Tag: 1983

Greetings everyone,

Wow, is it me or is time whizzing by? Summer began and now it’s over. We just had our 40th Reunion and that is surely a milestone. I didn’t make it back to Wes but I heard it was great. If you have any pics, please send them for the next issue.

In response to the question, “If you had one wish, what would it be?”

If I only had one wish

Turn back the hands of time

No regrets as I veer from destiny

Ride without reason or rhyme

If I only had one wish

Change that which will be

I wouldn’t have to search

For what I now can’t see

But since I’ve only one wish

It’s simple and true

I’ll live it right now

and spend it with you

—Steve Avezzano

“I wish that we would all care about each other enough to actually help each other—especially the poor, hungry, and marginalized.”—Kenneth Schneyer

“My one wish is to move to Boston . . . oh wait, I just did that on August 1. Watch out Hub-based Wes people!”—Ben Binswanger

“Perfect tempos every time.”—George Balanchine courtesy of Jan Elliott

And now the news . . .

Bob Gordon road-tripped to the reunion with Ellen Zucker from Boston and had lots of time “to marinate in the memories.” Ellen is a highly acclaimed civil rights lawyer, representing plaintiffs in employment discrimination and whistleblower litigation. At the reunion Bob reconnected with three of his Wasteland hallmates—Brad Galer, Willie Alago, and Dave Ackman ’84. All three are accomplished physicians. Brad (still married to his frosh-year love, Lele) is chief medical officer at a Boston-based pharma company developing pain medicine; they own and operate an award-winning winery in Pennsylvania. Dave advises a large insurance company on medical coverage policy matters; and Willie is a radiologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York. Bob also caught up with Amy Appleton, Kivi Goldsman, and Ben Binswanger and is in close touch with Bruce Glassman and Tracy Hughes ’84 who are still in San Diego. Tracy has a clinical psychology practice, and Bruce and Matt Arkin ’82 co-founded a business manufacturing and distributing an alcoholic spirit called Batch 22, an American Aquavit, that makes an awesome cocktail. Bob recently visited Chuck Schneider ’84, an oncologist at the Hospital of U. Pennsylvania. Chuck lives just outside Philadelphia with his wife, Dessi. In the fall Bob is getting married and “couldn’t be more excited.”

Jean Weille lives in NYC with her husband, Bob, and cat, Boris. She is a licensed clinical social worker with a private psychotherapy practice. She works part time at Weill Cornell’s Geriatric Psychiatry Department in an innovative research program investigating psychotherapy modalities for older adults who are victims of crime and elder abuse. Her son just married his high school sweetheart, and her daughter lives in Brooklyn.

This fall Steve Avezzano will be returning to WESU to accompany his son, Picasso, who is a member of the class of ’27. “It took me over 40 years to get there, but despite what Thomas Wolfe once wrote, apparently you can go home again.”

Alice Jankell’s new play, The Sweet Spot, will premier off Broadway this winter. Alice just had a raucous dinner with Eileen Kelly-Aguirre and Bennet Heart.

Kenneth Schneyer sold his story called Winding Sheets to Lightspeed Magazine and it will be published in 2024. This is his third sale to Lightspeed (several more stories are currently under submission to various magazines, and several others are in various stages of drafting and revising). This fall he is teaching both the American Constitutional Law seminar and the advanced Shakespeare seminar at the same time. “Con Law is going to take quite a bit of revising, since the last time I taught it was before the bombshell Supreme Court decisions of 2022 and 2023.” His spouse, Janice Okoomian, teaches English and gender and women’s studies at Rhode Island College, and has several research and writing projects in the works. Their eldest, Phoebe, recently played Feste in a production of Twelfth Night in Brattleboro and their youngest, Arek, is finishing his Sarah Lawrence College degree.

Eric Heinz ’86 attended Wes for two and a half years in the class of 1983, then studied abroad, and graduated in 1986. He is a professor of law and humanities at the School of Law, Queen Mary, University of London, and executive director of (CLDS) Centre for Law, Democracy, and Society. He has authored several books including: The Most Human Right: Why Free Speech is Everything, Hate Speech and Democratic Citizenship, and The Concept of Injustice.

And a few photos:

Stay well, be happy, and do good!

Greetings!

Thank you for the memories. Space is limited so I’ve edited a bit. I suppose if I asked all to share their memories, I ought to participate, too. Let’s see . . . happiest memories were hanging in the kitchen with my housemates at 77 Home Avenue, drinking horribly bad cheap wine (ladies, sending hugs) and singing with my freshman roommate at the top of our lungs in Foss 10. (Kitty, do you remember which songs?) Favorite class was Susan Foster’s modern dance, sophomore year. I remember morphing in and out of tableaus with my fellow dancers as if we were one spirit; it was electrifying. In memoriam, I salute sociology professors O’Gorman and Hyman. They are two kind souls who set me on my path—albeit with a short stint in business first. On the Shoulders of Giants, we follow. I bow to them in gratitude.

Tim Brockett reminisces: “The opportunity to connect with professors who were older, wiser, and in positions of power. It was my good fortune to enroll in a geology class taught by Professor Jelle de Boer one fall semester a long time ago. Professor de Boer was brilliant, articulate, knowledgeable, and tremendously caring toward his students. At his suggestion I traveled at my own expense to Costa Rica to work with a graduate student, Larry Lew, for a few weeks. We mapped the bedrock geology of a dense coastal jungle just south of the warring Nicaraguan border. We lived on the beach like Robinson Crusoe . . . . Another gray-haired professor invited me to a party at his home. I brought a lovely date and we danced with other Wesleyan students in his second-floor bachelor apartment. One young student I vaguely knew remained; she sat on the edge of his bed and appeared sad and a little frightened. I wanted to take her with me but she sat steadfast, almost frozen in place. Those were my happiest and most painful Wesleyan experiences.”

Paul Halliday gives a shout-out to a few of the many faculty who had a lasting effect on him including, Vera Schwartz (Modern Chinese Intellectual History) who, “in our first meeting, asked us to think of ourselves as intellectuals—lightning strike”; Richie Adelstein, Brian Fay, and Don Moon (three years of CSS colloquia) who, “modeled how thinking hard could be loads of fun; the ideas they shared remain fundamental to how I think about many things”; Roger Solie (orchestra conductor and chamber music mentor) who, “always conveyed the joy of music, and showed how that joy grows the more you work at it”; and Peter Kilby (Intro Econ) who touted, “Why take economics? You’ll always read the newspaper with a more critical eye.” Paul hears his voice every time he encounters poorly reported or badly misrepresented data, which is all too often.

Karyn Ellis shared a few memories and a bit of decadence: The primal scream after Reagan was elected (“Wow, did people let loose”); wandering the Olin stacks in an altered state and every book “we pulled off the shelves had incredibly deep meaning”; and the famed Taylor Estate parties for which our class is legend.

Mark Kushner remembers the “Come as You Aren’t” parties at Taylor Estate; co-op cooking with Ben Binswanger, Dave Loo, Steve Maslow, and others; dating the now long-married Aileen Mix; the 40 Plays in 40 Days modern drama class; and spring break in Myrtle Beach and Hilton Head with the tennis team.

Pivoting next to classmate news: Jeffrey Shear was promoted to first deputy commissioner at the New York City Department of Finance. Megan Norris writes “Professionally, my long-planned attempt at early retirement failed, and now I find myself as CEO of Michigan’s oldest law firm. A little surprising to my family, since I did not own a suit.” Her daughter, Taylor Matthew ’17, “is an incredibly independent kid who decided to live five blocks from us in Detroit. Though it won’t last forever, I am enjoying it while I can.” Megan adds she wishes AARP would quit sending things!

Roger Blissett is “excited to share that on May 9, 2023, I will be honored at the 25th Anniversary Gala for ExpandED Schools, a New York City based nonprofit dedicated to ensuring that all young people in New York City have access to enriching afterschool programs.” A link to the gala is here: Events – ExpandEd Schools.

On a sad note, we recently received notice our classmate Dunbar Gram passed away last August. His obituary can be read at gainesville.com/obituaries/pgai0294414.

Hope to see you at the 40th!

Hi Everyone,

Greetings and Happy New Year! Just a few notes this issue. Here goes. . .

Cheri Weiss moved with her husband Dan and their two little dogs, Hope and Josie, to Hawaii. She writes, “The dogs were totally confused at first (and I don’t think they appreciated the journey) but everyone has now adapted to our new home. The people are wonderful and kind, and it is really a wonderful adventure for our family.”

Wayne Logan is in his 25th year of teaching law with the last fifteen at FSU. He has a book coming out this fall—The Ex Post Facto Clause: Its History and Role in a Punitive Society (Oxford Press) and is anxiously awaiting the bidding war on movie rights!

Helen (Uddoh) Matausch and her husband Rainer sent a picture from Tunitas Creek Beach in Northern, California! (Yes, they are on the beach!) Helen has been in the medical industry for over 20 years and currently works for an acute behavioral health-care hospital. She finds it very challenging, never boring, and most definitely needed. Her goal is to get a doctorate in psychology focusing on counseling adolescents. Though not an easy age to deal with, Helen writes, “I have an affinity toward them! Wish me luck!”

Nicholas Herold and his partner Emily have been in Maine for three years, hosting short vacation stays at their Portland Victorian home in South Portland and in Eaton, New Hampshire. They are also real estate agents (residential and commercial), but their main focus is to provide an awesome experience for guests (Wes alumni receive a 10% discount). With COVID, the first floor became a rental apartment, they cooked their meals on a camp stove in the barn (ignoring as best they could the aromas of rodents and gasoline), and the cute little outbuilding where Emily and Nicholas had been sleeping became a private room for guests. Now they offer just three spaces and since they are private and more luxurious, it’s less work, despite an increasingly full calendar.

They are developing plans to work with reproductive health-care providers in Maine to use their resources to help women get the support and care they need. Loving to travel, they visited Portugal, Holland, and Belgium, and Chile last year. Last tax season they hired David Block ’81 to do their taxes and was a great experience!

Heather Rae sold everything in Maine two years ago and landed in southern Florida where she is building a private practice in terrain-based functional health, specializing in genomic biochemistry and detoxification. Her plan to leave the U.S. in 2020 to travel was thwarted by “COVID” restrictions, as she refused to take “COVID” tests or injections. Heather posts regularly on Telegram about scientific fallacies of “germ theory,” the “NO VIRUS” challenge, “vaccines,” and how individuals can attempt to remove environmental toxins contributing to their chronic health conditions.

Keep those notes and photos coming. . .

Namaste,

Laurie

Hi Class of 1983.

Yikes, the deadline is fast approaching and too much summer fun is getting in the way of responsibilities. Hey, I’m finally living on the edge! Life is good, dare I say normal, and it feels like the world can breathe again. At least for those of us fortunate enough to have access to medical care, food, shelter, and water. I’m not supposed to be political here, but dang, I’m tired of the news! Be well, safe, and enjoy the journey. Here now is what you all have to say . . . (I believe this is an online version . . . so the links should all work—it’s all new to me.)

Alice Jankell has co-founded Putnam Theatre Alliance, and the collaboration of multiple theaters has commissioned three playwrights to each write a piece about land ownership in the Hudson Valley in the tumultuous years between the French and Indian War and the American Revolution. Alice will direct, and they’ll weave the pieces together into one epic play: Three writers, three bold protagonists, three unique perspectives, one big journey. Coming next year.

Ruth L. Schwartz is humbled and proud to have created what has become the leading global resource for lesbian/queer dating, relationship, and sexuality education at the Conscious Girlfriend Academy, www.consciousgirlfriendacademy.com. She’s also excited to be going to Sappho’s birthplace on the isle of Lesvos, Greece, in September, and contemplating a move there.

Kate Rabinowitz went to her first reunion since graduating. “It was so great to see people, who all looked radiant and as I remembered them. . . . Adding [to] the depth of the years we have continued our journey. The school has expanded in so many ways, yet it maintains its essence of sharp intellectual and creative pursuits.”

Andrew Bennet’s son really took a shine to Wesleyan, applied Early Decision, and was accepted. If everything goes according to plan, he graduates next May—right after our 40th Reunion. With two such auspicious events at once, Andrew will travel ‘en famille’ for that extended weekend from Madrid, Spain, where he lives. Andrew married a lady from Madrid 25 years ago and has two kids. He put a stop to his career in advertising since the start of COVID and enjoys having time to smell the roses. He writes, “I wouldn’t say I’m retired because I may well work again if the right opportunity comes along but I am not looking and only want to work again for pleasure. In the meantime, I also am helping as a volunteer for some midsize animal conservation groups in Spain with their communications and fundraising.”

Nicholas Herold and partner Emily have been in Maine for three years, hosting short vacation stays at their Portland Victorian home, in South Portland, and in Eaton, New Hampshire. They are also real estate agents (residential and commercial), but their main focus is how to keep providing an awesome experience for their guests. They operate their nine-room home like a hostel: guests in five bedrooms and three shared bathrooms, and he enjoys morning gatherings in the kitchen drinking coffee and eating quick bread. Last year they spent time in Portugal, Holland, and Belgium, and are super excited to travel to Chile in November.

After 36 years (!) of working for the New York MTA, Glenn Lunden is now a (very, very minor) YouTube star. The MTA asked him to host a three-minute video explaining why the MTA does so much track work in the New York Subway on three-day holiday weekends. Follow the link to learn a little bit about what he does as a subway planner https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARBIDMVzKtQ.

Taya V. Glotzer shares: Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine Professor and Director of Cardiac Research at Hackensack University Medical Center Named American Heart Association’s Researcher of the Year (hackensackmeridianhealth.org).

Claire Gleitman writes: “I’ve just published a book, titled Anxious Masculinity in the Drama of Arthur Miller and Beyond: Salesmen, Sluggers, and Big Daddies (Methuen Drama, 2022). In addition, after 28 years as a professor of dramatic literature in the English department at Ithaca College, I’ve moved to a new role: ‘I’m now the dean of the School of Humanities and Sciences at IC. It’s a big change for me, but I hope it will be an interesting one. My older son just finished a master’s degree in history and is working as an academic adviser and instructor at a tribal community college in North Dakota; my younger son works with at-risk youth and young adults in upstate New York. My husband, David, is happily retired after many years as an associate dean at Cornell University.”

Tim Brockett is partially retired and a significant portion of his time is his. He uses his newfound freedom to “pursue happiness” as Alexander Pope and Thomas Jefferson promised. His happiness projects include: creating and maintaining lovely, multi-acre, classical French and English gardens in Montana, working a few months of the year selling books online, reading the 10-volume set Gateway to the Great Books, and keeping a journal and traveling.

And here is one last note item that somehow I missed from several issues ago. Apologies to Heather Rae who recently sold everything and relocated to southeastern Florida to build a functional health and genomics practice (cutting-edge science to assess root causes of chronic health conditions: environmental toxins, nutrient levels, variants in enzymes (genes) of inflammation and detoxification, cellular voltage, and membrane lipids). Anyone interested in going beyond protocols and cookie-cutter medicine is welcome to contact her: HeatherRaeINHC@protonmail.com. Heather—having just started with a foundational practitioner here, I’m super excited to hear of your news! Best of luck and to those wondering what is this . . .  I’d say check it out!

Finally, some ’83ers sent in photos. Take a gander!

Stay safe, be well, and namaste.

Greetings! Time marches on and despite this never-ending pandemic, our classmates continue to thrive. I have spent the last two years working in urban education and when not putting out fires, reading, cooking, meditating, and trying to make sense of it all. I send everyone fond wishes for a happy and healthy new year.

Charlie Brenner left the University of Iowa, where he was head of biochemistry for 11 years, to become the inaugural chair of a new Department of Diabetes and Cancer Metabolism at City of Hope in Los Angeles. He started a virology project in the lab, met President Roth and Peter Gilhuly at the home of Luke Wood ’91 and Sophia Nardin ’91, and saw Brad Whitford ’81 play Ebenezer Scrooge. Living in Pasadena, Charlie works out on the Mirror and jousts on Twitter!

Franky De Poli lives in Argentina and owns and runs a company that sells equipment to fuel cars, planes, ships, and trains across Latin America. Franky remarried nine years ago and is delighted to announce the arrival of a new baby girl (Mia) in April. A true “modern family,” he has three wonderful children from his first marriage, two grandchildren, and all get along great, including his ex-wife. Franky remains in close contact with Paul Gross ’84 and met up on campus with Mike Whalen and Paul DiSanto ’81 when he last visited.

Judy Korin hunkered down at home in LA this past year and finished producing a documentary film many years in the making—Rebel Hearts. The movie premiered at Sundance and after a nice festival run, the film is now streaming globally on Discovery+. She enjoyed telling the colorful story of a group of progressive Catholic nuns in 1960s’ Los Angeles who stood up to the patriarchy of the church. Judy is excited to share it with the world!

Heather Rae sold everything and relocated to southeastern Florida to build out her functional health and genomics practice (cutting-edge science to assess root chronic health conditions: environmental toxins, nutrient levels, variants in enzymes (genes) of inflammation and detoxification, cellular voltage, and membrane lipids). Way to go Heather! Having just started to see an integrative and functional health doctor to address assorted ailments associated with growing older, I salute you!

Nancy Rommelmann launched a media company, PalomaMedia.com, in November, and is working on a book that includes her coverage of the 2020–2021 protests in Portland. She currently splits her time between NYC and Houston.

Despite being quarantined for most of 2020, Janet Binswanger managed to make the best of it, and got married on a beautiful sunny evening in September. She writes, “Neil and I have a blended family of 6 kids and are extremely happy together. I have the greatest job at Vynamic, a health-care management consulting company as their curator; curating all their events, team experiences: aka ‘Director of Happiness.’”

David Frankfurter and Anath Golomb shared their activities during the “plague year.” They (1) adopted a second puppy (of diverse breeds) brought up from Houston; (2) held in-class university teaching, while simultaneously managing Zoom students; (3) saw psychotherapy patients by Zoom from home, while said Houston dog barks at UPS trucks; (4) dined outdoors in 45-degree windchill; (5) enjoyed overly international Zoom seders; and (6) not getting COVID!

At the end of February, Megan Norris began a new position as CEO of Miller Canfield, the law firm for which she has been practicing for 35 years.  She writes, “Taking on the position as we come out of the pandemic is a bit of a baptism by fire, and 200 attorneys are a lot of cats to wrangle, but I have spent my entire career here and it is very satisfying to finish it out this way.” At the beginning of the pandemic, Megan’s daughter, Taylor Matthew ’17, moved back to Detroit from Boston for grad school. With an MA in teaching, Taylor begins her career as a teacher in the Detroit public schools.

Karen Miller Zoomed with a bunch of her field hockey/roommate crew: Gretchen Millspaugh Cooney from Pennsylvania, Sue Stallone Kelly from New York, Barb Bailey Beckwitt from Colorado, and Tammy Rosengarten Darcas from Australia. While a couple of them may have had a glass of wine, Tammy, being in Australia, enjoyed her morning coffee. Karen’s daughter finally got married after postponing it for a year and resides in Latvia while her husband plays hockey for the KHL of Russia. Her two other daughters moved back to the Connecticut area to be with their brother.

Glenn Duhl (with wife Peggy), Matt Ember, and Laurie Sklarin Ember ’84 had a couple great days together in California.

Lastly, I wish everyone a happy 60th. Many have wrote of their celebrations: Taya Glotzer and Michael Sommer, Tom Donnelly (and Heidi), Peter Jankowski (and Dottie), Frank Moll ’84 (and Diana), and Melanie Peters had a reunion to mark the occasion.

 

Those with class notes, please contact:

Class Notes Editor

classnotes@wesleyan.edu