Winter 2008

Pat Moran (now deceased):

Greetings, classmates,  I'm writing from the land of hummingbirds and magnificent cacti.

In mid‑2008, I received a call from Bill Carson '51 telling me that one of his Sigma Chi brothers, John W Walker, had passed away.

The more I researched John, the more remarkable I found his life.  Born in New Jersey, he lived on the Jersey shore for many years before moving to Versailles, Ky.  After Lehigh, he received a master's degree from the University of Michigan and a Ph.D. from the University of Maryland.  His career path included Transcontinental Gas and the Institute of Exploratory Research in Fort Monmouth, N.J.  He published more than 100 papers on the geophysics of the Earth.  From there, he took over management of the U.S. Army Arctic Research Program, where his team developed the first computerized airborne ice‑depth measurement system.  Advanced versions are being used today to monitor climate change.  John also designed antenna systems vital to a nuclear alert system.  In 1975, he volunteered for service as a foreign intelligence officer and worked closely with the U.S. Customs, the FBI, and the Secret Service.  In retirement, John became an expert woodcarver of wildlife, ducks, birds, and fish; he received recognition for his work at several shows.  God bless you, John, you had a full life.

I recently had a lengthy phone conversation with Richard "Dick" Brown, of Carlsbad, Calif.  After Lehigh and Army service, Dick entered the selling game with Coro, manufacturers of fashion / costume jewelry; he covered territory from Canada to Mexico, and from Kansas to California.  Dick bought into another jewelry firm and later owned the company.  In 1986, Dick retired and purchased a thoroughbred trail horse, but found that weekend riding was not stimulating enough, so a second and then a third were acquired.  In November 1988, Guenter Seidel, a renowned rider/trainer, came into the picture.  From that time on, Dick says the United States Equestrian Team became his life.  He and his steeds represented the USA in three Olympics‑ 1996, 2000, and 2004‑where all won bronze medals.  Dick also took part in three World Equestrian Games and four World Cups.

The Browns say that "the past 20 years have enriched our lives‑the agony and the ecstasy of the competition, the adventure, the travel, the wonderful friends we have met, and the daily reward of the love of our horses is beyond our dreams."

Thanks, Dick and Jane, for your wonderful story!  WebMaster's note:  First news about Dick since the beginning of the website 9 years ago!

Deceased

•   John Walker

•   Jad Doubleday

•   Robert Anderson

•   Jerry Meyer

•   Francis Smith

Pat (now deceased)