There are some of us still getting around very well.  I believe the leader is probably Bob McClinton 11th Co.  kept that way by his two sailboats.  He recently sold INTREPID, bought a J/105 named KOOKABURRA and promptly renamed her AMERICA.  If any of you have a hobby like sailing in competition that keeps you physically active then you too should be in pretty good health.  Bob is the only one who tells me about it.

As I write Rhona Gorder is cruising on the way to Vancouver British Columbia, 10 days.  Lots of ports. Nice easy cruise.  She posts pictures of the food and those of you who have cruised know that food is more than plentiful.  Rhona could come home with a few extra pounds but tells me that she got off the tour bus in town, spent several hours sightseeing and remembering the last time she and Chuck were there together then walked the four miles back to the ship.  I note that she has just posted another Facebook saying she is back in San Diego and that it was a great cruise though she missed her hubby.

Tom Hayward 21st Co. has committed himself to come back east for the “homecoming” luncheon at Vinson Hall in June so he is still up to long travel.

I suspect Bettye and Ty Dedman 13th Co. are still “out and about” but according to my email and snail mail the rest of you are becoming house bound.  If that is not the case please give me something to encourage everyone else.

Anne-Marie Sisson tells me she and some of her family going to Norway for a short visit. 
Some of you will remember that Theresa and Craig Olson (deceased) 15th Co. went to Denmark nearly every year while he was researching his genealogy.  They visited many small churches and went through the church records.  Craig loved ballet and always claimed that the Danish Ballet was the best in the world.  Craig introduced me and Betty to ballet at the Kennedy Center and we thoroughly enjoyed the many ballets we shared with him.

Today is Memorial Day as we honor our service personnel, past and present.  Appropriate! but I think we should additionally be more public in also honoring the families of those men and women because without  their constant backing our all-volunteer force would be in trouble.  I do not believe the general public gives much thought to the sacrifices military families make to support their service man/woman.  I frequently had to ask our minister to include the families in the general prayers.  Some one should write a book about the benefits society gets from military families.  As I try to put together some words about our departed wives I find teachers, nurses, government workers at all levels,  volunteers of all sorts.  Nancy Graham, for example, has taught Linguistics for many years, loves to teach and is now teaching English as a Second Language.  During my son’s stay in the BSA up to Eagle Scout I was very involved with the adult leadership and found that active duty and retired service personnel had a large representation.  Betty was a “Gray Lady” at the schools in Key West for four years.  After her two sons were out of school Sally Deeley went back to nursing school and earned her degree.  Needless to say she was the oldest in her class.  She worked until she could not longer tolerate the long periods on her feet.

Should any of you wish to write a book along the lines suggested above I have a three ring binder filled with obits of the Class wives.  Just tell me you want it.

June was our 70th year out of the Academy. In answer to a question from Gene Mulligan 1st Co. as to how many graduates are still around I responded that my data shows there are 174 of the original 909.  We have had over 13 large gatherings at Annapolis and elsewhere to celebrate 65 of those 70 years.  Phil Rogers 9th Co. chaired five of the Annapolis gatherings and Roger Carlquist chaired 2.  We’ve also had reunions in Monterey, put together by several Classmates who lived there.  It was an excellent reunion.  Rhona and Chuck Gorder, (deceased) 12th Co. with the help of a committee, put together a reunion in San Diego.  They also put together two cruises in which quite-a-few Classmates participated.  We have also had two gatherings to dedicate what is now the visitor’s gate.  Phil Rogers conceived of that and after completing and dedicating it, the Academy decided they needed more security so the whole gate was torn down and a new building erected. Phil had to move all of the ’48 benches and the dedication plaque to the current location.  Looks good now but it went through some trauma.  We then gathered to dedicate it again.  The Class has also donated two million dollars in support of (thanks to the strong recommendations of Jim Beggs 10th Co. and Burt Edelson  (deceased) 20th Co.) the Information Technology curriculum which will now soon move to Hopper Hall.

Since the last column I have received information of the passing of three Classmates and four wives.
          Classmates:
          10th Co.  Shimshak, R.E.                    3/13/18*
          15th Co.  Carlon, F.B.                        4/17/18
          19th Co.    Carlquist, R.                       5/11/18# *
              # obit in 30 year book,  * obit in 50 year book
          Wives:
          Joanne Munley  1/19/18, wife of Dick Munley (deceased) 3rd Co.

          Katherine Kelly  11/6/17, wife of Charles Kelly  24th Co.  Katy and Charles raised two children  She was an ass’t editor of Ladies Home Journal.  Although moving frequently they maintained a home in Elkins, WV and managed the family real estate holdings.  Her father was the senator from WV.  They were living  in Fair Oaks Ranch, TX when she died.

          Ann McCallum 4/23/18, wife of E.A. McCallum (deceased) 7th Co. Ann was a teacher in a variety of grades and subjects in many schools then went back to graduate school for a certification as a reading specialist.  She became the coordinator of language arts for Fairfax County, VA.  She also worked at bringing books to children who needed them most.

          Margaret Shutler 3/12/18, wife of Phil Shutler 2nd Co.   Muggs worked her way through Mounty Holyoke College in Massachusetts and graduated in 1947 with a degree in Music.  While at Mount Holyoke she developed five themes that guided her life: Music including piano, organ and singing; botany and gardening; enthusiasm for the outdoors; dedication to Christian Science and abiding friendships with classmates that lasted a lifetime.  When writing them a “round robin letter” about he life she indeed one with “How can I keep from singing”?

Jean Mertz and several other wives have put together a “reunion luncheon” for the 19th of June and I will give you come comments on that in the next column.  Quite-a-few people have told Jean, her callers and me that they would love to come but just can’t physically handle it.  I guess it comes from living into you 90s.  Regardless, Betty and I say we’ll take whatever additional years we have and do the best we can to enjoy and be productive.  We pray that each of you will do likewise.