Author: klynch02

Marilyn and John Watson recently moved to Davis, Calif. Their daughter teaches in the vet school at UC Davis. John tried his hand at golf after a 65-year hiatus and wound up with severe golf elbow. He has subsequently taken up darts.

Bart Bolton has moved to a condo in the next town. So, the virus boredom did not hit as they went about deciding what to move and what to discard. Bart laments missing his annual winter visit to Sarasota. And his new home is very close to a challenging golf course.

A long note from Neil Springborn tells of a bad knee and good golf. And he damaged his left arm, possibly rotator cuff. Like many of us old guys, he has prostate problems and will live with them. His joyful news described the purchase of a Honda CR-V.

David Epstein and wife Sheila are in Southern California and have been married for 63 years. They have three kids, one a Wesleyan grad. David is considered somewhat of an expert in Early West Coast Jewish History, and he works with the Jewish history department of UCLA. He yearns for one more trip to Middletown.

Younghee and Art Geltzer recently had quite an adventure. They left for Argentina on Feb. 28 before the extent of the infection was known. Their return flight from Buenos Aires was canceled, and the Argentine border was closed. Finally, they flew to Dubai through Rio and a day later, a flight to Boston. Then two weeks of strict quarantine.

Bill Richards is alive and well in muggy Miami, looking forward to Penn’s Woods for the summer.

Pirkko and Burr Edwards are riding out the pandemic in Southwest France. Their confinement has been fairly strict, and they look forward to May 11 and unlimited access to the wine merchant.

Dick Goldman is still in his winter quarters in Key Biscayne, Fla. They have opened up golf and tennis, and he and Patti will return to Massachusetts on May 27.

David Hild and wife Alyce are sequestered at Seabury (a continuing care retirement community) and are well-cared for. They will miss planned trips to Vienna and Newport, R.I. They wish their classmates well.

I have spoken to Dan Woodhead and received his email. We exchanged reading lists, and Dan is really focused on western history. His current book is a biography of Wild Bill Hickok. He would enjoy email corresponding with any Wesleyan brethren who share his interests.

Nancy and Bill Purinton left their beloved riverbank property in South Eliot, Maine, and moved to a retirement village in Peterborough, N.H. They are both well, but, decided with their daughter’s prompting that the time had come to lessen the burdens of property maintenance and be waited upon for a change.

John Corkran was in the hospital for four days with internal bleeding. Seems okay; tests will continue. John is completing his third term on the board of the local affiliate of the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina. While confined, he watched Netflix’s The Last Dance. I also did and learned a lot about Jordan, Rodman, and Pippen.

Andrea and Gary Iseminger are self-quarantining in their condo in Northfield, about eight blocks from the Carleton campus and 12 blocks from the house they built and lived in for more than 40 years. They gave the home to daughter Ellen, who is a nurse and cares for them and brings groceries.

Roger Turkington has gotten Google to configure a website for his writings, books, and awards at “Poetry by Turkington.” Roger sends his best wishes to his classmates.

Tony Codding waxes philosophical in his note. He reviews our history from the Great Depression, World War II, the Korean and Vietnam wars, and then Iraq and Afghanistan. And in our golden years, we are in a 100-year pandemic. What a ride!

Bill Barnes comments about how strange it is to be going to church online. Bill is a retired clergy person, and so is Bill Krenz. Bill Barnes reports that Bill and Rosemary Krenz moved to Annville, Pa., within the past few years. The Krenz family no longer spends time in Mexico. And Bill Krenz told of a visit from Dick Seabury, who was on his way to make a gift to the Hershey Automobile Museum. Dick reported that he and his family are doing well.

Rick Pank is enjoying the glories of spring and getting to books half-read.

Susan and Peter Ralston were vacationing in Mexico nine weeks ago. They flew to San Francisco, and they have been ensconced in a lovely rented house in Berkeley overlooking the Bay and about five minutes from each of their children. Every day they have a visit from a child or grandchild and are well supplied with groceries. Peter needs increasing amounts of care for his dementia. Susan would appreciate an email or call to brighten Peter’s day. Her email: sralston530@gmail.com. Her phone: 917-853-1645. They will be there for the foreseeable future.

Kay and I are riding out the pandemic. I still play golf, and my bridge is online. Basically, bored but safe. Ted Wieseman was to visit in April but obviously postponed his flight.

Cliff Hordlow | khordlow@gmail.com
Apt. 103, 4645 Winged Foot Court | Naples, FL 34112; 239/732-6821

Heard from Mark Feldman that he and wife Mimi are sheltering in place, and so far, so good. He plans to resume teaching this fall, most likely via Zoom, which he terms a challenge for an “aging bookworm.” Meanwhile, he is busy with pro bono work, including responses to environmental issues. He reports that daughter Ilana ’91 is the vice dean of the Elliott School of International Affairs at GWU.

The Clowes—Rusty and Diane—sold their house in Higganum and have moved to Middletown to a condo. Rusty is glad to be rid of gardening chores and the like. They’re in In Town Terrace—a stone’s throw from the Freeman Athletic Center—which is a 28-unit complex called The Pines. Rusty comments on the new normal, e.g., masks, gloves, staying home, yet it is a time when we all think not only of ourselves but helping to preserve the well-being of others.

Bob Anderson writes that he’s reduced a diverse program of interests such as church activities, art/drawing workshops, and historical society. For companionship, he has a cat—one meow for food and two meows for attention—this latter evocative of questions for Bob (he doesn’t specify whether he has answers therefor). Nonetheless, this hasn’t detracted from trips to nearby Guemes Island, a five-minute ferry ride from his home in Anacortes. He says he’s spending time there in self-isolation, the island only home to 800 folks, such that it’s suitable for quarantine. Turning thoughtful, Bob laments what he terms “replacement experience,” such as he attributes to the internet as a substitute for active personal relationships.

Early this year Al Fitz-Gerald worked to give legs to his play about climate change—recalling some of our classmates did a partial reading at the 2012 Reunion. After some revisions to add a portion of “entertainment” and a staged reading, he found from comments that the play is “too conservative for liberals and too liberal for conservatives.” Perhaps an example of the struggle to get a play into mainstream theaters.

I sadly report the passing of John Kandravy in April. A note from daughter Elizabeth Cassidy ’88 attributed the cause as COVID-19. John always valued his Wes experience as shaping his future. A good friend, he lived an exemplary life, and I wish to extend sympathy on behalf of our class.

Art Typermass | joanarth64@gmail.com
144 East Ave., #302B, Norwalk, CT 06851 | 203/504-8942

In this strangest of years, it’s not what folks are doing; it’s what we’re not doing.

Ann and I did not drive to Wisconsin to observe the 90th birthday of my big brother Alan ’52. But Zoom conveyed much of the spirit of the celebration. Alma Mater was well represented—by Al and yours truly, of course, but also by his son Chris ’83, our daughter Judy ’84, and our dear friend Hal Buckingham ’52, whom Al first met at Boy Scout camp 75 years ago. Zoom has also kept us in touch with our closed church’s congregation. It’s not perfect, but it’s still heartening. For our 60th wedding anniversary in July, who knows?

Bob Runyon offered this reading list for the self-sequestered: “1. Spillover: Animal Infections and the Next Human Pandemic by David Quammen. (Brilliant, highly readable science reporting; I understood why he was ‘not surprised’ by the 2020 pandemic.) 2. The Plague by Albert Camus. (Compare and contrast.) 3. Drinking with My Father’s Ghost: A Journey Through Irish Pubs by Hugh Reilly.” (Our Chien family tour to the Emerald Isle was nixed.) “4. Call of the Wild by Jack London. 5. Seven Continents by R. Runyon.” (Bob’s antidote for waning wanderlust and his nudge to me to keep putting words on paper. Good stuff.)

Tom Pimpton writes: “I didn’t get to visit the Dry Tortugas National Park in March. We are hoping to go there next year. Now I’m on a waiting list for the medicine to deal with bladder cancer. I really don’t know why it is so scarce. Judy and I will be celebrating our 63rd wedding anniversary on June 29. I was very shy around girls until I met Judy—at Wesleyan. Our oldest daughter, Liz, came on my birthday, June 2, 1958. She will be 62 and is retiring! I can’t believe it. Judy and I are staying isolated. Our governor will make an announcement tomorrow (May 1). I hope he stays conservative, as I don’t want a resurgence of the virus. Peace and joy.”

From Jay Jenkins: “Our best moment to celebrate is Margot’s and my 63 years of marriage! I found her before our choral concert with Mount Holyoke. Margot was from Rhodesia, making logistics expensive but worth it all. Three children: Gail ’84 went to Wes. She had three children with her Wesleyan husband, Jay Farris ’84. Their two daughters graduated from Wes, one with an advanced biochem degree, and the second with a Phi Beta Kappa. Son Dean went to Harvard and was training for Tokyo up until the plague canceled all. Dick Boyden and we have hosted several Eclectic reunions here by the sea in Pocasset, Cape Cod. So fortunate we did as our numbers are dwindling with our last loss, Jack Dunn. My activity other than sailing was heading an architectural preservation museum, a sailing school trustee, and now on the Bourne Historical Commission. I had a rather debilitating stroke last June on my left side, which has caused my restoration of clocks and model shipbuilding to cease. My life by the sea with a good book, my Economist, and my Margot is wonderful!”

Sandy Mendelson adds: “Irene and I continue to live in Bethesda and take advantage of the cultural and familial aspects of Washington, D.C. We’ve both had significant health challenges, but presently all seems to be good. I enjoy some very part-time work in cardiology and bioethics at MedStar Washington Hospital Center, where I’ve worked in various capacities for 52 years. Irene is retired from her career-counseling practice but keeps her mind active with continuing education courses at nearby American University. Two of our sons and their families, fortunately, live nearby; the third son is in Oakland, Calif. Our six grandkids are scattered from New York to The Hague to California. We’re active in our very lively synagogue in D.C., and Irene has led an organization providing housing to the less fortunate. We still love to travel. In the last few years, we’ve gone to Israel, Patagonia, China, Australia, Iceland, and elsewhere. Hopefully, this will continue.”

And from Jim Wagner: “Betty and I have moved into the Greenspring senior living community, in Springfield, Va., just two miles from where we had been living for the past 32 years of our life together. We can hardly believe the amount of stuff we had accumulated! Boxes surrounded us and it still seems like we threw out or gave away five times as much as we kept. Some clothing and non-perishable food we gave through the church we now attend was received very thankfully by a ministry to the homeless and disadvantaged children. That really made us feel good amidst the problems of parting with our stuff!”

Here’s to better days to come.

George Chien | gchien@optonline.net

Always a delight to receive a note or two from fellow Sigma Chi brothers! It looks like they will do their part to keep me from rambling on about the traditional birthday ride celebrating my 87th with riding buddies from our local club. And yes, we did ride 87, but to be explicit, because of the coronavirus we did choose to mark the distance in kilometers instead of miles! Oh well, not too bad for a bunch of senior citizens. By the way, I’d certainly enjoy receiving a note or two from classmates in addition to fraternity brothers!

From Ric Fisher and for the record, a notice that he was the youngest resident on his street in Lund, Sweden, when he moved there in 1980 and now, he’s the oldest. He says he’s in the high-risk zone: 86, he’s survived an aorta dissection (2016), and still wonders what the next handicap will be! He gives thanks to his wife, Ula, and to Vera, his dachshund, for keeping him active and surviving!

Upon our graduation, I drove from my home in New Haven to St. Louis to pick up Tom Nall to begin a driving trip throughout the states. The original destination was Seattle to meet with one of our Sigma Chi brothers. Tom recalled the many wonderful memories from St. Louis to the end at the Grand Canyon, including picking apricots in Yakima Valley, a bear invading our tent at Mt. Hood, and bathing in mountain streams as well as the beauties all the national parks offered as we toured them. One item that stood out was being laughed at for wearing short pants as no one in the West wore them at the time! Tom has survived a concussion from a fall in 2019 and several illnesses, which resulted in the decision to move into an independent-living apartment in an assisted living facility across the state line in South Fulton, Tenn. He mentioned that it was quite a change from his former house situated on two acres, but he’s settled in and doing quite well.

Marianne and I are well and, like almost everyone else living during these pandemic days, are looking for the chance to resume our former habits. Can’t come too soon.

As always, sincere good wishes to you and your loved ones in the days ahead.

DONALD J. BRAVERMAN | ybikedon35@gmail.com
34 Southport Ln. Apt. C, Boynton Beach, FL 33436

Greetings to my fellow ’54ers as we all shelter in place. Thanks to six of you for responding. Here’s what’s going on:

John Binswanger is, like all of us, hunkering down at home, well and happy. John isn’t working but talks to the office every few weeks. While John’s children are mostly close by, he can’t meet with them but can communicate. Stay strong, John.

Ken Davenny writes from the Olympic Peninsula in Northwest Washington State, across the Salish Sea from Victoria, Canada. Ken notes that he and bride Kris have discovered Skype as a way to keep in touch with their families.

From Scotts Valley, Calif., Dave Hodgin reports he is still working regularly, and enjoying the effort to keep his businesses progressing. Hardest hit, says Dave, were his music entertainment classes for small children. However, today a third of their families have joined him for online courses using Zoom. Dave says he is struggling to keep his employees working and paid during these strange times.

Bud Johnson and Lynn are currently self-quarantined in Florida, with hopes of returning to Westchester in mid-June. All eight of their grandkids are home from college or work. One did return to Wake Forest on May 1 for senior year finals but pack up/cleanout and graduation will be later this year. Fortunately, the three in college have summer internships confirmed, but starting late.

Curt McLaughlin is doing well in their continuing care retirement community bubble. While still recovering from a broken and replaced hip, he is doing lots of walking outdoors. Curt is still working on sections of the fourth edition of a new text.

Len Stolba reports that with lots of acreage and multiple structures, and his wife’s vegetable gardens, they have plenty to keep them busy. Len also takes the dog to the park, does the shopping, and feeds his art projects via Lowe’s and Home Depot. Len’s word: “Your car is your safest place and the takeaway window, your friend!”

On a very sad note: Our classmate Norm Stuessy passed away recently, followed shortly by his wife, Ruth. In addition, I learned of the passing of Phil Flagler at Medford Leas in New Jersey. We will all miss them very much.

Meanwhile, your scribe, Bob Carey, and Libby have missed four graduations this spring, including one in London, all due to the pandemic. Our biggest adventure each day is our walk around the loop road here at Lyon Farm in Greenwich, Conn. However, we are becoming experts at Zoom through which we have celebrated family birthdays and graduations. Stay well, you guys, and all the best!

BOB CAREY | popscarey@gmail.com
618 W. Lyon Farm Dr., Greenwich, CT 06831 | 203/532-1745

A note from Walter Cutler proudly announces that two granddaughters will be entering Wesleyan this fall as members of the class of 2024: Grace Cutler, in Evanston, Ill., and Nina Cutler, New York City. Walt looks forward to following their progress and that of the University.

Ted Shapiro, who responded to Earl Forman’s obituary, recalls while rooming together their junior year that they began dating their future wives. Ted is a professor of child and adolescent psychiatry at the Weill Cornell Medical College, where he graduated in medicine and then returned as a professor in 1976. He has been there since. He loves teaching, researching, and “the scope of interests I tap in my work, the foundations were made at Wesleyan. I am proud to say that my granddaughter is a sophomore at old Wes and enjoying a totally different curriculum but the same respect for a liberal education. I have four more grandchildren and two children. Joan and I have been married for 65 years.”

Samuel Dennison Babcock Millar Jr., born Jan. 16, 1931, Montclair, N.J., member of Phi Nu Theta (Eclectic), history major, three-year soccer team, died unexpectedly, Oct. 3, 2019, Wellfleet, Cape Cod, Mass., at age 88. He received his law degree from Rutgers University School of Law. He worked college summers at the family-owned inn on Lake Waramaug. During the Korean War, he served his country as a member of the U.S. Army Reserves. In 1965, Sandy married Judith Johnson, and they raised their two children in Darien, Conn. Sandy was a 40-year resident and real estate/probate attorney in town. He was a partner of his firm Millar & Ambrette, at the time of his retirement in 2003.

Sandy was a firm believer in public service: chairman of the Board of Tax Review, chairman of Gallivant, chairman of the Darien chapter of the American Red Cross (and 12-gallon blood donor), president of the Darien Chamber of Commerce, president of the Darien Kiwanis Club, and president of the Middlesex Club. Given his love of nature, he was active for many years with the Friends of Woodland Park. During his time in Darien, he was an enthusiastic tennis and paddle player. A highlight was winning the Middlesex Men’s doubles tennis championship.

In retirement, Sandy and his long-time companion Frances Hitchcock split their time between homes in Wellfleet, Mass., and Camden, Maine. While in Wellfleet, he volunteered as a docent at the Wellfleet Historical Society. His daily morning routine was to walk for miles at Newcomb Hollow Beach, soaking up the natural beauty, picking up litter, and finding left behind items that someone somewhere might find useful or enjoyable. This morning ritual was capped off by a dip in the water regardless of the temperature. In Maine, he was a member of the Rockland Kiwanis Club and Camden Garden Club. He and Fran enjoyed annual travel adventures overseas. While visiting family in Connecticut, he cheered and applauded his grandchildren at sporting events and recitals. He is survived by companion Fran, his son, his daughter, and four grandchildren. Condolences to the family.

John Miller is at home after four days in the hospital recovering from knee replacement—a knee that too often smashed into hurdles. His annual summer retreat to Central New York to beat the heat may become a fall retreat. Send me a note as to how you have endured the pandemic.

JOHN W. MILLER | jwalmiller@aol.com
306 Autumn Court, Bartlesville, OK 74006 | 918/335-0081 

I hope all of you and your families are well during this unprecedented crisis.

Robert Kelman wrote that he and Mary are doing fine in this time of semi-plague (it’s not the bubonic plague or cholera). In mid-March, they were in Southern California visiting family and rock climbing in Joshua Tree National Park when suddenly everything closed, including the park, the LA opera, and restaurants. It was difficult returning to Colorado as their flights were canceled. They are glad to be able to visit with family on Zoom. Their children and grandchildren have jobs they can work from remotely, so they are not being impacted personally in the dreadful way that so many Americans are.

Frank LaBella ’52, MA’54 and his wife, Arlyne, both “townies,” will soon be celebrating their 68th wedding anniversary. He is a professor emeritus (faculty of medicine, University of Manitoba) who is still researching a novel sensor he invented.

Zdenek “Zed” David has been with the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington, D.C., since 1976. The Center is the national memorial for President Wilson, granting residential scholarships to scholars who pursue projects relevant to international affairs. He was on the staff until his retirement in 2002. Since then as a “senior scholar,” he has researched the history of East-Central Europe, especially Czechia (his native land, known then as Czechoslovakia). He has published two books and a third one scheduled to appear in November unless the virus interferes with the publication process.

Hal Buckingham writes, “To all of my Class of 1952 classmates and other readers of these notes. Our very own class scribe, Joe Friedman, and his wife, Barbara, have achieved a milestone of historic proportions, in my view. Their granddaughter, Eliza Ruby Bender, a graduate of Horace Mann School in Riverdale, N.Y., has been accepted on early decision to the Wesleyan Class of 2024! Eliza is the daughter of two other Wesleyan offspring of Barbara and Joe—their daughter, Ellen Friedman Bender ’84 (but ’82 for Reunions), and their son-in-law, Samuel D. Bender, MD ’82. How about that?! With three generations of Wespersons, Joe matches Ron Daniel (Stephen ’82 and India ’22) in generations but exceeds him in number—so far, at least. Congratulations, Barbara and Joe!”

Do you know of any other classmates who can equal or exceed Joe and Ron generationally or in number? I hope that Eliza and the rest of the 2024 class can enjoy the beauty of the Wes campus in the fall instead of online learning.

Joseph N. Friedman  | jfriedman@regalnyc.com
400 East 56th Street, Apt. 28LM, New York, NY 10022 | 917/715-8881

We regret to inform you that Donald M. Joffray passed away on Feb. 21. He was born in Richmond, Va. At Wesleyan, he majored in math and played on the undefeated Wesleyan football team for two consecutive years from 1947 to 1948 and competed in basketball and track. He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy during the Korean War from 1952 to 1955. He worked at Loomis Chaffee for 49 years as a math teacher and coach. He retired to Old Lyme, Conn., in 1999. We send condolences to his wife, Susan MALS ’88, of 64 years, with whom he had three sons.

We sadly lost Frank A. Johnson ’50, MAT ’54, too, on March 4. Frank was a very active classmate in the Alpha Chi Rho fraternity at Wesleyan. He was born in New Haven, Conn., and was a math major. He ran track and cross country and earned a master’s degree in teaching and worked as an admissions officer. After serving in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, he taught high school math and then continued his education as a Rockefeller Fellow at Yale Divinity School, earning a master’s in divinity and later a Ph.D. at Sierra University. Frank was ordained in the United Church of Christ (UCC) in 1958. In 1971, he left the ministry to become a marriage and family counselor and began private practice in Thousand Oaks. He is survived by Francis, his wife of 61 years, and their children.

On a personal note, we have two granddaughters who received graduate degrees this spring. Elizabeth “Ellie” Dorsey ’12 received her MBA from Columbia, and Samantha “Sammy” Lukas (UMass Amherst ’18) received a degree as a registered nurse from Northeastern School of Nursing, passed her Massachusetts state boards, and now works as a psychiatric nurse.

BUD DORSEY | margiedorsey5@gmail.com
121 Renegar Way #105, St. Simons Island, GA, 31522 | 912/638-5616

In all my 98 years I’ve seen nothing quite like the landfill of “viral” confusion heaped on us this year. I’m told where to go, not go; when to go, not go; what to wear, not wear; what to ingest, NOT ingest; whom to believe, not believe (assuredly!); and so on into the night. Never before have I heard so much self assurance voiced by so many self-anointed experts. I marvel, and then I remember John Neihardt’s couplet: “And in a world so little understood,/There should be room for two to be mistaken/” Slán go fóill.

FRANCIS W. LOVETT | lovettfrancis@gmail.com

315 14th Street, Unit A, Windsor, CO 80550 | 907/460-9338