Ruth Holland Walsh
186 Jerry Browne Road
Apartment 1112
Mystic, CT 06355
(860) 536-6265
This class column was composed and sent to Orono in mid-July for what will undoubtedly be an early fall mailing. It will be about that time that our campus will be ablaze with the lush colors of a New England fall and football fans will be heading to our expansive football stadium to cheer on the Maine Bears — and we remember when!
Members of our Class of 1950 will be on campus celebrating the 68th Reunion of our fine class midst the excitement of fall events. It is planned that we shall meet September 13 and 14 at the Buchanan Alumni House, where many of our activities will be held. Prexy Henry Saunders and our class officers and Executive Committee look forward to greeting one and all — so please be on the lookout for a schedule of our activities. Treasurer and resident chaplain Alton “Hoppy” Hopkins will conduct our annual memorial service in honor of deceased classmates who have died this past year since our last Reunion in 2017. The service is conducted with the assistance of the University of Maine ROTC Color Guard and it is at that time that we traditionally remember members of our class and offer a toast to classmates at the Class of 1950 Lounge on the second floor of the alumni house. Lester Nadeau ’59 will play “Taps” for us all — as we honor and remember!
Hoppy and Dottie Lord Hopkins have moved to a new home: 10 Allds Street, Apartment 415, Nashua, NH 03060. Their phone number is 603-889-8766.
The class continues to award the Class of 1950 Scholarship, with last year’s grants totaling $2,276 distributed to five heirs of classmates, at $550 per recipient. We are mighty proud of the scholarship that we continue to award to our recipients.
I hope you are planning to join us for Reunion 2018 — and participate in all of our activities including the class meeting, a tour of the campus, the Emera Astronomy Center, the renovated Field House, and so much more! We did receive a great note from Geri Lamb Kenneally, who lives in Avon Park, FL, and plans to come to Reunion this fall. She noted that at 92, she still golfs and bowls as well as swims and bikes on her three-wheeler. She is “geared to go” and hopes that a good friend and companion will accompany her on the trip to Maine. Geri lives at 2801 South Crystal Lake Drive in Avon Park 33825.
Our class president Henry Saunders turned the magic age of 90 in June — and continues to be VERY active and involved in Maine as well as at his “summer” home in Florida. He and Karen Marie hosted a wonder-filled birthday celebration in June at their home at Sebago Lake — with many family members as well as friends galore to share in the gala and happy activities.
We received an interesting clipping from The York Weekly in April, noting that our President Emeritus Maggie Mollison McIntosh has recently retired as town treasurer of York after some 28 years of work for and with the town — and was a “cracker-jack” at her job. Am sure she is sorely missed.
Betty Friedler Wexler, who lives in Storrs, CT, reported that she had great visits with Ginny Kennedy Nickless, who lives in Waterville, and Martha Fogler Hobbs, who lives in Bar Harbor. All are doing VERY well and stay active and involved in their communities.
That is about all the news for this time. Please drop me a line to let me know how all is in your neck of the woods. It is still hard to believe that we have been alumni for some 68 years. Where does the time go?