Dear MSO Retirees,
I hope by now you are enjoying some of the May flowers those April showers promised. Here in Kauai we’ve been enjoying many orchid, bougainvillea, and anthurium displays, and the plumeria are just beginning to blossom. As beautiful as all these are, it would still be wonderful to have the smell of lilacs or hyacinth wafting through the air. The grass is always greener…..
May has also ushered in quite a few birthdays. Steve Colburn will be celebrating a Diamond Jubilee on May 8th!! Judy Koch Hagen enjoys cake and ice cream on May 15th, followed by Danis Kelly on May 17th, John Lounsbery on May 21st, and Liz Tuma on May 27th. Best wishes to all of you on this special day!
Belated birthday wishes must go to Paul Mehlenbeck who celebrated on April 29th. Paul posted-
I had a great day. While there was no ride, I did have lunch with my lovely wife. We also Face Timed with my granddaughter and my son and daughter-in-law.
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You may remember that Angela Fuller was married in February. Anne sent a few photos and the following note-
Angela and Joe are both big Disney fans so they went to Disney World in Orlando. Angela and Joe were both so happy at the wedding. They were laughing with joy throughout the ceremony!….and the whole day! No serious pictures cause Angela said they just couldn’t stop smiling and laughing. It was a magical day for me too. And so wonderful having our MSO friends there, thinking about wonderful Fred. They commented how they really felt Fred’s presence during the ceremony!! Particularly in the joy and laughter of it all. Fred’s sister and brother came from NH. (One brother couldn’t make it) One other interesting note about the wedding….the flowers are all made of wood!!
Yes, those flowers are WOOD! Anne explained that the flowers and colors Angela wanted were very hard to find in February, so she found someone on Etsy who made these beautiful blossoms.
Dennis Najoom, Judy Ormond, and Dennis’s wife, Jenny.
Andrea Wagoner, Liz Tuma, Anne Sczygiel, and Linda Siegel.
The MSO Table: Andrea, Dennis and Jenny, Roger Ruggeri, Judy, Liz, and Linda with her friend Gary.
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Sara and Dale Harmelink attended the First Communion of their granddaughter Amelia.
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Dottie Diggs is off to France again to spend some time in her beloved Giverny. Before returning to Milwaukee, she’ll enjoy Door County.
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Looks like the cello section, both old and new players, had a get-together at a Brewers game.
First Row- Lewis Rosove and Adrien Zitoun. Second Row- Liz Tuma and hubby John with Peter Thomas and Madeleine Kabat (I think). Third Row – Greg Mathews.
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When not attending weddings and ballgames, Judy Ormond and Liz Tuma have been busy trying to save the century old oak trees along the Milwaukee River due to be destroyed in the rebuilding of the Kletzsch Park dam. On Arbor Day they helped with a special environmental event at the Park. Their efforts seem to be having serious impact on final decisions.
Liz has her own oak tree?
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Found Janet Millard doing Tai Chi with friends at Roadrunner Park.
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A friend of our MSO Percussionists Linda Siegel and Joe Conti, posted the following on Facebook.
I am very proud of the careers my dear friends have had: from left Linda, Milwaukee Symphony…Bill, Honolulu Symphony followed by his love the Royal Hawaiian Band…Joe, Milwaukee Symphony and monster drumset player….me (Paul Berns), Indianapolis Symphony.
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Bonnie Peterson was busy these last weeks playing with the Tucson Symphony in their final concert of the season and completing her training to become a docent for the Tucson Museum of Art. Congratulations, Bonnie!
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Rick and Margaret Metzger enjoyed a meal with the family.
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Karen Smith wrote to tell me of a TEDTalk that Neal Gittleman had done a bit ago that included a mention of Don Haack. It took a while to find, not being a regular “talk” but a TEDx independently organized event. If you care to listen to Neal’s presentation, The Power of Silence, you will find it at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ec9GyxEUGec. I did listen, but must admit I skipped Neal’s performance of John Cage’s 4’33”. I’ve heard the work before.
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What do you call a gathering of violists? MSO Retirees Larry Sorenson, Norma Zehner, David Taggart, and Wei-Ting Kuo, Robert Levine, Helen Reich, Nathan Hackett, and Beth Breslin backstage after a performance of Brahm’s German Requiem.
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Dennis Najoom and his group, Little Lake Stompers, performed with the MSO in ACE programs.
That is it for this installment. Please send your news along. All of us would love to hear from you.
Wishing you and your families all the best.
Andrea
Taken from a Facebook posting- At the Estonian State Opera parking lot.
OLOMA65 