CLASS OF 1977 | 2019 | ISSUE 1
Winter finally reared its head in the Northeast with some snow and bone-chilling temperatures this January. So, taking refuge in front of a crackling fire, I have many New Year’s greetings from fellow classmates.
Andy Adesman sent word about his recently published book, Grandfamily Guidebook (Hazelden Publishing), which should be well received by the many recent grandparents in our class. Andy, along with Steve Gold and Rick Dennett, started the New Year with a vacation with wives on Longboat Key, Fla. Steve McNutt and his wife joined in for a wonderful dinner.
Jason Baron’s The Chelly Foundation, the charity he founded in Cambodia, hosted a creative writing workshop sponsored by Writing Through—the organization started by Sue Rappaport Guiney. Jason further reports that Kathy Asquith Franklin volunteers as a board member of The Chelly Foundation: being extraordinarily generous with her time and support. More information on these two charities can be found at thechellyfoundation.org and writingthrough.org.
Buzz Cohen was delighted to return to campus to speak to the stage management class. Buzz is heading into rehearsal for Suzan-Lori Parks’ White Noise for the Public Theater.
Iddy Olson is a granny! Rowan Grace Jennings was born to her son, Des, and his wife in Jackson Hole. She is very thankful for FaceTime. John Fink is taking time off after 34 years of managing KFVE-TV in Honolulu until he writes his next chapter. Jane Goldenring is coming east in May for a family graduation and then plans to teach a couple days at Wesleyan.
With the New Year, Janet Malkemes will be looking for a new job, preferably within the North Carolina state system so that she can reach the magic 10 years needed to qualify for a full retirement and health care. Although not quite ready for retirement, she is enjoying having more available free time than she has had over the past 38 years.
Jerry Stouck is near the end of a long legal career in D.C., spending more and more time in Park City, Utah, both winter and summer. Oldest daughter Dani just got engaged and lives in Harlem, son David ’15 is in New York working at Warner Music, and youngest Rachel is finishing an MSW program in Boston. Jerry is in touch with Micha Balf and may see Teddy Klaus in D.C.
Jim Melloan met up in the East Village with Jim Dowling and David Van Biema ’80. He recently acquired a manager for acting gigs. Any showbiz folks interested in hiring him should contact Dream Maker Talent Management of Glen Head, N.Y. Jim expressed great optimism for 2019.
Joan Goldfeder had a fine and unexpected breakfast with Doug Green in September. She also scored a dinner with Peter Bickford on one of his many business trips. Joan and Penley Toffolon Kidd do a lot of commiserating and complaining about the current administration via text: “someday soon, the phones will explode (or they will).” Son Eli is in Spain for his semester abroad from Bucknell University, which is all Joan needs to plan a trip there for early spring. Joan is still doing marketing consulting, mostly for nonprofits.
David Loder writes, “Hard to believe that my son, Marek ’11, graduated from Wes eight years ago . . . and I won’t even do the math for our class but am thrilled to have my brother Tom [’80]’s son and my nephew, Aaron ’22, attending Wesleyan as a freshman this year . . . keeps all the memories flowing as we count our many blessings particularly at this time of year.”
In the New Year, Mark Slitt was headed on safari to South Africa: photos only, no gun shooting. Mike Coffey has been beating a track to SoCal since daughter Lanie started grad school at Cal State Long Beach: nine trips out since summer. Lanie got her master’s in nutrition in May, finished up the thesis, and started her first career job working for Heluna Health at their Women, Infant, and Children (WIC) clinics last month.
Vicky Dworkin retired from her position as children’s librarian at the Hawaii State Library, and moved to Center Sandwich, N.H., along with husband John Wendell. She is a part-time freelance storyteller, involved in various children’s literature activities, and enjoying life near Squam Lake.
Vanessa Burgess and Betsy Hecker sent along good wishes for the New Year to us all. Will Altman wrote from Brazil that his new book, Ascent to the Good: The Reading Order of Plato’s Dialogues From Symposium to Republic, has been published by Rowman and Littlefield.
All in all, it sounds like a fine start to 2019.
Gerry Frank | Gfrank@bfearc.com