Fall 2009

Pat Moran (now deceased):

Hi, Classmates!  News is a little thin this edition (we are all trying to weather the economic conditions), and the news I have reads like a hospital report!

My good buddy, Wally Field, is recuperating from back surgery, which will curtail his singing and dancing in Bethlehem‑area musical theater for a while.  Daz "talks" to Wally often via online duplicate bridge.  Daz and I had lost touch with Barbara and Frank Sgambelluri (Deceased); their Christmas card and e‑mail in late 2008 filled in some gaps.  A later e‑mail mentioned that Barbara was coping with chemo and doctors' visits, and although not up to speed 100 percent, they do see their kids and are able to do light chores.  Bless you two.  Keep pluggin'!

Another wounded warrior, Dick Schmidt (deceased), had his left knee replaced in November '08, and after he fully recovers, he says he'll have the right knee done too.  I want to share a letter Dick wrote to his grandson, Josh, prior to his becoming a member of the Lehigh Class of 2012, a truly beautiful letter.

"Josh, first, I am so pleased that you chose to apply to Lehigh.  Second, I am really pleased that you and Lehigh decided to accept each other.  It is difficult to express how much I love Lehigh.  My four years there as a student were some of the best I have ever had.  I learned from some great professors and some of the assistants (many became professors later).  I am so impressed with the many new programs and methods for learning that are in place today.  We never had the interdepartmental programs combining science with art, art with business, engineering with art, etc.  I am almost jealous of the possibilities you now have.  Also, at Lehigh I became involved with so many men who are still today my best friends,  Many I see every 5 or 10 years, but we still have so much in common.  The guys I met on the football team (and I was just the manager) are as important to me now as they were when we were students.  You've met a few of them when you were there for the dedication honoring Coach Leckonby.  My fraternity brothers are still my brothers.  I communicate with several regularly via e-mail, and we have a blast when we get together at reunions.  There are many other Lehigh guys, not in my fraternity or on the football team, whom I got to know in class or just around campus or at fraternity parties or functions and organizations I participated in who are also good friends.  I met them 50 plus years ago, and we still enjoy being together.  You will have some of the same experiences and you will have others (after all, there are women on campus now), but they will be very important to you, I just realized that you will graduate from Lehigh the same week that I will be on campus to celebrate my 60th reunion in 2012.  Won't that be a blast?  I am very proud of you, and know that you will have a great time and receive a great education.  I am very proud to sign my name Dick Schmidt (deceased), Lehigh '52, '75P, '12GP"

Recently Deceased

•  Robert F Fountain III

•  William Q Judge Sr

•  Raymond E. Keefe Jr.

•  James W Mease

•  Joseph P Minnich Jr.

•  John W Nylan.

•  Sebastian P. Passantino

•  Harry W Smeal

•  William J Trost III

 Pat Moran (deceased)

Revised:  June 08, 2023