Notes from Panzer
By Lois Madden Kelly '56

Hal Lefcourt ’48 has been selected as general chair of the 50th Anniversary Celebration Committee of Levittown, Pa. (1952-2002). Pennsylvania Gov. Mark Schweiker serves as the honorary chair. Levittown is historically noted as “the first fully planned residential community in suburban America.”

Joe Bongiorno ’52 and his wife Dorothy celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary at the Sheraton Parsippany Hotel with family and friends. The Bongiorno children and their spouses presented Joe and Dorothy with a trip to Antigua. When not traveling, much of their time is divided between their home in Flemington, summers in Barnegat and winters in Naples, Fla. Congratulations, Joe and Dorothy.

Flo Felano ’53 is the first Special Olympics coach to receive the Interscholastic Coaches Hall of Fame Award. Flo’s group began with eight participants and now has 67 registered members ranging in age from 6 to 57 years. These Special Olympic athletes participate in the roller skating, basketball, bowling, bocce ball, and track and field activities. Recently Flo and her athletes attended a Women’s National Basketball Association game in Madison Square Garden, where the group sang the national anthem before an audience of more than 13,000 NY Liberty fans. Christine Crotty, who has sung the anthem at many events including three years at the State Summer Games, was the featured singer.

Now here’s a little Panzer College trivia
From 1918 to 1958 Panzer College in East Orange graduated about 1,430 men and women. As of this year, 698 are deceased, the location of 148 is unknown, and 583 of us are still “hanging in there.”

Of us, 115 are between the ages of 65 and 69, 281 are between 70 and 79 years of age and 187 are 80 to 90+.
It is not difficult to see why Panzer Notes has been dwindling. Therefore, the column will appear only when there is enough news, so please keep those updates coming.

It has been almost four years since Dr. Hazel Wacker retired from writing this column and asked if I would continue keeping our grads informed. It has been most enjoyable.

Remember, keep those letters coming in. Send news for Panzer Notes to Lois Madden Kelly, 28 Stag Trail, Fairfield, NJ 07004 or e-mail to ldkpanzer@aol.com. Please put “Panzer Notes” in the subject line.

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