1939

Since our last column in May we have lost four men. Harry Kersey died on January 12. Sherm Brown passed away on February 8. On March 1, George Jacob died of pneumonia. And Charlie Stark, remembered best from college years as Charlie Sakowich, died of a heart attack on April 4. According to the latest figures, this leaves our class with 413 living members.

We have also just learned of the death of Jean Thornton, John's widow, who passed away on Dec. 27, 1989, and more recently from Amy Bridge Luthi that her mother, the wife of the late Don Bridge, passed away quietly at home on February 12 of this year.

A card from Bill Bachman says he and Lois are headed out on the Dartmouth Elbe trip in July and were hoping some other '39ers might be aboard. Bill says the only '39er he's seen this winter is Bill Borsdorff who lives in nearby Tequesta, Fla.

The Charlie Thompsons followed the rain on a 2000-mile tour of California in March. They dried out via a visit with DaveReid in Idyllwild, Calif., and Frank Cline at Santa Barbara.

The Buzz Waterses, ensconced in a lair in the environs of Palm Beach, hosted Bob andCocky Davidson in March. The Davidsons were enroute from Jamaica to the Class Executive meeting at Mountain Lake, Fla. Sunny beach time at a premium, they visited the famed "Lion Country Safari," a huge openair zoo familiar to all who live around the area. It was mating season for the ostriches who, Buzz says, put on a spectacular showalbeit X-rated.

President McMannis, Secretary Jackson, Treasurer Miller, and Bequest Chair Kaiser, accompanied by wives, including Widow Chair Betsy Emmons, represented 1939 at the Class Officers Weekend. During the festivities we were surprised to pick up the runner-up award in the class category. By now '39 Out has undoubtedly covered this bit of news in the proper manner that it deserves. Bert offered to die Class Presidents Association the written comments of Bill Green, in which Green delineated his personal insights on the job that President Freedman has been doing in Hanover. The association reacted affirmatively and most members asked for copies to pass along to their respective constituencies. Still on the subject of Bill Green, he was the first recipient of a new lifetime achievement award given by the United Way of Greater Manchester (N.H.). Bill was further honored by having the award named after him. "It's not a corporate award," said the donor, "but rather a measure of how much an individual has given of himself over the years."

And finally we write this before the fact, but have it on good authority that a surprise 50th wedding anniversary party was organized by their kids for Ev and Ruth Woodman at the Lake Sunapee Country Club on June 9.

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