Class Notes

First word goes to folks who haven’t appeared in this column before. Corinne “Cory” Kratz sent news of her writing fellowship from the Bogliasco Study Centre for the Arts and Humanities to spend January 2023 in Bogliasco, Italy, finishing her book, Rhetorics of Value: Exhibition, Design, Communication.

Carl Cavrell retired from teaching in 2016. After tutoring and coaching gymnastics and soccer, he’s begun subbing at his kids’ school to prepare financially as the oldest of his four boys starts college this year. So much for having kids late!

Knox Cummin spent a few wonderful days with Jim Forster in Los Altos, California, remembering old times, talking about life since Middletown, and sailing on San Francisco Bay.

Sara Pasti is project director for Enlighten Peekskill, a public art installation of light-emitting sculptures, murals, and banners spearheaded by the Hudson Valley Museum of Contemporary Art, as part of downtown revitalization.

Brian Steinbach expects to be 95 % retired by October. Then he’ll convert a large collection of music tapes to CD, including a live performance by Tom Kovar ’76 that he considered lost! Brian told me Jane Hutchins returned to her Vancouver Island farm after a rare visit to Seattle to find her sheep had COVID. He also noted an uncaptioned alumni magazine photo of Wes’s first women’s hockey team includes Jane, Deb Kosich, and Diane Cornell.

The highlight of Brian’s summer was Bonnie Raitt’s Wolf Trap concert, who he first heard opening for Maria Muldaur at Wes around 1972.

Paul Margolin works in New Hampshire for BAE Systems, where he’s also developing Londonderry’s rail trail, keeping the neighborhood rotary garden blooming, and babysitting grandkids. The Margolins’ middle and youngest daughters live nearby and have provided two grandchildren with another coming soon. Their oldest is in Nevada studying PT after a fitness and dance career (Rockettes and Vegas stage). Paul and Linda are a font of travel news. In Chicago, they breakfasted with Karen and Mark Flinchum, retired and enjoying three grandchildren. In Denver, they visited Suzy and Dave Rosenthal at their new home. They’re also in touch with Joe O’Rourke (retired in West Hartford, awaiting grandchild #5); JD Moore (still in the Connecticut judiciary); Vinnie Broderick (retired and rehabilitating his house in central New Hampshire); and Dave Rosenthal and Steve McCarthy (see below).

Dave reports he and Suzy moved from Buffalo for mountain views, sunshine, and proximity to grandchild #1. Dave, editor of the Mountain West News Bureau, a regional collaboration of NPR stations, says, “I feel like a Wes freshman again, cramming to learn wildfires, drought, wolves, wild horses, and other issues.” In Denver, he welcomed Paul’s visit and reconnected with Becky Peters.

Steve McCarthy and Kathleen downsized from Rye to a Greenwich townhouse and welcomed their first grandson. Steve and partners at QE debuted their documentary on the late director Alan Pakula (Klute, All the President’s Men, Sophie’s Choice). Steve remains active as a Wes volunteer and looks forward to our 50th (?!#).

Lisa Anderson, Kathy (Kleinbard) Heinzelman, and Deborah (Marion) Brown remain close friends, meeting and talking regularly. In July they spent a weekend at Kathy’s home in Pound Ridge, New York, sharing joyous and difficult recollections of being early WesWomen.

Roger Weisberg and Karen Freedman welcomed twin grandchildren in April from son Daniel and his wife Jannine. Grandchildren through daughter Allison ’05 are Lionel (9) and Juno (6), who can’t wait to babysit! This fall, youngest daughter Liza got married. She’s an attorney with the Southern Poverty Law Center handling voter protection litigation. In June, Roger and Karen attended the Tuscany wedding of Shonni Silverberg’s ’76 and John Shapiro’s ’74 son. COVID slowed Roger’s film production work and exacerbated the traumas of foster children that Karen’s office, Lawyers for Children, represents.

Joost Brouwer reports his growing family is well, though a granddaughter’s cystic fibrosis is worrisome. In June, Joost was among four witnesses invited to meet with the Netherlands equivalent of the House Judiciary Committee. They explained what is wrong with the Dutch government’s policy against refugees from Afghanistan and Rwanda, who are unjustly accused  of war crimes and crimes against humanity. Joost has become an expert through his volunteer work assisting refugees.

Rachel (Adler) Hayes and husband John have a college grad looking for his first full-time position in fashion design—leads welcome! A May 2021 house fire displaced them. They hope to return home before November. They’ve learned a lot about the ugly side of insurance. Rachel completed a challenging term as synagogue president, featuring a senior rabbi’s retirement, selecting an interim replacement, the associate rabbi’s unexpected resignation, the first executive director’s hiring and resignation, community reactions to COVID, and massive transition, and raising more than $10 million. Time for a nap!

Ed Van Voorhees welcomed California granddaughter #3 from daughter Ellen and husband Carlos. Son Matt in Colorado used the COVID break to earn his MBA in finance. Kids and grandkids in D.C. and Nashville are fine. After two COVID years homebound and three tries, Ed and Linda traveled in France this spring—the Dordogne, Pays Basque, and a few days in Paris and Barcelona.

Cathy Gorlin and her husband spent three months renting and working remotely for the first time in Naples, Florida. Now that they know they can do it, next winter they’ll stay longer. Their son Ross graduated from med school and started a residency at Swedish Hospital in Denver. Their grandson starts first grade in D.C. this fall.

Chris Neagle writes, “My move to a very small law firm in a very small town did not work out as hoped, so I am now happily practicing Maine real estate law part time from my home in the woods with part-time help. My first small business. Checkout neaglelaw.com.”

John Ayer reports, “After a life of varied experiences (few of which depended on my fine education) I have retired after a 30-year stint at Foxwoods Casino—the only job I ever took intending it to be temporary; ha ha on all the others!”

Ileen Rosenthal updates:

“1. I am CEO and co-founder of an educational software company called Footsteps2Brilliance. We create Model Innovation Cities—turnkey, bilingual, citywide initiatives that help children prepare for kindergarten and read proficiently by third grade. All of our content is in English and Spanish. Middletown, Connecticut, is one of the school districts that we work with. Last year, during COVID, the superintendent asked us to triangulate his pre- (fall) and post- (spring) third-party assessments. Students using our software improved their reading scores by 175 %!

“2. Footsteps2Brilliance also has been asked to co-produce a bilingual interactive television program with PBS that will use 28 of our books. After viewing the program, parents will be able to download the books and do interactive educational games with their children.

“3. Our daughter Alex Rosenthal ’17 married Keith Spencer ’16 on June 25, 2022. They met each other in Alex’s freshman year and have been an item ever since. They had a great wedding with lots of friends from Wesleyan and beyond.”

News from Monique Witt: “NYC has opened up, so Ben is once again touring and finishing the release of his fifth studio album (the second with the Sextet and Nebula Project). Dev just announced the new gear releases. Steven is too busy still; WLRK litigation is representing Twitter, and I am splitting my time between the Sound Labs and the island with upcoming albums. The new normal in NYC is kinda like the old: the L train arbitrarily stops service at Bedford, so from there it’s the G at Lorimer to the Court Square E to 57th to walk halfway across the world to find the 6. Good to be back.”

Karla Bell moved this spring, to a home with half the space, most of it still covered in boxes. This is chaotic enough, but she is spending this summer and early fall attending her children’s weddings. Her daughter’s was July 23 and her son’s was in mid-September, and both are in California during what is predicted to be scorching days. Her trip packing is truly frantic as she tears open boxes searching for those damn shoes.

In Wes news, she planned to spend some time with her roommate, Juliette Kendrick, in August, preferably near a beach, or anywhere the breezes can soothe frazzled, aching 70-year-olds. To amend that: CUTE, frazzled, aching 70-year-olds. Of course, they’re still blond.

Melissa Blacker ’76 and David Rynick are plowing through the wedding anniversary milestones and appear to be achieving their dream of growing old together. Their Zen community, Boundless Way Zen, has thrived through the pandemic, now operating online as well as in person, including people across the country and around the world. If you’re looking to do nothing, come join them at www.worcesterzen.org.

John McLucas writes: “I retired in 2020 from 36 years teaching Italian at Towson University in Baltimore—directly into the pandemic lockdowns. Finally, in October 2021, I was able to take a twice-delayed trip to Italy and reconnect with old friends there. My translation of the Italian epic poem “Il Meschino” (“The Wretch”) by Tullia d’Aragona (1560) is finally forthcoming from Iter/University of Toronto, the culmination of a project started in 2003.

My third novel, The Boxer’s Mask, is just out from BrickHouse Books. It tells the story of a charismatic young actor at the start of his career in modern Rome, and of a circle of English and American expats who become fascinated by him. Communication is already challenging across linguistic and cultural differences, and then COVID adds new layers of complexity.”

Larry Green is now living full time in Ogunquit, Maine, with his wife Denise. Larry continues to practice law as a senior partner with Burns & Levinson in Boston, generally working remotely, and is devoting more time to family, including five grandchildren, and writing. Larry has published three short books under his Hebrew name Lev: Alphabet of the Invisible, Mastering the 4th Dimension, and Weaving Your Thread through the Tapestry of Judaism. The books may be found at levgreenbooks.com or on Amazon. Larry otherwise reports that he very easily transitioned to age 70, very appreciative of his many blessings in life, including family, friends, health, the Ogunquit seashore, and synagogue involvement.

Gray Cox sends greetings from Bar Harbor, Maine, where he continues to teach philosophy, peace studies, and language learning at College of the Atlantic, employing skills in interdisciplinary study he picked up in CSS. He continues to draw on insights from Louis Mink and Brian Fay in research that has led to a book that will be published soon by the Quaker Institute for the Future called Smarter Planet or Wiser Earth? Artificial Intelligence and Collaborative Wisdom. Along with a tribe of kids and grandkids, he loves to write, perform, and record songs of love and peace (see some at graycox.bandcamp.com).

Jonathan Eddison shares: “In early June, the West College alumni subgroup of friends, degenerates, patient spouses, cynics, and radicals known loosely as “Born to Lose” had a 52nd Reunion (of freshman year) gathering at Rick Gilberg and Elisa Cohen’s house on Martha’s Vineyard. Present were: Andy Char (Honolulu), Charley Blaine (Seattle), Henry and Debbie Willis (Los Angeles), Harold Sogard (Marin), Joe Loewenstein (St. Louis), Jonathan and Diane Eddison (Austin) and Peter Heyward (Washington, D.C.). Lloyd Komesar, an honorary member, and his wife Maureen joined us. We had too much fun for our aging bodies. We spent nearly as much time talking about our medical issues as we did on national politics.”

Sandy Newman writes, “Just celebrated my 46th anniversary with the wonderful love of my life, Chris Owens, who recently retired from running a low-wage worker organization. We’ve lived since 1978 outside D.C., where our 39-year-old has now been in love with the same good guy for a dozen years. She’s a joyful, exuberant, Zumba and barre teacher and math tutor, who is also exuberant about life, which brings me great joy. (Thank goodness the teen years are long in the past). As for what I’ve been up to over the years, I’ve started and run a voter registration organization and a couple of advocacy nonprofits and have now spent many years advising donors on where they should put their contributions to have the biggest impact on protecting democracy and winning elections. Often, there are noncandidate contributions that can have many times the impact that contributions to candidates can. Most of my time goes to evaluating organizations, often spending months digging into randomized controlled trials on each of a single organization’s tactics. Happy to share conclusions as a gift to friends and classmates.” SandyNewman@gmail.com

The Middlebury New Filmmakers Festival (MNFF) was in its eighth edition in August 2022. Created by Lloyd Komesar,it is a lot of fun and Lloyd always makes everyone feel very welcome!

My husband Ted Sybertz and I continue to enjoy sailing on our 42-foot X-Yachts boat from our home port in Jamestown, Rhode Island. In the winter, we ski in Park City, Utah, and in-between, we kayak, swim, bike, and run in Vero Beach, Florida—the joys of retirement!

Finally, here are some additional photos of our classmates!

Rich Ladd in Olympia, Washington, writes that after an entire career in commercial and mortgage lending, he plans to stop working this year when his son graduates from Boise State. He adds, “My wife and I will drive the U.S. on our own time, so hope to be in Middletown for the 50th. We miss Tom Pfeiffer.”

Michael Fossel writes, “Like some others I know, I can never seem to retire. I’m running a biotech firm, chairing global conferences on gene therapy, neurodegenerative disease, and age-related disease, and writing articles and books. I’ve agreed to write/edit (I write 4/14 chapters and have coauthors for the other 10) a new textbook for Elsevier Publishing on aging, age-related disease, and our prospects for curing age-related diseases. Should be a good, solid clinical book. On a more worthwhile note, I have acres of gardens that I tend here in Michigan.”

Michael B. Robinson tells me that he met up with stalwart class agent Jay Rose at the Valley Forge Historical Site on July 5th. He says, “Jay, a history buff, oriented me to a meaningful site from the U.S. Revolutionary War period. I reminded him of my efforts to get him to row crew at Wes as we shared stories of mixed success on the football field.” Michael says, “Jay seems an expert at contributing to all around him but also enjoying life all the while.”

John Spike writes, “Michèle and I divide our years into four slightly less-than-three-month residences in Williamsburg, Virginia (home of the College of William & Mary where Michèle taught in the law school founded by Thomas Jefferson, and I curated the art museum), and in Florence, our home since 1989.”

John also writes that he is the world’s foremost authority on the careers of two brothers from Taverna, Italy, who were born there in the early 17th century and who made significant careers in Rome and sent back more than 20 important paintings and altarpieces.

John says, “In late June, the people of Taverna pleasantly surprised me by unanimously naming me presidente of their new Archivio Pretiano (Preti Archives), which is now under construction inside the principal palace on the main piazza of the town—thanks to funds received from the European Community. It will be my objective to create this facility into a research library and center for the study of the art and history of the region of Calabria and indeed all of Italy south of Naples and north of Sicily.”

Todd Stone writes that he continues his painting practice as an artist in residence at the World Trade Center. “I painted solo in my studio on 71st floor of 3WTC through the emptying of downtown during the pandemic,” he says. In September he exhibited his work at the NYC Culture Club in the Oculus for the 20th anniversary of 9/11. He says, “You can take a virtual visit at my website ToddStoneStudio.com. My artist book Witness Downtown Rising: Twenty Years of Painting the World Trade Center is available on the website store.”

And as we approach our 50th Reunion next year, James Powers says the Reunion Book Committee is hoping you will join them in writing and submitting your individual biographies as part of treasured reflections for the reunion book to Geralyn Russo through grusso@wesleyan.edu. It will take a few moments but your memories will last a lifetime and will no doubt have so many connections to our time at Wesleyan and afterward. James says you can reflect on your strongest memories and what you have been doing for the last 50 years and who you are today. And feel free to tell us how Wesleyan made a difference in your life.

There may have been one person, one professor or one event that had a lasting influence on who you are today.

I’ll never forget how the influence of John Frazer and Jeanine Basinger encouraged my love of film and then on to the Wesleyan Film Board senior year and then on to film connections forever. Or how Wesleyan Argus editor James Repass ’71 encouraged my move to a career in journalism. Or how freshman-year advisor and English professor Joe Reed pushed me toward a freshman-year course in the humanities, saying, “You must do this because you may never read authors like Plato ever again.” Or Joe’s courses on film and author William Faulkner. And in the influence of our president, Colin Campbell.

To locate a classmate or to participate in planning programs, contact Mandy Broulik at abroulik@wesleyan.edu. Go to wesleyan.edu/classof1973 for more information. This is our year to celebrate this incredible milestone!

We started planning our 50th Reunion about four years ago. At that time, before such things as COVID became part of our lives, the reunion seemed a very long way away. Then, somehow, the day came and it happened. And now it’s over. Ignoring the sad fact that we’ll never get so many of us together again, we can all rejoice in the fact that our committee put together a wonderful event, which all present seemed to enjoy. Plus, we had at least 94 class members there, which has been officially acknowledged as the new record for attendance at a Wes 50th.

We are going to do whatever possible to keep this spirit going. Some committee members are looking into starting our own class website, featuring photos, videos, updates to the class book, anything of interest. We will be holding a series of periodic Zoom get-togethers. And I, living fairly close to Middletown, plan on attending future Reunion weekends and urge the rest of you to do likewise.

The key observation of the weekend was that of Bruce Hearey, who was amazed that they had added so many hills to the campus since our time. I agreed. The days when I would happily jaunt between Lawn Avenue and the Center for the Humanities are now ancient history. Going from place to place at our reunion, following similar efforts a few weeks before at the ’70–’71 belated 50th, gave me a set of foot, back, and leg issues that led me to make some great new friends among the western Connecticut podiatry and physical therapy community. I am now happy to report that it all worked and am now no longer acting my age. I’ll be ready for next year!

I had not realized that Maxon Davis had left Wesleyan until I looked to the left of me at graduation and saw someone else sitting there. I had a great chat with him prior to the Alumni Parade, and he sent me the attached update, which I have shortened somewhat:

“I left Wesleyan one week into the second semester of our sophomore year, and drove out to Berkeley, California, in late March 1970, to enroll there for the spring quarter 1970. It was of course just a few weeks before the invasion of Cambodia and Kent State. I listened with interest to the discussion at Reunion of the strike at Wesleyan that spring. By contrast, all hell broke loose in Berkeley. There were riots and a reactive heavy police presence on campus. After having been tear-gassed twice, I decided that prudence dictated that I keep a respectful distance from the more active protesters. Classes were canceled, and I received multiple Bs for minimal effort that first quarter at Cal.

“Even though I had taken a leave of absence from Wesleyan, I decided to stay at Cal, for multiple reasons, one of which was of course the fact that Cal was fully co-educational. Along that line, I met my wife Kristina during the winter quarter of 1972—my senior year. She was the third woman whom I asked out in our agricultural economics class (in which I had enrolled mostly because it fit nicely between a PE class and the UC Lacrosse Club’s practice). I would show up for that class in my infrequently laundered workout clothes, with my lacrosse stick and a duffle bag of gear. Out of respect for my classmates, I sat by myself in the back of the room. The first two girls in the class whom I asked for a date wouldn’t go out with me. Being the product of a Catholic girls’ school in San Francisco, Kristina had no idea what lacrosse was and foolishly asked me about the strange wooden ‘club’ I was bringing to class. I explained and invited her to watch me play the coming weekend in San Francisco. Since she was looking for a ride home that Saturday, she accepted. After the game, she asked me to take her home and invited me in for dinner with her family, which she claims was more out of being polite than affection. The truth was probably in-between. We married in August 1974. Two kids and one grandchild later, I am happy that she asked me about my lacrosse stick.

“After a relatively aimless year, I applied to law schools in 1973. I did so not out of any long-standing desire to be a lawyer. Rather it seemed like a suitable means to postpone the inevitable decision about what I would do for the rest of my life. I applied to six or seven geographically dispersed law schools with the overriding criterion being that it be the best law school in its area, so I would have a good chance of getting a job when I graduated. On that basis I elected to attend the University of Montana Law School, in Missoula (being that it was—and is—the only law school in Montana). Academics again had nothing to do with that decision. I drove up from Berkeley in September 1973, and essentially have never left. I quickly fell in love with Montana.

“I accepted a position at a three-man law firm in Great Falls in 1976. The third lawyer in the firm left 60 days after my arrival. Since there was then work enough for four lawyers, I enjoyed a true baptism under fire. Forty-six years later, I am the senior guy in the same firm, now with six lawyers and named (since 1996) Davis, Hatley, Haffeman and Tighe, PC. I have the most diverse law practice of anyone whom I know. I love what I do and have no plans to retire.

“Kristina and I live on 4 acres on the Missouri River, 6 miles south of Great Falls. In my spare time, I ski, fly-fish, and hike (along with seemingly never-ending yard work May–October).

“Looking back over the span of 50-plus years, I concede that I have made a number of decisions in my life for what were—simply put—the wrong reasons. (That does not include asking Kristina to marry me.) That said, even if my motivation to act has been wrong numerous times, the results have  been uniformly positive. (That very definitely does include marrying Kristina.) So, life has been and remains good.”

Paul Edelberg sent us an update, most of which follows:

“First, the most important moment of my adult life was marrying my college sweetheart, Laura, who was introduced to me by the one and only Leon Vinci. We have had a beautiful marriage, especially because she has put up with me for all those years! Laura and I have two wonderful daughters, one in NYC and one in Seattle. Both doing well and still have a tight grip on my heartstrings. The one in Seattle is getting married this fall, so much excitement in the Edelberg household. The only bummer is that my brother Jay, class of ’69 (for those of you who knew him at Wes), passed away last fall and will be sorely missed at the wedding.

“The only dilemma with my daughter’s wedding is that she is marrying a Yankees fan. I am an avid and fanatic Red Sox fan. I had ‘prohibited’ my daughter from marrying a Yankee fan, but there is where my influence over my younger daughter stops. Not only is her fiancé an avid Yankee fan, he runs baseball marketing for T-Mobile, one of the biggest sponsors of Major League Baseball. However, he has bribed me with playoff tickets and tickets to the first row of the Green Monster, and it is working! My relationship with my future son-in-law is starting to be defined!

“I have been a practicing corporate and finance attorney in NYC and Connecticut all these years, which is somewhat ironic for those of you who knew me at Wes. I wasn’t the best behaved during my years there. In fact, when I took the bar exam in Connecticut, a fellow Wes grad ran into me and said I was one of the last people he expected to see taking the bar exam! So, things change! There is not a lot of glamour, nor many exciting events, in practicing corporate and finance law, so no great stories to tell. So, I’ll share just a couple of more recent experiences.

“I have been fortunate to have enjoyed my legal career, at which I am still hard at work.  In the last 20 years, I expanded my practice to an international corporate practice, with a specialty on China business matters. I became co-chair of the China Committee of the International Law Section of the American Bar Association and write and lecture on China, which until the pandemic I visited frequently. I also am the former president on the Connecticut China Council, which is responsible for handling Connecticut’s sister state relationship with Shandong Province. So, if any of you have an interest in China, we can share thoughts and experiences over the weekend.

“Most recently I have gotten involved in the International Law Section’s special committee to help Afghan lawyers and judges who have fled Afghanistan become acclimated to the practice of law principally in the U.S. but also in other Western countries. I was incredibly moved by the efforts of two female U.S. federal judges who had been involved in training female Afghan judges pre-Taliban, only to see some of these Afghan judges executed by the Taliban for trying male defendants. These two U.S. federal judges were able, through the International Women Judge’s Association, to extract approximately 150 of these female judges out of Afghanistan, with more still there. I was fortunate to meet one of these two U.S. judges at a recent event. I also met a male Afghan lawyer who had assisted the U.S. Army in Afghanistan and who had just arrived in the U.S. after being in hiding for six months, with the Taliban FaceTiming him with the message that they were looking for him. Interesting and suspenseful story on how he got out. It puts our cushy lives in perspective. The section’s committee is focused on all Afghan lawyers and judges, although I am going to try to focus on helping in my small way the female Afghan judges resettle. Some are still trying to get out of Afghanistan.”

Harry Glasspiegel sent the following, to remind us that he is, or at least was, a literary man:

“I wrote a one-line poem for Richard Wilbur’s amazing poetry class our senior year. The title was ‘Muse’ and it read simply, ‘an us inside me’ (realized sitting in Clark Hall trying to think of a poem to turn in for the class that the word muse has ‘us’ inside ‘me’). I wrote Professor Wilbur 40 years after we graduated, mentioned the poem to him and how much I appreciated his class. A few weeks later I received a postcard back from him (he was in his late 80s/early 90s, retired in Cummington, Massachusetts, at the time). Typed with his signature IBM typewriter, it began, ‘It was just the other day that I cited without attribution the us within the muse . . . .‘”  😊

Lex Burton sent us the following sobering note. I have to say that Lex looked as well as ever at the reunion, and I hope it continues:

“As with most of us, our time at Wesleyan was pivotal in our lives. Some of you may remember, I was on the five-year plan. At the beginning of our junior year, I realized I was mostly dubbing around academically, and left school to be a subject in a study of ‘high-ability’ college dropouts at Hahnemann Hospital in Philadelphia. I needed some time to mature and grow some confidence in myself in areas other than athletics; I was reasonably successful; successful enough to be more focused and productive when I returned to Wesleyan a year later.

“In my first two years at Wesleyan I made good friends, played some sports, had some dates, listened to great music, etc. Though I don’t regret those experiences, I do regret the many missed learning opportunities. On my return to Wesleyan, positive experiences continued but this time, accompanied by academic focus. Enough so that I was able to graduate. High points of my four years were the friendships I made, some of which continue and many more I wish had/would. There were the ball games, concerts, late-night cards, pool, room parties, and many stimulating/challenging conversations. I was excited by many of my courses as well. During my first two years I regularly went on road trips to socialize. I made no road trips my last two years. While I expect most small New England colleges would have provided a positive experience, I do think Wesleyan is unique.  It is an environment of acceptance. Any angst I had was mostly of my own doing and not from other students, faculty, or administration. My son who graduated in ’04 had a similarly positive experience.

“After graduation, I spent time in Portland, Oregon, as a salesman, not my cup of tea. Then I taught at a Quaker school in Atlantic City. I realized I liked being an educator, especially of the needier, more challenging students. Subsequently, I then got a doctorate from Rutgers in school/child psychology, where I studied my ass off. I moved to Vermont, worked for 10 years at a community mental health center, and later, had an active private practice for 10 years. I spent the next 15 years consulting with schools regarding students with academic and behavioral needs. It was hard work, especially dealing with educators and bureaucrats who did not see things as clearly as I did, naturally. Mostly it was fulfilling and I looked forward to going to work each day, which is a blessing.

“I was married in 1979, settled in Randolph, Vermont, and had two children, Matt and Ian, with my first wife Corky. Twenty years later, we divorced, and a few years after that, I met my present wife Cathi. Cathi was totally infatuated with me, and riding on that ego high, we quickly became nearly inseparable. Little did I know she’d be nothing but a pain in the ass. My sons tried to warn me, but I didn’t listen. (My wife inserted this when she edited my first draft and she is not a pain in the ass, she is a pain in the neck).

“My son Matt teaches at the University of Pittsburgh, and Ian is working on careers as a musician or a forester, whichever flourishes first. As I am sure those of you who have kids would agree, the birth of children is a seminal moment in one’s life. Ian and his partner, Emily, just shared that experience themselves, welcoming their first child, and my first grandchild, Adrienne. My son Matt and his wife (more so his wife) are also pregnant.

“Another seminal moment in my life was being diagnosed with terminal cancer two and a half years ago. The initial prognosis was 6 to 9 months, later changed to 12 to 18 months.  It is a strange and time-consuming business preparing for death; emotionally, financially, socially, physically. In an instant, my life, previously focused on achievement, changed to a desire to strengthen and expand relationships with family and friends.

“Currently, I am not cancer free, but my oncologist is making no predictions. I get scans every couple of months and we are hoping I am tumor free for many years to come.”

And this, from Michael Arkin:

“The Kiss Me Kate National Tour concluded in June 2002. I returned to New York to the still smoking pile of rubble of the World Trade Center. It was clear the world of my hometown, and the feeling that we were isolated from the troubles of the world, were gone, never to return. My life as an actor was also changing. There were some commercials, some TV and film work, a summer spent in Aspen, Colorado, in a musical Lies & Legends, the songs of Harry Chapin—that was a blast. But by 2005 I realized a reinvention was in order. Morag was buying, renovating, and selling houses in Hudson. The real estate market was on fire in NYC. I enrolled in a real estate course and got a license to sell property. At a seminar in the spring of 2006, the panel featured an actress I had been in an off-Broadway play with 20 years before. I went to her office to talk about real estate companies I was considering joining. She added her firm to my list and introduced me to the owner, Fred Peters, who offered me a desk at Warburg Realty in Tribeca. My first day on the job there was an email in my new inbox from a guy named Steve Goldschmidt saying, ‘You must be the Mike Arkin I went to Wesleyan with!’ Thus began a wonderful adventure selling apartments in co-ops, condominiums, and townhouses, in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens. As a boy raised in the Outer Boroughs, and as an actor in a street theater company that played all over Brooklyn, I know a great deal about many parts and aspects of New York City. “Winning the confidence of buyers or sellers is an art, a function of demonstrating not just knowledge, but using my actor skill set to understand my clients’ character, their dreams and fears, and to translate that into a coherent plan. I get to see Steve a lot and that is fun; he has been a great friend. Morag moved on from the renovation business and now sells real estate in Hudson where she lives mostly full time. We have a flat in Long Island City where I camp while plying my trade in town. This was written after attending the 50th Reunion. The return to campus and Middletown, reconnecting with so many dear, good former classmates and their partners, was such a joy. We are so glad we were there to join in the laughter, tears, and life stories, and to reminisce about that formative time 50 years ago. Love, peace, and all good things attend you all.”

Scott Sprouse must be old-fashioned. He sent me a handwritten update. So much for cutting and pasting. I am not going to retype the whole thing, but since it is replete with Sprousian aphorisms I am going to scan it and you will be able to peruse it in this all-electronic edition. But here are some highlights:

Scott went to Yale Graduate School at Wes, writing his MA thesis on “The Essential and the Existent: The Two-fold Source of Knowing in Aristotle’s Metaphysics.” However, in view of the discouraging job markets for PhDs, Scott got his MBA from Columbia (“the finishing school for sociopaths”). He worked in New York for Wharton Econometrics (really the Penn Economics Department), where he was the top salesman, taking away 79 accounts from competition while losing only four in a three-year span (“But who’s counting?”). Scott’s Colombian wife had their son and daughter playing soccer (“dance with a purpose”), so they got athletic scholarships, and are now, respectively, a lieutenant commander in the navy and a marketer with white-shoe law firms. Scott says they are still of liberal disposition and points out that his stepdaughter is a bad-ass union organizer. Scott has had some health issues but is “still above the ground” in New Smyrna Beach, Florida.

Finally, some bad news. Frank Benson passed away this summer. He had recently retired from his career as a physician in Decatur, Alabama, where he specialized in addiction medicine, among other things. Various friends on Facebook remembered him as a hardworking premed student, and as the “Mississippi Mover” on WESU.

Aloha! We had a very successful 50th (51st) Reunion. This column should now be mainly devoted to transitions. Many have already retired and are well embedded in their new transitions, but many are still working full or part-time and trying to come to terms with what to do when the work door closes. Let’s discuss our successes/attempts/failures or whatever’s.

Here is what Katy Butler is dealing with: “After decades as a part-time landlord, I sold a rental property (the house I owned with my first husband), which had helped subsidize my writing. At 73, much to my surprise, I suddenly hit a wall and couldn’t/didn’t want to deal with tenants and handymen anymore.

“My literary agent shot down a new book idea. I feel somewhat unmoored. I’m taking the summer off, going to museums in San Francisco, reading Orwell’s Roses by Rebecca Solnit, using the library, and socializing like crazy, reaching out to other women writers, making up for years of self-denial and workaholism.

“I feel like I’m preparing a nest for something new, something unnamed. The lack of purpose is difficult. I’m redoing my estate plan and have picked a professional fiduciary to manage my trust rather than burdening my husband. I am childless but in a blended family, and want to provide, after my death, for a vulnerable brother. I’m also providing for the realistic possibility that I may become mentally incompetent before I die, and that is a difficult contemplation, even for someone who’s written two books about successful aging! I got a baseline assessment of my neuropsychological functioning (so that I and others can see when I skid and slip) and much to my surprise, given my forgetfulness with names and dates, passed with flying colors for my age and demographic. I’m hoping I still have 15 good years in front of me.

“I’m sure there’s another book in me, but while I await it, I guess I’m trying out what my father called ‘being on permanent holiday.’ Even my dreams are getting richer.

“Being a writer, I set my own terms and worked out of a home office for decades. I imagine this transition is not nearly as wrenching as it may be for people who went into an office.

“I’m learning to manage my energy rather than my time, and to do a little less per weekend. I swim  for about an hour in the midafternoon, up to four times a week, and it gives me a huge energy boost plus I’m enjoying it mightily. Staying functional—even on a plateau—is a part-time job and a victory.”

Warren White’s  transitions are: “I am active mentally and physically as a 12-year retiree from Wendy’s food service and corporate compensation management.

“(1) I walk and exercise almost daily, staying off of statin drugs.

“(2) I volunteer prep cook once a week for Richmond, Virginia’s, 34-county Feed More.

“(3) In September, I begin docent training at the renovated Virginia Museum of History & Culture, an interest that has continued since a WesU American Revolution seminar.

“(4) Occasionally I bake whole-grain fruit cake for grandnieces/nephews in Richmond and Denver.

“I hope other ‘Hoy’s Boys’ are happy, healthy, and doing what they like to do!”

Jim Rizza writes about his transitions: “I volunteered my time for four years doing residential electrical wiring with Habitat for Humanity and others in need. I volunteered as the director of the science and technology lab for a local school district, running a three-hour lab once a week for the best math and science students. Taught photography and served as a judge for statewide annual photo competition for three years. Published a few articles—guitar construction and history, photographs, other topics. I continue to study across a very broad range of interests with emphasis on teachings regarding the true nature of reality as revealed by our greatest spiritual masters and mystics over the past few thousand years as well as quantum physics and quantum gravity. I spend time almost every day playing the guitar and, on occasion, produce some original music. Have performed here and there, mostly for schools. Support our adult children and our granddaughters (four of them) with problem-solving help ranging from homework to building addition on to a house to resolving anxiety issues to organizing and establishing the business plans and ethics for conscious capitalism business ventures. I learned to fly small, general aviation aircraft. I do creative wood and metal fabrications. I meditate.”

Finally, Mark Wallach weighs in: “I’m still as far behind most of my classmates in imagination and openness to change as I was at Wesleyan. I’m still working as a litigator (though certainly not as hard as I did 20 years ago), singing in our community choral group (the Western Reserve Chorale), occasionally riding my bike (not a motorcycle, just a plain old bicycle). There are grandchildren—five of mine, three of Karla’s, so far—but they’re all out of town (all in the Maryland suburbs of D.C., to be precise) and therefore only occasionally filling our lives. We moved—how I hate the term ‘downsizing’ after this move—into a three-bedroom condo in a lovely, tree-lined collection of developments known picturesquely as ‘The Village.’  I’ve been trying for several years to find an appropriate volunteer position to do something substantive to combat climate change, but nothing much has come along yet. I keep trying. I don’t feel old. I want to make a ‘transition,’ but only on terms I like.”

Hope you found these interesting. Looking for more next time. Aloha!

Just as I was submitting this column, I received the word that Marshall Webb drowned this week. He was trying to save two grandchildren while boating on Lake Champlain when a sudden storm came up. As you probably know, Marshall grew up at Shelburne Farms in Vermont and has spent the past 50 years working on environmental issues at the farm, including seeking to reduce the farm’s carbon footprint. His presentation during a panel discussion at the reunion was inspirational. Condolences to all family, friends, and co-workers. He will be sorely missed.

For those of you who attended our 50th-51st-52nd Reunion, I don’t have to tell you much. It seems to be unanimous that it was great. Like many of you, I suffer from some CRS syndrome, so rather than relying on my memory of conversations during those 3 ½ days, I’m going with the e-mails I have received.

I’m starting out with Jeremy Serwer in recognition of all his efforts to get people to the reunion. Enjoyed hanging out with him a bit and hearing more about his shooting-while-riding-horses contests. (No animals were injured, but some balloons were destroyed.)

Jerry Cerasale attended the reunion and hosted a discussion about Vietnam.  He also mentioned that he was running for office. Follow-up: “Well I was elected to the Eastham, Massachusetts, Select Board yesterday. Now I can’t complain about local government—I am local government. Horrors!!” In another note, Jerry commented, “The only ‘unnerving’ thing for me [about the reunion] was when Prince Chambliss told us that when we spoke with a current student it was like when a 1918 graduate spoke to us when we were students—boy, are we getting old.”

Randy Miller still is mayor of (I think) Elizabeth, New Jersey.

You no doubt remember Jamie Kirkpatrick playing his bagpipes from time to time up on the roof. Turns out he’s been writing of late. “For the past seven years, I’ve written a weekly column for three online newspapers on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.”  He didn’t attend the reunion, but he did write about it: https://chestertownspy.org/2022/05/10/the-way-we-were-by-jamie-kirkpatrick/. (Check it out for an interesting perspective.)

Rob Baker, visiting Kaua’i at the moment (he has a house on the north side), didn’t attend the reunion but explained why: “I began 2022 in the hospital for 22 days due to a hyperimmune response to an unknown agent. I lost 24 pounds and was unable to function normally for a long time. I was fortunate to fit in cardiac surgery before heading to Princeville where I’m recovering well. I continue to surf and play golf, although not as frequently or well. We’re expecting a third grandchild. That’s about it!”  He’s feeling much better; reported he’s been surfing here lately. We met up briefly recently in Kalihiwai Valley.

Harvey Yazijian didn’t make it to the reunion but attended a minireunion.  “Here’s a brief update post-50th Reunion. Elliot Daum, Marshall Webb, Bill Jefferson, and I converged at Shelburne Farms, Marshall’s ‘Magic Kingdom,’ on the shores of cerulean Lake Champlain near Burlington, Vermont. It was an opportunity for us to reconnect under the best of circumstances. It was the middle of spring and everything was budding. The next day was greener than the last.”

At the reunion, Marshall Webb and Jacob Scherr were on a panel about global warming and related issues. It was both interesting and well attended.

Steve Talbot also was not at the reunion but shared the following: “I skipped the reunion—still not inclined to fly across country during COVID and busy here in California with work and family. But I hope those that went enjoyed it. I will always hold our class and what we did at Wesleyan in high regard. Many, many fond (intense) memories.

“I stay in regular touch with Dave Davis, Bill Tam, and a few others. I’m glad to know that Wesleyan has a strong documentary filmmaking program going—renewed many decades after we launched it back in the late 1960s.

“I’m still working on a documentary film—my pandemic project, longest I’ve ever worked on a film—about Nixon and Kissinger and the anti-Vietnam War movement in 1969. Incorporating some footage from my Wesleyan thesis film, “March on Washington,” that I made with Dave Davis, Bill Tam, David White, Susan Heldfond, and others. The good news is that PBS recently told me they want the film and are willing to put up financing. Much negotiating and editing up ahead, but it now looks like I can complete The Movement and the Madman, by the end of this year. Fingers crossed. https://www.movementandthemadman.com”

Ted Reed made it to Reunion. He’s fine. Still writing. Has a business card with photos of his three books on it. After Reunion, he visited his children and his granddaughter in San Francisco.

Bob Stone enjoyed the delayed Reunion and connected with old swimming friends. (For those who didn’t know this, the old pool in Fayerweather has been transformed. Our class lunches on Friday and Saturday of Reunion were in a lovely dining room where the pool once was. An odd feeling.)  Bob continues to write poignant poetry and posts it on Facebook. Here’s the poem he posted after the reunion:

Our reunion excelled in all ways,

as we relived those formative days.

The intrepid Kate Lynch

made enjoyment a cinch.

Her deft planning is worthy of praise.

Our old classmates remain quite impressive.

Well-informed, erudite and expressive.

They’re incredibly bright.

Display brilliant insight

while their hairlines are growing recessive.

Some required frequent checking of vitals.

Conversations were “organ recitals.”

Codgers long in the tooth

tried reclaiming lost youth,

aided by walking sticks and subtitles.

We saw peers take the lectern and teach:

Vietnam, race relations, free speech,

women’s rights, climate change.

A free-flowing exchange.

And our grasp was in sync with our reach.

We could once again savor the thrill

of a trek to the crest of Foss Hill.

But we’re saddened to see

there’s no McConaughy!

At least Nicholson sits up there still.

For our lunches we gathered together

in a section of old Fayerweather,

at the heart of our school

where the Cardinals rule

among Wesleyan birds of a feather.

When it ended we said fond farewells

in the shadow of South College bells.

Once three more years have gone,

we’ll reprise gamelan.

Just the thought of it and my chest swells!

Steve Masten continues to enjoy retirement and being active in injured raptor rehabilitation.

George Talbot (MD) wrote this short note after Reunion: “Aloha Russ I am still alive, so far. . . .”  (Good to hear!)

Jerry Schwartz made it to the reunion. He writes: “The highlight for me and my wife Janet was taking a crack at playing the gamelan. I’d always wanted to. We don’t live far away, so we drop by for movies and concerts from time to time. Of course, it was great to reconnect with friends from so long ago; particularly Darwin Poritz and Rabbi Jeff Elson.”

Marc Pickard wrote a long piece, which we appreciate. “I am into my second decade of retirement from TV news and having an absolute ball. My wonderful wife of 45 years, Jean, and I travel a ton. She still loves her work in the travel industry (battered by the impact of the pandemic but not bowed) and sees her own retirement still far off.

I am a fly fisherman and have had the good fortune to fish in some of the most beautiful places in the world. I’ve also dabbled in fiction writing—though not very well.

I keep up with a few old farts from my Wes days: Bob Stone, Vic Pfeiffer ’71, Alan Van Egmond ’71, Steve Berman ’72, and Jim Hoxie ’72 .

“Jeannie and I are currently in Cape Town, South Africa, for three months because—why not? It has been our dream to live in beautiful places and we have been incredibly fortunate to be able to do that.

“I am well and active. And there you have it.”

He added, “Thank you, Russ, for accepting the often-unrewarding task of documenting the lives of us cantankerous curmudgeons.” (Hey, I get to read all the news first!)

One of the funny things about reunions is that some folks seem to appear briefly and then disappear. It’s an interesting phenomenon. One such person at the reunion was Maurice Hakim. I saw him just briefly, but he followed up with a full report:

“It was great seeing you and so many classmates last Saturday. It seemed to be an ‘old fogey’ gathering. I wonder what our 55th will be like in 2025! The consensus seemed to be the old age hit when we turned 72–73. It did for me.

“I launched Mister Mo’s Organic Lemonades last summer. These lemonades are the same ones I make for my private label (grocery-store chain) accounts. See link: www.DrinkMrMos.com. Hopefully, these will get the same response and will grow beyond New England.

“Carol and I have been spending the warm months in Clinton, Connecticut, and the cold months in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. But that may change and we may reside full time in Clinton. (See attached pix). The small outbuilding on the left in picture 3 is my Man Cave/office.

“Our daughter Alexandra turns 32 on May 29. She was just 10 days old at our 20th! She’s an internet marketing wiz and on June 1 she starts a new job with Boston Consulting Group. Carol and I are very proud of her. She’s a great and loving daughter.”

The elusive Harvey Bercowitz wrote a long note: “Hope all is well with you and your family. I have enjoyed following your migration to Alaska and now Hawaii. I am well. Sorry to have missed our reunion but there is hope for our 55th! I am retired from medical practice after 44 years. I specialized in Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine, treating diving injuries from coastal Virginia and North Carolina and medical urgencies such as severe carbon monoxide poisoning and necrotizing infections. I live quietly on the ocean with my lovely wife Lynn in Virginia Beach, Virginia. We have two children and one granddaughter. I keep in touch with Bob Feldman, Marcos Goodman, David Cantor, and Bob Carter from our class and Chip Bryant and Nathan Nichols from ’71.”

John Yurechko (MD) was on a trip to Alaska as I was gathering news for this column. “Jane and I just got on board a cruise ship doing Alaska. I am in total geezer culture shock. Every step of the journey was handled by young people using cell phones. The airline process? All cell phones. The COVID travel testing process? All cell phones. Canadian and U.S. customs? Cell phones. QR codes. Scanned COVID vaccination record. Dinner reservations and menus all on cell phones. My arthritis hands and 1948 birth year just can’t handle it. Wi-Fi wildlife. Router king crabs. Configure proxy whatever. Half the ship passengers look old. Wheelchairs. Gasp.”  Being nosy (after all, it IS Alaska), I pried out a bit more information: “Three stops. Icy Straight Point, Juneau, Skagway. I wish my old body could explore more but it’s not up to the challenge.”

Mark Mintz made it to the reunion. His note echoes some of John Yurechko’s:  “Our reunion hotel was also where the visiting Middlebury baseball and men’s lacrosse teams were staying and having breakfast each morning. Having had breakfast surrounded by all these 18- to 22-year-olds made me feel that this was my college reunion and not the one over at Wesleyan packed with old men.”

Saw Gus Spohn briefly at the reunion. He, too, followed up with a reunion-within-a-reunion photo and this message: “I’ve attached a photo of the Wesleyan swim team members who attended the 50th. Photo was taken on the deck of the ‘new’ pool. Coach Peter Solomon gave us a grand tour of the very impressive facility. Swimmers, left to right: John Cady ’71; Gus Spohn; Bob Stone; Vic Pfeiffer ’71; Pat Callahan ’71 (and former Wesleyan swim coach); Larry Mendelowitz ’72.”

Had a lengthy message from David Redden, the now-retired, longest-serving, auctioneer at Sotheby’s:

“I can no longer speak. ALS, from which I suffer, has taken away my voice along with the muscles that move my arms, legs, diaphragm and so much more. But ALS has not affected my mind, for which I am eternally grateful. And gratitude goes to an army of caregivers and nurses who attend me day and night, led by the indomitable Jeannette, my wife.

“So, being bed bound for a couple of years now, gives me opportunity to reflect. I consider my life charmed, not so much at Wesleyan where I was somewhat desperately trying to discover myself, but later when I met the most beautiful girl in the world and married her and when I fell into the job I was made for at Sotheby’s and stayed there for rest of my working life, the last 16 of which I served as a vice chairman of the firm. Along the way I dealt with the Kennedy family over the sale of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis’s estate, Coretta Scott King and her family over the sale of Martin Luther King’s papers, the Forbes family over the sale of the nine Faberge Imperial Easter Eggs inherited from their father, and a thousand other golden moments. This I chronicled in a highly personal and detailed diary, which I titled Diary of a Sotheby’s Auctioneer.

https://www.getty.edu/news/sothebys-auctioneer-david-redden-donates-archive-to-getty-research-institute/

“Now that diary along with a great number of personal papers have gone to the Getty where they will lend the future a taste of the art world of late 20th century and early 21st century.

“This means an important part of me will live on, although what the future will make of my late night ramblings, I have no idea.

“But, of course, there is much more to life than what goes on at the office. I have two children, Stephen and Clare, who in the best Wesleyan tradition, are still searching for themselves; Stephen having spent time at Wesleyan and Clare who is on her way to a doctorate in psychology.

“I have been involved with numerous environmental and cultural organizations, have at one time or another chaired most of them, and appreciate the lasting imprint they have left, both environmentally and culturally.

“And, lastly, I have been blessed to own some of the most beautiful properties in the world, filled with my very personal and idiosyncratic collections.

“I now have entered the most difficult period of my life, the end game, but I still feel blessed to have my utterly gorgeous wife and my children at my side.

“As a footnote I did send to the Wesleyan library a small archive of material from my time as an organizer of Wesleyan SDS in 1968.

With best wishes to all,

David Redden”

Bruce Williams wasn’t able to attend the reunion, but he wrote, “Getting used to living in an older model vehicle. The beautiful, young ER nurse had seen Men in Black and did a credible impression of Rip Torn crawling out of the opening crash site. ‘That’s exactly how I feel,’ I said. Sorry to miss our 52nd but had a great visit and lobster dinner with Mark Fuller and Miles Siegel on Mark’s ‘Reunion Tour East.’ Look forward to our 55th.” And in another note, Bruce wrote, “Sitting here with Mark Fuller and Miles Siegel, who insist that I post this movie: https://vimeo.com/ileife/marvel.

My apologies.”

Tim McGlue also sent a note, “News? You probably know the same things I do about the world, which don’t look good, and we don’t want to think about it. The climate is changing more quickly, and the rich are getting richer while more and more believe their tweets—we all know what happens to the poor. Religious and tribal fanaticism is reaching medieval proportions and ravaging entire peoples all over the world. The virus is morphing. The Devil still wears Prada. God’s identity is up for grabs and nobody knows what they think. The big question is still ‘Who do you love?’ Not enough. Maybe there’s good news in sports.

“A lot of good music and thinking out there, some good writing but I’m still looking for a heart like Albert Camus, Toni Morrison, or Primo Levy. Sometimes I wonder about heart—I find it occasionally in writers like Louise Erdrich. We need more Marvin Gaye, Gil Scott Heron, Neil Young, Buffy Saint-Marie. The WES ’70 Reunion photos were nice—I couldn’t make it, alas. I’m planning on a big trip to the States in the fall, if possible (see above) to see friends (notably my good friend Bill Bullard) and family and to promote my first real book (historical fiction), which is scheduled to come out in September. I hope. I’ll give Wesleyan a holler, with special thanks to the College of Letters and staff of ’70.

“Thanks for the heads-up, stay healthy, and watch your back, all of you.”

Also had a note from Charlie Holbrook: “Leslie and I will shortly return to Old Lyme, Connecticut, from June 1 to October 15. This will enable us to visit Wesleyan and see a few football games this fall and get a chance to see Professor Nat Greene. Professor Greene is still teaching at Wesleyan, and I have had the pleasure of taking a course for credit from him in 2010 and auditing his class nine times from 2012 to 2021 with the exception of 2015. This summer he is not teaching a class but every year we always meet for lunch. Our cottage at Point O’ Woods Beach is 31 miles from High Street in Middletown. I retired from full-time teaching at Beaufort High School in Beaufort, South Carolina, in 2016, then did two years of teaching half-time and two years of subbing. COVID put an end to my extended career in March of 2020. I never had COVID, but at age 72 in 2020, I felt that it was not worth the risk. With no teaching obligations, it has given Leslie and me more time to spend along the Connecticut shore in Old Lyme. We have a good life! Winters in South Carolina and summers along the Connecticut shore. All the best to the Class of 1970.”

David Geller attended the reunion and sent this follow-up note: “Had a wonderful reunion visit to Wesleyan. In general, our classmates have aged well, have had impactful lives—with more to come—and hopefully will return to campus in three years for our 55th. I think that scheduling a reunion while current students are on campus was a great idea and I hope we can make this year’s schedule work the next time we gather together. I attended a cinema class on Thursday morning at the Basinger film center. It was terrific. Off to Italy and Switzerland this Friday, May 13, for 12 days. Will report on trip highlights for the next class update.”

Fun note from Jeff Sarles: “Jeff Sarles suggests the following three panels for our 60th Reunion: (1) Death; (2) Ailments; and (3) Sex and the 82-year-old.”

Gordon Fain was seen briefly at the reunion, too, and wrote: “Gordon Fain, Ross Mullins, and Nik Amarteifio held a minireunion at the student center. Ross helped Nik with a patient Wesleyan store worker (current student age) with Apple cell- phone problems, so we were pleased to sit for coffee nearby. The cell phone was especially important as Nik traveled from his Ghana business site to our reunion. . . .  Meanwhile Ross traveled from Switzerland. We proudly discussed our respective grandchildren in USA and Switzerland. The three of us had started at Hewitt Hall at Wes, which many of you know Wes built some years before we arrived. Hence, as freshmen we had the advantage of strolling downstairs for breakfast and still making the 9 am morning classes. Ross recalled he stayed all four years on our squash team, whereas I played only freshman squash. He told of one defeat by the high-level army team member. The army opponent suffered a hand injury requiring bandaging and a break, but refused to concede defeat, in stoic military fashion. Ross was among our best ’70 players and in the minority that stayed on all four years. . . .

“The Shabbat dinner held by Rabbi and Mrs. Leipziger on Church Street at the newly remodeled Chabad House. Their fine Shabbat meal featured talking with three current Wesleyan wrestlers, once from Dallas, and Wes science grad students, among others. Their 11-year-old boy proudly shared his nondairy birthday cake and filled us in on making a Lego fire truck. Their Wesleyan varsity team has a great match record this year.

“The Wesleyan men’s baseball team has had a winning year in its league but had a tough time pitching to the Middlebury men’s baseball hitters at the Friday afternoon game (first of three).  When we watched in about the seventh (of nine) innings, the score was about 15 to 7. It turns out Middlebury is in top three teams nationally in Division III in hitting, base stealing, and homeruns—that’s what the proud parent of THEIR starting infielder told us while he used his professional, digital camera to capture their hitter stealing two bases, then scoring on a deep fly ball toward Wyllis Avenue. By then, Wes had used nearly all the bullpen pitchers (stationed near the library hill.)  I felt sympathy for the Wes baseball coach quietly signaling his hitters from the third-base coach’s box. They did have one strong inning in the sixth.

“The Public Affairs Center, as those who came now know, has plywood and scaffolding as it’s undergoing major remodeling for government and other departments. The rest of the library hillside and baseball field looked quite familiar.”

Captain John Sheffield wrote this about the reunion: “It was great getting together with so many of you, and meeting many of you for the first time (since, being on the ‘five-year plan,’ I didn’t join the class of 1970 officially until my second senior year). I hope we might get even more ’70 alumni together (on campus or elsewhere) in 2025 for our 55th.

“My hat’s off to Kate Lynch who was tireless in keeping those of us on the reunion planning committee focused on our in-person reunion target throughout these four-plus years. Kate, you’re the best!”

And also heard from Tim Greaney, “Gang: Sorry to have missed what I’m told was a great event . . . only a minor stomach illness that would make a 5.5-hour red-eye very unpleasant and ‘minor surgery’ (the technical medical definition of which is ‘somebody else’s surgery’) kept me away.

“For my update: Just taught my last class at University of California Hastings Law School in San Francisco but will continue my advocacy, amicus briefings, and general kibitzing on health-care law and policy. Happily situated in the People’s Republic of Santa Cruz, California, with two grandkids 10 minutes away. Nancy and I celebrating our 47th anniversary (is that a Wesleyan record?).  Let me know if any of you are visiting the Left Coast.”

David White wrote, “So sorry that health issues kept me away. I very much wanted to catch up with you and others after so long. I very much admire the work you’ve been doing. It sounds like the reunion was a great success. We continue to be part of an incredible class.”

And Ted Reed had this to say about the reunion: “I have many great memories from our reunion, as I know we all do, so I want to share just one. On my trip home to Charlotte, I rode to Bradley International Airport with Prince Chambliss. We arrived early and sat at the gate, waiting for our flight (Prince was connecting to Memphis.). After a while, Ross Mullins showed up for the same flight, and we sat there talking. The amazing thing was that I know Prince from my very first days at Wesleyan—we were both in the French immersion program that preceded regular classes—but I don’t think I had ever spoken to Ross before. So, in Middletown this spring, I saw old friends and made new ones.”

Steve Ossad, he of the gray hair but great hairline, attended Reunion and later sent a photo of another reunion of sorts, a Commons Club roommate reunion captioned “with Phil Casnoff ’71, Graeme Bush ’71, Miles Siegel ’70. Missing Dan Rosenheim ’70.”

He also had this to share about the class dinner: “Regarding the class dinner, especially for the Philosophy majors and students of Victor Gourevitch. I was the one who asked about President Roth’s courses and why he taught them, after praising his imitation of The Voice. Roth and I shared a close relationship with Victor until his death in 2020, and before the dinner, among other things, I asked him directions to the grave.

Below are the course descriptions, readings, etc. Miles Siegel and I (Commons Club) were also the ones who engaged him on the endowment, now at $1.6 billion.”

Steve also attached the following: Virtue and Vice in History, Literature, and Philosophy

https://owaprod-pub.wesleyan.edu/reg/!wesmaps_page.html?stuid=&facid=NONE&crse=014658&term=1229

Philosophy and Movies: The Past on Film

https://owaprod-pub.wesleyan.edu/reg/!wesmaps_page.html?stuid=&facid=NONE&crse=012016&term=1231

“Stay well, I’m lobbying for 55 in ’25.”

Bill Tam read that comment and replied, “Thank you for that vignette. It is those personal stories that trigger memories and make the experiences live. Maybe the 55th can be under better circumstances.”

Bill later sent an account of a minireunion on O’ahu: “On May 9 and 14, Peter and Emi Kalischer, Elbridge and Diane Smith, Steve Ching, and Bill Tam and Mae Isonaga gathered at the Barefoot Beach Cafe, Queen’s Beach (Waikiki below Diamond Head) to catch up on 50 years of professional journeys and personal misadventures. Little did we know how many earlier Hawaii connections we shared.

“Bill and Steve (who are also Punahou High School classmates) both served in the Peace Corps (Sierra Leone and the South Pacific). Steve went on to ophthalmology, public health, and university teaching. Bill went into public interest law (Hawaii water and natural resources) and occasional teaching at UH Law School. Elbridge still practices employment law in Honolulu. Peter (as always) has a new entrepreneurial enterprise which promises to produce energy from . . . [it is still classified].

“On May 20th, all (except Steve who returned to Kauai) gathered at Bill and  Mae’s house in Kaneohe to share dinner and embellish their stories. The next day Peter and Emi returned to Japan where they continue to act as ambassadors at large for Wesleyan.”

Steve Talbot wrote, “Recently, I had lunch with Dave Davis in Oregon. He plans to retire at the end of 2022 after 35-plus years at Portland Public TV. The Oregon & Washington TV Emmy Association will honor him with a Lifetime Achievement Award (“Silver Circle”) in June.”

Steve Talbot’s forthcoming documentary, The Movement and the Madman  (about the 1969 anti-war movement and new evidence of Nixon’s consideration of the use of nuclear weapons in Vietnam) will be shown on PBS next year (after Steve edits it down to 90 minutes).

“Keep your family and friends close. Take care of your health. Be kind to each other.”

Also attending the reunion:

Joel Adams (still working on his COVID drug);

Elliot Daum (still on the bench and looking forward to the next Burning Man).

Late word from Marcos Goodman:

“Headed to Ukraine and Moldova: I often figure out why I’m going where I’m going after I’ve gotten there. This time, I’m a little ahead of the game, but then, that might change. So, this time, pre-trip, I’ve come to conceptualize this route as a tour around the southern old-Soviet sphere. A couple of years ago, I decided to visit the lands of my grandparents, and I went to Poland, Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. Looking at a map, you’d see that these countries are basically the northwest region of the old Soviet Union. The expected itinerary for this current trip, after a couple of weeks of a non-Soviet start in Venice and Vienna with an old friend, will continue on into the Soviet portion for another four months or so. Prague (Czech Republic), Bratislava (Slovakia), Budapest (Hungary), Timisoara and Bucharest (Romania), Sofia (Bulgaria), and then to Istanbul, Turkey, as a spot to hop from.

“Oh, right, and then there are Ukraine and Moldova, special stops along the way. When I went to Ukraine four years ago, hardly anyone in the U.S. could locate it on the map, even my somewhat more educated friends. Actually, I didn’t really know just where it was until I started making my plans. Now, most people know where Ukraine is, at least they know that it borders Russia. However, very few people I know have any concept of where or what Moldova is, which is part of the reason why I’m going there. Moldova is the European country least visited by foreigners, and it’s the poorest country in Europe. It’s landlocked, although technically it has access to a part of the Danube that flows into the Black Sea. Ukraine is to the south, east, and north, and Romania is its western border. Moldova has one section of it which broke away and is basically a Russian enclave, so it’s a special hot spot, along with Georgia, which had its war with Russia a few years ago but still has ongoing troubles with them. Interestingly, I’ve recently run into a few people with family connections in Moldova, so, hopefully, I’ll be able to spend some time with some locals.

“Yes, I’m headed to Ukraine, although to an area far from the current war action. Weirdly, through two good friends from different universes, I’ve connected with an American who moved to Ukraine 20 years ago, started a family, and bought a place in the country. I’m going to fly from Bucharest up to a Romanian town near the Ukraine border and take a bus across and up to my new friend’s place. He assures me that it’s safe, but I must admit that I’m looking for a bit of intrigue, although not too much. I’ll explain more about Moldova and Ukraine when I’ve had some more firsthand experiences.

“At this time, I’m thinking that I might just fly across Turkey in order to get to Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia, since Turkey wasn’t a Soviet country, and it probably deserves a separate trip. It’s questionable whether I’ll cross the Caspian Sea and make it to the old Soviet “stans,” Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. Maybe I’ll save them for the Turkey trip. Who knows with a lot of this? In fact, I just had some hassle to get on my flight leaving for Venice any minute. The ticket counter wanted to see my return ticket, and I told them that I never know when I’m returning and don’t really know just where I’m going. They didn’t like that, and I had to buy a return ticket in order to board this outgoing flight. This is an EU Schengen Agreement thing that supposedly assures that you don’t spend more than 90 days in the Schengen area. I canceled the return flight as soon as I passed into the boarding area.

“Do any of you know people along my route? Of course, I like the architecture, castles, etc., but I really want to meet local people, not just other travelers. Your connections don’t have to be native locals, as expats would certainly do. Please get in touch with me and let me know of any possible people to meet along the way! Give me possibilities to follow up on. OK, gotta catch my flight. More later.”

Wesleyan has posted some Reunion photos on Flickr:

And this is the link for the Wesleyan Facebook photos, which you do need an account for:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.466093905316769&type=3

I hope that between the two links above, you’ll be able to add photos to your FB page and direct your classmates to the general sites.

Good luck!