John Speese III

Current Home City: North Augusta, South Carolina

Your College: Agriculture & Life Sciences

Email Address: sherrispeese@comcast.net

Tell us what you’re doing with your life:
After Cornell, I studied in Germany for two years. Upon returning to the states, my family moved from the Philadelphia area to the Eastern Shore of Virginia, where I met my wife Sherri. I put my entomology degree from Cornell to use working at the Eastern Shore Agricultural Research and Extension Center owned by Virginia Tech. In 2005 with advancing age and not serious but none the less debilitating health problems I decided to take another path and put my language skills to use by becoming a freelance translator. That year we also sold our home on the Eastern Shore and moved to the Augusta Georgia area. Last summer we moved just across the Savannah River to a more affordable and easier to manage place in North Augusta, South Carolina.

In what year did you last set foot on the Ithaca campus, and what was the purpose of your visit?
Haven’t been back since graduation

List your favorite class(es) while at Cornell.
Dr. Cliff Berg’s bionomics of freshwater invertebrates (which may now be taught by Bobbie Piekarski), Dr. Marks and Dr. Feeny’s ecology, and basic French, which I aced! Highest score in the class…no doubt inspired me to keep learning French and become a translator.

Which piece of information or advice did you pick up while a student at Cornell that has been useful in the past 40 years?
First became a Christian and started going to church while at Cornell.

Which piece of advice or information turned out to be completely WRONG?
As some others have also said, that winter ends in Ithaca! I remember Dr. Sheldrake saying in his vegetable production class that Ithaca has 4 seasons: early winter, mid winter, late winter, and next winter! I hate winter to this very day!

Provide your favorite memory of your time at Cornell.
Had some great times at the Noyes Center Pub on Friday nights. Like many others, I loved places like Flat Rock and the Fall Creek Gorge.

Tell us about the most interesting things you’ve done since 1977.
Nothing earth-shaking, but have had (and still do have) a wonderful marriage and family, as a whole done fine professionally, have always had enough…and that’s all I’ve ever asked for.

Please provide some items from your Bucket List.
I’d like to be invited to dinner at Miss Kay’s and the rest of the Robertson’s (of Duck Dynasty fame) down in Monroe Louisiana!

Share any random or surprising encounters with Cornell or Cornellians since you left.
Haven’t run into any; the world is a big place and here in the South, most folks I know attended the southern schools.

What advice would you give to a member of the Class of 2019?
In your freshman year, resist to some degree to take nothing but the required courses. It is tempting to get those over with fast, at least it was for me, but I didn’t enjoy my freshman year. Like many others I’m sure, the thought of Baker Hall still gives me chills! Even though it might take you a little longer to get the requirements out of the way, try to take something your freshman year that you are really interested in and will enjoy.

Do you have a favorite memory from a Class of 1977 reunion?
Never been to one

What are you looking forward to at our 40th reunion in June, 2017?
Don’t know whether I’ll make it.

Posted in Clara Dickson Hall, Noyes Center Pub.