1947

It's always fun to look around the corner into spring, while watching snow swirling gently down in midwinter. Planning another sugarin' season, milk carton halves filled with seedlings, and an accumulation of winter news in my '47 mailbox. One such item I cajoled from our class newsletter writer, John Trethaway.

We've visited John a few times over the years in his Vermont home, had a few meals, skied together, and each time we come away with an impression of "lots going on." Ask a busy man to help write a column and he'll get the job done—so I asked John to fill me in on some of his activities. I think it's appropriate to toot the horn a bit for those who write about us periodically for the newsletter. So now it's John's turn.

Going back some years, John and Joy moved from New Jersey, to operate a country store in rural Vermont—Peru, to be exact. This was successful and enjoyable, but it was not to last, as Joy began to show more and more signs of the Alzheimer's disease which had, in fact, been coming on for years. She was a gentle person and John did a lot for her at home. Joy passed away in September 1985.

John was at that time serving as the Vermont commissioner of development for Governor Kunin, and also town auditor for Peru.

We continue now in John's own words. "Joy's illness was so long, so tragic, and so frustrating that I have devoted most of my life since her death to trying to ease the burden for other families that are coping with Alzheimer's disease. We now have a statewide organization that is part of the national Alzheimer's association. As the strength of this group grows, so does the list of services that we can provide. This work has brought me into contact with a number of organizations that deal with problems of the elderly and so I now serve in an advisory position to various state agencies here in Vermont and also in New Hampshire. Within the next week or so, our governor will be announcing the formation of a special commission to deal with the problems of Alzheimer's disease and related disorders. I will be its chair. Then there are the speaking tours, plus radio and TV, all of which is quite time consuming as you can imagine but it is most rewarding to be sure.

"My interest in Hindene, the Robert Todd Lincoln estate, remains keen, and I continue to serve as a trustee and ex-officio member of the executive committee.

"The town of Peru also claims a portion of my time in my role as moderator, plus service on some of the town governmental boards.

"And, of course, this time of year finds me back on the ski slopes at Bromley. My legs aren't quite what they used to be but I can still keep up with the kids and enjoy it immensely. I just realized that I've been at it quite a while having started teaching skiing 41 years ago.

As you can see, life is full and very satisfying."

With all the above, John sandwiched in a safari trip to Africa, is our class liaison with students in the .dorm cluster sponsored by our class, and not leastly is our lively newsletter editor.

Congratulations, John, you're a shining, happy, ray keeping the faith in many ways.

63 Maple Avenue, Keene, NH 03431