Categories Class Notes, Class Notes | 1970sPosted on

CLASS OF 1975 | 2022 | FALL ISSUE

First word goes to folks who haven’t appeared in this column before. Corinne “Cory” Kratz sent news of her writing fellowship from the Bogliasco Study Centre for the Arts and Humanities to spend January 2023 in Bogliasco, Italy, finishing her book, Rhetorics of Value: Exhibition, Design, Communication.

Carl Cavrell retired from teaching in 2016. After tutoring and coaching gymnastics and soccer, he’s begun subbing at his kids’ school to prepare financially as the oldest of his four boys starts college this year. So much for having kids late!

Knox Cummin spent a few wonderful days with Jim Forster in Los Altos, California, remembering old times, talking about life since Middletown, and sailing on San Francisco Bay.

Sara Pasti is project director for Enlighten Peekskill, a public art installation of light-emitting sculptures, murals, and banners spearheaded by the Hudson Valley Museum of Contemporary Art, as part of downtown revitalization.

Brian Steinbach expects to be 95 % retired by October. Then he’ll convert a large collection of music tapes to CD, including a live performance by Tom Kovar ’76 that he considered lost! Brian told me Jane Hutchins returned to her Vancouver Island farm after a rare visit to Seattle to find her sheep had COVID. He also noted an uncaptioned alumni magazine photo of Wes’s first women’s hockey team includes Jane, Deb Kosich, and Diane Cornell.

First Wesleyan Women’s Field Hockey Team: Jane Hutchins and Deb Kosich standing at left and right of tree; Diane Cornell seated far right

The highlight of Brian’s summer was Bonnie Raitt’s Wolf Trap concert, who he first heard opening for Maria Muldaur at Wes around 1972.

Paul Margolin works in New Hampshire for BAE Systems, where he’s also developing Londonderry’s rail trail, keeping the neighborhood rotary garden blooming, and babysitting grandkids. The Margolins’ middle and youngest daughters live nearby and have provided two grandchildren with another coming soon. Their oldest is in Nevada studying PT after a fitness and dance career (Rockettes and Vegas stage). Paul and Linda are a font of travel news. In Chicago, they breakfasted with Karen and Mark Flinchum, retired and enjoying three grandchildren. In Denver, they visited Suzy and Dave Rosenthal at their new home. They’re also in touch with Joe O’Rourke (retired in West Hartford, awaiting grandchild #5); JD Moore (still in the Connecticut judiciary); Vinnie Broderick (retired and rehabilitating his house in central New Hampshire); and Dave Rosenthal and Steve McCarthy (see below).

Dave reports he and Suzy moved from Buffalo for mountain views, sunshine, and proximity to grandchild #1. Dave, editor of the Mountain West News Bureau, a regional collaboration of NPR stations, says, “I feel like a Wes freshman again, cramming to learn wildfires, drought, wolves, wild horses, and other issues.” In Denver, he welcomed Paul’s visit and reconnected with Becky Peters.

Steve McCarthy and Kathleen downsized from Rye to a Greenwich townhouse and welcomed their first grandson. Steve and partners at QE debuted their documentary on the late director Alan Pakula (Klute, All the President’s Men, Sophie’s Choice). Steve remains active as a Wes volunteer and looks forward to our 50th (?!#).

Lisa Anderson, Kathy (Kleinbard) Heinzelman, and Deborah (Marion) Brown remain close friends, meeting and talking regularly. In July they spent a weekend at Kathy’s home in Pound Ridge, New York, sharing joyous and difficult recollections of being early WesWomen.

Left to right: Kathy (Kleinbard) Heinzelman, Deborah (Marion) Brown, and Lisa Anderson in Pound Ridge, New York

Roger Weisberg and Karen Freedman welcomed twin grandchildren in April from son Daniel and his wife Jannine. Grandchildren through daughter Allison ’05 are Lionel (9) and Juno (6), who can’t wait to babysit! This fall, youngest daughter Liza got married. She’s an attorney with the Southern Poverty Law Center handling voter protection litigation. In June, Roger and Karen attended the Tuscany wedding of Shonni Silverberg’s ’76 and John Shapiro’s ’74 son. COVID slowed Roger’s film production work and exacerbated the traumas of foster children that Karen’s office, Lawyers for Children, represents.

Joost Brouwer reports his growing family is well, though a granddaughter’s cystic fibrosis is worrisome. In June, Joost was among four witnesses invited to meet with the Netherlands equivalent of the House Judiciary Committee. They explained what is wrong with the Dutch government’s policy against refugees from Afghanistan and Rwanda, who are unjustly accused  of war crimes and crimes against humanity. Joost has become an expert through his volunteer work assisting refugees.

Rachel (Adler) Hayes and husband John have a college grad looking for his first full-time position in fashion design—leads welcome! A May 2021 house fire displaced them. They hope to return home before November. They’ve learned a lot about the ugly side of insurance. Rachel completed a challenging term as synagogue president, featuring a senior rabbi’s retirement, selecting an interim replacement, the associate rabbi’s unexpected resignation, the first executive director’s hiring and resignation, community reactions to COVID, and massive transition, and raising more than $10 million. Time for a nap!

Ed Van Voorhees welcomed California granddaughter #3 from daughter Ellen and husband Carlos. Son Matt in Colorado used the COVID break to earn his MBA in finance. Kids and grandkids in D.C. and Nashville are fine. After two COVID years homebound and three tries, Ed and Linda traveled in France this spring—the Dordogne, Pays Basque, and a few days in Paris and Barcelona.

Cathy Gorlin and her husband spent three months renting and working remotely for the first time in Naples, Florida. Now that they know they can do it, next winter they’ll stay longer. Their son Ross graduated from med school and started a residency at Swedish Hospital in Denver. Their grandson starts first grade in D.C. this fall.