1939

We have made it through the Christmas season without having to report the departures of any more classmates. This makes two months in a row, and a perfect way to get into the new year. We are undoubtedly "firming up" with maturity.

In mid-August Al Abbott attended the wedding of his eldest grandson in Albany, Ore., along with his entire family. Al reports the new bride to be a great addition to the tribe. But these kids had a slow start in married life when their apartment in Cutter Ridge, Fla., and their jobs at Homestead Air Force Base were both eliminated by hurricane Andrew in September. On a happier note, Al mentions that Pete and Maxine Patterson stayed with them in White River Junction last June during the graduation of the Pattersons' grandson from Dartmouth.

Bee and Bob Wehmeyer from Kezar Falls, Maine, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on October 25. Bob has the dubious distinction of not having seen any Dartmouth classmates other than Herb Mattlage and the late Kim Ayers in more than 20 years. The Wehmeyers have tried Elderhostelry of late. In August of '91 they were in Kenya, and just about now they should be in Sicily. Bob says they are considering a move to a cottage community either next year or the one following.

In communicating with Colin Holman via a birthday greeting, we suggested the possibility of his appearing at a class mini-reunion. About this he said, "Most of us from the western states have retired and can't find excuses for business trips that can help defray the costs. As we get older we tend to go south to California, Arizona, or Hawaii for R&R. Occasionally we do fly over the eastern area on a binge to Europe. Kaye and I and another couple had a fine sailing cruise in the Adriatic on a bare-boat charter the year before Yugoslavia split up. We flew to London and took the Orient Express to Venice, from where we flew to Split. We just made it in time."

In response to a birthday card Mike Ellis says, "I suppose almost every one in the class is 75 these days, but for me it was an individual event which somehow acquired a special meaning without being depressing. The whole family, nine of us, met in New York for the weekend. We saw several shows, visited some wonderful restaurants, had a party, and in general had a great time. I'll try again when I'm 80 and have no doubt that I'll make it."

In unfinished business, Cornie Miller sent us a listing of the '96 football players in Hanover this fall, and we note that Greg Channell of Snellville, Ga., the burly linebacker whom we had mentioned in our September column as having enjoyed the "Dartmouth Experience" via the '39 contribution, was not among the freshmen who matriculated. You win some, you lose some.

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