Class Notes

Categories Class Notes | 1940sPosted on

CLASS OF 1942 | 2014 | ISSUE 2

The editors congratulate George Morrill, the most senior alumnus to attend Reunion.

GEORGE P. MORRILL
167 Thayer Road, Higganum, CT 06441 | 860/345-2673

Categories Class Notes | 1930sPosted on

CLASS OF 1938 | 2014 | ISSUE 2

While the number of fellows I have the honor of calling for the notes has definitely, how shall I say it, changed, those remaining are wonderful conversationalists! It is springtime and the guys are glad the winter has tucked itself away for a rest. While three of the four I reach out to now live in Florida, that doesn’t always mean getting out is the sunniest experience, especially after this wet winter! But in late March and early April it does.

Bob Porter kicked that pneumonia we mentioned in the last notes but he is still dealing with some shoulder pain. PT seems to be helping it. He reports Doris is well. Bob said it was a very wet winter in Naples and he is very glad to have that behind them. The sun and fresh air is so good for one’s morale. In February Bob and Doris welcomed another great-grandchild, the first girl of this generation! Bob says his “mind is sharp but the body is getting weak.” I can attest to the mind’s quickness as he broke out in song bringing up the words to Amicus Usque Ad Aras. Bob said it might even have been a Yale song but he remembers singing it with fellow freshmen when they went on a trip with an English professor to Mory’s! Perhaps the Whiffenpoofs were performing, and perhaps this professor had a connection to Yale? If the Olla Podrida from ’38 is correct, then there is a certain professor of English who had connections to Yale! What a fun adventure for Bob to share.

Heading north from Naples is Venice, Fla. Art Kingsbury has lived in Venice for 34 years. We figured out this was over a third of his life. Back in the day, most students attending Wesleyan came from the Northeast, or Midwest regions. No one in the class of ’38 came from Florida. But many did retire there. So the thought that one can retire for over a third of one’s life anywhere is another way of saying they are doing something right! Art celebrated his 96th birthday on April 13th. I still can’t imagine entering a university and experiencing almost a full first year as a 16-year-old! Art and Diane are doing very well and are in “fine health.” Their new pet of last year, the cat, entertains them daily. Art’s sons and their families were coming to celebrate his birthday. Visits with family are always enjoyable. He wishes his fellow classmates the best.

I left a few messages for Leonard Weinstein, the class’s other Florida resident, but didn’t actually speak with him. Better luck next time.

The next fellow I caught up with was Curt Smith. It was a very long winter in Rhode Island. While it was spring there, Curt commented on how it didn’t really feel like it, since the color of things was so delayed. He took a trip to northern New Hampshire and he learned from the sugar makers that the sap is also delayed. Oh dear, there goes the price of maple syrup! Curt had a visit from one daughter in February. They had a packed visit, including catching the old classic Arsenic and Old Lace at Rhode Island College. In late April his other daughter will be visiting. Every week he sees his son. He is very grateful for his time with his children. He attended a Jewish Film Festival at a local synagogue and highly recommends the film The Other Brother. Curt says they are trying to revive the singing group at his community. He is staying active, even if it means enduring stares from fellow residents of his community. Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet keep him inside! I received a lovely card from Emily Cowan ’86 who now lives in Lancaster, N.H., Curt’s old stomping ground. When she moved there in 2000, Emily said Curt came and paid her a welcome visit. Recently she attended a fundraiser for a local ski area and sat with Curt and his son Philip. She had a wonderful visit with them, discussing which articles they enjoyed in the current alum magazine. “Curtis is the dearest man. And he is so active it just takes my breath away.” Thank you, Emily, for your wonderful card.

Something else that Curt shared with me was an article in the Providence Journal. In January Bill Heisler died. While I haven’t seen an official obituary, the newspaper clipping Curt sent was an amazing tribute to Bill’s time in Providence. “Bill served the Rhode Island community in a multitude of ways as a volunteer leader of most of the prominent nonprofits in our state during his long tenure as a resident, while also serving as CEO of Citizens Bank throughout the 1960s and ’70s.”

I also learned from this article that before the government had passed the Community Reinvestment Act, “Bill had initiated his own version of CRA at Citizens, as an outreach effort to give access to diverse populations.” The Heisler Leadership Fund at The Rhode Island Foundation has been established in his memory. I so enjoyed my conversations with Bill. His last decade was spent at Medford Leas, a Quaker-based senior living and continuing care community. He always had something to share about the importance of community. He also had wonderful stories about his trips that he took well into his late 90s. My condolences go out to his family, and also to the class of ’38. This past year has been a challenging one with the loss of four classmates.

On that note, I have cross-referenced a program from last year’s Reunion’s Memorial Service, with my father’s copy of the Olla Podrida, and I have 15 names on a list. I’ll see if I can find any news from them. I think I’ve got my work cut out for me. Here’s hoping next issue will be full of news from long lost fellows of’38! Until then, enjoy the colors of spring, whenever they decide to peek out, and the warmth of summer.

GRACE BENNETT
daughter of the late Walter Bennett ’38
8104 39th Avenue, S.W., Seattle, WA 98136

Categories Class Notes | 1960sPosted on

CLASS OF 1963 | 2014 | ISSUE 2

The Hon. Judge Leonard Edwards, now retired, writes: “I had lunch with Bill Needham recently. Very interesting. He is involved in a gold-digging project in Colombia. We had a great time. He is a bundle of energy and very jolly, hugging everyone in sight. He says he’ll be a billionaire when the project gets going!” (Alumni Office take note!) But further info on Len, somewhat disquieting: As a somewhat belated wedding gift, I gave Len and his wife Marcia a fine, Liberty jigsaw puzzle depicting their home state, California. I had found that they were fellow jigsaw puzzlers. They were delighted and apparently agreed to only work on it together. Well, it was with shock that one morning Marcia discovered that someone had slyly snuck in and had been working on the puzzle during the night! Hell to pay! Accusations! Flimsy denials! All leading to total caving. Decision: as it was not a felony, only a misdemeanor, Marcia was granted equal, solo catch-up puzzle time. Peace restored. I must add that it pains me to drop a dime on a fellow classmate like this.

From the L.A. area, Lew Whitney says that he has “nothing exciting to report.” Of course, at our age, that’s probably a good thing. He was sorry to miss our 50th but a pre-existing one month trip to France got in the way. His missing the 50th was somewhat made up for, as he attended the Pre-Reunion gathering down at Bill Roberts’ place in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Lew is semi-retired now and will fully retire in March. He will probably continue as he is now doing, with some consulting and design work on the side, which he says he does “for wine money.” Lew got into sailing at 7 with his dad. In ’84 he got this first boat and has had many since, most in the 40-foot range. In his current 40-footer, Ventana, he and his wife of 20 years, Toby (“a wonderful sailing partner!”) frequently sail the 20 miles out to Santa Catalina. Last year they spent 36 nights aboard Ventana, generally moored off Santa Catalina. You might recall Lew’s picture of himself in our Reunion Book, paddle boarding, something he had taken up relatively recently. After getting over the falling-off part of the learning process, he now goes for long paddles up and down the coast. He says that in the past it was very common to see lots of sharks along the coast and on the way out to and around Santa Catalina. But the Asian love of shark fins has led to the shark population being decimated, which has led to an ecological crisis as unchecked seal populations are now overrunning the shores, taking over docks as haul-out spots and climbing onto any moored boats they can get up onto. He says for a long time now he hasn’t seen a shark large enough to eat him on any of his frequent paddle board trips. Lew and Toby have four children between them (he was divorced and she was widowed) and five grandchildren aged 1–15 years. While he does not race himself, he used to do a lot of exciting crewing on a friend’s steel-hulled, 54-foot race boat, working as a grinder opposite one of the bigger and stronger youngsters, thereby making Lew’s job easier. He vividly recalls the frantic start of one fleet race when they lost their steering and rammed the Committee boat.

Robert Gallamore writes: “My book co-authored with my Harvard mentor, American Railroads: Decline and Renaissance the 20th Century, will be released by Harvard U. Press 6/2/14!” (You can read more about it at HUP or Amazon websites under his name.) “This was a 15-year project, the roots of which were in my study of economics and government regulations of industry under Prof. Joseph Palamountain and Prof. Richard Miller at WesU. It brings together material from my academic studies and teaching, a first career in government, and a second with Union Pacific in NYC and Omaha.”

A tidbit of info on the son of a former stalwart of Chi Psi, Jim Reynolds. His son, James IV, has been a Major League baseball umpire since ’99. He graduated from the Jim Vans Umpire Academy in ’92, taught there for three years, and then worked his way up through several levels of minor leagues to the big leagues in ’99. Since then he has umped four Divisional series, two ALCS series, and an All-Star game. Not bad for a kid who didn’t follow his father to Wes, though he did at least go to another college in Connecticut, UConn. The elder Jim now lives with his wife, Nancy, in Gilbert, Ariz.

Walt Donaghy sent in some sad news: “Jim Mattson passed away quietly in his sleep 7/22/13. He was with his family (children and grandchildren) on a family vacation in N.C., when he died. Jim and I were roommates all four years, members of Sigma Nu/Kappa Nu Kappa, and lived on the top floor of our fraternity house our last three years. We’ve been friends ever since the fall of ’59, our freshman year, when we were assigned to a double room in Andrus Hall on Foss Hill. Jim ‘Matt’ played football (halfback and punter) freshman through senior year. A few years ago he was told that he’d held the punting record at Wes until very recently. Of course we had to have some serious losing games then to establish a punting record—too many ‘3 and outs.’ Matt wrote a very nice, brief and modest bio for our 50th Reunion Book. He couldn’t make it to the Reunion because his grandson was playing in a very important baseball tournament that weekend. As always Matt had his priorities right. Family comes first. He will be missed.”

BYRON S. MILLER | tigr10@optonline.net
5 Clapboard hill rd., westport, ct 06880

Categories Class Notes | 1940sPosted on

Class of 1942 | 2014 | Issue 1

Word has arrived that Edgar Allen “Ted” Jones died on May 10, 2013. Ted was that good-looking guy who distinguished himself in many campus activities. He was editor of the Argus, member of the Mystical Seven, stalwart of the Senate, and manager of varsity basketball. He was known for enthusiastic participation in international relations studies and served as treasurer of the Neuman Club.

His life career burgeoned in remarkable ways. He excelled in law, starred in the TV productions Day in Court, Traffic Court, and Accused. He authored two books, Mr. Arbitrator and Break a Leg, Professor.

The class extends sympathy to Ted’s wife of 68 years, Helen; 11 children; 23 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

GEORGE P. MORRILL
167 Thayer Road, Higganum, CT 06441 860/345-2673

Categories Class Notes | 1970sPosted on

Class of 1972 | 2014 | Issue 1

My thanks to all of you who sent me recent updates. Inclusion here is based solely on order of receipt. If you don’t see your news here, you will in the next issue!

Starting with a personal encounter of an unusual kind, Rob Gelblum and I spoke together on a panel on brownfields development at a recent conference in Baltimore. We had them rolling in the aisles. Rob, after many years with the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office, is now in private practice in Raleigh.

Steve Goldschmidt went to San Francisco for the National Association of Realtors national conference, and had dinner with his old roommate, Steve Lewis. “After dinner,” writes Steve G., “he drove me back to the hotel in his shiny Maserati but he asked that I emphasize to you that he bought it used.” Duly noted. Steve L. also claims still to own the truck he drove at Wes.

Art Vanderbilt wrote to recommend Katy Butler ’71’s book Knocking on Heaven’s Door. Katy gives a moving account of the last years of her parents. Those who knew Jeff Butler of the CSS will not want to miss this.

Bob White sends the sad news that George Jett lost his wife, Lynn MacFarlane ’75. The two of them met at a Reunion in 2005.

After 12 years as pastor of churches in suburban New Jersey, Rev. Doug Stivison has accepted a call as minister of the Congregational Church of South Dartmouth, Mass. “It is a classic white clapboard New England Congregational church combining long history with a vibrant, outreach-focused congregation. Its 200-year-old spire is a navigational landmark to sailors on Buzzard’s Bay —with the church just three blocks from the harborfront of Padanaram.”

Bruce Throne sends us this report: “I’m still in Santa Fe practicing law, one child (Greg) in his last year studying engineering at Trinity U in San Antonio and my daughter now in Australia, 13 months into her solo travel around the world, intending to beat her dad’s record from the late ’70s. I’m spending a lot of time helping renewable energy providers in the state with the second greatest solar potential in the country (yes, it’s sunny here in New Mexico) trying to deal with state regulators who seem to think climate change is a ‘greenie’ hoax on the public. Bet Wes-Techers living on islands or the coasts are thinking otherwise (glug, glug). About five years ago, I actually ran for election as commissioner at our Public Regulation Commission (regulates electric utilities and more) and finished second out of six candidates in the Democratic primary to a young man without a college degree who subsequently got indicted for violating the state’s campaign laws, misappropriating public funds and other minor infractions of the law and had to resign. So much for a Wesleyan education. Where was that course in ‘local politics’ at Wes? Sorry to report that Bruce Hearey was one of the folks that squandered $100 for ‘seed money’ for my otherwise publicly-funded campaign, even though he’s still in Cleveland and, so far as I know, his only interest in New Mexico is attending local pagan ceremonies (I’ll let him describe that, if he can). Actually visited Bruce and his lovely wife, Steph, in Cleveland two summers ago where he graciously took me to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (his thousandth visit apparently, he told me yawning) and provided trivia (still yawning) about events in the ’60s and ’70s that even that museum didn’t seem to know about (thus confirming why he became a lawyer—trivia ad nauseum). Also ran into Larry Weinberg hiking on the Aspen Vista trail above Santa Fe a few years back; heard he’s retired and moved here but haven’t seen or heard from him his since. Perhaps because I lost that election to a convicted felon? The only way we recognized each other on the trail (with all that grey or receding hair) were the Wes t-shirts we both were wearing that day for some odd reason. Hard to believe those old t-shirts still fit, or even have survived this long. Hope everyone else in our class is surviving that well. Cheers.”

And, for his part, Bruce Hearey writes: “My Victorian Fiction class at John Carroll U. is going well despite its difficulty; anyone else ever read Daniel Deronda? (I am two-thirds of the way through a masters in humanities degree program.) I will be the president of the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association come June, 2014. Stephanie and I had a great get-together with Robbie Brewster in NYC in November. He looks great, is doing well, and we even managed to talk for a few minutes about something other than getting so damn old. Played golf with Brian Silvestro ’70, Jack Ingraham ’70, and Steve Ingraham ’70 in August in Rochester. Nothing but happy news from this correspondent on the North Coast.”

Just before fall semester began, Dave Gerard and his wife, Miho, returned to campus to meet Professor Phil Pomper, who had been Dave’s history tutor in CSS, and a key adviser for his senior honors thesis. Dave’s son, Pierre Gerard ’15, an Earth & Environmental Sciences major active in a variety of green causes, joined them for a meeting in Phil’s office where they had a vibrant discussion about the merits of moderate versus radical activism to effect social change. Afterwards, they headed down to Luce Restaurant for lunch, where the conversation turned to psychohistory as well as their shared passion for vigorous exercise, and in Phil’s case, long distance running into his 70s. Pierre later attended the dedication at Homecoming of the Philip Pomper Classroom on the fourth floor of PAC. Dave is an organizational psychologist and is a principal consultant with Korn Ferry in San Francisco. He is active in interviewing for Wesleyan in Silicon Valley, and attended a recent gathering of prospective students, parents and alumni with the new Assistant Dean of Admissions, Kora Shin, in Palo Alto.

Thank you all! Watch for the rest next time!

SETH A. DAVIS
17 Wolf Road, Croton-on-Hudson, NY 10520 Sethdavis@post.harvard.edu

Categories Class Notes | 1970sPosted on

Class of 1973 | 2014 | Issue 1

Interventional Cardiologist Dr. John Robb, who directs the Interventional Cardiology Program at Dartmouth-Hitchcock, is making national news. According to the D-H publication Skylight, John is heading up a clinical trial  that “will further test the safety and efficacy of a procedure called Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR).” It’s part of “a national research effort to find more effective treatment options for people with aortic stenosis…a narrowing in the heart valve that occurs over time due to calcification and the process of aging.” John is shown with a huge smile on his face, flanked by a cardiothoracic surgeon and a 92-year-old patient. The caption notes, “The promising new minimally-invasive procedure gives hope to patients” like the man mentioned “who are too frail to undergo surgery to replace their valve.” John’s excellent work may one day benefit a number of us and other Wesleyan alumni.

The Virginia Gazette notes that John Spike, an expert on the artists Caravaggio and Mattia Preti and the chief coordinator at Muscarelle Museum of Art, has begun “to study the history of The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John and those who had been appointed to it.” The Order has its roots in the 11th century, and its members provide hospital and ambulance service in many countries. Sovereign leader or the order is Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, who founded and still maintains the Eye Hospital of St. John in Jerusalem, which cares for patients regardless of their ability to pay for treatment.”

Now as a result of his work, John has been appointed as a member. He calls this a “delightful surprise,” adding, “It is certainly encouraging that academic studies of history can be viewed as having broader social consequence and value.” John is also an honorary member of the City of Taverna, the birthplace of Preti.

Bruce Fergusson writes “I’m still pursuing the Muse—or is it the other way around? My latest novel, Pass on the Cup of Dreams, is now available as an e-book and in paper, for those who haven’t been Kindled yet. Last year, Morgan’s Mill—which weaves history of the Civil War and Underground Railroad into a contemporary narrative of suspense—was published.” He says “I’d be curious to get a grade on that one from Professor Emeritus Richard Slotkin, whose American Studies course I took junior year, to see if I got the history right. More at brucefergusson.com.” Bruce says he and his wife Angelica “have (mostly) filled our empty nest with a rescue dog who is as sweet as she is smart. Who rescued whom?, indeed.” He says his son, Jonathon, is working in Tokyo and his son, Patrick (who played rugby at Union), passed the New York bar and is now working in D.C. as an attorney and “good-guy lobbyist for a nonprofit.” Bruce says his son, Brian will be graduating from the University of Puget Sound next year, and wants to go into law enforcement.” He was glad that the 2013 football team won the Little Three Championship, calling it “an event that happens with less frequency than earthquakes in Seattle.”

Steve Young tells me that he retired last September from the Foreign Service after 33 years. He spent this past fall in the family home in New Hampshire and was planning to move with his wife to San Francisco in early 2014.” Steve says “I plan to look for something to do out there” as his wife will continue running NRDC’s Asia Program.” Steve was named a Distinguished Alumnus at our 40th Reunion in May.

And speaking of our 40th Reunion, I’m told that I did not mention everyone who made the journey to Middletown.

Dr. Wayne Barber travelled a long distance to join us. He flew in from Honolulu where he works in Otology at Queens Hospital. “Call me if you have an ear ache on your vacation,” he says, adding he recently hosted the Dean of Admissions “as she extolled the virtues of Wesleyan to a large group of Oahu high school counselors.” Wayne has been in touch with many of you and has a lot of news. He writes that “Larry Gaston, MD, practices dermatology in Baltimore, still looks young, fit, and trim. Dr. James Howard practices clinical psychology in Oakland, caring for deserving vets. Al Smith and his lovely wife drove up from Harlem where he is helping create a new renaissance in his community.” He says Al is “widely regarding as an influential architect in his community” and “praised the rigorous curriculum at Wes for his success at Columbia School of Architecture.” Wayne also says, “The richness of Harlem’s culture has no better champion than Peter Harper.” He says Peter is a writer formerly with the Wall Street Journal and is now in New York City and a “newly confirmed vegetarian.” He also said it was good to see Steve Sadowy ’74 at the Reunion dinner and reports that Lance Simmons is an attorney in Philadelphia.

Wayne also says Brad Wilkinson, MD, retired from his family practice in Durham, Conn. “I suppose he is sailing in Maine and visiting his grandchildren in Vietnam,” he writes. “He told me that Bill Gillespie, MD, is VP of a major health insurance company in Hartford. Out west, Ron Johnson, MD, retired from a busy retina practice, lives in Orinda, an avid golfer and traveler. Our great miler, Tim Warner, is a VP at Stanford University. He still runs passionately, looks great and very fit.” He also reports that Jeff Schneider is an MD in dermatology near San Francisco and Steve Lum, M.D., “is an endocrinologist in the beautiful pristine town of Kailua in Oahu…favorite vacation site for our President.”

My thanks to Wayne Barber and Wesleyan’s Cynthia Rockwell for reaching out to you.

PETER D’OENCH
Pgdo10@aol.com