Class Notes | 1960s

Fritz Wiecking wrote, “After an interesting and varied work life, I am currently retired in Port St. Lucie, Florida, and contemplating a move to Costa Rica in a few months. I’ve worked as an Episcopal priest, as an economist in several think tanks and public interest groups, for unions, and [in] politics. I’m currently spending time as a painter.”

John de Miranda said, “Still teaching aspiring addiction counselors virtually through UC San Diego. My son, Colin, and his partner, Alice, are living with us and saving for a home they are building in Merida, Yucatan. Glad to be healthy and living in Northern California with my wife, Carol-Ann. Her nursing training is very useful at this stage of life. Watching the new Bob Dylan movie yesterday brought back tons of memories of the ’60s.”

Steve Knox contributed, “In 2020, Bonnie and I moved to Asheville, North Carolina. Since then, we have been living here along with our kids and grandkids. In September, Asheville was devastated by Hurricane Helene. The River Arts District and many homes and small businesses were washed away. The nearby North Carolina Arboretum lost 5,000 trees. Fortunately, we suffered no property damage or personal injuries. Many of our friends and neighbors were not so lucky. We did lose utilities and water and had to leave town for a while. Our lives are back to normal now, but I suspect it will take years to clean up the mess.”

Stuart Blackburn said: “Remember the Vietnam draft lottery of December 1969? It’s the centerpiece of my new novel, Luck of the Draw. I hope many in the Classes of ’69 and ’68 will find it interesting.”

Michael Fink wrote, “2024 was an interesting year for our family. I had 3 level cervical spine surgery on March 7, which resulted in bilateral C5 palsy incident to the surgery. That meant paralysis of both shoulders, which eliminated use of my arms from shoulders to elbows. Pretty radical. Now nine grueling months of two-times-per-week PT later, my brain has relearned how to communicate with my shoulders, and I’ve regained mobility. Further strengthening still ongoing but making strong (pun intended) progress. Our daughters, son-in-law, and live-in significant other for daughter Becca, joined Susan and me for two weeks in Portugal in late August. A great time was had by all. ‘We travel as a pack.’  Our middle daughter is now . . .  pregnant after arduous IVF process, and we expect our first grandchild (boy) about third week of June; Jenni’s doing great. 2024 was a good year, except for the palsy, and 2025 looking to be outstanding. Wishing all of us a healthy, joyous, and constructive 2025.—Michael”

Tony Mohr shared, “It was [a] year for traveling on cruise ships. In July, as part of a longer trip to Europe, Beverly and I took a seven-day cruise from Venice to Athens. Then in November–December, we cruised from Lisbon to Cape Town, 24 days visiting Morocco, Cabo Verde, Senegal, Gambia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Sao Tome, Namibia, and South Africa. The trip was an eye-opener, an education we’re glad we had the chance to experience.

                  “I’m still sitting on the bench part time and still helping to edit the Harvard Advanced Leadership Initiative Social Impact Review. We’re always looking for good material. If anyone is interested in contributing, please reach out to me.”

Jim Weinstein wished everyone a happy New Year.

Peter Arenella wrote, “Knees and hips require care. Mia and I live in a rural Mexican village. Watch a lot of Netflix and have almost 13K followers on X where I post about why and how our democracy has fallen into a potentially fatal abyss. Mia is a certified California court interpreter working remotely. She is brilliant and beautiful. The kids are well and thriving. Dave, because of birth complications, listens to a different drummer. His daily call is a highlight because he’s so content with his job. Kay has a PhD in clinical psychology and teaches it in LA.” [INSERT PHOTO]

Nick Browning said, “I’m blessed beyond any merit. Grandkids visit us in Vermont. No more basketball or tennis, now it’s pickleball. I’m constantly whipsawed between the good fortune and comfort of my life and the terrible news presented by the media. Our world is spiraling toward crisis state.”

In 2024 Jeff Richards saw three Broadway productions on The New York Times Best Ten List: Purlie Victorious, Maybe Happy Ending, and Our Town. Spring plans include David Mamet’s Glengarry Glen Ross, with Kieran Culkin, Bob Odenkirk, and Bill Burr. “I find it difficult to believe it’s the 60th anniversary of our freshmen arrival. The line from Wilder’s play is in my head. ‘Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it?—every, every minute.’ I remember many of those minutes from my Wesleyan days with great fondness.”

Jack Burtch’s book, Raising the Bar: The Mentor Guidebook for New Lawyers, helps young lawyers adapt to law firm life. “Susie and I celebrated our 55th anniversary. I’m an associate in my son’s law firm but not billing much.”

Ken and Visakha Kawasaki are saints in their constant efforts to bring peace and justice to Southeast Asia.

Robert Dombroski wrote, “While diligently chronicling my history as a ’69er, I dug up on an obscure website the precise date of the Janis Joplin concert at McConaughy: March 9, 1968. What else happened on that date is trivia now.” Does anyone remember this concert? Let us know!

Deb is part of several women’s groups that take wonderful care of their sisters. She bakes and gives away dozens of small chocolate chip cookies weekly. Annie is a therapist based in Yardley, Pennsylvania, and rescues mini-Doxies. Liz, Josh, and three children—nine, 14, and 16—live in Dundee, Michigan. Grandchildren warm New England hearts. I read large print, watch TV, hang out with Deb, cook soups in a crockpot, cobble together artwork, and exercise at the Saybrook Point Health Club. Nick is right. We are blessed beyond expectation. Before sleep, not counting sheep, I thank my relatives.

sleyan crew gathered for their annual row in Middletown. Crew was restarted by members of the Classes of ’67 and ’68. At our 25th Reunion, Lloyd Buzzell suggested that we gather every year to row, and a tradition was born. We raced every year in one or more Head races, including the Head of the Charles, Head of the Connecticut, and Head of the Housatonic. Our last competition was at the Head of the Charles in 2015, 50 years after we first competed in that event. Since then, we have gathered every year at Wes to row with undergraduates and have a celebratory dinner. This year Bob Svensk, Harrison Knight, John Lipsky, Joe Kelley Hughes ’67, Bill Currier ’69,and Igot out on the water twice in perfect weather conditions. Our coach, Phil Calhoun ’62, watched us from the launch. At the dinner we were joined by Phil and Janet Calhoun, Judy Buzzell, Lloyd’s widow, and the men’s and women’s coaches and co-captains. It was a memorable event, and we are all grateful that crew has kept us fit enough to enjoy an invigorating row on the river. Coach Calhoun was inducted into the Wesleyan Athletic Hall of Fame in November.”

Ken Kawasaki ’69 writes that his wife, Visakha, and he are in Sri Lanka. After graduation, he was exempt from the Vietnam draft because of a metal plate in his leg from a childhood accident. He married Visakha, who is from Flint, Michigan, went to Japan as an ESL teacher, and stayed for nine years. Their return to the U.S. took one year through Asia and Europe, during which time they realized that they were Buddhist. They spent one year in the States, searching for a way to get back to Asia. Then two years with a State Department program for Indochinese refugee camps in Thailand and the Philippines. Then back to Japan to teach English in a Buddhist high school for 16 years. After six years in Flint, they moved to Sri Lanka, where they expect to stay.

Paul Spitzer contributes that following graduation he made a personal appeal to his Connecticut draft board—that his osprey–DDT studies were a form of national service. He got it and quietly enrolled in Cornell grad school to do quality science. That 1970s decade based in Ithaca made him a scientist and a humanist. In 1974, at age 26, with the war about over, he went to Bharatpur, India, to study the Siberian crane—a Soviet endangered species—with the ICF founder, the late Ron Sauey. So that was his “alternate service” in Asia—conservation biology in a benign culture, pretty much on his own terms. 

Paul sent in, too, this appreciation of Ken. He said, “Ken was ’68, but with diversions such as COL Paris he graduated in ’69. But I claim him for us!!!”

“Ken and his wife, Visakha (née Christine), have been resident teachers, translators, and fund-raisers at the Buddhist Relief Mission in Kandy, Sri Lanka, a tropical ‘hill station’ at 3,500′, for many years.

“I receive their periodic newsletters. The current one, penned by Visakha, has more edge than Ken’s voice. In Garrison Keillor’s immortal statement: “The women are strong, and the men are good-looking.” My long-ago happy memories of my classmate are of a whimsical fellow with a poet’s disposition. As we strolled campus, Ken might shift from his feet to his hands—and still remained somewhat mobile. I associate this memory with springtime. One of a kind, in my experience. At Wesleyan, Ken was Outward Bound from Ohio. He spent his sophomore year at the COL program in France. On his return, I welcomed him for a weekend visit with my family in Old Lyme. I took him out on the splendid Joycean strand at the mouth of the Connecticut River, sharing this favorite nature/spirit place of my youth. He spotted rich clusters of Blue mussels along the [Long Island] Sound shore, exclaimed “Moules!,” and gathered them to share with us. At home, he cooked them in his special cream sauce. Now in those days the river was quite polluted—we were scared of hepatitis and avoided local shellfish. But we didn’t have the heart to deflate Ken’s creative ecstasy, so we made sure they were thoroughly cooked, and nibbled carefully.

“Later on, we shared residence time on the top floor of Harriman Hall, a nice sanctuary for independents. Ken had found Japanese friends: They enjoyed musical soirees with shakuhachi, koto, and green tea. Not surprisingly, Ken went on to work as an English teacher in Japan. Perhaps this was his strong exposure to Buddhism? I lost track for many years, then learned he and Visakha were working for the Buddhist Relief Mission in Flint, Michigan. That is a chapter I do not know. But for many years now, I have received their newsletters from Kandy. I think my gentle old friend has achieved enlightenment.”

John Mergendoller writes that in December he welcomed his third grandchild and first Brooklyn baby, Ayla Jane (pronounced “eye-la”), born to son, Jacob ’11 and Ali Zelisko. 

Bob Knox writes that he spent the month of December flying to Salt Lake City, North Carolina, and Massachusetts to spend the holidays with his far-flung family. He is enjoying immensely the reconnections with Wesleyan classmates through their bimonthly Zoom calls. 

As the magazine was going to press, we learned of the passings of Hal Skinner and John Kreitler. Our sincere condolences to their families and friends.

Classmates,

             Did you ever think we would use the word “octogenarian” about ourselves? Well, here we are celebrating, or soon to celebrate, our 80th birthdays. Happy birthday to those of you still here to celebrate, whenever in the calendar year your birthday comes around.

            Not all our classmates are going to become octogenarians.   

            Jim Sugar died of heart failure in Mill Valley, California, in July 2024. Jim was an accomplished photographer (he worked for National Geographic for 22 years), and his book, America’s Sunset Coast, based on photos he took after traveling the Pacific Coast from Canada to Mexico in a VW minibus, led to his being named Photographer of the Year by the National Press Photographers Association in 1979. Jim became a pilot, and he owned a single-engine Cessna that he often flew to go to assignments or for aerial photography.

            According to one obituary about him, “Jim slowed down in his last years but never lost his smile, his encouragement of others and his appreciation of life.” He is survived by his wife, Jan, his son and daughter-in-law, Sam and Gigi Sugar, and his grandson, Bo Sugar, all of Mill Valley.  

I remember Jim from our freshman year. He looked like he was 14 years old (he was 17).  Check out his photo in our freshman face book, which I’m sure you all still have in an easy-to-find place. There is baby-faced Jim, right after Jon Stover and Paul Stowe and right before Maurice Sullivan and John Suter. I also remember him at our 50th Reunion, looking rugged and handsome. Those of us who edited the 50th Reunion book (which I know is also close by your side) expressed a “special thanks to Jim Sugar for allowing us to use his beautiful photo for our book cover.” Check it out—it is a great photo!

             Fred Freije ’74 died in England in September 2024. Fredstarted with our class—he, too, is in our freshman face book, right after Howie Foster and Stephen Fotter and right before Jeremy French and John Frisbie.Fred then left Wesleyan (more than once it turns out), enrolled at Bard College (among other things), but ultimately returned to Wesleyan and graduated, I think with the Class of 1974. Bob Kesner notes in an email that at age 18, “Fred already had some impressive commercial fishing experience,” and Peter Waasdorp wrote that during his absences from Wesleyan, he worked on commercial fishing vessels out of New Bedford. At some point, he started a commercial seafood packaging firm in Long Island, and in England he was the owner of the Selsea Fish & Lobster Company. At the time of his death, he had sold the company but was still acting in an advisory capacity. 

Ted Smith, who roomed with Fred one semester, wrote that “I always had a soft spot for Fred—he was kind, funny, loyal, and appropriately disrespectful of authority that did not deserve respect.” Peter Waasdorp wrote the following to me about him: “Fred was one of those people I knew I could call anytime, anywhere, and he would be there for me if I needed him. A character for sure (he’s a member of three Wes classes, I believe), a devoted family man, friend to all, and as adept as anyone I know at laughing at himself.” 

He is survived by his wife, Celia, and two children, Tom and Kira.

            Another classmate, Jerry Smith, died in 2024. Jerry worked as a short-order cook for two years after high school before coming to Wesleyan. He became a certified arborist and a tree surgeon. At various times he worked in urban forestry, worked on projects in Central Park in NYC, and was a tree consultant for the Getty Center in LA. As a result of the work he did with one client who lived next to Marlon Brando, he became an arborist to various Hollywood stars.  He was also a part-time actor. Hoff Stauffer, Jerry’s lab partner in a chemistry class freshman year, emailed me that in 2017 Jerry got back in touch with him after a 50-year gap and came to visit him in Massachusetts. Hoff wrote: “At Wesleyan he was riding a Honda 50. In 2017 he was riding a BMW 1600.”  

            As I write about these three (Sugar, Freije, Smith), I find myself thinking about the immortal words of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards (both of whom were age 23 when the song came out in 1966): “What a drag it is getting old.”

            And a non-obituary, happier, message. I got the following email from Brooks Smith: “I was one of five from Wes in Freedom Summer. My roommate in Ruleville, Mississippi, was Len Edwards ’63. We lived next door to Fannie Lou Hamer. The Klan attempted to firebomb the church we held rallies in. Many of the civil rights workers were arrested during the summer and afterward. Our Freedom School was a great success, and we branched out to Indianola, Mississippi—home of B.B. King. This and other movements, including the anti-war movement on campus, were certainly energized by Martin Luther King’s speaking at Wesleyan three times during our four undergraduate years.  

            “Freedom Summer held a 60th reunion of volunteers and staff in Indianola in June. We rejoiced in the changes in Mississippi. Remember in 1964, 465,000 Black folks were eligible to vote—only 7,000 were registered. Now Black folks and white folks vote in about the same percentage. So great changes—but a long way to go.”

Our classmate, Robin M. Burns, died on February 5, 2015. Recently his wife, Rena Grossfield, wrote: “February 2025 marks the10th anniversary of Robin’s passing. I thought this would be an apt moment to pass on information that has come to light in the years since he died. It turns out that Robin’s cancer and death resulted from his many months working at Ground Zero after 9/11. He was one of four on-site project managers of the cleanup for the NYC Department of Design and Construction. (For details, see his page in the 9/11 Memorial and Museum Registry: https://registries.911memorial.org/#/workers/list/term=Robin%20Burns). He was one of many ‘second responders’ who were active at the site until it was officially closed in May 2002. Since learning of the full extent of his work there, I applied for and received a settlement from the Victims Compensation Fund, which will be used for our two grandsons’ college educations. It would have made Robin happy to know that despite not being here to watch the boys (now 17 and 15) grow up, he is still caring for them. I am writing this so his friends at Wesleyan—and not just our grandsons—know that their ‘Pop’ was a hero.” If you wish to reach out to Rena, here is her email: rgrossfield@gmail.com.

Barry Thomas writes: “The work in Burundi continues. Going on seven years. Does not seem that long ago that we sent a few hundred dollars to a young man with a mission of service and a big vision to accomplish change in his country after decades of conflict, violence, and reinforced poverty. The purpose was to help buy porridge materials, cups and spoons, so that he could provide a nutritious meal to malnourished children in a really poor, rural community. He expected 50 children to come with their mothers. About 250 appeared. The work of accomplishing change toward a better life for these very poor people has been steadily growing and rewarding, but yet an unfinished journey. As programming has expanded, buildings have been added, and the numbers of children and women both receiving help and helping themselves, the caring and generosity of people in our home community in the mountains of North Carolina, as well as from old and new friends around the country, has been heartwarming. I cannot express enough appreciation for the support provided by members of our Wesleyan class community.”

Barry goes on to write: “We have progressed from the start-up phase and have emerged during the past year into more of a growth-and-development phase. The health and nutrition programs have progressed from the simple provision of nutritious porridge to longer-term focus on family nutrition and income generation using more modern methods of agriculture and family nutrition. The school program is now composed of a preschool and a growing primary school through grade 3. A tutoring program has been of great importance for the high school girls whom we are helping to stay in school. They are now performing quite well on the national exams in comparison with the city girls. The women’s vocational training and microfinance programs have over 600 participants. The organization is well-established and results are being witnessed.

“I will add that there are now 178 children in the community school program; the women’s vocational training and microfinance programming has participants approaching 1,000. Complementing the porridge and kitchen garden programs, D4C has initiated a first community farm program. Land has been acquired and 25 women who originally came to D4C with their malnourished children for a cup of porridge are now cultivating the land for the first of three growing seasons in the year. A friend and farmer from our local community in the mountains of North Carolina has provided funding for the start-up and is providing guidance. A group of North Carolina medical professionals have come together to support the organization and training of a team of community health care workers. This team will be reaching into the homes in the D4C rural community with the implementation of a ‘Where There Is No Doctor’ type of program. Finally, two young women, who originally joined the D4C program to help high school girls stay in school, passed the required national exams, and are now in the first year of university. Juliet is studying accounting and Ann Marie expects to become a nurse/midwife. They are the first young women from this rural community to attend university. Really exciting! Our original purpose was to find ways to help these really poor children overcome their malnutrition and get a head start on their education so they could gain access to possibilities for a better life. Making progress!” I’ll say!

John Neff has a new grandchild: Remy!

Sad news from Jon Clark: “Lost Andrea, my wife of 47 years, to ALS in August,” a disease that haunts our class. And good news: “Thanks to our new ‘work remotely’ culture, our three kids, all Wes grads, were able to spend considerable time with us, especially during the final year. My granddaughter, Isabel Levine-Clark ’23 [was] the sixth generation Clark to [graduate from Wesleyan]. Adjusting to living alone and have begun traveling again. Still living in Branford, Connecticut. Wish good health to all as we enter our 80s.”

As for those 80s, David Luft asks, “Is it possible that people in their 80s are less active and out and about in the world? I’m leaning toward swearing off trips to Europe and conferences. I don’t even visit my mother-in-law in Palo Alto.” David is, nevertheless, keeping active. “I am writing three books, and I think my writing keeps getting better.” 

On the theme of books:

Mine on the work of John Wilmot, second Earl of Rochester (1647–1680), Rochester and the Pursuit of Pleasure, was published in June. The London Review of Books just reviewed it:
https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v46/n24/clare-bucknell/the-readyest-way-to-hell.

We end with a great book story. Many of you no doubt took a course with Professor Nathanael Greene. Jack Knapp went further, “taking every course that Professor Greene offered . . . marveling at his preparation and style. . . . What impressed me most . . . was that he wanted you to disagree with him, provided you had evidence to support your point of view.” How many of you know that Professor Greene is alive and well and still teaching at Wesleyan? Jack does, having kept up a “60-plus-year friendship.” Jack’s book, Carpetbagger in Reverse, has just been published. “It’s a biography of Arthur Mitchell, the first Black democratic congressman and a most interesting fellow. Possessed of an almost photographic mind and able to quote stoic philosophers from memory, he was also politically incorrect in many aspects of his behavior. Born in Alabama, where he spent the first 40 years of his life, he later moved to Chicago because he saw that the Windy City’s First Congressional District was the only place that could elect a Black Democrat to Congress in 1934. But he only represented his Chicago constituents to the extent that he followed the machine’s orders, largely serving as a funnel for patronage. His real purpose was to represent the interests of the disenfranchised Blacks of the South. Hence the title. The book details the ups and downs of his career, which culminated in his being the first Black to argue successfully before the Supreme Court when that body found unanimously in his favor in Mitchell v. United States (1941), the case that began the long undoing of the Jim Crow transportation system in the South.”

In November Jack wrote to Professor Greene:

“Hi Nat. Happy Thanksgiving. The book is coming out December 3–10, but I’ll need your address to send it to the dear friend to whom it is dedicated.”

Professor Greene responded:

“Hi Jack, Wonderful news! And Happy Thanksgiving to you as well. This is an undeserved honor, but I will cherish it. . . . Hope you are well. My seminar this fall went very well, with really outstanding students. I am scheduled for two courses in the spring. . . . The new PAC is working very well for all. Best, Nat.”

Carpetbagger in Reverse is dedicated “to Nathanael Greene and all the Wesleyan students who benefited from his teaching.” As Jack puts it so well: “My exchange with Nat Greene. A 60-plus-year friendship. That’s what Wesleyan was all about.” I hope still is.

Dear Classmates,

Hope to see you at our 60th in May! It is important to recognize the extraordinary efforts of our prior Reunion leaders, namely Hugh Wilson, Win Chamberlin, Bob Barton, Dave Dinwoodey, and a number of others.

At Homecoming, I visited with Roy Fazendeiro, Mark Edmiston, Gary Witten,and their spouses, and we enjoyed the last-second victory over Williams to win the Cardinals’ third-straight Little Three football title. (Gary is also involved with the football program by providing a three-part series on financial literacy for graduating seniors.)

Thanks to all who responded to my request for news:

Arthur Rhodes: “Since retirement, my wife, Leslie Newman, and I are enjoying life and visiting her three sons and five grandsons in New Orleans and my two daughters and six grandchildren here in Illinois.

“If you have an interest in photography, check out my Instagram page: ArthurRRhodes_photography.    

“As an aside, you all knew me as Rosenglick at Wesleyan, but I changed my name to Rhodes. My beloved German professor at Wesleyan, Chad Dunham, asked me if I knew about the origin of names in the Jewish ghettos of Eastern Europe. I learned that a Jewish ghetto occupant had to purchase a surname from the tax collector to replace their Hebrew name. If you didn’t pay, or couldn’t pay, enough for a nice name, you received an unflattering one. A fancy name, like Rosenglick—‘Lucky Roses’—probably cost dearly. Jeffrey (one of my three brothers) and I decided to change our name legally, to get rid of our ‘purchased’ ghetto name. In 1969, during my medical internship at Columbia, I changed my name to Rhodes. One day I was Rosenglick, and the next day I was Rhodes. I felt like a free man. When I was a medical resident at Boston’s Beth Israel Hospital, I often had to speak Yiddish to my Jewish patients to allay their fears that I might not be Jewish. Though I rejected the rules of the ghetto, I remain dedicated to my Jewish heritage.

“Incidentally, I especially miss three of my favorite professors, now deceased: Chad Dunham, Bob Rosenbaum (mathematics), and Richard Burford (chemistry).” 

Gar Hargens: “Last June I reregistered as an architect. After 56 years in the business, I decided to retire. I came to Close Associates as an older student at the University of Minnesota School of Architecture. I’ve gone from intern, architect, partner, to sole owner, all in the same wonderful mid-century building our founders created. 

“Three years ago, I started a foundation at the U of Minnesota to help fund the curator position at the university’s library. In the ’80s, I approached the archives about accepting our then over 40 years’ worth of construction documents for editing and storage. There was never a charge, so now I am helping make the acting curator’s position permanent.

“I’m blessed with five children and seven grandkids, four of them here in the Twin Cities—at least for a little while longer. My wife, Missy, keeps us socially active and serves on many local boards, most recently Macalester College, an excellent local institution but endowed with refreshing Midwest modesty.”

Bill Trapp: “We are enjoying life with our family and friends. I am almost back to a full recovery after a stroke. We are now making spring plans to visit the Wesleyan baseball team in Arizona. I could not have done it without the support and management from my wife, Marilyn, family, friends, and many doctors and physical therapists.”

Bill Knox: “We just keep getting older, watching our kids and grandkids do the same. The four-plus months a year at our place here in southern Italy are a blessing.”

Tom Bell: “Still in Halifax, Nova Scotia. My oldest child has just become a grandfather this December in Chicago. This made me the great-grandfather of Quinton Roger MacGregor. I’m looking forward to meeting him soon.”    

Bob MacLean: “While having lost contact with so many classmates, I remain in regular contact with Phil Russell and Ralph Jacobs, having found one another at Stanford after Wesleyan.

“With pacemaker installed, I’m still flying after 61 years and am a certified flight instructor. While still certified as a ski instructor, after 48 years, I no longer teach but am still skiing with friends. Have taken up bridge again even after Dean Barlow suggested I take a year off to consider studying rather than playing bridge and brewing beer in the Eclectic basement.

“My path has been anything but linear, but a hell of a ride, thanks in part to the rigor of the old-style liberal arts program at Wesleyan and a few bumps and bruises on the football field. Forever grateful!”

Charlie Bassos: “Still kicking—just not as high as I used to. Glad to have our class notes, and glad for every classmate still around to read them. Wesleyan has shaped us all in ways great and small, truly ‘alma mater.’” 

Bob Barton: “Playing old-guy tennis is an enjoyable new activity. I’ve sold my old foreign currency, coins, and other collections to fund cruises next summer on the sailboat I bought with three partners, including my distant cousin and Wes classmate Jay Clapp.” 

Hugh Wilson: “Several of my obligations, including the publication of the book I’ve been working on for three years, have grown since our Zoom meeting in September regarding our Reunion. I do not feel that I can take the lead for planning our 60th, but Fran and I will certainly attend.”

Bill Brooks: “Work on the Winslow archives continues, with a full performance of Dr. Faustus Lights the Lights sometime in the next 36 months. Also, recently returned from five weeks in Kruger National Park—a life-changing experience (and I’m grateful that my life still can change)!” 

I had a nice phone conversation with Chuck Dauchy, and at my request he kindly provided this update on his post-Wes life:

“1964: U.S. Navy—three years—destroyers to the Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Red Sea out of Newport, Rhode Island. Then Harvard Ed School, MEd. A brief and unwise marriage (too many years of monastic life impaired my judgment). Three years teaching first grade in New Haven. Then came the first Earth Day and I discovered the environment. Back to school (Southern Connecticut State) to fill in large gaps in my science background so I could do a MSF at Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies (the GI Bill was good to me!).  

“Along in there, Larry Dougherty, Wesleyan roommate and hockey teammate, introduced me to Judy Weinthaler. His judgment was way better than mine had been—Judy and I are now approaching our 51st anniversary. Larry was our best man and Bill Spurrier, Wesleyan chaplain and hockey coach, officiated. Our marriage has produced two wonderful kids, two delightfully emerging grandkids, and 50-plus years of mutual respect, support, and love.

“After Yale and marriage, we moved to the Amherst, Massachusetts, area where I worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, then for a small civil engineering firm, and then on my own as a consultant (30 years) focused on wetland delineation, regulation, restoration, erosion control, stormwater management, and development design to protect the wetlands. That kept me active and often out in the woods until 2017 when I (mostly) retired and moved to Hopkinton, Massachusetts. We are now three miles from our daughter and family and get to see lots of the grandkids. I still get out in the woods as a member of the town’s Trails Committee and the board of the local land trust. I mark and map new trails and do some clearing but leave the heavy lifting to the young folks. In summary: Life and health are good, and we appreciate that our historical privilege has paved our way.” 

Steve Oleskey sent this note: “Steve Oleskey and wife Judith Tick have moved from their home of 40 years in Brookline, Massachusetts, to a condominium in Studio City, California, to be closer to their daughters and grandchildren. Their new address is 12045 Guerin Street, # 204, Studio City, CA 91604. Steve’s cell phone number remains (857) 233–3656. Please call or email if you live in the area or will be visiting Los Angeles and would like to catch up.” 

David Skaggs had this news: “The oft dreamed, but never realized, white-shoe law firm, POSH, convened for one of its occasional reunions in December in LA. Attending were Nick Puner (P), Steve Oleskey (O), David Skaggs (S), and Jim Howard (H). After appropriate libations, they considered but rejected a proposal to increase the firm’s standard hourly rate to $50.”

Paul Lapuc and I were freshman on the same Foss Hill dorm floor. It was great to hear from him:

“A brief update about myself. My wife of 59 years, Chris, and I moved to Linden Ponds, a CCRC in Hingham, Massachusetts, after residing in Chatham on Cape Cod for the past 28 years. We decided that since we have relatively good physical and mental health, we would be proactive in planning our future and choose where we age. We still have our Chatham home, so vacation time by the sea is always an option.

“Prior to Chatham we lived in Amherst, Massachusetts, for over 30 years where I spent time as a psychologist for the VA. After ‘retiring’ as director of Outpatient Mental Health in 1999, I entered full-time private practice, working with children and adolescents. Currently, and for the past 10 years, I have a niche position providing diagnostic and consultation services to assist school systems in determining if students at risk for violence or self-harm can have their needs met within the school district or require a therapeutic environment.

“Over our years in Chatham, I had the opportunity to socialize with several members of the Class of ’65. Bob Schmidt ’65 has a second home in Chatham and for several years we joined Bob, Tim Lynch ’65, Fritz Faerber ’65, and Tom Elliman ’65 and their significant others in an annual Columbus Day weekend celebration. Sadly, Tim and Fritz have passed away.

“The loss has been significant in our class. I was especially affected by last year’s passing of Ted Manos. Ted and I knew each other at Wesleyan and became close friends at our fifth reunion. We made a pact to return to all reunions until a family wedding forced me to recant. Whenever my family traveled to Disney World, we visited Ted and his family [who lived nearby].”

“Ted was the catcher and backbone of some of the best baseball teams that Wesleyan fielded in the 1960s. He caught three of the best pitchers that Wesleyan produced during that era. Nothing can be more telling of a player’s ability and leadership than a teammate’s appreciation. I understand when Steve Humphrey became a Wesleyan Baseball Wall of Fame recipient, he singled out Ted’s presence behind the plate as playing a prominent role in his pitching success.

“Ted had all the skills and attributes required to be offered the chance of a professional career in baseball. But he made the decision to forego baseball for a medical degree and became a well-respected obstetrician/gynecologist. His emotional intelligence, quick thinking ability, and perspective-taking skills that were sharpened by sports, translated well to his professional life.

“Ted didn’t walk away from baseball totally. He attended several Dodger fantasy camps where he became fast friends with many of his childhood–Brooklyn Dodger heroes. In addition to catching, at one camp he shifted to the pitching mound where he found considerable success and was named camp MVP, highlighting his athletic ability. He also spent many years playing in a 40-year-old-plus, Roy Hobbs–type league while maintaining his medical practice. Ted chronicled his fantasy camp experiences in his book Baseball and Babies: My Life as a Catcher, in which he detailed his ‘field of dreams’ experiences at the camp.

“Ted possessed a droll sense of humor. He was often excited about a new venture, a new investment opportunity, and sharing his perspective of self, family, and life in general. Ted was bigger than life and embodied the scholar-athlete model we were encouraged to be at Wesleyan. He was an advocate and supporter of the school. He is a friend who is fondly remembered and greatly missed.”

It is with sadness that I report the deaths of two of our classmates, Chris Rich and Bob Rideout.

Wesleyan received the following announcement regarding Chris: “Christopher Rich, age 82, of Burlingame, California, passed away on Thursday, February 8, 2024.” The most recent information I was able to find on Chris comes from his contribution to the Wesleyan 1980 Alumni Record, in which he reported that after graduation he had received a master of arts in teaching from Harvard, moved to Palo Alto, California, and was teaching at Palo Alto High School. He had married and had three children. Perhaps one of us had been in touch with him and can add to this.

Bob died on November 21, 2024, in Columbus, Ohio, at the age of 83. After graduation he joined the Central Intelligence Agency and later served in the U.S. Air Force. Subsequently, he received a master’s degree in international affairs from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public Affairs at Princeton. He served as one of “Nader’s Raiders” in the summer of 1968. In 1969, he began a career with the Federal Bureau of the Budget, that spanned six presidencies and 14 budget directors.

After retirement, Bob was ordained in the Episcopal Diaconate in the Diocese of Southern Ohio, and served two churches in the Columbus area, as well as developed feeding programs for the underserved and school children. A more complete obituary may be found in the online version of this magazine.

I would much prefer to report on the activities of our active classmates; please contact me so I can write of your doings. I know that most, if not all, of us are retired, and that some of us are not enjoying good health, but I also know that news of you is welcome to your fellow classmates.

Robin Cook and Chuck Work have reconnected, after realizing they both had homes in Naples, Florida. Also, Robin’s 41st medical-thriller novel, Bellevue, was published in December: “It happens to be one of my personal favorites even though it has a supernatural element, which is unusual for me because I generally much prefer stories based on hard science. The novel I’m currently writing features prions—those protein molecules that cause neurodegenerative disorders like mad cow disease.” As for medicine, Robin decided this year to let his final state medical license lapse: “It certainly will be a milestone for me as it has been a rewarding and wonderful career that I would certainly do over again if I were suddenly transported back to being an undergraduate at Wesleyan.”

Bill Everett writes: “At the end of September, Hurricane Helene hit our mountains with ferocious winds and one to two feet of rain. Our own home in Waynesville saw our road turn into a raging torrent, with the water coming about 100 yards from our house. We were without outside communication for a week but retained power and potable water. Many others were not so fortunate, losing their lives, their loved ones, their homes, their livelihoods, and businesses. As a woodworker, I was particularly saddened by the loss of several fine woodworking shops and studios in the area around Asheville, and, of course, the trees, mowed down by wind, rain, and landslides, litter our forests and roadsides. I am no longer surprised to see the faces of friends and neighbors in national news, as we struggle to recover from this catastrophe. The immense outpouring of help from all over the continent has sustained us in many ways, giving us an image of humanity’s best in times when the media shows us the worst. Some of you may have been among our unknown helpers. Thank you!”

Bruce Franklin relates that “after returning from teaching in East Africa in 1965, I lived as a graduate student at Columbia University and continued living on the Upper West Side until 2000. Worked as a professor in New Jersey until 1998 and [then] finally moved to Connecticut. Visited around the world playing tennis until 2006, when I settled into part-time teaching at a nearby university until 2021. I visit great-grandchildren in Hawaii and Washington State and currently divide my time between Connecticut and Tucson, Arizona. I am looking to attend our 65th Reunion.”

After living for 26 years in the Adirondack Park and homesteading on 40 acres with a half‑mile driveway, David Gottesman moved back to Albany after his wife of 60 years died. “I moved with my rescued Chesapeake Bay retriever and thank God I did. I miss the goats, donkeys, chickens, large gardens, and the beauty of the land, transitioning to the world of iPhones. Streaming has been a trip. I do miss my roommate Tom Gregory, a gentleman, a scholar, and just a decent person.”

John Hazlehurst reports, “Not much from periodically sunny Colorado Springs. Can’t believe that we graduated nearly 63 years ago, but grateful to be alive and only mildly demented. Still writing my weekly column in the Pikes Peak Bulletin and still living in our magnificent old wreck of a house. Digging through crates and boxes in the basement, trying unsuccessfully to throw away useless but interesting documents from the past and playing happily with our three puppies (an Aussidoodle, a Bernedoodle, and a Chesapeake). We’re publishing our visitor mag, Colorado Fun for the 10th consecutive year and hoping to stay healthy and active this year.”

Bob Hunter reports in the aftermath of President Jimmy Carter’s death: “As classmates may know, I had the honor of working for him on his NSC staff (Europe and the Middle East) for all four years of his term, less two hours and 20 minutes! I was fortunate to have had a final personal visit with him in September 2020 (see attached photo) and went to his lying in state at the Capitol and then to his funeral at the National Cathedral. For those who did not see the service on TV, I recommend getting the C-SPAN recording. With all that Jimmy Carter was and did for so many, we shall not again see the likes of him, at least not in our lifetime.” Bob’s historical tribute is at  https://responsiblestatecraft.org/carter-middle-east/.

Bruce Menke reflects: “As I near my 85th birthday, I am reminded of the many ways in which my four years at Wesleyan shaped my subsequent life. I was a political science major. Luigi Einaudi and Nelson Polsby were new faculty members, and I enthusiastically took whatever courses they offered. I also studied German and Spanish, and my newly discovered interest in foreign languages led me to take an intensive summer course in Russian at Northwestern University. With the support of my German language professors, I spent the spring semester of 1961 at the Freie Universität in Berlin, becoming fluent in that language. During my senior year, when I took Luigi Einaudi’s course on South American politics, he encouraged me to apply for a Fulbright Scholarship to study for a year in Argentina. To my surprise I was successful and spent a year at the Universidad Nacional de Córdoba and became fluent in Spanish. That fluency led me to study French, Italian, Portuguese, and Catalan, while my German led to Dutch, Afrikaans, and the Scandinavian languages. With this background I earned law degrees from Harvard and Southern Methodist University, before embarking on decades of work as a corporate lawyer focusing on business activities in Central and South America, Europe, the Middle East, and Pakistan. My professors at Wesleyan provided not just excellent academic training, but also the personal encouragement and support to pursue opportunities which I would not otherwise have even considered. Thank you, Wesleyan!”

Charlie Murkofsky’s grandson, Nolan Rhodes, “has committed to play baseball for Wesleyan and will begin his freshman year in September. He’s a third-generation Cardinal. His mother, Erica ’90, was [also a graduate]. I continue to practice psychiatry nearly full time and also have the joyful experience of visiting with five additional grandchildren, two in Honolulu, two in Austin, and one more, like Nolan, in Westchester County. Health for me and Susan, my wife of 50 years, is gratefully quite good. That said, I expect challenging issues as time does its thing. My best regards to you all.”

Steve Trott now has two granddaughters at Wesleyan. “Both of their mothers (my daughters) graduated in the 1980s. To go with my father, who graduated in 1937, that makes it a family affair. One granddaughter plans to join Psi U. Not quite the same place, is it? They even win football games!”

Paul Dickson reported the loss of one of our classmates, Bob “Gio” Palmeri, last November. Paul writes: “Bob had retired to a family home at Yarmouth Port on Cape Cod after a long and distinguished career as a U.S. foreign service officer. He had served in a far-flung assortment of overseas posts, including Nigeria, Congo, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Benin, Senegal, France, and Côte d’Ivoire. ‘His work,’ to quote directly from the obituary written by his family, ‘centered on fostering strong diplomatic relationships between the United States and the countries in which he served. He championed American literature abroad, advanced global literacy initiatives, organized visits of American artists and musicians who would share their talents in Africa. Through his efforts, education became a tool for unity, as he opened doors for students, both American and foreign, to pursue knowledge via study exchange programs, striving to lessen inequality and promote cross-cultural exchange.’ Bob will be especially missed by fellow members of the Wesleyan Alpha Delta Phi roundtable, which has been meeting regularly on Zoom since the early days of COVID.”

Peter Funk wrote with the sad news that Bill Harris passed away in January. Peter writes: “Bill broke his back in a fall several years ago and had concerns with mobility and health thereafter. He was in the hospital in NYC when he died. As you may remember, Bill, Brad Beechen, and I went to work together in Chicago following our graduation in 1961. All three of us and our families have remained in fairly close contact ever since. Robie, Bill’s wife, died in January last year. Ben ’92 and David ’94, their sons, are both graduates of Wesleyan. Bill, as you know, spent many years on the board at Wesleyan and was a significant supporter in the development of the University.” 

“Like so many others in our class,” writes John Alvord, I turned 85 this year and feel pretty good physically. Wishing all my classmates a happy, prosperous, and wonderful 2025.”

Robert Hausman sends his greetings to all, suggesting that the new year is a good time to count one’s blessings. Bob claims: “I am grateful for seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. I am also grateful for my Wesleyan classmates with whom I stay in touch: Glenn Hawkes, Emil Frankel,and Bob Wielde. Finally, I wish you all a very happy and prosperous New Year.”

With a bit of light humor, John Rogers mumbles his closing words:

         “Already enough from me,

          So refrain from views

          And resume my daily snooze.”

Respectfully submitted,

DR. JON K. MAGENDANZ

John Berry has a remarkable granddaughter named Ella Minaka Berry Joshi, who is both a fine student and a gifted artist. Not long ago, she created a collage depicting John in easily recognizable form using moistened pieces of The Washington Post. Her work was chosen by the National Art Education Association to be exhibited in U.S. embassies around the world.

Ann and Bob Williams celebrated their 74th wedding anniversary in August. Bob had a booth at The Highlands Craft Fair in November. It was a great way for him to interact with people interested in his publications in the field of history. He has two new books published recently: Golden Fleece: The Voynich Manuscript and British Intelligence (Dorrance, 2024) and a fifth edition of The Historian’s Toolbox (Routledge, 2024), which enjoys a solid reputation after 20 years on the market.

Peter Nilsen passed away on May 28, 2024. He attended Wesleyan for three semesters, during which time he joined Delta Sigma fraternity. He later graduated with an MBA from the University of Hartford. He was employed by Aetna Insurance for 29 years, where he became vice president of bond investments. He loved spending time with his family, reading, skiing, and traveling in his retirement. Peter is survived by his wife, Susan Nilsen, two daughters, three stepchildren, and six grandchildren. My condolences to his family and friends.

In September, Tish and I were part of the wedding celebration for her granddaughter at a rural venue adjacent to the historic Gallon House Covered Bridge in Silverton, Oregon.