Fall 2015

Pat Moran (now deceased):

Your correspondent received an email from Kurt Pfitzer, editor of Resolve, the engineering research magazine at the university.  Kurt is also an editor of the alumni bulletin and was very complimentary of my column.  He particularly liked Bill Murray's "gems,”  so I'll offer this one sent recently by Bill and attributed to Calvin Coolidge, 30th president of the United States:  "Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence.  Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent.  Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb.  Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts.  Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.”  Calvin Coolidge, 1872-1933.

Bill also sent this:  "Always' and 'never' are two words you should always remember never to use.”  Bill phoned in June to say he had been in California visiting his son, who graduated from law school in San Diego.  Bill mentioned contact with James Reed (deceased), Pete Sanford (No record of him as '52 graduate) and Bob Gradoska (No record of him as '52 graduate).

In my 25+ years as your class correspondent I have received many memorable life resumes, but none more inspiring than the one I received from David Garden (deceased) in March 2015.  "Dave Garden here, retired and tired.  I returned to St. Helena, CA, forty years after my parents passed on.  St. Helena was a sleepy town with five wineries; today 467.  One achievement I consider worth­while was my capacity to help create an 80-unit affordable housing complex in our little town 25 years ago.  It is a rental managed by a non­profit group and continues to provide affordable housing for low-income families.  Another endeavor as a conservationist was to put 600 acres of our ranch into the Capital Land Trust of Napa County.  My Bethlehem bride of 62 years is the founder and artistic direc­tor of The White Barn, an 1870 carriage house on our ranch that has produced musicals, lieder, ethnic music, poetry and prose readings, etcetera.  The whole family has contributed to its success and in 30 years of performances has given $450,000 to local charities.  Life is good; we are upright.  Our five children live on or near the ranch:  five grandchildren (one graduated from Lehigh) lead productive lives and last October our first great-grand­child arrived.  We are still active in conservation projects and cultural activities.  Thanks, Pat, for your continued reporting.”  Thanks, Dave, for a wonderful update.

Deceased

• Howard Allen.
• John M. Fear
• Eugene G. Howie
• Stanley A. Kobylarz
• Arthur Straussberg