Class Notes | 1950s

Fresh from a 55th Reunion, the Great Class of ’59 continues on. We drew a surprising number of returnees, noted many have been married to the same spouse for nearly the entire time since graduation and want to recognize those of whom we are aware. Your two class scribes qualify, Cyndy and John Spurdle (56) and Molly and Skip Silloway (50). Our class “insider,” Charlie Wrubel and his wife Myra (54) certainly qualify. Others include Margaret and Owen Tabor (50), Judy and Bob Hydeman (52), Joan and Ted Bromage (55) and Sue and Bert Edwards. We are sure there others and we will include them when they report.

Alan Brooks writes: “At the 55th Reunion in May 2014, three classmates agreed to get together that summer in mid-coast Maine, where each had a summer place. Spurred on by Joe Mallory’s efforts, he and his wife, Wendy, joined Bob Chase and his wife, Joan, and Alan Brooks and wife Marie-Pier for dinner at the Public House in Damariscotta. A pleasant evening was shared during which we did ‘tell the stories of the glories of dear old Wesleyan.’ It was decided that our little reunion should become an annual summer tradition.”

Walter Burnett, visiting friends in Friendship, Maine, in early September, paid a call on his former roommate, Alan Brooks, at his Capitol Island cottage. During a leisurely lunch looking out over the Boothbay Harbor area, Walter and Alan had ample time to catch up on each other’s lives before Walter hit the road again headed for D.C.

Linda and Dick Cadigan report productive and satisfying missionary work in S.W. Uganda at a community hospital and health complex, where he encountered “a sobering exposure to the way millions live in much of the world.” Equally satisfying was the ordination on 1/15/15 of their oldest child, Katie, as an Episcopal priest in Santa Monica. They witnessed a standing ovation for Katie’s first service. The church is fortunate to see three generations of this family: Dick’s dad, Dick himself, and now Katie are all Episcopal ministers. The proud parents are now off to Belize in February for additional missionary work.

Ted Bromage staved off the cold while blowing 20 inches of snow from his half-mile driveway by thinking of the warmth and friendship of our Reunion. Also heartwarming is the spring launch of his trawler, Landfall, and our upcoming 60th high school reunion.

Molly and Skip Silloway, as part of their 50th anniversary celebration, spent much of July in the United Kingdom. The highlight was a weeklong charter of a barge on the Thames River. Both sons, a daughter-in-law, and their two grandchildren accompanied them on a memorable trip. After this, the two senior Silloways fled to Scotland for two weeks. All in all, a wonderful trip with great company, scenery, and people. “Och Aye Laddie, as they say in the Highlands, quite an odyssey.”

Cyndy and John Spurdle headed over to England in the Silloway’s wake for a trip to London to see old pals and to celebrate their youngest granddaughter’s birthday with theater, dining out and her own room at the Sloane Club. They then headed north to Suffolk for Christmas with daughter Meg ’84 and her family, renting “Fig Cottage” in the nearby village of Pettistree, home of the classic Greyhound pub. They headed back to London for New Year’s Eve and then home.

Our roving “starving artist” Steve Pyle has been reported on Fisher’s Island, where he delivered a painting, played golf, and stayed with the Spurdles. After flying into Groton in a plane far too powerful to land on Fisher’s Island, John came across the bay in his boat. There he played two rounds of Texan Foursomes with all available Texans on Fisher’s Island in increasingly windy weather, and had to find a bigger craft to take back to Connecticut.

On a more sober front we report the death of Marty Jaskot in Hawaii. Marty was one of Middletown’s own and leaves a large family here behind. The funeral took place in Hawaii and was live-streamed to Middletown for his family. Among the many and generous comments made about Marty were that he was a gentle man, unless one confronted him across the line of scrimmage. Marty was a great member of the class of ’59 and will be sorely missed.

Dave Eklund also reported the sad news that his younger brother Dick, whom he went east to help care for, has passed. Dick was a fighter pilot in Korea and Vietnam and since then a long time pilot for Delta. Our thoughts go out to his family.

Ted Fiske lives in Durham, N.C., where his wife, Sunny Ladd, teaches public policy and economics at Duke University and Ted edits the annual Fiske Guide to Colleges. The two continue to write together on issues of education policy and travel, often combining professional duties and sightseeing in such trips as a conference in Segovia with stops in Madrid and Barcelona. The two also make “mandatory” annual visits to their grandchildren in London and Amsterdam, spending time with Liz and Jack Lambert in the former last May. Their most recent travel was a week-long excursion to Cuba, where the U.S. trade embargo limits the American car importation after 1960. This meant that the couple drove to a restaurant in a robin’s egg blue 1957 Chevrolet convertible with the top down. “Talk about bringing back memories!”

Harry Lerch and wife Sharon are now living in a fly-in community in Palm City, Fla. Harry is almost retired from his law firm in Bethesda. The couple make it clear that classmates living in or visiting Florida should reach out: “We’d be happy to host you for a round of golf, check out the beach, or just hang out and chew the fat.”

Bob Hydeman caught up from Texas. His oldest granddaughter, 18, is attending the University of Alabama. The next two, identical twins, were recruited to the Air Force Academy for their soccer skills. His 15-year-old grandson is a keen baseball player and the youngest granddaughter is just as great at volleyball.

Ray Simone writes, “Anyone traveling to or through Rhode Island, if you have the time, please come to our new restaurant, Simone’s, at 275 Child Street in Warren, R.I. My sons and I opened the restaurant in September of 2014. We are attempting to source our food from local farms and serve locally caught seafood: simonesri.com.”

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

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

Class of ’58, perhaps our class was hibernating for the winter. Not much activity, which can be good or bad. Here goes.

Mel and Polly Cote spent a week in Paris last September and then another 10 days in Alsace to visit Polly’s ancestral region and observe and taste the new wine harvest.

Another Provincetown resident responds: Art Geltzer is winding down his research at Brown Medical School. He and Younghee are going to be in Rome in the spring to study ancient Roman architecture and Renaissance painting.

Roger Turkington is enjoying his retirement from medical practice. He is living in Florida and still performs on the violin with wife Angela. His second book of poetry is in press with Friesen press. He wishes a happy 2015 to all.

Also reporting from Florida is Dick Goldman. He and Patty have been in Key Bicayne since Dec. 16 and will stay until March 31. He makes use of the warm weather to play golf and tennis.

Bart Bolton’s reply mentions a tentative golf date with Ed Kershner, Charlie Denny, and me in Naples in April. If all goes well we will play and socialize this spring.

A note from Gary Iseminger tells of a reunion hosted by Mary and John Arnold in Lakeville, Conn., in June. Sally and Fred Houck were there, as well as Gary and wife Andrea. Gary was in the area to take part in a week-long choral “fantasy camp” run by an organization called the Berkshire Choral Festival. A week of intense preparation culminated in a performance of Elgar’s Dream of Gerontius with the Springfield Symphony. Gary is hoping to do it again this summer for a performance of Britten’s War Requiem.

News from Africa. Pirkko and Burr Edwards are still gainfully employed. Pirkko has her decoration business in the booming Nairobi construction scene. Burr is leading a PPP team for a railway in East Africa. They are winding down and perhaps full retirement will happen in 2015.

Don Hill’s note tells of a grandson at Stanford and a granddaughter at the University of Washington. He and Ann travel frequently, to Italy in 2013 and France and Italy last year. Almost every year he goes to Paris, renting apartments in different arrondissements. Though retired, sort of, he will coordinate an Economic Institute at Stanford for the 28th consecutive year and is leading a two-year curriculum-writing project on infrastructure as part of a Stanford National Science Foundation Grant. He and Ann live in San Mateo and enjoy spending time in their other place in the wine country overlooking the Alexander Valley and Russian River

Kay and I remain in good health and really enjoy living full time in Naples, Fla. I still play decent golf, but must admit I am doing very poorly at one athletic endeavor. Twice a week I am the most inept student in “Yoga for golf.” When it comes to balance and flexibility I have much to learn. Keep the e-mails flowing,

Cliff hordlow | Khordlow@gmail.com
Apt. 103, 4645 Winged foot court
Naples, FL 34112; 239/732-6821

Mark Feldman writes that daughter Ilana ’91, associate professor of anthropology at GWU, was recognized as a fellow at the Princeton Institute for Advanced Studies for 2016. Recent activity for Mark included a presentation at the Center for Strategy and International Studies on “Presidential Power to Normalize Relations with Cuba.” He adds a p.s. that perhaps POTUS listened in.

Honors for ’57 sons and daughters continue: From Bob Sharlet, whose son Jeff, an English professor at Dartmouth, won an ‘Ellie’ at the National Magazine Awards Ceremony in New York in February for Best Reporting 2014 for a piece on Russia. The ‘Ellie’ is magazine journalism’s equivalent of the Pulitzer.

In the “…around the world” category we hear from Nancy and Jack Braitmayer about cruise itineraries as far-flung as the Azores, Canary Islands, and Iceland. Jack has a special interest in the Spanish and Portuguese islands because of his long-time association with the New Bedford Whaling Museum, which town and adjacent communities host a significant population from said islands, the heritage of seafaring folk coming to New England to ply their trade.

But wait—there’s more. A winter cruise to Caneel Bay proved to be an appropriate venue to celebrate Jack’s 85th birthday. Then he adds a story about losing a long-held marina slip in southwest Florida due to the owner’s decision to close down and convert the property to a horse farm. That’s right. (Look—I write the column based on what you guys deal over the transom.)

Bill Shepard embarked on a project of transcribing his father’s notebook from World War I. Serving in the Signal Corps, he saw action on the Western Front in the Metz section of Lorraine. He describes receipt of the message ending the war in 1918. Bill adds that his dad’s interest in radio communication as a boy included hearing messages from the Carpathia about the Titanic. I was fascinated by all of this—thinking our class’ fathers would more likely to have WWII experience—Bill told me that his father left Harvard in sophomore year and enlisted. After the armistice he returned there and graduated in 1920. The father kept in touch with his company mates throughout life and Bill grew up with many of his stories, which influenced Bill’s feeling that France—where he spent many of his State Department years —never seemed to be a foreign country to him. The work is available as an e-book at Amazon under the title Over There: A Doughboy in France 1918. All net proceeds will go to the Wounded Warrior project.

More “Author, Author.” Hank Fulton’s effort, Dr. John Moore (1729-1802): A Life in Medicine, Travel and Revolution, was published by the University of Delaware Press in late 2014. Moore was a figure in the Scottish Enlightenment. Hank and his wife continue to work on family histories.

Bob Gorin reports the family rooting on daughter Bethel ’90 in the NYC Marathon last November. Her time was good enough for qualification in the Boston Marathon. Bob continues to be an avid in-person Wes football fan; he attended the Amherst game, a tough overtime loss on a rainy field, with grandson David, 14.

Sadly, we have lost Jack Corrodi, who died in Malibu, Calif., in January. Jack and wife Kay were renowned for their devotion to the adoption of many underprivileged children, mostly from Central and South America, all while managing a thriving real estate business in their home town.

Those of us who attended our 50th remember him as we always had. As the emcee for the Class Dinner he was in wonderful humor, charismatic as ever. Jack’s passing is Wes’s loss, ’57’s loss. His legacy remains the lives he touched, the lives he elevated. Our deepest condolences to Kay Corrodi.

In addition, I report on the death of Jon Ocksrider after a long illness. Herb Camp writes that his former roommate and Sigma Chi brother had been in  and out of hospitals for some time. His wife, Dottie, said that there were extensive medical issues confronting him. Our sympathy to the family.

Art Typermass | AGType@msn.com
144 East Avenue, #302B, Norwalk, CT 06851 | 203/504-8942

Hello ’56 Classmates! I have been taking essay-writing courses at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, so I thought it might prove fruitful to request that you put on your artist hats, too.

That radical suggestion stemmed from my current writing efforts, and a distant goal to publish a personal memoir of travel, nature, and family (Seven Continents before Incontinence). It is to be a family legacy document, perhaps of primary interest to my two grandchildren and a handful of others. Surprisingly enough, all of those to whom I mention the above intended publication, react with a hearty belly laugh, followed by the query, “When can I read it?” That spurs me on.

As you may remember, my artist’s query went out on Friday, Dec. 5th, and it began like this: “You have a story. Tell it now. Let me speak to your inner Artist. I believe that we are all artists…”

On Saturday, Barry Passett was the first to respond with a quip: “My inner artist doesn’t work on weekends.” An earlier note from Barry to George went like this: “Your travel sounds wonderful. We went to Alaska some years back and consider it one of our most wonderful adventures. We had all six of our grandchildren (with parents) here over the weekend. Two would be perfect candidates for such a trip. I’m the uncertain one. Eighty has not been good to my back and legs, and I’m unsure I could handle a cruise ship. Wanted badly to go to Norway, and same problem applies.”

With great delight, I also fielded this comprehensive update below from our long-serving Class Notes editor Don Ritt: “Dear Classmates, Many of you are already there. 80! I join the club tomorrow. 80! ‘Congratulations’, they say. ‘Swell’, I say, ‘What do I do tomorrow?’

“I will not complain because all the males in my family were dead by 72, but it is a challenging time. I have been very lucky—married for 52 years, three successful kids, four grandchildren, productive career. I even became the first medical director of the Palliative Care Program at Scripps Memorial Hospital, La Jolla at age 75. But now, there is less for me to do…play the piano, sing, watch TV, read, talk to neighbors, help care for my wife (a retired attorney with dementia), walk and walk and walk some more, go to medical functions and look important. I will find something tomorrow, probably related to palliative care. But I have learned stuff, and I do have my message: ‘We have but one day. It is today. Enjoy it and live it completely.’”

Somewhat earlier, Don sent this to George: “80 80 80 80 80. You are old, man. I, however will not reach that level until 12/13. Am planning a party for >100 people around that time at a nearby country club. I do things for palliative care in San Diego and do not have the amount of work I want, but I really cannot complain. My wife had a brilliant career, including going to law school in her 30s and then serving as research attorney in the state appellate court for 15 years. Now her life is hard, due to the development of a dementia. I am the caregiver on weekends and after 5 p.m. I am getting better at it. I stay busy, walking three to four miles, three or four days/week, playing the piano at two hospitals, consulting, etc. We cannot travel due to the dementia. Lillian wanders at night. Our kids/grandchildren are marvelous: a lawyer in LA, a high level graphic artist in SFC, a PhD psychology instructor near Denver. Thanks for your note. Enjoy to-day. Best always. DJR, DNR, DNR (Donald J. Ritt, Damn Near Retired, Do Not Resuscitate).”

At Homecoming last fall George saw Jay Jenkins, who looks good, hinted that he might have something for these notes, and gave him his card. The card says “Ship Models Re-stored”—intriguing, but unfathomable to George and his several thumbs. After watching another excruciating overtime loss to Amherst, George was able to purchase a “Wesleyan not…” T-shirt from the softball team, which has acquired the franchise.

And Jay came through: “Some of our 1956 delegation have had reunions here on Buzzard’s Bay several times since 1991. Our last was June 2014. Over those visits, we have hosted Jack Dunn, Spud Parker, Doug Northrop, Al Haas, Ed Johnson, Ken Spencer, Dick Boyden, John Gettier, Andy Mason, Dave Porter—with spouses or significant others—for two nights by the ocean. Plenty of yarns, songs, and talks of special memories. Lobster was king for most! To our distress, some of the wives are no longer with us. We were truly pleased by Wesleyan’s development and goals, although Eclectic’s seeming demise has been unfortunate. We are proud of the lead by Eclectic’s Bill Moody ’59 in devising ways to restore, use, and maintain the house for the future.”

Incidentally, recent contributors to this column have inquired why their pieces had not yet appeared in print. George explains that apparent anomaly this way: “I hope that our classmates realize that the magazine is not like the Internet, which is virtually instantaneous. It could take a year before what we receive shows up in print. It’s all about timing and circumstance.”

Speaking of which, George writes, “After my modest but lovely birthday celebration, Ann mused, ‘I can’t believe I’m getting in bed with an 80-year-old man!’ Ain’t it the gosh-darn truth!”

George Chien | gchien@optonline.net

Bob Runyon | rrunyon@unomaha.edu

The first to respond, almost instantly, to my request for news was Rev. Ed White, who after successful heart surgery two years ago, is involved in the Interfaith Conference in D.C.—a coalition of 11 faith communities—with a goal to unite in healing our planet: “There is no Planet B.” As a great-grandfather, he tracks the adventures of five married children and 12 grandchildren. One grandson, who mastered Mandarin in high school, is a WSJ reporter in Hong Kong. Ed’s concern about out legacy is stated partially as “Godless predatory capitalism is destroying a once great nation.”

After agreeing to put up with Ann Arbor, Mich., winters, rather than move to Florida, Grace and George Bacon “are doing fine (for senior citizens)” while still spending summer months at their “up north” Torch Lake cottage. In the retirement community of The Marshes of Skidaway Island, Savannah, Homer Eckerson and Sally, his wife of 63 years, are playing golf and bridge and are active on the residential council. They are blessed with three sons, their wives, and nine grandchildren. Homer expects George Anderson and his wife to move to The Marshes from their residence on the Island.

Nice to learn that others remain active in our ninth decade, such as Steve Friedland and Anne, who travel once a year from their home in Poughkeepsie to Seattle to visit their son and family. Their two daughters’ families live locally. Steve serves as a docent at the Hyde Park FDR Museum and continues to chair the hospital’s Ethics Committee. Jerry Patrick remains a “devoted and active sailor” with bareboat skippered trips in Penobscot Bay, Maine, and the Sea of Cortez, Mexico. Since twice spending a month in Rome in recent years, he plans for May in France. His volume of short fiction, Voices and Other Stories, is published and available on Amazon. He is in frequent contact with one of our published authors, Cope Murray. A lengthy response from Milton “Snuffy” Smith indicates diverse activities, such as working five to eight hours weekly with live serpents and raptors at the Amicalola Fall State Park, Ga., allowing visitors to get close and to learn about local snakes and birds. He serves on the academy candidate screening committee of his local U.S. representative. Last August he and Gail celebrated their 60th anniversary at Pawley’s Island, S.C., with four daughters and five grandchildren among those present.

After University of Pennsylvania Medical School and naval service, Bill Rack and his wife, Barbara, moved in 1965 to Santa Barbara, Calif., where he practiced neurology. Out of private practice the last 14 years, Bill has done Locum Tenens around the country and consulted with Social Security in California. As parents of three married children, each with three children, scattered around the states, they remain “busy enough with music, church, golf, and dancing.”

Walt Cutler finds that in D.C. “instead of retiring, one talks of being in transition.” With his Middle East experience, he is a trustee or member of several organizations dealing with foreign affairs. With his wife of 33 years, Didi, they had recent trips to Chile’s Atacama desert, Europe, and, in January, Cuba. He is well and on the tennis courts. Walt stays in touch with his roommate, Steve May, who lives nearby.

Our class president, David Lee Nixon, died Nov. 1, 2014, in Manchester, N.H., following a long fight with cancer. An economics major and Chi Psi, Dave was a three-sport letterman and may be best remembered as a quarterback. He served as president of his fraternity and of the Board of House presidents. As a leader throughout his life, Dave was president of his Michigan Law School class, of numerous bar organizations, and was elected to the NH State House and Senate. At the three-hour funeral, fraternity brother Richard “Mouse” Levinson “delivered a eulogy, which was laced with Wesleyan and our classmates named.” As a fellow trial attorney, Richard spoke regularly with Dave and summed up his life with these words, “If you wanted to get something done, call Dave.” Also attending the funeral were Bob Lavin, Kim Zachos ’52, Bob Backus ’61, Bill Kordas ’70, and Paul DiSanto ’81 (from the Alumni Office) to say goodbye to “an exceptional human being”.

Dr. Herbert E. McGrew died Dec. 13, 2014, of prostate cancer. Herb, an Alpha Delt, was a biology-chemistry major earning a medical degree from McGill University. After naval service and practice in New York City, he and his wife moved about 1970 to the Napa Valley, Calif., where they have lived since.

In Boston Edwin “Mel” Higgins Jr. passed away Nov. 12, 2014. He was a Psi U and left at the end of sophomore year. He received a BA from Tufts in 1953 and an MS from Boston University in 1957. After military service and bank experience he started Higgins Associates, an employee benefits and investing company, which he lead for 40 years until retirement. See longer obituaries at magazine.wesleyan.edu.

Notification was received of the Dec. 2013, death of Donald P. Moffet, an Alpha Delt, who left at the end of freshman year. He received a BA and MBA in 1954 from the University of Minnesota. He retired as CEO, US Travel, and lived in San Diego.

Those who read my e-mail request are up to date with my activities. For those without e-mail, please write.

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

Don Sanders was our faithful Class Secretary from shortly after we graduated until his death last November. He was the perfect fit for this position, as the bulk of his career was spent in writing and editing at IBM. He also co-authored two books that evolved from his geology major at Wesleyan, Volcanoes in Human History and Earthquakes in Human History. I shadowed Don as Class Secretary after his severe stroke four years ago, and now it has become my challenge to try to fill the enormous shoes Don left in this position.

Nothing is more painful than having to report the loss of classmates. We have several for this edition and I am afraid sad news of this sort is going to fill our class notes increasingly in the years ahead. Some, but not all, complete obituaries can be found online at classnotes.blogs.wesleyan.edu/obituaries-2/. The following recent deaths are reported here in chronological order:

Charlie “Birdie” Palliser died March 10, 2014, according to information obtained by Wesleyan. When last heard from, he was living in Walnut Creek, Calif., and was director of inventory systems for McKesson Corp. No obituary has been found, as of going to press. If anyone can provide further information, please let us know.

John Williams died in Winnipeg, Canada, on Oct. 30, 2014, from complications of a stroke. He spent most of his life in the New Rochelle and Larchmont, N.Y., area. An avid golfer and tennis player, he retired as a senior partner at Coopers & Lybrand in 1989. He was predeceased by his wife, Joan, and is survived by three sons and daughters-in-law and four grandsons.

Hugh Young died in Vienna, Va., on Nov. 24, 2014, after a completely unexpected heart attack. Hugh served 32 years in the CIA’s Directorate of Operations. He was a distinguished member of the CIA Senior Intelligence Service, headed CIA offices both international and domestic and provided direct leadership to CIA efforts in Northeast and Southeast Asian locations. Hugh is survived by his wife of 49 years, Reiko Young, and two sons.

Bob Wonkka died in Concord, N.H., on Dec. 10, 2014. Bob was a mathematics academician who taught, served as department head, and finally as division director at Vermont Technical College for 30 years. He was the first recipient of the faculty advising award, which now bears his name, and was named a professor emeritus upon his retirement in 1992. Always active in his local church and community, Bob and his wife, Nadena, had entered the retirement community of Havenwood-Heritage Heights in Concord in 1998. In addition to his wife, Bob is survived by three daughters, two sons-in-law and four grandchildren.

Kim Zachos died the afternoon of this past New Year’s Eve from a massive heart attack while on his way from his office to his car. He had just said goodbye to his office colleagues as he headed for home and had wished them a Happy New Year. No one in our class came from a more humble childhood and achieved greater success with more humility than Kim. From his Root-Tilden Scholarship at NYU Law School, to his longtime senior partnership in one of New Hampshire’s and New England’s leading law firms, to membership in the first class of White House Fellows and interning with Attorney General Nicholas Katzenbach, to being elected Deputy Speaker of the N.H. House of Representatives, to his decades of leadership of the Currier Museum of Art, to his chairmanship of the N.H. Charitable Fund, to serving on the boards of multiple educational, civic, religious, business and cultural institutions over the years, Kim exemplified the very finest of citizens and received more honors, awards, and tributes than space allows me to mention. A columnist for the NH Sunday News summed it up, “His legacy is a better state and profession.” Kim is survived by his wife of 55 years, Anne, three daughters, three sons-in-law, and five grandsons.

We extend sincere condolences to the families of these classmates who will ever be remembered and treasured as part of our Wesleyan experience.

We received a nice note from Don Stauffer when he alerted us to Hugh Young’s death. Don and his wife have been living at Avila Retirement Community in Albany, N.Y., for the past five years. They have stopped traveling to distant points, but are enjoying local culture, such as the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Tanglewood, Glimmerglass Opera in Cooperstown, the Union College chamber music series, Albany Symphony Orchestra, and The Clark Art Institute in Williamstown. Don is still a Cornell Master Gardener volunteer, sings in a local choral group and is a member of the Schenectady Torch Club.

Before his untimely death, Kim Zachos forwarded an e-mail he had received from his and Bill Wasch’s freshman year roommate, Dick Mayer. This e-mail was filled with news and information. It made up, sort of, for years of his absentia from these class notes! Dick, a CLU, founded Executive Compensation Systems, Inc., Savannah, Ga., which designs and implements executive benefit plans for physicians, attorneys, other professionals and for highly compensated executives of several public companies. He has now turned the business over to his son-in-law, but from his e-mail one can easily detect that he is still up for selling life insurance. Dick has some interesting personages in his family tree, including Samuel Huntington, who signed the Declaration of Independence for Connecticut, was Governor of Connecticut for 11 years, and whose home was located on the site of Wesleyan’s President’s House. More important, Dick and his beloved Ginger recently celebrated their 60th year of marriage. Look for more on Dick in the next issue.

Hal Buckingham | hcbuckingham@daypitney.com

William K. Wasch | wkwash@gmail.com

Biff Shaw and his wife, Jean, have moved from their Middletown home where they’d lived for 57 years to a residential community in Essex 20 miles south. Biff described his new neighbors as a very congenial group from many places, but predominantly from the lower Connecticut River Valley. The facility has independent living, assisted living rehabilitation, convalescence, and long-term care. Biff and Jean go back and forth to Middletown but not to many Wesleyan events, especially those in the evening after dark. They did see the Bowdoin game but missed the narrow loss to Amherst and the cliffhanger with Trinity. Biff reports that he hears regularly from Dave Jones and that Bob Gardner, who was an usher at their wedding 62 years ago, remains in touch. Biff’s son, Jeff Shaw ’79, lives in Bloomfield, not far away, and daughter Deborah lives in New York City with her husband, a retired TV and theater costume designer. Deborah has developed skills in horticulture therapy; one of her assignments takes her to Rikers Island Prison where she works with the inmates. We hear interesting tales from both families, Biff reports.

Howard Goodrich, writing from St. Louis, reported that he and his wife, Darlene, were living a full life with travel, church, and community engagements, even a “fill-in ministry” in mid- America. A highlight of their life has been their summer family get-togethers at Estes Park, Colo., where they rent a four-bedroom place and invite members of the immediate family to come for a visit. “Usually we’ve had 10 to 15 show up,” says Howard. “It’s been nuts, but we have a great time.” If we have a 65th Reunion next year, Howard says he’ll try to make it.

Dick Lucas wrote from California that he and Joan were happy to be living in an “Old Folks Home” full of congenial people. They have two grandchildren and now five great-grandchildren living close at hand. He can still drive, Dick said, and participate in activities. Having grown up in Middletown, Dick could appreciate what we in the Northeast have been having to go through.

Dave Mize wrote that he continues to live in a house with seven fireplaces but he “froze” this winter. Dave has continued to be very active, lecturing in the continuing education program at Dartmouth. His topic was 5,000 miles around the Mediterranean in a Model A. At one of his lectures he was delighted to have four Wesleyan graduates in his audience. Last summer he attempted to drive from Milan to Trieste, only to have his car break down just outside a village in Croatia. It took him six months to get the car back to Vermont. “I’ll repair it when it gets warm and take it back to France,” he wrote.

Charlie Selig wrote from Boca Raton, Fla., that he was still playing a lot of tennis and bridge. His wife died suddenly in 2010 but he was fortunate to find a wonderful lady who has made his life “super good.”

Sandy Malcomson wrote from Philadelphia, feeling grateful that all the “rotten weather” seemed to be sliding by to the north. I think the weather caught up with him after he wrote. Sandy expressed enthusiasm about the prospects for a 65th Reunion of our class next year. I’d be glad to hear from any class member wanting to attend.

Bill Hillis and his wife, Barbara, moved to Ashlar Village, a retirement community in Wallingford, Conn. “We have been busy, happy and all the moving, plowing and trail maintenance have simply disappeared.”

DAVID M. PHILIPS | davephilips69@hotmail.com
100 Elena St., Apt. 618, Cranston, RI 02920-7620

The photos below are from Dave Darling’s induction into the Wesleyan Baseball Hall of Fame, and submitted by David Eklund, who writes, “Please note the very special wall sign ‘running between the ears of Tom Young and Dave D.’ ”

 

 

 

 

 

The 55th Reunion of the Great Class of 1959 was an unbridled success. We had a good crowd returning, tremendous fun catching up and wandering around a campus that continues to change, capped by a lovely Class dinner. It was a great pleasure to have Nancy DiMauro with us for the weekend. Dave Eklund held forth in great style. (I have pictures!!). Dick Cadigan was our M.C. for the evening, and ran things with great enthusiasm and his usual panache. Doug Bennet and Midge were able to attend, which made the evening even more special. At cocktails beforehand, my wife Cyndy met Mike Whalen ’83. Her first comment was “What a big fellow you are!”

Cads has gone off to Uganda for three weeks for some well earned R&R after his great Reunion performance. He is on a mission with the Kellerman Foundation to work with the Batwa peoples, and then on to the Greek Islands in September! His last comments before departure were: “Great 55th! We can still laugh, sing, toast with and to each other. Great fun!!”

Larry Brick reports: “No need to invent a story about me. I am a first-class felon happily trapped with my wonderful deaf wife of 50 years. We ski bum for two months every year in the Rockies, scuba dive in the Caribbean, enjoy our extended family of three sons, six grandchildren, and close relatives. We live in a Continuing Care Community in Philadelphia. No housework, yard work, repair work, no work period. Deaf Community activist, career educator and administrator, living with the annoying and occasional aches and pains that are part of aging and which are much better than the alternative!”

Walter Burnett has just returned from a three-week trip of day hiking at the Mount Rainier, Olympic, and Pacific Rim national parks. Planning a trip to Indonesia this winter and Hawaii next fall. Walter is not slowing down at all, having just retired from the faculty at Emory University on July 1. He is still living in Western North Carolina, but spends time in Atlanta as well.

Marsha and Bob Gillette’s comments on our Reunion: “We glowed with warm recollections of the Reunion on our long ride back to Lynchburg. There is something special about our fellowship, which we seem to take for granted, but others notice. The genuine excitement of seeing each other and being together was palpable. We are so lucky to have been there to celebrate our 55th. Somehow we just cannot wait for another five years to pass. Having Al Haas ’56 with us for dinner was very special. He was my ‘big brother’ at Eclectic, and during those freshman days of self-doubt, he supported me. It took a bit longer for us public school folks to adjust to the demands of Wesleyan. I look forward to reading Dave Potts’ ’60 new volume on our years at Wesleyan and their historical context.”

Owen Tabor and Margaret summered on the Isle of Skye, to escape the Memphis heat. They had a cottage on a singlet-rack road by the sea. Lots of beauty, quiet, sheep, and a great pub not too far away in operation since 1790. All in all, a perfect setting. I asked O. if he had brought along his bagpipes and kilt. “The pipes have been on the shelf for a while, and the wee kilt is in the closet, as I have become less wee…but the rest is good, man!”

Phil Pessoni was included in the publication, Legendary Locals of Middletown. I guess the authors felt that his close 20-year relationship with Jackie Kennedy and Caroline was important enough to qualify for that honor. Phil’s grandfather, Patrick Michael Kidney (1877–1967), was also in the book. He held many town positions over 40 years and had a great influence over the lives of many Middletown residents. Congratulations, Phil.

Joan and Ted Bromage got back to Mt. Desert, Maine, and wrote: “It was a great Reunion and good to see so many survivors! Joan and I enjoyed ourselves, felt heartened by the return of singing, and intrigued by the ‘aggie’ program at Long Lane. Had some time to do some historical research and I think we located my old study hall, the Goodyear Tap!”

It is with great sadness that we report the passing of John Briscoe. Our classmate Marty Weil wrote his obituary in the Washington Post. “Congressional Aide, Nonprofit Director” was the subtitle, but John said it best about himself in our 50th Reunion Book: “Briscoe has served as a practical idealist, an entrepreneur, a problem solver and an unreconstructed early 1960s optimist.” His wife Kate, his children and all his Eclectic brothers will sorely miss John, Peace Corps volunteer, Congressional aide, development director of several nonprofits, Lakeville farmer, husband, father, great pal of many. John Alexander Holway Briscoe was quite a man!

We are also greatly saddened to report the death of Robert Jensen. Robert came back for our 50th, at which time he was still running his successful jewelry store, which he told us was the largest in the U.S. in terms of display area. Our sympathies to his daughter and family.

Dana and Dave Clemens have been covering a lot of ground lately, and in sensible places, given the winter in the Northeast. Three weeks in Hawaii in January, most of March in Florida sounds pretty clever. A trip to Thunder Bay in July for a family reunion rounds out the 2014 plans, but there was not a way to squeeze Middletown into the mix, sadly.

Carol and Shive Shively have just returned to their home in California after a wonderful family reunion in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, with three of their children and assorted others. Carol writes: “Shive continues to meet the challenges of Parkinson’s and is doing quite well. He has started playing the trumpet again, and is busily teaching the gal who is looking after him to play, too—a great sign. More travel to the East was not going to be possible this year.”

Fred Stone wrote: “It was a great honor to be inducted into the inaugural Wesleyan Baseball Wall of Fame on May 3. My teammates Dave Darling and Tom Young attended the event in the Usdan Center, which gave the Class of ’59 good representation. I was grateful for their support. Tom and Dave drove to Maine last summer to check out my progress since my stroke in 2010. I walk with the assistance of a walker, but otherwise I am in good spirits and take life one day at a time. The Wesleyan facilities were very impressive, and the Wall of Fame program was a class act.”

Charlie Wrubel’s son Bill ’85 won an Emmy for his role in co-directing Modern Family which, itself, won the Emmy for best comedy series. Bill has won five Emmys and now moves on to Warner Bros., where he has a contract to produce his own material. Wow!

Since our last class notes came out, we are sad to report the passing of Bob Berls. We chatted about his coming back, and he said at the time that he was too frail to try it… Our thoughts are with Bob’s wife and family.

Note to all classmates who took pictures at the Reunion: Please e-mail them to Cynthia Rockwell (crockwell@wesleyan.edu) and she will make sure that they are posted on our Class Notes website. I have already sent mine in, and hope others will follow! This is the url for the site: classnotes.blogs.wesleyan.edu/class-of-1959/. We found Wesconnect difficult to access. Hopefully, this experience will be different!!

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

John Spurdle | jspurdle@aol.com

Well, my latest plea elicited 15 responses. Ezra Amsterdam is still Distinguished Professor of Cardiology and Master Clinician Educator, at the School of Medicine, UC–Davis. And he continues to play tennis every weekend and is still a loyal Yankees fan.

A long note from Roger Van Tassel covers the 56 years since we graduated. He studied chemistry at Tufts and completed a PhD in chemistry at Northeastern U. He then continued as a scientist, retiring as director of the Environmental Effects Division, which studied the effect of the environment on military systems. His avocation has been motorcycles. He has been riding steadily for 50 years. With his partner, Judy Love, he rode out to Colorado and New Mexico in 2012 and this February rented a motorcycle to spend two weeks touring New Zealand. He and Judy now live in the Charlotte area of North Carolina. He continues to explore the South, but also enjoys trips to New England and travel abroad.

Dan Woodhead follows the Bay Area baseball teams, he praises the Oakland As and believes the San Francisco Giants are hopeless. No details,but Dan reveals Bob Hayes has written a book on Themistocles, the Greek hero.

Dave Epstein, the publisher of Western States Jewish History, a quarterly journal now in its 47th year has created a Virtual Museum in the cloud for your computer called the Jewish Museum of the American West, which tells the story of Jews in the American Wild West.

Bart Bolton is hoping to arrange a round of golf for Charley Denny, Ed Kershner, himself and me next February or April in Naples. We’ll play the senior tees, maybe only nine holes. Bart is working on a 60th reunion for his small high school class.

Tony La Cava retired after 25 years as director of a center for independent living. And he celebrated his 32nd anniversary with his partner, Cliff. Tony has children in Massachusetts, California, Denmark, and the Netherlands.

Art Geltzer has retired from the private practice of retinal surgery, but continues research on his NIH grant at Brown Medical School, looking into the treatment of macular degeneration. Anyone interested in this subject can contact him at Clinicaltrials.gov. Art continues close interaction with Mel Cote and his wife, who is an accomplished artist. Art also sees Dennis Allee, who is a highly skilled potter. Art will be going to an academic conference in Chicago at the end of October. In November he is off to Berlin and Vienna; in March it will be Rome and Tuscany.

Bill Higgins has just about retired from his psychology practice and from teaching psychology at the local college. Sadly, he has had to give up golf due to two ankle replacements and a sore shoulder. He still travels: Montana last year and Charleston, S.C., this year. He has been married for 42 years and his three children are in Denver, Asheville, and San Francisco.

A brief note from Bill Barnes assures me he is alive and well and very anxious for our 60th Reunion. Bob Furber, a California resident, spent August and the latter part of July “rolling around New England.” He traveled from Middlebury to Wesleyan with a pause in Newington, N.H., for the Furber Family Association’s Reunion and Dedication. The trail there will be renamed the “William Furber Ferry Way Trail.” In September he will attend his 60th high school reunion in Plainville, Conn.

I received a note from Ruth Newman telling of Warren Newman’s passing on July 6, 2014. His death was due to pancreatic cancer.

Dave Schalk assured me he was alive and well, but had no news of even minimal interest to the class of 1958.

Toni and John Corkran made only one trip this year, to see their oldest grandson graduate from South Kingston, R.I., high school. They returned to North Carolina through New Jersey and Delaware. They conclude their travels with two days of camping on the Outer Banks of North Carolina including to Ocracoke Island. John wants to thank all classmates who donated to the Wesleyan Fund this year.

Often a note loses impact when edited, so Burr Edwards’ note in full: “Before spending a few weeks at our French house (hoping the roof is intact) and then returning to Kenya, we are now (end of July) in London recovering from my godson’s wedding in Somerset. His bride was a friend of Kate Middleton and he went to school with William, so they were both in attendance. Very posh and traditional—more than Yank and Finn (my wife) republicans (small “r”) can usually manage! The best man (also from Kenya) did manage very well, considering his future sovereign was listening and laughing.”

Kay and I are flying to New Hampshire next week and hope to meet Dick Goldman for lunch at the Andover Inn in northern Massachusetts. Kay and I are acclimating to summers in southern Florida. I do not mind a steady diet of 92 degrees and playing golf at least three times a week.

Thanks for the e-mails.

Cliff Hordlow | Khordlow@gmail.com

Summer highlights and high life for Lois and Bill Shepard comprised an extensive lecture cruise to Scandinavian and Baltic ports aboard the impressive-sounding Brilliance of the Seas Baltic out of Harwich, U.K. Ports included Copenhagen, Helsinki, Oslo, Stockholm, and St. Petersburg, the last featuring a visit to the Peterhof. One nice surprise was the city of Tallinn. Bill recalls his stint as a Baltic desk officer during his State Department days, yet never visited Estonia until now. He also commented that he picked up on some anxiety there over Russia-Ukraine. Estonia was a former SSR. I guess history is never that far removed. Back in the USA, they were in Michigan in August at a granddaughter’s wedding in a lakeside setting.

Closer to home and not that distant, Mike Stein and wife Jasmine made trips to James Madison’s home, Montpelier, near Orange, Va., and also to Monticello, where a new visitors’ center awaits those touring Thomas Jefferson’s home. He adds that they both appreciate living in an area rich in American culture. Coming up on their list are Civil War battle sites, including Bull Run, very nearby their home. Some of those are on the bucket list of yours truly, so I’ll be interested in Mike’s forthcoming reports.

With this column largely dealing with summer pursuits, it strikes me as how transitory the season is, now that colder days have arrived. Like a line from a Paul Simon song: “July, she will fly, and give no warning to her flight.”

Talk about filling “the unforgiving minute with 60 seconds worth of distance run” (Kipling—I was always taught to acknowledge quotes in English 1-2), Gordy Wilmot reports on his family’s annual sleepover party for nine grandchildren, ranging in age from 6 to 25. All manner of sleep equipment is trotted out: beds, mattresses, sofas, loveseats, and so on. Games included football, Uno, and Twister (yes, really). Late night rewards included pizza at one a.m. For those able to rise early, Marilyn cooked a pancake breakfast. Readers of the column may recall that Gordy treated his family to a Bermuda cruise last year. Uno and Twister were also played on that occasion. Wow—it sure is good to have the Wilmots as grandparents.

Early this past summer, Joan and I celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary. We took our family, including three grandsons, ages 5, 12, and 14, to the Sagamore resort on the southern end of Lake George. Luckily, the late June weather was cooperative, so all enjoyed a variety of activities such as golf, boat rides, and paddle boarding. Service and dining were exceptional, and they even recently opened an indoor rec center for rock climbing, mini golf, and even a whiffle baseball stadium. The grandboys made good use of it all.

Art Typermass | AGType@msn.com