Shipmate Column
March 2006

CLASS OF 1963
Pres:  CAPT W. Spencer Johnson IV, USN (Ret.)
Sec'y: Michael H. Shelley
25 Sweetwater Lane, Pisgah Forest, NC 28768
h: 828-862-4245  e: nstar@citcom.net
Web site: http://www.usna63.org.

For any classmate you can go to the Classmates Page and enter his name to read his current biography if available.

        The Class of 1963 lost another of its warriors when Colonel Mike Mullen, United States Army, passed away on 10 December 2005. He had been fighting lung cancer for several years. Mike earned a master's degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Alabama and was a graduate of the Naval Test Pilot School and the National Defense University. During his 32-year career as an Army officer he was a brigade commander, a test pilot, and a veteran of the Dominican Republic and Vietnam.

Paul Roundy passed this word of an honor afforded to his late 23rd Companymate Dennis Hobbs.

     I had some contact with Denny's wife, Tucky, over the holidays and she told me about an event in honor of Denny that took place in May of this past year. As you will recall, Denny passed away in May of 2004, after having worked for Hallmark Cards for some 30-plus years. Hallmark saw fit to name a street after him -- Dennis Hobbs Road -- on the property of the Hallmark Distribution Center in Liberty, MO. Evidently, Denny had spent the majority of his career at this location. Tucky tells me that there was a lovely ceremony, with Denny's entire family in attendance, several speakers paying tribute to him, then followed by an unveiling of the street sign by Denny's children. In Tucky's words: "It was very impressive."

        Here's an interesting, illustrated report from Mike Moore:
     Our classmate (and my former roommate) Bill Stewart was recently named "Member of the Year" by the Santa Barbara Vietnam Veterans of America organization. I took this photo of Bill in front of a plaque he caused to be placed on the Veterans Building. It recognizes the veterans lost in all wars from Santa Barbara County.
Bill Stewart

A few years ago, I sent you a photo of the Veterans Park in Santa Barbara which Bill was also instrumental in creating. He is a past-President of the Santa Barbara Chapter of the USNA Alumni Association. I am very proud to have been his friend since High School. Oh yes, the reason for his being in uniform? He was recruiting for USNA at the county fair and was squeezing in a dinner with me and my wife, Connie. Fortuitously, the plaque was nearby and we walked to the veterans building to see it. He is wearing (I asked!) his plebe year blouse, but confessed that he had to have different trousers.
Radio telescope consultant Mike Moore

This photo shows me in front of a 21 Meter Radio telescope for Morehead State University. Our family consulting company (consisting of Connie and me) wrote the specifications, conducted the bidding and negotiations, monitored the design, oversaw the construction, and confirmed the alignment. I officially retired from Lockheed Martin in 2001 but the family business has kept us pretty busy. If anyone comes through Morgan Hill, CA, we're in the phone book. We always have spare bedrooms and a big welcome!

        The 23rd company is planning to join the growing number of our USNA companies to have their own reunions. Members of that distinguished group will be convening at Antlers Rio Grande Lodge near Creede, CO, for a fly fishing tournament in July.

        Thanks to faithful correspondent Larry Marsh, I have just received the annual photo from the 20th Company's Washington, DC, Christmas dinner. Although modest in size, this seasonal event is faithfully attended by Karen and Dan Koczur, Barb and Larry Marsh, and Charlie Robbins and his fiance, Pat Smith. That said, personal and professional commitments forced Charlie and Pat to be elsewhere this time. Shown in this snapshot from 13 December are Dan and Karen, Larry and Barb
20th Company Christmas dinner


        A useful feature of the Class of 1963 web site is the Gold Pages section. Here you can find business listings for classmates, spouses, and children who provide a wide variety of products and services. Just go to http://www.usna63.org. and click on Wardroom - Classmates - Gold Pages. To have your business added to this illustrated directory, contact our Webmaster, Steve Coester, at scoester@cfl.rr.com .

        Our prolific author classmate Pete Deutermann's tenth novel was published by St. Martin's Press in November. Set in the North Carolina mountains, "The Cat Dancers" is about someone who is executing criminals who escaped punishment because of legal technicalities. Pete is already busy writing his next novel. I've read most of his books and recommend them as exciting stories well told.

        Certainly a few hundred of our classmates watched Navy's impressive victory over Colorado State in the Poinsettia Bowl on 22 December. Most of us saw it on television but a fortunate group were able to attend the game and associated events. One of those was Phillip Marsden:, who sent this report and numerous photographs.
     The Class of 63 turned out in great numbers to cheer on Navy to an impressive win in the inaugural Poinsettia Bowl here in sunny San Diego. Classmates attended many of the numerous events leading up to the game including a luncheon on the MIDWAY, a pep rally aboard PELILEU, a '63 class dinner, and serious tailgating before the game. The following classmates and ladies were spotted at one or more of the numerous Poinsettia Bowl festivities: Helen and Dick Anderson, Lynn and Lew Blackwell, Sheila and Mike Bonsignore, Sue and Lee Cargill, Sue and Bob Easton and their daughter Lara, Patti and Chuck Fishburn, Pat and Jim Fontana and Pat's father Bob Remillard, Bob Forster, Sonny Glassner, Janet Gushue, Nancy and Charles Helsper, Maureen and JJ Hogan and their son Jimmy, Steve Hoy, Dottie and Bill Hughes, Don Jacobs, Karl Kozak, Jim Lasswell and Cindy Jensen, Lillian and Jack Karson and their daughter Anastasia, Beth and Dave Konold, Donna Kaup, Steve Longo, Phillip Marsden, Mickey Mays, John McCabe, Dick McKenna and son William, Betty and John Middleton, Lana and Dave Moore, Sheila and Dick Ortwein, May and Rich Pace, Bernie Patterson, Terri and John Ryan with their daughters Valerie and Jeni, Edith and Max Ricketts, Jay Roberts, Eileen and Mark Schwing, June and Chuck Stone, Gail and Vern Von Sydow, Vicki and Roy Warren, Chet White, and Ron Wills. The pictures provide some of the flavor of this wonderful event.
        Here are the photos that Phillip provided.
Poinsettia Bowl dinner

Classmates and guests

Dottie and Bill Hughes, Vern Von Sydow, Eileen and Mark Schwing

Lee and Sue Cargill with Roy Warren

Poinsettia Bowl tailgating

Sonny Glassner, Chet White, Chuck Stone

Bernie Patterson, Charles and Nancy Helsper, June Stone

Bernie Patterson, Steve Longo

Bob and Sue Easton with daughter Lara

Bob Forster, Jim Lasswell and Cindy Jensen

Chuck Stone, Steve Hoy, JJ Hogan and friend at the Tailgate

Dave and Beth Konold, Jim Fontana and Father-in-law

Dick and Helen Anderson and good friends Lynne Lasswell, Mary Calhoun

Game Boosters

Kit, Lillian Karson and daughter Anastasia, Phillip

Sonny Glassner and John McCain

The Dinner greeters Donna Kaup and Vicki Warren

Vern and Gail VonSydow, Lew and Lynn Blackwell


        That exhausts my supply of news, information, and images to share with you. The new postal rates are ridiculously high, but today's technology makes it cheap and easy for you to check in with me by e-mail or voice, and to submit digital images. Please let me hear from you soon!




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