CLASS OF 1970 | 2023 | FALL ISSUE

Aloha, everyone. Lots of news and plenty of space because this column is digital.

Some of your classmates were traveling during the past several months, perhaps most notably Elliot Daum and Marcos Goodman, who both embarked on months-long expeditions all over Europe.

Peter Ratner wrote: “Not much to report. Retirement is still working out for us. Am attending to some medical issues (cataract surgery), so have been a bit slack with my conservation work. [Peter volunteers on projects regularly.]

“Looking forward to Australia in August to see my daughter and then four weeks in Alsace (to visit places in Germany where my ancestors lived), Normandy with two of our daughters, England, and the US of A.”

While some of us would like to retire, at least one of us intentionally isn’t. Had this from John Rinehart: “As I was getting ready to retire, a new job opportunity presented itself, so as of March of this year, I became the director of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. After almost 40 years in private practice, the return to an academic position has been interesting. I would say that for those of you who have grandchildren who are considering medicine as a career, the future of medicine is exciting. Combining AI with molecular biology offers opportunities that cannot even be imagined. How long this leg of the journey will last, I don’t know but so far it is interesting.”

From Rob Baker: “We have a new grandson. Spent some time enjoying Nicaraguan hospitality and, of course, waves. We are still enjoying time on Kauai.” 

Robert Baker surfing in Nicaragua.

A long letter from Bob Apter: “I am continuing to enjoy Sedona, even the summer when it frequently gets to 100 degrees! I usually hike three times per week, and I have no trouble keeping busy the rest of the time with the year-round film festival here, and lots of dining and entertainment options unusual for a small community.

Oak Creek swimming hole

“I visited the Oak Creek swimming hole in the picture yesterday with a friend. It was a perfect place to swim in the heat, with cool but not too cold water! The swimming hole was amazingly more than 100 yards long (we never reached the upstream end of the swimmable pool) and about 25 yards wide. The area near the rock wall in the picture is 12 feet deep!  Although Sedona is known for crowds, because this place is little known and a bit difficult to get to, we didn’t see another person the whole six hours we were out. It is similarly relatively easy to find incredible places to hike that tourists will never see!

“The picture of Coffee Pot Rock in the snow got 26,000 likes on a landscape photography site, probably a combination of Coffee Pot being an iconic symbol of Sedona, and the amount of fresh snow was quite unusual. I took the picture from the street a few doors from my house! All these pictures are taken with my iPhone.

Coffee Pot Rock

“Brenda and I separated at Thanksgiving and are in the process of divorce. But condolences are not in order! I feel very liberated and newly able to explore what Sedona has to offer. I am now in a new relationship with Anngwyn St. Just. She is well- known in a small circle of practitioners of Systemic Constellations. You can learn a bit about her work by Googling her. She has written 10 books, several of which have been translated into Spanish and German.  

“I have been utterly amazed at the number of people I have met in Sedona with psychic abilities. Some of them I have met through Anngwyn, but others just by meeting people and their friends. I do believe the phenomena they describe are real, at least for the most part, and I am exploring this new (for me) realm. Sedona, with its vortexes and red rocks, is truly a magnet for such people.

“I am still doing a bit of telemedicine work for COVID, but my workload has dropped way off because of the ending of the emergency status (which means I can no longer prescribe for COVID in states where I am not licensed), and the easing of the pandemic. I am still involved in a lawsuit against the FDA for suppressing use of ivermectin for COVID and fending off medical licensing boards who want to take my license away for having had far better treatment results than they can account for, by ignoring all of the mainstream narrative advice, which I consider to be corrupt lies. I have done something like 15,000 patient consultations for COVID. In the first month I did this (April 2021), I had two high-risk patients not respond well, and they went to the hospital where they worsened and died. I adjusted protocols, and since then I have not had any deaths, and very few hospital visits in patients I have treated.

“Because of my divorce, I am not yet in a permanent housing situation, but I would love to get together with anyone who might be coming through Sedona! And if you like, I can guide you on one or more hikes to incredible places.”

And this from the elusive Harvey Bercowitz: “Picture of me, wife Lynn, and dog Sadie (our fourth Komondor) at home in Virginia Beach. We love living by the ocean. Still happily retired. Traveling a bit more. Just back from visiting Bob Feldman, wife, Kathy, kids, and grandkids vacationing in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. He remains busy writing and updating psychology textbooks and doing special projects for UMass, Amherst where he was most recently vice chancellor. Hope to see you in ’25!”

Harvey, Lynn, and dog Sadie

Peter and Emi Kalischer have moved from Japan to Honolulu, where their condo has an ocean view.  

Jeremy Serwer sent in photos to show us “how simple and fun life can be at 75. . . . Where else can you invest a $100 or so, plus gas and tolls, pulling 8,000 pounds, and get a quarter to half of it back?  And enjoy a favorite pastime, the Old West?” He said he’s not sure if our Wesleyan education “prepared me for when it comes to this stuff, though I bet it gave me the right frame of mind. . . .”

Jeremy at the Vermont State Fair shoot, August 19, 2023

We moved into our Kalihiwai Valley (Kaua’i) home in February. There is much to do to finish it, including redoing some things that the second general contractor screwed up.  He abandoned the project, so we were left with a lot of basic things to handle. The bulk of those is done, but it’s proving difficult to get the electrician and the plumber back to finish the last of their work. Still, with only one neighbor in this end of the valley, a beautiful waterfall view behind some invasive trees to be felled, and a lazy river nearby that leads to a gorgeous bay, we don’t have much room to complain. Now for interest rates to fall to the level at which the place will be affordable. 

The Josephson house in Kaua’i
The waterfall as it will look once the trees in front of it are felled.

On another front, because of the building costs and our underpaid jobs, Vera and I don’t really travel except for very special family occasions. But we’re planning a trip to New Zealand for next June. Very fortunately, we have been able to book flights on Alaska Airlines miles via Fiji Airways, one of their partners. With a stop on Christmas Island for one hour (“How’d you like to spend Christmas on Christmas Island?”—Leon Redbone) and two days in Fiji on the way to Auckland, it should be fun. We’re digging out the warmer clothing for the New Zealand winter weather and scouring guidebooks and the internet for ideas. Tried an AI search for an itinerary based on hot springs, short hikes, and scenery. An interesting experiment. 

And that about does it for this round. In case you are as spacey as I am, go right now and put our 55th Reunion on your calendar for May 2025.  

Aloha,

CLASS OF 1970 | 2023 | SUMMER ISSUE

Aloha.

First, I have to apologize that somehow I missed a print deadline completely. No idea what went on there. Maybe it was finally moving into the house we’ve been building for several years, maybe a warp in the space-time continuum. I’d blame it on COVID, but I didn’t get it until recently. If you sent me news in the past eight months that isn’t in this column and hasn’t been in print or in the virtual edition of the alumni magazine, please consider resubmitting.  Again, my deepest apologies.

Beginning with those from whom we haven’t heard in a long time, or maybe never. Jerry Schwartz wrote,“Since the pandemic started, I’ve been teaching religious (Torah) classes for synagogues and temples around the country. I never would have imagined this. Tip of the hat to Zoom for making it possible.”

David Davis wrote, “After 27 years at Oregon Public Broadcasting, I am finally retiring at the end of June. I’ll continue to work a few hours a week after that to finish up a few projects. Last June, I received a Silver Circle Award from NATAS, the organization that awards television Emmys. This award recognizes people who have worked more than 25 years in the industry and have made a significant contribution. I hope life after retirement includes more travel with my wife Cindy Talbot (sister of classmate Steve Talbot). Cindy is also retiring as a family practice physician. My youngest daughter Eva has followed in her footsteps—she’s a family practice resident in Tacoma, Washington.”

Mitch Grashin popped up on Facebook. He lives in the San Fransisco Bay area. I’ll put his update at the end. (It gets the award for longest classmate news post I’ve ever received, I think.)

Tim McGlue lives in France now, by the sea in Le Havre. He wrote, “Last fall, I published my first historical novel, Mixed Blood: Last Winter in America, at Polyverse Publications in California. Many years of research and writing finally come to fruition, now out there for people to read. I hope this news reaches some of my friends from Wesleyan, and the College of Letters professors who had a big hand in my writing genesis. Some are still with us, I know. Many thanks to them and to Wesleyan. Last time I gave news was for the 1970 Class Reunion that didn’t happen (COVID took over. . .). Maybe next time around.    

“Attached is a poster page with the cover photograph of Mixed Blood. . .  and how to order. I also keep up a Facebook author’s page (link on the poster) with a Reader’s Companion and illustrations appearing in the book, with full color maps, diagrams, related issues and articles, and more.

“I write and publish now as ‘Tim Warren McGlue,’ taking up the name of my mother’s and my own ancestors. There are still many Warrens on the White Earth Chippewa Reservation in Minnesota—I went to visit last year. And there are many of us out and abroad, as it were. It is a beautiful place, with wonderful people who, I was happy to see, are doing very well.”

            “Mixed Blood: Last Winter in America is the story of William W. Warren, the son of an Ojibwe mother and white trader father at the edge of the frontier. Torn between cultures, Warren gathers the oral histories of the elders to preserve them against the ravages of progress. Finally, only 27 years old but with failing health, he takes his manuscript in hand to embark on a perilous mid-winter journey to New York City.

            “Author Tim Warren McGlue uses historical records, letters and photographs to bring us this historical biofiction based on the life of his ancestor, William Whipple Warren, as he struggles to publish the book that would become the classic History of the Ojibway People, a first-of-its-kind collection of Native American stories and traditions still in print today.” Two links about the book:

https://www.amazon.fr/Mixed-Blood-Winter-America-English-ebook/dp/BOBN68Y8P7

https://www.facebook.com/people/Mixed-Blood-Last-Winter-in-America/100088090835382/

Gordon Fain wrote from Hamden-near-New Haven:“Swim team and Foss Hill classmates may remember swimmer Gus Spohn, and his girlfriend Sarah Clark ’73, who transferred to Wes and  graduated with us. Sara, Gus, my wife Lila, and I all live on the same block in Hamden. Sara and Gus are blessed to have grandchildren in our neighborhood, while we are fortunate that our grandchildren are enjoying schools in Michigan and California. Gus jogs by our house. 

“Classmates who studied government, economics, international affairs, etc., may be interested that a new Public Affairs center is in progress on campus.”

Guy Prevost wrote, “I’ve been toggling between film and fiction writing recently, more emphasis on the latter. Had a number of short stories published in various journals, and one was just included in an impressive anthology where I share space with Nathaniel Hawthorne and H. G. Wells. Meanwhile have been in friendly touch with Steve Talbot, Dave Davis, and Mark Fuller. Also, Steve Policoff who starred in my thesis film at Wes.”

Bob Stone wrote, “In late April, 11 Wes Delts gathered for a minireunion in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. Many were accompanied by their very brave spouses. The reunion was attended by Hank Shelton ’72 (chief organizer of the event), Rick Birinyi ’72, Larry Mendelowitz ’72, Jim Hoxie ’72, Mike Blake ’72, John Hester ’71, Joel Adams, Ralph Moore, Pete Stein, Marc Pickard, and yours truly. We enjoyed three days of endless chatting, walks on the beach, too much food and drink, and wonderful camaraderie. Rico arranged for delicious gourmet dinners. At the end of our first dinner, the group spontaneously broke into a boisterous rendition of ‘The Old College Medley.’ The restaurant had mostly cleared by then, but the staff found it highly amusing.  

Wes Delts’ minireunion, April 2023

David Redden wrote,“I’ve beaten the odds-on ALS longevity by several years now, and cheerfully agreed to be the subject in an astonishing effort to engineer telepathic communication with machines. Last October, in an extraordinary operation involving 12 surgeons working over eight hours, I had an array of electrodes inserted in my brain and connected to transmitter in my chest, allowing me to communicate with computers through thought alone. I am now Patient One in the U.S. and Patient Two in the world to be involved with this experimental technology. I spend ten hours a week training how to use the electrodes. But for someone who has become a mute quadriplegic it’s very exciting to be at the forefront of this astonishing new technology.

“My daughter marries her girlfriend next month and, surprisingly, I’ll be there.”  

Steve Talbot has had his latest documentary, The Movement and the “Madman”, aired on the PBS American Experience series. A few of his thoughts about the project include, “One of the bonuses of making my documentary was reconnecting with so many Wesleyan friends who had taken part in the fall 1969 protests that the film covered. I thank everyone who watched and for sharing their memories of marching down Main Street in Middletown for the October 15 Moratorium and going to Washington, D.C., on November 15 for the largest march and rally the country had ever seen. 

“For anyone who missed the film or would like to see it again, you can watch it on PBS Passport, Amazon, or iTunes.” The film has gotten great reviews and is a must-see, IMHO.

John Sheffield wrote, “Still working as crew and/or delivery captain of sailing vessels. Most recent gigs: brought  a 33-foot Halberg sloop from Chesapeake Bay to Long Island Sound, did fix-up tasks and taught sailing to a young sailor on Long Island South Bay. Enjoying time with our 10-year-old grandson in NYC and connecting with some Wes undergrads through LinkedIn. Still playing tennis regularly.”  

Congratulations to Jamie Kirkpatrick, who has published a new novel, This Salted Soil.  Jamie’s description: “This Salted Soil is historical fiction, centered on the North African campaign in World War II. Ever since I was a Peace Corps volunteer in Tunisia, I’ve wanted to write about the battle for Tunisia and two related themes: Tunisia’s struggle for independence from France and the role of Third World countries in the Cold War.” The book is available on Amazon.

Maurice Hakim wrote, “First, I want to clear the air by saying I have no classified documents in my house, garage, or barn in Clinton, Connecticut.  

“Carol and I spent December and the first week of January in Florida. Much to my chagrin, I had a tooth infection that resulted in two root canals and two subsequent crowns. If that wasn’t enough, we took the autotrain back north, and as I unloaded my overnight bag, I closed the rear door on my hand. We spent the next night at my Lawrenceville classmate Bob McEwen’s home in New Hope, Pennsylvania. The following day, we drove home to Clinton, Connecticut, and stopped at the Middlesex Hospital’s ER where it was discovered that I incurred a broken middle figure, the one I use to express my total frustration with Joe Biden. Today, the splint will be removed and two  fingers will be taped. Thereafter, I start finger therapy for a few weeks.

“Business is starting to boom. Earth Fare is back in business under new ownership. Their first 44-pallet order (4,488 cases of teas and lemonades) goes out next month along with another 22 pallets for Heinen’s and a smaller order for the Mister Mo’s Lemonade distributor that covers Massachusetts and Rhode Island. They are coming into Connecticut soon. 

“It’s cold in Connecticut and taxes are high, of course. But we no longer support two homes. We can now see Alexandra all the time rather than six months every year. She’s now working at the Boston Consulting Group. Great salary and terrific perks. Carol is doing very well in real estate. She specializes in retail leasing and commercial sales.”

A salute to Jacob Scherr who has kept a weekly, nonreunion reunion Zoom going for a few years now. About 35 folks are on the email list for the Zoom and I’m sure you can join in, too, if you want to.  It’s good to see actual and adopted ’70 folks semi-regularly, like David Williams ’72, Peter Kalischer, Elliot Daum (and, of course) Harvey Yazijian, Jeremy Serwer, Prince Chambliss, Bernie Freamon ’69, Josh Barrett, Demetrie Comnas ’71, etc.

Marcos Goodman gets the Class Notes award for “Widest Travels That We Know” About. Although Jacob Scherr and Elliot Daum are in Europe as I write this and have connected with some Wes folks, including Basil Comnas, Marcos travels extensively and to places most folks never thought about visiting. (Albania or Ukraine, anyone?)  He writes long posts that appear on Facebook, full of all sorts of interesting information about the places and their history, all the while playing a silent recorder into an electronic gizmo and doing a blog on whistling. 

I recently reconnected with Mitch Grashin on Facebook. He sent me the following update: 

“I’m glad to be thinking back on the things I mentioned that I’ve done since Wesleyan. I really don’t think much about where I’ve been and what I’ve done; I just kind of seem to always be caught up in what’s happening now, so I appreciate this chance to look back. I wanted to tell you about the two restaurants I was involved with just after Wesleyan times. First off, I did them both with my longtime buddy Bob McAfee, who you may have met when he came to stay with me at Wesleyan during the ’67–’68 school year. Our first restaurant, opened in 1969, The Great Shanghai Steel and Iron Works, was a vegetarian Chinese restaurant in Berkeley, just off the Cal campus. I think it was the only vegetarian Chinese restaurant in the country at the time. It was frequented daily by the likes of Eldridge Cleaver, Huey Newton, Timothy Leary, Sly Stone, etc., etc., as well as many of the visiting Chinese students at Cal. We served brown rice (scandalous), and we were so arrogant that if you wanted white rice we charged extra for it. Our next restaurant, The Vitium Capitale (capital vice), opened in the refurbished Farmers Market in Seattle in 1974. It was vegetarian, and during the day we served crepes, desserts, and cappuccino. In the evenings we reopened and served five-course vegetarian meals, by reservation. We had farmers in the market growing specialty vegetables for us, and we had several of Bob’s recipes in the Gourmet magazine of the time. We were on the circuit of various music groups touring that came through Seattle and cooked many an after-midnight banquet (complete with magic mushrooms) for musicians of the day. We also catered for the Super Sonics, because Coach Bill Russel liked us and wanted to support Black-owned business. We also used to cater dinners at his house in Mercer Island, and oh my God, the guest list at Bill’s dinner parties was breathtaking. I’m told that from our humble Vitium Capitale  we started the so-called ‘California Cuisine’ using locally sourced and specialty grown vegetables, and in the early days, we were scoped by the soon-to-be cultural food icons Jeremy Towers and Alice Waters (my son Pal later worked at her restaurant, Che Panisse, in Berkeley). That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. Thanks, again, Russ for providing me a mirror from my past.”

But wait, there’s more: “I am in my eighth decade of playing martial arts. My dad put my brother and me in a traditional dojo (no English spoken) in Seattle, three nights a week when we were there and four years old, respectively. I got my black belt when I was 12, then the next year, Bruce Lee moved in next door and I hung out with that blessed brother for a couple of years, and I have been practicing Chinese forms since then.”

But, wait, there’s still more: “I went from Wesleyan to getting my acupuncture degree in 1970 (same as Wes), then opened a couple of restaurants in Berkeley and then in Seattle in the refurbished Farmers Market (early ’70s), then moved to Jamaica, early ’70s, working as an acupuncturist in a medical clinic. While living in Jamaica, met over several years with the Chinese delegation (the U.S. had no relations with China), eventually getting, in 1972, the first invitation to the Canton Trade Fair, and then we were the first American company in China, two years before Nixon! When I came back to America in the mid-’70s (sold our invitation to the Canton Trad Fare to Shell Oil in 1976 for $50,000), acupuncture wasn’t legal yet, so I spent the next 25 years as a broker. I retired twice, first from real estate, then from mortgages. Now I have unretired for the second time, and we now have a start-up, providing insurance, proof of which is required in all states, for the commercial cannabis market. I think this may be my last hurrah in the business world, as we struck gold on this, having the great good fortune to PARTNER with Lloyds of London, who have been wanting to get into the cannabis market but didn’t know how until we got together and showed them how to reach the growers, and provided an avenue for conventional banking services without violating interstate money laundering laws. We have an exclusive contract to market the policies we helped them develop for the cannabis market, in the U.S., Canada, and now worldwide. We are now insuring oceangoing cargo ships of cannabis and hemp, coming full circle back to Lloyds original mission of insuring the oceangoing vessels that went on expeditions to the East Indies and the spice islands. We are a privately held company, all old-timers (six of us), pretty much women and people of color, no MBAs, no vulture capitalist (just sold stock to friends and family) funding, and just received a valuation of $140 million, based solely on our Lloyds contracts. We are doing some merging of parts of the company with a BIG insurance network (6,000 agents) and now after five years of not getting paid, we are looking at a good payday, and ongoing stock that pays dividends, with a pretty good chance of getting to $1 billion valuation within five years, based on the growing worldwide cannabis market. The new company we will merge operations with [will] do the day-to-day administration and will provide a legitimate CEO and COO, and one of our own will be the CO. We have been meeting with the Chinese and New Zealand governments to provide a $5 million/year blanket insurance policy for the tonnes of cannabis that China has contracted with New Zealand to grow for Southeast Asia (because New Zealand has the same perfect-for-growing-cannabis climate as Northern California). The first few years of this company, my partner and I spent visiting and getting to know the growers and networks of North American cannabis and hemp growers.  Those connections, and the solution we found for commercial banking, are two things that attracted Lloyds to us. My whole life has been a great ride, and I have a front row seat! . . . .

“I guess I’m a serial multitasker, and I forgot to mention that I have also been in the cannabis industry for the past 55 years.”

Until next time, aloha.

Russ

CLASS OF 1970 | 2023 | SPRING ISSUE

Ed. note: Russ received a few updates this round:

Stephen Policoff writes: “My third novel, Dangerous Blues, was just published by the small but admirable Flexible Press (November 1, 2022), https://www.flexiblepub.com/dangerous-blues. Available at Amazon! Bookshop.org.! Your friendly local bookstore!

“My daughter Jane recently graduated from NYU and is working at the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation. I am still teaching at NYU and live amongst the looming towers of the university.”

Miles Siegel sent in a photo of Robby Laitos, Mark Fuller, and himself in Yosemite Valley in October. What a great place for a minireunion! 

From left to right: Robby Laitos, Miles Siegel, and Mark Fuller at Clark Point in Yosemite Valley—Half Dome is in the background—in October 2022.

George S. T. DeBolt writes: “Fifty-two years after graduation, at age 74, I have become—in the words of Pittsburgh’s KDKA-TV—a virtual internet sensation. I give tours of Pittsburgh. A visitor made a video of one of them, posted it on TikTok, and it has received over 2.5 million views and thousands of likes. I thought I would share the link and the article, which resulted from it for kicks: 

Roger E. Mann ’70, MAT ’72

Roger E. Mann ’70, MAT ’72 passed away peacefully on October 19, 2022.

He is survived by his wife of 25 years Tessa Tilden-Smith, a daughter Tanya Mann (Jeff), a son Thor (Amy), and five grandchildren (Anna, Sebastian, Julian, Stella, and Sanna), his brother Todd (Jane), niece Jamie (Rob), and dear cousins and friends.

Roger was born into a secular Jewish family in the suburbs of New York City. He enjoyed the big city experience and developed a love for the Brooklyn Dodgers. In his teenage years, he engaged in civil rights activism, and managed his friends’ rock band, before heading off to college at Wesleyan in Connecticut.

Roger Mann

Inspired by his intrepid parents and his own sense of adventure and service, he left Wesleyan for Friends World College, and in 1968, he arrived in Kenya, where he began a 15-year off and on love affair with East Africa. He returned to Wesleyan for a Masters in African History. In the early 1970s, he was involved in Vietnam war protests, and worked as an asparagus farmer, and as a journalist, in Vermont and West Virginia. He then returned to Africa, to Zambia to teach secondary school. Over the next few years, he served as a correspondent for the Washington Post, NPR, and High Times, and had his son with a Swedish nurse. As the 70s ended, he moved his family to London, where his daughter was born, and then to Tanzania, teaching Danish development volunteers how to thrive while living in African villages.

Looking for a different type of adventure, he returned to the U.S. and got an MBA from Yale. He then began a business career in the Washington D.C. area, including projects such as management consulting, a water storage company, real estate investing, and a sandwich cafe. His last and most enduring venture was Care-Free Pools in Naples.

In 2000, he and Tessa had moved to Naples to be closer to his parents. He delighted in tennis, wildlife sightings, beer talks, blues festivals, alumni meetings, lively discussions of current affairs, and evangelizing for electric cars. He loved international travel as well as local getaways, and frequently visited with his grandchildren, enjoying with them time in nature, riding roller coasters, and entertaining them with stories of his varied experiences.

In retirement, he continued his civic service by working for the 2020 census and volunteering in the foster care system. His “Done” files included: found a forever partner, visited India, trekked in Nepal, owned a business, saw the Redwoods, worked in Africa, farmed, toured the Galapagos, improved at tennis, and celebrated Tessa’s 70th birthday with her family in Kent.

His lifelong courageous authenticity, steadfast beliefs, and strong will guided all his actions, including his clarity and decisiveness in his last week to return to Naples, cast his ballot, and donate his body to science.

In lieu of flowers, kindly consider a donation to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (www.lls.org).

CLASS OF 1970 | 2022 | FALL ISSUE

Just as I was submitting this column, I received the word that Marshall Webb drowned this week. He was trying to save two grandchildren while boating on Lake Champlain when a sudden storm came up. As you probably know, Marshall grew up at Shelburne Farms in Vermont and has spent the past 50 years working on environmental issues at the farm, including seeking to reduce the farm’s carbon footprint. His presentation during a panel discussion at the reunion was inspirational. Condolences to all family, friends, and co-workers. He will be sorely missed.

For those of you who attended our 50th-51st-52nd Reunion, I don’t have to tell you much. It seems to be unanimous that it was great. Like many of you, I suffer from some CRS syndrome, so rather than relying on my memory of conversations during those 3 ½ days, I’m going with the e-mails I have received.

I’m starting out with Jeremy Serwer in recognition of all his efforts to get people to the reunion. Enjoyed hanging out with him a bit and hearing more about his shooting-while-riding-horses contests. (No animals were injured, but some balloons were destroyed.)

Jerry Cerasale attended the reunion and hosted a discussion about Vietnam.  He also mentioned that he was running for office. Follow-up: “Well I was elected to the Eastham, Massachusetts, Select Board yesterday. Now I can’t complain about local government—I am local government. Horrors!!” In another note, Jerry commented, “The only ‘unnerving’ thing for me [about the reunion] was when Prince Chambliss told us that when we spoke with a current student it was like when a 1918 graduate spoke to us when we were students—boy, are we getting old.”

Randy Miller still is mayor of (I think) Elizabeth, New Jersey.

You no doubt remember Jamie Kirkpatrick playing his bagpipes from time to time up on the roof. Turns out he’s been writing of late. “For the past seven years, I’ve written a weekly column for three online newspapers on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.”  He didn’t attend the reunion, but he did write about it: https://chestertownspy.org/2022/05/10/the-way-we-were-by-jamie-kirkpatrick/. (Check it out for an interesting perspective.)

Rob Baker, visiting Kaua’i at the moment (he has a house on the north side), didn’t attend the reunion but explained why: “I began 2022 in the hospital for 22 days due to a hyperimmune response to an unknown agent. I lost 24 pounds and was unable to function normally for a long time. I was fortunate to fit in cardiac surgery before heading to Princeville where I’m recovering well. I continue to surf and play golf, although not as frequently or well. We’re expecting a third grandchild. That’s about it!”  He’s feeling much better; reported he’s been surfing here lately. We met up briefly recently in Kalihiwai Valley.

Harvey Yazijian didn’t make it to the reunion but attended a minireunion.  “Here’s a brief update post-50th Reunion. Elliot Daum, Marshall Webb, Bill Jefferson, and I converged at Shelburne Farms, Marshall’s ‘Magic Kingdom,’ on the shores of cerulean Lake Champlain near Burlington, Vermont. It was an opportunity for us to reconnect under the best of circumstances. It was the middle of spring and everything was budding. The next day was greener than the last.”

At the reunion, Marshall Webb and Jacob Scherr were on a panel about global warming and related issues. It was both interesting and well attended.

Steve Talbot also was not at the reunion but shared the following: “I skipped the reunion—still not inclined to fly across country during COVID and busy here in California with work and family. But I hope those that went enjoyed it. I will always hold our class and what we did at Wesleyan in high regard. Many, many fond (intense) memories.

“I stay in regular touch with Dave Davis, Bill Tam, and a few others. I’m glad to know that Wesleyan has a strong documentary filmmaking program going—renewed many decades after we launched it back in the late 1960s.

“I’m still working on a documentary film—my pandemic project, longest I’ve ever worked on a film—about Nixon and Kissinger and the anti-Vietnam War movement in 1969. Incorporating some footage from my Wesleyan thesis film, “March on Washington,” that I made with Dave Davis, Bill Tam, David White, Susan Heldfond, and others. The good news is that PBS recently told me they want the film and are willing to put up financing. Much negotiating and editing up ahead, but it now looks like I can complete The Movement and the Madman, by the end of this year. Fingers crossed. https://www.movementandthemadman.com

Ted Reed made it to Reunion. He’s fine. Still writing. Has a business card with photos of his three books on it. After Reunion, he visited his children and his granddaughter in San Francisco.

Bob Stone enjoyed the delayed Reunion and connected with old swimming friends. (For those who didn’t know this, the old pool in Fayerweather has been transformed. Our class lunches on Friday and Saturday of Reunion were in a lovely dining room where the pool once was. An odd feeling.)  Bob continues to write poignant poetry and posts it on Facebook. Here’s the poem he posted after the reunion:

Our reunion excelled in all ways,

as we relived those formative days.

The intrepid Kate Lynch

made enjoyment a cinch.

Her deft planning is worthy of praise.

Our old classmates remain quite impressive.

Well-informed, erudite and expressive.

They’re incredibly bright.

Display brilliant insight

while their hairlines are growing recessive.

Some required frequent checking of vitals.

Conversations were “organ recitals.”

Codgers long in the tooth

tried reclaiming lost youth,

aided by walking sticks and subtitles.

We saw peers take the lectern and teach:

Vietnam, race relations, free speech,

women’s rights, climate change.

A free-flowing exchange.

And our grasp was in sync with our reach.

We could once again savor the thrill

of a trek to the crest of Foss Hill.

But we’re saddened to see

there’s no McConaughy!

At least Nicholson sits up there still.

For our lunches we gathered together

in a section of old Fayerweather,

at the heart of our school

where the Cardinals rule

among Wesleyan birds of a feather.

When it ended we said fond farewells

in the shadow of South College bells.

Once three more years have gone,

we’ll reprise gamelan.

Just the thought of it and my chest swells!

Steve Masten continues to enjoy retirement and being active in injured raptor rehabilitation.

George Talbot (MD) wrote this short note after Reunion: “Aloha Russ I am still alive, so far. . . .”  (Good to hear!)

Jerry Schwartz made it to the reunion. He writes: “The highlight for me and my wife Janet was taking a crack at playing the gamelan. I’d always wanted to. We don’t live far away, so we drop by for movies and concerts from time to time. Of course, it was great to reconnect with friends from so long ago; particularly Darwin Poritz and Rabbi Jeff Elson.”

Marc Pickard wrote a long piece, which we appreciate. “I am into my second decade of retirement from TV news and having an absolute ball. My wonderful wife of 45 years, Jean, and I travel a ton. She still loves her work in the travel industry (battered by the impact of the pandemic but not bowed) and sees her own retirement still far off.

I am a fly fisherman and have had the good fortune to fish in some of the most beautiful places in the world. I’ve also dabbled in fiction writing—though not very well.

I keep up with a few old farts from my Wes days: Bob Stone, Vic Pfeiffer ’71, Alan Van Egmond ’71, Steve Berman ’72, and Jim Hoxie ’72 .

“Jeannie and I are currently in Cape Town, South Africa, for three months because—why not? It has been our dream to live in beautiful places and we have been incredibly fortunate to be able to do that.

“I am well and active. And there you have it.”

He added, “Thank you, Russ, for accepting the often-unrewarding task of documenting the lives of us cantankerous curmudgeons.” (Hey, I get to read all the news first!)

One of the funny things about reunions is that some folks seem to appear briefly and then disappear. It’s an interesting phenomenon. One such person at the reunion was Maurice Hakim. I saw him just briefly, but he followed up with a full report:

“It was great seeing you and so many classmates last Saturday. It seemed to be an ‘old fogey’ gathering. I wonder what our 55th will be like in 2025! The consensus seemed to be the old age hit when we turned 72–73. It did for me.

“I launched Mister Mo’s Organic Lemonades last summer. These lemonades are the same ones I make for my private label (grocery-store chain) accounts. See link: www.DrinkMrMos.com. Hopefully, these will get the same response and will grow beyond New England.

Maurice’s home in Clinton.

“Carol and I have been spending the warm months in Clinton, Connecticut, and the cold months in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. But that may change and we may reside full time in Clinton. (See attached pix). The small outbuilding on the left in picture 3 is my Man Cave/office.

Maurice’s man cave.

“Our daughter Alexandra turns 32 on May 29. She was just 10 days old at our 20th! She’s an internet marketing wiz and on June 1 she starts a new job with Boston Consulting Group. Carol and I are very proud of her. She’s a great and loving daughter.”

The elusive Harvey Bercowitz wrote a long note: “Hope all is well with you and your family. I have enjoyed following your migration to Alaska and now Hawaii. I am well. Sorry to have missed our reunion but there is hope for our 55th! I am retired from medical practice after 44 years. I specialized in Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine, treating diving injuries from coastal Virginia and North Carolina and medical urgencies such as severe carbon monoxide poisoning and necrotizing infections. I live quietly on the ocean with my lovely wife Lynn in Virginia Beach, Virginia. We have two children and one granddaughter. I keep in touch with Bob Feldman, Marcos Goodman, David Cantor, and Bob Carter from our class and Chip Bryant and Nathan Nichols from ’71.”

John Yurechko (MD) was on a trip to Alaska as I was gathering news for this column. “Jane and I just got on board a cruise ship doing Alaska. I am in total geezer culture shock. Every step of the journey was handled by young people using cell phones. The airline process? All cell phones. The COVID travel testing process? All cell phones. Canadian and U.S. customs? Cell phones. QR codes. Scanned COVID vaccination record. Dinner reservations and menus all on cell phones. My arthritis hands and 1948 birth year just can’t handle it. Wi-Fi wildlife. Router king crabs. Configure proxy whatever. Half the ship passengers look old. Wheelchairs. Gasp.”  Being nosy (after all, it IS Alaska), I pried out a bit more information: “Three stops. Icy Straight Point, Juneau, Skagway. I wish my old body could explore more but it’s not up to the challenge.”

Mark Mintz made it to the reunion. His note echoes some of John Yurechko’s:  “Our reunion hotel was also where the visiting Middlebury baseball and men’s lacrosse teams were staying and having breakfast each morning. Having had breakfast surrounded by all these 18- to 22-year-olds made me feel that this was my college reunion and not the one over at Wesleyan packed with old men.”

Saw Gus Spohn briefly at the reunion. He, too, followed up with a reunion-within-a-reunion photo and this message: “I’ve attached a photo of the Wesleyan swim team members who attended the 50th. Photo was taken on the deck of the ‘new’ pool. Coach Peter Solomon gave us a grand tour of the very impressive facility. Swimmers, left to right: John Cady ’71; Gus Spohn; Bob Stone; Vic Pfeiffer ’71; Pat Callahan ’71 (and former Wesleyan swim coach); Larry Mendelowitz ’72.”

Had a lengthy message from David Redden, the now-retired, longest-serving, auctioneer at Sotheby’s:

“I can no longer speak. ALS, from which I suffer, has taken away my voice along with the muscles that move my arms, legs, diaphragm and so much more. But ALS has not affected my mind, for which I am eternally grateful. And gratitude goes to an army of caregivers and nurses who attend me day and night, led by the indomitable Jeannette, my wife.

“So, being bed bound for a couple of years now, gives me opportunity to reflect. I consider my life charmed, not so much at Wesleyan where I was somewhat desperately trying to discover myself, but later when I met the most beautiful girl in the world and married her and when I fell into the job I was made for at Sotheby’s and stayed there for rest of my working life, the last 16 of which I served as a vice chairman of the firm. Along the way I dealt with the Kennedy family over the sale of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis’s estate, Coretta Scott King and her family over the sale of Martin Luther King’s papers, the Forbes family over the sale of the nine Faberge Imperial Easter Eggs inherited from their father, and a thousand other golden moments. This I chronicled in a highly personal and detailed diary, which I titled Diary of a Sotheby’s Auctioneer.

https://www.getty.edu/news/sothebys-auctioneer-david-redden-donates-archive-to-getty-research-institute/

“Now that diary along with a great number of personal papers have gone to the Getty where they will lend the future a taste of the art world of late 20th century and early 21st century.

“This means an important part of me will live on, although what the future will make of my late night ramblings, I have no idea.

“But, of course, there is much more to life than what goes on at the office. I have two children, Stephen and Clare, who in the best Wesleyan tradition, are still searching for themselves; Stephen having spent time at Wesleyan and Clare who is on her way to a doctorate in psychology.

“I have been involved with numerous environmental and cultural organizations, have at one time or another chaired most of them, and appreciate the lasting imprint they have left, both environmentally and culturally.

“And, lastly, I have been blessed to own some of the most beautiful properties in the world, filled with my very personal and idiosyncratic collections.

“I now have entered the most difficult period of my life, the end game, but I still feel blessed to have my utterly gorgeous wife and my children at my side.

“As a footnote I did send to the Wesleyan library a small archive of material from my time as an organizer of Wesleyan SDS in 1968.

With best wishes to all,

David Redden”

Bruce Williams wasn’t able to attend the reunion, but he wrote, “Getting used to living in an older model vehicle. The beautiful, young ER nurse had seen Men in Black and did a credible impression of Rip Torn crawling out of the opening crash site. ‘That’s exactly how I feel,’ I said. Sorry to miss our 52nd but had a great visit and lobster dinner with Mark Fuller and Miles Siegel on Mark’s ‘Reunion Tour East.’ Look forward to our 55th.” And in another note, Bruce wrote, “Sitting here with Mark Fuller and Miles Siegel, who insist that I post this movie: https://vimeo.com/ileife/marvel.

My apologies.”

Tim McGlue also sent a note, “News? You probably know the same things I do about the world, which don’t look good, and we don’t want to think about it. The climate is changing more quickly, and the rich are getting richer while more and more believe their tweets—we all know what happens to the poor. Religious and tribal fanaticism is reaching medieval proportions and ravaging entire peoples all over the world. The virus is morphing. The Devil still wears Prada. God’s identity is up for grabs and nobody knows what they think. The big question is still ‘Who do you love?’ Not enough. Maybe there’s good news in sports.

“A lot of good music and thinking out there, some good writing but I’m still looking for a heart like Albert Camus, Toni Morrison, or Primo Levy. Sometimes I wonder about heart—I find it occasionally in writers like Louise Erdrich. We need more Marvin Gaye, Gil Scott Heron, Neil Young, Buffy Saint-Marie. The WES ’70 Reunion photos were nice—I couldn’t make it, alas. I’m planning on a big trip to the States in the fall, if possible (see above) to see friends (notably my good friend Bill Bullard) and family and to promote my first real book (historical fiction), which is scheduled to come out in September. I hope. I’ll give Wesleyan a holler, with special thanks to the College of Letters and staff of ’70.

“Thanks for the heads-up, stay healthy, and watch your back, all of you.”

Also had a note from Charlie Holbrook: “Leslie and I will shortly return to Old Lyme, Connecticut, from June 1 to October 15. This will enable us to visit Wesleyan and see a few football games this fall and get a chance to see Professor Nat Greene. Professor Greene is still teaching at Wesleyan, and I have had the pleasure of taking a course for credit from him in 2010 and auditing his class nine times from 2012 to 2021 with the exception of 2015. This summer he is not teaching a class but every year we always meet for lunch. Our cottage at Point O’ Woods Beach is 31 miles from High Street in Middletown. I retired from full-time teaching at Beaufort High School in Beaufort, South Carolina, in 2016, then did two years of teaching half-time and two years of subbing. COVID put an end to my extended career in March of 2020. I never had COVID, but at age 72 in 2020, I felt that it was not worth the risk. With no teaching obligations, it has given Leslie and me more time to spend along the Connecticut shore in Old Lyme. We have a good life! Winters in South Carolina and summers along the Connecticut shore. All the best to the Class of 1970.”

David Geller attended the reunion and sent this follow-up note: “Had a wonderful reunion visit to Wesleyan. In general, our classmates have aged well, have had impactful lives—with more to come—and hopefully will return to campus in three years for our 55th. I think that scheduling a reunion while current students are on campus was a great idea and I hope we can make this year’s schedule work the next time we gather together. I attended a cinema class on Thursday morning at the Basinger film center. It was terrific. Off to Italy and Switzerland this Friday, May 13, for 12 days. Will report on trip highlights for the next class update.”

Fun note from Jeff Sarles: “Jeff Sarles suggests the following three panels for our 60th Reunion: (1) Death; (2) Ailments; and (3) Sex and the 82-year-old.”

Gordon Fain was seen briefly at the reunion, too, and wrote: “Gordon Fain, Ross Mullins, and Nik Amarteifio held a minireunion at the student center. Ross helped Nik with a patient Wesleyan store worker (current student age) with Apple cell- phone problems, so we were pleased to sit for coffee nearby. The cell phone was especially important as Nik traveled from his Ghana business site to our reunion. . . .  Meanwhile Ross traveled from Switzerland. We proudly discussed our respective grandchildren in USA and Switzerland. The three of us had started at Hewitt Hall at Wes, which many of you know Wes built some years before we arrived. Hence, as freshmen we had the advantage of strolling downstairs for breakfast and still making the 9 am morning classes. Ross recalled he stayed all four years on our squash team, whereas I played only freshman squash. He told of one defeat by the high-level army team member. The army opponent suffered a hand injury requiring bandaging and a break, but refused to concede defeat, in stoic military fashion. Ross was among our best ’70 players and in the minority that stayed on all four years. . . .

“The Shabbat dinner held by Rabbi and Mrs. Leipziger on Church Street at the newly remodeled Chabad House. Their fine Shabbat meal featured talking with three current Wesleyan wrestlers, once from Dallas, and Wes science grad students, among others. Their 11-year-old boy proudly shared his nondairy birthday cake and filled us in on making a Lego fire truck. Their Wesleyan varsity team has a great match record this year.

“The Wesleyan men’s baseball team has had a winning year in its league but had a tough time pitching to the Middlebury men’s baseball hitters at the Friday afternoon game (first of three).  When we watched in about the seventh (of nine) innings, the score was about 15 to 7. It turns out Middlebury is in top three teams nationally in Division III in hitting, base stealing, and homeruns—that’s what the proud parent of THEIR starting infielder told us while he used his professional, digital camera to capture their hitter stealing two bases, then scoring on a deep fly ball toward Wyllis Avenue. By then, Wes had used nearly all the bullpen pitchers (stationed near the library hill.)  I felt sympathy for the Wes baseball coach quietly signaling his hitters from the third-base coach’s box. They did have one strong inning in the sixth.

“The Public Affairs Center, as those who came now know, has plywood and scaffolding as it’s undergoing major remodeling for government and other departments. The rest of the library hillside and baseball field looked quite familiar.”

Captain John Sheffield wrote this about the reunion: “It was great getting together with so many of you, and meeting many of you for the first time (since, being on the ‘five-year plan,’ I didn’t join the class of 1970 officially until my second senior year). I hope we might get even more ’70 alumni together (on campus or elsewhere) in 2025 for our 55th.

“My hat’s off to Kate Lynch who was tireless in keeping those of us on the reunion planning committee focused on our in-person reunion target throughout these four-plus years. Kate, you’re the best!”

And also heard from Tim Greaney, “Gang: Sorry to have missed what I’m told was a great event . . . only a minor stomach illness that would make a 5.5-hour red-eye very unpleasant and ‘minor surgery’ (the technical medical definition of which is ‘somebody else’s surgery’) kept me away.

“For my update: Just taught my last class at University of California Hastings Law School in San Francisco but will continue my advocacy, amicus briefings, and general kibitzing on health-care law and policy. Happily situated in the People’s Republic of Santa Cruz, California, with two grandkids 10 minutes away. Nancy and I celebrating our 47th anniversary (is that a Wesleyan record?).  Let me know if any of you are visiting the Left Coast.”

David White wrote, “So sorry that health issues kept me away. I very much wanted to catch up with you and others after so long. I very much admire the work you’ve been doing. It sounds like the reunion was a great success. We continue to be part of an incredible class.”

And Ted Reed had this to say about the reunion: “I have many great memories from our reunion, as I know we all do, so I want to share just one. On my trip home to Charlotte, I rode to Bradley International Airport with Prince Chambliss. We arrived early and sat at the gate, waiting for our flight (Prince was connecting to Memphis.). After a while, Ross Mullins showed up for the same flight, and we sat there talking. The amazing thing was that I know Prince from my very first days at Wesleyan—we were both in the French immersion program that preceded regular classes—but I don’t think I had ever spoken to Ross before. So, in Middletown this spring, I saw old friends and made new ones.”

Steve Ossad, he of the gray hair but great hairline, attended Reunion and later sent a photo of another reunion of sorts, a Commons Club roommate reunion captioned “with Phil Casnoff ’71, Graeme Bush ’71, Miles Siegel ’70. Missing Dan Rosenheim ’70.”

He also had this to share about the class dinner: “Regarding the class dinner, especially for the Philosophy majors and students of Victor Gourevitch. I was the one who asked about President Roth’s courses and why he taught them, after praising his imitation of The Voice. Roth and I shared a close relationship with Victor until his death in 2020, and before the dinner, among other things, I asked him directions to the grave.

Steve Ossad (left) and Miles Siegel

Below are the course descriptions, readings, etc. Miles Siegel and I (Commons Club) were also the ones who engaged him on the endowment, now at $1.6 billion.”

Steve also attached the following: Virtue and Vice in History, Literature, and Philosophy

https://owaprod-pub.wesleyan.edu/reg/!wesmaps_page.html?stuid=&facid=NONE&crse=014658&term=1229

Philosophy and Movies: The Past on Film

https://owaprod-pub.wesleyan.edu/reg/!wesmaps_page.html?stuid=&facid=NONE&crse=012016&term=1231

“Stay well, I’m lobbying for 55 in ’25.”

Bill Tam read that comment and replied, “Thank you for that vignette. It is those personal stories that trigger memories and make the experiences live. Maybe the 55th can be under better circumstances.”

Bill later sent an account of a minireunion on O’ahu: “On May 9 and 14, Peter and Emi Kalischer, Elbridge and Diane Smith, Steve Ching, and Bill Tam and Mae Isonaga gathered at the Barefoot Beach Cafe, Queen’s Beach (Waikiki below Diamond Head) to catch up on 50 years of professional journeys and personal misadventures. Little did we know how many earlier Hawaii connections we shared.

“Bill and Steve (who are also Punahou High School classmates) both served in the Peace Corps (Sierra Leone and the South Pacific). Steve went on to ophthalmology, public health, and university teaching. Bill went into public interest law (Hawaii water and natural resources) and occasional teaching at UH Law School. Elbridge still practices employment law in Honolulu. Peter (as always) has a new entrepreneurial enterprise which promises to produce energy from . . . [it is still classified].

“On May 20th, all (except Steve who returned to Kauai) gathered at Bill and  Mae’s house in Kaneohe to share dinner and embellish their stories. The next day Peter and Emi returned to Japan where they continue to act as ambassadors at large for Wesleyan.”

Steve Talbot wrote, “Recently, I had lunch with Dave Davis in Oregon. He plans to retire at the end of 2022 after 35-plus years at Portland Public TV. The Oregon & Washington TV Emmy Association will honor him with a Lifetime Achievement Award (“Silver Circle”) in June.”

Steve Talbot’s forthcoming documentary, The Movement and the Madman  (about the 1969 anti-war movement and new evidence of Nixon’s consideration of the use of nuclear weapons in Vietnam) will be shown on PBS next year (after Steve edits it down to 90 minutes).

“Keep your family and friends close. Take care of your health. Be kind to each other.”

Also attending the reunion:

Joel Adams (still working on his COVID drug);

Elliot Daum (still on the bench and looking forward to the next Burning Man).

Late word from Marcos Goodman:

“Headed to Ukraine and Moldova: I often figure out why I’m going where I’m going after I’ve gotten there. This time, I’m a little ahead of the game, but then, that might change. So, this time, pre-trip, I’ve come to conceptualize this route as a tour around the southern old-Soviet sphere. A couple of years ago, I decided to visit the lands of my grandparents, and I went to Poland, Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. Looking at a map, you’d see that these countries are basically the northwest region of the old Soviet Union. The expected itinerary for this current trip, after a couple of weeks of a non-Soviet start in Venice and Vienna with an old friend, will continue on into the Soviet portion for another four months or so. Prague (Czech Republic), Bratislava (Slovakia), Budapest (Hungary), Timisoara and Bucharest (Romania), Sofia (Bulgaria), and then to Istanbul, Turkey, as a spot to hop from.

“Oh, right, and then there are Ukraine and Moldova, special stops along the way. When I went to Ukraine four years ago, hardly anyone in the U.S. could locate it on the map, even my somewhat more educated friends. Actually, I didn’t really know just where it was until I started making my plans. Now, most people know where Ukraine is, at least they know that it borders Russia. However, very few people I know have any concept of where or what Moldova is, which is part of the reason why I’m going there. Moldova is the European country least visited by foreigners, and it’s the poorest country in Europe. It’s landlocked, although technically it has access to a part of the Danube that flows into the Black Sea. Ukraine is to the south, east, and north, and Romania is its western border. Moldova has one section of it which broke away and is basically a Russian enclave, so it’s a special hot spot, along with Georgia, which had its war with Russia a few years ago but still has ongoing troubles with them. Interestingly, I’ve recently run into a few people with family connections in Moldova, so, hopefully, I’ll be able to spend some time with some locals.

“Yes, I’m headed to Ukraine, although to an area far from the current war action. Weirdly, through two good friends from different universes, I’ve connected with an American who moved to Ukraine 20 years ago, started a family, and bought a place in the country. I’m going to fly from Bucharest up to a Romanian town near the Ukraine border and take a bus across and up to my new friend’s place. He assures me that it’s safe, but I must admit that I’m looking for a bit of intrigue, although not too much. I’ll explain more about Moldova and Ukraine when I’ve had some more firsthand experiences.

“At this time, I’m thinking that I might just fly across Turkey in order to get to Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia, since Turkey wasn’t a Soviet country, and it probably deserves a separate trip. It’s questionable whether I’ll cross the Caspian Sea and make it to the old Soviet “stans,” Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. Maybe I’ll save them for the Turkey trip. Who knows with a lot of this? In fact, I just had some hassle to get on my flight leaving for Venice any minute. The ticket counter wanted to see my return ticket, and I told them that I never know when I’m returning and don’t really know just where I’m going. They didn’t like that, and I had to buy a return ticket in order to board this outgoing flight. This is an EU Schengen Agreement thing that supposedly assures that you don’t spend more than 90 days in the Schengen area. I canceled the return flight as soon as I passed into the boarding area.

“Do any of you know people along my route? Of course, I like the architecture, castles, etc., but I really want to meet local people, not just other travelers. Your connections don’t have to be native locals, as expats would certainly do. Please get in touch with me and let me know of any possible people to meet along the way! Give me possibilities to follow up on. OK, gotta catch my flight. More later.”

Wesleyan has posted some Reunion photos on Flickr:

eve_2020commencement_06052022564

And this is the link for the Wesleyan Facebook photos, which you do need an account for:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.466093905316769&type=3

I hope that between the two links above, you’ll be able to add photos to your FB page and direct your classmates to the general sites.

Good luck!

CLASS OF 1970 | 2022 | SPRING ISSUE

Aloha, Classmates.

By the time you see this in print, I assume that our twice-delayed 50th Reunion will have occurred.

Sadly, I must again begin this column with news of another classmate who has passed on.  Stephen Kyner died in December 2021.  His widow Deborah Ellington wrote to say, “He was always proud of having graduated from Wesleyan and grateful for the education he received there.”  Our condolences.  Here is a link to Stephen’s obituary:   https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/bostonglobe/name/stephen-kyner-obituary?id=31886964

Sign of the times?  Mark Geannette wrote that he and wife Gloria last fall visited Italy and purchased an apartment in historic Alghero, Sardinia, and plan to visit semiannually.

Stephen Talbot is still politically active. He regularly posts thoughtful things on Facebook and is working on “a film about the anti-Vietnam War movement versus the Nixon/Kissinger administration in 1969. It’s called The Movement and the “Madman.”  A rough cut is being shopped around for completion funds, viewing outlets, and a distributor.  Here’s a link to the trailer:   https://www.movementandthemadman.com/preview.      

“This takes me back because it’s the story of what happened in 1969, especially that fall when we had the big march down Main Street in Middletown during the national moratorium on October 15 and when many of us went to Washington, DC, for the enormous anti-war march in November, which I filmed with a whole crew of Wesleyan friends (Dave Davis, Bill Tam, Guy Prevost, Doug Bell ’69, David White, etc., and my girlfriend Susie Heldfond) for my thesis film, March on Washington.”

Ted Reed was excited by my call for classmates to bring political buttons to the reunion.
Said Ted, “Are you saying that somebody wants my collection of political buttons? I accumulated a large collection as a teenager. This includes, for instance, Rockefeller for President pins from 1964. Now as a senior citizen, I would be very happy to find a home for them.”

Historian Chuck Caramello wrote, “My book, Riding to Arms: A History of Horsemanship and Mounted Warfare, has been released by University Press of Kentucky, in the series Horses in History.”

This from Mike Robinson: [We] had Jan Eliasberg ’74 join the monthly York (Pennsylvania) Book Club to discuss her debut novel, Hannah’s War.  Jan, a prolific TV and movie director, has penned an exciting WWII–era novel based loosely on the life of a female Jewish physicist who helped develop atomic fission for the Germans and then the Manhattan Project. Thanks to Zoom, the book discussion was enlivened by Jan’s passion regarding the under-noted historic accomplishments of women and ongoing challenges experienced by those of the Jewish culture in many contexts.”

This just in: The Memphis Bar Association has honored Prince Chambliss. “As we celebrate Black History Month, we honor City of Memphis Attorney Prince Chambliss Jr., who grew up in Birmingham, Alabama, during the Civil Rights Movement. After becoming the first Black partner at a Tennessee majority white law firm in 1981, he was elected the first Black president of the Memphis Bar Association in 1997. While continuing to practice law full time, he was appointed by the Tennessee Supreme Court as the first Black member of the Tennessee Board of Law Examiners. In 2010, Chambliss published his life story Prince of Peace: A Memoir of an African-American Attorney, Who Came of Age in Birmingham During the Civil Rights Movement. ”

More from Steve Talbot: “I’m still very busy with work, helping to take care of my granddaughter who lives nearby, and still cautious about COVID (though I’m fully vaxxed and boosted and have been healthy).”

More on his film: “I’ve done over 30 interviews with the leaders and activists who organized and led those fall ’69 protests, as well as former Nixon and Kissinger administration policymakers. It’s been a really satisfying project to work on these past few years. Fingers crossed and financing allowing, I hope to complete the film by the end of 2022 and begin to get it out into the world.”

All the best to you and our Class of 1970.