Class Notes

George Willauer writes that he’s on the steering committee of a start-up foundation, PARJE, or Public Art for Racial Justice Education. So far, the organization has mounted five public murals in southern Connecticut towns and sponsored numerous educational programs in their schools.

Mark Feldman refers to an interesting New York Times article about the upcoming Supreme Court decision re affirmative action, and its potential impact on the admissions process at colleges and universities. The article uses Wesleyan as a vehicle for its storyline, with some beautiful pictures. The link is www.nytimes.com/2023/01/15/us/affirmative-action-admissions-scotus.html.

A sad note is the passing of George Davies on February 9th. He and his twin brother Kent were great wrestlers, and it was exciting to watch them on the mat. I had forgotten that George was our class secretary for many years in the ’80s and ’90s. When input was on the low side, he would fill space with tales about his own family. You can read about his life well lived in the online Obituaries section. Condolences to Dusty and Katie.

Gordon Wilmot and Marilyn are still cleaning out her mother’s house. They’ve found 70 years of National Geographic magazines in the basement. That’s a lot of magazines! They’re getting to be experts at restoring cast-iron pots and pans using electrolysis and differentiating between sterling silver and silver plate.

I heard from Jim LaCrosse. He will be at Wesleyan this May for his grandson Will’s commencement exercises, marking four generations in a row to graduate from Wes. Jim was the second generation, joining us after an all-expenses-paid trip to Korea in the early ’50s, courtesy of Uncle Sam.

Our firstborn turned 60 in March, and he’s making noises about retiring. Those are two indicators that we’re getting old, if aches and pains aren’t enough. And our youngest has decided to relocate his family from Canada to the USA. We are their base of operations during the process. It’s novel to have a six-year-old running around the house.

If you would like to get my call for notes and updates before each issue of the magazine, send me your email address and I will update its database, which is different from the directory the University keeps of all alumni/ae.

Until next time, stay well. Bob

Walter Ebmeyer writes: “A short note to assure you I am still alive. Now living in an ‘old folks’ home in Silver Spring, Maryland, just outside northwest Washington. Two wonderful children and six grands.” From our perspective, Walt, that’s not just news—it’s the best possible news.

More good news from Bob Bretscher: “I’m now in my very well-equipped retirement home at Presbyterian Village in Athens, Georgia. My phone number is unchanged. Naturally I miss sweet Ann. My warmest best to you all.”

Jim Gramentine puts a positive spin on not-so-great circumstances: “Was there a holiday season at the end of last year? I’m rather hazy about that but now, mid-February, I seem to be mostly out of the fog. The culprit was a rare E. coli infection in my left calf and knee. Two operations by different surgeons, with four incisions, quickly followed diagnosis. After a week in two hospitals and four in rehab, I talked my way into coming home. Since then, I have progressed from a wheelchair to a walker to a rollator. Still can’t walk, but that will come.” Jim and Ray have relocated from suburban Mequon to big-city Milwaukee—with a great view of Lake Michigan.

Overlapping reports from Dick Bauer and Jim Wagner.

From Dick: “I’ve been in touch with Jim Wagner, nudging him to contact my brother, Doug, who had just moved into Greenspring, a CCRC in Springfield, Virginia. Turns out they are near neighbors and have connected. Small world department.

“Recently I joined with one of our residents, a superb classical pianist, to do a concert in our main auditorium. I delved into the American Songbook, picked out nine songs on the theme of time, memory, and making the most of our twilight years. Among them were The Way We Were, Kisses Sweeter than Wine, and Here’s to Life. I can’t say it was Kennedy Center performance level, but the audience was great, and it was comforting to be able to make even a modest contribution to others’ flourishing.”

Now from Jim: “I finally met Doug Bauer. Doug just recently moved into the Greenspring senior living community here in Springfield, where my wife and I have lived the past three years.

“I recently gave part one of a talk on the history of weather forecasting to a group called the Science Forum here at Greenspring, one of over a hundred clubs and interest groups here. Part two is coming up at the end of March, where among other things, I will discuss chaos theory. This interesting subject, which explains why weather forecasts will never be perfect, was discovered by Ed Lorenz, one of my professors at MIT, while I was there studying meteorology after graduating from Wesleyan.

“On Valentine’s Day, my wife Betty and I participated in a wedding-vow-renewal ceremony along with several other couples who live here. After the ceremony, we were given a champagne and wedding-cake reception, followed by dancing, which all of us were still able to do (more or less)! Several of our children and grandchildren were also present and had lots of fun.”

John Foster writes: “Lila and I have been fortunate in many ways over our 60-plus years of marriage. The only unfortunate happening was the loss of our dear daughter at the age of 27 while traveling in Nepal. Perhaps the most fortunate was my averting a plunge into the depths of Alzheimer’s thanks to participating in a drug trial that overall had questionable benefits to most of my cohorts.

“We continue to be able to live in our home of 50-plus years in Marblehead. I am trying to stay fit enough to handle household chores by participating in an aqua exercise class at our excellent Y.

“We are again fortunate to have cultural opportunities nearby: a lecture series from a historic social club in next-door Salem; two small but worthy symphony orchestras are in the area. We recently heard an extraordinary and serendipitous concert with an outstanding young Japanese violinist who dazzled the audience in Vivaldi’s Four Seasons.

“Our best to you and all.”

Finally, from Bob Calvin: “I have been meaning to wish you a happy Chinese New Year of the Rabbit. Did you celebrate with moon cakes? I remember you used to take the ‘children’ into the city to see the parade and festivities. Jane and I visited some Chinese friends who recently moved here from Beijing for a delicious New Year’s meal of dumplings and exotic tea. Not much news at this end, which maybe is good.” 

To Bob: No moon cakes here. General Tso’s chicken and moo shu pork instead, with “the children,” their partners, and our one and only granddaughter, a UVM senior.

Thankfully, I don’t have to report two consecutive months of no word from classmates.

Thanks to Jim Shepard for letting us know he survived the earliest flooding disasters that struck California. Obviously, I’m sure we all hope his good fortune carried through the remainder of the extraordinary downpours to date.

I continue to acclimate to the Maryland weather and almost found it a pleasant experience to witness snow for the first time in more than 20 years, even if it were only a dusting. I’m still waiting for the warmer weather to test my knees and bike the local area. I appreciate there are two friends in this area with whom I biked when they were in Florida. It will be interesting.

As always, my very best wishes for good health and happiness to you and your loved ones.

Dave Walden sent in this note from Ontario: “I have been retired (since 1997) from my position (faculty, Plant Sciences) at the University of Western Ontario (UWO), London, Ontario, now named Western University. I earned my MSc and PhD in genetics at Cornell University, joining UWO in 1961, after a two-year, postdoctoral fellowship at Indiana University, Department of Genetics. Retirement was required at age 65 in Ontario.” Dave also said that he is enjoying retirement activities and is well.

Bob Carey has retired from being your class scribe. We thank Bob for his many years of dedication and to keeping the Class of ’54 connected to each other and to Wesleyan. If any classmate would like to become the new Class Secretary, please send an email to classnotes@wesleyan.edu.

Robert Hoage Carrier, 90, passed away December 27, 2021, in Rochester, New York. He was a graduate of the University of Rochester Medical School and became chief of orthopedic surgery at Rochester General Hospital. On campus he was the leading golf member and continued the sport throughout life. He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Myra, five children, 16 grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by two sons.

My apologies for the belated report and condolences, caused by my misunderstanding of whom would report.

The older we get, the harder it is to receive class notes, but please respond with news for the next issue.

Ron Daniel just turned 93 and still goes to the office and gym two to three times a week but is not sure how long he can keep it up. Onward!!

My next milestone is 92 and still working full time, going to the gym three to four times a week, ballroom dancing two times a week, and occasionally hit tennis balls with son-in-law Samuel Bender ’82, MD. Granddaughter Maddie Bender—daughter of Sam and Ellen (Friedman) Bender ’82—a graduate of Yale 2021, with a master’s in public health from Yale 2022, is going to Sierra Leone in May for two weeks as an intern with Nicholas Kristof, American journalist, political commentator, and the op-ed columnist for The New York Times, who is a regular CNN contributor and winner of two Pulitzer Prizes. She was awarded this honor in March 2020 but the trip was delayed because of COVID.

PLEASE WRITE!

Just three responses since the fall when I last asked. We have all slowed down but what seems boring to you just might be of interest to the rest of us. I really like to have some “news” to share.

Now the “news.” From Richard (Dick) De Gennaro, “I am still alive at age 97. That’s my news.” You may remember that Dick and his brother George were members of Alpha Chi Rho. George had been in the service and Dick had studied in France prior to coming to Wesleyan.

Boardman “Barney” Kathan writes, “The only thing that I would add to the class notes is that after five years I have created an endowed scholarship fund at Yale Divinity School to help students with their tuition costs. I agreed to do this back in 2018, and I was received into a special donors’ group in a special dinner at the school in the fall. I had graduated from YDS in 1956.”

Charlie Selig, always the reliable correspondent writes, “All OK here at Boca West, Boca Raton, Florida. I had to stop tennis this year, but swim regularly and work out a number of times each week. Lots of bridge and social life keep me busy. Nothing like Florida weather . . . return to New York for four months in June. Enjoyed NFL season with my Giants finally hiring the coach and GM needed for future growth. Best to all Wes friends.”

Some of you may not have heard about the passing of Frank G. Binswanger Jr. ’50, P’76, ’78, GP’13, ’15 on July 6, 2022. Last summer, President Roth wrote fondly of him, saying, “Frank graduated more than 70 years ago, but he remained keenly interested in alma mater. He was a trustee during the 1970s . . . and over the years, I would receive questions, advice, and encouragement from Frank.” Frank and his brother John ’54, P’83, GP’ 06, ’10, ’16 established the Binswanger Prize for Excellence in Teaching, which is awarded every year at Commencement. Roth’s note concluded by saying, “Teaching, learning, philanthropy—Binswanger traditions. May Frank’s memory be a blessing.”

Bob Wylie shared: “A comment as to the age of graduates immediately following the war: As many were veterans, ages were in the mid-20s, which now reflects those in their late 90s. There are few of us left, indeed I know of only four. Fortunately, I have my memories of Wesleyan—the institution, the faculty, social life (even without girls), and my fellow students. They are all cherished.”

Since my last column, it has been very gratifying to me to receive the number of favorable comments from so many alumni. When you get to be probably the only member of the class, it’s better to receive information from outside its confines than to just sit and talk to yourself. I have no word from any individual from the class, the actual class of 1945, so I speak for all or none as you wish. As a result of the recent publicity I received in dealing with matters of the 10th Mountain Division and Camp Hale becoming a national monument, I can now tell you that the Denver NBC station is planning a documentary concerning the 10th Mountain’s influence on not just land and monuments but also the impact on the economy that the development of the ski industry in Colorado has bought. When the members of the 10th Mountain Division came back from Italy, numbers of them came back to Colorado and settled into building ski resorts. Such places as Vale, Copper, Arapaho, et al., were built by entrepreneurs who saw a need and filled it. Not only ski resorts but the entire ski industry—for instance, manufacturing new and better skis, improving boots, safety harnesses—all the gear associated with skiing came under their observation and development. As a consequence, Colorado has become famous for its ski offerings and famous in all areas of the ski industry from the planks people now ski on to the post-skiing fireside delights that the resorts offer.

I am proud of my association with the 10th Mountain Division, am happy in being part of all that it has offered and brought to Colorado, and am satisfied that out of all this will come some significant development of the old Camp Hale site. It was a pleasure for me to get to know two alumni senators, Michael Bennet ’87 and John Hickenlooper ’74.

As we used to say in parting, “Ski heil.”

Slán go fóill.