Class Note 1939

Just talked to our president Lou Oldershaw. He is doing well and asked me to inquire as to whether any of us would be interested in one last reunion. Drop me a line if you would be interested.


We have lost three more members since the last notes.


The Hon. Louis Falk Oberdorfer died on February 21. After graduation and a tour of duty in Army, he got his law degree from Yale. He had a very distinguished career. He served as deputy to U.S. Attorney General Robert Kennedy in the 1960s and was appointed federal judge in Washington, D.C., in 1977 by President Jimmy Carter, a position in which he served for many years. As a judge he authored more than 1,300 opinions in the 1980s. One of his rulings pushed the U.S. Defense Department to extend veteran status to thousands of men who sailed merchant ships during WW II.


William Barney Cockley Jr. died July 19 2012. Unfortunately there is no other information available.


Wells Corbin Bates died on March 24. Wells spent his working years running the C.J. Bates and Son Co., manufacturers of Susan Bates art needlework implements. Wells was a very active alumnus of 1939, serving on the class executive committee (1979, 1989-2013) and as reunion committee chair (1979), reunion committee treasurer (1974) and class agent (1985).


—Andrew Ruoff, 19149 SE Sea Turtle Court A102, Tequesta, FL 33469; aruoff@bellsouth.net