CLASS OF 1981 | 2024 | SUMMER ISSUE
I write to you all on the heels of an extraordinary viewing of the total eclipse of April 8 in my town of Bloomington, Indiana, which was smack-dab in the middle of the eclipse path—with over four minutes of totality! Despite cautionary predictions about statistically cloudy weather at this time of year, the day could not have been more perfect: blue skies, warm temperatures, and many friends and family members gathered round in observance and reverence of this amazing celestial display. My elderly neighbor of 83 started crying as she expressed gratitude at having the opportunity to see such a wonderful thing at least once in her life . . . and I admit to wiping away a few tears of my own. (Hint, hint: you don’t have to hope and wait for 2044 . . . there are several others that will be accessible in the nearer future, if you are willing and able to travel!)
Ariel Rubissow Okamoto is still hard at work publishing her regional digital magazine on climate resilience, KneeDeepTimes. She’s also in the “muddy middle” of a memoir rewrite about her days as a vintner, overlapping withe the multitasking of motherhood and science writing. She and hubby Paul still live in the heart of San Francisco and are empty nesters . . . both girls hatched and gone but taking up the family businesses: architecture, writing, equity, environment.
Brian Tarbox wrote in from the Boston area to share some good news: He was named an AWS (Amazon Web Services) Ambassador, one of only 250 worldwide, meaning he is one of Amazon’s designated top cloud experts in the world. In addition, he was designated “Alexa Champion”—a similar recognition program for people who develop code for Alexa (with whom we are all acquainted, I’m sure). Warmest congratulations on all that! Brian also writes that he had the pleasure of reuniting with Reina Galanes ’82 last December in California at AWS’s annual conference. Another highlight of Brian’s year was a recent trip back to Middletown. “I was a panelist at the Wes career center meeting for STEM students. It was great to be back on campus and see all the construction (though I think the Butterfield dorms should get some love soon).”
Julie (Greenberg) Richman (originally Class of ’80) and her husband are still living in beautiful Colorado Springs, where she is now working as a freelance writer of op-ed pieces after many years working in organizational development, training, and project management. Her husband retired from his psychiatry/pain management practice and now works remotely for Humana. “Our home is open to any Wesleyan alumni—and our view of Pikes Peak is amazing!” she writes. Julie shared some information about the fascinating work of her sons. Adam (the younger) received his BS from University of Rochester, with a major in linguistics and brain and cognitive science, and his master’s in data science through Denver University; he is currently a data analyst with Waymo, but also nurtured his keen interest in genealogical research to develop an extensive family tree. Josh (the older) earned his BS in mechanical engineering as well as his MEng in aerospace engineering at Cornell. After two years spent with the DART (Double Asteroid Redirection Test) program, he currently works as the deputy spacecraft systems engineer for the Parker Solar Probe/NASA Dragonfly project.
Brenda Zlamany continues to wow audiences with her stunning, evocative portraiture. Among recent exhibitions, she recently unveiled portraits of William Brown and Martha Ann Tulip Lewis (Brown) at the Great Hall Portrait Gallery in Worcester, Massachusetts. Her portrait of interdisciplinary artist Zachary Fabri was shortlisted for the Herbert Smith Freehills Portrait Award 2024 at the National Portrait Gallery in London. And she was selected for two artist residencies: the Glacier National Park Artist Residency in July 2024 and the “Reunion: Friendship, Inspiration, and Landscape in Pouch Cove,” curated by Brenda and culminating in an exhibition at the James Baird Gallery.
Sinclair “Sindi” Sheers wrote in with some sad news but her entry nevertheless serves to inspire. She retired from her position at George Mason University teaching geography to care for her husband before he succumbed to cancer in January 2020. Since that tragic event, she has embraced life (and her husband’s memory) and has traveled the world, often with her daughter or her mom, to such far-flung destinations as Greece, Egypt, Jordan, Costa Rica, Panama, Iceland, France, Italy, Spain, the Balkans, and England. Closer to home, she visited Mexico, Yosemite and the Tetons, New Hampshire, Oregon, Miami, and an Exeter mini-reunion last year brought her together with old friends Sandy Smith, Miriam Block, and Chrissi Winkelbauer Kelly, and where she also had lunch with Richard Eastman. Here is her unabridged update:
“My husband died of cancer in January 2020, right before everything closed for COVID. I had planned to go on a cruise on the Danube River with my older daughter in April 2020 but that was cancelled. My younger daughter and I took a quick trip to Disney World with cousins in late January 2020 and then stayed home for a long time.
“I had retired from teaching geography at George Mason University a few years before in order to take care of my husband, so I read 93 books in 2020 and 122 books in 2021. After the COVID vaccine became available, I started traveling again.
“In June 2021, I went to Wyoming with my younger daughter and visited the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone: geysers, bison, beautiful mountains and lakes, and other animals.
“In October, I went with my mother on a cruise to Greece, Egypt, and Jordan including Santorini, the Suez Canal, the pyramids, Pharos’ tombs, Petra, Amman, and Jerash where we saw many very old beautiful things and few other tourists.
“In December, I went with my mother and younger daughter on a cruise to Costa Rica and Panama including the Panama Canal. We visited a coffee plantation, a sugar plantation, and saw many interesting plants and animals and few other tourists.
“In 2022, in March, I went to Oaxaca and San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, with my mother where the architecture is amazing.
“In May, I went to meet friends in Oregon and took side trips to Cannon Beach, Montnomah Falls, and Crater Lake—such interesting natural phenomena. Later in May, I went to my 45th Reunion at Exeter in New Hampshire where I saw fellow Wesleyan classmate Chrissi Winkelbauer Kelly among others.
“In June, I went with my younger daughter to Iceland and saw more geysers, waterfalls, the dividing line between two continents, elf houses, hot pools, beautiful Westman Island, and puffins.
“In July, I joined a friend I met on the October 2021 cruise on a tour of Normandy, France, where we visited Monet’s house, Mont St. Michel, and Omaha Beach. It was above 90 degrees most of the time.
“In September, I hosted to my older daughter’s wedding in Chicago. Later in September, I spent a few days in London getting together with Exeter classmates (and fellow Wesleyan classmate Chrissi Winkelbauer Kelly).
“In October, I went on a tour of northern Italy including Milan, Lake Como, Bellagio, Bergamo, Verona, Bologna, and Venice. We toured a place where they made balsamic vinegar and watched glassblowing in Venice.
“In 2023, in January, I visited my aunt and uncle in Florida and met cousins at Disney World.
“In April, I went to another Exeter mini-reunion in Los Angeles (where I saw fellow Wesleyan classmates Sandy Smith, Miriam Block, and Chrissi Winkelbauer Kelly) and had lunch with fellow Wesleyan classmate Richard Eastman. Also in April, I went on a week-long tour of Spain to Barcelona, Granada, Malaga, Seville, and Madrid.
“In May, I went on a cruise on the Danube River with my mother that started in Sofia, Bulgaria, and ended in Passau, Germany, with a side trip to Prague, Czechia.
“In July, I took a week-long tour of Scotland visiting Glasgow, Inverness, and Edinburgh.
“In August, I joined my older daughter and her husband in Paris and then at a spa in Germany where I became familiar with the European train system.
“In September, I took a tour of Alsace, France.
“In November, I had a hip replacement and stayed home for a while.
“In February of 2024, I went to Miami Beach for a few days.
“In March, I visited my younger daughter in her new home in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
“I am about to go join Exeter classmates (including Wesleyan classmates Sandy Smith and Chrissi Winkelbauer Kelly) in Austin to see the eclipse. I plan to see Wesleyan classmate Bob Sweeney while I’m there. Later in April, my older daughter is opening a yoga studio called Forth in Chicago, and I plan to be there to help. Then I plan to go on a tour of Portugal.
“In May, I plan to return to Scotland to visit the Garden of Cosmic Speculation, which is only open once a year and spend more time in Edinburgh. Also in May, a friend that I met on my tour of northern Italy in October 2022 asked me if I would like to join her for a week in Paris. Of course!
“In June, we will celebrate my mother’s 90th birthday in Rhode Island with her sister’s family. Later in June, I plan to get together with friends in Michigan and drive up to see Mackinac Island.
“In July, I plan to tour Ireland with my younger daughter and then meet my older daughter, my sister, her family, and my mother for more 90th birthday festivities in the Netherlands.
“In September, I plan to cruise the Adriatic with another friend I met on the Suez Canal cruise in 2021.
“And then in November, I plan to go on a tour of Morocco.
“Each year, I sign up for one or two tours and then things seem to get out of hand. I haven’t signed up for anything in 2025—yet !!
“And I am not following Chrissi Winkelbauer Kelly around the world; we just end up going to the same mini-reunions; she seems to have a hand in organizing many of them.”
– Sindi Sheers
In April I gathered at the lovely home of Kathy Prager Conrad in Alexandria, Virginia, with Livia Wong McCarthy and Deb Chapin for our annual reunion of senior year Sunday-night Coop. We had SUCH a blast reminiscing (as always!), eating, drinking, cooking, walking, visiting museums and the National Arboretum, and enjoying a magnificent nighttime tour of the monuments. So grateful for these friendships that have endured a lifetime—and I know I am not the only one! So please . . . continue writing in, sharing your stories. And if you are trying to reach someone, know that David I. Block and I (as well as the Alumni office) are here to help you reconnect.
