Last fall, Margie and I drove from St. Simons Island to Savannah for a weekend visit with Janet and Fred Irwin ’51, who was celebrating a birthday. Fred was my roommate at Delta Tau. We had a great time wining and dining, and they took us to the Jepson Center for the Arts, featuring Impressionist paintings, including several by Monet.
Shortly after Christmas, I telephoned Bob Fithian and his wife, Becky. Bob was the president of Delta Tau Delta our senior year. Bob and Becky live in Marietta, Ga., where they were part-time antique dealers. Unfortunately, Bob broke his hip and back, and Becky is recovering from a stroke, so they now have permanent caregivers, but we enjoyed reminiscing about our Wesleyan days.
I had a nice talk with Bill Malamud, a fraternity brother at Delta Tau Delta. He is a retired psychiatrist and now lives in LaSalle Village in Massachusetts. His wife, Camille, died several years ago, but they had five children and a very happy marriage. He said that he is “very active and still has all his hair.” It was good to talk with him after all these years.
I am sorry to report that Bob Metz died of pneumonia on Dec. 13, 2015. Bob was a member of Sigma Nu. He loved theater and was very active in plays at Wesleyan. He was “proud of being a native New Yorker and of never living anywhere else.” He was president and CEO of United Media, a licensing and newspaper-syndication company.
Roger Haskell was kind enough to inform me of the passing of his friend Warren Kaufmann: “Dear Bud, This is to inform you that Warren R. Kaufmann, Sigma Nu, died quietly in his sleep on Feb. 18, 2016, at his home in Sarasota. He was preceded in death by his son. He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Cynthia, three other children, nine grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. Warren was retired from the Chemical Bank of NYC after a long and successful career as a vice president. I could give you much more info about his life, since Warren and I maintained a very close friendship over all those years
“I am a retired physician from the US Public Health Service, after 16 years providing medical care to Native Americans all over the western U.S. I am enjoying my retirement with my wife, Edna, in Greer, S.C. Warm regards.”
We also regret the loss of Fred Pitts, who participated in football and wrestling, and was a member of Chi Psi. He was an art major, but later changed his focus from art to medicine. He specialized in neurological surgery. After retiring from medicine, he relocated to Costa Rica, where he ran his sheep ranch for 35 years. He died a year ago, but a memorial service was scheduled for March 21, 2016, at Arlington National Cemetery.
It was hard to know in mid-winter how many ’51 classmates would attend our 65th Reunion, but Barney Kathan will be there for sure. He doesn’t miss many Reunions. Last year he sat at the seniors table with Dave Mize, who also plans on coming.
Barney continues to research and his article on “Horace Bushnell and the Religious Education Movement” appeared in the Journal of Religious Education in 2013. His article on the National Council on Religious and Public Education will be published this year.
Bob Gardner wrote that he stays in touch with Biff Shaw and Neil Keller. All three hope to attend Reunion. Bob is still writing science books for kids, more than 200 so far.
Bill Churchill and his wife, Maggie, also plan to attend Reunion. Bill wrote that he twisted Bob Switzgable’s arm and he’d be coming as well. Bill is still enjoying Tarheel Country, but has been escaping the summer heat by retreating to a cottage on the shore of Buzzards Bay in Massachusetts.
Biff Shaw and his wife, Jean, will be attending too. The Shaws have been enjoying a busy life at a retirement community in Essex, 20 miles downriver from Middletown.
Dave Mize will be coming from Vermont and Les Aroh from Kentucky. Ted Bartolotta was thinking about coming but he has had health issues and wasn’t sure he could make it. Art DeGraff said he’ll definitely be coming. His wife, Sandy, has a reunion of her own to attend, but plans to join us for dinner Saturday. The DeGraffs have spent winter weekends in Vermont and Art says he still skis.
At the time I was compiling this report, Dave Jones was hoping health issues wouldn’t keep him from coming. The Reunion wouldn’t be the same without him.
Michael Glasser ’16, Molecular Biology and Biochemistry
Hal Buckingham writes: It is with enormous regret that I open these class notes with this sad news. We have lost two of the giants of our class, Susie Wasch and Charlie Rogovin.
Susie died Feb. 6, 2016, after a battle with cancer she fought with constant grace to a peaceful end. While technically not a member of our class, in every other respect she was one of us. She was the wife of our class president, Bill Wasch, and while we never referred to her as our “first lady,” she was fully that and much more. For decades there was not a Reunion or other gathering of classmates when Susie was not a fully involved participant. She graciously threw open the Wasch Middletown home for our Reunion parties and, for that matter, any Wesleyan alumni and their guests returning to the campus. She was never without a captivating smile and warm greeting. Susie’s contributions to the Wesleyan and Middletown communities are too numerous to mention here, but they were extraordinary. A gifted platform tennis player, she won several national championships and was inducted into the American Platform Tennis Association Hall of Fame in 1996. One of her lasting legacies is the Susan B. and William K. Wasch Center for Retired Faculty at Wesleyan, which Susie cofounded with Bill. A proud moment for our class was when Susie, after years of raising her family and hosting the world, returned to school, enrolled in Smith College’s Ada Comstock Scholars Program (for nontraditional women students), lived in a dorm and obtained a bachelor’s degree in 1999—46 years after graduating from high school! Besides Bill, Susie leaves Christina, Bill Jr. ’84, Heidi ’84, Heidi’s husband Bob Leversee ’85, Frederick ’92, and six grandchildren, including a 5-day-old granddaughter that Susie was able to see. Our hearts pour out to the entire Wasch family, with gratitude for all that Susie has meant to our class.
Charlie “Rogo” Rogovin, our quintessential MC of Reunion banquets, warm-hearted skewerer of everyone present, and unforgettable life of class gatherings, died Jan. 10, 2016, of a suspected heart attack. He had an extraordinary career after college and law school. Early on, he was a law enforcement official at state and federal levels, specializing in organized and white collar crime. Charlie served as assistant attorney general and chief of the criminal division under Massachusetts Attorney General Elliot Richardson. That led to various prosecutorial positions in Philadelphia. He was appointed to the President’s Commission on Organized Crime during the Reagan Administration. In his Philadelphia Inquirer obituary, there is a classic photograph of our “Rogo” presenting the final report of that Commission to President Reagan in 1986. He served as vice chairman of the Pennsylvania Crime Commission and was instrumental in the investigation that led to the 1995 conviction for mail fraud of the former Pennsylvania Attorney General Ernest D. Preate Jr. Perhaps Charlie’s greatest legacy is the influence he had on generations of Temple Law School students. He was a highly regarded and beloved professor, adviser, and mentor there from 1977 until his retirement in 2009 when he was named professor of law emeritus. Charlie leaves his wife, Marcy, an attorney and a former dean of students at Temple Law School, a son, three daughters, and a younger brother. His former wife, Amy Rogovin, also survives. We extend our heartfelt sympathy to all of Charlie’s family on their great loss, in which we, too, share.
A note from Walter Pories reports with his typical self-deprecation, “As if the world doesn’t already have enough cartoons, someone has somehow managed to get the American College of Surgeons to publish my most recent volume, Is There a Surgeon in the House?, a compilation of cartoons mocking surgeons, academia and even science. It should be available by March or April [2016] from the ACS or Amazon.” Walter goes on to say that the ACS probably caved in and published his volume because, somehow, he was recently elected second vice president of the organization. Walter confesses that he had this cartooning aberration even at Wesleyan where, instead of paying attention, he would just sit and doodle. I have one of his Wesleyan-era cartoons and it is a treasure. This may bring to mind the Cardinal/Douglas Cannon caricature Walter designed for our “Wesleyan Class of 1952—As Venerable As the Douglas Cannon!!” T-shirt regalia we have worn at recent Reunions.
There is good news. Seth Rosner writes that for the last five years he has been living in the happiest time of his life, the result of his relationship with his beloved Judith Ehrenshaft. They finally decided it was time to solemnize their friendship and on June 15, 2015, went downtown to Saratoga Springs City Hall and asked their friend and Saratoga Springs Mayor Joanne Yepsen to conduct their wedding ceremony in the City Council Chamber. Seth always was a bit slow getting things done! We rejoice that we can extend our sincerest congratulations to Judith and Seth at last.
Ken Taylor and his wife, JoAnne, recently entertained retired Episcopal Bishop John Shelby Spong, the renowned prolific author and lecturer with a progressive slant on contemporary Christian issues. Bishop Spong was in the West Hartford, Conn., area to deliver lectures. Ken and the Bishop were classmates at Virginia Theological Seminary and they and their wives have remained close friends over the decades.
A news-filled letter from Nancy and Bill Morrill indicates that they are nicely settled in Pennswood Village, a retirement community in Bucks County near Philadelphia. Bill’s travel is now restricted, but his mind is as active as ever and he remains involved in various activities and committees.
Finally, other than what appears in class notes, Wesleyan magazine no longer includes more than a brief notation of the death of an alumnus. A more complete obituary is usually available in Wesleyan’s online magazine at classnotes.blogs.wesleyan.edu/obituaries-2/. And go to classnotes.blogs.wesleyan.edu/class-of-1952/ to see a photo of John Gannon ’86, who used to work at Wesleyan (some of you may remember), and Barbara Schubert, the widow of Roger Schubert. John was wearing a Wesleyan T-shirt when visiting his parents in Florida, and Barbara struck up a conversation. Check out their great Wesleyan smiles! Bill Wasch recalls, “Roger was a fellow tackle with me on the Wes team in the early ’50s.”
John Gannon ’86 and Barbara Schubert enjoyed their impromptu Wesleyan get-together.
Some of us happily live day-to-day, whereas others plan ahead. Among the latter is Jerry Zackin and his wife. Sandy. In addition to spending winters (seven months) in Sarasota and summers on Cape Cod, they travel quite a bit: “Caribbean in March, Mediterranean in July, and Elbe River from Berlin to Prague in October. Next year we are planning on the Far East (Bangkok to Hong Kong), Rhine River, and Romania, Bulgaria, etc. It’s a tough life, but someone has to do it.” Then our 65th Reunion in 2018. During Homecoming last fall his granddaughter (Wesleyan class of ’10) discovered in the bowels of the gym a photo of the 1953 swimming team that includes Jerry and yours truly. Not sure whether it was ever seen by us, since it is the 1952 team that appears in our ’53 Olla Pod.
Many of us maintain mobility by carrying around pieces of metal, i.e., a knee or a stent or a new hip, as does Bob Lavin since last fall. He is reported doing well.
I will be in St. Joseph, Mich., over Memorial Day for my second and last granddaughter’s wedding before traveling to our N.Y. farm for the summer.
Those of you who occasionally see classmates are the envy of us in the hinterland. Drop me a note to share your good fortune.
JOHN W. MILLER | Jwalmiller@aol.com
306 Autumn Court, Bartlesville, OK 74006 918/335-0081
As I complete these Notes at the onset of Real Winter in January, I find that most of us seem to be “running in place” as we observe life around us.
Bud Johnson writes that he and Lynn’s biggest thrill right now is the upcoming graduation of their oldest grandchild from the University of Chicago, all set to join Goldman Sachs in June.
Terry Hatter sends greetings to all of us from “Sunny Southern California.” On New Year’s Day, Terry saw Bill Christopher and his wife, Barbara, at the Rose Parade. Terry’s oldest grandson just started at Georgetown Law, following his graduation from Williams. The young man’s sister is soon to graduate from Claremont McKenna College, from which she will head to Queen’s University in Northern Ireland. Terry’s two other grands, a boy and a girl, are both 11 years old; Terry calls them “fraternal twin cousins.”
Bill Drury reports that all is well in Nashua, N.H.
Ken Davenny reports from Washington State that “the weather is behaving and all are in good health.” Ken is a director and treasurer of a local nonprofit that just received a statewide award for excellence of service to the community. Ken says he keeps in touch with Ed Dewey and “Mo” Dietzer.
Your Scribe, Bob Carey, saw a third granddaughter graduate from college last December, this time at the U. of Colorado in Boulder. Libby and I also traveled during the fall of 2015 to the Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia, San Diego (daughter and family), Boston (daughter and family), Bentonville, Ark. (son and family), and to NYC to tour the most impressive September 11th Museum at Ground Zero. Off to Sanibel Island for January and February…All the best to all of you.
BOB CAREY | bobcarey@optonline.net
618 W. Lyon Farm Dr., Greenwich, CT 06831 | 203/532-1745
Delighted to share with you the wonderful replies I received from classmates. Really does make the life of a class secretary pleasant!
First, our former Class President Jake Congleton updated us on what it means to be an almost bionic man: “Two knees, one hip, and two shoulders” so far. In case you’ve wondered, “the other hip is doing fine.” Jake divides his time equally between Bradenton, Fla., and Maine. He noted his eldest grandson is a lacrosse coach at Wesleyan. Jake continues to follow Wesleyan football, either by streaming or when the team is in Maine. He extends a “best to all.”
Memories were brought back with John Sheaff’s note that he and wife Lois were married in the summer of 1954 and might be the longest married couple in our class. Their first child, Cheryl, was born in Middletown in 1956 and a visit to celebrate Cheryl’s 60th birthday in Vero Beach, Fla. (if I remember correctly, John), is planned in March. The Sheaffs are still able to keep up and participate in social and family activities, although (as he says)at “a slightly slower pace.”
Loved the opening words from Ric Fisher’s update: “Hey there, Braver! How’s the little red MG?” Ric related he and his wife, Ulla, are doing well in “old communist/socialist (not) Sweden,” where they enjoy terrific healthcare. He’s mainly retired at this juncture but does spend time proofing, editing, and recording. Two dogs (one, formerly homeless, undernourished, and abused) keeps Ric active, as he spends at least three hours every day walking the dogs between five and eight miles, weather permitting. He has stopped playing seven hours of weekly tennis after undergoing two knee surgeries and not wanting to risk missing his walks with the dogs and hikes with Ulla. Philosophically, Ric wrote that “the USA I left has pretty much disappeared, and Trump is appealing to folks I can’t relate to” and has no plans of visiting stateside although he has children in Maine, New Hampshire, and California. And, not surprisingly, he let us know “I have no gun(s).”
Drew Clemens continues teaching, supervising, and writing to help him “keep his psychoanalytic skills alive,” even though he closed his office in 2011. He and Julie are still in good health and have spent time traveling and cruising on Star Clipper ships. He states that tennis, biking, hiking and Julie’s “butterfly monitoring” remain their forms of exercise. Because of conflicting obligations of organizations on which he serves in executive capacities, Drew wrote he was unable to make it to our Reunion. He suggested that perhaps we should consider a mini-reunion sooner that 2020! Any comments?
Stu Rapp provided updates on three of his former Delta Tau Delta brothers who did, as he says, “a bit of Barbershopping” with him; Bob Pooley, Bob Moore, and Charlie Hume. “Charlie, our star-quality basso, was a Jiber in those days. Bob M. was our baritone. Pooley was our tenor, and I was the tune. We went our various ways, but when I later returned to Connecticut, there was Bob Moore who ran a music store in Danbury. I later lost track of him but got to see Bob Pooley on occasional travels south. I also managed to keep track of Charlie. One ‘almost friend’ from Wes days, Jim Wright, became a ‘real’ friend later, and we and our spouses enjoy annual visits. So the friendships have continued and so has the vocal music for me, along with special tours enjoying the great pipe organs of the UK and Western Europe, camping along with groups of professional organists. The “instrument” (my aging voice and body) is rickety nowadays, but the melody lingers on!”
And speaking of Jim Wright, a social gathering in California attended by Jim and a childhood friend of mine led Jim to send me a note telling me he had met my friend when they learned they had something is common after the name of Wesleyan came up! Jim wrote he especially appreciated the Wesleyan magazine cover story of Hamilton. He also had discovered Ron Chernow’s book, Hamilton, and mentioned that he liked it so much he re-read the whole thing aloud to his wife and this was years before the play!
Needless to say, it wouldn’t be Class Notes without a mention of cycling activities! I did reach the annual 5,000-mile target once again and actually logged 5,788 miles, in spite of rainy and windy conditions during the last few months of 2015. Already have ridden more than 600 miles to date (Feb. 16), as the yearly challenge has begun.
To those of you who have shared comments with us, sincere thanks! And, to those not among the list, this is your chance to join the group!
As always, to you and your loved ones, my best, best wishes for health and happiness in the year ahead are sent your way.
DONALD J. BRAVERMAN | ybikedon@bellsouth.net
27A Stratford Ln. W., Boynton Beach, FL 33436; 561/654-3711
From Sandy Mendelson: “After 60 years, Bob has persuaded me to put pen to paper for his deadline.
“I’ve been a cardiologist at Washington Hospital Center my whole career. At various times I’ve taught house staff, fellows, and technicians; directed the coronary care unit; introduced formal CPR, advanced cardiac care courses, and paramedics in the DC area; and practiced clinical medicine. Our department staff totaled two of us when I arrived, and we did ‘everything’ that could be done for patients in a community hospital in 1967. Now the department is huge, with nine subdepartments, a nationally ranked program. My present activity is small, but it’s been wonderful to play some part in the amazing progress of cardiology! Beyond hearts, I consult in bioethics, as part of our hospital’s Center for Ethics.
“Irene and I are healthy, travel a lot—in ’15 to China and to Patagonia, spend time with our three sons and their families (including six grandkids), and do volunteer work. I’ve served as synagogue president and remain deeply involved with other Jewish educational organizations.
“We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at the Reunion!
“A sad note: the passing of our dear friend and my Wes roommate, Rabbi Harold S. White ’54. Hal was beloved and effective in his career at Georgetown University and in the DC area more generally. He attributed his passion for learning and teaching to his Wesleyan education and is widely mourned in this community.”
From Bill Bixby, several warm handwritten notes: “Hope to see everyone in May if Fran is well (dementia). Love Wes… Did not write Christmas letter last year due to a stroke Dec. 19th. In rehab six months—couldn’t drive and really missed it! Still have speech problems and work with a UMass graduate student here two to three hours a month…I can walk our dog, Barney, now but not like before!! He has to settle for 15-minute jaunts, not one hour, miles-long hikes. I miss not being able to read the way I could—I haven’t been able to finish a book yet!! Reading newspapers takes several days. (By then, it’s old news). I also missed my 64th high school reunion and Cape Cod this year!
“Mark (son) is with the same law firm (27 years) and has finally given up coaching soccer after 15 years. Jen (wife) fell on ice while walking the dogs last January and is still having headaches. Tucker (grandson #1) will be a senior at Trinity College and a U.S. Marine Reserve. His girlfriend graduated this year. They are very serious. Reed (grandson #2), will be a senior at Union College, will go to Italy to study Italian and the culture. Kevan (grandson #3) is a freshman at Hobart-William Smith College, five hours away in the Finger Lakes area. Kira (granddaughter) is a freshman in a new high school a half hour from home. She’s a goalie in field hockey. Mark picks her up on his way home. Merry Xmas, Fran and Bill.”
From Al Haas: “Not many of us could match George’s journey back through time to revisit his roots. My story is serendipitous but inauspicious. I spent three years after graduation as an officer on a destroyer with the Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean, then a year at the University of Copenhagen, before coming back to the USA as navigator on the maiden voyage of a new yacht built in Germany. I was at the Berlin Wall when it was built, and our daughter was there when it was torn down,” he reports. He taught math at Hotchkiss School, returning each summer to Copenhagen, where he met and subsequently married Loni. The next two-plus years they lived in Micronesia, where he was deputy regional director of the Peace Corps. “We had our first child in the village [there] among the people…quite a spectacle!” They moved back to Cambridge, Mass., where Al attended graduate school in counseling and educational leadership.
“Over the years, I have been the principal or director of three secondary schools, two in Connecticut and one in Geneva, Switzerland. In between, we packed up and ‘hitchhiked’ around the world for a year, during which my wife and I were our two children’s teachers. Family and friends thought we were mad, but it was a life-changing and enhancing experience for all of us, especially for our son, 8, and daughter, 6. We ended up in Geneva at the International School. During our time there, I started helping expat children with the college admission process. This turned into Educational Futures (educationalfutures.com} that I co-founded with a Dutch woman in Geneva. This was in the mid-’80s, and the rest is history. I am still working full time with students from around the world who wish to study in North America at boarding schools or colleges and graduate schools. Working with young people keeps me legitimate and relatively ‘with it.’ Although I cannot keep up with them technologically, I continue to learn from my students, which helps to keep me in the game of life and a changing world. Loni and I are celebrating our 50th anniversary with a family cruise to Alaska this summer. Health is good, thanks to seven stents. Our two children have made us proud and have produced six unique and wonderful grandchildren. Basically, I think I have survived ‘old age’ by taking each obstacle in life as a challenge and turning each problem into an opportunity. We have few regrets and hope to see many classmates in May.”
From Phil Trager: “Ina and I plan on coming to the Reunion and look forward to seeing you there. To coincide with Reunion, there will be an exhibition of photographs from my forthcoming book, Photographing Ina. The years have surely flown by!”
“Dear Classmates of Robert J. Kaplan: I am so sorry to send you the news that Robert died of cancer in 2014. He was a wonderful father to our four children of whom he was very proud, a beloved husband, and a great cook. A psychiatrist, he worked in diagnostic centers for troubled youth in the ’70s and ’80s, and his unpublished manuscript, We Are All Afraid, was inspired by his compassion for disadvantaged youth. Subsequently, he was appointed by the New York City Family Court to evaluate custody cases, where his judgment was well esteemed. Wesleyan was the only educational institution of all he attended that Bob spoke positively about—for opening up new worlds of possibility and stimulation. Best regards, Peggy Jarrell Kaplan.”
Having retired from his orthopedic surgery practice some years past, Bill Pratt became involved in social justice issues in his home state of New Mexico. In 2014, he ran for the state legislature as an independent—failed to win but came away with the thought that many voters like the “independent” tag, kind of relevant in this election year. His focus is on improvement of conditions for vulnerable children. Bill’s website is drbillpratt27.org.
Another Bill—Bill LeSuer—retired recently as player assistant at the Presidio golf course in San Francisco. Located close to the heart of town, Presidio is truly a gem. I know, having played there myself back in the day. Sadly, he reports that he lost his wife of 33 years, Joan, last August. Our deepest condolences go out to you, Bill.
John Parkin and wife Penny have moved to Crystal Lake in northern Michigan, a vacation area they’ve enjoyed for some time, after selling their home in Bucks County, Pa. He got together in New York City before the holidays with Alpha Delt brothers George Willauer, Rod Henry, and others from surrounding classes of the ’50s. Rod has started a “dropbox” for ADP brothers who wish to share stories of the ’50s at rdhjjh@verizon.net.
John Allison reports the arrival of a great-granddaughter, born to granddaughter Gwynn and her husband, Sid.
It turns out that my lacrosse story in the December magazine continues to have legs (pun intended), a journalist’s delight yet also a form of curse. George Davies, our erstwhile class secretary for many years, was instrumental in the formation of the club. He cleared the way for it with administration, traveled far and wide to garner equipment, e.g. a trip to coastal Connecticut to commandeer fish netting for the goal, and arranged for field space on campus. The club soldiered on until 1958, at which time lacrosse was sanctioned as a varsity sport. Further, Herb Hinman writes that he, along with George, were initial recruits as players. Herb was undoubtedly in demand for his track prowess but thought twice about the game when he ran up against men waving sticks at perilously close range. Herb extends greetings to all from Whidbey Island, Wash. He and wife Betty celebrated their 53rd anniversary last year.
I want all to know that I am suspending my brief career in Wes’s sports history insofar as lacrosse is concerned.
Wesleyan University, 1910 to 1970: Academic Ambition and Middle-Class America by Dave Potts ’60 has understandably received praise in this magazine, as well as in other quarters. The Victor Butterfield years command a central part of the book, and our class is in the middle of that time. Many of our professors figure prominently in the narrative. Fred Millett went “from Milton to Morse Code” during World War II (the war years being an outstanding section of the book). The postwar years proved to be an active period for faculty recruiting by President Butterfield; hires included Carl Schorske (fresh out of OSS duty) and Norman O. Brown. Faculty remained all male. The eminent Clyde Olin Fisher—responding to a woman applicant for a teaching position in economics, counseled that such a move would “invite mental thrombosis on the part of the senior faculty.”
Not all of the commentary about our years is rosy. We were the “silent generation,” described as “docile note takers” (this from a Time magazine article). I take umbrage at this—yes, we took notes, but isn’t that part of the education process? At least we went to class.
Potts masterfully blends all of the principal university constituencies—administration, faculty, students, trustees—throughout the milestone events comprising the years covered. I guarantee to ’57 that it will prove to be a rewarding read. Oh—one more fact—our tuition in 1953 was $650.00. Not a bad return on investment, eh?
Art Typermass | AGType@msn.com
144 East Avenue, #302B, Norwalk, CT 06851 | 203/504-8942
Art Geltzer’s research with new imaging equipment has looked at macular and retinal changes as an early marker for Alzheimer disease. He will travel to Naples, Italy, and Capri for vacation.
Kay and Bob Terkhorn are doing fine. They sold their Arizona house and will winter in Denver. Bob is amazed that it is 20 years since his retirement from Citicorp.
I received a long message from Randy Johnson, detailing 10 of the most colossal blunders of all time. Space will permit only the first. “When his 38-caliber revolver failed to fire at his intended victim during a hold-up attempt, would-be robber John Elliott did something that can only inspire wonder. He peered down the barrel and tried the trigger again. This time it worked.”
Two e-mails from Dan Woodhead. The first is a bit of trivia regarding the architect Henry Bacon. He designed the Lincoln Memorial and Wesleyan’s 1913 master plan, which included Olin Library, Clark Hall, Van Vleck Observatory, and Eclectic House. And Bacon’s collection of books and papers is housed in Wesleyan’s Archives. Dan’s other note covers many bases, from his appraisal of Donald Trump to his admiration for Stanford’s Christian McCaffrey. He is also renewing his “Lefty O’Doul for Cooperstown” campaign. Any classmate who is interested in it and has ideas for promotion should contact Dan. Lastly he is proud of his grandsons, who are 16 and 14 and very promising water polo prospects.
Pirkko and Burr Edwards have re-established themselves in France after 35 years in Africa. They will still return to Africa for her decorating company and his assignments with the World Bank and governments.
Mel Cote reports that he and Allee and Geltzer walk the streets of Provincetown without walkers or canes. His wife, Polly, continues to sell her art. Their lobster traps have gone, but the three Wes men still fish from Art Geltzer’s boat.
Roger Turkington opens his note with the statement, “1958, one of the last great eras at Wesleyan.” He comments that his classmates are among the great, good people he has encountered since the years at Wesleyan. His second volume of 300 poems, Poetry of Passion, is becoming a best seller.
For the first time in 19 years, Toni and John Corkran met with his children and grandchildren to celebrate Thanksgiving at the home of son Tim ’90 in Lexington, Ky. John thanks all who participated in the Wesleyan fund and encourages others to do so.
Neil Springborn sent a long e-mail. Despite a few bouts of gout he is doing well and plays golf three times a week. He is involved with committees and boards and was just elected chairman of the Lawton Board of Review. A son, Jeff, is running the Houston Weather Service Office, and a granddaughter is playing varsity soccer and hopes to play for the US women’s soccer team.
The third of the P-town trio, Dennis Allee, is driving to Gulfport, Fla., for the winter with his partner, Annie.
Dave Schalk writes from his sick bed. He contrasts his current malady with the 39 years of college teaching where he did not call in sick once.
Kay and I are in good health. We cheat and work with personal trainers at least twice a week. Before Christmas we vacationed with our daughter and her family in the Canadian Rockies. Brutally cold, especially for a Florida guy, but a true winter wonderland. Still search for that elusive perfect golf swing and play at least three times per week. And it seems to be true that senior golfers lose five yards per year.
Greetings to the Great Class of ’59. We have news from several of you from whom we have not heard in years! Hopefully we will hear from more of you in the future.
Bob McKelvey, a great and long-term supporter of Wes, serving on our Board and numerous committees, is still working full time in the investment advisory business he took over from his father many years ago. He says he works because he has nothing else to do, although working with smart colleagues and clients may fill the bill. Has recently seen Hamilton and joins in singing its praises. Bob also praises the second volume of Wes history by Dave Potts ’60, which includes our years and President Butterfield. Bob says his interaction with Wesleyan is winding down, although he always makes spring Reunions and fall Homecomings. His main campus link is Alpha Delt, one of the few fraternities left and co-ed since the early ’70s. Bob is still active on the American Rhodes Scholar alumni group, which provides an interesting reason to connect with a group of smart young people, and is dealing with the “Rhodes must go” movement. An additional commitment is with his Oxford College, Merton, now celebrating its 750th anniversary. He provides context by reminding us that Merton was 500 years old when we were staring our Revolution. Lastly are a couple of local initiatives supported by Bob’s energy in his spare time. Wow!
Ted Fiske checked in, reporting on the month of October in London, where he spent time with Jack Lambert. Ted’s wife, Sunny Ladd, is on sabbatical from Duke and they spent time researching two inner London schools that have had great success educating low-income students. A paper will soon be published by the Brookings Institute, with some suggestions for U.S. policy makers. In addition, Sunny and Ted took in many of the multicultural events, including the Swan pub, which Sunny haunted 45 years ago as a student in London. She thought the stools were new but not much else.
Ed Murphy sends news of Bob Gillette’s new book about two teenage Jewish refugees from Nazi Germany on a Virginia farm. Ed also reports his own “escape“—from snow in northern Virginia to Colorado. On their return they will attend a Navy Change of Command Ceremony for their younger son. Lastly, Ed reports a D.C.-area tradition among the nine local members of ’59: a semi-annual lunch, next in April. Nice touch.
Tim Day has written us about his recent trip to Israel and Palestine. It was a combined cultural trip and a chance to spend some concentrated time with the IDF (Israel Defense Forces), including push-ups! How many is unspecified, but it sounded like lots! Rather than try to condense badly a fascinating report, the full story can be found BELOW, and we’re including a link to Tim’s Dropbox for pictures here. Thanks, Tim!
Dick Wenner’s wife, Maureen, passed away unexpectedly last summer while on vacation in the Finger Lakes. “2015 was a tough year for me, but I am hanging in there.” Dick is still singing bass in the church choir (since 1978), and has been their treasurer for almost 25 years. He says, “My new pursuit is genealogy, and am busy finding out about the Wenner Swiss and Alsace roots, totally fascinating! Don’t get back to the campus much. Never really recovered from campus life in the ’70s, and recent shenanigans have not helped.”
Katherine Thomas Graduation
Weg Thomas has recovered perfectly from a total hip replacement and is back hiking trails and working at the Conservation District. “Granddaughter Katherine Thomas graduated from TCU.TCU is not far from the Cadigans’, so we had a jolly dinner with them as part of the celebration. Some of you know that Katherine’s brother, Nick, died most unexpectedly on Easter Day. Their father, Sean, started life in Vet’s Village in 1959.” Nick and Weg were very close, as he was an environmental restoration specialist. In his honor a tree planting project was started. So far, more than 200 trees have been planted and the donations keep rolling in.
“The Chases and the Moodys joined me for an evening at the British Ambassador’s Residence in Washington to hear David Lough talk about his new book on Churchill’s finances, No More Champagne. Then on to a great French bistro dinner. A great story, as we do our retirement budgeting! Churchill, needless to say, was not a fan of budgeting, nor was his wife!!”
David Britt writes: “Spurts said, ‘Talk or else,’ so I’m spilling the whole ugly story of the last year. Do not read while operating heavy machinery.
“AARP counsels seniors to keep moving, so we did. Again. First, we sold our summer condo in Connecticut. Then, six years after Sue designed our dream house on the Intracoastal Waterway (our longest stay ever in one house), we sold it and moved 1.6 miles north on Amelia Island, to a more urban, walkable, ungated community. I’m still enjoying moderating two discussion classes on foreign policy issues. It’s like a time warp to see folks with very different views listen to each other, agree on some basic facts, and find areas of agreement as well as differences. Maybe someday the country will try it again.
“In November, we took a very long cruise from Hong Kong to Capetown, with a number of stops in Malaysia, Brunei (not invited to stay in Sultan’s 800-room palace), and Indonesia. The highlights were several stops in East Africa down to South Africa. We saw, over and over, unrealized agricultural potential, masses of unemployed young urban men, and young, young populations. For pure fun we visited the Italian lakes last spring—stunning scenery, great food, no George Clooney. And, after everyone else in the Wes extended family, we saw Hamilton, that astounding, wonderful, riveting reinvention of American musical theater. Miranda ’02 and Kail ’99 are kicking Royalist butt.”
Hugh Lifson writes: “I really appreciated Bing Leverich’s note about Carl Schorske. I never took a course with him, but had many discussions with the great man via Terry Frederick, who lived with Schorske for a while. Ditto Louis Mink, Fred Millett, William Coley, Richard Winslow, Robert Cohen, and many others—as only a Wesleyan student of the time was able to schmooze with our exalted professors!
“Schorske came to Cornell College twice while I was teaching there. I described the second visit in our 50th Reunion Book. The first was equally remarkable. In response to an odd question of mine, he discoursed for 90 minutes spontaneously and astonished all of my colleagues. We happy few would not have been surprised. I hope Wesleyan does something special about him.
“Fond memories also for Vic Butterfield, inspired by your recent article. He seemed to know us all!”
George Holzwarth, officially retired (emeritus) as a professor of physics at Wake Forest, works in mentoring undergrad research and the occasional honors thesis. Working with 18-to-22-year-olds is keeping him young! “On a whim, I bought Dave Potts’ new book, Wesleyan University 1910-1970, to learn a little about academic politics during our years in Middletown. It’s a fascinating book, filled with details about the battles for the soul of Wesleyan carried out between Vic Butterfield, the Board of Trustees, and the faculty, especially during our time there—1955–1959. Highly recommended!”
