Southold-Peconic

COURTESY PHOTO
In remembrance
Members of the Southold High School Class of 1960 recently gathered for a 50-year reunion, and as part of the celebration planted a tree on school grounds memorializing their deceased classmates.

Summer is a spectacular time for a wedding. Bill and I had the privilege of attending the marriage of our neighbors, Kevin and Tina (Goldsmith) Quarty, last Friday on Shelter Island. Congratulations to them as they begin their new life together.

My daughter and I had a fun day on Block Island, traveling there via Rob Spitzenberg and Dave Brennan’s Peconic Star Express. If you’ve been thinking of visiting Block Island, this is a great way to go. Visit peconicstarfleet.com for details.

It was nice to hear from former Southold resident Lee Conte. She and her husband, Jim, relocated to New Jersey many years ago to be closer to their children and grandchildren. Lee was excited that son Michael Conte, D.M.D. (SHS Class of 1983), associate dean for clinical affairs at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey was granted a patent by the U.S. government for his safety syringe invention. Someday soon your own doctor or dentist may use Dr. Conte’s invention.

I have the utmost respect for all of the participants in the Mighty North Fork Triathlon, which took place early last Sunday morning. They trained hard, and battled heat, humidity, mosquitoes and jellyfish before many of us were even out of bed. Congratulations to everyone who competed.

Happy birthday to Deb Dibble on the 17th, Pauline Pharr on the 19th, Chris Gallagher and E.J. Flynn on the 20th and Lori Cariello on the 21st.

A reading and book signing by James Mauro, author of the new book “Twilight at the World of Tomorrow,” will take place July 21 at 7 p.m. at Southold Presbyterian Church. Call the Southold Historical Society office at 765-5500 to make a reservation.

A performance entitled ‘Water Poodles’ will be presented by the Edgar Cortes Dance Theater this Saturday, the 17th at Horton Point Lighthouse. Admission is $15 for adults; children under 12 are admitted free. Tickets are available at the gate.

Former Southolders Ed and Carol Andersen, now living in South Carolina, recently needed body doubles in their role as proud grandparents. The graduation of their granddaughter Nicole Van Bourgondien (daughter of Karen and Mark) from SHS was on the same day that the third child of their son John and his wife, Stacie, was expected to arrive back home in South Carolina. They decided to head to Long Island for the graduation and, of course, Dakota Joleigh arrived on June 23, while they were en route to Southold. Dakota was welcomed by siblings James and Abigail and her uncle Chris Andersen, who just returned from a mission trip to Honduras.

After all the excitement of graduation and a new baby in the family, Nicole packed up for orientation at Philadelphia University, where she will play soccer and study fashion industry management on an athletic/academic scholarship this fall.

Meanwhile, Chris (Van Bourgondien) Barbee and her husband, Doug, arrived from Virginia to visit family and celebrate the high school graduation of their daughter Carolyn. She will attend James Madison University in the fall.