CLASS OF 1952 | 2018 | ISSUE 2
Sadly, I regret to inform you of the passings of Morag Kennedy, Don Stauffer’s wife of 60 years; Peg Collings, the wife of Harry Collings, after 65 wonderful years together, and Robert Goodman Jr. on May 7, 2018. Don and Bob were both classmates of mine at DU. We send our sincerest condolences to their families.
Last Christmas Don visited his son, Andy, and wife Isabel in Dallas, where they had moved from Manhattan. He is living at the Avila Retirement Community in Albany, keeping busy with retirement-type activities: Master gardener for 22 years, a book club member, and singer with Jubilate Singers. He had a real thrill joining a 200-voice chorus in a Carnegie Hall program last spring celebrating the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther and the Reformation and is planning a one-week trip with a friend to Tuscany in October to soak up culture and wine.
Harry has been living at Sun City in Lincoln, Calif., east of Sacramento, for 17 years. He worked for the Dupont Company for 36 years in the petroleum chemicals and pulp and paper divisions in tech sales and account manager positions. In Sun City, he and a friend started an astronomy club 14 years ago that is still very active today with over 100 members, monthly meetings, and star parties.
Bob’s son, Carey, advised me of Bob’s demise at age 88, surrounded by his wife of 62 years (Virginia Saunders Goodman), his three children, and extended family. Bob was a graduate of Friend’s Central School in Philadelphia and an exchange student at the American School in Mexico City. After Wesleyan, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and spent two years with the 7721st Radio Broadcast and Leaflet Group in Mannheim, Germany, doing research for propaganda leaflets to be dropped over Poland denouncing the Soviet Union at the beginning of the Cold War (I was stationed in an ordinance group also in Mannheim at the same time, but our paths never crossed there). He spent much of his time playing fast pitch softball, drinking beer, and as a friend of the daughter of the mayor of Heidelberg, was invited to the first New Year’s Eve party held at the Rathaus that was permitted by the military authorities. He spent a tense evening in dress uniform, while most of the rest were former Nazis.
After returning home, he began his teaching career at Staunton Military Academy as a math teacher and coach. After marrying, Bob and Jinny moved to Christchurch School in 1955. In 1960, he moved to the Collegiate Schools, formerly a girl’s school where Bob was hired to add a program for boys. He then had headships at Presbyterian Day School in Memphis, Augusta Prep in Georgia, and Arlington School in Atlanta. In 1972 he became founding headmaster of Trinity Episcopal High School, where he spent 14 years. After a stint with the Community School of Performing Arts at Virginia Commonwealth University, he joined Southern Teachers in 1990, which had been acquired by his family in 1981. After his retirement in 2000, he served on the Fulbright Scholarship Committee at Virginia Commonwealth. He also served as president of the Richmond chapter of the English-Speaking Union, which honored him with an Award of Merit for his many years of service in providing education and cultural opportunities for students and teachers.
Jack Murray is into his 16th year of retirement from the French literature program at UCSB in Santa Barbara. He has heart issues, so he no longer travels. He enjoyed the Reunions while he could make them and misses the alumni and wives still around. He’s had a very full life, whether solo backpacking through the Santa Barbara County mountains or adventure traveling (France, South America, Maya ruins in Central America and Mexico, New Zealand, and Timbuktu in Mali).
Hal Buckingham writes that after a more than 68 years off-and-on search, he connected with Bill Housum last October at the fair in Fryeburg, Maine, a huge blue-ribbon event where he was volunteering at an information booth. After leaving Wesleyan Bill transferred to Albright College, where he spent his career, editing their alumni magazine, and at Fryeburg Academy (a venerable prep school founded in 1972 with Daniel Webster as an early headmaster), as director of admissions. He climbed Mount Fuji in Japan during an R&R and he has climbed Mount Washington in New Hampshire 100 times and has manned the tourist station at the top. He resides in retirement in Fryeburg, Maine. Wow!
Dixie Sanger and his wife, Maggie, are alive and reasonably well in a snug condo in Wilmington, Del., more or less retired, still active in church and 12-step recovery work. His big news is that they had two beautiful great-granddaughters in the past couple of years and wishes everyone should be so blessed. Amen!
That’s it for now. Please keep me apprised of your news for future issues.
Joseph N. Friedman | jfriedman@regalnyc.com
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