Milne Alumni January Newsletter
January 15, 2008

by Judy Koblintz Madnick, '61

Dear Milne Alumni and Supporters,

In this issue:

* Florida Mini-Reunions
* Dr. Theodore H. Fossieck Scholarship Update
* Birthday Page? Humor?
 * Alumni Class & Personal Updates
 * Sad News

FLORIDA MINI-REUNION(S)

In an effort to determine who is willing to help organize an event in his or her Florida or southern Georgia area, I recently sent an email to Milne alumni who, according to my database, either live in those locations or spend their winters there. If you should have received that email and did not, please let me know.

As a result of that first email, I now have a list of alumni who are willing to help plan mini-reunions in their respective Florida areas. I have shared those names with all Florida/southern Georgia alumni so that they can contact the appropriate organizer(s) to express their interest in attending and/or helping to plan an event.

This is hopefully a first step in planning reunions in various parts of the country. As I mentioned last month, a mini-reunion can be as simple as meeting in a restaurant that has seating flexibility (i.e., ability to move tables together) and that will allow you to "hang out" for a while. Click here to send an email with your questions, comments, etc.

DR. THEODORE H. FOSSIECK SCHOLARSHIP

I am happy to report that the University was able to offer the 2007 Dr. Theodore H. Fossieck Scholarship to the three students who applied. Evan Felitte, whose grandfather graduated from Milne; Allison Anton, whose parents both graduated from Milne in 1975; and Nicole Branchini, whose mother was a graduate of Milne, each received a scholarship.

Information regarding the 2008 Dr. Theodore H. Fossieck Scholarship should be posted by the University by the end of February. I will provide updates when they are available.

BIRTHDAY PAGE / HUMOR?

Mary Welch, '71, suggested that it might be interesting and fun to include a birthday list on our website to see who shares our birth date. This list would consist of your name, class year, and the month and day of your birthday. If you are interested in being included, please send your birth date to Judy.

John Garman, '58, asked: "How about a little humor box on the front page of the Milne web site? Got the first bit of copy from a writer who did not go on strike." (See www.albany.edu/~milne/ for John's contribution.) If you have something to add to the "humor box," please send it to Judy. I will update the "humor box" regularly based upon the number of humor items I receive. (Please note that I have eliminated the "humor box" due to lack of interest.)

ALUMNI CLASS & PERSONAL UPDATES (in random order)

CLASS UPDATES:

Peter Bulger, Class of '73, has announced that the class of 1973 will meet on the evening of September 12, 2008, location TBA. Peter wrote, "We welcome other classes to join us." For further information, contact Peter Bulger.

Martha Miller, Class of '71, sent out a holiday newsletter to her classmates, which included the following news:

Ron Cohen enjoyed last year's newsletter, saying, "It's nice to be kept up-to-date, especially when you're 1500 miles away." Ron lives in Texas.

Got a nice email from Estelle Greenburg Chase, who is fine. Beth Rudolph Keller sent the neatest animated card. Sue Slawsky Boivin wrote, "I usher at the Egg theatre here and the Mendelssohn Club is singing. We get together with (husband) Mike's huge family at his 96-year-old aunt's house. She lives by herself and is in great shape. That's what I want to do if I'm around for 96 years. She's a pip! She teases everybody to death! Anyway, Christmas is always a zoo and you can never finish a sentence, but it's fun. Oh, here's a good story for you, Martha. (Brother) David was at some lawyer's conference in Manchester, VT. He was standing in line with a lawyer from Chicago. They started talking, and David asked if she'd ever been to Manchester before. She said, "Oh, yes, I grew up not far from here." He asked where, and she said, "Albany." He asked where she went to high school, and you know the answer. He said, "You did not!" She looked at his nametag and said, "David Slawsky! I'm Libby Derrico!" Those Milnies are EVERYWHERE!" GET OUT! Can you stand it? Actually, I'm pretty sure David and Libby were classmates, if I remember correctly.

Chris Barker is alive and well, but his Holiday newsletter last year was filled with headlines: travel to Australia in June, appendectomy in Thanksgiving, and Chris' wife Jane "was the featured speaker at the Columbia University School of Dental Medicine as their annual distinguished lecturer. Jane also published results of a clinical trial to prevent tooth decay in very young children with fluoride varnish. The resulting story was featured on one of the local ABC-TV stations, the NY Times (real coup for a native NYer!), and various websites around the globe." Stuff like that makes this little missive seem so TAME!!!

As of June, Steve Lerner was back in the residential mortgage busines, but given the events of the six months between then and now, we'll wait for an update! We note with sadness those whom we lost this year - most notably, Geraldine Silberberg Abrams. She was an icon in Capital District Real Estate circles.

Also received notes/cards from Barb Geller and John Marsolais, Milne '74 and City of Albany Clerk (I hope I got that title correct!). John's a wonderful correspondent and friend and for years has maintained that lovely, stately house on the corner of North Pine and Western Avenue in Albany. Kitty Benedict also sent a card but I think her email address "bombed," and I'm not sure I've got a new one.

PERSONAL UPDATES:

Mike Ungerman, Class of '59, tells us that he's starting his second retirement. He retired from the Navy after 26 years (as a Commander) and now is finishing up with Army Civil Service. Mike's son, Ben, is a Lieutenant Colonel in the Air Force, so they have a "joint" family. Mike and his wife, Joyce, live in Oviedo, Florida, a suburb of Orlando. He says, "Come on down!" and give him a call if you'd like to have a "mini-reunion" there too, especially if you're vacationing at Disney, as so many people do. His number is 407-278-5496, and click here to reach him by email.

 SAD NEWS

The following Milne alumni, attendees, or family members passed away between mid-December and mid-January. Please note that I rely upon the Albany Times Union and input from other alumni for this information, so if you become aware of someone who has passed away, please let me know. If a name is underlined, it represents a link to the obituary. The Times Union links are available free for 365 days after the initial posting. Other newspapers may have different timetables.

Marion Gellman, father of Milne alumni David Gellman, '67, and Toby Gellman, '64 (December 20, 2007) - Times Union

David H. Skinner, Class of '65 and "honorary member" of the Class of '64 (December 27, 2007) - Times Union

Philip F. Lipman, husband of Leila Sontz Lipman, '42, and father of Paul B. Lipman, '69, Richard M. Lipman, '70, and Lori Lipman Calka, '77 (January 1, 2008) - Times Union

Thanks to all of you for your interest in Milne Alumni activities.

Judy (Koblintz) Madnick, '71

For contact information, see the Milne Alumni homepage: www.albany.edu/~milne/

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