Eric Bunnell's People

By Eric Bunnell, St. Thomas Times-Journal
Friday June 10, 2005

More than 80 Alma College alumnae returned to St. Thomas on the weekend, the occasion being the 104th annual gathering of the ALMA COLLEGE INTERNATIONAL ALUMNAE ASSOCIATION.

The weekend included meals (dinner Friday at the Wharf in Port Stanley and Sunday brunch, as well, and Saturday evening at St. Thomas Golf and Country Club), merriment (a get-together at Sandam, the Union home of PATTI and the late FRANK SANDERS, a former Alma chairman) and, of course, many memories.

Farthest to return was HIROKO TOKUDA, from Tokyo, who was among the 50-year girls honoured during the course of the reunion. She attended with SHEILA (OWEN) BROGEN, of Toronto, her roomie at Alma. Their mothers had been roommates, as well. Alma traditions endure!

Hoki owns the Boston Cocktail Lounge in the Japanese capital ... it was as a jazz singer playing piano at a Hollywood bar that she met and became the fifth wife of author HENRY MILLER (Tropic of Cancer).

Last year’s reunion was in Toronto but the girls are back in our town to stay, it seems -- the Union golf club is booked for ‘06.