The Long Blue Line
Events that happened since graduation:
Worked 5 summers in Ocean City MD selling Mr Softee ice cream while studying at Pitt. Graduated in 1978, married Kim a week later. Spent another summer in OC selling kites, then moved to western North Carolina for a few years where I was shipping manager for a drill bit manufacturer. Moved back to Mount Pleasant after the birth of our first son, where I started a 20 year career as a Prudential Insurance agent. Bought a house, had another son, coached soccer for years, and eventually became the finance manager at our local Ford dealership. Kim and I retired in the depths of the pandemic and have spent the time since then exploring bike trails and back roads, and enjoying family time, most often with our 4 grandkids.
My favorite Mercersburg memories:
My favorite memories are all fun; the Spider field packed with frisbees after dinner, riding an old coke bottle sign down that hill in winter, mud slides, tubing on the Conococheaque, the rustic golf course we created out in the woods past the Enchanted Forest, sitting around Ike’s room discussing Castaneda, the fencing Championship at Frostburg, a field trip to Harper’s Ferry with Mr Beck’s class, Mr Burbank’s art classes, Mr Howard announcing a “Snow Day!”
Name
Kevin L Brasher
Hometown
Mount Pleasant, PA
Current Address 217 College Ave, Mount Pleasant, PA, 15666, US
Phone +1 724-757-5978
Email kb217@zoominternet.net
Were you Irving or Marshall? Marshall
Who were your Mercersburg roommates? Scott Davis, Chris Everhart, Mark Von Lunen
What residence hall(s) did you live in? Swank, Fowle
The difference Mercersburg made in my life:
It certainly influenced my personality. I very much learned to look at all sides of a situation, which is helpful in negotiation and mediating conflicts but tends to slow down decision making.
Events that happened since graduation:
I graduated from Bucknell University with an accounting degree and worked for 2 years for Black and Decker in Hampstead, MD as a staff accountant. After getting married in 1980 and moving to Long Island, NY, I worked for RDI – a subsidiary of Monsanto. There I became the Assistant Controller before I left to raise a family. My husband Bill (Bart) Citterbart and I have 2 daughters, Bonnie (born 1984) and Kerri (born 1986). While the girls were young I volunteered at their schools and at our church for various things. When the girls were grown and out of the house, I worked part time as a bookkeeper for an insurance broker and my husband’s company. The girls now have their own families and we have been blessed with 5 wonderful grandchildren from age 11 to 3. My husband and I retired a couple years ago and stay active playing tennis, platform tennis, and golf. We try to see the grandchildren as much as we can; travel once in a while; and care for my 98-year-old father. I hope to be able to get back for the reunion.
My favorite Mercersburg memories:
Sitting after dinner having tea and talking with Tom Rahauser, Raimo Morefield, and Steve Flanagan and others
Playing on the tennis team
Working on the yearbook
Trip to Harpers Ferry, West Virginia with the US History class and teacher Cameron Beck
The difference Mercersburg made in my life:
Gave me confidence in myself and a sense of independence
Name Barbara Gary Citterbart
Nickname/Preferred Name Barb Hometown Severna Park, MD
Current Address 6 South Run, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, 11724, US Phone +1 631-553-8173
Email BarbCitter@yahoo.com
Were you Irving or Marshall? Marshall
Who were your Mercersburg roommates? JoAnn Price
What residence hall(s) did you live in? Tippetts
Name John H Follansbee III
Nickname/Preferred Name Jay
Events that happened since graduation:
Went on to get my BA from Washington & Lee University then JD from Ohio Northern University and worked in banking for a number of years ending as a Vice President of Compliance for USBANCORP, INC., a multi-bank holding company. For years I have volunteered for a number of community service organizations, our church and am an active investor. I am currently Vice-Chairman of the Greater Johnstown Water Authority. I got married to my wonderful wife Julie in 1990 and we have a son Jack who briefly attended the ‘Burg and got married in September, 2023. Julie and I enjoy traveling and tending to a small herd of alpacas in the Laurel Highlands.
My favorite Mercersburg memories:
In no particular order of importance: time spent with kids away from home, many for the first time; sound of Bryan Barker playing the carillon on a sunny day; days when I didn’t have to bus a table; laughing to myself as I stumbled through French dictation with Murray Scott and Chris Fry; wrestling and hoping to get my opponent in a standing headlock before getting pinned myself; senior prank; dawn patrol and Glee Club rehearsals; great and patient instructors; my Dad dropping me off to take the Greyhound bus from Pittsburgh back after vacations; Friday night movies; Dean Howard’s voice and the lines at his table; epiphany in Biology class that I needed glasses; I could go on....
The difference Mercersburg made in my life:
For me it was all about simply growing up in a community that provided an unparalleled opportunity to learn and mature. I now realize that I would not trade the experience for anything. It provided a firm foundation for an even better college experience that allowed for many friends that I have to this day. Thanks Mom, Dad and grandparents!
Events that happened since graduation:
Graduate of University of Miami with Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing.
Careers in various businesses, including real estate. Currently own a restaurant in Harbor Springs, Michigan. Three children, ages 31, 29, 27. Homes in Jupiter, Florida, and Harbor Springs, Michigan. Hobbies include traveling, tennis, golf, skiing, and other adventures.
My favorite Mercersburg memories:
Playing squash, tennis and soccer are some of my favorite memories. I also enjoyed spending time with my roommate, Paul Bantz, and other friends.
The difference Mercersburg made in my life: I matured and the school prepared me for college and my future (especially Mr. Howard).
Name
Jefferson Gardner
Nickname/Preferred Name
Jefferson
Hometown
Jupiter, Florida
Current Address AL, US
Phone +1 561-379-2100
Email jtg2100@gmail.com
Were you Irving or Marshall? Marshall
Who were your Mercersburg roommates? Paul Bantz
What residence hall(s) did you live in? Wilson and Main Hall
Events that happened since graduation:
- After Mercersburg went to Washington & Lee University (played some Club lacrosse)
- From W&L I went into the Army for 4 years - Stationed in Colorado Springs, Colorado as an 8” Artillery Officer. Also enjoyed an 8 week exercise in Germany. Made Captain and got out in ‘82.
- After the Army went to work for AT&T in Maryland.
- Started my own company selling these new things (PC’s) to doctors and dentists
- Spent 35+ years pioneering the video conferencing industry primarily as a V.P. of Sales for Canadian, U.S. and Norwegian companies.
- Now retired with a 2 year old granddaughter that owns my heart
- PS - here with my son this weekend that graduated M-Burg in 2014.
My favorite Mercersburg memories:
- Lacrosse Games with Coach Hammond, Coach Bishop and the team
- Living under the stair in Main Hall
- Learning to play Squash, although Jeff Gardner may not agree :).
- Skiing
- Making new friends from all over the country/world
- Not being a white coat which was my scholarship job
- Heading home for vacations
The difference Mercersburg made in my life: Mercersburg taught me how to make friends, compete, love sports and adapt to tough situations. All skill sets that served me well as I moved on to college, the Army and then real life.
Events that happened since graduation:
After my graduation, I went to Gettysburg College through Spring of 1976. I returned home and had a chance encounter to go on my first ambulance call where I found my passion to care for those in need. I went on to become and Emergency Medical Tech, Radiological Technologist and eventually a professional paramedic.
My favorite Mercersburg memories:
My classmates, professors and the many oncampus lectures and activities. There were too many great memories to label just one. Going to see Frank Zappa and the Mothers in December
1972 was definitely a memorable time for a sixteen-year old.
The difference Mercersburg made in my life:
I contribute much of my foundation for learning to my experience at Mercersburg.
Name Lance Grove
Hometown York, PA
Current Address 2450 Joppa Road, York, PA, 17403, US
Phone +1 717-858-8974
Email lancegrove1@verizon.net
Were you Irving or Marshall? Marshall
Who were your Mercersburg roommates? Shane Fitzmaurice, Andy Frankel, Rich Baybutt, Frank McDonald
What residence hall(s) did you live in? Old Main, Old South Hall
of 74’ 45th Reunion
Name Elizabeth Fulton Jones
Nickname/Preferred Name Liz Hometown Hancock, MD Current Address 10212 Wendover Drive, Vienna, VA, 22181-2960, US Phone +1 703-727-6874
lizfj@cox.net Were you Irving or Marshall? Irving Who were your Mercersburg roommates? Nancy Hoke, Jane Ridley What residence hall(s) did you live in?
Events that happened since graduation:
For the first ten years after completing college, I worked as a CPA in the audit division of Ernst & Whinney (now EY) specializing in banking and health care. I worked in the Baltimore, Fort Worth, and Tucson offices as I followed my husband, Tom, who was in the Air Force and then graduate school. I pivoted to being a private investor when Tom was selected to be a NASA astronaut. This took us to Houston for four space shuttle flights in the next eleven years. In 2001 he left the astronaut corps and we moved to Northern Virginia to be closer to family.
I have a daughter (now working for Georgia Tech Research Institute with a doctorate in aerospace engineering) and a son (now working for the State Department using his master’s degree from Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service). These days I manage a family-owned racino in New Mexico, do philanthropic work with the family foundation, supporting youth who are aging out of foster care, and play duplicate bridge. My husband of 43 years and I enjoy travel, having visited all 50 states and many bucket list places around the world including Machu Picchu, Easter Island, the Blue Lagoon, the Great Barrier Reef, the Amazon, and the Hermitage, and some out of the way places like Samarkand, Uzbekistan (a jewel of the Silk Road), Papua New Guinea, and the prehistoric cave art in France.
My favorite Mercersburg memories:
In the fall, the glorious gold leaves of the oak tree just outside Ford Hall, visible through the windows of the dining room. The Fifteen
Playing the goalie position on the field hockey team
The difference Mercersburg made in my life:
The academics at Mercersburg were a good preparation for college.
Events that happened since graduation:
I attended Middlebury College where I earned both my Bachelor’s Degree in English in 1978 and my Master’s in 1982–and I thought I was going to be a French major when I first arrived. I earned another Master’s in Education from Columbia in 2009. I returned to Mercersburg to teach English in 1980-1989, and then taught English at the Taft School in Watertown, CT, until 2013. Jessica and I were married in 2006, and since she is an architect in New York City, our apartment here has been home base for almost 20 years. It’s only been since 2018, though, that I have been teaching in New York City. I am now teaching US History at the Trevor Day School, where I am channeling my inner Tim Rockwell. Fun fact: One of my history colleagues is Richard Thornburgh, who is the grandson of Richard Thornburgh, governor of Pennsylvania,1979-1987, and Attorney General of the United States (1988-1991, who was our graduation speaker).
Travel has taken us to Italy (Venice, Florence, and Positano), Spain (Barcelona, Cordoba, Majorca, and Granada), and France (Paris, Provence, and Normandy). We hope to travel to England, Ireland, and Scotland when we both retire in a couple of years.
My favorite Mercersburg memories:
My memories of being a student at Mercersburg are combined with my having been a teacher there for almost a decade.
Student memories: The Dawn Patrol, Christmas Candlelight Services and decorating the chapel beforehand, Irving-Marshall Declamation (I spoke for Marshall; Irving swept all three places), creaky floors on the second floor of Keil, long bus rides for away soccer and lacrosse games, senior skip day. I wrote my senior term paper on the whaling industry during the early 19th century because I had read Melville’s Moby Dick the year before.
Teaching memories: I arrived in the middle of the 1979-1980 academic year when an English teacher suddenly resigned. I had no idea what I was doing, but Tom Rahauser had returned to teach Spanish and coach soccer the year before, which made things a little easier. Luckily, I was mentored by Wirt Winebrenner, Jay Quinn, Bo Burbank, and Tim Rockwell, and discovered that I enjoyed teaching a great deal.
The difference Mercersburg made in my life:
Attending Mercersburg expanded my social and academic horizons and certainly paved my way to Middlebury. Both of my brothers attended Mercersburg, too, and my father was briefly a member of the Board, so my connection is also a family connection, which is still important to me 50 years later.
Richard H Lansdale
Nickname/Preferred Name
Rick Hometown
Sandy Spring, MD
Current Address
760 W End Ave, 9C, New York, NY, 10025, US
Phone
+1 203-525-9802
Email ricklansdale@gmail.com
Were you Irving or Marshall? Marshall
Who were your Mercersburg roommates? 9th Grade: Jason Perry; 10th Grade: Greg Woodring; 11th and 12th Grade: Steve Miller
What residence hall(s) did you live in? 9th Grade: Swank Hall; 10th, 11th, and 12th grade: Keil Hall
Name
Robert Lawrence
Nickname/Preferred Name Bob Hometown Washington, DC
Current Address Portland, OR, 97219, US
Email robartlaw@comcast.net
Were you Irving or Marshall? Irving
Who were your Mercersburg roommates? Jay Follansbee, Roy Sexton, Mark Von Lunen, Steve Hoppe
What residence hall(s) did you live in? Swank, Fowle
Events that happened since graduation:
Moved to California to attend the University of California-Riverside; (UCR) graduated in 1980 with a double major in Political Science and Economics.
Returned to the DC-area and worked as a writer-researcher-editor for a couple of nonprofits. Got a job with a PR firm and worked my way into managing media relations,organizing and PR campaigns for labor unions. While working in NYC for Gov. Mario Cuomo, I met my wife, Elizabeth.
Moved to Portland, OR in 1999 and business partnered with an ex-TV newsman. We managed PR and political campaigns including a successful gubernatorial campaign, ballot measures and campaigns to support justice for survivors of clergy sexual abuse. Best part was being able to be present in raising my kids (one boy and two girls).
As the kids got older, and my wife advanced her career, I took a series of W-2 jobs including communications officer for the state’s largest school district. I also sold magazine advertising, hardware for Home Depot and worked one tax season for the IRS. I delivered mail for the Postal Service for six years before retiring in 2022.
I have been a labor union member since my first job in the library at UCR. I also co-founded a “good government” advocacy group in Washington, DC and served as its Treasurer for thirty years. I love traveling with my family and have visited all but a handful of these United States as well as countries in the Caribbean, Europe and the Middle East.
My favorite Mercersburg memories:
The Enchanted Forest, swimming in the quarry near campus, Brian Barker playing the carillon (the ring tone, to this day, on my phone) and the Steve Miller Band concert at the Shady Grove Music Fair (among several others)
The difference Mercersburg made in my life:
John Bursk’s English class where I learned how to dissect a piece of literature including a memorable discussion of Hemingway’s, “The Short, Happy Life of Francis Macomber.”
Denis Campbell’s AP European History class that I took with Jose Vasquez. Mr. Campbell would lecture for half an hour and then grill us on the assignment: not a recitation of the facts but compelling us to analyze the why’s and what’s of history and its actors. Thank you for teaching me the art of critical thinking.
Serving as Robert Rankin’s Proctor on the second floor of Fowle my senior year. Without his guidance, good humor and decency, I never would have made it to graduation
Events that happened since graduation:
Since Mercersburg, I attended Ohio Wesleyan and Weber State Universities. I met my wife Joan at OWU and we were married in 1981 (with Al Meyers and Vince Nacrelli participating as groomsmen). Finance and commercial opportunities in aerospace and industrial companies took us to Georgia, Utah, Florida, Ohio, Michigan and California. I’m fortunate to have had the opportunity to travel and work in many parts of the world.
Now happily retired and splitting it between Ogden, Utah and La Quinta, CA to take advantage of the outdoor activities in both locations - especially golf and skiing.
My favorite Mercersburg memories:
My memories center on the total experience - challenging classes and teachers, dorm living, dining hall white coat duty, athletics, and friendships with fellow students and faculty. Guard duty under the watchful eye of Mr. Howard and surprise Free days were special!
The difference Mercersburg made in my life: Mercersburg provided learning and experiences that helped prepare me for college, my career and beyond. I have increasingly appreciated the positive influences the Burg has had on my life.
Name Steve Littauer
Hometown Ogden, UT
Current Address
79875 Tangelo, La Quinta, AL, 92253, US
Phone +1 949-241-5157
Email stephenlittauer@gmail.com
Were you Irving or Marshall? Irving
Who were your Mercersburg roommates? Bob Naething and Pete Denio
What residence hall(s) did you live in? Main and Swank
Nickname/Preferred Name
Events that happened since graduation:
BA Ohio Wesleyan Univ.
MBA Michigan State Univ
Entire career in Retail Consulting with firms like Arthur Anderson, PwC, and Kantar.
Serving on boards:
University of North Texas School of Merchandising and Hospitality
Revtech - a retail accelerator for start up IT companies
The DFW Retail Executives Association
2 daughters living in San Diego
My favorite Mercersburg memories:
Long discussions after dinners with a pitcher of hot tea
Weekends away in places like Washington DC
Interactions with the incredible teaching staff.
The difference Mercersburg made in my life: Got me out of a failing small town public school system and provided a superior education and global network of friends.
Events that happened since graduation:
Schooled at Syracuse and Ohio Wesleyan University
Lived in Drexel Hill, PA, Bear, DE, Cincinnati, OH, Lawrenceville, GA and currently reside in Raleigh, NC.
My favorite Mercersburg memories: Playing Soccer and Lacrosse
The difference Mercersburg made in my life: Solid basis for education
Name Vince Nacrelli
Nickname/Preferred Name Vince Hometown Wallingford, PA
Current Address 1709 Happiness Hill Lane, Raleigh, NC, 27614, US
Phone +1 678-525-7040
Email vnacrelli@aol.com
Were you Irving or Marshall? Irving
Who were your Mercersburg roommates? Rick Bakken
What residence hall(s) did you live in? Main Hall
Events that happened since graduation:
Graduated from SW Oklahoma State University, University of Illinois, Command and General Staff College, and the US Army War College. Spent my first eight years out of Mercersburg owning and operating food establishments (grocery store, meat market and deli, catering), then 43 years with the US Army and Department of Defense. Served 32 of those years as an Armor and Cavalry Officer, and 11 as a Senior Executive working for the Secretary of the Army. Traveled the world on deployments, mostly to Europe, Asia, and the Saudi Peninsula. Hard part was five plus years in combat and two more on the Korean border. Fun part was as a Professor of History at the United Stated Military Academy (West Point), to include some visiting professorship time at Yale. Most rewarding time included running the Army’s Leadership Development and Education Program, commanding the Armor and Cavalry schoolhouse, leading the Army’s suicide prevention and holistic health efforts, and finally overseeing national disaster relief operations and homeland defense planning and preparation. Best time without a doubt was not work, but was the time gifted to me as a husband and father. Three wonderful kids with my late wife Chris, and now ten years with Cindy and her two kids. Those five children have blessed us with 11 grandkids. Now just spending time with them, doing non-profit “pay-back” time, and traveling for fun whenever we can.
My favorite Mercersburg memories:
Playing pick-up baseball with the Swank Hall crowd my first year and the Main Hall crowd my second. Standing outside the long Main Hall steps at dusk when the fog rolled in, and looking across the grounds towards the old administration building and thinking just how surreal everything seemed. Walking downtown for a milkshake at the little store that was there. Riding bikes to the quarry, and getting the nerve to jump off the cliff into the water (are those snakes down there?)! Gathering up about half a dozen friends and going to the theater on campus to watch a movie on Friday nights; and really enjoying the evening even if we had seen the film before. Listening to the carillons at night. Watching our swim team break Lawrenceville’s 50-plus meet winning streak. Wrestling, and more wrestling. Lap after lap on the indoor track. Pole vaulting—who talked me into this? Playing squash for the first time, and then often. Nifty, nifty you have fifty! Getting to know Dean Howard as an advisor, not just the purveyor of punishment. Coach Reisner and third floor Swank, then Coach Reisner and first floor Main. Friends...lifelong friends even if we have not seen them for years.
The difference Mercersburg made in my life:
Opened up a whole new world for me I would not have ever known if I had not gone there. Met so many people from backgrounds so different from mine. Used what I gained from that experience the rest of my life. Learned to study hard, persevere, and succeed despite the odds.
Events that happened since graduation:
After Mercersburg, spent a year in England going to a girls’ school in the English Speaking Union program. Returned to the US and graduated from the U of NH. Moved to Anchorage, AK after graduation and spent almost 30 years living, working and traveling the state. I was VP of Operations for Carr Gottstein Foods, INC. I also went to the Food Executive Program at Cornell University. Volunteered and held numerous board president positions in Anchorage (science museum, Planned Parenthood, Kids’ Voting and Denali PTA.) Nominated and voted into the Anchorage ATHENA Society (women in leadership and mentoring). Met my husband, John, in Anchorage and we fished (both fly fishing and deep sea) in both remote and local areas of Alaska. We traveled to Australia/Mexico/Europe/Hawaii and the lower 48. When my parents became ill, we sold our home, quit our jobs and traveled backed to Maine to take care of them. Life is good on the coast of Maine. We built a home on the coast after moving back to Maine and have a salt water farm. After my parents passed away, we started to raise pigs, and then turkeys came and finally goats! We raise veggies as well. I retired May 1, 2022 from working for the State of Maine as a Financial Screener. I screened indigent people for attorneys for their criminal cases. I just retired as chair of the Budget Committee for our small town since I am on a working committee to design and raise funds for a new library and community center. Our daughter is a nurse practitioner; living in Mt. Pleasant, SC. We now have 2 grandchildren. Our son who is a chemical engineer lives in Chicago with his husband. Both our children were married at our home in Maine. Being retired, I do not know how I worked and did all the things I do...being retired is great!!
My favorite Mercersburg memories:
Friends
Teachers
The living experience of dorm life Guard - really??
Sports
Working on the newspaper
The difference Mercersburg made in my life: Made me more grounded for life, new experience, new people. The education and cultural experience made me a better person.
Name Moira Paddock
Nickname/Preferred Name Moira
Current Address
P.O. Box 251 18 Alsak Farm Rd, South Thomaston, ME, 04858, US
Phone +1 207-975-4435
Email paddockmccrea@gmail.com
Were you Irving or Marshall? Marshall
Who were your Mercersburg roommates? Diane Wynter 1st year Debbie Ross 1st year (part) and second year
What residence hall(s) did you live in?
Tibbetts Hall
Events that happened since graduation:
I graduated from Yale with a Russian and Eastern European Studies degree with an emphasis on Soviet Economics. Took 4 years of Russian and 1 of Czech - woefully inadequate in both. I swam for 3 years and played Water Polo for 4. Following college I joined General Re, a Fortune 500 company which was later purchased by Berkshire Hathaway. Spent 30 years there, mainly in CT, but had a 3 year posting to London in the early 2000’s with my wife and two boys. This gave us the opportunity to travel extensively in Europe and beyond. In 2011, I moved back to London and met my second wife, Alison. We married in 2012, and I subsequently became a UK citizen. After living her entire life in London and its environs, Alison fell in love with Asheville during a visit. We moved here in 2019 and built a house overlooking the French Broad River. Ken Brody ‘74 and Dickie Cosgrove ‘73, are neighbors.
My favorite Mercersburg memories:
• Four years in the Glee Club and Octet singing with great musicians and fine people.
• Looking out the window from Keil on snowy Saturday evenings and listening to Brian Barker playing the Carillon.
• Being the only student in 3rd year Russian and having 1 on 1 classes with Bob McGruder.
• Teachers who cared more about your learning rather than your getting good grades and the ahah moment figuring out that the former led to the latter.
• Surviving being a four year boy. What a crew we had.
The difference Mercersburg made in my life:
Being a “Scholarship Boy” with 5:45 am milk duty and other assorted tasks seemed like a burden, but it was a small price to pay for attending Mercersburg, university and beyond.
Events that happened since graduation:
• Turkey Run, a real good Dead cover band, in Eugene
• Black Cherry pipe tobacco in Ingonish
• Mt. Marcy in the dead of winter
• A bluegrass festival in Castleton
• A clog dancing lesson on the Porcupine
• Sitting on a radiator, sharing a house dinner, welcoming a friend back from an Alaska trip
• The Burbank clan baby-sitting for me
• Talking on a bench outside a resort restaurant in Florida
• Fore Street in Portland
• A phone-booth call in Uptown Manhattan
• The Hourly Oyster House in Cambridge
My favorite Mercersburg memories:
The creeks and ridges, the rooftops and hilltops, the wheat fields and farmers of south-central Pennsylvania.
The difference Mercersburg made in my life:
A solid education and enduring friendships. Both have served me well.
Perry
Were you Irving or Marshall?
Who were your Mercersburg roommates? Rick Lansdale (J); Sam White (LM, UM, S)
What residence hall(s) did you live in? Main Hall
Name Scott Pettis
Nickname/Preferred Name
Events that happened since graduation:
Graduated from Camp Hill High School and Slippery Rock University. Taught social studies 36 years, 30 at Middletown Area Hill School. Coached football,baseball and basketball. Married my high school sweetheart, Gwen Geesaman. Children, Zachary (Leigh), Rachel (Matt) and Jackson. Retired and high school middle school building substitute teacher at my alma mater, Camp Hill. Traveled to every Major League Baseball stadium and all 50 states.
My favorite Mercersburg memories:
Sports. Fun times at South Cottage with Bruce BF Johnson, A.R. Emmert, Danny Moser, Bake, JJ, Porkchop, Don, Pierre, Flans, Robby, Mannny and Jose.
The difference Mercersburg made in my life: Taught me to live on my own.
Events that happened since graduation: University of Virginia; BA Tulane University; JD Captain, JAGC, USNR Tax Attorney, retired 2 kids; 3 grandkids Lived in 17 states, 3 countries
My favorite Mercersburg memories: Bucolic setting; comfortable environment; friendly people
The difference Mercersburg made in my life: Good education; personal development
Name: Laurence Russe
Nickname/Preferred Name Larry Hometown Fairfax, VA Current Address 624 Duke Saxony Drive, Lewisville, TX, 75056-5610, US Phone +1 703-273-3990 Email
Were you Irving or Marshall? Irving
Who were your Mercersburg roommates? Terry Bonham
What residence hall(s) did you live in? Keil
Events that happened since graduation:
After graduating from Mercersburg Academy I went on to study Spanish and English at Franklin and Marshall College, where I also played soccer. In my junior year I studied Spanish in Madrid, Spain. After graduating from F&M, I returned to Mercersburg to teach Spanish and coach soccer, basketball and baseball. In 1983 I earned a Masters Degree from Penn State University in Spanish Literature. The following year my wife, Susan, and I were married. We have three grown children, all graduates of Mercersburg Academy. In the early ninties Susan became the first Director of the Counseling Center, a position she held for thirty years. In 1996 I became the Dean of Students, retiring from that position in 2017. I then returned to the classroom to teach Spanish and also assisted with the men’s soccer team. In 2021 Susan and I retired form Mercersburg Academy and now make our home on Chautauqua Lake in western New York. We have one granddaughter and are expecting a grandson this June.
My favorite Mercersburg memories:
Some of my favorite memories at Mercersburg Academy as a student were playing on the various sports teams. I also enjoyed sitting in the dining hall with friends after dinner. After being held to a very tight schedule all day it was great to have a half hour to simply talk, laugh and relax with friends. If my good friend Steve Flanagan was present, it was always a particularly good time as he had a great way of stirring things up...
The difference Mercersburg made in my life:
Nickname/Preferred Name
Attending Mercersburg Academy expanded and opened up my world tremendously. Sharing classes, meals, sports, living together, with people from all over the world, was such a gift. Also, the teachers were interesting and interested in their students. I had the great fortune to have Karl Reisner and John Peace as teachers, who taught me how to read critically and to write. Also, I was so fortunate to be instructed by language teachers who motivated me and inspired my interest in Spanish and Spanish literature. Name
Events that happened since graduation:
I have luckily lived a fulfilling, colorful versatile life dotted with a loving family, adventures, good education, dear friends, teaching, coaching, small business owner, volunteering, helping others, and lots of sports. Naturally, it has not all been charmed......these fifty years post- M’burg have been filled with smooth roads, twists and turns, speedbumps, and even some steep cliffs. It’s been quite a journey. Lately, I am obsessed with my darling grandchildren and pickleball while living both on Cape Cod and in Florida. I do regret not being in touch with more classmates over the years. Perhaps this will help reconnect many of us!
My favorite Mercersburg memories:
A pretty campus
Really nice classmates and teammates
Playing field hockey and basketball, coached by Miss A. Math class
Explorer’s Club weekend hikes and camping with my buds
Mr. Hill, Smith, and Howard
Okay, I have to say it, The Enchanted Forest was really fun
Concert trips
Stereos booming great 70s music in the dorm
Being in the Stony batter play, Arsenic and Old Lace
Wise’s pizza delivery
Sneaking out of the dorm was a rush
Achieving Cum Laude Society
The difference Mercersburg made in my life: I was fortunate and grateful to be accepted to Mercersburg on a scholarship. That alone taught me about the school and its commitment to providing quality opportunities for many. I loved the school, the people, the environment, and learned many lessons (good and hard) along the way.
As I reflect back over the years, I hope that I have turned out to be the kind of good and decent person Mercersburg prides itself in educating.
Name Amy Fredey Stuart
Hometown Quincy, MA
Were you Irving or Marshall? Marshall
Who were your Mercersburg roommates?
Beth Edwards and Susi Powell Wenzlaff
What residence hall(s) did you live in? Tippetts
Name
Christine Fry Tarbox
Nickname/Preferred Name
Events that happened since graduation:
I went to Vassar College where I majored in English Literature. After graduation, I went to Philadelphia to work at Girard Bank in the Loan Officer Training Program. I met my husband in that program and we were married in 1979, still married 45 years later! I became a Corporate Cash Management Officer at Girard and later Fidelity Bank. We had four girls together over eight years. I became a stay-at-home mom, which I loved (almost) every minute of. After the girls were all launched, I decided to follow one of my passions and received my Masters in Acupuncture in 2017 at Maryland University of Integrative Health. Those five years of school and clinic were incredibly challenging but yet so rewarding. I continue to practice and am still amazed at the power of such an ancient medicine.
My favorite Mercersburg memories: Free days. Sunning on “Tippett’s Field.” Chorale. Christmas Candlelight Service. Concerts in Washington. Ski trips to Ski Roundtop. Being on the undefeated girl’s Field Hockey team my Senior year. Streaking just before dawn past the boys dorms. AP French with Mr. Miller. Music Appreciation with Mr. Smith. Movie nights in Boone Hall.
The difference Mercersburg made in my life: My parents were rather strict so Mercersburg was a place where I could spread my wings with a safety net underneath me. I felt that Mercersburg was my second family. What I learned at Mercersburg and the confidence I gained both academically and socially stayed with me the rest of my life. Mercersburg holds a very special place in my heart.
Events that happened since graduation:
Wow, after the burg graduation I went to Rollins College in Winter Park FL and majored in Business Administration. I then got my real estate license. Worked at Savings & Loan Foundation, Holiday Spa, & Citizens Bank of Maryland. My joy of my 20’s was tennis & disco dancing (duh). Early 80’s I got my Black Belt in Kanzen Gojuru Karate and Married Neil Tyra. I got back into dancing and was in the FEET FIRST Dance Company performing in the MD DC area. The 90’s tennis was my thing - while the joy of a daughter and a son. I sat on the board of Christ Episcopal School and The Musical Theater Center. I now have a large organic garden of various vegetables and flowers. I have traveled to France, India, & Mexico on YOGA retreats. This year we rocked out on the Rock Legends cruise. We have loved three dogs. I truly loved Mercersburg.
My favorite Mercersburg memories:
Memories of Mercersburg. I did most of my homework in the library (but got guard for talking there as well). I was the only girl in most of my classes. The dining hall rotation helped us learn everybody. I loved that! Mercersburg prepared me for college and living on my own. I laughed a lot at Mercersburgdorm life was a lot of fun!
The difference Mercersburg made in my life: Well, it gave me the confidence to have “boys” as friends - girls had just started at the school so they were in the growing stages of what to do with us. I would say just overall confidence to start new things, meet new people, learn and play. I truly am thankful for my Mercersburg experience.
Name
K Noel Thomas Tyra
Nickname/Preferred Name Noel Hometown
Rockville, Maryland
Current Address 14609 Mockingbird Drive, Darnestown, MD, 20874, US
Phone +1 301-219-9923
Email noeltyra@mac.com
Were you Irving or Marshall? Irving
Who were your Mercersburg roommates? Susie Powel, Buffie Noyes, & Becki Peace
What residence hall(s) did you live in? Tippetts
Events that happened since graduation:
Hello classmates, we are in the autumn of our lives and I wish you each health and some joy in this crazy world. I have had a varied life with the usual challenges. I have learned a lot in this life. We moved to west coast Fla after college to join the emerging windsurfing comm. There I became an RN and worked for 11 yrs in ortho/then CCU. We moved to Columbia Gorge in 93 and I came to love the PNW/west coast. Some things I’ve done-remodeled/sold a 1901 converted church house, moved to NZ for 3 yrs (with Oracle) when my youngest was 3 mo old. Became a runner, cyclist, and finished Cycle Oregon after being hit by a logging truck en route. Took silk art lessons and vol in schools. Liked snowboarding and gardening. Raised 4+kids while husband traveled for work. Luke is an MD (ER), Paul is a 3-D artist, and Elle is a yoga teacher/new mom. Michael is a chef. They all live within 3 hrs of us which makes me happy. Elle got quite a few int’l jobs as a model during college and I managed her career. Nowadays life is mellower and I take nature photography, walk shelter dogs, and visit our granddaughter in Bend. I also enjoy pool swimming since a foot injury in 2015 ended other pursuits. My husband John is retiring this summer from the IT world. He has run internet projects (NZ), and regional projects (upgrading the electric grid in Toronto and Austin), installing smart meters, billing systems, call centers, etc. Currently he is with Pacificorp div of BH-Energy div as a consultant. He still wing foils and surf skis. I hope that you have a fun reunion weekend. I can best be reached at judithWebb@instagram.com. (pink sunrise pic) We no longer have a FB or L/I accts. Cheers!
My favorite Mercersburg memories:
Nickname/Preferred Name
I thought that the grounds were really beautiful, esp the chapel. I remember how kind Mr Winebrenner was to this shy girl far away from home. And I didn’t even mind walking guard. Haha.
The difference Mercersburg made in my life:
It was the first time I was away from home so it made the college transition easier.
Events that happened since graduation:
I took the scenic route: It took me 19 years, to earn my bachelor’s degree. I was disappointed that I was not able to go straight into college and felt that I failed my scholarship. I worked at East River Savings Bank for 4 years until I witnessed (survived) a bank robbery. I then worked at NY Telephone, which morphed into Verizon, a total of 28 years. I ended my career as a Software Engineer after 28 years with them. During that time, I went to 4 different colleges, through 4 majors and after 19 years of going to college part time while working full time, I graduated from IONA College. Three years later I graduated from The New School for Social Research with my master’s degree. I retired from my second and favorite career at IEEE in May of 2023. At IEEE I attained my DTM, Distinguished Toastmasters designation.
I met Crystal Bray at Mercersburg in 1975 and was her Lamaze Coach. I was present for the birth of her daughter, Shenequa. I assisted my best friend at her midwife attended birth to my Godson Aki. There is a very magical moment when a child enters the planet.
I was married briefly in the 80’s, and although I divorced after a few years, I inherited his family, which included my bonus son, Charles. I am an amazing stepmother, auntie, and Godmother to many.
So far, I have travelled to a few islands, Mexico, Brazil, Japan, and Egypt.
My favorite Mercersburg memories:
I made the Gran Prix flag for Mr. Beck I played the Dancer in Murder in the Cathedral, performing a creative dance to the Chorus at different intervals during the production which took place in the Church.
Held a snake as I recited a poem by Langston Hughes at the Black Advancement Day talent show.
I danced an African dance to the music from Shaft on the altar at the Mercersburg Church.
The amazing beauty of the campus. Friends across all grades who became Family.
The difference Mercersburg made in my life:
I was exposed to many things at Mercersburg that I would not have experienced if I went to HS on the lower East side in NY. It was definitely challenging at times, but I know my life’s trajectory was improved exponentially as a result. The real magic and blessings reside in my RETURN to Mercersburg five years ago. Old wounds healed and I get to ‘take up space’ as my authentic self and love this beautiful school with all my heart.
High tower, above us her pillars: In majesty crowning the hill: She’s faced the wild storm waves of years, And bravely she faces them still.
Come, Mercersburg’s all and we’ll praise her; The world will we tell of her fame, Till down the long train of the ages, Shall echo old Mercersburg’s name.
This, world sweeping mightily onward, Will whiten our heads with its years; But ever we’ll greet Alma Mater With full hearts and loud swelling cheers.
