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HELLO ’68! Happy 2025! Based on the cards,
letters, and emails I received during the holiday season, it appears
that many of you are fulfilling your bucket list adventures, while others
are dealing with health issues and working out with new body parts.
Enjoy your "Golden Years!"
“Searching for Roots”
'68ER JOINS NEW TRIBE: In 2023, during our 55-Year reunion, our
classmate, Barima Yaw Ababio, a.k.a., Jim Thompson, was accepted
into the Asanti Tribe in Ghana. When I asked Jim what his name means,
he wrote: "Barima means wise. Yaw means born on Thursday. Ababio
may be a Tribe surname." To our wise classmate who was born on
Thursday, Happy New Year!
HOLIDAY MAILBAG: My thanks to so many of you
who sent Christmas and New Year well-wishes. Your annual news goes a
long way in sustaining inputs to my quarterly column. Notable stories
from around the Class are as follows:
Gene and Jan Rose did a lot of traveling within the US to visit
family. They also got in a one-week trip to Budapest. Their next adventure
to go on a Danube River cruise was scuttled when the Danube flooded,
but they were able to recover from their disappointment by visiting
friends in Cape Cod with ample good weather, breath-taking scenery,
and plenty of shopping.
In February 2024, Rhip and Judy Worrell were joined by Tex and
Char Burgamy and Doug Barnard and his wife on a trip to
Rapa Nui (Easter Island). Rhip noted that the Moals (the giant stone
heads) weighed up to 25 tons and the technology used to move them miles
to their final resting places was fascinating.
Ken and Khaki Bowers began 2024 with Ken recovering from an accident
he experienced in September 2023 when he shattered his upper arm and
ended up with "reverse" shoulder replacement. They were able
to travel to Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, and Hungary in the spring and
Ken is back to guiding fishing trips with the local "Wounded Warriors"
group. To avoid the mundane, as Khaki puts it, he continues to teach
weird courses for the Texas Christian University Senior Learning Group-like
The Plague or Dracula.
"Last Call. Left to Right: Tony Eden, Tom Dreier,
John 'Sully' Sullivan, Dana Drenkowski, Ed Stadjuhar (USAFA,
'67), Bob Lutter, Andy Ferris, Bill Sasz, Rich Bristow,
Jim Lozito, Charlie Holland, Dick Racette, Tim Davidson,
Bob Johnston, Tom Olsen, Bill Drennan, George Hoffman,
Rhip Worrell, and Ed Welliver"
END OF AN ERA: The Reese AFB UPT Class of 70-01 held its 11th
and final planned reunion in Pensacola Beach, Florida in October 2024
with visits to Pensacola NAS, a Memorial Service for deceased classmates
and instructor pilots at the Naval Aviation Memorial Chapel, a tour
of the Naval Aviation Museum, a tour of robotics and artificial intelligence
lab and consortium in downtown Pensacola, and a luau banquet at the
Pensacola Beach Hilton. The photo was taken following the banquet at
an open bar that was provided in memory of our classmate, Marty Cole,
who funded a wish for the Class to have a drink on him at our last reunion.
IN THE EYE OF THE STORM: Benny Veteto sent his Christmas
greetings from the epicenter of the Hurricane Helene disaster. After
moving to Burnsville, North Carolina, Benny thought he would be entering
a new phase of his life in a safe, serene, and secure location inside
the Toe River Campground. As Helene approached, the camp host instructed
Benny and Jeanne to move to the main store where they would be "safe."
Benny writes: "I stood on the bank beside the camp store looking
down at a wildly raging river about two feet below my toes. We fled
to higher ground. An hour or two afterwards the entire campground, including
the store, was swept away." Benny is currently serving as the Treasurer
for the Appalachian Institute for Mountain Studies and is seeking donations
to assist in the recovery of the region. If you wish to help, please
contact Benny at 60 Suspense Drive, Burnsville, NC 28714.
"Celebration of Life for Chuck Jones. Group on left: Gene
Rose, Doug Wilson, Mark Torreano, Roger Moseley,
and Vince Rusinak. Group on right: Garry Dudley, Denny
Chrismer, Ben Stevens, Gary Hoffman, Dale Oderman,
and Bill Wood"
THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS: We were saddened by loss of two of our
classmates. Lt Col Charles D. "Chuck" Jones passed
away from lung cancer on December 13, 2024, in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
He loved riding his horses at the Air Force Academy stables with his
wife Joy and studying history, skiing, hunting, fishing and camping
with his children and grandchildren.
John C. Kurzdorfer passed away in Buffalo, New York on December
16, 2024. He was a member of CS-09 and CS-17 as a cadet.
Prayers are also requested for those affected by personal health issues
and the many fellow countrymen and women who are still dealing with
the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene and the wildfires in California.
Finally, we pray for our nation that the new administration will chart
a course to provide us with the blessings of hope, peace, and prosperity.
THAT’S A WRAP: Mind the flak; keep ‘em flying, and
keep those cards, letters, e-mails, and photos coming in to Pat Russell
and me. Reunion photos and news are most welcome! Ciao for now. Tim
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