Dr. William Reno OUELLETTE, D.O., 64, died July 18, 2001, at the Maine Medical Center following a long battle with kidney cancer. He retired in 1987 from the Maine ANG as Brig Gen. He is survived by: wife, Marilyn; children Brian, Gary, and Shelby; and six grandchildren. Burial was at the Veteran's Cemetery in Augusta, ME. We'll Miss You, Frenchy.

Kenneth John ALNWICK (Choir 4) has been assisting former AF Under Secretary Dr. John McLucas write his autobiography. Ken's on the board of the AF Historical Foundation, which is sponsoring a book on AF tech­nology from the Tonkin Gulf thru the Persian Gulf War, and "der Wick" became a member of the editorial board. Ken WERRELL spent two years on that board and developed the preliminary text, and after some cogent comments by Mr. ALNWICK on WERRELL's manuscript struck a respon­sive chord in Dr. McLucas, he was asked to help bring the book to frui­tion and submit it to the Smithsonian for publishing. Busy man, this Ken--he also coaches lacrosse at his wife's high school in Falls Church, VA, consults on gaming for the Department of the Navy, and serves as a sales rep for FlightExplorer.com (they convert FAA flight data into web-based info that displays the status of airborne aircraft filing a FAA clearance, and whose "tracking" of the flights involved in the September 11th crashes at the WTC and Pentagon were on TV For a firsthand perspective on the damage to NYC, by the way, get Bill CARNEGIE's views at wmcarnegie@yahoo.com).

The SCHWANKs' live-in elves--Lady Honey-Do and husband Wisp of the Willows--were married two years ago (with me so far? If not, go back and read Checkpoints, Dec '99). They had baby elves. Two "Melon-Collie Babies" dubbed Casaba and Cantaloupe at their naming ceremony 14 July. Scores of curious attended, including Dick & Sally SEXTON, Bruce & Caryl MOSIER, Andi BIANCUR & Carole Kramer, Jim WADDLE, George & Diana PUPICH, Barb & Wayne KENDALL, Jim & Jenny GLAZA, Rosie & Karen CLER. (What's next? An Elfin political party? Elf for President?)

Guys-In-Waiting Lord Rosie Au Pair, Brother Andrew of the Briny Lake, Sir Jimmy Duck of the Lower Pond and Sir Jock Charles Henry of Hopesville Manor (Casaba and Cantaloupe in the foreground)

Our 1958 AFA Football Team was inducted into the Colorado Springs Sports Hall of Fame on Friday, Nov. 9, 2001. We all remember that great year--an undefeated season, pep rally on a Thursday night after Taps which resulted in the Wing busing to Iowa where we tied the nation's number one team 13-13, and tying TCU in the Cotton Bowl. From our class were legendary greats Johnnie KUENZEL, Howie BRONSON, George PUPICH, Dolphin KERR, Chris WARACK, Deke JOHNSON, Charlie WATERMAN and Jabbo MCCAIN. We salute you stouthearted men.

AF Colonel. Vietnam pilot. Basketball star. Winner, AFAAA Award to the Cadet Contributing the Most to Intercollegiate Athletics. Donald Lee WOLFSWINKEL now has another accolade: Mr. Mom! "Since I retired in 1989, we've been living in Charleston, SC. My wife, Ronnie, works in health care, so I became the house husband! Ronnie and I recently celebrated our 25th anniversary; her oldest son lives in Summerville, SC--he's father to the grand twins shown in the picture--and her other son lives in Fre­mont, CA. I have a daughter, Wendy, who lives in Colorado Springs (also had a son who was killed in a motorcycle accident near Canon City in 1976 when he was 12). In the last few years we've traveled twice to Europe -just flying over, renting a car, then going where we want. Also gone on an Alaskan cruise, and spent a week this spring in San Jose del Cabo. Living 30 steps off the 10th hole, I play my share of golf, also some tennis, and use our 20' deck boat for tubing and crabbing."

The Wolfswinkels holding grand twins Lucas and Alex

Retired ANG BGen Edward John HAERTER is still in Chicago, and be­lieves "Mr. Answer Guy" was wrong twice: "I was a C-130 navigator at Sewart AFB waiting to go to pilot training, and went TDY to SE Asia on New Year's Eve, 1960. Stayed three months at Clark, flying into Saigon, Danang, Qui Nhon, Laos and Cambodia. Actually got shot at on these flights, but couldn't tell anybody." (R: Does this mean he beats out BIANCUR and SWEIGART for first in our class to see combat in Vietnam? Ruling, Andi?) Ed retired as TWA Captain ten years ago, and has since been on the County Zoning Board. He and Nancy have two children­ Mathew is 27 and a Firefighter-Paramedic in Kenosha (WI); got a degree from Mt. Senerio College. Chris is 40 and a former F-15 jockey flying for Delta, graduated in '83 from AFA (photo at their cottage in Wisconsin).

In front are Nancy and granddaughter Natalie, Ed holding grandson Nicholas
Back: daughter-in-law Andrea, Matthew, Chris and wife Margaret

Fuller David ATKINSON (Lacrosse Club 4, 3, 2, 1) writes: "I've been re­tired for 10 years, and experiencing no traumatic withdrawals. Judy and I live in Punta Gorda, FL and have a boat out the back door, with a short run to the harbor and the Gulf. Play a fair amount of golf. Tough life, ­golf and boating! Our daughter Debra got a teaching degree from Na­tional Lewis University. She and her husband live near Atlanta with their two boys, 5 and 4. Our son David got an E.E. degree from Vanderbilt and an MBA From Washington U. in St. Louis; he lives in Crystal Lake, IL, and is marketing manager of filtration devices. David has four children, boys 18 and 16, girls 7 and 8 (the 16-year-old wants to go to the Academy)."

MiniSki 2002. Andi BIANCUR and the skiers in our class will meet in Salt Lake City for the 12th consecutive year. They'll have to share slopes with several Olympians, since Utah's hosting the Winter Games 8-24 Feb­ruary and the Para-Olympics 7-16 March. Actual start date is either 25 February or 1 March, so call Andi at (801) 278-4866 or email: awb@networld.com.

Howie WHITFIELD is now executive director of the Naval Helicopter Association. Heady stuff. At their 2001 Symposium in San Diego this sum­mer, they held a Naval Wing Ding, and according to Howie: "It was a lot of fun, but they could sure use some RosAl talent."

Friendly Fire. Goose GULBRANSEN sent me a letter with these semi ­worthless gems for pondering (I held it under water a full five minutes, until I was sure it wouldn't explode): "Most class crests have a four digit date- 1959, 1960 etc. From '65 to '86, two digits, except for '72, which has no date. 2000's all digits." Talk about Zeitgeist ... Dick and Donna DOYLE's October vacation included Hong Kong, Singapore and idyllic Maui. Why not Shangri-La? Xanadu? Jim and Martha ALEXANDER moved to Seneca, SC. In June they spent a weekend with General Ed EBERHART ('68) at Space Command (friends since their days at Shaw). Trivia-'60 question from Mr. Answer Guy: Who are the only two classmates who ran for the U.S. Congress? Our 45th Reunion is 15-19 June 2005 at the Radisson in Colorado Springs.

Merry Christmas from the Rose.