DTD at MC #58

Saturday, January 05, 2008

Good Morning everyone and Happy New Year,

I'm sorry that it has been so long since I wrote, but I have gotten moved and am in the process of settling in here in Marietta.

I really had a pretty uneventful trip across country, with the exception of Texas. There the weather was pretty bad, with dense cloud cover and wet roads. Fortunately for me, Darrell Pritchard was driving that stretch, so he got the brunt of that, plus me being a backseat driver. I'm surprised that he didn't throw the keys at me and make me drive! Thanks so much for coming along and helping, Darrell, you don't know how much I appreciate it.

I also have to say 'Thanks' to Randy Williams and his children. They showed up Sunday morning and helped unload the truck, with their help and my 'supervision' we got it all off and into the house in an hour, with nothing broken.

One terrible thing that came out of the move though is that I lost my Comcast email account. I never thought of that happening so quickly. I had to reenter every name and address by hand here on Gmail, and what a pain that was, over 250 names. Please make note of my new address, if you want to get in touch with me. But even worse, I lost all the mail that I got since the last email I wrote. And I know that there was a couple of addresses in it that I didn't get to forward to Hops, so they aren't in my address list. Please, if you sent me something since the last email ( on December 8) send it again.

I don't have any 'Delt Stories' to share with you this time, obviously, so I can't send anything out for you, but please send in a story, or some pictures, or something for our booklet. Dave Broome is collecting all of that information so he can put it together for us. Only a few months to go on that. And now there is only 10 months to go till Homecoming. I hope that you guys have made your reservations.

I did hear from a couple of guys at my gmail address, Lance Koved sent me this short note:

Rick,
Hope that your move went well and you are now enjoying the cold
weather.

I have heard from a number of people planning on returning to Marietta this
fall. Hopefully I will see a lot of familiar faces.

I sure hope so Lance. That's what it is all about.

Then Steve Critchlow sent me the following note, with a new address. For Jim Meads. I'm glad to hear that things are looking up for you Jim, my prayers are with you.

Hi Rick!
Wishing you and all our brother Delts a most happy, healthy, and prosperous
New Year!!!

Just wanted to let you know of an E-mail address for a 'missing
Brother' you've previously requested, namely, Jim Meads -'72. His E-mail
is: **removed for privacy reasons** I spoke to Jim on New Year's
night.

He lives in Silver Spring,MD and had to retire from Graybar Electric Co.
last August after 33 years with that company due to serious health problems. Jim
was diagnosed with stomach cancer last January and has been undergoing an
ongoing treatment regimen for it since last February, He also had to undergo
gastric bypass surgery early last year as part of this battle.

He is still the same 'low key' guy that those of us from the early 70's
remember and is staying remarkably positive in his attitude. He did tell me that
this particular form of cancer does NOT have a very good statistical cure rate,
so he would welcome any support from his brother Delts in the form of prayers,
positive thoughts and encouragement, etc. as he continues to fight this very
tough foe in 2008!

On a positive note, his condition has improved and stabilized enough since
last summer that it looks like his oncologist will soon approve and issue the
medical clearance Jim needs to be able to return to work at Graybar on a
part-time basis in the near future.

Hope to make it back to Marietta myself this coming October to 'catchup'
with many fellow alums at the EU 40th celebration. Till then ...

Fraternally Yours,
Steve Critchlow - '72

My plan is to get in contact with Matt Dole in the next few days to find out where he got to on our plans for homecoming, so I should have more to report the next time. That's all I have this time, I'm here in Marietta. So if you should happen to be in town, give me a shout.

Speaking of that, Trent Elliott, where is my 'Welcome home' cocktail? Remember, you promised me one. And Chuck Robinson, I haven't forgotten our dinner on January 15th, before the basketball game.

Here are a few names of guys that I'm missing (in the move I lost my sheet, so I don't know who I've asked for and who I haven't - it's hell to get old): Joe Baker, Peter Rosenberg, Peter Ross, Joseph Farrell, William Warner, Roger Coffman, Joseph Cohn, Paul Schoenfeld, Thomas Lindvail, Doug Shaffer, Gordon Turner, Mark Ewald, Peter Grob, Mike Stein, John Alligood, Paul Craft, Larry Brown, Scott Elger, Ric Gough, Mark Russell, and Rodney Stoltz.

Have a great week, Rick Neel '73