Welcome to the   Ithaca High School  Class of 1960's  website. We encourage you to visit this site frequently for updates and to add your own touch to this endeavor. Your active participation will make the site much more meaningful.

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Sarah Gates and Dave Sears visited with Bob and Beverly Brink Hillman during their August stopover in Ithaca.

Jam Murphy Ivkovich celebrated her 8oth birthday this month. Her kids posted this picture of Jan and Ron on Facebook.

Chuck and Nancy Cladel Scholes

Terry Cullen captured in this 80th birthday tribute by Joe Scaglione III.

Katie Detweiler

Phyllis with Mr. and Mrs.Larry McCray

PHYLLIS’ QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER for June 2023

“News from home! I thank all of you who contributed to this newsletter, keeping us together, one little bit at a time.

Our 2023 prayers have been, in part, for the families of Arnie Hammer and Richard Owlett, 2023 deceased classmates. Your remembrances and praises for these two men have been passed on to their families. While the comments from classmates appearing below are largely positive and promising, let us remember our classmates who are finding every day more difficult to endure than the last, and yet read this newsletter and remember better days. We are thinking of you and offer our well wishes. Given our age, we can imagine there are many who need to know we care.

Please seek permission before advising Steve Beaulieu or Phyllis of someone's ill health and/or a request for our prayers.

from Jean and Phil Ewanicki: Greetings, fellow 80 yr olds from me and my wife Jean (Torrant). I believe we are one of a few married couples who were senior classmates in 1960. [editor's note: others are Dave and Mary Lee Banfield, Jerry and Claire Kleeman, Barb and Jerry Freeman, and ??] We didn't know each other until we met at Cornell in 1961 when Jean was seeking a fourth for a bridge game. We married in 1965 and after 58 years of marriage, my 33 years of teaching, 3 children, 5 grandchildren, and 2 great-grandchildren, here we are in our 24th year of retirement, and our 21st year in the Daytona area (with 2 beagles), and still thankful for our good health.

We have kept in regular contact with classmate Dave Goode & his family, getting together yearly for the past 20 yrs +. (See Dave's comment in March Newsletter)

Contemplation and time continue to strengthen my conviction that we were fortunate to have been educated at IHS.

from John Osborn: (a comment on his friendship with Richard (Dick) Owlett which we can all relate to) -

I’m not sure when Dick and I first crossed paths, but I am sure it would have been at the First United Methodist Church (now St Paul’s) back in grade school. We were not neighbors; I lived on East Hill and then in Ellis Hollow. Richard (he was always Dick to me) resided out near Danby as I recall, but over the years I was only there a few times. We enjoyed each other over the years as we tried to mature, and were involved with the Methodist Youth Fellowship. People in this group are among those from Ithaca I kept up with over the years. The MYF provided much of our socializing through our the Jr/Sr High school years, and Dick was the major player in that socialization.

image.png Barbie Bennett, Richard Owlett, John Osborn, Peggy Payne, Judy Mitchell Knuutila

After high school, I went into the Navy for 4-years then another four years in college (Indiana). Being away from Ithaca following high school I lost contact with many friends, but not Richard. We tried to keep in touch by seeing each other when I was back in Ithaca. Many times he would show up unannounced at my parent’s house when he heard I was in town and we had a nice visit. I was the best man at his first wedding. After high school, he developed a love for music and the guitar and was very good at it (and had a wonderful singing voice). At that time he was doing the coffee house/bar scene entertaining the patrons) I also learned the guitar during my Navy and college days and sang a few songs with him at one of his gigs the summer of 1965.

After graduating college in 1968, I married my wife Jan and took a job in Michigan. But Dick and I usually saw each other when in Ithaca at Christmas and during the summer. Somewhere along the way, he introduced me to Jennifer, and over the remaining years I observed that other than his children from marriage #1, Jennifer was one of the best parts of his life. Richard had a varied career; I’m not sure of all his vocation(s) because we rarely discussed them. Two things he did tell me about were serving as mayor of his community (Odessa) and spending several years putting on fireworks shows in his area.

I didn’t go back to an IHS reunion until year 25 but attended most of the get-togethers after that. Dick need my encouragement and became a regular fixture until his health started to decline in recent years. We continued to communicate by phone a couple of times a year, several calls lasted long enough to exhaust one of our phone batteries, but it was always a joy to take time for each other. The last time we talked was in early January when he called to tell me he had been in the hospital since Christmas. He knew he would need therapy, but hoped he could get it at home. In retrospect, I think he was calling to say goodbye, but as always upbeat about the situation he was in. Dick has been perhaps my one of my longest-lasting friendships and I will miss him.

Winnie the Pooh said, "the most grand adventure is friendship".

from Terry Cullen, a man of few words: Sold the house in Newfield. Sad day! Moved to Vero Beach, FL. All else is well.

from JB Graves: Hi Phyllis I hope this email finds you perky as ever. I'm in Altamonte Springs Florida for cataract surgery. Met up with my old friend since grade school Vic Newhart for a day of golf and counting our good fortune. I used parts of my body I didn't know I had I'm sore tonight! No Bad Days (JB's signature sign-off)

JB also sent me the second picture of he and his Mom. He was with her as she celebrated her 80th Mother's Day! Doesn't she look great for being almost 100 I think.

 

from Don Berk: The past three years in the Arizona high desert have been rich with adventure. They say you don't make friends when you get old but I've found that to be untrue. Maybe it's about finding folks with shared experiences and mindsets. Or maybe I've reached a stage of happy delusion. Either way, it's been good.

At over 3,000 ft elevation and in the path of summer monsoons the landscape is pretty green and in the local Santa Rita mountains creeks run all year long. My younger son and his family visited a few weeks ago and we hiked my favorite trails in Madera Canyon. They had brought their bikes and camping gear on the plane and set out for three days and 122 miles on the trails near Patagonia. My granddaughter at 15 races cyclocross in Seattle and sets the pace. I did the first 30 miles with them but couldn't keep up.

In March I drove to Marfa TX to fly gliders with an old friend, Burt Compton, who runs a famous soaring school there. Before that, he had a rock band that used to front for Led Zeppelin. His old drums are set up on a bandstand in the hangar...and not just for show. We spent four days in the excellent thermals around Marfa, climbing in one biggie to 12,000 ft at which point without O2 on board I chickened out. Also in Marfa, a tiny town whose growth is limited by conservative surrounding ranchers, is the art complex run by the Chinati Foundation and featuring the work of Donald Judd. That alone is worth a visit. Exhibits by Judd and others are spread out over a cluster of old Army buildings dating from WW2.

On the Marfs drive, I stopped overnight both ways to hike in NM. In a senior moment, I left my 35 years of flight logs in a hotel closet in Las Cruces and the front desk staff mailed them to me the next day, bless their hearts (in gratitude I sent them all vouchers to a nice restaurant in Las Cruces).

It's so rare to have someone like Phyllis to recognize and preserve the value of teenage years. Looking back I can't say I enjoyed close friendships that have survived the decades but the memories mean a lot. Even the yearbook photos can take you back like a Star Trek transporter in an instant. The steady loss of classmates is a reminder of how important those memories are in the full pattern of life...at least I think so. And so I again salute Phyllis for her effort and the unfailing spiritual core that drives it. (Phyllis, you better include this!).

And this, my favorite picture of Don found in my archives ... Don with his teenage granddaughters, passing those values on.

 

Dave Wilson is going everywhere, all the time. Now he reports: We enjoyed 5 fab nights in Moab, Utah, the home of Captain Ahab. Here are some photos we took at Arches. While April is the cruelest month, we had no heat and no crowds. (Please see Dave for those photos. They are gorgeous but seem lost somewhere in my computer right now.)

news from our favorite place to convene in Ithaca, at R H Treman State Park:

image.jpeg (you may see Dave Banfield in this picture - always helping)

75 volunteers (including maybe you) pitched in yesterday morning to help our glorious park take a giant step in preparation for the hundreds of thousands of visitors that will come our way soon. In this five-minute episode of The Treman Show, park manager Jim Brophy tells everyone what they would be doing while we show them actually doing it.

If you haven't done so already, we invite you to join or renew your membership in the Friends of Robert H. Treman State Park. Just ten dollars a year. You can download our membership form or just copy the information requested on a piece of paper and send it with your check to the Friends of Robert H. Treman State Park at 105 Enfield Falls Rd., Ithaca, NY 14850.

Tony Ingraham, president

Friends of Robert H. Treman State Park

Dorothy Sicilia Stewart - still teaching Latin and sharing her wisdom, she is now recovering from a knee replacement so that she can keep up with Dave and Della Wilson on a trip to Italy soon. Dorothy also participates in regular Zoom discussions with Liz Horn, Alison MacLeod Johnson, Dave Sears, Dave Wilson, Earl Wellington, and two from the Class of '61 - Dixie Dahmen and Michael Kac. If they invited me, and they did, then I'm sure they would invite you, if you're interested. I'm told they talk about anything and everything and I figured I don't know enough about anything and everything to make a significant addition.

Liz Horn also hangs out another shingle - she's a dream catcher of sorts. She analyzes dreams with a group of her friends in Eugene, Oregon.

from Ron Winchell: Ron has a BIG project on his agenda - as he turns 81 he will embark on a 2,700-mile hike along the Appalachian Trail. (more steps than most do in a lifetime). He has tested and verified all his equipment and has a journal book that will record his story even when the paper is wet. So he tells me. We want to know about this adventure!

from my steady comrade Steve Beaulieu: Thank heavens (for your sake) he is a Facebook guy because he is our instant newsletter ( he also edits this website), contributing on-the-spot pictures and stories meaningful to all of us. He and Linda transition seasonally north and south as Phyllis does, and Steve continues to be my source of real important information. Do not lose track of that guy!

from a variety of other classmates: thank you for those surprise calls, texts, and emails. You make my day and remind me in a few words all that we still hold dear between us. Stay just the way you are and keep in touch!

from Phyllis: Here's a little something from a frequent visitor in my email box. Quite often a poetic writer, Pastor Steve Garnaas-Holmes adds purpose and vigor to my days.

Pastor Steve writes here about a girl he remembers in high school... was that you?

A girl in my high school that I never knew but saw a lot used to go around every corner in the hallway as if she'd never been there before. She'd lean way out to the side to look, almost on one foot, the other stretched behind as if to see it for the first time. As if to check it out before she committed to making the turn. But she always made the turn. It wasn't fearful, just a pause, a moment of expectation.

“Look,” she may have told herself, “I'm turning a corner!”

I loved it. Whenever I saw her do it I'd walk into my next classroom with a little bit of anticipation, even under pretense, a little expectation that I might be surprised. Or I might actually turn a corner and actually do something for the first time. And I often surprised myself. I looked as if for the first time, and often saw something for the first time. Or saw somebody I'd seen a thousand times - as if for the first time. I still love her for it.

May the corner you turn next be an opening, an adventure. Look! You're turning a corner!

May even a thing you've done a thousand times be the first time you've ever done it, a surprise.

**Unfolding Light is a daily reflection by Steve Garnaas-Holmes rooted in a contemplative, Creation-centered, justice-oriented spirituality.

How I wish I had that spirit in high school - confident, searching for good around every corner. But I have it now! Some find that spirit in my writing; some hear it in my laughter or see it in my smile. I figure I'm still alive for a reason that only God has figured out. He has a plan, so I'm going to live like He hopes I will. I've asked Him for more time - so much to learn.

That's the news for now kids. Join me as Ms. Daisy on my website if you want. Keep in touch, while we can.”

Love,

Phyllis

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OCCASIONAL UPDATE: JULY 2023

Phyllis was looking at the picture above from our 55th reunion (2015) and was inspired to send out this note:

 

 

"Think ... where have you journeyed since then? What mountains climbed, seas sailed, and sorrows endured, now respected as precious memories.

I am delighted to send you an email that is not about reporting another classmate's passing. This image popped up on my email - memories of this day. Looks like we can't stop talking long enough to have our picture taken.

Even before that, you have been 'top of mind' for days and I finally got the message - even though it is not time to send my 'every-three-months' newsletter, write to them! Tell them how important they are to their classmates.

We are a community of our own, caring, connected, and curious - about your welfare, your concerns, and your passions still very much directing your course. Ron Winchell is one of those who seem to be age and rest-defiant, now training for hiking the Appalachian mountains! Dave and Della Wilson are faithful in keeping me updated with their travel plans. Hiking is the chartered course for many, including Dave and Sarah Sears who hiked in Italy! Barbie Bennet is recovering from a serious health episode and given our age, I am guessing she is one of many who are trying to get better.

And the local (Albany) radio station sent a newsflash last week - voted the best swimming hole in New York State - Robert H Treman! We know it well.

(picture included in email)

Hmm - seems I may have told you that already, which prompts me to ask for your help. I often scan the entire list of classmates and there are so many I have not heard from. Are they alive? And have you told your loved ones to tell us if/when you need to hear from us before it's too late? I hate to be so blunt but it feels so awful when it's too late.

If I were to send you a list (25 names at a time) of those I am wondering about, would you be so kind as to 'reply-all' to that emailed list and let us know if you have further information? Thank you! Remember, I'm Facebook-challenged so you probably know way more than I do.

The update on our Monarch Ministry from the Adirondack Park of NYS. You may have heard they are now officially endangered. Last year Larry and I had gathered 418 as of Aug 1. Up until yesterday, we had only rescued 8 this year. A bit worried, yes, but the story changed today. We went out to pick blueberries, and found 10 newborns. Then Larry kept looking, and found 10 more. The monarch is probably one of the few creatures that do better in captivity. Of course, that doesn't count us who do better when we realize that God has captured our hearts and is taking good care of us.

So at 1:30 pm on July 18th, which happens to be Terry Cullen's birthday so all the better reason to party, the recap to date/to hour: 3 released, 27 in captivity. And the search is on. Our small way of helping these pollinators do their job.

see 1st list of 25 names we are searching for below." More will follow.

Love, Phyllis

Some of these are on our email list but I never hear anything from them! " 
 

Allen John D

Apthorp Hunter Sharon

Aramini Harrison Marilyn

Baker Stewart Bonnie

Balliere Swanson Karen

Bass Noel Susan

Bly Ross Sylvia

Blye George

Bradley Alexander Janet

Bretland Jr Robert

Briggs Fraioli Debbie

Bristol Robert

Brotherton Robert

Brown Hoffmire Norma 

Burlew Kenneth

Butler Karl (Doug)

Capalongo Pendleton Lois

Cardozo Eisendrath Julia

Cassaniti Louis

Clarkson Emery Ellen

Collins Wilcox Sandra

Creveling Clark Sharron

Crofoot Mary

Cross Deshaires Donna
 

More Alphabetic Names to Follow

If you have news about any of the above (or anyone else), please let Phyllis know.

Art Club

IHS Class of 1960 Newsletter, Vol V                                                                               MARCH 2023
 

Hello Friends,

You’ve got mail! News from classmates, as I received them, were saved for this newsletter. 
 

 Virginia (Ginny) Hixon Williamson – Husband John writes - Hi, Phyllis - we received that most recent IHS newsletter/update. Ginny remembered a couple of the names mentioned. She's getting a little better in a couple of areas, losing strength physically in other areas. I know she's extremely frustrated at not being able to do things for herself. So far we've had a pretty mild winter. If Spring comes early, it might brighten everyone's spirits. ;-)

Thank you for keeping the newsletters going. (note from Phyllis – I appreciate spouses like John who correspond when their partners, our classmates, cannot. Thank you, John. All caregivers need our prayers).

 

From GiGi Greenwood Caruti - Bought a Condo in Delray Beach, Florida, 12/2021. My sons went down and painted, furnished it, screened in Lanai etc, Frank and I went down 9/22. Will leave to go back to Brooklyn 4/4/23. We LOVE Delray,,,Our condo is ground level, 2bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, Fantastic kitchen, and unbelievable shopping all around us…Thinking of moving here permanently .. note from Phyllis: Gigi had open heart surgery one year ago. That positive spirit keeps her looking good and moving on.  Winter address is Gloria Caruti, 1020 Crystal Way, Unit O, Delray Beach, Florida 33444
 

 From Dan Liguori - No news in our lives at this time, which may be good news. Definitely Dan!

 

 

 

 from Andy Anderson - I am a happy traveler, going on a tour of Zion, Death Valley, and Joshua tree parks this month and Cruising S. F. Bay and up rivers to Sacramento, Stockton, and Napa next month.  Expect to go to Idaho again this summer.  Any outdoor types want to go?  I can show them some beautiful country and small stream fishing.  Reaching the end of a book I am writing on the development of theories in electrochemistry. Cheers, Andy Anderson
 

  Dave and Cheryl Goode recently spent the better part of a week with Phil and Jean Ewanicki at the Ewanicki’s South Daytona home. Good conversation, good food, touring and reminiscing. Old friendships are solid gold. Agree Dave! 
 

 Gary Loomis, Hurricane survivor, shared his excitement. Unusual but real-----13 years ago I agreed with a gentleman to trade my 1979 Corvette even up for a 1926 Dodge Brothers 4 Dr. sedan. It was a fair deal that would have been about 10 grand in either direction. A week ago I got a call from a man who turned out to be the person's son who I did the trade with. The two of them began working on the Vette when Sr. got sick and began having problems. Unfortunately,he passed away. His son lost interest in the project and the car just sat there in the garage on stands for years. His dad told him that if he ever were to sell the car, see if Gary would like it back. The son he wanted the Vette out of the garage because he sold his house here in Florida and was moving to Maine. Asking price was $1,000.00. Did not take long for a decision. Even though I have been downsizing my collection I couldn't pass this up. This will get me out of bed a little earlier now. Another project !!!!
 

Ellen Royce Nacinovich – Ellen and Tony contribute in many ways to their community in Florida. They were involved with the January Sarasota Orchid show and the February Venice Orchid Society show. The Venice show is the largest on the Florida west coast and draws around 4,000 attendees. Tony entered plants for judging and had space to show off his orchid photographs. Ellen, in her spare time, produced a membership directory of all the P.E.O.s (Philanthropic Educational Organization) in the Bradenton and Sarasota area (500).The grandkids (ages 13, 8, and 6) have visited a few times, much to their enjoyment and exhaustion. We count our blessings as we continue in good health. Not so with many of our neighbors and friends.

Ellen sent the following quotes.

The years between 50 and 70 are the hardest. You are always being asked to do things, and yet you are not decrepit enough to turn them down." T.S. Elliot "   

At age 20, we worry about what others think of us;   At age 40, we don’t care what they think of us; ...  At age 60, we discover they haven’t been thinking of us at all." Ann Landers

"The important thing to remember is that I’m probably going to forget." Unknown

“It’s paradoxical that the idea of living a long life appeals to everyone, but the idea of getting old doesn’t appeal to anyone.” Andy Rooney

“The older I get, the better I used to be.” Lee Trevino

"I was thinking about how people seem to read the Bible a lot more as they get older, and then it dawned on me — they’re cramming for their final exam." George Carlin

"Grandchildren don’t make a man feel old; it’s the knowledge that he’s married to a grandmother that does." J. Norman Collie

"To get back to my youth I would do anything in the world, except exercise, get up early, or be respectable." Oscar Wilde

"The older we get, the fewer things seem worth waiting in line for." Will Rogers

"We must recognize that, as we grow older, we become like old cars – more and more repairs and replacements are necessary." C.S. Lewis

"I’m so old that my blood type is discontinued." Bill Dana

"The older I get, the more clearly I remember things that never happened." Mark Twain

“Old people shouldn’t eat healthy foods. They need all the preservatives they can get.” Robert Orben

"Inside every older person is a younger person wondering what happened." Jennifer Yane   

Note from Phyllis. At one of our picnic reunions Bill Gordon  said, “What happened to you? You used to be shy.” I guess I grew up.

 

Francis Carrier passed away December 2022. See more information on our website www.ithaca1960.com. Many of you added your memories of your time with Fran.
 

And … on 2/26/23 Ruth Culp Taylor passed away.  As soon as more information is available Steve will put it on the website. Ruth, Linda Hallam Long, and Mary Lee Banfield (and Dave) maintained a beautiful friendship and kept in touch with many others. Saying good-bye is what we do now, too often, but those years were wonderful and memories do bring peace in time.
 

By late May I’ll be sitting on a tractor, or planting seeds and pulling weeds. Country is my happy place. In addition to my weekly blog from Ms. Daisy at www.ahandinhis.com, and raising Monarchs, I look for news from you. If you have more news, or news I accidentally omitted, remind me and I can send an add-on. If I’ve not heard from you recently, I hope I will soon. Next edition of the newsletter is June. I ask your one-time permission in June to show names on that one. (I usually send it using blind copy.) Hoping you will see the name of someone you have been wondering about, and contact them. Benjie Adams’s wife Marcia offered to collect those names/emails to create a group in her computer, but more than one person should have that in the event I am not able to continue. Any volunteers?

We have enough money in the treasury to cover 3 more subscriptions to our website: www.ithaca1960.com. We ask for no new contributions at this time.  

Stay positive and grateful.

Phyllis


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Mary Lee Hagin, Gloria Greenwood, Mary Egan

IHS Class of ’60 Newsletter, Vol IV                                             December 2022
Hello Friends,
If this letter lands comfortably amongst your holiday cards and letters, layered between messages from friends and family, it’s right where it belongs! We are a family of friends. Three Christmas cookies, a glass of wine, another Hallmark movie on the screen, and you on my mind – great company for me on this Sunday night. 
I have news to pass along. Alison MacLeod is now the bride of Larry Johnson. We wish them well as they settle into a new abode in a small town in Maine. Sounding just like a bride, Alison reports: “We had a perfect day and are still glowing from all the love that surrounds us! Liz Horn Kurtz was my matron of honor, and our beloved Latin teacher Dorothy Stewart officiated. Oh, and Dave Wilson was best man!” 
No one will ever say the Class of 1960 is not diverse! Alison spoke of wanting to hold a Northeast reunion there but since they still have to build the barn, where she would no-doubt have us gathered, we’d better wait on that. But anyone else? (My last family reunion was in a horse barn Alison. It works! We had a blast.)
Barb Child Mobbs has made a new life for herself since Bill died. You may recall she moved from their home on Upper Enfield Rd, Ithaca to Utah where some of her children live. I get the greatest hand-written letters from her – a gift of time and heart rarely shared these days. (not to discount all the emails I get from others – I love them too). Her latest letter told how she and her “preferred companion” remodel vintage RV’s, thus creating a perfect haven for sojourners to rest and re-invent life. How inviting! I’m thinking … writer’s retreat overlooking gorgeous Utah landscape…?
 
Chuck Vonderlin sent new contact information: “Bette and I are at 154 Galahad Loop Rd., Woodville, TX 75979.  My best E-mail jcvonderlin@gmail.com  and phone (713) 503-0619. “
Texas, in the winter, that would be nice!
 
Dave Sears offered more sound advice for us in this newsletter:  “At this age "eating sensibly" means eating whatever you want (who knows which meal will be the last).“  I concur! Dave Sears and Dave Wilson will connect in January for 3 fun-packs days at Wakulla Springs State Park (FL). It is home to one of the world’s largest and deepest freshwater springs. It boasts of manatees, alligators, and a host of nature’s diversity. We will have a report in the next newsletter. I doubt being eye level with alligators is as exciting as Dave Wilson keeps telling me it is.
 
Linda Light Lafford wrote: “Husband Walt and I are halfway through a cruise to Tahiti. Have been to Hawaii and now Tahiti. Hope everyone has a Happy Holiday season. Still doing Quilts of Valor. My group has reached the 1,200 mark. If any of you know of a veteran who has served our country, please let me know and I can see that they get a quilt. Check out my web-site - ccqov.org. Linda (Light) Lafford.”  Linda, I do see news articles about veterans receiving a quilt. It means a lot.
 
Patricia Newman Mena is recovering from Melanoma surgery. She wrote:  “My hand aches when it gets cold, but other than that, everything healed very well.  My middle finger can do everything that the pointer once did. Uplifted by prayer, the surgery and therapies, I'm barely aware of the loss.” 
Patty Piper Courtright wrote: “Dear Phyllis, You spoke of releasing monarchs to the wild. I saw a migration of millions twice in our Canandaigua home. We backed to a small forest area with a 500’ drive to a water tower and trees on both sides. Nearly 400 to 500 feet back our yard met the forest. During the fall season millions of butterflies clung to trees in clusters. We heard their wings. They were gone the next morning. The second sighting was in 2003 or 2004 before we moved to Colorado. At the Denver Nature and Science Museum there was an IMAX movie on monarch migration featuring Dr. Fred Urquhart who spent nearly 40 years of migration from Ontario Province Canada to Mexico mountains. Our grandchildren loved the 3D experience, Aidan was about 6 and Helena 4 at the time. Thanks for letting me tell you about these special experiences. Hope all is well.  Pat Piper Courtright”  Oh Patty, you make me lonesome for our monarchs. Later in 2023 in my weekly blog they’ll show their face again. I love it when you, or anyone has something like this to share.
Beverly and Bob Briggs Hillman are settled in their new neighborhood (see September issue) and have now established gardens for all to enjoy. Beverly is always sharing her gift with others.
 
Gigi Greenwood exemplifies her strength through hard times. Health challenges are met with a positive attitude, and she encourages us to do the same. I appreciate her support. 
 
Marilyn Trapp Buckmaster writes: “I am settled back in Illinois once again, close to my younger son and his family which includes 2 grandchildren. My older son is here with me also. The move was very hard on me spiritually and physically but now I am once again basking in the fact that Jesus truly does loves me all the time.”
 
Dave Goode sent this in October:  “A colleague and I were invited to participate in a family pheasant hunt hosted by long-time friends on their land in rural South Dakota. This is day one and four birds short of an eight-person limit. Great dog work and perfect weather.”
 
Ron Winchell writes often with profound thoughts. I can’t print them all here but will catch a bit of this one as we can all relate: 

We are a generation that will never come back. A generation that walked to school and then walked back.   A generation that did their homework alone to get out asap to play in the street, that spent all their free time in the streets.  A generation that played hide and seek when dark, made mud cakes, collected sports cards and empty coke  bottles, then returned them for 5 cents each. Our TV went off at midnight after playing the National Anthem.   Karen Day gives us an update: (I apologetically missed getting this in September’s newsletter.)

“Living in Denver in a condo, missing living in the Foothills with all the birds, and quiet and greenery because it has been a brutally hot summer in the city. I have been grateful to have two new eyes (cataract surgery last December) and a new right knee as of this past April. Becoming truly bionic, though I do at least still have my teeth! My hubby, Jim, is in the early to mid-stages of Parkinson’s Disease, but we are working at exercising and staying active. Recently adopted our daughter’s two Chihuahuas - Roxie and Bodhi, because they didn’t mix too well with our kids’ two two-hundred pound Boerboels names of Maximillian and Morpheus, who have become Instagram stars. Our two grandkids, Brooke (14) and Liam Henry(6) are growing up too fast! Love them and their busy parents, Hilary and Bill Calton,dearly. I remain in touch with Liz Horn, Martha Race, but not frequently enough. Our gardening attempts this summer have been a bust, as everything keeps frying in the heat! Missed going down to Santa Fe to see the Opera with Barbara Darling and her lovely husband. May get there this Fall. I am so thankful that you keep us all up to date on everyone’s activities, just wish we hadn’t lost so many classmates already. My current passions include reading, cooking, and politics. Hell of a combo! Love to all, and STAY HEALTHY!”
 
Keith Bruckner, Chuck Moeder and Don Berk, and many others have expressed appreciation for the newsletter which keeps us together. None of you get far from my mind and when an email comes in from any one of you, you’re on the front burner again! I have a special pocket in gmail where I store your entries for the next newsletter. Remember, if you intended it to be between just the two of us, tell me and it will be just between the two of us.) 
 
Don Berk added: “We all toddled through WW2, hid under our desks during the Korean War, made it through the polio epidemic before and after Salk, experienced the transformation of the Civil Rights movement, lost friends and relatives in Vietnam, the first Iraqi war, the twenty years of war in Iraq and Afghanistan triggered by the 9/11 attacks; ushered in Bill Halley,  Elvis, the Beatles, the Stones, Chuck Berry, The Kingston Trio, Bobby and the Counts, plus another 100 R&R and C&W greats, newly greeted Star Wars and James Bond, Michner, Kerouac, Ginsberg, Sophia Lauren, Paul Newman, Monk, Mingus and Coltrane, went from slide rules and dialup phones to computers and mobile devices, from '47 slope-back Pontiac V8's to EV's, Convair prop planes between Ithaca and NYC to 787 Starliners and drones, from Earth to the moon, pizza at Joe's to, well, pizza at Joe's, dragged through multiple economic recessions and the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. 
And here we are having arrived in September 2022, most of us 80 or thereabouts, almost oblivious to all the above unless we think about it, happy to enjoy the simple pleasures of old friends, family, nature, and a half bushel of fine NYS apples in the back seat! 
As for moi, I am grateful beyond words for my undeserved good fortune since 1942, despite my best efforts to screw it all up. After many travels I'm ensconced in Southern AZ in the high desert at the foot of the Santa Rita mountains where some 275 species of birds stop on their migratory routes. My kids and grandkids are happy and healthy in Seattle, and we have traveled both directions to visit and reconnect on a regular basis. I reluctantly just sold my airplane as possibly the last remaining vestige of good sense before geriatrics takes me over completely.”
 
Steve Beaulieu shares his treasures of history and great photography on our Facebook page and he will take any photos you have to share and add them. (I understand pictures do not translate well on this email.)
 
Bev Upper Ciferni wrote words I’m including here in their entirety because I think it will help many of us understand and handle loss and aging. We are facing it daily now, directly and indirectly. “I find myself looking back on the years rather than looking ahead at what is to come. I'm sure for many of us the memories have faded enough to have the very best ones at the forefront. However, even without the filter I am ever so grateful for the wonderful and full years I have had. I am fortunate enough to have had a loving husband for 56 years, three children, and seven grandchildren. 
Approximately 10 years ago my husband was diagnosed with dementia which has been pretty much determined as Alzheimer's. Initially it was overwhelming and sad. I read and tried everything I could find on alleviating the symptoms, slowing the process, etc. Did any of it work? I don't really know. But I was hopeful. Our family slowly adapted to what was happening and the new reality. Everyone stepped up including the grandchildren. 
 
My husband is still physically with us, and we enjoy him immensely. He has infrequent moments of clarity when we rejoice, but mainly he is still the man we have all loved and continue to love no matter what the illness brings.
 
I wanted to share our story because I have learned this.... We are never too old ( even 80+) to take a new path and embrace it. There is so much to be gained both personally and because of those we meet on this path. Yes, my husband's illness has been overwhelming at times, but I realize it is also a gift when I choose to see it from that perspective.”
 
Phyllis was sitting in her golf cart yesterday and a monarch flew in and briefly said hello. He may have recognized me. Taunting, he circled around me, touched down briefly on my bottlebrush tree, then off to investigate my neighbor’s tropical paradise. By mid-December he should be in Mexico!     If you have found time to read my blog and now journey with me, it is my hope that you find your own place in Ms. Daisy’s story. As Bev reminds us: There is so much to be gained both personally and from those we meet on this path we call life. 
 
I just received information from the Friends of R.H.Truman organization. The Old Mill, our trailhead on many class reunion hikes, has been granted a new life!
 
I also took the liberty of continuing our support of Second Wind Cottages and sent them a donation for 2022. They are most appreciative. Their thank you note told of a second haven of tiny homes being created in the Dryden area, for would-be homeless women. The balance in our checking account will be applied to continuing our website, currently paid through next year and we have enough for three more years, unless I get a majority vote to use it otherwise. Okay?? 
 
My best wishes for a healthy and rewarding 2023. May we experience joy, comfort, and peace in our most precious years of life. Thank God for every day we have.

Happy Hanukkah – Merry Christmas 
 

Phyllis  a.k.a. Ms. Daisy

Meet me at www.ahandinhis.com. The gate is open and you are invited in.

And have a blessed day!

Dave Wilson, Keith Bruckner, Ron Winchell circa 2010

Gloria "Gigi" Greenwood

Martin Wright

JB Graves and Tim Saltonstall

Rosemary Gates

Kenna Grant Knaysi

Hi Friends! 

It’s that time again for our Newsletter. This is Vol III September 2022. Your emails allow us a peek at your life, wherever you are. If you’re feeling well, we are happy for you. If things are tough in your corner, know that your classmates care. If we live near you, we could help with some tasks you are not able to do. Ask. Being humble is not a bad thing.
This summer Dave Sears and wife Sara stopped in Ithaca and met with Bob and Beverly (Brink) Hillman. Dave also sent this to share with you: 
Sara and I organized an 80th birthday celebration with about 50 friends a couple of weeks ago.  Attached is the speech I gave.  Feel free to share it with my IHS classmates. May 2022
His DAVE SEARS – ONE OF THE 27 LUCKIEST PERSONS ON EARTH
12 pieces of evidence of luckiness provided here
EVIDENCE OF GOOD LUCK – I discovered contradancing in 1986 and have been enjoying it ever since. When I began, I quickly noticed that some old folks (80+) were regular dancers, so I realized “this is something I could be doing when I’m old.” The local venue (Glen Echo Park) is located only 12 minutes from home, with dancing (high spirits, lively music, flirting) every Friday and Sunday evening! Just as much fun -- Contradancing around the world – St Croix, Sorrento (Italy), Ely (UK), Sierra Nevada Mts, Hawaii, Guatemala!
EVIDENCE OF GOOD LUCK – At age 14, I tried smoking; but I could not figure out how to inhale the smoke – so I’m still alive many decades later!
EVIDENCE OF GOOD LUCK – After two unsuccessful marriages, on April 27, 1996, I met Sara Watkins! The result has been a happy marriage!
EVIDENCE OF GOOD LUCK – Two great kids – smart, kind, employed!
EVIDENCE OF GOOD LUCK – I figured out how to run up the down escalator at the Bethesda METRO station (213 feet long; it’s one of the 10 longest escalators in the world)! (Success on the second try – October 1984. Secret to success – skip every other step.)
EVIDENCE OF GOOD LUCK – Most of my life has been spent in an era when American democracy was a given, not a question mark!
EVIDENCE OF GOOD LUCK – Cancer struck in 2004 and 2006 but didn’t kill me!
EVIDENCE OF GOOD LUCK – While teaching at University of Massachusetts (1969-74), my dog George went to school with me every day; he sat quietly in the back of the classroom and didn’t ask me any embarrassing questions!
EVIDENCE OF GOOD LUCK – One of my favorite pictures – standing with Barack Obama! (Taken in Athens OH, October 2012.)
EVIDENCE OF GOOD LUCK – As a little kid, I was such a non-athlete that I was the last one chosen for a neighborhood pick-up game. And I was too small to even think about a contact sport. So, I did not get banged up on the playing field. Thus, at age 80, I can still walk several miles a day.
EVIDENCE OF GOOD LUCK – I’ve had enough time, money, and good health to travel extensively – about 50 countries and 49 US states.
EVIDENCE OF GOOD LUCK – Dancing with lemurs in Madagascar; lemurs leap from tree to tree in groups of 5 or 6; a few lemurs dance (on the ground) from tree to tree; these are the most amazing wild animals I’ve ever seen; watching them brings a big smile to my face.
Now Dave, that’s what I consider a statement of your appreciation of life. Well done.
Beverly Brink and Bob Hillman are in a new home. 348 Savage Farm Drive, Ithaca, NY 14850
Jerome Holland remembers good times with Chuck Henderson when Chuck & wife Zorika came to his house and they listened to R & B and oldies, trading records. Chuck recently passed away.
Earl Wellington tells us more about what he remembers about Mary Crofoot who recently passed. Mary's parents’ house in Cayuga Heights had an apartment rented by some friends of my parents, Barth and Martha Mapes  My sister Annie, IHS '65, flew out of the swing in the Crofoot's back yard and got knocked out. Someone called Dr. KIngsley who said to take her to ER if she didn't come around soon.  Annie was fine. 
Noticing that Mary Crofoot was a horse rider and jumped reminds me of my father's extreme caution about head injuries.   Dad was in US Army Cavalry in India during WW II. He saw a lot of accidents. The mission was to send horses and mules to nationalist China (Chaing Kai Chek). Dad would not let us jump and discouraged us from riding all together. Besides, it was too expensive. However, when I was stationed with the USAF Med Corps in England, I did start jumping, but of course with appropriate protective helmet.  Best wishes,  Earl
That email tells up a little more about Earl too. Thank you, Earl.
Chuck Moeder wants us to find honor and blessings in growing up in the times we did. He sent the oft repeated facts of how lucky we were to be born in the 1940’s. A few I’ll list here …
You saw cars up on blocks because tires weren't available. (Add your own thoughts here)

You are the last generation who spent childhood without television; instead, you imagined what you heard on the radio and pent your childhood "playing outside".

There was no little league or city playground for kids.

Your house had one telephone that hung on the wall in the kitchen. You often shared party lines.

Jim and Lucille Wells have moved. The new address is 1020 Smartts Lane NE, Leesburg, VA 20176
Ron Winchell  is golfing, tending his elaborate perennial garden, and downhill skiing in Vail. I think perhaps J B Graves and he are in some kind of contest to outlive us all. After Vail, he and Judy did a 3 week road trip to Florida and his alma mater. Now he’s looking into traveling to  Athens, Rome, and Paris.
Ellen Royce Nacinovich: I loved being in marching band — football games, parades, and bus rides to and from events. What a fantastic opportunity to have participated in those activities under the direction of Frank Battisti. The IHS band marched in the Cherry Blossom parade in Washington, D.C. my junior year. I almost didn’t get to go because a couple of weeks prior, I sprained my right thumb doing some sort of acrobatic maneuvers in my living room with Bonnie Huntley! That’s when I learned to write with my left hand.
Linda Light Lafford gives us an update on her remarkable talent and mission to give warmth of heart and quilt to our veterans.  Just a quick update on the Quilts of Valor project here in Chaffee County. [Colorado] We presented number 1,200 to an ex-Marine who had received two purple hearts. He was totally surprised by this. The group is still going strong and keeping me very busy getting the quilts off to the people who quilt them for us.
Alison [MacLeod] and Larry's   They will soon be moving to a lovely little town called Castine, located at the tip of a small peninsula in Maine. New address - 680 Castine Road, Castine, ME  04421. They still need to construct a barn for two horses and three miniature donkeys and put up fencing to keep them from wandering off. The house is not a typical New England farmhouse, but it is brand new, all on one floor (good for these aging farmers), and best of all, it has a large, heated saltwater swimming pool in the back. Alison says, “Perhaps we can lure some classmates to visit!” 
 
David and Della Wilson  Dave sends this (along with some admiration for Chuck Henderson): “In March we traveled to Aberdeen, Scotland to visit friends.  While we have visited Scotland a number of times before never Aberdeen.  Unexpectedly, the weather was blue-sky and sunshine.  All about seal beaches, castles, hiking, and whiskey.   The hiking near Pitlochry was particularly lovely.  All kinds of waterfalls and beautiful trails. In June daughter Jane and her dad visited Italy, where we enjoyed the usual big sites in Rome including the Colosseum, Galleria Borghese, and the (creepy) Capuchin Crypt. I must say we had an absolutely fabulous time visiting museums, old ruins, and meeting new people. In July Della and I joined a Road Scholar tour to Newfoundland, where we also had a fun time exploring Gros Morne National Park.  The park is famous for geologist because the earth's mantle thrusts its way through the crust.  No heat.  No crowds.  Beautiful trails.  Wonderful people.  Lots of rocks. Della had such a good time she wants to return next year.”   
Dorothy Sicilia Stewart wants us to know: “A fox has taken up residence on my roof.  He has been there each morning for three days in a row. Thinking of charging him rent. Arthritis is, unfortunately, progressing.  May have to consider a knee replacement because I really want to go back to the Loire Valley.  Still teaching.  Have wonderful, hard-working students, doing interesting things. Your class puts a spring in my step, despite the arthritis.
An email went out about Bob Seager’s mother passing, Mrs. Seager of the Business Department. She certainly led a full life, a model for us all.
Al Simons – speaking of ambassadors, he is one of the best. He lives in Prescott Valley, AZ and tries to connect with you westerners. Stay in touch with him at allanb42@yahoo.com but be patient. He says he gets over 200 emails a day.
Larry McCray – made a stop here on a rendezvous roundup with college and professional friends. He and Alexa are doing well. His enthusiasm for an endless number of studies makes Larry still our Larry. It’s kind of a law here on the farm, but he left he took with him a box of veggies from the garden and 4 about-to-be butterflies (still in the chrysalis stage). He SAID they were for his grandchildren to release, but I don’t know. His texts announcing another new birth indicates Larry is naming them and doing a great job of sending them on their way to Mexico. Stop over visits on the farm are so welcome and they almost always include food.  While Larry was here, he mentioned how much he enjoyed visiting with Ed Michaels at the 61^st reunion. I forwarded that comment to Ed and here is Ed’s response: Phyllis, we had many terrific people in our class. Chuck Henderson and Larry McCray are two them. In my mind they represent the best of humanity.
On a side note, Larry, Ed, and many of you have thanked Steve and I for all we do to keep us in touch. Let me just say that the joy is all ours. My days are busy with weeding and harvesting from the garden and raising butterflies, all it takes is one email from one of you and I am right back on the computer. So, I thank You!
Steve Beaulieu - Our summer respite in New York is coming to an end. In mid-October we’ll be heading back to Florida for our twenty second season of “snow birding”. Covid has altered much of our lifestyles these past couple of years, but we found that this summer we seem to be transitioning back to a more normal pace of living.  Except for a short trip to Vermont, most of our summer traveling could be labeled “day trips”. The Finger Lakes, as you all know, has such a great variety of activities to participate in and places to see, particularly at this time of the year. 
We enjoy keeping in touch with classmates. Your enthusiastic participation in our website and Facebook pages has kept us connected. We continue to appreciate Phyllis’ quarterly updates as well. They offer a personal touch that enhances our communications efforts. Wishing you all the very best in the months ahead. 
 
Phyllis McLaren Sommerman - – I just watched a video from Friends of Robert H Treman State Park, available online anytime at https://Walkinthepark.tv.  Another resource is  https://vimeo.com/channels/tremanshow. There are scenes from Robert H Treman, Beebe Lake, Flat Rock, cold Taughannock, Buttermilk, and more. I was in Ithaca in May for my sister Elinor’s memorial service and stopped by to see Buttermilk Falls. Only a trickle of water dribbled down where we once enjoyed the big rush. A family from Toronto was there – mystified because the brochure had promised a magnificent sight. I found myself defending our parks and urged them to come back again when we’ve had more rain. At Upper Taughannock last year I met some tourists and expounded on the majesty of our hometown. We are fortunate to be from Ithaca.  
When classmates, our friends, pass away, it always sets us back a bit. We scour through the Annual to recall who they were, then read their obituary (and your remembrances) and are proud of who they became. Their ‘dash’ in between? Yes, we miss a great deal. But turn that sadness to inspiration and fill every day we have here on earth by doing something that helps others, something that honors your family, and leave a legacy that gives hope and pride for future generations. JB signs every email to me – “no bad days” – a testament to his victory over trials. You have your story, and the tape is still running, so make it great.
Just a note about our Monarchs. When we read that this butterfly has been placed on the endangered list Larry and I dug in with renewed commitment. 591 monarch caterpillars later, we feel like we may have helped. Always good to learn more about them, and a side blessing – the families that adopt some of our brood, take them home to raise themselves, making new friends.
The world and our country need our help and prayers. We are crawling in fear and confusion and have hopes of flying in freedom like our monarchs.
My best to all of you, and may you live expectantly, hoping for the best tomorrow. 

We've had 235,910 visits since this site opened in April 2010 

We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day.” 
― Edith Lovejoy Pierce 
   
102  Classmates have posted their profiles as of  July 19, 2023 . 
Rosalind Srb has joined Kathleen Williams, Linda Light, Chuck Vonderlin, Jackie Wells, Martin Wright , Sandra Aldrich , Rosemary Gates,Teresa Aroca-Haskins, Jon Schmidt, Linda Rocker, Andy Anderson, Betty Roskelly, Sandra Sortman, Bob Townsend, Ed Michael,  Ward Whitlock, Bonnie Westfall, Andy Powell (updated September 2022), Vance McCullough, Stephen Stephenson (updated  January 2018)), Charlotte Sweet, Lois White , Ruth Culp, Geza Ginzery, Roland Barnett, Dan Sayre, Helen Mandeville, Susan Whicher, Carol Robedee, Jane Miller, Sandy Aldrich, Chuck Moeder, Evie Hall, Marcia Tilton, JeanTorrant, Joel Ekholm, Alice Caldwell, Jim Ormiston, June Layton, John Osborn, Ginny Sigler, VictorNewhart, Beverly Brink, Ellen  

Royce  Jan Murphy, Martin Wright, Dan Wallenbeck, Patricia Newman, Ollie Detweiler  Arnie Hammer, David Spencer, Peggy Hertel, Al Simons, Bill Gordon, Jinny Klune, Phil Ewanicki, Tom Vormwald, Dorothy Van Order, Shari Grover (updated March 2015), Ed Knaysi, Liz Horn, Bob Gray, Suzie Hough, Keith Bruckner, Phyllis McLaren (updated June 2017), Terry Cullen, Bernie Cook, Terry Hilker (updated June 2017) Judy Mitchell, Bill Lester, Kenna Grant, David Meldrum, Barry Smith, Alison MacLeod, Mary Avery, Gigi Greenwood, JB Graves (updated JUNE 2015), Dave Wilson, Kathy Hull, Carolyn Fallon, Ed Thorsland (updated June 2015), Alan Westfall, Karen Dann, Ernie Falke, Katie Detweiler, Barbara Darling, Don Berk (updated February 2018), Sandy Cornelius, Dorothy Griffith, Doug Hughes, Dave Goode, Leo Johnson, Larry McCray, Elaine Tutton, Ed Shea, Virginia Hixon, Marilyn Dropkin, Marilyn Trapp, Ron Winchell, Norma Brunk and Steve Beaulieu in posting their profiles on this website.                             

 

                   

Do you miss seeing some of your friends listed here? Encourage them to post now. Is your's here yet? Now would be a great time to let your classmates know what is new with you.

 

61st Reunion Attendees 2021

"CLASS PHOTO ALBUMS"  SECTION NOW CONTAINS A FOLDER OF PICTURES FROM AUGUST 2021. LOOK FOR THE 61st REUNION FOLDER. IF YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL PHOTOS TO ADD TO THIS OR OTHER CLASS FOLDERS, PLEASE CONTACT STEVE BEAULIEU at: saanyscor@aol.com 

***************************************************************************************************************Left to right and front to back. Rows are not well defined: Chuck Moeder, Ed Michael, Dave Sears, Gary Loomis, Dave Wilson, Vic Newhart, Phyllis McLaren, Sandy Aldrich, Bernie Cook, Dean Melville, Dorothy Griffith, Mary Gillis, Ben Brown, Mary Lee Hagen, Dave Banfield, Barbara Bennett, Jack Gould, Icemae Murray, Bob Townsend, John Osborn, Janice Murphy, Al Simons, Judy Mitchell, Jane Miller, Terry Cullen, Dorothy Donohue, Ruth Culp, Jean Magnus, Nancy Hubbell, Ron Winchell, Pat Newman, Earl Wellington, Alison Macleod, Larry McCray, Dorothy Sicilia, Steve Beaulieu, Ben Adams, Jim Wells.

*************************************************************************************************************

Covid interrupted our scheduled 60th, but we bounced back in 2021 and celebrated our 60 plus One.

Della Wilson, Dorothy Sicilia, Ron Winchell

The 60 Plus 1 Reunion Wrap-Up

To all classmates - 
If you were not able to be in Ithaca at the end of August, you were missed, and your friends asked about you. Because we have conversed, I could answer a lot of questions and they knew you were ‘in touch’. I know some of you are in need of care notes and prayers to help you get through tough times. You have them. Frequent correspondence brings us together virtually when face to face is not an option.
 
This is a test: What are three ways to connect with your classmates?
The correct answer is our website - www.ithaca1960.com, our Facebook group - "Ithaca (NY) High School Class of 1960", and the 2021 Directory. Use one or all three, but remember, if you only read Facebook, you may be missing some attachments and pictures found on the website and in your email box. 
 
This newsletter has three parts: a recap of the 60th plus 1 reunion; the Treasurer's report; and the business meeting that was scheduled for the pavilion but I saved it for all classmates to be part of - "Where do we go from here?"
 
The recap - We came together at the Royal Court on Friday night. Gary Loomis' '51 Studebaker parked out front, shiny and perfectly restored, pretty much said to the inquiring mind - The Class of 1960 is in town! We commanded the outdoor dining area for Meet and Greet time. Organizers love this moment - we were one in spirit and the joy was evident and Steve and I were reaping rewards aplenty. For this email, maiden names will be used. Mary Lee Hagin came straight from surgery (broken arm); Our Latin teacher Ms. Sicilia was looking pretty at 87;  Classmates from CA, AZ, FL, WI, MD, MA, IN, TN, and TX plus New Yorkers - a gathering of about 75 chattered over dinner, making plans to meet in the morning for hiking, farmers' market, and revisiting favorite spots in Ithaca. It was 8:30 when we ventured out onto Route 13 and a not-so-surprising-number of us called it a night right then, including me. 
 
We met again on Saturday for a picnic at R H Treman State Park (a.k.a. Enfield). Dave Banfield, our resident State Park Commissioner, went beyond all to meet any need we had, including grabbing the best pavilion for us - spacious, airy, and with more than enough tables and chairs inside and out. Sandy and Dean Melville arrived with ice and a beautiful sheet cake (we ate the whole thing!) and the party was in play! The rest of Saturday flew by. Larry McCray had not seen the group together in a while and was impressed by the sense of community we have - more like family than merely high school acquaintances. Jim Wells and Bernie Cook parked their classic cars next to Gary’s and we had ourselves a car show. Inside we looked at memorabilia, checked out the book-corner, and paid honor to our 127 deceased classmates. Their pictures were laid out on the table over a red carpet. Benjie took pictures.  That is just a portion of the carpet.
We thought about the years they never had that we filled with purpose – we were grateful, and humbled at the same time. Our mascot (remember the skunk?) came back, reincarnated as a sweet dog, Lucy, who appears in our class picture. Dinner was served by John Osborn, Chuck Moeder, Ron Ivkovich, and Ron Winchell. Jane Miller cut the cake and Bernie and Carol served coffee to two – it was not coffee weather. But no rain! Gary played and sang some retro tunes we all remember. Dave Wilson’s wife Della was on hand to sanitize and set up the pavilion, and as always, my Larry and Steve’s Linda filled the voids and propped us up until there was no more party.
That was a good time for us to relax while others spoke for us. When it came time for the scheduled business meeting, I decided that could wait. It was more important to have time to talk to classmates. Many volunteers made light work of clean up and the curtains closed on 60 plus One. Dave Banfield took all the snacks, food and drink we did not consume to Second Wind Cottages where formerly homeless Ithacans could enjoy it. Once again, the Chat Room at the Hampton Inn saw few visitors – it was our bedtime. Again, we missed those of you who really wanted to be there, and we whispered goodnight to you. By the way, we got an email from the front desk at the Hampton Inn -- I wanted to personally thank all of you for staying with us at the Hampton Inn to celebrate your Ithaca High School reunion. It was such a delight to accommodate all of you.  Your joy was contagious and inspiring!!  You were definitely the most fun loving group I have had the pleasure to assist!  Have safe trips home and we hope to see you again someday!
Blessings to all of you!  ~ Debbie
 
The Treasurer's Report. Your donations helped keep costs to a minimum. The domain subscription for www.ithaca1960.com is paid through May 2024. The bills are paid except for mailing the directories to those who requested one, and I’ll buy some stamps to mail updates to those with no email. After reserving a bit for future expenses, we have enough money to make a donation in the name of The Class of 1960. To date we have given scholarships to I H S students entering TC3, helped re-dress the tired horses on Stewart Park's carousel, and placed a bench along the Cayuga Waterfront Trail - referred to as 'the mayor's bench.' 
Would you consider another cause - The Second Wind Cottages, Inc? Begun by our own Jean Magnus Guidi's son Carmen, this organization provides housing, support, and encouragement to homeless and at-risk people in our community. They mentor residents in life skills needed to reintegrate into society and where possible, begin a restored family life. Funding comes from donations and grants. Carmen immersed himself in the midst of the homeless, got to know them over a peanut butter sandwich - or maybe fifty – and the homeless of Ithaca changed his heart. He and his volunteers have built a series of tiny houses that qualified residents can call home if they stay clean and sober and are willing to sign a good neighbor policy. Phyllis first visited this site on Route 13 as the first homes were going up, and then again when a circle of homes was complete and a pod on-site was now their community room. The story goes on as the need goes on, and now there are plans in play for a women's community of the same kind in Dryden. David Banfield, who does so much for Ithaca, also mentioned Hospicare of Ithaca which has a residence on South Hill. https://www.hospicare.org. is the website for more information.
 
What do we do now? A little over five weeks ago Phyllis announced she would be looking for her replacement - that of organizing reunions. The time has come for her to seek other ventures. Communication efforts (the three tools mentioned at the beginning of this email) will continue, with Steve overseeing the website and Facebook and Phyllis receiving and sending emails, but otherwise, the checking account would close on September 15th. It is a big job and since then no one came forward... until the door was being locked on the pavilion Saturday night. 
Benjie Adams is passionate about our class unity. We are indeed unique and amazing. Perhaps when your high school closes its doors, there is the need to turn inward and feel the ‘belonging’ we all need in people, not buildings. That we have done, and Benjie is not willing to give that part of his life to the past. His offer is our rainbow after the storm clouds approached. We are not sure yet what future reunions, or mini-reunions, would look like, but there is hope. Phyllis, Steve, and Benjie cannot promise the Class of 1960 Eternity, and neither can any of you, but with more help, and your willingness to think outside the box, there is light on our future, at least for a time.
So as I turn my administrative tasks over to Benjie, little by little, think about what you would like to see happen. We are listening. Mini reunions make inclusion a possibility for those who are challenged with travel; a bag lunch in a backyard might be an answer. For the next few weeks, while Benjie builds files onto his computer, you will be getting emails from me, insertions from Steve, and they will not all be this long. Just stay tuned. When Benjie is ready, you will have his email and you can connect with your class through him. I will not micro-manage him, because I am already off and running on a new venture – compiling a book about us – the Class of 1960! Everyone has a story!  Everyone! Steve has encouraged us to submit our profile on the website.  As our own Ed Knaysi put it in his profile - “The rapidly lengthening Deceased Classmate portion of our website sends the unmistakable message that life is uncertain, time is passing, and [61] years is long enough to remain silent.  Your surviving class members can either read the rest of your story in your words, or in a bare-bones recitation written by grieving family members who cobble together an obituary. " 
Not everyone enjoys writing, but do not let that block you from telling your story. Steve and I can help you. Read what others have written - and make some notes. Each profile will be part of a chapter in our book. This will not come to pass if you do not make your story build our Legacy. Bye for now, but not for long. My tractor needs some exercise, and just as the last of our Monarchs leave home for Mexico to join JB for the winter, the peaches are ripening, and I need the canning jars the butterflies are vacating. Yes, I will wash them.
Best wishes, Phyllis

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We May Need Legal Advice!

We are reminded daily of our advancing years. The actuarial tables say that the average longevity for men and women is now 78 for men and 82 for women. While we can be thankful that we’ve made it into our eighties, we also must be realistic. Some group decisions need to be made soon.

We realize that Ithaca Class of 1960 issues don’t have a high priority in the big picture of our lives, but there may still be issues that need addressing.
Suggestions about how our class might want to build its legacy continue to cross our desks more and more as the years pass. They have included ideas such as a memorial gift to the school district, an endowed scholarship that would be uniquely linked to our class, possible deductible charitable contributions in honor of the class, and there could be other options for us to consider.

Doing many of these will require some legal assistance. We may want to have someone advise us on our legal options. If you know of a person who might be willing to help us, we’d appreciate it. Please let us know your thoughts so that we can start getting these wrap-up activities in motion.

We haven’t reached the “last person out of the room, turn off the lights” stage yet, but we’re noticing more and more flickering with each passing day.

Phyllis (psommerman@gmail.com) and Steve (saanyscor@aol.com)

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Jan Murphy

Bernie Cook and his restored Chevelle

A Twenty First Century View

Nancy Hubbell Breen and Jean Magnus Guidi

ICEMAE MURRAY

ICEMAE MURRAY GARDNER in NETFLIX/PBS DOCUMENTARY

“I am writing to you to let you know there is a documentary streaming on Netflix April 5th, 2021 (also on PBS’ “Independent Lens” program at various later dates) called "Coded Bias". I am in this documentary along with my fellow tenants from Atlantic Plaza Towers.  I am known as Icemae Downes, which is my Public Advocate name😀.  Please try to watch it and alert my other fellow classmates.......”

Stay safe and healthy,

Icemae Murray Gardner, IHS ‘60

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Classmate Larry Van Ostrand appeared in this advertisement years ago.

Retiree Jim Wells

JIM WELLS RETIRES

Jim Wells retired in December from his Commons Market business after 53 years of ownership. Congratulations, Jim. Photo courtest of Joe Scaglione III.


                                                                                        888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

ALISON MACLEOD BACK IN 1960 AT CORNELL

Historic Downtown Ithaca

Phyllis McLaren

QUARTERLY UPDATE FROM PHYLLIS


October 2020

A memo / update to all my classmates I hold so dear,
How are you, really? Those words don’t roll off our tongue the same way anymore, do they? Our ‘vitals’ measure the state of our human condition – physically, mentally, financially, and spiritually. Based on our character and survival history as a class, we will go on, a bit wiser, with a positive spirit, and live each day with a caring heart, eager to help those less fortunate.


Having received no recent email about another classmate’s death, I think we are still running about 75% on the right side of green grass. While we have a great divide between us on some matters, we seek unity based on our firm foundation. 
With that as our mantra, I’ll tell you what Steve and I are thinking about for the next and last reunion. Given the tenuous outlook on our possibilities for socializing, I have narrowed the venue and schedule down to one day at a pavilion in one of the great parks we have around Ithaca. All other searches required a guaranteed minimum # of people and a non-refundable deposit. I cannot do that. And I wouldn’t use our money that way.
Our own Dave Banfield, so generous, has committed to paying for our pavilion reservation, targeting the last Saturday in August, 2021. That reservation must be confirmed by 12:01 AM on January 1^st, 2021 and unless we tell him ‘no’ we will have a pavilion dedicated to us for a whole day. In addition to the large group picnic, we will be encouraging smaller gatherings and tours in the Ithaca area to fill out our reunion itinerary. You are in charge of implementing your own smaller gatherings. Don’t forget hiking – an outdoor experience approved by all. We welcome suggestions on accommodations. A recent check showed hotel rates much lower than we’ve experienced in the past but that may change if there is an ‘after Covid’.  
Steve and I hope to be present and in good health. We would love to hear from you – your feelings, your reaction to this plan, and your best guess as to the possibility of attending. No commitment is asked for at this time.
Regarding our class directory: one last revised reprint will be provided to everyone free of charge. We have enough money in the treasury to print (and mail if necessary) to all who request it. Included: yearbook picture, current name, address, phone(s), email, OR year of deceased. I would love to add one more bit of info under each picture and name – a key word or few words that describe your person, your passion, your contribution to this world, or something that would lead to an interesting reunion of the minds with a classmate – perhaps under the roof of the pavilion, perhaps by email or phone call. We sometimes do not know where to open a conversation with someone we have not seen in ages. Also included will be a listing by state of current residence, a concise list of deceased, and some other trivia that seems of interest.


First and foremost, I need updates from you, about you, so the book is not out of date before you get it. Please provide me with any changes or corrections.
Giving time for those responses, I will not begin revising the data until early January. At that time, I will ask you to tell me if you would like a copy of the last revision printed. Beginning February 2021 – I will send revisions (as I am advised) to you by email, or surface mail, and you will edit your own directory. The cost of printing and postage is currently $9.50 so we will only send to those who request one. If we run short of funding this endeavor, we will be asking for a few donations to help us; but for now we think we can cover it, and still have money left over for a catered meal under the pavilion, and other expenses.  
So what happens after that? Mini reunions at your home are great and would be arranged by you. Using your directory, you might touch base with a classmate on your way through town, or meet for lunch if close by. This is all assuming that we feel comfortable socializing. I find that adhering to the comfort level of the most vulnerable in the group is the kindest way to go. 
Both Steve and I will continue our commitment to you as long as we are able, as follows:
Steve – website updates, FB updates
Phyllis – emails, surface mail, and general correspondence
Your part - keeping in touch with us, and with each other. You matter. IHS matters. 
My best to you and your family.
Phyllis

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From the 49th Reunion

Jen and Richard Owlett

A special announcement from Richard Owlett:

 

Richard has gathered photos from many years and many groups of classmates and made a DVD video for us. He has asked me to forward his offer to you in with this group email / letter.

 

“I've been working on a Class of '60 slideshow for over 2 years now, and its finally done!  The video is a little over 58 minutes long, includes almost 500 hundred images from elementary years (1949 - 1956) and reunions (1980 - 2017), and is set to music. 

Many photos are from the Class archives, but some have never been seen before.

Chances are you are in there - somewhere.  Could be a 2nd grade Halloween party or the 2017 Birthday Bash, or more likely, the 1956 2-part Class photos taken while we were in Boynton.

Our years at IHS were reserved for another project.

 

They will be sent First Class in padded envelopes for $12 each.”

 

Send checks to:

Richard Owlett

PO Box 122

Odessa, NY 14869

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Cayuga Street entrance

Beverly Brink Hillman and Bob Hillman

Some of our 70th Birthday Bash attendees sat on the Cayuga Street steps of the high school.

UPDATE ON 60TH REUNION PLANS
 

April 2020.       

Hello Classmates,

 

During the past month, our lives have changed dramatically because of the Covid19 virus pandemic. While, hopefully, it will not have a physical impact on any of us, it certainly is taking a social and economic toll on all of us.

 

Some believe that this will soon pass, and everything will return to normal. It would be nice if that happened, but with advanced years guiding our thinking, we realize, pragmatically, there is no returning to that ”normal” anytime soon, if ever.

 

In an earlier communication, we told you that we would be monitoring the situation and then be making a decision on the status of our 60th reunion that is scheduled for November here in The Villages, Florida.  Based on many realistic projections and the opinions you responded with by email, it is our decision to reschedule our next reunion to another time and place. We are now proposing that we return to Ithaca in August 2021, combining a “Sixty and Counting  Reunion“  with an “Almost 80th Birthday Extravaganza“.

 

We realize that this postponement is disappointing for some of you, but with the uncertainty of the continuing impact of this crisis on our lives, we would rather err on the side of caution.

 

We still look forward to keeping in touch with each of you in the days and months ahead. As you know, we have several ways of doing this. Of course, we have regular mail, email, and the telephone. Also, we have a very active presence on our Facebook group page, Ithaca (NY) High School Class of 1960, and on our website: www.Ithaca1960.com.

 

A revised 2021 Directory will be mailed at no cost to everyone early in 2021. Any changes in contact information after that printing will be compiled annually and sent to you.

 

The days ahead will be challenging for all of us. We wish you and your family safe and healthy times.

 

For those of you who expressed interest earlier, and may have registered at The Waterfront Inn for the canceled November event, additional information follows in a separate email.

 

Best Regards,

 

Steve and Phyllis

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From the 49th

Phyllis McLaren and Al Simons

OurJunior Prom

Barbara Darling and Karen Day

IHS Track& Field Team

Lou Cassaniti at his

Lou Cassaniti Serves Up Hots at Commons Site

Joe Scaglione III {our Joe’s son) recently captured our classmate Lou Cassaniti busily serving up lunches at  his “Lou’s Street Food” operation on Ithaca’s Commons. 

Louie, as we all knew him in the old days, has been  a fixture on the Ithaca food scene for decades. .
Joe’s picture tells the story well.
 

JB Graves and wife

Robert Gray, Earl Wellington and Earl's son and wife.

Class of 1960's 75th Birthday Bash, August 2017, Upper Buttermilk Falls State Park

BIRTHDAY BASH OFFICIAL CLASS PHOTO

Front row:  (left to right) Anne Burger, Bill McElwee, Bernie Cook, Gary Loomis, Phyllis McLaren, Barbara Child, Chuck Moeder, Barbara Bennett, Judy Mitchell, Icemae Murray, Sandy Aldrich, Kathleen Muzzy, Patricia Newman, Jean Magnus

​Back Rows: (left to right-staggered) Dave Sears, Steve Beaulieu, George Damp, Joe Scaglione, Nancy Hubbell, Ben Adams, Nancy Cladel, Steve Stephenson, Beverly Brink, John Osborn, Bob Townsend, Bill Gordon, Janice Murphy, Richard Owlett, Terry Hilker, Robert Gray, Dave Wilson, Robin Alexander, Dean Melville, Alan Simons.

​These were the picnic attendees. Others joined us for the various weekend activities but were not able to attend the picnic where the class photo was taken. Classmate Peggy Payne's  professional photographer brother, Monroe, took this picture. Phyllis sent out ordering information if you'd like your own close-up copy of this.  There's also a copy that includes spouses and significant others.

Bernie Cook, US Marine Corps

The excellent 75th Birthday Bash cake.

                      BIRTHDAY BASH PICTURES ARE AVAILABLE

​Thanks to some of our volunteer class photographers  Richard Owlett, Dave Wilson, Phyllis McLaren Sommerman and Steve Beaulieu, we will have started  sharing their contributions on this website and our class Facebook page. These are by no means all inclusive, but will  serve as a start as we document our 75th Birthday Bash, held back in August.

​In the "Class Photo Albums" section of this website, we will try and arrange the photos by events. As new photos come in from other classmates we'll add to these photo albums. Check back often, because these take awhile to upload and position.

​The event were: Thursday at the Ciao! restaurant, Cornell Ornithology School  (Sapsucker Woods), Moosewood Luncheon and old building tour, The Rose, Tremen State Park hike, class picnic at Upper Buttermilk Falls State Park and Sunday brunch at the  Ithaca Ramada.

Labeling: In anticipation of the usual " Who are these people?" questions, Al Simon and Steve Beaulieu will attempt to label as time permits.

 

John Orr

Ithaca (NY) High School Class of 1960 Now on FACEBOOK

Sixty two classmates have joined the newly created, closed group on Facebook. Check it out and join us. Your input, as always, is welcome.

IHS Student Council

Ron Winchell Drops the Top for Early Spring

RON WINCHELL READY FOR SPRING

 

"I had already been to my infectious disease doctor this morning. She gave me the green light to proceed with the hip replacement surgery which, in turn, will stop the horrible ten months pain in my leg. The skies cleared. The sun came out. Judy was at another doctor appointment. Mary Werner, our neighbor, put me up to it. I dropped the top and she snapped the photos. The temperature was 65. How could I resist?" Ron W.

Belle Sherman, Grade 6, 1953-1954

BILL GORDON SENT  THIS BELLE SHERMAN 6th GRADE PHOTO 1953-1954
 "I stumbled across this picture among my mother’s photos.  I could identify all except four by recognition from memory.  27 pupils – we had big classes after WW II":
 
Back row: Eddie Knaysi, Bill Gordon, Jim Wells, Rob York, Don Enright, Virginia Klune, Dorothy Griffith, John Osborn, George Damp, Phil Ewanicki, Miss Chips.
Middle row: Virginia Hixon, Marilyn Dropkin, Janice Murphy, Allison MacLeod, Karen Ross, Phyllis McLaren, Marybelle Avery, Bonnie Gay, Carolyn Fallon, Wincie Hanneson, Celia Lawrence, Joan Kendall.
Front row: Mike Lawrence, Terry Cullen, Alan Mack, Robin Williams, Bob Seager.
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Early IHS Photo 1925

South Hill Second Graders

SOUTH HILL SECOND GRADE PHOTO EMERGES

Classmate Richard Owlett recently shared this photo of some of our classmates during their second grade experience at the South Hill School. We welcome your attempts to identify any of these youngsters. Contact Steve Beaulieu at: saanyscor@aol.com

Here's what we have so far:  3rd row, far right--Richard Owlett; 2nd row, far right--Amelia Stratakos; Front row, third from the left--David Drier (moved out of district prior to high school), second from right--Claire Hernaez.

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IHS Football Schedule

Class photo professionally taken by Monroe Payne. Copies of these are available through his website:Monroe Payne Photography

 

The old high school building, known today as DeWitt Mall, is currently used for retail businesses, offices and apartments.

IHS Student Handbook

SEPTEMBER 2022 CLASS NEWSLETTER

Hi Friends! 

It’s that time again for our Newsletter. This is Vol I, No.3--September 2022. Your emails allow us a peek at your life, wherever you are. If you’re feeling well, we are happy for you. If things are tough in your corner, know that your classmates care. If we live near you, we could help with some tasks you are not able to do. Ask. Being humble is not a bad thing.
This summer Dave Sears and wife Sara stopped in Ithaca and met with Bob and Beverly (Brink) Hillman. Dave also sent this to share with you: 
Sara and I organized an 80th birthday celebration with about 50 friends a couple of weeks ago.  Attached is the speech I gave.  Feel free to share it with my IHS classmates. May 2022
His DAVE SEARS – ONE OF THE 27 LUCKIEST PERSONS ON EARTH
12 pieces of evidence of luckiness provided here
EVIDENCE OF GOOD LUCK – I discovered contradancing in 1986 and have been enjoying it ever since. When I began, I quickly noticed that some old folks (80+) were regular dancers, so I realized “this is something I could be doing when I’m old.” The local venue (Glen Echo Park) is located only 12 minutes from home, with dancing (high spirits, lively music, flirting) every Friday and Sunday evening! Just as much fun -- Contradancing around the world – St Croix, Sorrento (Italy), Ely (UK), Sierra Nevada Mts, Hawaii, Guatemala!
EVIDENCE OF GOOD LUCK – At age 14, I tried smoking; but I could not figure out how to inhale the smoke – so I’m still alive many decades later!
EVIDENCE OF GOOD LUCK – After two unsuccessful marriages, on April 27, 1996, I met Sara Watkins! The result has been a happy marriage!
EVIDENCE OF GOOD LUCK – Two great kids – smart, kind, employed!
EVIDENCE OF GOOD LUCK – I figured out how to run up the down escalator at the Bethesda METRO station (213 feet long; it’s one of the 10 longest escalators in the world)! (Success on the second try – October 1984. Secret to success – skip every other step.)
EVIDENCE OF GOOD LUCK – Most of my life has been spent in an era when American democracy was a given, not a question mark!
EVIDENCE OF GOOD LUCK – Cancer struck in 2004 and 2006 but didn’t kill me!
EVIDENCE OF GOOD LUCK – While teaching at University of Massachusetts (1969-74), my dog George went to school with me every day; he sat quietly in the back of the classroom and didn’t ask me any embarrassing questions!
EVIDENCE OF GOOD LUCK – One of my favorite pictures – standing with Barack Obama! (Taken in Athens OH, October 2012.)
EVIDENCE OF GOOD LUCK – As a little kid, I was such a non-athlete that I was the last one chosen for a neighborhood pick-up game. And I was too small to even think about a contact sport. So, I did not get banged up on the playing field. Thus, at age 80, I can still walk several miles a day.
EVIDENCE OF GOOD LUCK – I’ve had enough time, money, and good health to travel extensively – about 50 countries and 49 US states.
EVIDENCE OF GOOD LUCK – Dancing with lemurs in Madagascar; lemurs leap from tree to tree in groups of 5 or 6; a few lemurs dance (on the ground) from tree to tree; these are the most amazing wild animals I’ve ever seen; watching them brings a big smile to my face.
Now Dave, that’s what I consider a statement of your appreciation of life. Well done.
Beverly Brink and Bob Hillman are in a new home. 348 Savage Farm Drive, Ithaca, NY 14850
Jerome Holland remembers good times with Chuck Henderson when Chuck & wife Zorika came to his house and they listened to R & B and oldies, trading records. Chuck recently passed away.
Earl Wellington tells us more about what he remembers about Mary Crofoot who recently passed. Mary's parents’ house in Cayuga Heights had an apartment rented by some friends of my parents, Barth and Martha Mapes  My sister Annie, IHS '65, flew out of the swing in the Crofoot's back yard and got knocked out. Someone called Dr. KIngsley who said to take her to ER if she didn't come around soon.  Annie was fine. 
Noticing that Mary Crofoot was a horse rider and jumped reminds me of my father's extreme caution about head injuries.   Dad was in US Army Cavalry in India during WW II. He saw a lot of accidents. The mission was to send horses and mules to nationalist China (Chaing Kai Chek). Dad would not let us jump and discouraged us from riding all together. Besides, it was too expensive. However, when I was stationed with the USAF Med Corps in England, I did start jumping, but of course with appropriate protective helmet.  Best wishes,  Earl
That email tells up a little more about Earl too. Thank you, Earl.
Chuck Moeder wants us to find honor and blessings in growing up in the times we did. He sent the oft repeated facts of how lucky we were to be born in the 1940’s. A few I’ll list here …
You saw cars up on blocks because tires weren't available. (Add your own thoughts here)

You are the last generation who spent childhood without television; instead, you imagined what you heard on the radio and pent your childhood "playing outside".

There was no little league or city playground for kids.

Your house had one telephone that hung on the wall in the kitchen. You often shared party lines.

Jim and Lucille Wells have moved. The new address is 1020 Smartts Lane NE, Leesburg, VA 20176
Ron Winchell  is golfing, tending his elaborate perennial garden, and downhill skiing in Vail. I think perhaps J B Graves and he are in some kind of contest to outlive us all. After Vail, he and Judy did a 3 week road trip to Florida and his alma mater. Now he’s looking into traveling to  Athens, Rome, and Paris.
Ellen Royce Nacinovich: I loved being in marching band — football games, parades, and bus rides to and from events. What a fantastic opportunity to have participated in those activities under the direction of Frank Battisti. The IHS band marched in the Cherry Blossom parade in Washington, D.C. my junior year. I almost didn’t get to go because a couple of weeks prior, I sprained my right thumb doing some sort of acrobatic maneuvers in my living room with Bonnie Huntley! That’s when I learned to write with my left hand.
Linda Light Lafford gives us an update on her remarkable talent and mission to give warmth of heart and quilt to our veterans.  Just a quick update on the Quilts of Valor project here in Chaffee County. [Colorado] We presented number 1,200 to an ex-Marine who had received two purple hearts. He was totally surprised by this. The group is still going strong and keeping me very busy getting the quilts off to the people who quilt them for us.
Alison [MacLeod] and Larry's   They will soon be moving to a lovely little town called Castine, located at the tip of a small peninsula in Maine. New address - 680 Castine Road, Castine, ME  04421. They still need to construct a barn for two horses and three miniature donkeys and put up fencing to keep them from wandering off. The house is not a typical New England farmhouse, but it is brand new, all on one floor (good for these aging farmers), and best of all, it has a large, heated saltwater swimming pool in the back. Alison says, “Perhaps we can lure some classmates to visit!” 
 
David and Della Wilson  Dave sends this (along with some admiration for Chuck Henderson): “In March we traveled to Aberdeen, Scotland to visit friends.  While we have visited Scotland a number of times before never Aberdeen.  Unexpectedly, the weather was blue-sky and sunshine.  All about seal beaches, castles, hiking, and whiskey.   The hiking near Pitlochry was particularly lovely.  All kinds of waterfalls and beautiful trails. In June daughter Jane and her dad visited Italy, where we enjoyed the usual big sites in Rome including the Colosseum, Galleria Borghese, and the (creepy) Capuchin Crypt. I must say we had an absolutely fabulous time visiting museums, old ruins, and meeting new people. In July Della and I joined a Road Scholar tour to Newfoundland, where we also had a fun time exploring Gros Morne National Park.  The park is famous for geologist because the earth's mantle thrusts its way through the crust.  No heat.  No crowds.  Beautiful trails.  Wonderful people.  Lots of rocks. Della had such a good time she wants to return next year.”   
Dorothy Sicilia Stewart wants us to know: “A fox has taken up residence on my roof.  He has been there each morning for three days in a row. Thinking of charging him rent. Arthritis is, unfortunately, progressing.  May have to consider a knee replacement because I really want to go back to the Loire Valley.  Still teaching.  Have wonderful, hard-working students, doing interesting things. Your class puts a spring in my step, despite the arthritis.
An email went out about Bob Seager’s mother passing, Mrs. Seager of the Business Department. She certainly led a full life, a model for us all.
Al Simons – speaking of ambassadors, he is one of the best. He lives in Prescott Valley, AZ and tries to connect with you westerners. Stay in touch with him at allanb42@yahoo.com but be patient. He says he gets over 200 emails a day.
Larry McCray – made a stop here on a rendezvous roundup with college and professional friends. He and Alexa are doing well. His enthusiasm for an endless number of studies makes Larry still our Larry. It’s kind of a law here on the farm, but he left he took with him a box of veggies from the garden and 4 about-to-be butterflies (still in the chrysalis stage). He SAID they were for his grandchildren to release, but I don’t know. His texts announcing another new birth indicates Larry is naming them and doing a great job of sending them on their way to Mexico. Stop over visits on the farm are so welcome and they almost always include food.  While Larry was here, he mentioned how much he enjoyed visiting with Ed Michaels at the 61^st reunion. I forwarded that comment to Ed and here is Ed’s response: Phyllis, we had many terrific people in our class. Chuck Henderson and Larry McCray are two them. In my mind they represent the best of humanity.
On a side note, Larry, Ed, and many of you have thanked Steve and I for all we do to keep us in touch. Let me just say that the joy is all ours. My days are busy with weeding and harvesting from the garden and raising butterflies, all it takes is one email from one of you and I am right back on the computer. So, I thank You!
Steve Beaulieu - Our summer respite in New York is coming to an end. In mid-October we’ll be heading back to Florida for our twenty second season of “snow birding”. Covid has altered much of our lifestyles these past couple of years, but we found that this summer we seem to be transitioning back to a more normal pace of living.  Except for a short trip to Vermont, most of our summer traveling could be labeled “day trips”. The Finger Lakes, as you all know, has such a great variety of activities to participate in and places to see, particularly at this time of the year. 
We enjoy keeping in touch with classmates. Your enthusiastic participation in our website and Facebook pages has kept us connected. We continue to appreciate Phyllis’ quarterly updates as well. They offer a personal touch that enhances our communications efforts. Wishing you all the very best in the months ahead. 
 
Phyllis McLaren Sommerman - – I just watched a video from Friends of Robert H Treman State Park, available online anytime at https://Walkinthepark.tv.  Another resource is  https://vimeo.com/channels/tremanshow. There are scenes from Robert H Treman, Beebe Lake, Flat Rock, cold Taughannock, Buttermilk, and more. I was in Ithaca in May for my sister Elinor’s memorial service and stopped by to see Buttermilk Falls. Only a trickle of water dribbled down where we once enjoyed the big rush. A family from Toronto was there – mystified because the brochure had promised a magnificent sight. I found myself defending our parks and urged them to come back again when we’ve had more rain. At Upper Taughannock last year I met some tourists and expounded on the majesty of our hometown. We are fortunate to be from Ithaca.  
When classmates, our friends, pass away, it always sets us back a bit. We scour through the Annual to recall who they were, then read their obituary (and your remembrances) and are proud of who they became. Their ‘dash’ in between? Yes, we miss a great deal. But turn that sadness to inspiration and fill every day we have here on earth by doing something that helps others, something that honors your family, and leave a legacy that gives hope and pride for future generations. JB signs every email to me – “no bad days” – a testament to his victory over trials. You have your story, and the tape is still running, so make it great.
Just a note about our Monarchs. When we read that this butterfly has been placed on the endangered list Larry and I dug in with renewed commitment. 591 monarch caterpillars later, we feel like we may have helped. Always good to learn more about them, and a side blessing – the families that adopt some of our brood, take them home to raise themselves, making new friends.
The world and our country need our help and prayers. We are crawling in fear and confusion and have hopes of flying in freedom like our monarchs.
My best to all of you, and may you live expectantly, hoping for the best tomorrow.