1937

With deepest regret we must inform you of the death of Wayne Ballantyne in his retirement home in Newport, N.C., assumedly a result of the heart condition he had had for several years. His brother Tom '40 wrote us this news just as this copy is due in Hanover. Wayne will long be remembered for his vigorous support of anything to do with the College as well as being a holder of class officer jobs including president. We all extend heartfelt sympathy to Mavis and the family.

Last spring Martha Bosworth and KatieBankart cooked up a deal. We were to visit them in Naples, Fla., when their home at Port Royal was finished. We're just back and spoiled so rotten you're lucky to be getting a column this month. And though Martha was in the hospital having her timing gears regulated she is now back in business recovering at home, and in those gorgeous surroundings and ideal weather she should do nicely.

As we landed at Naples airport some joker came dancing out to take our picture. When he finally moved the camera away from his face it was Al Mayer! He and Rita had flown in the day before from Nassau on their annual Naples visit so we enjoyed a few days surprise reunion even though Bos spent most available time at the hospital with Martha due to post-surgical complications.

For a secretary a trip away from home like this is a natural. While in Naples we searched out BillPlattner who moved south several years ago from Massachusetts looking for a more consistant climate for his osteo-arthritic condition. Naturally he ended up in real estate. His card reads "Sales Consultant, Mobile Americana Corporation" which is mobile homes in the Riviera Colony south of Naples off Route 41. Bill indicated a soon-coming change in the same field for him which he is to let us know. He looked just great.

We also took the opportunity to drift south to Marco Island to chat with Bernice and Phil Conti. Although Phil has for years been involved with the Mackle Bros Miami HQ in executive capacity he recently joined up with Bernice who operates the Marco Island Realty Co. with Phil now as sales manager. Their end is the resale and rental of homes on the island.

Next we took Alligator Alley (none seen) to Fort Lauderdale where we missed Julian Leslie by a week. He had gone north to Maine and Tata was not at home, just two noisy dogs, so we wrote a note and fled.

Better luck we had in Miami with two long time non-correspondents. Butch Compton has quite a history. Two unhappy marriages, himself an alcoholic numero uno, he wanted no part of nobody nohow nowhere. Seven years ago he joined AA and he's treading water nicely since then. He's single of course and living a life of Sean Connery 007 as a private eye which he has had as a sort of serious hobby for several years..Basically he is a writer of magazine articles, educational film strips, childrens books and one novel. We did not get to see him as he was on the verge of picking up two detectives to help make a pick up on a narcotics pusher in a dance hall and Butch was to take pictures. Also in Miami we caught up with Eg Cabbie. He had formerly been connected with Withers Van Lines but for the past eight years he has been traffic manager for the giant Panelfab Intl. Corp. Miami operation. They are presently building 12 million dollars worth of prefabricated schools in the Bahamas. His wife, Helen, is an RN and coordinator of the Miami VA hospital.

Finally, in St. Petersburg, we called Dave Kenerson who continues along as a professor of management on the Tampa campus, University of South Florida Business School. He plans to be north in August for a Boston meeting thence perhaps to Hanover for a look-see as he's been south for so long now he said my Boston accent sounded good to him.

We tried vainly to contact Bill Douglass in Naples but he was away the whole time we were there.

The above once-in-a-lifetime-trip-for-us also included the Miami Seaquarium (Flipper's home), two days at Disneyworld, and a morning at Tampa's Busch Gardens. Now we are home for R&R.

Just a final plug for Chuck Bassett. There are only a couple of weeks left for the alumni fund and you know you are going to contribute so get it off now so it will count in 1973.

See you next fall with items remaining from now which were squeezed out by the Bankarts' two weeks in Heavenland.

Secretary, 10 Colby Rd. Wellesley, Mass. 02181

Class Agent, Hancock, Estabrook, Ryan, Shove & Hust 1400 Mony Plaza, Syracuse, N.Y. 13202