Deaths
Al Celentano
Gloria Taylor's father
Carol Donahey's mother
Diane Restivo's father
Carole Hood's father
Joan Mohorn
Donald Anthony Kresechi
Winifred Lemkau Baechtel
Marguerite C. Doyle
Adrien M. Pryor
Lillian R. Bovelsh
Mararet Anne "Peggy" Wells
Robert Ott's father in law
David Greenberg
C. Ellen Engelhardt
Janet Balcer's mother
Pat Koehn's father
Retirements
Henry Drumheller
John Chlumsky
Bob Knauff
Kathi Harrison
Benzener Stallings
Carl Medura
Tom Tobin
Larry Alexander
Gwendolyn Hairston
Stacia Mobley
Retirement Celebration for Henry Drumheller
Recently, I attended the retirement celebration for Henry Drumheller. Henry worked at SSA for 49 years! Henry worked in my Title-II Branch for many years and was the Section Chief responsible for one of the most important Systems computer programs for SSA... RETAP. The celebration was held in the Headquarters Building and I spent a pleasant couple of hours recalling both fun times and stressful times with Henry, Dick Eckert, John Taylor and other "techies."
Howard County, Maryland Luncheon for SSA Retirees
I spent an enjoyable couple of hours today at a luncheon for SSA retirees, held at the China Legend retaurant in Howard County.. near the old Enchanted Forest location, for those who remember it.
A real nice guy named Don Stucky coordinates this luncheon on a periodic basis for retirees who reside mainly in Howard County, Maryland. I had talked to Don on a couple of occasions, but I had him mixed up with a Systems guy with the same name. This Don worked in Policy, and several of the attendees worked there as well.
Don gave me some time to introduce myself, tell a joke, give an update on the present state of the Woodlawn complex, and invite everyone to the SSA Alumni annual luncheon on May 19th at Snyders Willow Grove. I also invited everyone to accompany us on our annual crab feast in August on Kent Island. After filling our bellies with delicious crabs, we will go on a boat tour of the Annapolis harbor, where we can watch Plebes trying to raise sails on their little boats and become sailors.
The food at the restaurant was cheap, plentiful and delicious. Don provided everyone with a worksheet so that they could calculate what they owed. I had a little extra food so that I could bring something to Elaine.. and I calculated a price of $25. Somebody else, more mathematically astute than I, figured that I had miscalculated, and I was given a refund of $10. Hard to believe that so much food only cost $15.. and in upscale Howard County too!
Besides the food from the restaurant, Don Stucky provided an unbelievable assortment of cakes, cupcakes, fruit salads, and other goodies.... all at his own expense. Don certainly is a nice guy!
I had a great time. I knew a couple of the people there and I recognized people I had seen around the Woodlawn building for years.. and I made a lot of new friends... all in all, a very enjoyable day for me.
OK OK You talked me into it.. I will tell the joke that I mentioned:
Years ago, Mrs Astor (fabled society lady) wore around her neck, a Chinese circular piece of metal she had paid a fortune for at a jewelry shop. It was a beautiful thing, with a hole in the middle, and lots of Chinese characters engraved around the edges. She was very proud of this treasure.
For years, she had been curious about what the Chinese characters meant. She was sure it was something like: "The bearer of this amulet is a member of the aristocracy.".. or some such.
One day, at one of her famous soirees, the wife of the Chinese ambassador was in attendance. She met Mrs Astor and was staring at her necklace. Lady Astor asked her if she would tell her what the characters stood for. The ambassador's wife said that she would rather not say, but Mrs Astor insisted.
Madame ambassador reluctantly told her the meaning of the Chinese characters:
"ADMIT ONE TO THE HONG KONG BROTHEL"
