Author: Randi Alexandra Plake

Greetings from the Pacific Northwest where I (Joanne) am visiting my oldest son and dodging the drizzle that is Seattle’s winter trademark. I’ve learned that you can temper the damp with some of Washington State’s red wine—cheers!

On behalf of the Class of ’81, I would like to extend warm thanks to retiring Wesleyan magazine editor Cynthia Rockwell MALS ’19. Cynthia has steered and edited the class notes for more years than I can count in addition to contributing interesting and thought-provoking pieces of journalism to the magazine. She will be sorely missed for her dedication, patience, literary exactitude, and sense of humor. All the best in your retirement, Cynthia! Thank you for all your guidance over the years.

Classmates, in anticipation of our (gulp!) 40th class Reunion, you are cordially invited by Belinda Buck Kielland,Livia Wong McCarthy, and Nancy Parker Wilson to a first-ever Class of ’81 Pre-Reunion on Saturday, Aug. 8, 2020. An old-fashioned New England clambake will take place at Greenvale Vineyards (Nancy’s family winery) on the banks of the picturesque Sakonnet River in bucolic Portsmouth, R.I. (neighboring town to Newport). Needless to say (but I’ll say it anyway): with these co-hosts, you know it will be an amazing party—don’t miss it! If you haven’t already, you should be receiving an invitation in your email soon.  Please contact Liv at Livia2@me.com with any questions.

Dr. Kerry Bernstein wrote in after a long hiatus. She and her husband Wayne Balkan moved to Miami in 1991 to take faculty positions at the University of Miami (now Miller) School of Medicine, a sort of “coming home” for Kerry, who grew up in South Florida. She also convinced Wayne McGill ’78 (from Montreal) to relocate with the assurance that the “hurricanes never hit and the temperature doesn’t go above 90 degrees”. Well, shortly after moving, Hurricane Andrew, one of the worst hurricanes in history, hit the area . . . so much for Kerry’s credibility—in the meteorological domain at least!

Kerry became chair of her department (molecular and cellular pharmacology) in late 2018 and has been associate director of education and training for the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center since 2015.  “It’s particularly exciting and gratifying to be part of the leadership team that worked to make Sylvester the 71st cancer center in the nation to be designated by the National Cancer Institute.” Kerry and Wayne have two children, Kyla and Liam. Kyla graduated from University of Pennsylvania in 2016 and works in management consulting in NYC; Liam will graduate from American University in May 2020. Kerry adds, “We love getting together with Wesleyan alumni, including locally with Greg Andrisand Ed Gross ’87 and their wonderful wives. Our kids were in school with Greg’s and Ed’s, beginning in pre-K. Brian Hennesey ’04, Wesleyan alumni coordinator, South Florida) deserves a special shout-out for the great happy hours he organizes.

Ariel Rubissow Okamoto is trying to turn over a new leaf at 60—the family had to sell the California vineyard generations had owned for 40 years, and she’s still grieving. Ariel writes: “’It’s the land, Katie Scarlett, the land . ..’ Time to really write that memoir, novel, creative opus—so stand by! Suddenly, missing the Wesleyan orchestra (1/4 of my entire degree as last second violin). Funny the things that pop up with—dare I say it?– ‘age.’” You can now reach her at aro@bayariel.com.

In addition to his many other professional accolades, Dr. Sam Selesnick has recently assumed the position of editor-in-chief of The Laryngoscope, an official journal of the Triological Society, the oldest in the field and the primary voice for otolaryngologic clinical and translation research. For the past 28 years, Sam has been on the faculty at Weill Cornell Medical College, where he is currently professor and vice-chair of the department of otolaryngology, with appointments also in the departments of neurosurgery and neurology. He is also in the department of neurosurgery at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Congrats, Sam!

As we get older, it seems like we are getting busier and more adventurous—and that’s a good thing. My Wes housemate and fellow intrepid traveler Kathy Prager Conrad sent pix from her most recent adventure: cross-country skiing in Yellowstone National Park. “If you like (it) in the summer, you should see it in winter—love the steam and ice!” She did not encounter wolves that day but “got stuck in a bison traffic jam—beats the (D.C.) Beltway any day!” Check out her gorgeous photos on her Facebook page.

I recently returned from a “trip of a lifetime” partial-family safari to Tanzania.  Unfortunately, Son #1 had to stay behind due to a thing called “work.” Son #2 was smitten with Tanzania after living/learning/researching in Olduvai Gorge a few years back and decided to organize this trip before he finishes grad school in the spring. My husband, two sons, and I landed in Arusha and hit several national parks and the Ngorngoro Conservation Area, ending at the Ngorongoro Crater. Experiencing the scope of the wildebeest migration (they travel with zebras and gazelles) is awe-inspiring. Looking a lioness in the eye from eight feet away is spiritual. Observing a mother cheetah and her feeding cubs (spoiler: it was a baby zebra) is experiencing the great circle of life up-close. And the elephants cavorting in the river is like watching a group of young boys at a water hole. Don’t wait . . . do it! Africa changes your life!

David I. Block shared this story: “At a meeting of the Emergency Committee on Rojava in NYC, I mentioned how we brought Murray Bookchin, whose ideas inform their politics, to our conference on social ecology our senior year.

“Wait. What school did you say you went to?” I was asked, by a woman about my age.

“Wesleyan.”

“I thought so,” she replied. “I thought I recognized you.”

“What year were you?” I asked.

“1981.”

“I co-write your class notes,” I reminded Erica Goldman, who gave me permission to note that we met doing what we can to save—not betray—Rojava, the Kurds, and the SDF that defeated ISiS, from the invading Turks.

I had a serendipitous and utterly delightful e-chat with Mark Molina this fall. Mark, still in Connecticut, left the field of law in 2014 and invested early in OrangeTheory. He is now the (obviously fit!) owner of four locations. He told me he had attended Homecoming 2019 with his youngest son Ted ’20.  When I asked if Ted played as well (Mark is a former Wes football player), Mark replied, “No! He’s too smart for that—but he’s kind enough to indulge me and sits with me at home games. He’s a great kid!” Indeed, he would have to be with a dad like Mark. 

And that concludes this issue’s reporting. Hoping that some of you will be able to make the Pre-Reunion in Rhode Island in August.

Keep the news coming!

David I. Block | david.I.block@gmail.com

Joanne Godin Audretsch | Berlinjo@aol.com

After working briefly in D.C. after graduation, Jonathan Nimer went west for law school at UC Berkeley and, almost 38 years later, is still in the Bay Area. Following a few years in law firms, he went in-house to Sun Microsystems back in 1990 and then, after Oracle bought Sun in 2010, moved to VMware where he spent the past 10 years. Jonathan says that the front row seat to see the evolution of the tech industry has been fun. He and his wife Alicia Torre, (Williams ’75) have three boys (28, 28 and 25). “Life has been kind to me and my family and I feel very fortunate.“

Susan Carroll has been living in the Triangle area of North Carolina since 2004, after living and working for many years in Geneva, Switzerland, and Cambridge, Mass. She spent about 20 years working in the field of international humanitarian assistance, most of this with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. She now directs the Rotary Peace Center at Duke and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a joint graduate program for mid-career world-wide international peace practitioners. Susan’s three children are spread around the East Coast, the oldest a software engineer in the D.C. area, one graduating from Appalachian State University in May and the other taking time off and working for Habitat for Humanity through the AmeriCorps program.

Melissa Stern said that 2020 is starting out as a fun and busy year. Her work will be featured at the Taipei Art Fair in Taiwan from Jan. 16-20. After that she will participate in a show in Long Island City, NY called Claytopia at the Plaxall Gallery. It’s a 12,000 sq. ft. former factory space. Melissa will be having a solo show entitled Strange Girls Shanghai in April at Longmen Arts Projects in Shanghai. She’ll be in China for the opening and hopes to see WesTech folks there!

Irwin Gelman says he especially gets to kvell at the success of his oldest daughter, Audrey, who broke another male glass ceiling by appearing on the September cover of Inc. magazine while eight months pregnant. Audrey’s company, The Wing, is a taking off as a women’s club workspace, and general medium promoting women-to-women business networking. They now have over 10,000 members at sites all over the U.S. and in London, with sites being built in Paris and Toronto. This kvell includes his newest role as a zeide (Yiddish, for debonair grandfather who has retained a full head of dark hair) to a very cute grandson, Sidney Allen, Wesleyan Class of 2042!

Cesar Noble has been in the Hartford, Conn. area since graduation and is a judge of the Superior Court. He says there are lots of Wes grads in the legal community including Carl Taylor ’78 and Bob Nastri ’77 (also judges), Chris Lynch ’81, and Tim Hollister ’78. Cesar has been blessed with three daughters with his youngest graduating from high school this year, his second is in flight school and oldest now lives in Nashville.

After 40 years in the wilderness, Alan Jacobs wrote that he is returning to the Promised Land (Manhattan Upper East Side, of course) and feeling like it’s graduation day all over again. Alan is working on a historical film set in Antarctica and a bunch of short ones on the other six continents. His recent travels allowed him to connect with far-flung Wes friends and family: spent a wonderful weekend at the Berkshires-adjacent home of Vicki Cohen and Kyle Wilkinson, saw Jeff Green on a break from his ER shift in Tel Aviv, Paul Edwards in San Francisco, Dave Stern at his birthday party in NYC, Nancy Danielle Kornfeld ’82 and husband Jordan at their home in New City, New York, and his son, Ron Jacobs ’16, who just started a great job at Live Nation in West Hollywood.

Paul Singarella retired from Latham & Watkins effective Oct. 1, 2019 and opened a family office with his son, Nick. They are focused on large-scale water, energy, and real estate infrastructure projects in North America that are both economically viable and socially valuable. Right now, they are focused on the restoration of the iconic Hotel Laguna next to Main Beach in Laguna Beach—a landmark property on the State’s historic register. Humphrey Bogart and the Hollywood set visited Hotel Laguna in its glory days decades ago.

Ellen Haller happily retired in July 2018 after 30 glorious years on the UC San Francisco School of Medicine faculty. She wrote that her time is now spent “cycling, playing ice hockey, taking a ‘weightlifting for seniors’ (oy!) class, and traveling! My wife is taking a sabbatical in Switzerland, so off I go to keep her company!” Her son, Daniel, will be graduating from Penn in May. He studied molecular and cell bio and was pre-med, but he’s now decided to pursue a career as a professional magician in Chicago. It’s been a passion of his since he was 10, and he’s been offered a few different performance opportunities there starting in late May. “We’re thrilled for him!” (magicofdanielroy.com)

Jacquie Shanberge McKenna | jmckenna@indra.com

Jon Spector has retired from his position as CEO of The Conference Board and is “comfortably settled with my wife, Wendy, in beautiful Woodstock, Vt., getting in shape, improving my tennis, and helping to figure out how best to develop our local economy.”

Ruth Pachman has relayed the sad news that Debbie Stuckey died, surrounded by family and friends, on Jan. 6, following her long battle with breast cancer. Ruth, along with Marilyn Fagelson and Elise Bean, “had visited with her just two weeks before, spending a lovely day trimming her Christmas tree and cherishing what was clearly close to the end of 45 years of friendship that started in Clark Hall freshman year and wound through Delta Tau, the William Street apartments, Foss Hill, and McConaughy. Debbie was a government major and got her doctorate in psychology from Boston University and Harvard. She was a family relationship therapist with her own practice in Washington, D.C. At Wes, Debbie was a fabulous dancer and singer. Her intense joy of music, among countless other things, will be remembered by us and many other classmates.” Debbie leaves behind two daughters, Kiera and Hayley, and a son, Will. Our heartfelt thoughts go out to her family.

Dave Wilson has an active musical career on saxophone and released his fifth album (One Night at Chris’) last summer with great acclaim. Dave lives with his wife, Lisa, in Lancaster, Pa., where he teaches music and owns a musical instrument shop.

Julie Skolnik is a flutist in her long-successful chamber group of 22 years, Mistral Music, and relates a heartening tale of this past year, which made the front page of The Boston Globe. Just as the group was starting a concert piece, an elderly woman in the front row collapsed in cardiac arrest. With doctors present in the audience, CPR was initiated; she came around, pleading from her departing stretcher to just be left alone (“What are you doing? I want to hear the music!”). The group responded with an encore of “Here Comes the Sun” and a visit to her in the hospital. Heart-stopping music, they feel.

Susie Muirhead Bates | sbatesdux@hotmail.com 

Ken Kramer | kmkramer78@hotmail.com

Retirement and our 65th birthdays are a recurring theme in many of this round of class notes.

This January Mark Slitt celebrated his “Medicare birthday.” Probably among the first in our class to do so. Mark writes: “Heads up to all: You will soon receive an avalanche of mail from insurance companies (maybe even my employer Cigna, depending on what state you live in) about Medicare Advantage plans and invitations from AARP to purchase Medicare supplemental (Medigap) plans through them. Don’t worry, it’s okay, Boomer! You’ll figure it out!”

Mark is still working at Cigna and won’t retire for several more years. He now in his 10th year on the planning committee for the Connecticut LGBTQ Film Festival, the longest-running film festival of any kind in Connecticut (33 seasons).

Arnie Alpert plans to retire in June after nearly 39 years with the American Friends Service Committee’s New Hampshire Program. As one of the state’s most respected activist leaders, a fund has been established in his name, the Arnie Alpert Action Fund. AFSC supporters can honor Arnie’s legacy with funds that will help the organization continue the education, advocacy, training, and bold action Arnie has modeled. Arnie enjoys running into recent New Hampshire residents Felice Burstein and John Roxby.

After 35 years in D.C., Rus Hemley has moved to Chicago. Rus will be the chair of natural sciences in the department of physics and chemistry at the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Jason Baron continues his fine work in Cambodia through the Chelly Foundation, supporting Chelly scholars at universities in Phnom Penh as well as younger children of Chumkuri in rural Kampot Province. Donations can be made through the Chelly website: thechellyfoundation.org.

Karen Bovard ’77, MALS ’85 retired to Saint Paul, Minn., in 2016 to be closer to baby grandchildren, along with husband Greg Pyke (longtime Wesleyan admission dean). She’s recently back from her 11th trip to Cambodia, this time to celebrate the Arts4peace Festival with friends and family. She spends much of her time sewing as a volunteer for Days for Girls, making reusable feminine hygiene kits that enable girls to stay in school past puberty and help to prevent both early marriage and sexual exploitation of girls in 140-plus countries around the world. Karen continues her theater work (she directed more than 70 shows in her career) as an online reviewer in the busy Twin Cities theater scene.

Mark Ellison writes, “Life is good.” He has been consulting for Rubrik, a data management startup and, thus far has not been told “OK Boomer” by these “youngstahs.”

Mike Coffey continues to beat a path to Southern Cal to see daughter Lanie. She finished grad school in 2018 and started her career as a dietitian/supervisor at a WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) Center in L.A. The Coffeys just spent their fourth Christmas season on the West Coast—this one in Santa Barbara. He’ll be heading back to see Lanie for a reggae fest in February. Daughter Jessie is engaged, with a wedding date of Oct. 2, 2020, in Newport. So, naturally, mom and dad are thrilled. While wife Laurie retired, Mike is still GM at Rite-Solutions, a small-ish software development and IT company in Newport.

Mim Wolf had been feeling strong urges to travel and see more of the world over the past several years, and finally, in November 2018, followed through, spending seven months exploring Costa Rica, Germany, Egypt, South India, Sri Lanka, Peru, and Mexico. Mim traveled solo with a backpack and totally enjoyed living in the moment, traveling by public buses, being helped by kind strangers, eating simple vegetarian foods, and experiencing bits and pieces of the various cultures and values surrounding her. She felt completely safe the entire time, and came home from those travels relaxed, rested, and replenished. Since then, Mim is back to private practice as a natural health consultant, in-person and over the phone. She appreciates the many blessings of life in Vermont; she is grateful to have seen a bit of this amazing planet, struggling as it is.

Will Sillin will be an artist in residence at Zion National Park from Oct. 19 through Nov. 16. He will head west a little early to get his Southwest Plein Air game up to speed before the residency. Will is hoping that Buddy Taft and Jim Laliberty will be able join him in the southwest sometime before the residency begins.

Concluding: Here is wishing everyone a happy and healthy new year and new decade.

Gerry Frank | Gfrank@bfearc.com

I find myself surprised and delighted to become the new class notes secretary. Thanks to Byron Haskins and Mitch Marinello, who did a wonderful job keeping us all up to date since 1976. My apologies for the absence of class notes this time around. I need one cycle to get up to speed on what to do and how to do it! Class notes will resume in the next issue. Please let me know what you’ve been up to and how you’re doing.

Karen Harmin | karen.harmin@gmail.com

In 2020, it seems we fully entered the era of retirements, grandchildren, and obituaries. Larry Greenberg and Debbie celebrated their son Stephen’s marriage in June. 2019 brought Emilie and Joost Brouwer two grandchildren. “Little Jelle lives 20 kilometers away, but his cousin Vida 20,000! Vida’s in Canberra, Australia, with her parents and two half-brothers, ‘bonus grandsons.’”

Ellen Remmer joined the grandparents’ club. Through philanthropy and social impact work, Ellen frequently encounters Wesfolk like Prosperity Catalyst Executive Director Catherine Gibbons ’79 and Sarah Williams ’88 of Propel Capital.

Russ Munson spends more time with his kids and grandkids in Brooklyn since starting half-time work for CarePartners of Connecticut, a Tufts Health Plan/Hartford Healthcare joint venture. Semi-retired Cheryl Vichness lives in Baltimore and often travels for fun. Her daughter teaches school and is finishing an M.Ed. John Tabachnik is planning retirement with two married kids “off the payroll.” He’s the art patron for his youngest, a ceramicist.

Brian Steinbach, semi-retiring this year, reports Steve Pippin in New Market, Md., teaches German at the local community college. Brian and Steve were grad school housemates at UVa. Brian had dinner with Brad Kosiba and Dave Nield ’77 in November. Speaking of Brad, his clan visited Deb Kosich’s condo in Grand Lake, Colo., last summer. Deb’s other home is a new Houston condo.

Gary Davis, based in New York since finishing architecture school post-Wes, has two grown kids and lives in a building he designed and developed (davisdesigndev.com) on Central Park North “with amazing views of the midtown skyline.”

Paul Bennett remains busy with nonprofits in the Bay Area and celebrated one son’s return to Oakland after decades away. His other son is firmly in NYC.

Cathy Gorlin celebrated her son’s wedding in Colorado, where he’s in his second year of med school. She had dinner in Miami with David Racher ’74 and Susan Margolis Racher. David and Susan met when Susan exchanged from Smith to Wesleyan.

Roger Weisberg completed his 33rd PBS documentary Broken Places, about the impacts of early adversity on children. Roger’s and Karen’s daughter Allie ’05 has children ages 4 and 7 and has launched a juvenile offender diversion program where participants can complete an arts residency to have their criminal records expunged. Middle son Daniel is regional medical director for Galileo, a startup to improve health care delivery for complex Medicare and Medicaid patients. Youngest daughter Liza followed her fellowship at the ACLU by clerking for Judge Kimba Wood in the Southern District of New York.

Steve McCarthy’s daughter, MaryKate, was married in Washington, D.C., last October. Steve works with Wesleyan alumni in philanthropy and public service and as executive producer of documentary films with Quixotic Endeavors (quixoticendeavors.com).

Deborah Brown retired in 2018 and has since tutored ESL, taken adult ed courses, and pursued Jewish text studies. She is president of a congregation in Glencoe, Ill., which has resettled 22 refugee families, witnessed at the Mexican border, and worked to shut down child detention camps. As a lay leader in Reform Judaism, Deborah has crossed paths with Wendy Liebow ’74 and Rachel Adler. Debby has also seen East College suitemates Lisa Anderson, Barbara Bachtell, and Kathy Heinzelman this year. She and husband Mitch ’73 welcomed grandchild number seven last fall.

Martha Brown and I met for lunch to catch up and compare notes as late-career moms with grown daughters contemplating next steps. Martha continues her operations work at East Bay Community Law Center but was just finishing a three-month sabbatical. My two kids are now both college grads; our son finished his BS in mechanical engineering at Northeastern in December. Done with Boston winters—he’s job-hunting in California!

I’m sure you recall that we lost our gifted classmate, Sam Miller in May 2018. There was a memorial service for him in May 2019 and I heard from his wife Anne recently. For a beautiful Wesleyan tribute, see wesleyan.edu/icpp/staff/sam_miller.html.

Thanks to Jeff Cox, Gina Novick, and Phil Swoboda for memories of Diane Cornell, who died Jan. 7. “At Wesleyan, she was known for her boundless energy and the delight she took in her numerous friends. She was a wonderful companion, talking and drinking long into the night and joining in such zany efforts as a collective attempt to levitate a table full of beer bottles to sounds of Jimi Hendrix’s “Star Spangled Banner.”

In COL, she took possession of The Magic Mountain and In the Penal Colony, works that her friends can never hear mentioned without thinking of her. Diane combined a matter-of-fact demeanor with inexhaustible warmth and deep commitment to causes she cared about. After leaving Wesleyan, she made her mark as a distinguished communications lawyer, a national badminton champion and sports executive, and a political and social activist. Diane’s extraordinary life was detailed in a Washington Post obituary.”

Cynthia M. Ulman | cmu.home@cmugroup.com
860 Marin Drive, Mill Valley, CA 94941-3955

Marion Stoj was awarded the Cavalier’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland by the President of Poland (a Polish version of Knight’s Cross). On Sept. 21, 2019 in New Britain, Conn., in recognition of Marion’s contributions to cooperation between Poland and the U.S.  Among other contributions, in 2017, Marion established the Falcons Academic and Athletic Association (FAAA). In order to preserve and prevent commercial development of 25 acres of historic parkland in New Britain called the Polanka, Marion made a charitable donation to enable FAAA to purchase the property.

For generations, Polish American groups and other Connecticut organizations have used this property for recreation, dances, picnics, and various cultural events. The property also includes New Britain Falcons soccer filed where Marion has played for over 50 years.

Richard J. Fairbrother, DMD, of West Hartford, Conn., passed away unexpectedly on Dec. 19. He was born in Providence, R.I., on Jan. 17, 1952. He was the son of the late Ann F. and John H. Fairbrother. He was a graduate of Northwest Catholic High School, where he was a scholar athlete. He was inducted into the Northwest Catholic High School Hall of Fame in 2005. At Wesleyan, he graduated with highest honors and served as captain of the men’s varsity basketball team. In 1974, Richard was named a NCAA Academic All=American. He then received his DMD from the University of Connecticut School of Dentistry. He was a member of the Connecticut State Dental Association, the Academy of General Dentistry, the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry and the American Association of Oral Systemic Health. Richard was devoted to his family, friends, his patients, and the community. All knew him as kind, generous and humble. His laugh was contagious, and his work ethic was unparalleled. Richard continued his love of basketball by playing for the East Hartford Explorers and in numerous leagues, even during his professional life. He was an accomplished tennis player, participating in USTA tournaments, leagues and was a long-standing member of the Hartford Tennis Club. Richard was also a member of The New York Athletic Club. Richard leaves his beloved wife, Virginia (Curry), his sister Karen Fairbrother of Massachusetts, his brother John Fairbrother, and his wife Zeta of Nevada. He also leaves his brother-in-law, David Curry, his sister-in-law, Kathleen Curry, and many beloved cousins and friends.

Pat Mulcahy looks “back on 2019 as the best one yet for my editorial consulting business–established in 1999. It can’t be a coincidence that this was based on sales of The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers, whose empathy and kindness-based life’s work is newly appreciated. The recently released paperback has just appeared for three straight weeks on the New York Times best seller list, bolstered by the new film in which Tom Hanks plays Rogers. Our book has no formal relationship with the film, although we cover Esquire journalist Tom Junod’s interview with Rogers—fictionalized onscreen.

“I also work with the Brooklyn-based Center for Fiction, coaching emerging writers in their fellows program. This year, two of the fellows I worked with saw their books published very successfully: Melissa Rivero, whose novel The Affair of the Falcons follows the fate of an undocumented woman from Peru; and Lauren Wilkinson, whose American Spy, about an African American FBI agent assigned to shadow a revolutionary leader in a fictionalized version of Burkina Faso, even made it to Obama’s summer reading list. Is Lauren writing a follow up? No—she’s in LA working on scripts for streaming services.

“This is our challenge in the literary world. I hope we’re all still reading as well as watching Netflix! All best New Year’s wishes to friends from’ 74! The Reunion really was a blast.”

Willy Holtzman reports that the new musical, Sabina, will have its regional premiere at Portland Stage this May with book by Willie, music by Louise Beach ’78, and lyrics by former Wesleyan adjunct, Darrah Cloud.  One of the angels is Bill Pearson.

Debra Salowitz reports, “My husband Neil Salowitz ’73 and I just celebrated the 47th anniversary of our ‘meet cute’ at Wesleyan and are still thriving in Des Moines, Iowa, where we moved in 2000 after many years in Connecticut. In an unlikely turn of events, both of our daughters eventually settled here too; buying 100-year-old houses only five blocks from each other and a mere eight-minute drive from us. This makes us very fortunate grandparents indeed as Shoshana has a 2-1/2-year old son and Rachel ’07 has a 2-year-old daughter, with a little boy poised to join the family in June!

“My community transition consulting company just marked its 16th anniversary and keeps me actively and happily engaged with relocating executives and their families. Neil just celebrated 10 years of happy retirement . . . by becoming part-owner of a thriving restaurant and expects to be very busy with candidates and media in the run up to the Iowa Caucuses in February. That’s been one of the best things about our move here, really getting to know all of the Democratic presidential hopefuls every election cycle.”

Jean Barish writes, “As many of our peers are retiring, I have instead gone back to work full time for a startup, LEX Markets Corp., as head of administration. The company will provide both accredited and non-accredited investors the opportunity to invest in shares of individual commercial real estate buildings, and then trade them on a trading platform. You can check out the company’s website, lex-markets.com, and to sign up for ‘early access’ to its investment opportunities.”

Joan Braun has had an eventful year-end. “In August, my employer of eight years, United Way Bay Area, made the decision to outsource all of its administrative functions to the national headquarters organization, United Way Worldwide. Given the competitive fundraising climate being faced by all 1,200 local United Ways spread across the U.S., I supported (indeed, advocated for) the consolidation. Still, being laid off at this stage in my career took a certain amount of adjustment.

“Two weeks after I left the job, I discovered I needed hip replacement surgery. I am now three weeks into recovery, and I must say, it has been a remarkably positive experience. Very little pain, measurable progress every day!

“In between the two, I found what I think will be an excellent step on my glide path to full retirement—a three-day a week job that is far more focused than the sprawling chief operating officer position I just left. As of January 27, I will be the Finance Director for Homebase, a public interest law firm that focuses on homelessness. In this particular position, my grey hair and the decades of experience that created it are considered an asset, rather than a liability. That’s a refreshing change from a few of the other opportunities I investigated during the fall.

“I am also enjoying my new position on the board of directors of the Aurora Theatre. The Aurora is a hidden gem of a local theatre that offers refreshing and provocative theatre in an intimate Berkeley setting. Our 150 seats on three sides of the thrust stage give new meaning to the phrase ‘up close and personal.’ We are particularly proud that a play we commissioned, Eureka Day, was not only a local hit, but also a very well-reviewed off-Broadway phenom as well.

“My other surprise enthusiasm is stewarding Little Free Library #62316. It’s amazing to me how many of my neighbors stop to browse, take a book, or leave a bunch. Among the most interesting recent contributions—an entire collection of vintage Hardy Boys mysteries and a pristine hardback copy of Ron Chernow’s biography of Ulysses S. Grant.”

Jan Eliasberg writes, “Little, Brown is mounting a vigorous PR campaign on behalf of my novel, Hannah’s War. In the meantime, I’m deep into research and outlining of book #2 which is also historical fiction but set in a different time period with a unique set of characters and themes.”

John Shapiro writes, “I am sorry to have missed our class Reunion but was attending my nephew’s wedding in Seattle. At the end of 2018, I converted my firm to a family investment office which means I no longer have clients. I did retain my staff to help oversee my investments which has given me the freedom to spend more time on philanthropic boards. This includes joining the Wesleyan board where I was far and away the oldest of the new trustees. I also moved onto the Executive Committee of the Rockefeller University board where I will help roll out a new strategic plan and development effort. On the family front, my eldest son Zach is engaged to be married at the end of May.”

André Barbera shares, “Having never before submitted anything for class notes, it is unseemly of me to write to you now since I do so to inform you of my forthcoming book.  Other than vanity, the only reason I can offer for this impertinence is that the subject matter of the book, faith and works, is perhaps not typical of Wesleyan alumni. (Is there a Wesleyan type?) Bloomsbury is publishing the work, available beginning Jan. 23. The title is On Faith, Works, Eternity and the Creatures We Are.

Pam van der Meulen reports that 11 members of our class attended Claudia Catania’s Playing On Air benefit and live recording last November by Tony Shalhoub, Kristine Nielsen and others of three terrific one-act plays. Those in attendance from our class were ttending from our class were Pat Mulcahy, Bill Pearson, Willy Holtzman, Harold Sogard, Sarah Cady Becker, Rick Gilberg, June Anderson, Inara de Leon, Jai Imbrey, and Wendy Richmond ’75. Also, Vicky Bijur ’75, Todd Jick ’71, John Cady ’71, Bob Becker ’71, Peter Woodin ’71, Karen Freedman ’75, and John Badanes ’68.

It was a wonderful evening and great to catch up with classmates. Pam urges everyone to check out Playing on Air’s podcast (those in Connecticut can catch it on WNPR Tuesdays at 11 p.m.).

Our 50th Reunion is May 23-26, 2024. Reunion news is at wesleyan.edu/classof1974. Join the committee and work on outreach, programming, or fundraising. Questions or want to get involved? Contact Kate Quigley Lynch ’82, P’17, ’19 at klynch@wesleyan.edu or 860/685-5992.

Sharon Purdie | spurdie@wesleyan.edu

Former Wesleyan Argus Editor Steven Greenhouse sent me a newsy note. He said he and Kirk Adams “trekked up” to Fairfield early last November to celebrate the 50th anniversary of when Paul Baumann met his wife-to-be Vivian. Steve Forstein, who joined them on the Wesleyan freshman soccer teams 50 years ago, “joined the festivities and gave a smashing toast,” Steven said. He also said Kirk and his wife, Cecile, threw a book party for his new book, Beaten Down, Worked Up: The Past, Present, and Future of American Labor. Steven was honored that Nick Kristof called his book “superb, important, and eminently readable,”while Zephyr Teachout, writing in the New York Times Book Review, called it “engrossing, character-driven, panoramic.”

He also said Wesleyan’s history department and College of Letters invited him to give a talk about the book in late October—and he was honored that one of his favorite professors, Paul Schwaber ’57, came to hear the talk. “When a friend held a book party for me in Los Angeles, I was delighted that Wes classmate, Peggy McIver Gregerson, joined us,” said Steven. Peggy lives in Pasadena and works in advertising. When Steven spoke in the Bay Area, he  stayed with College of Letters “buddy and roommate in Paris, Jonathan Siegal, who is a very successful labor lawyer in Oakland.”

Alain Munkittrick is co-authoring a book with Deborah Shapiro, Middletown city historian, titled, Middletown’s High Street and Wesleyan University (Arcadia), featuring historical images from Special Collections and Archives, and the Middlesex County Historical Society.

From Washington, D.C., Charles Wayne and Ellen Kabcenell Wayne ’75 recently become grandparents for the fourth time in 26 months “despite the fact that neither of us are old enough to be a grandparent.” He says the proud fathers are Michael Wayne ’05 (an 18-month-old boy) and Joey Wayne ’08 (2-year-old twin girls and a baby girl).

Some of you may shun joining Facebook for a myriad of reasons but I will give one reason to get hooked up: Michael McKenna. His photographs from Vermont are spectacular and when he posts them, I can guarantee that you will look with appreciation and linger. Mike captures the essence of parts of that state and it wouldn’t surprise me if the best of his collage ends up somewhere sometime soon in a photo gallery.

Michael is a “first time grandfather to Ms. Frances Anne McKenna, aka Frankie. The highlight of this or any year.” He recommends reading David Brooks’s The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life, which is all about writing one’s personal résumé separate from one’s career. He says it supports the old saying, “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” Mike is still working and doing more pro bono work. One of his most meaningful endeavors is serving on the Wesleyan Athletics Advisory Council. Mike adds, “Wonderful way to be invited back to campus to support Athletic Director Mike Whalen ’83 and coaches, see friends, and to meet and encourage some of the current flock of Cardinal athletes. What a talented, inspiring group.” The ever enthusiastic and upbeat Mike says he highly recommends reconnecting with Wesleyan in such ways and says, “I’m genuinely grateful for the opportunity.” He ends with the encouraging words of “Play on.”

Mike shared that Tim Warner is on the Wesleyan Athletics Advisory Committee with him. Tim flies in from Stanford, where he is a senior executive in the administration, and “adds great insights into how great schools can have strong athletics programs at the same time. Great to reconnect with my first-year Foss Hill neighbor!”

Finally, a farewell to someone who has been an incredible help to me as class secretary since she joined Wesleyan University 30 years ago. Wesleyan Magazine Managing Editor Cynthia Rockwell MALS ’19 announced she was retiring as of Feb. 28. Her duties with class secretaries are passing on to Randi Plake, who has been outstanding in terms of helping me reach out to you. But in this life, there is only one Cynthia Rockwell, whose passion for the school, the magazine, and all of you is unequaled. So, a final shout out to one of the best that Wesleyan was so fortunate to have as our source and guidance. In the end, she was typically self-effacing in a letter to me saying she always felt I was “the pro” and she was “the aspiring journalist.” Quite the opposite. Her articles and stories in the magazine have also been first rate. She has been the MVP, the Most Valuable Player, for class secretaries and we have been the players and hopefully “pros” most of the time.

Best of luck in your endeavors in 2020.

Peter D’Oench | Pgdo10@aol.com

I am sure all readers noted that in the previous issue the secretaries of the two preceding classes began their columns with “Aloha!” I did not and will keep that string intact. Connecticut winters are still fine by me.

Steve Alpert is now in British Columbia. “Enjoying growing blueberries, keeping an orchard, and working the garden under the gaze of the sea and a snow-capped volcanic Mt. Baker. Best news of all Sarah Alpert ’07 gave birth to a granddaughter in May, Aviva Olesen-Alpert. In a tangential way Wesleyan keeps spreading its wings even here in Victoria, B.C., as Sarah and her husband, Max, both teach with substance, verve, and passion.”

Mike Bober passed on the news that Geoff Rips was involved in organizing a Clean Water Act citizens suit against Formosa Plastics for pollution of Lavaca Bay. The suit resulted in the largest citizens suit settlement in U.S. history. See the Texas Tribune article. Geoff says they were worried about having the settlement approved “because the decision on the amount had to be cleared by the Dept. of Justice because the settlement amounts are in place of federal fees for EPA violations. Apparently, the DOJ has other things on its mind because it didn’t oppose this by the deadline.”

Mike added this personal reminiscence of Geoff, which in many ways sums up our particular class experience:

“In September, 1968 I heard about a guy from Texas in our class but didn’t realize I had already met him. Geoff can be very self-effacing, simply the last person to ever promote himself. When I visited San Antonio in the summer of 1970 and met his family, I began to understand how deeply rooted they were in the state—in its politics, its traditions, in the land itself. Over the last 50 years, Geoff has turned that same love of place into an art form. I never understood how he could continue to write fiction and poetry, when by day he wrote for and edited the Texas Observer; or, during Ann Richards’ administration, for Jim Hightower at the Agriculture Dept., and then for the Austin school district, as it struggled to accommodate an historic burst in population. Always, his work has been informed by the particular ground beneath his feet, and the incredibly diverse people who have come to compose that special part of America that has always been writ large.”

It’s been surprisingly tough getting news out of classmates for this issue. I sent out a broadside note asking, “How are you doing?” Rob Gelblum responded, “Better than I deserve.”

Steve Scheibe teaches global business “once in a while” at National University, still operates his consulting business doing handholding and export management Brazil, USA, and Mexico. He writes a blog mainly on Brazil and sometimes posts on the Wesleyan LinkedIn page. You can find the blog at allabroadconsulting.wordpress.com. He has been married to Angela for going on 47 years, with two sons (biotech and fireman), and four granddaughters, all local! “Smart people, ha!”

Peter Schwartz is still working one day a week in a medical center serving the uninsured and underinsured north of Philadelphia. He plans to work another 12-16 months before hanging it up forever. He love living in the Northeast and can’t see moving to warmer climates. His son, Jonathan ’00, loves Ann Arbor, Mich., despite the cold. He is head of middle school at the Greenhills School there.

Paul Vidich has two bits of news:

“First, I have embarked upon an effort to create a micro history of the Wesleyan’s film program 1968-1972, which happens to coincide with our years there. I started this project after reading the laudatory article on Jeanine in the most recent Wesleyan magazine, and I noticed there was hardly any mention of the program’s origin and early years. I spoke with Jeanine and she was extremely supportive of the idea, in part because the class of 1972 provided the first real funding for the film program during our 25th Reunion. So far, I have interviewed Jeanine, Colin Campbell Hon. ’98, Richard Slotkin, Laurence Mark ’71, Mark Levin, Raffaele Donato, Jan Eliasberg ’74, Dave Williams, and Stephen Schiff. I hope to catch up with everyone in our class that took a course with Jeanine. Of course, they university has not records of who took what classes then. Could you mention this project in the class notes and encourage any classmates who took one of Jeanine’s classes to email me at paulvidich@gmail.com.

Second, my third book, The Coldest Warrior, which publishes Feb. 4, has received a starred book review from Publishers Weekly, which said: “With this outing, Vidich enters the upper ranks of espionage thriller writers.” I will be on a five-city, winter book tour with a stop in Middletown. More can be found at paulvidich.com.”

John Manchester has published If I Fell, a sequel to Never Speak A novella prequel will shortly appear.

Leon Vinci gives us this report on recent activities:

“Went up to Middletown last month for a visit and popped-in to O’Rourke’s Diner for breakfast on my way to a national council meeting on health and safety codes with the NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) headquartered in Chelsea, Mass. (I am a 10-year board member). From there, as the delegate for the Yale Club of Southwestern Virginia (that other CT school just down the road from Wes U), I went back to New Haven for the annual Assembly of the Yale Alumni Association and attended ‘THE Game’ (Yale-Harvard football at Yale Bowl). You may have heard: this contest was a classic in that Yale came from behind (down by 3 touchdowns at one point) and won in the last 20 seconds!  That achievement followed a prolonged half-time break—due to the sit-in demonstration on the 50-yard line wherein both Harvard and Yalies protested their alma mater’s investments in fossil fuel companies in recognition of the need to take action concerning climate change (my MPH in environmental health is from the Yale School of Medicine’s Public Health program). Ah, reminds me of the good ol’ days!

“Presently, I am tutoring STEM students at Virginia Western College (in Roanoke), as well as grading my recent Project Management in Healthcare course at Drexel University (I’m an adjunct faculty member there). In my role as Policy Chair of the APHA Environment Section Committee on Climate and Health we are preparing testimony concerning the proposed EPA effort (aka the current Administration) to ‘dumb-down’ the role of science in their rule-making process.”

David Hagerty and his wife Louise continue to live in Great Barrington, Mass., having moved from Boston after 28 years in 2016. He continues to do executive coaching at the Harvard Business School in their senior level executive development and owner-president programs several times a year. In addition, he is involved with the Berkshire Guild of Artists exhibiting his photography in local art shows. Louise and Dave are also involved with a choral group, Berkshire’s Sings. They spend time with their grandchildren and traveling internationally.

Tom Edmondson offered to join a demonstration outside Moscow Mitch’s office “for fair trial procedure.” Unfortunately, with the lag in publishing this magazine by the time you all read this the demonstrators will likely be long gone. But he says, with respect to future demonstrations, “My slovenly suburban hovel would be open to anyone who can tolerate it overnight to take a stand for fairness and democracy.”

And finally, this obligatory plug for our Reunion, which will be great and to which everyone should come: The 50th Reunion is May 19-22, 2022. Reunion news and news about regional events can be found at wesleyan.edu/classof1972. Join the committee and work on outreach, programming, or fundraising. Questions or want to get involved? Contact Kate Quigley Lynch ’82, P’17, ’19 at klynch@wesleyan.edu or 860/685-5992.

Seth A. Davis | sethdavis@post.harvard.edu
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