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Who of us, way back in 1956, could even have imagined the big NINE-OH—a 90th birthday!—especially our own?But now it has (or will) come! I suspect that most of us survivors are thankfully—and gratefully—taking it in stride. But before we celebrate, we must remember those who are no longer with us.  

But for now, Larry Tremper reports: “I celebrated my 90th on the 11th” (that’s 7/11!) “with my family in Virginia—including a two-month-old second great-granddaughter. Unfortunately, Flo is having complications from her accident, so I have become the caretaker, but I don’t do everything right. Say a prayer for her.

“I’d been playing golf until it got too hot. However, I can’t bend to put the tee into the ground, but I’m not hitting the ball much worse.”

Larry wondered, “How many of us are left?” I’m sorry to say that I don’t know.

Donald Gerardi “reached the significant marker in June. Just another reminder of the cliché time flies. After graduate school at Columbia, where I got a PhD in history, I remained in New York as a professor of history and religious studies at Brooklyn College, City University of New York. They were years of profound changes in academic and urban life. Since retiring about two decades ago, I’ve done a good deal of traveling. Berlin has become a home away from home—not surprising since I was a quite active member of the German Club on campus. I’m now completing a retirement project, The Rector of Trinity Church: Morgan Dix and the Challenge of Urban Ministry in 19th Century New York. Getting it published is the next hurdle.”

From Douglas Northrop: “I spent a couple of seasons playing basketball with Andy Milewski and was lifelong friends with Dick Boyden. It is sad to lose such friends, relatives, colleagues, or classmates. Even sadder in some ways is to know some of the brightest guys are suffering various forms of dementia. Meanwhile, Al Haas and I muddle on—not the brightest of the class, but maybe the youngest. I remember going for my scholarship interview at the tender age of 16 and being noticeably immature. 
            “The good news is that a colleague at Ripon College, where we taught, is going to be 95 in September, and to celebrate his birthday, the play reading group we belong to is going to perform—texts in hand—Twelfth Night so he can be Malvolio, a role he always wished for. So, even if we can’t remember our lines, we can still have fun together. And in October I will offer an adult seminar up in Door County on Cinematic Sherlocks, following my last year’s seminar on Cinematic Cinderellas.”

The news from Al Haas is that he is finally retiring after a satisfying career as a math teacher, high school principal, human resource director, and—for the past 40 years—an independent educational consultant. The transition was announced on his web site: www.educationalfutures.com. If you would like to learn more about what Al has been up to and meet the new team, you can Google “educational futures” online.

From Jim Wagner: “On July 22, Betty and I celebrated the first birthday of our fifth grandchild, born to our daughter, Carmen. Two of our sons will drive us to Harrisonburg, Virginia, to celebrate [Betty’s] 60th high school class reunion. We have given up that skill. And on August 9, we will be celebrating our 55th wedding anniversary.”

Jim Jekel adds: “I don’t think I have anything newsworthy, but as an update, I am trying to keep my memory strong enough to remember the names of four children plus spouses, eight grandchildren plus spouses, and thirteen great-grandchildren (no spouses yet). That seems to be as hard now as remembering human anatomy was back in 1957. The good news is that their activities are fun to hear about and sometimes observe. Right now I am trying to discard scads of paper, to save my heirs the task. That helps to keep my mind off the crazy world news of the moment.” 

Mort Paterson is “Still kickin’—at age 90. Even on stage, as a bigoted senator in The Alabama Story. A wordy role—let’s hope I can learn by September. It plays at Old Academy Players, the amateur theater here in Philly where Grace Kelly got her start.  

 “Travel these days is a challenge. Did I forget my pills? Where’s my boarding pass? How do I put on airplane mode? Terminal what? Fortunately, my wife, Susan, saves the day as travel agent and computer techie. Last year we managed a trip to Paris with side [trips] to Mont St. Michel and Chamonix. Thankful to be able to do it.   

 “Can’t shake that old ‘achievement motive’ I learned about at Wesleyan: I hope to put a video on YouTube next month about the ‘right way’ to speak Shakespeare’s verse. My sons say I’ve ‘gotta get it out there.’”

George: Far be it for me to indulge in one-upmanship, but on July 30, Ann and I celebrated our 64 years of wedded bliss. By the way, I don’t drive, but Ann still does.

GEORGE CHIEN | george.d.chien@gmail.com