12035 Milam Road
Colorado Springs, CO 80908
1-800-GO-AFA-GO
http://www.usafa84.com/
I won’t even comment on how the time flies. This is ridiculous! Thank you for the updates, and if we haven’t heard from you in a while, would love for you to join in. We tweet, we Facebook, and many of us are “linked-in”. We will soon even have a USAFA Network. But our class is not all work and no play, we still have classmates (and their children) really making a difference in protecting our families and our country. THANK YOU!!
Now to the updates: Julie (Gonzales) Covell and her husband, Jim, are living in Tacoma. Jim is flying for Alaska Airlines and was recently reassigned to Alaska and they are debating the move up north daily. They have three kids. Oldest daughter graduated from the University of Portland in May, son graduated from high school in June, and youngest daughter finished her first year, 7th grade, at a local catholic school (which marked the end of Julie’s 10 years of homeschooling.) Julie was once again voted as Secretary for the C-23A Sherpa Society and continues to volunteer at church and at her daughter's school.
Tony Suber retired as of 1 Mar 2010 (Lt Col) and is still happily living in Hawaii as a brand new GS-13.
Congrats to Linda Urrutia-Varhall on her promotion to Brigadier General. I know we have even more. I was even promised a picture from one of our classmates from the promotion party. When she reads this, she will remember that she was to do that. (I won’t throw her under the bus…yet) As far as a Linda’s next assignment has been nailed down, but I don’t have the security clearance to be told--more later when it is announced. Photo attached from promotion party at Army Navy CC, with her husband Dr. Gregory Varhall ‘68
(Gerald) Scott Welker is enjoying his “retirement” is now a general surgeon at the Barton Memorial Hospital in South Lake Tahoe CA.
Alec Robinson is still in the DC area after eight years and six assignments in the area, retiring as of 1 Sept and will be working in the civilian world.
Roger Deemer retired from the USAF in 2005 and teaches math at a public school in rural Michigan. Been married 21 years (to the same precious young lady) and they have 3 children living on a hobby farm with horses, goats, and chickens. He is also an assistant scoutmaster for the Boy Scout Troop that both of his sons belong to. The family on a charmed road trip from Michigan all the way to Oregon (where my wife grew up) and back. It took 18 days but enjoyed every day of the trip and actually felt sad to see it end when they got home. They visited numerous friends scattered across the country along with many scenic places--Badlands National Park (NP), Mount Rushmore, the Black Hills, Jewel Cave, Yellowstone NP, Grand Teton NP, Multnomah Falls, Silver Creek Falls, the Oregon Coast, Newport Aquarium, Crater Lake NP, USAFA, and Garden of the Gods.
Col Bill Brei has been busy and far away from the civilized world. On his 11th combat zone tour; third time to Afghanistan. Last November, HAF tagged him to be one of the first cadre of AF-PAK Hands, which will be a 3-5 year gig. Advisor to the First Deputy Minister of Defense, Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, and is on indeterminate-length deployment
orders. Thank you Bill, your commitment is humbling to me.
Ed Rutherford has spent the summer catching up on chores around the house, adding a seaplane rating, and working towards upgrading his helicopter pilot license. Furloughed in April from ASTAR (DHL) where he was flying the historic DC-8, he has really been enjoying the time off this summer. Ed and his wife are hoping to relocate from the Cincinnati area to the Southwest US for the next chapter in their adventure.
Pete Eunice is down the road in Pueblo, CO training grads on flying before they go to UPT
Our prayers go out to Doug Fogle, who informed me that his wonderful wife, Paulette, died on May 22, 2010, from breast cancer. They were married 23 great years. Doug is still flying the line at Southwest Airlines.
Karen(Jeglum) Pettyjohn son, Dillon Pettyjohn, is in the class of 2013.
Steve Wacker is still in Charlotte with Shaw Power -- building power plants (nuclear, gas-fired) and pollution control equipment. He ran into Jon Wikstrom in a lunch buffet line at a conference. Of course, they were jostling to be first in line as soon as it opened. Jon is president Cool Clean Technologies His son, Wylie, is on the Falcon Football team and will be a firstie this year.
Gay (Weaver)Harrison retired but ended right back at the zoo as a Fed Civilian now Deputy Chief of Admission's Liaison Branch. Any 84 types wanting to hep out as Admission Liaisons ( and we take military and civilians) e mail me Gay.harrison@usafa.edu Hubby Scott stays too busy as Dir of network services for the Academy school district. His 72 vette rebuild is SUPPOSED to be done by our 30th. Their oldest daughter is now a sophomore at CSU and HS senior son enroute to being a music recording engineer. They keep in touch couple Bob and Sherri (Norton) Filer raising 2 great boys around Bob's golf "problem". Bob won local Flying Horse Golf Champion for 2nd year in row. Gay's old roomie Beth (Jenckes) Guiterrez still keeps in touch from Omaha where she's a program manager for various IT projects and grows her photography hobby to include the most awesome nature shots.
Derek C. Foster is still employed with NYS Department of Health (20+ years). Hope to see you in November at West Point, Derek.
Bill Walkowiak had his retirement ceremony on July 12th. Lots of friends and family came and had a short video themed with clips from the Dos Equis, "Most interesting man in the world" commercials. “I feel like my career was a wild ride during which I got to pilot planes for almost 5,000 hours and fly to over 40 countries, in various C-135 and 707's, including the AWACS. I got to fly over one pole and stand on another. I met thousands of people and made hundreds of friends. Becki and I are settling in New Mexico where I have been hired into a GS-15 position as the Deputy Chief of the Ground Safety Division at the Air Force Safety Center. Our three girls and grandson all live here so, it is a great deal to be close.” Congrats on a great career, Bill. Here is a picture of Bill and his dad, Ed, at the retirement block party.
As we begin another Falcon Football Season, I have only 2 words for you: CINC NAVY!!
Have a great year!
Jens
