Dedication of Ted Willandt’s Class Ring

Alumni House—Ogle Hall

Annapolis, Maryland

5 November 2010

 

On Friday afternoon, 5 November, classmates, wives and friends gathered in the tap room of Ogle Hall, known to most of us as Alumni House, in Annapolis, to witness the placement of our classmate Ted Willandt’s ring in the display case of class rings by Ted’s widow Lorraine and to celebrate his life and legacy. The brief but moving ceremony began with class president Spencer Johnson, a company mate of Ted’s, recalling  his time with us as a midshipman, his exceptional athletic abilities that earned him a place in the first rank of Navy national championship lacrosse teams, and his subsequent three decades of naval service that included multiple tours of duty in Vietnam, significant duties in the Pentagon and the Bureau of Naval Personnel, and command of three ships, USS Pitkin County, USS Santa Barbara, and USS Juneau. Spencer also mentioned that the ring being dedicated also represented Lorraine’s dedicated service to the nation as a Navy wife during her 43 years of marriage to Ted, symbolized by the miniature that she wears so proudly. Finally, Spencer mentioned that our class ring symbolizes all that our class has accomplished together beginning with helping each other  navigate the rocks and shoals of Academy life, our service to the nation since graduation, and our sense of brotherhood over the years no matter what life had in store for us.

 

 Roger Tetrault, Ted’s friend in Middle and High School on Long Island, and his roommate at the Naval Academy, spoke of Ted’s single minded determination to become a lacrosse player of distinction even though he had no innate gifts at the outset. Through daily practice with a lacrosse stick and a focus on improving his skills and stamina, Ted became the superlative lacrosse player that came to the attention of athletic recruiters, leading to his appointment to the Naval Academy in 1959. Ted’s ability to focus on the missions and goals at hand, developed in high school and honed in his years at the Naval Academy, were personal traits that characterized his entire life and highly successful career.

 

Finally, Dick Corrigan, the coach of the attack men on Navy’s lacrosse team spoke of Ted’s outstanding abilities not only as a championship player, but also his qualities of being a team player who always advanced the team first. 

 

After thanking all present for coming and honoring Ted’s memory, Lorraine then placed Ted’s ring in the display case with the assistance of their daughter Carolyn and Bobbi Collins from the Alumni Association. There with the rings of deceased graduates from other classes, Ted is not only memorialized, but represents all of us who are proud and privileged to have known him and to call him classmate. His life and achievements speak exceedingly well of us all.  We could ask no better representative of our class.

 

As an aside, we learned that Ted delivered his daughter Carolyn into this world when it became evident that there was no time for a trip to the hospital. I don’t know of another classmate who can claim that distinction, but it once again proves that there is nothing a Naval Academy graduate cannot do.

 

Attendees at the ring dedication ceremony included: Lorraine and Carolyn Willandt, Roger and Linda Tetrault, Phil Rooney, Jim Ring, Eileen Dabich, Sonny Glassner, Doug and Charlsie Davidson, Joe and Barbara Strasser, Mike and Stephanie Nardolski, Norm and Judy Shackleton, Peter Quinton, Bill Earner, Jeff Miles, Charlie Stubbs, Mel Bunnell, Dick Corrigan (Navy lacrosse coach), Dennis Wedekind ’65 (lacrosse teammate), and Andrea and Spencer Johnson.