1950s & 1960s

Class agent Grace Piselli Keene reports that Ed Bagley of Searsport is mourning the passing of his wife of 54 years, Esper Mank Bagley, who lost a battle with cancer. Esper retired from teaching in 1995 and was active in professional and community activities. Jean Ellen Smith Strus of Illinois wrote that she enjoyed a small family reunion and was looking forward to a trip to Hawaii. She and husband Tom spent Christmas with their son in Colorado Springs, Colo.

While in Florida, Trudy Ford of Scarborough broke her wrist and had surgery. The understanding is she has healed completely.

A get-together at Zachary’s in Portland was a big hit. Attendees included: Rosalie Preble Barden of Gorham, Jeanette Dumas Cobb of Somerset, N.H., Jack and Audrey Stevens Driskell of Portland, Trudy Ford of Scarborough, Hugh and Grace Piselli Keene of Auburn, Bill and Nina Curry Stitson of Limerick, Eleanor Carville Todd of Cape Neddick, Ella Hayford Wiechert of Eliot, and Rena Hall Osier of Rockland.

Carmel Peterson Laverty of Westbrook, Conn., spent Thanksgiving in West Bath with her daughter Celise and her husband. Carmel has 15 grandchildren, ranging in age from 13 to 27.

Bill and Nina Curry Stitson of Limerick recently spent a week visiting family and friends in Prince Edward Island, Canada. The visit coincided with a cousin’s 50th wedding anniversary. Bill and Nina have 10 grandchildren and six great grandchildren. There’s never a dull moment as, happily, most of them live nearby.

Grace is always eager to hear from classmates. Feel free to write her at 179 Cook Street, Auburn, ME 04210.

Rose Maxwell Tillson ’51 reports that she is staying active with the Kentucky Extension Homemakers Association, the humane society, and her book club. A grandson is on a second tour in Iraq, and she was anticipating the arrival of her first two great-grandchildren.

Class agents Marilyn Weymouth MacLeod and Barbara Neal enjoyed their reunion at Hastings Hall in August 2007. Classmates in attendance included Cynthia McComb Bowles, Elvira Lewis Usher, and Priscilla Jones Wilson.

While on a recent visit to Maine, Florrie Flood Belisle ’53 of Charlton, N.Y., and her husband, Jerry, bumped into Harry “Pinky” True at Moody’s Diner in Waldoboro. Pinky reported that he and his wife, Sandy, recently moved to a new home nearby and that he sometimes goes out to breakfast with his older brothers, who all agree that baby brother should pay the bill.

Florrie also reports that her daughter, Lori, and Alex Zahl were married May 11, 2007, in a beautiful late afternoon ceremony in Annapolis, Md.

Class agent Carl Winslow ’54 reports that the Gorham Alumni Reunion was held in August 2007, and Frank Day, Keith Leavitt, Nelson Wentworth, Carl Winslow and their wives, Ann Rankin Knudson, and Priscilla Maxim Schwartz all enjoyed a luncheon in the Hastings Formal Lounge. All are proud to see that the Class of 1954 gift of flag poles and an accompanying sitting wall has become a meeting place for students.

Pat Ames writes that she participated in the 400th anniversary celebration of the founding of the Popham Colony (1607). In 1960, while in England, Pat met Mr. and Mrs. Walter Raleigh Gilbert, the last surviving descendants of Sir Walter Raleigh and Sir Humphrey Gilbert. At this celebration, Pat met Geoffrey Gilbert, son of Walter Raleigh Gilbert. Pat reported that 126 descendents of the Popham and Gilbert families attended the events.

Frank Day is still teaching part-time at Clemson and taught two courses last spring and a graduate seminar in American literature last summer. He and wife Janice spend part of their summer at their home in Maine and take trips throughout the state.

As has been the custom, some classmates met at DiMillo’s Floating Restaurant in Portland on the Monday after Columbus Day. This year, 13 classmates and four spouses attended. Frank Day and Janice; Nelson Wentworth and Margie; Carl Winslow and Pat; Lorna Johnson Stilphen and Gerald; Pat Ames, Helen Vattes Beach, Betty Bolton Gailey, Jessica True Hatch, Barbara Howe, Edie MacDonald Jordan, Joan Price Laws, Louise Bonang Marchildon and Jeannette LeBel Sproul. If you’d like to join the gang next year, contact Pat, Joan, and Edie.

Send your e-mail address and news to Carl at ychief@aol.com.

Jackie Greenwood ’55 sent news about the passing of Jack A. McPhail, son of Shirley ’69, and George McPhail of Limington. Jack was killed in a tractor-trailer accident while trying to save the lives of others involved in a separate accident. Deepest sympathies go out to his parents.

Pat Tardif Crowley and husband Ray have 13 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Chris Willard Bennett has one grandchild, and he’s enjoying grade school in Cape Elizabeth. Class agent Suzanne Gilbert Corcoran has four grandchildren. The oldest served in Iraq and she is now stationed in Fort Bragg in Georgia and plans to attend college on the G.I. Bill. Judy Spiller Getchell has three grandchildren, all in college or high school. Bailey is studying nursing and Meghan is in Florida. The youngest, Jeff, is a senior in high school.

Gorham alumni held a luncheon at First Parish Congregational Church in Gorham. Maurice Whitten, a former favorite teacher, spoke to the group.

Darrell Payson and Ann Crosby Payson ’56 happily report they have moved into a new townhouse in Littleton, Mass. The townhouse is part of a nine-building community for seniors 55 and older.

The Rev. Joseph J. Murphy ’56 writes he is still pastor of the Grace Bible Church in Moscow, Vermont, and the chaplain at the Vermont State Hospital. For more than 30 years, he has hosted a half-hour radio program, “Moment of Decision,” for WDEV-AM, 550.

Class agent Charlene Boisvert Thompson ’57 writes that 21 members of the Class of 1957 gathered as “Golden Grads” to lead Commencement ceremonies in May 2007 at the Cumberland County Civic Center. Participants included: David H. Parker, Frederick St. Cyr, Martha Knight Nason, Ralph M. Berry, Melvin Fineberg, Travers C. Jackson, Joan Gurney Harriman, Diane Akely Gordon, Raejean Lancaster Lester, Grace B. Gilpatrick, Elizabeth Call Walden, Edward T. Curran, Charlene Boisvert Thompson, Margaret Bowden Drury, Jane Witham Spinney, Eleanor Holmes Sawyer, Jeanne Dawson Thornton, Vivian Clark Kacey, John L. Gatcombe, Jerome W. Black and Carolyn Phillips Leavitt. Classmates and their guests enjoyed breakfast at USM’s Abromson Community Education Center, then donned the black caps and gowns with gold tassels, and proudly led the 2007 class of 1,000 marching graduates (1,631 in all) to the strands of the “Processional for Spring,” composed in 2004 by Robert Ek ’67.

Participants and guests were joined later at Verillo’s Convention Center in Portland by fellow classmates Virginia Asker Stubbs, Bernard Neveux, Lois Weinstein Prescott, John McPhail, Sheila Jezar, Ellen Parsons Bearse, Mary Alcorn Grabowski, Dan MacGilvray; and honored guests Melissa Costello ’52, and Doris Meserve Whitten ’41. All enjoyed a wonderful reunion luncheon, and reminisced about the wonderful days spent on the Gorham campus.

Many thanks to the 50th Reunion Committee for all of its hard work helping to facilitate this wonderful weekend. Committee members included: Charlene Boisvert Thompson, Edward T. (Tom) Curran, Mel Fineberg, Diane Akely Gordon, Sheila Flanagan Jezar, Travers Jackson, Grace Gilpatrick, Les Lafond, Carolyn Phillips Leavitt, Martha Knight Nason, David H. Parker, and Fred St. Cyr.

After many years of service, Charlene has resigned her post as class agent. She will be replaced by Eleanor Gay Tracy. Please be sure to send all of your news to: Eleanor Gay Tracy, 56 Cushman Point Road, Wiscasset, ME 04578-4916. Her e-mail address is bandbox@adelphia.net.

Class agent Mary LeClerc Westcott ’62 reports she and 10 girlfriends had a great four-day trip to New York City in November. They stayed in the theatre district and took in Les Miserables, Grease, and Curtains. They also ate pastries in Chinatown and got in a bit of shopping. Closer to home, Mary had breakfast with Kathy Lucas. The youngest daughter of Kathy and Phil Lucas ’62, ’66, had a baby and they live close by. Word is that the birth of a new grandchild has brought Charles Clair and wife Gwen back to New Hampshire from Florida. “We had a nice visit at a luncheon in June on the Gorham campus,” says Mary. Charles Douglas ’62, ’74 is still working at L.L. Bean and feeling fine. They sat with Judy Abel Dutil, who came up from Connecticut. John Williams, Charles Douglas, Charles Clair, and Bruce Carlson ’60 all got together.

Ginny Munroe Forrest runs an art store in Wiscasset and summers in Edgecomb. Esther Lowell lives in Augusta and teaches part-time at Wales Elementary School. Jackie Lembree Starace is still teaching. Danny Calderwood lives in Georgia and is the grandfather of triplets. On a sad note, Mary attended Ron Penney’s funeral. He was a well-loved teacher in Portland.

Jeaneen McCann Coleman and husband Robbie Coleman have had a rough year with Robbie’s illness. Here’s to a better year ahead!

Be sure to share your news with USM at alum@usm.maine.edu. You’re also welcome to write Mary directly at WestcottFolks@aol.com.

Carolyn Haskins Roth reports that she and husband Wayne celebrated their 35th anniversary by moving from their mountain paradise in Boulder, Colo., to the Santa Ynez Valley in Santa Barbara County, Calif. “We are enjoying many new experiences in this beautiful area and especially appreciate the warmer climate,” she writes.

Class agent Sandy Arnold ’65 writes that Carol Bragg Skoglund reports she is living in Brooksville. She taught junior high school math in Union, Camden, and for many years at George Stevens Academy. She has certified nurses’ assistant, social work, and medical technician licenses and worked at Penobscot Nursing Home for 10 years. She tutors math students and has two daughters and six grandchildren. She also reports that Priscilla Ferden Perkins returned to South Penobscot and taught in Brooklin for 10 years before moving to Tennessee to be close to her two daughters.

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