CLASS OF 1942

Harlington Wood, Jr., Polo
Circuit Judge
U.S. Court of Appeals-7th Circuit
P.O. Box 299
Springfield, IL 62705-0299

UPDATE on Robert J. Roth Jr., Baseball '42: Robert and wife Betty retired in 1981 and moved from their home in Peoria, IL to their present home in Sun City West, AZ. Robert spend 35 years in the sales and sales management field in the St. Louis and Peoria areas. Previos to that he spent 4 years in the navy during which time he was a skipper of a Pt boat in the Aleutians, New Guinea and during the re-taking of the Philippines. He says "It was my pleasure to serve in all of these locations with former Illinois football letterman Robert Wehrli, who recently passed away."

Judge Harlington Wood, Jr., is working on Federal Courts of Appeal all over the Country. Due to his busy schedule and work load, Judge Wood has recently decided to retire as 1942 class representative. If anyone would be interested in serving as the new 1942 class contact, please call or email the Varsity "I" Association.

Happily, the early concerns about the possible premature demise of the class of "42" letter winners was, as we expected, totally wrong. In response to my individual letters some months ago to each of you, I had the following ten responses. It's not too late for others to respond, or for those who did to keep us up-to-date. Here's the news:

Friends Always...Tony Scariano, Illinois '42 and Mickey Sachs at the 55th Reunion for the Class of 1942 held in 1997.

Henry Sachs, Basketball '42 - The year 2000 includes his 55th wedding anniversary with his wife Mickey. They were married in 1945 upon his return from overseas duty. They also both celebrated their 81st birthdays. Together they have three children - Greg, Bruce, and Marianne. They have two grandchildren - Melissa and Mitchell. Their son Greg is Senior Vice President at CHase Manhattan Bank, while Bruce is in the mortgage business and Marianne is a special education teacher in the Chicago Public School System. As an Illini, Henry was a guard for Coach Doug Mills' squad and was sixth man behind the famed "Whiz Kids" during the 1941-42 season.

Golden Times...Henry and Mickey Sachs at their 50th Wedding Anniversary

John Holmstrom Jr., lettered in golf playing on the Big Ten Championship teams in 1940 and 1941. In 1942 he played with Jim McCarthy when Jim won the Big Ten individual golf championship. After the 18th hole, John spent over 3 years in the Army Signal Corps. After the war, he returned to Illinois Law School and received his J.D. degree in 1948. He is now senior partner in the firm of Holmstrom & Kennedy, P.C. in Rockford, Illinois, a firm of 15 or more lawyers. John continues to play golf with some familiar Illini names, Gene Vance, Bob Eisner, Dave Miller, and Dick Wolfley. One of John's partners was Alex Welsh who had won the Big Ten individual title in 1941. John's firm is located at 800 N. Church Street, P.O. Box 589, Rockford, Illinois 61105. Telephone number is (815) 962-7071. Fax number is (815) 962-7181.

The next response I received, unfortunately, was a sad one. Marvin Brewer of Hot Springs, Arkansas writes that his dad, Billy R. Brewer, "Gabby", died in March 1997 in Sebring, Florida. Gabby lettered in baseball and kept up his interest in the game by umpiring. He was also an active golfer during his retirement years and organized a golfing association in Florida. Gabby always took great personal pleasure in being able to help others. There are two grandchildren, Kirk Brewer and Stephanie Speckman, children of Marvin. We all extend our sympathy to "Gabby's " family. Marvin Brewer's address is 369 Kyler, Hot Springfield, AR 71913.

Bill Derrig spent 35 years as a chiropractor.

Dr. William J. Derrig, B.S. D.C. lettered in water polo. Had I gone out for water polo instead of horse polo I would have drowned my freshman year, but Bill didn't. He left school in February 1942 to enlist in the Navy. After four years of service he was discharged as a Lt. Commander. His success continued with a 35-year career as a Chiropractor. In 1987 on a visit back to Chicago, he discovered he had enough credits to graduate in spite of having left school to join the Navy, so in 1981, 45 years later, he graduated from the University of Illinois. I'm not sure now whether or not he is really in our Class of 42, but we claim him anyway.

Bill and his wife now live in a senior community in San Marcos just north of San Diego. Their address is Dr. and Mrs. William J. Derrig, B.S., D.C., 2010 West San Marcos Blvd. #159, San Marcos, CA 92069.

Charles Schiller lettered in baseball in 1942 and could probably still make the team. He left school for four years in the Navy Seabees. Then followed eight years railroading on the Denver Rio Grand RR followed by 29 years with Dow Chemical Company. During this time he lived in seven different states retiring in Arizona, the 8th state. No wonder we couldn't catch up with him. Chuck has been happily married for 52 years. They have a son and daughter-in-law teaching school in New Orleans, and a daughter and son-in-law with two children in Sacramento. His daughter is a lawyer doing appellate work. Chuck only retired a little bit. He golfs several days a week, and reads for the blind another day. On another day he delivers "Meals on Wheels," and spends another as Ambassador at the Visitor's Center. So that's retirement? Chuck's address is: 14123 W. Circle Ridge Dr., Sun City West, AZ 85375.

O. Landis Hurley, I believe lettered in golf and continues to play. His coach would be proud of him as he is still golfing, swimming, fishing, riding his bike and walking a lot and gardening. He married Illini Mariam Sheperd in 1947. Son Steve and daughter Mariam have presented them with five grandchildren. Landis received his B.S. in Chemical Engineering in 1942 and put that degree to work at Standard Oil (Ind now BP) Amoco, working in refineries in Whiting, IN, Salt Lake City, Texas City, TX, Savannah, GA, and in company headquarters in Chicago. After 40 years he retired in 1982. The address is 23 Romerly Rd., Savannah, GA, 31411, but note this: that address is really at the Landings on Skidaway Island, which is just south of Savannah.

Bob and Mary Jane Starck were married in 1945.

Robert Starck lettered in track and has been running ever since. In the spring of 1942 he joined the Army Air Corps with his first assignment at Randolph Field, San Antonio, TX. After four years, the Corps tried to bribe him with a promotion to Lt. Col. but the war was over and he met somebody who helped change his mind. He met a Texan, Mary Jane Park, who had been a Theta at Washington University in St. Louis. They married in 1945. They have two children and four grandchildren, two of whom are married. Bob took his marketing degree and put it to use during a career in sales management, advertising, and real estate brokerage residing then in Woodstock, IL and Mt. Prospect, IL. When he retired in 1980 he was President/CEO Starck & Co., Realtors. He turned the now twelfth office firm over to son, Andy. Andy had passed the bar in Texas and Illinois, but came back to head the expending firm. Andy recently hiked the one hundred-mile Wilderness portion of the Appalachian Trail, but his dad could have run all the way. Bob's retirement has been active. He's been President of the Austin Chapter SAR with 180 members. He inducted Governor George W. Bush into the SAR, but the Governor's attendance record has not been too good lately. Among other interests Bob is active in Rotary, weekly senior golf tournaments, other civic organizations, their church, and children and grandchildren, along with a ranch to look after. He and Mary Jane expect to attend the 60th class reunion in Champaign so watch for them. Their address is Mr. and Mrs. Robert W. Starck, 2404 Wing Foot, Austin, TX 78747. Their telephone is (512) 282-1018.

Dr. Irving Kagen lettered in wrestling and probably could have been elected Governor somewhere, but instead went on to the University of Illinois College of Medicine, receiving a M.D. Following an internship at Cook County Hospital and twelve years of general practice in DeKalb, IL, he took a residency in psychiatry and is now practicing psychiatry in downtown Chicago. I may need his help one of these days. His address is Irving Kagen, M.D., 30 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60602. His phone is (312) 726-9130.

Dave Dillon lettered in basketball and now the Bulls are trying to recruit him, but he and his wife are too busy with golf, looking after their grandchildren who are also athletes, church activities, and visiting with shut-ins. Dave and his wife spend the summer in Troy, OH, but the other six months in Florida. Here is the address: Mr. Dave Dillon, 1202 Stephenson Dr., Troy, OH 45373-1567.

I hope our readers find the notes we are receiving from Varsity "I" friends to be interesting, but if we haven't heard from you yet please drop us a line and bring us up to date about you and your family.

Hi to my polo teammates, Elm Stone and Waldo Herron whose California addresses I reported previously.

Thanks and Best Wishes

-- Harlington Wood, Jr. - Polo '42

The Varsity "I" Association would like to locate the following people:

Wayne McKibbin, Ice Hockey
Robert McCrackin, Polo Robert Mikesell, Polo Manager
William Lewis, Track

If anyone has any information on them, please let the class contact or the Varsity "I" Association staff [(312) 575-7851] know, so their records can be updated, and they can keep in touch with their classmates.

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CLASS OF 1942

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