Part XVII

MY LIFE STORY

A BUSY RETIREMENT

(continued)

(2018 - 2019)

The year 2018 began with Francine and I attending a surprise birthday party for a friend of ours at The Estancia Club.  It turns out that the  party was for Francine who  was very surprised!  I invited about 30 family members and close friends who congratulated and even roasted her a bit.

Francine, Her 74^th Surprise Birthday Party

Jim, Francine, Neal, Beverly, Allan, Colin And Mike (Colin’s Employee In Background)

A winter visit to IA and MN -

In January Colin again attended the Barret Jackson Auto Auction in Scottsdale displaying his merchandise and meeting existing and prospective customers.  In early February, Francine and I travelled to MN to catch up with her daughter, Heather and family, and for me to meet Brian and attend Superbowl LII between The Patriots and The Philadelphia Eagles.  The weather was bitterly cold however the new Minneapolis Vikings indoor stadium was cozy and packed.  Unfortunately, The Patriots did  not play well and the Eagles won the game.  Francine dined with her daughter and family while Brian and I attended the game. 

The next day, Francine and I drove to Ames to visit with her grandson, Benjamin  and for some Acacia meetings.  However, the weather was horrible and driving to Ames was torturous.  As we approached the turn off from I-35 onto Hwy. 30 into Ames, the traffic was slowed considerably.  We were fortunately able to reach the intersection and made the turn.  After checking into the motel, a bit later we turned on the TV only to learn that there was a horrific 70 some vehicle traffic pile up at the very intersection we had used and the intersection was closed for hours.  We were very thankful that we had arrived safely.  We planned to meet my nieces Kindra and Kyla and nephew Keith along with Barry and Denise, and Benjamin for dinner, however only Keith, Denise and Benjamin made it.  Fortunately, Francine and I were easily able to make our flight out of Des Moines to Phoenix the following afternoon.  It was not one of our best trips!

In February, Brian and Mike and their  families traveled to Tanzania to climb Mountain Kilimanjaro.  They had been training for this rugged hike for months.  It was on Brian and Mike’s bucket list.  They all successfully summited with the sole exception of Mandy who was unable to make it for health reasons.  It was a fantastic trip for all.

L to  R, F to B:  Ali, Mike, Guide, Adam, Brian, Kevin, Mandy, Madi, Madi’s friend, Nicole, Brad, Andrew And Courtney

Sister Nancy nearly every winter travelled to the Phoenix Valley to visit with her and Neal’s very good friend Betty Cox.  She and Nancy taught school in Rochester, MN in 1965 and  in Kwajalein for several years starting in 1966.  Betty spends most of the year in Rochester, but winters in Mesa, AZ.   Whenever Nancy comes to the valley we all get together.   Here are our three sisters in one of their best last pictures taken in March 2018.  Nancy died two months later of pancreatic cancer.

Janie, Nancy and Beverly

In mid-March we again joined other local and visiting ISU Acacians for our now annual ISU Acacia Arizona reunion.  It was held  near Bruce Campbell’s rented home in Sun City West at the Palmbrook Country Club.  Easter was early this year and again we hosted the Hoffmans, including Gloria Mauer and Beverly and Allan at The Estancia Club.

In April, Judy and Dick visited Nancy, Neal, Janie, Jamie, Justin, Jill, Danny and their daughters in WA state.  Nancy was unfortunately nearing the end of her life and final battle with cancer.  Jamie or Danny took this picture.

L to R, F to B:  Elise, Nora, Judy, Nancy, Janie, Jill, Dick, Neal and Justin

Fran and I traveled to New York in April to help Lindsey and Lewis celebrate Lewis’ 39^th birthday.

Sister Nancy Eileen Davis McLemore dies -

We lost Nancy on May 6^th to her valiant battle with pancreatic cancer, which was her fifth bout with three different cancers – breast, myeloma and pancreatic.   I guess she was our family’s designated cancer patient  - in addition to dad’s prostate cancer.

L to R:  Jackson - Colin’s Twin Son, Raynee - Colin’s Wife, Cody - Colin’s Other Twin Son, Kevin - Neal’s Oldest Son, Nicole - Brandon’s Wife, Brandon - Shaun’s Son, Neal, Colin, Melissa - Shaun’s Daughter, Shaun - Neal’s Oldest Son And Lori  - Shaun’s Wife

 A month later as many of our family that could, gathered for Nancy’s memorial.   Neal’s immediate family gathered on his home’s front steps for the family picture. I attended her memorial service and spent several days thereafter with Neal, staying with him and helping him deal with the myriad of paperwork following the loss of a loved one.  Neal handled Nancy’s death with grace and dignity.  He continues to live alone in their house as this is  being written.   

Flying home from Seattle we had a fantastic view of Mount Rainer.

Mt. Rainer

Kim and Dave made a quick trip to visit us in Scottsdale in mid-May as David had a business meeting  here. In late May, Brian and family visited us for some golf at Estancia and family visiting.

L to R:  Nicole, Brad, Andrew, Jim, Francine, Brian, Kevin, Mandy And Adam

They all helped me remove the trash from Dynamite Blvd in a Sunday AM outing. Thoughts of Cindie were ever present as we spent another two hours together, remembering her and how much she meant to each of us.

L to R:  Jim, Brian, Nicole, Adam, Kevin, Mandy, Andy and Brad

Brett and his future wife, Judy Zhou, graduate from UCLA with MBAs -

On June 15^th, Brett and Judy, now his wife, graduated from UCLA with their MBAs.  Kim and Dave flew to Los Angeles, CA to attend their commencement.  Then they all boarded a redeye flight to Boston and drove to Portland to attend Courtney and Andrew’s wedding.

Brett And Judy Zhou

Andrew and Courtney Marry -

Courtney and Andrew were married in a wonderful ceremony at a rural wedding destination near Portland, ME. The wedding was proceeded by a wonderful dinner and social gathering the night before at a nearby farm turned entertainment venue hosted by the bride and groom’s family.  The outdoor wedding was held in a garden perfectly groomed for weddings. Fortunately, most of Andrew’s family were able to attend the wonderful wedding. There simply are too many attendees to identify all of them in the photograph below.  The reception following the wedding was joyous and action filled.

Concurrently, Rich Davis was having his retirement party celebrating his 26 years as an officer in the U.S. Navy.  He retired as a Captain.  The U.S. Navy officer retirement parties are a significant event.  We are very sorry we missed it as we also missed his dad’s retirement party from the Navy also as a Captain with 26 years of service.  Several of our family members who attended Andy and  Courtney’s wedding  also attended Rich’s retirement celebration and then flew from Washington, D.C. to Portland, ME!

In July, Francine and I travelled to Los Angeles, CA to visit our sister-in-law Lee Swanson, her daughter Lynn and Lynn’s husband David.  We also caught up with grandson Brett for a great dinner.  We visited and dined with our good friends Debbie and Gary Hourihan, who lived in Pasadena, CA most of the year, although they had a home in Estancia.  They toured us around their part of Southern CA and visited their sons and families’ homes.  The highlight was a visit to the Ronald Reagan Library in Simi Valley, CA the home of his beloved ranch. The Library visit that I will always remember.  It was simply fantastic.  

The Reagan Library

L to R:  Jim, Lynn, David, Francine and Lee

Late in August, we hosted Beverly and Allan on a very scenic train ride through the central AZ mountains.  It was a fun day to be out of doors. 

Jackson started kindergarten this August.

Jackson starts school

In early September, Fran and I traveled to Pittsburg to help Emerson and family celebrate her 2^nd birthday.

Emerson’s Second Birthday

Francine and I travel to Spain, with Brian, Jill, Dave and Kim -

In October we traveled to Spain.  Neither Francine nor I had been to Spain or Portugal.  We were celebrating Kim’s 60^th birthday and she picked Spain as the place she wanted to tour.  Brian and Jill had been to Spain; however, they were anxious to go again. Fran and I had a connecting flight from Phoenix to Barcelona, Spain via Philadelphia on American Airlines.  Unfortunately, there was bad weather in Philadelphia and our plane was delayed in landing.  Finally, we landed only minutes prior to the departure of our flight to Barcelona.  However, we were first off our plane and the Barcelona flight’s gate was not far away.  I ran ahead with my and Francine’s carryon luggage and got to the gate just as they were ready to close the door.  I convinced them to give us another few minutes until Francine caught up with me.  We boarded the flight and departed for Spain.  Francine did not enjoy the flight as she was absolutely convinced that our checked luggage was not on our plane and we did not know when it would catch up with us!  Other than that, the flight was uneventful and we arrived in Barcelona on time early the next morning.  We disembarked the plane and headed for baggage claim and immigration control.  When we reached the baggage claim, there were our four suitcases waiting for us!  We were both relieved.  We caught up with Kim, Dave, Jill and Brian at the hotel and prepared to tour Barcelona.

Fran and Jim On A Barcelona Street

One of the first places we toured was the Guell Palace.  It was originally a home for a very rich Barcelona business man who commissioned the famous architect Gaudi to design and build the house. Gaudi was relatively young at the time and just beginning his career.  It is a fantastic building with stunning interior rooms.

Guell Palace

The Entrance To Guell Palace

The Guell Palace Roof Is A Magnificent Art Display.

We enjoyed a driving tour of the city, including the waterfront which was the location of the 1992 Summer Olympics.  The next day we had a priority tour of the very famous Sagrada Familia a huge Basilica originally designed by Gaudi with construction begun in 1882.  As of about ten years ago the projected completion date was about 2050, however, with the increased tourism traffic and visitor’s fees it is now expected that it may be completed by 2026!  It is currently the largest unfinished Roman Catholic church.  It simply must be seen to appreciate the architecture, size and beauty of this church which is projected to be the largest Basilica in the world – and probably the most beautiful. One could spend all day in this structure and still not see all there is to see inside and outside this exceptional building - soon to be a Basilica.  The exterior is nearly finished however, much of  the interior is yet to be completed. 

The Sagrada Familia - Architect’s Rendering

The Sagrada Familia Exterior View In 2018

The Sagrada Familia, An Interior View

The Sagrada Familia, An Interior View

The Sagrada Familia, An Interior View

We also spent considerable time in the Guell Parc a huge park on the outskirts of Barcelona named for the same business man who had the Guell Palace built.  This Parc had several buildings and features designed by Gaudi.  We also toured the Cathedral of Barcelona and several other Gaudi designed buildings.  It was a full three days of tours in Barcelona. 

From Barcelona we traveled by train to Madrid.  Madrid was a disappointment to me.  The only memorable attraction was the Prado Museum.  A couple of days in Madrid was one too many.  From Madrid we traveled to Toledo about an hour south of Madrid in a seven passenger van.  The city of Toledo is a province capital located high above a river which surrounds the city on three sides.  It is delightful stopping point for lunch. Brian also found a wonderful place to purchase a set of steak knives.

The City Of Toledo

The Toledo Cathedral

The Toledo Cathedral is a magnificent example of medieval Gothic architecture and has famous artwork inside. After touring the Cathedral, we drove the remaining four hours to Granada, which is the capital city of the Granada Province.  The major attraction in Granada is the Alhambra Palace. It is named “The Red One” and is a palace and fortress complex. It is one of the most famous monuments of Islamic architecture and one of the best-preserved palaces of the historic Islamic world, in addition to containing notable examples of Spanish Renaissance architecture. It is a fantastic example of Moorish architecture.  The fortress complex includes many buildings with unique architecture, extensive and wonderfully colorful gardens and considerable art. 

One Of The Several Entrances To Alhambra Palace

Another View Of This Fortress

One Of Many Examples Of Interior Artwork

More Interior Artwork

The Magnificent Gardens

We drove some 2.5 hours  in heavy rain to Seville, which was our last stop..  Seville is known for its architecture and is the largest city in Southern Spain.  Hercules is credited for building the city.  Its fascinating history attracts many visitors.  The two most visited buildings were the Seville Cathedral and the Real Alcazar de Sevilla which is a royal palace.  Both buildings are wonderful architectural accomplishments.  Kim had enrolled the six of us in a cooking class where we ate the meal we prepared as lunch.

The Seville Cooking Class Chefs

We spent two days in Seville and caught our plane from Seville to Lisbon, Portugal where we boarded our flight back to Atlanta, GA.  Our return flight was much less hectic than the flights to Spain.  The trip to Spain was quite enjoyable.  Both Francine and I added two additional countries to our list of countries that we had visited.  Kim had celebrated her 60^th birthday in great fashion,

Lindsey and Lewis joined Francine and me for Thanksgiving in Scottsdale.  Lindsey particularly enjoys staying in our casita.  They sit on the front porch at night and wait for the javalinas to come noisily by them.  We always eat too much when they are here as Lindsey is a trained chef and has a particularly well trained palette.  We ate at our favorite Mexican restaurant located at the Princess Hotel where they do an exceptionally nice job of decorating for the Holidays.

Francine and I again flew to Boston and Lincoln, NH to celebrate Christmas.  Lindsey and Lewis trained to Boston to enjoy a Christmas Dinner with us.  Our family gathered at Brian’s ski home for another wonderful Christmas celebration.  One of the great dinners is the “gnocchi” pasta night where Brian has us make noci from scratch.  It is a talent that he learned during one of his visits to Italy. Everyone pitches in and rolls noci for the eventual pasta dinner.

Our Family Gathered Around Brian’s Kitchen Table Making Gnocchi Pasta

In addition to exchanging gifts, lots of card games, billiards, watching football and getting caught up with each other, we document each Christmas with a family photo, usually with us each wearing matching pjs which typically Kim takes the lead  in ordering. 

L to R, Top to Bottom:  Nicole, Brad, Adam, Courtney, Andy, Jamie, Justin, Kyle, Dave, Jackson, Emerson, Kim, Francine, Jim, Jill, Brian, Kevin, Mandy, Veronica, Judy, Brett,

Rachel (Jill’s daughter) and Adam (Jill’s son).

Emerson Is Almost Lost Among Her Gifts

An added event this year is decorating gingerbread houses.  Jackson and Emerson really enjoyed this added attraction.

Francine and I returned to Boston to have dinner with our good friends Norma and Ben Shapiro.  It is always good to catch up with them and to “discuss” Michigan and Ohio State football.  Brian hosted all of our family that was in Boston on New Year’s Eve to a wonderful New Year’s Eve Celebration.  With that we “rung out” 2018 and looked forward to a great 2019.

Lynn celebrates her 60^th birthday -

Francine and I returned to Scottsdale and prepared for a quick trip to CA to help our wonderful niece, Lynn celebrate her 60^th birthday.  We drove to LA planning to attend Lynn’s birthday celebration, visit with her mother Lee and husband David, to have dinner with grandson Brett and to catch up with our good friends the Hourihans.  Lynn’s celebration was joined by about 30 guests in addition to her mother, Lynn’s husband  and her brother-in-law David Niekerk.  Lynn who had survived 60 years with Cystic Fibrous was in fine form and was most appreciative of everyone attending.  She is a remarkable woman.

Lynn (Swanson) Fite – 60 Years Old

On January 16^th we celebrated Francine’s birthday at one of her favorite Scottsdale restaurants with a quiet dinner.  Francine had her fill with surprise birthday parties so we honored her desire for a quiet dinner.

Francine And Jim Celebrating Francine’s 77^th Birthday

On January 29^th and 30^th Jeff Martin and Waste Management hosted Francine and me for dinner before and the Pro-Am on the following day.  It is always a pleasure to be with Jeff and other Waste Management personnel.  Late in February we experienced one of our rare snow storms.  Our property was a winter wonderland although the scene quickly changed later the next day with one of our tremendous scenic sunsets.

Our Courtyard After The Snow

Looking Southwest Toward Pinnacle Peak

One Of Scottsdale’s Wonderful Sunsets

In March we celebrated Allan Everist’s 82^nd birthday in style at The Estancia Club.  Allan always enjoyed a dinner out and was pleased with the desert treat!

Allan Enjoys The Fireworks

Jill Zimmerman And Her Daughter Rachel And Son Adam

Brian Holub had established a relationship with Jill Zimmerman, who had a lovely daughter, Rachel and son, Adam from a previous marriage.  They along with Brian visited us in March.  We did the obligatory tour of Sedona and it’s wonderful “Red Rocks”.

ISU Acacia breaks ground for the new chapter house -

On March 21st and 22^nd, we ISU Acacians again assembled at Dick and Jan Cone’s wonderful Fountain Hills Country Club for our annual ISU Acacia Arizona reunion.  Our gathering was well attended as we knew that the old chapter house would be demolished in the coming months and the new house construction would be initiated.  There was a considerable amount of excitement about these prospects. 

In May I travelled to Iowa to visit family and to attend the ISU Acacia good bye celebration of our almost 100 year old chapter house.  Approximately, two dozen alumni and spouses gathered with those undergraduates who were still in the house despite classes being over for the semester.  The house was scheduled to be demolished later that month.  This is only the second time that I remember revisiting the chapter house in the 63 years since I lived in the house.  The celebration was festive as many of us had  fond memories of the house that was  our home when we were at ISU.  I spent several extra days the following week helping move the remaining furniture and other items which were  being kept and preparing the house for demolition. 

The ISU Acacia Chapter House Immediately Prior To Demolition

Unfortunately, the scheduled demolition was delayed by the unexpected finding of asbestos in the original plaster of this 100 year old house.  We knew of two modest asbestos repairs in the house and were prepared to manage those in the scheduled demolition, however, the original house plaster which contained asbestos was throughout the house and resulted in the need to retain a separate firm to manage the remediation of this material.  We lost almost two months of time in our schedule managing this problem and spent an extra $100,000.  While we were dealing with the asbestos problem we scrambled to find ways of shortening the construction schedule as it was critical that we have the house ready for the men to move in at the beginning of the Fall ’20 term which was early in August 2020.   

We were successful in achieving this schedule thanks to our general contractor who found a way to avoid the long construction time of building two concrete enclosed exterior stairwells which served as fire escapes as well as additional stairs to access the lower level and the two higher level floors.  These two stairwells were fabricated off-site and installed at the appropriate time without the long critical path time that would have been required had the stair wells been built in place as  the house was constructed.  Unfortunately, it added an extra $200,000 to cost of construction.

I enjoyed dinner and fellowship with three of Bob’s children – Kindra, Kyla and Keith as well as several other members of their families.  Dick and Judy drove over from their home to join us. I also took time to drive to our “old farm”, the Hartland Cemetery and to have a Maid-Rite!

L to R: Judy Blocked By Dick, Kolin, Keith, Barry, Kindra, Kyla, Grace, Morgan and Ashley

Kyle graduates from medical school -

Francine and  I travelled to Pittsburgh to join Kyle and his family on a trip to Erie, PA to celebrate Kyle’ graduation from Lake Erie College Of Medicine.  We were greeted in Erie with a billboard announcing Kyle’ recognition  by LECOM his for excellence in surgery.

Kim and Dave planned a five day weekend celebration complementing the commencement ceremony for Kyle’s immediate family.     Kyle’s grandfather Paul, aunt Paula, wife Veronica, children Jackson and Emerson, uncle Brian and a number of local classmates and friends joined in the festivities.  Kyle’s uncle Brian “hooded” Kyle at the commencement ceremony.  The parties/dinners before and after the commencement were joyous gatherings.

Veronica said it best:  It’s official, my husband is now Dr. Kyle James Holmberg! There are no words to express how proud I am of him! He’s going to make one heck of an orthopedic surgeon! Thank you Dr. Brian Holub for hooding him and for your endless love and encouragement!”

Unfortunately, Kyle’s grandfather, Paul suffered cardiac problems shortly after the commencement and passed away in an Akron hospital at the age of 91.  We always enjoyed being with Paul.  He was a true gentleman with a well-honed sense of humor and always ready to be with his family.  We are very sorry to lose him.

Kyle And His Grandfathers

Paul Holmberg, Kyle, Kim and Dave

Kyle then began a five year surgery residency at Allegany General Hospital (AGH) in Pittsburg.  He excelled in medical school and had his  choice of several residency programs, however in as much as he and Veronica had a home in Pittsburg and his parents were residing in Pittsburg, it was an easy choice.

Brian, The Rabbi And Jill

Brian and Jill marry -

Brian and Jill Zimmerman were married in Boston, on June 19^th.   It was a festive occasion with primarily family and a few very close friends of the bride and groom attending.  I was honored to be asked by Jill to “walk her down the aisle”.    The wedding party included  Brian’s four sons.  Many of my immediate family attended, including sister Janie, her son, Justin and his wife, Jamie, brother Dick and Judy, nephew Mike and Lizzette, niece Kyla, Kim and Dave, Brett and Judy. 

Brian and Jill’s wedding party.

L to R: Andrew, Courtney, Mandy, Kevin, Nicole, Brad, Brian, Jill, Rachael, Adam Z, Adam H's girlfriend and Adam Holub.

In July, Francine and I travelled to Minneapolis to visit her daughter, Heather and family.  Francine and I booked a cottage at Pelican Hills Resort in Newport Beach, CA for the month of August.   Our good friends Gary and Debbie Hourihan also booked a cottage there the same time so we were an almost inseparable foursome for golf, dining, walking along the ocean and shopping the nearby stores.  It was a wonderful month, with very nice weather except for the foggy mornings. 

The golf course was a rugged layout with several holes along the Pacific Ocean.

Jim, Fran, Debbie & Gary Hourihan

While in California, we were also able to catch up with our sister-in-law, Lee, niece Lynn and her husband, David.              

David, Lynn, Lee, Francine and Jim

Fran arranged for a photo shoot of the two of us to help us to remember a wonderful vacation along the Pacific Ocean. 

Jackson started first grade in late August.  Shortly thereafter we were off to Brian’s for Brad and Nicole’s wedding.  It was held on September 7th in a lovely wooded setting that required a somewhat rugged hike of about ¾ mile along a babbling brook. (Two of the bride’s aunts were not able to finish the hike in time and unfortunately missed the ceremony.)  The wedding site was  beside a water fall which made hearing the exchanging of vows a challenge.   Consequently, during the reception which was held in Brian’s Lincoln ski home, the couple repeated the vows so we all were able to hear the vows. 

Brad and Nicole marry -

Brad Reading His Vows To Nicole

The Chapter House Construction Has Begun

The Chapter House Lower Level Framing Roughed In

The chapter house excavation was complete, the footings and foundations, the lower level exterior walls and the two stairwell structures were in place by mid-September.  Two weeks later the lower level was framed in.  In mid-October, Fran and I traveled to Orlando, FL to visit her sister and brother-in-law, Joan and Bob Filan.  I also drove to Sarasota, FL to visit my good friend, Gene Krause who hired me into Archer Daniels Midland in 1965 upon completion of my MBA.   Gene was 92 years old at that time and is a healthy 96 year old as I write this in 2023. 

Gene Krause And Jim

In November, several of our older ISU Acacia fraternity brothers formed a charitable foundation for the sole benefit of our ISU Acacia fraternity.  The primary purpose of the foundation is to provide the most cost effective method to support our fraternity with scholarship and other educational support with tax-deductible contributions.  We chartered the foundation, received an IRS ruling that it was considered a 501c3.  I was one of six founding brothers all of whom served on the initial board.  I was elected president of the board. Initially, the foundation also served as a recipient of the remaining tax-deductible funds to be collected in the quite successful $4 million campaign to fund the new chapter house.  Currently, the foundation has four endowed scholarship funds, two of which are fully funded and two others partially funded. In total at the end of 2022 the scholarship funds totaled some $300,000. 

The Chapter House Pretty Much Roughed In, October 24, 2019

Fran and I  traveled to Boston to celebrate Christmas with my family.  Lindsey and Lewis came to Boston by train to join us for a lovely Christmas Dinner.

Lewis, Lindsey, Francine And Jim

Eva Ruth Holmberg is born -

Francine and I then drove to Lincoln, NH to catch up with my immediate family to celebrate Christmas.  As usual, Brian and Jill were excellent hosts.  Mandy and Kevin were not able to come to NH as Mandy was pregnant and expecting to deliver anytime.  Their daughter, Eva Ruth was born December 30, 2019 in a San Francisco, CA hospital. Eva weighed 7 pounds and 15 ounces.   Ruth was Kevin’s maternal and paternal grandmother’s name.  Eva was Brian and Jill’s first grandchild and she was Francine and my third great grandchild.

L To R:  Dave, Kim, Emerson, Jackson, Kyle, Brad, Veronica, Nicole, Adam H, Adam’s friend,

Francine, Andrew, Justin, Jim, Courtney, Jamie, Judy, Jill, Brett, Rachael, Brian and Adam Z.

Our first pictures of Eva and Mandy on the day of Eva’s birth.

Mandy And Eva

It was a wonderful Christmas celebration, with too much to eat, many hours of card and other games, watching football and reconnecting with each other.  Francine and I spent New Year’s Eve with Brian and Jill.  After dinner we watched fireworks over the Boston Harbor from the deck of their condo.

Rumors of a virulent disease in China were surfacing.  Although China kept the existence of this disease as quiet as they possibly could, word was leaking out.  As of December 12, a cluster of patients in China’s Hubei Province, in the city of Wuhan, began to experience the symptoms of an atypical pneumonia-like illness that did  not respond well to standard treatments. The World Health Organization’s (WHO) China office was notified on December 30, 2019.  Discussion of the resulting pandemic is continued in the next chapter.

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