saying , “ Thank you , Ed ( for your New Year ’ s wishes ) and best wishes to you !”

I get a Seabee quarterly newsletter and inside was a picture of MCB 40 ’ s 1968 Christmas dinner in Vietnam . I sent the picture to Will Short and Will replied , “ I ’ m pretty sure the pic of the CO-Commander Daniel and XO Lt . Commander Austin is in our cruise book . I ’ ll have to dig it out and check . As old as I am I can still remember being served by them . It wasn ’ t home , but being with some really great guys and especially my Williamson classmates made it seem more like home and family and a little more tolerable . Hope all is well for everyone . So far , Janet and I have dodged the CO- VID bullet . I realize the odds are still increasing not decreasing , especially since neither of us are anxious to race out to get version 1.0 of the vaccine . Will ”

I spoke with Stacy Starr last week . Stacy had a bad fall , severely breaking his arm in two spots and badly wrecking his elbow . Stacy is scheduled to have a couple of plates inserted into his arm and elbow reconstruction . Hope all heals well for you , Stacy .

I also gave Jim Thomas a call . Jim has been having some bladder issues and has had multiple doctor consults on his ailments . Jim has no sight anymore and does not have email . I am sure he would love to get a call from any classmate . Jim ’ s phone number is : 717-677-7913 .

I had surgery on a bone spur , infection set in , and consequently , I had an amputation of the top joint of my right big toe . I have been housebound and on my butt with no walks around the neighborhood for more than five weeks now . Other than going to my doctor twice a week , this has been one boring Christmas , New Years , and January . It was the first Christmas Eve and Christmas Day without any of the five kids or 12 grandkids for Agnes and I since 1977 . Just plain awful ! Growing old sure ain ’ t easy !

Our luncheon is still scheduled for Tuesday , May 18 , 2021 . As we get closer to the date , and as COVID progresses or regresses , as well as any updates from Shady Maple , I will keep you updated on whether it is a go ! Stay well , stay strong , and thanks for your continued friendship .

Ed Speer

Philip Lock 105 Seitz Rd . Schwenksville , PA 19473 610-287-7047 Cell : 610-331-6648 plock6w9 @ aol . com

Hi Everyone ,

Hopefully you all started the New Year 2021 with good health and good decisions as we go forward in life . Yes , getting older , which is not a bad thing . After all , 2020 was a very strange year of major adjustments in trying to sift through all the information from many sources to live out your life in ways that

are best for you .

I spoke with Dave Jimick , power plant , and he is doing well after having his knee drained and starting physical therapy to help navigate getting around better . Dave , completed a DIY home project this fall by installing heat mats under his sidewalk and driveway and installing the electrical boxes and switches to make it work . No more shoveling snow . It was already put to the test with the first snow of eight inches this season .

Steve and Kathy Lentz are doing well in retirement , living in the East Greenvilles , Pa . area . Steve continues to enjoy his life-long hobby of woodworking and has a shop in his garage , turning out many projects for his family . They postponed an overseas trip this past September until next September , but did manage to change the scenery by going on a safe 2-week stay at the Outer Banks over Thanksgiving with daughter Jen and son-in-law and three grandchildren joining them for a week .

Warren Long is now retired , but will do an occasional side job . His wife , Alice , recently retired at the end of December 2020 . They have two black Labs , but recently got a 7-month-old brown Lab puppy , which really keeps them active and on the go . Their daughter , Addie , had a son , Calvin , in September . Congratulations to the new grandparents ! Warren only got in a half day of hunting this year , as five of the family got the coronavirus in mid October . Fortunately , all have recovered and all are doing well .

Received a card from Gary and Sandy Hoffman . Gary is still doing small jobs and sold his big van and got a smaller one with better mileage , good storage , and roof racks . Gary also has a helper when needed , a retired guy who lives nearby . They also visit their daughter Jenn at the horse farm where she has two foals and is boarding another horse for six months . Their son Andy ’ s children are in / out of school in the Johnstown area depending on the COVID-19 cases . Otherwise they are doing well adjusting to the changes in school and schedules . Sandy , thank you for card and note , it was very much appreciated . I know that you helping and volunteering in many ways in your community .

On a sad note , our condolences go out to the Schoffstall family , as our classmate Walt Schoffstall passed away on November 26 , 2020 . His wife of 50 years Beverly passed away on Feb . 24 , 2020 . Walt was an excellent machinist and a fun and jolly guy from upstate . He and Jim Purnell sure made life at Willie Tech a blast during our three years .

I am doing well and still working with George D . Lentz painting company . This will my 40th year with the company . George is a 1943 graduate of Williamson ’ s dec shop and is 98 years old .

Keep happy and healthy and may God ’ s grace and blessing be with you .

Philip Lock 6W9 , A-46

Jack Bendick 113 Stoddartsville Rd . Blakeslee , Pa . 18610 Cell : 570-419-7661 bendick @ ptd . net

Fellow Classmates :

I wish you all a Happy New Year and hope for a better 2021 . The COVID is still with us , but at least there ’ s a light at the end of the tunnel with the new vaccines now being administered . I plan on taking it when it comes my turn .

I ’ m still looking forward to seeing you all on June 4 , 2021 , at our 50th class reunion at Williamson . We ’ ve done so much as a group to set new standards for 50th class contributions . Now we need to get together to celebrate this achievement .

Joe Lauck emailed me that he and Martha were blessed with a new granddaughter , Delany Jean , on Oct . 5 and they now have four grandchildren . Joe also had a pacemaker implanted on Nov . 30 and is well . They have been busy with virtual learning with the grandsons and said it ’ s just not the same as being in school for the children .

Jeff and Jan Baker are looking forward to seeing everyone at the reunion . They are doing well , but like everyone else this COVID has put a crimp on traveling like it has done for everyone .

I talked to Larry Thomas and he hopes things clear up so we all can get together at Williamson . He and Karen are doing well , but sheltering in most of the time in South Carolina .

I also received word that Al Leininger ’ s daughter passed away . Please keep his family in your prayers .

As for me and Marcy , we are doing well . Thanksgiving was just the two of us and Christmas was a first of a family Zoom get-together . Wow , how the year of 2020 changed our lives .

We hope you are all doing well and are staying healthy . I ’ ll be Zooming along and see you all on June 4 . Now take care my friends .

Jack Bendick 7W0

Dave Churchman 206 Creekside Dr . Salisbury , MD 21804-2801 Cell : 410-251-8127 djchurchman @ yahoo . com

Greetings , Brothers of 7W2 !

As I write our class notes in January 2021 , I reflect on another Christmas past and how different our world was just a year ago , in January 2020 . What a year 2020 has been ! I have two friends who are in their 90s , Irene , 95 , and Eddie , 94 . They both said they have never experienced a year like 2020 . I hope and pray these class notes find you , your family , friends , neighbors and colleagues , healthy , and safe . If you , a family member , or friend , have been a first responder to this pandemic , you certainly deserve all the thanks and prayers this nation can offer . Let ’ s hope

and pray that 2021 will be the year that we turn the corner and return to some type of normalcy . Thanks to a vaccine that was developed in months , not years as predicted , I believe we can get back to normal activities sooner than later . I know we all miss socializing with our families and friends .

In late September , I spoke with Bill Fisher and Bill informed me that Larry Stroup passed away on Sunday , Sept . 27 . Bill had no further details on Larry ’ s passing . The Class of 7W2 sends their prayers and condolences to Larry ’ s family . Like Bill , Larry hailed from Tyrone , Pa . I ’ m sure Bill and Larry shared many rides to and from Williamson , as did many of our classmates from upstate Pennsylvania . Bill said he regrets not seeing Larry before he passed away . Bill is still living in Emmett , Idaho , which is 50 miles NW of Boise . Since his wife Kathy ’ s passing two years ago , Bill has lived alone in his home on several acres with his three horses and his 1996 Ford F350 pick-up truck . Bill is still planning on moving back to Pennsylvania , as I reported in our last class notes . Bill said he would like to move to the Raystown Lake area . Bill said he is feeling good , looks forward to reading The Williamsonian , and hopes to make it to our 50th class reunion . We hope so too , Bill ! I spoke to Randy Hummel and learned that Randy just retired from Homestead Custom Cabinetry on Jan . 7 , 2021 . Randy said when most guys retire they have a honey-do list waiting for them . He said Sandy had a honey-do book waiting for him . Needless to say , Randy has his work cut out for him in retirement . Randy did say he will ease into a full-retirement by working part-time in a carpentry-related endeavor . Randy said he and Sandy had mild COVID symptoms , but came through without any lasting effects . The end of 2020 couldn ’ t have come any faster for Randy and Sandy . Besides their encounter with COVID , they ended the year with two accidents which resulted in the total loss of two vehicles . Randy and Sandy ’ s car was T- boned in one accident , in which Sandy sustained a severe back injury . We pray that Sandy recovers fully from her injury . In the second accident , Randy hit a 10-point buck that jumped out in front of his car ( OK hunters , stop shaking in your tree stands ). Randy said he ’ s been looking for this buck all hunting season and , lo and behold , the buck found Randy . Thankfully , Randy is OK and so is the buck … in his freezer ! Congratulations , Randy , and welcome to the world of retirement . May you and Sandy be blessed with many healthy and happy years of retirement .

I ’ m sorry to report that Tom Hunsinger ’ s mother passed away on Dec . 23 at Manatawny Manor in Pottstown . Mrs . Hunsinger ’ s name is Charlotte May ( Davis ) Hunsinger and she was 92 years young . Tom , I ’ m sure I speak for all of your classmates when I say we are so very sorry for the loss of your mother . May God bless you and your

19