Dates:
June 5 - 8, 2003

Official Web Site:
Class of '78 25th

From Gary Sowyrda

Sandra and Frank...

OK so I am sitting in my Houston, Texas (actually Kingwood) home checking out the Red Sox on the Internet and the next thing I know I am lost in memories of WPI.

I mean there was Patty Tracy, Freshman year showing up unexpectedly at our Morgan dorm and I answer in my underwear, my buddy Steve Pace and I talking about the future after graduation while listening to "Silk Degrees", Steve Superson and his team of independents beating KAP in the basketball finals, Cindy Gryniuk and memories of parades in the rain and the two of us being the last two deemed "competent" in December of 1977, Tony Fernandez, our centerfielder...and oh yea, the rest of those damn Fiji's.

Look, if we knew anyone was "counting", the KAPS would have been represented by Klem, Louie Pelletier, Dennis Kelly, Brad Mills and a lot of others, well, at least one more than the Fiji's...who knows, Tourigny would have showed up instead of just sending a letter if we promised to play some old Beatles songs.

I missed the reunion because of something that has caused me to miss many social events over the years...it is called youth baseball and as I sit here the decision was a poor one.

But life is good in Texas. After almost 12 years with Exxon I left in 1989 and a few of us started an oil and gas company. We drill around 30 wells for natural gas a year and do our best to keep our friends in the North warm in the winter.

My wife Susan, a Texas Tech graduate, and I have 3 sons, Christopher 21, Petroleum Engineering student at the University of Texas, JB (Jonathon), who is 19 and is transferring to Trinity University in San Antonio this Fall and intends to be a lawyer (which would come in handy for me by the way), and Alex, our 12 year-old. The big boys both went to college initially on baseball scholarships, both had right shoulder surgery and are through chasing the "next level" of competition. JB will play at Trinity but is not excited about Division III baseball.

One final question...was ther any "gray" in Steve Pace's hair?

Gary safa Sowyrda

See photo below!

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Note from Sandy to Gary:

 
 	From: 	  sjwyman@sjwyman.com
	Subject: 	Re: WPI 25th Reunion
	Date: 	August 13, 2003 4:46:16 PM GMT+01:00
	To: 	  GSowyrda@aol.com
	Cc: 	  frank@backtalk.com

Hello Gary!

Great to hear from you. Your name (and notorious nickname SAFA) came up during reunion weekend, believe it not. Both Steve Pace and John Vestri asked about you, along with Rick Poole. Steve and John came all the way from California, and Rick from Florida, so I expect we'll see you for the 30th...all the way from Texas! Patty Tracy and her husband Bill Walton came from Chicago. We had quite a diverse mix.

Perhaps I can enlist you to get some KAPs to the 30th to even out the FIJI-lanche. I have the class roster, and can sort by fraternity.

Would you mind if Frank posted your note on the unofficial Class of 78 website? I'm sure others would like hearing an update. Just let Frank know (frank@backtalk.com). He is moving September 4th to England and could get it done before then. If you have a family photo you can scan and email (or mail to me, I will scan), we can post that with your note like we did for Steve Tourigny.

Three boys! That's quite an achievement. And baseball players too. I'm just getting into baseball as my husband is a die hard Red Sox fan. They are struggling right about now. It is hard to watch them after they were doing so well.

Reunion was a very enjoyable weekend. Mostly good news...classmates are healthy, have great spouses, kids and jobs. A few setbacks for some, but in all, people were in great spirits. Who could ask for more?

We learned a bit about what worked and didn't work on this reunion and hope for the 30th to have more time like at Bernies, where I think the class would have stayed for the entire weekend, if it was possible! I am active with the school and meet with the alumni office regularly to help guide them in their class contacting efforts.

And thanks for sending all that natural gas our way. Being from Maine, we just suffered through a horrendous winter, and are hoarding BTUs for the upcoming one (stacked two cords of wood last weekend).

As for Steve Pace and gray hair....I don't recall seeing any, but you know the guys are using hair coloring products these days as much as the gals, so only his hairdresser knows for sure! He sure has a sense of humor and added much to the weekend.

Keep in touch and enjoy what's left of this summer,

Sandra

Email: sjwyman@sjwyman.com
Website: www.sjwyman.com
"If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving's not for you."
-Anonymous

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