News From Beverly Morze Piccone

Beverly (Morze) Piccone

Beverly (Morze) Piccone says, "My first visit to the blog was filled with emotions : happy to see/read about classmates, proud of their accomplishments, but deeply saddened to read of our class losses."

Since graduating from Gardner High School, Beverly has experienced a variety of careers. After graduation from UMASS - Amherst, Bev taught in Montgomery County, Maryland. After her her first year of teaching, she accepted a summer internship with Congressman Phil Philbin in the U.S. House of Representatives. This led to career # 2. Bev writes that "as Vice Chairman of the Armed Services Committee, Phil was often summoned to the White House to meet with President Johnson, and I had the job of delivering him to the back door of the White House."

Beverly continued to work on "The Hill" until 1974 and the birth of her first child, Rebecca. This started career # 3: at home mother. Then came career # 4. "When our second child, Robert, was six, I joined a compay whose products were educational toys and materials. This allowed me to remain at home AND rewarded us with travel around the country and to many exciting spots in Europe and Asia. " With children ready for college, Beverly embarked on career # 5. "In 1994 I became a residential real estate agent and over the past 15 years, I have worked with clients from 28 different countries. While the market in the DC area has cooled considerably since the boom days, I am still busy, but also enjoying career # 6 - grandmother. Our first grandchild, Frederick, was born to our daughter and her husband. Both our children and their spouses live in the "Big Apple" and we visit them often.

Beverly adds that "Although my careers have changed, I have had the "roots" of living in the same home for 36 years with the same husband of 41 years. Our weekly routine consists of dinner and a movie on Friday night and we make it a point to see all the Academy Award nominees. I am looking forward to our milestone reunion and a return visit to my hometown."

News from Barbara Pelletier Bachand

Barbara Pelletier Bachand

Barbara demonstrates her Yankee brand of humor when she writes, "I went down to the pharmacy and got a passport photo. I can either plan a vacation outside the USA or save it for my obit. My Dad did that. Has everything together, picture and all in one envelope, with all his wishes spelled out. Makes it easier for the survivors." A clever way to solve the photo problem!

Barbara adds that she is spending her retirement being "busier than I've ever been," and goes on to say that "New Bedford, MA is a city rich in art, history, and architecture. For the past twenty years or so I have been a volunteer tour guide at the Rotch Jones Duff House and Gardnen Museum. I have also just completed four months of training at the New Bedford Whaling National Park and hope to be an interpreter doing walking tours this summer. I have chosen to talk about the history of the Quakers in early New Bedford." Like other GHS Class of 1960 classmates, she keeps learning. "About eight years ago I took up the clarinet again after not playing since high school. I have played with the UMASS-Dartmouth Wind Ensemble and in the summer I play with the Dartmouth Community Band. We do big band (swing) music in the gazebo on the beach. It's lots of fun except for unexpected lightning storms and being pelted by Canada Geese!!!"

Barbara and her husband Richard enjoy spending time with two grandaughters in Scituate, MA and two grandsons in Fort Collins, CO. She adds that she enjoys reading the Reunion blog and getting news about classmates and can't wait to see us all next year.

News from Joanne Guertin Augustino

Joanne (Guertin) Augustino retired in 2008 after working 34 years at Heywood Hospital as a staff X-Ray technician. Her hobbies are working in the yard on her flower garden and spending summers at Queen Lake in Phillipston. She says she "finally learned to knit and am making socks on four needles." Joanne has two children: Trevor, age 43 who is a fire warden for the state and lives in Granby, MA and Jocelyn, age 42 who is a professional photographer in Washington, DC.

Isn't it amazing how retirement can free you up to learn and do things you didn't have time for when you were working? We'd like to know what you are up to these days and welcome stories and photos from all GHS Class of 1960 friends and classmates. Please send us an update and a digital image via e-mail addressed to ghsclassof1960@gmail.com .

News from Robert Cormier

2009 Adult National Championships, Grand Rapids Michigan

Robert "Scooter" Cormier writes that he is still working and looking forward to semi-retirement. Bob is Program Chair for Multimedia and Computer Drafting and Design at the Norwood MA campus of the ITT Technical Institute. Bob has 25 years experience in Architectural Engineering and has taught at Northeastern University.

Bob sends this photo from the 2009 freestyle event, which he won against strong competition.

He has a daughter, Noelle, and a grandson, Connor, who live in Connecticut.

Robert Menne

Worcester Telegram Photo 2007

There's no doubt about it. GHS Class of 1960 classmate Robert Menne has an impressive resume - including wins in a PGA Tour event, the 1974 Kemper Open in Charlotte, NC, the Massachusetts Open, the New Egland PGA, and several prestigious head pro and teaching pro positions. But there is more to Bob than golf, as a June 10, 2007 article in the Worcester Telegram reveals. You can read the full story at http://www.telegram.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070610/NEWS/706100604/1009/SPORTS

Bob lives in West Plalm Beach, Florida.