1965–Fall ’18 Class Letter
1965
John C. Hyde
414-530-4041 / [email protected]
Class of 1965,
Donna and I will be celebrating our 2nd anniversary this August. We have enjoyed the fact that our Pensacola house is only three hours from New Orleans. We saw Maroon 5 recently and have tickets for Paul Simon in September and Keith Urban in November.
We are leaving for our lake home in Conover, Wisconsin shortly. We have Cousins Camp the second week in July. That is all five grandkids for a week. In October, we have a ten-day Holland America cruise in the Caribbean with two Cuban ports, Havana and Cienfuego.
It is also the time to start thinking about our 55th Class Reunion.
All the very best,
John
Here are the updates from the class of 1965:
CAROLE COOP ATHERTON ’65 writes, “I am writing from Appiano, Italy, where we are staying with two granddaughters (technically, my step-grands). What a delight! We are staying at Schloss Korb, a restored castle overlooking vineyards and apple orchards with the city of Bolzano in the mid-distance and the Alps as the backdrop.
The big doings back in the U.S. before we left were the high school graduations of two granddaughters and the college graduation of another as well as a too-brief visit to our home in Oregon from classmate MARY SHIRER KROENING ’65 and her husband, John. Mary entertained us with a wonderful selection of ukelele tunes and I showed off the 12 volt spotlight I had just installed to illuminate our flagpole (dug about 170 feet of shallow trench and put the darned thing in myself. I love doing things like that with my own hands). It was so good to see them.
This fall, Malarkey and I are going on a river boat on the Mississippi from Minneapolis to St. Louis. The trip is focused on the life and times of Mark Twain. After that, we will visit with family in Illinois and, we hope, see the Kroenings again.
In January 2019, we have a trip planned to Bogota and Cartagena, Colombia, more details to follow.
Hope all is well with you and yours and, as always, thanks for your devotion to our class.”
DAVID MEISSNER ’65 writes, “I am a happily retired (former) Professor of Psychology at Alfred University in Western New York, and still enjoy organic gardening, collecting antique toy cannons(!), and spending time at our family home on the shore of Lake Winnipesaukee, New Hampshire in the Summer.
Trivia: Countertop jars of Pickled HB Eggs at “The Greekers” were always a treat to wash-down with a Mug of “Suds” after a winning Redmen football game”
LARRY TICE ’65 writes, ” … inspired by references to his (L. Warchus) local bowling team (which includes a 100-year-old centenarian bowling team member) and, further warned (directly or indirectly) not long ago not to go “Bowling Alone” (Putnam, 2000) which spoke of the potential collapse and loosening of social ties of the American community … I may yet seek to explore additional social solidarity on LSD (otherwise: Lake Shore Drive) by joining up for “bowling on the green” … an activity and site just located behind the Museum of Science and Industry. Still swimming, and biking along south end of Lake Shore Drive; but, much less so at the moment. Mostly walking (thus, perhaps pursuits of alternative exercise).
Elsewhere in the neighborhood (sum) resolution has finally been reached between “friends of the Park” and Obama Presidential Library Commission as precise location in Jackson Park and layout plans generally agreed upon. So finally, Library – in Obama name – to be built (… not far away either it seems from the site of “bowling on the green”). And, perhaps that’s a bit more than might be said or predicted of current president library possibilities: as one book (for July release: “Donald Trump Tweeter Presidential Library” by T. Noah) may say it all. As observed by many it’s possible Mr. Trump doesn’t read much anyway … so he might not worry too much if a library is not built in his name.
At the moment enjoying semi-retirement, presently enjoined in a government survey project part time, while MinJa – in full retirement now – enjoying the lakefront. “
DAVE WORDEN ’65 writes, “So far this year has been one of travels between our condo in Oceanside, California and our home in Scottsdale. Time with our twin two-year-old granddaughters and 18-month-old grandson has tested these old bones! We also managed to take time for a cruise to Alaska which is probably the most beautiful place Terri & I have ever visited. If you haven’t done so please add it to your bucket list. We’re looking forward to this summer and time at the beach, and then the birth of another grandson in September. The best to all my classmates!
JOHN BURROWS ’65 writes, “Nancy and I remain in good health. The attached photo of me wearing our 50th reunion tee-shirt is appropriate as I am about to start my morning walk. Having just turned 75 on June 1st, I no longer believe 75 is so old although the guy in the photo is getting up there. We celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary in April and had it not been for The Spot, we might not have connected while at Ripon. I will always remain thankful for this.
President Messitte’s published remarks concerning President Trump still gets me hot under the collar.
We are about to embark on a two week trip to Italy, Lake Como and Florence, neither of which we have visited before. Upon our return we will be home for a week before having a family vacation with our kids and our grandchildren at Sun River in Redmond Oregon. Should be fun. I am keeping my fingers crossed that the 2018 hurricane season will not be a repeat of Irma that hit Jacksonville last year. I wish all the best to our classmates.
JIM THORSEN ’65 writes, “Nancy and I will spend the summer here in Idaho, hosting kids and grandkids, friends from Tucson and delegates from our Japanese Sister City. The grandkids both play in their high school band which has been selected to perform representing the State of Missouri in the 75th anniversary of the D-Day invasion in 2019 in Normandy. We are planning to attend the event and are involved in planning the trip. Needless to say, most tours are booked a year in advance, and we were lucky to book one. I hope everyone has a pleasant summer and enjoys good health.”
JUDI GONIA SCHAEFER ’65 writes, “We’re fine and keeping busy. Last winter (December, 2017) we went to New Zealand to spend the Christmas holidays with our youngest daughter, Beth, her husband Mark, and our 18 year old grandson Burgess. This was our second trip to New Zealand. The first time we flew non-stop from Chicago to Auckland; this time we stopped in Hawaii on our way to and on our way back from New Zealand. It turned a 20 hour flight into two 9.5 hour flights…much easier for both of us. Our time spent with our family was wonderful. We stayed with our daughter just outside Nelson on the South Island, traveled to Wellington on the North Island, where by the way, our grandson is attending Victoria University, went to a cricket game, and generally had a great time. The country is beautiful and the people are very friendly. If you haven’t been there, go if you ever have a chance.
Now we’re back in the good ol’ USA where we spend our winters in Illinois and our summers in Winter, Wisconsin.”
GREG THOMPSON ’65 writes, “Greetings from Seattle. Thank you for continuing with being our class agent.
The Thompson’s are in our third full year of retirement and enjoying it here in Seattle and elsewhere.
Most of our travel is to San Francisco where our three grandchildren live. They are ages six, four, and one. We got a late start on children and so did our daughter. We are almost frequent flyers just on that route and just got back last night from our latest visit there.
Other travels take us in the winter to sunnier climes to combat grey skies and rain here. A road trip we like to take every year is to beautiful Northeast Oregon. Among other things, you can see wagon tracks from the “Oregon Trail” migration.
This summer we are hoping to have a couple of weeks roaming Wisconsin. That is the home state of both my parents and we have cousins there and in Chicago.
I am lucky to have a Ripon classmate living here in Seattle. JOHN WHEELER ’65 and I get together for lunch on a fairly regular basis. We are in looser touch than we would like with MARK LEDGER ’65, CHARLES BARBER ’65, CRAIG FERRIS ’65, and WARREN WARCHUS ’65 who all live some distance from here.”
DONNA STABEN LONG ’65 is looking forward to a trip to Spain with her daughters. She and Bob didn’t have a winter skiing trip this year since Bob is recouping from an injured rotator cuff. They are looking into the Villages for a winter option.
JOHN NEWHARD ’65 is is also recouping from a torn rotator cuff. So the vigorous golfing plans were replaced by a trip to Cuba with a Rhodes Scholar travel program that has lectures each night by college professors.
DICK BENNETT ’65 and ANNE DONALDSON BENNETT ’65 are celebrating 56 years of marriage. They met at Ripon freshman year. Their son, Tony who attended one our reunions with Dick twenty-something years ago, has built a successful coaching career at Virginia and there may be possibilities pro basketball options. Dick very much misses MIKE REESE ’65 and remembers fondly the Ripon Golf Outings with Mike and CHARLIE LARSON ’65 during homecoming every year. He has enjoyed reading books the lives of a number early US presidents.