Class Notes Mary Batsakis, Barbara Ann Guthans, Julie and Henry Pitot, Tom and Pinkie Wornham and Ken Crisp (whose telephone number, I subsequently learned, is “no longer in service”). Keep the news coming. Marie and I wish you a great summer. Hang in there. Semper Fi, Jack
’52
James M. Mecredy
The class notes for the spring issue of the Alumni Review have been submitted, so now in the middle of February, I am starting to write class notes for the summer issue. Bill Ruffin called to tell me about progress on the funds for the Moses Ezekiel ’866 Statuary Restoration Fund in the Norfolk Botanical Garden. The goal is close to being reached, and Bill is very encouraged with the progress. Personally, Bill is doing well with exercising two to three times a week. He has headed to Florida in the middle of February to play golf with Andy Dickinson among other warm weather activities, returning in March. He asked about Joe Craven whom neither of us has heard from in a while.
By now, most of you already know that Bill Massie’s wife, Anne, died Sunday, Feb. 8, after a long illness. Barbara Schwan, the wife of Alex Schwan ’56, called me about Anne’s death. I received a letter from VMI regarding this year’s fundraising campaign, which included a paragraph about the Walter G. Robertson Jr. 1952 Memorial Scholarship Fund. This fund, currently valued at $175,406, provides almost $8,000 a year for a cadet. The Class of ’52 continues to make a difference for some cadet at VMI. Chuck Haley called to ask how many of our brother rats have bricks. My current count is 117, including 90 deceased brother rats. Chuck is taking a trip to Texas, so he wants to call Rob Gerdetz and needed his phone number and address. I told Chuck to take a picture so I can include it in the next issue of the Review. (So far, the picture has not arrived.) Chuck asked if I had seen the movie, “Field of Lost Shoes.” It became available on Netflix last week, so we got to see it in the comfort of home. Pat Spurgeon called me after reading class notes in the Alumni Review just to touch base. Pat has experienced two interesting careers after VMI. He went on to Emory and Henry College to receive a degree in English and ultimately a
Class of 1952: Members of the Old Corps pictured were, from left, Paul Lamb ’54, Jock Wheeler ’54, Bob Beale’55, Tom Vaughan’57, Johnny Mapp ’54, Zeke Finney, Bill Ruffin and Andy Dickinson. 50
Class of 1952: Jim Mecredy at the World War II War Memorial in Washington, D.C.
doctorate degree. This was after receiving a “D” in English from Sam Barnes at VMI. He received an injury in football which cut his football playing time short, so he spent the next 40-50 years coaching football and teaching English. Both careers were very successful, especially coaching football. He was honored by the alumni of one football team for his help in the championship team the he coached at their 36th reunion. Even though Pat did not graduate from VMI, he is still very appreciative of the VMI experience. I was writing a birthday card for Skip Goldacker and realized that I have not talked to him since VMI, so I called him. He was not home but called me back in an hour. Skip spent 26 years in the Army and said he had some good assignments. He asked about several brother rats he remembers. He roomed with Chuck Coulson, and I had to tell him that Chuck died a number of years ago. He also roomed with Nutz and Fortunato. Since retiring from the Army, Skip spent 20 years officiating football, basketball and baseball, mostly for high schools. Skip has a son running a successful bagel VMI Alumni Review