CLASS OF 1964 | 2019 | ISSUE 3
There always seems to be something going on, other than the task at hand when I sit down to prepare my notes each quarter. It’s Labor Day and I’m concerned about Hurricane Dorian that is spinning in the Bahamas and threatens the southeast coast of the U.S. I’m sitting here in my condo in Savannah, Ga., concerned about my trailer in Central Florida. Oh well, I can’t get anywhere sharing my concerns.
I have an update from Mike Ehrmann after 19 years in Pittsburgh, with his wife, Esta, having just moved to Jersey City, N.J., to be close to their son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren. He texted, “During my time in Pittsburgh, I was president of the Squirrel Hill Historical Society, the largest neighborhood historical society in the city. On May 14, when I ran my last meeting as president, the Pittsburgh City Council issued a proclamation celebrating my leadership of the society and named this date ‘Michael Ehrmann Day.’ In October the local neighborhood planning organization for Squirrel Hill is naming me as a ‘Treasure of Squirrel Hill.’”
Lou D’Ambrosio shared some news: “My family is doing fine. Elder granddaughter just graduated from Vassar in June, now working in Seattle. Oldest grandson working in Denver, graduate of the University of Colorado. Wife Christy is still working as a psychologist (hooray!) and still lovin’ it (another hooray!).” He had lunch with Edgie Russell and enclosed a photo. I noticed what a great smile Lou has. Finally, Lou closed by texting, “Just lovin’ everything. Still singing! Waiting for offer from the Yankees to sing the National Anthem at Yankee Stadium!”
Karen and Chris Chase decided in early 2018, for various reasons, to move to a continuing care retirement community in Hanover, N.H. Chris added, “There is much here to enjoy: Dartmouth adult education, concerts, opera, lectures, trail hiking, etc. There are also political action groups. I leave the politics to Karen. I’ve gotten back into singing and, new experience, am part of a poetry writing group. Having extra time sure helps the revision process! More prosaically, I’m in the process of preparing a lecture on pidgin and Creole varieties of English.”
He concluded, “Regrettably, I do not think it likely Karen and I will be able to attend Reunions in the future. I’m sure the discussions would be interesting. When we were at Wesleyan the world seemed so potentially positive. Maybe that was simply a youthful take on things. That’s not the impression of things that one has now. And I don’t think that it’s simply a case of o tempora o mores.”
Roger Montgomery reported, “I am alive and well in London but am lucky to be alive. Suffered a stroke in May 2017 but was rescued by the fantastic U.K. National Health Service which had me in hospitals for three months absolutely free. Also lucky to have survived four years in Viet Nam where colleagues such as Peter Hunting ’63 (Alpha Delta Phi) died. Went on to become a Southeastern Asia expert, consultant to World Bank and Asian Development Bank through a U.K.-based consulting company (Hunting Technical Services). After retirement continue to live in London where I spent six years at the London School of Economics pro bono in the Asia Research Centre. Any Wesleyan alumni most welcome to stop by for a cold one at 25 Belsize Crescent NW3 5QY. We bend the elbow at 7 p.m. sharp.”
Brian Murphy and wife Ginny are well and currently living in Los Gatos, Calif., near their two daughters. They spend most of their time hiking, birding, and traveling to places to view wildlife. They just got back from trip to Congo to see lowland gorillas, forest elephants, and forest buffalo as well as other wildlife. Fun!
TED MANOS, M.D. | ted_manos@yahoo.com