The Court will come to order ... please remain standing and observe a moment of silence. It's with deepest regret that I report that our friend and classmate, CRAIG EIDE, suffered a massive coronary and died on 29 March. LINDA said it looked as if he had just returned from one of the bike rides he loved and collapsed as he was putting away his gear.  An autopsy indicated his heart had scar tissue indicating previous damage they weren't aware of or hadn't recognized.  CRAIG and LINDA were married on 17 December 1971 in South Paris, Maine.  CRAIG spent his first couple of years after graduation on cutters in Seattle and Port Angeles and then finished his Academy obligation doing marine inspections in Chicago.  He got his MBA from the University of Chicago in December 1976 and they lived in Maine for three years while LINDA attended law school and CRAIG worked for Coopers & Lybrand. They returned to Seattle in 1979 where he worked for a local public accounting firm for a couple years, worked as controller at a steel mill, and then had a nice long run as CFO for another manufacturing company.  He took a few months off and started his own business about four years ago.  CRAIG helped son Eric (19) negotiate his Navy contract.  When the Navy balked at a two year tour and guaranteed electrician's school, CRAIG just asked if the paperwork was transferable to the Coast Guard!  Eric finished his electrician's "A" school with flying colors, finishes his two-year Navy tour this September, and plans to use some of his GI bill for college or maybe trying the electricians apprentice program in the Seattle area.  Second son Elliott (13) is an 8th grader at Whitman Middle School and is following in CRAIG's foot steps by playing third base. LINDA's asked to have his ashes scattered off Alaska and I'll coordinate with a Seattle 378 or one of the icebreakers. Donations in CRAIG's name can be made to the Seattle Public Library Ballard Branch, 5711 24th Ave. NW, Seattle, WA 98107.  LINDA asked that this be passed to his classmates: "He loved you all and was proud of his Coast Guard service. This is hard, but tell anyone who asks that CRAIG was a wonderful husband and father, who as I am learning now had many truly wonderful friends. He found a nice balance recently between work and home, running his practice from the house.  CRAIG loved baseball because you never run out of time.  I guess sometimes you just run out of innings.  It was over too soon, but we had a grand time."  LINDA...our thoughts and prayers are with you.

J.B. WILLIS retired as Deputy Director of Reserve and Training on the first of March. AL GRACEWSKI reports on the ceremony: " I attended JB's retirement ceremony today in HQ.  It was a nice one and PHIL CAPPEL and DAVE EDWARDS were there representing '71.  Some of his co-workers wrote and sang a song that goes to the tune of John Denver's "Thank God I'm a Country Boy."    A sample stanza...'Up north at the factory they made me wear shoes, Learned me my numbers, got Service Dress Blues, Got my gold bar and went on a cruise, Thank God I'm  a country boy!'  [E-mail me for the full version!]  When he got up to address the assembled group, he was really emotionally hit and looked like he would have trouble continuing.  As Jim said, "I don't know if I can continue..." I had to help my classmate and said, "Then drop and give me 71!"  It cracked up the entire crowd, including Jim, and he had enough of a distraction to get into his address. Once started, he continued admirably for about an hour telling really interesting stories of his CG experiences from cadethood to retirement."  CONGRATULATIONS J.B., but did you knock off the 71?

Know who's living in Tucson?  RON LOOMIS finally reported around after being tracked down by PETE TEBEAU.  "My two kids are doing great...daughter Angela in college and son Mark, an Arizona state high school golf champion as a junior!  A great gal just transferred down here to the "old pueblo" (Tucson's nickname) and got yours truly squared away by consenting to marrying him. (My first wife only lasted 20 years). SANDY and I got married last fall after she transferred over from Safford AZ, where I moved from last summer. Her kids are grown and gone, so Mark is the only one at home. I see Angela often since she also moved here to Tucson last summer. I guess you want to know what the hell I've been doing the past 30 years regarding "work" so here goes:  I did 13 years with the "gubm't" in CA and AZ, 10 years as a stockbroker, and the last few years as a realtor.  I buy and fix up old houses. Looking forward to hearing from and writing all the turkeys I haven't seen for 30 years!" LOOMO...will we see you at our 30th?

Speaking of our 30th, CHUCK BECK sends in a reunion update: "Groton Inn and Suites located at Route 184 & I-95. Friday 28 September & Saturday 29 September for $99 per night with a two night minimum.  Call and make reservations on your own 800-452-2191 or 800-445-9784.  I recommend making your reservation soon. State that you are part of the Class of 71 group. Class dinner will be held at the Groton Motor Inn as well. Planning a "get together" on the waterfront at CGA aboard/in vicinity of Pete Barrett's "yacht" and have reserved the CGA Rowing Center on the lower field to hold our pre-game tailgate party. Still need to decide on the party favor (i.e. t-shirt, jacket, ballcaps, sweater, etc.), the menu for the dinner party and the menu for the tailgate."  CHUCK will be getting out more information, but I'm sure would welcome any suggestions.

How 'bout a CONWAY update?  MIKE and CHRISTY send the following: "David (18) is a freshman at University of Alaska, Southeast (Juneau).  His college courses agree with him pretty well. By staying in Juneau, he is able to keep his punk band ("100 minus One") together.  Check them out at their MP3 web site (www.mp3.com/the-cause), where you can download some of their songs. David is business manager and writes all of the songs (lyrics and music).  Rob (22) is a senior at Iowa State University, playing baseball.  In 2000, he led the team in home runs (10), RBIs (54), and slugging percentage (.571), while batting .300.  During the summer, he has played summer college ball in Phoenix, Anchorage, and Charlotte, NC over the last several years.  Rob has been selected Big 12 Conference Player of the Week twice. If you tap into the Iowa State University baseball web page <http://cyclones.fansonly.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/conway_rob01.html>, you will see numerous links to our son's (Rob) baseball accomplishments.  He was named Big 12 Conference Player of the Week a couple weeks ago, and leads them in almost every hitting category.  Not bad for a "spear-chucker's" kid! Heather (25) finished her communications degree from the University of Alaska, Southeast and is living at home while she works at the University and the local racquet club. Heather is an ACE-certified aerobics instructor, teaching several classes a week, including Body Pump and Kick-Boxing.  She still plays women's soccer in a competitive adult league and is a member of a running team that has become a regular in the famous Klondike Road Race, running one of several legs from Skagway, Alaska to Whitehorse, Yukon Territory.  Matt (28) graduated from UNLV with a business management degree.  He also is a graduate of the Phoenix Art Institute in computer animation.  Currently, he is a freelance animator working for the University of Washington, and designs web pages. There's lots of information available on Matt's art work and his resume at his web site (www.mattconway.com). Melanie (29) and her husband have three great kids as you can see in the attached photo.  Devin is 8, Austin is 3, and Skylar is 2.  The family owns and operates two very successful Juneau restaurants. Finally, CHRISTY & MIKE (ages unknown) relish the position of grandparents.  The grand kids are totally awesome, and we are so thankful to be around them.  CHRISTY continues as a special education teaching assistant, and MIKE is a division director in the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation spearheading the Alaska Cruise Ship Initiative over the last year, to better understand and control impacts of the ships to the marine environment."  Nice try MIKE...we know how old you are!

MARY JANE and I took Kurt to Las Vegas for his 21st birthday. Had a great time...the Siegfried & Roy show is amazing and I highly recommend the Paris buffet.  Had a chance to go out to dinner with GARY and TUTU MCCAFFREY.  They're both doing very well but lead a hectic schedule commuting to Los Angeles and then flying flights to Hong Kong for United.  Violated one of my constant requests and didn't get a photo...next visit!

You'll like this one... under a proposed law, thought to be the first of its kind, all cigarettes sold in Maine would be labeled with 5-cent deposit notices. After paying an additional $1 per pack, smokers could then turn in their used butts to redeem the deposits.  Another job for BARNEY...he suggests "BARNEY biding time in the burgeoning butt business?  Possibilities abound!  The other "controversial" item is the governor's plan to buy laptop computers for each 7th grader in the State!  I even got "my" State rep to introduce a bill this session that would eliminate the $15 "extra" charge for Purple Heart recipients to get a Purple Heart license plate!  Politics up here are fun."

You'll get this edition shortly after GREG COPE retires as Ninth District Chief of Staff.  "My retirement ceremony will be held at the CG Moorings in Cleveland on June 1st at 11:00.  I intend to e-mail invitations to all classmates and everyone in the area is welcome to attend.  Just let me know in advance so I can be sure to have enough food and drink for the reception afterwards. After the ceremony I plan on returning to Schwenksville, PA and devoting about a year to renovate my boyhood home (a stone farmhouse built in 1832) and complete the restoration of my 1952 MGTD (another 'one year project' that I began six years ago).  I'm looking forward to the challenges and I will delay deciding what I want to do with the rest of my life until after I finish my 'Sabbatical."  Contrary to my Vegas trip GREG...photos!

The Final Four retirements for end of June also promising photo ops...maybe in the October issue.  I've picked 27 June, 34 years to the day from when we were sworn in.  Although I would have liked POLAR STAR, she'll be in drydock so KEITH JOHNSON '77 has graciously offered to host my final soiree on POLAR SEA.  Good day...same day THADMIRAL puts on his 3rd star as he assumes command of LANTAREA.  Wonder if he'll have better poo-poos?  If you're on the east coast, more free eats the next day...AL GRACEWSKI says "I am having my Change of Command and Retirement on the 28th of June and intend to invite all our classmates.  I structured the date so THADMIRAL could attend, but as you might imagine, his world is consumed by many more competing interests than he can attend to, so whether he can come will remain a maybe until the day comes. BERT KINGHORN has informally indicated that unless duty calls, he would come.  CHARLIE WURSTER is another question, since he is between coasts and I don't know when he is going to be in town. Obviously, other classmates nearby may make it and I plan on sending out an electronic invitation near the end of April."  With RON SILVA officiating at AL's Change of Command/Retirement, a possibility for all four of 'our' Flags being in attendance. Better be boo coo poo-poos!  And if you're not full yet, CHUCK BECK is having his second retirement the next day in Boston. "My CoC and retirement ceremony will be held at 1300 Friday 29 June 2001 on the pier at ISC Boston, MA.  Any classmates that would like to make the trek are more than welcome and thus invited." CHUCK may show the video of THADMIRAL at his first retirement...but at 1300?  Poo-poos before the ceremony?  SUTTER's will be in Hawaii and I'm sure he'll be getting out an electronic invitation...and while we're waiting on our classmate, we're adjourned!