Thornton Academy Postscripts Alumni Magazine Fall 2016 | Page 30

Giving Back:
GivingGerald
Back
Mailman ’48

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Krissy Mailman ’04
visits with Gerald
Mailman ’48 at his
home, after they met
for the first time at a
pre-game barbecue.

BY PATRICIA ERIKSON

Krissy Mailman ’04 enjoyed
table, Gerald
Two relatives meet for the first time – kitchen
a close relationship with her
recalled how he felt
brought together by a football game – on that tour, “I was
grandfather, Earle Mailman
’42. But she had been missing
impressed with
and discover their shared passion for so
him since he passed away
everything going on
in 2013. She knew that
educating Thornton Academy students. there on campus. I
he had a brother, Gerald,
thought, what they’re
and that he was an avid
doing here, it’s just
Thornton Academy sports fan, but her years going to college
like how I did business. They’re doing it right.” For that
and working in Texas and California had prevented her from
reason, Gerald says he decided to make a donation
meeting him. Then, one day, that changed.
to Thornton Academy for the refurbishing of a
classroom, in memory of his wife and in his name.
Enter Ernie Huot ’48. Anyone who knows Ernie knows that he
loves to bring people together over barbecue prior to football
Gerald knows a thing or two about business. He
games. Last fall, in 2016, Ernie invited Krissy to join him. She
not only started hard work early in life, but early
remembered that Chris Chorozy ’80 was there, too. But so was
in the day. Every day. “I worked at Ladd’s Dairy all
her grandfather’s brother, Gerald Mailman ’48. “As soon as I
the way through high school, starting at 4 a.m. I did
saw him, the resemblance with my grandfather was so striking
everything from delivering milk in the dairy trucks to
to me that it brought tears to my eyes.” Krissy and Gerald went
pasteurizing, to making heavy cream and chocolate
on to attend the State Championship football game together,
milk. My first time learning to drive the clutch, I
enjoying brunch together beforehand.
cracked up a few bottles. The milk deliveries used glass
bottles in those days. I learned a lot about business,
This meeting sparked a connection that has led these two
delivering to people.
alums and relatives to share their passion for educating
Thornton Academy students. Gerald came and toured the
“Ernie would say that we were two hell raisers at
campus to see the many changes to classrooms that have
Thornton. We played football together. We had a coach
occurred over the past several years. In an interview at his
that was so rough. His name was Thompson. There

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