ALUMNI PROFILES
Frances Vitaglione '63
Finding a Future

Fred Valone '72
Spiritual Challenge

Ari Druker '93
Asia Major

Sarah Toland '00
A Step Ahead

CLASS CORRESPONDENT
Jane Holden Huerta
2955 Whitehead Street
Miami, FL 33133
305-446-5082
classnews1960@alum.colby.edu

Not a lot of news received for this month's class letter. Since I am writing this in December, I imagine that most everyone was busy with Thanksgiving and the December holiday season. We had a wonderful Thanksgiving with our sons in Kansas City, where our son, Juan '92, works for Sprint. . . . Robert Haggett reports that he experienced the most significant event in his life when he ran for the Maine Senate in District #32 (Biddeford, Kennebunk, Kennebunkport and Arundel) in the November 5 election. Unfortunately, he lost to a three-term incumbent by a 16-percentage point margin. While disappointed with the outcome, he is satisfied with his effort and the energy put into the campaign. As you perhaps know, Maine supported Democratic candidates pretty much across the board with the exception of Susan Collins, who was reelected to the U.S. Senate. Robert says it certainly made life interesting for about six months and that he got to meet a lot of wonderful people in the district. . . . Peg Jack Johnston reports that 2002 whizzed by! Business was great! Her business brokerage company was very active and sold lots of businesses! She's not ready for retirement as she is having too much fun! Three weeks in Spain last spring, a second granddaughter and thus several trips to Sacramento and Chicago and, finally, one of three sons has returned to Denver! Yeah! This year she is on the Center for Women's Business Research Board and continues as a WPO member, an active Rotarian and a director of the Denver Athletic Club. Yoga keeps her stabilized, she says, and she recommends it to everyone. Let her know if you ever get to Denver. . . . June Chacran Chatterjee will take another group to Cuba in June on a week-long trip and thought it would be nice to let people know. Her first trip was a good experience for everyone--including June and her daughter--so she feels comfortable inviting others. . . . Mary Lynn Watt (now Molly), my freshman roommate, visited Colby and was very surprised to see how it had changed. . . . On December 2, Eunice Bucholtz Spooner's son Peter, with support of her other two sons, planned a 20-year "celebration of life"--celebrating the 20 years since her auto accident. He notified family and friends who sent her e-mails and cards. He corresponded with Travis Roy, who autographed his book, Eleven Seconds, which Peter gave to me. Channel 5, WABI-TV (the CBS affiliate in Bangor), interviewed Peter and Eunice, and it was on the news that night. A transcript can be found at www.wabi.tv/broadcast_script.asp?at=12/2/2002+5:30pm#45celebration.

Jane Holden Huerta

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Our class president, Penny Dietz Sullivan, and husband, Paul Hill, write, "GURUnet.net. Our business survived 9/11's crunch and has come back stronger than ever. The good news is we're swamped with work; the bad news: we're working forever." Come on, Penny, we need you to retire to plan that super 45th reunion--besides, you can still work as a consultant! . . . Question for next column: what is the best thing for you about retirement? Your class correspondent is still time-challenged but now because of my own agenda rather than someone else's. Please share! . . . Hank Wingate filled out a class news form from the magazine (it's so easy--just pop it in the mail to me) to say he attended a "great" Class of '62 reunion with his partner, Marlyn Coffee '62. He's proud to announce son Peter '93's newly conferred doctorate in industrial psychology from Colorado State. Hank also attended "super Family Weekend," staying with Tom and Dotty Boynton Kirkendall on Long Pond in the Belgrades. Hank really enjoyed hearing the Colby singing groups at the Waterville Opera House and meeting Dean Earl Smith. Added bonuses: seeing new Chinese art display and Eric Rolfson '73. . . . Margie Chamberlain Davis spent a week on Martha's Vineyard with Liz (Chamberlain '60) and Bob Huss. By the way, if you're ever in East Greenwich you can check out books with classmate Margie at the East Greenwich Free Library! . . . Jeanette Benn Anderson is another of our part-time Floridians. She and her husband, Bob, have a place on Marco Island, the site of many cherished family reunions. A major hobby for Jeanette has been tracking her horse, Alame (who participated in nearly 40 races last year). While MS is "still a daily challenge" for Jeanette, she is "on the computer daily," monitoring the latest treatment suggestions and following all viable leads. Jeanette, your tenacity is an inspiration to us all! . . . Sandy Nolet Eielson's full year included a Florida jaunt in February 2002, a South American cruise in March, Seattle in May and a visit to the Eielson Inn in France in September, combined with Costa Brava and Barcelona, Spain. Then your correspondent and Sandy were both in Las Vegas at the same time in November--and missed each other. So near and yet so far! . . . Mary Sawyer Durgin reports on a mini reunion in New York City with Sally Thompson Solari, Carla Possinger Short and Bob Di Napoli. "We had a glorious time catching up with one another's lives, particularly Bob, whom we hadn't seen for many years. N.Y.C. was splendid, with Ground Zero somber but well on its way to new construction. Carla is still raising chickens for Frank Perdue; Sally has her own consulting business; and Bob is managing a clothing store in the city." Mary is still working for the IRS in Maine, which recently includes traveling on a teaching assignment. Mary's big message: "Don't forget to write a check for the Alumni Fund before the end of the year to help with your tax saving strategy." Steve Chase, our class agent, would be most happy to hear from you all! (Thanks for all the notes, Steve!) . . . Janice Dukeshire Halliwell continues to enjoy retired life on Florida's West Coast--almost enough folks there for a mini '61 reunion. Jan (or "J.D.") was part of the Foss Hall "terror" group (the term had a decidedly different meaning in 1957) freshman year, along with Mary Sawyer Durgin, Sally "S.T." Thompson Solari, Susan Fourcade Erskine, Judy Dunnington Vollmer, Mary-Jane Rutherford Carroll and your correspondent. . . . Thanks for the holiday letters and other news! No item is too insignificant for this column. It's the details of classmates' lives that make interesting reading. Again, remember to block out early June 2006 on your calendars now for our 45th! Definitely plan on the pre-reunion activity, which is almost always the best part! Aloha!

--Diane Scrafton Ferreira

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Correspondent did not submit any notes for this issue.

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Not much news for this issue, but I hope that many of you will be able to make the 40th class reunion, June 6-8, and learn it firsthand. . . . John Sheldon writes that he has just updated his information and felt the urge to get back in touch after 20 or so years. Wonderful! After graduating and being in the military for four years, he worked at TWA in several sales and marketing roles before retiring after 23 years in '92. Since then he has worked in the travel industry but, given the times, has switched to the more stable merchandising business. He's living in Chesterfield, Mo., near St. Louis. His son, Doug, is teaching in an inner-city high school in Jersey City, N.J., and John's comment is that more qualified people should be doing such work. His daughter, Heather, travels the world as a registrar for Sotheby's Auction House. John would like to have news of Jan Brassem '64, who, like John, was on the "five-year Colby plan." . . . In June 2000, Peggy Fuchs Singer retired from a 35-year career in special education. Since then, she has been having "the time of my life" as an artist specializing in photography, fabric collage and quilting. She and her husband, Michael, recently celebrated their 25th anniversary and are proud of their son, Dan, at the U of Wisconsin in Madison, and their daughter, Ilana, at Simon's Rock College in Great Barrington, Mass. She "can't wait to see friends and the rest of us in June." . . . Michael Sylvester is now working with Colby as an overseer and finds it both exciting and a great deal of fun. He also proudly announces the arrival of a grandson, born in Falmouth last November. . . . After two years of "retirement" and full-time nonprofit consulting, Pen Williamson is, as he puts it, "back in the saddle" with fund raising as director of the newly created foundation for LifeFlight of Maine, the medical helicopter system for the state. . . . Of interest to our class is a scholarship for students furthering their education in sculpture or fine arts in memory of Ed Winkler Jr., who passed away in June 2002. Donations can be made to the Winkler Memorial Scholarship Fund, 46 Chandler Mills Road, Newport, NH 03773. This sounds like a very worthwhile memorial fund and one that some of us would like to support.

--Karen Forslund Falb

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Recently a friend gave me her grandfather's yearbook--The Colby Oracle, Class of 1899. It is a treasure! A lot of literary spoofs and some serious work, a book quite packed with information on the 23 men and 13 women who graduated that year. The advertisements in the back contain ads for The Elmwood Hotel and Dunham's along with various livery stables and tobacconists. It was another Colby, but the same Colby. We are part of a long line. . . . Gail Koch Cooper retired from teaching two years ago and is now active in many local programs in Brattleboro, Vt. Most recently she joined the board of the Morningside Shelter. . . . Barney Hallowell was honored by the Maine College of Art last May as a leader in the arts community who has made a difference in Maine. Barney is a teaching principal at the North Haven Community School, where many innovative programs have brought the school national attention. . . . Bob Gelbard has joined ICN Pharmaceuticals as vice president for international affairs and government relations. He brings with him broad ambassadorial knowledge from Indonesia, East Timor, the Balkans and Bolivia. . . . Mike Robinson has made a dramatic change of career. He received his master of divinity degree from Bangor Theological Seminary in May 2002 and was called to the Smith Mills Christian Congregational Church in Massachusetts. His first career was in the lumber industry, and he has an abiding interest in maritime education, so he brings many facets to his new life. . . . Barb Gordon Schoeneweis had a banner World Series year watching her son, pitcher Scott Schoeneweis of the Anaheim Angels, in the exciting seven-game run for the holy grail of baseball. . . . Dorothy Thompson Herrin writes that her 93-year-old dad has moved in with them. She also announced her intention to retire from teaching in June. "Both my children live in Texas," she said "so one part of retirement to which I am looking forward is never having to go to Texas again in the summer!" . . . From Phil Choate: "We recently spent two weeks in Ramstein, Germany, visiting our son, Eric, and his family. We got to see our newest grandchild, Philip, who was born in March. Eric is a major and works in the Office of the USAF Europe Inspector General. We breathe a little easier now that he is no longer in Turkey. Germany was absolutely beautiful. In my 22 years in the Army, we never got to Europe. It seems I was always headed in the other direction. We hope to return next summer. I'm still employed at MaineGeneral Medical Center. No immediate plans to retire yet. Having too much fun." . . . More birthday news came in. Judy Fassett Aydelott wrote, "I'm afraid that my 60th was a rather quiet affair with son Jack and Kath. We hiked the trails where Jack rides each week (with the wife of a friend who needed someone to exercise her large horse--lucky Jack!). Then we went for ice cream and to a horse auction. Pete, Jack and I are so crazy about horses we almost bought one. Our evening plans had been to go to a Kingston Trio concert, but when we got back to the house where Jack had planned a fabulous meal, we had 12 phone messages informing us of Mom's stroke--and we were the closest offspring, so off we went. My gift was that she survived and now has a pretty good lifestyle." . . . Nancy Green King reported on "what a few of us actually did to celebrate our collective 60th! On August 21, eight Colby '64s--Barb Mc Clarin Bing, Ellie Moran Regan, Sandi Hayward Albertson-Shea, Lois Lyman, Sue Sawyer McAlary, Peter and Gail Koch Cooper and I, with assorted spouses bringing the number in our party to 13--gathered in Camden, Maine, for a four-day windjammer cruise on Penobscot Bay aboard the Lewis R. French, the oldest schooner in the Maine fleet. We had a wonderful time, loved the ship, the owner/captain and the crew, enjoyed fantastic food, had great weather and were particularly glad to refresh friendships with those we hadn't seen for a while. It was a terrific birthday celebration!" . . . Jim Harris says he turned 60 last October during a Seahawks' football game: "After the game, my wife, Madie, and I were to meet our niece and her life partner (boyfriend) for dinner. Instead, when we got to the restaurant, there were 30 of my friends and family. All of them dressed like me, that is, stripes with plaids, checks with polka dots. A good time was had by all (I hope), since none of them had to pay. Most of the time I feel like I am still in my teens or at least my 20s. Until I try something strenuous, like getting up from a chair or bed. Sometimes I feel like I'm missing something going on around me; then I realize it's either my hearing that is failing or that there really is nothing going on around me." Jim still volunteers time in civic organizations and is still on the board of the Pacific NW Writers Association ("even though I don't write"). His job kept him so busy that Sept. 1 was the first time all year he had his golf clubs out. "While my peers in the book business are thinking retirement, I'm increasing my workload because I'm having a great time and my company is expanding its horizons," he said. He was off to Florida for Thanksgiving with family there and planning on a few rounds. He and Madie spent three weeks in N.Y.C. in early May, part business, mostly visiting friends and family there. He took Madie to the top of the Empire State Building and says, "She'd never been there before despite the fact that she worked in the building for two years before we married 35 years ago. It was weird not seeing the WTC, but we couldn't get ourselves in the mood to visit Ground Zero." Jim says they had an opportunity to meet Bro Adams when he was in Seattle last spring, and he thinks he is going to do a bang-up job at Colby.

--Sara Shaw Rhoades

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