46 | LEHIGH ALUMNI BULLETIN | CLASS NOTES tion like Jack Vanderryn did for the spring 2024 column, please be our guest. Jack, who got his Ph.D. in chemistry at Lehigh, continues to live in his retirement facility in Bethesda, Md., with his wife, Margrit. The couple spent some time in Europe, living in Vienna, and had opportunities to travel to Greece, Turkey and other countries in the region. Other travels include Norway, as well as Alaska. Jack is a U.S. government retiree and is in good health, considering we are all in our 90s. Jack and Margrit have two daughters and a son. It is nice that one daughter lives nearby, while the other daughter lives in Vermont. I noticed that Jack was a member of the national college honor society, Omicron Delta Kappa. It was good to renew acquaintance with Jack, as we were undergraduate chemistry majors. I talked to Richard Fehnel, a DuPont engineer and member of the Delaware Lehigh Club, who shocked me when he said that he retired in 1985 because he was offered an incentive by DuPont. Dick and wife Charlotte retired to the lovely shore community of Ocean Grove, N.J. A broad boardwalk is available, and Dick rode his three-wheeled bicycle on it until last year. Dick was very active at Lehigh, participating in Tau Beta Phi (high ranking in engineering fields), being president of Alpha Phi Omega (national service society) among other groups. When the snow came, he participated with the ski club. Two of their children continue to reside in Wilmington, Del. ’52 Bill Erdman, (407) 644-0391; 1171 Willa Vista Trail, Maitland, Fla., 32751 wce96@seeoursite.org; seeoursite.org/lehigh I received an email from Bob Kradoska: “My wife, Gloria, died in 1999. In 2006, I married Kathy Ewing. We are Florida residents with a home in an over-55 community in Sarasota. I still have a home in Meadowbrook, Pa., and a condominium in Ocean City, N.J. I have four children, 10 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. I am in fair health but have neuropathy in my legs, which makes walking difficult. I have motor scooters at all three homes. My cellphone number is available through this website—just ask Bill for it. I would like to hear from some of my classmates.” Bob Arndt wrote: “I attended this year’s Fordham football game in November. As at last year’s Fordham game, I sat in the same bus from the parking lot to the stadium, in a seat across from the same classmate, Steve Antalics, who was wearing his same brown 1952 dink. He said he is still working part time on the Lehigh campus. The game wound up the same ... we lost. “Also, I have more info about my France trip. As you all have read, there was a giant fire at Notre-Dame Cathedral starting at the roof. The spire eventually collapsed, sending lead dust onto almost every visible surface. For public safety, it was reported that these surfaces must now be carefully cleaned, removing lead dust and Paris grime, resulting in a clean-looking Notre-Dame that has not been seen since the cathedral was basically finished 700 years ago. That should be something to see, but my age will prevent me from making the trip. The new spire is supposed to be finished by the end of 2023, the cathedral by the end of 2024. “Votre ami (your friend), Bob.” Golly gee, I still have 92 words to go! Jumpin’ Jehoshaphat, you guys make it tough to update the history of our illustrious class. Shucks, fellows, do I have to fill in the white space allocated to the Class of ’52 with drivel about me again? Maybe I could just reveal the origins of “golly gee,” “shucks” and Jumpin’ Jehoshaphat. That would fill in some space. Kay and I took a bus tour out of Charlotte to Niagara Falls, Canada. It was our first visit and, other than the long days on the bus, it was a fun trip. The overnight Amtrak to and from the Carolinas was peaceful and allowed us to visit with our son and family. Stay safe and write to me in time for the next column deadline—April 1, 2024 (I’ll even take April Fool’s jokes, I’m so desperate). Just read the fall Alumni Bulletin: Our Class of ’52 received the dubious distinction of being No. 2 in the class columns, right behind the Class of ’51. ’53 Herb Roemmele, 12133 Plantation Way, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., 33418; (732) 796-3013; herbertroemmele@gmail.com As the Class of 1953 agewise moves into the 90s, the number of classmates keeps declining. Hence, the class news available becomes less. That is why I need a few more of you to initiate a call to 732795-3013. Old, regular Nick Gentile phoned to say he is OK. He is having a little trouble walking and now uses a cane most of the time. (He is not alone in that situation.) Nick is hoping his grandson will attend Lehigh. We will see and smile at whatever decision is made. I like his idea of planning a class get-together (mini-reunion?) in two years and not waiting for our 75th in five years—this for obvious reasons, because we are in God’s Waiting Room. There are several possible times for this, such as a June reunion or more likely a Saturday in the fall around a football game, Tower Society breakfast and early dinner. It will be easy to arrange. Nick talked to Mark Kauffman’s widow, residing in New York. Nick thinks he is the only Phi Gam brother still alive in our class. I had a nice discussion with Emmett Clary. He lives in a retirement community near Orlando, Fla. He moved to Florida in 1959 and has enjoyed the warm weather ever since. His wife is fine but needs a wheelchair. He does not drive, and neither do I. He is 93 and is fortunate to have his two children nearby. Warren Stevens lives in South Jersey and continues to do real estate business with his two sons. They buy and sell properties. Warren is a brave soul, moving around on one leg. Those who saw him at our reunion last June were amazed at his courage and determination. He has a lady friend, but he says she is in worse shape than he. Joe Moyer and I are the only remaining Sigma Nu brothers. I believe Joe might still hold the football record for most yards returning punts. Those 1949-53 football years were the “best.” He and I talked to Charley Hull’s wife, Ann, who misses Charley greatly. She and her daughters are going skiing in Colorado in February. I also had a nice telephone chat with Jack Platt. Jack turned 93 on Oct. 18, 2023. And, believe it or not, he has 10 children, 14 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren—and two more on the way. What a legacy! He has all the birthdays on a calendar and sends birthday cards to each. He has the same hearing problems I do but stays sharp physically by exercising on a regular basis. He and a friend from the Class of 1952, Bob Hoyt, plan to go to the Navy wrestling meet. He met his wife at grad school as she was pursuing a medical degree. A romance developed and marriage and children followed. Jack was a proud father at 65 and 68.
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