Class of ’60 Civil Engineering Reunion

Author: Engineering Alumni Office

Posted on Jul 3, 2019

Category:

UNB Class of 60 Civil Engineers

Back row left to right: John Di Diodato, Wilma Shephard (wife of the late Herb Shephard), Richard Boissonnault and wife Gloria, Ted Bremner, Joan Schatz (wife of the late Fritz), Gloria and Jack Davis, Don Betts (in front), Tom Carney, Jim Nason
Front row left to right: Peter Jolly, Carl Reynolds, John and Corita Belyea
Missing from photo: Gil and Anne Oldham

The class of ’60 UNB civil engineers has been reuniting every single year since 2007, and recently got together for two sunny days in late June in Fredericton.

Thirteen years ago, John Ferris suggested to Peter Jolly that they should get together like the class of 1958 had been doing, and an annual tradition was struck. The class hadn’t really kept in touch all that much since they had graduated, but that first reunion was a hit: they had 34 people attend that first year and for quite a few since – having no less than an 85% class attendance!

This year, 10 classmates plus spouses gathered for two days of planned gatherings. They came from all over– Richard Boissonault and his wife Gloria travel from Campbellton every year; Carl Reynolds from PEI and Don Betts from Ontario.

Don Betts said he’s “happy to travel to see the boys in my class.” When in N.B. he also heads up to Millerton (near Miramichi) to see his old homestead, which his nephew from New York City has now moved in to and works at. “I really like that we meet once a year instead of every five years at this point. It’s easier to keep up with what everyone is doing and catch up.”

Don, whose brothers John and Dave also graduated from UNB, left New Brunswick after graduating for a job at Bell Canada. He never returned to NB, save for trips home and, for the last thirteen years, for the annual reunion. “I feel like I have a real connection to UNB because of my class and the efforts we’ve made to get together. It’s wonderful.”