In his new novel, South of Broad, Pat Conroy says of his hometown, Charleston, South Carolina: “I consider it a high privilege to be a native of one of the loveliest American cities. It is a rapturous, defining place to grow up.” He praises its “high tolerance for eccentricity and bemusement [and affirms] its gentility that comes from the knowledge that Charleston is a permanent dimple in the understated skyline, while the rest of us are only visitors.” What better place then for a bunch of bemused, gentrified, eccentric ’62s to come for a celebratory 70th birthday reunion? Besides, it’s sunny and warm, the food is good and the livin’ is easy.


Thanks to Tripmeister Komarek’s meticulous planning, more than 70 classmates plus spouses and guests made the Low Country pilgrimage during the first week of May. Most of the Greek trippers signed on, as did Ingrid and Denny Barnes, Lenore and Dick Bragaw, Jane and Gill Butler, Robbi Cox, Pat Giles, Hanneke and Wouter Goedkoop, Penny and Bill Obenshain, Susan and Marsh Potterton, Debbie and Mike Rouzee, Mella Behar and Roy Schoen, Dave deWilde, Jane and Bill Whaley, Liz and Rog Usborne and Patti and Bill Sadd, who came by RV from Fredericksburg, Texas, “Spider” and “the Magpie,” who resurfaced from the distant past and led a late-night pub crawl to The Blind Tiger. All of these pilgrims and many more followed their GPS, map or compass to Charleston in search of “the good life.” And Polly and Thad Seymour were there too, honoring us once again with their presence and gifting us with Polly’s charm and Thad’s inimitable stories.


Some classmates, such as Roy Halstead and wife Gabriele, made Charleston an ultimate destination via a rather lengthy and circuitous route. In February Roy and Gabriele bumped into John Walters, who was celebrating early with a 70th birthday weekend on the slopes at Jackson Hole, Wyoming. There, too, Roy connected with Marty Quadland, who offered him lodging and hospitality in his beautiful new home and promised to come back to the 50th. But Roy’s travels were just beginning. “I continued from Jackson Hole,” he says, “through the United States to finally meet up with my son Ted ’90 in the Galapagos on March 19, then across the Pacific by catamaran to the Marquesas in French Polynesia, then from Tahiti by air back to Brussels and then on to Charleston for the reunion.” Roy’s quest was Big Green commitment writ large—a journey that would make Odysseus weep and Pat Conroy smile.


Postscript: Congratulations go out to George Beller, who has received the Distinguished Scientist Award from the American College of Cardiology for his pioneering research in the field of cardiac imaging. George is currently professor of cardiology at the University of Virginia Health System. He has served as chairman of the division of cardiovascular medicine for 28 years and is a past president of the American College of Cardiology.


And kudos as well go to Sandy Apgar, who has been appointed to the U.S. Department of State’s advisory committee on international economic policy.


—Jim Haines, 307 Sewickley Ridge Drive, Sewickley, PA 15143; (412) 741-9088; jbhaines@comcast.net