Thanks for many great notes!

Matthew Bucherati writes:
My son Adam just returned from Iraq two weeks ago safe and sound after being gone 416 days. We met him at the airport with his wife, Shannon, this two year old son, Matthew, and his six month old daughter, Madison. It was a wonderful homecoming. He is now settled in back at his home in Winston-Salem and is assimilating back into civilian life again. We are all thankful for his safe return.

A.J. Murphy writes:
Found out a fellow classmate Kurt Larsen was here in Houston since AUG of 2009. Got together this past weekend to visit with my wife and daughter along with his wife and daughter. Had a really nice outing on the boat on Lake Conroe. It was good to catch up with him. Kurt works for ABS nearby and we only live about 20 minutes from each other.

John Prien writes:
Cindy and I are keeping very busy with our 4 “tax deductions” – Maddie (almost 10), Ben (8), Zach (4) and Grayson (2) – and our newest addition to the family – a 23′ deck boat with a 350 HP inboard / outboard we keep out on Lake Allatoona. Between the family, Clorox and the Navy I’ve been keeping quite busy – in fact I was called up by the Navy to support the Deepwater Horizon spill as US Fleet Forces Command Liaison Officer to Unified Area Command for the spill . On the morning of April 30th the headline on the front page of the Wall Street Journal was “Navy Joins the Fight” – and by 6 PM that evening I was on my way down to the Gulf (needless to say it was a very interesting deployment).

Brian Foy writes:
Ray…I don’t think I have “sounded off” since our 25th so I am due. The past year has been quite hectic but the Foy’s have finally settled down in Pawling, NY. I am working again for the Westchester County Medical Society in White Plains (since 9-09) and we spent the last year living with my mother-in-law (no comment) in Port Chester until we sold our Oklahoma home. My two oldest (Melissa, 26 and Vincent, 23) remain in Oklahoma building their lives and my two youngest (James, 17 and Connor, 13) are with Karen and I here in NY. We really like Pawling but I have a feeling I will be in dire need of a snowblower in the near future!

I am enjoying a quiet summer thus far. The Foy siblings and their families are all gathering in Destin, FL later this month (July) to celebrate my parents’ 50th Wedding Anniversary. Turns out we are getting a huge refund from the owners of the house we are renting due to the oil spill. BP at work, I suspect. I am planning to get to a KP football game or two this Fall and I am about 30 minutes from West Point and may try to get to an Army game. Speaking of KP, my son (gasp) has expressed some interest so we are going to an orientation session in August for the would-be Class of 2015.

I haven’t had much contact lately with fellow ’83ers. My cell remains 405-850-8367 and email is . I have contacted the Mid-Hudson Chapter of USMMAAA and plan to join soon. I would welcome contact from classmates and especially those passing through the Hudson Valley area.

How’s the Marathon Man these days? I’ll let you know when I am next in the DC area so we can celebrate one more year since we stepped off the brow of the navy’s most infamous Tuna Boat!

Fair winds…

Thanks Brian. Marathon Man is fine (although my car recently got totaled in a 4 car collision). No big injuries and even getting some “medical massage” from a cute young lady. I’m now president of my running club (www.pcvrc.com) and race director of www.NunRun5K.org. I’ll run Rock’n’Roll half marathon in VA Beach, with concerts the nights before and after on the beach. Then in early October I’ll run my 18th marathon in Corning, NY, with www.RebelRunners.com buddies. That just leaves enough time to build websites for actual paying customers here and there.
See previous columns & photos at our website. Drive safely – land, sea, and air!
—– Ray Christensen

Ray Christensen after marathon with Chris Cioni in Sacramento Dec’09

 


Matthew Bucherati’s son home from Iraq tour – – Grandson

Thanks for many great notes! Be sure to update your profile at re-designed USMMAAF.com and add photos/notes to our class page anytime. Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with Jim Goulden, on the loss of his wife Carrie.

A.J. Murphy writes:
Certainly no one could have predicted the Saints winning the NFC Championship, then the Super Bowl. Next weekend immediately following is Mardi Gras! What a great couple of weeks.
Yvette (Smith) Pigott and I had not seen each other for a couple of years, the last visit being in Orlando, Yvette’s “home port”. The two remaining New Orleans class of ’83 fans got to share the excitement and catch up a bit. Got to say hello to Yvette’s three lovely daughters, saw her Mom who was riding in the parade that day as well as re-meet one of Yvette’s sisters who also is now in Orlando area. Gretchen had met Yvette originally when I was a 3rd classman, so we all got to spend a short time on the street next to the parade
line up to catch up on all the latest with kids, schools and college tuition hikes!!!
Sometimes the timing works out just great. Attached a couple of photos we snapped while there in New Orleans on a beautiful day.

Andy Dywan writes:
Things have been going well for me. Got married Feb 13, 2010 to Dianne Shubert. (see picture). It was a wonderful wedding. Rossco and Jackson did not make it because of the snowstorm. They were missed. I’m still working for Transocean as OIM and will be working in the Gulf of Mexico for the foreseeable future. In the process of building a house in Ninety-Six, so that has been keeping us very busy, hopefully it will be finished by the end of April. Was invited by Jimmy Quern and the boys to their annual Myrtle Beach golf outing. Could not make it due to being at work. Not sure if Tiger has anything to worry about!!

Scott Brueggeman writes:
My wife Colleen and I welcomed the birth of our second daughter (Catherine) at the end of last year. With the newest addition, life has been busy the past few months. We live in a suburb of Chicago and look forward to the warmer weather coming soon. From time to time I chat with Richard Surratt, Dan Russell, Kent Morton, and Skip McAloon among others in our class. All seem to be doing well.

Al Gebhardt writes:
I haven’t been in touch with any classmates recently but I heard Rex Gundle has moved with APM Terminals (again) from The Hague to Dubai. His daughter Sarah was working for my group in Charlotte at Maersk line the last few months. As for me, I was given an offer I couldn’t refuse by Maersk, and have just relocated from Charlotte to Shanghai, China. Plan to be here for the next two years. If anyone is traveling this way, let me know. Barbeque has a whole different meaning here than in North Carolina.

Lynn Craddock-Melin writes:
Attached are a couple of pictures of my sons, Paul and Kenny and I while visiting Europe in March. 7 Countries, 12 days, 17 teenagers. It was an absolute BLAST! I am working for Shell Exploration on temp assignement in Louisiana. Still based and living in Alaska, love that too. As an update, got my unlimited masters in ’89 and an MBA from U of MD in 95. Now that I am certified a master of 2 trades, thinking it is better to be a jack of all trades. Go figure. Family is well, married 20 years this year. 2 boys, Paul 17 and Kenny 13. Both going to private school so trying to talk them into KP to shorten the cost line.

Bob Ross provides KP ’83 Myrtle Beach Golf Crew recap:
We had a larger attendance this year and Skip joined me as the other deckie in the group; not counting Jimmy Maloney since he was only a 1/2 deckie. A good time was had by all with lots of new sea stories to tell. Mickey C would have sent the picture but he took his camera snorkeling.
In attendance this year was: Kent Morton, Mike Keane, Skip MacAloon, Jim Quern, Del Lewis, Guy Wilson, Mickey C, Jeff Coons, John Rhatigan, Bob Ross, and Jimmy Maloney (not pictured).

See previous columns & photos at our website. Drive safely – land, sea, and air!
—– Ray Christensen

 
A.J. Murphy & Yvette Pigott

 
Lynn Craddock-Melin & sons

Andy Dywan and bride Dianne

Annual Myrtle Beach Golf Outing

Thanks for staying in touch. Be sure to update your profile at the re-designed USMMAAF.com As noted in November, we mourn the loss of Dennis Gault, who passed away 11/12/09. Anyone who’d like to email me a photo or two that includes Dennis is welcome… I’ll put together a memorial page for him at our site, with link from our AF page. On to happier news…

Bob Ross writes:
Just to let you know, Andy Dywan will be getting married in February. He finally decided to take the plunge. I wish him Dianne the best.

Matthew Bucherati writes:
We got about 8 inches at my house and 20 at our cabin [in NC]. I just had a new Granddaughter on November 9th. Her name is Madison Shea. [Son] Adam was able to come home from Iraq for a two week leave and was present for the birth.

Pete Lafontaine writes:
Hi Ray! Not too much snow here in the foothills [12/21], but the Connecticut coast got about two feet. Congratulations on your 3:24 in Sacramento. It looked a little cool for California, bit I’m sure you weren’t complaining. If I count correctly that is was marathon #16?
I’m just starting to build my mileage up again. I injured a hamstring in September and stupidly I continued racing in pain. I finally took some time off after Thanksgiving and now I am back up to about 40 miles a week, but no speed work until spring since I don’t want to re-injure myself.

Pete was commenting on my trip to CA for a 12/6/09 marathon, where I was hosted for a couple nights by Chris Cioni and his fine family. Chris continues to devote some of his spare time to coaching his son’s soccer league team and participating in road and trail cycling races all over northern California.

A.J. Murphy submitted a photo:
Thanksgiving weekend in Baton Rouge, LA A.J. & Gretchen Murphy met up with Jim Quern as well as LSU’s Mike the Tiger (A.J. & Gretchen’s son Andrew, a senior) for this photo op prior to the LSU vs. Arkansas game. Fortunately, LSU won in overtime!

Washington Post reported on Wednesday, Dec 23, 2009:
“Virginia’s incoming governor, Robert F. McDonnell (R), on Tuesday named Sean Connaughton, former chairman of the Prince William County Board of Supervisors, as his choice to manage the state’s roads, rails and ports.” …see complete article

See previous columns & photos at our website. Email me news. Update your profile!
—– Ray Christensen

Jim Quern with A.J., Gretchen and son Andrew

 
CAPT and Sandy Douglass   || A Grimaldi brother with Scott

Burns – Douglass – Fairbairn – Douglass

Scott Douglass promotion