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Welcome to the Prior Features that have
been on the front page of the Class of 1961 Web site!
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13 Oct 07 Set for Next Pig Roast at
Michele & George Kopcsak's Farm in Browntown, VA
 George and Michele Kopcsak are again hosting our annual pig roast, now the
7th, at their "Full Circle Farm" in Browntown, VA on 13 October 2007.
In the past, we've had
classmates attend from California (Gleichenhaus), Florida (Hyde), Georgia
(Webster), New York (Shroyer), Pennsylvania (Armstrong, Barney, Himes, Kee,
Meissner), and Texas (Gabriel, Hodges).
It has really become a Class
tradition, so mark your calendars and come if you can.
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16 Golfers From Class of '61
Participated In Golfing Grads '07
 From 26 through 29 April 2007 the golfing group from the Class
of 1961: Tom Baird, Rusty Dyer, Fran Egan, Bill Griffiths, Ron Hannon, Skip Higginbotham, Gary Hyde, Bob Kewely, Lee Sager, Don Sawtelle, Dale Shipley, Bill
Tobin, Jerry White, Bill Williamson, Gene Witherspoon, Red Zaldo joined 136
other Golfing Grads, mostly from the classes of the sixties, at the Amelia
Plantation Resort in Northeastern Florida.
Paul Palmer also joined the group at
the Class Night Out dinner hosted by Tom Baird. We all thanked Tom for his
excellent choice for dining and his generous supply of wine for the Class of
1961.
The location was not up to previous outings and the days on the
golf course felt like weeks with six hour rounds the norm. Yet, when the gang
from the Class Of 1961 gets together, every day is a good day.
Three members of our class won individual or two-man team
prizes: Bob Kewley, Jerry White and Rusty Dyer. As a Group we were mired in
fifth place.
First Annual Low Net Trophy
in Memory of Dan DiCarlo
At the Awards Banquet, Ron Hannon made the presentation of the
First Annual Trophy for the low net winner. The golfers from the Class of 1961
have contributed this trophy in memory of our classmate and three time winner of
the Individual Tournament, Dan DiCarlo. This year's winner was from the Class of
1962 and his winning net score was 61.
The group is now looking forward to a Class
of ‘61 get together in August hosted by Skip and Helen Higginbotham in Colorado.
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Viking 8-day Romantic Danube
River Cruise Preferred
for Next Mini-Reunion in 2008
 The first Cruise
Mini-Reunions were so successful the new Class Cruise Mini-Reunion Committee has been busy organizing another one.
Based on the overwhelming preference choices from the 72 returned preference
survey forms, the Committee is now working through the Worldtek Travel Agency to
work with Viking River Cruises to arrange an 8-day river cruise from Nuremburg
to Budapest via the Danube River.
The time period of either Early May or Mid-Fall
2008 is still being discussed with Viking River Cruises as the
returned preference forms were very close on which dates were preferred by those
indicating a preference for the 8-dayViking cruise.
Besides being a great opportunity to cruise a European river, this
will be a great mini-reunion. So check out who is interested in going and see if you would
like to join them.
Click here to see who returned their preference forms.
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Frank B. Eyler
Company
I-1
22 Jul 1937 - 18 Dec 2006
Place of Death:
Wayne, NJ
Interment: West Point Cemetery
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It is with great regret and sorrow that we must inform you of the death of our
Classmate, Frank B. Eyler, Company I-1, on December 18, 2006 at the Hospice of New Jersey in Wayne, NJ. Frank is survived by
his children Erich Eyler of Warwick, NY, and Elizabeth Verrips of Bradenton, FL, and four grandchildren. Frank was pre-deceased
by his wife Anne in 1997.
Visitations were December 21, 2006 from 2 to 4 PM and 7 to 9 PM at the Vander Plaat Funeral Home, 257
Godwin Avenue, Wyckoff, NJ. Funeral services were held at 10:30 AM on December 22, 2006 at the Vander Plaat Funeral Home,
257 Godwin Avenue, Wyckoff. A Funeral Mass followed at 11:00 am at St. Elizabeth’s Roman Catholic Church, 700 Wyckoff
Avenue, Wyckoff. Interment will be in the West Point Cemetery at 1:30 PM on January 3, 2007.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The Chapel of the Most Holy Trinity, United States
Military Academy, Building 699, West Point, NY 10996; The Salvation Army, 31 van Houten Avenue, Paterson, NJ 07501; or the
American Lung Association of New Jersey, 1600 Route 22 East, Union, NJ 07083.
Well done, Frank. Be thou at peace.
Click here to go to
Frank's Last Roll Call Tribute.
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Popovich, Lubke, and Thompson Set Iron Range Man Records
in Coleraine, Minnesota
 This year's Iron Range Man contest was
again held in Coleraine, Minnesota. Shown are USMA '61ers Marko Popovich, Alan Lubke, and Dick Thompson. The Minnesota natives
took individual honors in Log Birling, Water Boil, and Axe Throw respectively. Plans are underway to hold a challenge event at
Lake Popolopen in 2011 as part of the 50th reunion of the Class of '61.
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Karen and George Joulwan Attend
Funeral of Kaiser Bazan in Panama
On Tuesday, August 15, Karen and George Joulwan joined
thousands of mourners at the Church of El Carmen in Panama City, Panama to pay tribute to a great son of Panama, former
Ambassador and Vice President, successful businessman, father and grandfather and West Point classmate. And for George, a
valued friend and trusted advisor when he was CINCSOUTH in Panama from 1990-1993. They
were seated with the family and saw many
old Panamanian acquaintances.
All spoke of Kaiser's honesty and credibility as a politician and businessman. Many referred to his
West Point experience and Kaiser's belief in the Honor Code. One even told George that Kaiser wanted to institute an
"All Right" system for Panamanian politicians! Following the service, Karen and George spent some private
time with Maribel and the family in their home and offered assistance if they needed it. George
recommends that the
class stay in touch with Maribel.
One final note: As he wished it, Kaiser was cremated.
William, the eldest son, told George that his father made it clear that he
wanted to be cremated wearing his West Point bathrobe - adorned with all the
sports letters, badges, and other paraphernalia. And he was. At the end Kaiser
Bazan was a true son of West Point, and one who left us too soon, but one who left
us 50 years of great memories. We will miss him.
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Dominador B. Bazan
"Kaiser"
Company G-1
13 Dec 1937 - 8 Aug 2006
Place of Death: Panama
Interment: Panama City, Panama
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The Sister
of Rafael Botello '87 called him from Panama with the news that Kaiser Bazan died today, 8 August 2006, in a car accident in
Panama. She informed him that Kaiser was traveling from Colon to Panama City, and that his chauffer lost control of the
car. Both died at the site at around 4 PM Eastern time.
Kaiser's wife Mrs. Kaiser (Maribel) Bazan may be contacted at:
Apartado
0816-01742 Panama 5, Republic of Panama
To all friends of deceased Honorable Ex Vice-President
of the Republic, Dominador Kaiser Bazan.
We wish to inform you that funeral services will be held on Tuesday the 15th at the Church of El Carmen (Iglesia del Carmen).
Flowers will not be received. Any considerations or donations can be made to the following foundations:
1.
Fundacion AMA-ME: Citibank, N.Y., ABA 021000089, Swift Citius 33 for credit to the account Banco General, S.A. Panama Swit
Bagepapa Account No. 10951934 for further credit to Fundacion AMA-ME Account No. 03-02-01017004-04;
-or-
2. San Juan Bosco Church
Click here to go to
Kaiser's Last Roll Call Tribute.
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Bill Mackie Recognized
as the 2005
Joint Chiefs of Staff Civilian of the Year
 At a ceremony on 30 June
2006, General Peter Pace, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, recognized Bill
Mackie as the 2005 Joint Staff Civilian of the Year and awarded him the Joint
Meritorious Civilian Service Award.
Bill’s wife, Okja,
and their daughter, Sophia, joined Bill for a courtesy visit with Gen Pace prior
to the ceremony.
Classmates
attending were George Joulwan, Bob Glass, Ed Brown, Joe Boys, and Marty
Ganderson.
Click here for full Feature Article with details of award and picutes.
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Dan Halpin
Named an Honorary Member of the American Society of Civil Engineers
 Daniel W. Halpin, Ph.D., Hon.M.ASCE, professor emeritus and
recently retired Bowen Head of the Division of Construction Engineering and Management at Purdue University, has been named an
honorary member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). The Society’s highest accolade, active honorary membership is
comprised of only 186 of its 139,000 members worldwide. Dan will be presented with the award, in honor of his exemplary 30-year
career as an educator and researcher, and for his introduction of innovative tools for the simulation and analysis of
construction operations on Friday, October 20, 2006, at ASCE’s annual Civil Engineering Conference in Chicago.
Dr. Dan Halpin, developer of the CYCLONE simulation system, is generally recognized as one of the leading authorities in the
world on the use of simulation in studying construction processes. The CYCLONE system and its many variants are used by
construction researchers world-wide. Due in large part to his efforts, construction simulation has become an integral part of
university level construction curricula and an essential tool for construction related research. He is the author of numerous
books and papers, and his basic textbook, Construction Management, has been one of the
dominant texts introducing engineering students to the concepts of construction engineering over the past 25 years. Prior to
his current position, Dan served as director of construction engineering at the University of Maryland. He has also served on
faculty at the Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of Illinois.
ASCE has previously honored Dan with such awards as the Peurifoy Construction Research Award and the Walter L. Huber Civil
Engineering Research Prize. Dan, a former Army Captain and U.S. Corps of Engineers researcher, received the Bronze Star Medal
for Service while serving in Vietnam. He is a past president of the Georgia Section of ASCE, and a member and past chairman
of the Construction Research Council.
Dan received both his master’s degree and Ph.D. from the University of Illinois after serving six years in the United States
Army. He is a resident of Crestview Hills KY.
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71 People Enjoyed Annual
Pig Roast at Kopcsak Farm on 3 June Under Clear Skies
There was wonderful weather for this
year's 3 Jun 06 Annual Pig Roast event with 71 people attending. Attendees were: Dan and Pam
Barney, Ed and Rina Brown, Emmy Brown, Todd and
Millie Counts, Tom and Grace Cuthbert, Joe and Ginna Fishburne, Gabe and
Susie Gabriel, Bob and Dawn Glass, Pete and Barbara Gleichenhaus, Dave and
Cynthia Hastings, Gary and Button Hyde, Bob and Ruth Kee, Hank and Mary
Frances Kenny, George and Michele Kopcsak, Webb and Judy Kremer, John and
Barbara Lawton, Bill and Okja Mackie, Bob and Gale McConnell, Ken and Rachel
Meissner, John and Barbara Neiger, Joe and Lucy Paone, Mark and Kay
Popovich, Pat Prather, Bill and LuAnn Reno, Cy Shearer, John and Ellie
Skillman, John and Mary Jane Solomon, Jack and Pat Veatch, Gary and Grace
Webster, and Frank Williams.
Note we had classmates from
California, Florida, Georgia, and Texas as well as the "locals".
The last to leave were Gary & Button
Hyde. They had booked a Time-Share in Front Royal as they were celebrating their 45th wedding anniversary. Button is believed
to have been the force behind them coming all the way from Florida for the Pig Roast.
Click here to go to slide show of pictures taken by George Kopcsak at the Annual Pig Roast at George's farm.
Click here to go to slide show of pictures taken by Gary and Grace Webster.
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Daniel M. DiCarlo, Jr.
"Dan"
Company
D-2
14 Sep 1938 - 5 Jun 2006
Place of Death:
Hackettstown, NJ
Interment: Cemetery,
West Point, NY
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It is with great regret and sorrow that I must notify you of the death of our classmate, Dan DiCarlo, at the Hackettstown
General Hospital on June 5, 2006 after a long, courageous battle with cancer and other related medical problems. Jan, Dan’s
wife, Dana, their daughter, Danny, their son, and Tommy, Dan’s sister, along with a number of close friends were with Dan at
the hospital.
Viewings will be from 7 to 9 PM on Wednesday, June 7, and 2 to 4 PM and 7 to 9 PM on Thursday, June 8, at the Cochran
Funeral Home, 905 High Street, Hackettstown, NJ. The funeral service will be on Friday, June 9, at the Church of the
Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 305 High Street, Hackettstown, NJ. A graveside service will be at 1:30 PM on Wednesday,
June 14, at the West Point Cemetery, West Point, NY. A reception will follow.
Condolences may be sent to the family at 300 5th Avenue, Hackettstown, NJ 07840. In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of
Dan may be made to the Joan Knechel Cancer Center, 657 Willow Grove Street, Hackettstown, NJ 07840 or the Karen Ann Quinlan
Hospice, 99 Sparta Avenue, Newton, NJ.
Well done, Dan. Be thou at peace.
Click here to go to
Dan's Last Roll Call Tribute.
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Allan R. Wetzel
"Al"
Company A-1
19 Aug 1938 - 9 May 2006
Place of Death:
Crossville, TN
Interment: Arlington
National Cemetery
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It is with great regret and sorrow that I must notify you of the death of our
classmate, Al Wetzel, on May 9, 2006 in Crossville, TN. Al was buried at Arlington National Cemetery on June 5, 2006. He is
survived by his wife, June; son and daughter-in-law, Allan Wetzel II and Cindy of Cedar Rapids, IA; daughters and son-in-law,
JoAnne Wetzel of Knoxville and Kristia and James Ellis of Pikeville; and grandchildren, Trey Webb, Kyle Wetzel, Jack Wetzel,
Danielle Wetzel, Samantha Ellis and Julie Ellis.
Condolences may be sent to the family at 1652 Hillendale Road, Crossville, TN 38572-3197. In lieu of flowers, donations in
memory of Al may be made to the JROTC Program, c/o First United Methodist Church, PO Box 752, Crossville, TN 38557.
Click here to go to
Al's Last Roll Call Tribute.
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Minutes of 21 Feb 2006 Class Committee
Meeting Now Available
Click here to go to this Class Committee Meeting minutes. Prior Class
Committee minutes are available by clicking on Class Business.
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The total number of
Classmates (grads, non-grads, and widows) coming to 45th is 254 as of 9/15
Click here to go to the 45th Reunion
Home Page.
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Final 45th Reunion
Schedule Released on 9/20/06
Click here for latest schedule of 45th Reunion activities.
45th Reunion Early Bird Golf and Skeet/Trap
Schedules Allow for Double Hitters
45th Reunion Early Bird Golf and Skeet/Trap events are scheduled to allow and encourage Classmates to
participate in both events. Classmates are encouraged to
go to the 45th Reunion Home Page and check out the information about
these two outstanding events.
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Detailed Driving Directions to
45th Reunion Westchester Marriott Hotel Provided Here
Click
here to go to detailed driving directions document.
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Guidance Received on Uniform
for 45th Reunion Reviewing Party for Cadet Review
Based on guidance received from West Point, the 45th Reunion
Committee requests that all who will be in the reviewing party for the cadet review on Saturday, September 30, wear dress
trousers, a collared shirt, and jacket or blazer. This supersedes what has been published in past draft reunion schedules.
Suitable dress for the ladies is slacks or skirt, low-heeled shoes, and a sweater or jacket. We know you will use good judgment
in this matter. The committee thanks all for their cooperation.
This will be the dress for all events this day.
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Westchester Marriott Front Deck
Provides Transportation to Hotel Recommendations
Your 45th Reunion Committee has been receiving many requests from Classmates for information about available transportation
to and
from airports to the 45th Reunion site at the Westchester Marriott Hotel. While the Reunion Committee has not made any arrangements for this type of transportation, they did request assistance from the Westchester Marriott regarding this
important information.
Below are two companies the Marriott Front Desk recommends for transportation to and from airports.
Hospitality Limousine (914) 591-5404
www.hospitalitylimo.com
(the
Marriott front desk deals with Tony a lot)
United Taxi & Limo (914) 631-2920 www.unitedtl.com
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Latest 45th Reunion Planning Now Available From
January 24 Planning Conference Call
Mick Maus and his many Volunteers are hard at work planning
the Class of 1961 45th Reunion. The latest reunion planning conference
call was held on January 24. Committee members presented detailed
reports on the status of their planning for the Reunion. This latest information on
the planning for one of our best Reunions ever, to be held September 28 to October 1, 2006,
is now available.
The latest draft Schedule of Events can be found by going to the 45th Reunion web page and clicking on the link to the
schedule. This schedule is based on the football game being on Saturday
at 1300 hrs. There is still a chance that this day and/or time could be
changed and thus the Schedule of Events would be changed.
There is also a link to a page that lists, by Cadet
Company, who has made a room reservation at the Westchester Marriott which is
the 45th Reunion HQ hotel.
Information on making a reservation is also available at
the 45th Reunion Home web page.
Click here to go to the 45th Reunion
Home Page.
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Paul Vallely Now Hosting New Internet Radio Talk Show STAND UP AMERICA
The
launch of Osprey Radio’s new internet radio talk show STAND UP AMERICA
hosted by Paul Vallely, MG US Army (Ret) and senior military analyst for Fox
News Channel has
been announced.
The program is sponsored by Osprey Media of Kalispell, Montana and is featured
worldwide by Right Talk Radio (www.rightalk.com).
This show is broadcasted live
each Thursday at
1:00 PM
Eastern and streams on the internet 24/7 on various Right Talk channels.
STAND UP
AMERICA is
part of the new era of radio broadcasting using the internet to report the news
worldwide and discuss the hot topics of world affairs. The first show launched
on July 20st from the new interim studios in Montana.
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Monroe B. Harden
"Mony"
Company
A-2
24 Jun 1937 - 18 Mar 2006
Place of Death:
Fort Worth, TX
Interment: Dallas Fort Worth National
Cemetery, TX
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My family and I would like to thank you and the rest of the Class of 1961 for
your words of prayer and support for my father, Mony Harden, during his
illness. My mom Donna and I read these messages to him in the hospital, and he
gave us positive reactions when we did that.
Unfortunately, I am sad to report that he lost his fight late Saturday night and
joined Long Gray Line in ghostly assemblage. His family was at his bedside, and
while we grieve, we know he is at peace now.
I must apologize for giving an incorrect email address for my mom, Donna Harden,
in my earlier request for prayers. Her email address is doodah388@sbcglobal.net
. I improperly said it was .com before.
His service will be held at 10:00 AM Central Time on Monday, March 27th, at the
Shannon Funeral Chapel at 6001 Rufe Snow Drive, Fort Worth, TX, 76148. Inurnment
will follow at noon at the Dallas Fort Worth National Cemetery. While flowers
are welcome, anyone interested in expressing their condolences and support can
make a contribution in Dad's name to the Class of 1961 class fund.
Sadly,
Monroe Harden Jr
Company E-2, class of 1984
Click here to go to
Mony's Last Roll Call Tribute.
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5 Mar 06 Washington DC Area Class of 1961 Sunday
Brunch Well Attended by 42
 Click here to go to
slide show of pictures taken by John Neiger at the 5 Mar 06 Sunday Brunch at the Fort Belvoir Officers Club.
(That is not John in this picture.)
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Reginald J. Brown
"Regi"
Company
M-1
13 Feb 1940 - 17 Dec 2005
Place of Death:
Solomons, MD
Interment: West Point
Cemetery
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Memorial
Service for Regi was Wednesday, 28 December at the Everly - Wheatley Funeral Home in Alexandria, VA.
Attending the Memorial Service were: Ed Brown, Dick and Trish Buckner, Tom Cuthbert, Joe and Ginna Fishburne, Bob Glass,
Gene Goodell, Mac Greeley, Bob and Betty Hampton, Bob Hardiman, Pat and Jan Hillier, George and Karen Joulwan, Hank Kenny,
Webb and Judy Kremer, Phil Mallory, Ken Meissner, John and Barbara Neiger
Regi’s funeral was 1330, Thursday, 29 December, at the Old Cadet Chapel, West Point, NY, with interment to follow at the West Point
Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, Emmy and family have asked that contributions in Regi's memory be made to:
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PanCAN Action Network
2141 Rosecrans Avenue, Suite 7000
El Segundo, CA 90245 |
or |
Elan Vital, Inc.
28720 Canwood Street, Suite 201
Agoura Hills, CA 91301 |
Our deepest sympathy goes to Emmy and the family. Condolences can be
sent to Emmy at 2707 Franklin Court, Alexandria, VA 22302.
Well done, Regi. Be thou at peace!
Click here to go to
Regi's Last Roll Call Tribute.
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Honald N. Maidt Jr.
"Bud"
Company B-1
19 Oct 1937 - 14 Dec 2005
Place of Death:
Winfield, KS
Interment: Highland Cemetery, Winfield, KS
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Joe and Ginna
Fishburne Host Class of '61 Christmas Party at Army Navy Country Club
On Saturday evening, 10 December 2005, Joe and Ginna Fishburne were hosts for
the annual Class of 1961 Christmas Party attended by 51 Classmates and Guests at the Army Navy Country Club in Arlington, VA.
Attending this year's gala event were:
Chuck and Bunny Armstrong; Ed and Rina Brown; Dick and Trish Buckner; Todd and Millie Counts; Tom and Grace Cuthbert; Paul and
Sue DeVries; Mike Eiland; Jack and Carolyn Fischer; Joe and Ginna Fishburne; Bob and Dawn Glass; Bob and Nicole Hamilton; Bob
and Priscilla Hardiman; Dave and Cynthia Hastings; Bob and Ruth Kee; Hank and Mary Frances Kenny; George and Michele Kopcsak;
Webb and Judy Kremer; Barney and Denise Legge; Carolyn Lilienthal; Bill and Okja Mackie; Bob and Gale McConnell; Ken and Rachel
Meissner; John and Barbara Neiger; Jim and Suzanne Nicholson; Joe and Lucy Paone; Pat Prather; Bill and LuAnn Reno.
Click here
to view pictures of Party taken by John Neiger.
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Information Pages Created for 45th Reunion
 To
provide you with the latest information on the planning progress and the
details of our best Reunion ever, new pages have been created in this web
site.
Mick Maus and his many Volunteers are hard at work planning
the Class of 1961 45th Reunion to be held September 28 to October 1, 2006.
A list of the Volunteers can be found by going to the 45th Reunion web page
and clicking on the link to the list.
A schedule of events has been released. You can find
it by going to the 45th Reunion web page and clicking on the link to the
schedule.
There is also a link to a page that lists, by Cadet
Company, who has made a room reservation at the Westchester Marriott which is
the 45th Reunion HQ hotel.
Click here to go to the 45th Reunion page.
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Gleichenhauses Host Retirement/Farewell Dinner
for Hank and Ashley Rennegal
On Saturday evening, 19 November 2005, Pete (C2) and Barbara Gleichenhaus of
San Francisco were hosts at their home for a retirement and farewell dinner for Dr. Harry G. “Hank” (L2) and Ashley Rennegal. Hank is retiring from the faculty of Stanford University, and he and Ashley are making a one-stop move from the San Francisco
Bay Area to their farm in northeast Georgia. The stop will be for a year near Los Angeles while they provide support during
and after the birth of a grandchild. Other dinner guests were classmates Pete (I1) and Jenny Offringa; Jeanne Richards, widow
of Larry (A1) Richards; Charles (I1) and Vera Burns; Bill (B1) and Linda Esselstein; Al (E1) and Joan Wells; and Alan (D1)
Lubke.
Hank is shown in the picture applauding the Gleichenhauses
for a splendid dinner and for their two decades of leadership in bringing
classmates of ’61 together in the Bay Area.
Click here to view pictures taken by
Barbara Gleichenhaus
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Chuck Windsor Appointed Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army (New York South)
 Chuck
Windsor is pleased to report that he was notified October 31, 2005 by the
Secretary of the Army's Office that he is being appointed the new Civilian Aide
to the Secretary of the Army (New York South).
When details of the
investiture are available we will be notified so that those that can will be
able to attend. "All of you directly and indirectly have supported this
nomination over the years and I truly thank you", Chuck wrote. He is looking
forward to doing his very best to represent our Army during these challenging
times.
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Bob and Ruth Kees Host H-2 Mini-Reunion October
5-8 in Plymouth, New Hampshire
Bob and Ruth Kees hosted a H-2 reunion at Bob's sister's ski lodge in Plymouth,
NH. They traveled the area in a yellow school bus and enjoyed the leaf peeping.
In attendance were: Bob and Ruth Kee, Bruce and Pat Shroyer, Dave and Nancy Teal, Chip and Sally Smith, Bren and Alice Battle,
JB and Sally Taylor, Petie Walters (Sandy's widow), Al and Sylvia Hokins and K-1's Dan and Pam Barney.
Click here
to view pictures of the mini-reunion.
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Sun Shines on October 1, 2005 Pig Roast Hosted by George and Michele Kopcsak
 Attending this year's Pig Roast were:
Dan and Pam Barney
Ed and Rina Brown
Dick and Trish Buckner
Todd and Millie Counts
Joe and Ginna Fishburne
Bob Glass
Gene and Sharon Goodell
Bob and Nicole Hamilton
Dale Himes
Hampy and Vicki Hodges
Hank and Mary Frances Kenny
George and Michele Kopcsak
Webb and Judy Kremer
John and Kay Lischak
Bill and Okja Mackie
Ken and Rachel Meissner
John and Barbara Neiger
Joe and Lucy Paone
Russ and Marie Phelps
Mark and Kay Popovich
Cy Shearer
John and Mary Jane Solomon
Nick Vay
Jack and Pat Veatch
Marty and Sharon Walsh
Gary and Grace Webster
Sam and Gail Wilder
Frank and Carol Williams
Bill and Bobbie Williamson
Click here to view the 116 pictures of the 2005 Pig Roast.
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Minutes of 29 Sept 2005 Class Committee
Meeting Now Available
Click here to go to this Class Committee Meeting minutes. Prior Class
Committee minutes are available by clicking on Class Business.
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James J. Weaver
"Jim"
Company A-2
24 Sep 1939 - 3 Sep 2005
Place of Death:
Lima, OH
Interment:
Cremated and ashes spread in his favorite park in
Columbus, OH
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Grier Schaffer, the executor of Jim's estate, reported that Jim died as a result of liver cancer that was diagnosed
last spring. Jim was a retired teacher and swim coach. Grier was one of his students and swimmers. Jim had a brother and sister
but had not seen them recently. He has no other survivors. He was cremated and his ashes were spread in his favorite park in
Columbus, OH. There was no obit in any paper -- Jim didn't want one.
Click here to go to
Jim's Last Roll Call Tribute.
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Frank T. Blanda
"Tom"
Company F-2
4 Feb 1940 - 21 Jul 2005
Place of Death:
San Antonio, TX
Interment:
Fort Sam Houston, TX
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Tom Blanda passed away on the evening of 21 July 2005, one week after suffering
a massive heart attack while at a golf driving range.
Condolences can be sent to Brenda Blanda and her family at 1107 Jack Pine Street,
San Antonio, TX 78232. Brenda's phone number is (210) 494-4174.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in memory of Tom may be made to the General
Scholarship Fund, Texas Military Institute, 20955 West Tejas Trail, San Antonio, TX 78257. Additional information is available
at the TMI web site, www.TMI-SA.org, click on "Alumni" and then click
on "Ways to Give.">
The funeral service for Tom was very special. It was held at St. David’s Episcopal
Church. The Celebrant was the chaplain at Texas Military Institute (TMI), where Tom had taught math for the last 6 years.
Tom received special tributes as a math instructor ….. not for the way he taught even though he was an outstanding teacher,
but for the way he cared for his students. The Class of 2005 from TMI had dedicated the yearbook to him.
It was
estimate that over 200 people were in attendance, including 13 classmates. Honorary Pall Bearers were: Rod
Grannemann,
Al Vanderbush, Red Zaldo and Dick Buckner. Also present were Art Downey, Glen Mallory with wife, Phil Mallory with wife,
Jerry Clements with wife, Ken McCollister, Frank Gibson, Ron Barrick, Steve Denney with wife, Gary Flack,
and Jan
Grannemann.
Brenda and her daughters held up well and Mary and Julie provided a reflection of Tom’s life. Bob Ridewood, who taught with
Tom, provided a reflection of Tom as a teacher. The Postlude was On Brave Old Army Team.
Following the ceremony the service moved to Ft Sam Houston National Cemetery where TMI provided a color guard. Full Military
Honors were rendered and a bagpiper played.
After the service there was a reception at TMI. A large number of students were present. The conclusion of the day came
with the release of red, white and blue balloons.
Tom, Well Done, be thou at peace!
Click here to go to Tom's Last
Roll Call Tribute.
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Herky Hodge Headstone
Dedication and Memorial Service Held July 9, 2005
 On July 9,
2005 seven classmates of Herky Hodge, along with four wives and a grandson, joined Nancy Hodge and her son Dane in a graveside
dedication of headstones at Herky’s burial site on family property near Williams, Arizona. It was a lovely, clear, cool Arizona
afternoon. Those present included Gary Lord, Jerry and Connie Zingsheim, Paul DeVries, Gus and Charlotte Stiehl, Jim Lynch and
grandson, James, Bruce Dalgleish, Gabe and Susie Gabriel, and Mike Brady and Colleen.
Click here to go to Herky's Last Roll
Call Tribute for more details and pictures of the Headstone Dedication and
Memorial Service in the Memorial section of the Tribute.
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MacLean Farm Site for June Dallas '61 Social
 Sunday, June 5th. John and Carol
Jean MacLean invited the Dallas/Fort Worth area Classmates to their farm about 50 miles ESE of Dallas
Texas. Dave Eaton, Sheryl and
Bud Fritz, R J Wooten, Pam and Jerry Clement, and Susie and Gabe Gabriel made it to the farm.
It was a beautiful, sunny day. Everyone enjoyed the opportunity to catch up with each other on what they had been doing
recently. For Sheryl and Bud and Susie and Gabe it was another close encounter, the Tuesday before they ran into each other in
a Pizza store in Charlotte, NC. All four of them were there visiting with their grandchildren and treating them to Pizza.
There was a lot of conversation, some old stories, some new stories and loads of good food.
Everyone decided that they would not worry about how much they ate. It was all so good and so they had to try some of
everything. John and Carol Jean went way above and beyond in providing for everyone.
As the sun got lower in the sky everyone moved out on the east side of the house and enjoyed the wonderful weather, throwing
a stick in the creek for Missy to fetch, which she did and did and did. Next John brought out a 28 gauge shotgun and a 20 gauge
shotgun to let everyone have a try at skeet shooting. John did not embarrass us by shooting, he just manned the machine that
tossed the clay pigeons. Everyone got a chance to shoot. Gabe walked off with the Davy Crockett award and Susie got the Annie
Oakley award. It was a lot of fun.
People then went inside to eat around a large table. In addition to the brisket, there were ribs and sausage. To finish
the evening off there was home made ice cream. What a wonderful day was had by all.
Click here to view pictures of the Social.
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Reminders Mailed for Class 45th
Reunion at Westchester Marriott 28 Sep - 1 Oct 2006
Reminders of the Class 45th Reunion have now been sent to
449 Grads, 46 Class Widows, and 46 Non-grads. A copy of the
reminder is shown here for those who may not have received it. If you did not
receive this reminder you are urged to contact Ed Brown at
edbrown61@verizon.net
to get your name on the mailing list for future mailings about the 45th Reunion.
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Mark N. Silverman
Company E-2
15 April 1939 – 1 May 2005
Place of Death: Key Biscayne, FL
Interment: West Point Cemetery
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Mark Silverman passed away at 11 pm on 1 May in Key Biscayne, Florida, of
complications after a gallant four year battle with a slow growing tumor on his brain stem.
Services for Mark were held on
Tuesday, May 17th at 10:00 AM at the West Point Jewish Chapel followed by
burial with full military honors in the West Point Cemetery. Immediately following the funeral services, a
reception to celebrate Mark's life will be held at the West Point Club.
Condolences can be sent to Mark's wife Trish and family at 177 Ocean Lane Drive, #1204, Key Biscayne, FL 33149-1437.
Trish's phone number is (305) 361-2412.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to: NPR Foundation,
635 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20001-3752 or West Point Jewish
Chapel Fund, P. O. Box 84, West Point, NY 10996.
Mark, Well Done, be thou at peace.
Click here to go to
Mark's Last Roll Call Tribute.
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Mick Maus to Chair 45th Reunion
to be Held 28 Sep - 1 Oct 2006 at Westchester Marriott
Mick Maus has graciously agreed to chair our 45th reunion committee. He has "volunteered" many of our classmates in the Dallas
area and from Company A-1 (plus some stand-by stalwarts) to assist him. Coralinn (Mick's
wife) will assist in providing needed
supervision. The reunion will be held 28 Sep - 1 Oct 2006. We will be headquartered at the Westchester Marriott,
the same hotel where we had our 40th reunion.
There will be a football game on 30 Sep 06, but we don't know the opponent as yet. Mick pledges that the weather
will be perfect.
Please mark your calendars and look for more details in the coming months.
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John V. Kiehlbauch
Company E-1
23 Aug 1938 - 10 Jul 2005
Place of Death:
St. Augustine, FL
Interment: TBD
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Ed Barry has notified us that John V. Kiehlbauch, Company E-1,
who left West Point during our 2nd Class year, passed away on July 10, 2005, in
St. Augustine, FL. Ed learned from Renee Cumiskey, John's stepdaughter, that
John had a lobectomy in April. The doctors thought they had successfully
removed the tumor but in May discovered the cancer had metastasized to his
brain. John underwent brain surgery but they were unable to remove it all and
it quickly returned.
Condolences can be sent to Ms. Renee
Cumiskey, 909 Colonial
Dr, St. Augustine,
FL 32086-7966.
Click here to go to
John's Last Roll Call Tribute.
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45th Reunion Registration Letter and
Registration Form Mailed to All Classmates
Dick Buckner, 45th Reunion Committee Treasurer, has
mailed registration letters and forms to all Classmates by
snail mail. Mick Maus, 45th Reunion Committee Chairman, has mailed
letters to Class Widows inviting them to attend.
For those people who might have misplaced these documents
prior to taking the requested actions, a copy can be obtained by going to the
45th Reunion Home Page.
Click here to go to the 45th Reunion
Home Page.
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Soldiers Memorial Fund BBQ
Raises Over $12,000 for Fallen Heroes Statue Fund
 The Fallen Heroes statue was designed and sculptured by the world famous bronze sculptor, Ken Bjorge. The statue was
unveiled at the Memorial Day BBQ Fund Raiser. The BBQ was a great success with over 250 people attending
and raising over $12,000.
A larger copy is being done and will be presented to the President and the
White House next year, to be placed in the White House. A 1 ½ size statue is being created as well and will be placed in a
Memorial Park in Bigfork, Mt. The Soldiers Memorial Fund is raising $200,000 for the Fallen Heroes project. This is a
totally unique statue and the first in America dedicated to the Men and Women who have lost life and limb in the global war on
terror. Contributions for these projects can be made to the Soldiers Memorial Fund.
There is more info on the web
site at www.soldiersmemorialfund.org.
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Soldiers Memorial Fund Holding Memorial Day BBQ to
Honor Our Armed Forces and Raise Funds for Two Worthwhile Purposes
Flathead Lake Lodge, near Bigfork Montana, a 2,000 acre, family-operated dude ranch located in the Rocky
Mountains of northwest Montana, just 35 miles south of Glacier National Park, will be the
site for a Memorial Day BBQ
Fundraising event for two worthwhile purposes, while honoring our Armed Forces
past and present.
The first purpose is the Scott Vallely Soldiers Memorial Fund
which will continue to raise money in order to:
- Purchase and ship gifts to our Troops overseas year around
- Present Leadership Awards to young people entering the service from local high schools and colleges
- Provide assistance to needy Military Families
The second purpose is to begin Fundraising for the "Fallen Heroes"
Project. This project has commissioned Ken Bjorge of Bigfork to create
a larger than life statue honoring our fallen heroes in the Global War on Terror
that will be located in a Memorial Park in Bigfork. An additional small
statue will be created to present to the President of the United States to be
placed in an appropriate location in or around the White House. A
completed model of the "Fallen Heroes" statue will be on display for all to see
at the BBQ. It is anticipated that these statues will be completed and
presented in 2006. Cost per person is $25 for the BBQ.
There will be a no host bar. Contributions will also be accepted for the
"Fallen Heroes" Project. RSVP is requested by Wednesday, May 25th.
To register online go to the website
www.soldiersmemorialfund.org or mail checks to P.O. Box 1596
Bigfork, MT 59911. Please make checks payable to Soldiers Memorial Fund.
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Jim Nicholson Receives AOG Distinguished Graduate Award
in 24 May 2005 Ceremony
 On Tuesday, 24 May 2005, the Association of Graduates of the United States Military Academy
presented one of the Distinguished Graduate Awards for 2005 to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the Honorable R. James
Nicholson, Class of 1961.
Click here for information on the activities of the day
and to view pictures of the Parade and Reception.
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Distinguished Graduate Award
Presentation to Jim Nicholson Scheduled for 24 May 2005 - RSVP Needed by
13 May for Events
On Tuesday, 24 May 2005, the Association of Graduates of the United States Military Academy will present the Distinguished
Graduate Award for 2005 to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the Honorable R. James Nicholson Class of 1961.
The days events
1100 - Parade/Review on the Plain.
1200 - Alumni luncheon in Washington Hall cost $20.00 per person.
(Classmates and wives are invited)
1330 - Informal "meet and greet" at the West Point Club for Jim's
invited guests and all of the attendees from the Class of
1961. Event will be sponsored by the Class of 1961.
The best course of action for movement around post is to park at Buffalo Soldier Field (across from the Thayer Hotel) and
take the special shuttle that will be running from 0930-1015 with a drop at Jefferson Road (Library corner) for form up for
the “old grad march.”
Dick Buckner will collect the $20.00 per person (check preferred) for the Alumni Luncheon during the course of the 24 May
events.
If any of you haven’t let Dick know you’ll be attending, please send him a message as soon as possible. Response should be
e-mailed to rabuckner61@comcast.net.
As of 1600 Monday, 16 May, the following individuals have indicated they will be attending events at West Point celebrating
Jim Nicholson's acceptance of the Distinguished Graduate Award:
Tom Baird
Mike Breslin
Dave and Mimi Brooks
Ed and Rina Brown
Trish and Dick Buckner with 2 guests
Will and Kathy Conley
Jim and Linda Connolly
Tony Ferraiuolo
Bob and Dawn Glass
Mac Greeley
John and Teri Grisoni
Dale Himes
Chuck Hodell
Hamp and Vicki Hodges
Bruce Holmberg
John and Donna Java
Webb and Judy Kremer
Bill Mackie
Ken Meissner
Shane and Myra Olshansky
Bob Rosenkranz
Brian Schultz
Al and Carin Vanderbush
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Instructions for Howard
McCreary Funeral 20 May 2005 at Arlington National Cemetery
Howard McCreary's internment will be at Arlington National Cemetery at 1500 hrs, 20 May 2005. There will be a reception
afterwards at the Ft. Myer Officers Club. The Club needs a headcount for the reception so please let Marty Ganderson
(marty.ganderson@us.army.mil)
know if you will attend the reception.
If you are attending Howard's funeral, meet NLT 1430 hrs, 20 May 2005 at the Cemetery Administration Building inside the
Arlington Cemetery Main Gate. Guards on the road will direct you to the entry gate as well as ask you whose funeral you are
attending, etc. You can expect to drive to the burial site from the Administration Building.
After the ceremony, Edda McCreary will host a reception at the Ft. Myer O'Club. If you enter Ft Myer via the Cemetery
Road exit near the Old Chapel expect to show ID for entry to the Post.
If you plan on attending the reception and had not let Marty Ganderson know earlier, would you send him an email ASAP? Edda
needs to know the number of people attending for making arrangements for the reception.
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I-2 Holds Successful
Mini-Reunion May 12 - 15 at Eagle Lake in Racine County, Wisconsin
Front Row: Jim Oaks, Ed Jones, Tom Stone, Darius Gaskins
Back Row: Jack McLaughlin, Tom Cuthbert, Geo Henderson, Chas Randolph, Hal Gaither, Jim Goldstine, Dick Borden
At the urging of Jack McLaughlin and Chuck Randolph, members of Company I-2 held their second
mini-reunion on May 12-15 at Eagle Lake in Racine County, Wisconsin, about 50 miles north of Chicago.
The group had first met at Williamsburg,
VA in 2000. Even though most of those who attended that reunion came to the 40th
Class Reunion in New York the next year, there was talk about having another small
group gathering in the future.
This year “I-Dos” did it again.
Click here for the full story and pictures of the I-2
Mini-Reunion.
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"Thoroughbred Thank You Fund" Raising Funds to Thank 101st Airborne
Division Troops with Kentucky Derby Trip
Our Classmate Gil Hallenbeck is promoting a fund drive to thank the troops of the 101st Airborne Division for their service
in Iraq.
As some of you know, Gil has been involved with horses for some time. There is another
graduate of West Point who has been very successful in the horse industry.
He is a good, smart guy who not only believes in reaping rewards from business,
but also believes in giving back.
He has come up with this idea of sending troops from Fort Campbell, Kentucky, The
Screaming Eagles of
the 101st Airborne Division, to the 2005 Kentucky Derby. These troops are now in training to go back to Iraq, and will
deploy shortly after the Derby. No one going to Iraq will be turned down. They will be provided with transportation,
food, drinks, and a betting voucher. This is no small effort and he has the support of Churchill Downs, the home of the
Kentucky Derby.
He has a horse in Derby contention, and if it wins (a long shot, but so was Smarty Jones) I have agreed to
give him my brand new 2006 Lexus GS300, after he announces in the winning circle, instead of going to Disney World, he is going to
Hallenbeck's house to pick up the car.
This is a great cause. I think it is the dream of millions of Americans to attend the Kentucky Derby.
Well this year every troop at Fort Campbell returning to Iraq will have a chance to go to the Kentucky Derby.
It will happen, but will be a lot easier with a check from you. This money will not be wasted, and will
go only for our "boys and girls" of the Screaming Eagles.
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Thanks to Lee Anderson '61 Army Rugby “Field of Dreams” to Break Ground
Fall 2005
 The Association of Graduates (AOG) of the United States Military Academy (USMA)
announced on Friday, May 5th that Mr. and Mrs. Lee Anderson have raised their
total gift from $7.5 million to $8.2 million in support of the construction of a
new Army Rugby Sports Complex. In addition, the Andersons have accelerated their
pledge schedule so that the complex can begin construction in fall 2005.
Click here for complete AOG news release on donation and proposed rugby complex.
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18 Classmates Take Class Team
1st Place at World Golf Village Golfing Grads 2005 Meet
 18 Classmates met April 21 - 24 for the Golfing Grads 2005 meet at the World Golf Village, St. Augustine, FL.
Other Classes included 1959-1966, 1971, 1973 and 1983.
Classmates attending were: Jay Hartford, Mike Brady, Tom Myrick, Rusty Dyer, Bob Kewley, Bob Steege,
Bill Griffiths, Hampy Hodges, Bill Tobin, Paul Vallely, Gabe Gabriel
[non-playing], Spoon Witherspoon, Dan DiCarlo, Dale Shipley, Jerry White, Pat
Carroll, Gary Hyde and Red Zaldo.
Besides wining Overall Class Team 1st Place, many other
awards were earned:
Four Man Competition:
1st Place – Class of 1961; Dyer, Hartford, Zaldo and Hyde
Two Man Competition:
1st Place – Class of 1961; Steege and Kewley
Closest to the Pin:
Day 1 – Class of 1961; Hodges
Day 2 – Class of 1961; Kewley
Day 3 – Class of 1961; Tobin and Dyer
Longest Drive:
Day 3 – Class of 1961; Zaldo
Gross Score:
1st Place – Dyer (79)
2nd Place – Tobin (80)
5th Place – White (83)
5th Place – Steege (83)
Net Score:
1st Place – Class of 1961; DiCarlo (65)
8th Place – Class of 1961; Griffiths
Overall Class Team
Class of 1961
In addition to golf, they were hosted on Gerry and Pat Carroll’s boat for cocktails and snacks one evening, had a
wonderful supper planned at a downtown restaurant by Sally and Tom Myrick and enjoyed breakfasts and lunches together.
For pictures taken at Golfing Grads
2005, please click here. This is a new format for showing pictures on the Class Web Site. Please click on a
particular thumbnail picture to look at the full size picture. You can then click on the arrows to go forward or backward to
look at the other pictures. A click on the thumbnail icon will take you back to the thumbnails. A click on the house icon will
take you back to this page.
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Mark Silverman Has Inoperable Brain Tumor
and Would Like to Hear From Classmates
 It is with a heavy heart, that Shane Olshansky shares details of his
recent visit with
Mark and Trish Silverman. Mark has been diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor. It has steadily impaired his
functioning to the point that he has just started receiving hospice care at his apartment in Key Biscayne ,FL. He is still
quite alert and can understand most of what you say, but his speech is greatly impaired and it is difficult to understand
much of what he says.
Mark would love to hear from classmates. I found him energized by our visit and appreciative of our
reminiscing about the old days. Trish, his wife of 25 years is doing a fantastic job tending to all his needs and keeping a
positive atmosphere.
You can write, e-mail or call him at the following location:
Mark Silverman
177 Ocean Lane Drive, Apt. 1204
Key Biscayne, FL 33149
E-Mail: msilver100@aol.com
Phone: (305) 361-2412
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Jim Nicholson Designated Distinguished Graduate Award
Recipient for 2005
The following graduates have been
recommended by the nominating committee, and approved by the Board of Trustees, as Distinguished Graduates Award Recipients
for 2005:
LTG (Ret.)
Frank A. Camm, January '43
GEN (Ret.) Sam
S. Walker '46
GEN (Ret.)
John A. Wickham, Jr. '50
MG (Ret.) Neal
Creighton '53
LTG (Ret.)
Dave R. Palmer '56
Mr. R. James
Nicholson '61
Mr. Michael W.
Krzyzewski '69
In a message to the Class of
1961,
Class President Bob Glass has conveyed the following:
On behalf of the Class
Committee, I am pleased to announce that our classmate, Jim Nicholson, was one
of seven graduates selected for the Association of Graduates Distinguished
Graduate Award for 2005.
Jim is a great choice for the AOG's most prestigious award
for a graduate. Very briefly, Jim spent over 8 years on active duty in the Army
and 22 years in the Reserves retiring as a Colonel with 30 years service. He was
an attorney and successful real estate developer in Colorado for a number of
years and became involved in politics. He served four years as the chairman of
the Republican National Committee before being appointed Ambassador to the Holy
See in 2001. After more than 40 months in that post, Jim is returning to the
states, having been nominated by President Bush to be the next Secretary of
Veterans Affairs.
The true measure of Jim is found in the details - his
integrity, exceptional leadership and character. The numerous endorsements we
received from people in all walks of life - political, religious, private
sector, public sector, and military - spoke about this part of him in terms that
"knocked our socks off". Congratulations to Jim and Suzanne for all they
represent and for the credit they bring to the Class and to West Point.
I believe that the award will be given at the Annual Meeting of the AOG in late May at West Point. Jim and Suzanne are
expected to live in the Virginia suburbs of Washington, DC for the time being, spending time in Colorado as well.
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Golfing Grads 2005 is Scheduled April 21-24,
2005 at the World Golf Village Resort
Jerry White has extended the following Invitation and Challenge to all
the "Golfers" in our Class.
Golfing Grads 2005 is scheduled April 21-24, 2005 at the
World Golf Village resort near St. Augustine, FL. It will follow the usual
format of Thursday golf followed by a reception/dinner that night, Friday golf
with class dinners in the evening, and Saturday golf with the awards dinner that
night. Cost has remained the same as last year and most who have attended
in the last 2 years agree it is an excellent value. (Click here to read about the 2003 event.) For those unfamiliar with the World Golf Village Resort,
the Resort treats us in a first class fashion, and the golf courses are outstanding. Classes participating range from 56-73. Dan Willson '63, the main man, has made a couple of changes from last year. Friday's round will be at a new course, South
Hampton Country Club, and on Saturday at the King and The Bear Course, we will play from shorter tees by popular demand.
Thursday will continue to be at Slammer and the Squire.
This is intended to be a warning order. Hopefully, we can get the stalwarts back, return those who missed last year, and
attract some new Classmates. The Class of '61, "Second to None",
was close to winning the class prize last year. So this is the year to pass up
'62 and '63.
Please mark your calendars and let Jerry White know how it looks.
Jerry's e-mail address is LWhite7314@aol.com and it would help if you
passed the word to Classmates you think might be interested. This is a fun event! More info will follow later.
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Howard E. McCreary, Jr
Company I-1
1 Nov 1936 – 26 March 2005
Place of Death: Richmond, VA
Interment: Arlington National Cemetery
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Howard Ellwood McCreary Jr., Lt Col. (Retired USAR) died March 26, 2005 after a short illness, which he fought bravely.
Howard was born on November 1, 1936 in Johnstown, Pa. and was a 1961 graduate of the U.S. Army Military Academy, West Point.
He lived the motto "Duty, Honor and Country" his entire life. His 16 plus years of Army active duty included one tour in Vietnam,
as well as overseas assignments in Germany and Korea. Howard continued service to his country as a Department of Army Civilian
Logistician, where he held numerous positions of responsibility at both Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md. and at Ft. Lee, Va. He
retired in 1994 as deputy director of Force Development and Evaluation. At the time of his death, he was employed as a military
systems analyst with SY Coleman at Ft. Lee. He leaves behind his devoted wife of 42 years, Edda McCreary; sisters, Sarah Gregory
and Phyllis Price; brother, Thomas McCreary; daughters, Eva Sandfort and husband, John and Elaine McCreary; sons, Chris McCreary
and wife, Heidi and Patrick McCreary; and grandchildren, Christina Sandfort, Connor McCreary and Erin McCreary. Burial will take
place at Arlington National Cemetery at a date to be determined followed by a reception hosted by the family at the Fort Myers
Officers Club. Memorial contributions to be made to The West Point Fund, Association of Graduates, (Class of 1961). 698 Mills
Rd., West Point, N.Y. 10996.
Published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch on 3/29/2005.
Condolences can be sent to Edda and her family at 11601 Stephens Point Drive, Chester, VA 23831.
Howard McCreary's internment will be at Arlington National Cemetery at 1500 hrs, 20 May 2005. There will be a reception
afterwards at the Ft. Myer Officers Club. The Club needs a headcount for the reception so please let Marty Ganderson
(marty.ganderson@us.army.mil) know if you will
attend the reception. There will be a follow up message regarding where and when to assemble to begin the procession to the
burial site.
Click here to go to Howard's
Last Roll Call Tribute.
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Steven C. Walker
"Steve"
Company I-2
14 Mar 1938 - 29 Jan 2005
Place of Death: St. Petersburg, FL
Interment: Beaufort National Cemetery
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Steven Connor Walker passed away on January 29, 2005 in St. Petersburg FL.
At 2 pm on Tuesday, February 1, 2005 a Memorial Service for Steven Conner Walker was held at the
Anderson-McQueen Funeral Home, St. Petersburg, Florida.
Attending were his son Cooper Walker and grandson of Columbia, South Carolina, his cousin, Diane Comstock of Sarasota,
Florida, Roy Jackson, friend and business partner of St. Petersburg, Florida, Steve Warner, USMA ’62, a long time friend of
Tampa, Florida, Ray Tilghman, USMA ’61, a classmate from Ft. Meyer, Florida, Bill Griffiths, USMA ‘61,
a classmate from Tierra Verde, Florida,
Brent Smith, who stood in for Jim Oaks, USMA ’61, a classmate who was not able to attend and 30 some employees of ENSER, a
company that Steve Walker and Roy Jackson founded together.
The service was conducted by a priest from a church where Steve had gone to elementary school.
Diane Comstock, Steve Warner and Roy Jackson talked about their remembrances of Steve.
Burial service for Steve will be at 1:00 pm on Friday, February 4, at the Beaufort National Cemetery,
1601 Boundary Street, Beaufort, SC 29902-3947.
Messages of condolences can be sent to Connor Walker, son, at 1719 Hollywood Dr.,
Columbia SC 29205.
Click here to go to Steve's Last
Roll Call Tribute.
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Senior Assistant Secretary of
the Army Reginald Brown Retired January 28, 2005
By Eric Cramer
Army News Service
January
31, 2005
WASHINGTON (Army News Service Jan 31, 2005) --
Reginald Brown, assistant secretary of the Army for Manpower and Reserve
Affairs, retired in a Jan. 28 ceremony.
Brown had served as assistant
secretary, a position next in the chain of command after the Undersecretary of
the Army, since July 12, 2001.
During his time as assistant secretary, he
served as a member of the Department of Defense National Security Personnel
System Overarching Integrated Product Team, helping transform the DoD civilian
personnel system. Brown helped design, develop and implement NSPS.
Brown
joined the Army after graduating from West Point in 1961, and served in the Army
until 1971. During his time in the Army he earned a master’s degree in public
administration from the Kennedy School at Harvard
Following his military
service, Brown held a variety of positions in and out of government
service.
“The biggest change I’ve seen during my time is the volunteer
Army,” Brown said. “The volunteer Army is head and shoulders above the draft
Army. It’s more motivated, better educated and trained, and I don’t think it has
an equal out there. I couldn’t always say that.”
As for his own
accomplishments, Brown singled out his work in 1979 with the President’s
Commission on Military Pay.
“That helped us see the difference between
the tools people use for recruitment and retention in the real world, and the
tools we use here in the Department of Defense,” Brown said.
He also
learned to see the “big picture.”
“It helped me set my mind for working
here. A lot of people focus on solving just their own problems, without
realizing that fixing their problem might affect someone else – that was a
powerful lesson I took from that experience,” he said.
Brown also served
with the U.S. Agency for International Development during the President George
H. W. Bush’s administration.
“It taught me the importance of foreign aid,”
Brown said. “ I got to see the many facets of how our government accomplishes
its foreign policy objectives. Sometimes an effective foreign aid is worth four
combat brigades.”
He said this lesson served him well in a number of
situations, and the Army as a whole has learned the same lesson.
“The
Army itself recognized the value of aid-like things,” Brown said. “In this
asymmetric warfare today, we have to deal with the full spectrum; people,
families, food – its not just taking out combat units anymore.”
Brown
said he is still evaluating what he will do in retirement, but he has no
regrets.
“I’ve enjoyed my service here. It’s been a rare privilege to
serve the way that I have.”
Upon his retirement, Brown received the Army
decoration for Distinguished Civilian Service, the Department of the Navy
Distinguished Public Service Award and the Department of Defense Outstanding
Public Service Award.
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Washington DC Area Class of
1961 Social Events Calendar for 2005 Released
Ed Brown, Class Secretary, has released the Washington DC Area Social Events Calendar for 2005.
Any Classmate who is in the DC area on one of those dates is invited to attend.
For additional information please contact Ed at
edbrown61@verizon.net.
- 27 January – Luncheon at Fort Myer Officers' Club
- 6 March – Sunday Brunch at Fort Belvoir Officers' Club
- 26 May – Luncheon at Fort Myer Officers' Club
- 1 October – Pig Roast at Kopcsak's
- 20 October – Luncheon at Fort Myer Officers' Club
- 10 December – Holiday Dinner at Army-Navy Country Club
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Thomas H. Magness, III
"Tom"
Company L-2
7 May 1937 – 28 Dec 2004
Place of Death: Washington DC
Interment: Arlington National
Cemetery
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Tom Magness passed away at 1930 hours, 28 December, at the VA Hospital in Washington DC. Beloved husband of Dhana L. Magness; father of Lt. Col. Thomas H. Magness, IV, John M. Magness, Jennifer E. Perrier and Paul Scott Magness; brother
of David M. Magness and the late Charles F. Magness; grandfather of Jenna, Chelsea, Shelby, John Michael Jr. and Gary Thomas.
A Mass of
Christian Burial for Tom will be held at 10:45 am, 5 January, at the Old Post Chapel, Fort Myer, Virginia,
followed by burial in Arlington National Cemetery. A reception
was held afterward at the Fort Myer
Officers Club.
Messages of condolences can be sent to Dhana and her family at 11721 Saddle Crescent Circle,
Oakton, VA 22124.
Donations in lieu of flowers should be sent to the Chaplain's Service Fund, VA Hospital, Attn: Hospice Unit, 50 Irving Street,
Washington, DC 20422.
Click here to go to Tom's Last Roll
Call Tribute.
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Jim Nicholson Nominated for Veterans
Affairs Secretary
President Bush on December 9, 2004 named Jim Nicholson, U.S.
ambassador to the Vatican, as his nominee to replace outgoing Veterans Affairs
Secretary Anthony Principi. Nicholson has been ambassador to the Holy See
in Vatican City since August 2001.
"Jim Nicholson is a patriot, a man of deep conviction, who
has answered his country's call many times," Bush said of his nominee.
"Jim has worked with the Vatican to advance many vital
foreign policy goals, including fighting poverty, hunger, AIDS, expanding
religious liberty around the world and ending the brutal practice of human
trafficking," Bush said.
Nicholson was chairman of the Republican National Committee
from 1997 to 2000. He was an Army Ranger and a paratrooper during the Vietnam
War.
Nicholson said his experiences as a cadet at West Point and
as a soldier "have defined my life, shaped my abilities and my desire to serve."
"Our military is the pride of our country, " he said. "We can't pay them enough
to do the things that we ask of them: the sacrifices, the separations, the
heroics. "They answer the call for one reason: Their country needs them.
Our country depends on them, and they have never, ever let us down. We must not
let them down either."
The Department of Veterans Affairs is the second largest in
the federal government. The secretary is in charge of 219,000 personnel,
responsible for a nationwide system of health care services, benefits programs
and national cemeteries for U.S. veterans and dependents.
The Senate must confirm Nicholson's nomination.
Click here to read Jim's
testimony before the Senate Committee.
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Father Joe Kenny Featured
Speaker at October Class Luncheon at Fort Myer
 Father
Joe Kenny (brother of Hank Kenny) was the featured speaker at the October Class Luncheon at Fort Myer. Father Joe is a
Dominican priest and was visiting from Nigeria where he has spent the last 40 years working to improve Christian-Muslim
relations.
Father Joe has written innumerable books and articles and provided first-hand
stories about the views and feelings of moderate Muslims, as well as the influence of Wahabiism in Africa. He is ecumenical,
e.g., he wrote the section on Islam in Hebrew in the Israeli encyclopedia.
Having been dean of religious studies at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria,
he provided the Class Luncheon with interesting insights into the situation in Nigeria.
For pictures of the luncheon, please click here.
This is a new format for showing pictures on the Class Web Site. Please
click on a particular thumbnail picture to look at the full size picture. You can then click on the
arrows to go forward or
backward to look at the other pictures. A click on the thumbnail icon will take
you back to the thumbnails. A click on the house icon will take you back to this page.
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Soldiers Memorial Fund Raises Over $60,000 For
Year Round Gift Program
 The Scott Vallely Memorial Fund has now raised over $60,000 for their Gift Program. The Scott Vallely Memorial Fund web site
has been updated and will now operate a year round program for gifts to the troops. For example they just mailed out 3000 lbs of
gifts and 125 lbs of gourmet coffee to troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Classmates can contribute on line at the web site
www.soldiersmemorialfund.org
or mail check donations to PO Box 1596 Bigfork MT 59911.
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Soldiers Memorial Fund BBQ Nets
Over $25,000 for Christmas Gift Program
The Soldiers Memorial Fund BBQ was held at Flathead Lake Lodge in Bigfork,
Montana and was a huge success. The fundraiser for the Christmas and Holiday
Gift Program netted over $25,000 from donations across the country but primarily
from the Flathead Valley. Over 250 people attended. The gifts this year will be
directed down range to the Special Operating Forces, primarily serving in Iraq
and Afghanistan. The down range Chaplains in the respective commands will be the
conduit to the troops for the gifts. The shoppers are out now buying the gifts
based on what the down range Special Operating Forces indicated they would like to have. Gifts
will be mailed by November 20th.
Click here to go to the Scott Vallely Soldiers Memorial Fund web site for additional
information.
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George and Michele Kopcsak Host Record
Number Attendees at Oct 16, 2004 Pig Roast
 Attendance
at this year's Annual Pig Roast was 60 people. Many came from afar -- NY,
PA, and MD. As usual, George and Michele Kopcsak were gracious hosts and
worked extremely hard in making sure everything was perfect -- especially the
pig. Jerry Hall, George's friend from Falmouth, VA, helped George with
roasting the pig. The weather was cool with a few showers but couldn't
dampen our spirits.
This annual gathering is one of
the highlights of the social calendar for those who live near enough to be able
to attend. For a list of attendees and some great pictures, please
click here.
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John G. Evans
"Jack"
Company F-2
28 Oct
1936 – 22 Aug 2004
Place of Death: Richmond,
VA
Interment: Petersburg, VA
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John "Jack" Gradwell Evans died Sunday, August 22, 2004 at Henrico
Doctor's Hospital in Richmond, VA.
Jack was born October 28, 1936, the son of the late Major General Roy Tripp Evans Jr. and Virginia Hamilton
Evans.
He attended the United States Military Academy Preparatory School at Stewart AFB, NY. The Prep School
yearbook notes two things about Jack -- "Most likely potential 20-year Private" and "Another beer, please!"
He entered USMA with the Class of 1961. During his Yearling Year he was turned back to, and graduated with, the Class of
1962.
After graduation from the United States Military Academy at
West Point Jack was commissioned in Infantry and completed Ranger and Airborne
courses at Fort Benning, GA.
He served in the 82nd Airborne Division and as an infantry advisor in Vietnam in 1964.
He transferred to Quartermaster in 1965. He returned again to
Vietnam in 1969 with the 101st Airborne. His varied assignments included being an advisor
to the USMC and the Canadian Airborne. He
retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1981.
Jack made many friends during and after his military career. He especially wanted to thank his friends at the
Rare Olde Times and the Red Hot and Blue who provided companionship during the last stages of his illness.
He is survived by his mother and stepfather, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph M. Reece of Petersburg, VA and two brothers,
Roy “Sandy” T. Evans (USMA ’58) of Richmond and Alexander “Ham” H. Evans (USMA ’61) of Tampa, Fla.
A graveside service for family and friends was held in Blandford Cemetery in Petersburg,
VA at 11 p.m. Friday,
August 27, 2004. He was buried next to his father.
Messages of condolences can be sent to Ham Evans, our classmate and Jack's brother,
at 11506 Louvre
Place, Temple Terrace, FL 33617, (813) 980-2996, <hamevans@earthlink.net>.
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Minutes of 30 June 2004 Class Committee
Meeting Now Available
Click here to go to this Class Committee Meeting minutes. Prior Class
Committee minutes are available by clicking on Class Business.
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 102
People Make July 2004 Alaska Cruise Mini-reunion Success
Click here to go to the
610 pictures
(we have so far) arranged
into 25 PowerPoint presentations that illustrate the places the Cruise went to
and the things people did at these interesting ports-of-call, as well as the
wonderful activities onboard the Infinity. (Last picture update 10/01)
To see who went on
the Alaska cruise, please click here to go to the Alaska Class
Cruise web page.
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Class of '61 NE Picnic at Round
Pond Attracts Good Turnout on 26 Jun 04
 The Northeast Group held a picnic at Bonneville Cabin
at Round Pond on Saturday, June 26th. Those in attendance were Tom & Judie
Baird, Dan & Pam Barney, Will and Cathy Conley, Dan & Jan DiCarlo, John
& Teri Grisoni, Dale Himes, Chuck Hodell, Hamp & Vicki Hodges (complete
with Texas drawl), John & Donna Java, John Kilkenny, Brian & Joyce
Schultz, Bruce & Pat Shroyer and Larry Stoneham. A good time was had by
all. By coincidence, it was Tom Baird's birthday, and it was great
to share in his celebration. For more, and larger, pictures
click here.
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Poop Schoolers in D.C.
John F. Grisoni went down to Washington for the WW2 dedication. While there he
had the pleasure to spend the evening with Ed Brown and John Lawton. They and their wives had
a wonderful Memorial Day BBQ at Ed's home in Alexandria.
These three went to USMA Prep School together. John Lawton
and John Grisoni did not graduate with us. There is a tight bond among the
"Prep Schoolers". They thought that we would like to see how gracefully they are aging.
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Eight Classmates and Wives Joined with Family and Friends to Celebrate the
May 22 Marriage of Joe Maio and Sheila Young
Warren, Sonia, Gabe, Susie, Ken, Sheila, Joe, Carolyn, Jack and John
It was a beautiful May 22, 2004 day in Colorado Springs. Eight classmates and wives joined
with family and other friends to celebrate the marriage of Joe Maio and Sheila Young. Classmate and wives attending were:
Warren and Sonia Miller; Gabe and Susie Gabriel; Ken Hruby; Jack and Carolyn Fischer; and John Purdy. Gabe reported that we
really had a wonderful time. Lots of remembrances, lots of lies, lots of tales for Sheila. It was wonderful to be able to be a
part of their day.
For a complete description of the day's
events and pictures
please click here.
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Scott Vallely Soldiers Memorial Fund
Kicks Off Christmas Gift Program September 1 | |
