Nuptials: Bob Hickox and Marge Terhaar tied the knot in May. Is that even legal at our age? Surely there’s some diminished capacity when one can’t even remember if he washed his hair while he’s still standing in the shower. How can a person who wore paisley-patterned shirts and bellbottom pants in this lifetime be considered capable of making any kind of long-term commitment. Despite these glaring facts, it appears no states have put an age limit on marriage because Mike Rosebush and his partner Reginald (Reggie) also recently took their wedding vows in Monument, CO. So be it. Here’s a toast to a lifetime of happiness to these couples, and any other classmates who take holy vows at this unholy age.
The 2023 Hacker Classic: This year’s Hacker Classic was hosted by Brian Duffy in Houston, TX. You may have noticed the Classic never occurs in the same place twice. There’s a reason for that. Given the atrocities the group inflicts on the game of golf and humanity in general, the group is never invited to return. Some participants even have to wait until the statute of limitations on various crimes is up before they can return to a given state. This year Russ Trinter wrested the low net award from Tom “Sandbagger” Popp; Brian took low gross honors; and Rod “Is That OB?” Hennek positioned himself to take the “most improved” trophy at the next Classic. Dave Commons and Charlie Simmons were the guest IPs, although Roy Rice reported their presence didn’t reduce the need for adult leadership in the group. (Photos Below)
Ben Phillips, water poloist extraordinaire, was named in the 10th AF Athletics Hall of Fame class. Congratulations, Ben!
Mini-Reunions:The Chickenhawks from CS-16 got together in Las Vegas in May and swapped war stories in case anyone had forgotten them from the last reunion. On Cinco de Mayo they had pizza at an Italian eatery because there apparently wasn’t a historian or cultural expert in the group. They did, however, have a Seis de Mayo Mexican dinner at Frank Wyatt’s house the next day. They’re Chickenhawks. ‘Nuff said.
On the 48th anniversary of our liberation, about 30 classmates got together at the former Giuseppe’s and reminisced about the good old days when we could tie our shoes without risking back injury or sit in a chair without letting out an involuntary groan of relief. Kudos go to Mark Volcheff for honchoing the get together, which has earned him the honor of COS reunion organizer in perpetuity, whether he wants it or not.
Kevin Grady, his CS-16 roommate David Beeman, and their better halves met up at the Lions International Convention in Boston for a mini-mini-reunion. What do people do at mini-squared reunions? Same as at any other reunion, eat and swap stories that time and graying gray matter have appropriately modified.
Travel Notes: A lot of classmates traveled during the last few months for various reasons. Short summaries are included here. Any photos they or any other classmates sent, which didn’t survive the CP three-photo limit, can most likely be found at 75bestalive.org/checkpoints.
Dave Jannetta and his son, Ian, flew to Nepal, began trekking to the Everest Base Camp on 1 April, and reached the camp on 12 April. They also climbed to the Khumbu Ice Fall and reached an elevation of 18,020 feet. It was like a ride in the altitude chamber without the chamber.
Mike Coman, Bill Dalson, Kurt Bock, and their wives met up in Savannah, GA, for an excellent reason; because they could. They highly recommend the city as a gathering place and for its food and beverages.
Don Byers, Rudy Roth, Dean Cox, Ric Lewallen, and their spouses had their annual get-together in Orange Beach, AL this year, where they watched the Blue Angels practice and toured the Naval Aviation Museum at Pensacola NAS. They strolled along the beach, ate seafood, and serenaded life, because that’s what mentally healthy retirees do.
Bob Thompson and Joe Debes celebrated their birthdays in the British Virgin Islands, and they invited Ed Zerambo, Jerry Wallace, Duke Buhyoff, Bill Taylor, Bud Calloway, and John Fritz, who all swapped the “6” as the first number of their age for a “7” this year, to join them. Anyone who knows Bob and Joe realizes they don’t have the management skills to organize anything greater than a shoe closet, so it comes as no surprise that their wives, Cheryl and Melissa, made it happen. They’re undoubtedly keepers, even if they have questionable tastes in husbands. (Additional Photos Below)
Overachieving Offspring: Tim and Jan Murphy flew to Kunsan in May to watch their son, Barry, take command of the 8th Fighter Wing. Also in attendance were their daughter, Megan, and her husband, Col Paul Davidson, who is the Vice Commander of the 51st FW at Osan. Need anything from Korea? Contact Tim.
Larry and Melinda Bryant were present when their son, Philip, took command of the 582nd Helicopter Group at FE Warren AFB. During the last few months, they also welcomed grandchild #10, attended their daughter’s wedding in Sisters, Oregon, and had a family reunion where all of their married and gainfully employed children, including one who runs an ethical sewing business in Kathmandu, Nepal, and their grandchildren, attended.