Class Notes

                                                                              

1936	1937	1944	1946	1951	1954	1957
1959	1961	1962	1964	1965	1967	1979
1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986
1987	1988	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993
1994	1995	1996	1997	1999	2000	2001
2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007

1936

Pat MacMartin writes, “I am alive and well and living in Seatle, Washington. I retired from the University of Washington Medical School after 32 years of service. Now enjoying retirement in this beautiful city.”

1937

Jane Smith Piltz writes, “Barbara Spencer Levesque ’36 and I celebrated our 89th birthday in April. She and I happened to be born on the same day and month and year. Sorry I don’t have any more news about friends or classmates. Our class was very small due to World War II. However, the two years I spent at Brewster resulted in wonderful friends and great memories.”

1944

Gloria Hoyt Woodward has been battling cancer for a year and a half, and she writes that the medical bills are out of sight. At the moment she is cancer free after two operations. She will celebrate her 82nd birthday on August 2 with her six children, 10 grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren, three of whom were expected in June. Gloria would love to hear from classmates.

1946

Diana Kirkpatrick Johnson will turn 80 this year. She is still painting watercolors and pastels but business has been poor due to the bad economy.

1951

Mary "Mimi" Dye-Dunham discussed her upcoming book Assumptions Can Mislead: Failures in Health Care and Elsewhere (to be published in 2010) at a lecture in March at the Wellesley College Club.

 

1954

Mary Lou Sabin Blakeslee writes, “Two years ago, I moved to Raleigh, North Carolina, to be near my two sons and their families. Life here is always interesting with my grandchildren and the many fine museums and colleges in the area. Also, the year-round golfing. I visit Wolfeboro infrequently, but Pat Hanson ’53 keeps me up to date.”

 

1957

Cecily Ballou Quimby is living in Gilford, New Hampshire, with Frank, her husband of 47 years. They are both retired but she serves as chairman of the board of the Taylor Community in Laconia, New Hampshire, and also is a justice of the peace and a bail commissioner. Cecily and Frank have two children and four grandchildren.

1959

Gail “Bunny” McLeod writes that she is a genealogy “nut” and in the process of searching has found a distant cousin.

1961

Dotti Kay writes, “My first winter back in Wolfeboro after living in Massachusetts for 40 years was one for the record books. I am very happy in our new home and look forward to Jack joining me this fall.”  George Eldridge writes that his five children are all grown and that he is now 100 percent disabled, with diabetes and end-stage renal disease. He is on dialysis, apparently due to exposure from Agent Orange in Vietnam. He is writing a book about Vietnam veterans – their thoughts and feelings about the war. He hopes the book will offer insight into the changes in their lives and in particular the subject of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. Linda Stevens Roeder and her husband are happily retired as the owners of the Hickory Stick Farm Restaurant and bed-and-breakfast. They are now living in Laconia, New Hampshire, and Linda is proud to remember that her grandmother, mother and father, and then two of her children graduated from Brewster – that’s four generations.

 

1962

Susan Eldridge Simpson writes that she has “… two sons – Guy and Harry Simpson – and four wonderful grandchildren.” She works full time for the town of Ossipee, New Hampshire. “Two years ago I received my 25-year pins from the Rodney A. White Sr. VFW Auxiliary #8270 and the Harriman Hale Legion (American) #18 – God bless our American troops. Job well done.” Romero Aja writes that his Brewster roots will never be forgotten. His son-in-law Terry, who is married to his oldest daughter, is a Special Forces Ranger, who began his fourth tour in Iraq in April.

 

1964

Mazy Clough enjoys living for six months of the year on a beautiful golf course in Bonita Springs, Florida.

1965

Dick Sherwood is president of Front Row Marketing Services, a Comcast Spectacor company. He and wife Mary have two sons and two grandsons. Retirement might be in the future, starting in 2009.

 

1967

Gene Fox was elected to the board of directors of the New England College Friends of Hockey and to the board of directors of the New Hampshire Association of Guidance Directors.

1979

Mike Croteau has been divorced for almost three years and spends as much time as possible with his boys. “Still working at International Specialty Products in Wayne, New Jersey, as product manager for pharmaceuticals, beverage, food, and oral care business units. Recent business travel includes Japan, Korea, and the U.K. Summer vacations are spent on the Maine coast with my kids and my mom with an occasional side trip to New Hampshire. Leisure activities include golf, mountain-bike racing, and converting an old northern New Jersey lake cottage into a modern-day bachelor pad. Please send a belated old school hello to all my former classmates and friends from the 70s and 80s.”

1980

Alex Ley writes, “Just got married to my beautiful wife Heidi who has a son serving in Iraq. My son Nick is a junior at the University of North Florida, and my daughter Bianca is 13 and doing great. After Nick graduates in a couple of years I am thinking of making a move to the Puerto Vallarta area and taking it slow and easy. Hello to Dave Peterson, Peter Rice ’81, Trip Billings, and all the rest.” Bess Scribner Cornett lives in sunny Deland, Florida, with her two teenage children. Twelve-year-old Trey is a motocross rider, and Cassidy, 14, is entering high school in the International Baccalaureate program. She rides horses and is an excellent equestrian. Elizabeth is recently divorced after 14 years of marriage. She works as a magnetic resonance imaging technician at Florida Hospital in Orange City. Bess says “Hi” to all her classmates and hopes to hear from them.

1981

Bill Esty is the operations manager at Cornell University’s largest performing arts building, Bailey Hall, which also happens to be the world’s largest lecture hall. “Psychology 101 meets there with 1300-plus students in the class. The coolest part is that the class is recorded and sent to Doha, Qatar, to a satellite school there. This coming fall we will be doing a weekly live web conference. The students in Qatar will be able to ‘attend’ a live lecture once a week and be able to ask questions and interact in real time.” In addition to doing home renovations, Bill finds time to race with the local sailing club on Cayuga Lake. Bill and Wendy’s son, Andrew, 11, will be a 6th grader in the fall. “He is a good kid, likes his teacher and school. A Nintendo addict!”

 

1982

Neal Meyers works for Stop ‘N Shop companies as a routing and planning engineer. He is responsible for all in-store deliveries for Stop ‘N Shop and Giant Foods in the Northeast corridor via distribution centers in Massachusetts and Maryland. Tom Barfoot, wife Kathy, and daughter Kristyn live in Newtown, Pennsylvania.

1983

John McKenna and wife Cindy live in Roanoke, Virginia, with their sons Max, 7, and Liam, 5, and John’s stepdaughter Brittany, 21. John works in marketing for a local Domino’s franchise. Rick Clay-Storm is starting a new business in the Portland, Maine, area. “If all goes well this year, we will acquire venture capital and begin to take it to the national level. As time marches on, I find myself thinking and dreaming more and more of those wonderful days at Brewster Academy. And I wonder what has become of those people I knew and yet barely ever knew, really. I am not the person I was then and doubt anyone is still the same person over such time.”

1984

Paul A. Fallon moved from the Midwest back East and is living in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains in southeast Virginia. “Georgeous countryside and a great place to raise kids. My wife and I are both professionals in the healthcare industry as food service directors and love what we are doing –  we have positions with great purpose. We have decided to stay in place here so we are having the enjoyment of looking for a home. Thanks for allowing me the opportunity to share.” Bill Moore and wife Karen live in East Wakefield, New Hampshire. He writes, “Karen and I are doing well. This is our five-year anniversary. I’m the manager of a Federal Aviation Administration repair station in Laconia, New Hampshire. I also own my own home-inspection business that services the New Hampshire Lakes Region and Maine border towns.”

 

1985

Chris Aeschliman writes that the mixed-doubles tennis team he played on this spring, Great Bay Allen, finished in second place with a 5-3 record and played at sectionals in Portland, Maine, in June.  Mike Jordan writes, “My life in a nutshell. After Brewster, I enrolled at the Massachusetts College of Art in Boston, then transferred to Newbury College, graduating with two bachelor’s, one in sculpting, the other in culinary. Then I moved to Orlando, Florida, and trained at a fine-dining restaurant. Moving to Winter Springs, Florida, I continued to learn upscale preserving skills. After four years in the South, I returned to New England, bought a house, tired of 90-plus hours a week working in restaurants, and got a real job. I am now the in-house administrator and director of network services for Hospitality Data Systems. Life with my fine wife and two children is good!”

1986

Eric Andersen is still having fun in Denver. “Snowboarding was fantastic this year. Work-wise, I am a securities investment manager and manage the assets of a natural gas LLC. I have wireless broadband that allows me to work anywhere I can get a signal. Cycling season is upon us in Colorado and I am ramping my body up to ride over several passes this year. Did Vail Pass last year (2,600 vertical feet over 17 miles in an hour and 40 minutes – with two scenery breaks – a/k/a exhausted!). I wish I could have been at the Reunion, but work was too busy last summer. Send a quick hello to me at ericbrix@gmail.com. Best regards to everyone!  Hello to Kit Van Wagner ’89, Grant Wilson ’87, Kirsten Wilson ’88, Anne ’90 and Chris Barry ’90, Anton Rainold ’87 and his wife Tavi, Matt Symmes, Gary Matusow ...”

1987

Daphne Sands Corso recently completed her master’s in special education. She and her husband and their three children are doing well in New Hampshire.

1988

Chuck Henry is busy with work but enjoys spending time with his family, which includes wife Kathleen, children Viola, 4½, and Gabrielle, 3. “The girls are growing up fast. I cannot believe that it has been 20 years since our graduation in 1988. All the best to everyone!” Craig Hess wonders how everyone is doing, especially his classmates of 1988, and wants to know if there are any mountain bikers out there. Craig knows a lot of awesome trails in the Pacific Northwest where he builds new trails and rides frequently. He would love to hear from his classmates at bluefern@comcast.net. Richard Pierce is still in Hanoi and sends his best regards to his classmates. “I’m writing and editing for development agencies – the United Nations, the United States Agency for International Development, CARE. They all have long-running projects here. I do write the occasional travel piece as well. I’m here with my wife, Kathy Taylor, and with budget airlines cropping up everywhere, we can fly to Bangkok for $100 and so we travel. The stamps in my passport read like a package tour for international fugitives. Next stop, Mongolia!” 

1989

Corey Levy was back in Colorado for a few days “going through mail again before I leave for China for another year. I am still working/living in China ... doing wood furniture manufacturing for a large company called Twin-Star. I live in Humen, China, about an hour from Hong Kong. Can’t wait to move to the beach and start a dive shop and hotel.” Heather Gear Carroll and Randy have two children, Justin, 14, and Emily, 7, and a boxer named Bauer. “We have moved to Texas! As Randy moves up the corporate ladder, it requires us to move. So here we are in Katy, Texas. I can’t believe I am about to have a high schooler!  How did I get so old?”

 

1990

David Himot and wife Jennifer have three children – Sadie, Sophia, and Samuel – and now live in Fort Collins, Colorado. David writes, “Life is good! Three children, a growing business that includes a TV show, three bridal shows and an awesome website: www.himot.com. I get to work with the most talented people in Colorado every day.” Keith Johnson is married and his wife’s name is Noelle. Kim MacDermott moved to Telluride, Colorado, with Rob Klimek ’89. She is working in the emergency rooms in Grand Junction and Telluride.

1991

Lauren Thomas Lewis writes that she has “three healthy boys, and celebrated 15 years of marriage in December 2007. The twins played baseball on the Massachusetts state championship team in 2006, on ESPN!  They are students at Shore Country Day in Beverly, Massachusetts. The youngest is entering kindergarten in the fall. Full-time mom – Love It!  Husband successful in mortgage finance.” Tim Spiker married Sarah Wackerlin of Champaign, Illinois, in May, and they live in Atlanta. Tim is writing a book about leadership, and Sarah works for Six Steps Records. Kim Terry Winbery was married on February 16.

1992

Scott Kilburn writes that “All is well here in Atlanta! Our identical twin boys, Galen and Parks, who recently turned 2, keep us very busy.” Ed Cobb is still in the “city that never sleeps and loving it.” He sends a big “Hello” to Brewster alums. George Trojan owns American Building & Design in Dover, New Hampshire, and says life is good. Erica Cohen Lewy and her husband Michael were expecting their first child, a girl, in April. Erica would love to get in touch with old friends from Brewster. Meg Woodbury Kent and husband Erik live in upstate New York. Meg said that she loves living in the country – no traffic and close to work at their family golf course. Meg writes, “Come play! Hi to my friends.” Rusty Starmer married Kristin Mueller, “a beautiful extreme-sports enthusiast,” in August 2007. “We are in the first stages of building our dream vacation home in La Ventura, Mexico. Come to Tahoe and look us up.” Cary Goldberg and his wife still live in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where he works for the Stiles Corporation as a senior investment manager. He’s trying to plan a trip to Brewster since he has not been back in a while and would love to catch up with some old friends. Shaw Abrams writes, “My wife and I have two boys, ages 4 and 2, who are keeping us busy. I am a tee-ball and soccer coach for my 4-year-old son Jake’s teams. Both kids are freaks about sports (go figure)! I am in the process of opening our first pet hotel near the airport in Cleveland geared for airport travelers. We hope to expand to major metropolitan airport markets with a five-year growth plan.” Happy Giessler Stauffer and husband, Sean, live in Worth, Ohio, with their two children, Payton, 6, and Tatum, 18 months. Stephen Spanger was married in July 2006 and works and lives in Manhattan.

 

1993

Megan Duso writes, “My class had its 15-year Reunion this year! Man, I can’t believe it’s been that long!” Megan also writes that she finally finished school. “I graduated on May 17 from Southern New Hampshire University with a bachelor’s in business with an I.T. concentration. I went at night for four straight years while working full time the whole way. I am exhausted (though proud of my achievement). I should have just stayed in school 14 years ago and finished then, but I guess I just wasn’t ready. Now I’ll be graduating as a member of the International Honor Society for business majors. I also just got a new job as senior application portfolio engineer at Liberty Mutual. I’m sorry that I won’t be able to make Reunion, but I promised myself a vacation and will be on the beaches of Punta Cana!  I send best wishes to all ’93ers!” Walter Newell just became a member of the P.G.A. of America and is now head golf professional at the Dunes Golf Club in Florida. Andrew Clyne was unable to make June’s Reunion because he was getting married. He’s back in California from Spain where he has a bar and music lounge called Agua in La Lonja, Palma De Mallorca. He is in the process of setting up a small food-export business and some high-end catering for cruising yachts. Tim Stackpole has been living in Seattle for the past 10 years. He is creating art and furniture, as well as doing some carpentry and metal fabrication. He still enjoys skiing and getting out into the woods as much as he can. Tim was unable to make the 15th Reunion in June as he was getting married at about the same time. He sends his best to his classmates. Kim Uccello Brown is a stay-at-home mom, living in upstate New York with her husband and three children, Lindsey, 6, Sophie, 3, and Emily, 6 months. Hillary Theimer was accepted into the Certified Nursing Assistant program at Ventura College for the fall 2008 session.

 

1994

Emily (Decker) Shervin writes that a lot has changed in her life. In winter 2006, her family moved to Atlanta and are finally settled. ”We miss San Diego, but we’re closer to our families. I also miss seeing Mandie Myers Giroux all the time. Our two-year-old son, Dylan, is truly a joy! My husband and I both have great jobs in Atlanta. He works for Bank of America, and I work in senior care. I’ve also started a dog-training business, which is doing very well.” Marcella Monnaville now lives in Fair Oaks Ranch, Texas (just northwest of San Antonio). “I am a single and proud parent of a toddler who was born July 29, 2005, and who can hit a hard baseball pitched to him with an aluminum bat. Wow! We’re in training for the Red Sox! I work in the development office at The Winston School San Antonio, which is a small school for kids with learning disabilities. My e-mail is monnaville@winston-sa.org if anyone would like to reconnect.” Kelly Repicci lives in Connecticut, has earned her license as a therapist, and was recently promoted to clinical supervisor of a court-mandated substance abuse program for adults. In April she traveled to Cambodia to help at her father’s Stop the Tears Foundation for women who want to escape prostitution and begin a career. Tyler van Wagner writes that life is good. He is working at Fidelity Investments as an investment representative and says that Mollie and daughters Emma, 4, and Elizabeth, 1, are the best thing that ever happened to him.

1995

Mary Beth Bender writes that all is well in Charlotte, North Carolina, where she’s been living for a year and a half. She is working full-time in sales for a retailer and “enjoying my free moments on the yoga mat, meditating. I am eventually planning to go back to school, but haven’t decided when and where. I’m also working on a trip around the world.” Michael Burak travels often between Vermont, his old stomping ground, and North Carolina, where he now lives near the beach and loves the sunshine. He writes, “Unfortunately, I still can’t surf very well. Work is going really well lately. I’m now the new digital and business development manager for the company I work for. Life is good!” Seth Ellis writes, ”Katie and I welcomed our daughter Makayla [who joins Zachary, 2] in September. Katie teaches middle school math in Enfield, Connecticut. I work for the Westfield, Massachusetts, Fire Department and am up for promotion to captain. I also teach at the Massachusetts Fire Academy.” Cory Hunter and wife Lauren welcomed son William Thadeus Hunter in December 2007. Lauren is a teacher at Brewster where they live. Brandon House graduated from the University of San Diego as a business major with a finance and marketing emphasis. “While in college, I studied abroad in San Sebastian, Spain. I loved it there and tried to obtain a work visa but that didn’t work out. I’ve been in Corona del Mar, Orange County, the last five years, living a comfortable life in southern California. I am now the project manager for a local construction company.”  Russ MacAlpine moved from Glen Allen, Virginia, to Newnan, Georgia, on April 1. He is still working in the land business. Nathan Bibeau wrote that he is “Just working away. I’m the western regional sales manager for a specialized spine implant company. I am traveling coast-to-coast doing on average 100,000-150,000 miles/year in the air. I have my own company as well as focusing on medical sales and consulting.”

1996

Regan Rhodes writes, “All is well [in Phoenix], I got a job promotion [at Intel] and I am very excited.”  Kristine Stephens is happily living in Arizona with her husband Jason and their two children, Jace, 2, and William, 1. “I spend my weekdays in Phoenix as the human resources manager at a law firm and my weekends in Prescott. If you’re ever in Arizona, let me know!” Heather Phipps and husband Nathan have two boys, Zachary, 5½, and Jacob, 3½. They are building an addition on their house in North Berwick, Maine, and Heather says that life is pretty normal.

1997

John Dean started a live sound company in Santa Cruz, California, and has been touring the country with bands for the past three years.

1999

Leila Saliba writes, “All is good. I have been living in Boston for the past five years or so. I just started a new job in Cambridge as a benefits specialist with a technology company.” Becca Randall completed graduate school at Smith College earning a master’s in social work. In October 2007 she moved back to Berkeley, California, and began a new job with the Boys & Girls Clubs of San Francisco. Jenni Minas writes, “I am a graduate student at Northwestern right now. I am studying cognitive neuroscience ... specifically, I study learning disabilities (dyslexia) in children’s brains by using magnetic resonance imagery. It is really cool.” Jenna Marks writes, “I have a new job – my position is associate director of annual giving at Buckingham Browne & Nichols school in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In August 2006 I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. The past few years have been a bit frustrating spending time in and out of the hospital, trying different medications, and educating myself on what it means to have Crohn’s. I realized some people diagnosed are much more sick and require surgeries and a form of chemotherapy. I feel fortunate to finally be in remission – but wanted to raise awareness and money for much-needed research for those struggling and living with this disease. In August, I will run in the Falmouth Road Race, a 10K, for the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation.” Vanessa Tamanini writes, “Things are going great for me. I just got back from traveling around the world for four months and had the time of my life! The trip included five continents and 14 countries. I am living and working in Boston now. I am the business manager for the Boston office of a global engineering/architecture managment firm, and I just bought my first condo in November. I’m also planning a trip to Africa with my mom.” Mary Jane Haynie Dowling lives in Atlanta with her husband and daughter Sophia,1. She is a stay-at-home mom but had worked for Liberty Mutual after college. She just completed a marathon last month and spends her summers at the family lake house in Meredith, New Hampshire.

2000

In 2006 Gabe Whitney received his diploma from the United States Merchant Marine Academy and was so elated he decided to hug the commencement speaker, who happened to be President George Bush. That hug made headlines and for a short time Whitney was a celebrity of sorts, making requested appearances on “The Today Show,” “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” and MSNBC among other media. Now the "The Hiking Hugger" as he calls himself is hiking the Appalachian Trail in an effort to raise money for dyslexia awareness, a learning disability he was diagnosed with in college. As of the end of July, he was in southern Vermont. To check in on Gabe or make a donation, go to www.thehikinghugger.com. Brigitte Gehring writes, “Since graduating from Babson College in 2004, I have been working for TJX, Inc. in merchandising, planning, and allocation. For the past eight months I have been a planning manager for home products in the Marshalls stores chainwide. I am now a merchandising planning manager in the Home division for TJ Maxx and HomeSense in London. It is an awesome opportunity to have a hand in developing a new business with such a great company. And the transition to the U.K. has been quite smooth – the people are great, the city is gorgeous, and I am excited for the unbelievable opportunities I’ll have to travel throughout Europe! I will be in London for the next couple of years, my e-mail is brigitte_gehring@hotmail.com in case anyone from my class would like to get in touch.” Dustin Carlson married Jessica Forsberg in a sunset ceremony on the beach at Playa del Carmen, Mexico, on January 12. Dustin and Jessica live in Minneapolis. Meaghan Apostolec Figlioli and husband Tim welcomed their first child, Isabella Marie Figlioli, into the world on February 13. They are all doing well and are excited about this new adventure in their lives. Megan Dupuis writes that she is working as a production/design assistant at a design house in New York City.

2001

Paul M. Fallon writes that he has received his second promotion in one and a half years with MessageLabs –  but it included a move to windy Chicago. He misses New York City but says the career is screaming!  Matt Sykes writes, “I’ve been living in Virginia for the past few years and working as a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley. I’ve always wanted to travel and get my master’s, so I’m killing two birds with one stone by going back to graduate school to study for a master’s in finance in Wellington, New Zealand. I’ll be leaving at the end of June and, if all goes well, I’ll be back in the States in November 2009. If anyone wants to come visit, let me know!” 

 Katie Thornton writes, “I have been living in Paris for the last three years since graduating, working for a study-abroad company, and slowly but surely doing a doctorate on North African folktales ... all very exciting (and extremely time-consuming)!” Margery Grella opened an art gallery in Fort Worth, Texas. “Check out the website at www.artspace111.com. Hope all is well! My brother John Grella ’00 and wife Janis live in our hometown, Midland, Texas.” Bruce Hawkins has finished his second year of law school. “I am just relaxing in Washington, D.C., before I begin my summer appointment as a law clerk for the D.C. Public Defender system.” Bruce hopes to visit Brewster next year, and he wishes all the faculty well. Seth Wolfson recently traveled to Israel and Istanbul. He also recently took a position as creative director of the Stanton Barrett Motorsports NASCAR team. Brianne Plancone Siepiola and her husband Ryan live in Rome, New York, and are parents of Bianca, 6 months. Brianne writes, “It is so amazing every day how she changes and what she learns. We hope to bring her to New Hampshire over the summer for her first trip to the ocean.” Zac Tartol writes, “Things are great! I’ve been traveling around the world enjoying work. Herbalife just sent me to Singapore to collect an end-of-the year bonus. I’ve been spending my free time on the boat with friends.”

 

2002

Kate Donahue writes that she was recently promoted to operations manager for one of Regus’ Boston locations. She is living in Maine and looking forward to enjoying the summer. Marona Graham-Bailey writes, “I’m currently teaching at a residential treatment facility in north Georgia, working with adolescent girls with severe behavior problems. I’m on my way back to school in the fall, most likely for journalism, but possibly educational research/statistics.” Camille Hugh writes, “Hello all! I celebrated the one-year anniversary of my company, Brooklyn Knights Realty, a real estate rental agency and management company, in March. I am getting married on August 16 in New York City and working on a real estate book, which will be available online and hopefully in a book store near you soon.” Shiori Taguchi writes, “I am back in Tokyo now, working at an American business-consulting company. It is a challenging job, but I am enjoying it. I hope that I can come back and visit Brewster in the near future!” Hans Larsen is currently attending graduate school at Southern Methodist University-in-Legacy to get his master’s in video game development. Darin Levesque writes, “I’m now working for VMM-266, a tiltrotor squadron, flying the MV-22B Osprey. I’m a crew chief, which entails daily inspections of the aircraft to ensure it is safe for flight and appropriate maintenance is performed. As a crew chief I also instruct the pilots on clearances in tight landing zones, call them over external cargo loads where a ground crew hooks up the load, and in a combat environment I’m tasked with manning a machine gun off the ramp of the aircraft. The training is extensive but well worth it. I deployed to Iraq in late 2005 as a door gunner on a CH-46E Sea Knight helicopter. After eight months in Iraq I came back and started the transition to the Osprey, which is a completely different machine to learn. In the four-plus years that I’ve been in the Marines I’ve managed to get promoted to sergeant, fly in many of the finest aircraft in the world, and travel the world while doing it.” Victoria Bevz is living in Vermont with her new baby, Isabella Girardi, born June 8. Jess Clements writes, “I am currently a certified flight instructor with Emerson Aviation at Laconia Airport in Laconia, New Hampshire. I graduated from Bridgewater State College with a bachelor’s in aviation with a concentration in flight.”

2003

Kate Considine is “living in Boston and attending nursing school. Go Red Sox!” She hopes that everyone is doing well. James Walker graduated from The George Washington University in May 2007 with a bachelor’s in communications and a minor in history. “After graduation, I moved to Virginia, and I am currently working at a healthcare public relations firm in Washington, D.C. If anyone’s ever in the D.C. area, let me know!”

2004

Jamie Foster graduated from Hofstra University in May with a degree in music business. He will be studying opera in Spoleto, Italy, this summer with hopes of attending graduate school for a masters in performance after taking a year off to work. Colin Ayer is “working full-time as a firefighter for the Portland Fire Department. At the same time I am finishing my last year of college online. I’m looking forward to getting together with everyone for some good times. If you are ever in Maine and in the Portland area, give me a call. Keep in touch.”

 

2005

Shannon McNulty writes, “Things for me are going very well. I got engaged to my brother’s best friend of 15-plus years. He’s a really great guy, and we have so much in common. Both of us attend Norwich University (military side) and are on Army scholarships, which means we will both commission as second lieutenants in the Army upon graduation. Our friends joke around and call us a power couple, I guess they are kinda right!”

2006

Matt Singleton is majoring in English and minoring in philosophy – he loves college and all the challenges.

 Joey Bonner is studying civil engineering at the University of New Hampshire. He took up surfing and spends his free time at the ocean.

2007

Tara Mead writes, “I can’t believe I actually survived my first year of college. It was difficult at times, especially being my first year at a military college. But I had a blast and made some awesome friends. I found out last week that I was accepted to the Coast Guard Academy, and despite all my friends at Norwich, I have made the tough decision to follow my dreams and go. I am really excited, but I know there is going to be some serious hard work ahead of me.” Jenn Clements writes, “I am currently a freshman at The University of New Hampshire studying journalism/English. In July 2007 I competed in The Miss National Teenager Pageant in Nashville, Tennessee, representing New Hampshire. I placed in the top 10 but more importantly had the opportunity to meet young women from around the country.”