Class of 1949
January 2008
Dear ’49ers,
When I saw some information
from Gustavus recently, I was startled to see it will soon be 59 years since
our class graduated. I have been
thinking about the various things that should have alerted me that I had become
part of the group known as “senior citizens.”
About that same time my brother-in-law sent me a book titled, Senior Moments. I thought you all might enjoy a few
“moments.”
I’m sixty-three and I guess that puts me in with
geriatrics, but if there were 15 months in every year, I’d be only forty three.
~James Thurber
At my age I don’t even buy green bananas. ~George
Burns
An elderly man asked his wife of 50 years, “If you had
to do it all over again, would you marry
“You’ve asked me that before,” she answered.
“What did you reply?”
“I don’t remember.”
“There was a time in my life, decades ago, when I was
so full of energy that I was not only going to end world hunger, but also stop
war and eliminate racism Whereas today
my life goals, to judge from the notes I leave myself, tend to be along the
lines of “buy detergent.” ~Dave Berry
Further signs you are getting on . . .
·
Everything hurts, and what doesn’t hurt, doesn’t work.
·
Your children begin to look middle-aged
·
Your knees buckle, but your belt won’t
·
You get your exercise acting as a pallbearer
However, when all is said and
done, we can thank God for all our blessings and for each new day that we can
enjoy.
Myrtle (Lindquist) Hokenson writes that she and her husband, Odean ’53 are
enjoying retirement and there five children.
The day she wrote she turned 80.
“Ouch!” She responded.
Howie Albertson
is still being called to fill in for judges in
George Schultz
and his wife, Betty, celebrated their 60th anniversary last
August. The congregation he started in
Enid and I have two
granddaughters at Gustavus. During
January term, one is in
Alumni Director, Randall
Stuckey ’83, reports that six candidates have emerged from a pool of applicants
for the job of president of Gustavus.
The final candidates will visit the campus in February.
Other Campus News
Forensics Team Continues Excellence
The Gustavus forensics team
continues the tradition of excellence, with major team and individual wins this
season. Last season the team ranked in
the top 20, which is impressive since 14 of the top 20 schools are “Division I”
schools that have more funding and more coaching staff. While many schools have several full-time
forensics coaches, the Gustavus coach also is a full-time professor. So a unique aspect of the Gustavus program is
the team meets weekly for peer coaching, a technique the team has found to be
very successful.
Twin Cities Gustie Breakfasts
Join other Minneapolis/St.
Paul area Gusties for a once-a-month morning cup of coffee and breakfast while
getting an update on Gustavus. The group meets the third Wednesday of each
month at the Doubletree Hotel,
February
20 – Hank Toutain, Dean of Students
March
19 – Mary Morton, Provost and vice President of Academic Affairs
April
16 – Cindy Johnson-Groh, Executive Director, Linneaus Arboretum
May
21 – Tim Kennedy, Sports Information Director
Gustavus Music Showcase
The three international
touring music ensembles at Gustavus Adolphus College — The Gustavus Choir, the
Gustavus Symphony Orchestra, and the Gustavus Wind Orchestra — will perform at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 9 at
Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis. Tickets
for the concert are on sale through the Orchestra Hall box office and may be
purchased in-person, online at: www.minnesotaorchestra.org/boxoffice/,
and via fax or phone at 612-371-5656.
Tickets are $22 for adults and $12 for children ages 6-18 and current
Gustavus students with a valid I.D.
Upcoming Alumni Events
Twin Cities Gustie Breakfast
– February 20
Music Showcase – March 9
Breakfast with the Easter
Bunny – March 8
For more information on alumni
events, go to:
gustavus.edu/alumni/events
As of
Sincerely,
Peter Erickson
1949 Class Agent