Col. William B. DeGraf
June 24, 2001
Sixty four of us had a grand time steamboating up the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers. The weather was great, the company delightful, the food excellent, but you can have the Kentucky Derby. We sat for 4 hours in the hot sun to see the horses for twenty seconds. Still it was a fun time and well worth while.
Just got word from Sandy Sanderson that the Class mini in HI is now scheduled to start on 21 Sept 02. We will be on the SS Patriot. That sounds like it will be a popular party, so make your plans early. More will be forthcoming.
As some of you know, the West Point Recovery Ring Fund recently purchased in Germany the ring of our classmate Jim Michel, who died in Korea in 1951. Joe Buccolo and Dave Hughes were key players in finding some of Jim’s family. Warde Wheaton was tapped to present the ring to Jim’s sister Rita Salland. One of Jim’s roommates, Dick Trefry made the trek out to MN for the event. Rita plans to keep the ring for a short time and then donate it to the Academy Museum for its history.
Another Class son has been selected for BG. This time it is Volney & Janice Warner’s son Volney J.’76, a good infantryman. He has been a special asst. to the Chairman, JCS.
Last Easter Bob & Janet Gard flew in to join Denny & Ruth Roush for a tour of Mt. Rainier National Park and Easter eve dinner at the Roushes’, where their daughter Marie ‘00 and son Paul did the cooking honors. Following that the Gards andRoushes had a chance to visit with Clark & Marge Duncan and enjoy lunch with Tom & Sue Fife.
In May Mary Ellen Shepherd, George Lear’s widow, was at West Point to make the first presentation of the annual award to the outstanding sailor. She has established this award in George’s name.
Bob & Lou Lunn had a FABULOUS time in Charlottesville, VA the last weekend of May, when their son Sean married Abby Hegemier. The two of them were given an added thrill when the newlyweds showed up in Vienna unexpectedly on their way to Mexico.
There is another Sean in our news. He is the son of John Begleyand recently entered a local Police Academy only a month after he got married. Not to be outdone, Sean’s sister Julie gave John a new grandson on 29 Apl: Dillon Jeffrey Taylor.
When he is not busy with WP-Org and Virtual West Point, Dave Hughes also keeps up with his old cavalry buddies. In June he addressed the Korean War Vets. of the 1st Cav. Div. Assn.
Classmates are still celebrating Golden Wedding Anniversaries.Chuck & Diane Friedlander went to Locarno, Switzerland, for theirs. While the trees and flowers were in bloom, it was still sweater weather with snow on the mountains.
Here in Northern VA Sid & Jeanie Steele gathered a number of family and friends to witness the Fiftieth Anniversary ceremony, which was conducted by their son John, a priest of the Holy Cross Order at Notre Dame.
Another form of celebration took place in June at Hampton, VA when Ann Tormey saw a dream coming true as she helped break ground for the Hampton History Museum. She has been president and fund raiser there for some time, as they got a permanent home for the many artifacts that the group has collected over the years.
Drew & Kay Rutherford met Al & Nari Scholl in May; toured Germany, France, Italy, and England. They had a chance to see Reims and Metz, including two of the Maginot forts (Their picture took me back to 1945 when I ran into those type forts at a town called Bitche.) The medieval villages along the wine route were each prettier than the last. The Rutherfords also had a chance to see their granddaughter at Oxford and grandson at Abingdon School in England before returning home.
Another visitor to Europe was Al Romaneski, who made a quick trip to see his grandson Jonathan graduate from Kaiserslautern High School on 8 June. Al’s son Mark ‘76 has been the JAG for the Theater Area Command for three years, but, while Al was there, Mark was packing for a year at the Army War College in Carlisle, PA.
Got the word on Bill Yeoman”s selection to the College Football Hall of Fame in the last column, but Joe McCrane is eager to get a group of the Class together for the banquet to be held in New York City 11 December. Anyone interested in joining him at a Class table there, please drop him a line.
Phil Pennington must be pleased, since his youngest son Michael, a student at U/Houston, was inducted into the GoldenKey National Honor Society and will graduate cum laude. His daughter Patricia is an actress and was recently selected for the Screen Actors Guild.
For those looking for a new book to read try “Secret in St. Something” by Jim Wallace’s wife Bobbie. It is her 23rd and is set in the bleak tenements of nineteenth century New York.
In April Sallie Tilson had a wonderful time in Waco, TX, visiting her daughter Katie and husband Harold and, of course, her 2½ year old granddaughter. Harold teaches at Baylor Univ. It was a nice break for Sallie, who babysits a couple of days each week for her grandson in Annandale, VA.
Monty Coffin’s grandson, Justin Chandler, is a cadet at USAFA and would like to hear from anyone with a memory of Monty at e-mail CO3Justin.Chandler@usafa.af.mil.
Unfortunately this has been a very sad couple of months for the Class, since we lost six of our members. On 6 April Emil Pohlidied in Dallas, TX after a long illness. He had polio in 1955 that put him onto crutches or a wheelchair but still lived a full life. He is survived by his wife Mary, daughter Anne and son Scott. Mary’s address is 14120 Valley Creek Dr., Dallas, TX 785240-2725.
On 12 May in Scottsdale, AZ Francis “Buddy” White died of cancer. He had a dual career in the Army and Civil Service. He is survived by his wife Ann, a daughter Christine, and a son Whitey. Ann’s address is 9591 E. Yucca St., Scottsdale, AZ 85737-5801.
On 17 May in Northern VA Boyd Bashore died of a rare form of dementia after 20 years of the disease. After his successful Army career he put on his captain’s cap to take charge of his yacht and was active on Capitol Hill and in NCOO. He is survived by his wife Judy, sons Brian, Stephen, and Charles and daughters Elizabeth and Laura. Judy lives at 6510 Lakeview Dr., Falls Church, VA 22041-1102.
On 24 May Bob Weber died in Flagstaff, AZ, also of cancer. He retired from the Air Force and went on to raise over $300 million for Scripps Foundation. He is survived by his second wife Sue and the eight children between them. Sue’s address is 568 Forest Highlands, Flagstaff, AZ 86001-8432.
On 27 May Vance “Sandy” Brown died quietly of ALS in his home in Mt. Shasta, CA with his wife Jo Anne and both children - son Bill and daughter Marilyn - present. They had just celebrated his 74th birthday. Jo Anne lives at 720 Ski Village Dr., Mt. Shasta, CA 96067.
On 25 June Tom Austin died in Arlington Hospital of cardiac arrest. In addition to his Class support, he will be missed at many prayer breakfasts and nursing homes where he ministered for many years. He is survived by his second wife Macon Fooshe Austin, his four children - Tom, Betty, Nell, and David - and two step-children - Cabell Fooshe and Carter Fooshe Weeber. Macon lives at 3409 N. Abingdon St., Arlington, VA 22207.
Our sympathies go out to all these families.