A.B. Davis High School 50th Reunion Mount Vernon, NY
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Because of the many Bios submitted by our
Classmates, this page is now in 3 sections.
Married Classmates are in Alpha order by Maiden names
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To Access either the whole List or an individual Name,
"Click" on the Alpha Grouping or the Name
Carole ABRAMS Weiss
Ardsley, NY
Teacher, 35 years, now retired.
NYU, Syracuse University, Manhattanville: B.S., M.A.T.
Married
Children: 2 daughters: Debra-Age 37, Jessica-Age 35
Grandchildren: (4) Courtney 8, Joseph 6, Jimmy 3, Tommy 1-1/2.
I have taught elementary school in Westchester primarily 5th grade-both
"regular" and "gifted" students and have loved every
day of it. (Well, OK, maybe not EVERY day!)
I have been retired for about 3 years and am enjoying that as well. We have
a house in Ardsley and an apartment in Manhattan where we love spending
weekends. My husband is a graduate of Juilliard. He has been a professional
concert pianist, but is now at St. Vincent Hospital working as a child adolescent
psychotherapist.
We have done a considerable amount of traveling (primarily in Europe) and
plan to do a lot more. I love reading, movies, sports (primarily as a spectator),
eating out, learning about wines---and being with my daughters and grandchildren.
One of our goals is to rent a house in a different European country each
summer, large enough for our family to join us and to experience more time
in each locale.
I'm afraid my years at Davis weren't particularly enjoyable.
I was young for my grade and felt like a "misfit". One French
teacher, Miss Quinlan, was the bane of my existence. I was in a shell during
those years. I did have a few friends (whom I'm hoping I will see at the
reunion). Needless to say 50 years later, we are all very different people--and
I look forward to being a part of this happy event!
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Lynn ABRAMSON
Wiese
Palo Alto, CA
Psychotherapist, Private Practice
Simmons College, Boston; B.S. Psychology Measurements, 1959
Santa Clara University, CA; M.A. Marriage & Family Therapy, 1976
Married
Children: David, 42; Karen, 40
Grandchildren: Cole, 7-1/2, Evan 5-1/2, Eva 4, Hannah 3-1/2
Love, love, love my work. I do "old fashioned style" psychoanalytic psychotherapy, but practice through a very exciting, wonderful, new-style "listening perspective that emphasizes relationships throughout your life and including the relationship inside the therapy room and one's sense of self-RIP Dr.Freud!
Might consider retirement some day if I ever found anything that interested me more than my work, but hasn't happened so far. I think the time has come to deal with that, though wish me luck-success.
Get to see West Coast grand kids 6-7 times a year, East Coast (RI) 4 times if we're lucky.
Many, many blessings in a good life. Hope that's true for you too.
About Davis, wouldn't even know where to begin on this one! In some ways, not nearly as much as subsequent events. But of course, as with most of us, it was my foundation.
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William "Bill"
ALLMAN
Columbus, OH
Transportation and Logistics Managment
New York University, Engineering; Northwestern University, M.S. and Ph.D
Divorced
Children: Two
Became a midwesterner, now semi-retired and in good health in Columbus, Ohio. Attended NYU in Bronx (Engineering , 1959) and Northwestern University, IL, (M.S. and Ph.D.). Career in transportation and logistics management, having worked for several companies, plus Federal Government in Washington, D.C. Near end of career taught college three years.
Married in Ohio in 1967, divorced 1996. My two children are a pediatrician in CA and an architect in IL. A special interet is refereeing youth, high school, and college soccer.
I wish to especially be remembered to all of Graham School's Mrs. Bridge's classes mates, and all of Doc Randall's band members.
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Yvonne AUBREY
DeEsso
Carmel, NY
Work in Law Office
Married to Carmine "Buddy" DeEsso, Davis Grad 1955
Children: 2 Daughters, 1 Son
Grandchildren 4 Granddaughters, 2 Grandsons
I am still working. Don't believe I will ever really retire. I work for my son, Frank DeEsso, at his law office. So, I would say this has been the most important job to me.
Right now we have a villa in Naples, FL for vacation purposes.
Gardening is my favorite hobby.
We had a wonderful time in high school. The secretarial skills I learned were beneficial to me all my life. I am still using them. My husband and I were born and raised in Mount Vernon. It was a beautiful town and very convenient to all parkways. We moved to Carmel in 1987. Before moving to Carmel, we owned a Deli in Fleetwood section of Mount Vernon for 14 years, called Antonees.
Note: My daughter, Darlene, married Barbara PAVONE Spiridigliozzi's son, Thomas and they have 2 sons, Michael and Steven. So Barbara and I have two mutual grandsons.
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Geraldine A. AURICCHIO Listman
Hawthorne, NY
Nursing; Registered Nurse
Westchester Community College; Pace University, Pleasantville, NY, B.S.
in Nursing
Married
Children: 2 Daughters
Grandchildren: 4
Retired after 40 years in nursing, October, 1994. Love traveling, quilting, home decorating.Had to give up ice skating and roller skating.
Davis instilled confidence and self-reliance.
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Elaine BAILIS
Schwartz
Monroe, CT
Married 48 years to (Ralph Schwartz) Edison graduate 1953
2 children (Susan 46) and Gary (43)
2 grandchildren (Matt 17) and Dara (9)
Ms Redmond (home ec) and my mom thought I should take up fashion designing. After studying for a year at Traphagen School of Fashion (NYC) and working in NY for a year, I decided I liked being a "small town girl", came back to Mt Vernon and did secretarial work in an office on South Fulton Avenue.
We lived in Vernon Manor Coop for 13 years (Ralph commuted to NY). I was a stay at home mom for six years and when the kids attended Holmes School I went to work part time in an office near the Columbus Avenue train station.
We moved to Eastchester in 1967 and lived there for 17 years. When Ralph got a job in CT (by then both kids were married) we left NY and moved to CT where we have lived for the past 18 years. We live in a wonderful condominium development with swimming pools, tennis courts and walking trails.
For the past 10 years I have been an administrative assistant for a large architectural firm in Shelton. I love my job and have no immediate plans to retire. Ralph has been retired for the past 5 years and in 2003 he and some artist friends opened up an Art Gallery in New Haven, where I sometimes help out on weekends as well as publicity for the gallery, and I love working there. Maybe some day I'll retire and just do that.
We love to travel (Ralph takes lots of photos and creates wonderful paintings from them) and since 1996 have been on a cruise every years. We've been to Alaska, Hawaii, Russia, Scandinavia, Estonia, Gdansk, Mexican Riviera, and the Western Caribbean. This summer, for our grandsons' graduation, we are taking the family on an Alaskan cruise. We still hope to visit Australia and the Orient. That's next.
Meanwhile, our 2 grandkids live nearby and we love taking "nature walks" on the trails through the woods and past the streams.
Hobbies include knitting, reading, and up until 4 years ago, bowling. I had been president and treasurer of our mixed bowling league in Yonkers and then continued bowling here in CT.
We've visited Mt. Vernon often over the years as until recently we had several friends living there. When my brother visits from Arizona we always go down to visit "the old neighborhood". My parent's house on Summit Avenue never looked so good!
Look forward to seeing everyone soon.
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George BARLETTA
Old Greenwich, CT
NY Telephone-ATT-NYNEX-Verizon
Cooper Union, City University of NY: Bach. Civil Engineering, MBA
Married to Fran
Children: 3, Matthew, John, Kristen
Grandchildren: (2) Kayla, Mia
Following graduation in June I found my way to the subway
and commuted for four years to Cooper Union an Engineering and Arts school
in lower Manhattan. I never felt deprived until I visited ken Knight for
a weekend at Yale. It was certainly a different experience than day-hopping
on a subway. The education was great (Bachelor of Civil Engineering) but
amenities limited. MBA was completed at night at the Baruch School of CCNY.
That was not fun either.
I joined New York Telephone in the Management Trainee program after college.
I was lucky to stay in Westchester for my first five years in a succession
of operations and engineering assignments. I was then sent to New York City
and completed a number of technical assignments. In 1979 I was sent to ATT
in New Jersey and ended up planning the breakup of the Bell System. It wasn't
our idea but in retrospect the breakup went fairly well.
I returned to New York Telephone in 1983 and subsequently was made an Officer
of the Company. I had a number of Vice Presidential assignments and retired
in 1995 from what was then NYNEX and now Verizon.
I was fortunate to marry an "Irish lass" in 1963 and we have three
children spread across the country. Now married 41 years and still having
fun. The children have blessed us with two granddaughters and two grand-dogs.
We have had the wonderful opportunity to retire in our homes in Old Greenwich,
CT and beach house on Long Island although we still search for the "free
time" that retirement was supposed to bring. We do spend a fair amount
of time with caring for the elderly in many different ways.
I think we were in many ways a blessed generation - too
young or too old for the wars that happened around us. We were also blessed
with teachers who really cared about our education in subject matter and
life. I can still see Miss Brown towering above us hammering math and the
lessons of life into us. The academic competition at AB Davis helped immensely
to prepare me for the competition at college. The diversity we experienced
was supportive and helped build confidence in personal and work endeavors
in the future.. One of our English teachers said, "Never send a sympathy
care - write a letter." I haven't bought or sent a card since that
moment!
I was also blessed to have friendships that began in High School that have
continued over the years. Jim Glenn and Barbara Hopfer Smith (and sister
Carol) have been close for over 50 years.
Whatever life journey we chose - our teachers made sure we were well prepared.
Kind of sorry I never had the chance to say "thank you".
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Betsy BEILENSON Schildkraut
Chestnut Hill, MA
Publicist for Children's Books
Mount Holyoke College; B.A.
Married
Children: Peter, 1968; Michael, 1970
Grandchildren: Waiting
After graduating from Mt Holyoke, I worked for 7 years as a children's book publicist. Married Joe Schildkraut in 1966 and moved to Washington, D.C. where he was working at NIMH. Moved to Boston in 1967 when Joe returned to Harvard where he was a Professor of Psychiatry at the medical school until his retirement in June 2004. Thought I would get back to work in Boston, but then had Peter (1968) and Mike (1970) and never did get back to work. Lots of volunteer work in the library at the kids' schools, at an abortion clinic and currently at WBZ Call for Action, a national organization that provides referrals for consumer problems; and a weekly movie program for seniors sponsored by the Brookline Library and Senior Center. Traveled quite a bit as Joe had meetings in lots of interesting places. Now we're trying to figure out what retirement will be like and waiting-patiently-for eventual grandchildren.
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Lucille BERSCHAD Kort
Jackson, NJ
Elementary School Teacher (Graham Elementary -4 years,
1960-1964)
Pharmaceutical Company 1978-2000
Hunter College and University of Michigan: B.A. and M.S. Education
Married 43 years
Children: 2 Daughters, 40 and 37
Grandchildren: 2 Boys, Ages 4 & 2; 2 Girls, Ages 7 & 4
Taught 5th and 6th grade at Graham Elementary until my
children were born. Returned to the work force when they were 11 and 14
years old. (pharmaceutical company)
Traveled throughout Europe, U.S., Hawaii, Canada and a cruise over the years.
Moved to Marlboro, NJ in 1969, and lived here for 33 years. Moved to an
adult community (Westlake Golf and Country Club) in Jackson, NJ in 2002
and have been busier than ever.
Life has been good!!!
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Married: 47 years
Children: 2 (1 boy- 1 girl)
Grandchildren:4 boys (of course the best and brightest)
1955 - I went to work for NY Telephone Co., Mt Vernon as a secretary in the Engineering & Consultants Dept. - later office moved to White Plains.
1958 - Married my high school sweetheart - Art - and have been married 47 years this May.
1960 - I left NY Tel to be a stay-at-home Mom when our daughter, Debra, arrived. Debra is an Instrumental Music Teacher and her husband, Joe, is a History Teacher. One son, Joseph, our first grandchild.
1963 - Our son, Kurt, arrived to add to our family. Kurt is a Data Center Manager for Pepsi-Winston-Salem, NC. Our daughter-in-law, Liz, was a high school History Teacher before becoming a stay-at-home Mom with twins, Alec & Ryan and baby Ian.
1965 - We built our dream house (Town of Cortland) now Cortland Manor, NY. During the next 17 years, I managed a home decorating business, worked as a teacher assistant and in 1973 went back to full time work as a secretary at Walter Panas HS. During my years at Panas, I was secretary to Brian Gould (Davis 1955) when he was Assistant Principal. He was a great person to work with.
1982 - Art's company - Cal-Tex Petroleum moved from NYC to Las Colinas, TX (Dallas). I returned to work as teacher assistant with special children. Working with these special children was extremely rewarding. Art and I both retired in 1996 and I did substitute work for a while. The last 4 years I have been a part-time (semi-permanent) office assistant/secretary in Human Resources and Payroll for the Admin. Offices for the HEB School Dist.
I am also a crafter and have done shows -- love to read, sew and knit.
We love to travel - Alaska was one of our favorites. We return east frequently as we have a second home on Mast Hope Mtn, PA.
Our life has been blessed with a wonderful family and friends.
THANKS TO ALL WHO HAVE MADE THE "50" REUNION
POSSIBLE.
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Judith "Judy"
BLOOM Grayson
Delray Beach, FL and West Hurley, NY
Teacher
Boston University and University of Miami(Fla), Bachelor of Ed (N-6th),
Cum Laude Masters (MS, Education)
Married
Children: 3 (2 boys, 1 girl)
Grandchildren: 4 (3 girls, 1 boy)
As a certified teacher in Florida and New York, I have taught full time in both states and still enjoy substitute teaching and private tutoring.
Several memorable trips to Europe, Israel and Mexico as well as travelling throughout these United States and Canada.
I've played years of tennis, successfully participating in many tournaments. Also avid power walker and enthusiastic golfer. Had coached girls softball little league for many years.
I've been an active volunteer for several organizations.:Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, Cancer Research, the Woodstock Film Festival, member of Hadassah, and Brandeis University (Women's chapter)
I've maintained very close and special friendships with some classmates starting from first grade and Jr. High School. and on.... and I know will be forever.
Family togetherness is of utmost importance; quality time spent with my husband and our three children and four grandchildren is what makes life meaningful to me.
Growing up in Mt. Vernon gave me a wonderful sense of warm community life. It was fun, safe, and filled with many choices.
Sorry I couldn't be at the reunion, but I'll be thinking of you all. Perhaps I can get some pictures of the festivities.
Thanks to Michael, Marge and Patti and all the other for their efforts.
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Cynthia BLUNT
Kendall
Wake Forest, NC
Teacher/vocal music
Bucknell Univ.; Columbia Teachers College; SUNY Brockport; B.S. Music Education;
M.Ed equivalent
Married
Children: Shari, Lori
Grandchildren: none yet – only 4-legged ones .
After graduating from Bucknell, I started teaching on Long Island. Three years later I married David Kendall, whom I had known during our childhood years. He lived in Clayton, NY, in the 1000 Islands, where my mother, brother, and I went every summer, while my Dad, who was principal at Lincoln Elementary School, went to New Hampshire to work with Ginny Licht's Dad at a Boys' Camp. We started our married life in Rochester, NY. Except for 2 years when David's graduate studies took us to Oregon and Pennsylvania, we spent the next 36 years in the Rochester area. We loved sports, music, golf, boating, and vigorous exercise. Our lives were very busy with the usual family activities. Church, community, camping, water sports were all part of our lifestyle. Of course, life would not be complete without our animals. Border collies have been with us for many years, and for the last 8 years we've also been blessed with a wonderful Doberman. We even have a cat now to complete our family. Seven years ago, upon retiring from our first careers, we moved to North Carolina. We now live there for 7 months each year, and go back up to the 1000 Islands for 5 months each year. We are now also business owners, who work with a company in Tennessee. It is an exciting business, helping people have a better quality of life through healthy living technologies. Our main thrust is with air and water purification, and developing businesses all over the country. International expansion is now on the horizon as part of the future plans. We have certainly had our challenges, but we have been truly blessed with a life full of love, wonderful experiences, and the joy of each other.
Growing up in Mt. Vernon with wonderful friends, extended family influences, and all the advantages that Mt. Vernon schools and teachers gave me, prepared me well for my adult years. I have fond memories of the activities at church, school, and community. I can't believe that 50 years have come and gone. I hope the next 50 will be filled with as many good things as the last 50 have been. I'm looking forward to seeing many of you again at the reunion.
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Robert BRADBURY
San Diego, CA
USMC, IBM
Modesto JC, U.C. Berkeley: AA
Married to Suzanne
Children: 3 sons, 1 stepdaughter
Grandchildren: 3 Grandsons, 4 Granddaughters
I enlisted in the Marine Corps after high school and served
5-1/2 years. After going through flight training during this time, I was
a helicopter pilot in the Far East. Unfortunately that career was cut short
by a crash and I was medically retired.
After that I attended college for several years and hired on with IBM in
San Diego, CA. I worked in Field Engineering for 29 years in hardware, software
and management, luckily all of it in San Diego. When the offer of early
retirement came up 12 years ago I took it with some trepidation. So far
I've never been sorry. I do miss the people I worked with but I don't miss
going to work at all! All of our children and grandchildren live in San
Diego, so we feel very fortunate. We get to see them frequently. We have
been RVing for seven years and enjoy it very much. We have made two trips
to Alaska and our objective is to visit all the National Parks in the West.
I started skiing when I retired and love it. Besides being active in a local
ski club, we are active in an Optimist Club and a retired military RV club.
I have always felt that A.B. Davis HS and New York State gave me a good basic education. I'll credit Mt. Vernon with getting me to "Go West".
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Barbara BREMMER Cappello
Mount Vernon, NY
Self Employed Avon Rep
Married, Spouse AB Davis Grad 1940
Children: 5
Grandchildren: 10
Sold Avon for 47 years as of Feb 2005. I was an IBM operator
at Continental Baking Co., in Rye, NY. Also worked for NY State Dept. of
Labor after high school. I also worked in Ankerson's Pharmacy in Mt Vernon
in Medicine dept., etc.
I was a very big Avon Lady and Avon has sent my husband and me all over
the world, all expenses paid.
Travels: Honolulu, Hawaii, Mirage, Los Angeles, CA, Universal Studios &
Disney, FL, Puerto Rico, New Orleans, San Francisco, Kona, Hawaii, Disney,
CA, Los Angeles 3 times, Carnival Cruise to Bahamas, NYC Waldorf Astoria
and Hilton Hotel, NY
My selling began in Longfellow School when I sold Girl Scout Cookies, etc., and kept on going through Washington Jr. High and on to Davis. I twirled in those 3 schools at parades and Davis football games. First year there, I was assistant to Mr. Childs.
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Elaine Anne BRIGLIA Harper
West Melbourne, FL
Secretary, Nurses Aide
Certificate-Home Health Aid
Widow
Children: 2 Daughters
Grandchildren: 2 Grandsons
Worked in NYC till 1962. I was a stay at home Mom. We
lived in Florida for nine years, husband worked at Cape Kennedy in computers.
During a slow period at Cape Kennedy, we moved to Saginaw, Michigan, to
a small 13 acre farm, trees, blueberry bushes. Called back to Cape Kennedy
for another few years. Job transfer took us to the Mohave Desert, CA, and
my youngest daughter and I lived at Big Bear. Returned to Florida after
my husband's heart surgery. We vacationed in Michigan during summers for
rest. I was widowed in 1991. I traveled to France and Holy Land , Israel,
which was a wonderful event for me.(Pilgrimage).
My hobbies have been gardening, reading, sewing, cooking (collecting recipes),
re-finishing furniture, studying scripture, Melbourne and environs Beaches,
camping.
Mt Vernon was a wonderful place to grow up in. We had a 13 room house, for I had 7 brothers and sisters. It was "the city of homes" - could walk anywhere (Right!) I always walked home for lunch while at school. My classes were College Prep and Business classes which enabled me to acquire jobs in New York City. I worked Savings and Loan, Publishing and Advertising, some subjects such as Business Law, helped me in my personal life as I had a memory that retained what I learned.
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Walter R.
BROOKER
Springfield, OH
Oesterlen Services For Youth - 39 years, Special Work with Troubled
Children & Families
Union College; Tulane University SSW; BA & MSW
Married to Tamara
Children: Ron, John, Greg
Grandchildren: 9 (Ages 1-1/2 - 15)
39 Years working with Children/Families, last 20 years as Executive Director.
Traveled extensively throughout the U.S., plan to tour as many National Parks as possible. (Already visited Grand Canyon, Mesa Verde, Mt. Rushmore and Yellowstone). Avid golfer and fan. Follow Cincinnati Reds and New York Yankees in Baseball. Recently completed unpublished (to date) 100 year History of Oesterlen Services for Youth (1903-2003). Have lived in same house for 37 years. Attended same Methodist Church for 43 years and have been married to the same beautiful woman for almost 46 years.
Davis gave me the educational foundation for my undergraduate and graduate education.It also provided many memorable experiences with chorus, baseball, good teachers and good friends.
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Louise BROWN
Kaplan
Delray Beach, FL
Business
Boston University, BBA
Married
Participated with husband Hal in the Halo Carpet Service and Spot Solution, Inc., manufacturing the best spot cleaner for carpets and fabrics in America. (Just ask any of our users...if you can find them!)
For the last few years living in Florida, I have been interviewing "the locals" and writing a column called "Meet Your Neighbor" using a format similar to the one I received from Michael for the Maroon and White.
I'd like to talk about moving back to Mt. Vernon. (Yes, I said back.) After three years of marriage in the early '60s, my husband and I decided to move back to Westchester from Queens. Although Kew Gardens was a subway ride to my office in Manhattan, the subways at the time were dirty, crowded, crime ridden and the Union Turnpike station was a long walk on cold, windy winter days. It wasn't the dirt, crime or crowds (nor the lack of A.C.) that bothered me, but the elements playing havoc with my hair and makeup. By the time I reached the subway my teased hair looked like Elsa Lanchester's in "the Bride of Frankenstein," my nose and eyes were running and my face was streaked with mascara. (TIME TO MOVE!)
Our choices at the time were new apartment buildings on Garth Rd. (Scarsdale/Eastchester) with 1 month's concessionor a new building on Locust Street in Fleetwood just up the hill from the Fleetwood station (no concession). The apartment on Garth was 9/10 of a mile from the Scarsdale railroad station which reminded me of my trek down Queens Blvd. Locust Street was closer to the train. We chose Locust.
We hadn't planned on staying long....perhaps a lease (3 years) or two. Thirty-five years later we moved to Florida.
Lots of Davis alums or parents of schoolmates lived at 642 Locust Street in those 35 years. Some of our neighbors were Rozanne Silver DeBrocke (married to Warren of Yonkers), Hank Scharfman who still lives there and Seymour Simes, my upstairs neighbor who used to fall asleep playing his TV (LOUD).
Ted Dientsfry's cousins, Ronna and Marvin were friends from Locust Street and 14 years later we hooked up in Florida. Another neighbor was Frank John Limierno (younger than we) whose mother was a Ciampi. It was a microcosm of Mt. Vernon and a fun place to live.
The year we had a snowstorm everyday (I think it was 1996), my husband said, "I'm not spending another winter in the north."
We closed our business for the winter, locked our apartment door and headed south to a place I avoided for vacations, where I vowed never to live.
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Lucile BUCKLEY Callahan
Stamford, CT
Business and Retail
Married: 46+ years
Children: 6
Grandchildren: 8
Raised a family and worked in Retail.
Traveled in U.S. and Canada, England and Ireland
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Mary Ann CAMMAROSANO Frusciante
Tuckahoe, NY
Publishing, Manager/Senior Editor
Married
Children: 2 Sons
Retired in 2003 after 30 years in publishing, eventually becoming managing/senior editor of an award winning magazine for motion picture and TV engineers.
Traveled for 12 years to Europe, the former communist countries of eastern Europe, Turkey, etc.
Community service including Board Membership for Leukemia and Alzheimer Associations. On a yearly visit to Washington, D.C., I lobbied on behalf of funding for Alzheimer research and patient/family care services.
Currently attending Iona College, senior learning program,
twice a week, as well as leading a current events discussion group for seniors
weekly. This past summer, I was active in trying to preserve the wonderful
Mount Vernon Library, the results are still to be determined.
The Journal News, Westchester, 11-28-04: Monument's past revealed by Desiree Grand
Mary Ann Frusciante is waiting for the completion of the repairs to the roof of the Mount Vernon Public Library for several reasons. The 66-year-old former city resident wants the county's central library to be restored to its former glory, and she is concerned about preserving its many valuable collections.
But there is another reason she eagerly awaits the end of the construction project. She wants to plant flowers around a stone monument, given to the city by a French town, that was placed on the library's grounds 55 years ago.
As an 11-year-old representing Columbus School, Frusciante was present at the dedication of the monument, a gift from Thionville in appreciation for the city's adopting the town after World War II. Frusciante fears that the monument, which she says resembles a concrete fireplug, would be damaged during the scheduled construction.
Like another stone monument, also on Second Avenue side of the library, the origin of the Thionville gift as unknown to the library staff until Frusciante drew their attention to it.
"People walk past this thing and never know what it is. It is in the middle of bushes and I feared it would be moved or lost. I spent a great deal of my youth at the library. It was instrumental in forging my love of books," said Frusciante, who now lives in Tuckahoe.
The monument is a replica of the stones that border the road taken by Gen. George Patton and his troops from the Normandy beaches via Paris, Metz Thionville and Luxembourg to Belgium. On Veterans Day in 1948, the monument was filled with soil from Thionville and sent to Mount Vernon.
Thionville was a center for trade and light manufacturing, and had suffered heavy damage during World War II. The town also had an extensive library that was devastated by the war. An estimated 4,000 books were lost. Once Mount Vernon made contact with the town, requests for classic English literature like "The Good Earth," :Vanity Fair" and "Forever Amber" were made, and the city obliged. Frusciante remembers the penny march that was held to collect funds to buy school supplies for the children of Thionville. The children were able to send 100 pounds of school supplies in December, 1948.
The monument was not dedicated until May 24, 1949, and Frusciante, who was also required to write an article on the ceremony for her school, remembers the many spectators.
"I will always remember that day. People were standing in the middle of the street and there was a great fervor. The war had only been over for three years," she said. "I had uncles who fought with Patton. I was very excited because I thought it was such a wonderful thing."
Library Director Rodney Lee had wondered what the monument was, but it wasn't until Frusciante walked into his office during the summer that he found out. He assured her the stone would not be removed.
In addition to the monument, the French town sent a brass candlestick made into an electric lamp, a portfolio of etchings of Paris by Charles Meryon, a French printmaker; and a portfolio of reproductions of the French Chateaux of Ile de France. Those items were placed n the care of the library at the time, but it's not known whether they are still there. That is all the more reason the library needs an archivist, Lee said.
"We have a fine collections here but we need an archivist, " Lee said. "Every day we find things that are valuable that we did not know existed."
I believe that the education I received in the Mt. Vernon school system was excellent, enabling me to achieve success in many areas of my life.
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Dolores
CAPALBO Petta
Beacon, NY
Doctor's Assistant
Married 49 Years
Children: 1 Son, 1 Daughter
Grandchildren: (5) 4 Granddaughters, 1 Grandson; Ages 20, 18, 12, 9, 7
I bought a house in 1963 and lived there in Yonkers 35 years.
I worked for a Doctor for 14 years.
I am retired and live in Fishkill, NY, where my children and grandchildren live. My oldest granddaughter is in her second year of college and I am very proud of her. My 18 year old granddaughter is starting college in the fall.
I made wonderful friends at school and are still friends today.
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Joseph
CASTELLANO
Mt.Kisco, NY
Retired lawyer
Princeton (A.B., cum laude); George Washington University Law School (J.D.)
Married: Susan Willett (36 years ago)
Children: J. Stephen (33); Douglas M. (31)
Grandchildren: Caroline (3); Isabella (3 mos.)
It seems improbable that a half a century has passed. And yet, the chronology is persuasive: After graduation from Princeton, I enlisted in the National Guard and completed six months of active duty. And then, excited by President Kennedy's "New Frontier", I landed a job with the Congressional Reference Service. However, I was recalled to active military duty during the 1961 Berlin Crisis. Following my second period of military service, I accepted an assignment with the Executive Office of the President's Emergency Planning staff, and began law school with the objective of a career in public service.
Following law school graduation and exposure to the Washington bureaucracy, my fascination with a career in government abated, and I returned to New York. I spent most of my professional career with CBS Inc., where most of my work was in the field of mergers and acquisitions. I retired in 1996 as Corporate General Attorney.
My wife, Susan, is a social worker and geriatric care manager. Each of our sons has blessed us with a beautiful granddaughter. Steve graduates this month with an MBA from Babson College, and Doug is an anesthesiologist in Florida. Although Susan and I currently live in Chappaqua, New York, we plan to move to Jacksonville, Florida within the year.
I have been active in church matters: Board of Trustees; Chairman, Board of Personnel; Search Committee for New Minister; and Deacon. I was a member of the Town of New Castle Ethics Board for a number of years, initiating legislation and recommending resolution of possible conflicts of interest brought to the Board's attention. My work as a member of Princeton's Alumni Schools Committee was both interesting and rewarding. In prior years when I was more active in attempting to tame advancing age, I spent too much time training for four marathons. I completed all, but in times that are not deserving of public disclosure. In any event, I shall not wear the bottoms of my trousers rolled.
I look forward to seeing all of you at our 50th.
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Marilynn "Lynn" CHIMES
Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Teacher, mostly 1st Grade, 42 years
Hunter, University of Arizona; BA, Masters
Divorced
I graduated from Hunter June, 1959. Went to teach in Mt Vernon for 2 years. Moved to Tucson, AZ, taught there for 4 years. Came home and back to teach in Mt Vernon, Jan, 1970. Taught at Holmes School. Then was selected by "Doc" Randall for the Magnet School at Grimes. We moved to Pennington in 1980, where I retired from in June 2002. 42 years :o)
Mt Vernon has always been a big part of my life. I still
remember and thank the teachers who groomed me to do a job I loved!
Retirement in Florida is paradise...even with the Hurricanes!
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Ralph CIOPPA
Shohola, PA
Teacher, Professor Science, Math, Computer Science
Fordham BS., Hunter City Columbia, BS, MA, EdD
Married to Linda
Children: (2) Carolyn, Lauren: (2) Nick, Tara (Linda's)
Grandchildren: 7
Retired. Travel, Trek, Kayak, Kilamanjaro, Nepal, Everest,
Anapurnia, Thailand, Africa, Safari, South American, Andes. We travel all
winter. Live on a lake in Pennsylvania. Active on boards.
Enjoy our grandchildren
Taught & Asst Principal, DeWitt Clinton HS, Roslyn HS
District Admin., Cherry Hill, NJ
College Professor, St. Thomas Aquinas, Rockland County, NY, Hunter and Manhattanville
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Edward B. COHEN
Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Medical and Pharmaceutical Communications and Advertising
University of Vermont, B.A.; Rutgers University, Advanced Management
Married
Children: 2 Daughters
Grandchildren: 3 Grandsons
Upon graduation from Davis, I went to the University of Vermont where I received a B.A. in English with a minor in the biological sciences (aka pre-med). Throughout college and during virtually every vacation, I was first trained as, then worked as, an operating room technician and surgical assistant "scrubbing in" on over 1,000 surgical procedures at Jacobi Hospital/Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx and at Mt. Vernon Hospital while following my parents' muse to become a physician (my Dad is a retired Mt. Vernon ophthalmologist, M. Harry Cohen, MD). However, as the "pre-ordained Jewish prince gone astray," I didn't follow my folks' chosen footsteps and instead pursued a successful career in medical and pharmaceutical communications and advertising. (Also, until discharged, I served as an E-7 Medical Specialist in the New York National Guard and the US Army Reserves.) Even a brief stint at Fordham University School of Law (which bored me to tears) didn't deter me from my chosen path. I am a Graduate of the Rutgers University Advanced Management Program and have lectured at various institutions, judged several industry competitions, and been fortunate enough to be recognized for numerous awards of creative and marketing excellence.
In 1963, I married a beautiful Bronx teacher named Evelyn Faecher, and this June 30th we'll celebrate our 42nd Anniversary. We have two daughters and 3 adorable grandsons. Lauren, our oldest and also a UVM graduate, is a Vice-President, Associate Creative Director at BBDO/NY and lives in Manhattan with her rehabilitation- and sports-medicine specialist husband, Kevin Weiner, MD, and her 5-year old son, Ryan. Jodi, our younger daughter, a graduate of Northeastern University and a Vice-President and licensed insurance agent at a prestigious Westchester brokerage firm, lives in Scarsdale with her husband Andrew Miller, a Vice-President at Bear Stearns, and her two sons, Alex (8 years old in May) and Matthew, 5.
Our children grew up in Spring Valley and Pomona, NY, where we lived from 1971-2002, having spent the early years of our marriage first in the Bronx and then in Mt. Vernon (Jodi was born at Mt. Vernon hospital). (My dad, who will be 94 in May, retired from his ophthalmology practice in Mt. Vernon in 1981 and he and my mom, who turns 92 April 10th, are healthy and well and living in Pembroke Pines, Florida, where they will be celebrating their 70th wedding anniversary this June 9th.) We sold our home in Pomona, NY, at the end of 2002 and moved to our home at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida where, when we're home, we have the good fortune to be able to gaze at the golf course and lake overlooking our pool and patio. Ah, 'tis the good life indeed.
Luck being the lady she is, my wife Evelyn retired as a librarian in the New York City school system in June, 2002, and in March, 2003, I retired as Executive Vice-President and Chief Creative Officer of Noesis Healthcare Interactions, an 80-person healthcare communications company which I named and co-founded. Noesis is a division of CommonHealth LP, one of the world's largest healthcare communications organizations, and CommonHealth is, in turn, a division of WPP, a world leader in marketing communications and services which owns, among others, such scions of advertising as J. Walter Thompson, Young & Rubicam, Bates, and Grey. In addition to my creative, fiscal and management leadership duties at Noesis, I served on the Management and Executive Committees of CommonHealth as part of a small cadre of leaders in an organization that employs nearly 1,000 people.
Upon retirement, I formed Creative Directions, a creative and marketing consultancy specializing in medical and pharmaceuticals as well as business-to-business. I spent the bulk of my career in the healthcare communications field working with pharmaceutical, biomedical and medical equipment manufacturers, consulting with physicians and other healthcare professionals on a peer-to-peer basis, and driving the creative process at several major companies and agencies. In the '80s and '90s, I worked at various medical/pharma marketing and advertising firms in senior executive and creative positions - as President and Chief Creative Officer of DevCom/MDDM, Paoli, PA; as ExecutiveVP, Executive Creative Director of M.E.D. Communications, Woodbridge, NJ.; as Senior VP, Creative Director at Robert A. Becker EURO RSCG, NY, NY; as Senior VP, Creative Director of Carrafiello-Diehl & Associates, Irvington NY.
From 1973 until 1981, when the company closed its doors, I was at Wesson/Cohen/Neglia (née Wesson & Warhaftig), NY, NY, where I joined as VP, Associate Creative Director and became Partner, Senior VP, Creative Director. I began my career in healthcare communications at the then-largest (and now-defunct) agency, William Douglas McAdams, in the early '60s, spent a short time at a fledgling BBDO Healthcare and then served as Copy Supervisor at Sudler & Hennessey, all in NY, NY, before leaving in 1973 to join the aforementioned Wesson & Warhaftig agency.
I currently serve as Director and Treasurer of the Championship Drive Property Owners Association Board at PGA National, where we've owned our home since 1998 and have been full-time Floridians since 2003. Life is good!
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Martha COHEN
Reith
Scottsdale, AZ
Education
Barnard College, University of Arizona, and Arizona State University: BA,
MA
Married
Children: Two
Grandchildren: Four
Life jobs: I spent my entire career in education, beginning as a young teacher in New Rochelle, and then, teaching in Arizona. Many of my teaching years were spent as a high school reading specialist. Then, in later years, I worked as an evaluator of teachers. Finally, I started by own educational consulting business. Most of my time in that business was spent as a consultant to the state of Arizona. During my teaching career, I wrote several books for children published by Remedia. Most popular is my Mini-Mysteries. This continues to be fun for youngsters and has just been newly illustrated.
Travel: My husband, Jim, and I travel the world. We've explored most of the United States, Canada and Mexico. We've visited Central America, Panama Canal, Europe, England, Russia, Scandinavia, Australia, and New Zealand. We are now on our way to Prague, Budapest and Vienna. We spend our summers on the Oregon Coast away from our desert.
Sport: I bike, hike, and swim. I find time to work out at a gym and am generally committed to an active life style. I also follow our home teams --- Arizona Diamondbacks --- despite their miserable last year --- remember, they did win the World Series --- and the Phoenix Suns who are doing very well this season.
Hobbies and Interests: I "knit up a storm" of color, texture and design. I read a lot and enjoy suspense, mysteries, and histories. I play Mah Jong. I enjoy long conversations with my out-of-state children and grandchildren.
Other Interests: Most important to me are my children and grandchildren. My older daughter, Shari, has two teenage children - both above average. They live in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where she works for the court system after being a "stay-at-home" mom for many years. My son-in-law is a pilot for Northwest Airlines after a military career as an engineer and pilot.
My younger daughter, Heather, lives in New Jersey with her husband and their two little ones - also above average. She, with a degree in environmental science, now enjoys being a "stay-at-home mom." Her husband owns his own business in New Jersey
I had a strong academic foundation at Davis. I still keep in contact with my good friends. Although the contact is not as frequent as I'd like, I enjoy the time we spend together and especially cherish our shared memories of our young years.
Of course, Mount Vernon is my hometown. All those feelings of family and friends, boyfriends and growing up, sweet dreams and rough times are woven - or should I say knitted - into our life's fabric.
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Michael
Marks COHEN
New York, NY
Admiralty Lawyer
Columbia University, Columbia Law School; A.B., L.L.B.
Married to Bette Wishengrad, Davis Grad Class of '56
Children: One son, David
After High School I went to Columbia and afterwards, I served for three years as a Naval Officer on a destroyer. Bette Wishengrad (A B Davis 1956) and I married while I was in the Navy. After military service, I studied at Columbia Law School and, following graduation, I clerked for the Chief Judge of New York, Stanley H. Fuld.
I then became an admiralty trial attorney with the Department of Justice in Washington. In 1970 I joined Burlingham Underwood, one of the largest and oldest maritime law firms in the country, and soon thereafter became a partner. In 2002 I became counsel to Nicoletti Hornig Campise & Sweeney where I continue to practice law, specializing in ship charters, maritime arbitration, and international commodities contracts.
I teach maritime law at Columbia law School and am an editor of various admiralty law publications. I was elected to the American Law Institute from which I received the John Minor Wisdom Award in 2004. I am also a titulary member of the Cornite Maritime International and for many years was a member of the Documentary Committee of the Baltic and International Maritime Council.
Bette graduated from Juilliard, where she majored in voice, and spent a number of years performing in theatre and opera. In the 1980s she became a full time student at the School of Sacred Music at Hebrew Union College. She obtained a Master's Degree and became an Invested Cantor at a synagogue in Long Beach, New York.
Our son Daniel, now 34, is a Vice President of the New York City Economic Development Corporation, still unmarried and looking for a nice Jewish girl.
Having been blessed with good health, a loving family, interesting work, and economic reward, I feel life has turned out for me at least as well as I hoped it would when I was at A. B. Davis.
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Julius W. COHN
White Plains, NY
Attorney
Western Reserve University, BBA 1959; NYU School of Law, JD 1964
Married
Totally, I draw upon my high school experiences every day.
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Joseph COLARUSSO
Jupiter, FL
Lieutenant Fire Department, Retired
Married
Children: (5) 4 Sons, 1 Daughter
After graduating high school, I entered the US army and spent 16 months in Korea and Japan. After returning home, I started a ceramic tile business for few years then onto the fire department in Yonkers. I spent 23 years in the fire department, retiring on disability from an injury as a lieutenant. I have 5 children (4 boys 1 girl), divorced, remarried and now live in sunny Jupiter, Florida with occasional trips to NY when the fishing slows. Sorry I will not make reunion because of a planned Alaska fishing trip.
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Patricia COLARUSSO Fusco
Bronxville, NY
Retired, Vice President Local Teamsters Union, Supervisor
Board of Elections
Children: 4
Grandchildren: 1
Was married in 1957 and had 4 children. Went back to work for a Local Teamsters Union in 1970 and eventually became Vice President. Retired from the Union in 1992 and went to work at the Westchester County Board of Elections as a Supervisor and Administrative Assistant to the Commissioner. Retired from there 12/31/03 and spent most of 2004 traveling. I go to a gym at least 4 times a week and also have been knitting and still go to work at the "Board" occasionally.
The teachers provided a good education which was necessary to perform my duties in the work force. The school and graduates taught me "people skills" and tolerance for all races and religions.
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Peggy CURRAN Wade
Beverly Hills, FL
Averett College, Danville, VA: AS
Widowed, 11-19-04
Children: 3 sons (1 daughter, deceased)
Grandchildren: 2
Married at 20 and raised 4 children as a Stay-at-home-mom.
Moved about because of husband's job. Did some volunteering through the
years and developed a good game of tennis.
Diagnosed with Breast Cancer in 1988 and began devoting my time to the American
Cancer Society. I've won numerous awards both in Connecticut and Florida.
These past 5-1.2 years have been devoted to my husband and the A.C.S. After
my husband's diagnosis with cancer in 1999, we bought a 34 ft motor home
and did some traveling around the country. We had always been active with
boating and snow skiing, so this was our new way of getting around with
all of the equipment my husband needed. My life has been full and happy,
but I expect there will be new challenges to face now.
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Raymond
DANIELSEN
Peekskill, NY
YMCA Director
King's College
Married
Children: Three Daughters
Grandchildren: Six
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Dash Travel
Ohio State University
Married to Joan
Children: Jeffrey & Karen
Grandchildren: 4
I have owned Dash Travel since graduation in New York City, Mt. Vernon, Yonkers and White Plains. It was located at the corner of 4th Avenue and 1st Street, and for almost 50 years on 4th Avenue in the old County Pants building. Last year, both the Fair and I closed, the last two old timers on the block. I was a founding member of the Association of Westchester Travel Agents, past president and director. I was also on the national board of directors of the Association of Retail Agents. I served on many airline, cruise and government advisory boards. I was travel editor for local newspapers, as well as a contributing travel writer for newspaper and trade magazines. Travel gave me the opportunity to "Dash Around The World". I've been to the 7 Continents, (the Millennium in Antarctica), 100 Countries and 48 states, (the last two will be this summer). I'm enjoying life in Florida, still booking travel, but also playing a lot of golf and tennis. After starting the reunion craze and running the first reunion at Davis, Mike and his team with the age of computer have done an amazing job.
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Teacher, Greenwich Public School System, Greenwich, CT
Westchester Community College, A.A.; Manhattanville College, B.A., M.A.T.,
M.A.P.S
Divorced
Children: 4 Daughters
Grandchildren: 11 (5 Granddaughters, 6 Grandsons)
I married shortly after graduating from A.B. Davis, on August 7, 1955. The year that I turned 30, I was a happily married woman and the mother of four daughters. However, that year I decided to take some courses at Westchester Community College. My Family was my first priority so I chose to attend college as a part-time student. Though I didn't know it at the time, that decision was a turning point in my life.
It took me five years to receive a degree from Westchester and then I transferred to Manhattanville College. When I received my B.A., from Manhattanville three years later, I had the largest and loudest cheering section in the audience.
After graduating from Manhattanville, I was offered a teaching job in the Greenwich Public School System. I taught in Greenwich for thirty years. Most of those years were spent teaching Kindergarten or First Grade. I thoroughly enjoy teaching young children. Also,during the first ten years of teaching I went back to Manhattanville, (as a part-time student) and received two Master's Degrees, one in Teaching and the other in Professional Studies.
Unfortunately, my marriage of twenty-five years ended in divorce. That was a difficult time in my life but I survived. However, one door closed and another opened.
An additional bonus to my teaching years was traveling with colleagues to conferences sponsored by the International Reading Association all over the world---London, Sweden, Prague, Australia, and Hawaii. Side trips were also taken to Paris, Denmark, Norway, Russia, Vienna, Budapest, Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong and Bali. These trips were taken within a ten year period. I always loved traveling and attending those conferences gave me an opportunity I couldn't resist.
I retired from teaching in 2003 but I missed the children. At the present time I am working as a substitute teacher in Greenwich. This keeps me involved in education but allows me to "do my own thing" whenever the urge to do so happens. During my retirement years, I plan to travel more within the United Sates.
In closing, I feel I have a happy, full life. The most difficult thing I went through was my divorce. My family is my first love but I also enjoy traveling, boating, reading and socializing with friends. My years at A.B. Davis did help prepare me for the academic journey I took later than most people. However, with determination I accomplished it all!
Mona DONNER Schlossberg
Bedford, NY
Real Estate
Boston University and NYU; degree Education
Married
Children: 3 and (2 step)
Grandchildren: 11 almost 1 2
Following graduation I went to Boston University, married in 1957 and completed my education from NYU. I had three daughters and raised them in Scarsdale. After 13 years of marriage I w as divorced. Two years later I married my husband Ron who has two sons the same ages of my older daughters. We have been married 32 years.
We live in Bedford and have been fortunate to have our married children and 11 grandchildren live nearby. We have enjoyed a rich family life and often vacation and travel with our family.
My husband is retired and I have been managing my father's
real estate business. Fortunately the business allows me free time to pursue
travel and hobbies.
I have been a life long tennis player and love to ski and more recently
have taken up yoga.
My most keen interests involve social and political issues. For ten years I was an active board member and co-founder of a women's organization that dealt with a painful bladder condition. I lobbied and gave testimony before the House and Senate requesting funding for research. Today millions of dollars have been allocated by the NIH and treatments for this condition have reduced the pain significantly.
I have also worked with battered women and established an advocacy program in New Rochelle Family Court in the 1980's. More recently I have been teaching parenting to women at Bedford Hills Prison. I am also very active in my support of the Democratic Party, women's rights, particularly in third world countries. I am pleased that two of my daughters share the same passions and we often pursue these interests together. My husband, daughter and two granddaughters attended the Washington March for Women's Right to Choose.
I look back to my high school days as one of the happiest periods of my life. It was in high school that friends were so important. I don't think my real growth began until college and I am happy to say it continues today.
Loved living in Mt. Vernon. No one knew whose family had money, good values, lots of friends, the most social part of my life - maintain a few friends, the world was safe and we were so free - life more easy and less stressful, than our generation. Grateful to have grown up in the 40's and 50's. Only regret was focus on early marriage and barriers and prejudice to sexual freedom. We had less time to be individuals, travel, live alone, become independent before marriage.
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Dorothy "Bunty" DREWES Davies
Shelburne, VT
Teacher, Rye, NY; Poughkeepsie, NY
SUNY Plattsburgh, NY; B.Sc.
Married to Hubert Davies, JR., Davis Grad 1948
Children: 3
Grandchildren: 4
This 50 year anniversary is quite an accomplishment for each of us! We had been married for six years when we moved to Shelburne, VT (near Barrington) and enjoyed the IBM experience here ever since. There is a large lab and manufacturing plant here, still going strong.Our three daughters, now married, certainly thrived here and enjoyed trips to "the city" to grandparents, aunts and uncles. We are all great skiers and Hu and I golf alot too. Travel has been a part of our lives since marriage, with Italy always at the top of my list.
I would have to say that AB Davis was a good experience
for me. Other extra-curricular activities in dance and music (and also church
activities) were important in those busy years. I recall most especially
the three year regents course in music theory. We met every day, a small
group, but a great experience, as I can appreciate now.
At Graham Junior High, I was in a group of students that stayed together
through 7th and 8th grade. Mrs. Bridge was an amazing teacher and those
two years were very special.
Much of our work was centered on the New York Times, when David Trager collected
the money for each Monday! (15 cents a week as I recall...) It was the "student
edition" and had a long list of vocabulary words on the front page
each day! But the rest of the paper was just as the normal one was printed
each day. What a deal!
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Attorney
Harvard College '59; Columbia University '62, New York University '67; B.A.;
J.D.; LLM
Married
Children: 2 daughters; 1 son
Grandchildren twin 9 y.o. grandsons; 6 y.o. grandson; 3 y.o. granddaughter;
two step grandchildren, 18 and 16.
I married Eleanor Goldberg (Pelham Manor) in 1963 and we have lived in Westchester since then, moving to Larchmont in 1972. Our daughter Deborah has twin sons (9 years old) and will soon become a C.P.A.; our daughter Melissa has a 6 year old son and a three and a half year old daughter as well as two stepdaughters, 18, (a freshman at Skidmore) and 16; Melissa has a master's degree in early childhood education and is teaching part time at Westchester Community College; our son, Matthew, is a musician playing the double bass (Juilliard and Manhattan School of Music) as well as a yoga instructor in NYC.
I have been practicing law (in NYC until 1997 and now White Plains) for about 42 years, initially corporate, banking and commercial areas and now real estate and trusts and estates. Hobbies include amateur radio (thanks in good part to Mike Metzger), photography, sailing, skiing, camping with children and grandchildren ; now beginning golf and bridge. Travel - some Western Europe, sailing in Nova Scotia and the Caribbean, yoga in Bali, still exploring the national parks of the U.S.
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Patricia
DUFFICY Peabody
Fairfield, CT
Advertising/Corporate Relocation
Fordham University
Married
Children: 2 Girls, 1 Boy
Grandchildren: 4
I am retired now with the care of my house, working with my computer, gardening, caring for my two grandchildren who live close by (the son and daughter of my son) and discussing important matters with the two grandchildren and also two daughters who live in California. I keep active with antiquing, working on doll houses and love to play bridge.
I look back upon my Davis days with great affection especially the three best friends whom I meet there, and the fine business course I took with a top quality teacher whose work helped me to get my first job with a fine company
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Stephen
ESTROFF
Briarcliff Manor, NY
Real Estate - Attorney
Lehigh, Fordham; BA, LLP
Married: Phyllis Bonsignore
Children: (4) 3 Daughters – Elizabeth, Ellen and Rachel and 1 Son –
Michael
Grandchildren: (1 ) Samuel
History, Outdoor Pursuits, Fishing, Hunting, Hiking
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Adrienne
FARBER Hickey
Scarsdale, New York
Cornell University A.B. 1959
Married 45+ years to John (Jack) Hickey.
Children: Alison, 43; Matthew, 40.
Grandchildren: Jason, 11; Daniel, 8; Jessica, 5. William, 8; Thomas, 5.
Profession: Book editor. Currently Editor in Chief, AMACOM Books,
American Management Association.
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Frank FEIGERT
Charlottesville, VA
Political Science Professor - retired 12/02
Allegheny College, '59; Univ. of Maryland '65; '68. B.A., M.A., PhD
Married in 1961 to Fran Goodside, Davis Grad 1957
Children: Ben, 1968; Dan, 1971
Grandchild: Marietta, 2002
Life-jobs, etc.
1. 1959-1964 - USAF, service in Texas, Japan, Maryland - left as Captain
2. taught at Knox College (1966-70); SUNY-Brockport (1970-77); University
of North Texas (1977-2002), retired as Regents Professor & Chair.
3. author or co-author of 6 books and more than 2 dozen articles and chapters
4. winner of major teaching awards at each institution, six in all; Fullbright-Hays
Fellow in Taiwan (1977-78); several NSF grants
5. travel to Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Canada,
Britain, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Morocco, France, Portugal, Mexico, Brazil,
Peru
6. hobbies have included travel (obviously), sailing and photography. Did
lake sailing and racing on Ontario and various Texas lakes, and was lucky
enough to sail the Inside Passage to Juneau on a 36' catamaran in 1995.
"Retired from sailing 2 years ago.
7. avid photographer for 50 years, now exhibiting at Art Upstairs Gallery
in Charlottesville and elsewhere. Photos can be seen at www.feigert.net/frank
Davis/School/Teachers/Mt. Vernon
1. I met Fran there! She was the pony-tailed sophomore running the G.O.
store our senior year.
2. Davis probably provided me an undeserved but necessary basis for self-confidence
3. Pop Phillips, Dom Gentilesco, and Irv Halstead provided models of civility
and understanding to which I could only aspire in my own teaching. And,
Roberta Fleming provided the basis for a writing career, with her insistence
on precision and clarity.
4. Mt. Vernon was a nice nest from which to leave. But, the world proved
to be harder than we knew, certainly more narrow-minded, and I was ill-prepared
for this when I got to college.
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Rosemary FIORE King
Harrison, NY
Court Clerk for Town of Harrison for 25 years
Secretarial School, 1 year
Widow
Children: 2
Grandchildren: 2
Have been in my job for over 25 years and love every minute of it. I guess that's why I am hesitating to retire.
I love traveling. Been to Europe 5 times. Going again in October to Spain and Portugal.
My children and grandchildren keep me busy when I am not working.
I travel to Sonoma County in California to visit my daughter and grandson about 3 times a year.
I still have the same friends I had at A. B. Davis. We never lost touch. As much as I love Harrison and have been here for 45 years, but memories of Mt. Vernon will never fade.
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Andrew FRANK
Wilmington, DE
Business person, Educator
NYU - BChE, NJIT - MSChE, Princeton - MA, PhD
Married: Cindy - 45 years
Children: Jodi, Lawrence, Barbara
Grandchildren: Meghan, Annamaria, Nicholas, Tyler
In one weekend in June 1959 I received a Bachelors degree, became a second lieutenant and married Cindy Teller, a Bronx girl. We have been married for 45 years and have two daughters who are fifth grade teachers and a son who works in human resources at MBNA. We have four grandchildren who are the smartest, most athletic and most musical of any grandchildren around, of course.
In the 60's I taught in several graduate schools and served as a Captain in the Army Chemical Corps. My Viet Nam experience was stateside (in Alabama with Mrs. George Wallace as Governor) and included teaching top secret courses in the firing of nuclear weapons, escaping from a simulated prisoner of war camp and turning down an invitation to apply for the scientist astronaut program (I get sick on a merry-go-round).
I worked for big business from the '60's through the '90's - Exxon, IBM, American Cyanamid and ICI (now AstraZeneca). I had discovered the joy of computers in 1960 and spent most of my career following the growth jobs in that field. I traveled throughout the country seeing most of the major cities, major airports and major hotels - even stopping once and a while to smell the roses - I bottled Mississippi River water for my kid's show and tell. I traveled to Venezuela and tried to speak Spanish and to the UK and tried to speak British.
I sort of retired in 1998 and formed a company called The Training Camp starting with a partner and my wife. It is an accelerated training company for Microsoft, Cisco, Linux, A+, Oracle and security courses. We are now located all over the country and in Europe and Canada. I retired again in 2003 and am wondering what to do next after spending a summer watching birds eat and flowers grow and a winter being too cold.
My education at Davis directed me to a lifetime of education and business. Although I started Davis with an inclination for engineering, Mr. Russell's chemistry class cemented my aspiration for chemical engineering - I was crazy about all those color changes and couldn't picture those electrons in physics or electrical engineering. I spent the next 10 years garnering four degrees in chemical engineering, the last six with two kids, finishing with an MA and PhD from Princeton University. I graduated with Bill Bradley - he became a little more famous.
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Barbara L. FRIEDMAN Nechis
Calistoga, CA
Artist
University of Rochester, BA; Alfred University, MS
Married: Mal Nechis 24 years, Andrew D'Anneo 16 years
Children: 3
Grandchildren: 4 and 5 Step Grandchildren
Since 1955, I have probably spent the average amount of
time as a house wife which I thoroughly enjoyed, had the average # of children,
(the conservative kind that left home, got married, had families [in that
order] if you really want to learn more about them, just ask) and eventually
found myself living a very different kind of life than I would have expected
or even knew existed.
I also turned out to be less conservative than my children and also left
home (Mal and I had separated) to explore the world and take advantage of
teaching and painting opportunities that came my way after writing a book
about watercolor in 1978. My avocation became a career.
Sixteen years ago, I remarried and built a new studio in my husband's small
vineyard in Napa Valley. I wrote a second book to record the new direction
my work had taken.
Major changes in 50 years? I had no idea that I would receive so much pleasure
from or even experience travel, great food, old wine, new wine too, opera,
California light, flying, photography, writing, teaching, collecting, designing
spaces, children, stepchildren, grandchildren, friendships (not necessarily
in this order) and word processing which turns writing even a simple paragraph
into a time consuming obsession..
The other question was easy, this one more difficult as these influences
were intangible. I didn't become a student until I reached college and I
didn't know I was an artist until later although the seeds and interest
was always there. Probably the sense of community and belonging stayed with
me and I am fascinated at my enjoyment in checking the class web site and
finding classmates who have grown and I want to know better.
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Nan Kathryn
FUCHS, Ph.D
Sebastopol, CA
Health writer/nutritionist
Ithaca College; BA/English
Ever since I was in first grade, I wanted to be a writer. Finally, I am. My 8th book will be published next spring, and I am currently editor-in-chief of Women's Health Letter, a national cutting-edge subscription-based monthly newsletter on women's health (www.womenshealthletter.com).
While others look forward to retirement, I can't imagine not writing or counseling a few people about their health issues. It's too exciting and rewarding. Eleven years ago I moved from the Los Angeles area, where I had lived for more than 30 years, to wine and apple country (Sonoma County). I've never been so happy with my friends and community as I am now. I have created a half-acre organic community garden for the people in my immediate community, and am on the boards of two local non-profit organizations. One of them is currently adding integrative health care treatments in our local hospital.
I kayak once or twice a week on the Russian River in spring, summer, and early fall, am an avid reader, and have an active, healthy life. If you're traveling north of San Francisco, give me a call..