldogs as the Keydets broke a nearly three-year-long Big South losing streak.

175

FOUNDATION, INC.INC. VMIVMI FOUNDATION,

Message from VMI Foundation President Jeffress ’68 On June 30, 2014, Walton M. Jeffress Jr. ’68 will complete his three-year tenure as president of the Foundation. When he leaves his post, it will conclude 12 years of involvement with the Foundation and its work on behalf of the Institute and the Corps of Cadets. To mark the event, we turn this section, which normally carries comments from Foundation CEO Brian Scott Crockett, over to Mr. Jeffress, as follows:

hen I joined the VMI Foundation Board of Trustees in 2002, I did so for two reasons: First, for some time, I had been looking for a way to apply my experience as an attorney in the military and in private practice as well as the time I had served on the boards of other nonprofit organizations in the service of the Institute. Second, I was good friends with some of the trustees, including Col. Al Navas ’52. Every one of them enjoyed their work with the Foundation and being involved with the life of the Institute. Again, I was not new to the world of nonprofit organizations, or 501(c)(3)s as they are known in the parlance of the federal tax code. The Foundation is much like any other 501(c)(3) in that the board has important responsibilities. For example, it provides the organization’s overall direction and sets its strategic course as well as hires and oversees senior personnel. Accordingly, the active involvement and commitment of board members are keys to its success. The Foundation – and, therefore, the Institute – is fortunate to have trustees who perform basic board functions quite well. Attendance always is high, and the trustees are very informed and enthusiastic. However, for these men and women, that is not where their service to the Institute ends. Trustees take active roles in the life of the Institute and the education of cadets. One trustee with whom I served was prominent in finance in Richmond. Often, after a long day at work, he would drive 176

to post in order to meet with cadets involved with the Cadet Investment Group. Trustees are among the Institute’s more active volunteer fundraisers, and many are among its more generous donors. Why do these men and women go this extra mile? Certainly, they have the strong loyalty to the Institute that is the hallmark of our alumni and friends. They also are convinced that the VMI “product,” its graduates, is something special. Well-educated, purposeful, resolute and honorable, they have the ability to succeed in their chosen careers and are prepared for lives of service. In short, they are the type of young people our country needs in every profession and every community. Finally, trustees are mindful of the importance of private financial support to the Institute. Quite simply, without it, the Institute would not be what it is today and would not have such a high reputation within American higher education. Just as important, the Foundation-provided scholarships give young people the opportunity to attend the Institute. This year, for instance, the Foundation will provide more than $13.1 million in direct aid to the Institute and its faculty, staff and cadets. Of course, the Foundation could not do any of what it does for the Institute if not for thousands of far-sighted and generous donors. When the financial crisis hit in 2008 and 2009, many predicted that our donations would dry up. However, our donors refuted that prediction. Those who had made commitments fulfilled

them. Some people actually stepped up their giving, and some came forward with truly magnificent gifts. That is an impressive statement about our alumni and friends and their devotion to VMI. The Foundation is not the only agency that supports the Institute; there are the Alumni Association and the Keydet Club. During my time as president, I had a great working relationship with the other two agencies’ presidents, Randy Blanks ’67 and Bob Heely ’69 of the Alumni Association and Bill Paulette ’69 and Charles Plageman ’90 of the Keydet Club. These alumni work at their roles with these organizations, and like me, they are committed to ensuring that our agencies set and maintain a tone of cooperation. I must admit to being especially pleased to work with Bob Heely, because he was my successor as the commander of Charlie Company, a post that I recommended him for in the spring of 1968. I had many special moments during my time on the board and as president. One that stands out is the presentation of the Foundation’s highest honor, the Distinguished Service Award, on Founders Day in Cameron Hall. It is wonderful to have cadets see what can be accomplished with a VMI education and how eager alumni are to serve the Institute. I’ll never forget, too, the humility of the award’s recipients and their excitement at addressing the Corps. I looked forward to the annual Institute Society Dinner at which the Foundation acknowledges some of the leaders in VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

VMI FOUNDATION, INC. Walton M. Jeffress Jr. ’68 welcomed the attendees of the 2013 Institute Society Dinner.

support of VMI. It gave me the chance, on the Foundation’s behalf, to thank some of our most loyal and generous donors. The dinner enjoys excellent support from cadets, and it is delightful to see alumni, especially older ones, bond with them during the evening. The annual Benefactors Luncheon, at which the Foundation recognizes the donors who have established the endowments that provide scholarships and support to the faculty, such as Institute professorships, is another favorite. There, you come face-to-face with the life-changing nature of philanthropy. I’ll never forget the cadets, many of whom had thrived in the VMI environment, who frankly stated that it was a scholarship that got them to Lexington and into barracks. If the financial support had not been there, they would have been forced to make another choice. Certainly, I cannot neglect extending thanks to our staff. The Foundation’s work can be summed up in three simple words: fundraising, stewardship and management. Yet, the simplicity of 2014-Issue 2

those words belies the fact that the Foundation’s work is very sophisticated and, often, very complicated. Our staff, from top to bottom, always has met the challenges of this work and brought us immense success. All of them deserve the thanks of the VMI family. A few deserve a special mention. Our CEO, Brian Scott Crockett, is about to celebrate his fifth anniversary at the Foundation. He has done an outstanding job, and the improvements he has made in prospect management, donor relations and other areas have helped to ensure the Foundation’s continued success. On the same day that I retire as president of the Foundation, two truly exceptional employees also will retire: Frances Arehart and Douglas E. “Red” Taylor. Our current corporate secretary, Frances, will end almost five decades of service. Red, who has been our chief of staff in all but name, will close out 15 years of service. Both have been very instrumental in the work and success of the Foundation, and I have been extremely proud to work with each of them.

Many probably expect me to provide parting advice to my successor and my fellow trustees. I am pleased to say there is no need for it. The board is comprised of accomplished and talented people who certainly are up to the tasks at hand. Put another way, the board has a very strong bench. I am sure, too, that the Foundation will continue to attract to its board people who want to apply their talents and experience and give of their time in service to VMI. My closing thought can be summed up in one word: gratitude. I am grateful for the support and friendship of my fellow trustees and for the hard work and dedication of the staff. I am grateful for the support of my wife, Suellen, during these dozen years. Finally, I am grateful for the chance to serve the extraordinary college known as Virginia Military Institute. Editor’s Note: Unless stated otherwise, all articles in the Foundation section of the Alumni Review are provided by the Foundation.

177

VMI FOUNDATION, INC. Reunion Campaigns:

Parades, Big Checks and Lots of Work It is a relatively simple ceremony that Reunion Campaigns have acknowledged and responsible for assisting Reunion is a staple of reunion weekends in the the gifts and commitments that members Campaigns. “Some classes begin earlier fall and the spring. At the traditional reof a class make in the five years prior to than others. One recent 50th Reunion union parade on Saturday morning, the the milestone reunions. class actually began planning almost two representatives from the classes observ“The gifts and commitments that are years before the reunion.” ing their 10th, 25th and 50th Reunions – counted in any campaign’s total are not While the fundraising work is very the ones considered to be the milestone restricted to those raised after a class’s important, the first priority remains to reunions – come forward to stand with effort formally begins,” Bryan said. “For encourage maximum attendance at the the superintendent and reunion and then parleaders of the VMI Alumticipation in the reunion ni Agencies. Then, after a campaign. few words, they present a Each campaign also large facsimile check that has its own character. represents the proceeds of “Alumni may direct the class’s Reunion Camtheir gift to a variety paign. The superintendent of funds supporting thanks them on behalf of academics or athletics,” the Institute. The class Wranek said. “Howcheers. The other people ever, the 10th Reunion there applaud, and the Campaign promotes ceremony is concluded. immediate gifts and For most, the ceremony short-term commitments The traditional presentation of a class’s gift. William Talley V, Blake is a short distraction from to VMI Annual Giving Traina and Thomas Hancock presented the Class of 2003’s check, funds. A class’s 25th the parade, an interrupto the superintendent, Gen. J.H. Binford Peay III ’62, far right, and tion in a very familiar Reunion Campaign is First Vice President of the Alumni Association Turner Perrow ’96, routine. For the alumni far left, who accepted it on behalf of the Institute and VMI Alumni usually when endowpresenting it, the check ments are established Agencies, respectively. Photo by Julie Rivera. represents the culminato generate scholarship tion of many months, if not years, of example, although they may not know it at aid, provide unrestricted funds to the preparation and work. For the Institute, the time, the gifts that a class makes after Institute and support specific programs it represents millions of dollars in vital its 20th Reunion will count toward the on post. It is also when alumni begin private financial support of every aspect 25th Reunion Campaign total. Also, after thinking about their legacy and consider of VMI’s extraordinary education. the 25th Reunion Campaign, new gifts and making planned gifts. The 50th Reunion The Reunion Campaigns began in 1966 commitments that are made to permanent Campaigns often urge brother rats to when the Class of 1916 conducted the endowments are counted toward the 50th give to already-established endowfirst 50th Reunion Campaign. In 1975, Reunion Campaign total.” ments as well as to ensure support of the first 25th Reunion Campaign presenEach campaign is similar in structure VMI through planned giving. However, tation was made by the Class of 1950B, in that they are led and organized by a classes approaching their 50thReunion and in 1993, the Class of 1983 inaugucommittee of brother rats of the respecwill often adopt a new program at the rated the first 10th Reunion Campaign. tive classes. Often, the class agent and Institute or develop a new one. Recently, “Foundation trustee Joe Collins ’16 the leaders of the class – the president, some classes have established endowinitiated the idea of a 50th Campaign as vice president and historian – form the ments to support the Center for Leadera way to encourage increased giving by core of the Reunion Campaign Commitship and Ethics. Mindful of their status classes as they reached their milestone tee. However, in many situations, various as the “New Market Centennial Class,” reunion,” said Warren J. “Buddy” Bryan members of the class volunteer to lead the Class of 1964, for example, has es’71, Foundation vice president. “It was an the effort. This small group recruits the tablished the Cadet New Market Legacy opportunity to demonstrate their loyalty brother rats who will become the Reunion Award Fund, which to the Institute in a tangible way. The Campaign Committee, the group that will offers cadets an opportunity to recogother campaigns were added as a way to do much of the actual fundraising work. nize a brother rat whose character and engage alumni in philanthropy to VMI at “While the reunion framework is the commitment reflect those of the cadets younger ages.” same, each class sets its own timetable,” of New Market, as well as established a According to Bryan, something else to explained John Wranek ’85, who is vice fund to support the New Market Battlekeep in mind is that, from their beginning, president of Annual and Reunion Giving field Museum.”

178

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

VMI FOUNDATION, INC. The work of any Reunion Campaign begins with the first meeting of the Reunion Campaign Committee on post, usually about a year away from the actual reunion. At this meeting, the goals of the campaign are set in terms of dollars to be raised and participation. After that meeting, members of the Reunion Committee will contact their assigned brother rats and solicit them for their gifts and commitments. In this work, as well as in the initial planning phase, each campaign receives hours of support from Wranek and his staff. “From the very beginning of each effort, we provide various services from mailings to lists of prospects to advice on goals and objectives,” Wranek said. “We organize the meetings on post as well as ensure that all contact information is up-to-date.” During the campaign, each committee sends out reminders to brother rats of the coming deadline regarding the campaign and the reunion. The titles by which these letters are referred correspond to the nicknames that bugle calls have at VMI, e.g, “Big Toot,” “Little Toot” and “Shake-a-Leg.” “As readers probably can guess, the ‘Shake-a-Leg’ letter is mailed quite close to the end of the campaign,” Wranek said. As a class’s reunion weekend draws closer, the Call Center begins its efforts on behalf of the campaign. “The cadet callers in the center, organized by Stewart Wilkinson ’12, will attempt to contact those members of the class who have been somewhat elusive or non-committal in an attempt to build more support,” Wranek said. “Of course, alumni enjoy talking with cadets, and often, a conversation with a member of the Corps is what convinces an alumnus to join the effort. If possible, we also ask the reunion chairman or a representative from the Reunion Campaign Committee to participate in the Call Center’s effort.” Often, the fundraising continues up until the last moment. It is not uncommon for class leaders to make a final appeal for participation in the Reunion Campaign at the Friday night social event and for alumni to make substantial

2014-Issue 2

gifts and commitments on the spot. It’s no surprise that the staff of the Annual and Reunion Giving office is in early on the morning of the parade, making the final adjustment to the facsimile check that will be presented in mere hours. “Things can get quite busy on Saturday morning,” admitted Wranek. “However, there is a sense of immense excitement, too, especially if a campaign is about to meet or surpass its goals in terms of donations and/or commitments.” And what happens after the presentation? “Well, the reunion class still has to meet its commitments to the Institute, and there is a letter that goes out to the class that serves as a wrap-up and final report on the campaign,” Wranek said. “The Foundation and the Keydet Club begin their normal stewardship activities including acknowledgment letters and receipts related to gifts and commitments. And the process continues on all the other Reunion Campaigns still being conducted or in the planning phase. It really never ends.” “Through the Reunion Campaign process, the Institute and the Corps of Cadets receive tens of millions of dollars in gifts and commitments,” said Brian Scott Crockett, CEO of the VMI Foundation. “Just as important, it engages hundreds of alumni with the life of the Institute – some of them for the first time since they left barracks. So, undeniably, these are important efforts. They also are immensely exciting and great fun for the alumni as well as for the staffs of the Foundation and the Keydet Club.” “The credit for the success of these Reunion Campaigns,” Crockett continued, “of course, belongs to the generous alumni and family members who make the gifts and commitments and the alumni who accept a leadership role in these efforts. However, every successful class owes a large measure of thanks to the men and women on the staff of the Alumni Agencies, especially the team that John Wranek leads as vice president for Annual and Reunion Giving: Marilyn Dudley, Norma Robinson and Stewart Wilkinson ’12,” Crockett concluded.

Arehart Retires, Completes Nearly 50 Years of Service

Frances Arehart On June 30, 2014, the Foundation will bid farewell to its corporate secretary, Frances Arehart, who will retire after almost five decades of service. Arehart began working at the Foundation Jan. 14, 1965, as a part-time secretary to Joseph D. Neikirk ’32, the Foundation’s executive vice president. Since then, she has held many important positions within the organization. In the mid-1980s, Arehart became the administrative assistant to the thendirector of VMI Annual Giving (and the current CEO of the Keydet Club), Gregory M. Cavallaro ’84, and later was promoted to associate director of Annual Giving. In 1990, she became the director of Annual Giving, which she describes as “probably my favorite job,” and one she remembers with great affection. “It actually gave me the best of all worlds,” Arehart said. “I worked with a wonderful group of class agents, many of whom I stay in contact with to this day. I also was able to be in contact with thousands of alumni, all of whom loved

179

VMI FOUNDATION, INC. VMI and wanted to know how they could help. Finally, I was able to work with cadets through the Call Center and other programs. I am honored that many of these alumni, some of whom have children who have been or who are cadets, still stay in contact, and I cherish those relationships.” In 1997, she took up the task of dealing with the Foundation’s expanding stewardship efforts. One year later, she became involved with the day-to-day administration of the capital campaign, Reveille: A Call to Excel. In 2002, she became the Foundation’s corporate secretary. In that position, she has remained active in stewardship, provided outstanding assistance to the board of trustees, acted as personal secretary to the executive vice president and chief executive officer, and played a major role in organizing special events, such as the Institute Society Dinner and the Benefactors Luncheon. Recently, she was asked if she had special memories of the people with whom she worked. “I will always respect and be grateful for Mr. Neikirk who gave me my first job at the Foundation,” she said. “He was as much concerned with my future as he was with my daily performance. I am eternally grateful to him for insisting that, from that very beginning, I save for my retirement. Otherwise, I’d be working another 50 years. “Harry Warner ’57 is, without a doubt, the kindest and most humble boss I have worked for. I owe much of my success at the Foundation to him, and I treasure my friendship with Harry and his wife, Sis, to this day. “Skip Roberts’68 was the right man for the job as VMI was going through the coeducation process. He truly cared about every employee, and he and his wife, Kay, even established a fund to recognize both excellent performance and those enduring personal hardship. “Finally, Jim Adams ’71 was and is a special favorite. I got to know him through my dearest friend, Evelyn, who worked for Jim when he worked for VMI in the ’70s. He and his wife, Donna, were tremendously kind and supportive when Evelyn died unexpectedly, and I never forgot it. So, it was a special day when he returned to VMI as executive vice president of the Foundation.

180

“My current boss, Brian Crockett, is perhaps the most people-oriented person I have ever worked with. I swear he knows more people in Rockbridge County than I do, and I was raised here! He truly has never met a stranger, and he has been a great addition to the Foundation. “Finally, there are former co-workers who were special to me: John Walters’66, Brenda Elliott, Lu Dooley, Kathy Wise, Jeff Morgan ’80, Kurt Iverson ’85, Patsy Hogan, Marge Austin and JoAnne Perkins. I could go on and on. They know who they are and how much I am indebted to them. “All this points to a fact about the Foundation,” Arehart said. “Sure, I will miss the excitement of busy times, such as board meetings and special events, but like many other people, the reason why I started at the Foundation and stayed for a career is simple: the people. I cherish my relationship with the staff I work with on a daily basis and know that our friendships will endure long after I retire.” As to her retirement plans, Arehart joked, “Well, everyone says, ‘I want to spend more time with my family.’ Part of my family already lives here, and another just moved back home, so I am in good shape there. I will travel frequently to northern Virginia to visit my son and his family.” While she is still considering many options, Arehart has one project in mind. “I have said for years that I would wait until retirement to replace my beloved dog, Wilder, who was a gift from a very special co-worker. I plan to train and care for a new Golden Retriever puppy.” She also offered some advice for anyone who is thinking about working for the Foundation. “Listen to the ‘old hands.’ They might not have the most recent technologies or ‘best practices’ at their fingertips, but they do have decades of experience in dealing with our alumni. The nature and character of our alumni have changed little in my experience.” “Also,” Arehart continued, “get involved with something at VMI besides work. I have been able to take advantage of events, such as plays, concerts and lectures. I have become one of VMI basketball’s biggest fans. I never miss a home game, and I have had the same seat in Cameron Hall for decades. I also

have traveled as far as Hawaii to watch the Keydets play. So, check out all that happens at VMI, and find out where your interests lie.” Walton M. Jeffress Jr. ’68, president of the Foundation, expressed his appreciation of Arehart. “Frances has been a very special person at the Foundation,” Jeffress said. “She always was willing to apply her talents where they were most needed. That willingness, coupled with her wonderful spirit and positive attitude, allowed her to do so much to improve the Foundation’s effectiveness on behalf of the Institute and its cadets. More importantly, she has been a devoted friend to innumerable cadets and forged close and lasting relationships with literally hundreds of alumni. I cannot imagine an individual serving the same organization and institution for nearly 50 years. I believe that Frances’ record of longevity and service to the Foundation is one of those records that may never be broken.” “Five years ago, when I arrived on post,” said Brian Scott Crockett, CEO of the Foundation, “Frances was instrumental in my efforts to get acquainted with VMI and the many people who work for it and support it. She knew all the people I needed to know and what I needed to know about them. Thanks to her, my transition was easy and fast. I have also learned that Frances has a lot of institutional memory that will be impossible to replace. She knows the key alumni and their families, remembers the background on all the important issues and board [of trustees] decisions over the years, and knows where the ‘skeletons’ are hidden. Frances has promised to take a phone call every now and then, to give me an answer to a hard question or advice on a tough issue, and I plan to take her up on it.” Seeing as she is closing her career, it seemed right to give her the last word. “I obviously love this job, or I would not have stayed so long in it. I also love everything about VMI: the way it goes about its business and the graduates it sends out into the world every year. The people on post are all like family to me, and the cadets represent the very best for our future. I have been very fortunate to have been part of it.”

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

VMI FOUNDATION, INC. VMI Young Alumni Victorious in First Silver Shako Showdown

The Silver Shako Showdown was spearheaded by young alumni Stewart Wilkinson ’12, right, and Andrew Deal ’12.

In August 2013, The Citadel Foundation approached VMI with an idea that would engage young alumni in a giving challenge. The Silver Shako Showdown, an effort spearheaded by Stewart Wilkinson ’12 and Andrew Deal ’12, commenced. When all the counting was done Nov. 13, 2013, VMI emerged victorious. “Participation was the goal, which really was an advantage, because young alumni could give any amount – the size of the gift didn’t matter,” Wilkinson said. John Wranek ’85, vice president for Annual and Reunion Giving at the VMI Foundation, said that of the 5,500 young alumni, 751 participated in the Showdown, a rate of 13.6 percent. “The Citadel garnered 731 donors, but, with a larger base of 6,800 young alumni, its final participation figure was 10.8 percent.” Playing off the big rivalry game between the two schools, the Military Classic of the South, the Showdown was named after the Silver Shako trophy awarded to the winning team. “With the Military Classic of the South on Nov. 16, we set Nov. 11 as the deadline for donations,” Wranek said. “That gave us only about five weeks to work.” Wilkinson, who is the assistant director of Annual and Reunion Giving at the Foundation, said that he and Deal, a development officer with the Keydet 2014-Issue 2

Club, were the driving force behind the challenge, encouraging fellow young alumni to step up. “As young alumni, we felt we should be the ones to move forward on this project, but it was a team effort,” Wilkinson said. “I reached out to all the class agents who were young alumni and asked them to reach out to all their brother rats through Facebook and email. Then, we sent a couple different solicitations.” Young alumni were contacted about the challenge several times via mass emails as well as a postcard mailing. The VMI Office of Communications and Marketing created a video showcasing cadets and Mo the mascot that was posted on the Showdown’s website. Visitors of the website were greeted by a call to arms: “We have been challenged by our arch rivals, The Citadel! Will you answer?” Lt. Col. Kate Crossman, Web communications designer and editor with Communications and Marketing, said the Foundation came to her with ideas for the website. “It was definitely a team effort,” Crossman said. “Lt. Col. Amy Goetz created the video, B.R. Floyd provided me with beautiful extractions of the Silver Shako trophy and helmets, and John Stark ’08 in Sports Information generously shared the library of images he had.”

The coveted Silver Shako trophy is awarded to the winning team of the Military Classic of the South.

For the design, Crossman said she included a countdown that highlighted the days and time left in the challenge to create immediacy, made it mobile-friendly and tried to keep it simple. “It had to be a design that both The Citadel and VMI could feel good about,” Crossman said. As an added incentive to give, Wranek, Floyd, Wilkinson and Deal designed a “Beat Citadel” sticker that young alumni received if they made a gift. VMI was announced as the Showdown winner during the Classic. While Keydet fans and alumni alike were disappointed by the football loss to The Citadel, the Showdown victory was unprecedented. Although the goal of the Showdown was participation, the money given by the younger alumni is noteworthy – an impressive $195,000. Furthermore, of the donors, 184 made their first gift to VMI through the challenge. Brian Crockett, CEO of the VMI Foundation, said the Silver Shako Showdown was a success in many ways, adding another measure of fun and excitement into an already highly-anticipated event on the Institute’s calendar – the game against The Citadel. “Overall, the Silver Shako Showdown was a huge success, and it feels good to beat The Citadel,” Deal said. “The overwhelming support received from our young alumni proves that VMI has a very exciting future.” 181

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, 2013, through Jan. 31, 2014.

Mr. Nate L. Adams II ’45

Retired Col. and Mrs. Douglas E. Taylor, USA

Mr. Michael E. Amann ’00 Mr. Scott F. McInnis ’00

Col. Paul L. Applin Jr. ’48B, USA Mrs. Phillip S. Richardson Jr.

Mr. Arthur J. Armstead II ’81 Mr. Chalmers L. Glenn IV ’80

Mr. Thomas C. Armstrong Jr. ’54 Mrs. Thomas C. Armstrong Jr.

Gen. Turner Ashby, CSA

Mr. Philip Moncure Morton

Mr. Leland D. Baker ’35

Mr. Donald R. McMath ’71

Mr. Robert Emerson Balch ’71 Mr. Michael M. Strickler ’71

Col. John G. Barrett ’44 Mr. Stephen E. Hupp ’84

Mr. George L. Barton IV ’66

Mr. James L. Whitehurst Jr. ’66

Mr. Joseph X. Bell ’38 Anonymous

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

Mr. Harry E. Bennett Jr. ’58

Mr. Francis E. Boeggeman ’58 Class of 1958 Retired Lt. Col. Theron A. Henry Jr. ’58, USAF Mr. Maurice F. Menefee Jr. ’58 Mr. Jan B. Woodman ’58

James J. Berny ’75, M.D.

Ms. Mary E. Bacani Mr. and Mrs. Vincent S. Bacon Mr. and Mrs. Philip Baratta Mrs. James J. Berny and Family Ms. Jacqueline M. Bibo Ms. Catherine A. Campana Mr. and Mrs. Americo Campopiano Jr. Ms. Ginger Campopiano Canyon Woods Friends and Neighbors CDA Mr. and Mrs. William DeToro Mr. and Mrs. Robert A. Diss Dr. HS & Florence Wang Family Foundation East Liverpool City Hospital – Surgery Department

182

Mr. and Mrs. Bruce R. Epstein Eye Care Associates, Inc. Philip R. Frank ’75, M.D. Mr. and Mrs. Larry J. Gessner Mr. and Mrs. Antonio Gestosani Mr. and Mrs. Sean M. Giblin Mr. John D. Greene ’75 Hearts and Flowers Mr. John R. Jakubek Mr. and Mrs. James Johannesen Mrs. Linda Krieger Mr. Robert A. Lane ’75 Mr. and Mrs. Stephen C. Liptak Dr. and Mrs. Richard J. Marina James W. McCriskin ’75, M.D. Mr. and Mrs. James M. Mocker Mr. John A. Mocker Professor Harley R. Myler Jr. ’75 National Cyber-Forensics and Training Alliance Ms. Diane M. Osborne Ms. Sylvia Pantalone Ms. Rose Mary Pitzo Mr. and Mrs. James D. Reay Mr. Joseph J. Rizzolo ’75 Mrs. Janis Roskoph Mr. and Mrs. Robert D. Sahli Ms. Nelya Stefanides Dr. and Mrs. Eric W. Svenson Taylor Kia Mr. and Mrs. Gregory H. Teraikian The Junior League of Youngstown Mr. and Mrs. Jason H. Wilson Mr. and Mrs. John York YWCA of Youngstown

Mr. William L. Black Jr. ’64 Mr. Edward M. Seager ’64

Capt. Thomas G. Blair Jr. ’69, USA Mr. Bruce O. Beaulieu ’69

Mr. Crispin P. Blanchette ’68 Mr. L. Bruce McGlothlin ’68

Mr. W.R. Blandford Jr. ’69 Mr. Paul J. Mascot ’69 Mr. E. Glenn White ’69

Mrs. Kimberley F. Bosiger

Mr. Dabney T.P. Gilliam Jr. ’76 and Mrs. Gilliam

Mr. Johnny S. Bowen Mr. Stanley R. Bowen

Mrs. D.E. Brady Jr.

Mr. A. Brockenbrough ’21 Mr. David Lyons

Col. George M. Brooke Jr. ’36 Col. Thomas W. Davis ’64

Mr. Clifton R. Brooks Jr. ’70 Mr. Richard H. Knight Jr. ’70 and Mrs. Knight

Mr. J.G. Browder ’66

Mr. Michael J. Bache ’66 Mr. David R. Gehr ’68 Mr. William A. Gregory ’66 Mr. Robert H. Morecock ’56, P.E. Mr. Ira P. Parkman ’66 and Mrs. Parkman Mr. Edward B. Willis ’66

Mr. Lindsay U. Bruce Jr. Mr. David B. Bruce ’94

Mr. Clyde M. Bryant Jr. ’62 Mrs. Clyde M. Bryant Jr.

Dr. Chester F. Burgess Jr.

Mr. Robert R. Sparks Jr. ’69

Mr. R.B. Burroughs Jr. ’50B

Mrs. Richard B. Burroughs Jr.

The Honorable Harry F. Byrd Jr. ’35 Mr. Terence L. Bowers ’68

The Honorable Bruce B. Cameron ’38 Mrs. Alice F. Stanfield

Mr. Peter R. Candler ’71

Mr. Ronald L. Gault Jr. ’71

Mrs. Jane G. Carpenter

Mrs. Frances W. Arehart Col. and Mrs. George Piegari

Mr. John D. Chapla ’68 Class of 1968

Mr. Richard W. Chaplin ’51

Mr. Joe T. Howard ’51 and Mrs. Howard Mr. John J. Ross III ’51 and Mrs. Ross Mr. Jacob H. Wamsley II ’51

Mr. I. Lee Chapman III ’65

Walton D. Stallings Jr. ’65, Ph.D.

Lt. Robert A. Chaszar Jr. ’88, USN

Maj. Marilyn R. Pearson

Mr. Cloyd T. Tavenner IV ’88 Mr. J. Scott Miller ’88

Mr. Cary R. Branch Jr. ’49B

Mr. Edwin H. Chauncey ’55

Mr. G.T. Challoner ’49B Retired Col. George W. Dooley Jr. ’49B, USAF Mr. Ronald L. Gault ’71 Betty Mitchell, Brian Richardson and Lee Mitchell

Col. James T. Breckinridge ’46, USMC Mrs. Julia B. Davis

Mr. Warren F. Chauncey

Mr. and Mrs. J.F. Coffey Mr. David W. Coffey

Dr. and Mrs. L.A. Colquitt

Dr. and Mrs. Landon A. Colquitt IV

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

VMI FOUNDATION, INC. Col. James P. Connolly II ’51, USMC Mrs. James P. Connolly II

Col. Herbert N. Dillard Jr. ’34

Mr. Burton J. Conway ’55

Col. Thomas W. Davis ’64 Mr. Philip G. Hannum Jr. ’71 Mr. Donald F. Howard ’54 Mr. Donald M. Wilkinson ’61

Mr. Howard J. Cook III ’01

Sgt. Ryan E. Doltz ’00, ANG

Retired Col. S.R. Hanmer Jr. ’55, USA Mr. William F. Steinbach II ’99

Maj. Walter B. Cormack

Mr. Robert D. Grossman ’70

Mr. George T. Cowherd Jr. ’51 Mrs. George T. Cowherd Jr.

Mr. Edwin Cox III ’53 Anonymous

Mrs. Edwin Cox III Anonymous

Mrs. Cortlandt P. Creech Ms. Juliana Creech

Mr. Rodney G. Crowgey ’68 Mr. Jay B. Slaughter ’68

Mr. William E. Crumpler ’53 Mr. W. Scott Crumpler ’82

Mr. W. Jennings Culley

Anne M. Whittemore, Esq.

Col. William H. Dabney ’61, USMC Mr. John G. King ’90

Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Daves Mr. S.L. Kopald Jr.

The Honorable Jose R. Davila Jr. Mr. T.S. Williamson III ’54

Col. Edward P. Davis ’49C, USA

Retired Col. George W. Dooley ’49B, USAF

Mr. William G. Davis ’68

Mr. Cyrus K. Kump ’68 Retired Col. James D. Polley IV ’68, USA

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

Col. Charles H. Dayhuff ’31, USA

Retired Lt. Col. Charles H. Dayhuff III ’59, USAR

Mr. Felix E. Deacon III ’77

Mrs. Frances W. Arehart Mr. Craig T. Forbes ’77 Ms. Elizabeth Rawles Retired Col. and Mrs. Douglas E. Taylor, USA

Deceased Brother Rats - Class of 1965 Mr. Wayne D. Chiles ’65

Deceased Members of 1958 Mr. Francis E. Boeggeman ’58

2014-Issue 2

Mr. William Tong ’97

Mr. Joseph L. Earnhardt Mr. Joseph L. Earnhardt

Mr. Wayne R. Eggleston ’88

Col. Henry J. Amato Jr. ’89, USA Mr. and Mrs. Wayne R. Eggleston

Jessica W. Elam

Lt. Col. Charles R. Elam III

Mr. Judson M. Ellis Jr. ’49C Mrs. Judson M. Ellis Jr.

Cadet John A. Evans ’13

Mr. and Mrs. Phillip Nelson

Mr. Richard R. Fletcher Miss Margaret Davis

Lt. Russell C. Flournoy ’99, USN Mr. William F. Steinbach II ’99

The Honorable Daniel F. Flowers ’40 Mrs. Daniel F. Flowers

Mr. Bruce Fowler ’56

Mrs. Bruce Fowler Mr. Armand W. Wagner ’57

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

Lt. Arthur L. Galloway ’69, USA

Mr. Bruce O. Beaulieu ’69 Retired Lt. Col. Joseph N. Flanz ’69, USA

Mr. James E. Gates

Mr. Damon E. Gates

James Samuel Gillespie III ’94 Col. and Mrs. George Piegari

Mrs. Sara Douglas Robertson Gnilka Mr. Robert Crumpler III ’07

Mr. Warren M. Goddard Jr. ’53 John Goddard Mrs. Joel L. McGrady

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

The Honorable Elmon T. Gray ’46

Bruce Barclay Cameron Foundation, Inc. Richard and Aggie Cullen Mr. and Mrs. Thomas F. Farrell II

Mr. Monroe M. Gregory Jr. ’47 Mr. Ronald L. Gault ’71

Mr. R.A. Guthans ’51 Mrs. R.A. Guthans

Lt. Col. Carroll B. Guthrie III ’67, USA

Retired Col. Douglas H. Mills ’67, USA

Mr. Walter C. Gwaltney ’62

Mr. Antony Beck Mr. Warren J. Bryan ’71 and Mrs. Bryan Mr. J.E. Burton IV ’79 Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert E. Butler Jr. Mr. Spencer H. Elmore ’62 Fink’s Jewelers, Inc. Mr. and Mrs. John P. Frye Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas F. Garnett Jr. Mr. and Mrs. R. Devereux Jarratt Mr. John C. Lanford ’52 Mr. Chip Lazarus ’55 Mr. and Mrs. Charles I. Lunsford II Mr. C. Douglas Marechal ’62 Rev. George T. Mustard ’67 Ms. Anne N. Parrott Gen. J.H.B. Peay III ’62 Mr. J. Bowles Pender Jr. ’62 Mr. Walter C. Perrin II ’62 and Mrs. Perrin Herbert P. Rhodes Jr. ’62, M.D., and Mrs. Rhodes Mr. and Mrs. Carlton B. Waskey Mr. Jeffrey L. Werchowski Mr. and Mrs. S. Wilson Whitehurst III Mr. L.B. Wilson Jr. ’62

Mr. and Mrs. Otey W. Hall Mr. Conrad M. Hall ’65

Mr. William A. Hallett Jr. ’47 Mr. Ronald L. Gault Jr. ’71

Col. Leroy D. Hammond ’57, USA Mrs. Leroy D. Hammond

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

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

Mr. Bruce R. Hazelgrove Jr. Ms. Mary B. Glaize

Col. Sterling M. Heflin ’916 Mr. and Mrs. Ted H. Brown

Mr. Hans W. Henzel ’49C Mr. W. Bruce Taylor ’49C

Pfc. Robert E. Herman Col. Paul H. Herbert

Mr. John A. Herring ’51

Mrs. Gerald E. Smallwood

183

VMI FOUNDATION, INC. Mr. Benjamin H. Hicks Jr. ’68 Class of 1968

Mr. Henry B. Higby Jr. ’51

Col. Willard M. Hays ’51 Mr. John J. Ross III ’51 and Mrs. Ross Mr. Jacob H. Wamsley II ’51 and Mrs. Wamsley

Mr. Mike Hildebrand ’63 Mrs. Ira P. Hildebrand III

B. Richard Hill ’68, D.D.S.

Mr. Creigh J. Kelley ’68 Mr. Cyrus K. Kump ’68 Mr. George H. Roberts Jr. ’68

Mr. Fred B. Hill ’41

Mr. Charles A. Brintle

Mr. Shawn G. Hogan ’06

Capt. Lewis S. Bartholomew ’06, USA Capt. John C. Diehl IV ’06, WVARNG Lt. Christopher M. Stolle ’06, USN Mr. Brian J. Welch ’07

Mr. Howard R. Holley

American Legion Post 325, Inc. Mr. George D. Dyer ’66 Mr. and Mrs. Peter Howard Ms. Deborah A. Lauterbach Dr. and Mrs. Malcolm J. Mallery Steven and Ronnie Mand Mr. and Mrs. Coy L. Saul Dr. and Mrs. Jim Shearer Mr. and Mrs. Gregory E. Surratt Mr. and Mrs. John E. Turner Ms. Annabelle S. White Max and Roslyn Wingett

Mr. Kenneth F. Johnson ’62

Mr. John C. Allen ’62 and Mrs. Allen Mr. J. Bowles Pender Jr. ’62

Col. Royce E. Jones ’55

Mr. William K. Kays Jr. ’55

Mr. Kerry W. Keach ’77 Mr. Rafael B. Davis ’77

Ms. Patricia Keilty

Retired Cmdr. Kevin J. Keilty ’83, USN, and Mrs. Keilty

Mr. Garry J. Kemple ’63

Mr. L. Anthony Hancock ’63 Mr. Robert B. Powell ’63

Capt John W. Kennedy ’69, USAF Mr. Bruce O. Beaulieu ’69 Mr. Glenn Allen Geiger ’71

Mr. Ernest L. Keppel ‘42

Retired Col. John M. Patton ’42, USAF

Mrs. Dolores Kostelni Mr. James C. Kostelni

Azis LaSida

Mr. Lolo F. LaSida ’94

Maj. Stanley E. Leck ’79, USAR Mr. Gregory M. Leck ’77

Mr. William J. Leck ’51

Mr. John J. Ross III ’51 and Mrs. Ross Mr. Jacob H. Wamsley II ’51 and Mrs. Wamsley

Maj. Henry B. Holliday

Mr. Lloyd L. Leech III ’66

Mr. William H. Hoofnagle Jr. ’36

Josh Level

Ms. Barbara J. Wertz

Mr. William H. Hoofnagle III ’67 and Mrs. Hoofnagle

Dr. Ahmad Eftekhar Hosseini Reza Eftekhar ’09, D.C.

Mr. Richard D. Hudson ’47

Judge Samuel M. Hairston ’47

Mr. Campbell C. Hyatt Jr. ’29 Mr. and Mrs. Larry P. Egan

Mr. Albert M. Jackson ’68

Mr. L. Bruce McGlothlin ’68

Ms. Anna M. Jackson

Mrs. Elizabeth P. Beyeler

Mr. Spruel P. James III ’78 Mr. Richard C. Wolffe Jr. ’78

Mrs. Charles E. Johnson Jr. ’26 Mr. C.E. Johnson IV

184

Mrs. Lloyd L. Leech III

Mr. and Mrs. James P. Chapman Jr.

Mr. Frank A. Liddell Jr. ’49B Mrs. Gerald E. Smallwood

Mr. Peter H. Lyons ’54

Mr. T.S. Williamson III ’54

Mr. Phillip B. Marley ’63 Mrs. Phillip B. Marley

Mrs. Austin W. Martenstein III Mr. Clinton N. Clifford

Mrs. James G. Martin IV

Mr. Conrad M. Hall ’65 Mr. and Mrs. Richard C. Parker

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

Capt. James J. Masotti ’59, USA Mr. John C. Reed ’59

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

Mr. Robert V. Mazzoni ’71 Mr. Jeffrey C. Carver ’71

S. Christa McAuliffe

The Honorable Steven J. McAuliffe ’70

Mr. Albert E. McCants Jr. ’55

Mrs. Charles W. Best Jr. Robert H. Bowden Jr. ’55, M.D., and Mrs. Bowden Retired Col. S.R. Hanmer Jr.’55, USA

Mr. Michael A. McCrory ’69

Retired Lt. Col. Joseph N. Flanz ’69, USA Mr. Glenn Allen Geiger ’71

Col. Joel L. McGrady ’72, USA Mrs. Joel L. McGrady

Mr. Thomas C. McLeod ’43 Mr. James A. McLeod ’72

Mr. Walter H. Meier III ’72 Mr. W.R. Beerbower ’72

Mr. Thaddeus J. Meler ‘48A

Retired Lt. Col. Daniel W. Czupryna ’71, USA Ms. Dora T. Meler

Mr. Charles E. Maddox Jr. ’68

Mr. and Mrs. Ronald J. Menia

Lt. Col. Henry V. Maeger ’69, USA

Mr. Peter M. Meredith ’50B

Mr. Cyrus K. Kump ’68

Retired Col. Paul A. Curs ’69, USANG

Mr. Michael T. Mahoney ’68 Mr. L. Bruce McGlothlin ’68

Mrs. Karen B. Marchant

Mr. Michael T. Smither ’63

Mr. Paul C. Marks ’46

Mr. Paul D.C. Marks Jr. ’69 Mr. Thomas B. Thompson Jr. ’69 Mr. C. Ben Vanderberry ’75

Mrs. Janet Menia

Col. R.S. Morton ’50B, USAFR Mr. Fred L. Silver ’50B

Mr. John A. Michelsen ’57

Mr. John E. Woodward Jr. ’57

Mr. H. Norwood Michie Jr. ’50B Mrs. Gerald E. Smallwood

Mr. Hugh L. Miller ’23

Dr. and Mrs. J. Stuart McDaniel

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

VMI FOUNDATION, INC. Mr. Hugh L. Miller ’59

Mr. S. Willis Parsons ’35

Mr. A. Kolbet Schrichte ’53

Mr. W. Clark Minnigerode ’92

Mr. Robert H. Patterson ’49C

Mr. Vincent C. Scott ’66

Dr. and Mrs. J. Stuart McDaniel Mr. David T. Massie ’92

Mr. Robert R. Mitchell Jr. ’68 Mr. Paul J. Mascot ’69

Maj. Joseph G. Mixson ’57, USMC Ms. K. Marie Houser Mrs. Joseph G. Mixson

Mr. Richard W. Moncure ’40 Mrs. Mary P. Watson

Mrs. Anne L. Moore

Mr. Herman C. Moore

Mr. Robert M. Moore ’74 Mr. Stevan H. Brodie ’74 Ms. Colleen Spaeth

Mr. John L. Morgan ’55

Mr. Matthew H. Morgan ’87

Samuel C. Morris III ’65, Sc.D. Mr. Winston O. Huffman ’65

Mr. C. Thomas Mustian ’65 Mrs. C. Thomas Mustian

Mr. H. Albert Nance Jr. ’67

Retired Col. Michael J. Ingelido II ’67, USAF

Mrs. Barbara H. Navas

Mrs. Frances W. Arehart Retired Col. and Mrs. Douglas E. Taylor, USA

Col. James B. Newman II ’39, USA Mr. and Mrs. Ted H. Brown

Capt. Michael W. Newton ’03, USA 1st Lt. John O. Noonan ’03, USAF

Mr. Corville J. Nohava ’69

Retired Lt. Col. Joseph N. Flanz ’69, USA

Mr. Charles D. North ’30

Mr. and Mrs. Dennis R. Howard

Mr. Temple R. North ’73

Mr. and Mrs. Dennis R. Howard

Mrs. Nelson T.Overton

Shirley Burrell, Dr. Harry Burrell, Diane Burrell Cookson and Scott Burrell Mr. G.T. Challoner ’49B

Mr. Dean Owens

Mr. Robert G. Owens

Louis S. Pappas ’72, M.D. Mr. Ronald L. Gault ’71

Clinton E. Parker ’57, Ph.D. Mrs. Clinton E. Parker

2014-Issue 2

Mr. Donald R. McMath ’71

Richard and Aggie Cullen Mr. and Mrs. Thomas F. Farrell II Mr. Ronald L. Gault ’71 Anne M. Whittemore, Esq.

Mr. Jay D. Patton ’62

Mr. J. Bowles Pender ’62

Lt. Col.Carl N. Payne ’41, USAF Class of 1941

Mr. Robert N. Petrola ’71 Mr. W.R. Beerbower ’72 Mr. Ronald L. Gault ’71 Mr. Paul F. Gibson ’71 Mr. Michael Gary Rogers ’71

Mr. E. Keith Phillips ’43 Mr. E. Glenn White ’69

Mr. J. Robert Philpott ’68 Mr. Cyrus K. Kump ’68

Mrs. Teresa F. Plageman Mr. Blaise C. Plageman

Reed Johnson ’53, D.Eng. Mrs. Vincent C. Scott

Jay R. Sculley ’62, Ph.D. Col. and Mrs. George Piegari Herbert P. Rhodes Jr. ’62, M.D., and Mrs. Rhodes

Mr. Tyler R. Secrest ’11

Mr. and Mrs. Richard L. Crow Dr. and Mrs. Joel Secrest

Mr. Dan Shawl

Mr. Dave B. Jordan

Mr. Wilson E.D. Shepherd ’50B

Golden Horseshoe Chapter of Back Country Horsemen of America

Mr. Augustus G. Shirley ’31

Retired Col. Henry G. Shirley II ’60, USAF

Mr. George Shrieves ’58

Class of 1958 Retired Lt. Col. Theron A. Henry ’58, USAF Mr. Maurice F. Menefee ’58

Mr. Stanley E. Poston ’74

Rev. Carl Simmons ’47

Merrill F. Prugh ’65, M.D.

Mr. Gordon K. Slaughter ’39

Mr. George R. Pryde

Mr. Gerald E. Smallwood ’50B

Mr. Donald F. Prystaloski ’63

Col. Albert C. Smith ’47, USMC

Mr. Lewis B. Puller ’21

Mr. Frederick M. Smith ’69

Mr. Robert F. Taylor ’74 Mrs. Merrill F. Prugh Mr. Rodger Rinehart

Mr. Michael T. Smither ’63 Sgt. A.L. Scarborough

Mr. Michael J. Ragland ’69 Mr. Bruce O. Beaulieu ’69 J.C. Rasmussen ’65, Ph.D. Mr. and Mrs. Larry P. Egan

Mr. R. Jere Real ’56

Mr. Robert H. Morecock ’56, P.E.

The Honorable Ralph B. Robertson ’65 Mrs. Ralph B. Robertson

Mrs. Carl Simmons

Mr. Jay B. Slaughter ’68

Mrs. Gerald E. Smallwood Mrs. Albert C. Smith

Mr. Gary W. Mackey ’69 Mrs. Frederick M. Smith

Mrs. Jane H. Smith

Mr. Richard H. Knight ’70 and Mrs. Knight

Mr. Millard G. Smith ’43 Mr. Byrd S. Heaton

Brig. Gen. Leo E. Soucek ’49B, USA

Mr. G.T. Challoner ’49B Retired Col. George W. Dooley ’49B, USAF

Mr. Melvin P. Rucker ’83

Col. Paul W. Stagg ’48A, USA

Mr. William H. Russell ’45

Mr. Richard R. Stegemerten ’71

Mrs. Evelyn Sargent

Mr. Galen W. Swank ’03

Mr. Benjamin E. Robertson II ’83 Mrs. William H. Russell

Harvey O. Sargent III ’64, D.D.S.

Roy F. Schall ’61, Ph.D.

Mr. Stephen E. Hupp ’84

Mr. Michael M. Strickler ’71

Capt. David K. Bhatta ’06, USA Mr. Matthew A. Campbell ’03 Dennis C. Drinkwater ’03, M.D.

Mr. Hugh Schall

185

VMI FOUNDATION, INC. Mrs. Karen L. Sykes

Buzz and Jane Birzenieks ’64 Mr. William I. Rodier III ’64 Harvey O. Sargent III ’64, D.D.S.

Mr. J. Vaughan Taylor ’38 Mr. Robert H. Taylor ’75

Mrs. Powell H. Taylor

Mr. and Mrs. Stuart S. Taylor ’85

Mr. C. Michael Thacker ’68 Class of 1968 Mr. Thomas J. Hickey ’68 Mr. Thomas B. Thompson ’69

Maj. Gen. Carroll Thackston ’55, USNG Mr. Joseph F. Morrissette

Ms. Joan L. Thomas

Mr. Ned M. Mikula ’71

Mr. Robert L. Thomason ’49B

Buzz and Jane Birzenieks ’64 Mr. G.T. Challoner ’49B Retired Col. George W. Dooley ’49B, USAF Mr. Ronald L. Gault ’71 Retired Col. B.F. Harmon III ’49B, USA Mr. and Mrs. Grover C. Outland ’49B Retired Col. Daniel G. Smaw III ’49B, USA, and Mrs. Smaw

Ms. Susan V. Thompson Mr. Craig B. Lewis

Mr. James F. Thornton ’55

Mr. Frank A. Boxley ’55 Mr. Ronald M. Bryan ’55 and Mrs. Bryan Mr. Everett H. Irby ’55 Mr. Chip Lazarus ’55 Retired Lt. Col. Alan H. Shattuck ’55, USAF Retired Maj. Gen. Thomas H. Tait ’55, USA, and Mrs. Tait Retired Lt. Col. David F. Woolwine ’55, USAF

Mr. Peter P. Thornton

Ms. Barbara L. Allen The Dickey Family Dr. Keith H. Austin Ms. Rebecca H.R. Austin Mr. David D. Basten Mr. and Mrs. David B. Bice Ms. Gail F. Boswell Mr. C. Rodes Boyd ’80 Mr. Robert D. Bradley ’62 Mr. and Mrs. Terry A. Brizendine Mr. Wadsworth Bugg III ’78 Mr. J.E. Burton IV ’79 Campbell & Lineberry Campbell Insurance Company The Carlock Family – Craig ’74, Cathy, Joe and Catherine Mr. and Mrs. David A. Carter Mr. and Mrs. David M. Clough John, Elizabeth and Marcey Cook CornerStone Bank Mr. Arthur G. Costan Mr. John W. Craddock Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Frank C. Crist

186

Mr. Warren K. Crist Rob and Janice Crowder James D. Cure ’78, M.D., and Mrs. Cure Mr. and Mrs. Travis E. Daniel Jr. Mr. William R. Davidson ’55 Mr. John Drougas Mr. Alexander M. Earle ’78 Mr. Francis F. Falls David and B.G. Fewell Mr. and Mrs. William S. Fix Mr. Marshall Forbes Mr. and Mrs. Bryan S. Foster Mr. and Mrs. Randal S. Foster Mr. and Mrs. Robert J. Foy Bill, Tricia, Richard and A.K. Garner Ms. Kay Gurley Gauss Mr. Donald M. Giles ’64 Mr. William W. Grove ’78 and Mrs. Grove Mr. James B. Gurley Mr. David J. Hansen Chip and Betsy Harvey Mr. Kenneth W. Jamerson ’78 Junior League of Lynchburg Susan, Kevin and Brian Landergan Ms. Cecelia M. Lawson Stuart Carrington & Family (Susan & Tom Lowder) Mr. and Mrs. H. Michael Lucado Ms. Gwen R. Maddox Mr. Lewis A. Marsh Ms. Elizabeth W. Martin Chip and Daniele Mason Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Massie Barbara and Cleve McGehee Paul, Anna, Holly and Katherine McWane Retired Col. I. Allen Moore Jr. ’78, USAFR Mr. William R. Moore ’50A Lt. Col. Thomas A. Mortenson Letcher Newcomb and the Newcomb Family Mr. and Mrs. Bruce E. Pearson ’79 Mr. Edgar J.T. Perrow ’70 Mr. Edgar J.T. Perrow ’96 Mr. Purnell H. Pettyjohn Mr. Stephen G. Pettyjohn Ms. Joan B. Phelps Progress Printing Company Mr. and Mrs. C. Nicholas Pryor Mr. George P. Ramsey ’48B Mr. and Mrs. Larry Redmond Mr. Wesley E. Rhodes ’55 Cynthia Eggleston Robertson Mr. William S. Robertson ’78 and Mrs. Robertson Ms. Laurin K. Rogers Mr. and Mrs. Peter C. Sackett Select Bank Mr. and Mrs. T. Randolph Shannon Mr. Scot Singletary ‘78 Mr. R. Blackwell Smith II Spencer Home Center Inc Mr. and Mrs. Richard J. Sterne Mr. Daniel B. Sweeney ’80 and Mrs. Sweeney Dan, Beth, Michele, Matthew and Scottie Taylor Mr. and Mrs. Robert B. Taylor Mr. and Mrs. J. Michael Thomas

Bob Trebus Dr. Kenneth D. Tuck Mr. and Mrs. John A. Watts William W. Way ’78, D.D.S. Mrs. William W. Wharton Mr. Richard C. Wolffe ’78 Ms. Josephine B. Woods Brian Engle, Lew Snow, David Ashby, Bill Cordello, John Oppy and from Xerox

Mr. Eugene N. Touchstone ’67

Richard N. Brooke ’67, Ph.D. Retired Col. Michael J. Ingelido II ’67, USAF

Mr. Ezra B. Trice ’44

Class of 1944 Mr. Stanley Haynes Mr. Robert P. Jones ’44 and Mrs. Jones Mr. V. Jay Thompson III ’79

Mr. George T. Trumbo II ’75

Mr. John W. Trumbo ’48 and Mrs. Trumbo

Col. Carrington C. Tutwiler Col. Thomas W. Davis ’64

Franklin V. Tweedy ’50B, M.D. Mrs. Franklin V. Tweedy

Mr. Charles F. Urquhart III Mrs. Gayle Urquhart

Mr. William E. Vick ’63

Mr. Donald R. McMath ’71

Maj. Gen. Robert E. Wagner ’57, USA Mr. William L. Benson ’57 Retired Maj. Carlyle M. Lash ’70, USA

Col. Kenneth A. Walters ’87, USAF Anthony S. Brads ’87, Ed.D.

Mr. Tucker C. Watkins IV ’68 Mr. L. Bruce McGlothlin ’68

Mr. Robert L. Watson ’64 Mr. Robert L. Byrd ’63

Mr. Edgar V. Weir ’40

The Edgar V. Weir Family Foundation, Inc.

Mr. Bruce C. Wells Jr. ’52

Mr. Theodore M. Ball Jr. ’52

Mr. Larry W. Wertz ’67

Retired Col. Michael J. Ingelido II ’67, USAF

Mr. Nevins H. Wilburn ’59

Retired Col. John T. Trout Jr. ’59, USAR

Mr. Anthony M. Williams ’58 Class of 1958 Mr. Maurice F. Menefee Jr. ’58

Lt. David L. Williams ’91, USN Mr. Hans C. Peeders ’91 Col. Edward D. Wagner ’88, USA

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

VMI FOUNDATION, INC. Mr. Ernest R. Williams ’33

Bank of America Foundation, Inc.

Mr. Erskine Williams ’50B

Bechtel Foundation

Mr. John M. Willis III ’71

BMO Harris Bank

Mr. M. Anderson Williams ’65 Mr. Frank W. Cox Jr. ’50B

Mr. Ronald L. Gault Jr. ’71 Mr. and Mrs. Danilo Lopez Mr. Michael Gary Rogers ’71

Mr. Alfred B. Cramer IV ’79 Mr. Edward M. Negro ’79

Mr. and Mrs. Gary D. Ingram

Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company Mr. Easley L. Moore Jr. ’65

Package Pavement Company, Inc. Mr. William M. Fleshood ’67

Pitney Bowes Company

Mr. Benjamin W. L. Semmes III ’88

The Boeing Company

Procter & Gamble Fund

Mr. S. Frederick Winiker Jr. ’61

Capital One Mr. Jason W. Ancarrow ’97

The Prudential Foundation

Pvt. John H. Wise

Coille Limited Partnership LP

Savannah Business Services Inc.

Col. Clement L. Woodward ’53, USAR

Dominion Foundation

SCANA Corporation

Mr. A H. Wilson III ’57 Mrs. A.H. Wilson III

Mrs. S. Frederick Winiker Jr. Lt. Col. Charles R. Elam III

Mr. Robert H. Morecock ’56, P.E.

Mr. DeWitt S. Worrell ’62

Ms. K. Marie Houser Col. and Mrs. George Piegari Herbert P. Rhodes Jr. ’62, M.D., and Mrs. Rhodes Mr. L.B. Wilson Jr. ’62

Mr. Gregory R. Wright Jr. ’95 Mr. Thomas Citrano Mr. Mika Dalton Mr. Gregory Wright Sr.

Capt. Luke C. Wullenwaber ’02, USA Mr. Jackson S. Castleberry ’02 Mr. Gregory G. McDearmon ’99

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, 2013, through Jan. 31, 2014.

Retired Col. Albert L. Lahendro ’65, USAF Mr. Roy E. Palmer Jr. ’58

Mr. Robert P. Kyle ’67

Mr. Walter C. Ames III ’52 Mr. Robert A. Harris III ’55 Retired Lt. Col. Frank E. Spencer Jr. ’53, USAF Mr. John S. Thornton Jr. ’64

Entergy Corporation

Mr. Michael E. Faunce ’90

First Community Bank

Mr. G. Wayne Eastham ’76

Mr. Warren F. Chauncey

Altria Group, Inc.

Mr. William K. Bhatta ’76 Mr. Chung-Chul Chung ’88 Mr. John R. Munno ’84

American Electric Power Mr. David H. Altizer ’69 Mr. Claude L. Reynolds Mr. John H. Tucker ’78

Associa

Mr. and Mrs. William Park II

BAE Systems

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Graziano

2014-Issue 2

Mr. Ernest L. Martin ’59 Mr. R. Ted Coe ’67

Mr. John M. Cobb ’72

Science Applications International Corporation

Mr. Ben M. Bauman II ’79 Mr. Derek J. Brown ’03 Retired Lt. Col. Alan S. Fojt ’72, USA

Scitor Corporation

Retired Col. David R. Honeywell ’71, USAF

The General Electric Foundation Mr. Jennings B. Bunch Jr. ’50A

State Farm Companies Foundation

GrayCo, Inc.

SYSCO Corporation

Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc.

Texas Instruments Foundation

Ingersoll-Rand Charitable Foundation

Turner Construction Corporation

Invensys Systems, Inc.

United Technologies Corporation

Itron Inc.

Unum

The Medtronic Foundation

Verizon Foundation

Mr. Donald T. Doherty ’47 Mr. Garland Gray II ’73

Retired Gen. John P. Jumper ’66, USAF Mr. Richard C. Murphy ’60

Mr. William F. Holzgrefe ’77 Mr. Rufus Owen IV ’91

Abbott Laboratories Fund

Retired Col. Donald B. Kirchner ’70, USA Mr. Reginald O. Smith ’84

Mr. Thomas F. Reimann ’88

NACCO Industries, Inc.

Gen. John P. Jumper ’66, USAF (Ret)

Nationwide Foundation Mr. Erik D. Marechal ’92

New York Life Foundation Mr. Warren C. Budd ’64

The NewMarket Foundation Mr. James E. Rogers ’67

The Northrop Grumman Foundation Capt. Walter M. Kreitler ’80, USN

Mr. H. Lee Barnes Jr. ’69

Cmdr. Raymond J. Davis Jr. ’87, USNR Mr. Michael J. Freeman ’77 Mr. Daren M. Williams ’03 Mr. James R. Greene ’87

Mr. Willis A. Council Jr. ’82 Mr. Wayne D. Chiles ’65 Mr. Richard W. Glass ’76 Mr. Glen N. Jones ’78 Mr. David C. Ling ’73 Mr. Ralph T. Minor ’97 Mr. Daniel W. Murphy ’85 Mr. Eugene Scott Jr. ’80 Mr. A. Thomas Wallace ’54 Mr. Michael C. Zirkle ’97

Victaulic Co of America Inc Mr. Ronald L. Gault Jr. ’71

Wells Fargo Foundation Mr. Daniel C. Young ’88

Xerox Corporation

Mr. Kenneth E. Dice Jr. ’64

187

KEYDET CLUB KEYDET CLUB Letter from the Keydet Club Chief Executive Officer VMI Alumni and Family, As we sprint to the finish in the final three months of Fiscal Year 2014, I wanted to take this opportunity to share some insight and important information with you regarding VMI athletics and your Keydet Club. Since the Keydet Club’s founding in 1934, then known as The Sportsmen’s Club, generous alumni and members of the VMI family have continued to provide the support it takes for the Institute to operate a Division I athletics program. As time has progressed, so has the need for more financial support to fund programs at schools across the country. College athletics have grown exponentially over the past three decades, and the major conferences (Football Bowl Subdivision – formerly Division I-A) include schools with athletic budgets approaching $75-150 million each year. These schools are in an arms race to see who can build the largest modern facilities and pay the most sought-after coaches in the game – mostly involving football. Their student bodies have grown, they have raised student tuition fees to pay for large projects and upgrades, and some of the smaller Division I (FBS) programs are in a mountain of debt to finance their current programs. The “new” Southern Conference, with smaller student bodies than most, has managed to stay consistently within their means a – yet another reason why VMI wanted to rejoin the league. One area on which the other SoCon schools are dependent is private support through donations, which is something we’ve become incredibly good at over time! Here is a historical prospective of our efforts over the years:

Fiscal Year

Keydet Club Annual Giving

Keydet Club/VMI Foundation Alumni Participation %

1982

$561,721

45.1%

1989

$778,469

56.9%

1997

$1,011,355

34.2%

2001

$2,000,329

34.6%

2007

$3,280,430

36.2%

2009

$3,550,999

38.8%

2013

$3,177,986

32.2%

Our continued success is a tribute to the dedication and support of our alumni body and friends of VMI. Last year was also the first time the Keydet Club has increased both our annual funds and endowment funds by more than $5 million, and we’re tracking to beat that mark again this year. Giving back to the Institute is something about which our alumni body has been proud for decades, yet it’s something we can and must drastically improve. Many agree that an esteemed alumni body like that of the Virginia Military Institute should have alumni participation levels greater than 50 percent. These are levels we have not realized since the Sesquicentennial Challenge in the late ’80’s. If you haven’t made a gift in the last few years, then I invite you to take action, and make a gift in support of VMI. Today’s cadets need and deserve to have the same educational opportunities so many of us were fortunate to realize during our cadetships. Thanks for your support, and Rah Virginia Mil! Gregory M. Cavallaro ’84 Chief Executive Officer VMI Keydet Club

188

VMI Keydet Club Mission Statement: To contribute to the SPIRIT and development of a successful Division I athletic program that benefits the whole of VMI.

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

KEYDET CLUB Class of ’68 Establishes Davis ’68 Memorial Basketball Scholarship The Keydet Club is pleased to announce the establishment of the Bill Davis ’68 Memorial Basketball Scholarship, made possible through the generosity of the Class of 1968 and the lead gift by John Kemper ’68. Kemper announced the scholarship to the Class of ’68 at their 45th Reunion in October 2013. Since then, more than 30 members of the class have come together to formally establish the scholarship. The late William G. “Bill” Davis was an ardent and passionate supporter of VMI basketball during his cadetship. “Billy was a huge VMI basketball fan and never missed a home game in our four years at VMI,” said Kemper. “He always encouraged us as players, even when we were down after a big loss. He loved VMI and VMI basketball, and there is no better way to honor this devotion, loyalty and friendship than the establishment of this scholarship by his brother rats in the Class of 1968.” Davis matriculated from New Castle, Delaware, in 1964 after

graduating from Valley Forge Military Academy. He graduated from the Institute with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history. He commissioned into the United States Army and served until 1971 with the 8th Airborne at Fort Bragg. After the Army, he held numerous sales positions in the furniture and textile industries in the High Point, North Carolina, area. Davis was an active member of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, and he coached youth basketball at the High Point YMCA. Davis and his wife, Janice, were married for 43 years before his death July 3, 2013. The Davises have a son, William G. Davis Jr., and a daughter, Emily Holmes Davis. To make a gift to the Bill Davis ’68 Memorial Basketball Scholarship, send a check to the VMI Keydet Club, P.O. Box 932, Lexington, VA, 24450, or visit www.vmikeydetclub.com to make your gift online. Contact Donnie Ross ’74 at 800444-1839 with questions or to establish a pledge in support of the Davis ’68 Scholarship.

Massie ’77 Endows Athletic Scholarship Bland Massie Jr. ’77, DMD, of Lynchburg, Virginia, has endowed an athletic scholarship with the Keydet Club. The scholarship will provide grant-in-aid for a cadet-athlete who is a member of a VMI Division I athletic team, with preference given to a member of the basketball or football team. “I love VMI and want to help a VMI cadet-athlete,” Massie said. “The leadership experiences that cadets can gain by playing sports at VMI can help them throughout their lives. Knowing so many of the wonderful success stories to come out of VMI over the years, I am delighted to be able to give back to my school that has given so much to me.” Massie matriculated from Fort Valley, Georgia, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from VMI. He enjoyed an active cadetship. During his 3rd class year, he served as a corporal. He was a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the English Speaking Union, and he served on The Cadet newspaper staff as well

2014-Issue 2

as the Hop Escort Committee. He was also head cadet at George C. Marshall Museum. He played rat baseball and football his second and first class years. In addition, Massie had the distinction of being “Moe” for the basketball team his 1st Class year when the team went to the Sweet 16 in The NCAA Tournament. After graduating, Massie eventually decided on a career in dentistry. In 1985, he enrolled in the Medical College of Georgia where he earned his Doctor of Medical Dentistry degree. He practices general dentistry in Lynchburg, Virginia. As an alumnus, Massie has remained as active as he was in his cadetship. He is a former class agent for the Class of ’77 and a former Lynchburg Alumni Association Chapter president. He serves on the VMI Research Laboratories Board of Directors, is a regional director on the VMI Alumni Association Board and is a member of the Executive Committee on the Keydet Club Board of Governors. He also serves as a member of the VMI Friends of Legislators. “Bland and his wife, Jane, have been

Bland Massie Jr. ’77 long-time, avid supporters of VMI athletics, and their engagement in all things VMI is nearly unparalleled,” said Greg Cavallaro ’84, Keydet Club chief executive officer. “They rarely miss a home basketball or football game, and given their tremendous support for these two programs, especially their cadet-athletes, it’s only natural that [Bland] would extend his generosity in support of VMI athletics in this meaningful way.”

189

KEYDET CLUB Jarrell Drives VMI on the Victory Lap At just 16 years old, Trey Jarrell drove the Keydet Club sponsored NASCAR No. 14 Whelen All-American Series race car to victory and clinched the Motor Mile Speedway Rookie of the Year title. Jarrell, son of Roger Jarrell II ’91, was the youngest driver on the series circuit. Cadets and fans got to meet the younger Jarrel in September 2013 when his Sellers Racing Team car was on display in Foster Stadium for the Homecoming football game. A Bassett High School junior from Martinsville, Virginia, Jarrell has been quite busy since his appearance at VMI. Drive Safe Virginia signed the fierce young driver as their the DRIVE SMART Virginia Teen Ambassador in December 2013. He is tasked with reaching out to teen drivers across Virginia with the message that distracted driving is dangerous. “I know how quickly things can change during a race,” said Trey Jarrell. “So I’m passionate about safety, and I’m excited about talking to kids my age and helping them understand that it only takes a split second to wreck. It doesn’t matter if you’re on the track, a country road or the highway.” In addition to racing 30 weekends a year, Jarrell is a student-athlete who excels in several sports. He is captain of the cross country team and a member of the track and swimming teams – all while maintaining a top percentile GPA in his school work. Champion Spark Plug introduced a national sponsorship contest, Always a Champion, in December 2013. The Jarrell video was produced with scenes from VMI as well as from racetracks around the South. Jarrell’s entry, “Champion Sparks My Dream,” ranked nationally in the top 12 in all categories throughout the campaign. The visability of the campaign has led to offers from racing teams coast to coast. In addition, Trey Jarrell Racing has

190

Rookie of the Year Trey Jarrell with his father, Roger Jarrell ’91, in Foster Stadium at VMI Homecoming in 2013.

Rookie of the Year Trey Jarrell engaged VMI alumni and families at the 2013 Homecoming in Foster Stadium.

moved into the economics and business classroom at VMI. On Jan. 31, 2014, Bruce Macdonald, Ph.D., economics and business professor at the Institute, introduced the Jarrells’ racing program as a marketing research and plan development project. Cadets will have the opportunity to develop and present

a complete marketing program to the Jarrell racing team at the end of the semester. Editor’s Note: The preceding article was written by Andy Wolfe, president and creative director of Mariner Media in Buena Vista, Virginia.

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

KEYDET CLUB Annual Leadership Outing The Keydet Club will host its Annual Leadership Outing Friday, June 6, 2014. The outing is held as a “thank you” to all of the Keydet Club annual leadership members. The day includes the following special events: •

•

A shotgun start will kick off June 6 (around 11 a.m.) for a complimentary round of 18 holes at the Lexington Golf and Country Club. Lunch and oncourse complimentary beverages will be provided. There will be tennis at the Washington and Lee Duchossois Tennis Center (indoor) or the country club tennis courts (location dependent on weather).

•

Sporting clays with Coach Doug Bartlett will be scheduled, as well.

•

A surf-and-turf dinner will be served at Moody Hall, attended by fellow leadership members, VMI coaches, cadet-athletes and a unique guest speaker.

All it takes is a leadership gift between now and June 6, 2014, to join in. Leadership levels start at the Big Red level with only a $1,000 gift ($750 for first-year members) to any of the Keydet Club annual funds. For young alumni (classes that graduated 15 years ago or less), the annual gift amount is $500 ($375 for first-time members). Go to www.vmikeydetclub.com to make your gift, or call the Keydet Club at 800-444-1839.

Walt Judd ’69 and others at the 2006 Leadership Outing’s evening seafood buffet, Moody Hall.

Young Alumni Step Up to the Plate Many young alumni have stepped up to the plate this year in support of VMI athletics. “I give to VMI because I want future cadets and future athletes to have the same positive experience and more,” said Joe Munno ’12, a Keydet Club young associate member and leadership donor. “I know in my heart that VMI gives individuals the tools to have success in their lives, and I want to feel like I helped provide resources to make those tools and experiences available.” Since he was hired by the Keydet Club, Development Officer Andrew Deal ’12 has helped the organization to effectively increase its efforts to encourage more young alumni support. As of this writing in Fiscal Year 2014, the Keydet Club has more than 150 young alumni donors. That’s 15 more donors than FY13 with more time left 2014-Issue 2

on the clock. (June 30 is the final day of the fiscal year.) “To me, the most exciting statistic shows that more and more young alumni donors are giving to support VMI athletics, and we’ve also welcomed 17 new leadership members,” said Deal. “We’ve increased our total number of young alumni leadership members to 56, and we’re seeing firsthand that people who break the ice with their giving want to continue giving more and more each year.” One of the new leadership members is former lacrosse athlete Shane Wilkinson ’11. “Being a cadet-athlete was one of the most difficult and rewarding experiences of my life,” Wilkinson said. “As a young alumnus, I feel an obligation to give back to afford others the same opportunities I had as a VMI cadet. Ensuring that young men

and women continue to be shaped into upstanding citizens is a worthy cause.” To become a leadership member with the Keydet Club as a young alumnus (15 years or less since graduation), it only takes a gift of $375 for first-year members and a gift of $500 for every year after that. Many choose to break up their gifts through different installment options: monthly, quarterly or semi-annually. The coaching staff and cadet-athletes at the Institute work hard every day. To show your support, visit www.vmikeydetclub.com. Questions? Contact the Keydet Club at 1-800-444-1839, and ask to speak to Robert Crumpler ’07 or Andrew Deal ’12. Editor’s Note: Unless stated otherwise, all articles in the Keydet Club section of the Alumni Review are provided by the Keydet Club.

191

192

VMI ALUMNI REVIEW

Commemorating the 150th Anniversary of the Battle of New Market: May 15, 1864

Three New Market Cadets Above: Beverly S.Crews, Class of 1867, photo circa 1865; top, right: Fleming W. James, Class of 1868, photo circa 1868; and bottom, right: William T. Yarbrough, Class of 1867, photo circa 1864. Photos courtesy of VMI Archives.