Class Note 1948
Guest secretary Sonny Drury writes this issue’s column. Few ’48s who arrived on campus as early as March 1944 graduated as late as February 1950. Dave Anthony did. He roomed with Fritz McTarnahan in Crosby and later Richardson in a friendship that served Uncle Sam’s Navy and continues today. Dave missed the Bema ceremony but with his geology degree joined Cities Service Oil in Oklahoma as the only ’48 resident ever of that state. He married Patricia 60 years ago this September. Marine Dave Barr reached Hanover in July 1944, when he moved into MiddleMass. He played the outfield on Red Rolfe Field for four seasons, with our Hank Mueller much of the time. His biggest moment: his late inning triple in 1947, which cleared bases and beat Navy 3-2. Dave has 100 percent Alumni Fund record and still inspires kids in St. James School in Maryland.
Howie Westney has lost his lifetime buddy Bill Ivins. But from that first summer he recalls reorganizing the Green Collegians band of 14 men, including trumpeter Ed Curtis, Rog Zorn on sax, “88 Keys” Pilsbury on piano and drummer Howie.
Imagine the stories told by ’48 sailors Lou Clarke and Sam Wilkinson when they met in Portland, Maine, for one notable lunch shortly before leaving us: Lou in recalling his small sloop sail around the globe, Sam reciting his mostly solo sail on Sally B (for his Sally) yawl from Maine to Bahamas to Virginia.
Nationally prominent attorney Dick Donahue is living in Lowell, Massachusetts, but we don’t know if he and Nancy still live in the house they were in when Senator John F. Kennedy called on him prior to the senator’s successful campaign for the presidency in 1960, resulting in Dick’s life in the White House. It may be doubtful the current residence is still the same, as on the earlier occasion the Donahues had a household of 11 children.
We join Fos DeGiacomo in wishing best for Nancy, who suffered a stroke just before these lines were written. Jack McKeon’s daughter sadly advised he may not leave the hospital, to which we add fervent hope for Jack’s recovery.
—Dave Kurr, 4281 Indian Field Road, Clinton, NY 13323; (315) 853-3582; djkurr@verizon.net
