AUGUST 2003 CLASS NOTES

How hot is it this August where you are? Beautiful in Seattle...come for a visit. Waiting for my Classmates for those summer graduation and wedding photos. TOPPER has promised photos of daughter Sarah’s wedding and TOMMY & SUSI CLARKE will be sending the best of new granddaughter Gwendolyn Rose. While we wait...the Court will come to order.

Received a great note and an invitation from BRUCE SCHOOLING: “I spent part of my Easter Break looking through the back issues to catch up with people. I can't tell you how important that is to me. Perhaps it is getting older or just a time in my life when I have a chance to think about the people and places that have shaped me, but the Academy and my fellow swabs were shaping influences on the last 30 years. I feel like I missed out on so much -- I have no regrets about the way life has turned out. Actually the Academy, thru disability rehabilitation, paid for my bible college education. Benefit ran out the month I graduated. And without discharge, I would never have met my wife. The ministry or the lack of expertise in management in the ministry started me to thinking about doing what I do now. So I have no regrets -- but ... the Academy was a dream I never really left behind after I got hurt and was discharged. And it has been a strange journey back to a place where I'm real comfortable. At Point Loma we have a West Pointer and an Annapolis grad on the faculty. Then I met Harvey Johnson in church and he put me in contact with KELLY. And then your class notes. Life is good here and if you are ever in San Diego, please call or look me up. LINDA and I have a spare room in the condo and it's open for visitors.” BRUCE, they’re ‘our’ class notes...and did you know you were inviting all of us?

Have a second hand update and a great graduation photo from AL GRACEWSKI. AL sent the update to AL DUJENSKI, who continues to make good progress in his post bypass recovery, and then followed up with a photo from Jessica’s 2 May graduation at the University of Central Florida where she majored in Communications. Photo of Jessica, SUZANNE, Nathan...and AL forgot the tassel for his hat! “I am still doing the daily grind. After 30 pretty good years in the CG doing the Naval Engineering thing, I retired, took 6 months off and had some fun doing things I did not have time to do while on active duty/working full time. However, after the 6 months were over, I recognized I would need some more money to put the kids thru college and pay off the house, generate some fun money, etc. So I wound up in Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems in Baltimore, not far from our home in Arnold, MD where we located for my last duty station as CO of Coast Guard YARD. SUZANNE and son Nate (20)/daughter Jessica (22) are fine. Jess graduates from University of Central Florida in Communications at the end of this month. Nate is a sophomore at Virginia Tech. I figure I have 4 more years until I really retire....then we can cruise the country and may pay you and Carl and Stan Norman and Randy Lymangrover and Nerd Phillips, etc., a visit in the Great Northwest.” And then visit BRUCE in San Diego!

AL wasn’t done...he and CHARLIE HARRIS conspired to have a Class of '71 raft up boat party on the West River south of Annapolis on the 10th of May. CHARLIE makes the SitRep One and Final: “I think the First Annual '71 Raft Up was a great success, given the strange weather, the grab-bag planning on the part of myself and AL, and some really smokey liberty launch runs! Thanks to all who participated providing Kookaburra (GRACIE), Autumn's Choice III (me), and Power Puppy (The MOOCH) and to those who missed, let's do this again. Lots of fun, had to hose down the cockpit afterwards with all the wine that didn't make quite make the leap, and of course, hope THAD’s pants will be able to get all that White Zinfandel (which ain't white) out. Sorry THAD, my eye-hand coordination isn't much better than when I was a cadet, as you can see. I have still in my possession one Swiss Army knife complete with cork puller that I owe CHARLIE WURSTER as well as a very nice spoon that appears to be pewter-like - says "Oneida Community Stainless". Please check your inventories and let me know who I pass the utensil to. CHARLEY ALLEN has some terrific photos of the players...and CHARLEY, thanks for risking your livelihood by transporting your gear across the water with some really suspect sailors!”

Still waiting on the Raft Up photos from CHARLEY, but he did come through with some photos and a video of our 30th Reunion. You can link to his photos from the 30th Reunion button at our Class Home Page <http://www.oocities.org/CollegePark/Campus/7184/index.html>. Check ‘em out...and while you’re on-line, take a look at the impressive article “CHARLEY ALLEN’s Hundred Percent Solution” published at the Apple site <http://www.apple.com/creative/photos/features/charleyallen/>. What else is CHARLEY doing? I’ll let him tell you: “This fall, our daughter Laura is going to Wesleyan U. in Middletown, CT (no longer our arch nemesis since CGA doesn't play them in football). With the housing prices outrageously inflated here in southern California, our larger kid raising house sold incredibly quickly and we have already moved into a cozier empty-nester bungalow (with deck and Jacuzzi). I'm also working with Bob Pokress, '69, on Image Fortress, a digital asset management and imaging technology company. DOREEN and I are also considering becoming bi-coastal with a place in Wash., D.C. in the next year. Anyone coming to the Los Angeles area, please come visit us in Pasadena! We always have a New Year's Party and enjoy the Rose Bowl floats up close on the parade route.”

BOB and AMY TABOR couldn’t make the raft up. AMY was in PA that weekend at her 35th Boarding High School Reunion and BOB was delegated to drive to Conn to load the family car for the trek home at school year end. But they did send in an update, starting with the UPS Conversion: “UPS bought the parent company and offered the storeowners the option of conversion. We own two stores so we converted one (BOB’s) and not the other (mine). Today, my store is the only Mail Boxes Etc. left on Long Island. Main reason we chose the split is that FedEx announced it would pull its preferential discounts and pick up services to any store converting. Thus not to loose all the FedEx business and since our stores are only 2.5 miles apart we opted for hopefully the best of both. We'll see what happens over the next few months. BOB looks better in brown than I do anyway!!! Daughter Kory is living in Madison, WI. Graduated Conn. in 1999. After working as a counselor in a group home she's now attending UW in Madison getting her Masters in Social Work. Her physical condition has deteriorated so that she uses a walker full time now. She had always hoped to work with adolescents but due to her lack of mobility her advisor at graduate school has helped her create a major - she will prepare to work with people who become newly disabled through illness, accidents, etc. She feels that her own situation will allow her to truly empathize with these patients and they will in turn be more willing to allow her to help them. Son Scott is graduating from Pace University next month where he majored in Computer Information Systems and minored in web design. He'd love to move to Washington State or Oregon, but right now with no job lined up, he'll be coming home after graduation. Like Kory, Scott suffers from Cerebellum Ataxia, but as yet does not use a walker. He needs a job where he's sitting in front a computer all day because his mobility is not good either. Anyone out there have any leads or suggestions? Finally, son Adam is finishing his second year at Conn, majoring in economics and government, and going to Rome next fall to study for a semester.” AMY, please ... no photo of BOB in brown shorts!

Granddaughter Gwendolyn Rose? That’s right, TOMMY and SUSI CLARKE became Grandpa and Grandma on April 25th. “Gwen was 8 lbs. 12 oz. at birth. Wendy & Gwen are both doing great...so is Andy! Wendy is completing her Masters in August. Andy has just completed his Masters and will be going on for his Doctoral studies at UConn. They just bought a house and moved in on May 25th. So they are doing just great and we are just thrilled for them.... and with little Gwen!! I spent ten wonderful days with them in CT..... holding Gwen, watching Gwen, talking about Gwen...... it was terrific!!!” Excited Grandma SUSI reports that they’re visiting Connecticut in July. Look for the photo in October.

BARNEY couldn’t make the Raft Up because of they took a 3-day mini-"vacation" down the coast of Maine ... actually "up" since we went south instead of Down East(?). Is that right? And to think I was the navigator on the CAMPBELL for one Ocean Station. At least I found the Atlantic when we left Portland... although it DID take a day and a half for some reason. The reason for the mini-vacation...some peace and quiet! Yes, I left LINDA at home. Daughter Dee and our THREE grand-kids have moved back "home" here to Maine... WITH us! That's a 1-year-old (Jake), a 3-year-old (Ally) and a 6-year-old (Leah). Plus Grampy -- that makes FOUR 'kids.' We help a lot with the "baby-sitting" since Dee started work when she got here to Maine recently. By the way, we can cut you a GREAT deal on grand-kid rentals...we'll mail 'em to ANYwhere in the continental U.S. The two little ones may be a little ripe by the time they get to the destination, but they clean up real good. Hey, but we're having fun with the grand-kids. Grampy is teaching them neat tricks. I tossed a mini-chocolate egg in the air and caught it in my mouth! Ally needs to work on her technique, though, and food choices...she tossed a mini-fajita-roll-up over her shoulder onto the kitchen floor. Grampy caught hell from Dee on that one. Don't teach 3-year-olds "tricks" during lunch.” Grandpa TOMMY...pay attention to the expert!

TONY HART sent in a quick update: “Thought I had better check in, or I would be in trouble. Haven't had much chance to surface for air over the past 3 months. JUDY got called up for active duty the first of February. She is a CG Special Agent (guess that is the correct term now) working at one of the CGHQ offices in Arlington, VA. She isn't sure exactly how long she will remain on active duty. So with her being gone, I am taking care of the house and the animals, as well as working full time. The ongoing terrorism concerns, coupled with the Iraq war/campaign kept us busy in emergency management planning at the Oak Ridge Department of Energy sites. Now that the Iraq war is winding down, we may get a breather for the summer.” TONY, better give RALPH LEWIS a call and see how he survived!

Speaking of RALPH, he’s also surviving on his own cooking again! “All is well here in South Texas. Just finished a successful season as assistant director of our high school’s One-Act play. We got first runner-up at the state level. That’s not too shabby considering there were 225 schools in our class that started out. It was a great experience working with the kids outside the classroom. It is amazing what teenagers can do when they set their minds to it. Too bad so many of the older generation have such a negative image of them. DEBORAH is again on active duty. After a 5 month hiatus, having just missed being sent to Qatar as part of the CENTCOM team, she got called up again. She is working in PACAREA as Executive Assistant to Deputy PACAREA. That really boils down to doing a bunch of special projects trying to get a lot of planning and administrative stuff in place for all the reserves who have been mobilized. She has a nice apartment in Oakland, just off Jack London Square, and only a short drive to her office. I went out over Easter weekend and had a great visit. Lots of great seafood and tourist-like activities. She seems to like the job, but is getting anxious to get back home on a more permanent basis. She was away for over 16 months on her last tour. If all goes as expected, she should be done sometime before 30 September. I am hoping that she will be ready to make the move before the next school year starts so I can make the drive back home from the west coast with her. I can’t believe that I am wrapping up my tenth year as a teacher already. This year went by quickly. I love the job, but to be honest, I am looking forward to being able to retire from this career in another 5 years. Then, maybe DEB and I can do some world traveling together without one or the other of us on some sort of duty.”

Speaking of retirement ... and then there were three! BERT KINGHORN retired at the Coast Guard Yard on May 22nd. THADMIRAL officiated and presented Bert the USCG Distinguished Service Medal. CHARLIE WURSTER, PHIL CAPPEL, DAVE EDWARDS, JOHN HERSCH, and RICH HARDING were able to attend the ceremony. BERT reports: “It was a nice ceremony and it was TERRIFIC and a huge honor having THAD officiate. He did a super job, but did stretch his integrity a bit with some of the kind things he said. There was nothing special about May 22nd. It just seemed the time that most people might be free and I appreciated the efforts of those that could attend. Sending the only photo we got of classmates. Sadly many had to leave before I thought to take the photo op. SUZ and I move out of RON SILVA’s house here in mid-June. We will take our time going cross country, visiting with family and touring all those national parks we have raced by between assignments in the past. I'm guessing we'll reach Seattle about mid-August, but won't be upset if it takes until Christmas. I'm going to enjoy at least one move.” BERT...Corn Palace and Wall Drug!

Retired Alaska State Trooper CARL SCHRAMM reports around: “I'm alive and well and officially retired from the cop business as of March 1, 2003. Now I'm just hanging out up here in Alaska enjoying the good life - which means that I'm pretty much just goofing off. NANCY and I did get married, and we made several trips to the lower 48, but now summer is coming so we are going to hang around the homestead for a while and take care of a major house remodel that we have in the works. Then I suspect we will hit the road again. Retired life is great! I can't believe I didn't do this earlier. Now I just need to make up for lost time.”

CHARLES SIBRE sent in a great family photo with son Brendan, ELLEN, daughter Kelly, and his mother Rosemary at Kelly’s College of William and Mary graduation. “My daughter Kelly (21) graduated cum laude from the College of William and Mary with a major in Biology this past May 11. Kelly also took Basic EMT training this past year. She wants to be a Doctor, and is wait listed at two Medical Schools. We are all hoping for an acceptance. If not, she seems likely to live at home, find some job for a year, and submit another round of applications. My son Brendan (24) graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from the College of William and Mary in May 2001 with a degree in Computer Science. He's working on a foreign military sales software development for IBM Global Services (formerly PWC Consulting). He closes on a townhouse in Falls Church, VA this month, entering the real estate market and leaving renting behind. The low interest rates and rising DC property values make this move too tempting. So he's settling down near us, which is great. We are preparing for weekend raids on our tools, painting supplies, ladders, etc. So both of our children are now college grads. ELLEN continues to enjoy herself - lots of golfing, bridge, choral singing, hospital volunteering, gardening, and hardest of all, keeping me on the straight and narrow. My mother is doing fine at age 86. She's still driving, golfing and playing bridge. She's getting close to the Assisted Living/Life Care residence decision, but just can't give up the house in which she has lived for 53 years since May 1950. The USCG ensured USCGA graduates did not do that! I'm still with Northrop Grumman Information Technology (formerly Logicon), for almost 10 years now. My GSA data warehouse development project ended in March 2003 after 5 years, so I am now helping our group that sells Enterprise Software License Agreements to the Federal and State markets. I'm looking for another technical project as sales is not my thing.”

RON FRAZIER changed his E-mail address and provided a Frazier Family update: “Daughter, Ashley (22), graduated from UVA last May with honors. She is currently working as a Web Designer and has been accepted for Graduate School in Interior Design. Son, DJ (16), will be a rising senior in high school. Plans to attend college. KAREN is doing volunteer work and working as an adjunct professor at NOVA. I'm working on a contract at the US Senate. I led the proposal team, helped with the negotiations, and I'm now the Program Manager on a $100M contract to provide IT Support to the Senate Offices in DC and across the US. We just finished our first year, and it's been a very challenging assignment. My office is near Union Station, and I'd love to get together with any classmates who come through the area. I bumped into AL GRACEWSKI in the Atlanta Airport last April, and we had a good time catching up on the past. I visited briefly with THAD ALLEN June 3rd at the CG Foundation Golf Tournament in DC.”

Thanks to JIM ARMSTRONG we have a lead on another “one who has gone before!” Jim says, “I am back in private practice with one of the older firms in south Florida, Walton, Lantaff, Schroeder and Carson. I just reported aboard so it is still during the honeymoon. My secretary is an ex-army investigator and tracked down MIKE ACKERMAN, a/k/a CHINK, who left after third class year. He finished college at University of San Francisco and went to law school at Hastings in San Francisco. He is a partner is a small plaintiff litigation firm in Santa Clara, California. I spoke to him and will get more info and an e-mail. He had to run to court. Was surprised that I was able to track him down. MIKE has a website <http://www.lawyers.com/a&k> and I’ll be getting his E-mail. He has two daughters, one about 24 who is out of college and another who is in her third year. I left CNA on good terms, but can't believe I stayed around the last two years when the insurance industry went into the toilet. I have known the partners in my present firm for 20 years so I hope and expect to retire for the last time from here.” Check out JIM’s bio on WLS&C’s Associates page at <http://www.waltonlantaff.com/biographies.html>.

Have another invitation for you! As you’re reading this, CHARLIE WURSTER’s probably enjoying a Mai Tai...but he wants you to join him! “George Ann and I are in the midst of packing out for our move to Honolulu. Today, 6/12, is our 32nd wedding anniversary. I owe George Ann a nice evening out this weekend after the movers are finished. We actually depart on 6/18 with a stop in San Diego to visit my son Chas. (He and some buddies have a start-up software company and are hoping to strike it rich with "a killer application" for your computer or cell phone.) Then, on 6/25, we're off to Hawaii; a few days overlap with RADM Ralph Utley (GCA '70); followed by the Change-of-Command on 7/2. Our other son, Michael, and his wife Jennifer are expecting "our first grandchild" in late July. George Ann is very excited and will be returning to Dallas to help out with the new baby for a few weeks. I'm planning a short visit shortly after the little one arrives, too. We're looking forward to living at the Diamond Head Lighthouse. Classmates are always welcome to visit, share the view, and enjoy a Mai Tai.” CHARLIE, looking forward to a photo of that first grandchild!

It’s August and Christmas decorations are probably going up all too soon. REMEMBER our link to Amazon.com on our Home Page when you’re filling those Christmas lists, particularly you Grandparents! We’re adjourned!