G-3 REUNION SUMMARY
We got together at the Measners in Jonesborough, TN for our
second 5-year G-3 mini-reunion. It
started back in 2007 when we decided we didn’t want to wait five years between
West Point reunions to see each other and the Thompson’s hosted it in Maine. This time we had 12 classmates (well over
half of the 21 in G-3) who made it. Attendees
included: Jim Busack, Bob & Diane
Driscoll, Dale & Dorinda Fredrick, Jim & Eddie Galloway, Tom &
Karen Maertens (H-3), Bill & Melinda Malkemes, Rich & Malinda Measner,
Tom Miller, Howie & Betty Parker, Bob & Debra Richardson, Gill Romano
(Frank’s widow), Gerry & Cris Saari, and Ken & Jan Thompson. For some it was their first event in 42 years
since we graduated.
We had reserved the entire (14 room) historic Eureka Hotel
in downtown Jonesborough. It started on
Thursday afternoon (June 14th - - the Army’s 237th
birthday) with a cookout at the Measners.
Several brought specialty beer and wine, which flowed along with the
endless stories until late into the night.
On Friday we headed out in two 15-pax vans (1 guys; 1 gals) to tour
Rocky Mount Living History Museum in the morning, and then Bristol Motor
Speedway (BMS) and State Street in Bristol in the afternoon. The evening meal was at Freiburg’s restaurant
where the last four members of the group joined us for great German
cuisine. That night we rallied at the
Eureka Hotel for more stories and a interesting game of “complete the
sentence”, with Woo Poo and G-3 trivia topics provided by Howie Parker and Rich
Measner.
On Saturday the vans carried us to a tour of the Gray Fossil
Museum in the morning, and then back to Jonesborough for lunch. We walled across the street to the
International Storytelling Center where Heather Forrest (the storyteller-in-residence)
entertained us with a variety of stories.
Saturday evening we drove to The Farmer’s Daughter for a incredible family-style
dinner, and then back to the Eureka Hotel for a final round of recounting our
time at West Point - - not sure the ladies believed all that they heard! On Sunday morning those that remained (the
vast majority) shared a casual brunch at the hotel as everyone packed up and
said their final farewells.
In sum, it was a great four days which will be remember by
all … and I’d say we won some ‘converts’ for future G-3 reunions. The next one will be in 2017 at a location
TBD … possibly Florida, Washington DC, or Montana (Big Sky country). For those of you who missed it, we sure hope
you can make the next one. For those of
you who were here, thanks again for making it a grand time for all!
Rich & Malinda Measner
