We received a lovely letter from Linda Allen Vaughn that reads, in part, “My husband, Jim Vaughn, passed away last October. While I appreciated Colby publishing his obituary, I want people know more about the man he was and why it’s important to tell a piece of his story, because his Colby brothers and friends meant the world to him. It seems to me that the experiences and the relationships at Colby defined us and molded our futures, as much as the education prepared us for it. “Duck” was his nickname, a name that followed him from Summit (N.J.) High School, where he was lowered from the rafters as the duck in the Groucho Marx show with the secret word “paleontology” for his Latin class skit. Jim became “Duck” and Duck was a Lambda Chi Alpha. I’m sure his fraternity brothers and others have memories from 1963 to 1967 of Duck: he held the world record for reciting the superman mantra (faster than a speeding bullet), was the drummer in the house band, and president of the Newman Club (he bought doughnuts for meetings). He played IFL sports and loved basketball, a passion he passed on to his grandchildren. He hated geology and the Hotel Cassini, loved sleeping the ramps. He even loved snow coming in the dormitory windows and door, he loved the snoring (many offenders), he loved boulders being thrown out the second floor balcony (one unnamed but well-known offender). Duck was bitterly disappointed when the Greek system was abolished. Brothers from Lambda Chi were in Duck’s memory for more than 45 years and he loved and missed them all.” Thank you, Linda, for sharing. * Sandy Miller lives between her home in Milton, Mass., where she runs her business, and Florida, where she cares for her father. When she has time, Sandy researches family facts. One new fact: she has a new granddaughter, Molly. * Jim Katz plans to keep teaching as long as he enjoys instructing his students. By all indications, that’ll be a very long time. * Mike and Pam Cooper Picher expected the births of two grandchildren, one in August and one in September. They enjoy life in Ottawa and in their cottage on Georgian Bay. On an interesting note, Pat and Tif Crowell were in Canada biking and decided to look up Mike and Pam, but, as luck would have it, Pam and Mike were on Cape Cod at that time. Nonetheless Tif and Pat completed their 370-mile trip. * Mike Thoma works as a consultant and rides his Morgan horse in his free time. After Mike leads his horse to the feedbag, he takes up the pots and pans and cooks for his wife, kids, and friends. * Sookie Weymouth retired and has spent time traveling with her husband. When home in Maine, Sookie volunteers with a group studying invasive species of aquatic plants and socializing animals. While at a library sale near her home, she met, unexpectedly, Muffy Place Ireland, a friend she met in 1963 on Mayflower Hill when they wore blue beanies. * Joyce Henckler serves as chief development officer of the University of Central Florida, the second-largest metropolitan university in the country. Joyce finds time to travel and this spring, with husband Don, visited the Mediterranean, where they thoroughly enjoyed the countryside and the rich history of the region. * Jim Eisenberg has been a practicing radiologist for the last 30 years. He began his medical career in surgery and then did a second residency in radiology. Jim and his wife, Tova, have three children. When work schedules allow Jim and Tova travel and often escape to their retreat on the shore of Lake Michigan.
Fall 2011