CLASS OF 1968 | 2018 | ISSUE 1

Locally: “the crew”—Bob Svensk, Harrison Knight, Nason Hamlin, Will Macoy ’67, myself, and Coach Phil Calhoun ’62, MALS’69—reuned in Middletown in early October. Enjoyed amazing weather, one another, a couple of rows by those who still can, and interacting with the present coaches and rowers. After which, Judy and I recovered with a week in London. They may no longer have an empire, but it is still a lovely town.

Crew is too hard to do for a coach you respect. You gotta love the SOB. Thus, it was a particular pleasure for Judy and me to have a long lunch by the river with Phil and his wife, Janet. Phil was at Wes for 10 years, leaving as the University’s secretary. After which he did an array of things (e.g., in Tom Ridge’s cabinet in Harrisburg, a partner in a micro-brewery, a vice-presidency at Franklin & Marshall), produced two wonderful daughters (for whom I babysat), and encouraged rowing wherever he went. Keeps in touch with Colin Campbell. Janet, in response to the painful loss of her mother and a sister, wrote a searing memoir, Rabbit Warrior, which was published by a small Pennsylvania press. As I like to keep appearances/illusions/half-truths firmly in place, it was not an easy read.

Harrison told me one of our buddies, Bill Currier ’69, retired from his partnership at White & Case’s Washington office and is seeing if he has a novel in him.

Shortly after Maria struck, Joe Kelly Hughes ’67, a former SEAL, went to Puerto Rico as a FEMA volunteer.

Sam Davidson has an exquisite art gallery in Seattle and hosted a Wesleyan event there last fall. Gordon Fain ’70 is a Yale Law School graduate who never left the area: the grandfather of seven, very active in his temple and a thoroughly good guy. Wendell Wallach, chair of Yale’s Technology and Ethics Working Research Group, moderates a seminar open to all, which some friends of mine have attended for years. They speak highly of Wendell, who was just on a European lecture tour.

I caught up with John Kepner, a Penn Law grad who worked and lived in the Philly area as a healthcare attorney, and then, he moved out of the legal role and into executive and consultant positions—most notably with Penn and The Holy Redeemer’s health systems. His specialties were strategy, new ventures, and building relationships. His website (fenwaymanagementadvisors.org) has short splendid essays related to his work and point of view. Both he and his wife, Mimi, are very involved with inner-city social service programs and both enjoy getting away to their place on the Vineyard. They have three sons. The oldest is the lead baseball writer for the Times. The other two (Amherst & Yale) are Austin-based and making music together as Full Service.

In May, we lost Steve Horvat, and, in October, Peter Margolius. Steve was a good clutch hitter, the catcher and co-captain on the baseball team. Dave Losee noted that under Steve’s leadership they used to eke out good seasons from so-so teams. After four years in the U.S. Army, Steve went on to Northwestern’s Law School and a distinguished career in insurance. Most notably were his years in a range of top positions, including general counsel, with Franklin Life, mostly in the Chicago-area. He loved golfing and vacationed and retired to Hilton Head. He was part of our Dick Emerson, Ray Solomon, Charles Ahern, et al golfing group, and there are plans for a memorial tree on campus. (Contact Dave Gruol; davidgruol@aol.com if you wish to contribute). One classmate remembered Steve as “quiet Indiana strong.”

Peter “marched with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., volunteered for Vietnam, ran into burning buildings, and would do anything for a dog.” In Vietnam, he served in intelligence and earned the Joint Service Commendation Medal. After law school, he spent several years in Japan as a Naval JAG officer. In 1979, he went into private practice in Catskill, N.Y., where he served as a volunteer fireman, and, most proudly, as town justice from 1997-2014. Additionally, he served Greene County as a prison prosecutor and first assistant public defender. “Peter was a talented marksman, military history aficionado, and staunch supporter of the Second Amendment. He loved The Three Stooges (Curly was the best)…and could quote every line from Casablanca.”

Ostensibly, our Reunion celebrates the time we went through together in Middletown. But, in truth, we also went through the 1950s together and are going through the 2010s together (though not in physical proximity). And my thought is that we would all do well to come back May 24-27 to mark, celebrate, and give thanks for everything.

Lloyd Buzzell | LBuzz463@aol.com
70 Turtle Bay, Branford, CT 06405 | 203/208-5360