HELLO
68!! Happy 2012! As I re-hone my math skills, when I subtract the year1968
from 2012, I get 44 years. That means when 2013 rolls around it is reunion time,
again, for USAFAs greatest class. So, for you longer range planners, 68s
45th Reunion Chairman, Al Blumberg, wants you to begin preparing to trek
back to the Rampart Range at a date to be determined and join in the esprit, revelry,
and embellished war stories that will be offered to all who lend an ear. If you
wish to volunteer for any of the activities or care to offer suggestions, please
contact Al at: ablum68@hotmail.com. The
countdown begins!!
Dan & Kathy & 20 Grands
GRANDPARENTS
EXTRAORDINAIRE!: In my fall column, I provided an update of Dan and Kathy
Barkers prolific family. The photo above was taken near the end of
2011 with their 20 grandchildren10 boys and 10 girls. The names from left
to right are as follows: Front Row: Sophia, Briggs, Anna, Alyssa, Daniel, Ainsley,
Evan, Kathryn, Sean, and Ryan; Back Row: Rylan, Christian, Brinlie, Alayna, Elizabeth,
Briana, Elysse, Grandma Barker, Tate, Grandpa Barker, Grady, and Collan. In his
follow-up note, Dan writes that grandchild number 21 is due in March 2012. For
you sports fans, thats enough children to field two full softball teams
+ a manager! Battling health issues, Dan is scheduled to complete his chemo-therapy
treatments in March. Please drop Dan a line at barker585@comcast.net
to wish him well in his recovery.
HOLIDAY NEWS: Tom OBeirne
writes that he is retiring from SAIC at the end of February. Pam and he became
grandparents in 2011 with the birth of their grandson Mason. Although we both
live in the greater D.C. area, I rarely see Tom locally, but do see him when we
attend USAFA football games in Colorado. Hopefully, his newly acquired retirement
status will free him up more often for classmate luncheons and/or wine-tasting
exercises without having to make reservations somewhere in Colorado Springs.
Maurice and Antonia Ecung celebrated their daughter Melanies graduation
from the Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta and assisted her in moving to
Albany, NY, where she will be spending the next four years to complete her residency
in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics at the Albany Medical Center. Their youngest
daughter, Allison, accepted financial early-out incentives from the Air Force
and was hired as the Manager of Member Engagement with the Securities Industry
and Financial Markets Association in New York City. Mike and Linda Cryers
newsletter was replete with happy photos of them, their children, and their grandchildren.
Mike remains active with the Tempe YMCA Board and the Kiwanis Club. Linda loves
being a fulltime Nina for grandson, Greyson. They both enjoyed attending
Mikes 70-05 pilot training reunion in Savannah. John (Sully) and
Charlotte Sullivans holiday card pictured the two of them riding
camels with the pyramids of Egypt in the background. I ran into John and Charlotte
last October in San Diego for the Reese AFB 70-01 pilot training reunion. Both
are in good spirits and doing well. Tony Marshall, Bruce Gerrity,
and Tony Eden all checked in with best wishes for the joys of the season.
Tony M noted no changes since last year and says he is still enjoying retirement.
I ran into Bruce at the USAFA-Navy game and he told me he is no longer working
full time, but is doing some consulting work. He enjoys grandfather duties when
he visits his daughter in California. Tony E is enjoying his RV. Dick
Fast is still a Big Sky kind of guy with ski instructor duties
keeping him busy during the winter season. In 2011, he also served as Bob Dennys
Bwana as they hunted for elk in the great outdoors. Dick reported
the score at the end of the hunt was Elks 0 and Fast/Denny 0. He
did mention that Bob bagged a nice white-tail before returning to Colorado.
68s Gridiron Warriors & Spouses
68S FALCON FOOTBALL ALUMS GATHER: Neal Starkey sent
a short note about the 2011 USAFA Football Alumni Weekend. During the weekend,
a 68 Class plaque was dedicated with the names of all 17 seniors inscribed.
It was also noted that 68 was the first class to beat both Army and Navy.
Couples in the photo from left-to-right are: Sharon and Neal Starkey, Sandy
and Barney Mills, Linda and Mike Rengel, Debbie and Carl Janssen,
Kathy and Tom Zyroll, Marsha and Jack Hanning, and Jean and Dave
Allen.
Did
Someone Say Fore? L-R: Dick Covey, Bobby Floyd, Buck McCants, and Chuck Kavcsak
FOURSOMES
FOUR-DAY FORAY: Thanks go out to Chuck Kavcsak for sending the photo
of Dick Covey, Bobby Floyd, Buck McCants, and Chuck taken
during a four-day golfing adventure at Barefoot Landing in South Carolina last
fall. Chuck said they had four great days of golf!
THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS:
The upside of being your scribe for the past 23+ years is the opportunity you
have given me to link our class together over time by recording and communicating
the triumphs, achievements, and successes of classmates, spouses, children, and
grandchildren across a wide range of career, volunteer, education, and leisure
activities. The opposite pole is presented in correspondence and phone calls announcing
the onset of serious diseases and loss of loved ones. With deference to
personal privacy, some of our crew wish to keep health concerns to themselves
and I will honor those behests. In other cases, I have received word through our
network of classmates and friends about those who have not established such a
precondition and I am requesting you keep these people in your thoughts and prayers.
At this time, I ask you to take a few moments to pray for Abe Abramson,
Dan Barker, Bob Daley, and Bill Markham. If you are inclined
to contact them, I believe your communication would be greatly appreciated.
GONE
BUT NOT FORGOTTEN: I have the sad news to report the passing of Don Harrington
who succumbed after his long battle with Alzheimers disease. He was buried
at Arlington Cemetery surrounded by his wife, Bette, his children and grandchildren,
and fellow classmates Ed Eberhart, Pat Heinig, Toby Sullivan,
Charlie Seifert, and your scribe. Don was a wonderful friend and avid aviation
historian. He will be greatly missed. In addition, Bill Walshs
wife, Paula died on December 19th in Bloomington, Illinois. Paulas contributions
to her family and her community were immeasurable. Our thoughts and prayers go
out to Bill and his family to comfort them in their time of loss.
THATS
A WRAP: Mind the flak; keep em flying, and keep those cards, letters,
e-mails, and photos coming in to Pat Russell and me. Please go to our Class
Website to see photos included in this column in full size by clicking on Scribes
Page. Also, note the new e-mail address for your scribe is timdav1968@verizon.net.
Ciao for now. Tim |