JUL / AUG 2005

Spring has come to western Pennsylvania, and it's lovely. So much so, that in a week or so we will complain about the lack of rain.

Honors. A January 2005 Cornell Chronicle clipping announces that the newly created Tanner prize will be "awarded annually to a person, couple, or family who has made significant contributions to both Jewish life anywhere in the world and to Cornell."Appropriately, the prize is named for Harold Tanner who, in addition to serving on Cornell's Board of Trustees, raising a great deal of money for the university, and being named a foremost benefactor, has been a long-term member and president of the American Jewish Committee. I also have notice that Roy Payne, MBA '53, was honored by Cornell staff, family, and Delta Chi brothers as Foremost Benefactor to the university on October 16, 2004. Congratulations to both classmates.

The mail told of various people doing many things. Jeremy Judge wrote in March to say that he and his wife Margot have been working with others in Roxbury, CT, and neighboring towns to "do something helpful for those suffering in Afghanistan and Iraq." Their group, Our Towns for Sar-E-Pol, has raised $50,000 to provide immunization of children in the Province of Sar-E-Pol, Afghanistan. The Judges "continue to see a lot of Carr Ferguson, LLB '54, Bud Freeman, and Stu Haskins and their families, which we like a lot." Alice Sena Scherer writes, "We live in a continuing care community,Willow Valley, in Lancaster, PA. Our son Andrew and daughter-in-law Wendy run an Internet information service. Three grandsons: Davis, Reed, and Max. Our daughter Elizabeth is a medical researcher and lives in Annapolis."

Donald Biles, Skytop, PA, retired in 1988 as president and general manager of Skytop Lodge. He and Elly, whom he married in September '47, have two children in California and one in Massachusetts."Most importantly, we have seven grandchildren--five in Massachusetts and two in California--whom we love very much and visit whenever we can."Don, who hadn't seen anyone very much, saw Jack and Lib Hunsberger Craver. The Bileses have cut way back on travel, but went to D.C. for the dedication of the WW II memorial. He was flying to Florida in October for his "final" military reunion. "Not too many left to attend a reunion--sad!" Elaine Willis Hazard writes from Bemidji, MN, that she and Evan '51 are happily retired and have done some traveling. Their three children are grown, and their three grandchildren are "spread too far apart" from western Minnesota to Chicago. Elaine volunteers as parish nurse at her church, is active in local theater, and serves on the board of Northwoods Interfaith Caregivers. She reads a lot, mostly detective mysteries, but sometimes "real" literature.

Evelyn Hoffmann Huffman, whom we knew as Kris, writes from Kansas City,MO, "Inspired by the art show at reunion, I have taken up painting and am enjoying it very much. Also, it's very challenging. Had an exhibition last spring and hope to have more." Henry Ver Valen, Monkton,MD, has been busy--skiing Steamboat Springs and spending two weeks in Sarasota in February and two weeks at Kiawah in September. He's active with the Peabody Inst., enjoys lots of dancing, and still works on maintaining and restoring his four vintage Jaguars. He was at the vintage races at Watkins Glen in September. The Ver Valens' two sons live in California.

Pierre Tonachel wrote in December that in October he married Julia Healy, a fellow Manhattan artist. "We are happily ensconced in our Greenwich Village penthouse." Pete works in a studio in Soho and had just finished their fall open studio shows. He writes, "I managed to sell a few canvases and etchings. Kind of a long haul from the former career as a lawyer, but after all, I started out at Cornell in painting and drawing with Profs. Hansen and Evett." Barbara GaleWood, Hancock, NH, wondered in November where the year went. She had visited a son in Oregon in July and gardened. She wrote, "As a Regent of Gunston Hall, near Mt. Vernon, spent some days at meeting there in October, and then to southern Italy with the American Horticultural Society seeing not only several gardens but old churches and ruins from the history of invasions over the centuries. Too brief a visit, but a great pleasure."After Thanksgiving with their daughter's family in Littleton, CO, the Woods were to be home for Christmas.

Dave, JD '58, and Phyllis Perl Stearns '54, Sarasota, FL, celebrated their golden wedding anniversary with family at Cabo San Lucas in November 2004. Dave reports that Phyllis's newest works, mixed media, were to be exhibited at the Palm Avenue Gallery in downtown Sarasota beginning January 7, 2005.

Twenty items to go and no more space.Make sure to pay dues and subscribe when the annual class mailing comes this fall. -- Joan Boffa Gaul, 7 Colonial Pl., Pittsburgh, PA 15232; e-mail, jgcomm@aol.com