Class Notes | 1950s

Hearing from Jim Brown who writes that he missed our 60th due to conflicts with graduations of granddaughters, one at the University of Georgia and another at the University of Virginia. The Browns’ grandson is a senior in high school and is in the process of college selection. He adds that the Georgia event was held on their football field with “a cast of thousands” and was “a little different than Wesleyan.” Jim and spouse Betty have cut down on travel, but he still works out three times weekly, with a menu of the bike, weights, and swimming—the latter, the backstroke for easier breathing, which I did not realize. See, we’re never too old to pick up new advice.

Jack Braitmayer and wife Nancy wound up with a dose of pneumonia in the early winter, but made a complete recovery. They, too, have dialed it back on travel, adding that they do not get to Florida any longer, but are at home in Marion, Mass., next door to where he grew up. Still, as of this writing, it is winter in the Northeast and Jack comments that waiting for spring seems an eternity. Jack has recently turned 88, and is looking forward to many more springs to come.

John Allison updates that he and Judy have an expanded family when in May last year they attended a grandson’s marriage to a young woman with two children, adding to the Allison’s “stepgreats” at ages 4 and 6, while their “greats” turned 1 and 10. He goes on to share an experience involving a successful procedure to repair a detached retina. The surgery he describes as in-and-out while the recovery is another matter, requiring one’s nose pointed downward for considerable time over two weeks. In John’s telling, he had plenty of time to think, reflect, and remember. Regarding the latter of these, it brought to his mind freshman Sigma Nu pledge adventures, one a gravestone search where the frosh weren’t even in the correct cemetery. Better luck awaited on a scavenger hunt over in Portland where a random stumble over a Coke bottle allowed for a deadline victory, much to the dismay of the ’56 brothers. John, I hope you do not need any further eye work!

While on the subject of freshmen and sophomores: my son Dave, happened upon an antique shop that had one of those postcard bins and he found one of Wesleyan dated February 1905 showing the chapel, the library, and Judd Hall. The card was addressed to a (presumably) young lady in Bridgeport by a young man in the Class of 1908 reporting that “we” won the Douglas Cannon “scrap,” i.e., the competition between the aforementioned classes. The scrap was for real—consult Dave Potts ’60’s initial volume of Wes history as to this annual event. Recall that ’57 had its own caper with the legendary cannon, as Jack Goodhue so elegantly wrote about in our 50th Re-u book. Where does that somewhat infamous cannon reside today?

Sparky Watts reports staying busy with travel, walking, reading, and pursuing philosophical studies. Further, their house in Madison, Wisc., will be placed on the market as he and Sarah determine where to move. She prefers a dry climate like New Mexico, yet two daughters live in Jacksonville, Fla., who want them there. On the whole, nice options. As POTUS often says, “Stay tuned.”

By now, the Bob Gorin family-sponsored skate party at Chelsea Piers has taken place. The event raises funds for the Brian Gottlieb ’88 Memorial Scholarship Fund. It is a yearly event with an outstanding record of participation and benefit to Wes.

Bob wrote in with happy news: “My grandson, David Harrison Gottlieb, will be entering Wesleyan this fall with the class of 2022. He will be the third generation of the family to attend. He is the son of my daughter, Bethel Gorin Gottlieb ’90, and her late husband, Brian Gottlieb ’88. It seems like yesterday that our class walked into North College in the fall of 1953 to begin our journey. I wish David and all of his classmates the best of everything.”

In the category of how a few chosen words speak volumes, this next from Tony Austin: “I sold my boat and am presently not fishing. Never should have sold it.”

Happy summer to all.

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

Sad news: Harry Barr, surrounded by his loving wife, Judy, and their family, died peacefully on Dec. 25. After Wesleyan, Harry graduated from Harvard Business School. He enjoyed a long career in investments at several firms in Boston and later volunteered on several nonprofit boards. He was a true friend of Wesleyan, always a familiar face at Reunions. Among his generous gifts to Alma Mater were three offspring, Pam ’81, David ’85, and Gregory ’87, as well as Gregory’s wife Elizabeth [Wendy] Trippe Barr ’89, and a grandson, Tyler ’21. Somehow son Douglas got away.

Fred Boynton’s book, Tales from the Annals of America: Things That You May Not Have Been Taught in Your High School American History Class, has been published and is available from Create Space, Amazon, and through local bookstores.

It’s a collection of essays on topics and people in the early history of our country that were important in shaping the nation that we live in today, but that get little or no exposure in conventional history courses. Books are printed to order. It’s big—7” x 10” and nearly 600 pages; the price is $21.95. It’s also available on Kindle for those who prefer that format, at a lower price. I’ve read parts of it. So far, so good.

Fred reports: “Beverly and I took a long road trip through the Southwest back to Kansas City for my 65th high school reunion. High point of that part was a visit to the Eisenhower home site and museum in Abilene, something I recommend to everyone regardless of their politics. Much fun in KC seeing an unfortunately dwindling company of old friends. Then back through the Northwest including Loup City, Neb., a stop in North Dakota (my 50th state), and down the West Coast (before the wildfires hit), to the San Francisco Bay area to visit with a son there and then home. Picked up a few good bottles of wine along the way. We are currently almost recovered from the holidays and are beginning to break our resolutions for 2018.”

From John Foster: “My loving wife, Lila, and I have lived happily for most of our 50-plus years together in Marblehead, Mass., a lovely community on the north shore of Boston. I’m happy to report Fred Boynton and his bride joined us here for a visit a few years ago. We are most fortunate to have both our sons and families here, too. Just gave my mooring to one of them as last year was my last sailing…not as steady on my feet as I used to be. Moorings are prized possessions here, with a reported 23-year wait list. Put your newborn on the list as they leave the hospital.”

And Mort Paterson: “My three sons and their wives/girlfriends and two granddaughters (from California) were here with Susan and me for Christmas in Philadelphia. We cooked for 10 for three days. It was worth it. Flew to Raleigh for New Year’s with Susan’s family. How about those Carolina Hurricanes! They beat the Pittsburgh Penguins. Ice hockey is a very fast game, I learned, often interrupted by overhead speakers blasting dithyrambic music. All about a black puck you can’t see.

“Before Christmas, I had been resting up after playing the lead in Shakespeare’s Winter’s Tale with a local drama group. He should look 55. Died my gray hair. Took off 25 years. Crazy man! It worked out. Good reviews. Did two other big roles earlier last year. Addicted, can’t quit.

“No shows right now. Time to get back to work figuring out annuities.”

Tom Plimpton is “still alive and well. For how much longer, who knows? I am planning to go with my daughter, Liz, and her husband to the Dry Tortugas this coming October. If we do it, I will write you a little report. Peace and joy!”

Biff Bevins: “I had all five grown offspring and six (ages 12 to 24) grand-offspring here in Chapel Hill at Christmastime. My dear wife, Priscilla, died eight years ago, one day after my 74th birthday. I will never really get over that, but carry on with an incredible compendium of memories through the thick and thin of our 51 years together. My pulmonary health is poor, which prevents me from traveling, but I cope with that pretty well. Other organs are doing just fine, save for an appendix and a prostate which I sacrificed to colleague surgeons many years ago, but I am happy to say I am surviving and have no complaints, having made it this far.”

That’s all for now, folks.

George Chien | gchien@optonline.net

So happy to have received responses from several members of the “Crucial Class” for this issue of our Wesleyan magazine. And, speaking of the magazine, let me offer my praise to the staff for such an outstanding issue with its history of the university. I’m sure many of you also appreciate the words regarding Ed Beckham, whose influence helped launch Wesleyan on its “color blind” policy.

John Sheaff wrote that he and Lois have really no reason to complain at this stage of life, which in truth means they are in decent health without any infirmities holding them back. He adds, “just no more leaping over tall buildings.” They continue to be active in their church, which John stated that would make “John Wesley proud of them.” Like many others, the record-cold weather kept them indoors more than usual, but he recalls that he skied in such weather for 45 years with family before giving up the sport some 10 years ago. His sage advice to all of us when it comes to the brutal cold weather is “just stay indoors and dress appropriately.” Obviously, he’s put his Wes education to good use.

Looks as if Drew Clemens and Julie are changing their lifestyle somewhat by moving into senior facilities with an independent living facility in South Franklin Circle near Cleveland. As many of us have experienced, downsizing can be intense, but the results can be very worthwhile! Drew does a little teaching, writing and professional society work, and continues as an emeritus professor while finding time for some tennis and, of course, singing! He reports both remain in good health. Their four grandchildren are doing well, even if one graduated from Williams like her dad! Drew wishes “good health and good cheer in 2018 to all of us.”

Our Class Traveler, Jim Shepard, sent a message of encouragement to me, reminding all of experiencing the brutal winter weather that “this too will pass!” My response was to relate what my dad had told me many years ago when he moved to Florida in the 1970s, and this was to file a complaint with the Palm Beach Chamber of Commerce and demand a refund! No reports of any travel experiences, but knowing Jim, I’m sure the next class notes column will describe great adventures.

“I can’t play golf anymore” began Jake Congleton’s note. Jake related he was driving a golf cart while his wife, Sally, played a course in Bradenton, Fla. They were teamed with a man and his father who were visiting from Boston. The father turned out to be 87, a pretty good golfer, and he was carrying his own bag. They talked about prep schools and education in general. As Jake said, “To make a long story short, he turned out to be Brad Turner ’53 who was an Eclectic fraternity brother. It wasn’t until the 12th hole that we figured that out. Small world indeed.”

Sadly, we were notified of the passing of Duncan Wall on Jan. 9. Duncan was the president of Delta Upsilon and played baseball at Wesleyan until an arm injury sidelined him. Duncan had a long and fulfilling career as a librarian.

Marianne and I felt lucky, compared to many others, to have made it through the end of 2017 will relatively little discomfort. My biggest disappointment was finishing the year with less than the annual 5,000-mile cycling goal. Rain and unusually high heat index figures really did make me and the gang accept what was reasonable and sane! The final miles ridden figure was 4,631. All I needed was another month, but I’m still very thankful I can continue to ride four days a week (weather permitting). Now, as long as my knees continue to behave, let’s see what the new year brings.

As always, to you and your loved one, my very best wishes for good health and happiness throughout the year.

DONALD J. BRAVERMAN | ybikedon@bellsouth.net
14790 Bonaire Blvd., Apt. 102., Delray Beach, FL 33446

Hello, Class of 1954. Here’s a recap of your responses to my recent email.

Bill Drury reports he’s getting older and more mellow each day in Nashua, N.H., where he’s still into “genealogy, railroads, and opera.”

Terry Hatter is still on the bench as a federal district judge, but manages to keep his eyes on his four grands, as follows: Eric, the oldest, will graduate from Georgetown Law School in May, while his sister, Lauren, finishes her first year at Penn Law. Their cousins, Leah and Wilson, the younger grands, are still in college. Meantime, Terry is recovering from a fractured kneecap after a fall when leaving a USC-UCLA football game he attended with youngest son Scott ’92. Heal well, Terry.

Dave Hodgin reports working a full schedule plus serving on nine boards (officer on four). Dave spent a month this past summer in Salamanca, Spain, working on his Spanish. He’s thinking about Ireland in 2018. Says, “Life is busy and good.”

Bud Johnson reports three grands in the workforce, plus five in college (Georgetown, Notre Dame, Wake Forest, Chicago, and Colgate). Special news from Bud: “My heavily classified post-Korea memoirs are on the press, carrying selected Navy patrol boat moments across the shores of both Chinas, all Philippines, north to Okinawa and Osaka, Japan…and early ’58 Kwajalein/Eniwetok-AEC special duty. Five years in the making.” Good job, Bud.

Rod O’Connor says he’s somewhat retired and living in NYC and Aiken, S.C., as well as Southampton, Long Island. Rod reports that “golf is disappearing in the rearview mirror,” so he needs new outlets. Rod’s oldest grandchild graduated from Wesleyan a year ago, with accolades, and is working in a Chicago children’s hospital doing research. His second oldest, Morgan, is in NYC and has moved from modeling to music production. He writes, sings, and plays instruments with a growing number of fans. Rod’s last two grands (fraternal twins) are in college: Alex at Rollins in Florida, and Max at the New School in NYC, working part-time in designing.

Bob Schnuer (only 85 in March 2018) and Vickie are still commuting between Florida and New York, and doing “reasonably well”—as are their kids and grandkids. They eagerly await the imminent arrival of their first great-grandbaby.

Finally, your scribe, Bob Carey, and bride Libby, sojourned to Sanibel Island, Fla., for six weeks in February and March. Of their 12 grands, four are happily employed, five are in college (Indiana State, Georgetown, UNC-Asheville, UNC-Wilmington, and UVA), two are in high school, and the youngest, Judy, is in middle school.

That does it, guys. Thanks very much for your news. All the best to all of us as we prepare for our 65th next year.

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

 

Walt Cutler wrote in November: “My wife, Didi, and I enjoyed two good trips this summer: one on a French barge in Burgundy with friends, and the other to Leipzig and Dresden for classical music. I am still involved with several Washington think tanks promoting international exchanges, and serving as an adviser to a California-based investment bank doing business in the Middle East. I haven’t been back to Wesleyan since I chaired a panel on the Iran-Saudi Cold War several years ago. Unfortunately, that part of the world continues to go from bad to worse.” Our wishes are to see Walt again on the campus.

It is with sadness that I report the passing of Jan B. van den Berg, 87, on Dec. 26, 2017. He and I roomed together for three years in Harriman, spent summer 1951 at a Michigan resort, and toured five European countries in 1952. Jan, born in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, fled ahead of the Nazi invasion and lived in New Rochelle. He was a math major and Alpha Chi Rho. Jan was known for his swimming ability, having set frosh records in two distance events, being New England champ in the 440, and captain our senior year. In Paris we met the 1952 Olympic champ in the 440, whose time today would not make the high school team. (Progress!)

With an MBA from Stanford, he joined McKinsey & Company as a management consultant and later became a managing principal. He lived in Amsterdam, London, and Greenwich. I recall his attendance our 40th Reunion in 1993. Upon retirement he moved to Bend, Ore., from where he traveled around the world until being stricken with Alzheimer’s. He is survived by his wife of 13 years, Patricia, a son, and two daughters, to whom our condolences are extended.

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

Class of 1952 Endowed Wesleyan Scholarship Fund

Nathanael Mathieu ’20, Freedom, NH

Thanks to those responding to my request for news. How about the rest of you?

Harry Collings has been living in a Sun City at Lincoln, Calif., east of Sacramento for 17 years. Sadly, after 65 years of marriage, his wife, Peg, died last year. He worked for the Du Pont Company for 36 years in the petroleum chemicals and pulp and paper divisions as an account manager in tech sales. He and a friend started an astronomy club 14 years ago that now has over 100 members meeting monthly.

Frank LaBella and wife Arlyne are ensconced in a retirement home, a drastic change after many enjoyable years in their horse farm outside Winnipeg, and is still involved in research and writing, with three recent publications in The Conversation.

In addition to the comments in Hal’s notes in Issue 2 2017, Alan Ward reports that he is fully retired from law practice but taught (“Rules/Regulations”) for U Del Lifelong Learning Program last fall, plays bridge, enjoys summers on Lake Michigan and usually attends a family fall NYC theater weekend (a tradition started in 1949 with Deke alumni Judge Arthur T. Vanderbilt 1910, former trustee (Judge wrote Wesleyan Admission on my behalf in 1949 when I applied), Tom Morningstar ’49, and Jim Stiles). He also wrote that the years have touched Hal and me very lightly; the rest of our group were clearly at their 65th Reunion.

Duncan Nelson wrote a moving poem which I record in its entirety:

Well hello, Joseph Friedman!

I’ll try to give you what you need, man,/ In the way of breaking news,

Amongst which you may pick and choose.

Although for metastatic cancer,/ 4th stage, there is as now no answer,

In being cared for at Dana Farber/ I have found as safe a harbor

As there is, and with Beebe, my wife,

We’ve taken such news as “a sentence of life”—

Finding in the diagnosis/ Ever more death-defying doses

Of reasons—and there are a tankful—/ For being wall-to-wall thankful

For each and every amazing gift,/ Such as 20 grandchildren to lift

Our spirits exponentially./ As for Duncan himself, providentially,

He has a wife he falls in love/ With more each day. Given all the above,

What I say to my ’52/ Classmates is not so much “adieu”

As “Valel” in the certain knowledge/ That the bells of old South College

In their ringing will carry me/ And all of us through eternity—

In that what we have done in our lives will have the staying power

To round out our echoes to sound along

With the yin-yang knells of those bells “ding-dong”

All of us send our best wish for his complete remission.

Seth Rosner had a great idea: Why wait until 2022 for our 70th? He would like to return to Middletown for Reunion weekend this spring and let’s see how many of our class will do the same so we can organize our own out-of-sync Reunion. Any comments? He also reports that the late Judith Kaye, former chief judge of the State of New York, and Norm Veasey, former chief justice of the Supreme Court of Delaware, both good friends for years, among others, nominated him for the A.B.A.’s Michael Franck Professional Award. He relates that he served for three-and-a-half years on active duty in the Navy as legal officer of the USS Intrepid and an officer of the deck underway, raced sports cars in California and France, has been a published photographer and occasionally wrote verse.

He adds, “My late brother Jon ’54 and I grew up to admonitions by our mom and dad that we were smart and if we worked hard could expect to make a good living, but that getting rich was not the name of the game, rather that we were put on Earth to do good, to leave our little corner of the world better when they planted us than when we got here. The very same message you and I got from our president, Vic Butterfield: service.” AMEN!

Finally, my wife, Barbara, (Smith ’56), my son-in-law, Samuel Bender ’82, daughter Ellen ’82, and granddaughters Madeline (Yale ’20), Eliza (Horace Mann ’20) and yours truly spent Christmas and New Years in Capetown, South Africa, and in two safari camps in Botswana, and had a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

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

Barney Kathan sent me copies of two extraordinary books he had authored over the past year-and-a-half. The first one, My Prospects: Growing Up and Growing Old in a Small Connecticut Town, detailed his journey through life from a small farm to his career in the ministry and beyond. He was involved in some of the major changes in his town, church, library, and school district, and was a leader in the town’s successful celebrations. Barney’s second book, American Holy Days: The Heart and Soul of Our National Holidays, provided an invaluable primer of the history and significance of America’s special days. Again, Barney goes into extraordinary detail about these special days and how they came about.

Chris DeGraff wrote from West Hartford that he and his wife, Sandy, had a family get-together for the Thanksgiving and the Christmas holidays. Chris was looking forward to hitting the slopes and had already bought his season pass. They thought about taking a trip to Europe this past summer, but decided against it because of the turmoil abroad.

Frank Hassell moved into a retirement residence at Bay Village in Sarasota, Fla. He wrote that he is no longer up for traveling, but fortunately family members are able to visit him. He reminded me that during our undergraduate years, he, his wife, and subsequent two sons, lived on campus, sponsored by his family and the G.I. Bill, which helped many of us. Frank is much older than the rest of us and at 95, still holds that distinction. Frank wrote, “Wesleyan was a very meaningful experience for me and I am grateful for the advantages I received. A gift to Wesleyan will be forthcoming after I pass on.”

Along with Frank’s note, I received word that Dean Egly, a fraternity brother of mine, had passed away on March 26, 2017. I’d appreciate hearing from any class members who received this magazine.

DAVID M. PHILIPS | davephilips69@hotmail.com
43 Cannon Street, Cranston, RI 02920-7620

Classmates: I regret to inform you that Bob Fithian died in June 2017. Bob was president of Delta Tau Delta, and the summer after graduation he and I toured Europe together. He was employed by Sears for 40 years, and lived in Marietta, Ga. He is survived by his wife, Becky, two children, and two grandchildren.

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

Save the date for our 60th Reunion on May 23-26, 2019! Ellen and Herb Steiner are in Del Ray January through March. They see Sibyl and Tim Martin and Diane and Joe Vander Veer. Herb is in email touch with the “three Bob’s” Bob Mann, Bob Waterhouse, and Bob Ogren. Racquetball every morning and violin practice daily. Herb plays in orchestras in New Jersey and Florida, and “though the old arm ain’t what it used to be, I love making music!”

Wayne Fillback, now 81, responded to a birthday postcard Skip had sent. After leaving Wesleyan, Wayne graduated from Colby, where he taught history and coached. Married for 53 years, with two daughters and four grandsons the happy result! Wayne still officiates at track and field events and helps with the four boys. He remembers Dick Root and Gerry Hanford ’64 especially fondly.

John Fowler sent along a note with his annual check saying he enjoyed his “Big 80” birthday postcard. Bravo John on both counts!

Ted Nagel is in great fettle, still doing some doctoring, but largely retired from his practice at this point.

Phil Pessoni has written a book about his 18 years at the helm of Lexington Photo Labs, which is not yet available for public consumption, calledDeveloping Friendships at Lexington Photo Labs New York City 1964-1981, about the amazing friendships he made: Isak Dinesin, Peter Beard, Caroline Kennedy, Jackie Onasssis, Lee Radziwill, Anne Marie Rasmussen Rockefeller, Jay Mellon, Richard DuPont Andy Warhol, Cheryl Tiegs Linda McCartney, Claude Picasso, Ginger Rogers, and Mick Jagger. Phil staged seven major exhibits at his gallery and made all the prints for 15 photo books.

Dr. Owen Tabor retired from his orthopedic surgery practice after being supplied with two new knees compliments of his oldest son, who now guides Tabor Orthopedic in Memphis. Owen is in touch with Elizabeth and Jack Lambert in London at their beautiful home in Islington, and he and Margaret enjoy time with their children and grandchildren. He writes, “A recent letter sent by Walter Burnett, with a picture of the current members of Skull and Serpent made me realize what a special time we had at Wesleyan at that most critical time in our lives.”

Marsha and Bob Gillette stopped to see Peg and Weg Thomas on their way back from watching the total eclipse in Wyoming, their second after Zambia. Apart from non-stop hospitality, and continuous Wes style bull sessions, we also got to see Weg’s passion, the 25,371 acres of the McHenry County Conservation District. He is the behind the scenes director and lives the mission of the conservancy “to preserve, restore and manage natural areas for their intrinsic value and for the benefits to present and future generations.” He writes, “Everywhere we travelled we saw the marks of Weg’s work: trail maps, photographic explanations, and magnificent photographs of the scenes we marveled at. We were thrilled to share in his passion.”

Paul Hadzima lives less than an hour from campus. He wrote, “It wasn’t until our 50th that I rediscovered what a great place Wesleyan is! I began attending lectures and concerts, then joined the Friends of the Wesleyan Library, on whose governing Board I now sit. Then a decision was made to put on display the objects housed in the old museum on top of Judd Hall. I happened to be the last student curator of the Museum.” He was featured in a blog post by students in the earth and environmental sciences department (wespeoplesfossils.blogs.wesleyan.edu). “The rock, mineral, and fossil part of that collection is now in the Exley Science Center (Joe Webb Peoples Museum). Professor Peoples chaired the geology department while we were there. As one of two geology majors in our class, along with Skip McAfee, Joe played a big part in my life at Wesleyan.”

Dick Cadigan writes of two terrific ideas: “Number one: I want to get a campaign going for a banner in the Silloway Gymnasium for the 1959 varsity basketball team. We were the first Wesleyan basketball team to play in the NCAA Tournament, were Little Three Champs after a 10-year drought, and barely lost to Harvard (four points). I am sure we could raise the money to fund the banner! Number two: And admission of what was one of the best Wesleyan basketball teams ever to the Wesleyan University Athletic Hall of Fame at our 60th Reunion.”

The Eklunds win ’59 Most Traveled Award: February, Maui and Florence, June, Nantucket and the Cape, July, Lake Tahoe, August, Nantucket for Mary’s 75th, Dave to fish in Alaska, September, visit to Cornell grandson and Brown granddaughter, Thanksgiving in California, Christmas in Jackson Hole, back to Tiburon for Dave’s big 80 and to keep the sanitation department running.

Our thoughts are with Joyce Harbinger. Wayne died on Christmas Day 2017.

At the end of the year, Tim Day is retiring as chairman of the board of directors at Bar-S after being with the company for 36 years.

Skip Silloway is still skiing Alta and promises to send us pictures. In the meantime, he and Molly have been married 53 years and are settled in Salt Lake City, about halfway between their two sons. One lives in Northern California and the other in New Mexico, each a day’s drive away. The boys have one child each; one boy, one girl.

Charlie Wrubel reports: “After 19 years of traveling to the children for Thanksgiving, the decree went out to Bill ’85and Jen ’92in Beverly Hills, Rob ’88 from Colorado Springs, Julian Scottsdale and Andrew ’85 from Brooklyn to attend the master in his lair for the celebration.” Charlie has a new valve and other certified new parts and is fine.

Shirley and Larry Keddes will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary in June, just after Reunion. Larry had successful lower back surgery 18 months ago and is now back building his model railroad in his old home office. Are there any other railroaders in the class? “Every doctor I see, and there are many, make me think how young they are!”

Bill Moody missed the fall mini-reunion lunch in Washington as both he and Janet were in and out of the hospital at the time. All is well, however. Moods highly recommends Dave Potts’ History of Wesleyan 1910-1970. “It is a must read for the Class of 1959 in my opinion. It puts our time there in perspective.” Plans are afoot for a mini Eclectic reunion chez Leverich including the Moodys, Chases, and the Gillettes.

Walter Burnett wrote in, “It hardly seems possible that the 60th is so close. Assuming that all goes well, I plan to be there. The weather has been a bit out of sorts in the western North Carolina mountains so access to my mountain home has been a bit problematic with unexpected freezing and re-freezing of the mountain roads. Even Atlanta has had some winter weather problems. The 2017 eclipse was full over my North Carolina home. It gave me the opportunity to gather my children and grandchildren along with my brother and his children and grandchildren, It was quite a house full, but we all had a great time with members of the family coming from eight states.

“I retired from the Emory School of Public Health faculty in 2014 and much to my surprise I enjoy the freedom of retirement. I continue to travel a fair amount. Last summer a friend and I explored the lakes of Northern Minnesota and drove the north shore of Lake Superior. This year we plan to explore some of the Louisiana bayou country and the lake country of Texas with a drive home on the Natchez Trace. I still day hike weekly as the weather permits and spend time in Atlanta where I can enjoy the Atlanta Symphony and spend time with friends.

“As time goes on it hardly seems possible that my grandsons are fast becoming adults. The older one is finishing his freshman year at Bowdoin and the younger one will head off to his freshman year in the fall. His high school graduation will take me to the D.C. area in June for a family visit.

“I am fortunate that my health is good and that live a one of the most beautiful parts of the country. I hope all is well with you.”

Wolfram Thiemann, in Germany, who attended Wesleyan as Foreign Scholar, wrote in with an interesting update of life after Wes, including a career in nuclear and environmental research. He writes, “I was not a typical class ’59 mate. I had been invited to enjoy the privilege as a Foreign Scholar to spend an entire academic year at Wesleyan as an undergraduate, whose major subject was chemistry, fleeing literarily from a country which was still suffering from the aftermath of a terrible Nazi dominated history, meant to last 1,000 years as a Third Reich, but was fortunately finished by the Allied Forces after only 12 years by a heroic bloody fight, called World War II.

“In contrast to many of my elders—relatives as well as teachers—we, the younger generation, called the end of Nazi terror in Germany a liberation instead of a defeat of the Hitler regime. At the time when I came to study at Wesleyan, I was registered as an undergraduate student at the Ludwig-Maximilian University Mÿnchen and the Freie Universitÿt Berlin, where many of my chemistry professors had served during the Nazi time and continued to teach in the post-war era of new democratic (West) Germany. The curriculum in the 50s was terribly old-fashioned, boring, and ultra-conservative. Full professors had absolute power and dominated the faculty. They could not be removed from their “chairs,” residing like gods. So, my chance to be given a scholarship to Wesleyan (inspired by the late Professor L. Gemeinhard) was a true revelation. It was like paradise compared to my German experience.

“Wesleyan, the small elite New England experience at Wesleyan saved my career. Having returned home to Berlin after this one-year experience I recovered my love for science again, which I had almost lost before, and continued my studies at Berlin (The Freie Universitÿt Berlin was a gift from USA, sponsored by Henry Ford Foundation, sworn in for defending democratic values—quite in contrast to the communist-ruled Humboldt-Universitÿt in the East Sector of Berlin!).

“After my graduation as a Diplom-ChemikerI received my Dr. rer. nat. (PhD degree in English) from the Technische Universitÿt Berlin, having performed my experimental work in the laboratory of the Hahn-Meitner-Institut fÿr Kernforschung in nuclear research. This was the first nuclear reactor, serving as a pure research instrument in West Germany. From here I had joined the nuclear research facility in Juelich, Germany, and in 1976 I was installed as full professor of physical chemistry in the young University of Bremen. My main research areas circled around the environmental research, focused on water quality and sanitation issues and on the search for the origins of life on earth and for extraterrestrial life.

“In 1980 I returned back to U.S. for sabbatical to be spent at the University of Maryland. My curiosity for the possibility of life or at least for its precursors on extraterrestrial bodies was—at least partially—satisfied with the soft landing of the space vehicle PHILAE released from the mother ship ROSETTA on a comet Chruy in November 2014 after a 10 years’ journey travelling around 400 mio kilometers. And—alas—we detected highly complex organic materials on this comet, resembling pretty good-looking precursors of living species having rained down on the early earth some 3-4 bio years ago.

“In 2003 I retired from teaching in Bremen, but have been busy still writing papers, chapters in monographs, lecturing on various topics in environment and astrochemistry, touring through China, India, Egypt, Brazil, France, and other regions of the world, helping to establish and enforce research cooperation among academic institutions.

“If possible, I would love to attend Reunion next year at Wesleyan. I still have contact with some of my former mates from Wesleyan. My old classmate Uli Kogelschatz, also a foreign student from Germany, with whom I had crossed the entire U.S. coast-to-coast on a second-hand Vespa. 150 ccm motorscooter over 6,000 miles. Unfortunately, he passed away last year. I think you received the information from his family living in Switzerland?”

We end with some wisdom by Frank Laubach, a famous missionary and teacher. “I have good news for you. The first 80 years are the hardest. The second 80 are a succession of birthday parties.

“Once you reach 80, everyone wants to carry your baggage and help you up the steps. If you forget your name or anybody else’s name, or an appointment, or your own telephone number, or promise to be three places at the same time, or can’t remember how many grandchildren you have, you need only explain that you are 80.

“Being 80 is a lot better than being 70. At 70, people are mad at you for everything. At 80, you have a perfect excuse, no matter what you do. If you act foolishly, it’s your second childhood. Everybody is looking for symptoms of softening of the brain.

“Being 70 is no fun at all. At that age, they expect you to retire to a house in Florida and complain about your arthritis and you ask everybody to stop mumbling because you can’t understand them. (Actually, your hearing is about 50 percent gone.)

“If you survive until you are 80, everybody is surprised that you are still alive. They treat you with respect just for having lived so long. Actually, they seem surprised that you can walk and talk sensibly.

“So please, folks, try to make it to 80. It’s the best time of life. People forgive you for anything. If you ask me, life begins at 80.”

Skip Silloway | ssillow@gmail.com; 801/532-4311 

John Spurdle | jspurdle@aol.com; 212/644-4858

The Great Class of 1959 continues to shine. You will have received a letter from our extraordinary co-class agents reporting on this year’s results—74 percent of our class participated in raising an amazing sum. Well done, Burt and Ed! We go for 90 percent at our 60th. Hope you are enjoying your birthday cards reminding you of that event, among other things!

Ed Murphy also tossed this on the pyre to keep the class fires burning: “By heading to Arizona after our son’s change of command ceremony, we managed to miss Irma by three days. Our two sons, one living in Tampa, and the other on the beach in Jacksonville, had the excitement, but no damage!”

Steve Pyle and family survived Harvey and various other Texas storms. Austin wasn’t hit directly, luckily. He is still very active painting oils, and has a backlog of commissioned work that seems to grow rather than diminish. Never made it to Fishers Island for our annual golf outing, so look forward to 2018.

World travelers Mary and Dave Eklund were home for a change in Tiburon, Calif. managing the Tiburon Library used book office. Dave is also the chair of the sanitation district, as you remember. Mayor next?

Ted Bromage writes, “Having missed our anniversary Bermuda trip in 2016, as I was in the hospital, we rescheduled for last May. Joan tripped and fell in Portland the night before departure, breaking her left arm, so Bermuda is still on the bucket list. We are now booked on a two-week cruise from San Diego via the Panama Canal to Fort Lauderdale. Our fingers are crossed.” (And so are your class secretaries’—such drama!)  “Dylan finished his walk on the Appalachian Trail in five months and three days. Granddaughter Abigail, daughter of Sally ’84, is newly engaged, and started nursing school at Emory. We are still too active in our local Episcopal church, but old habits die hard.”

Larry Brick is far from retired, as the following note shows: “Since moving into a Continuing Care Retirement Community six years ago, I thought we could finally retire in peace and relax. Not so! Discovered the oppression of being a senior in a place run by administrators with an almost total lack of sensitivity to the needs of their residents with multiple disabilities: hearing loss, vision problems, mobility difficulties, health issues requiring special diets, and the complex needs of senior citizens in their last years of life. Only if children or a trusted relative lived nearby to supervise, did the patient get good care. This had to stop, and my wife and I took up the cause. At one point I said to the administrators, ‘I wonder how this place got the approval from the Pennsylvania Department of Nursing? Maybe I should give them a call to see if there is an easy way to resolve it.’ Two weeks later a major problem of handicapped access was solved.  Conclusion: I guess I am a long way from retiring in peace and relaxing with the administration thinking they know more about our needs than we do! They need to improve their listening skills to become less deaf! And I close with my motto: Nothing About Us, Without Us.”

Marty Weil sends tweets on a variety of subjects, including timely humor and commentary on world events and politics.

He says: “I think we need to recruit more followers for my Twitter feed—it is @martyweilwapost. If our classmates do not have Twitter accounts, please get friends, relatives, acquaintances to follow, or get one.”

Right on, Marty. Mine is @jspurdle6128. Skip?

Dick Cadigan commented on the recent New York Times article, “Sex at Wesleyan: What’s Changed, What Hasn’t? An Alumna Asks.” Read it at nyti.ms/2vvQoB0. “The essence is summed up at the end of the article: Says one undergrad: ‘I always ask for consent…Always. I do not know what I will do after graduation. Am I still supposed to ask?’ Such worries are a burden, but not like ours, summed up by John Travolta in the song “Staying Alive.”

Tom McHugh responded: “I saw it, and am afraid I had difficulty understanding the gist of the story. Thoughts/interpretations welcome.”

Bob Chase couldn’t resist: “I cannot understand why Cads sent this to all the guys who knew less about sex than any of their contemporaries.”