Class Notes | 1950s

The Great Class of ’59…60th Reunion 2019. For those who missed it, enjoy this video of the Wesleyan fight song at Commencement: fb.com/wesleyan.university/videos/10150822050344995! Congrats to this year’s exceptional lacrosse team. What a difference 58 years make! An extraordinary record of 20-2, Little Three, and NESCAC Championships, and the quarter-finals in Division III, make the 2017 team close to, if not, the best ever. On June 6, 1959, the Wesleyan Lacrosse Club, under its first-ever coach, Nate Osur, met the Connecticut Valley Lacrosse Club, boasting four All-Americans, eight All-New Englanders, and several Canadians. The result was about the same as the “game” of June 2, 1763, when Chief Pontiac and his tribe mesmerized the British Army at Fort Michilimackinac with a lacrosse game outside the fort, and followed a loose ball inside and finished off the Brits!

Joan and Ted Bromage took an anniversary cruise to Bermuda, last there for their honeymoon in 1960. Granddaughter Georgia is graduating from Savannah College of Art and Design, and grandson Dylan is walking to Maine to see Ted and Joan on the Appalachian Trail. He has made 900 miles so far!

Bob McKelvey got his 1959 birthday card. The card pictured John Lloyd in his Porsche, buried in snow, with a cast of characters trying to push him out, including Spurdle, which elicited a rude note from Bob: “An Eclectic helping to push an Alpha Delt out of the snow? Only one less likely would be a Chi Psi.”

A fascinating message from Larry Brick that details an extraordinary dedication to a life of advocacy for the hearing impaired. After retiring from the Pennsylvania School for the Deaf, he has continued his advocacy for the deaf community.  He and his wife have moved into a retirement home. The Bricks have three sons: the eldest is a computer expert, the second a well-known dancer and choreographer heading his own company, and the youngest, the first deaf graduate of Temple Law School, now working for the Governor of Maryland.

Peter Rockefeller sent us a very handsome picture of himself at a recent wedding. No other news, but he looks in great shape.

Charlie Wrubel wrote, “Now that my three-year term on the Board has ended, I want to thank all of you who allowed me to represent you as an alumni-elected trustee. Rest assured—and regardless of your thoughts about Wesleyan today—the University has a very responsible Board and excellent administrative leadership. Myra and I spent Thanksgiving in Scottsdale with son Julian and family. The New Year was celebrated in LA with son Bill ’85, and wife Jen Crittenden ’91, and their two girls. On the way there we watched granddaughter Sarah (son Rob ’88) participate in a fashion show. We ended with a great road trip with Mark Edmiston ’65’s family through New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah.”

From Dick Cadigan: “Just getting over some face skin cancer stuff involving small skin graft—however, whenever I get “cut” I do not think of it as small ! All fine now, after three weeks healing. I read the following and thought of you: “June 2, 1763—Chief Pontiac and  his Olibwe followers captured the British Fort Michilimackinac by diverting the garrison’s attention with a game of lacrosse and then chasing the a ball into the fort.” Wonder if you and other Wes lacrosse pioneers ever got recognized for your birthing efforts to get Wes lacrosse off the ground. As you know, this year’s Wes men’s and women’s teams were outstanding !

The following chain reaction started with Cads on April 6: “’After the age of 80, everything reminds you of something else.’—Lowell Thomas. ‘It doesn’t matter how slowly you go, as long as you do not stop.’—Confucius.”

Bing Leverich responded, “’Never look back. Something may be gaining on you.’—S. Paige.”

To which Tom McHugh said, “‘Never make predictions, especially about the future.’—C. Stengel. ‘You have got to be very careful if you don’t know where you are going because you might not get there.’—Yogi Berra.”

And the finale from Joe Mallory, citing a cartoon of doctor and aging patient, “‘Stop telling me I’ll live to be 80 years old. I am 80 years old!’”

Wolfram Thiemann, a German foreign scholar, responded to his birthday postcard saying, “Wow! Thank you, guys. I was struck flat completely.” He’s still busy in environmental research and astrobiology and said that fellow scholar Uri Kogelschatz, passed away in 2016. He also remembered fellow physicist Paul Boynton ’61, who visited Wolfram in Germany with his grandsons three years ago.

Marty Weil, night editor of The Washington Post, has discovered the power of Twitter. “I am a couple of months beyond my first year of Twitter. I would like to call on the school’s wisdom and tech knowhow to see how we can reach the greatest number of alumni, family, and friends. Anyone missing out on this edifying opportunity, because they are tragically unaware of it, is missing an awesome tool.”

Hugh Lifson just returned from the Badlands where he did a series of watercolor paintings and sepia drawings.

Skip found classmate Richard Moores in Bellevue, Wash., via the birthday card effort. Class secretaries do not sleep either!

David Britt updated his record: “Pulse: (pause)—yes. Mouth: still running. Hearing: when convenient. Hair: vaguely remembered. Health: executive summary—very good, considering details available at yawn, zzz. Mental health: fine, except for the constant witch-hunts and conspiracies against me. Aging: I hope to continue to do so a while longer. Pace: each year it takes longer and longer to do less and less and I’m almost at the point of doing nothing full-time.”

He and wife Sue have moved to Chapel Hill, N.C., for summers, and stay on Amelia Island for winter. European trips in the works, “geezer tennis” regularly, and he chairs the Education Trust in D.C.

Elaine O’Neill sent word of Peter’s death. Our thoughts are with her.

Olin Associates have more fun! Please join and enjoy it!

And finally, the last word from Satchel Paige: “Age is a matter of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.”

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

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

I guess we are quite content in our golden years. We have fewer responses to my Lyris plea. Is that good news?

Dick Goldman had much to report. He and Patty had just returned from Florida, and the Massachusetts weather in early April was not conducive to golf or tennis. He congratulates me on my election to the Wes Baseball Wall of Fame. He received a long e-mail from John Watson. John hopes to make our 60th Reunion in 2018. Dick is on a quest, and I believe a valid one, to establish a group of Wes grads who are lawyers in Boston who will meet and look for opportunities to refer business to each other. Any in the class who are lawyers in Boston or know interested people, contact Dick.

Dick Tompkins’ note says he and Betsy are healthy and happy. They spend eight months in Florida and four in Minnesota. He sees Carl Van Etten and his wife frequently. He reports that they are doing well.

Art Geltzer objects to being called an “old timer,” but is doing well and has opened his Cape Cod home for the summer. He has been in touch with Ted Wieseman and Polly and Mel Cote.

I will quote Roger Paget: “In my role as senior adviser for the Davis UWC Scholars Program, I do site visits at campuses all over the country—and recently enjoyed a wonderful interlude at Wesleyan. To chat with students, faculty, and administrators is to gain vivid appreciation of 60 years of continuing progress. The energy is palpable, contagious. And Michael Roth ’78 is a treasure.

Bill Dieterich e-mails that after his retirement from the U.S. Foreign Service almost 20 years ago, he and his wife, Keiko, live in Arlington, Va., and spend summers at Lakeside Chautauqua in Lakeside, Ohio.

My former roommate, Dan Woodhead, and I have been conferring about two quests which we will pursue, details of which may be public before the next issue.

Neil Henry has had prostate surgery recently, but is okay otherwise. He anticipates a few visits to Chesapeake Bay this summer.

Kay and Bob Terkhorn will travel to Europe mid-June. They will travel to Prague, then a riverboat trip from Nuremburg on the Rhine and Moselle rivers to Luxembourg, then on to Paris for a few days. They will travel despite a fractured ankle that Kay suffered in March.

Kay and I leave shortly for The Hague where our daughter resides. My granddaughter, Margaux, is graduating from high school and will attend college in London at University College London. Kay and I will fly to Toulouse, France, and hook up with Nelson Edwards. He and wife Pirkko live in Lectoure in southern France. I will report firsthand on Burr next issue.

Hope all is well, looking forward to our 60th,

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

Late May our class celebrated a Reunion on campus—the 60th for those who are still keeping statistics. The weather was more or less cooperative, especially for the Saturday programs; sun broke through and the campus was in its best-dressed mode.

1957 turned out at some 33-strong, comprising classmates and guests. The roll-call of Wesmen is as follows:  Paul Schwaber, Jack Braitmayer, Bill Riess, Herb Camp, Hal Ochsner, Gordy Wilmot, Bob Smith, John Allison, Bob Sharlet, Art Typermass, Whitey Johnson, Rusty Clowes, George Willauer, Rod Henry, Jim LaCrosse, Mike Stein, Ken Travis, and Jeff Williamson.  Math majors will note this list as being in random order and English majors please excuse the usage of any additional nicknames. I merely thought that Messrs. Clowes and Johnson, being among the more colorful class members, deserve special “ink” on the subject. To the best of my knowledge, we have no others of us endowed with colorful nicknames; should I be in error, please correct me.

Jeff Williamson’s WESeminar on American income inequality was standing-room only in a large Fisk Hall classroom. He was introduced by Richie Adelstein, economics professor. The subject matter covered income inequality that predates the founding of the Republic to contemporary times. His book is titled Unequal Gains: American Growth and Inequality Since 1700 (Princeton, 2016: with Peter Lindert).

Copies available at the campus bookstore sold out quickly. Jeff received Wesleyan’s Distinguished Alumni Award in 1987 and served on the Board of Trustees from 1988-1994. Along the way, he authored some 22 books, of which the aforementioned is the most recent.

At our Saturday night dinner, our guest speaker Mark Hovey, associate provost and professor of mathematics, provided a sense of what it is like to teach at Wesleyan today. He emphasized that faculty are encouraged to combine teaching and research that is unique among smaller liberal arts colleges. Accordingly, Wes students have exceptional opportunities to engage in primary research with their professors. The interaction results in positive experiences on both sides of the desk. Mark cited as an example his own daughter, having transferred from Brown because she felt there would be better opportunities to collaborate with faculty.

Professor Hovey was introduced by our dauntless emcee, Whitey Johnson, who conveyed greetings from retired Professor Bob Rosenbaum, who has recently turned 101!

I know I speak for 1957 in expressing gratitude for the tireless efforts of Mark Davis ’96 and Jenna Starr ’15 in developing and bringing about the events comprising our 60th Reunion, not the least of which was working with our own Reunion committee on the planning phase thereof.

Jim LaCrosse mentions that granddaughter Thea LaCrosse ’21, daughter of John LaCrosse ’85, is in this year’s entering class. Pride in continuing generations at Wes.

Mike Stein reports that on the Saturday afternoon of Reunion weekend he and fellow Deke brothers, Rusty Clowes and Bob Sharlet, attended a meeting and rally (organized by Bill Daley) aimed at re-opening the house. He said there were nearly 100 alumni, undergrads, and guests in the house living room, all in high spirits.

Allen Fitz-Gerald continues to refine his play, Prisoners of Hope. The play is being tried out at college venues including SUNY Potsdam, as well as associated education conferences. It was summarized at The SUNY program as ‘‘Mother and son vs. father and daughter….with billions at stake.  The climate crisis hits home.” Allen extends appreciation to Paul Schwaber for his advice along the way.

I picked up some commentary to the effect that the class is moving inexorably toward the front of the parade as our Reunions progress. I recall as an undergrad looking on at that parade tradition, and wondering “Who are those guys?”—much like Butch and Sundance asked as they were pursued throughout the West. Well, in Middletown it is those who march proudly around the 1957 banner.

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

There’s a hoary joke about two old guys at a reunion. First guy spins a long, convoluted tale about his horrendous near disaster. Wide-eyed, the other guy asks, “Did you live?” First guy responds, “You ought to see me now!”

Last December, I had an aortic valve replaced, but, thanks to the evolving wonders of modern medicine, I went into the hospital on a Tuesday, came home on Thursday, and started cardiac rehab the following Monday.

Barry Passett asked, “George, what in the world are you doing with heart disease?” Darned if I know, but I’m pretty well back to what’s normal for me, thank you.

Walt Ebmeyer chipped in: “I had a similar heart problem in 2002: aortic aneurism pulling the valve apart. But in those days they opened the chest, put a nylon sleeve on the aorta and a titanium valve above that. Three weeks in the hospital! Things have changed for the better. Moved a year ago to a building for ‘active seniors’ in Silver Spring, Md. Dave Fricke’s grandson is in my granddaughter’s sixth-grade class. Is there a Washington Wesleyan club I could join?”

Back to business. Jay Kaplan writes: “I have been devoting most of my time to four activities: “1. The Cosmos Club (cosmosclub.org); 2. The Explorers Club (explorers.org); 3. The National Gallery of Art. where we are members of their Circle; 4. So You Want to Be an International Lawyer? (A b

 

ok I have written which is now being edited and hopefully will soon be published)

“Both my wife, Ann, and I still enjoy good health. I retired from the practice of international law and have cut back on my exploration. In the past we climbed live volcanoes in Kamchatka, Siberia; climbed giant sand dunes in the Gobi Desert, Mongolia; trekked through the Peruvian Amazon; and climbed the High Atlas Mountains in Morocco.

“We placed an Explorer’s Club flag and white roses on the grave of John Glenn on the day of his funeral in Arlington National Cemetery. He was honorary chair of the Explorers Club and a member of our chapter, of which I have been president.”

This from Dick Bauer: “Dave J. Cox visited Ginny and me. He’s tallied over 100 countries visited by this point, and still counting. Most recent discussion topic for my Linden Ponderers seminar: ‘Does religion make us better, or nastier?’ No one fell asleep; but there was no blood on the floor either. Still truckin’, albeit a bit slower.”

In brief: Dick Boyden: “Nothing really here to report from Mashpee on Cape Cod. Doctors’ visits, grandkids, and gratitude.” Bob Calvin: “We are leaving for a few days to visit friends in Wisconsin.” Dave Fricke: “Beryl and I are doing well here in Silver Spring, Md. Classmates and friends are welcome to visit.”

New digs: Dick Smith: “I retired for the third time after 22 years at The Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor, Maine, where I had been doing eye research with mouse models. Linda and I downsized, so we moved to a smaller home in Orland, Maine. Four of our grandkids live nearby.”

Also Peter Gardiner: “Last year, after losing my wife, Jean, to pancreatic cancer, I moved back to Florida from Michigan. I’m in Port St. Lucie on the Treasure Coast. (Move coincided, so had to miss Reunion!)”

And, of course, here’s Bob Runyon: “Sheila and I are happily ensconced in our new apartment. It was the unique ordeal of downsizing from a large house in which we had been accumulating stuff for 36 years.

“A welcoming treat was watching a Canada geese couple in the pond just below our apartment window. The two birds seemed inseparable: always so close and attentive to one another. Then for several weeks, there was only one. Sheila said that the female must be away giving birth to their offspring. Just yesterday, she called me to watch the activity on the pond. There below our window was the happy couple with five little goslings paddling close behind. The lifelong bonding habits of Canada geese are one of nature’s wonders.

“When people ask about our future journeys, I tell them about our latest long trip—house to apartment in six months: two miles’ distance, still in the same zip code! The next real trip will be to Charlotte, N.C., in September, where Sheila will be conducting official conference duties for her Omaha chapter of P.E.O.”

Bob is stepping down from his role as class co-secretary. Over the past several years it’s been my good fortune and pleasure to have him as a partner—always helpful, full of good ideas, and devoted to Wesleyan and the Class of 1956. Thanks, Bob.

Gordon Rogers informed me of the death of his father, G. Ford Rogers III (Ford was a member of our freshman class, but transferred the following year), writing: “Dad died after being bedridden for almost nine years. We had a memorial service for Dad on May 7, 2017. My mother preceded my father in death 25 years ago. I was Dad’s full-time caregiver the last nine years after he became incapacitated.

“Dad told me some stories of his time at Wesleyan. He loved to laugh and share stories at times. I think laughing helped him hang on all those years. God answered my prayers and gave him more time after he almost died that first time in 2008, just two weeks after my Grandma had passed.

“Our travel business, Anchored Eagle Travel, helped us stay afloat as a supplement to his Social Security. I was able to work on that from home while taking care of him. Originally, he was going to do all the bookkeeping for our business and I would work with the clients booking travel. Dad was a great bookkeeper. He retired in 2000 as the docket manager of a major law firm in Chicago and he needed all his attention to detail and skills there.”

George Chien | gchien@optonline.net

Bob Runyon | rrunyon@unomaha.edu

Always a joy to receive words from classmates in response to requests for updates for our class notes. Once again, I do want all of you to know how much I appreciate being able to share words that you submit. It does make the task of serving as your class secretary an enjoyable one even after more than 50 years of the assignment.,

Stuart Rapp sent word of the death of Charlie Hume, who passed away in March. His late spouse, Patricia Johnson Hume, predeceased him by several months and a celebration of life was held in April for them both in Saugus, Mass., in the church Charlie served in the early days of his career-long ministry in the United Church of Christ. Stuart and Charlie were fraternity brothers in Delta Tau Delta and roomed together for three years. Bob Pooley joined them as a roommate for two of those years. Both were active competitors on the swim team. Charlie was well known as the “classic bass voice in our then-famous Wes male quartet, the Jibers.” As Stuart concluded in his notes, “He has passed, as they say, but he is far from forgotten.”

A short e-mail from Jim Shepard, our world-class traveler, mentioned his great Alaskan trip last year, but to my surprise, he indicated he has nothing in the works for an adventure this year. I’m willing to bet I’ll receive several paragraphs detailing the highlights of his 2017 travels before the year’s end, and if so, you can bet I’ll share them with you. When not on the road or planning where to visit next, Jim continues with his work as a medical expert witness, enjoying family life, and time on the golf course.

John Ineson wrote of the difficult adjustments that must be made when a loving spouse’s worsening dementia makes it necessary to move her into a special care unit dedicated to caring for those with Alzheimer’s and dementia. In 2013, Lori and John moved to Williamsburg, Va., into a continuing care retirement community after he retired in 1994. He said that he is “now adjusting to living alone. Not easy after 59 years.” John, our thoughts are with you!

Freshman roommate Drew Clemens sent thanks for continuing to serve our dwindling class. His wife, Julie, has been class secretary for many years for her class of 1952 at Northfield Mount Hermon School, from which my younger daughter also graduated. He mentioned that he knows it’s a lot of work, but much appreciated by her cohorts, “as are your reports to us.” A Rhine River boat trip from Amsterdam to Basel is planned for October. He still does some teaching in Case Western Reserve University’s University Hospitals psychiatric residency and in the Cleveland Psychoanalytic Institute, and serves on the boards of the American Psychoanalytic Association and the American College of Psychoanalysts, the latter in which he is completing a tour as president. Both Julie and Drew continue to sing in Choral Arts Cleveland, a 47-year-old classical choir that they helped found. Drew mentioned that they go butterfly counting and tagging, and enjoy their cottage on Lake Chautauqua, N.Y. They’re in the process of “disgorging” their accumulated stuff over 54 years to move to an apartment in a nearby retirement village. Drew sends “greetings to all our surviving classmates, and a moment of sad reflection on those who have left us.”

All remains well with Marianne and me here in “paradise.” We’re planning a trip to Nebraska in August to meet newly expected family members, as two of Marianne’s nieces are scheduled to give birth in July. Despite a lot of rain and wind this year, I have been able to log 2,357 miles on the bike to date (6/7/17), including an 84-mile birthday ride with two younger members (75 and 77) of our bike club in April. And yes, we did the entire ride in one day! Still look forward to the rides and the social time spent with my cycling friends.

As always, may good health and happiness be with you and your loved ones throughout the year.

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

1954 ARCHIVES | HOME
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Hello, ’54 Classmates. Many thanks for prompt responses from eight of you…Here’s what you told me: Terry Hatter denies being 85 (yet!). He and bride Trudy are recently back from a wonderful European trip, having visited their son, Scott ’92, and “putative daughter-in-law” in Positano, Italy, followed by Belfast to visit oldest granddaughter, who is getting a master’s in conflict resolution there before starting Penn Law School in August. The Hatters wrapped up their trip with a visit to Edinburgh, prior to heading home.

Terry said they attended a very special memorial service for our beloved classmate, Bill Christopher, in Pasadena. “Many of Bill’s cast and crew from M.A.S.H. came from across the country to show their love and respect for this fine man.”

Bud Johnson and Lynn are well into high school and college graduations. This year it was two high-schoolers, the gal off to Colgate, the boy to Notre Dame. Next year: Wake Forest and Georgetown.

Jeff Lockhart and Donna are blessed to have one daughter and son-in-law—the Reverend and Mrs. Jon Robbins—living near them in Vero Beach, Fla., where Pastor Robbins is building St. Paul’s, a new Anglican church, a block from the beach! It will be finished in September, and we’re all invited to the dedication ceremony!

Sad news, guys. Carol Ann writes that Dick McCray “left this world on Feb. 24, 2017, with me by his side in our home in Massachusetts.” Dick was buried on Apr. 28 (their 27th wedding anniversary, and Dick’s high school football number) in Chester, Pa., his birthplace. There was a memorial service for Dick at St. Luke’s Hospital in NYC in late May. He had spent 40 years practicing and teaching there.

Bob Schnuer and Vickie migrated back to NYC on May 10 after a “wonderful Florida winter in Boca Raton,” which included a private Wesleyan gathering at a Miami art museum managed by a “spirited” graduate, including a breakfast with President Michael Roth ’78. Bob and Vickie will be back in Boca in late October. Don’t hesitate to call if you’re in the area (917/862-5141).

Lenny Stolba married off his equine veterinarian daughter in March. Len’s “boast/roast/toast” was well received.

Ann reports she and hubby Bruce Storms are well and happy, having especially enjoyed their swan-song-cruise last December—a “wonderful part” of their lives. The Storms’ daughter, Katy Storms Denman ’89, has three teenage sons, one an Eagle Scout. Bruce and Ann recently saw Win Richmond, who is looking forward to summer in his Rhode Island home.

Dr. Jim Yashar and bride have spent the winter in Palm Beach over the past 10 years. Jim is in good health and thus is able to take advantage of much Palm Beach offers. They traveled to Morocco this year to experience a totally different culture. Their grandson is off to Emory College in the fall, and granddaughter will be a senior at Penn. The Yashars will be spending the summer in Boston, except for a trip to Italy in July.

Finally, your scribe, Bob Carey, and bride Libby (Callaway) again enjoyed Sanibel Island, Fla., in January and February, then traveled to Jonesboro, Ark., in mid-May for a granddaughter’s high school graduation (off to University of North Carolina at Asheville), then to Charleston in early June for a Callaway family reunion, and finally to San Diego in mid-June for two grandkids’ graduations and an 85th birthday bash for Bob.

That’s it, guys. Please don’t hesitate to e-mail me any time with developments. My new e-mail is popscarey@gmail.com. All the best to all of you.

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

With condolences to the families, the deaths of John R. Parsons, 85, Jan. 27, 2017, and John P. Gorsuch, 85, Feb. 15, 2017, are reported. John Parsons, of Worcester, psychology major and president of Sigma Nu, served in the Army, and was employed by Connecticut General Life and as a consultant before founding Parsons, McKee & Co. in 1976. John was northeast Ohio’s go-to expert for pension plans. He was active in the school system and the library as a resident of Avon Lake. He is survived by his wife, Joyce, four children, 12 grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.

John “Jack” Gorsuch, of Denver, Beta Theta Pi and history major, went on to Yale Divinity School and was ordained an Episcopal priest in 1956. He served churches in Washington, D.C., Great Bend, Kan., and Yakima, Wash. In 1985, he founded the Center for Spiritual Development in Seattle. Retiring in 1992 as executive director, he continued practicing in the Northwest. He moved to Milwaukee in 2014 to be closer to family. Jack passed away shortly after learning that his nephew, Neil Gorsuch, was a Supreme Court nominee. He is survived by his wife, two daughters, and three grandchildren,

As for me, before driving to our New York farm for the summer, I will attend the installation on June 9 of my daughter-in-law, Mother Tracy, as priest of the Episcopal Church of St. John, Aptos, Calif. My son assists with the driving from Oklahoma to New York.

In less than a year, our 65th Reunion will offer an opportunity to return to campus and renew friendships. During the winter send me a note of your thoughts about Reunion.

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

Our 65th Reunion has come and gone, as have the 65 years since our graduation in 1952! Our commencement program listed 162 graduates in our class. The college’s current listing of our class numbers 90 survivors for whom there is good contact information. There were eight of us present for our class banquet, the highlight of Reunion. The years have taken a toll!

This was the first of our Reunions in memory without our esteemed Master of Ceremonies, the late Charlie “Rogo” Rogovin. No one could ever take his place as MC and no one tried on this occasion.

Present at the banquet were Joe Friedman and his wife, Barbara, of NYC.  Attending their own 35th Reunion were their daughter and son-in-law, Ellen ’82 and Sam Bender ’82, and two granddaughters. Joe is still fully engaged in the real estate title insurance business, serving as EVP and chief underwriting counsel of Regal Title. This was the first Reunion for Dwight Herrmann and his wife, Leslye, of Lemoyne, Pa. They are parents of Leslye Ash ’85 and Jane ’90. Dwight is a retired consultant with the Pennsylvania Bureau of Public Works. Ralph Moody and his wife, Lydia, came all the way from their home in Palm Harbor, Fla. Ralph is a retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps, in which he spent his career.

Bob Porter of Canton, Conn., attended with his daughter, Sarah Porter ’86, and grandson. His wife, Connie, suffers from Lewy body disease and was not able to attend. Bob is retired from the Travelers. This was a special weekend for Al Ward. His daughter, Carolyn, attended our banquet. His granddaughter, Hyunji Ward ’17, graduated that weekend. Al’s daughter, Kathryn Ward Koch ’81, and grandson, Hyunwoo Ward ’20, were also on campus. Al resides in Lewes, Del., and, unfortunately, is a widower. He is a former Wesleyan trustee and is a retired partner of BakerHostetler, a leading international law firm.

Our class president, Bill Wasch, another former trustee and a recipient of Wesleyan’s highest alumni honor, the Baldwin Medal, was there in force with his children, Christina and Fred ’92, and two grandchildren. His late wife, Susie, never missed a Reunion and will always be an honorary member of our class. Bill is challenged with Parkinson’s, but with the help of a superb assistant, continues to carry on an active life. John Wood, his wife, Pat, and granddaughter, Megan, were there from Indianapolis. John has had a long and successful career practicing law, most recently with the Indiana Department of Child Services.

Jerry Bobruff, a retired physician now living in Naples, Fla., had planned to attend, but was forced to cancel due to some medical issues. Tom Collins and Mary Ellen, of East Hartford, Conn., had also signed up, but could not attend at the last moment. Believe it or not, Tom, who is now 94 and older than all of us, practiced law actively in the Hartford area right up to the end of 2016. Your scribe and his wife, Joyce, attended and led the singing at the banquet with gusto.  We live at Seabury Retirement Community in nearby Bloomfield, Conn.

It is with enormous regret that I report the death of John Jakobson on Apr. 7, 2017, in NYC. An Eclectic, John played tennis and squash at Wesleyan and graduated with honors and distinction. After Harvard Business School, he purchased a seat on the New York Stock Exchange and pursued a career as a personal investor. He served Wesleyan for years as a trustee and was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree. Among his immediate survivors is his son, Nicholas Jakobson ’05.

I am also sad to write of the death of Bruce Munro on Feb. 2, 2017.  Bruce was an Alpha Delt and, as a pre-med, could usually be found in the labs. He went on to Emory Medical School, became an obstetrician-gynecologist and practiced for over 40 years in New Jersey.  Of Scottish descent, Bruce was active for many years in all things Scottish.

We extend our deepest sympathy to all of John’s and Bruce’s families and loved ones on their great loss, in which we, too, share in our own way.

I have heard from Dick Kellom and Walter Grunsteidl, the latter a German Fulbright Scholar who was with us for only our senior year. Unfortunately, I have reached the 800-word limit imposed on class notes so cannot report further on them.

Finally, a significant highlight of the Reunion for me personally was the agreement of Joe Friedman to succeed us as scribe of these 1952 class notes. It has been a pleasure for me to stay in touch with so many of you while fulfilling this position and I look forward to the new insights that Joe will bring to our class notes.

Harold C. Buckingham Jr. | buckinghamharold@gmail.com
400 Seabury Drive, Apt. 2114, Bloomfield, CT 06002

William K. Wasch | wkwash@gmail.com
150 Coleman Road, Middletown, CT 06457

[Ed. Note: We thank Hal and Bill for devoted service as class secretaries, and we warmly welcome Joe Friedman as he takes on the role. Joe can be reached at jfriedman@regalnyc.com.]

Biff Shaw wrote that he and Jean continue to be very busy, and have been back to the college for retirement parties and celebrations, but otherwise spend less time there. “Fewer and fewer familiar faces,” he wrote. The only familiar face was Barney Kathan. “He seems hale and hearty,” Biff wrote, “and continues to write and publish.” A more loyal alumnus is not to be found.

Biff noted the passing of Bob Gardner, a regular contributor to these pages. He had continued his writing of science texts right to the end.

Howard Goodrich wrote that the Goodrich clan had moved to the Indianapolis area. Howard and his wife, Darlene, had moved there from St. Louis. Howard wrote that they’re still involved in the ministry, as is their youngest daughter, and he continued to do some writing.

Les Aroh, who was at our 65th Reunion, is another hearty survivor.

When Don Sharp’s daughter, Dianne, wrote, Don was in an advanced stage of Alzheimer’s, but continued to live at his home in Fayetteville, Ga, across the street from Dianne. Sadly, Don passed away in December.

I’m hoping to dig up more news as the year rolls along.

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

I received the following messages from Bill Spanos and Cliff Milner:

Bill writes, “I recently became a professor emeritus of SUNY-Binghamton because of health reasons, but I continue to produce what I think is urgently needed scholarship about the benighted age we live in.”

Bill has published more than 20 books since graduating from Wesleyan. He writes, “For those who are not scholars in the humanities, I recommend my World War II memoir, In the Neighborhood of Zero (Nebraska University Press 2012), which tells the story of my witness as a prisoner of war in Nazi Germany to the Allied firebombing of Dresden, a memoir that might be usefully contrasted to my fellow regimental comrade Kurt Vonnegut’s novel, Slaughterhouse Five.”

Hie is now writing an autobiographical account of his “errant education” tentatively entitled Thrown: Searching in the Void for an Intellectual Vocation.

Cliff writes, “From the new world traveler! Last fall I took a Viking Rhine and Danube River cruise and enjoyed it so much that next week I am going on a Prairie Home Companion cruise to Scotland and Norway. I’m a widower now (three years) and have been kidded by friends that I’ll probably come home with a blonde from Norway!”

BUD DORSEY | margiedorsey5@gmail.com
161 Shore Rush Drive, St. Simons Island, GA 31522 | 912/638-5616