Class of 60 Bios

This year my excuse for not attending is that I'll be over 5000 miles from Marblehead at a wedding on the Big Island of Hawaii during that week. The son of a close friend of my wife Ann is getting married at a fancy hotel there. We'll be visiting Ann's brother who also happens to live on the Big Island and then flying over to Honolulu to visit Ann's other brother and a sister. As you might recall my father and mother (both deceased) were born and grew up in Honolulu (I was born at Salem Hospital at about the same time as Jay Morrison), but all of their siblings (except for the youngest of my mother's brothers, now in his 90's) have passed on. I do have several cousins who live in Honolulu but I see more of my cousins who have settled here in the San Francisco Bay Area. My older brother (Clyde) lives about 10 miles from me and my younger sister (Irene) lives in NYC (Manhattan).

Ann and I actually were back in Massachusetts in May, 2014, for my 50th Harvard reunion in Cambridge. We drove up to Marblehead and Salem to poke around before heading up to New Hampshire and Maine. The harbor looks beautiful, just as I remember it when I worked one summer at the old Adams House Restaurant with Boyden Batty (ask him if he remembers). Will there be fireworks over the harbor tonight as I recall when growing up? The old high school building looked the same from Pleasant Street as we drove by. Google maps says it's now a Veterans middle school?? Is the old junior high school on Village St. still there? Was surprised to see the addition to Glover Elementary School which we both attended. Do you remember grade school there? I don't remember when you began, but my kindergarten teacher was Mrs. Wood and our later teachers (correct me if my memory fails me): Mrs. Martinson (1st), Miss Tutt (2nd), Mrs. Watman (4th), Mrs. Tremblay (5th), Mrs. Osgood (6th) and Milton Dustin, principal. I can't recall the name of the 3rd grade teacher (help me out, Reggie!). I still have class pictures of those days.

Anyway, my family is all here in the Bay Area. My daughter Sara is married (no children yet) and lives in San Mateo, about 20 miles north of us. She works in San Francisco, another 20 miles further north; her husband Jerry, a physician, is an oncologist involved in cancer drug development with Genentech, a bio-pharmaceutical division of Roche Labs. My son, Matthew (still single), also works for a bio-pharmaceutical firm called Amgen. Ann and I are fortunate that both of our kids completed their education (college and grad school-PhD's), and have jobs that allow them to live a reasonable life style here in the super expensive Bay Area.

As for Ann and me, we are enjoying aging gracefully, thankfully without major medical issues. I'm now in my 15th year of retirement after almost 30 years as an internist. We enjoy all that the Bay Area offers--the culture, the diversity, the restaurants, the sports teams, and the weather. We traveled more when we were younger, but have made a couple trips to the Far East (China, Hong Kong, Taiwan) in the past several years.

So say "hello" to everyone and give them my best. And whatever happened to Steve Gold, Jim Fonda and Ron Fortin (another test of your memory)?

Finally, Reggie, thanks to you and the entire reunion committee for getting people together and keeping us apprised of the comings and goings of members of the class. I know it's a lot of work and all of us appreciate your and the committee's efforts. Have a great reunion and my best wishes to all who attend.

Have a joyous Fourth of July and best to your family!

Bob

P.S. No change in address, phone and email.