1940

Hi again! As summer ebbs, the time arrives for ye sec to shake his lethargic ways and busy himself with the job at hand. With your help, this column can be really interesting.

The months since we last got together have brought celebration, rewards, and sorrow within 40's fold. You got the word from Bob Austin in a recent issue of the "Indian Drum" of the deaths of Larry Durgin and Charles Thomas. To the families, their classmates extend heartfelt sympathies. Both these men made a lasting impression during their years in Hanover and the years succeeding.

Happier news to cross my desk is the announcement of Chal Carothers's marriage to Jane Houghton Hankey. June 8 was the wedding day. Our congratulations and best wishes for years of happiness go out to the couple.

An envelope postmarked San Francisco but bearing no return address was delivered recently. It contained a slightly altered clipping datemarked July 3, 1981, and complete with a pixy-like photo of Mel Wax. The banner headline read, "Feinstein Aide Wants New Job." Mel was hired by George Moscone as press secretary four years ago, and he stayed on after Moscone was killed by Supervisor Dan White and Dianne Feinstein became mayor. Now Mel wants to leave San Francisco City Hall to return to television news, but his hunt for a job as a news anchor has failed to produce any firm leads in the fiercely competitive and youthoriented world of TV news. Previously, he was the anchor of KQED's nightly news show and before that, was a Chronicle reporter. Mel wants to remain in the Bay area. His preference iis to return to TV, but should his search fail, hejwill consider another line of work. In the meantime, he continues as press secretary to the mayor.

On June 4, Les Nichols completed 26 years as campaign director for the Kentucky Heart Fund and was honored on his retirement at the group's annual meeting in Louisville by more than 100 of his fellow workers. Les received a book of congratulatory letters from five former governors, two U.S. Senators, corporate presidents, and community leaders in a presentation by State Supreme Court Justice Robert Stephens. The occasion was shared with his wife Edie and daughter Karen.

During his years as director of the Kentucky Heart Fund, Les was responsible for the enlistment of thousands of volunteer leaders, and he traveled the equivalent of nearly 200 times around the world all within the borders of Kentucky in pursuit of his work. He annually sought and obtained the support of major clubs and organizations, including the governor's office during five separate administrations. Says Les, "It has been a great experience having the privilege of working with wonderful community civic leaders all these years people who, unlike terrorists, work in behalf of their fellow citizens."

In 1954, Les formed Lester M. Nichols Associates, technical consultants specializing in fund raising, public relations, and counsel to trade associations. For the next several years, Les will concentrate on working with the Kentucy Hotel and Motel Association, which he has served as executive director for the past 23 years. Plans for retirement? Maybe in another five years, after completing a second novel of war and intrigue. Then he plans to travel and sharpen his game of golf. A word of warning, Les. Look out for those shills in our class lurking around the greens at Hilton Head, Short Hills, and Naples who are always ready for a "little game."

A squib gleaned from the local newspaper, originally reported in the London Daily Mail, has Sir Charles Chaplin's widow Oona remarrying sometime this year. The Daily Mail said the groom will be screenwriter Walter Bernstein. Could there be another American screenwriter with the same moniker?

The Cleveland '4os gathered for their annual reunion on July 11, hosted this year by Lee and Marty Bassett at their country spread. We were 30 in number, including Marty and Lee's house guests, Chuck and Ann Haskell, in from Dayton, "Greek" Mahoney and wife Ann, who had driven from Indianapolis, and my wife's brother and sister-in-law. Scotty and Loomie Rogers, east to visit family and for meetings, dropped in for the reunion in their old home town and were resplendent in their Texas regalia pointy-toed tooled leather boots, ten-gallon hats, and silver buckles. This column should be able to report a new business connection for Scott next month.

Also attending, of course, were the rest of the "locals," Karl and Ginny Bruch, Eb and Mevie Cockley, the Duncans Bill and Lois, Herb Foster with wife Mil, Bill and Jane Huffman, Jack and Kay Ingersoll, Walt and Pat Kelley, the recently-returned ex-Clevelanders, John and Kay Moore, and last but far from least, Bob and Trudie Williams. After the chicken barbeque with all the fixings, dancing to the piano renderings of nimble-fingered Haskell slowly brought the evening to a close.

Subsequent activities of the Cleveland contingent included separate flights to Washington state then on a cruise north to Alaska by the Ingersolls and Williamses. Bob and Trudie included a visit with daughter Sally, who lives in the 49th state and is to be married this fall.

Here's a fresh change of address for you: Keith and Jean Benson, like so many of us, have found the home in which they raised their family too much for just the two of them. They have sold the homestead and purchased a condominium in an adjoining eastern suburb. They will have been at 3741 Lander Road, Orange, Ohio 44022 since September 10. Until next month . . .

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