Of loans, eye surgery, Africa

The talk at the monthly BJ Alums lunch at Papa Joe's restaurant included a major first loan, upcoming cataract surgery, a month-long visit to Africa and the "miracle" recovery from meningitis.

BJ Engraving retiree Pat Dougherty recalled the $4,200 loan he got from the Falls Catholic Credit Union from 1971-72 BJ State Desk reporter Paula Stone Tucker's dad, Paul. Pat bought a Volkswagen and a trailer home that he and wife Elizabeth lived in for 2 1/2 years -- behind the Midway Plaza shopping center off Brittain Road.

Paula's parents and Pat's parents were good friends for decades. Pat's dad was a BJ Engraver for years before Pat began working alongside his father at the Beacon. Pat's parents are deceased. Paula's parents Paul and Jane live in the Chambrel retirement complex in Montrose.

Pat is getting ready for cataract surgery on both eyes. Nearly everyone at today's lunch has had cataract surgery and expressed satisfaction with the results.

Pat's brother finally finished building an airplane inside his home, a project that took 2 1/2 years. He'll have to remove the wings temporarily to get the plane outside the building.

BJ Newsroom retiree Tom Moore said that he talked to former BJ sports editor Tom Giffen via Skype, the electronic contraption that lets you see the person on the phone. Giffen and his wife are in Africa for a month. Giffen runs the Roy Hobbs World Series for older baseball players in Florida every year, and Moore handles the daily newsletter and other chores for Giffen.

Tom Moore and wife Dot have their Akron home to themselves, now that daughter Caroline Moore Krack has gone back to Minnesota with her husband, John Krack. Tom says physicians describe Carolina's recovery -- other than some weakness on the right side -- from meningitis and a coma as "a miracle." Caroline was stricken in January and has been staying with Tom and Dot since her release from Summa's care.

Click on the headline for earlier stories on Tom Moore's daughter, Caroline.

Besides Pat Doughterty and Tom Moore, others at the BJ Alums lunch were retired printers Carl Nelson, Gene McClelland and Al Hunsicker and newsroom retiree John Olesky. Only the March lunch, which drew seven, had more in attendance in the past nine months.

The BJ Alums lunch is at 1 p.m. the second Wednesday of every month in Papa Joe's Restaurant on Akron-Peninsula Road and adjacent to Portage Trail Extension. Current or former BJ employees and their friends are welcome to show up for the food and conversation.