Diane Ingalls Zito
24 South Hills Drive
Bedford, NH 03110
bluewatersailors@comcast.net
www.facebook.com/groups/UMaineClass1962/
Beautiful sunny, warm days greeted more than 50 classmates and their guests to our 55th Reunion. Spectacular weather left us with wonderful memories of oceanside lunches, scenic rides through Acadia National Park, and a sunset cruise on Frenchman Bay at the pre-Reunion activities in Bar Harbor.
Highlights on campus included the alumni dinner and our class meeting, auction, and Time of
Remembrance. A list of more than 100 classmates who have passed away in the years since our 50th Reunion was read aloud and remembered in song, scripture, and poetry. Once again, Pat Smith Ranzoni ’76G added so much meaning to the event by reading one of her poems: “Staying September,” which begins: “The air is made of missing spaces where you were…”
At the class meeting, your executive committee was re-elected for another five years: president, Millie Simpson Stewart; vice president, Larry Libby; secretary, Diane Ingalls Zito; treasurer, Sue McNeary Billings; class agent, Gary Cran ’63; and technology administrator Don Ouellette. The highlight of our meeting was the presentation of the Black Bear Award to Millie by John Diamond ’77, ’89G, president of the UMaine Alumni Association. We all thank Millie for her devotion and loyalty to the university, and especially for keeping our class spirit alive and enthusiastic. After the meeting we held another successful class auction and raised $1,700 for the Val Beck Sterritt Scholarship.
News from Reunion and my Christmas mailbox: In July, North Country Press published Pat Ranzoni’s anthology Still Mill: Poems, Stories & Songs of Making Paper in Bucksport, Maine 1930-2014. This two-year project of love was inspired by the closing of the mills in 2014. Proceeds from the sale of Pat’s book go to the Bucksport Historical Society.
Ingrid Bain LaRochelle traveled to Reunion from Texas, accompanied by her daughter, Heidi, who gave our class a nice youthful appearance. Ann Adjutant ’66G continues her birding adventures. Last year Ann traveled to Cuba. She planned to spend part of February in Peru at the headwaters of the Amazon. Ann’s beautiful photos of exotic birds were a hit at the auction. Nellie Gushee Hedstrom ’66G now lives in Naples, FL, and is glad to report that she survived Hurricane Irma unscathed. However, she did spend many volunteer hours helping others who were victims of the disaster. Ginny Dyer Bousum is still teaching skiing at Sugarloaf. No signs of retirement in the near future for her. Carol Hall Nichols did a zip-line last summer. She reported that it was scary, but enjoyable.
Jean Britton O’Brien loves spending time in Pemaquid Harbor from May until September, “swimming, walking, and laughing the days away.” In May Kay Fraser traveled to Scotland to hike the 96-mile West Highland Way. The trek took nine and a half days across highlands and lowlands, through woodlands, farms, and villages. “The scenery was magnificent, and the fun-loving Scots are the friendliest, most genuinely helpful people one could ever encounter.” While Alice McKiel Hyerstay and husband, Dale, still spend many summer days sailing, Alice reports that she is keeping busy through the winter months with two exercise classes and bridge lessons.
Eli Karter ’68 Ph.D. attended Reunion with his friend, Susan. Eli reported that his summer included a trip to Tuscany and Lake Como, the annual July family reunion in Phippsburg, and the birth of his 13th grandchild, Josie, in August. Jeff and Pegs Boothby Lyon traveled to Maine several times this summer, to visit relatives as well as to attend the Reunion.
One trip was to celebrate Pegs’ Mom’s 102nd birthday! Jeff told me that his mother-in-law is the oldest living alumna from Gorham State (University of Southern Maine). What an inspiration!
I urge all of you to keep updated with classmates through our Facebook page at the UMaine Alumni website. And, if you have lost touch with a classmate and are interested in reconnecting, contact either Millie or me. If we have the updated address for your friend, we will forward your information to them.
Wishing you all a wonderful, healthy spring and summer!