Class Notes | 1960s

Tom Spragens writes: “I recently retired after 48 years in the political science department at Duke. Also recently discovered that both my sophomore roommates and Eclectic fraternity brothers had offspring living here in Durham. That led to a recent reunion.” He enclosed a picture of the reunion and he, Fred Karem, and Alan Gayer are looking relaxed, well-dressed, and handsome.

And John Coatsworth writes: “I will be stepping down as provost of Columbia University this summer after eight years in the post. I plan to return to teaching in Columbia School of International and Public Affairs and in the history department. I’m looking forward to spending time with our two grandkids, Emma, 12, and Alex, 10, who live with their parents a few blocks from Pat and me in Manhattan’s Upper West Side.”

Sad news from John Kikoski. “My wife, Cathy MA’63, died recently after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s. We met at Wes in September 1962, graduated together in 1963, and married in Aleppo, Syria, in 1964 (where Cathy grew up). We were the Class of 1963’s first and longest married couple.” She had a remarkable life. To read of it, type Catherine Kano Kikoski for an internet search. “Right now, I am recovering from cardiac surgery (transcatheter aortic valve replacement or TAVR) at Columbia Presbyterian and will be in recovery for maybe two more weeks. Can’t believe how much better I feel with a new valve that pumps 100 percent (not 20 percent) of the blood and oxygen my body needs.”

From Fred Taylor: “Carole and I now have nine grandchildren; the most recent born April 24 in LA. Annslie Taylor Leikarts joins the group of five boys and four girls spread among our three children. Still working part-time at Evercore. Love to travel with Carole and also enjoy spending time with our grandkids. Visiting WesU soon for the emeritus trustee gathering. Look forward to being on campus.”

In other related news, Laman Gray was back on campus and gave a TEDx talk. “Very enjoyable,” he said.

Allen Tucker writes, “During the last 10 years, I have been developing free open source software for nonprofits, usually with a student team. In 2013, I founded the Non-Profit FOSS Institute (NPFI) to provide support for other faculty and students who want to do the same at their colleges (NPFI.org). My new book, Client Centered Software Development, will be published by CRC Press. The book describes this work and its outcomes. It has been a great joy for me to be able to contribute to nonprofits in this way, and also to keep my hand in the education and software games for so long after retirement. My wife Meg and I have two adult kids who both live in the D.C. area. As academics, we have traveled widely, teaching in Germany, New Zealand, and Ukraine (both on Fulbrights). We are blessed in many ways but I am especially thankful to WesU for opening my eyes to computer science as well as the notion of humanitarian service as an essential element of a liberal education.”

Don Sexton wrote, “In 2017, I retired from the full-time faculty at Columbia University after 50 years and 10,000 students. Am still teaching a few weeks a year at schools in places like Shanghai, Paris, and Washington, D.C. I have been placing more effort in my painting (sextonart.com) and have three solo shows scheduled in New York over the next 18 months.”

Byron S. Miller | tigr10@optonline.net
5 Clapboard Hill Rd., Westport, CT 06880

Bob Gelardi serves on the board and as chairman of the Charity Relations Committee of the Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation, the fourth largest charity wine auction in the U.S. This year the Foundation will be giving a record $3 million to 16 local children’s’ charities.

Bob Saliba wanted to share with classmates a book rewritten by Peter Mooz, American Masterworks of Religious Painting 1664-1964. Bob writes, “I always thought of ‘religious painting’s being from Europe 1200-1600. But no, the religious has been a vital part of a longer painting history; I just didn’t see it until Peter focused on it. A great read. Thanks, Peter.”

Steve Trott says, “I’m still hearing cases on President Trump’s favorite Circuit, the dreaded Ninth, but nothing involving him.” A former Justice Department official in Washington, Steve adds, “I’m plenty glad to be as far away as possible from D.C. without going all the way to California. Idaho is a great place to live.”

Chuck Work and Roni are enjoying retirement on the eastern shore of Maryland and Naples, Fla. He makes a familiar lament: “I know time is passing too quickly when my son Ben ’99 tells me he is attending his 20th Reunion in Middletown.”

Finally, a sad note on the passing of Richard Knapp in January at his home in Asheville, N.C. For most of his career, he was a professor of foreign language at nearby Mars Hill College. We extend condolences to his family.

DAVID FISKE | davidfiske17@gmail.com
17 W. Buckingham Dr. Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971

Russ Robertson described his Vietnam experience as follows: “I spent eight months in DaNang as the head and neck surgeon. After repairing a perforation of the eardrum of a 12-year-old girl, I learned that her father was the head general of South Viet Nam. The following Sunday, I played a tennis match in downtown DaNang with the general. The court was surrounded by four tanks at each corner with four machine guns interspersed between them! Multiple other times were filled with one to two days continuously in the operating room. Most cases involved three teams of surgeons simultaneously working on the same patient—orthopods completing amputations, general surgeons repairing abdominal wounds, and me repairing through-and-through neck wounds as well as multiple facial fractures . . . no sleep and little food.”

Before moving on to other subjects, I would like to insert a few comments regarding my own involvement in the Vietnam conflict. The U.S. Navy offered a program to dental students which fundamentally insured the student a Navy internship immediately after graduation from dental school. I entered the Navy my sophomore year as an ensign, performing basic training at Annapolis the following summer, and then began my internship two years later at St. Albans Naval Hospital in NYC. Normally, the internship would be completed in one year, but I was offered an additional year as a resident in anesthesiology. Upon completion of that unique training pilot program, it was customary to meet with the admiral and determine future assignments. My meeting went something like this:

Admiral: “Well, Dr. Magendanz, have you given any thought to where you would like to be assigned next?”

My reply: “Yes, sir . . . maybe Naples, Italy?” (Silence!) “Or a hospital ship?” (Still silence!) “Perhaps it’s Vietnam? . . .”

“Very good, Dr. Magendanz. That’s an excellent choice!”

So, after Marine Corps training at Pendelton, Calif., I shipped out to Southeast Asia. Oddly enough, I was immediately positioned at a dental facility in DaNang, straddled with the responsibility of training dental corps staff members. After normal work hours, however, I would sneak off to the station hospital OR and put my anesthesia training to use. (My initial dental CO would not tolerate his dental officer “passing gas.”) When the new CO arrived (an oral surgeon), I was quickly transferred to the hospital anesthesia staff, with an additional part-time assignment to the USS Sanctuary hospital ship anesthesia staff. The clinical exposure, the experience and the respect that I gained that year could never have been achieved in the States.

I was later discharged from the regular navy to reserve status as a LCDR, allowing me to return to the States to get my medical degree. Unfortunately, the academic world was hesitant to set a precedent allowing a dental alumnus advanced standing admission to the medical school. Also, hospitals shied away from employing a dentist as an anesthesiologist because guidelines were inadequate and the risk of litigation was high. As dreadful as the Vietnam conflict was, it did, in my case, provide a silver lining on that dark cloud of history, providing me with the knowledge and training to treat apprehensive children and adults for 20 years in my private practice, providing dental care which they would not otherwise have tolerated.

Sadly, my concluding comments address the deaths of Steve Wainwright and Wayne Glazier. Six months before Steve’s death, I received a letter from Steve describing his cancer treatment. Paul Dickson forwarded the following note: “Steve died March 2. Funeral March 13. His obit is in today’s Globe. It’s one of the longest obits, three columns, I’ve seen in the paid obit section, which I cannot find online. Quite a life as an attorney in Brockton and North Easton.”

Responses to Steve’s death include Dickson’s: “Every once in a while it hits me what an odd, talented and unpredictable—to say nothing of motley—crew Jack Hoy ’55, MALS’61 created when he created the Wesleyan Class of 1961.” From Rich Corson: “His obituary brings it all back, Marvelous Marvin Hagler and all! He did have a colorful life.” And Brad Beechen: “Truly one of a kind. Many fond memories.”

Wayne Glazier’s wife Jan provided insight to Wayne’s career, travels, and accomplishments. She said, “Wayne passed away July 14, 2018, after a prolonged and very brave battle with cancer. He was always proud of his Wesleyan connections and kept in contact with Jim Stewart, his fraternity brother throughout the years, sharing holidays in the States, Australia, and around the world, including a house-building project in Cambodia.” Wayne was described as “a quiet, gentle man with high intelligence and integrity.” Family was important to Wayne and Jan. With an MBA from Harvard, an Australian CPA, and a master’s in taxation, he was appointed editor of the Australian Tax Guide, reaching retirement in 2008.

Jon K. Magendanz, DDS | jon@magendanz.com
902 39th Avenue West, Bradenton, FL 34205

John Dobson has not skied the past two seasons in his hometown of Big Sky, Mont. In January, he underwent a complicated lumbar spinal fusion that required 12 screws and two long rods. Walking has been his physical therapy after the operation. He has some physical restrictions. In May, he had a prostate operation and is doing well after the surgery. John and Nici invite you to come for a visit: johndobson4@gmail.com.

Peg and Dave Hale are trying to “age gracefully.” They had a nice cruise in February from Barcelona to Lisbon with stops in Spanish ports, Tangiers, and Gibraltar.

Pam and Tom Mansager finished their 11th season as junior varsity girls tennis coaches at their local high school and have announced their retirement from coaching. Although they did not have a winning record this past year, working with the girls was a joy for them.

Bill Walker had total ankle surgery and appreciated Janet’s great support during recovery. They celebrated his return to good health with a May week in California wine country that included an enjoyable evening with Sharon and Jay Levy. He returned to the golf course that same month.

Bill is the author of two popular and highly respected novels of inter-war Europe, About Danzig and About a Spy in Vienna. For more information, consult authorwilliamwalker.com. He is working on political intrigue novel number three.

Bob Williams has written an autobiography, From Away: The Maine Origins of a Russian Historian. He urges others to do likewise for their children and grandchildren before most of it is forgotten.

February in Bellingham was the coldest recorded in the past 70 years. I am glad that we are past that.

SAL RUSSO | salandjudy@hotmail.com
2700 Kentucky St., Bellingham, WA 98229

John Fenner “is still practicing law in Hollywood, Fla., specializing in business divorces.”

From Jeff Wohkittel: “Check unpsouth.com for my latest book. Sincere condolences to all affected by class losses.”

Cilla and Rick Pedolsky “wish you peace and happiness in 2019.”

Bill Sketchley asked “guests to wear silly hats to his February birthday.”

Bill Eaton has “lived with diabetes over three decades but will be at Reunion. I teach psychiatric epidemiology at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. While instructing in Barcelona, I visited Sagrada Familia, which feels like a forest inside. My kind of cool church.”

Dave Dixon, FAIA, “speaks widely on successful suburbs, highlighting smart, opportunistic choices for the way many of us live.”

Tony Mohr “attended the family’s annual Christmas reunion in San Miguel de Allende. I try lots of cases but think of retiring and part-time judging. Glint published an essay, ‘The Last Honors Class.’”

Jim Adkins “went to Peru on a medical team assisting children and adults with cleft palates. The Wicked Witch said, ‘The last to go will see the first three go before her.’ It stinks either way, but I would rather watch and wait.”

Denny Marron is “the Ralph Kramden of the shoreline, driving senior buses in Madison and Guilford, Conn.”

Jim Wisdom sent a Tibetan proverb: “The secret to living well and longer: eat half, walk double, laugh triple, love without measure.”

Nick Browning still “enjoys full-time psychotherapy, where I feel solid and competent most of the time. Hope delusions haven’t taken over. I visited Gordy Holleb in Berkeley. His illness has hurt his walking and talking, but not his recognition and comprehension. It was good to see him. Our infant grandson is a sustaining joy. We bought a house in Woodstock, Vt. Many blessings and few complaints.”

Pete Pfeiffer is “Maine’s reigning Logger of the Year, and I hope this is my last, dangerous, winter campaign. I’m holed up next to a woodstove. Wind howling. Snow piling up. A Jack London day.  A new book is percolating, and my memoir, Hard Chance, is considered ‘a minor classic’ by noted reviewer C. Edward Farrow.”

Steve Knox is “still working and looking forward to seeing everyone at Reunion.”

Tom Earle is “finishing a 45-year career teaching English at the Punahou School in Honolulu. Maj and I will travel off season to avoid crowds.”

Peter Arenella doesn’t “miss law school teaching as much as I thought I would. I read, listen to music, and grandfather. It took a long time to listen to my heart. Our daughters have wonderful partners. Our handicapped son lives in an adult group home and works fulltime at a restaurant. He’s happy and stable. Mia and I will move to Mexico as our home there is almost finished.”

Stu Blackburn just published The History Wars. From the noted reviewer: “This is a fine novel, rewarding the reader with both joy and sorrow. If you were entertained by Paul Scott’s The Jewel in the Crown, you will find resonance in Blackburn’s writing.”

Bernie Freamon wrote, “I am pleased to report that I have had a very successful career as a law professor at Seton Hall Law and as a litigator for the ACLU and other organizations and clients. In recent years I have concentrated on research and writing on the topic of slavery and Islamic law. I have a book coming out on June 27, 2019, in sha’Allah, entitled Possessed by the Right Hand: The Problem of Slavery in Islamic Law and Muslim Cultures, to be published by Brill. I urge everyone to buy it. I intend to attend the 50th Reunion and I look forward to seeing old friends and classmates.”

Mark Johnson wrote in with an update about the artist Momodou Ceesay ’70. Momodouspent some time traveling in Sierra Leone and was in Senegal for their biennial art show last summer. Here is a serigraph from 2011 entitled The Stroll.

Michael Fairchild wrote in: “We are all well and healthy. Son Scott and his girlfriend Joan had a terrific 2018. They finished off the year with a vacation to Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam—where they had some suits made, took a sunset cruise on the Mekong, and rode elephants. Scott and Joan also swam with whale sharks, kissed manatees, and rode dolphins on their other vacation to Isla Mujeres in Mexico.

“When Scott and Joan weren’t vacationing, they were living their normal lives in D.C. Scott was fighting the good fight on Capitol Hill as chief of staff for Senator Catherine Cortez Masto. At the end of the year he started a new endeavor—as the executive director of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. The main objective of his new position is to help the Democrats get elected to the Senate in 2020. Joan is continuing her work at Deloitte helping the government solve its many problems. They welcomed a new dog, Beta into their home. One sad note of the year was the passing of their dog, Bristol. RIP.

“Daughter Marnie is enjoying her continuing work with major donors in New England, the mid-Atlantic and the Midwest for Amnesty International. She is thrilled to be able to keep her current role while moving to work in Manhattan while living in Brooklyn this April. Marnie traveled with a group of college friends to the west coast of Costa Rica early in 2018, and Tulum, Mexico, in May. She’s always looking for more recommendations for adventures. She loves all the work travel, and hopes to add a few new vacation destinations in the New Year.

“In April we took our first trip to Charleston, S.C., to visit our dear friends Corinne and David Ramage. They have become observant naturalists, learning so much about local flora and fauna. We enjoyed many visits to local swamps to watch and photograph the frenetic springtime courtship and nest building efforts of white egrets, anhingas, and great blue herons. Many of our favorite swamp creatures made their cameo appearances for our cameras, especially barred owls, alligators, and frogs. Corinne and David also took us to Beidler Forest through a controlled burn and later to Bear Island for bald eagles silhouetted by sunrise. To round out our experience, we took the early morning ferry to Fort Sumter for a dramatic raising of a huge American flag by all the children gathered together by the local park ranger. On this spot in April 12, 1861 the American Civil War officially started when Confederate shore batteries fired on this Union fort. We also had a chance to tour the historic part of Charleston and see some of the beautiful homes there. Everywhere we went we were so impressed with the hospitality and friendly nature of all the South Carolinians that we met.

“Michael continues to enjoy photography, still photographing weddings, portrait sessions, and public relations events. I also continue to teach on Fridays at a nearby elementary school in their science program. Our friends Steve and Irene gave us a wonderful birdfeeder that now attracts so many songbirds that I had never seen before in my neighborhood. I fitted out the feeder with two branches on either side so I was able to get tight close-ups of these colorful birds.

“For most of 2018, I was immersed in a project to assemble an audiovisual about North American wildlife and wilderness. This involved scanning hundreds of old Kodachromes and digging up faded national park brochures to work on the script. The project is 90% done.”

The list of those who say “hello” is long: Doug Bell, Barry Checkoway, Dave Driscoll, Jim Drummond, Steve Greenfield, Bruce Hartman, Ed Hayes, Mark Johnson, Steve Johnson, Ken Kawasaki, Charlie Morgan, Ric Peace, Barry Porster, Guillermo Prada-Silva, Dave Stevenson, Rick Vila, and John Wilson.

New England staggers after a terrible storm. Wind chills below zero. Widespread outages and damage. Old Saybrook is Never-never Land. The proximity of the River and Sound moderates the weather, some.

Mallards return to the estuary, looking for nesting sites, the water a protective moat. They move as if magnetized. We encourage the squirrels’ enmity with thistle feeders, which attract the smallest, brightest birds.

I make a gallon of leftovers’ soup every week. Right now—ham, carrots, celery, pasta, parsley, water, and a few stones. Neighbors come over with glass containers and offerings when called. “Blind faith,” one says.

I draw with ink and watercolor pencils. Sister Kate gave me a 72-color set. There is a sealed landfill nearby, a promontory, where I sketch Turtle Creek, North Cove, the Connecticut River, and Old Lyme shore.

Martin Luther King Day brings a flood of Wesleyan memories. Dr. King, John McGuire, the Vietnam War, George Creeger, Julian Bond, Washington marches. The desire for social justice, which began with my parents and Wesleyan fostered, is ceaseless.

Charlie Farrow | charlesfarrow@comcast.net
11 Coulter Street, #16, Old Saybrook, CT 06475 

Class of 1968 Endowed Wesleyan Scholarship Fund
Caroline Pitton ’22, Seattle, WA
Dylan Judd ’22, Bellmore, NY

I am ruthless about keeping these notes non-political. But today I slept late, as I often do, and awoke to learn of a massacre at a Pittsburgh synagogue. My heart is just breaking for our country.

Bill Shepard died right after Reunion. A swimmer, he competed at Pingry and Wes. He took vacations where he could swim recreationally and imbued his children and grandchildren with a love for the water. A decorated Vietnam combat veteran who spent a year at a riverboat base, he explored foreign cultures in a long, distinguished career in high finance—with assignments in Tokyo and Saudi Arabia—after a degree from Columbia Business School. He concluded his career in Houston as head of U.S. operations for the Riyad Bank. Tony Mohr ’69, a Superior Court judge in LA, who transferred into Wes, wrote me noting how kind Bill had been about taking him under his wing when Tony didn’t know anybody.

Local/crew news: Judy, who is a Francophile without mobility issues, went to Brittany in the spring (regular paid vacations are in her prenup) and we went to Alaska in August. Great fun. More landscape and wildlife than you can shake a stick at. On Oct. 2, Will Macoy ’67, Bob Svensk, John Lipsky, Nason Hamlin, and I had dinner down by the boathouse to celebrate crew, old times, and Harrison Knight’s birthday. Phil Calhoun ’62 was not sufficiently recovered from a trip to Tuscany to grace us with his presence. As we were playing near the water, Santa Fe-based Joe Kelly Hughes ’67 was in Wilmington, N.C., working for FEMA. In November, he’d moved on to Paradise, Calif. Also, in November, Ellen and Wallace Murfit celebrated their 45th with a trip to places like Budapest, Salzburg, and Trieste.

In September, I heard from Sandy See just before he was off to Florence. He played a pivotal role at our 50th—as I told him, he has been our de facto class president since 1964—and his long-standing, multi-dimensional contributions to the University and the wider world were recognized by a special McConaughy award at Reunion. After graduation, he taught in Maine, then spent 10 years on the staff of Rep. Gerry Studds, D-Mass., a “very intelligent and committed” representative for “a socially and economically diverse” district that includes Boston suburbs and New Bedford. Sandy’s got a master’s in education and a law degree, and he moved into full-time development work for some worthy Boston-area educational and environmental non-profits. He is one of those retired but extremely busy types.

George Reynolds saw Southeast Asia from a destroyer, spent (with Dick Cavanagh’s help) a year in the Nixon administration and then morphed into a Baltimore attorney with an almost fun, junior partnership in a small local wine store on the side. At this point, he is spending more time in the garden than in the office, very busy as a trustee for Baltimore’s amazing Walter’s Art Museum, and celebrating his daughter’s new position as an assistant attorney general in Brian Frosh’s office. He has done a lot for us over the years. Thank you. Enjoyed seeing John Baggerman and the Reunion in general.

I heard from Stuart Ober, one of the Reunion’s tri-chairs and the recipient of an Alumni Service Award. He migrated from being an art major who studied French literature at the Sorbonne to an MBA and becoming an expert witness in fraud and securities litigation based in Woodstock, N.Y. (He was instrumental in helping send Bernie Madoff to the Big House) as well as a publisher. His son, Alexander (15), a whiz of a student and a starter for the New York State soccer team, attended Reunion and was one of its highlights for me. A scholar and a gentleman.

Our son attended the same preschool that Gus Spohn’s [’70] and Sarah Clark’s [’73] daughter, Katy ’05, did. Fast forward a million years and Katy’s a parent there who wrote a moving solicitation letter for the school. JoAnn and Bob Runk ’67 are still putting out music, at this point from Pinehurst, N.C., with their children and grandchildren. I heard from Dave Webb from St. Petersburg—Russia, where he and Barb celebrated their 50th.

I know I am terribly guilty of reporting highlights but—if it ever was—life is no longer a competition. (Personally, I gave up on trying to keep up with you all long ago). So, whatever you are doing, please let me hear from you.

Lloyd Buzzell | LBuzz463@aol.com
70 Turtle Bay, Branford, CT 06405 | 203/208-5360

Classmates, Dave Cadbury died in February 2018. The obituary that was sent to me included the following information. After graduating from Wesleyan (and before that, from Germantown Friends), he earned a master’s in sculpture from the Maryland Institute of Art, and in the early 1980s he worked as a sculptor, “producing conceptual installations about natural and environmental systems” (among other places his work was exhibited at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.). He also established two construction businesses. In 1992 he and his family moved to Maine, where he continued to work as a sculptor and as a building consultant. He was the founder of Friends of Maine Coastal Islands NWR, an organization that worked to protect the seabird habitat on Maine islands. In Philadelphia he was active with the Central Philadelphia Monthly Meeting and served on the board of the Friends Select School. In Maine he was active with the Midcoast Monthly Meeting of Friends and served as the clerk of the meeting for a number of years. He and his wife Karen were married for 49 years.

More recently, I received word that E. Craig MacBean died on Oct. 16. Craig was a graduate of the Haverford School (’63). At Wesleyan, he majored in English and played lacrosse. He subsequently attended the Union Presbyterian Seminary, from which he received an MAT in 2004. He was awarded an Army Commendation Medal for his service in the U.S. Army in the early 1970s. He is survived by four children.

While I am on the topic of Wesleyan alumni who have died recently, I recently watched Long Strange Trip, a four-hour documentary mercifully divided into six parts that featured, in a few of those parts, the late John Perry Barlow ’69. The film got very good reviews when it came out, but I was put off by the length, and did not go to a theater to see it. However, my wife and I stumbled upon it a month ago as we looked at streaming options on our TV and decided to watch it. We were glad we did (we watched it over three evenings). Barlow comes across as thoughtful and wise, the adult in the room (not, I’ll admit, as I remember him!). Those of you who are Deadheads have probably already seen it. Others of you might enjoy it, just to bring back some memories of the late 1960s and early 1970s (spoiler alert: it ends sadly, with the death of Jerry Garcia). And those of you who went on to earn MBAs might want to see how Garcia and Company (ironically?) created a brilliant entrepreneurship that made them more money than they knew what to do with.

As the obituary for Barlow in the New York Times noted, he was also a “coordinator” for the 1978 Congressional campaign of Dick Cheney (see my comments above about Barlow being wise). As part of my ongoing search for Wesleyan alumni in the media, I carefully watched the aptly titled movie about Cheney (Vice) and can confirm that there was no sign of Barlow.

Hang in there. Send me stuff.

Richie Zweigenhaft | rzweigen@guilford.edu

Claude Smith alerted me to the death of our classmate, Henry Saltonstall Lufler, Jr. Neither Claude or I knew Hank, but after reading about his life of public service to Madison and of his distinguished academic career at the University of Wisconsin, we wished we had. Here a link to Hank’s obituary.

Claude’s email brought sad but also happy news: he and Elaine are thriving. Claude will be teaching a course on travel writing next fall at the University of Wisconsin; this past November he and Elaine “finally” made it to the Grand Canyon.

Travel and grandchildren course through these class notes. Harry Potter and his wife, Lee, who will be celebrating “50 years of marriage this year,” have “two grandchildren (toddlers 15 and 16 months) . . . Not sure whether the toddlers are wearing me out or keeping me young but they sure are joys” (I vote young). Theirs has been a year of travel, “three plus weeks . . . in Patagonia on a Smithsonian trip with our classmate, Bill Machen, and his wife, Leslie. Buenos Aires, Cape Horn, the Magellan Strait, Santiago, Valparaiso . . . Followed up with a trip later in the year to Santa Fe . . . Ventured up into Colorado on the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad, went horseback riding at the Ghost Ranch where Georgia O’Keefe maintained her summer ranch, played golf at various sites on reservations and visited the galleries and museums in Santa Fe. Art Mecca. The art collections in the Capital buildings in Santa Fe, by themselves, made the trip worthwhile.” June found the Potters in Iceland “on a birding trip.” Next up: “four weeks . . . in New Zealand, North and South Islands.”

Harry goes on to write: “Also see our classmate, Stan Healy, and his wife, Sarah, frequently. They sold their house in Sudbury, Mass., and now live permanently in their second home on the Cape. Occasionally run into our classmate, Don Craven, and his wife at a local restaurant in Wellesley we both frequent. Don is still working. Will be having dinner next week with John Wincze ’65, and a couple of mutual friends. John has retired from teaching at Brown and from his private practice as a psychologist. And recently, had a nice call with Phil Rockwell ’65. Had called him to congratulate him on his induction into the Wesleyan Athletic Hall of Fame for his contributions on the gridiron and on the baseball diamond. Phil is retired but very active. Never sits still. So, it was nice to hear about Jeff Hopkins’s well deserved induction.”

Harry also mentioned that he and Lee “had lunch in Montpelier, Vt., with our classmate, Rob Chickering, and his wife, Rhoda . . . They live just outside of Montpelier in Barre, Vt. Rob keeps in great shape playing tennis and golf. Has not gained a pound! I have known Rob since fifth grade. We attended the same middle school and high school followed, of course, by Wesleyan. Great guy. Hoping to see them later this month when we plan to be in Vermont.”

No recent travel for Jeff Nilson, though he did send a witty account of a trip he . . . took to Oxfordshire in 2006. But grandchildren: “My younger grandson, 12, plays chess, writes poetry, and no longer wants to play for the Patriots. Older grandson, 15, is trying to reconcile earth’s position on the outskirts of the Milky Way, the number of stars in the universe, and the existence of God.”

Last September and October, Dan Lang and his wife, Diane ’70, “hiked along the Camino de Santiago de Compostela between Leon and Santiago (about 120 kilometers), and then spent several days touring the great Moorish cities in Andalusia: Seville, Granada, Cordoba, Malaga, and Ronda . . . In mid-July, we spenta week touring . . . some remarkable gardens in Quebec . . . down the Lower St. Lawrence, from Quebec City to Cap Chat.” Dan goes on to give this update: “I spent one or two days each week either atthe [University of Toronto] working with graduate students or at the provincial ministry working on a new funding formula and on the plan and budget for a new Francophone university. Both jobs are now done. I enjoyed the latter, but found the former to be a bureaucratic slog. The Devil is not only in the details, sometimes he seemed to be at the table. Serving on a couple of boards takes a few days each month. The work one of the boards—Canada’s largest polytechnic college—is very interesting. I will regret when my second and last term ends next year.

The rest of the year was dominated by our Big Four: tennis, gardening, bridge, and taking Winston for his three daily walks. Between the two of us, we belong to three tennis clubs. Diane is treasurer of one and chair of the tennis liaison committee at the other (which is also a curling club, which only in Canada makes sense). We had big crops this year of raspberries, blackberries, currants, gooseberries, tomatoes, andpeaches.That in turn means that our cupboards are full of jams, jellies, salsa, relish, and peach cobbler.”

Rick Crootofand his wife, Linda, returned to their home in Sarasota after “a week in LA preceded by a month in Australia and Christmas in North Carolina.” Rick has been in touch with Andy Kleinfeld, whose daughter Rachel, Rhodes Scholar and a national security analyst at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, was quoted in Thomas L. Friedman’s NYT’scolumn (Jan. 15, 2019). Cliff Shedd and his wife, Michelle, have also been on the road, visiting Thos Hawley and his wife, Marijke,at their home in Carmel by the Sea, Calif., Thos reporting: “We had a great evening . . . and bored out spouses with many WesU recollections.”

Bill Hollinger does not mention grandchildren, but as director of the secondary school program of Harvard University’s Summer School, a position he has held for 15 years, he has many “children.” The Program serves “1,400 high school students each summer. About a third of the students are international.” Though “Running it is a full-time job…,” Bill still finds time to teach, a “course called Writing the Novel this fall term, at the Harvard Extension School. Fifteen novelists assemble every Tuesday evening; it is a bright, diverse, and engaging group. In spring term, I teach Introduction to Fiction Writing—18 eager beginners, also an engaging group most years, and a little less serious, therefore a little more fun.” Bill and I share fond memories of Peter Boynton, who mentored Bill in the writing of his senior thesis, a novel. “He never gave up on me, and supported me with encouragement all the way through. A wonderful model for me when I began teaching creative writing in earnest in 1979.” One more gem from Bill’s note: “Rick [Crootof] . . . contacted me about tickets to Hamilton (in Boston), bless him, so my wife and I will be attending . . . I owe Rick and Wesleyan for that connection.”

If you have read Bill Fehring’s engaging biographical sketch for our 50th Reunion Book, you will see that his laconic missive masks much that is going in the rich lives being led by Bill and his wife, Bianca: “Not much new to report here. Still enjoying my semi-retirement and a variety of longtime activities (flying, photography, hiking, cycling) along with volunteer work with local nature preserves and even a bit of consulting work on a local transportation project.”

I close with congratulations to David Luft who has been nominated for membership in the European Academy and with a reminder to attend our mini-reunion May 23-26.

LARRY CARVER | carver1680@gmail.com
P.O. Box 103, Rico, Colorado, 81332 512/478-8968

Class of 1965 35th Reunion Memorial Endowed Wesleyan Scholarship
Michael Ivy ’20, College of East Asian Studies, Government

Dear Classmates, we begin this issue with a message from our tireless class co-conveners, Hugh Wilson and Mark Edmiston: “A group of us met at Homecoming last fall to plan our 55th Reunion, which will occur May 22-24, 2020. Plans are to have a reception and remembrances of recently deceased classmates on Friday afternoon followed by dinner and then the Wombats (who are excited to be playing again!). Saturday will include Wes Shorts with classmates giving brief comments or reflections on issues important to them. At dinner that night we are inviting all faculty from our era living near Wes as our guests, along with Barbara-Jan Wilson, who has tentatively accepted the invitation. Sunday will include brunch and departure. Hope as many of you as possible will be able to attend. The record for 55th Reunion attendance (classmates plus guests) is 48. Let’s set a new record!”

The great response to my recent request for news necessitated using only a portion in the last magazine. Below is information not previously printed.

Brian Baxter: “The day after I retired from full-time work, my wife and I left for a month-long home exchange with a couple from Amsterdam, who lived in our home in Sarasota, Fla., for the month that we lived in their home in Amstelveen, a suburb of Amsterdam, with their four cats and several fish. We also ‘inherited’ several neighbors who welcomed us into their lives, while we enjoyed having the time for a leisurely exploration of the music, museums, and culture of Amsterdam and several nearby cities.

“During the past six years, we have developed lasting friendships through month-long home exchanges with three families in Paris, one in Vienna, one in Dresden, one in The Hague, one in eastern Maine, and one in the Upper East Side in NYC.

“We split our time between condo communities in center city Philadelphia and on Little Sarasota Bay on the west coast of Florida, when we are not enjoying home exchanges or other travel. We have become very involved with an amazing community of condos in Sarasota known as Pelican Cove, where I am serving as president of the board. My wife, Ilene, is the chair of the steering committee.”

Clyde Beers: “Donna and I now are delighted to have three children and their families, including eight grandchildren. The latter are stretched out from almost-in-college to a 3- and a 5-year old.”

Gar Hargens: “Win Chamberlin’s account of building for Habitat took Missy and me back a year ago to a similar adventure in Northern Cambodia. We didn’t have wheelbarrows, but instead carried bags of sand and cement to the middle of the dirt floor and mixed a concrete soup. Maybe it was the 90-degree heat and humidity, but by next morning the slabs had miraculously cured enough to stand on for the final ceremony. The Cambodian family were moving from a shack that was constantly flooded. With a toilet and cold-water tap, they were ecstatic with their simple space.

“Kirt Mead’s wife, Susan, and I spoke recently. She said the support of her daughters and the Meads’ great network of friends has helped deal with the shock and pain. She was about to head overseas and visit familiar places and friends. We agreed to meet up in Nice next April, one of her favorites.”

Great to hear from Bird Norton, one outstanding athlete and friend: “Things going well as we all hit 75! My so-called depression has not come back since that wonderful 50th Reunion.”

Unfortunately, must end this report on a sad note, as just received word of the passing of David Lott on June 19 at his home in Beaufort, S.C. Dave was born in Hartford in 1943 and grew up in Pittsburgh. He graduated from Shady Side Academy and after Wesleyan earned a master’s in history from the University of Michigan and a J.D. from the University of Virginia. He was a partner in the firm of Foley & Lardner and practiced law in Milwaukee and Chicago. He is survived by his wife, Susan, and his first wife, Margaret, and their children: John, Katherine, Sarah, and Edward. He was involved in a number of community organizations, and I remember reaching out to him for advice some years ago and he was kind and generous with his assistance. He will surely be missed by all who knew him.

Philip L. Rockwell | prockwell@wesleyan.edu

Class of 1964 Endowed Wesleyan Scholarship
Dimitri Slory ’21, Brooklyn, NY

We hope many of you are planning to come to Reunion! Many of our classmates have been working for several months to plan special events and gatherings. It promises to be a great time to not only reconnect with old friends but also meet classmates whom you never knew. Registration and more information about the weekend can be found here: wesleyan.edu/rc.

Our Reunion committee has decided to have a closed-session event during Reunion Weekend that would consist of informal talks/presentations by classmates who would like to expound upon or explain to fellow classmates, family members, and guests a subject that is near and dear to your heart; something you feel passionate about. It might be a subject from your work, a remarkable life experience, or a passionate hobby that you have enjoyed.

Karen and Chris Chase have moved into a continuing care retirement community (CCRC). These are retirement communities with accommodations for independent living, assisted living, and nursing home care. Karen is part of a women’s action group and was charged with getting out the vote in the last election. Chris is involved with two choral groups, one of them off-campus. They are both enjoying the continuing ed courses offered by Dartmouth. He’s currently enrolled in a Beowulf course—rereading the text in Old English. It’s good to blow dust off the brain.

Becky and I have moved to a RV trailer here in Umatilla, Fla. It has the feel of a CCRC that Chris reported, with all sorts of programs. We still have our condo in Savannah, traveling back and forth every month.

Garry Fathman reports celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary with wife Ann (and three married children and three grandchildren) and will celebrate his 50-year graduation from Washington University School of Medicine this year.

Steve Huepper and wife Marian celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary and rented a home in Saluda, N.C., on a lake for something special! They played golf in Hendersonville, saw a show in Flat Rock, and of course went out to dinner several nights. The show was a treat and the golf was just to see how another course compared to their two courses close to home in Carolina Trace in Sanford, N.C. Steve shared, “I am sad to report my golf game would earn me a D-minus, the same grade I got in freshman calculus.”

In March, Steve Oleskey, Jim Howard, and Nick Puner gathered for a long weekend at the small farm of David Skaggs outside Niwot, Colo. While at Wesleyan, the four imagined going to law school and then joining to found a new “white shoe” law firm: Puner, Oleskey, Skaggs & Howard, or POSH. While they all got through law school, the law firm, alas, lived on only in their imaginations. Better late than never, they have now initiated an annual reunion to discuss pressing issues in the law, ruminate about the state of the nation, and sample local craft brews.

Rusty Messing retired from his clinical psychology practice and from the board of Synergy, the elementary school he cofounded 45 years ago.

“My days consist of going to the gym, running and/or lifting some weights, then off to the coffee shop with my newspaper to sit with other locals, then off to do some honey-dos, to go back home to work at my desk, write and edit more poems (I am soon to finish my third book of poetry!), fill the wheelbarrow with last year’s cut and split wood to keep the wood stove happy and the home warm.” He has six grandchildren ranging from 6 months to 18. “The fires in NorCal are out and we settle into my favorite time of year: easier days, no harsh heat, no fire-fear, easy rain,” he writes. “This was a particularly bad year for our olive harvest—the worst we’ve ever had after last year’s which was the best. Oh, well. If any of you classmates would like some of our award-winning, delicious oil I would be more than willing to send you some at a discount plus shipping.”

TED MANOS, M.D. | ted_manos@yahoo.com