1948

More on '48 brethren in Massachusetts.

BogJim Fitzgerald commutes from his home in Quincy to his office in downtown Boston, his headquarters for sales of Northrup inertial guidance systems as utilized in many types of space vehicles, including weather satellites, communication relay stations, the Shuttle, etc. Jim, who has always loved aviation, first arrived in Hanover in the V-12A in July 1944 along with five others from his just graduated class at Maiden High, including Jack gia and Jack Mahoney. Jim departed for active service with naval air in June the next year, not to return until February 1948. He finally graduated in early 1950, only to be called back into the navy in 1951 during Korea. Jim and Anne have five children, and he is an active interviewer of candidates for Dartmouth from his area. Jim and Jack Boggia, who lives in nearby Lexington, see each other often, and they saw surgeon Mahoney, up from Fort Lauderdale, at their high school reunion two years ago.

Boggia, who is VP and operations manager for candy manufacturer NECCO, says he deals with everything that moves in the Massachusetts Avenue plant in Boston, including the union. Jack also participates with his son in a land development managementcompany and in a construction firm, both in Merrimack, N.H.

Dick Bennett, resident of Framingham, has worked for Liberty Mutual in downtown Boston and elsewhere for over 36 years and may have retired by the time this is read. Dick grew up in the Montclair area of New Jersey, where he knew Jack Park and the departed Phil Johnson, through whom he later met LloydKrumm. Dick served with the army in World War 11, has kept active in the reserve, and was called back for Korea. He first arrived in Hanover from the military in late 1945, lived in the Tri Kap house for two years, then graduated with his class in 1948 before working in the Colorado oilfields as a roustabout prior to going with the insurance company the next year. Dick and Joan still get to Hanover occasionally, and they saw the Parks at Eastman a few years ago.

Ray Richard bought Worcester Brush Company a few years ago when he and Gloria moved from Texas to the Thetfords. Ray found the latter was a little too far from his business for easy commuting, especially after the demand for brooms began to fall with the economy. Thus, the Richards now live in Worcester, where Ray has been able to breathe new life into his firm by manufacturing camlocks. His biggest scoop, however, has been expansion into the chimney sweep business through the development of August West Systems, Inc., a company headed by Gloria. Ray explains that the increased use of coal and wood for heating has raised the need for sweeps, and the August West system enables the Richards to train and put about 900 new sweeps into the business each year. Ray points out, believe it or not, that a good sweep works ten months per year and makes $50-80K. Not bad! Ray expects to meet '48 classmate Cal Brown at some future Worcester function, and he sees Bud Munson and Barbara back in Hanover fairly often.

Another '4B in the Worcester area is Lt. Col. George Fifield, who retired from a career in the army 17 years ago. George spent one academic year, 1944-45, at Dartmouth, where he roomed with Barney Hoisington before going on to West Point. George spent much of his military career in Europe, where he and Anne found time to explore and do a lot of skiing. George now resides in Sterling Junction, where he helps run Perkins School in Lancaster. Having grown up in the area, he well knows Worcester Brush and will look for Ray when he's next in nearby Worcester.

The information provided by Barney to all of you concerning the mini-reunion of the class as planned by maestro Bud Gedney for Washington's Birthday weekend in February in Hanover sounds just great. Hope you were there.

The January/February DAM obituary for Lou Perry was not able to include mention that among his closest friends were '48 classmates Allen McKee, Larry Pedersen, and Robert Tracy. These friendship strengthened throughout his life. Lou's three brothers have honored him by a "Lou's Corner" in the 19th century family home still occupied by brother Richard in Jersey City.

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