CLASS OF 1953 | 2018 | ISSUE 1

Walt Cutler wrote in November: “My wife, Didi, and I enjoyed two good trips this summer: one on a French barge in Burgundy with friends, and the other to Leipzig and Dresden for classical music. I am still involved with several Washington think tanks promoting international exchanges, and serving as an adviser to a California-based investment bank doing business in the Middle East. I haven’t been back to Wesleyan since I chaired a panel on the Iran-Saudi Cold War several years ago. Unfortunately, that part of the world continues to go from bad to worse.” Our wishes are to see Walt again on the campus.

It is with sadness that I report the passing of Jan B. van den Berg, 87, on Dec. 26, 2017. He and I roomed together for three years in Harriman, spent summer 1951 at a Michigan resort, and toured five European countries in 1952. Jan, born in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, fled ahead of the Nazi invasion and lived in New Rochelle. He was a math major and Alpha Chi Rho. Jan was known for his swimming ability, having set frosh records in two distance events, being New England champ in the 440, and captain our senior year. In Paris we met the 1952 Olympic champ in the 440, whose time today would not make the high school team. (Progress!)

With an MBA from Stanford, he joined McKinsey & Company as a management consultant and later became a managing principal. He lived in Amsterdam, London, and Greenwich. I recall his attendance our 40th Reunion in 1993. Upon retirement he moved to Bend, Ore., from where he traveled around the world until being stricken with Alzheimer’s. He is survived by his wife of 13 years, Patricia, a son, and two daughters, to whom our condolences are extended.

JOHN W. MILLER | Jwalmiller@aol.com
306 Autumn Court, Bartlesville, OK 74006 | 918/335-0081