Diantha Hawkes Grant
12B Trues Point Road
New Gloucester, ME 04260
(904) 860-3550
dondigrant@gmail.com
facebook.com/groups/UMaineClass1974/
As I write on this day of Maine statehood, March 15, it’s really cold. Don and I regained our Maine residency and actually enjoyed the winter. It was seven degrees with a wind chill of minus 12 this morning. The beauty of a Maine winter, especially on our lake, is pretty amazing. I’ve been able to watch our pair of bald eagles every day and keep our chickadees and titmice fat and happy with sunflower seeds, not to mention the pesky squirrels. We are looking forward to spring and summer, but it also brings the black flies and mosquitoes. And let’s all hope that life will get back to normal in the not-too-distant future. Now for the news.
Anthony Anderson has made a name for himself in the arts world. Last summer he juried an art show titled “Land and Sea” for Rivers Arts in Damariscotta. He is the founder and publisher of Maine Gallery + Studio Guide that is celebrating its 21st anniversary. He believes the Maine art scene is second to none and his mission is to promote and advance it. Anthony’s degree was in communications. He and his wife, Suzanne, live on the water at Lucerne-in-Maine.
Stan Hill reports that he retired from W.D. Matthews in Auburn after 42 years. Stan, who lives in Turner, ME, also retired from L.L. Bean’s 2nd shift in November 2019 after 13 years. He is now a proud grandfather; his granddaughter was born in December.
Dave Halligan ’79G is back in the news! He was named the National Federation of State High School Associations boys’ soccer Coach of the Year for the 2019-2020 school year. His Falmouth High School team won the 2019 Class A boys’ soccer title. This is the second time in Dave’s coaching career he has been named a national Coach of the Year. In 1998 he earned the honor from the United Soccer Coaches. His comment on the award: “It’s humbling. It really is. Sometimes you do things, and you don’t know if anyone notices. But this honor means we’ve been surrounded by a lot of good people. It’s a program award because if you don’t have a solid program, good kids, good administration, good parents, good community, you don’t win things like this. And it’s a cumulative effect. It’s what you’ve done for a number of years.”
Congratulations, Coach!
After a long career in the newspaper world, as a prolific and curious historian, and as the face of Bangor City Hall, Richard “Dick” Shaw has retired. On January 25, Dick was recognized by the Bangor (ME) City Council with a proclamation naming him Bangor’s honorary historian along with a key to the city.
Dick’s true love is history and he has written eight books about the history of Bangor and other eastern Maine towns. Clearly his work as an editorial assistant at the Bangor Daily News gave him access to a wealth of newspaper clippings. His home is full of carefully assembled and archived clippings, photographs, and manuscripts. Dick credits his mother for his love of history for the many day trips they took to explore historical sites. He was destined to be a history teacher, but the impact of a professor steered him on a new journey. Later he was mentored by James Vickery ’50, ’93 Hon. LHD, also a Bangor historian, who generously shared his knowledge of Maine history.
Enjoy your retirement!
We were notified by Dave Peterson ’73 about the death of Lawrence “Larry” Morris, Ph.D. He passed away on February 24, 2021 from cancer. Larry taught in the forestry and soils department at the University of Georgia and was an inspiration and mentor to many. Dave commented, “I remember Larry for his optimism, goofy sense of humor, and endless energy. While he loved his all-the-time cups of coffee, he didn’t need the caffeine.” Larry was a member of Sigma Nu fraternity and ran indoor and outdoor track. If anyone is interested, his family is setting up a GoFundMe to create a scholarship in his name at the Warnell School of Forest Resources at the University of Georgia. You can search it by going to the GOFUNDME site and searching Fundraiser for Sue Morris.
Our condolences to Larry’s family.
That’s all the news. Stay safe. Remember your alma mater in your charitable giving. Go Blue!