Share your memories of a friend or loved one who served our nation in the comments section here.
Memorial Day 2015 open thread
by Greg Reibman | May 22, 2015 | Newton | 4 comments
by Greg Reibman | May 22, 2015 | Newton | 4 comments
Share your memories of a friend or loved one who served our nation in the comments section here.
September 13, 2023
Men's Crib September 13, 2023 5:20 am
I’ll kick this off with a link to the TAB’s list of the 23 Newton residents who lost their lives in Vietnam.
We lost another of the Greatest Generation this week, a long time educator at Newton South and a legendary Track Coach.
Don Sutherland passed away last Thursday at age 91. He was a combat veteran of the Battle of the Bulge, a State Department operative to Argentina (he knew Che), and a History and Social Studies teacher for decades from the day Newton South opened (he taught at North for a year prior) to the late 80’s. He coached the first Newton South Baseball team and coached the track team to State Championships in the 60’s and many DualCountyLeague championships, coaching until retirement and then helping coach at Weston. Provocative, curious, concerned, he was an amazing character.
His stories ranged from his attempted romancing, in Rosario Argentina, of “Chicina”, Che Guevara’s girlfriend, to playing semi-pro baseball in Augusta Maine to the fighting in the Ardennes Forest in winter and his unit being the first to meet the Russians at the Elbe River.
I’m sorry that he was not healthy enough to bring to the Nomad Story Slam. He would have pinned our ears back!
Amazing stories, terrific, noble life. He will be missed.
Greg, the link in your comment seems to be not working.
I already mentioned in the prior thread the three people I knew, Richard Likely, James Rice and Peter Reidy, who gave their lives as a result of their service during the Vietnam War.
As with many people, who contribute on this thread, I have family members from multiple generations, who have served with distinction. My grandfather, father, brother, uncles, and cousins all have been my role models with their personal traits developed while serving our country.
My Boy Scout scoutmaster, Ed Bearfield, had a significant impact on my development. Ed served on PT boats during WWII. He came to Newton, married a wonderful Newton gal, Mary, and worked in the Craft Street city yard keeping the city vehicles on the road. During his tenure as scoutmaster for the troop at Our Lady Help of Christians, he inspired so many young Newton boys to achieve much including 17 of us, who earned the rank of Eagle Scout.
I hope we all take some time this weekend to remember all who have served, and thank the ones that are still among us.
Link fixed, thanks Patrick