UNH 1954 CLASS NOTES

Welcome to the University of New Hampshire Class of 1954. Here you find class notes for future issues of the alumni magazine, which are then merged into the virtual yearbook. Use the jumps below to see those earlier notes and other good stuff. (The Obituaries, alas, have gotten so unwieldly that I have now merged them into the Notes.)

Reunion!

You should have received a mailing from Jack Driscoll urging us to sign up for the June 12 mini-reunion, with lunch at the New England Center dining room and a class meeting afterward to hear about the 1954 Fund for Academic Enrichment (endowed by our 50th reunion gifts) and to plan a full-bore reunion, say in 2014. (That would be our 60th, if you haven't been counting.) If you didn't get that mailing, please email me and I'll do something about it. You can also get information on the Alumni Center website.

Class notes

Fond good wishes to Jean Pelis, whose husband Joseph Pelis is battling pancreatic cancer and the inevitable and awful chemotherapy infusions. "We used to drive by the college every time we are in New Hampshire," Jean writes. "He was so proud of his stay at the college.... If anyone would like to e-mail him jp12up@msn.com or call our house 802-879-1258 it would be nice." They live in Vermont.

And much love also to my faithful California correspondent, Charlotte Anderson Marsh, whose husband John died of a massive stroke in March.

Elizabeth (Shaw) Moore writes: "Don't know whether anyone remembers me, because I married an Englishman and lived in Scotland for 30 years. Still have a small apartment there, as it is a beautiful part of the world.... I live in a small apartment in Brattleboro near my two children and two grandchildren. Life is not as exciting as when my husband was alive, but I manage to keep busy, work as a volunteer at the Brattleboro Hospital, play lots of bridge, love to eat out and visit with friends. Also travel to Scotland twice a year for a couple of months."

Bill Gardner: "I was surprised to open The New Hampshire and find my daughter & husband pictured (webster) involved in a fund raising project. I think bob is even on some type of crusade to save ZB frat. If any one can do it -it is him. Buzz"

Riviere College in Nashua sent out an emergency appeal this winter: "Class #1014 Frank Lloyd Wright was dangerously crowded this week. If you were one of 11 who signed up and did not come please do not come this coming week. We cannot put anymore people in room and no other rooms are available with [undergraduate] students back next week." The dangerously popular teacher is Bob Sampson, digressing from his traditional subject matter of Winston Churchill. One of the students was Roger Saunders, who like Sam was an ME student our freshman, but unlike him stuck with it to graduation.

Ed Branch: "The year has been busy and as always good news and bad. My grandson adopts second child a boy (Maine product) few months old looks and acts like a great kid.... The Colonels Deli and Bakery-Restaurant first established from scratch by myself in 1973, later sold to my daughter 1984, from her to her son in 2004.... In July of this year it burned to the foundation, three stories, and took two adjacent buildings with it.... Presently rebuilding, expected to exceed one million plus. Have been busy working on design of production and retail area. Looking for buys on much needed equipment, etc."

Ted Bond: "Jane makes quilts and artful wall hangings and I continue to do some stained glass work and am working on our combined genealogy. My part will include more than the usual dates and places."

Charles Pray, who worked for many years as a draftsman and in publications at the Portsmouth Navy Yard, had an exhibit of his watercolors in August at the North Hampton Public Library. He is a member of the Seacoast Artists Association.

Shantih, shantih, shantih

Shantih (peace) to Thomas L. Snow Jr of Manchester Township, NJ, died November 1, 2008. Tom's first wife was our classmate Pat Fay, who died in 1989; he married again, to Judith Fay--Pat's sister--and is survived by her, seven children, and 13 grandchildren. Tom worked for Cigna insurance in Hartford for 32 years.

And to Joan Westling Fox of Marshfield, MA, "died peacefully at home," September 20, 2008. Joan worked as a school psychologist and counselor, taught parenting seminars, and "touched many lives" thereby; she was an antiques dealer and gardener as well. Joan is survived by her husband, eight children, and 15 grandchildren.

And to Hartley Souther, died in Concord, NH, September 17, 2008. He served a hitch in the Air Force after graduation, then worked at (and later owned) Bristol Cash Market, founded by his father. He was active in NH Retail Grocers, Concord Chamber of Commerce, and the United Way. "He loved the outdoors and was an avid hunter and fisherman." He is survived by his wife, three sons, and six grandchildren.

And to Rosemarie Dowaliby Murphy, whose children emailed that she "passed away December 14, 2008. She died in her sleep. She was 80 years old and had been a Registered Nurse for over 50 years before she retired and moved to Port Orange, Fl., where she lived the past three years. She is survived by her 5 children and a brother."

And to Donald Cusson, died August 15 in Manchester NH "after a brief illness." He graduated from Tufts Medical School, did his residency in Pennsylvania, and was in private practice in Manchester for many years, including as chief orthopedic surgeon at Catholic Medical Center. During the Bosnian conflict he served as a medical missionary. He is survived by his wife, six children, eight grandchildren, two siblings, "and cousins and nieces," which must have made for tumultous holidays.

And to Darius Robinson, died August 13 at the University of Pennsylvania (I see no explanation of how that happened!). He served in the Air Force, and for 35 years was a department manager for Sears Roebuck in Vineland NJ, where among other things he was a member of the Greater South Jersey Chorus. He spent summers on Lake Winnipesaukee. He is survived by his wife, five children, and no less than seventeen grandchildren--another splendid clan!

And to Eugene Chase, died "suddenly" August 8 in Delray Beach FL. He was "for many years" in the restaurant business with his father, and later worked in the publishing business with Allyn & Bacon, evidently living in Arlington MA.

And to Porter "Pete" Sickels, died "peacefully" June 28 at the family's summer camp in Weld ME. Summertimes in 1952 and 1953 he was an infielder for the St Louis Cardinals farm team. He earned a master's degree from Wesleyan and for thirty years was a teacher and coach in Maine, where he was inducted into the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007. He suffered a long bout with Parkinson's Disease and is survived his by his wife, the former Jean Swett whom he married on June 12, 1954, and by two children and four grandsons.

And to Leslie Kimball Jr, died July 1 08 at home in Haverhill NH, where he was born and graduated from Haverhill Academy. After UNH he served with the U.S. Army in Germany, after which he worked as a Travelers Insurance claims adjuster manager for 33 years in Hartford CT. When he retired, he returned to his home town, a life cycle which used to be common but now is regrettably rare.

Class of 1954 Fund

Our Class of 1954 Endowed Fund for Academic Enrichment supported the following events last academic year:

* "Leading Philosopher" visited campus and took part in seminars and a colloquium series, whatever that might be, hosted by the philosophy department.

* Guest speaker Martin Mansell, disability adviser and five-time Paralympic champion, hosted by the kinesiology department, formerly known as Phys Ed.

* Two-day visit by Professor Sut Jhally and seminar on producing documentary films, sponsored by the communications department.

* Seminar series on organic dairy agriculture, hosted by the animal and nutritional sciences department.

* Public lecture by Professor Klaus Berghahn on German anti-semitism and the Holocaust, hosted by the languages, literatures and cultures department.

* Lecture by Dr. Tanya Stivers on physician-parent communication on prescribing antibiotics, sponsored by the communications department.

* Lecture by Beth Finke, National Public Radio commentator and author, sponsored by the English department.

* Presentation by Professor Kathleen Segerson, economic and environmental theorist, sponsored by the resource economics and development department.

* Presentation by Dr. Molly Stuphen on nursing practice, hosted by the nursing department.