Class Notes

Dear Classmates,

Thank you for the following response to my belated plea for news:

Win Chamberlin: “Our best news is the arrival of granddaughter Grey Davies Sparrow.  Not unlike her mother and our daughter, Felicity, I suspect the only grey in her life will be her name; otherwise, it’s all straight black or white. Getting ready for another Habitat build this year in the Dominican Republic. As usual, we’ll be doing cement pours to replace dirt floors with concrete, so basic yet so important. My wheelbarrow, Ezmeralda, will be on location.  Hope I can keep doing this for a few more years. The people we serve may be poor, but their gratitude and wealth in spirit is world class.”

John Graves: “Since our 50th, I note with sadness the loss of Ron Young, with whom I roomed at the Reunion, and Professor John Maguire, Freedom Rider, lifelong activist for peace and justice and friend of Dr. Martin Luther King, whose life we celebrate tomorrow. I retired from my practice of psychiatry in Denver in 2016 and recently completed a personal/professional memoir entitled Lessons on the Road to Hope: A Psychiatrist’s Journey, which I plan to publish later this year. Ongoing classical piano studies, fly fishing (king salmon in Alaska), participating in a men’s reading group, volunteering in a homeless women’s program at my church and with Mental Health Colorado, along with extensive travels in Europe, Morocco, and plans for two weeks in Kenya this summer, have been exciting. I am blessed with good health and increasingly grateful for my time at Wesleyan. Janmarie (Holyoke ’69) and I have a very comfortable guest apartment and would welcome visitors if you are planning on a trip to the Rockies. We pray for peace at home and in the world.”

John Dunton: “Carol and I learned this year that Route 20, which begins at Kenmore Square in Boston ends up in Newport, Ore. It is the longest continuous road in the U.S., and if they had a catchy song like Route 66 does, people might know what a long and winding road Route 20 is. We drove it end-to-end in June and July, with many stops along the way including the Jell-O Museum, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, a Cubs game, the Field of Dreams house and ball yard, and cornfield, Yellowstone Park and all its glories, and after hitting the Pacific we spent several days in quirky Portland, Ore.  We saw the farmers literally under water in Ohio and Indiana, the hundreds of dollar stores, the surprising (to us) resurgence of Cleveland and Toledo, a real rodeo, bison roaming free, and the unexpected charm of Boise. We feel much more reconnected to our country as a result.”

Bill Knox: In Morocco with Carolyn and her best friend, who was her college roommate for four years and introduced us on New Year’s Eve 1968. Staying in a rather rustic Airbnb in Chefchaouen.

Arthur Rhodes: “Just retired from Rush University Medical Center. Leslie and I will be spending more time with our combined families of five children and 10 grandchildren in Chicago and New Orleans. Homes in both places. Surprised how each day flies by when I am not seeing patients.”

Gar Hargens: “In Beantown last weekend to watch grandsons Grayson and Holland (senior co-captain and sophomore) play two basketball games for Newton North High School. Connected with Susan Mead for a long overdue lunch and reminiscence about Kirt and Wesleyan. She has four terrific grandkids and splits time between Cambridge and Marion. In December, Missy and I were invited to Costa Rica to meet 2-month-old granddaughter Charlie Collett Hargens, my seventh grandchild. Youngest daughter Kendra ’04 is a senior designer for Patagonia and with generous maternity leave, elected to introduce Charlie to surfing on the West Coast and have us down. Missy’s working hard for Senator Amy Klobuchar, the moderate Minnesota Midwesterner we think has the best shot.”

Jim Henderson writes of the young man whom he, Connie, and a loving community support, who is now at James Madison University. The young man is a gifted musician and was mostly homeless through high school and before his mother passed away unexpectedly. A great story. He and Connie recently visited with an exchange student they hosted from Duesseldorf who was with them in the 1980s. They remain very active with book clubs, classes, and a number of civic and charitable organizations. They traveled to England last summer, which tied into Connie’s longtime love of English gardens. They live in Carrollton, Va., and would welcome hearing from friends who are visiting the area.

Carl Calendar: “I worked for Brookdale Community College at the Jersey Shore for 48 years, ending up as dean of humanities, and I still give lectures for the lifelong learning program in the non-credit division.  During my career I worked three years in the summers for the State Department in Malaysia and Borneo trying to encourage better writing and freedom of the press. I also had summer grants to study Shakespeare at Princeton and Exeter College, Oxford. I have traveled fairly widely including walking 200 miles on the Camino de Santiago where I earned my Compostela. I am married to Jody Shaughnessy Calendar who was the managing editor of the Asbury Park Press and the Bergen Record. We have two sons, Bart, who runs his own communication company in Montpellier, France, and Shane who is a corporate attorney in New Jersey.”

Roger Spragg: “At UC San Diego for 50 years, now retired from the department of medicine and patient care but continuing some mentoring and investigative activities. Carole and I celebrated our 50th anniversary last winter with our two sons and their families at our home near Whitefish, Mont. Travel, hiking, and reading on some subjects I neglected at Wesleyan are major activities. I’d enjoy hearing (at rspragg@ucsd.edu) from Wesleyan friends.

Dutch Siegert: “My dual occupations continue a still-booming law practice in New York City and professional high-stakes poker playing at the Borgata Casino in Atlantic City, N.J. Someone once mentioned the word retirement, but I don’t know what that means.”

Bill Brooks continues working at the University of York (UK), where he is now half-time and teaching only PhD students, and at the Orpheus Institute in Ghent, Belgium, where he is a senior research fellow and series editor for Orpheus Publications, most of which are issued by the University of Leuven Press. Nearly two years ago he bought a condominium in a 1929 building in Champaign, Ill., which he continues very slowly to restore. There he is emeritus professor of music at the University of Illinois, and he commutes regularly to Chicago, where he is a scholar-in-residence at the Newberry Library. Over Here, Over There, a collection of essays on the music of World War I, edited by himself and two colleagues, was issued by the University of Illinois Press last October; an LP of his 45-minute composition Footnotes, for guitar, was issued in January by Innova Records. A collection of compositions and essays created over the past eight years will be published online by the Orpheus Institute later this year. His compositions are published by Frog Peak Music. He can be reached at w-brooks@illinois.edu.

Dick Travis: “In June, Evelyn and I celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary with our first return to Glacier National Park since our family was there the summers of 1983 and 1984 when I was the U.S. Public Health Service Environmental Sanitation Consultant assigned to the park. Then off to Banff National Park, Lake Louise, and other parts of the Canadian Rockies. But most of our life these days revolves around church and grandchildren activities. At church, I am an elder, teach Sunday School, sing in the choir, and service on committees because Presbyterians “are orderly” and seem to love committees and commissions. Our grandchildren range in age from 21 in graduate school to an 8-year-old, and we are thankful to be in their lives, serve as taxi drivers when needed, and occasionally being interviewed for class assignments (there are benefits to having some mileage on you). While at Wesleyan, one of my uncles told me that Wesleyan would just be four years, but that this would result in much growth during this short time period. This was certainly true for me and in good part due to the wonderful classmates that I had who taught me so much. Thanks to all.”

Jeff Kessler: “Living in Manhasset on Long Island with wife Ilana. Continuing to enjoy practicing medicine (neurology) and my four kids and seven grandchildren. Can’t hit a golf ball nearly as far as a few years ago. Busy collecting wine and rare single malt scotch with the kids. Really proud of Wesleyan’s recent achievements in athletics, as well as in the arts and other fields. Daughter Vicki ’07 and son-in-law Evan Browne ’05 are also loyal enthusiasts.”

Bob Thorndike: “Retired for 13 years and accumulating an alarming number of replacement parts while spending most of the year in the far northwest. January and February in Phoenix for golf. We have cruised the Atlantic twice with continuations to Spitzbergen (coast of Norway) and the Baltic. Recommend St. Petersburg, it is worth the trip. Southern Africa is also well worth it for adventurous souls.”

Carl Hoppe: “Still toiling away at work. Busier than ever. Managed to get to Napili, Maui, for the holiday season. We go from LA to the beach house we share with Diane’s sisters in Del Mar every five or six weeks. Contemplating retiring when I get old. Things could be worse.”

Ken David: “Elly and I migrate yearly between Michigan and western Florida. As winter Floridians, we live 20 miles north of Tampa in the Trinity section of New Port Richey. We keep on traveling. The next trip is to Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. We shall reverse Apocalypse Now and boat down the Mekong River to Siem Reap. Angkor Wat is the target.”

Bertel Haarder: (junior year abroad) “I am the longest serving minister and parliamentarian in Denmark, still MP, and now also chairman of the Royal Theater in Copenhagen. as minister for education and research through 15 years, I profited a lot from my Wesleyan experience.”

Joe Nichols: “Oldest son, Weston, BS, Cornell (engineering), co-captain tennis team, PhD, California Institute Technology, recently married Holly Snyder, BA, Brown University (golf team), MBA, Wharton. Both on Wall Street. Youngest son, Peden, BS, MIT (engineering), co-captain tennis team, also on Wall Street. Betsy and I still living in Great Falls, Va.”

Bob MacLean: “Having first skied with other Eclectics at Powder Ridge near Middletown, I’m celebrating my 43rd year as a fully-certified ski instructor at Snowmass, Colo. If you’re in the Aspen area, come ski with me. A great way to connect or reconnect. Otherwise, growing our Yolá yogurt topping start-up business. In touch with Phil Russell out here in Silicon Valley and with John Dunton, Peter Whiteley, Ralph Jacobs, and Chuck Hearey. Great Wesleyan memories and wonderful long-term friendships for which I am extremely grateful.”

Tom Bell: “Still retired and living in Halifax, Nova Scotia. My wife Jacquie and I are in our 44th year of marriage and we have seven grandchildren, two of whom currently live near us in Halifax. The grandchildren range from ages 6to 22, and I love getting to know them as they grow up.”

Amertat Cohn: “I have one tidbit of good news. I just finished a film I have been working on for 50 years (started in 1969). It is a feature documentary entitled SunSeed – The Journey. It is being released this week streaming from the website sunseed.org. You can see the trailer at https://youtu.be/ZgNO6YnONi8.

“Here is a small description of the film: In the 1960s and 1970s, many teachers and gurus from the East were called to the West to share their approaches to theology and timeless traditions of meditation, yoga, and spiritual understanding. It was the dawning of a New Age. What resulted was an awakening and a transformational movement that is still rocking the culture today. Narrated by Peter Coyote. Featuring Ram Dass, Murshid Samuel L. Lewis, Pir Vilayat Khan, Swami Satchidananda, Swami Muktananda, Roshi Shunryu Suzuki, Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, Lama Anagarika Govinda, Yogi Bhajan, Maharaji Virsa Singh, Stephen Gaskin, Hilda Charlton, Joe Miller, Gavin Arthur, Maharaj Neem Karoli, with personal comments from the director, Amertat Cohn.

“One of the most interesting teachers in the film is the recently deceased Ram Dass. He was the last of the teachers in the film to go. He was also at Wesleyan. I think he got his master’s here.”

Philip L. Rockwell | prockwell@wesleyan.edu

Bill Medd wrote, “I retired from my internal medicine practice that Don Ware and I created in Norway, Maine, after 45 years. I just received news that I was named a master of the American College of Physicians.”

Rusty Messing wrote, “I have just finished my third book of poetry, The Inescapable Accretion of Less. A lot of memories came up re: of the support and advice I received from Kit and Joe Reed those many years ago in the writing of my senior thesis, Nine Short Stories. Though I went on to become a high school Spanish teacher then later to become a clinical psychologist, writing fiction, poetry, and haiku have been true loves of mine (in three separate years of my life I have written a haiku a day for an entire year). May this year bless us all with good health and continued passion.”

Roger Montgomery suffered a stroke in 2017. He said, “Thank God for the U.K. National Health Service which took excellent care of me for three months in hospital (three different hospitals, one month each; could now write a tour guide to the hospitals of north London).” He retired a few years ago after a stint as a visiting fellow at the London School of Economics Asia Research Centre for six years. Before that, he was a consultant to the World Bank and Asian Development Bank through a U.K. consulting firm. He finished with, “Any classmates are welcome to drop by and bend the elbow at 7 p.m. if coming through London. Just give a shout on the horn +44/2077/941254 and I will give directions on how to get here.”

Bill White wrote, “I tried out a sport last June that I used to look down upon as not really a sport at all: bowling. I am now bowling three times a week with other ‘seniors’ and have met lots of interesting people I would not otherwise have known. It is the only sport I have found that doesn’t seem to bother my lower back or neck, both of which have been the subject of multiple operations.

“I have also continued to date (at my late wife’s suggestion before she passed away 11 years ago) a classmate from my high school in what can only be described as an extremely long-distance relationship, as she lives near L.A., and I live outside Philadelphia. While it remains a delightfully romantic endeavor, I’m aware that it is an environmental disaster. My total carbon footprint for trips to L.A. and elsewhere with Irene is an embarrassing figure. It was made even worse in September, when we took a very enjoyable two-week trip to The Netherlands and Paris together.

“I have been fortunate enough to remain in contact with Richard Colton and Phil Bernstein, both through phone conversations and visits. I do miss seeing other classmates. Maybe more of us will show up at our 60th Reunion, should we be healthy enough to get there.”

Dan Davis retired from the FDA in 2016 and works part-time consulting for OB-GYN drugs in development and women’s reproductive health issues (access to affordable health care, state restrictions for health care, etc.). He wrote, “I still enjoying travel, tennis, golf, and theater. Hard to believe it has been 55-plus years since our Wesleyan graduation.”

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

Ed.’s note: Byron Miller is stepping down as class secretary. Thank you Byron, for serving so admirably as secretary for the Class of ’63 for decades.

One of the highlights of 2019 for Robin Berrington was a long trip to Lithuania and the Baltic Republics, and then to St. Petersburg, Russia, “the Venice of the North.” He noted that the St. Petersburg “over-the-top Baroque decor was a bit too much for this confirmed old Japan-hand,” but he praised the “culinary tourism” and “lively vibe” of the Baltic cities. Back in Washington, he praised the opening of a new museum in the Maryland suburbs—Glenstone— with its collection of international contemporary art. He is still active with the Freer and Sackler art galleries.

Steve Trott commented on the Highwaymen turning 80. Although, he said, “sadly, we are down to two: Steve Butts (he’s Steve 1, who resides in NYC) and Steve Trott (he’s Steve, too) in Boise, Idaho, the hottest place on the map.” He offers an interesting music industry tidbit: “We are still collecting handsome royalties from our best friend, ‘Michael’. Who knew he would have such legs as well as oars!” He writes, “Trott is still sitting on the bench of the Ninth Circuit; Butts is happily retired back in the venue from which he started.”

Finally, a couple of sad notes. Charlie Murkofsky was saddened by recent deaths of classmates Phil Utley in September and Andy Ganz in October. He writes, “It so happens that I saw each of them shortly before their passing.” Bob Saliba said, “I was so saddened to read of Carl Crossman’s death in Wellington, Fla., last November.” You can find obituary notices for them here.

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

“I’ve been meaning to do this for a long time.” writes Alan Bernstein. In addition to finally sending an update to Class Notes, Alan’s many lifetime achievements include 60 years of marriage to his wife, JoAnne, founding a website (tempoandhup.com), which is dedicated to altruism with its implications for public policy, publishing part of a multivolume history of belief in hell titled Hell and Its Rivals, and teaching medieval history for over 20 years at the University of Arizona. Alan lives in Oakland, Calif.

Ernie Marino has been spending time in Guatemala. He writes: “My wife and I, with another Rotarian, initiated a project to help midwives with their growth and development in Guatemala. We received a grant from the Rotary Foundation for $73,000. The money is used for equipment, supplies, and clinical round tables. Eighty percent of births are at home and facilitated by midwives. Two women die each day during childbirth from largely preventable causes. Infant mortality is very high. Malnutrition is rampant. The average person earns two U.S. dollars per day. This emerging country is several decades removed from a proxy war for its mineral wealth and serious volcanic eruptions. Our efforts will take decades to accomplish, but we are off to a good start.”

Al Williams claims that he is now fully retired. Yet, he has immersed himself in singing, writing, physical fitness, and, most enjoyably, “trying to keep track of the interesting and changing lives of eight grandchildren, ages 15-21.” Al adds, “I was sorry to hear from his wife, Camilla, about Lou Larrey’s recent death. He and I were wrestling workout partners at Wes, and have seen each other summers on Cape Cod, where he lived, and we have a summer home nearby. We were at their party last summer to celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary and Lou’s 80th birthday.”

Lew Kirshner and his wife are living in Amsterdam for most of the year. His wife is an English literature teacher and author. With tongue in cheek, I’m sure, Lew states, “It is a good time to be an expat in a sane country.”

As most of you are aware, your class notes secretary attempts to elicit responses from classmates by sending out silly rhyming reminders. Well, Phil Rodd sustained the rhythm by replying in verse:

I’ve given it some thought, Not much going on.
Still healthy and happy.
Thanks for checking in, Jon.

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

Bill Murphy has been teaching citizenship and history at Hanover High School for nearly 60 years. One morning, he finally became fed up with the role model presented by our current president and decided to run against Trump in the New Hampshire Republican presidential primary. His students are excited by his action, and Bill hopes that his involvement will be an important example for them.

In February 2019, Peggy and Dave Hale cruised from Barcelona to Lisbon. Their second major trip was a river cruise in October from Vienna to Amsterdam.

Neimah and Paul Tractenberg took a 16-day cruise through the Panama Canal with Paul’s oldest friend (they were elementary school classmates 72 years ago) and his wife. In addition, he submitted to the Rutgers-Newark chancellor’s office a major report on curing school segregation in New Jersey. He is also participating in important judicial arguments regarding school integration and school funding equalization for three major lawsuits scheduled in January.

John Dobson: “Had a wonderful Christmas with my entire family in our new home in Ocala, Fla. One hour from Disney World. Please come and visit if you are in Florida!”

On Sept. 5, Rick Garcia, president of the National Academy of Bolivian Economic Sciences (ABCE), gave a speech describing the accomplishments and contributions of ABCE on its 50th anniversary. On behalf of that organization, he received congratulations from the International Community of National Academies, Universities, and High Learning Organizations of South America, and Spain.

On Oct. 24, Jay Levy joined other speakers at a symposium titled “Homage to Samuel Beckett.” The event honored Jay’s gift to the library: his personal correspondence with Samuel Beckett over nearly 30 years. The interesting story of how Jay developed a friendship with Beckett can be found in the Nov. 6, 2019, issue of The Wesleyan Connection.

Jay’s twin brother, Stuart, died on Sept. 4, 2019, after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. You may recall that Jay and Stuart executed an unannounced identity switch for several days during our sophomore year. Stuart was a microbiologist who received an honorary Wesleyan degree in 1998 for sounding the alarm on the dangers of antibiotic resistance, demonstrating that drugs routinely given to fatten farm animals posed a threat to human health. I express our condolence to Jay and his family.

Francis Haywood Parker, of Muncie, Ind., passed away unexpectedly on March 26, 2019, at the age of 80. Francis moved to Muncie in 1976 as one of the four original faculty members of the Department of Urban Planning in the College of Architecture and Planning at Ball State University, where he taught until his retirement in 2013. His specialty was transportation planning, which fit well with his lifelong love of trains and ships. From childhood, Francis was a fan of steam engines and model railroading.  As soon as he moved to Muncie, he became a volunteer on the Whitewater Valley Railroad in Connersville, Ind. In addition to serving as engineer and conductor, he was also the railroad’s historian, editor of their monthly newsletter, and leader of the yearly training class for new members. He also managed to fit in sailing excursions on a number of tall ships over the years and built model railroad layouts all over his home. Francis is survived by his wife of nearly 50 years, Carol Greenberg Parker, his sister, son, and grandson.

William Scott Robinson died on March 30, 2019 in Deephaven, Minn. Bill was retired from his job as financial adviser for RBC Wealth Management. He had served as president of the Deephaven Historical Society and was a lifelong member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. He was an avid bicyclist, kayaker, canoeist, and traveler. He is survived by his wife of 57 years Donna and two sons and their wives, a daughter, and six grandchildren.

I end this column with a quote from Gina Barreca who is an English professor at the University of Connecticut: “Now in my 60s, I understand and accept that time is the rarest of all commodities, the greatest of all gifts, and the most irreplaceable of items.”

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