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158th Column

          Pictures at end of column

            158th Column.  1 Mar 2007.  Due today or tomorrow for May-June Assembly.  Just back from lunch with our Yearlings from ’57.  It was their monthly lunch at Ft Myer O Club, to which we are invited in Mar each year.  They let us “fall out.”  I arrived home from that grand and most enjoyable affair when I remembered this task.  Grrr.

            Sad news.  Many received this information via email, but it is repeated here for the record and for those not wired for 21st Century.  “Classmates: It is with deep regret that I report that Bob Barker's wife Jo Ann passed away on Saturday, 28 January.  Bob and their four children were with her when she left us.  A memorial service will be held on 21 April at the Casdorf and Curry funeral home in St. Albans, WV.

            “Bob and the children have established a memorial page with the American Heart Association at: honor.americanheart.org.  Our thoughts and prayers are with Bob and his family.  Grip Hands.  Ron Turner K-1, CCQ.”  Wish there were more that your Scribe could say or do.  My attempt to proclaim no more sad news, banish further losses until after the 50th has no sway in the bigger scheme of living and dying.  Would that were in my power.  Sorry.

            B2 Mini.  “Here's the latest from Rooster about our B2 ‘mini’ in San Juan Capistrano. ‘Plh’ is Ann Forster's email address at work.  She's Tony's ‘People,’ as in Tony's remark, ‘I'll have my people look into that.’).  ACTION ITEMS: (1) Mark 3-5 Jun on your calendar; (2) Call the Best Western Capistrano Inn (949-493-5661) to reserve your room; (3) Make your plane or other travel arrangements to get there and enjoy the area.  Other helpful information: 949-661-8428 (Forster’s, home), 949-230-6535 (Tony’s cell), 949-230-4534 (Ann’s cell).  I look forward to seeing you in Jun at Roster's.  Your faithful CCQ, Karl” (obviously Oelke).

Scribe’s added remarks: Not too late for others to join B2 and enjoy the former Mayor’s hospitality, especially those on the left coast who may not make it to New Orleans in Oct.

            New Orleans Mini.  The dates are 21-24 Oct, Sun-Wed.  The reunion hotel is Omni Royal Orleans Hotel, 621 Saint Louis St, 800-578-0500 (mention USMA 1958 for reunion rate).  Organizers are Barbara & Tom Sands.  Be there – the New Orleans economy needs YOU!  And, so do your classmates.

            Caribbean Cruise before NO Mini.  “This is a reminder.  If you would like to join a group of classmates for a five day cruise of the Western Caribbean as a precursor to the 49th Mini, please let me (Herb Puscheck) know ASAP (call Herb because his deadline was today, 1 Mar).  Here are some specifics.  We will leave New Orleans Monday afternoon,  spend a few days at sea, visit Costa Maya and Cozumel and return to New Orleans Saturday morning, the day before the Mini. See schedule below. The cost is $400 per person for an ocean view cabin or $730 per person for a suite.

            “SCHEDULE: Mon 15 Oct 4pm leave New Orleans.  Tues 16 Oct at sea on the FANTASY.  Wed 17 Oct noon to 8 pm Costa Maya -- beaches, Mayan ruins, etc.  Thurs 18 Oct 7 am to 6 pm Cozumel — beach, snorkel, jungle, party, relax.  Fri 19 Oct at sea.  Sat 20 Oct 8 am arrive New Orleans.

            “Hotel reservations for Saturday night, Oct 20th, can be made at the Omni

Royal at the reduced Mini rate.  Passports are highly recommended although not actually required for the cruise.  Check out Carnival.com/ Fantasy on the web for a view of the ship, more detailed information and a virtual tour of the ship.

            “About 30 classmates, spouses and friends are currently signed up.  Our deadline to hold these prices is March 1st, so please consider.  Contact me (Herb) ASAP if you have questions.”

            European Barge trip: 25 May-5 Jun.  You might still make this one, might, but only if you contact Bill Harrison (541-826-9915) immediately!  Bill wrote in email: “If you're expecting a big tax refund and are wondering what to do with it, you might consider joining Dick & Bev Graves, Margaret Groves, Shirley Bartlett, Orlie & Harriet Hill, Chuck & Celia Hansult, Stan & Jill Bacon, Phil & Lynn Pryor, John & Jill Holecek, Bob & Martha Meals, Glenn & Kit Brown, and Bill & Betty Harrison on a Barge Trip through the canals and cities of Belgium and The Netherlands.

            “The cost is $3500 - $4000 per person, depending upon your city of departure.  Trip Insurance is available for an additional $500 per person.  There is a pre-trip opportunity of 3 days in Brussels and a post-trip opportunity of 3 days in Amsterdam if you are interested; each is around $500 additional per person.  We will travel with Overseas Adventure Travel; a tour guide will be with us for the entire time, but not the pre- and post-stays.  Airfare from selected departure cities is included, as are the side trips into the cities and countryside.  If you have a travel credit voucher from an earlier OAT or GCT trip, e.g. from last summer's trip to Greece and the Greek Isles, it can be applied to the fee for this trip.”

            With company and class mini reunions and various cruise opportunities, ’58 does stay busy.  Too bad we don’t get along better and like our classmates, wives, families, etc.

            Old news.  Really old news – from our oldest classmate. “Classmates: Today (10/25/06) is my 75th birthday.  In honor of such an occasion, I decided to run 15 miles (one mile for each five years of age).  However, due to poor planning, I actually ran over 16 miles.  Now the race is who will reach 80 first.  If I can do this at my age, I expect our class to have 58 classmates for the 2007 march back (MB) for the class of 2008 (added: Firsties for Aug 07 MB).  The plebe hike has been reduced to 10 miles plus the two mile MB.  To me, it is just a walk in the woods.  Are you up to the task?  No excuses, let's do it. Ed Weckel weck58@comcast.net is waiting for your response.   Wally Ward '58.”

            Another grandson and March Back.  Colin Graves, son of Bill Graves ’82, grandson of our Dick Graves will join ’11 in July.  Email from Grandfather Dick to MB guru Ed.  “I promised Colin that I would do the Aug 07 March Back again if he was doing it.  See you there.”

            Wounded Warriors.  No doubt you have been reading about Walter Reed and its bureaucratic and logistical problems with outpatients, wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan.  No doubt you also know something about ’58 efforts to provide assistance to some of the wounded.  This from Palmer McGrew about recognition of our efforts: “A letter was recently sent by the Help Our Heroes Foundation donating $5000 in the name of the Class of 1958 to Operation Education at the University of Idaho.   It states in part: ‘These wonderful graduates have spent many hours supporting our wounded through foundation efforts as well as their own.   In recognition of their dedication to our wounded and their families please accept $5000 in their name...’  Many classmates are involved.   Some of the leaders are Bob Tredway, Lee Miller, John Herren, Pete Brintnall, Alan Salisbury, and George Lawton.   All those involved have been making a big difference in the lives of these severely wounded soldiers.   It's the least we can do.   Now we need more volunteers for this program as there are soldiers in need of

help.   Please consider joining the effort.   Contact any of those listed above.  Palmer.”

            New member on class email lists.  Mel Farrar recently joined Dick Buckalew’s list.  This is his reply to Scribe seeking news since his class ring, lost at EOBC in 1958, was recently recovered by Ring Recovery.  “George, thank you for your interest.  After a 20 year plus career in the Army, I had a 20 year plus career as a pastor.  I told the church that I would stay on until they had their new pastor.  I also put off hip replacement surgery until I retired.  On August 21, 2005 I retired and the new pastor took over the next day.  I had hip surgery a week later and was told by the surgeon that he was glad I didn't wait any longer.  The surgery went great and today my hip is great and my leg is as good as new.  Thank God for all the advancements in the medical field.  Today I spend my time by serving on a half dozen ministry boards.  This seems to be the start of a new career.  This fills my time wonderfully without the weekly pressures of a pastor.  Also, Kay and I are free to do other things whenever they come up.  I am a blessed man...Mel”   Other new members of email lists should follow Mel’s good example and send your friendly Scribe news!

            Jim Emmons Memorial Service.  “Happy New Year, George.  One of NY resolutions was to finally get this info on Jim's memorial sent to you. The BIG delay was caused by (1) pc problems - finally fixed with a Mac and (2) built-in personality issue of procrastination.

            “Jim was a physician, soldier and outdoorsman (fishing and hunting) - and a drinker to the end. The Dr who gave the eulogy was Jim's best pal and drinking buddy.  He was recruited by Jim to come to Cottonwood, AZ, or more accurately, the Verde Valley (that may account for the drinking).  The memorial was very well attended by the townspeople of Cottonwood and all remembered Jim fondly. One person at the memorial stood up to say that Jim had saved his life.

Tom Mason.”  Thanks Tom.  Hope to find photos in my laptop sent by Tom.  Jim will be buried at West Point later in 2007.

            Out of airspeed, altitude, power, etc.  DO YOUR INPUT FOR 50th REUNION BOOK!

Photos for 158th Column for May-June 2007 Assembly:

 

  1.     Class Cup Party: front-Haushill, Finkenauer, Oelke, Karl III (godson), Plaue, Tallgren; rear-Thompson, Makowski, John Sutherland, Glover 
  2.     Emmons Memorial Service: Alex Pensiero, Judy Emmons, TK Smith, Tom Mason
  3.     Sgt Ordway Dedication: Connell, Wilson, Tom Morgan, Vanture, Orlie Hill
  4.     Swanson and Crow Jan 2007 (photo by Downing)
  5.     Officers of First Div Dinner Apr 2003: Sibert, Pryor, Drisko
  6.     Class Cup Presentation: Karl, Karl III, President Jack