1979

Okay, I admit it, I "grew up Catholic." And with the last name of O'Neil that should come as no surprise to you. During my formative years, I learned that souls reside not only in heaven and hell, but also in purgatory a place like traffic court where decent folks are surprised to find themselves. Landing in purgatory is like pulling a sentence of work release, only you need more than an overnight bag; it's not as hot and humid as chez Lucifer, but it's more crowded. In addition, I learned to believe in miracles and saints. Miracles usually happen in far-off lands where the incidents can never be verified. Like junk-bond traders on Wall Street, saints have insider information on miracles. And much as I hate to acknowledge it, Chip Debelius is either a saint or a miracle worker. After only one issue of the Koolaid Acid class newsletter, I've received enough news to fill three columns. My mailbox runneth over.

I thought I'd start with "birthin' and babies." Our class is creating another baby boom. In October, Judi Brier Donnelly had a daughter, Lisa. Judi has now returned to her job at Fidelity Investments in Boston; her husband, Kevin, is a lawyer at Nortek in Providence. Tim Ehrsam reports that in December, his wife, Marsha, gave birth to a 9-pound, 11 -ounce daughter, Monica Lee. Tim is a trusted systems engineer at Addamax Corporation in Rockville, Md. In February, Helen Davis Picher gave birth to a son, Oliver; Helen has taken a leave of absence from her position as a program officer with the William Penn Foundation in Philadelphia. Tim and Nancy Taussig have a daughter, Torrey, who will never taste a fogcutter and who likewise will never see the basement of Sigma Nu. The Taussigs work in the Big Apple; Tim is an investment manager and he advises that Nancy is "in the drug business."

Linda Ferguson McCann sent an announcement of the birth of her second daughter, Abigail Susan. In March, Kurtand Ruthie Somerville became the proud parents of a second son, Andrew. SueGoodman Cohen reports that on February 17 she gave birth to a 10-pound, 13-ounce son, Matthew Alexander. By the way, you should all know that most '79 offspring seem to be breaking the 9-pound mark. Finally, I think Linda Sullivan Watson has set a class record: she has three kids the youngest, Emma Felicity, was born in February.

As always, our classmates are successfully pursuing their careers. Mike Narkewicz has completed a medical tour of France and accepted a position with the Department of Pediatric Nutrition at the University of Colorado Medical School. After finishing a two-year tour with the navy in Japan, MikeTeneriello has started a fellowship in gynecological oncology at Bethesda Naval Hospital. Mike is also the proud father of Michael Jr., who arrived on March 29. And Dick Smith, our class capitalist (only kidding Richard), has become a managing director of Dillon, Reed in New York. So this year we are all looking forward to Dick's annual contribution to the Alumni Fund.

Enjoy the summer.

3400 Oakenshaw Place, Baltimore, MD 21218