CLASS OF 1957 | 2015 | ISSUE 2

The column features tales of grandchildren and Reunion headgear. I’ll lead off with Jeff Williamson reporting from Madison Wisc., on his and Nancy’s six grandchildren. Sarah ’16 returned from junior year study in archaeology at UCL in London, and Erin starts out at Middlebury. Nancy attended Erin’s graduation from high school in Berkeley, Calif., while he stayed home to attend A.J.’s ceremony. Neil and Maya are in high school, and Alex is the youngest. The Wiliamsons spent much of the summer at their vacay home in Newfield, Maine. They plan to attend Sarah’s Wes graduation; Jeff has saved the ’57 cap and expects to wear it at one or more Commencement events.

Dick Cassie writes of completing a three-day faculty stint in oral diagnostics at Rutgers’ School of Dental Medicine. He met two Wes graduates studying there. Escaping from the fierce winter of ’15, he headed south to Florida, played golf in Tampa and then moved on to Delray Beach, visiting with Roger Toner. Dick now makes his year-round home in Bedminster, N.J., in a high-rise condo, commenting that he’s as “happy as a Jersey clam at high tide,” a unique real estate testimonial if I’ve ever come across one. Of course when he wants to experience authentic seashore life, he can be found at his summer retreat on Long Beach Island. His grandchild tally numbers three, one in college and two in high school.

Bill Shepard and wife Lois traveled on a lengthy Mediterranean cruise this past May. Bill was a guest lecturer, offering talks on destinations such as Marseille, Provence, and the Amalfi Coast. Stops also included Corsica, Monaco, Barcelona, and Rome. He said he was tempted to try his luck in a casino in Monaco, betting on number 22—said to be the lucky number in Casablanca but backed away from such a heady commitment (perhaps the favorite wager of the usual suspects?). Bill adds that this time the couple went “incognito,” mentioning that a year ago in St. Petersburg (Russia, that is) his ’57 cap was much in evidence. Well, our cap is bold red, is it not?

A note from Al Kalb finds him enjoying his 16th year of retirement and still swimming for recreation. He has eight grandchildren, with two of them in college, one at Colby and another at Emory.

Find Whitey Johnson and wife Paula enjoying Mt. Holyoke and Wes reunions cherishing “…old times, old friends we hold to you, hands joined…” (that is right out of the song book—“Campus Memories”). We can count on Whitey for ’17! Bob Smith and Betty Smith went up to Montreal this past May to attend games at the Women’s World Cup, along with two of their sons. All are strong soccer fans. Bob stays in touch with Jerry Baker and his wife, Peggy, and George Davies and his wife, Dusty.

Yours truly and Joan weigh in with “My Three (grand) Sons”, Johnny, 15, Wil, 13, and Tommy, 6. The oldest served as his h.s. freshman class president and plays second base on the frosh team. Will is into track and Tommy is a standout KG grad. Oh—the cap—I wear it in summertime when driving my red Solara convertible with the top down. Its condition has just the right seasoning for the occasion, and I, too, am saving it for our 60th. I hope that all of you are doing so as well, for when we convene in 2017.