CLASS OF 1959 | 2020 | ISSUE 1
Greetings to the Great Class of 1959 from your scribes. Surrounded by our election excitement, impeachment games, Brexit about to happen, and Harry and Meghan’s dramatic decision, our news is both normal and uplifting (as usual).
Dick Cadigan gets us started with the following tidbit: “Several years ago, Clint Eastwood, now 89, was asked, ‘How do you keep going at your age?’ Eastwood replied, ‘When I get up in the morning, I just say don’t let the old man in.’” Says Cads, “This is my new advice to myself—you guys, too!”
He also had a stimulating and informative 21-day adventure in November: Hong Kong, Hanoi, Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City, Angkor Wat, Cambodia, and Bangkok. Great lectures and guides. Stayed in the same hotel in Hanoi where Joan Baez stayed in 1972, where she ended up in a bomb shelter! Depressing that the U.S. did not learn enough from this horribly ugly Vietnam War.
Wonderful news: After arduous solicitation by your scribes, Cynthia Rockwell MALS ’19, retired managing editor of the Wesleyan, has agreed to join us as an honorary member of 1959, and adjunct class secretary. Her words say it all: “I am honored and humbled by your invitation. It is clearly the highlight of my career! Whenever you declare the next meeting, I’ll be there. I believe it is the adjunct’s first responsibility to bring liquid refreshment to the deliberations.”
It has been Cynthia’s burden over the past several years to keep your scribes from using off-color jokes or language inappropriate. Now she is on our side!
Walter Burnett writes: “Thoroughly enjoyed the 60th. Like many who have not been back for a while, I was amazed at the expansion of Wesleyan’s facilities. Continue my peripatetic lifestyle with Thanksgiving biking in Beaufort, S.C., Christmas with family in Maryland, New Year’s with daughter in California, spring plans relaxing in Myrtle Beach, and birding in Robbinsville!”
Weg Thomas is at it again with his camera and the latest effort is just brilliant.
Charlie Wrubel is trying hard to wrest away the traveler-of-the-year award from Dave Eklund: “During our 60th, Myra and I went to grandson Benjie’s graduation from Fountain Valley School (son of Rob ’88, MA ’89). He will have a gap-year teaching in Tanzania then on to Lafayette. A Leopard for life! Three London visits in 2019: Son Bill and I for a D-Day trip, grandson Miles in London and Paris, and a fall trip for fun. Bill was there working on a new TV show on English football. Back in time for the Homecoming game against Williams, the most exciting I have ever seen. Go, Little Three Champs! And then Thanksgiving in the California desert with the entire family.” Go, Charlie and Myra!
Dave and Mary Eklund, in the meantime, flew to Singapore, where they picked up a cruise ship for a little R&R, after a mad, spring dash covering graduations scattered all over the East Coast. Interesting Asian trip, but “too many people.”
Herb Steiner remarks on “aging out” of a couple of activities. Is Herb the only one? He is giving up the violin, and the tough first violin parts that he loved, in a switch to the less strenuous viola and has traded in his racquetball racquet for a pickleball one. Pickleball is a gentler game, apparently, not played with pickles. Herb stays in touch with Bob Waterhouse, Joe Vander Veer, and Tim Martin.
Tim Day has received the Thomas A. Richards Memorial Beer Stein Award, a great annual honor. After a quick trip to Harvard Business School to dedicate the new Tim Day Fitness Room, just amazing, down to Quantico for a reunion with the people Tim has put through HBS over the last several years. What an extraordinary achievement. He and Sandy have also found Rosie, a baby black pug puppy, who is the newest member of the family.
Wolfram Thiemann, our most enthusiastic adopted classmate, and wife Wen had a great time at Reunion, and in their later travels to New England, Washington, and Baltimore. It was terrific to see them both in Middletown and we wish them back soon. On their return to Europe, they explored the Dalmatian coast in Split, Croatia.
Owen Tabor and Margaret just returned from a warm week in the islands on a trimaran, with four married children and 11 of 13 available grands, far from the bustling election and impeachment noise, and enjoying the whole adventure in the shade!
Skip Silloway | ssillow@gmail.com; 801/532-4311
John Spurdle | jspurdle@aol.com; 212/644-4858