Sad news and Recent Losses

We have learned with regret that Dan O'Brien died in 1994 of complications from exposure to Agent Orange while serving in the Marine Corps in Vietnam. Thanks to Jim Hueston for tracking this down through Dan's sister Maggie.

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Susan Preston Martin has passed along the sad news of the death of Meg Colafemina Douglas on February 16 after a long illness. Her husband Dennis indicates that a memorial service will probably be held at a later date. Meg will be greatly missed by all of us.

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 Ann Cooper Leonard and her husband John celebrated their 41st Wedding Anniversary in 2008.  They have a 36 year old daughter with an MBA from Drexel specializing in computer languages. (MIS/SAP)   Ann would like to attend the reunion but she has chronic osteoporosis and is beginning to have memory problems.  Her travels are limited to Doctors appointments and the hairdresser.  Ann and John are retired in Sun City, Florida half way between Tampa and Sarasota on the Gulf Coast. (see photo page)

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Betty Gemmill reports on the loss of Carol Honnold. , “There were 5 of us at Carol's funeral in   Kennett Square, Pa. the summer of 2004 - there was Gene Melcher, John Thurman, Thad Adams, Barbara Adams and me.  I am sorry I could not reach more classmates—please  forgive me—I  want to apologize. Since I no longer drive a car, I had to plan carefully.  Luckily an old boy friend (we played together in the Harvard Radcliffe orchestra in 1960 Brahms 4th symphony) met me in Kennett Square and we drove to the cemetery near Longwood Gardens together.  Carol wanted to die before her mom and dad - and God answered her prayer. Both her mom and dad were there at the funeral - Carol had a very difficult life - we kept in touch by telephone. 

Carol's funeral was very beautiful - Heidi's husband Dr. David Spencer played the violin - and a friend of Carol's daughter played and sang a Bob Dylan song "I am Released."

More by Betty Gemmill: “Luckily my old friend drove me to Swarthmore after the ceremony at the cemetery. We talked with my brother Bruce (now 73, Class of 1952) and I took the train back to New York City. Stayed one night in Swarthmore at Bruce's home on Muhlenberg (built by some relatives of Ada Kroon).  My mom was also Dutch and she loved that house.  I kind of missed Vassar Ave. where there were so many kids to play with—but  it was already our Junior year when we moved - so all that "Capture the Flag" stuff was over by then."

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