Tom Ackiss:

Celebrating our 50^th high school reunion brings to mind the old saying “If I had known I was going to live this long I would have taken better care of myself”. Actually I have been very lucky in that respect and hope that you have enjoyed the same. Ann (Lyon – Class of ’59) and I celebrated our 45^th wedding anniversary this summer – she’s still my favorite cheerleader. We have two daughters, Emily and Amanda. Although I have degrees in architecture, I had a career change about 30 years ago, and have spent the succeeding years in the ship repair business. I plan to slip into retirement over the course of the next year or so, and look forward to some new adventures. Considering those good old days, what do I miss? - Eating a deluxe cheeseburger without feeling guilty; rock and roll music with really simple lyrics (Peggy Sue, Peggy Sue..); a time when one pair of tennis shoes and a pair of penny loafers constituted a complete footwear wardrobe. What do I not miss? – Black and white television; rotary dial phones; parent-imposed curfews (we just doze off much earlier on our own now). What do I look forward too? - Retirement; making a bucket list and acting on it; having time to spend with friends, to paint, to play music, sip wine, hike in the woods and wake up every morning with both nothing and everything to do. Wishing all of you the best.