CLASS OF 1964 | 2015 | ISSUE 1

Jim Workman reported recently, “As I suspect is true with most of our classmates, we are traveling as long as we’re mobile.” I say, good point. They travel to the south of France, Florida and the North Carolina seashore. I’m happy to announce that he and his Green Bay neighbors have “largely gotten over the loss of the Packers to Seattle.”

How many of us from the class of 1964 remember our first week at Wesleyan and the symposium we were introduced to. I remember it well, as it was entitled “Mass Media, Mass Culture.” I recall how I was suddenly engaged in the topic when I found out what the word “media” meant. Television and the Internet would transform the culture, including the sports world.

Inside the modern world we live in, I would like to acknowledge Bill Belichick ’75. Super Bowl 49 was one of the most exciting and dramatic I can ever remember. I assert that the outcome was predictable to our fellow alumnus and his Patriot players, because preparation is the secret ingredient to success. Imagine a fellow Wesleyan product could very well be the most effective and accomplished professional football coach. I admire his calm demeanor and constant focus on the prize.

Garry Fathman, professor of medicine, Stanford, has been invited to give the commencement address at Washington University School of Medicine. Quite a nice addition to his career.

Arlene and Mark Dahl e-mailed me a copy of their Christmas letter. They are both retired, with Mark gradually spending less time keeping up with dermatological advances. They live around Scottsdale, Ariz., have a summer place in Minnesota, and a condo in Sun City, Ariz. They travel frequently, including Greece and Turkey last year, visiting biblical sites to enliven their Christian faith. Mark has journeyed to Chile on a number of trips including the Chilean Atacama Desert. They count eight grandchildren and all beyond the baby and toddler phase, including one a college graduate. No major health problems have been an issue.

Lou D’Ambrosio is enjoying retirement and ended his position as a reserve officer with the Indio, Calif., Police Department after six years. His daughter, Kara, birthed a boy in November, breaking a tie with one of each gender from before. Lou meets, periodically, with Wink Davenport and Jay McIlroy for lunch and they are well.

Ted Ridout and wife announced the addition of Rusty, “a totally charming and affectionate mini-long-haired dachshund.” The dog has plenty of energy but four feet of snow in the last 10 days has challenged his short stature. I’ve lived in Central Florida since 1975 and in 1977 we had about one hour of snow that was sticking to the cars. Not a flurry since that day when TV bulletins were telling people to stop making phone calls that were overwhelming circuits. “Hi, dear, hurry and look out the window. It’s snowing!”

If you’re on the road and come upon a 20-ft, 1979 Toyota minicamper it could be Henry Lanford and wife Ann traveling small roads, visiting small places and loving it. They are also busy as grandparents. He retired after 30 years in the yacht building business in Southwest Harbor, Maine.

Robert Maurer is working on publishing a debut novel, Passing Through (The Nineteen Sixties): On American Radicalization.

Surprising notification from Frank Sutterlin, who was with our class freshman year and is retired now after 44 years as a Presbyterian minister, working in insurance and recent employment as dental hygienist. Enjoying retirement with wife Lyn and finding opportunities not available in his working past.

TED MANOS, M.D. | ted_manos@yahoo.com