It is with great regret and sorrow that I must notify you of the death of our
Classmate and Class Vice-president, Pete Gleichenhaus,
on December 25, 2024, in San Francisco, CA.
Pete is survived by his wife, Barbara; their son, Joseph, and his wife, Lori; their daughter, Wendy Veneris, and her husband, Phil; their daughter,
Morissa; and their grandchildren, Max Veneris, Sidney Veneris, David Gleichenhaus, and Noah Gleichenhaus.
Funeral services will be at 10 AM, January 3, 2025, at Congregation Am Tikva, 625 Brotherhood Way, 625 Brotherhood Way, San Francisco, CA 94132
or on zoom, for those unable to attend in person.
Burial will follow at Salem Memorial Park, 1171 El Camino Real, Colma, CA
94014.
Condolences may be sent to Barbara at 1324 Portola Drive, San Francisco, CA 94127-1510.
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations in Pete’s memory may be sent to West Point Jewish Chapel Fund, P.O. Box 84, West Point, NY 10996.
1.
Homework
– Read thru this invite and reference material.
2.
RSVP
– Fill out the registration to let me know your preferences so that I can get
headcounts for rooms and other planning. Just give me your best estimate
at this point. You can change things later if you need to.
3.
Hotel Reservation.
I will send you instructions how to do this as soon as I can get them from the
hotel. When I do, make the reservation as fast as you can. Hurricane
after action activities have slowed down responses from the hotel.
First Annual WA '61 “Last Man Standing” Luncheon Held 3 December 2024
Charlie Welsh got the 5 of us 61ers together for a “Last
Man Standing” luncheon last week. Will be an annual event – next date is
12 November 25. Believe we are the only ones left in WA state. Was
fun. Enjoy the Holidays and Beat Navy!
PS: Wives are Heather Cameron, Sally Taylor, Jeannie
Kirkpatrick and Carolyn Harmon. Check out that 61 banner….
Thomas W. Paskewitz "Tom"
Company F-1
26 Aug 1939 - 2 Dec 2024
Place of Death: Princeton, NJ
Interment:Washington Crossing National Cemetery, Newtown,
PA
It is with great regret and
sorrow that I must notify you of the death of our classmate, Tom Paskewitz, on
December 2, 2024, in Princeton, NJ as a result of Lewy body disease.
Tom is survived by his
wife, Barbara; their daughter, Mary Beth Bartlett and her husband, John; their
son, Mark; their grandchildren, Kira Borlenghi and her husband, Alex, and
Justina Hudgens and her husband, John; and their great grandchildren, Luca and
Jose.
It is with great regret and
sorrow that I must notify you of the death of our classmate, Bev Powell, on
December 1, 2024 in Bedford, TX.
Bev survived his first wife
who passed away in 1997. Today, he leaves behind his beloved wife, Linda.
Together, they created a loving, blended family of six children and 13
grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 5
to 7 PM on December 9, 2024 at Bluebonnet Hills Funeral Home, 5725 Colleyville
Boulevard, Colleyville, TX 76034.
Funeral services will be at
11 AM on December 10, 2024 at Bluebonnet Hills Funeral Home.
A family only internment
service will be on December 11, 2024 at Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery.
Condolences may be sent to
Linda at 828 Autumnwood Court, Bedford, TX 76021-4329.
In lieu of flowers, the
family requests that donations in Bev's memory be sent to the St. Jude
Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.
Interment: Blessed Sacrament Columbarium, Jonesboro, AR
It is with great regret and
sorrow that I must notify you of the death of our classmate, Warren Shull, on
November 18, 2024, in Jonesboro, AR.
Warren is survived by his
wife, Martie; their daughter, Mary Keeter, and her husband, John; their
daughter, Molli Beaverstock, and her husband, Drew; and their grandchildren,
Alex Keeter, Molly Keeter, and Mac Beaverstock.
There will be a Rosary at
6:30 pm followed by visitation on Thursday, November 21, 2024 at Blessed
Sacrament Catholic Church, 1107 E Highland Drive, Jonesboro, AR 72401.
The funeral Mass will be
held at 10:00 am on Friday, November 22, 2024 at Blessed Sacrament Catholic
Church.
Interment at Blessed
Sacrament Columbarium will follow at a later date.
Condolences may be sent to
Marti at 2202 Morningside Drive, Jonesboro, AR 72404-8045.
In lieu of flowers, the
family has requested that donations in Warren’s memory be sent to Blessed
Sacrament School Endowment Fund, 1105 E. Highland Drive, Jonesboro, AR
72401 or Kiwanis Club of Jonesboro, P.O. Box 17233, Jonesboro, AR 72403.
It is with great regret and
sorrow that I must notify you of the death of our classmate, Jerry Clements, on
June 19, 2024, in Dallas, TX.
Jerry is survived by his
daughter, Cristin Miller, and her husband, Brad; his son, Stephen, and his wife,
Hope; his son, Jud, and his wife, Helen; his grandchildren, Cole Miller, Carson
Cone and her husband Luke, Z Clements, Camden Miller, Hank Clements, Hallie
Clements, Charlie Clements, and Sarah Cate Clements; and his great
granddaughter, Hensley Carlisle Cone. He was predeceased by his wife, Pam,
who died on December 20, 2023, and their son, Sean.
Jerry was buried in Dallas
National Cemetery.
Condolences may be sent to
Stephen Clements, 3928 Regent Circle, Dallas, TX 75229.
The family has requested
that donations in Jerry's memory be sent to St. Rita Catholic Church, 12521
Inwood Road, Dallas, TX 75244.
The 2025 Mini Is On - 24-29 January 2025 in Orlando, Fl
The Mini is on!!!!!!
Here is what you need to do ASAP
1.
Homework – Read thru this invite and reference material.
2.RSVP – Fill out the registration to let me know your preferences so
that I can get headcounts for rooms and other planning. Just give me your
best estimate at this point. You can change things later if you need to.
3.Hotel
Reservation. Room info below.
Make the reservation as soon as you can.
It is with great regret and
sorrow that I must notify you of the death of our classmate, Gunnar Carlson, on October 29, 2024, in Las Cruces, NM.
Gunnar is survived by his
wife, Beverly; his stepson, Daniel McKinney, and his wife, Rebecca; his
stepdaughter, Cindy Bookout, and her wife, Jamie; his stepson, Torre Bookout,
and his wife, Gwen; and his step grandchild Ariel McKinney. He was
preceded in death by his step granddaughters, Anya and Annalise McKinney.
Funeral services will be at
1:00 pm on November 9, 2024, at the Scottish Rite Temple, 195 E Boutz Road, Las
Cruces, NM 88005 followed by burial at the Masonic Cemetery, 760 S Compress
Road, Las Cruces, NM 88005.
Condolences may be sent to
Beverly at 865 Cedardale Drive, Las Cruces, NM 88005.
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations in Gunnar’s
memory be sent to the Valley of Las Cruces Scottish Rite Learning Center, PO Box 357, Las Cruces, NM 88004.
Registration for 2025 Golfing Grads of USMA will begin on 1
December. For the third year in a row, the competition will be at Mission
Inn Resort, Howley-in-the-Hills, Florida north of Orlando. The format is
outlined below and once again, '61 will be the senior class competing. So
far, Cairns, Clarke, Grannemann, Mallory and Witherspoon are committed. We
need three more players to round out a second foursome. Interested
classmates email Gene Witherspoon (eswitherspoon2015@gmail.com)
for more info.
Interment:
Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA
It is with great regret and
sorrow that I must notify you of the death of our classmate, Bob Herrick, on
October 15, 2024, in Naples, FL, as a result of complication from Lewy body
dementia.
Bob is survived by his
wife, Jenny; their daughter, Holly Yoders, and her husband, Sam; their daughter,
Kelly Deaves, and her husband, Brian; their daughter, Sally Herrick; and their
grandchildren, Hope Tschiegg, Harry Yoders, and Frank William Spinelli.
A Celebration of Bob’s life
will be held from 2 to 4 PM on November 17th, 2024, in the Main Dining Room of
the Stonebridge Country Club, 2100 Winding Oaks Way, Naples, FL 34109.
Burial will be at Arlington
National Cemetery on a date to be determined.
Condolences may be sent to
Jenny at 24120 S. Tamiami Trail #2303, Bonita Springs, FL 34134.
In lieu of flowers, the
family requests donations in Bob’s memory be sent to the Tunnel to Towers
Foundation, 2361 Hylan Boulevard, Staten Island, NY 10306.
Second Annual Final Pig Roast 12 Oct 2024 Was a Success
Michelle and George Kopcsak outdid themselves in hosting the Second Annual Final Pig
Roast at their Full Circle Farm on 12 October. The lucky attendees included
41 classmates and spouses, as well as children, grandchildren, and neighbors.
The guest of honor was a 180-lb hog that George roasted all night. As a
bonus, the group helped George celebrate his birthday. It was a grand
occasion, and as George says, “pass one up, die one short.”
It is with great regret and
sorrow that I must notify you of the death of our classmate, Denny Lenhart, on
October 2, 2024, in Moraga, CA.
Denny is survived by his
wife, Kitty; their daughter, Aimee Cassulo, and her husband Frank; their son,
Daniel, and his wife, Ayano; and their grandchildren, Ethan and Eleanor Cassulo
and Reina and Emma Lenhart.
Denny's Celebration of Life
service is at 3 PM on January 4, 2025 at The Grill at Point Pinos, 79 Asilomar
Boulevard, Pacific Grove, CA 93950.
Burial will be at El
Carmelo Cemetery, 68 Asilomar Ave, Pacific Grove, CA 93950 on a date to be
determined.
Condolences may be sent to
Kitty at 16 Arroyo Drive, Moraga, CA 94556-1203.
In lieu of flowers, the
family requests that donations in Denny’s memory be sent to CSU Foundation, P.O.
Box 1870, Fort Collins, CO 80522. Please include “In Memory of
George Dennis Lenhart” and the “French Lenhart Student Veterans Scholarship” on
the memo line or in an accompanying note. Gifts can also be made by
calling the CSU Foundation at (970) 491-7135 or via a secure online giving by
visiting https://advancing.colostate.edu/GIVE.
Please type 086163 in the designation field, select French Lenhart Student
Veterans Scholarship, and use the “Include Tribute” section to indicate this
gift is in memory of George Dennis Lenhart.
Interment: Bay Pines National Cemetery, Petersburg, FL
It is with great regret and sorrow that I must notify you of the death of our
classmate, Tom Gordon, on September 2, 2024, in Clearwater, FL. His wife
of 57 years, Francy, was by his side.
Tom is survived by his wife, Francy; their son, Thomas, Jr., and his wife,
Sarah; their son Steven and his wife, Sarah; their son, Robert (USMA 2000), and
his wife, Mariangela; their grandchildren, Joseantonio, Hayden, Justin, Tyler,
Brooke, Claire, Jillian, Mia, Abigail, Blake, and Teagan.
Visitation and Celebration of Life will be at 2:30 PM on September 13, 2024, at
Memorial Park Funeral Home, 5750 49th Street N, St. Petersburg, FL
33709.
Burial will be at a time and date to be determined at Bay Pines National
Cemetery, 10000 Bay Pines Boulevard, St. Petersburg, FL 33708.
Condolences may be sent to Francy at 13883 Tern Lane, Clearwater, FL
33762-4553
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Tom’s memory be sent to the
Veteran’s organization of your choosing, in honor of Tom's faithful service to
our Nation.
Interment: First Presbyterian of Grand Junction, Grand
Junction, CO
It is with great regret and
sorrow that I must notify you of the death of our classmate, Don McBee, on
August 29, 2024, in Grand Junction, CO, as a result of Parkinson’s disease.
Don is survived by his
wife, Janis; their daughter, Stephanie Fowler and her husband Andrew; their
daughter, Deanna McBee Galanis; their grandchildren, Hannah Murphy Fowler and
her husband Mac Murphy Fowler, Matthew Fowler, Joshua Fowler, Mason Galanis, and
Paige Galanis; and great grandchild, Naya Murphy Fowler. He was
predeceased by his son, Derek.
A private memorial service
will be held at First Presbyterian Church,
Grand Junction, CO, followed by interment in the memorial wall at the church.
Condolences may be sent to
Janis at 773 25 ¾ Road, Grand Junction, CO 81505-9507.
In lieu of flowers, the
family requests that donations in Don’s memory be sent to Gift Operations, West
Point Association of Graduates, 698 Mills Road, West Point, NY 10996 –
make checks payable to West Point Association of Graduates and designate The
Long Gray Line Fund in the check’s memo section.
It is with great regret and
sorrow that I must notify you of the death of our classmate, Dick Fanning, on
August 14, 2024 in Minneapolis, MN.
Dick is survived by his
daughter, Kathy, and her husband, Bob; his daughter, Gail; his son Rick; his
son, Andrew and his wife, Molly; his son, David and his wife, Perla; his
daughter, Karen; and his grandchildren, C.B., Amanda, Sean, Kevin, Kyle, Felipe,
Casey, and Sofia. He was predeceased by his wife, Mille, and sons, Matthew
and James.
A celebration of life and
veterans memorial service was held on 22 August 2024 at Kapala-Glodek-Malone
Funeral Home, 7800 Bass Lake Road, New Hope, MN.
In lieu of flowers, the
family requests that donations in Dick’s memory be sent to the Wounded Warrior
Project, P.O. Box 758516, Topeka, KS 66675-8516.
1.
Homework
– Read thru this invite and reference material.
2.
RSVP
– Fill out the registration to let me know your preferences so that I can get
headcounts for rooms and other planning. Just give me your best estimate
at this point. You can change things later if you need to.
3.
Hotel Reservation.
I will send you instructions how to do this as soon as I can get them from the
hotel. When I do, make the reservation as fast as you can. Hurricane
after action activities have slowed down responses from the hotel.
Join us for an inspiring conversation with Lee Anderson, Class of 1961, as we
explore his remarkable journey from his childhood in Minneapolis to his
influential career and philanthropic efforts. Anderson shares intimate
details of his upbringing with his father’s transformation from an orphaned
Swedish immigrant to a successful plumber and his mother’s time in an
orphanage. Discover how his father and half brother led him to West Point,
setting the stage for a life of leadership and service. Anderson reflects on
his formative years at West Point, significant mentors, athletic achievements
in basketball, and his deep appreciation for his classmates, which instilled
in him resilience and teamwork.
From 27 July to 3 August 2024 a Selection of Classmates and Their Halves Cruised Around Iceland
Aboard the Viking Mars
From 27 July to 3 August a distinguished selection of
classmates and their much better halves cruised around Iceland aboard the
Viking Mars. Iceland is a fascinating country and the cruise experience
could not have been better(no one lost weight). Those enjoying the week
together were Marty Ganderson and Paula, Witherspoon, Kopcsaks, Fishburnes
(including two lovely daughters), Fritz’s, Grisonis, Javas, Hansells, and
Eilands.
Grigg '61 Named Distinguished Member by American Society of Civil Engineers
Neil
Grigg displays the “Ground Water Atlas of Colorado” which he authored
Neil Grigg '61 was first introduced to the American Society of Civil
Engineers (ASCE) as a graduate student at Auburn University in Alabama.
Knowing he planned to pursue a career in civil engineering, he thought
joining a professional organization in the field would be a good idea.
Sixty years later, ASCE has named Grigg a “Distinguished
Member,” the society’s highest honor for a member.
ASCE recognized Grigg for “his extraordinary
contributions in water resources management, integrating physical,
statistical, economic, social, legal, and political factors to solve complex
problems, sharing his knowledge through publishing seminar papers and books,
technology transfer, and mentoring colleagues, and students around the
world.”
Dick Clarke Wayne Ploger Sam Enfield
have mini-mini lunch today in Fredricksburg VA
Members of the Class of ‘61 Bid a Final Farewell to Mick Maus
Thirteen members of the Class of ‘61 gathered at the West Point Cemetery on 15 July to bid a final farewell to Mick Maus. Well done, Mick. Be thou at peace.
L-R are: Rod
Grannemann and daughter Tori; Bruce Seidel; Teri Grisoni; John Kilkenny;
Coralinn Maus; Mike Eiland; John Grisoni; Will Conley; Pat Shroyer; Leigh Majors
(Bill Griffith’s daughter); Kathy Conley; and Chan Eiland.
James S. Blesse "Jim"
Company A-2
16 Sep 1939 - 11 Jul 2024
Place of Death: Fort Monroe, VA
Interment: Arlington National Cemetery on a date to be
determined.
It is with great regret and sorrow that I
must notify you of the death of our classmate, Jim Blesse, on July 11, 2024, in
Fort Monroe, VA from prostate cancer.
Jim is survived by his wife, Bobbie; his
son, Joseph, and his wife, Susie; his daughter, Debra; his son, Steven, and his
wife, Lisa; his stepdaughter, Meg Souder and her partner, John Williams; his
stepson, Bryan Souder, and his wife, Stephanie; his grandchildren, Jacob, Logan,
Claire, and Joseph; and his step-grandchildren, Hannah, Grace, and Eleanor.
Jim Blesse's funeral service will be at 11 AM, 23 August, at Christ
Episcopal Church, 111 S Church Street, Smithfield, VA 23430.
Burial will be at Arlington National
Cemetery on a date to be determined.
Condolences may be sent to Bobbie at 2
Fenwick Road, # 609, Fort Monroe, VA 23651-1130.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests
that donations in Jim’s memory be sent to the American Battlefield Trust, 1156
15th Street NW, Suite 900, Washington, DC 20005.
The Texas Panhandle War Memorial in Amarillo commissioned this video tribute to Ron Hines
The Texas Panhandle War Memorial in Amarillo commissioned this
video tribute to Ron Hines, a native of the Panhandle who was one of our first classmates to give his life in Vietnam — 26 April 1964. Ron’s fellow mule rider,
Rod Grannemann, was instrumental in the project.
It is with great regret and
sorrow that I must notify you of the death of our classmate, Gail Burchell, on
June 5, 2024, in Lebanon, OR.
Gail is survived by his
wife, Patti; his children, Anne, Mara (Howard), Cynthia (Edward), and Theresa;
his stepchildren, Sherri (Mark), Linda (Scott), Dawna (William), Richard
(Andrea), Jason (Wendy), and J; his many grandchildren and great-grandchildren;
and his former wife, Margaret.
Gail's Memorial Service will be at 1 PM, August 31, 2024, at American Legion Santiam Post 51, 480 Main Street, Lebanon OR 97355.
Gail’s family will spread his ashes according to his wishes.
Condolences may be sent to Patti at 22 N. 5th Street, Lebanon, OR
97355-2709.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations in Gail’s memory be
sent to SMART Reading, 101 SW Market Street, Portland, OR 97201.
John Solomon will be inducted into the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF)
John Solomon will be inducted into the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) In Memory Program at 10 AM, June 15, 2024, at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
John’s Honor Roll page is at
https://www.vvmf.org/Honor-Roll/502590/John-K-Solomon/.
Interment:
Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA
It is with
great regret and sorrow that I must notify you of the death of our classmate,
Tom Mercer, on March 17, 2023, in Dallas, TX, as a result of advanced
Alzheimer’s disease.
Tom is survived
by his wife, Cheryl; his daughter, Sandra Kathleen Muse, her husband, David, and
their children, Corey and Jeremy Muse; his daughter, Debra Jean Cifone, her
husband, Rocky, and their children, J.R. and Tommy Cifone; his step-son, Leonard
Scott Schroeder and his daughter, Haley Schroeder; his step-daughter, Jill
Elizabeth Schroeder, and her children, Niccolas Schroeder, and Dylan and Julia
Alderete; their son, Alexander Thomas Mercer, his wife, Lindsay, and their
children, Henry and Charlotte Mercer.
Funeral
services will be at Arlington National Cemetery on a date to be determined.
Condolences may
be sent to Cheryl at 5817 Penrose Avenue, Dallas, TX 75206-5519.
In lieu of
flowers, the family requests that donations in Tom’s memory be sent to the West
Point Association of Graduates, Attn: Gift Operations, 698 Mills Road, West
Point, NY 10996. In the check’s memo section enter Superintendent’s Annual
Fund.
It is with
great regret and sorrow that I must notify you of the death of our classmate,
Mick Maus, on April 23, 2024, in McKinney, TX, as a result of pancreatic cancer.
Mick is
survived by his wife, Coralinn; their son, Mike (USMA ’87) and his wife Eileen;
their daughter, Cynthia Maus; their daughter, Christine Kerlin and her husband
Stephen; their grandchildren, Michael Maus and his wife Melissa, Alexis Maus,
Jamie Maus, Caleb Kilpatrick (USMA ’19), Samantha Kilpatrick, Abigail
Kilpatrick, Paul Kerlin, and Daniel Kerlin; and their great granddaughter, Isla
Maus.
A memorial
service will be held at 10:00 AM, Friday, May 3, 2024 at St. Gabriel Catholic
Church, 110 St Gabriel Way, McKinney, TX 75071. The service will also be live
streamed at stgabriel.org/funerals-online.
The funeral for Mick Maus
is at 1:30 PM, July 15, 2024, at the Old Cadet Chapel, West Point, NY, with
burial to follow in the West Point Cemetery. Those attending should meet
NLT 1:00 PM at the Visitors Control Center located in the West Point Visitors
Center in Highland Falls.
So far, Will and Kathy
Conley, Mike and Chan Eiland, Rod Grannemann and daughter Tori, John and Teri
Grisoni, John Kilkenny, and Pat Shroyer are planning to attend.
If you plan to attend,
please RSVP by reply e-mail as soon as possible.Condolences may
be sent to Coralinn at 7402 Round Hill Road, McKinney, TX 75070-5701.
In lieu of
flowers, the family requests that donations in Mick’s memory be sent to Subiaco
Academy and Abbey, 405 North Subiaco Avenue, Subiaco, AR 72865. Please write
“In Memory of Mike Maus” in the check’s memo section.
It is with
great regret and sorrow that I must notify you of the death of our classmate,
Arlie Miller, on April 10, 2024, in Cuyahoga Falls,
OH.
Arlie is survived by his daughter, Deborah McClure; his son, David, and his
wife, Tracy; his son, Douglas, and his wife, Robin; and his grandchildren,
Nicklas Miller, and Spencer, Bryce, and Bryan McClure. He was predeceased by
his wife, Susan, and their grandson, Ricky Fraley.
A Memorial Service was held on April 20, 2024 at Clifford Shoemaker Funeral
Home, 1930 Front Street, Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44221.
Condolences may
be sent to Deborah McClure at 5005 Portland Cv,
Stow, OH 44224.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations in Arlen’s memory be sent
to Christ Community Chapel, 750 W Streetsboro Street, Hudson, OH 44236.
Eggleston ’61 Releases “Second to None: The West Point Class of 1961”
Mike Eggleston ’61 and members of his Class of 1961 have produced a book about their class history.
The book tells the history of the West Point Class of 1961 over the past 63 years.
These classmates have a long list of accomplishments, and some members of the class are recognized internationally.
Some of members of the West Point Class of 1961 have published books and others have written articles. These are included in the bibliography, and excerpts are included in this history.
The book largely focuses on Vietnam since nearly all members of the Class of 1961 on active duty at that time served there, but members also served in other conflicts during
the Cold War and beyond.
George L. Shamblee
Company B-2
19 Dec 1937 - 8 Mar 2024
Place of Death: Saint Augustine, FL
Interment: Cremated. West Point Cemetery, West Point, NY
It is with great regret and sorrow that I must notify you of the death of our
classmate, George Shamblee, on March 8, 2024 in St. Augustine, FL.
George is survived by his son, Christopher; his daughter, Kimberly Hill, and her
husband, Chris; and his granddaughters, Olivia and Ella. He is also survived by
his former wife, Priscilla.
A Celebration of Life was held on March 29, 2024 at the Emerald Coast Funeral
Home, 161 Racetrack Rd NW, Fort Walton Beach, FL 32547.
A funeral service will be held at the Old Cadet Chapel, West Point, NY, at 10 AM
on June 3, 2024, followed by burial in the West Point Cemetery.
Those attending
should meet NLT 9:30 AM at the Visitors Control Center located in the West Point
Visitors Center in Highland Falls.
Condolences may be sent to Kimberly at 1712 E Cobblestone Lane, St. Augustine,
FL 32092-3601.
In lieu of flowers, donations in George’s memory may be sent to West Point
Chaplain Tithes and Offerings Fund, 692 Biddle Loop, West Point NY 10996 or the
AOG Memorial Support Program.
It is with
great regret and sorrow that I must notify you of the death of our classmate,
Gus Stiehl, on February 2, 2024, in Sun City West, AZ.
Gus is survived
by his wife, Charlotte; Michael (son) and Laura (daughter-in-law), Ryan
(grandson) and Breeana (wife), and Nathan (grandson); Steven (son) and Jennifer
(daughter-in-law), Kendall (grandson), and Kate (granddaughter); Diane
(daughter) and Todd (grandson); and Cynthia (daughter) and Andy (son-in-law),
Matthew (grandson), and Jacob (grandson).
A Celebration
of Life Service was held on April 6, 2024, at Advent Episcopal Church, Sun City
West, AZ.
Burial plans
are pending.
Condolences may
be set to Charlotte at 13919 W. Gable Hill Drive, Sun City West, AZ 85375-5504.
In lieu of
flowers, the family has requested that donations in Gus's memory be sent to
Advent Episcopal Church, 13150 W Spanish Garden Drive, Sun City West, AZ 85375
or the American Heart Association, PO Box 840692, Dallas, TX 75284-0692
AOG Has Established a Full-time Staff Position to Assist Grads & Family in
Getting Benefits From Dept of Veterans Affairs (VA)
Jim Nicholson
has sent us this important information.
Thanks to the good leadership of
the AOG, they have been successful in establishing a full-time staff position
there whose only responsibility is to assist graduates and their family
survivors in understanding and obtaining benefits that may be due to them from
the Dept of Veterans Affairs (VA).
The current
occupant of this job is Sue Irons (Class of ’89). Sue has a strong background
in VA benefits, and possesses a great attitude about helping people navigate the
sometimes complex VA benefits system.
Additionally,
Sue has agreed to schedule a zoom call with members of our class, if desired, to
enhance their awareness of possible VA benefits. Sue is also available to
assist people on an individual basis.
This is a very
good move on the part of the AOG, and it will prove to be very helpful.
Highlights From the Mini Reunion in Charleston 17-22 Mar 2024
Joe Fishburne and Gary Hyde planned and executed an outstanding mini reunion for
the Class of 1961 in Charleston, SC (actually Mount Pleasant, SC) during the
third week of March. This is an outline of activities during the week.
Interestingly, all but three cadet companies were
represented by someone. F-1, A-2 and F-2 were missing. There were 39 from the
first regiment and 35 from second. D-1 had the most there (9) with the Browns, Denneys,
Lelands, Whites and Carol Jean MacLean. I-2 was next (8) with the Jones, Kovacs,
Oaks and Trish Buckner and Ann Marie.
I don’t think Joe Fishburne and Gary Hyde could have picked a more convenient
hotel than the Homewood Suites in Mt Pleasant. It was right across the street
from multiple restaurants and shops, all in easy walking distance. The hotel
breakfast was good, the evening meals Joe had coordinated with a caterer were
outstanding and the hospitality room accommodated our group nicely. Gary had
brought his sound system along with enough West Point memorabilia to fill the
tables with things to occupy spare time. I should mention that both Joe and Gary
were in M-1 together.
2024 Founder’s Day Festivities at Heritage Hunt in Gainesville, VA
On 10 March, 23 classmates, spouses, widows, and offspring attended the Founder’s Day festivities at Heritage Hunt in Gainesville, VA. As usual,
the West Point Alumni Glee Club put on a stellar performance, highlighted by a solo performance by Greg Parks ’52. The meal was outstanding, but the best part
of the evening was the bonding and fellowship.
'61 Classmates and Wives Gathered at West Point to Bid Farewell to Pete Boylan
On 29 February classmates and wives gathered at West Point to bid farewell to Pete Boylan, along with a large number of Pete’s family and descendants.
Pete was accorded full honors, including a 13-gun salute. The Superintendent attended the Mass and subsequent ceremonies at the cemetery, and presented the
flag to Karen Boylan. He broke from the usual script to acknowledge Pete’s bond
with his ’61 classmates. The funeral services were followed by sharing of
stories and reminiscences at Eisenhower Hall.
Attendees pictured are, L-R: Ed Leland, Teri and John Grisoni, Rod Grannemann, Mike Eiland, Dawn and Bob Glass, Kathy Boylan, John Kilkenny, Karen and George Joulwan.
Donald H. Lewis "Don"
Company E-2
10 Nov 1937 - 1 Mar 2024
Place of Death: Evans, GA
Interment: West Point Cemetery, West Point, NY
It is with
great regret and sorrow that I must inform you of the death of our classmate,
Don Lewis, on March 1, 2024 In Evans, GA.
Don is survived
by his daughter, Sandra Knezevich and her husband Michael;
their son, Donald and his wife Edith; their daughter, Keri Monteith; their son,
Jeffrey and his wife Jennifer; and their grandchildren, Shelton Lewis, Raven
Lewis, Brayton Lewis, Harrison Monteith, Sullivan Monteith, Cooper Lewis, and
Benjamin Lewis.
A memorial
service with military honors will be held at 11:00 AM on March 18, 2024 at
Christ Church Presbyterian, 4201 Southern Pines Drive, Evans, GA 30809.
The funeral for Don and his
wife Pat, who died on April 3, 2024, will be at 10 AM, October 28, 2024, at the
West Point Cemetery,
Those attending should meet NLT
9:30 AM at the Visitors Control Center located in the West Point Visitors Center
in Highland Falls.
Condolences may
be set to Pat at 4275 Owens Road, Apt 2325, Evans, GA 30809-4063.
In lieu of
flowers, the family has requested that donations in Don’s memory be sent to the
American Junior Golf Association Foundation, 1980 Sports Club Drive, Braselton,
GA 30517; the West Point Association of Graduates, Attn: Gift Operations, 698
Mills Road, West Point, NY 10996 (write Army Football Team Endowment in the
check’s memo section); or Christ Church Presbyterian, 4201 Southern Pines Drive,
Evans, GA 30809.
Rings of Classmates of '61 Donated to 2024 Ring Melt
The five donors to the 2024 Ring Melt from the Class of 1961 begin at about
the 1:02 mark during this youtubeof the event. The five donors were Garretson, Geiger, Scivoletto, Sherburne, and
Vick.
New Recollections from the Ladies of the Class of 1961 Feature Here
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Class of 1961: What you may how read in our Class
Website are
responses to a pursuit in the making over the past few years. Aided by several
of our ‘mates and Ladies, we now will include the
Recollections from the Ladies or click
on the Recollections from the Ladies of the Class of 1961 tab in
the
left column of this page.
Time to Focus on Preparing Memorial Articles for the 2023 TAPS
Now that the suspense for the 2022 edition of TAPS has passed, it is time focus
on preparing memorial articles for the 2023 edition. As of today, memorial
articles have been published for 115 of our 227 deceased graduate classmates.
Attached is the list of the 112 without articles. The suspense for submission
of articles for the 2023 edition of TAPS is 28 February 2023.
If you would like to write a memorial article, please review the
Guidelines for
Writers of Memorial Articles. Note that the article’s author is required to obtain the next of kin’s written
approval of the article. Without approval, the article cannot be published.
However, if no relatives are found after a reasonable, good faith search, the
author may obtain approval from the graduate’s class president. I have
next-of-kin contact information for 97 of the 112.
You could also write your own memorial article to save the burden on your
survivors. At a minimum, you should complete the
Autobiographical Data in
Support of Future Memorial Articles and send it to the AOG to assist the person who will write your memorial
article.
This is a list of our Classmates that do not yet have a published TAPS article.
Memorial & Family Planning Documents
The Class of 1961 Memorial Article Project has now made the appropriate AOG Forms available for your use.
Click here to go to the Class Website article that explains what is available and has links to the documents.
AOG Announces The Rockbound Highland
HomeProgram Welcoming Grads Home
Who
says you can’t go home again? For 47 months, West Point was
your home—through Beast Barracks, Mess Hall meals, clubs and team experiences,
competitions on the fields of friendly strife, the Indoor Obstacle Course,
graduation, and even the gloom period.
Most alumni love to visit their alma maters, and West Point
graduates are certainly no exception. However, because the Academy is on an
active-duty Army post, gaining access and touring West Point present unique
challenges.
To enhance services for the Long Gray Line, the West Point
Association of Graduates has launched The Rockbound Highland HomeProgram, a new program ensuring that every graduate coming back
home to the Academy is welcomed in the special way that family should be.
The Rockbound Highland Home Program was
created exclusively for USMA graduates and is designed to assist you in
navigating post security procedures, offer special access to select MWR (Morale,
Welfare, and Recreation) facilities and services, and provide “insider” tours
for you and your guests. For information on how to support the Rockbound
Highland Home Program and other WPAOG initiatives,
click here.
For more information on each aspect of this program, please
click below or contact:
Program Coordinator: Lindsey Eisenlohr,
Phone: 845.446.1622
Email at
RockboundHighlandHome@wpaog.org
Grad Insider Tour
The exclusive
Rockbound Highland Home Grad Insider Tour includes a series of tour
stops not available to the public and allows graduates to share unique
experiences of West Point with their families and guests.
Depending on the chosen tour time, you could have the opportunity to visit: the
Cadet Mess in Washington Hall, Jefferson Library, Thayer Award Room, Army Sports
Hall of Fame in Kenna Hall/Kimsey Center, Arvin Cadet Physical Development
Center (ACPDC), or the Cadet Uniform Factory.
Please
LOGIN
to view the link for the Rockbound Highland Home Reservation site.
You must be a graduate to access the site.
Grad Insider Tours
Grad Insider Tours will be conducted twice a day Monday through Friday at 9:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. and
must be reserved at least three days in advance. Schedule of home football
Fridays varies. Please allow two to two-and-a-half hours for the tour.
Please also be prepared to walk approximately two miles and maneuver stairs.
WPAOG will provide transportation for the Grad Insider Tour,
which will begin and conclude at Herbert Hall (698 Mills Road). Vehicle size and
exclusive arrangements with USMA restrict tour size to 10 participants. A fee of
$25 per graduate and $10 per guest will be collected when reserving your spot on
a Grad Insider Tour.
Please Note: At least one graduate ticket must be purchased for your group. A graduate MUST
be present in your group on your tour. Tours are for graduates' leisure purposes
only.
For information on how to support the Rockbound Highland Home Program and other WPAOG initiatives,
click here.
Should You Be Enrolled Into The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor - Consider
The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor, located in New
Windsor NY, commemorates Purple Heart recipients through its Roll of Honor, a
database of Purple Heart recipients representing all wars for which the award
has been available. All enrollments are done voluntarily and are made by
recipients, their families or friends. There is no comprehensive list of
recipients maintained by the US Government.
The Roll of Honor is viewable both in the Hall of Honor and
on-line. The version that is viewable in the Hall allows for a total of six
screens per recipient. Profiles can contain pictures as well as written
narratives of the experience of the recipient. The on-line version is an
abbreviated, single page commemoration for each recipient and can be viewed from
any computer via the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor website,
www.thepurpleheart.com
According to information gathered from the 2010 Register of
Graduates and the 50th Anniversary Yearbook questionnaires, at least 50
classmates have received 64 awards of the Purple Heart. I have compared this
information with that on the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor website and
believe that only 5 classmates are included in the current Roll of Honor.
If you are a Purple Heart recipient, I encourage you to complete and submit the necessary enrollment information that can be found at
www.thepurpleheart.com/enrollment.
50th Reunion Class Gift Presentation Given to the Center for Oral History
The West Point Center for Oral History is dedicated to
archiving the story of the American soldier, in both war and peace. It will
record the professional experiences of West Point graduates and other
accomplished soldiers, along with others who have had a prominent role in
shaping history, such as former Secretaries of Defense and State, Congressmen,
and Senators.
Established in Spring 2005 and supported by leadership
funding from the Francis Sehn Family and the Class of 1961 and Class of 1967.
During the Class of 1961 50th Reunion in 2011 the Center for Oral History was
presented a gift of $1,000,000.
40th Reunion Class Gift of Reconciliation Plaza at West Point Described on Web Site
The Historical Marker Database is a web site providing information about many national monuments. Reconciliation Plaza, our Class Gift to West Point, is described in great detail.
The web site is well worth viewing at:www.hmdb.org/marker.asp marker=35359
June Week 1961 and Related Activities from July 1961 Assembly Now Available Online
ASSEMBLYY Magazine and
various other historical reports on a web site that allows you to access and download articles and information. Copies of
ASSEMBLY from 1942-1993 are currently available.
Classmates can send their remembrances, comments, pictures to
Sam Weiss
and they will be edited for inclusion with the Last Roll Call Tribute for that person.
Current Profiles
In order to create a “Current Profile” for every member of the class, graduates and former members of 1961, we
need your input. If you are interested in participating, email your “vita” information to Sam Weiss
with photos in "jpg" format, if you can. If your profile is already online, check to make sure it is up-to-date and send us any changes or additions.
Prior
Features
In order to keep this page more current with items of interest to the Class, after a reasonable length of time items will be moved to the
PRIOR FEATURES Page (click here to go to them).
If you have any announcements of interest to other Classmates, comments, questions, or suggestions, please
e-mail them to Sam Weiss.
Number of times this page has been accessed since
4/09/2023
DISCLAIMER: This
private organization is a non-Federal entity organized by graduates of the
United States Military Academy. Non-Federal entities may not be endorsed by
the United States Army or the Department of Defense. As such, the views of
this private organization are not to be considered as the official views of
the United States Military Academy.
WEST POINT
Long ago when this Country was new Our forefathers said here’s what we must do.
We must find a place where young men can be Trained to serve this great country.
West Point was chosen as the place Where they learned to serve with honor and grace.
They were taught to serve, and only then Were they sent to become leaders of men.
Duty, Honor, Country for all time The world is encircled by The Long Gray Line.
By Joan Seibert in honor of the Class of 1961 50th Reunion