61The News Forms that accompany your class dues are one of our principal sources for writing your Class Notes.  Keep them coming and send your news online anytime to http://www.alumni.cornell.edu/classes.  First, we heard from Robert Gambino, rbgambino@snet.net , who writes, “I’ve been ‘retired’ over ten years – dabbled in local politics and continue to run my 3,000 square foot hobby greenhouse.  My present ‘job’ is eliminating invasive weed in my pond and gardens.”  Robert also knows the way to popularity.  He adds, “I wrote this while waiting for power to be restored after a recent snowstorm.  Luckily I had a generator for the eight days and was able to help others not so fortunate.”  Betty Schultz Goldberg, goldbergbet@juno.com, attended our 50th as her first Cornell Reunion. “One of the unexpected benefits of our 50th reunion was coming across Paul ’46 and Lois Levine whom we hadn’t seen since they moved from Connecticut to San Carlos, CA 23 years ago.  We recently spent a wonderful day with Paul and Lois on a trip to San Francisco.”  Betty says she is now retired and indulging her avid interest in the theater.

George Downs, downs.george@gmail.com, has now retired, and reports, “Time for a break!  After six years a Stanford grad school, 17 years at NASA, and 25 years at MIT's Lincoln Lab, I’m devoting my time to karate, investing, Espanol and grandparenting.”  I share George’s enthusiasm for grandparenting!  Meanwhile, Ira Firestone, aa1358@wayne.edu, is still working as a professor at Wayne State U.  He is also engaged in grandparenting and travelling as well as volunteering at the Detroit Institute of Arts.  Another yellow news form, this time from Ed Goldman: “I'm winding down my hard cover bookbinding business after 45-plus years.  It’s clearly an overdue move.”  I have to add on Ed’s behalf that he has been a tireless supporter of our class and our reunion activities.  For our 50th, Ed was listed as yearbook printer, proofreader, and staff member.  I can also account for all the photos Ed has taken at our reunions over the years.  Ed, we all appreciate your commitments to the Class of ’61.

Gail Kweller Ripans, ripans@mindspring.com, writes from Atlanta that she is lecturing on international relations, specializing in the Middle East at Senior U. at Mercer.  She and husband Allan ’55 spend the winters in St. Petersburg, FL. The 50^th Reunion was a big hit, especially the Phi Sigma Sigma get together, and Gail would like to hear more from Ruth Schimel, Lois Kraus Feinerman and her sorority sisters.  Ted Bier, tedbier@tmba.com , a fellow Mechanical Engineer, still runs his firm, TMBA , but finds the time to travel including trips to Australia and New Zealand. “I really enjoyed visiting places that like Americans and America.”  Ted is active in boating and would like to hear from classmates who boat on the eastern end of Long Island.  Another ME, Garrett Codrington writes “Recently retired (again) as president of my condo association after six years resolving (favorably) a $5.5 mil. lawsuit against the developer.  Time to go back to Golf and more travel.”  Gary lists many destinations including a Venice and Dalmatian Coast excursion for their 50^th wedding anniversary.

From Danville, Kentucky, Ken Binder, binder@mis.net, says he recently retired as regional director with the Kentucky State Parks System.  He then unretired to restart an executive search business specializing in the placement of hospitality industry executives.  In his spare time, Ken enjoys hiking and golf.  Another news form, this time from James Baden, MD'65 .  We had met and chatted at our 50^th for the first time since graduation.  Jim is a retired surgeon living in Hilton Head, SC and volunteering at the local medical clinic.  In addition to playing golf and traveling, he is president of a barbershop singing group.  While at our 50^th he ran into Stan '63 and Susan Seigel and his freshman roommate, Chris Brown.

A note from Julia Koenig Mitchell, BS Nurs '62,juliakmitch@comcast.net, includes her retirement as a BSN and her new volunteer activities at Nisqually National Refuge near her home in Lacey, WA.  Consistent with the travels of her classmates noted earlier in this column she recently visited her daughter and grandchildren at Patch Base in Stuttgart, Germany, where her son-in-law is serving as a brigadier general in the Marine Corps.  She would like to hear from her Linda Fenty Jennings.  Carol Moore Durrell writes that she and partner John Erjavec traveled to Tanzania with Overseas Adventure Travel after a short tour in Amsterdam.  Still enthused with our 50th, she plans to return for the 55th. Susan Goodspeed Anderson' susanga@westriv.com, writes, “Still living peacefully on a bank of the Missouri River in Washburn, ND.  Lloyd and I are retired educators and enjoy not being in school for the first time in many years.  Our daughter is carrying on the tradition in the English department at Yuma High School in Arizona.  I’d like to hear from Katie L. and Mary Jo W.”

At this time, our material is nearly exhausted.  Take a moment and send us a note, directly to your correspondents or to the alumni address listed at the beginning of the column.  Your classmates would like to hear from you. Doug Fuss, dougout@attglobal.net; or Susan Williams Stevens, sastevens61@gmail.com  .