Diane Ingalls Zito
Hello all! First and most importantly, I hope that all of you are safe and healthy. As you know we have had to postpone our 80th summer Birthday Party until August of 2021 due to COVID-19. While this is disappointing, the health and wellbeing of classmates is the most important consideration of your executive board.
Now to the news: Eli Karter’s Christmas letter introduced us to his namesake and 14th grandchild, Elias, born last August. Eli also wrote that he and Susan enjoyed an active year filled with travels. Besides spending summers in Maine and winters in Florida, the couple vacationed in the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, and Prince Edward Island. To top it off they spent the bulk of September in Scotland“ canal barging, fly fishing, and sampling wee drams.” Gale Brewer’s Christmas card relayed news of the lovely cruise that she and sister, Joyce, took through the Panama Canal last autumn.
Steve DeWick wrote that he and his wife, Gladys ’76, and their family celebrated Christmas at the family farm on Phipps Point in Woolwich. The farm has been in his family since 1903. Steve also mentioned the strong ties his entire family has to UMaine. His parents were members of the Class of ’37. Steve and Gladys’ children are also UMaine graduates: daughter, Catherine DeWick Johnson ’88 and son, Jonathan ’93. And presently, the DeWicks have two granddaughters in the Maine system, one at USM and another at UM at Fort Kent. Talk about Black Bear pride!
Florida news: After retirement, Linda Thomas and her husband moved from Eau Claire, WI, to The Villages. However, true to their Maine roots, they spend summers in Maine on Panther Pond in Raymond. Sue Merrill Blaisdell ’64G is now also living in Florida, but also is back in the Pine Tree State during the summer at her Lakewood cottage. For the past two winters Sue has attended the Alumni Black Bear Road Trip event at a Fort Myers Red Sox game. I know that some other classmates also attend this spring training event as well. What an opportunity for UMaine grads to get together! Kendall and Linda MacDonald Hunnewell also spend several weeks each summer on the Maine lakes. While still living in New Jersey, the Hunnewells spend most of the winter enjoying Florida weather and the social scene with many former New Jersey friends who have made the permanent move south.
From Texas: Jon Forbes and his wife, Linda, spend a few months each year at their Little Sebago Lake summer residence. The Forbeses are retired and live just outside Austin. Jon spent most of his working career in the aviation world as an engineer, naval aviator, and executive. He credits his success in the field to the engineering skills he received at UMaine. Ingrid Bain LaRochelle writes that she and husband, Dewey, love to travel with their daughters and grandchildren. In May 2019 they vacationed in Spain, France, and Italy. Ingrid also enjoys a trip to New York City with her daughters every five years, taking in shows and shopping. Some of you may remember meeting Ingrid’s daughter, Heidi, at our 55th.
I end this column with a message on behalf of your class executive board: “We wish you all a very healthy, safe, and happy summer.