1944

Nostalgia. After a suspension of a couple of years, Amtrak's Montrealer train is back on track, with regular stops again in White River Junction. Why not harken back 5 0 years and bring your wife back for a football game, a ski weekend, or just a look-see? Fletcher's cab service is long defunct, but replacements will get you from WRJ to the Hanover Inn.

We locals didn't need the train to get to Eric and Joan Barradale's splendid Brattleboro, Vt., outing for a summertime gathering of the '44 luncheon groin), mentioned in earlier notes. Thirty-plus of us, including wives and a widow, convened for culinary and other delights, which included walks in the fields and woods, tennis, swimming, and just plain good old jawing.

Some phone calling brought further revelations. Amongst the still working are: Dick Wilson, whose wife Doris says he'll go on with his private and hospital psychiatric practice in Boston into the next century. "He just loves it," she says, "so why should he stop?" The Wilsons have bought a little hideaway on the water in Rhode Island and they slide there weekends. "We have two small boats and a couple of shrubs," she says, "so we do get to relax and play some."

Barrister Buzz Bensinger still has his nose to the lawyering stone in Stroudsburg, Pa., happily in cahoots with a lawyer daughter, Liz. Wife Jean says Buzz keeps talking about taking it easier, but then clients keep knocking on the door. Twelve Bensingers, there are four kids, including Peggy '77, and some grandkids, rented a condo in Utah last winter, for several weeks of world-class skiing. And when they're not on the slopes, Jean swims laps in the backyard pool.

More retiring are: Dave and Jean Wrisley in St. Louis, Mo. Dave left the brokerage business two and a half years ago, and the Wrisleys are concentrating on fun and games. They rented an apartment for a month last March in Portugal and they re also getting into the Elderhostel program. Meanwhile, Dave is out on the tennis courts whenever he can find a brave enough opponent. Of their four sons, Dave Jr. '67 works for AMT in North Carolina, and Peter '75 is in computers in Washington, D.C.

George and Peg Sawyer retired to Palm Harbor, Fla., in 1983, after a career with National Steel and a subsequent assignment in the Argentine. George says they are happily healthy; they travel a fair amount, especially to Ireland; and his eight handicap keeps him on the links at least three days a week. They get up to Hanover now and then; Peg's family comes from Montpelier.

Perry" Craver also has a pretty mean mashie niblick shot; his handicap is ten and he keeps it up to date in Kennebunkport, Maine, out of sight and sound of President Bush when he vacations there. "The press bothers some," says Perry, "but we hardly know Bush is in town. We live a quiet lite (retired from Laconia, N.H.), tennis and golf and our yard and friends. And 12 grandchildren, plus Betty's parents, age 93 and 90."

Finally, a friendly phone call with HenryMontgomery, who transferred from Bard College to Dartmouth and the class of '44 after the war. He is now retired, and a widower, after a career in newspapers and advertising, living in New York City, "and keeping my hand in." He has two sons living just a paddle across the river, in Norwich, Vt., and Jericho, Vt.

That's it. Blessings.

P.O. Box 24, Lovejoy Hill, Cornish Flat, NH 03746