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IN MEMORIAM This month is the anniversary of these Classmates joining the Ghostly Assemblage in the Long Gray Line |
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Click on underlined names *
Denotes that a Ring Melt occurred for this Classmate. |
Memorial Room Thumb
By Company
Recollections from the ladies
of the Class of 1961
60th Reunion Part I
27 Jan - 1 Feb 2022
60th Reunion Part II
19 Jan - 23 Jan 2023
55th Reunion
13-18 May 2016
50th Reunion
14-18 May 2011
Class of 2011 Affiliation
Program
45th Reunion
28 Sep - 1 Oct 2006
40th Reunion
4 - 7 Oct 2001
Cadet Days
Welcome to the
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Click here for Latest Class Notes |
Upcoming Class Activities
For more information or to add an event, contact Ed Brown or Sam Weiss |
Access to Dropbox Files
Link to the West Point '61 Dropbox folders You do not need a Dropbox account to access it. |
Today (12/25) Marks The 1st Anniversary of D Peter Gleichenhaus's PassingIf you feel moved to do so, remember D Peter by leaving a new tribute, adding a new photo, or sharing a recently-remembered story that will help others reflect on his life. |
Charles R. Welsh
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It is with great regret and sorrow that I must notify you of the death of our
classmate, Charlie Welsh, Company D-1, on November 22, 2025, in Puyallup, WA.
Charlie is survived by his daughter, Jennifer Anderson; his daughter Katie Welsh
and her husband, Arnoud Zeelen; grandchildren, Sydnie Nix, Daniel Cook and his
wife, Anna, and Charlie Zeelen; and his great granddaughter, Ruby Nix. He
was predeceased by his wife, NanSea.
A Celebration of Life will be on date to be determined,
Burial will be at 11 AM, on Monday, January 12, 2026, at Tahoma National
Cemetery, 18600 SE 240th Street, Kent, WA 98042.
Condolences may be sent to Katie Welsh, 5308 NE 22nd Court, Renton, WA
98059.
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations in Charlie�s memory
be sent to the Superintendent's Annual Fund. Make checks payable to West
Point Association of Graduates, designate Superintendent�s Annual Fund in the
memo section, and mail to Gift Operations, West Point Association of Graduates,
698 Mills Road, West Point, NY 10996. Well done, Charlie. Be thou at peace. Click here to go to Charlie's Last Roll Call Tribute. |
Marko L. Popovich
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It is with great regret and sorrow that I must notify you of the death of our classmate, Mark Popovich, on November 20, 2025, in Aldie, VA, after a long struggle with cancer. Mark is survived by his wife, Kay; their son, Todd; their son, Michael; their daughter, Lori; and grandchildren, Jay, Jenna, Matthew, and Bryn. Visitation will be from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM on December 8, 2025, at Demaine Funeral Home, 5308 Backlick Road, Springfield, VA 22151. A funeral mass will be at 1 PM on December 9, 2025, at Holy Spirit Roman Catholic Church, 5121 Woodland Way, Annandale, VA 22003. Interment will be at Arlington National Cemetery on a date to be determined. Condolences may be sent to Kay at 8902 Cromwell Drive, Springfield, VA 22151-1120. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations in Mark’s memory be sent to Inova Schar Cancer Institute – Greatest Need Fund, Inova Health Foundation, 8095 Innovation Park Drive, Fairfax, VA 22031. Well done, Mark. Be thou at peace. Click here to go to Mark's Last Roll Call Tribute. |
Heston W. Higginbotham III
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It is with great regret and sorrow that I must notify you of the death of our classmate, Skip Higginbotham, on November 25, 2025, in Georgetown, TX. Skip is survived by his daughter, Pamela Fox and her husband, Jeremy; his daughter, Patricia Grado, and her husband, Andy; and his grandchildren, Ashley, Katie, Zachary, and Bella Fox, and Kayla, Ellie, and Hunter Grado. He was predeceased by his wife, Helen. A private funeral service for close family will take place at a later date. The family extends their gratitude for the outpouring of love and support. Burial will be at the Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery, Killeen, TX. Condolences may be sent to Pamela Fox at 30134 Twin Creek Dr., Georgetown, TX 78626. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations in Skip’s memory be sent to Gary Sinise Foundation, P.O. Box 40726, Nashville, TN 37204. Well done, Skip. Be thou at peace. Click here to go to Skip's Last Roll Call Tribute. |
Roy F. Busdiecker, Jr.
Company F-1 |
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It is with great regret and sorrow that I must notify you of the death of our classmate, Roy Busdiecker, on November 8, 2025 in Inver Grove Heights, MN. He died with family at his side after a long struggle with Alzheimer's Dementia and Parkinson's. He was a good patient, but frustrated - he knew he couldn't remember much. Roy is survived by his wife, Janice; their children, Rick, Linda, and Paul; three grandchildren and two great grandchildren. Roy was cremated and his ashes scattered. The family requests that any donations in Roy's memory be sent to your local food bank or USMA. Well done, Roy. Be thou at peace. Click here to go to Roy's Last Roll Call Tribute. |
Franklyn A. Erhardt
Company F-1 |
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It is with great regret and sorrow that I must notify you I have learned of the death of our classmate, Franklyn A. Erhardt on 10 Oct 2022 in Asheville, NC. Well done, Franklyn. Be thou at peace. Click here to go to Franklyn's Last Roll Call Tribute. |
Robert J. Christina
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It is with great regret and sorrow that I must notify you I have learned of the death of our classmate, Bob Christina, on October 10, 2023, in Rochester Hills, MI. Well done, Bob. Be thou at peace. Click here to go to Bob's Last Roll Call Tribute. |
Julius W. Seibel, Jr.
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It is with great regret and sorrow that I must notify you I have learned of the death of our classmate, Bill Seibel, on December 23, 2022, in Miami, FL. He was predeceased by his wife, Janet. He was buried at South Florida National Cemetery, Lake Worth, FL. Well done, Bill. Be thou at peace. Click here to go to Bill's Last Roll Call Tribute. |
Byron S. Baldwin
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It is with great regret and
sorrow that I must notify you of the death of our classmate, Byron Baldwin, on
October 16, 2025, in Lincolnton, GA.
Byron is survived by his
wife, Helen; their daughter, Kimberley Radford, and her husband, Colin; their
son, Byron, Jr.; their daughter, Susan Mullens, and her husband, John (USMA
’92); their son, David, and his wife, Monica; their dearly-loved third daughter,
Patricia Wang, and her husband, John; their grandchildren, Karen Mullens, Sarah
Clark (Myers), Alec Baldwin (Frances), Jay Mullens (Jenna), Angelo Radford, Sean
Baldwin, David Baldwin, Peter Mullens, Julia Nomenjanahary, Kitika Prosper,
Rafily Tianaina, Nathan Mullens, Micah Mullens; and great-grandsons, Daniel
Baldwin and Asher Mullens.
A celebration of life for
Byron will be held on Saturday, March 7, 2026, at the First Assembly of God
Church, Lincolnton, GA with details to be announced.
Condolences may be sent to
Helen at 2625 Chamberlain Ferry Road, Lincolnton, GA 30817-3465. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations in Byron’s memory may be sent to HELP Madagascar, 2625 Chamberlain Ferry Road, Lincolnton, GA 30817-3465 or through PayPal (helpmg@gmail.com). Well done, Byron. Be thou at peace. Click here to go to Byron's Last Roll Call Tribute. |
James C. Manning
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It is with great regret and sorrow that I must notify you I have learned of the death of our classmate, Jim Manning, on December 9, 2016, in Crossett, AR. Jim is survived by his wife, Mary Jane; his daughter, Sharon Deist and her husband, Karl; his son. James, Jr. and his wife, Gayle; his son, Mark; his stepdaughter Keeshan Crow and her husband, Norman; and seven grandchildren. He was predeceased by his wife, Stefanie, and his stepson, George Bell III. A memorial service was held on Saturday, December 17, 2016, at the First United Methodist Church of Crossett, Arkansas. Jim's ashes will be interred at the Veteran's Cemetery in Little Rock, AR. Condolences may be sent to Mary Jane at 2421 College Avenue. Apt 335, Conway, AR 72034 Well done, Jim. Be thou at peace. Click here to go to Jim's Last Roll Call Tribute. |
Classmates on September 2025 Adriatic Sea Cruise Have Memorable Trip
L to R....Will Conley, Kim Shroyer Day, Mike and Chan Eiland, Kathy Conley and Pat Shroyer. Memorable trip with great friends.
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Photo
of our '61 travelers on a cruise up the Adriatic Sea from Athens to Venice in
September.
Howard H. Roberts, Jr.
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It is with great regret and sorrow that I must notify you of the death of our classmate, Howard H. Roberts, Jr., on August 11, 2025, in Glyndon, MD. Howie is survived by his wife, Charlotte; their sons, Patrick and his wife Stacy, and Timothy and his wife Nancy; their grandchildren, Ian, Samantha, William, Jack, and Laura; and their great grandchildren, Henley, Stetson, and Goldie. A memorial service will be held in the Spring at Leavenworth National Cemetery, Leavenworth, KS. Condolences may be sent to Charlotte at 3201 Tufton Avenue, Reisterstown, MD 21136-5534. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations in Howie's memory be sent to Mid-Atlantic Jack Russell Rescue, Inc., c/o Meg Hanson, 18131 Kitchen House Court, Germantown, MD 20874. Well done, Howie. Be thou at peace. Click here to go to Howie's Last Roll Call Tribute. |
Joseph F. Watt
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It is with great regret and sorrow that I must notify you of the death of our classmate, Joe Watt, on 24 July 2025, in Monterey, CA. Joe is survived by his sister-in-law, Anne E. Watt; his nieces, Elizabeth A. Ackley, Kelly C. Watt, and Debra P. Watt; his nephews, John M. Watt, Lawrence Watt, Timothy W. Ackley, Martin P. Watt, and Michael J. Watt; his great nieces, Noel A. Watt and Samantha L. Ackley; and his great nephews, Robert F. Watt III, Lawrence J. Watt, John P. Watt, Taylor J. (Ivy) Watt, and Collin M. (Madalyn) Watt. A church viewing will be held at 9:30 AM, October 30, 2025, at the Cathedral of St. Thomas More, 3901 Cathedral Lane, Arlington, VA 22203, followed by a funeral Mass at 10:00 AM. Burial will be at 1:00 PM,
October 30, 2025, at Arlington National Cemetery. Attendees should report
to the Admin Building NLT 12:45 PM. Condolences may be sent to John M. Watt at 9138 Heydon Hall Circle, Charlotte, NC 28210. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations in Joe�s memory be made to the Superintendent�s Endowment & Fund. Make checks payable to West Point Association of Graduates and mail to Gift Operations, West Point Association of Graduates, 698 Mills Road, West Point, NY 10996. In the check memo section, please designate Superintendent�s Endowment & Fund. Well done, Joe. Be thou at peace. Click here to go to Joe's Last Roll Call Tribute. |
Earl W. Gilmore
Company E-1
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It is with great regret and sorrow that I must notify you of the death of our classmate, Earl Gilmore, on 22 August 2025, in Hixon, TN. Earl is survived by his wife, Norma; their sons, Michael and his wife Judith, Douglas and his fianc�e Amy, and David; their grandchildren, Daniel and his wife Danielle, David, Madison, and Jaci; and their two great-grandchildren, Lucas and Elise. Burial was held 2 September 2025 at Chattanooga National Cemetery. Condolences may be sent to Norma via email at ewg61@att.net. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations in Earl’s memory be made to the Superintendent’s Endowment & Fund. Make checks payable to West Point Association of Graduates and mail to Gift Operations, West Point Association of Graduates, 698 Mills Road, West Point, NY 10996. In the check memo section, please designate Superintendent’s Endowment & Fund. Well done, Earl. Be thou at peace. Click here to go to Earl's Last Roll Call Tribute. |
Theodore Vander Els
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It is with great regret and sorrow that I must notify you of the death of our classmate, Ted Vander Els, on August 19, 2025, in Sudbury, MA, due to Parkinson's disease. Ted is survived by his son, Stephen, and his wife, Allison, and granddaughter, Rosalind. A Funeral Mass will be held on Monday September 8, 2025, at 10:00 AM at Ascension Parish, 160 Concord Road, Sudbury, MA 01776, followed by full military honors and a collation in the church lower level. Inurnment will be at at West Point on a date to be determined. Condolences may be sent to Stephen at 96 Mossman Road, Sudbury, MA 01776. In lieu of flowers, donations in Ted’s memory may be sent to Society of St. Vincent de Paul, National Council of the U.S. Society of St. Vincent de Paul, 66 Progress Parkway, Maryland Heights, MO 63043. Well done, Ted. Be thou at peace. Click here to go to Ted's Last Roll Call Tribute. |
Alanta Seven Meet for Lunch 5 August 2025We met 5 August 2025 at Novo Cucina Restuarante' in Sandy Springs, GA. Courtney was in town for medical appointments at Emory Hospital and we used the occasion to get together.
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NEW INFO – READ ON The online reservation site is now operating. If you have not yet done your reservation - use it.  If there is any chance you might attend our 65th Reunion READ ON!!!!! Check here to see what you have RSVP'd Click here for more registration details |
Henry J. Kenny
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It is with great regret and
sorrow that I must notify you of the death of our classmate, Hank Kenny, on June
5, 2025, in McLean, VA. Hank is survived by his wife, Mary Frances; their son, Frank, and his wife, Lorie Logan; their daughter, Susan Copsey, and her husband, Matthew; their son, John and his wife, Julie; their daughter, Kathleen Gray, and her husband, James; and their grandchildren, Megan Kenny, Julia and Andrew Copsey, James, Marty, and Caroline Gray, and Patrick Kenny. Visitation will be on June
20th at 10:30 AM at St. John the Beloved Catholic Church, 6420 Linway Terrace,
McLean, VA, followed by a Mass at 11:00 AM. Burial will take place at
Arlington National Cemetery at a later date. Condolences may be sent to
Mary Frances at 1428 Lady Bird Drive, McLean, VA 22101-3227. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations in Hank’s memory be sent to the Gary Sinise Foundation, Gift Processing Department, PO Box 1858 Merrifield, VA 22116-9641. Well done, Hank. Be thou at peace. Click here to go to Hank's Last Roll Call Tribute. |
Reconciliation Plaza UpdateMichael Eiland on 28 May 2025 checked out
our Reconciliation Plaze. With landscaping completed and context
marker installed he thinks it looks good. Will look better when touch-up of the
old markers is completed.
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AOG Has Established a Full-time Staff Position to Assist Grads & Family in Getting Benefits From Dept of Veterans Affairs (VA)Jim Nicholson has sent us this important information. Thanks to the good leadership of the AOG, they have been successful in establishing a full-time staff position there whose only responsibility is to assist graduates and their family survivors in understanding and obtaining benefits that may be due to them from the Dept of Veterans Affairs (VA). The current occupant of this job is Sue Irons (Class of 89). Sue has a strong background in VA benefits, and possesses a great attitude about helping people navigate the sometimes complex VA benefits system. Additionally, Sue has agreed to schedule a zoom call with members of our class, if desired, to enhance their awareness of possible VA benefits. Sue is also available to assist people on an individual basis. Her telephone number is: 845-446-1623. Her email is: sue.irons@wpaog.org. This is a very good move on the part of the AOG, and it will prove to be very helpful. |
New Recollections from the Ladies of the Class of 1961 Feature HereLadies and Gentlemen of the Class of 1961: What you may how read in our Class
Website are
responses to a pursuit in the making over the past few years. Aided by several
of our �mates and Ladies, we now will include the
Recollections from the Ladies or click
on the Recollections from the Ladies of the Class of 1961 |
Memorial & Family Planning DocumentsThe Class of 1961 Memorial Article Project has now made the appropriate AOG Forms available for your use. Click here to go to the Class Website article that explains what is available and has links to the documents. |
AOG Announces The Rockbound Highland Home Program Welcoming Grads Home
Most alumni love to visit their alma maters, and West Point graduates are certainly no exception. However, because the Academy is on an active-duty Army post, gaining access and touring West Point present unique challenges. To enhance services for the Long Gray Line, the West Point Association of Graduates has launched The Rockbound Highland Home Program, a new program ensuring that every graduate coming back home to the Academy is welcomed in the special way that family should be. The Rockbound Highland Home Program was created exclusively for USMA graduates and is designed to assist you in navigating post security procedures, offer special access to select MWR (Morale, Welfare, and Recreation) facilities and services, and provide �insider� tours for you and your guests. For information on how to support the Rockbound Highland Home Program and other WPAOG initiatives, click here.
For more information on each aspect of this program, please
click below or contact: |
Who
says you can�t go home again? For 47 months, West Point was
your home�through Beast Barracks, Mess Hall meals, clubs and team experiences,
competitions on the fields of friendly strife, the Indoor Obstacle Course,
graduation, and even the gloom period.
Should You Be Enrolled Into The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor - Consider
The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor, located in New
Windsor NY, commemorates Purple Heart recipients through its Roll of Honor, a
database of Purple Heart recipients representing all wars for which the award
has been available. All enrollments are done voluntarily The Roll of Honor is viewable both in the Hall of Honor and on-line. The version that is viewable in the Hall allows for a total of six screens per recipient. Profiles can contain pictures as well as written narratives of the experience of the recipient. The on-line version is an abbreviated, single page commemoration for each recipient and can be viewed from any computer via the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor website, www.thepurpleheart.com According to information gathered from the 2010 Register of Graduates and the 50th Anniversary Yearbook questionnaires, at least 50 classmates have received 64 awards of the Purple Heart. I have compared this information with that on the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor website and believe that only 5 classmates are included in the current Roll of Honor. If you are a Purple Heart recipient, I encourage you to complete and submit the necessary enrollment information that can be found at www.thepurpleheart.com/enrollment. |
50th Reunion Class Gift Presentation Given to the Center for Oral History
Established in Spring 2005 and supported by leadership funding from the Francis Sehn Family and the Class of 1961 and Class of 1967. During the Class of 1961 50th Reunion in 2011 the Center for Oral History was presented a gift of $1,000,000. Visit the COH website to watch some remarkable videos. |
The West Point Center for Oral History is dedicated to
archiving the story of the American soldier, in both war and peace. It will
record the professional experiences of West Point graduates and other
accomplished soldiers, along with others who have had a prominent role in
shaping history, such as former Secretaries of Defense and State, Congressmen,
and Senators.
40th Reunion Class Gift of Reconciliation Plaza at West Point Described on Web Site
Click here for pictures of Reconciliation Plaza. |
The Historical Marker Database is a web site providing information about many national monuments. Reconciliation Plaza, our Class Gift to West Point, is described in great detail.
The web site is well worth viewing at:
June Week 1961 and Related Activities from July 1961 Assembly Now Available Online
ASSEMBLYY Magazine and various other historical reports on a web site that allows you to access and download articles and information. Copies of ASSEMBLY from 1942-1993 are currently available. Click here for the archived issues of Assembly Click here for the Summer 1961 issue. You will find it very interesting. There may be a problem for some as the huge file is 72MB. |
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In Remembrance: Classmates can send their remembrances, comments, pictures to Sam Weiss and they will be edited for inclusion with the Last Roll Call Tribute for that person. Current Profiles In order to create a �Current Profile� for every member of the class, graduates and former members of 1961, we
need your input. If you are interested in participating, email your �vita� information to Sam Weiss
with photos in "jpg" format, if you can. If your profile is already online, check to make sure it is up-to-date and send us any changes or additions.
Prior Features In order to keep this page more current with items of interest to the Class, after a reasonable length of time items will be moved to the
PRIOR FEATURES Page (click here to go to them). If you have any announcements of interest to other Classmates, comments, questions, or suggestions, please
e-mail them to Sam Weiss. DISCLAIMER: This
private organization is a non-Federal entity organized by graduates of the
United States Military Academy. Non-Federal entities may not be endorsed by
the United States Army or the Department of Defense. As such, the views of
this private organization are not to be considered as the official views of
the United States Military Academy. |
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WEST POINT Long ago when this Country was new
We must find a place where young men can be
West Point was chosen as the place
They were taught to serve, and only then
Duty, Honor, Country for all time
By Joan Seibert
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Counters reset 30 June 2025 |