News from Chicago: Jerry Frank is the proud grandfather of triplets! One of his sons and his daughter- in-law had a girl and two boys, born in January. Lucky Jerry has his three children and now five grandchildren all living within a mile and a half of him. He recently visited Rona (Kopans '57) and Bob Rosenthal and reports all is well with them. . . . I had a nice letter from Patricia "Rusty" Jensen, who has retired after 44 years of teaching--the last 17 at the University of Rhode Island, where she has been honored with the rank of professor emerita. Now she is a full-time volunteer at South County Hospital in Rhode Island, working in express care and as vice president of the auxiliary. I guess we can't say you have really retired, Rusty. . . . Jerry Baker is not about to retire, he writes from New Jersey. He is the general manager of a Japanese company's subsidiary and enjoys the world travel. His family consists of wife Peggy, three children, two of whom are now married, and his 91-year-old mom. Jerry plays tennis three times a week and enjoys distance biking. . . . Richard Armknecht lives in Concord, Mass., and is retiring this year but will continue on the board of advisors of his daughter Beth's temporary placement business. Dick writes that he's planning to attend Warren Buffet's annual meeting in Omaha again this year since he had such a great time last year. . . . Foster Bruckheimer writes from Delray Beach, Fla., where he's adjusting to single life after the death of his wife, Selma. His daughter Elizabeth is working on her Ph.D. at Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, and daughter Ellen lives in Tucson, Ariz., with three children. Foster has retired from working in the jewelry trade to working in community affairs, such as the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office and condo board. . . . Speaking of Arizona, Charlie '49 and I were in Green Valley, Ariz., for the month of March and spent some time with Beverly Deschenes Libby and her husband, Jim, who own a home there. They are in Maine all summer and Arizona all winter--the best of both worlds. Bev plays tennis about every day, goes skiing in Colorado every year and enters Senior Olympic swimming events. As you might guess, besides her nurse's training, Bev has been a phys ed teacher (in Portland, Maine, schools). Charlie and I also attended an Elderhostel program near beautiful Sedona, Ariz. This was our third one, and we've enjoyed them all. Those of you who have been to Elderhostels, let us know about your favorites. . . . Robert Bonner, of Newton, Mass., has retired from General Electric and keeps himself busy doing home repairs and woodworking. He has three children and seven grandchildren and two houses to maintain. I bet he's a handy grandfather to have around. . . . Charlotte Shoul Backman and husband Irving also live in Newton. They have a son and daughter and four grandchildren. She writes that their youngest daughter died in 1984 at the age of 24 from a choking accident. Charlotte keeps herself busy taking courses, doing community service, fund raising, etc. They have traveled extensively and especially enjoyed two trips to Russia and one to China. About our days at Colby, Charlotte mentioned enjoying the teas that President Bixler hosted for us . . . pleasant memories.
Class Correspondent: Virginia Davis Pearce

Here's hoping the reunion has stirred up a lot of memories and therefore a lot of mail to your correspondent. Bargain! You send your "stuff" in and I'll send it out. . . . Keep your ears alert for the sounds of Maury Ronayne, Alexandria, Va., who as a senior citizen is taking voice and piano lessons at a local community college. . . . I appreciate continuing to receive the "Atomic Veterans" newsletter, courtesy of editor and national commander Dr. Oscar Rosen. . . . Harry Wiley has retired from NYNEX, AT&T and the Maine Turnpike Authority. He is now a director and official writer for the Maine Sports Hall of Fame as well as being involved with his church and condominium association. Joan (Kelby '52) and Bob Cannell as well as Jack '55 and Anne Burnham Deering '55 were among the celebrants at one of Harry's retirement parties. . . . Fenton Mitchell, Rolling Hills, Calif., writes that he is is "founder, president and sole owner of CX and B United Corp., which is one of the largest promotional products companies on the West Coast." Among the highlights of his life since graduation, he says, are "constant personal growth and development, being the father of five children, all of whom turned out well, and achieving peace of mind." What he wants to do now is to "keep building the company, travel and simply taste all the best that life has to give." . . . Sylvia Fredette Schurin, Rockport, Mass., is a retired language teacher and antiques dealer who now is studying oil and watercolor painting. I appreciated her personal note reflecting on when we first knew one another as freshmen in Hedman Hall. That fall of 1947 with college looming ahead was a challenging adventure for the "shy girl with the fey sense of humor" that Sylvia recalls. . . . I have just returned from yet another adventure--this one taking me to Botswana and Deception Valley in the Middle of the Kalahari Desert. Do send news of your dreams and adventures to share with your '47-'51 classmates!
Class Correspondent: Barbara Jefferson Walker

Thanks to those of you who have taken the time to write to me, but just in case it's getting harder to find the paper, search for the envelope, dig out the stamp and run to the mailbox, here's my e-mail address: MMordecai @ AOL.com (I may not be proficient at matters Internet, but I will answer all mail as well as pass along anything you want to share with your classmates). You may want to share your own e-mail address. . . . People who wrote this time around seem to be finding new ways to invest their time. Fritz Zeigler writes from Ohio that although he's older and grayer, he's not noticing much effect of aging. He reports having some success "messing around" with thoroughbred racing. . . . Russ Wallace, in Mill Valley, Calif., says that he and wife Kit are "probably slowing down." (Don't you love the probably?) From his reports it should read "probably not." They made three trips outside of the continental United States in 1995 to places like Tibet and Mongolia. Russ plays a role in the Pacific Interclub Yachting Association. Thoroughbreds and yachts, wow! Polo, anyone? . . . Art White of New Smyrna Beach, Fla., and Bath, Maine, has retired as headmaster of Hotchkiss, plays golf and works in the Bath soup kitchen in the summers. . . . Stu West from California writes that through the miracles of modern surgery his eyesight is as good as it was at Colby. His radio stations WEMR- AM and FM continue to serve (but Stu, you didn't say where, for any '52ers who might be in range). Stu also helped to revive the Wyoming County Fair in Pennsylvania, a successful 10-year revival of a fair that had run from 1857 to 1942. . . . Ray Keyes boasts of having the job that everyone wishes for. Isn't that a great way to feel? (Actually I have that job!) He teaches (half time) graduate students at the business school at Boston College. . . . It may be hard for you to believe, but it is time to begin to plan to attend your 45th Colby reunion, June 1997! Your committee, Barbara Bone Leavitt, Norma Berquist Garnet, Ray Keyes, Dave Lynn, Ben Sears and I, Eddi Miller Mordecai, are having fun planning the event. Norma is planning a memorable video, which will require the participation of many. Look for more news of this. We'll be in touch frequently from now on with lures to tempt you to Waterville in '97. Don't tell us you're waiting for the 50th. Our motto is, "It's too late to wait. Carpe diem!" For now, please give some thought to your participation in the class gift. Sure, we hope for lots of big bucks, but the percentage of participation is a really crucial issue. In the past, only 42 percent of us have contributed. Just a little effort will raise us over our 50 percent target. When you hear from Dave Lynn and his committee, do whatever you can to make the drive successful. The College will be telling us more about some exciting opportunities for making our gifts count! . . . One of the tasks of the reunioning classes is to try to locate missing classmates. We have a number of these, and I will publish their names in lots of six or so from now till reunion. If you know the whereabouts of Jeremy Amott, Joan Acheson Bridge, Lois Green, Ray Henderson, Harriet Clouter Horan or Howard Kent, please make contact and urge them to let the College know of their whereabouts.
Class Correspondent: Edna Miller Mordecai

Just when I think there is little news coming my way, my mail box fills up. Elaine Zervas Stamas sent her notes too late for the last deadline and I'm sure thought I had left her out. In addition to her duties as a Colby trustee, Elaine still volunteers her time, as does her husband as chairman of the New York Philharmonic and many other boards. She reports her granny- standing is now "two." She has a new grandson to go with the first granddaughter. . . . Bob Wulfing is now retired and living in Wallingford, Vt., with his wife, Joan. His three children are on their own. His son is a minister in Portland, Maine, married, with four daughters. His daughter Holly was chef to the governor of Georgia and now has a home maintenance business with her husband. Their daughter Amy is also married. Bob is keeping himself busy as a trustee of Public Fund in Wallingford, playing a lot of golf, traveling and generally enjoying life. . . . Marty Friedlaender's many friends will be happy to know that she's back home after several months in the hospital following complications from scheduled spinal surgery. You can write her at 382 Central Park West #14A, New York, NY 10025. . . . Mimi Price Patten from South Harpswell on the beautiful Maine coast wrote that her three children and four grandchildren were all together at Christmas '95. Mimi acquired, via the surgery route, two new body parts: a new hip and new knee. We will all have to catch up to her next reunion. Last September she went on a cruise with Charlie Windhorst '54, Lou Ferraguzzi and Nick Sarris '54 and their wives, and I bet they all had a great time. . . . Kitty Webster Smith in San Bernardino, Calif., informs us that she is a school bookkeeper for the Del Rosa Christian School, where her husband is the administrator. He also is senior pastor of Grace Baptist Church. Kitty's family was planning a family reunion in July on two houseboats on California's Lake Shasta (they'd need all that space to accomodate four married children with the 12 grandchildren). She and her husband celebrated their 42nd anniversary in January. Neither one has imminent retirement plans. . . . Alan Whittaker thanked me and the Alumni Office for including him in the Class of '53. (He's not sure if he's in the right class year because he split time at Colby, '49- '51 and '55- '57, due to USAF duty.) Alan is now retired as a hospital CEO and keeping himself busy in real estate. He and his wife, Ruth, raise Maine Coon cats and do some traveling around to cat shows. And having reared six children, they are now enjoying all the grandchildren. . . . My roommate, Diane Chamberlin Starcher '54 (see profile p. 46), took the time to phone me from Groton, Mass., on her way to visit her son and daughter-in- law out in Washington state. I will leave the report on her trip up to her and hope to read about it in her class news. . . . I am sorry to have to tell you of two deaths in our class: Gilbert "Gil" Sewall on April 8, 1995, and Robert Carr on March 4, 1996. . . . As usual, I look foward to your news. Thanks to the above for filling my mailbox again.
Class Correspondent: Barbara Easterbrooks Mailey