CLASS OF 1961 | 2023 | FALL ISSUE

The response from classmates for this Class Notes publication has been excellent.  Terry Allen is in the starter’s box with the following: “In January 2023 I sold the last of the 20 companies I had started since Wesleyan. I wouldn’t have had to start so many if more had been successful, but I enjoyed the challenges along the way. Recently, Debbie and I acquired a license to farm cannabis in Vermont. She is the grower, and my focus is marketing. We are having a ball! We both play tennis every week and take overseas hiking trips once or twice a year, plus visit our seven widely located children and nine grandchildren.”

          Bob Owens reports that he is “doing reasonably well” after experiencing a minor stroke two and a half years ago. He bemoans the fact that he is no longer driving, but expresses his gratitude to his life partner, Barbara Morton, and to volunteer drivers in his community transportation program, allowing travel to appointments and even a future road trip from Denver to New York City, making it possible to visit his granddaughters.

John Alvord provides this update: “Marie and I are still living in Las Vegas (home of the Stanley Cup–winning Golden Knights) and enjoying retirement. We finally sold our house and bought a condo. I don’t miss the outside work since someone else now does it. I hate to see what has happened to our country and fervently hope it can be fixed. I just heard that Pete Drayer passed away last year. He was my freshman roommate, four-year fraternity brother, and a groomsman at our wedding. Pete was a very highly regarded judge in Philadelphia and will certainly be missed.”

Jack Mitchell tells us about his serious, yet successful, eye transplant operation performed last spring. “Bacteria were eating my membrane over the cornea, which was extremely painful. The surgeon removed the membrane, cleared the infection, and then inserted a donor’s membrane.” Now completely pain free, Jack resumes his tennis and his devotion to his family clothing business. He adds: “I’m excited to announce the addition to the business of my oldest grandson, Lyle ’16, a past graduate of Wesleyan and of Columbia Business School.”

While teaching ceramics at a boys’ camp, Russell Mott questioned a class of 10-year-olds, “How old do you think I am?” to which most replied 70-plus, while others said 60 somewhere. The answer most appreciated by Russell was “I can’t count that high!” Russell also mentions a 14-year-old lacrosse goalie wishing to follow his dad, who played lacrosse for four years at Wesleyan. “Shout-out to Nate Osur, Tommy Patton, and our class who started lacrosse at Wesleyan in the spring of 1959.”

Limited space allotment requires that only a portion of Emil Frankel’s informative and extensive update is enclosed in this Class Notes publication with a promise of his remaining comments to be revealed in the next edition. Emil writes: “I was on campus for Reunion & Commencement weekend and participated in meetings of the trustees and trustees emerita. There was some discussion of what Wesleyan’s response would be to what was then seen as the inevitable (and has since occurred) decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to end affirmative action in college admissions, a core element of Wesleyan’s pathbreaking admissions policies for over 50 years. President Roth stated then—and repeated in his subsequent statement announcing the end of legacy admissions—that Wesleyan would remain committed to building and maintaining a diverse community and would continue and expand its efforts to do so within the limits of the Supreme Court decision. A wonderful surprise during the annual march of the alumni was to be greeted by Jim Thomas’ son. Since I was the only one in our class present, and carried the Class of 1961 flag in the parade, I was the one to benefit from a wonderful conversation with the son of one of our great classmates.”

Robert Hausman reports: “I am still in touch with Glenn Hawkes, Emil Frankel, and Bob Wielde. Bob also adds in free form:

“In the midst of my dotage I am asked for some news.

May I be excused by claiming the blues?

Since WesTech has done away with legacy,

it leaves my grandson leg-less in misery.

“I am content in my senior condo. I walk an hour a day and then lift weights for 15 minutes. All my family is close by. I am a new great-grandfather. In my junk, I found a directory for our freshman class. If you want to see what you looked like in ’58, I will sell it to the highest bidder. The same with a Commencement program I found, if you want to see what prizes you won.”

Lastly, Russell Mott wrote recently to tell say that Joe Powers passed away in mid-September. Russ said, “Joe and Maria had moved back to the Washington, D.C., region from New Mexico a few months ago, and they were living in northern Virginia when he died.” Condolences to his family and friends.

Respectfully submitted,

Jon

CLASS OF 1961 | 2023 | SUMMER ISSUE

“I lead a very simple life here in St. Paul, Minnesota,” (writes Bob Hausman) “with family very close: sons, seven grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. I had to go to Connecticut for a funeral, so I got to see WesTech. While there, I made a quick trip to the shore, where I would normally see Red Erda ’63, but he was not home. I did get to swim in the Sound. I am in touch with Glenn Hawkes, Emil Frankel, and Bob Wielde. Coincidentally, public television just did a feature on folk music in which they showed the Highwaymen singing Michael Row the Boat Ashore, a blast from the past.”

An update was sent from Peter Funk: “I am pleased to report that Jennie and I are well here in the Channel Islands. The aftermath of COVID is receding but, like elsewhere, we feel the effects of inflation, the dreadful war in Ukraine, political uncertainties, and particularly, Brexit, which has restricted travel and trade to and from Europe. (France is a mere 17 nautical miles from us.) This too will pass, perhaps. I am also pleased to report that daughters Lexy ’91, Jenny ’95, and their families are well and living in the USA. I may get them back to this side of the Atlantic one day. My fond regards to our classmates and Wesleyan.”

Denny Huston writes: “After 55 years of teaching, most of them at Rice, I decided finally to retire completely from teaching courses in the university, though I will still teach a class in film off campus. Lisa and I have been traveling some, and had a great trip to Madrid in December, where we were given a fun tour by one of my granddaughters, who had been studying there for a semester. Maybe the biggest news in our family is that my daughter Kate ’91 has a son who is now touring the world in West Side Story for the next year and a half. I am sorry that living in Houston puts me relatively far away from life at Wesleyan, though I still am lucky enough to see some Wesleyan people who are passing through, most recently Bill Wagner, a fraternity brother and roommate my senior year. I would love to hear from others who are traveling this way (jdhuston@rice.edu).”

“It all started when we were at Wesleyan in 1958,” writes Jack Mitchell. “The big picture is that all in our nuclear family are healthy. Our family businesses, now eight stores strong, show record sales and profits. Our oldest grandson Lyle ’16, who graduated from Wesleyan and worked five to six years in our industry, is graduating from Columbia Business School in June and will join us as the first in a fourth generation! We will also celebrate our grandson Bob’s July wedding in Colorado. I’m now chairman emeritus, working most days meeting and greeting clients in the Westport and Greenwich stores, and participating on several corporate boards. Tennis is still my favorite game, while enjoying Block Island during summers with Linda as we celebrate 62 years together.” Jack sends his best to all with happy and healthy safe hugs.

In a reflective tone to your class secretary, Alexander (Sandy) McCurdy states: “You’ve kept us connected to that very special time in our young lives, which so quickly slipped by. We charged off into the adventure for which WesTech, as we used to say for some unknown reason, had prepared us. Any news from me could only be extremely boring, except how my mind wanders happily to the Wesleyan campus, from time to time, recalling such wonderful oddities as our dutifully worn freshman beanies. Can we imagine the looks on today’s [students] if they were presented with such required haberdashery? Of course, you know that Pete Drayer died not too long ago. I saw a bit more of him in our May years at his retirement place nearby me, where he settled in with his wife a while ago.”

“Happily, I no longer have a ‘bucket list,’ exclaims Russell (aka Bob, aka Mook) Mott.

“Without a ceramic studio until the summer when I go back to camp, I am beginning my fifth career in drawing with acrylic and collage on stretched canvas, eventually finished over with resin. I have no clue if I possess enough talent to enforce the chase, but the thrill of testing and then again and then again—I’m all over it like a bad suit. For those who may remember, John Keratzes, who died at a very young age in 1975, was my closest friend and ‘best man’ at my first wedding in 1966. (We had the same date of birth, January 18.) I returned from Vietnam in 1975 to learn that he had just passed, so I spent a very long time searching for relatives. Six years ago, I located his son, Matt Komonchuk, who lives with his Brazilian wife Miriam in Portsmouth. He owns a radio station, and we correspond all the time and are best friends.”

Cheerfully submitted,

Jon

CLASS OF 1961 | 2023 | SPRING ISSUE

Russell Mott writes: “Another summer at camp in Amesbury, Massachusetts, teaching ceramics, and livin’ the dream back in New England. Presently I am running a gallery with my partner, Joyce, and moving from throwing to altered and sculptural forms with the kind assistance of the finest active potter in the country (in my opinion), Steve Hemingway of Minnesota. It is a fascinating and terrifyingly wonderful excursion. For those interested in the final collapse of South Vietnam in ’75, a friend of mine has written a book about the chaotic evacuation of Saigon, something in which I was also involved. Getting Out of Saigon, Ralph White, Simon and Schuster, April 4, 2023. It’s a hell of a tale.—Que tenga buen dia, Jon.” Muchas gracias, Russell.

A bit of poetry from John Alexander:

“Over many years, believe I’ve shared enough.

But if desperate, try usual comments on health, aging and family stuff.

Trying each day to remember pills, appointments, friends, and names,

Especially before the body and mind succumb to increased pains.”

A few words from Jack Mitchell with a bit of promotion tossed in: “Linda and I continue to have a wonderful marriage for 61 years—four sons, seven adult grandchildren, and two step-grandchildren. Our Mitchells family of stores in seven locations is very healthy, with constantly improving sales over previous years. We are probably the largest independent family-owned luxury men’s/women’s/lux clothing and jewelry establishment in our country. Presently, it’s a third generation of Mitchells working in our stores—three of our sons and three of my brother Bill’s, moving soon into a fourth generation, two of whom went to Wesleyan! Healthwise, my days include tennis or walks with Linda, or providing motivational lectures on my three HUG publications. I give credit to my dad who claimed that Wesleyan inspired me to open The New York Times to the editorial page rather than the sports pages! Happy, healthy, and safe Wes hugs to all!”

CLASS OF 1961 | 2022 | FALL ISSUE

Greetings to my 1961 classmates from the cool and delightful Adirondack Mountains of New York State. I suspect that Steve Smith has been challenged with the heat of his summer location, writing: “I am still living with Mary Jane in Florida near the west coast. My chief activity is participation in Help to Home, a program for the provision of low-cost housing for struggling families.” Russell Mott tells us that he is “living now on the U.S. East Coast with my girlfriend. This latest chapter continues with unusual good fortune, as my life was saved by an extraordinary neurosurgeon at Tufts last November. That was the third time my life has been saved (first, by an 85-pound French Poodle named Tarr, when I was but 1-year-old, and second by a Kiwi international tugboat captain named Peter Scott in ’75, during the evacuation of several thousand Vietnamese, days before the North Vietnamese took the city of Da Nang). It is summer, and like 20 previous summers, I am at camp 24/7, in northeast Massachusetts, introducing ceramics to kids 8–15, having the time of my life. Bueno hasta siempre.— Mook (My camp name given to me over 70 years ago by another Eclectic brother, Jake Congleton, WES U class circa 1955.)”

Spike Paranya tells us: “Kathy and I continue to enjoy our retirement in Oneonta, New York. Our area offers lots of opportunities for community involvement close at hand. I still volunteer as a jumps coach for the Sidney High School track team and other top athletes at local high schools. I’ve done this for 40-plus years but not much longer! Just prior to COVID I had two athletes win state championships in the long jump and triple jump, adding to my previous champions in the high jump. I can no longer demonstrate these events to my athletes!  Since many of these kids also play in the band, I have enjoyed years of watching them play in their school concerts. Our band director just retired, and we figured out that at his last concert I was probably the only person in the audience who had been at his first concert 37 years ago! I also spent 30 years taking care of our church grounds and some building needs. I don’t miss that at all!  I still like to garden and, in addition to that, at our summer home in Princeton, Massachusetts, I have made walking trails through the 38 acres of woods we enjoy there. It seems to keep me healthy but not necessarily free of pain! Kathy is still young and sharp for which I am thankful. She spent a lot of time volunteering with the Catskill Symphony as they chose a new director. Also, as chair of a committee at our UU Church, she managed the installation of two new stained-glass windows in our church sanctuary. It was quite a process. They are beautiful! In the wider world, the war in Ukraine is so depressing. A group of my Slovak relatives live close to the Ukraine border and are involved helping fleeing refugees who have such sad tales to tell.”

A note has been received from Frank Stewart that reads: “Thankfully, we are healthy here in South Florida, but hating the politics. We have been here since my retirement from the U.S. Department of Energy in 2002. Diane is a volunteer, teaching English as a Second Language through the County Library, and I spend most days with the Lifelong Learning Institute of Nova Southeastern University, sitting in on lectures and auditing classes. So sorry to hear of John Driscoll‘s (’62) passing. He wasn’t ’61, but he was close.”

The warm summer weather appeals to Glenn Hawkes, who writes: “I’m finishing up my stay at our home in Rwanda, where one finds the best of summer weather year-round. In recent weeks I’ve visited with many of the high school graduates, for whom schooling was made possible, thanks to generous Americans, including our classmates Al Williams, Ed McClellan, and Bob Hausman.”

CLASS OF 1961 | 2022 | SPRING ISSUE

John Rogers opens our column with some rhyme:

I too am always seeking

Remedies for arthritis and pain.

At 82 not likely to be found,

So living daily with pills and a cane.

A recent move from South Carolina to Kentucky.

Left behind warm weather, shrimp and grits.

Thinking Lexington better for family and health,

Now relying on bourbon and snow mitts.

Winter here reminds me of Foss Hill icy slopes,

Plodding carefully to frats and dreaded classes.

Definitely needed study time in Olin and Clark,

But all too often imagining weekend lasses.

Fading memories of ’61-classmates and activities,

But certain now I excelled at sports and games.

Details of classes and grades quite fuzzy,

Not unlike daily questions about best friends’ names.

“Some sad news,” writes Peter Funk: “Brad Beechen died on 10 January in Chicago after a yearlong illness. He is survived by his wife Mary-Jane and son Adam. My review of the 4 June 1961 commencement program confirms that Brad graduated as a Bachelor of Arts with Honors and Distinction.  In addition to being a brilliant scholar, he was an excellent athlete and a close friend to many of us.  How he ever managed to study as a member of DKE during his four years at Wesleyan will remain a mystery to us mortals who managed to limp over the high threshold and obtain a simple BA.  I also managed to confirm for myself that 176 of us graduated with a BA on that day.  It was a long time ago, but I remember it well.”

Regarding his personal update, Peter continues: “I reached my 83rd birthday on the 27th of January this year and remarkably all is well here on our small Island of Jersey in the Channel Islands.  I have been trying to retire from my years of entrepreneurship and my international interests in communications, film, and television.  It has been a long voyage since we graduated in 1961.  After working with classmates, Bill Harris and Brad Beechen, in Chicago, I moved to New York and then to London in 1973.  I have been based on this side of the Atlantic, developing new communications enterprises in the Middle East, Far East, and Europe.  Lexy (’91) and Jenny (’95), my two daughters, are Wesleyan graduates.  I have four grandchildren and I hope the tradition continues. My best wishes to my fellow classmates.”

Pete Drayer proudly announces that his grandson, Ian Moran, is going to Wesleyan.  Russell Mott (aka Bob Lannigan) reports that he just opened a gallery with his partner and that he soon will be back to summer camp, with 160 kids in Amesbury, doing ceramics for seven weeks. Casey Hayes revealed his recent satisfactory recovery from a “three-day minivacation” in the hospital for emergency surgery treatment, praising the hospital staff: “They are so stressed out these COVID days—such troopers!”

Al Williams, a most faithful contributor to this column, writes: “I think all of us are tired of Zooming.  There is nothing like getting together in person. In that spirit, we organized a mini-Wes ’61 reunion lunch this past June, attended by Paul Dickson, Emil Frankel, Dave Denny, Ed Knox, Tim Bloomfield, and me.  It was a rousing success, and we plan a repeat this coming spring. At Paul’s suggestion, I later contacted Bob Palmeri who lives on Cape Cod near our summer house. Bob and I had a very nice get-together this past summer. Presently, my main contact with Wesleyan has been with Wesleyan wrestling, and I have become good friends with the current (and very talented) coach, Drew Black.

Jack Mitchell claims that his New Year’s motto is: “Be positive . . .  test negative!”  He writes: “The Jack and Linda Mitchell family, thus far, has survived the pandemic and are very healthy!

“Our oldest of seven adult grandchildren, Lyle (a Wes graduate, ’16), is engaged and will be married on Block Island in summer of 2023. He is attending Columbia University Business!  Our family business, Mitchell Stores, is still very healthy.  We now number eight stores.  Nine Mitchells from our family and my brothers are active in the business. My ‘Hug’ business has been limited to a few virtual presentations and selling many Hug books. In addition, I’m a trustee at the Greenwich Hospital and an executive in residence at Columbia Business School, guest lecturing in family business and mentoring students.”

Bob Hausman is thankful that all of his progeny reside within five minutes from him. He writes: “I continue to be well, although COVID has struck my domicile.  I walk 90 minutes a day and lift weights regularly. We still feel the effects of the George Floyd murder here in St. Paul. I am regularly in touch with Glenn Hawkes and have occasional contact with Bob Wielde and Emil Frankel.”