‘Formula’ for Success

eading, keeping my body in shape and getting
together with good friends. I also travel to visit
family from coast to coast. Amy, now almost 54,
lives in Nyack, NY and is married with two
fabulous children adopted from Kazakhstan.
Her husband, Dan, is a guidance counselor at an
international alternative high school in Long Island
City. Amy works from her home as a consultant in
nonprofit administration. Gyul'nara, 14, lives for
theater. This spring, she’ll be in the ensemble of an
adult community theater production of Steven
Sondheim’s “Assassins.” I'll visit and attend a
performance in mid-May. Dias, nearly 11, is a
great kid and loving playing the viola, among other
interests. Both of them are avid readers. My son
has been a researcher at Microsoft in Seattle for
15 years. His wife, Abby, is in career transition.
They have three grown children. The twins, Alex
and Zack, are 23. Zack has been living in Istanbul
for 3 1/2 years, obtained his Master of Arts Degree
in Modern Turkish History there and is a lecturer
at an English language university there. Alex lives in
Washington, D.C. and is planning to start law
school in 2011. Keri, 21, graduated from New York
University in December and will go to China in
July with the Peace Corps to teach English in a
high school. I sound like a bragging grandmother,
but isn’t that what grandparents do?
1952
Prentiss Carnell
7 Autumn Lane
West Sand Lake, NY 12196
pcarnell@nycap.rr.com
AA’52: HEATH TWICHELL returned to campus
in April as part of the 2009-2010 Alumni/ae
Speaker Series. He spent two days in classrooms,
talking to faculty and students about his experiences
in uniform. Many members from the Class of 1952
(pictured below) were in the audience for the grand
finale in Caird Chapel: Heath’s program titled
“Some of my Heroes,” where Heath expressed his
admiration for the triumphs of JIM CAIRD, RAY
CASTELLANI and DICK BEAMISH.
1953
Judy Tischler Rogers
PO Box 1096
375 Wylerhorn Drive
Crestline, CA 92325
vjamesjudith@netscape.net
1954
Daniel H. Cook
4212 Robin Hood Road
Jacksonville, FL 32210-5827
acrookedcook@yahoo.com
AA’54: LEW “RUSTY HERBSMAN” SANDLER
was found (thanks, PAUL GOETZ) in Dallas, TX,
972-991-4747. Lew’s son, Derek, practices law
with him at The Sandler Law Firm. Lew has become
a fly-fishing junkie and travels the world. He
dropped the “Rusty” and lost most of his hair after
law school. He and his wife, Willy (from the
Netherlands), plan to attend our 56th reunion.
From the medical profession; ALTON STEINER
is still practicing endocrinology in Houston, TX and
swimming for exercise. He and Emily make an
annual pilgrimage to the northeast in the summer.
Though they’ll miss this June, they have committed
to the 60th reunion.
TOM MOSHER retired from practice and is
enjoying his free time at the beach, reconnecting
with tennis and exploring new opportunities. He
and Heide were silent about June 26.
Melba and PETE TACY are (intelligently)
spending the winter (and money) in sunny and
cold Florida. They planned to come back in April.
They missed the 55th reunion but are looking
forward to the 56th reunion.
Sherrill and RUSS STEVENSON started a new
church (www.riverchurchsouth.org) in Gonzalez,
LA. Many in the congregation relocated there after
Katrina. They claim 21 grandchildren!
Speaking of grandchildren, Jean and KING
WILSON celebrated their 50th wedding
anniversary last year. Pictured above is their
immediate family, which includes 37 members!
I’m not sure who they all are, but with nine
children plus spouses and grandchildren, it adds
up very quickly.
Anita and BILL CORRIGAN also celebrated 50
years of wedded bliss by touring the Canadian
Rockies. Bill retired from Brown University and
stays busy with his volunteer commitments.
I had a great conversation with FRED BAUER
about life, times and our class. He and Clair will try
to join us in June if they can get from Newburgh
to Crooked Lake (driving is a problem).
If Carolyn and JACK DAMRATH and Mary and
TOM PITKIEWICZ attend, Fred is a lock. I called
Jack, who advised me that it was 20 degrees below
in Colorado. He’s still building railroads and trying
to stay warm. He accepted Fred’s challenge and
they will try to come east in June. I called Tom and
had a long chat with Mary (Tom was out).
ROSS COOK seems to find reasons to avoid our
reunions. He also may need encouragement. He and
Rachel are surviving the winter in Winchester, MA.
Speaking of Winchester, Jack is still in CA,
vacations in Puerto Rico, retired and very active in
youth sports while his AA close friend, ALFIE
MUELLER, resides on the opposite coast in Maine.
I called Alfie and spoke with Sue (Alfie was out
shoveling snow). Like many of us, retired and
volunteering.
BOB SALZER is still on Cape Cod and is the
primary caretaker for his wife, Mary, who suffers
from Alzheimer’s. He doesn’t get out much, but
will try to join us in June.
BURRILL BURKE recovered from last June’s
illness. He assured me that Tina will bring double
cheesecake this June. Your class agent was again
able to finish the Goofy Challenge (39 miles) at
Disney this year. He and Ann Sheila will head north
when the ice melts.
Kimmey Carnell Decker
P.O. Box 1179
Saranac Lake, NY 12983
tealeafmom@aol.com
1955
E. Wayne Harbinger
478 W. Lawrence Street
Albany, NY 12208
jharbinger@hotmail.com
AA’55: I am continually amazed by the memories
of classmates, especially those not heard from for
45-55 years. Even these members express very
strong beliefs in education, arts, discipline (Battalion)
and athletic programs that we enjoyed and shared,
no matter their number of years at the Academy.
EVERETT FELSON now lives in Albany now
and I spent more than an hour talking on the
phone with him in December 2009.
During the past five years, I have seen DICK
ROBB and WHELDON JENKINS at the annual July
reunion of Schenectady classmates at JOHN
LANG’S camp on Lake George. I was invited five
years ago and only missed one year. It is a great
“fraternity” get-together. JIM SEARS, JOHN TITUS
and I were among the non-Schenectady members
invited to attend last summer. John was in the area
in July. Jim also has a camp on the lake and has
attended for many years. Jim writes, “Elsa and I
continue to split our time between California and
Lake George and still enjoy our annual drives cross
country with our “boys,” Ruffy (PWD, now called
the Obama dog) and Wally (Std. Poodle). The
grandchildren are doing well. We have one college
graduate with two more graduating this year and
two juniors and a freshman in the pipeline. Most
exciting is our two year old great-granddaughter,
Natalie, and we expect two more of these joys
this summer. Elsa has become the bionic woman
with seven major joint operations (five hips, a
shoulder and an ankle). She still enjoys her clubs
and traveling. We celebrate our 55th anniversary
this summer. I am still doing some work for the
military health system as we struggle to find ways
to help the Wounded Warriors and their families,
especially those with stress and traumatic brain
injuries. We spent the year looking forward to our
55th reunion in May.”
Spring/Summer 2010 19