After a traumatic departure from Munich following my Sophomore year in 1970, I headed to Alexandria VA. Unlike Munich, I couldn’t make the tennis or basketball teams at the new high school, but did play some football.

Met a young lady named Diane (we have the same birthday!) and took her to the 1972 Senior prom at……drum roll…….the Crystal City Marriott hotel. Yup, where the MAHS reunion will be held in October. Very, very small world.

Went off to Notre Dame (I did not play football but did play basketball with Joe Montana) and, despite the prognosticators and Nay Sayers, graduated in 4 years. Graduation on Sunday, married the following Saturday – pretty short bachelor period. Crystal City Diane stuck with me through those 4 years of college separation – and we’ve been pretty happily married now for 45+ years.

Nomadic Business Career: Forty years in the travel business: United Airlines, Holiday Inn, Enterprise car rental and several major travel agencies. Always trying to stay ahead of the next travel catastrophe. Continued the military wanderlust, with jobs in Virginia, Chicago, San Jose and Atlanta which we have called home since 1985. Covid got me last July when our travel agency business dropped by 95% - in a matter of 30 days. So I am technically retired – but still looking for another opportunity

My greatest legacy of course is family: three awesome kids (adults actually – our oldest Kevin is 43, Alison 39 and Brian 34) and 5 beautiful grandkids. And several special dogs along the way.

Looking forward to the reunion in October: Marriott Crystal City Hotel, seeing Gene & Vince and continuing my search for Kathy Williamson.

See ya in October.