CLASS OF 1960 | 2018 | ISSUE 3

Congratulations to Rick Garcia on being reelected for another four years as president of the Bolivian National Academy of Economic Sciences. Academic celebrations are being planned for 2019 since that will be the 50th anniversary of the organization.

John Richardson shared his thoughts: “Having just passed my 80th birthday, I find myself with conflicting reactions and emotions. First and most important, I don’t like being 80. Once you reach 80, society gazes past you—if it notices you at all. In my case, even more variables are in play, since by general account I appear to be 10 or 15 years younger than my chronological age. Luckily, I am fully mobile and reasonably energetic, although two replacement joints and arthritis are part of the aging story. Add in a heart valve replacement, and the story comes a little closer to being real. Psychologically significant, I don’t feel 80.”

Mike Rosen’s research at Columbia that focused on the causes and possible prevention/treatment of cardiac arrhythmias has ended. However, he still teaches graduate students and is deriving great satisfaction from helping them hone their skills in reading, understanding, critiquing, and presenting. Mike and several of our generation of Alpha Delts meet fairly regularly for food, conversation, and sometimes music, thanks largely to the organizational efforts of Rod Henry ’57. Mike’s wife, Tove, has retired and is professor emerita of pediatrics at Columbia. Daughter Jennifer Rosen Valverde ’92 is clinical professor of law in the Education and Health Law Clinic at Rutgers. Daughter Rachel was formerly a member of the hardcore bands Indecision and Most Precious Blood and now has a day job as a pathologist in a hospital in California. Tove and Mike spend time on Cape Cod, where he can kayak and revel in the contrast with NYC. They have traveled extensively over the years to every continent except Antartica, both for their work and for the adventure.

In late August, I accompanied my daughter, son-in-law, and grandson on a visit to Paradise at Mount Rainier National Park. We were fortunate that smoke from wildfires was not present during our visit. We were delighted to identify 18 different wildflowers on our walks.

SAL RUSSO | salandjudy@hotmail.com
2700 Kentucky St., Bellingham, WA 98229