1958

The retirements keep coming. After 38 years with Welch Allyn, the last 21 as president and CEO, Bill Allyn retired on his 65 th birthday in December. He started working for the firm during his high school days and joined it on a full-time basis after concluding his stint as a Coast Guard officer in 1962. During Bill's years as president, the company made a number of acquisitions around the world and now produces in New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, California, Germany and Ireland, in addition to Bill's hometown of Skaneateles, New York. He says he will keep busy with the number of businesses and civic organizations he is part of and the "honey do list" Janet has awaiting him.

The Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority has announced that its executive director David Rice is retiring on April l. Dave has been with the City of Norfolk and NRHA for 38 years and first went to the city in as a naval officer in 1958. He joined NRHA as director of planning and engineering after holding several key planning positions for the city. During his tenure Dave guided the development of Norfolk's landmark commercial projects including the Waterside Festival Marketplace, Mac Arthur Center and several higher education campus projects. In 1991 the Urban Land Institute recognized Norfolk's residential project, Ghent Square, as the nation's best large-scale residential development. The NRHA board chairman stated that, "Dave's leadership is recognized locally for uplifting the lives of lower income Norfolk citizens through innovative NRHA housing projects and nationally for progressive urban planning."

Retired, but obviously not retiring, is Dave Cassidy, who was in this year's edition of the Canadian Ski Marathon's Coureurs de Bois (French for "wood runners"). It was Dave's third time in this 100-mile, two-day event. The first time he covered the distance and was awarded a bronze. He finished at the silver medal level in 2000 carrying a 12-pound backpack and enough water and food to get him through each day. He stayed overnight indoors at the halfway point. This year Dave carried a 12-pound backpack and provisions and the gear necessary to bivouac outdoors between the two 50-mile legs through the Ottawa River Valley from Montreal to Ottawa. Ferocious winds the night before and morning of the first day caused that leg to be cancelled, but Dave completed the 50-mile leg on the second day and reached the gold medal level.

Vantage Press has published a medical mystery entitled Seeds for All Seasons by our own Al Gazzaniga. It is available from Amazon.com or through your local Barnes & Noble.

For early planners, there will be some changes in our fall mini-reunion scheduled for October 19-21. We will not have rooms at the Alden Inn in Lyme. Joe Jacquet has arranged for a group of 15 rooms to be held at the Fireside Inn located in West Lebanon, just off Exit 20 on Interstate 89 north. Since that is still a busy time for "leaf peepers" you would do well to call (603) 298-5900 and mention you are with the '58 mini-reunion.

4 Willow Spring Circle, Hanover,NH 03755; ralph.n.manuel@valley.net