Class Notes | 1950s

Greetings, classmates. First an update as to your reporters. Dick Cadigan has elected to take early retirement. Our thanks to him for his help. Sadly, Alan Brooks has passed away. Apparently, complications from a recent surgery were the cause. He was terrific. Before Alan left us, he helped me recruit Joe Mallory, and so, Joe and I will soldier on as class secretaries and class agents.

Marty Weil expressed concern about attending our 70th Reunion in May 2029—age, immobility, and just getting around. Marty, now that you have retired from your distinguished career with the Post, you can make it to Wes.

Owen Tabor reports that he and Margaret, as many of us have done, have moved to apartment lifestyle in Charlotte, North Carolina. Molly and I (Skip) started that way 60-plus years ago and returned to it five years ago.

Bob and Judy Hydeman report that their long marriage has produced two children, who have, in turn, produced five grandchildren; three of whom are in “serious” relationships, and one of whom is married and expecting, making Bob and Judy great-grandparents-in-waiting.

Charlie and Myra Wrubel recently celebrated 65 years of marriage, with 15 family members on-site. Charlie, his freshman roommate, Charlie Huchet, and Tom Malamud ’60 connect every few months by Facebook.

Tim Day checked in. He and Sandy divide their time between Phoenix, La Jolla, and Jackson, Wyoming. Tim spends a lot of time on his charities that serve the U.S. Marine Corps, education, and animal welfare causes. Somehow, he has time enough to schedule a Grand Canyon hike, which was to take place last January.

Joe Mallory has four grandkids, two of whom are Dartmouth grads, with a third expected to do the same this year. The fourth is entering Boston College this fall. He is missing his wife, Wendy, but all else is fine.

Molly and I are still skiing but not the way we used to do. We have just been to Alta, Utah, for our annual kids and grandkids week. We ski in good sunlight and let the others do the harder runs in any kind of condition.

Joe heard from Herb Steiner. His granddaughter will graduate from Wes this spring. Congratulations! He adds that after 83 years of playing the violin, he is switching to the viola.

On a sad note, Bill Moody passed away last summer. He spent 30 years traveling around the world, serving as a cryptographic officer in the U.S. Navy.  At Wesleyan, he was elected Phi Beta Kappa, recognized as a gifted tenor, and published a history of his fraternity—the Eclectic Society. He was also known for his humor and abiding love for wine and dessert.

And one last unhappy report. Ed Murphy reports the death of our longtime class agent Bert Edwards. Bert and Ed worked with our class for donations to the WAF for years. They were both great supporters of Wesleyan and very diligent. Great examples for their successors. Bert and I are the only two Wesleyan grads who immediately went to Stanford Graduate School of Business.

Alan’s last entry for the ’59 class notes; he submitted this last fall:

“On September 11, the MidCoast Maine ’59ers enjoyed their ninth annual reunion,
for the first time by way of Google Meet. Previous gatherings in Damariscotta,
Boothbay Harbor, and New Harbor had been held in person, but various circumstances
did not allow for that this year. In Google attendance: Dick and Linda Cadigan, Bob Chase, Annie McHugh, Joe Mallory, Marie-Pier Brooks, and myself. Also keeping a watchful eye over all of us tech luddites was Dick Cadigan’s son, Steve ’86, who had set up the platform for us. (Steve is looking forward to his 40th Reunion this year.)

“Whereas in past gatherings there had been much talk of our professors, academic courses, and athletic teams, we now seem to dwell more on body parts and various
infirmities, all of which, thank goodness, we seem to be managing well.”

A link to Alan’s obituary can be found here.

Please remember May 22–24, 2029, our 70th Reunion. More about that in the future. Put it in your calendars now!

The responses were few. Neil Henry is alive and well in Richmond. He quotes Tom Lehrer: “What nature doesn’t do to us will be done by our fellow man.” Lehrer is referring to dates that will live in infamy. But Neil has been thinking about his educational experiences and decides he has been very lucky.

            After 23 years, Bob Terkhorn and Kay have found a new home that suits their golden years perfectly. In lieu of senior living options, their daughter has graciously joined them. They are in Denver, in a vibrant new community.

            Always hear from former roommate Dan Woodhead, with a list of college football games. He is well and has nothing new to report.

            Dick Goldman is still the busiest alum I know. He plays golf and tennis, playing and practicing frequently. This past fall he took two interesting classes on Zoom in the Brandeis Program for Adult Education. Also at Brandeis, he runs a discussion group with his investment advisor on investing. He just finished a three-year term on the board of his building and will not run for re-election. He continues to serve as vice president of the Wesleyan Lawyers Association. Dick, John Watson, Bill Krenz, and I remember fondly Bill Barnes, who died recently. Dick has been in touch with Mike Whalen, athletic director, and offered to be a resource in Boston for Wesleyan graduates who were athletes at Wesleyan.

            Burr and Pirkko Edwards are still in Lectoure, southwest France. They love the leisurely lifestyle the area affords them.

            Kay and I are still in Naples, Florida. Recently we traveled to the Vancouver area to visit our daughter and son-in-law. Long flight, but we flew direct from Miami. Still play golf and bridge despite a body somewhat unwilling. Unfortunately, I am still a black belt at dining out.

Guy Walton sent in this update:“A nice coincidence occurred [last] year, 2025. There was an international meeting in France about the subject of my PhD dissertation, Pierre Puget (1620–1694). I decided to participate with a paper about the scholarship on him of the mid-20th century and gathered the courage to deliver it in the French that I haven’t spoken much in decades. The talk is now off to the printer in Marseille.            

“We’ve moved to Brooklyn and live across the road from the lake in Prospect Park. Our son, Hugh, has a house [a] 10-minute walk away—a nice arrangement for these late years and a chance to see our grandson Otto, 12 years old, grow up. Great walking opportunities help to keep us strong and allow us to follow the seasons in mid-city. We like Brooklyn! Don’t really miss the Village.

“I am at work now trying to publish some 300-plus travel drawings by my father-in-law, Otto Teegen, online.”

Gordon Wilmot shared: “My wife, Marilyn, and I are well and happy as we go ‘up the ladder’ in life. We had a great vacation in a huge house out on Long Island last summer with all our kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids. There were about 20 of us of all ages, cooped up together for a week of games, beach, and good fun. One of the grandkids who could not join us, announced while we were gone that he had just become a new dad again, our fifth great-grandchild.

“On January 2, Marilyn and I are driving from Rhode Island to Tybee Island, Georgia, for two months of getting away from the New England cold. We were Florida snowbirds for over 20 years, but due to Marilyn’s mom’s condition, we’d been confined to Rhode Island for the past four years. She passed earlier this year, just short of 101 years of age, which now frees us to head south again.

“If any you’re listening out there live near Savannah, maybe we can get together. We can be reached any time at (401) 734–9866 (landline).”

Ken Travis wrote, “When we relocated to the West Coast in 2020, I had basically two goals in mind. The first was simply to live long enough to be a problem for everybody. Check! The second was to become a ‘walk-on nonagenarian,’ which I did in late November and was wonderfully surprised by [a] big birthday celebration in which every member of the family was present. Four generations! Janice, my long-suffering wife of some 66 years, was in on the ruse that kept me totally unawares.” Ken sends his regards to all.

Allan Kalb reminded us that “a year ago, I sent a picture of me on my recumbent tricycle and indicated my intention to ride the Erie Canal Bikeway in the fall with my sons and grandsons. [See classnotes.blogs.wesleyan.edu/tag/1957/.] The plan was for six days, 260 miles. We made it for two days, 120 miles and had had enough.

“Being together was great fun, but the trail was a disappointment, and our bodies were not up to the challenge. Spending a week with the kids was worth it all.”

Peter Johnson wrote a well-researched book about building effective political and economic policies for the Caribbean Basin, following his distinguished career with the State Department and his subsequent founding and leadership of a catalytic nonprofit organization called Caribbean/Central American Action.

“For nearly 40 years, Caribbean Central America Action (C/CAA) worked to promote private sector-led growth in the region, successfully finding ways to help Caribbean governments and business leaders engage with and influence the thinking of U.S. administrations. Creating a New Caribbean Policy—The Story of C/CAA, recounts the story of an extraordinary collaboration among business leaders in the Caribbean Basin and in North America—how it began, how it evolved, what it accomplished during the two decades under the directions of the organization’s well-known and widely respected first executive director, Peter Johnson. From his earliest days working on the Panama Canal and SALT Treaties, until making his decision to gamble on stepping outside the usual trajectory for a career in the State Department, Johnson tells the remarkable story of how a small but carefully assembled team was able to achieve so much with what was relatively so little.

Here is a summary of Peter’s book from Amazon:

“’Today the Caribbean and Central America’s problems are again writ large,’ writes David Jessop (consultant to and former executive director of the Caribbean Council) in the foreword. ‘There is, however, no strong, well-supported, non-governmental private sector voice attempting to find practical solutions in ways that share the region’s long-term values.’     

“Creating a New Caribbean Policy—The Story of C/CAA deftly summarizes the past while pointing toward a new path for the prosperity of the people of the Caribbean Basin.”

Alan Haas writes, “I retired in May [2025] and turned my educational consulting business over to my former associate and our earlier intern. After leading three notable secondary schools in Connecticut and, in between, Geneva, Switzerland, I transitioned in 1986 to the emerging ‘profession’ of educational consulting. This involved helping students with applying to boarding schools and colleges. Most of our clients were initially from Switzerland and gradually extended around the world. Guiding students from around the world to quality schools and colleges was a worthy endeavor. It was a good business, and we kept it honest despite some of the fraudulent practitioners who surfaced along the way.

“Here is a family update: We have a son and a daughter, both of whom married well and produced three children. Two each graduated in recent years from Dartmouth and the University of Miami. The other two are at Skidmore and Bucknell [graduates]. Fortunately, all goes well with no major hiccups.

“Finally, I am very proud that the current president of Wesleyan was one of the first to speak out in objection to the Trump administration efforts to weaken the warp and woof of the institutions of learning that constitute the magnificent carpet on which civil society exists. President Roth remains active in this critical rebuttal, and I hope our classmates are cheering him on.” 

My sincere thanks to Stuart Rapp for his submission, thus extending the more than 60 years of continuous info from classmates. Stu writes:

“Hi Don! Excellent work, old classmate! Your email address suggests that the energy that remains with you from all that biking has stood you in good stead!

“In my 70 post-Wesleyan years, my responses to these info requests have been few and far between. I now appreciate, more than ever, Don Braverman’smonumental patience. These late days of mine find me at White Oaks, a ‘retirement residence’ in Manchester, Connecticut. When I recall the former style of places like this, I realize how fortunate we are to have options for comfortable living that enable us to feel a part of the active life of ordinary people who keep the society going on the other side of our windows. I’m very glad to have survived into President Roth’s leadership, and I regard my college days as an invaluable blessing that has given me that all-important sense of context throughout my life. Go Wes!”

I, Don, would like to add: Things remain comfortable for me in Maryland, although I must confess I do miss the Florida weather, and, of course, my friends and cycling companions in the Sunshine State. The memories of the many rides and gatherings will always be with me!

My wish to hear from classmates is never-ending. I extend my best wishes to you and your loved ones in the days ahead!

Len Stolba sends in this update: 

“We are both happily ensconced on our 1.6 acres in Fair Oaks, California, with our daughter’s horse. She is an equine veterinarian who lives up the lane and looks after us as we do her horse.

“I am long retired from 30-some years with an international engineering firm, plus some
teaching and consulting with the BArch and MS building construction [programs at] MIT—[degrees I] obtained after Wes U and four years in the USMC as a helicopter pilot. I also continued as a pilot and squadron commander in the reserves until retirement.

“After my retirement, as my wife, Soheir, continued to teach anthropology, consult internationally, and monitor our combined family—two sons, seven grandchildren, and one great-grandchild—I was able to travel to multiple countries. I now putter around our properties and follow my interests.

“To think all this was enabled by a local-boy scholarship from Wes U to a not-very-good
football guard, whose father was the campus mailman, attests to the value of luck in life and seizing opportunities and never giving up.

“Cheers to all.—Len”

Bud Johnson says that he at 93 and his wife, Lynn, at 91, “are dealing with a range of medical challenges. Rarely answers or solutions; mainly explanations!” Bud says they keep “optimistic and appreciative by eight grandkids, with their engagements and weddings.”

John Binswanger writes, “All is good. We are traveling to California to see two new great-grandchildren next week and will be in Florida for 10 days in March. Still playing a little golf (badly), but it is fun, so why stop? Gay keeps me in good shape.”

Sid Alexander wrote: “I am in the process of retiring after nearly 63 years at Lahey Clinic, where I founded the cardiology department. I am married with two wonderful children, five grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. My major interests have been preventative cardiology and treatment of high cholesterol, as well as work in the antinuclear movement. I was president of Physicans for Social Responsibility [from] 1985 through 1988 and continue to be active for many years [recall that the antinuclear sister organization received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1985]. Presently, I am having a peaceful semiretirement at home with lots of help and enjoying it.”

In January, Walter Cutler said, “Still frozen in D.C., but warm memories of Wes are helping me survive.” He wonders how many of us ’53ers are also still standing.

Gerald Patrick wrote, “I am just finishing my first year at Sequoias, a retirement place. Love it. I gave two major talks in recent months on Homer and his epics. Just had cochlear implants surgery. Too soon to know the benefits.”

Finally received a note from one of our classmates. Harry Collins reports that he is “still on this side of the ground at 95.” Sadly, his wife, Peg, died eight years ago, after 66 wonderful years together. He and a friend started an astronomy club at Sun City 20 years ago, and it continues today, with two monthly meetings and telescopic viewings at Blue Canyon in California. He stays busy with bridge and sends his best wishes to old friends.

Sad news from Kristin Kellom Damon ’84, daughter of Richard “Dick” B. Kellom, that he passed away on February 4, 2026, at the age of 95. Dick was an avid skier well into his 80s, pursuing daily runs down the slopes of Mount Sunapee. He skied as a student in Middletown in an era when more snow fell than now. He retired in 1995 after 40 years of teaching chemistry and biology at Mount Hermon, while coaching the ski team. He was an officer in the U.S. Navy serving in Europe, when he got the offer from Mount Hermon and changed course to start what would be a long and successful career as a teacher and coach.

My wife, Barbara, and daughter, Ellen ’82, and I had the pleasure of attending a wonderful performance of Camp! at the Caveat, a cabaret-comedy theater, located deep under Clinton Street in NYC. Camp! is an original musical directed by my granddaughter, Eliza Bender ’25, and co-written with Sarah Linsly ’24. The show was originally presented at Wesleyan in April 2024 and many of the original cast members appeared in the New York production, which was thoroughly enjoyed by all attendees.

On a personal note, I had a pacemaker installed several months ago and pleased to be still working full time, walking to and from the office, ballroom dancing, and working with a trainer at the gym.

Barbara and I, together with Ellen, her husband, Sam Bender ’82, and Eliza, recently visited our granddaughter Maddie (Yale ’20) in Honolulu. Maddie is an executive producer of a daily show at Hawaii Public Radio, a member station of National Public Radio. Maddie is a science writer and lives in Honolulu with her fiancé, Teddy Brokaw, who is completing a second federal court clerkship, first with a district court and now an appellate court. They met at Yale while he was in law school and she was completing a master’s degree at the Yale School of Public Health. While flying on Hawaiian Airlines from Honolulu to Maui, I was pleasantly surprised, while reading the airline magazine, Hana Hou!,to see an article, “The Grim Creeper,” written by Maddie! It was about a tiny caterpillar that adapts to life by camouflaging itself in fly legs, ant heads, and other grisly detritus from the spider’s graveyard.

PLEASE WRITE!

Hi ho, classmates!

Barney Kathan sent some news: “I have completed 11 years in a memoir-writing class, and the group is now meeting in my house twice a month. [Last] August, my caregiver and I celebrated 12 years together, and we are still speaking to each other! I have been in the hospital four times this year [2025], the first because of a fracture in the pelvic region and the last for a surgical procedure. I hope to come to Wesleyan for my 75th Reunion in May.”

Charlie Selig checked in: “I am still alive and kicking with a hospital visit, etc., here and there. Glad to see our football wins. Best to all Wes friends from the past.”

Finally, some of you may have missed the notification of Chuck Exley’s passing last year, on April 17, 2025. His obituary stated, “Timing is apparently not everything: Despite being born in 1929 as the Great Depression brought the country to its knees, Charles E. Exley Jr. went on to live a life full of accomplishment, friendship, and love.” After graduating from Columbia Business School in 1954, Chuck spent decades working for the Burroughs Corporation, which was followed by a 17-year career at NCR; he served in executive leadership roles for both companies. He also served on numerous boards and was a supporter of many charities. Chuck “was a lifelong supporter of Wesleyan, and his many contributions include the endowment of the Exley Science Center. His honors from Wesleyan include the Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1976 and a Doctor of Laws degree in 1991.”

We are sorry to report the passing of former class secretary George “Bud” Dorsey. Bud instructed his family to submit his final class note after his death, and this is what he wrote: “George K. (Bud) Dorsey, died on January 23, 2026, at the age of 96. He was a member of Delta Tau Delta and received his degree with honors and distinction in French. He was a lieutenant in the navy during the Korean conflict. He retired in 1991 as vice-chairman of Argus Research Corporation, an investment research firm founded by his father in 1934. He is survived by his wife of 71 years, Margie Dennler Dorsey, daughters Liane (Yale ’78) and Cindy ’81, son Alan ’83, nine grandchildren, including Elizabeth ’12 and Emily ’14, and two great-grandchildren.” Cindy adds that her dad was “a caring person, a loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and good friend, who will be dearly missed.”

A link to Bud’s full obituary can be found here.

Barbara Birney ’76 shared this in her class note about her dad, Bob Birney: “It’s been fun to spend time with my dad . . . filling in details for a biography that I’m writing. He is 100 years old and resides in Williamsburg, Virginia. I asked him a question that I suspect no one has asked since he graduated. I asked him who recommended in 1946 that he go to Wesleyan. After some casting around, he tentatively called up the name of a boyhood friend. I called the alumni office to find out if a Willard Lockwood (’46) had ever graduated from Wesleyan. For sure, Willard went to Wesleyan on the Thorndike Prize and graduated in 1946. (Both Will and Dad graduated Phi Beta Kappa.) From his airbase in England, Dad wrote a letter to Will, congratulating him and reassuring him that his doubts about being able to find a job were unfounded.” Barbara says that Bob is now in a nursing home, the Williamsburg Landing, “but the mind is as sharp as ever.”