2016 Postings

December 26, 2016 - The selfie craze in front of Trump Tower

We asked Don if he was near the Trump tower.

Don writes "Our global leader's NY abode is at the corner of Fifth Avenue and 57th. We are between 62 Street and 63 Street on Park Avenue. They have enough police and barricades around his building that we quickly learned to give them an extra corridor and steer clear. We are amazed/amused to see how many people are gathered around his location to take selfies with the building."

October 30, 2016 - Marilyn Louise Cronk Puckett Obituary from the Reno Gazette-Journal

Marilyn Louise Cronk Puckett, 76, resident of Reno Nevada passed away November 9, 2015
surrounded by her family. She was born April 1, 1939 in Chappaqua New York to the late
Alfred and Dorothy Cronk. She was preceded in death by her sister Pamela Cronk Kluwe of
Keen New York and her beloved husband Gordon Lyle Puckett of Hickory Plains Arkansas. She
is survived by her daughter Melanie Lynn Puckett Noel and son in law Bryan O Noel.

Marilyn developed a passion for traveling early in her life which led her to a career as a flight
attendant for United Airlines for over 40 yrs. After her retirement she was able to continue
her love of traveling and explored every corner of the world this time via the world's oceans
and rivers. She was also fortunate to be able to indulge in her love of Neil Diamond music
and traveled the US and the world going to dozens of concerts over the years. Marilyn's
enthusiasm for life will be remembered forever.

Editors Note: Richard Preiss told us of Marilyn Death and we asked if he knew where she had died. His reply below -

"Marilyn (Cronk) Puckett had 2 addresses; one on Hodge, St. in Reno, NV, and the other in St. Croix where her daughter was living at the time. Most likely she was in Reno when she died. For more information you could contact Jane (Eller) Schmidt. They kept in contact fairly often because I think Jane has a Married daughter and grandchildren living in Reno. Marilyn, Jane, and I kept in contact following the 40th reunion.

You may recall that Marilyn had been a United Airline Flight Attendant since the advent of the jet age. She met a 747 pilot and flew all over the world with him many times. Eventually they were married. She chose Reno as a "base" because of the many easy connections to her flights. I remember that she visited here a couple of times and complained that she couldn't find a convenient United flight back to Reno and had to pay $40 for a ride on another airline (poor baby). Even "dead-heading" is expensive these days".

July 16, 2016 - Garden Deer Problems on Corkums Island (Bill)
Deer have always been a problem for gardens on Corkums Island. The island is only a couple of hundred acres in size but always hosts an ever hungry deer population of 8 to 20 heads.

They show up at any time of day and eat whatever they fancy. At this time they were eating clover in the grass which wasn't planted but seemed to start by itself.

One recent morning a doe dropped off her new born fawn in the middle of our herb garden. She left it there for 8 hours before coming back to pick it up.

We had three flowering window boxes which seemed to be safe because ten feet of wooden deck separated them from the lawn.

But the deer crossed the deck and ate everything colourful with leaves. The boxes were replanted with marigolds which are less appealing to deer.

Our neighbor's vegetable garden is protected by a flimsy six foot mesh fence. Its life is just a mater of time as deer can easily clear eight feet.

We do have some foxgloves which are never eaten by deer. Foxgloves contain digitalis, a potent chemical affecting the heart and fatal to deer.

March 27, 2016 - Bill Sends photos of Lunenburg from 2014

Sunset (center of town)

Moonrise (east end of town)

February 1, 2016 - Pat (Kinney) Walsh sends us a note

Hi Bill, You may certainly add my email address to the "Roll Call" page, and I am still at the same address in Newtown Square. My husband, Tony, died of sudden cardiac arrest three years ago, so it has been quite an adjustment after 51 years of a good married life. I am keeping busy with volunteer work, bridge, golf, gardening, etc., and not quite ready to move. My daughter and her family have moved to Florida, near Jacksonville, so I can always head South (and frequently do) to warm up! Hope all is well with you. Your snow pictures definitely put our recent "blizzard" in proportion! Pat

Tony's Obituary

Anthony Leonard Walsh, age 74, of Newtown Square, PA passed away suddenly on January 14, 2013. Beloved husband of Patricia K. (nee Kinney) Walsh, loving father of Mary Elizabeth Walsh Moore (Michael A.), and loving "Jiggs" to his grandchildren Margaret Christine and Milo Edward Moore. Also survived by his brothers, Emmet M. and Dennis H. Walsh. Relatives and friends are invited to his Visitation Sat., 9 to 10:30 A.M., St. John Neumann Church, 380 Highland Ave., Bryn Mawr PA followed by his Funeral Mass at 10:30 A.M. Interment private. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Tony's name may be made to Our Mother of Sorrows Out-reach, 1030 N. 48th St., Phila. PA.

Pat & Tony, daugter Mary, Mary's husband Michael,
grand children Maggie & Milo

January 22, 2016 - Don, Cynthia, and Elephants

During the summer of 2015 Don & Cynthia traveled to Botswana
to ride elephants, eat interesting food cooked on open fires,
avoid large flying insects with pincers, and sleep in tents.

Photo below - Don closely inspecting Ellies as he
considers the possibility of bringing her back to
Vermont and all the alterations to the
property that he would have to make.

January 17, 2016 - Update from Tim & Anne

After 76 years (Anne) and 69 years (Tim) of living in Westchester and Fairfield Counties (except for four years in the 1980s of living in London kindness of IBM), the Mygatts moved to Port St. Lucie, FL in August 2015.

After giving Habitat for Humanity and Goodwill half of our possessions ( the kids don't use much formal china these days) we now can fit both cars in the garage and walk around the house without tripping over moving boxes.

Anne had a successful back operation in 2014 and we both are enjoying golf, tennis, 5K races (walks in Tim's case), hiking, kayaking, personal trainers and pilates at Gold's Gym, ocean swimming all year long, exploring new places all around us and as the Winter approaches entertaining friends we never knew we had from the NE.

Son Craig and family live in Coral Springs, FL, about 1 hr and 10 min. away .Other son's and families live in Chicago (Bruce) and Baltimore (Walker). Both like to visit FL so we hope to see them from time to time. This has truly been a change of pace for us and so far has been most enjoyable.

We just have to get Anne back to Colorado in the Summers and all will be ok. If any of our classmates are traveling through the east coast of FL, send us an email. We would love to see you.

Tim and Anne Mygatt

Photo above - with son Craig's family at Shuckers

Braden, Tim, Anne, Marla, Taylor. Marla is son Craig's wife.
Braden and Taylor are Craig and Marla's kids, our grandchildren

Jan 10, 2016 - A belated obituary

David Banks Benedict of Wilmot, NH passed away in NH on February 4, 2015 at the age of 75. He was born September 8, 1939 in Charleston, West Virginia to Helen Winifred Thornhill and Donald Banks Benedict. His family moved to Chappaqua, N.Y. where David attended Horace Greeley High School for which he played football and basketball. He graduated from Lehigh University with a dual BA/ BS degree. Highlights of his college years included playing varsity basketball and engaging in the many and varied activities of Theta Delta Chi.

After graduating, David was commissioned into the Marine Corps and was stationed for a period of time in Japan which he loved and which had a lasting influence on his life. He returned with the rank of Captain to civilian life where he entered the world of business, ultimately working in the area of corporate bond marketing.

In February of 2015, David lost a long and courageous battle with cancer, leaving partner-in-life, Pamela Benedict, and five children: Kenneth, David and Julia Benedict and Christopher and Jennifer Greenwood. He also leaves two grandchildren, Nicholas and Allison Benedict, a brother, Robert Benedict and two sisters, Jane Jackson and Helen Benedict.

After retirement, David moved to Wilmot, NH where he was able to indulge his love of gardening, golfing, and hiking, achieving his goal of climbing all of the peaks over 4,000 feet in The White Mountains. He was also able to enjoy traveling, with a special fondness for Italy.

In recent years, David adopted a Buddhist philosophy which brought him peace of mind, expanded his friendships, and enriched his life. David was a loving father and brother whose happiest times were when he was surrounded by family.