Shipmate Column
November-December 2024
CLASS OF 1963
Pres: CAPT W. Spencer Johnson IV, USN (Ret.)
Sec'y: Michael H. Shelley
27 Cambridge DR, Brevard, NC 28712
h: 828-506-2201 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.
As I prepare this column in late September it is my sad duty to report the loss of four classmates and a '63 wife, as noted below. Be sure to visit the Last Call section of our web site to read their obituaries and other remembrances.
Raymond L. Witter passed away on 5 September 2022. We do not have contact information for his next of kin.
Joel D. Millen died on 12 March. We do not have contact information for his next of kin.
Peter L. Rollosson passed away on 4 August. His widow, Joyce, can be contacted at 14337 Holly Springs Road, Lake Oswego, OR 97035.
William R. Carmichael, Jr. died on 22 August. His widow, Pat, can be contacted at 2300 Cedarfield Parkway, Apartment 418, Richmond, VA 23233.
Mike Obsitnik's wife, Marilyn, passed away on 10 August. Mike can be contacted at 29200 Bay Hollow Drive, Wesley Chapel, FL 33543.
Jim Ring provided this remembrance of Pete Rollosson, his roommate.
I roomed with Pete and Jim Patterson plebe year, and then with Pete, Paul, and Ron Reihel, youngster year. Pete was a great roommate, who brought a hot plate and several Playboy magazines to start youngster year. We enjoyed hot dogs and Playmates until we were caught and required to have a white glove inspection by Ned Koons, '61. I still remember standing at attention while he tested everything for dust. We passed. I forget who received the demerits.
Following a nationwide search, the Naval Academy has announced the selection of Latosha Baldwin as the Director of the Class of 1963 Center for Academic Excellence, effective on 9 September. Ms. Baldwin had most recently been the Executive Director of the Student Engagement and Achievement Center at Fort Valley State University in Georgia. She has a bachelor's degree in social work from Jacksonville State University and a master's degree in counseling psychology from Alabama A&M University. She has over 20 years of experience in student engagement and student support services at Fort Valley State, the University of the District of Columbia, and Calhoun Community College in Huntsville, AL.
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Latosha Baldwin |
Ms. Baldwin succeeds Bruce Bukowski, who had been Director since 2011. At our 60th Reunion, Bruce was named an Honorary Member of the Class of 1963 in recognition of his tireless and highly effective efforts to carry out the mission of the 63 CAE.
My Fourth Companymate Jim Koehn checked in with this full update.
I was just reading the latest edition of Shipmate and decided it was time to update you on a few of our activities. First off, I suspect that I may hold two Class of '63 records: most descendants and most surgeries.
After 61 years of marriage, Judy and I have 11 great grandchildren! Audrey Ruth Koehn was born on July 28 to Josh (USA Special Forces) and Amanda Koehn. I'm not convinced that there will be any more in our lifetimes but one never knows.
Over the years I have accumulated a total of 26 surgeries spanning heart, back, hand, eyes, kidney, hernia, shoulder, hips, three types of cancer including several skin carcinomas, and who knows what else. Having said that, our health is generally fine for both of us although we are slowing a bit due to arthritis.
Judy continues to manage a church thrift shop that benefits a local Las Vegas food bank as well as being the original founder of the Epiphany Episcopal Church in Henderson with hundreds of members today. I have surrendered all my board responsibilities trying to live my belief that old guys should retire and let the younger generation take the lead.
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Judy and Jim Koehn at the 50th Reunion |
Each summer we drive to central Oregon for the summer to escape the Southern Nevada heat (this year we saw 120 degrees). We usually have 15-30 visitors during our time there and it has become sort of an annual family reunion for those that can make it. We spend our time on the golf course, and I supplement that with 12-15 miles on my road bike with a lot of reading during the quiet times.
This fall we are traveling to Buffalo for my 65th high school reunion, Philadelphia to see Judy's brother and sister, and then to the Baltimore/Westminister area for time with our daughter and granddaughter's family. Colorado Springs is planned for October, while Josh is deployed, to help his family as well as to see another grandson who is also an Army guy. I don't know how long we can sustain the travel, but we are not limited yet.
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Viewing the Christmas money tree |
Another Fourth Companymate, Dick Wyttenbach-Santos, found this Christmastime picture from our Youngster year. Left to right are roommates Pat Wright, Dave Shute, Ken Sanger, and Dick. The reason the small tree was covered in U.S. currency has been forgotten.
Dave Moore and Phillip Marsden are frequent contributors to our Shipmate reports, keeping us informed about various '63 contacts and activities on the west coast. Both were busy this summer, as evidenced by the following group of photos and notes they submitted.
First, here is Dave's account of classmate contacts.
In late July, Lana and I went to San Diego for a '63 function in Coronado. On the way we stopped in Oceanside to see Ginnie and John Dolby. We had a light lunch on their back patio. The fence behind us in this photo is the Camp Pendleton boundary and marks a sharp drop-off from John's property on a ridge. The occasional thud of artillery shells was interesting.
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John Dolby and Dave Moore |
While in San Diego, Lana and I had a two-hour meeting over beers with Mickey Mays at the Admiral Baker Golf Clubhouse. He and I served together on ComCruDesGru-3 ('76-'78). Mickey is from Washington and spent one year at Washington State which explains his shirt logo.
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Mickey Mays and Dave Moore |
Phillip submitted several photos and a note tying them together.
This is a picture of classmates who enjoyed lunch together when Northern Virginia resident Jim Fontana visited San Diego in July. Left to right are Lew Blackwell, Jim, me, Ted Krohne, and Vern VonSydow.
Every year, I send a photo from the annual Coronado, CA, Concert in the Park. Appearing (L-R) in this image from late July are Phillip and Martha Marsden, Jerry and Rowena Harken, Lee and Sue Cargill, Vern and Gail VonSydow, Dave and Lana Moore, Ron and Dee Wills, and Donna Kaup.
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At the Coronado concert |
Shortly after the concert, I took my 16-year-old grandson on a tour of western Washington State. These photos show us on a hike on a verdant forest trail and me on a ridgeline overlooking majestic Mt. Rainier.
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Phillip and his grandson |
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Phillip in the Cascades |
During this tour I was able to see several classmates who live in the area. Here are pictures with Meredith Musick, Bob Wildman, and Rusty Rank. Seeing them made the trip a special treat.
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With Meredith Musick |
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With Bob Wildman |
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With Rusty Rank |
Many of us have consulted Wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia, for easily accessible information. I was surprised to learn that several of our classmates are the subjects of articles on the site. Mike Blackledge reports having found biographies for Pete Deutermann, Mario Fiori, Tom Hall, David Robinson, Ron Terwilliger, and Harlan Ullman. You will enjoy reading them. Should you learn of others, please tell me.
One of our plebes, Charlie Johnson '66, kindly sent news of his visit with Terry and Ron Matthews at their North Carolina home this summer.
In June I visited my friends of sixty-plus years Ron and Terry Matthews at their beautiful custom-built home in Stella, NC, near Camp Lejeune. In this picture you'll recognize Ron by his "high and tight" haircut. Mine wouldn't pass watch squad inspection.
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Ron Matthews and Charlie Johnson '66 |
When Ron and Terry retired after a thirty plus year career in the Marines, they built a beautiful home on an expansive lot that backs onto a flowing Carolina river. Beginning with a center hall colonial style, they added lots of deluxe refinements and have a home literally out of Architectural Digest. What is unique is that Ron did all the fine woodwork, including hardwood furniture and cabinets - all fitted and finished so that you might think they came from a custom cabinetmaker.
Ron and Terry have a small museum of original tribal weapons and artifacts that Ron and Terry collected while serving, and then while extensively traveling in retirement. Terry commemorated their 50th anniversary with a large, framed world map with color coded pins for where they have lived, served, and travelled. It looks as if taken from a Where in the World is Waldo Book!
Jim Ring hosted a lunch gathering of classmates in mid-August at the Army-Navy Country Club in Arlington, VA. Pictured here, starting with Bill Earner in the plaid shirt and going clockwise around the table are Forrest Siburt, Dan Koczur, Bob Forster, Steve Leisge, Harlan Ullman, Phil Rooney, Bruce Webb, Mario Fiori, Eli Dabich, and Joe Bustamante. Also attending but not shown were Kent Maxfield, Ed Brady, and Jim (who took the picture).
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Army-Navy lunch group |
Jim Oakes tells us about his September visit to San Diego.
I enjoyed visiting with Lynn and Lew Blackwell in their San Diego high-rise condo and dining with them at a couple of Coronado restaurants. In this picture we are at an excellent Italian restaurant there. Left to right are Lynn, Suzanne Fuqua, Jimbo Oakes, and Lew. I was in town to practice pickleball with my partner, getting ready to defend my title in the U.S. National Pickleball Championships coming up in November in Mesa, AZ. The Blackwells fixed the best barbecued pork chop dinner I have ever had. If Lew wants to start another career as a restaurateur, he would be a grand success based on that dinner they both fixed.
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DINING IN CORONADO |
We all know that the internet, especially social media, can be dangerous. Dave Byrnes reports having received numerous communications that appeared to be from '63 classmates but after a brief investigation were shown to be bogus and potentially harmful. This summer I received nearly identical emails apparently from two classmates wanting to convey a text to me. I had never seen a request in that format, Adobe Document Cloud. Within a few hours I received an email from one of the senders telling me that his email account had been hacked. I assume the same thing happened to the other classmate. Be cautious and stay alert!
As I was proofing this column for submission to the editor, I received an email from Jim Stageman with this timely news.
I'm happy to report on a classmate get together in Omaha in mid-September. Specifically, it was a plebe year, 3rd Company, Room 1116 reunion. The roommates were Gary Smith, Fred Kaiser, and Jim Stageman. Unfortunately, Gary is no longer with us but his widow, LoriKate, filled in admirably.
The occasion was that LoriKate and her husband, Cody, were on their way back to California after attending Parents Weekend at Iowa State, where her son, Casey Smith, recently enrolled in the aerospace engineering program. They decided to stop by Omaha for a visit before seeing Cody's family in Kansas. In a happy coincidence, Roy and Vicki Warren just happened to be at an RV rally near Omaha and were able to join in. Finally, Fred and Klara Kaiser drove over from their home in the Chicago area to complete the group.
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Having a fine time in Omaha |
In this photo, seated left to right, are LoriKate Pyle, Klara Kaiser, Vicki Warren, Roy Warren, Jim Stageman, Sandy Stageman, Fred Kaiser, and Cody Pyle.
We had a lot of news to share this month, and I hope you enjoyed it. Let's keep up the active participation in this news exchange. We want to hear from YOU, Sir.
