GRAA

February 1997
(14th Year of Publication)

LUNCHEON MEETING

The next scheduled luncheon will be the 2nd Tuesday of February -- February 11, 1977, 11:30 A.M. at the RecCenter. Since Barney treats us so royally, please make reservations by calling 301-937-6104. This ensures such good food for each of us for our events.

Our speaker for the February Ilth luncheon will be Robert Morrissey, formerly Code 402. After living in Australia for five years, he now lives in Annapolis. He will be sharing some of his unique experiences of living "Down Under". He will be bringing artifacts and a live critter to color his talk. Make reservations now for tales from Alice Springs, etc.

Last month's luncheon speaker, Catherine Simkins, was excellent, as an informed member of the TRMM Team and a humorous raconteur of her Japanese trip.

George Piper now has passes for all GRAA members & Alumni without GSFC current retirement passes. These passes also may include spouses. These passes may be picked up at the next meeting or write to GRAA, P.O. Box #163, Seabrook, MD 20703.

TREASURER'S REPORT

Donations were received from John Quann, Abe Piltch, Hal Theiss, Earl Young, George Hogan, Paul Alfonsi, Halen Thayer, Lillian Jamison, Don Henry, John Kamowski, Bob Packard, Bob Segal, Charles White, Tom Page, Bob Groves and Bob Wigand. GRAA's account balance as of December 31, 1996 totaled $7155.46, with no outstanding liabilities. Income for 1996 totaled $4882.63 and expenses $5329.54, leaving a deficit, for the year, of $446.91. Cost of publication of the new membership directory accounts for the deficit, as it did in 1994, the publication year of the previous directory. A financial report covering all transactions in 1996 was printed out, using Quicken, and submitted to GRAA,s board of directors.

SCHEDULE

INAUGURAL ITEM -- Sunday $9.00 (Group of 8 or more $8.00)

We received vord that Vie Simas and his band 'Viii play for the Inaugural Ball at the NASA Air and Space Museum. Perhaps vic will submit an article or (letter) telling about it!

MAIL STUFFERS FOR JANUARY

Robert & Mary Wilson, Evall Schmitt, Milton & Helen Sing, Wilma Chigas, John Steckel, Frank Wrigley, & R. Van Allen.

LETTERS/NOTES

THOMAS PILTCH -- "Hard to believe Ilm 25 years retired -- and still around. Contribution enclosed.,,

BOB GROVES -- "Thanks for keeping us so vell informed. Check enclosed."

PAUL MARCOTTE -- "Pls accept the enclosed donation to help vith your expenses in providing the wonderful monthly newsletters & the recent director."

GEORGE HOGAN -- "I'm still at Hughes Danbury Optical Systems heading up the HST support team vorking for CEPI & Co. I really look forvard to receiving the newsletter & appreciate the hard vork putting it out. I'm thinking of retiring, but, having too much fun to do it. Hope to make one or your luncheons next year -- check enclosed.

BARBARA PUTNEY -- "I have recently taken the phased retirement (20 hrs per wk as a reemployed annuitant) Now I'm getting 2 copies from GRAA, one for me & one for my late husband, William Putney- Pls take his name off the mailing list - Hope to join in some of your activities - sounds like fun."

LILLIAN JAMISON -- "I'm enclosing a change of address card & a small check to help w/expenses. I enjoy getting the new from Goddard & really appreciate all of your efforts. We love to have friends from Goddard stop by."

TON ENG -- "Thanks very much for all the news letters & the Membership Director too. The latter will be especially handy in looking up former colleagues. Enclosed is a small donation to help with the expenses. Merry Christmas & Happy Holiday to all."

HAL THEISS -- "Greetings to all my friends & colleagues. It seems like only yesterday that I was tinkering around with 642B's & 1218's (1965 to 1980) as part of Bob Owen, Danny Dalton & Ed Willis' intrepid band. I retired from HQ (Code )) in August, 1995 during the last buyout. Nola and I moved about 4 mos ago to Sanibel Island, Florida. We love it here. My youngest daughter, Joanna, started high school here & is in the Magnet program for drama. I have a consulting business which is almost 60% wildlife refuge. Surprisingly we don't miss the snow & ice at all. Would like to hear from all of you great folks. My address is 1360 Jamaica Dr., Sanibel, FLA 33957. Phone (941) 395-1737, FAX: (941) 395-9460, email: htheiss@coconet-com or KGFS77A@prodigy-com

DONALD G. HENRY -- Thanks for the GRAA N/L and Goddard News. Life in North Carolina is layed back & full of wonderful people. Connie & I have a hard time finding spare time to do things around the house. Pls accept my donation & if possible could you send me information on your trip to Alaska. Thank you." *ALBERTA PLS NOTE

EARLE YOUNG -- "Our new address is P.O. Box 320, Tall Timbers. MD, 20690. Joan & I moved here a few months ago after my second retirement from the NSI Technology Services'Corp. I spent over 6 yrs with NSI, after spending 30 yrs as a Goddard Civil Servant. Our house is on the Potomac, about 15 miles North of Point Lookout. The Potomac is about 3 miles vide.here. The house faces due West, incredible sunsets! We are starting a major renovation program to the 50 yr old home, gotta stay busy. Thanks to the GRAA for the monthly 'Care' Pkg. I look forward to it. Say hello to the stuffing crew, several are ex linstrumenteers' like myself. Enclosed is a small contribution to your outstanding efforts. Tell everyone to stay in touch; eyoung@eaglel.eaglenet.com."

OBITS

KEARNEY, CHARLES MARTIN-- died 12/9/96 -- First Chief Counsel at GSFC -- served from 1960 to 1980. Previously was counsel to the Dpt of the Army Corps of Engineers & Chief Signal Officer at the Pentagon. He was a Naval Officer in WWII, a graduate of U. of Notre Dame -- reold a Law Degree from Duke University.

JOHN GUIDO GUIDOTTI - died 1/10/97 -- served as an Engineer at GSFC -- retired after 20 yrs. During WWII he was an engineer w/Goodyear Aircraft in Akron, Ohio. Before joining Goddard, he worked at Emerson Res. Lab.

GEORGE DEMAS - died 12/28/96 - Before retiring, he was a satellite control center mgr for NASA/Goddard. He was responsible for communications satellite operations for the Apollo 8 & Apollo 11 lunar expeditions. He also helped design the Mission Control Center for the Hubble Telescope. He served in the Marines (in Europe, 1947 to 1950) & the Army (1957 to 1962)

NOTE OF INTEREST TO RETIREES

Many GSFC retirees, employees & friends of Darlene Ahalt, code 130, attended a memorial service for her son who was shot & killed 1/4/97. He had worked at GSFC recently & was known to many.

FOLLOWING TIDBIT SUBMITTED RECENTLY FOR PUBLICATION BY A RETIREE - ENJOY

RETIREMENT -- FROM A CHILD's VIEW --

After a Christmas break, a teacher asked her young pupils how they spent their holidays. One small boy wrote the following:

We always used to spend Christmas w/Grandpa & Grandma. They used to live here in a place w/a lot of other retarded people. They all live in little tin boxes. They ride on big three-wheeled tricycles & they all wear name tages because they don't know who they are. They go to a big building called a wrecked hall, but if it was wrecked, they got it fixed because it's all right now. They play games & do exercisesrthere, but they don' do them very good.

There is a swimming pool there. They go into it & just stand there with their hats on. I guess they don't know how to swim. As you go into their park, there is a doll house v/a little man sitting in it. He watches all day so they can't get out w/o him seeing them. When they can sneak out they go to the beaah & pick up shells that they think are dollars.

My Grandma used to bake cookies & stuff, but I guess she forgot how. Nobody cooks, they just eat out. They eat the same thing every night, Early Birds. Some of the people are so retarded that they don't know how to cook at all, so my Grandma & Grandpa bring food into the wrecked hall and they call it "pot luck".

My Grandma says Grandpa worked all his life & earned his retardment. I wish they would move back up here, but I guess the little man in the doll house won't let them out.