1968

Sad news arrived in September from Caroline Simmons in Pepperell, Mass. She wrote to say that her husband of nearly 22 years and one of our classmates, Bernie Simmons, had died unexpectedly of a heart attack on June 19. An obituary will follow in a later edition of the Alumni Magazine. I know that all '68s share with me a sense of loss and would want me to extend their heartfelt sympathy to the members of Bernie's family.

Close readers of this column will recall that my August edition contained a story from Jim Tonkovich. Among other things, Tonks had told me that Larry Griffith, BillPhillips, and he were the only '68s who had enrolled at Dartmouth from Montana. Not doubting the word of our class president, I dutifully reported this bit of trivia, and in so doing, I quite understandably incurred the wrath of Big Sky classmate Rick Lannen.

Rick wrote from Dallas to explain that although he recognized that he was not as "illustrious" as the others from Montana, he was nonetheless proud of having graduated from Fergus County High School in Lewistown, Mont. Rick is now enjoying life in Texas, working for the large law firm of Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer, & Feld, and getting involved in state Democratic politics. Rick and Sandee have two children, a Cistercian High School sophomore, who starts at quarterback for his school this fall, and a daughter who is in the eighth grade.

Rick noted that at least two other '68s live in the Dallas area, Line Eldredge and Peter Pfeifle. Line works for an executive research firm, and Peter is in the clothing manufacturing business. As I recall, Peter and I were the only two freshmen from Maine to enroll at Dartmouth in 1964. Let's see what kind of news that brings.

Happy Thanksgiving!

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