As I write this column the campus is preparing for Senior Alumni Reunion and football. Dorothy Hutchins Curtis, Etta Libby Davenport, Jane Petherbridge Ives, Larry Schiner ’62G, and Barbara ’61H will attend. Larry as well as Don Sturgeon ’64G, Wayne Champeon, andBob Morin will be inducted into the UMaine Sports Hall of Fame as recognition of their accomplishments on the 1959-60 men’s basketball team. It’s been an interesting year for Bob and wife, Judy, who went on a Mediterranean cruise with their son and granddaughter. The trip took them to Rome, Greece, and Turkey with highlights being the Vatican and Colosseum.
Another class traveler was Mary Irving Fantucchio, who cruised to the Mediterranean with friends and family. The highlights of Mary’s trip were Barcelona, southern France, and, once again, Italy. Not to be outdone, Larry and Barbara Schiner saw the Doobie Brothers in Savannah! Larry said they weren’t as good as the Kingston Trio. Ah, college memories!
The University of Maine Foundation announced the initiation of a scholarship to support the education of Washington County teachers funded by Peter and Gail McLain Berry. Gail and her two sisters all majored in education. Gail commented that teaching is a noble profession, critical to our country.
Had a nice note from Kay Allen about the senior pet home and hospice she and her roommate, Shannon, run in Dripping Springs, TX. Kay wrote, “we have always rescued dogs and cats from shelters. In 2018 we decided to create a non-profit to help support senior and medically fragile pets. We learned that these were often abandoned because their owners didn’t have the resources to keep them safe and healthy.” She continued to explain that they live on a 10-acre property and can handle multiple dogs and cats. They usually have eight to 10 dogs and cats at a time. The name of the facility is K&S Senior Pet Furever Home and Hospice. This is a legitimate charity.
You can learn more by emailing Kay at: Kallen9391@gmail.com or visiting their Facebook page: facebook.com/KSSeniorPets/.
Meg Thompson Villarreal met up with Ron Drogin at the Deering High School, Portland, class reunion. Ron is enjoying summers at Wells Beach and winters in Florida. Meg, as class president, is searching for mini reunion places for us in the next few years. She has asked Anne Wescott Dodd ’82 CAS, ’94 Ph.D. to lend a hand looking for possible locations and welcomes any ideas from classmates. They want to coordinate around the Senior Alumni gathering or Homecoming in the next year or so.
As for me, I accompanied my daughter, Gingee, to her West Point reunion in October. She needed me to ride shotgun from Alexandria, VA, to New York since we had my little 11-month-old granddaughter, Lili, with us. I’m new to this grandmother stuff and whew — at this age it will either keep me young or kill me. We waited a long time for this baby. Up to this time all I had were granddogs. Earlier in the fall, Gingee retired after 31 years in the army. At the ceremony I was recognized as a family member who supported the Military Police mission. This Air Force vet was surprised and humbled.
If you aren’t getting my class update messages, please forward me your email address. And remember to continue to email me your news and photos. Our photo album is at UMaineAlumni.com, class notes, class pages, 1961, scroll to photo album. It’s a lot of fun to look back over the years that we have been assembling our album. Let’s keep it going.