1925

We learned, with regret, of the death of Ben Werntz. An obituary will follow. Word from a niece of Jay Elder informs us that Jay has been staying at Homewood Retirement Center in Frederick, Md., for the past two years, but still maintains his apartment in Walkersville, Md., and receives his mail there. His wife, Helen, died December 4, 1979. They had no children. Due to problems with his legs, Jay had to give up his favorite activities, travel, golf, and photography.

Ted Geisel hit the news again, as he was honored, along with numerous other "literary lions," by the New York Public Library at a fund-raiser for the library recently. In addition, he has been named by People magazine as one of America's "most intriguing people."

It may be noted in looking over the Alumni Fund Report that Dick McDonough '53, son of Ken McDonough, "exceeded the previous dollar record" as his 35th reunion cochairman, and that Rick Pugh '79, grandson of our Bill Pugh, was one of seven to get the Cliff Jordan award for outstanding telethon achievement.

We have new addresses for Elly WallisChick: 521 Bentley Drive, Naples, FL 33963 (October to May); 393 Training Field Road, Chatham, MA 02633.

Larry Leavitt has agreed to take on the job as head agent in place of Ross Beatty, whose retirement from the position saddled President Haffenreffer with the job of finding a successor. Larry's recent predecessors, Curt Abel and Ross Beatty, have left him a real challenge with their accomplishments.

Bill Sleigh's wife, Betty, has had two recent hospitalizations, one for pneumonia, and the other involving surgery for emphysema, but at this writing, she is recuperating at home and looking forward to their annual winter vacation in the Caribbean in January and February. Meanwhile, Bill has suffered an attack of gout, as well as a stricture of the esophagus, but is also recuperating.

The Lowell Sun featured a reminiscent article on Bill Thompson and his humanitarian services to his hometown, including his many civic and philanthropic activities over the years. It was written by our good and devoted class widow, Kay, a writer of some renown. Eddie and Rosanne Griffin have moved from their home in Concord, N.H., to Riverside RI 02915 (Village Green 60B). They are near their son, Hank, and Eddie gets out more to movies, dinner, etc.

Mac Shepard's retirement from the pos ition of newsletter editor resulted in the appointment of Marshall "Scoof" Newton as his replacement. He will need a lot of news items from you guys, so don't be bashful in telling him all about yourselves. Really, your classmates want to know how it is with you and what you and yours are up to.

Bill Rohff '2B, in a letter to the class secretary with news, tells enthusiastically about the retirement home he lives in, in Lacy, Wash., less than five miles from Olympia, and notes that Will McLaughlin is also there as well as George Stevens '31, whom he describes as "real swell guys."

Thought for the month: Nowadays, telling a teenager the facts of life is like giving a fish a bath.

64 Bubier Road Marblehead, MA 01945