CLASS OF 1965 | 2023 | FALL ISSUE
Dear Classmates,
Thank you to the following who kindly responded to the recent request for news:
Charlie Bassos: “Daughter, Christi Bedan, is a vice president for the Tampa Bay Bucs. She has been awarded a Super Bowl ring and an Emmy. The Emmy was for a series with Brady and Gronkowski on the Bucs website. My five grandchildren: one 12 and the others six and under, all brilliant and all beautiful! Life is wonderful: 43 years of marriage; warm weather in South Carolina, golf twice a week, and survived a heart attack and small stroke.”
Bob Barton: “I’m hanging in there and fortunately playing a lot of tennis. Major Moise is recovering nicely from shoulder surgery. He says he starts hitting golf balls again in two months. Jay Clapp just completed the National Senior Games in Pittsburgh on an 80-plus basketball team (3-on-3 half-court). He was injured in the qualifying games prior to the nationals, but went to Pittsburgh anyway, hoping he would recover enough to play, but could not. Nonetheless, his team made it all the way to the bronze medal game and lost in a valiant effort.” (Congratulations, Jay!)
Bob MacLean: “In touch with Phil Russell, John Dunton, and Ralph “Jake” Jacobs. Jake and I get together at the annual Laguna Seca Raceway in California, where he knows every driver and car history. A great reunion! This year was my 60th year as a private pilot, having upped my credentials along the way to air transport pilot, certified flight instructor/instrument, while owning a Pilatus PC12 for charter; now it just ferries me between Palo Alto, California, and Aspen, Colorado, where I have worked part time at Aspen Snowmass ski school for the last 17 of 47 years as a certified ski instructor.”
Steve Badanes: “Life is good here on Whidbey Island. I’m still teaching our Neighborhood Design/Build Studio every spring at UW (ndbs.be.uw.edu), but the end is in sight and I might hang it up after this year. We got used to not traveling during the pandemic and it’s gotten pretty hard to get me to leave my studio here in the forest, especially this time of year. I sold my place in Vermont to the caretakers and retired from my summer gig at the Yestermorrow School, so I get to stay in the Northwest year-round.”
Clyde Beers: “Summer all good: family, friends, sports, and a wonderful trip to WES U to see our granddaughter, Libby, graduate. Then to Grand Cayman with our daughter Susie’s family. And then our traditional exciting Fourth of July with (self-exploded) fireworks. Gardens started slow, but with some rain later, everything’s blooming. Golf and tennis fun but challenging, with back and neck soreness helped by physical therapy.”
Carl Hoppe: “As I ‘mature,’ I continue half-time the practice of clinical and forensic psychology (family law). At other times, I play doubles tennis regularly, swim at the beach or at the nearby club pool, and walk our 14-pound dog with my wife, Diane, also a psychologist in part-time practice. Health is good enough for us older folks, but they don’t make memory like they used to!”
Gar Hargens: “Turned 80 in April. Missy and I celebrated at Franconia Sculpture Park like we did for my 70th with kids and grandkids and many friends. When I turned 60, Missy said: ‘Architects don’t get good ’til they’re 80, so why not keep going?’ So, I kept working. Latest project is for a Grammy-winning composer on Enchanted Island in Lake Minnetonka. Alpha Delt roommate Bob Leonard and I enjoy keeping in touch. He’s found a Celtic chapel(?!) he wants us to look at in Vermont.”
John Hall: “Daughter, Samantha, just gave birth to identical twin boys, Archer Ray and Rhodes Herbert Diaz. These are grandchildren eight and nine for Annie and me, but who’s counting.
“Continue to see Kit Laybourne ’66 on a regular basis and have re-engaged with my old roommate, Jim Bernegger. After the reunion last fall, Mike Maloney and I have discovered many interests in common, including our Irish heritage and the challenges and opportunities brought by immigration. Annie is well on a new set of knees. Son, Jeremy ’92, a writer is on strike. Clear to me that he can’t/shouldn’t be replaced by AI. But that promises to be an epic struggle.”
Arthur Rhodes: “Am spending golden years with famous and brilliant designer wife, Leslie Claire Newman (www.SpaceInteriorDesign.com), among blended families: my daughters in Illinois, ages 53 and 51, and their three children each (ages 12 through 21); and Leslie’s three sons in Houston, Texas, and Mandeville, Louisiana, ( ages 46 through 49), and their five children (ages one through 11). Have totally separated from patient care after more than 50 years in academic medical practices at Massachusetts General Hospital and Boston Children’s Hospital, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, and Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. Time flies taking care of two homes (Illinois and Louisiana) and visiting family. Leisure pursuits include daily walking, gardening, and photography (see Instagram account under my name or PapaZaydeh.”