CLASS NOTES
WINTER 2013 | ST. LAWRENCE UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE 29
1940
Nathan O. Niles ’40
222
Wardour Drive
Annapolis, MD 21401-1255
410-263-2858
noniles@verizon.net
Next Reunion: 75
th
, 2015
Mark “Barney” Brown
writes that he and Bea
Fairchild ’39 miss
Dick Young
,
as do so many of
us. He reports good health for nonagenarians and
no regrets over moving to a retirement commu-
nity 19 years ago.“We have backed offmost of the
community jobs but are sort of senior citizens on
the Finance, Building and Safety, Inclusion, Health
Care Advisory and Volunteer committees,”Barney
writes. They have a retired son near Sacramento,
100
miles from them, via whom they have two
great-granddaughters, and a son in Boulder, Col.,
who is director of research and development for
the Bureau of Reclamation.
They no longer travel, but Barney still drives (cau-
tiously, he says) nearby. “Bea has macular degen-
eration so she no longer drives. My continuing
degeneration is just routine, but I have not had
my face slapped in quite a while.”
Betty List Gardner
writes that she is enjoying
her retirement complex in Stamford, Conn. “It is
next door to Darien, where I spent most of our
married life, so I can still run back and forth for my
duplicate bridge and social gatherings. I see my
three kids and theirs frequently.” By the time you
see this she will probably have four “greats.”“I am
fortunate to still be able to enjoy life,”she says.
Mary Jane Lang Chilton
was hoping to cel-
ebrate her 94
th
birthday on September 24 and, in
November, to visit her son in Kentucky. They took
a cruise last year, to Costa Maya:“plenty of beach-
es, white sand and new fancy hotels.”
Alma Lasher Fick
writes, “By the time the Janu-
ary 2013 issue of
St. Lawrence
is published, I’ll be
93,
if still with the living, and eager as ever for
news of others." Volunteering keeps her busy
and content. Her daughter is a nurse practitio-
ner in Connecticut and her son is vice president
in charge of facilities at Colgate. “They make fre-
quent trips to visit Mom,”he says.“Fondmemories
and lifelong friends were made at Dean-Eaton
Cottage and the Kappa lodge. The entire experi-
ence opened enticing paths to an exciting life.
Best wishes to all.”
1941
Ray Lewis‘41
609
N. Ohio Ave.
Roswell, NM 88201-2129
575-208-9542
Next Reunion: 75
th
, 2016
Greetings, classmates. I received letters from
Philena Woolver Wells
(
first one ever!) and
BiancaVernon Nealley
’43.
They wrote to ask for
copies of Chapter 3 of Kirk Douglas ’39’s autobi-
ography
The Ragman’s Son
.
I complied immedi-
ately with their requests.
Philena writes that she met Kirk and his wife,
Anne, twice; both were very pleasant experienc-
es. Philena’s daughter is a high school principal in
the San Fernando Valley of California. She writes,
“
In 1956 I signed up to sub in Los Angeles schools,
and taught three days a week. I was lucky that
math and science was my field. For 93, I am doing
very well I hope you are too.”
Bianca lives in Upper Montclair, N.J. She mostly
wrote to thank me for my trouble.
I highly appreciate receiving the two letters, but
I would dearly love to hear from other members
of our older classes, particularly the remaining
two thirds of the class of 1941 whom I have yet
to hear from since I have been class reporter for
the past few years.
Advice to you mostly 93-year-oldsters: When
you go to bed early every night, think of some
challenging, interesting thing or three to look
forward to doing after you struggle out of bed
the following morning. For starters, fix yourself a
delicious breakfast (be like me, and have a piece
of pie or cake with the coffee), then, if you can still
walk, or hobble one foot per step, as I do, walk
outside in the sunshine, or, also as I do, work in
your flower garden.
To reach 100, I recommend that you (1) get eight
or nine hours of sleep every night, plus a short
nap during the day; (2) eat nourishing food−but
not too much at once−three times each day, and
with the evening meal drink an adult beverage
with moderation; (3) engage in some form of ex-
ercise from30 to 60minutes every day; and (4) set
at least one goal a day, such as writing to family or
friends, or doing volunteer work for your church,
a school, a young neighbor, a friend, a relative, or
a child you are mentoring.
In addition, give your precious dog or cat lots
of loving care and hugs. My adorable calico cat,
Taffi, is my best friend. Finally, if you like to keep
up with national and world events by reading the
paper and watching TV news programs, stand up
once every 10 or 15 minutes.
1942
Bill Buschmann‘42
27580
Canal Road, #1409
Orange Beach, AL 36561-4022
251-980-5700
ext. 1409 (home)
251-923-6691 (
cell)
Next Reunion: 75
th
, 2017
1943
Richard C. Austin ’43
3119
Wake Robin Drive
Shelburne, VT 05482
802-985-5710
rca33@aol.com
Next Reunion: 70
th
,
May 30-June 2, 2013
1944
Elizabeth Dietrich Ackerley ’44
42
Cedar Lane
Scotia, NY 12302-5524
518-384-0021
Next Reunion: 70
th
, 2014
Don Shakeshaft
died last August. He was a jour-
nalist and conservationist. For more about him,
turn to "In Memory."
1945
Helen Aitchison Ellison ’45
1405
Greenbriar Lane
West Grove, PA 19390
610-345-0908
hhellison@aol.com
Next Reunion: 70
th
, 2015
It was 71 years ago in the fall that we were reg-
istered as freshmen, the coeds wearing those silly
little scarlet and brown arm bands with “SLU” on
them and the men wearing traditional SLU hats.
We learned about the chapel bells, had hikes to
the Sandbanks, reserved time at the Horse Barn
to ride the few horses available, went canoeing,
explored the Sugar Bowl and the Eskimo and at
night visited Crump’s andThe“R.” Yes, in between,
we did go to class!
From
Bobbie Geiler Petter
comes news of her
four daughters:
*
Betsy Petter Thompson ‘79 teaches art in Lon-
don. She and her husband, who is a musician, live
on the Thames River. Betsy is also a portrait artist.
*
Ann is pursuing a master’s in international af-
fairs at The New School in New York City. She
also worked at the U.N., setting up their graphic
design department.
*
Carolyn lives inWilliston, Vt., does freelance writ-
ing and works on projects promoting the YMCA.
She has two active and challenging teenagers.
*
Barbara, who teaches art and art history at St.
Mark’s School in Southborough, Mass., and was a
ski instructor in the Italian Alps for several years, is
an avid bicycle rider, going 60-70miles on one trip.
Her husband coaches crew for freshman women
at Holy Cross. She does black-and-white wood-
cuts and has displays in major museums across
this country and abroad. She has shown her work
in Finland and Romania. She is about to leave her
teaching position at Bowdoin and take a sabbati-
cal to go with a team, as the artist, to the North
Pole on a research vessel. She and her husband
have built a retirement home in Deer Isle, Maine.
Our condolences to Bobbie, whose husband,
Jack, a doctor in Worcester, Mass., for many
years, passed away last year. I remember being a
bridesmaid at their wedding. She worked at Pe-
ter Bent Brigham Hospital, now called Brigham
andWomen’s Hospital.
Mary Jane Winter Gross
,
who was an ADPi
sister of Bobbie’s, called to reminisce about their
days at SLU and knitting“sloppy joe”sweaters well
into the wee hours of the morning!
For information about becoming a
reporter for any class prior to 1940, please
contact Kim Hissong, 315-229-5837 or
khissong@stlawu.edu
.