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CLASS CORRESPONDENT
Alice Jennings Castelli
classnews1950@alum.colby.edu
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It always amazes me when I get together with Colby classmates that we seem to pick up where we left off so many years ago. It doesn't seem to matter that we are all grandparents and that our lives have taken us in so many different directions. I just got a nice note from Charlotte "Stubby" Crandall Graves with pictures of eight of us who met at Patty Root Wheeler's home in Jaffrey, N.H., for our second annual mini-reunion. Also included were Ellen Kenerson Gelotte, Connie Foxcroft Hayes and Ginny Davis Pearce. The highlight of our reunion was seeing Ruth Stetson Pitman for the first time since graduation. We were delighted to discover that she lives in the area, has pursued her interest in art over the years and currently is teaching art at a private secondary school. . . . The Fort Fairfield Review had a lovely article spotlighting Robert George, who retired from his practice as an optometrist in Fort Fairfield, Maine, after 48 years. . . . On a more somber note, you may not have heard that George Paine passed away in Mission Viejo, Calif., last February. He had worked for the FBI for 28 years before retiring in 1979. George and his wife, Mary, had seven children and eight grandchildren. . . . Let me hear from you.
--Alice Jennings Castelli
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CLASS CORRESPONDENT
Nancy Nilson Archibald
classnews1951@alum.colby.edu |
Arlene McCurda Cole has written a book in conjunction with her hometown of Newcastle, Maine's 250th anniversary celebration. Arlene is a member of the Newcastle Historical Society and has completed 51 articles for the group, from biographical sketches to the history of area churches. Between Two Rivers is a compilation from many sources, and it also has many photographs of Newcastle. . . . Norval Garnett writes that he has been retired for 14 years and is busy with both domestic and international travel. Since his wife, Norma (Bergquist '52), and his daughter both teach Spanish, much of their travel involves foreign language conferences. They have been to Spain and its environs more than 25 times! Their latest trip to Scandinavia included their granddaughter, as their custom is to take one along when he or she graduates from high school. They winter in Naples, Fla., and summer in South China, Maine, where they keep up on what's happening at Colby. They also spend a few months "at home" in E. Greenwich, R.I. Norval says that he learned many years ago in the infantry that you can't hit a moving target! . . . Ernie Fortin and Patti were married in July 2003 in Maine. The bridegroom says he was very nervous but very happy! Congratulations to you both! . . . Ted Shiro was inducted into the New England Basketball Hall of Fame. He ranks 13th among Colby's all-time scoring leaders with 1,212 points. When he was a senior at Colby, he was named All-New England, and after starring at Colby he saw time with the Boston Celtics. He ranks as one of our most outstanding athletes. . . . Jack Deering and his wife, Anne (Burnham '55), were among the many guests at Justine and Ed Laverty's 50th wedding anniversary celebration. Jack says that it was a grand affair for everyone. . . . Nancy and Dick Birch spend five months of the year in Florida and divide the rest of the time between New Hampshire and East Sebago, Maine. Dick is working on improving his golf game. (Aren't we all?) . . . Bill Burgess had a marvelous cruise to Alaska on the Dawn Princess. He stopped in Vancouver at the Hampton Inn, which he highly recommends, and had an all-day tour of Victoria Island, where the highlight was Butchart Gardens. He saw many glaciers in Glacier Bay and heard constant cracking like rifle shots as pieces of the glaciers broke off. The flora and fauna were spectacular, and Bill enjoyed the many varieties of sea birds that he saw while cruising. As a new security measure, everyone was issued a plastic ID card that had the picture of the passenger on it and also served as room key and credit card! . . . Thanks to everyone for keeping me posted on your news. I look forward to receiving more tidbits to pass along.
--Nancy Nilson Archibald
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CLASS CORRESPONDENT
Janice Pearson Anderson
classnews1952@alum.colby.edu
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June '03 may have been the celebration of the Class of '53, but the Class of '52 was there walking in the reunion parade as well. Norma Bergquist Garnett, Paul and Mimi Russell Aldrich and I proudly walked behind the 50-Plus banner. (If I have left anyone out, please forgive me. Just chalk it up to that nasty wordÑage!) Norma and husband Norv '51 were about to embark on a two-week tour of Scandinavia to celebrate the high school graduation of one of their eight grandchildren. While in Denmark and Sweden, they planned some brief visits with long-distance relatives. . . . Ray and Merry Crane Evans had a wonderful 50th wedding anniversary celebration several months ago. Their church feted them, and then their children and grandchildren gave them a heartwarming family get-together weekend in Palm Springs, Calif. That included staying in a beautiful hotel and sharing a special dinner at a well-known Mexican restaurant. Ray was finishing up his fourth year on the grand jury for the County of Riverside, Calif., an experience he says he has found most interesting and educational. . . . We received the sad news in May of the death of Elaine Erskine Dow '49. She originally was a member of the Class of '49, but because of illness she graduated with us in '52. Elaine became an English and speech teacher by profession and was well known as a writer and lecturer on herbs and Puritan history. She was a consultant on 17th-century herb gardens and wrote two books on the subject. . . . For more in the next issue of Colby, you'll just have to keep those notes and e-mails coming.
--Janice "Sandy" Pearson Anderson
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CLASS CORRESPONDENT
Barbara Easterbrooks Mailey
classnews1953@alum.colby.edu |
I had a few notes from classmates during the summer. Bob Dow's August was highlighted by two family events. The first was the wedding of his youngest son in their home garden. The second was the 50th wedding anniversary for Bob and Eleanor (Hiltz '56), celebrated with all his children and grandchildren, followed by a 12-day tour of Newfoundland and Labrador. . . . John Lee was off on a cruise aboard the Regal Princess. He said this cruise "made" CNN as more than 45 crew and 300 passengers, including him, caught the Norwalk Virus. In spite of the illness, the cruise was enjoyable, getting to ports in England, Ireland, Scotland, Iceland and Greenland. John says he has already pre-booked on the Pacific Princess for Tahiti next year. So now, dear John, Brooksie awaits the next chapter of the cruising experience. . . . Loretta "Tommi" Thompson Staples was back on campus the last week of July to attend Alumni College. She says that if you like Elderhostel, you would enjoy this experience as well. . . . Right after reunion I learned of the passing of Dan Cashman, Mary Jane Fitzpatrick Cashman's husband. He shared reunion days with us, always greeting everyone with a big smile. . . . Priscilla Eaton Billington e-mailed me that Mimi Price Patten "did it" (the murder in Nick Sarris's play). She said she saw Nick and Shirley and Barbara Studley Barnette at the celebration of life for Dick Creedon '52 at the home of Joan Leader Creedon. It was a somber reunion of prayer and song, followed by dinner and dancing. . . . The awards that I referred to in my last column were those given to the Class of '53's 50th anniversary gift volunteers, headed by Chase and Nan Murray Lasbury and Paul Ostrove, with gift committee members Barbara Best Berg, Franklin King, Nick Sarris and Paul Wescott. The legwork was done for them by the agents, namely Art Klien, Betty Winkler Laffey, Gail Pendleton Schultz, Elaine Zervas Stamas, Loretta Thompson Staples, Virginia Falkenbury Aronson, Nelly Beveridge, Gil Tallmadge, Carolyn English Caci, Joan Leader Creedon, Ed Fraktman, Michael Manus, Joan Rooney Barnes, Mary Jane Fitzpatrick Cashman, Helen Koniares Cleaves and Bob Grindle. What dedication!
--Barbara Easterbrooks Mailey
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CLASS CORRESPONDENT
Helen Cross Stabler
classnews1954@alum.colby.edu
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Vic Scalise tells this story: "My wife, Mary, and I took a fall cruise along the New England coast, into the Maritimes, and then to Quebec City and Montreal. We were on the upper level of an English-style double-decker bus in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Mary was speaking to a couple in front of us from Texas. She told the woman she had obtained a bookmark with the Canadian National Anthem on it, "O, Canada." I said, "That is our college song." Then I broke into a line of "Hail, Colby, Hail." The couple seated in front of the Texans turned and said, "We recognize that song." It was Nancy Eustis Huprich and her husband, Paul! It really is a small world. They will be coming to our 50th and are encouraging others as well. See you the first week in June 2004." Vic, remember, is co-president for our 50th reunion, which is nearly upon us. The Reunion Committee and class officers are busy making plans, and you will have received lots of information by the time you read this column. We hope to see you all at this reunion, which will be our really big one.
--Helen Cross Stabler
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