MARCH 2009

            Emmett McCracken reported that Hugh Socks died at his home on Hilton Head Island in the early morning hours of 29 November.  He was up to let the dogs out, and Joyce heard him fall in the kitchen.  His remains will be inurned at Arlington on 1 April at 1300 hours, and Tom Russell has agreed to be our Washington point of contact.  Powell Hutton added news from Frank Hart ’54, for whom Hugh had worked at Benning in the early 70s, that Hugh’s sons from his first marriage are doing well.  Buddy, the oldest is a prominent and successful lawyer in San Antonio; Jay runs a landscaping business in Fredericksburg, VA; and Mark is an architect in the San Francisco Bay area.  The class extends its heartfelt sympathy to Joyce and to all of Hugh’s family and friends.

At the branch night:  Werbel, Keogh, Russell, Shapiro, Sundt, Passarella, Reinhard, Dawkins, and Franks.

            The Class of 2009, our 50-Year Affiliate Class, received their branch assignments on 2 November, an occasion we vividly remember (unlike some other things) from lo, these many years ago.  On entering Eisenhower Hall, each member of the class was presented a copy of a book written expressly for them by our class: Leadership: Combat Leaders and Lessons, edited by (and contributed to by) Jim Abrahamson and Andy O’Meara.  Speakers at the ceremony, and also contributors, were Pete Dawkins and Fred Franks, who did our class proud in their remarks.  Others of us there, who helped pin the branch insignia on our sons of today, were Steve Werbel, Pete Keogh, Tom Russell, Bob Shapiro, Dick Sundt, Pat Passarella, and Don Reinhard.  For the record, Infantry closed out second, and Engineers came in eleventh.

Sandy & Roger Gaines, Arlene & Jack Bohman, and Honey Jean & Lenny Katsarsky.

            Roger & Sandy Gaines are in Olympia, WA, and celebrated Roger’s 73^rd birthday in Hawaii last November.  The weather was wonderful (naturally, says Roger) and they were joined by Lenny & Honey Jean Katsarsky and Jack & Arlene Bohman.  Lenny loves to sing, and Arlene also did very well with the Kareoke, so of course they closed the club at Hickam AFB.  Tom Rienzi was supposed to be there but was waylaid by another appointment.

Denny Morrissey, Joe Shea, and Bill Wheeler.

Joe Shea & his significant other, Jane, are in Bradenton, FL, where Joe continues recovering from left knee replacement on 17 October.  His passionate interest, he says is getting through rehab.  The accompanying photo is of him with Bill Wheeler and
Denny Morrissey at a recent get together on Longboat Key where his companions were harassing him about his compression stockings.  Joe’s other great interest continues to be bird watching, and Florida is the winter home of many migratory birds.  Recently they were inundated with a flock of at least 300 crows, he says, and it was like the Hitchcock movie.  Anna Maria Island was visited by a huge flock of robins that fed on palm berries and could not digest them properly.  There was fermentation in their bellies making them stumbling drunks.  They staggered around, flew into windows and fell out of trees.  It was hilarious, and only a few were injured.  Thanks to Joe for the laugh of the day.

At services for Blaze Boggs:  Jerry Cavanaugh, Bill Barry, Mary Boggs, Jerry Jervell, John Harrell, and Benny Carr.  Also present, but not in the picture was Paula Carr. 

A short note from Bruce Schmacker confirms that he and Hannelore are still in Orlando, where Bruce continues working part time as a consultant on warheads for direct drop or on cruise missiles.  He sees no classmates lately but gets exercise by jogging and walking.

John & Nancy Shock are still in Little Rock where John remains full time at the U of AR for Medical Sciences as the Executive Vice Chancellor of the organization and director of the Jones Eye Institute.  They look forward to our 50^th and their 50^th wedding anniversary which just about coincide.  John says he still enjoys working but plans to go part-time in a year ago so that he can pursue a second career in golf.

            Bob & Sherry Shain are in Warrington, PA, where Bob still works with his son, Mike, selling aircraft tow vehicles up and down the east coast and to the government.  Bob is spending considerable time on contract to review all forms of battery power for industrial vehicles.  He hopes to take some time off in ’09 and is eagerly looking forward to our 50^th.

Jim & Marian Taylor with Joyce & Don Smart.

            Don Smart wrote in December that he and Joyce were preparing to trek from home in  Monument, CO, to Ft. Walton Beach, FL, for three months of golf at Eglin and Hurlburt AFBs.  Don plays regularly on AFA courses with Jim Taylor and sees Vic Fernandez frequently on the course.  He plays doubles squash three times a week at the AFA and, of course, still enjoys skiing in Colorado.  Joyce is recovering from both knees being replaced at the same time but, other than that they are enjoying good health.

Army-Rice tailgate:  Standing: Neal, Benagh, Beach, Sundt, Delikat, Manzo, Kevin O’Neill, Gilligan, Ferris, Bertollett. Sitting, Nancy Neal, Carol Beach, Sue Manzo, Anne O’Neill.  Not in picture: Gerry & Marsha Stadler and Barbara Bertollett.

            Sandy Beach sends the photo of our tailgate party at the Rice game. Army played a great game in the second half, says Sandy, demolishing Rice by 21-7.  Unfortunately we lost the first half by 31-10, with many fumbles, pass defense lapses, and other errors that a team cannot do and win in Division 1-A.  So he was hoping we could do better against Navy, but we didn’t, and so now we have a new coach.

            Tom & Karen Seybold are based in Reisterstown, MD, but spend a lot of time traveling the globe.  Two wonderful trips in the last three years, says Tom, to visit sons and families in Australia and New Zealand; also India by way of Paris and an Alpine ski resort.  At this writing they were planning s trip to Madrid to visit their IBM son and his family.  Tom still plays a lot of tennis in the senior circuit but was temporarily sidelined by rehab for a second knee replacement last November.  He and Karen enjoyed tennis with the Irv Broockes at the Seybold house in the Poconos.

Bill Schwartz

            Bill & Joyce Schwartz can view the San Francisco Bay and the bridges from their home in Oakland, and Bill’s life is active, to say the least.  He’s the area coordinator for the USMA Admissions Office and coordinates the activities of 22 volunteer grads who cover over 197 schools.  Bill personally covers the Oakland public high schools and Oakland Military Institute with a focus on minority outreach.  He’s on the National VA and San Francisco VA Medical Center Community Advisory Committees on Hepatitis C, an illness he was awarded in Vietnam.  He manages to get down to Coast Guard Island every week day to either swim or work out at their gym.  He and Joyce frequently see their fellow Oakland residents Bill & Kathy Garcia, and their friends Bill Mullen, Bill Breen, and the van LobenSelses down the left coast.

            Thanks for all the poop last year.  Polly & I look forward to seeing you at the 50^th.