Class Note 1958
Issue
March-April 2021
Phew! Somehow we made it through 2020. Now we’re off and running into 2021, which may be even tougher. The good news, though, is that more than half of the 749 pea greenies who matriculated in September 1954 are still standing (more or less) 64 years later—391 of us, at last reckoning.
So how are we doing as our journey continues (to parrot the title Larry Weltin suggestedfor our 50th reunion book)? Quite well, all things considered. Our unexpected high point in 2020 was the October 3 virtual Homecoming via Zoom organized by Frank Gould and Sandy Swain Bromwell,driven into reality by president John Trimble. Thanks to their efforts we got to see, in living technicolor, not only the usual East Coast suspects who come to Hanover each October, but also the likes of Hal Douglas in Oregon, Dave Bowman in Los Angeles, Tryg Myhren in Colorado, Glower Jones in Georgia, and a host of others rarely seen east of the Rockies or north of the Mason-Dixon line.
As a result, our mailbox is chock-full of notes from ’58s hither and yon. One received as 2020 ended came from Helga and Larry Hampton in Portugal’s Algarve, wishing ’58s holiday greetings in six different languages, from feliz Natal to frohe Weihnachten—with a fervent plea for a return to “normalcy” in the United States, to which I can only say hurray!
Another from president John reports that the Weltins have moved from Alabama to Aitken, South Carolina, to be nearer family, and that John Otis’ son has just graduated from Roanoke University. We also had word from other seldom-heard ’58s, including Fred Hart, Jim Crawford,and Mel Croner, plus reflections from John Whiteley’s widow, Kim, which space limits force into abeyance. On deck for future revelation is a book review by John Trimble about the sinking of the WW II cruiser Indianapolis. These and other entertaining tales must wait until the next Sound & Fury, which will appear when I recover from 2020. Stay tuned: I’m still standing too (more or less).
Lastly, and sadly, we note the passing of three classmates since the last DAM: Tom Green, a Tuck M.B.A. and highly regarded retailing exec; Donald Thomas of Sudbury, Massachusetts, a noted scrimshaw collector; and Tom Chementowski, an ex-Marine who once played Philadelphia area basketball against Wilt Chamberlain before Doggie Julian recruited Tom to Hanover.
—Steve Quickel, 411 North Middletown Road, Apt. F-310, Media, PA 19063; steve58@quickel.net
So how are we doing as our journey continues (to parrot the title Larry Weltin suggestedfor our 50th reunion book)? Quite well, all things considered. Our unexpected high point in 2020 was the October 3 virtual Homecoming via Zoom organized by Frank Gould and Sandy Swain Bromwell,driven into reality by president John Trimble. Thanks to their efforts we got to see, in living technicolor, not only the usual East Coast suspects who come to Hanover each October, but also the likes of Hal Douglas in Oregon, Dave Bowman in Los Angeles, Tryg Myhren in Colorado, Glower Jones in Georgia, and a host of others rarely seen east of the Rockies or north of the Mason-Dixon line.
As a result, our mailbox is chock-full of notes from ’58s hither and yon. One received as 2020 ended came from Helga and Larry Hampton in Portugal’s Algarve, wishing ’58s holiday greetings in six different languages, from feliz Natal to frohe Weihnachten—with a fervent plea for a return to “normalcy” in the United States, to which I can only say hurray!
Another from president John reports that the Weltins have moved from Alabama to Aitken, South Carolina, to be nearer family, and that John Otis’ son has just graduated from Roanoke University. We also had word from other seldom-heard ’58s, including Fred Hart, Jim Crawford,and Mel Croner, plus reflections from John Whiteley’s widow, Kim, which space limits force into abeyance. On deck for future revelation is a book review by John Trimble about the sinking of the WW II cruiser Indianapolis. These and other entertaining tales must wait until the next Sound & Fury, which will appear when I recover from 2020. Stay tuned: I’m still standing too (more or less).
Lastly, and sadly, we note the passing of three classmates since the last DAM: Tom Green, a Tuck M.B.A. and highly regarded retailing exec; Donald Thomas of Sudbury, Massachusetts, a noted scrimshaw collector; and Tom Chementowski, an ex-Marine who once played Philadelphia area basketball against Wilt Chamberlain before Doggie Julian recruited Tom to Hanover.
—Steve Quickel, 411 North Middletown Road, Apt. F-310, Media, PA 19063; steve58@quickel.net