OLIVER AMES CLASS OF 1952 Class Reunion Web Site

			Last updated
	Our Class	General information.	05/12/2011
	Who's on the Internet	Keep in touch with a warm email Hello.	08/31/2011
	In Memoriam	A list of Classmates who are no longer with us.	09/23/2011
	Classmate News	News we have received from our Classmates.	01/01/2012
	60th Reunion	Reunion Planning	11/16/2011
	High School Memories	Our OAHS Reminisences	11/09/2010
	Our Time	Memories of Our Time in History	02/25/2011
	58th Reunion	A Successful Reunion	09/28/2010
	Other Reunions	Notes from our past reunions.	05/05/2010
	Photos	Interesting classmate snapshots.	05/05/2010

Information About Our Class......

Class of 1952 Oliver Ames High School, Lincoln St., No. Easton, Mass.

Our Class Officers in 1952 -

Were we ever this young and innocent ??

Our Sport Teams in 1952 -

Baseball Team '52 - Wins= 10, Losses= 4 .
The 1952 OA baseball team were Hockamock Champs with a record of 10 wins and 4 losses, beating out Sharon and No. Attleboro who each had records of 9 and 5. The lineup for the last game was: Gonsalves SS, Varella LF, Cronin RF, Holmes P, McEvoy C, Bailey FB, Johnson 2B, Lilya 3b, Miller CF.

Football Team '52 - Wins= 3, Losses= 3 Tied= 2 .
Season Highlight- Richard Holmes' 107 yard run against West Bridgewater on the last day of the season. That was the good news! The bad news was that he didn't score! (Damn, he would have scored if that little Gerry Gonsalves had been fast enough to catch up with him and block that tackler!! Ha Ha!) Team captains were Norm Cronin and Ritchie Holmes.

Field Hockey '52 - Wins= 4, Losses= 1 Tied= 1 .
Season Highlight- Brilliant defense and in particular great goal tending by Mona Bellows who had a great 4 year career. (Sure they were better than the guys playing football, but the guys scored more points!! Ha Ha!)

Boys' Basketball '52 - Wins= 7, Losses= 10. Girls' Basketball - Wins= 6, Losses= 3.

Our Hall of Fame Atheletes -

New Oliver Ames High School Lothrop Str.
OAHS Athletes Hall of Fame Class of '52 inductees: Mona Bellows, Alice Maliff, Richard Holmes, and Leo McEvoy. their year of induction and plague write-up follows:

2003- Mona Bellows-"Mona Bellows distinguished herself as a multi-sport competitor at Oliver Ames High School, but she didn’t stop there, remaining active in a variety of competitive athletics.

At OA, Mona played four years each of field hockey, basketball, and softball. She earned four varsity letters in field hockey, two in basketball, and three in softball. As a junior, Mona was a member of the OA field hockey team that finished the season undefeated, untied, and unscored upon. Following high school, Mona attended Boston University. Collegiate varsity athletic opportunities were limited for women in those days, but Mona competed in intramurals. Mona graduated from BU with a degree in physical therapy.

In the years after college, while working as a physical therapist, Mona was active in athletics, playing for soccer, ice hockey, golf, and softball teams. She also coached youth soccer in Piedmont, CA, the community where she now lives. A sailing enthusiast, Mona belongs to a sailing club and has sailed the Great Lakes."

2003-Alice Maliff- "Alice Maliff is a member of the second of four generations of Oliver Ames High School athletes. She represented her generation well. Alice played four years of field hockey, basketball, and softball at OA, and earned 10 varsity letters. She starred on the 1951 field hockey team that was undefeated, untied, and unscored upon, a record that may remain unmatched for all time at OA.

Alice graduated from Springfield College. She returned to Easton and became a physical education teacher in the town’s school system. Alice and fellow OAHS Athletic Hall of Fame inductee, Patricia (McCann) DeCoste, became a teaching duo, and were known to thousands of Easton school children as their first tutors in phys ed. Alice also refereed Hockomock League field hockey and girls basketball games for 17 years.

Alice writes that, “Many of my fondest memories are the years I participated in sports at Oliver Ames High School. These years were instrumental to my success in college and in my professional career.”

2004- Richard Holmes - "“One of the best high school football players I have ever seen,” is how Richie Holmes was described by Bill Vellante, his football coach at OA. “Richie was a superb athlete who excelled in all areas of sport,” said Leo McEvoy (OA ‘52), a teammate of Holmes’s and a fellow 2004 OAHS Athletic Hall of Fame inductee. Toughness and versatility were the hallmarks of Holmes, one of the top OA athletes of the early ‘50s. Playing four years each of football, basketball, and baseball, he earned 10 letters, and was a captain of the football team his senior year.

He was a hard-nosed ball carrier on the gridiron, and was a ferocious tackler from his middle linebacker position. Yeah, he was a tough football player. How tough? Well, consider that in the third quarter of the second game of the season his senior year, he broke his arm, and played the remainder of the game. After convalescing for a total of two weeks, he suited up again for OA and played out the schedule.

In basketball, Holmes was a tenacious defender, and was frequently assigned to guard the opposition’ s top offensive threat. In the spring, Holmes was the nemesis of pitchers throughout the area as he frequently hit for extra bases.

Holmes is the younger brother of 2003 OAHS Athletic Hall of Fame inductee Harold Holmes (OA ‘39), and the uncle of Butch Holmes (Haddy’s son), a 1962 OA grad who was also inducted in the OAHS Athletic Hall of Fame last year."

2004- Leo McEvoy - "As an accomplished athlete and devoted civic leader, Leo McEvoy has contributed tremendously to sport in Easton. At OA, McEvoy earned 10 varsity letters: two in football, four in basketball, and four in baseball. As a senior, he was selected to the Hockomock League all star team in baseball. An excellent student, he was elected to the National Honor Society as a junior and senior. He also served on the OA student council his freshman through senior years.

Playing for the varsity baseball team at the United States Military Academy at West Point, McEvoy was a catcher, starting part of his sophomore season before taking over the starting role exclusively as a junior and senior. Also at West Point, he played fullback and linebacker on his company’s intramural football squad that finished undefeated in a league that fielded teams from all 24 companies at the academy.

McEvoy served as an officer and pilot with the U.S. Army from 1957 through 1961. Following his service he returned to Easton. He started at catcher for the 1962 Easton Huskies team that won the Cranberry League championship. McEvoy served on the Easton School Committee for 12 years, including three years as chairman. He also served for four years as a trustee of Frothingham Memorial Park."

Our Class - Our Teachers ......

Their careers after 1952

This information has been extracted from a article entitled "OAHS 1950-2000"
written by Hazel Varella and updated in June 2004. The article is scheduled
to be published in the Easton Historical Society's second volume of "Reminiscences".

• Betty Donahue Barrows- Mrs Barrows gradually became more interested in teaching mathematics than physical education and eventually taught mathematics classes at OAHS until 1959. Then she became a member of the Lincoln School, a priveate secondary school associated with Brown University in Providence. She taught there until 1992. Mrs. Barrows died in 2009.
• Evelyn Foster- - Mrs Foster was the first to hold the position of English Department Chairman. She remained teaching until she was found dead April 23, 1962 in her apartment. The tragedy of her death was that she had had some serious illness during her last year and had used all of her sick leave time. (In those days teachers had very few sick leave days.) She had returned to school before she should have and was found with student papers and a red pen on her lap.
• Veronica Carter- -Mrs Carter, who was the Business Department Chairman, retired in 1970. In 1963 she and her husband George bought an old one-room schoolhouse in Dummer, NH and converted it into a vacation home. It was located at the beginning of the entrance road to the Easton Rod and Gun Club's lodge. Mrs. Carter, aged 103, as of this date, 05/13/2011, is still in residence at the Pond Home Community (Retirement Home) 289 East Street, Wrentham, MA 02093. Phone is 1-508-384-3531.
• Kate Healy- - Ms. Healy, the first Mathematics Department Chairman taught until 1969 and then traveled extensively in Europe, Africa, the Far East and the rest of the United States. She died in Jan 1994.
• Barbara Nickerson- - Ms. Nickerson taught in Easton until 1956. She then moved to Wellesley and worked for many years at the Alumni Office at Wellesley College. She attended a number of OAHS class reunions and celebrated her 100th birthday in a Natick nursing home. She died in Aug 2001.
• John Mason- - Mr Mason, our baseball coach, was both Athletic Director and Faculty Manager, until his sudden death on June 6, 1961. When it was time to rename the OAHS Athlete of the Year trophy it was changed from the J. Francis O'Neil Trophy to the John C. Mason Trophy. (Later it was renamed to honor coach Valentine P Muscato.)
• William Vellente- Mr. Vellente, our football Coach, became the first principal of th Easton Junior High School in 1957. In 1959 he left to become Principal of Millis High School and later became Superintendent of the Millis school system.
• Other Teachers- -Many of our teachers left OAHS soon after we did, (Gosh, I hope it wasn't because we treated them badly !!!!)
  • In 1952 George Angell and Pauline Lyons left OAHS.
  • In 1953 James Galt (our basketball coach), Roger Warner (our principal), and Vernon Schnare left.
  • In 1954 James Byrne (our baseball coach) left OAHS.

[ OAHS '52 Top |

• Cost of Living in 1952-
  • Average Cost of new house $9.050.00
  • Average wages per year $3,850.00
  • Cost of a gallon of Gas 20 to 25 cents
  • Average Cost of a new car $1,700.00
  • Average Cost of Rent $80.00 per month
  • A lb. of Hamburger Meat 53 cents


• Our Music-
Links to wonderful music and artist photo videos on YouTube.
You can listen while you read the rest of this section. Do you remember these songs?
           Hit Parade 1951       Hit Parade 1952


• Our Headline News & Happenings-
  
  • 1951- Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were found guilty of stealing atomic bomb secrets and received the death sentence;
  • 1951- General Douglas MacArthur replaced as US commander in Korea.
  • 1951- United Nations Headquarters opens in New York City.
  1951- First direct-dial coast-to-coast telephone service begins in United States.
  • Feb 1952- Elizabeth II is proclaimed Queen of the United Kingdom at St. James's Palace.
  • Feb 1952- The Winter Olympics open in Oslo, Norway.
  • June 1952- “The Diary of Anne Frank” is published.
  • July 1952- UFO Sightings in Salem-

    USCG Salem Coast Guard Station, Massachusetts USA, 16-Jul-1952 photo of a formation of 4 UFOs. 1-Aug-1952 - The US Coast Guard released a photograph of "unidentified aerial phenomena" (the official term for UFOs), taken on 16 July at the Salem Coast Guard Air Station. Coast Guard Officer Shell R. Alpert snapped the photograph of four UFOs. The UFOs were also witnessed by Coastguardsman Thomas Flaherty. Source: The Daily Chronology of Coast Guard History (note: Paul R. Hill's UFO sighting occured on the same day over Hampton, Virginia) This photo was taken at the height of the major UFO wave of 1952 (between 13-Jul and 29-Jul of 1952), when UFOs also flew over Washington DC (more in Maccabee's "1952 Year of the UFO").

  • Sep 1952- Rocky Marciano becomes world heavyweight champion after knocking out
    Jersey Joe Walcott in the 13th round.
  • 1952- US test first Hydrogen bomb.
  • 1952- Clarence Birdseye introduces the first frozen peas.
  • 1952- 'The Amy Vanderbilt Complete Book of Etiquette' was published.
  • 1952- The first sugar free no calorie soft drinks are introduced.


• Our Movies- released in 1951-1952
  • 1951- "Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man".
  • 1951- "Bedtime for Bonzo" starring Ronald Reagan.
  • 1951- "Quo Vadis" starring Robert Taylor and Deborah Kerr.
  • 1951- "A Streetcar Named Desire" starring Vivien Leigh (Oscar for best actress) and Marlon Brando.
  • 1951- "An American in Paris" starring Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron.
  • 1952- "High Noon" starring Gary Cooper (Best Actor award) and Grace Kelly
  • 1952 - "The Greatest Show on Earth" starring Betty Hutton, Cornel Wilde, andCharlton Heston.
  • 1951- "The African Queen" starring Humphrey Bogart (Oscar for best actor) and Katherine Hepburn.
  • 1952- "Singin' in the Rain" starring Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, and Donald O'Connor.
  • 1952- The Cinerama widescreen system, invented by Fred Waller, debuts with the film "This Is Cinerama".
  • 1952- Bwana Devil, the first American, feature-length, color 3-D movie, is released, and begins the demand for 3-D films that lasts for the next two years.
  • 1952- "The Bad and the Beautiful" starring Lana Turner and Kirk Douglas.
  • 1952- "Ivanhoe" starring Robert Taylor, Joan Fontaine and Elizabeth Taylor.
  • 1952- "Sailor Beware" starring Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis.


• Our TV Programs-
  
  • 1951- "I Love Lucy"starring Lucille Ball.
  • 1951- "The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show"
  • 1951- "The Jack Benny Show"
  • 1951- "Truth or Consequences" with Ralph Edwards
  • 1951- "Your Hit Parade" sponsored by Lucky Strike
  • 1951- "Your Show of Shows" with Sid Caesar
  • 1951- "What's My Line" with Dorothy Kilgallen, Arlene Francis, and Bennet Cerf
  • 1951- "Dragnet" with Jack Webb
  • 1951- "Kraft Television Theater"
  • 1951- "The Ed Sullivan Show"
  • 1951- "The Texaco Star Theater" with Milton Berle
  • 1952- "Today Show" with host Dave Garroway
  • 1952- "American Bandstand" with Dick Clark
  • 1952- "I've Got a Secret" with host Garry Moore
  • 1952- "The Perry Como Show"


• Our Cars- New in 1952. Can you identify them ? Boy they WERE stylish !!!
  Boy, they were really pushing visors. Gosh I miss all those great looking hood ornaments!
  Gasolene cost 20 to 25 cents a gallon !! But, alas, we were all driving older cars !!
  
  
  Click on pics to see some sales brochures and click to enlarge each.
  Click on the Woody to see tech specs and prices !
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

In Memoriam ......

Regretfully we have lost about 1/3 of our classmates. They are, listed alphabetically by graduation names:

Almeida, Salvino Anderson, Edna (Weaver) Anderson, Lois Anderson, George Atwood, Robert Brooks, Natalie (Davis) Eaton, Gertrude (Halbig) Fozzy, Nancy (Holgate) Gannett, Joe Hill, Clayton Holbrook, Jean (Doucette) Holmes, Richard Ladd, Raymond Larson, Doris (DeBoe) Legge, Faye (Hoats) McNamara, Richard Meehan, Marilyn (Roberts) Murphy, Richard Peterson, George Pomeroy, Curtis Poole, Betty (Luther) Poole, Carol (Long) Sargent, Robert Sarty, Walter Silva, Mary (Gilman) Studley, Joyce Talbot, Arlene (O'Neil) Walker, Richard

[ OAHS '52 Top ]

• Classmates Who Attended All Reunions-( 'Way to go' to them !!! )
  Harold Bailey,
  Joan Kelly Hale,
  Alice Maliff DeCouto,
  Ed Leonard, and
  Donald Smith.
  
  
• Attendance Counts For All Our Reunions-       [ See Chart ]

• Place & Date: Sep 10-12, 2010 in Mystic, Connecticut.
• Lodging: The Hampton Inn located north of the I95 & Rt. 27 intersection (Exit 90). (View Map)
  Rooms cost $99 plus 12% tax with a maximum of four persons allowed per room.
  Reservations must be made and confirmed by Aug.10th, and mention "Oliver Ames Reunion".
  If a room is to be shared, only one party should make the reservation.
• Saturday Night Dinner: Banquet room at GO FISH restaurant located in Olde Mistick Village
  Meal (appetizer, soup or salad, entree, and desert) will cost $35 per person which includes tax, and gratuity.
  Entrees offered are Baked New England Cod, Pan Roasted Breast of Chicken or Sliced Grilled Sirloin.
  Dinners must be paid in advance of the reunion. Check payable to "Class of 1952" mailed to Harold.
• Air Transportation: Green Airport in Warwick, RI which is about 1/2 hr. drive from motel.
  Gerry has volunteered to chaufeur folks between the airport and the motel.
• Additional Info-For complete details see the Class Letter that Harold mailed out to class members.
  Call with questions to Hal Bailey at (508) 822-0764 or Norm Cronin at (508) 398-9851
.

  A Mystic city celebration will be on the same weekend as our reunion. Chamber of Commerce website says: "Bring your appetite to the Taste of Mystic. Over 30 local restaurants line Cottrell Street, in Historic Downtown Mystic each offering a unique and delicious taste of their specialty. Last year’s goodies ranged from honey cilantro shrimp to pad Thai with chicken satay and so much more. Don't miss live performances by musicians like The Cartells, Eight to the Bar and High Times. Family Fun and Entertainment throughout the 3 days! Sep 10th 5 pm - 9:30 pm, Sep 11th 11 am – 9:30 pm and Sep12th 11 am – 5 pm. Free admission."   Read more details at www.atasteofmystic.com .

   Get tourist info & maps - at Mystic Depot Welcome Center & Cyber Café, 2 Roosevelt Avenue, Mystic, CT 06355, 860.572.1102. Open daily 10 am to 4 pm. Website says "Visit the Mystic Depot Welcome Center for all your visitor information needs. We have maps, visitor guides, a display of brochures, walking tours, local newspapers, real estate information, Amtrak ticket machine, and cyber café complete with 2 computers and high speed internet. Ask our friendly staff and enthusiastic volunteers about accommodations, attractions, restaurants, services and more. Did you know? The historic Mystic Depot was used by American Flyer as its model for a train depot over 50 years ago."  
Get more info at www.discoveryguide.org/

   Mystic map- open window with map.

  10/28/2009- At our last class reunion it was decided that we hold class reunions ever 3 years instead of every 5 years since the number of surviving class members sadly decreases each year.

The Reunion Committee has continued to travel and research possible reunion sites. They report their finding to a group of classmates still living in the Easton area who gather twice a year for a class dinner in Buzzards Bay. At the gathering on 10/28/2009 the committee recommended we hold the next reunion in Mystic Connecticut. After a discussion this recommendation was approved for the reunion scheduled for September 10-12 of this year (2010).

The Hampton Inn has been selected to provide lodging.
The cost quoted per night per room was $99 plus 12% tax. A room may have a maximum of four persons.

If you have any questons, please write or call either

• Hal Bailey, 269 Forest St., Raynham, MA 02767, (508) 822-0764 or
• Norm Cronin, PO Box 325, So. Dennis, MA 01660, (508) 398-9851
.

04/21/2010- A class dinner was held by the "locals" on this date. The Reunion Committee reported that after researching dining places they recommended that our Saturday night reunion dinner be held at GO FISH located
in Olde Mistick Village. (yes, that's their real name !!)
They will provide us a separate room and do not require us to select our food in advance.
The entree offerings are Baked New England Cod, Pan Roasted Breast of Chicken or Sliced Grilled Sirloin.
The total cost quoted for the meal, tax, and gratuity was $35 per person.

• 01/01/2012- Joan Kelly Hale-
  Hi, Gerry. I was just getting around to checking ALL my recent emails and decided to take the time to read the article about Hilliards. I try to keep up with the Easton Patch, but, missed that article. I don't imagine you would remember it, but, I worked there my junior and senior years. I remember when Wheaton, Pete, Ed and Ed used to drop in on me when I was working and skarf down all the free samples. Alan lived upstairs at that time and when he heard the commotion he would come down and urge them to leave. Several years later when my mother decided she wanted a less stressful occupation she decided to apply there for a job. Eventually she took up "hand dipping" and she enjoyed the atmosphere so different from hospital wards. Before long, Alan offered her the position of assistant manager and eventually she became store manager. I remember when the "Judy" mentioned was a baby crawling on the floor there while her mother, Barbara, was "dipping".....all, of course, just after they opened. I continued part-time while attending school in Boston. Sally Cronin also worked there with me.


• 12/05/2011- John Spellman-
  "(dated June 15, 2011) Dear Hal, Thanks for keeping me informed about class events. I am still in Canada and have returned to university teaching part-time for the spring semester. This fall and winter I will be traveling in India and Thailand where I have my condo in Chiangmai (northern Thailand).
  My health remains very good. Congratulations on the class honors to you- well deserved !
  I enclose my cheque as a contribution to the class treasury. With best wishes and kindest regards. John"


• 11/01/2011- Lois (Gardner) DiLorenzo-
  "Gerry, I really appreciate getting all of the class updates.! You and some of the others are so GOOD about keeping in touch .I am so neglectfull and dislike myself for it. However, I do have a lot of treasured memories of all of our great times of growing up and thru the years together.
  It seems, no matter when we see each other we pick up where we left off and can talk for hours. I have missed,( after moving to Florida,) getting to some of the reunions. Like so many others of you, age and health has slowed me down. We did not even get up to New England this past summer. First time since we moved down here nine years ago and I really missed it.
  I was in and out of the hospital three times in July. Heart problems to deal with like so many others of you. But right now I am doing much better, for which I am grateful. It was so nice seeing Joan and Frank when they are wintered here, not too far from us. I really miss my good friends Gert Halbig and Mary Silva Gilman. and so many of the others that are no longer with us. Keep the news and letters coming and if we do have another reunion I will not want to miss it this time!
  Thank you again for all you, Harold, Norm and any of the others that have been keeping our class in touch.
  All for now. My regards to all, Lois (Gardner) DiLorenzo"


• 10/26/2011- Class of 1952 Meeting-
  On Oct 26th a group of our "Easton Local" classmates met at Lindseys Restaurant in Buzzards Bay for a class meeting and social gathering. Attending were:

  Norm and Sally Cronin	Harold and Patti Bailey	Joan and Frank Hale
  David Gomes	Edward and Terry Leonard	Leo Harlow
  Alice Maliff DeCouto	Andrew and Suzanne Miller	Janet Walker

  
  The Smiths who always motored down from New Hampshire to attend previous meetings, did not attend. Donald reported that Marilyn has Bell's palsy and is not feeling great. Leo McEvoy reported that he had his whole left knee replaced and is recovering well. Best wishes to Marilyn and Leo for improved health.
  
  The group discussed the possibility of having a 60th reunion in 2012. The idea was voted on and the vote was unanimous that we do have a reunion and that it be at the same location of our last reunion, Mystic, Conn.
  Harold and Norm well work out the details and keep us informed of the planning.


• 10/12/2011- Andy Miller- Thanks for your nice card and also for putting the football picture on the web site, I'm sure it brought smiles to many faces. Lets call them the "Teriffic Ten!" I sent a copy to everyone in the picture and have received calls from many of them. Thank you too Forrest for sending me that picture with a "get well" card.
  
  I have an update on Natalie Hollertz May. She is now living with her youngest son, Charlie May, in Hampstead, N.H. and we have been told that her condition remains the same(see 05/12/2011 news item). She would love to hear from her former classmates and her address is:
  Natalie May, 686 Main St., Hampstead, N.H. 03844


• 09/23/2011- Andy Miller- Andy mailed the following note dated 9/17/2011 and a photo. "I am back home after a summer in Pulmonary Rehabilitation. Things are finally taking a more positive direction. Thank you for your personal support and your communications to us via the web site. My classmates were so supportive and it certainly was a boost for me. I received a nice card from Forrest and she included this picture. I didn't realize you (Gerry) were camera shy. Cheers, Andy."
  
  (I doctored the photo some to lighten up the very dark portion. I remember trying to be funny in school, but I do not remember being such a dumb clown !!! My apologies to whoever took the photo. Well at least I got all the guys to smile for the camera, even if it was at my expense. !!! )
  


• 08/31/2011- Robert Oman- On the good news front, Judy and I recently toured in Europe with the high point being meeting with my Austrian cousin in Vienna. We share a great, great,... grandfather , Lucas Oman born c1700 in Valromana which is now an independent region at the corner of Italy, Austria and Slovenia. Though we had communicated since 2004 we did not start sharing pictures until near the time we met. The family resembelance is very strong. Friends kept looking closely at me and saying: "You look so much like Robert's father." His name is Robert Ernst Oman.


• 06/30/2011- Photos of May 5, 2011 Meeting- Once again Marilyn Smith brought her camera and took several photos at the meeting including the award presentations and a group photo taken with our class banner "Carpe Diem" that Norm brought to the meeting. (Cool !!!)         See Photos


• 05/12/2011- Classmate News-
  
  • Alan Grant ,who lives in Taunton, has reported his email address. Go to 'Who's on the Internet' section and send him a friendly "Hello".
  
  
  • Lorraine Beale Tremonti reports that she had a busy Easter since her son and fiancee visited from out-of-state. She would have liked to come to Mass. for the meeting but it was impossible since her husband has a full schedule playing basketball and softball on 3 different teams. She says on her part she enjoys bowling once a week. She sends her love to all the classmates attending the meeting.
  
  
  • Arthur Anderson reported that he and Helen Still recently were on a cruise that took them through the Panama Canal. Artie sends his best wishes to all attending the class meeting
  
  
  • Mona Bellows Jamieson reports that all goes well with her in CA. They had lots and lots of rain/ cold weather this winter, and even a few earthquakes! She was sorry to miss the last reunion, but hopes to attend the next since she always enjoys seeing and chatting with "old" classmates.
  
  
  • Roberta Randall Phillips reports- " I am sending in a donation in the memory of my good friend Jean Holbrook, who thoroughly enjoyed all the reunions and kept me up to date with pictures and stories. I appreciate all the work our class leaders do and am grateful for all the updates, even tho most were sad. Guess we are not getting any younger!! Best wishes to all at the meeting."
  
  
  
• 05/12/2011- Class of 1952 Meeting-
  On May 4th a group of our "Easton Local" classmates met at Lindseys Restaurant in Buzzards Bay for a class meeting and social gathering. Total attendance was 20 including spouses. Attending were:

  Norm and Sally Cronin	Harold and Patti Bailey	Joan and Frank Hale
  Connie Anderson Dumoulin	Edward and Terry Leonard	Leo and Helen Harlow
  Gerald Gonsalves Gaston	Andrew and Suzanne Miller	Leo and Janice McEvoy
  Alice Maliff DeCouto	Donald and Marilyn Smith	David Gomes

  
  
  • Andrew Miller reported that Natalie Hollertz May is suffering from a debilitating disease which has a paralyzing effect on the body. The group signed "get well" cards to be delivered to her by Andy's wife Suzanne. Andy reports further- "The Boston hospital cannot come up with a name for Natalie's condition at this time. It is a neurological progressive disease similar to ALS. She is unable to function and is confined to Life Care of Plymouth, 94 Obery Street, Plymouth, Ma. 02360, Room 204. Suzanne visited her on Mother's Day and read our cards to her and she was delighted. Several of her children and grand-children were also there so Mother's Day was as good as it could be for Natalie." (Andy was very disappointed that he could not visit Natalie himself in person because he has an immune system deficiency that does not allow him to enter hospitals !!)
  
  
  • Harold Bailey reported that Richard Walker, who is suffering from COPD (Chronic Obstruction Pulmonary Disease) is resting comfortably at the Goddard Rehabilitaion and Nursing Center (the former Goddard Hospital) in Stoughton. He has trouble breathing, speaking, and walking, but he seems to be improving every day. The group signed "get well" card for him to be delivered by Harold on his next visit.
  
  
  • Harold Bailey sadly reported that Ray Taylor is not improving in his battle with Alzheimers. "Although he seems to enjoy his weekly car trips with me, lately he is noticably more quiet and subdued and continues to have difficulty in recognizing his family and friends."
  
  
  • Awards Presentation- This meeting was very special since awards in the form of desk plaques were presented to Hal Bailey and Norm Cronin in the name of the whole class to recognize their generous and continuing support to the class over the years.
    

    	The plaque material is blue-tinted acrylic. The inscription reads- "For his generous and tireless efforts as Class Communications Coordinator and Class Reunion Organizer."
    The plaque material is clear acrylic with gold trim border. The inscription reads- "For his able leadership, as President, in all our class activities and reunions. He ran many miles for himself, but always went the extra 'mile' for our class."

    
    A second award was presented in the name of the whole class to Harold Bailey for the continuing committment of his time both to improve the life of our friend Ray Taylor who is struggling with Alzheimers, and to relieve Ray's devoted wife Nancy with some of the day-to-day burden of caring for Ray. The award took the form of a framed certificate.
    
    

    The Certificate reads- "Oliver Ames High School Class of 1952 Humanitarian Award This certificate is presented with sincere appreciation to Harold "Hal" Bailey in recognition of the many years of compassionate and generous care he has devoted to our friend and classmate Ray Taylor May 2011"

    To further honor Harold, and to recognize the help and encouraging support he has received from his wife Patti, the class has awarded them with a gift card entitling them to a weekend's deluxe lodging at their favorite vacation spot in Lincoln, NH.

  • Class Donations- The class was very generous in donating money for these class awards. The cost of the awards was exceeded by a total of $590 which will go into the Class Treasury. Treasury funds are used for general class mailings, mailing of death announcements, flowers or charity donations re class bereavements, and deposits required for reunion reservations.
  
  
  • Meeting Photos- Once again Marilyn Smith brought her camera and took several photos at the meeting including the award presentations and a group photo taken with our class banner "Carpe Diem" that Norm brought to the meeting. (Cool !!!) See Photos
  
  
  • Gerry's Wrap-up- Thanks again to all of you who sent in notes saying that you agreed that the time was overdue to recognize all the work that Norm and Harold have done over the years to keep our class alive. I am sure our class has set the OAHS standard for class togetherness and class reunions. Also, I want to thank all who have commented that this website has helped in fostering class togetherness.
    
    We should also remember and give thanks to many other class members who worked hard to assist Norm and Harold; namely the late Jean Holbrook who helped greatly with class communications and reunion organizing, Janet Walker who continues to give Harold computer support by providing class address lists and helping with mailings, and also Joan Kelly who is always ready to pitch in when a helping hand is needed. I am sure there are others whom I do not know about, that also deserve our thanks !!
    
    I will mail out a copy of this meeting description to all classmates who do not have email or internet access. Also, if anyone wants a copy of this classmate group photo send me an email or a letter and I will send out copies.
  
  
  
• 12/22/2010- Pat Elmes Burnett -
  " I have had a rough last couple of years. My daughter Nancy (now 48), an attorney, has been very ill and living with us since Oct 2008. We had to go get her as she was walking into walls, falling asleep driving etc. No one could diagnose her. March 2009 she was diagnosed with non alcoholic cirrhoses stage 4, She continued to get worse, but was not on the transplant list. On November 12, 2009 we found her in a coma and she was rushed to the hospital, and put on life support. Doctors did not think she would live. She was in 3 different hospitals for 2 months and finally ended up in Piedmont Hosp in Atlanta, where she finally got on the transplant list, They were going to send her home on Jan 7, 2010, as neither the hosp or the ins. co want patients to die in the hospital. Lo and behold on at 4am on Jan 7, they got a liver for her, We all rushed to Atlanta, I had been staying with her for several days until a good friend of hers came for a couple of days and she and her grown son were with Nancy.All went well and she came home in 8 days except for a depressed immune system, and pills which cost thousands of dollars a month. Nancy got her GA law license, on Nov 12, 2010, and now is in the offices of her brother Mark . who has real estate and a management co. for real estate. She already has several clients and seems happy.
  My son Mark who will be 50 on Dec27, has also been very ill. He had a staghorn kidney stone, which is extremely painful as it has sharp points on it. He had it for months and they would not remove it, as his blood work was off and they were afraid of bleeding. They finally removed it surgically in Nashville TN in March 2010. He is doing OK, He and Nancy and his son Levi are in Nashville for a follow up visit with the Dr. today. I have arthritis in my knees and back, but otherwise OK. The rest of the family is OK. Expecting great grandchild #4 any day (a girl)
  I hope you are doing well. Take care of yourself. Have a happy holiday. As ever Pat Elmes Burnett "
  
  
• 11/20/2010- Leo McEvoy -
  "We were planning to visit Germany and Alsace,France again in late September , but I wasn't feeling well and thought I might be having some trouble with diverticulitis . Went to my doctor to get some antibiotics in case I got sick on the trip . He recommended I have a CatScan to make sure I didn't already have an infection. Scan showed no divertic. but did show an ascending aortic aneurysim. Further immediate testing and a Cardiac Catherization defined the aneurysm as well as the aortic valve involvement. So, I had open heart surgery on Oct. 15 that replaced the valve and part of the aorta . Great way to lose weight . Trip postponed . Wait till next year. Kindest Regards, Leo"
  
  
• 10/22/2010- Ed Leonard -
  "First - thank you for putting up all the past information of our class members and events
  
  Second - We can't thank Norm Cronin and Harold (Bush ?) Bailey enough for their efforts in keeping our class together. Dick Walker has jumped in of late too. Ray Taylor has been a long standing worker with the others as well - including yourself. I have only been the recipient of this effort - but thankful for it !
  
  Third - I am no longer "Eddie" That went away in 1952 !--- Just Ed will do. "Wheaton" Hayward went away in 1952 along with COWSH (short for cow shit) ----- Now Harry will do.
  
  Fourth - My wife Terry has attended every reunion with me except this one to Mystic due to an emergency for her at home. As a result Harry (not Wheaton) came alone with his wife Helen staying home. It worked out well as Harry and I were able to act briefly as bachelors. - I cannot remember doing this ever in the past. Also Helen was able to take care of their two dogs without putting them in a kennel which would have cost them $200 more.
  
  Fifth - Harry and I especially miss having Ed Richards and his wife Penny (Loraine) attend. They were so good to have us use their facilities on Lake Winnipesaukee (sp?) NH on one of our earlier reunions. We also miss having George "Pete" Peterson - around to fill out our fourth close friend. Pete was my longest and closest friend - dating back to 1942 and second grade. He introduced me to Terry from Norton. He was the reason I became close to the church he attended and I later joined. It was the same denomination that Terry attended in Attleboro. We all are second generation swedes which helped to keep our friendship together. ---- Pete , Harry, Ed and I did a lot together. Bought and sold a 1915 Model T Ford one day for $100 - $25 each. It was parked under a HARCO ORCHARDS chicken coop the first night when two tires blew. The noise scared the chickens - pissed of Mr. Richards and made us sell the "T" back to the owner the next day. ----- Remember the day we all went to the Big E exposition in Springfield. Harry and Ed had their parents permission, Pete told his mother he was going (didn't ask !) I didn't tell anyone. "Mo" Mason missed me on the attendance list. It took. Mr. Warner, my mother - his secretary, Mr. (MO) Mason and the other three mothers a couple hours to figure it all out. Those guys never had to "stay after school" - but I did !!! Tell Priscilla that I was too bashful to walk with her up Baldwin St. from your home when I , would happen to be walking through the Frothingham Park Gate headed for school also. This would not happen today. She was the prettiest girl in school ! I feel bad that she has had her share of sorrow over the years. She was and I am sure -is- too nice to have such disappointments. ------ Remember Pete's old Chevies and the '30 Chevie Harry sold to me for $1. I later sold it to Ray Ladd for $25 after I had a bad accident in it with Dave Gomes and Andy MIller in the back seat. I couldn't afford to keep it on the road while attending Northeastern Univ. Pete and Ed Richards had an oil gun fight one day while hanging out at Harry's house. I had a knock down and roll around the ground fight with Pete one day in the hay field next to his house. It ended when he learned he lost his wallet in the scuffle. Pete was always careful with his money ! - He held down 2 jobs after school. Empty the waist baskets at the local bank on the way home and be at Fernandes Super Market stocking shelves by 3 pm. This gave him the money to buy his 'dark green '49 Merc with glass packs. This is the one he was in when he drove off the road next to Norm Cronins house breaking off the hydrant. He was paying too much attention to his girl friend at the time. He also hated buying the Town of Easton a new hydrant. ----- I wish more of our classmates enjoyed golf. Ed R. Harry, Pete and I all worked after school while many of you played sports. I ,however, was the only Oliver Ames High School member of the tennis team. I bet no one knew that - or cared. I only played a few matches arranged by Betty Barrows and I think I lost all of them. The team was abandoned after that. I often think of playing golf with class members. Norm and Andy Miller are the only other active golfers with Dave Gomes playing on ocassion. I just finished playing 18 which I do about once a week. It is a great pastime and some exercise too, when you get older.
  
  Sixth - Why don't we call Harold Bailey "Bush" anymore. Where did the nickname Bush come from anyway?"
• 09/28/2010- Mrs. Veronica Carter, our teacher - After the reunion Harold and Gerry paid a visit to Mrs. Carter in the Pond Home Community in Wrentham. We found the facility very tidy and clean and the attendants very warm and friendly. Our class card was hanging in her room. Not knowing if she had read it, we read it to her mentioning all the classmates who had signed it. We then mentioned the names of all the members of our class. She nodded and commented a little and seemed to recognized all the names. We asked some questons and she answered a lot with some simple statements, and her favorite statement was "times are changing". Interestingly, she said that the last students she had were as good as were those in our generation. ( Yeah Easton !!!!    I guess we set a good example !!!! )
  When we left we talked to the supervisor and learned that the home has internet access. We left the address of our class website and requested that someone show the site to her since she would enjoy the photos.
  
  A few days later the home sent an email with this message- "There is still a teacher alive who taught the Class of 1952!! Her name is Veronica Carter and she taught business classes. She is now 103 years old and living at Pond Home Retirement Home in Wrentham, MA. I have attached a recent photo of her and thought you might like to post it on the web site.... I'm sure she wouldn't mind. We just had some of the students stop by and visit with her ... she was so pleased...." [ See Photo ]   (Sorry my pic editor lost the color when I reduced the size.)
  
  
• 09/08/2010- Robert Oman - Bob reports: "I'll be thinking of you this weekend when you are all in Mystic. Mystic is a great place to visit and I'm sure you all will enjoy it. Give my best wishes to everyone at the reunion.
  
  A small bottle of bourbon in Singapore is around $50.00 US. In Australia that same bottle is about $15.00 US. We bought some in Australia for my sister-in-law who was going to visit this fall. She is now not coming because of the continuing downturn in the US economy. For a couple thousand bucks you can come over and drink Kentucky bourbon brought in from Australia, and look out over the more than 100 ships waiting to enter the busiest port on the planet.
  
  Best regards to all,     Bob"
  
  
• 09/07/2010- Connie Anderson Dumoulin - Connie reports: "I am looking forward to our class reunion. I am sort of retired I work as a substitute playground aid at Center school in so.easton, also I am a sub para at k-5 at the local schools. Have 2 children jay and bridget. 1 grandson billy age 9. bridget and billy are in no. easton, so I am able to go to all his sporting events. phil is retired and enjoys his power walking on center st. and turnpike st. I am still an old eastonite. just moved from no. to so. Haven't got to facebook but i will eventally. took awhile for the internet. see all of you shortly."
  
  
• 09/03/2010- Mona Bellows Jamieson - Mona reports: "I will not be attending the reunion next weekend. My sister passed June 9th. Was back in Stoughton/Easton when she decided to go hospice and she died at home with family and friends peacefully. We traveled for many years to many countries so have wonderful memories. We were in Greece & Islands less than a year ago.
  
  All is well here in California. Still working as physical therapist per diem.......per diem is nice....I choose times & days ....can also say no. Play golf and enjoy my 2 sons and their families.....always some event taking place. ( 4 grandsons ).
  
  Appreciate the OAHS Web site with all the news and email addresses. Today one of my son’s signed me up on Facebook......question whether I’ll ever enjoy it as much as he enjoyed setting me up .......not sure I even understand ... but am “ up to date “ tech wise !
  
  Know you’ll have fun .... I’ll miss you all. Thanks to classmates who meet and organize our get together. See you next time."
  
  
• 09/01/2010- Non-Attendees - Harold reports that the following will not be attending the reunion
          due to health reasons.
  
  Pat Elmes Burnett in Dalton,GA reports that she has arthritis in her legs and back.
  
  Natalie Hollertz May in Marshfield, MA reports that she is suffering from shingles.
  
  Julia Davis Kiefer in Attleboro, MA reports that she has suffered through two bouts of cancer.
  She states that her family now has 8 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren. She travels to Florida in the winter.
  
  Dick Walker in Middleboro, MA reports that he has recently undergone a shoulder replacement which is coming along nicely, but also reports that the surgery has brought on respiratory complications.
  
  Pauline Nystrom Bearse in Springfield, VT. reports that her husband has had an unfortunate household accident; he fell on a staircase and broke his ankle.
  
  All of these folks have expressed regret that they will not be attending,
  and send their best wishes to all their classmates.
  
  
• 08/31/2010- Forrest deLambert - Forrest reports-"The latest with me is that my mother passed away 1 week ago. She was 101 plus 10 months. Actually in good health save bladder failure the last 3 months. She died very peacefully.
  
  I have been traveling as usual. With friends in 2009 I spent 6 weeks traveling from Trieste to Slovenia, Croatia and Montenegro. Then in November a friend and I went to Egypt for a month. we had drivers and guides the whole way from Cairo to Aswan including boat trips and police with guns riding with us. i would love to do it all over again! For this year a group of us went to Brazil ( me for the 4th time). as usual we went to Rio, but several new places also.
  
  Now I am considering visiting Tennessee to research my mother's family etc. My latest enterprise is to offer B&B accommodations through an agency. So far, so good.
  
  San Francisco has had the coldest summer on record. My poor foreign students all but froze to death. Me too.
  I wish you all a fun gathering. Hope to be there the next time."
  
  
• 08/25/2010- Ray Taylor - Nancy Taylor reports- "Regrettably, Ray and I will be unable to attend the class reunion this year. As most of you probably know, Ray was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease about 9 years ago. Although he enjoys the semi-annual dinners with the “locals”, I think this weekend get away would be too much for him. The unfamiliar surroundings and so many faces would make him very anxious.
  
  Ray still loves his gardening and his Wednesdays with Hal, but for the most part, he is pretty confused. He cannot stay alone anymore and we have devised a plan we call Raycare, a combination of our kids taking a couple of days with him, a health aid once a week, and I work from home two days a week. For now, it seems to work, although he doesn’t always know who we are. Some days are better than others.
  
  Over the years I have come to look forward to the reunions as much as Ray. It is always a fun time with great people. I know you will have a wonderful weekend. Please take lots of pictures. Nancy Taylor"
  
  
• 08/16/2010- Bob Oman - Earlier Bob wrote that he was living and working in Singapore. He just finished an important project with his son Dan (writing the physics portion of the Barron's MCAT prep guide) and has found time to bring us up to date on his past early history and on his new experience living in Asia.
  
  "I have been communicating with Dave Leary and we both enjoy remembering some good times. Though there are certain things I would liked to have been different the times and place where we grew up was pretty good."
  
  Working in Easton - "My first job other than working in the family business which I did from an early age was working at the airport. Because I was too young to get a work permit I was paid in flying time (instruction) which was great because most of the instructors were former military pilots. Got quite an education there as well as learning about flying. Since I was part of the team I got treated better than the students. Years after that experience I wondered at the wisdom of employing former pilots who could not get flying jobs to teach former GIs how to fly so they in turn couldn't get flying jobs. Something about the way government does things that I just didn't understand - still don't. When I got older I got $0.25 per hour which eventually rose higher. I worked there until the GI program trailed off about my second year at Northeastern." "You and Dave both talk about small schools versus big schools. I never had that much concern. It didn't seem to matter to me whether it was Northeastern or Brown. I enjoyed both and learned a lot in both. The first thing I learned at Northeastern was how far behind I was coming from Oliver Ames. It took me literally years to catch up in certain subjects. After graduating Northeastern and when on active duty I had prescribed time for remedial study each week. At Northeastern I met some pretty sharp people, and at Brown I met some really sharp people, students I mean. And there were good teachers and losers in both places in about the same proportion. Also there were about the same proportion that really cared about giving you the best they could. I never regret the hard work. I learned French and German sufficiently well to read original work in each language. In one job I had, the literature was nearly all in German so this did me well. Same is true for the companies or academic institutions I worked for - small or large seemed to make no difference to me."
  
  "I did some really interesting things in the military particularly as a reservist first as a company commander in an infantry division (during my years at Brown) and then when I got assigned as a mobilization designee, that is someone the secretary of defense could call at his discretion and he did. It never bothered me that a Ph. D. student in physics at Brown was an infantry company commander. The CG of the division was head of the English department and I saw him regularly at the faculty club. I got sick of their manufactured crises and resigned about two years before potential retirement. One of the dumber things I have done. Not enough space for the entire list. Both the general and my advisor had been in OSS in WWII. Brown had more than its share of former OSS people. For years I was aggressively recruited by CIA. I finally got away from that by resigning from every professional organization and returning all letters from them marked deceased. They finally got the message."
  
  Living in Singapore - "We are here as Long Term Visitors. You can become a Permanent Resident or even a citizen if you want. Singapore is agressively recruiting outsiders. The SS and other income or pension checks are a problem. The scheme I use is direct deposit to a US bank and then I write a check on the account and give it to DBS, aka Dumbest Bank in Singapore, and three to four weeks later the funds appear in my Singapore account. Someone is making money on my float. It took 5 DBS people to endorse a check I wrote for aircon work and conclude they could not accept the check because I wrote AC for aircon. Next month they rejected a check because I did not put bars on the top of X in six - I kid you not. Expats here have their checks sent to the embassy, but picking them up is a pain. People who have renounced US citizenship get their checks with 30% withheld. They say it is better to pay the 30% and invest in Asia. I'm not convinced. With the dollar falling, we get a little less each month. My Japanese client does not want to pay me in Yen or Sing dollars so I am stuck with payment in US dollars."
  
  "The language is a whole other tangle of worms. The official language of Singapore is English and if you listen to the PM or other ministers and a few others they do speak English. The street language is something quite different. The cab drivers and tradesmen you meet rarely speak English. It is required at every school that students take English but with the rule against hiring native English speakers the language ends up below marginal for most people. We do a little teaching, and high school seniors cannot carry on an even poor conversation in English. I mean you can't understand a word they are saying. When I talk with my aircon guy I repeat everything back to him in the hopes that we get the date and time he is coming straight. Most of the time it works, but it is a pain. Go to a market or a restaurant and you will often not find anyone who speaks any English. Universal language HA! The most popular language is Malay followed by Mandarin and Hindi and another that escapes me at the moment. On the driver test the questions are written so poorly that Expats cannot pass the test because they cannot understand the questions. The newspapers are mostly in English but the English edition of the Tokyo times is possibly written better than the Straits Times. The Japanese like to make up compound words and sometimes they don't come out communicating real well."
  
  "The food here is excellent though not cheap. When beef comes from Australia it is expensive, but remember it is not filled with the growth hormones which you in the US get. The produce is great and inexpensive. Eating out is usually not bad. Booze which I do not partake of is very expensive - three time the price in the US. Plenty of good Italian restaurants, though my friend Luigi only recommends about three on the island. Microbreweries are common and there is a great one with associated restaurant run by Americans. Loud and on the river but OK now and then. When we host visiting US sailors we usually take them there. The Brown alumni club meets there. Oh, yes I single handedly increased the Brown club membership by 17%."
  
  "Doing business and keeping your profit is very good in Singapore. The US is one of the few countries that taxes money earned as interest or return on investment. Not here in Singapore. They know how to tax, but the taxes are not onerous as they are in the US. Setting up a business is relatively easy and inexpensive."
  
  "Thanks again for keeping up the site. As you all get a little older (Notice I did not include myself it that category.) I find that reminders of some good times count a lot."
  
  
• 08/09/2010- Nancy Fozzy Holgate - We must sadly report that we have lost another classmate- our Class of '52 Secretary Nancy Fozzy. We have learned that Nancy passed away on July 24th at her home in Kendall Park, NJ. She will be greatly missed by her husband Artie, her son, her two daughters and her 5 step children. Her son reported the news to Harold and said he will be mailing us a copy of a tribute to his mom that he composed and will be sending to the local newpaper. We will publish it when it arrives.
  
  
• 08/09/2010- Carol Poole Long -Hal received this email - "I was pleased my note to you about the reunion is on the class web site. My kidney function has dropped to 12% but so far I feel ok and get about with difficulty but ok. I refused dialysis or transplant due to my age and quality of life in my wheelchair and prefer to go to my maker when God calls me and not prolong the illness. Most people understand and accept my decision. Looking forward to hearing about reunion. God bless you all. Love, Carol"
  
  
• 08/09/2010- Mrs Veronica Carter - Harold has learned the following about "our" Mrs Carter from Hazel Varella: At age 102 ( !!! gosh, that's 28 years older than me !!!) she is now living in the Pond Home Community health care facility in Wrentham, MA. She enjoys playing bingo and says she likes the food. The facility's address is 289 East Str., Wrentham, Ma 02093; telephone is 508-384-3531.
  
  
• 08/09/2010- David Leary - Dave reports the following: "Sorry, I will not be at the reunion, but please pass on my regards to all of our classmates. Through yours and Harold's efforts I feel like I know them better after all these years. Have a great time at the reunion and I'm looking forward to hearing all about it. Best regards, Dave."
  
  Dave earlier sent info to Joan Kelly about events in his life, and he has agreed to share his story with his classmates-- "I went to Stonehill after high school and it was a good move for me. I did well with the small classes and probably wouldn't have made it at a larger college (the tuition was also a big factor). There were only 38 in my graduating class and only two of us were the science majors. After two summers of PLC's (boot camp) I was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the Marine Corps at graduation with a BS in Chemistry, Biology and Physics. I quite literally grew up in the Marines and it gave me a good foundation for business and life in general. In 62 I married Jean O'Leary (maiden name) from Brockton who was working as a nurse in Boston. We lived in Northern Virginia for several years while I worked in pharmaceutical sales and then opened a commercial medical laboratory with two partners (a PHD Biochemist and a retired army master sergeant who had run regional labs in the army). We did quite well with a central lab in Northern Virginia and a fleet of cars to pick up samples from doctors during the day, ran the tests at night and delivered results to the doctor the next day. We opened a second lab in New Jersey and serviced all of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, D.C., and Virginia. We moved to New Jersey and in then sold the lab to Revlon. I retired for a while and spent the winters in St. Thomas. That lasted about five years until I quit retirement and in 1975 we moved to Palo Alto, CA with our family of now 6 kids (5 girls and one boy plus 9 grandchildren) all living in California. Jean got her masters in Marriage, Family and Child Counseling and I did real estate investments for a while and I also owned several retail stores which I managed until 2000 when we sold the businesses and moved to Rocklin, about 25 miles from Sacramento. Jean really enjoyed her counseling practice and worked four days a week for five more years commuting from the Bay Area while I started a handyman business to stay active. I don't intend to try that retirement thing again. I have survived bypass surgery, hip replacement and a shoulder replacement and feel fortunate that worn out body parts can be replaced with titanium parts. Life is good and we stay busy with travel and family. I often think about life in Easton and how different it was back then. Jean still referees to me as "that skinny kid from South Easton". Boredom is not a problem and I sometimes wonder how I ever had time to work. I love the description of retirement as waking up in the morning with nothing to do and when I go to bed at night it's only half done. I recently exchanged Facebook messages with Bob Oman, now living in Singapore.
  
  About his family Dave writes- "Jean went to Brockton High, then into nurses training at Mass General and on to B.C. for her degree. She then worked as a visiting nurse for a few years and then worked for Liberty Mutual as a rehab nurse. Jean and I didn't balance the sexes very well; the first was a girl , then a boy and then four more girls. The girls claim it to be five liberated women and one male chauvinist pig. Career wise they went in many directions. Margaret, the oldest, graduated from U. Penn then traveled a lot before getting married and raising two boys and a girl (the oldest is a freshman at U.C. Davis). She went back to school and now works part time as a Landscape Designer. Our son Arthur went to Chico State, he ran one of our stores and then purchased it from me. Alice (#3), went to Whittier, got married and has four kids. Catherine (#4) went to USC, lived in Hong Kong for five years working with E-Trade, got married and has two boys. Rita (#5) bounced around a bit, engaged and lives in San Francisco. Eileen (#6) is at Stanford as a project manager in sleep studies - presently managing a research project on narcolepsy. She is married and living in San Francisco with no plans for children at this time. I sold the St. Thomas properties when we moved to California in 1975. It's not as easy to get there from CA as it was from Virginia and New Jersey."
  
  
• 08/02/2010- Jane Canegaly Newman - Jane reported: "Just an update: we are not coming to the reunion because of baby due (youngest son and his wife) about that time. What have I been doing lately? Learning to play the harp. Still playing piano and organ, and enjoy being a part of an English handbell choir and singing in choir in church. Finished PhD. in Natural Health several years ago. Find it very interesting: remedies should not replace medical intervention, but can certainly help to support and build up the immune system. Advise doing conventional medical treatment and adding natural health measures as well in most cases. Husband and I have been traveling: Alaska, Galapagos, Costa Rica and all over Caribbean, Africa --would go there again in a minute. Tenting over a cliff over a river with hippos roaring in the river! Ngorongoro Crater, home to 30,000 mammals, thought to be the area where the garden of Eden was, site of Leakey findings.....absolutely fascinating. They checked under the vehicle we were in with mirrors on rods, to ascertain that there were no bombs, etc. when we got to Nairobi. The natives call Nairobi "Nairobbery" because the thievery rate is so high. We were advised there not to go out on our own. . Husband has been helping to rebuild a Thomas Morse airplane in Ithaca (where the original was built). This is a biplane used in pursuit training in WWI. Enough. Enjoyed reading the info from classmates posted on the website."
  
  
• 07/28/2010- Lois Gardener Di Lorenzo - Lois reported: " We are leaving from Florida to Massachusetts next week expect to be there for at least a month, but I want to stay ( if all works out) to be at the class reunion in September. I am waiting to see if Bud can work it out so he can come this time also. He is going to know next week when his eye surgery is scheduled for Sept."
  
  
• 07/21/2010- Forrest Litchfield De Lambert - Forrest reported to Hal that she is not coming to the reunion as she is planning a trip to Africa in Oct.
  
  
• 07/06/2010- Carol Poole Long -Hal received this email - "Dear Hal, The reunion venue looks great and I wish I could attend but am not medically fit to travel . Please express my warm regards to all our classmates and I hope you all have a great time. Please let me know how it goes and enclose photos if you can.Love, Carol"
  
  
• 06/22/2010- Gerry Gonsalves Gaston - Well I am still living in Kentucky. It has been 5 1/2 years now and I having trouble keeping my New England accent (Ha! Ha!)   Life is good here- air and water quality are good and weather is seasonal like in Mass. Bad thing is that I unwittingly moved into a county which was Baptist and "dry". I feel like a shady rum-runner when I go to Lexington and drive slowly back with a couple of illegal bottles of red wine !!
  
  I keep busy maintaining my house and yard. (pics on website under Host) Spend most of my time with my computer hobby- writing programs for collectors of guns, knives, and cars, and selling them at shows. Not making any money, but the hobby gets me out of the house on weekends and lets me travel to neighboring states.
  
  The best thing about living here is there are 2 commercial free radio stations that play "golden oldies" and "classic country", respectively !!   The worst thing about living here is that I get no visitors. It seems that no one travels through Kentucky to go anywhere! (Ha Ha)
  
  Best wishes. I'm looking forward to seeing you all again at the reunion.
  
  
• 06/18/2010- Robert Oman - Extract from Bob's Facebook page- "I am currently living in Singapore where I am building and maintaining several web sites, editing scientific papers, working on new projects including blogs on 'Effectively Studying Physics and Mathematics', and 'Nature's Constants: Clues to the future'."
  
  

Classmate Photos ......

Snapshots from Yesteryear !!

Pin-up "Calendar Boys"- Risque before their time !

"What no bikinis back then !

Where was this taken ?     Sorry to the gal cut off on left !!

Girls night out !     Must have been one great slumber party !!

Sweethearts at the Prom !!

Would you guess that these guys trained together in the Army !!

[ OAHS '52 Top ]

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