Spring 2021

Bill Erdman
(407) 644-0391
1171 Willa Vista Trail, Maitland, Fl.. 32751
Class web Site:  seeoursite.org/lehigh

Is there anyone left out there?  I haven’t heard a peep from any of you guys!  It sure makes it hard to write a newsletter about the “Golden Years” of the Class of ’52.  I expected it to be the other way around - as you sat around in your mask and hand sanitizer, looking for something to do, I was sure you would take this opportunity to write me several newsy notes.  It is your loss as I am forced to bore you with my misadventures.

As stated last issue, I had set a goal of 90 miles on my bike, the week of my 90^th birthday.  I achieved the goal and beyond - 118 miles in 5 days bracketing my birthday.  In fact I did 290 miles that month of September.  My family gave me a great celebration via Zoom.  Seeing all my family was a fitting reward.

HOWEVER, don’t be too excited about my skills on a bike.  At 6:30am, October 7^th, your knight of the road was hit broadside by a woman that ran a red traffic light and demolished my bike and also did the same to me!  As I crossed an intersection on a green light, I looked right and saw only the hood of a full-size pickup truck as it hit me.  My only reflex was to straight-arm the hood - this saved my life. The action threw me from my bike which she then ran over.  If I had stayed on it, I would not be writing this today.  The good news:  I walked away from it, mostly cuts and bruises, a sore hip and leg, dislocated thumb from the hood, driver was insured, passerby gave police an eye-witness account of what happened and I had it all recorded on my helmet camera.

Kinda morbid, Bill.  Any less intense information?  Yes, there is - My camera was torn from my helmet and landed out in the road - five cars drove over it (recorded of course).  Not light-hearted enough?  Well, if you must have something to laugh at I need to tell you that every part of my body was covered by cuts and bruises, except my face, so as I laid on a slab in the ER, I looked like what I was - a 90 year-old bag of bones.  I called my wife to tell her that I made it to the hospital.  To do this lying down, I had to hold my cell phone over my head.  Yep.  I dropped it on my forehead and drew more blood!  It was the first time I laughed all morning.

OK Guys, this is what you get for not sending me some updates.  Write to me.  Save me from myself.  Bill <><

Deceased:

• John Archibald
• Lewis Bush*
• Arvid Kulits
• Duncan Malcolm
• James Reed

*No record found in web site:  Lewis P. Bush '52, Avon Lake, Ohio, Dec. 25, 2020.  A Theta Chi brother, Mr. Bush was a veteran of the U.S. Army.  He worked for International Salt Company for 40 years as a mining engineer and general manager of the salt mine on Whiskey Island.  Per Bill Skillman, Lewis is Class of '53.

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Revised:  May 07, 2023