Class Notes

Categories Class Notes | 1960sPosted on

CLASS OF 1961 | 2015 | ISSUE 1

“Time just keeps on clicking by!” reports Eric “Swede” Wilson, who claims he’s “still alive, kicking, and working. My daughter, Avery, got married three years ago, and is now living in San Diego, Calif., with her husband Conan. My son, Eric, his wife, Julie, and grandson Ethan live in Tuscaloosa, Ala., with us where he has a solo bankruptcy legal practice. He is a big Alabama Crimson Tide fan, and drags me along to a lot of the home games. My third son, Martin, still lives in NYC, where he is employed as a publicist with Harper Collins. He has just completed his second young adult novel, and it is undergoing editing. Health remains good with all of the family.”

“Well. We are a year older!” claims (or is it complains, or maybe proclaims) Bob Carey. He goes on to describe his “trips to Israel with some students to study boundaries and identity,” and his visits with the Littles and the Woodburys. Bob continues to explain: “I have become very much involved with a Lumina project here at Empire State College. It has to do with how we work with adult students who are finishing their degrees. Although very college specific, it raises all sorts of interesting questions about how we, in fact, come to know things. Of course, when I start talking about it, I find myself alone at the chip and dip bowl. Such are the vagaries.”

Here was an unexpected note from Brad Beechen, presented in his own words. “Brad writes regarding a small world encounter. His fraternity brother, George Kangas ’60, mailed him to say he and his wife had attended a program at their Bradenton, Fla., church where they listened to a highly enjoyed concert performed by ‘very accomplished musicians,’ a fellow named Jon Magendanz and Jon’s sisters, Donna Guarino and Felice Farrell. The program notes enclosed with George’s letter indicated the siblings have performed internationally.” In response to Brad’s encouragement for more explanation, your class secretary’s exposure to music has been lifelong, a result of being raised by musical parents. During attendance at Wesleyan, instruction continued, a benefit from a music scholarship, on the violin with three years study in Hartford and one year at Yale. Ensemble concerts were given at Honors College with my sister, Donna, and Ray Rendall, and, of course, there was the chamber orchestra and the pep band. That’s enough promotion, but do look for me at the 75th Reunion Parade!!!

An additional bit of Wesleyan history presented by Foster Morrison: “It was interesting to read about the renovation of that ancient 20-inch refractor at Wesleyan. I had some limited experience with it and other telescopes on Foss Hill, since I had three semesters of astronomy, an intro course and a research seminar with Prof. Thornton Page, and a summer job after graduation. He got me into Sigma Xi and as a co-author of a publication in the astronomical journal. I did dabble a bit in satellite orbits and satellite geodesy. In retrospect, I should have taken Prof. Eichhorn’s celestial mechanics course and learned programming on his first-ever-at-Wesleyan computer. I crossed his path again at the Army Map Service, where he had a summer sabbatical and I was programming a Honeywell mainframe and adding a curve-fitting capability to an obsolete satellite orbit theory.”

Congratulations are in order for Paul Dickson’s continuing accomplishments in the literary field. Rave reviews have been published in the UK’s Authorisms, The Guardian, and the Times of London, all which came out in the month of Paul’s 75th birthday. Also, with additional pieces later published in the Guardian and in the Daily Mail, as well as a promise of a second printing of his book, Paul was very excited about his 75th year.

Finally, on a sad note, the passing of Weldon John Smith Sr., on Aug. 5, 2014, is noted. Classmates are referred to the online obituary section of this publication for more complete coverage of Weldon’s family and graduate work.

Respectfully submitted,

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

Categories Class Notes | 1960sPosted on

CLASS OF 1960 | 2015 | ISSUE 1

Chris Campbell wrote: “I recently read a narrative about a young woman who slips and falls concussively against a large boulder. She is diagnosed as suffering from either mild aphasia or dissociative amnesia. The main result of this situation is that she has great difficulty in speaking normally. Her mind is alert, but in trying to express herself she tends to use a steady stream of synecdoche, a figure of speech which the Greeks described as using a ‘part’ for the ‘whole’ or vice versa. I was inspired by that odd condition, and began looking for everyday examples of synecdoche in contemporary English. A very common example of synecdoche is the use of ‘wheels’ to mean an automobile or ‘packing heat’ to mean carrying a firearm. These days we say ‘plastic’ when we mean a credit card. Hippies customarily said ‘threads’ to mean clothes. Most of us will say ‘pigskin’ when we are thinking about football. Now I am trying to build a large collection of modern-day examples of synecdoche. If any classmate can think of an example, I would be pleased to receive it at crc@navpak.com. If I am able to build a big enough list, I will write an article about this interesting figure of speech.”

John Berry wrote: “My wife, Mary, and I are just back from two weeks in Greece, with a week spent on Crete, where we stayed in a 500-year-old house in the ancient port town of Chania, built by Venetians when they controlled that part of the world. Our daughter, Clay, who is the Treasury attaché in the U.S. embassy in Moscow, was there with her husband, Bikas, the International Monetary Fund’s resident representative in Russia, and our two granddaughters, ages 3 and 7. After their two-year stint in Moscow, this summer they will be back living close to us in Alexandria, Va., where we have lived in the same house for 45 years. For months Clay has been traveling regularly to Kiev because of the U.S. involvement with the beleaguered Ukraine. Earlier we spent Thanksgiving in Seattle with our son, Michael, a senior software manager for Adobe Systems, and his wife, Catherine Berkenfield, a professor at Bellevue College.

“Mary, a writer, has also become an excellent photographer. Two years ago a portfolio of her pictures of the Salar de Uyuni, a huge salt flat in Bolivia, won first prize in the fine arts division of an international competition, the winners of which were on display for weeks at the National Geographic Society museum in Washington. Meanwhile, she continues to row competitively, both sweep and sculling, and did so in the Head of the Charles Regatta each of the past two years. She plans to be in an eight again this fall at an international masters competition in Belgium.

“I continue to write regularly only for a quarterly magazine, International Economy, but also enjoy occasional free-lance jobs as they come along, such as book reviews for USA Today. And I’ll be at our 55th in May.”

John Dobson wrote the following: “Nici and I continue to love Big Sky, Montana! In early September, however, we traveled to the Dingle Peninsula in Ireland, Surrey in England, Normandy, Paris, and then back to the Connemara Peninsula, Ireland. Several days after our return to Montana, we ventured on to Kauai, Hawaii, for 11 days. In mid-October, we joined Caren and Dick Gorenberg in Durham, for our 50th Duke Medical School Reunion. Our fall travel was capped off by six weeks at our home in Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands. It seems like a lot of travel in a fairly short length of time, but we both thoroughly enjoyed each trip. We are now back in Big Sky and are fully embroiled in a great ski season!”

Jim Dover is active in the Bridgton Senior College, both as an instructor and board member. The highlight of 2014 for Jim and Sue was the trip taken to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. They visited Normandy, Brittany, and the Loire Valley of France for about two and a half weeks. They were then joined by two children and their spouses, along with three grandchildren, for a week in Annecy, their favorite town in the French Alps, and a final week in Interlaken, Switzerland.

Peggy and Dave Hale spent 12 days in Panama. In addition to transiting the Panama Canal on a small boat, they visited a number of places where traditional activities were happening. They made candy from sugar cane, corn, and cheese tortillas, along with traditional hats and dresses. They enjoyed a home-hosted meal in an Embera Indian village, where Peggy got a tattoo. Dave swam in the Pacific, kayaked on Lake Gatun, and briefly joined two traditional dance groups.

Wesleyan University: 1910–1970: Academic Ambition and Middle-Class America by Dave Potts has been published. It’s a sequel to an earlier volume that covered the period 1831–1910. Dave gives an unprecedented level of attention to the board of trustees and finances. These clearly related components are now introduced as major shaping forces in the development of American higher education. Extensive examination is also given to student and faculty roles in building and altering institutional identity. Threaded throughout is a close look at the waxing and waning of presidential leadership. All of these developments, as is particularly evident in the areas of student demography and faculty compensation, travel on a pathway through middle-class America. Within this broad context, Wesleyan becomes a window on how the nation’s liberal arts colleges survived and thrived during the last century. Dave says: “The fastest way to get a hard copy edition at the most competitive price is via the Wesleyan Press/University of New England Press website using the 30 percent discount code: W301.”

Stanley N. Katz, lecturer/professor, Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton, wrote this review: “This superb follow-on to Potts’ first volume on the history of Wesleyan University maintains the exceptional quality of its predecessor. College histories tend to puffery, but this one is a solid, critical, and knowledgeable account. Potts here establishes himself as one to the finest historians of higher education, and Wesleyan gets the sort of history a great institution deserves.”

Oscar Lanford III died Nov. 16, 2013, after a battle with cancer, at the age of 74. After his undergraduate degree from Wesleyan, he received a Ph.D. from Princeton in 1966 in quantum field theory. He began as assistant professor and later became professor of mathematics at the University of California, Berkeley. This was followed by professor of physics (1982-1987) at the Institut des Hautes Études Scientifiques in France. He moved in 1987 to the department of mathematics, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, and retired in 2005. He continued teaching at the Courant Institute until 2012.

Oscar was an expert in quantum field theory, statistical mechanics, and dynamical systems. His publications were influential to the development of mathematical physics. He was the recipient of the 1986 U.S. National Academy of Sciences award in applied mathematics and numerical analysis and he received an honorary doctorate from Wesleyan.

Oscar is survived by his wife, Regina, and their daughter. On behalf of the Class of 1960, I express our condolences to his family and friends.

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

Categories Class Notes | 1950sPosted on

CLASS OF 1959 | 2015 | ISSUE 1

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Categories Class Notes | 1950sPosted on

CLASS OF 1958 | 2015 | ISSUE 1

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Categories Class Notes | 1950sPosted on

CLASS OF 1957 | 2015 | ISSUE 1

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Categories Class Notes | 1950sPosted on

CLASS OF 1956 | 2015 | ISSUE 1

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

George Chien | gchien@optonline.net

Bob Runyon | rrunyon@unomaha.edu

Categories Class NotesPosted on

CLASS OF 1955 | 2015 | ISSUE 1

Hard to believe but this is the year of our 60th Reunion. With that in mind, what better time to follow the example of three of our classmates and send a word to your secretary letting us know what’s been happening and whether or not you may be planning on a return to campus to celebrate! I’m sure I speak for all when I say “thanks!”

I was pleased to receive a note from Jake Congleton just before the end of the year. Jake and Sally do spend winters in Bradenton, Fla., which should be a welcome relief from the weather in Maine, especially for a “bionic man” who boasts of “two new knees, one hip (twice) and both shoulders.” He reports that he believes the orthopedic guys back home “love me although the Medicare people aren’t too happy!” Jake has managed to attend four Wesleyan football games over the past three years when the team traveled to Maine to play Bates, Colby, and Bowdoin. He commented that he was impressed with the quality of both the players and the coaching. His grandson, Charlie ’07, son of Peter ’81, is currently at Wesleyan completing his master’s degree and coaching on the lacrosse staff.

John Sheaff related an interesting coincidence uncovered when he found that his recently deceased sister, Georgia, had been treated by our fellow classmate (and Sigma Chi brother) Tom Nall. Haven’t heard from Tom lately but trust he’s continuing to adjust to his Kentucky home and his health is good. John and Lois are planning to come this way at the end of March and if Jake is around, perhaps we can all find a way to get together.

Maine seems to be a popular place for this month’s respondents! Andy Holmes calls Boothbay Harbor home and he and Louise “live with a spectacular view of the chilly Atlantic.” Andy retired from 40 years of headmastering at a private school in 1982 but apparently couldn’t “kick back,” as he still works full time for a travel agency he has owned since 1965. He writes: “We have nine offices around the country and specialize in cruises of all types and to all places. The damnable part of selling cruises is that you have to go on them! I wouldn’t ask my customers to do something I don’t do myself! We did seven cruises last year and have nine planned for the current winter season. No Florida home for us but cruise ship life is even better. We have several Wesleyan alumni friends who belong to the Boothbay Harbor Yacht Club, of which Louise and I are both past commodores, although none are ’55. If any of you happen to travel our way in the summer, the invitation stands open and a winter tour by water of the area is available on our 40’ classic lobster yacht.” Andy’s company is Worldwide Cruise Headquarters and is located at 121 Cape Newgate Road, Southport, ME 04576; 207/882-5525. (Note: I asked Andy for the company information and he responded that he didn’t “mean my response to be a commercial.”)

Marianne and I continue to enjoy the leisurely life in what Floridians call “Paradise.” We are well and remain active: Marianne playing golf and I pedaling. I did record a personal best last year by riding 6,147 miles, which is more than Marianne put on her car. Still enjoy the riding and the friendship that accompanies the action.

To all of you and your loved ones, may health and happiness be with you always.

DONALD J. BRAVERMAN | ybikedon@bellsouth.net
27A Stratford Ln. W., Boynton Beach, FL 33436; 561/654-3711

Categories Class NotesPosted on

CLASS OF 1954 | 2015 | ISSUE 1

Hello again to my ’54 classmates. Hope all of us are entering our 83rd year with gusto and aplomb! Meanwhile, here’s some news from 11 of us:

First, some very sad news from Shep Johnson, who wrote: “A very good year of travel and family came to a tragic end in October with the sudden death of our youngest son, Stephen, at Mass General, from complications of endocarditis. Hundreds joined us to mourn and remember what a remarkable human being he was.” Shep, all of our hearts go out to you and your family on the loss of your child.

In January, Bud Johnson and bride Lynn were off to Angkor Wat and Cambodia, first via ship from Hong Kong and on to coastal Vietnam; after Cambodia, back aboard ship to Thailand and Singapore. Bud and Lynn hope to equal their trip to Machu Picchu last year.

Bob Gruskay reports on two exciting events at Beth El Synagogue in West Hartford last fall, where Bob played Sol Hurok. One was the debate among three candidates for Connecticut governor, the other was an opera concert with four opera stars and a full orchestra.

In January, Terry Hatter was in D.C., where he had the honor of swearing in members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. This spring, Terry and Trudy are traveling to Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji.

Another sad note: Claire, Dave Hodgin’s wife, best friend, and companion for more than 61 years, passed away last July. Dave says that learning to be a bachelor is an unexpected and unpleasant new experience. Otherwise, Dave is continuing to run the Pathfinder Companies, and serve on various boards, plus play some golf, and continue to fight the water wars in California. Finally, Dave is concerned about Wesleyan’s apparent attempt to tear down fraternities—a puzzlement for him.

Jeff Lockhart and bride are going to their first round of grandchildren weddings! They hope to make all seven, over time, if they happen.

Bob Monstream reports a full year for Ami and himself: skiing in the West at Copper Mountain and Mt. Bachelor; graduation of granddaughter from University of Colorado; and Ami, with the Hartford Chorale, singing in two Paris churches and Chartres Cathedral, plus Copenhagen. Finally, Costa Rica and Panama for birding. Bob reports everyone’s health is good, and family all well and thriving.

Never boring, Lenny Stolba’s bucket list focuses on international travel: With some four dozen countries under his belt, he now needs to add Scandinavia. But, more critically, Len also wants to stand on the land where both oceans meet; he’s already done the Cape of Good Hope, and Cape Horn is next. Len reports his only recent award is an EAA cap for flying 10 young eagles in 2014. Cheers to you, Len!

Marshall Umpleby and Mimi are doing well in Ashland, Ore. His MDS illness is still in remission (as of January ’15)—in part, he thinks, because of the Vidaza chemo he takes for one week out of every six. Their planned trip to Australia and New Zealand had to be cancelled upon his oncologist’s advice. Marsh says their two daughters are doing very well, Sarah in San Diego and Amy in Nevada City, Calif. Marshall was very sorry to miss our 60th Reunion last May.

Jim Yashar wishes all of us a very happy 2015.

Finally, your Secretary, Bob Carey, and Libby, had a somewhat busy post-Reunion schedule, traveling in June to San Diego for a grandson’s fifth-grade graduation, with all the trimmings. Then on to D.C. to observe the 4th of July fireworks from a dinner cruise boat on the Potomac. In July, Libby and I dined with Lynn and Bud Johnson at Milbrook in Greenwich. Then we hosted a Carey reunion with three of my four children and their families. September found us in Elkins Park, Pa. (Philadelphia), to stay at youngest daughter and husband’s “new” historical home. The Big Trip was to London for New Year’s, featuring a musical, and then, on New Year’s Eve, a black tie dinner at Pont de la Tour, followed by a boat ride on the Thames River down to the London Eye and Big Ben to watch fantastic fireworks at midnight. Upon return from the U.K. we took off for a six-week stay on Sanibel Island, Fla. All the best to all of us in 2015!

BOB CAREY | bobcarey@optonline.net
618 W. Lyon Farm Dr., Greenwich, CT 06831 | 203/532-1745

Categories Class Notes | 1950sPosted on

CLASS OF 1953 | 2015 | ISSUE 1

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Categories Class Notes | 1950sPosted on

CLASS OF 1952 | 2015 | ISSUE 1

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hal Buckingham | hcbuckingham@daypitney.com

William K. Wasch | wkwash@gmail.com