Pat Wade Fraker
One of the pleasures of writing our column is getting re-acquainted with classmates. As you’ll recall from the Alumni Magazine Summer 2019 article, we had some interesting news from Elva Brackett Alden. In subsequent emails with Elva, I discovered that she has an exceptionally talented daughter, Carole Alden, who has won many awards as a professional artist. Carole was named the “featured artist” of the Utah Arts festival in 2006 and was asked to do a “piece” for the festival. She created a 90-foot-long dragon with 2,000 feet of steel and gossamer fabric wings. It was segmented and moved with the flow of the water. This was a temporary installation designed to float in the reflecting pool behind the main branch of the Salt Lake City Public Library. Two of her pieces, Desert Cradle, which was on exhibit at the National Museum for Women in the Arts in Washington D.C.; and Fish House are part of Utah’s permanent museum art collection. Most recently, Carole spent three weeks in New Orleans leading a community workshop building a 26-foot-long water creature created with debris left over from hurricane Katrina. Current plans include turning a 1975 motor home into a fish sculpture!
Charlotte Bourret Hart sent her “Bio in a Nutshell” or an alternative name “Maine People and Places I love.” Besides being a homemaker, mom and part-time Athletics Facilities monitor at Bowdoin College, Charlotte had a long career teaching in the Brunswick High School and Brunswick Junior High. She was a member of the Brunswick Golf Club from 1970 through 2003 and referred to herself as a “golf addict.” Charlotte’s husband died in 2004, and she now lives at 55 Orchard Road in Cumberland in her in-law apartment at the home of her daughter and son-in-law. Charlotte has two children, three grandchildren and three great grandchildren. All the families live in close proximity and get together frequently. Charlotte belongs to a book group and attends weekly meetings of her Brunswick writing group. She reminisced about trips she made with her husband when they attended his World War Two shipmate reunions in various places. Charlotte ended by saying, “I love most of all to travel around Maine – the back roads, small towns, beaches, lakes, hiking trails, mountains, the Old Port, even Freeport. (She recommends the best time to shop at L.L.Bean is 8:00 AM!)
Lois Whitcomb is living in an assisted living home called Bonaventure in Castle Rock, Colorado near to her daughter, son-in-law, and their family. Lois said, “Although I miss Maine, I have met new friends and am enjoying learning about what is for me a new part of the country.”
Jiggs Cecchini wrote that the Jiggs Open was put to bed after thirty-two years. He said, “This would have been the 35th year and we have lost over fifty-five people who have played at one time or another.” While Jiggs’ Connecticut friends play golf, he said he now visits with men who worked for him over the years, sometimes playing a final nine holes.
Nancy McGouldrick Green wrote: “I just got back from a big family reunion at our family camp, which was established in 1903 at Cathance Lake, Down East Maine. Several family members have built or bought camps in the area, thus keeping the McGouldrick-Foster family together. They went back for three weeks at their camp in August and then spent a weekend with their granddaughter, who has moved to Bangor, Nancy’s home town.
Ann Dingwell Knowles shared news of members of her family who all (but two) graduated from the UMaine Orono. Besides Ann and husband, Dr. John E. Knowles ’55, their sons John E. Knowles Jr. ’81 and James A. Knowles ’82 and their respective wives, Susan Wood Knowles ’83 and Marianne Pratt Knowles ’82 all attended Orono. Another son Andrew Edward attended the University of Maine in Portland. I don’t want to leave out Ann and John’s daughter, Laurie Knowles Herron, despite the fact that she chose a different educational institution. She attended art schools, currently publishes the magazine Bethel Living and has recently been hired to write a magazine for the town of Nahant, Massachusetts. Because of two strokes, Ann’s husband is residing at the Coastal Manor in Yarmouth in order to have physical therapy. The address is 20 W. Main Street, Yarmouth, ME 04096 in case you would like to write John or stop by to see him. Ann said he enjoys having company.
The memorial service for Connie Doe Leslie on Sunday, July 14, 2019, was comforting and heart-warming. She had a close and loving family and a remarkable life spending much of her time helping others. Seven UMO friends were able to attend: Bud and Jan Nolan, Judy Carroll Stockbridge and her husband Joe ’55, Jane Farwell Russell, Marge Mackinnon McGrath, Sandy Daley Denman, and Pat Wade Fraker. Judy said that she and Connie were roommates at Balentine Hall for two years, and she’ll always miss her, as we all will.
The University of Maine Gals group gathered for lunch at the Muddy Rudder in Yarmouth on Friday, May 24, 2019. Despite the smaller-than-usual attendance due to the Memorial Day Weekend, those of us in attendance had a good time visiting and catching up on each other’s lives. In attendance were Gail Rae Carter ‘60, Rae Clark-McGrath ’58, ‘70G, Sandra Daley Denman, Pat Wade Fraker, Claudie Halle Higgins, Jane Pomroy Jacobson ’58, Ann Dingwell Knowles, Connie Atherton Martin ‘60, Jean Partridge Mason ‘58, Roberta Wyer Morrill ‘58, Jan Higgins Nolan, Dru Nesbit Pedro, Betty Boyson Tacy ’58, and Meg Thompson Villarreal ‘61.
Mary Louise Cook “Cookie” Abell shared the following news: “Paul and I have always enjoyed travelling, but now limit ourselves to short trips in the good ole USA. Following the activities of our family and our granddaughters are special to us. Our oldest granddaughter, Cameron, will be a senior at UVM (University of Vermont) in the fall and has been active in student government. Devon will be a sophomore at St. John’s University in Queen’s New York with a soccer scholarship. We are now big fans of watching her soccer games. Our family planned a special weekend in April at the Woodstock Inn in Vermont to celebrate our 60th wedding anniversary.”
Congratulations on your 60th anniversary, Cookie!
In an email Janet Malcolm Buck mentioned that four of her high school classmates passed away last winter, among them Norm Gosline ’57. His widow Shirline Health Hoch ’61 has moved to the Highlands in Topsham. In March the Bucks celebrated the birthdays of seven family members all born in that month. The oldest member of the birthday group was husband Bob at 91 and the youngest was Jake at 23.
Judy Carroll Stockbridge is looking forward to having their daughter, Marylee, and her husband Dave visit them from Fairbanks, Alaska.
Thanks to Abby Zelz at the Alumni office for passing along the news of John C. Bridge ’63G, who died on Tuesday, April 30, 2019. He was a member of Beta Theta Pi fraternity and participated in theatre (Maine Masque) as a student. He was also on UMaine’s tennis team and ran cross country. He received a master’s in civil engineering at UMaine and received a Black Bear Award in 1997. He was a former Augusta mayor, city councilor, businessman and philanthropist. A funny story that John recorded on a reunion form mentioned climbing into the window of the gym at night and challenging a friend to a race in the dark. John ran into a hurdle that was set up for races and had the wind knocked out of him. He said his friend thought he was dead. He ended with, “Never tried that again!” To read the obituary, go to Lagacy.com; click Find an Obituary. Fill in the information: John Bridge, USA, Maine, Augusta, past year.
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