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156th Column

          Pictures at end of column

 

            156th Column.  29 Oct, due Halloween to be read in Jan-Feb.  Happy New Year!  On that happy note, your Scribe wishes that he could suspend transitions to the Ghostly Assemblage between now and our 50th at West Point 24-28 May 2008.  Sadly that is beyond the scope of my scribe duties.

Sad News department.  Since the 155th Column was submitted on 25 Aug, the one you loyal subscribers will receive in a few days via Nov-Dec Assembly (history by the time you read this one), our Roll Call has increased by three.  Those on the class email list know that in order of march we lost John Cook on 11 Sep, Sylvia Degen on 15 Sep and Paul Makowski on 11 Oct.  Repeated here is some information from the email traffic about each for the record and for those not connected.

John Bailey Cook B-1.  Excerpts from Star-Telegram 14 Sep: “born in Fort Worth.  He was a graduate of North Side High School and the US Military Academy.  After West Point, he spent 1 1/2 years in Vietnam as a combat pilot and general's aide.  During his service in Vietnam he flew approximately 130 combat missions.  (Then) at the Pentagon (he) attended American University in Washington, DC, studying political science.  He was involved in the Air Force defense systems, having helped in the development of missiles.  He was a military shooting team captain, won a medal in the Pan Am Games and was a National Rifle Association champion marksman for three different years.  After leaving Washington, he moved back to Fort Worth and owned Cook Real Estate for the next 20 years. He enjoyed hunting and fishing.  He was very proud of his family and their accomplishments, especially his grandfather, William J. Bailey, who was a great contributor to the development of Fort Worth. He was really looking forward to having his first grandson in Dec 2006.  John Cook was known by everyone he met as a nice, sweet and caring person.  Survivors: Helen Cook; sons, John M. Cook and wife, Shirley and Christopher M. Cook; stepmother, Virginia Cook; and sister, Poppe Marsha Weaver; uncle, John T. Bailey; sister-in-law, Anne Hunter; and brothers-in-law, Floyd DeMars and Alfred DeMars.”  Faithful readers know (154th) that John was a B-Squad Lacrosse player whose last email to Scribe concluded with: “Life is great in Duck on the Outer Banks of NC.  It’s my idea of paradise.”  Our sympathies go out to Helen and sons.  It must be said, “Well done; be thou at peace.”

Sylvia Degen D-2.  From CCQ Paul Ruud: “Syl Degen passed away this morning (15 Sep) at her home in Florida from an apparent heart attack.  Daughter Sandy lives nearby and daughter Cindy is en route to Florida from Newburgh, NY.  Son Matt is also en route.  Everyone will be notified of the funeral arrangements as soon as they are formed.” ’58 lost another of our June Ladies.  Sylvia’s memorial service was on 18 Sep.  Details from Paul’s email before the service:  “The address is Curlew Hill Memory Garden, 1750 Curlew Rd, Palm Harbor, FL.  All of Sylvia's children are there already.  Their names are Cynthia, Sandra, and Matthew.  Amber is her granddaughter.  PS - Sandra's home phone is 1-727-734-0826.”  Again, faithful readers know (154th) that all the Degens except Matthew attended the service at VN Memorial on 21 May which focused on Bob this year.  The service was followed by brunch at ANCC and was preceded by D-2 dinners on Fri & Sat hosted by Bill & Nancy Gillette and Stew & Eve Willis.  The family was front and center in the D-2 photo at the Wall (pg 89, Sep/Oct).  It was great seeing Sylvia & her family, especially in light of her unexpected and sudden death only four months later.   Matthew wrote a moving poem for his mother, too long for this column.  .

            Paul Makowski L-2.  Info from Pete Kusek’s email: “I spoke with Jo Makowski yesterday shortly after I received the AOG notification of Paul's death.  Jo said that Paul began having back problems about 3 weeks ago and was being treated for a pinched nerve.  In the process of treatment he had a blood test that indicated cancer.  Further tests showed multiple cancers throughout his body.  Paul stayed in the hospital until 10 Oct when he was moved home under Hospice care and died the next day.”

            Pete also sent info from the Washington Post, excerpts follow: “Paul Makowski, Col, US Army (Ret) died on Oct 11 at his home in Silver Spring, MD.  Survived by his wife of 46 years, Joselyn Cross Makowski; five children, Barbara Damron, Sharon Price (Bruce), Michael Makowski (Jennifer), Deborah Schultz (Scott) and Lindsay Makowski.  Survivors also include nine grandchildren, Nathan and Eric Damron, James Curtice, Jr, Jack, Nicole, and Brian Price, Joseph and Katie Makowski, and Zachary Schultz; great-grandchild Madison Damron, and his father-in-law COL Leonard Cross.  A memorial service celebrating his life will be held at Hines Rinaldi Funeral Home, 11800 New Hampshire Ave, Silver Spring, MD, Thurs, Nov 30, at 7 PM and burial with Full Military Honors will take place on Fri, Dec 1, 11 AM at Arlington National Cemetery.  Memorial contributions in his name may be made to the Army Emergency Relief Fund or Save the Bay Foundation.”  Again the refrain from our Alma Mater applies, “Well done; be thou at peace.”

            Books.  Scribe read “Ranger School, No Excuse Leadership” by Brace Barber ’87 and recommends it to old Rangers.  A chance to see how some things never change.  It is a collection of Ranger stories, mostly by Captains thirty years our juniors.  One written by John Schurtz had this line: “My father had his Ranger tab, and I grew up thinking that Ranger School was what tough guys did.”  I wondered, could his dad be Gerry Schurtz, a winter Ranger from my Ranger Class 6 (Jan-Mar 1959)?  And later John wrote: “I ended up feeling very humbled by the experience of my grandfather in the Second World War (Scribe aside: POW after fall of Philippines)... (His) death had never been confirmed” Then a book written by another POW who was the grandfather’s partner in the camp provided the long-sought confirmation.  John described the author’s relationship with his grandfather: “basically Ranger buddies on the Bataan Death March.  He wrote in detail about the ‘sandy-haired Major Schurtz, a cavalryman from New Mexico.”  Bingo!  Confirmed that John was Gerry’s son.  Faithful readers know that father Gerry is heavily involved in the annual White Sands dessert marathon, a tribute to the New Mexico National Guardsmen who were sent to Philippines in the summer of 1941.  Son John is an OCS grad: he & I have been in touch.  He is now stationed in DC area.  Think John was recently promoted to LTC.

            Another book.  “Fighting for the Future: Will America Triumph?” by Ralph Peters.  He is a favorite non-fiction author of mine.  He also writes interesting fiction as Owen Parry.  This one was published in 1999, well before 9/11/2001.  The dedication caught my eye: “In memory of Colonel John J. Madigan III, United States Army, Retired, 1936-1999, Patriot, Scholar, Gentleman.”  A fitting tribute to John, good friend, classmate, H-2 company-mate who truly was a patriot, scholar and gentleman.  Thanks, Ralph Peters!

            Great-grandparents.  Photo of Patsy Densford (154th) has a story.   An email question to Chuck asked how Patsy liked sleeping with a great-grandfather.  His reply: “Patsy can tolerate sleeping with a great-grandfather as long as I don't snore or f#&t!”  Cleaned up his spelling a little, family magazine you know.  Patsy sets high standards for men our age.

Meanwhile, L-2 CCQ Robert Higgins reports that Lou Gennaro is another ’58 great-grandfather.  Appears that ’58 is getting greater and greater.

            Marriage.  Letter from Charlie Miller reports: “Aug 5, I married Geraldine (‘Gerry’) Cowart, a wonderful woman from Biloxi, MS, in the Chapel of the Nativity Church of the BVM in that city.  Along with families and close friends, my first class roommates, Dan Brockwell and Andy Andreson, and Kay and Artie, also attended.  Dan was my best man for the second time in 48 years.  Swears it will be the last time.

            “Gerry, who was widowed 7 years ago, and I were introduced in January by mutual friends and we hit it off immediately.  After meeting respective families, we became engaged during the Easter holiday.  In July, through the good graces of Andy, I hosted a small cocktail and dinner party for some G-1 files and significant others at ANCC.  Brockwell, Ordway, Trainor, Robertson, Andy and Corky Corcoran made the event.  It was a good opportunity for Gerry to meet some classmates and wives.

            “We had a wonderful two week honeymoon in Thailand where my Thai language skills proved immensely helpful.  Pete K. and Sammy S. along with their charming wives hosted a dinner for us at Pete’s club.  They are both doing well.  Pete stays busy with his Privy Council duties and Sammy enjoys the good life as the husband of a Thai Senator.”  With some luck Scribe can scan Charlie’s photo.  Out of space.  Time to sort/scan photos and submit.

Photos for January-February 2007 (156th Column):

 

  1.     Gerry & Charlie Miller – Thai Honeymoon
  2.     David, Ginger & Bud Davenport at Great Barrier Reef
  3.     JoAnne & Jude Theibert – Anniversary in Greece (’58 Cruise)
  4.     Toftoy Gold & McGrew Bronze – Northern Virginia Senior Olympics
  5.     Engineer Promotion Party to Capt – Nov 1963
  6.     Bob Shellenberger, The Model of Modern Major General (top right) and Pirates of Penzance
  7.     Charlie & Gerry and G-1 Company-mates at ANCC