RE Log Fall 2016

FALL 2016 Ransom Everglades LOG 47 families coping with the unexpectedness of autism in order to identify challenges, facilitate solutions and educate for desir- able results. Through their work, individu- als such as their son Jonathan, a senior at Palmetto High School in Miami, have success stories to share. Jonathon has been invited to give a TED Talk in Coral Gables. Jim continues to be grateful for his connection to Ransom School and faculty member Dan Bowden. He and Patti attended the Class of 1966 Reunion last year, and will take an active role in the Class of 1967 50-Year Reunion in April 2017. He recently attended Mr. Bowden’s poetry reading at The Palace in Coral Gables. 1969 Kai Jelstrom writes “celebrated 66th birthday this June and I am blessed with good health and a 36th wedding an- niversary! Still ‘working’ after all these years! Thirty-six years as a food broker in Florida. Call on Food Service Distributors and Operators all over Florida. Enjoy meeting people at trade shows from Miami to Jacksonville and Tampa to Naples. I have a home office in Orlando where my wife Anna and I enjoy taking our grandson to Disney parks frequently. Two daughters successful at careers in voice-over acting and trade show model- ing and expositions! Outside interests in home remodeling, exercise, weather, local traveling in the SE and serving others in Jesus’ name!” 1970 Steve Pearson writes about the 2016 Alumni Weekend that “it was great to reconnect with classmates that could at- tend, and I think this year’s joint reunion of the Ransom classes of ’70 and ’71 was a real success. Special thanks to Mark and Nat Harrison for hosting a fun party at their ranch as an additional activity to the dinner. Wishing all of you happiness and good health.” 1971 Arthur “Artie” Unger is a partner with one of South Florida’s premier accounting the first African-American student at Ransom, paved the way for further changes the following year: the Ransom School and Everglades School for Girls began their merger to become Ransom Everglades School by 1975. Bill Walker’s latest novel, Abe Lincoln On Acid, was released on July 1, 2016. It is the sequel to the bestselling novel, Abe Lincoln: Public Enemy No. 1. Here’s a sneak peek at the book: “There are whispers even now that Abraham Lincoln never really died, that a voodoo spell cursed him with a terrible eternal life … But the truth is even stranger than the rumors ... Watched over by a vengeful J. Edgar Hoover and held in a secret location near his old Springfield home, Lincoln re- awakens in the 1960s, and finds himself thrust into an era even more turbulent than the Depression…” Everglades School for Girls 1963 Judy Walker McGuirt reports that her daughter, Jamey, served on the char- ter-flight crew that took the Denver Broncos to the 2016 Super Bowl in Santa Clara, Calif. The Broncos beat the Carolina Panthers, 24-10. Thelma Gabler Rohan writes, “My husband Michael and I are trying to find some of the sleep that we lost at the Republican National Convention last week in Cleveland. What a time we had making history with all of the Florida delegates. To be chosen one of 99 in the state is a won- derful honor. This was a dream-come-true experience for a lifelong political junky. When I’m not politicking, I enjoy watch- ing our third generation grow. We have the blessings of eight grandchildren and they all live in PC. We have seven hand- some boys and one beauty of a girl.” firms, Mallah Furman, where he started as an intern in 1973. Working his way up the chain of command, Artie was admitted into the partnership in 1988. In November 2015, the partners of Mallah Furman finalized a strategic merger with EisnerAmper, one of the country’s top 20 accounting, tax and consulting firms. Mergers take lots of hard work and time; however, that didn’t stop Artie from planning many adventures with his be- loved family. From attending the installa- tion of the Christo Floating Piers project in Lake Iseo, Italy, with his 90-year-old mom and four generations of Ungers, to a fam- ily reunion at the Unger family camp com- pound located in Closter, N.J., the Ungers always look for opportunities to play together. Artie also invests countless hours in civic involvement working with Mount Sinai Medical Center Foundation; Miami Jewish Health Systems; City of Miami Beach; Business Network International; and Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce. Artie’s daughter, Samantha Unger Katz ’97 , is also a graduate of Ransom Everglades. Unfortunately, none of the grandkids are local so they can’t take advantage of the RE legacy that Artie and Samantha so proudly cherish. 1972 Gary McKart writes that he still works for Lee County as the Preventive Maintenance Coordinator. He is in the second year of the Florida Retirement Drop program; his last day is January 30, 2020. Last year, he traveled to the Dreams Mayan Riviera Hotel to attend his niece’s wedding, then went on to Vancouver, B.C., to visit the happy couple. He finished that trip with five nights on the famous river walk in San Antonio, Tex. 1974 Justice Wendell Graham won reelection as a county judge in the Aug. 30, 2016, election. He served on the RE Board of Trustees from 1985- 88. Wendell,