Class Notes

David Freedman reports: “Our 55th Reunion provided enjoyable opportunities to visit some of our fellow ’69ers and meet some alumni from other years. Kudos to you [Charlie] and the other organizers! As I said to John Mihalec, ‘see ya in five years—if not sooner!’”

David continues, “Starting with the reunion, it has been a good summer. After a series of family gatherings and the Peachtree Road Race, my wife, Carmen, and I returned to Puerto Rico for a six-week visit, visiting old (in more ways than one) friends and sampling some new restaurants that sprouted after Hurricane Maria. Not as ample as the Atlanta food scene, but there is progress. The frequent power outages have made the Puerto Rico restaurateurs resourceful and creative. And they are busy—after all, eating out beats cooking at home in the dark! As for daytime, the ocean water is warm, and the foliage lush; quite a contrast to the Middletown winters we remember.”

Charlie Morgan writes: “I got a wonderful review of my book on the Massachusetts Constitution from an attorney in Massachusetts.” The reviewer said:

“Mr. Morgan’s book is a must have for any litigator who practices corporate law focusing on the rights of not only those with ownership or managerial interests therein, but those who are otherwise aggrieved by their actions or inaction. It is an extraordinarily erudite treatise on every aspect of the subject and includes a meticulously detailed history of American constitutional jurisprudence. I highly recommend Attorney Morgan’s book for anyone who loves the law and wants to delve a little deeper into it.”

Charlie continues, “There is not much to report except that I am on the verge of publishing another book, tentatively titled Truly Dumbfounded, Dismayed, and Delighted: A Journey of Discovery, which is nearly 200 pages of anecdotes about events in my life, many humorous, some philosophical, and some sad—including several from my days at Wesleyan. One reviewer had this to say about the manuscript: ‘The quote in the “Waxing Philosophical” subchapter, “Human Behavior,” is, for me, beautifully put: “Frankly, human nature is one of those things that cannot be regulated into submission.” The whole “Waxing Philosophical” chapter is exceptional, in fact. The way in which the chapter approaches ideas from a logical, non-ideological perspective is refreshing and heartwarming. To be honest, I enjoyed the whole book. It’s funny, humble, introspective as much as it is retrospective. The tone is light and heartfelt.’”

Bill Eaton says: “Thanks for continuing to keep everyone in touch! Attached is a cover of a short novel I finished last year. Writing it kept me busy during the first year of retirement! Can you believe the sales from Amazon have skyrocketed to over 10!

“We have moved to Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, near Doe Run, Pennsylvania, where they make a cheese from a mixture of goat, sheep, and cow milk, called Saint Malachi. It has won international cheese competitions!” 

Darius Brubeck writes, “Catherine and I are planning a U.S. book tour in April that will hopefully include Wesleyan.”

Stuart Blackburn shared a photo from his and Judy’s (his wife) organic food store in Brighton. He said that his next novel, “Luck of the Draw—out early next year—begins in 1969 with the draft lottery . . . should spur a few memories.”

Tom Goodman continues producing new work during the most productive period of his life as an artist: https://www.tomgoodman.com/

Last year, Michael Fink “retired subject to wrapping up few loose ends on August 31, 2023, and Susan and I moved to a mid-’60s home on [a] three-quarter acre in a lovely older subdivision in Columbia, South Carolina. Love our area, love the city and environs, love our neighbors, and really appreciate how people say ‘hi’ and wave with a smile even to perfect strangers. We installed a pool in June 2024 and are enjoying it most days. Loving retirement in every way. So busy making some cosmetic changes to house including landscaping all around so it takes a lot of time, research, and decisions. Middle daughter Jenni got married in a fabulous venue outside Philly to a guy we welcome in our close-knit family. The other two girls are doing great as well, and we spend major holidays together here or there. Off to Portugal with the girls and their main squeezes for two weeks into mid-September. Then back to South Carolina football—Division 1! 

“I’m recovering from bilateral C5 palsy reaction to 3 level cervical spine surgery on March 7.  It’s been a long road back to use of my arms and building muscle, but I’ve made great strides and am close to fully functional. Time will bring 100%. It’s been quite a journey! Y’all stay well and happy. —Michael”

From Andrew Cohen: “I’ve retired from clinical medicine, now emeritus professor at Brown (Alpert) Medical School. Carol and I have moved from Rhode Island to a wonderful home in Shelton, Connecticut, where we love to hike and swim. Still teaching medicine and physiology (now at Yale), writing, and starting a history podcast with the American Society of Nephrology. I remain in regular contact and have running conversations with my buddy Rich Kremer and sometimes with Orrin Baird.

“Best to you and all my classmates.—Andy”

Steve Gleich reports, “Lilly and I are still living in rural Nova Scotia. Both [of us] are retired from careers in psychology—school and clinical, respectively. We are active in teaching and administration of our local Buddhist retreat center (Dorje Denma Ling in Tatamagouche) and a local meditation group. We have a former foster son, Andrew, whom we see often. He lives in Halifax and will turn 42 in November. Yikes!

“Here is a photo of our visit last year to Campobello Island with Lilly’s brother and sister-in-law who live in Maine. Also, a photo of our solar panels hard at work cranking out 7,000 watts.

“We are well, yet old. Thinking fondly of all you classmates and would especially love to hear from Peter Pfeiffer or Nick Browning or anyone else I crossed paths with 57 years ago.”

Tony Mohr says, “It’s been a pleasant season. Beve and I took a ‘grand tour’ of Europe during June and July. We started in Paris, where we met up with old friends well before the Olympics, thank you, and visited some out of the lesser-known places like the Place Furstenberg and the Dior Museum. Then we hopped on the Orient Express and rode to Verona and headed up to three days at Lago di Garda, staying at the Villa Feltrinelli, a budget-busting paradiso. Next, we went to Venice for three days before jumping on a weeklong cruise from Venice to Athens via Croatia, Monemvasia, Crete, and Santorini. We hung out for a few days near (not in) Athens before flying home.

“Now once more, I’m judging part time. Retirement is good.”

Steve Smith shares: “I am writing to let you folks know that while I expect to be in Garden Island Health and Rehabilitation Center in Lihue, Kauai, until I pass away, I really enjoyed, appreciated, and learned a tremendous amount at WesU!!!!!

“I can no longer eat—I get three one-hour liquid feedings daily via a feeding tube that enters my body in the middle of my chest. I also cannot walk anymore, get out of bed, etc. But I can continue to do many things that keep me very positive, happy, and motivated like talking with/seeing my wife, Margaret Bubon Smith; family, friends, and colleagues; texting/emailing/calling people; reading and writing; using my computer; watching TV (approximately 60 channels available); listening to all kinds of music, etc., etc., etc.

“I get visitors regularly—my wife, brothers, sister, friends, and colleagues living on or visiting Kauai, etc.—so I am very fortunate. Also, am planning/expecting to assist a local resident/colleague in development of their family sandalwood plantation project—you may recall I owned and operated my private company, Forestry Management Consultants–Hawaii (FMCH) for over 30 years, and prior to that worked for 12 years (1982–1994) in a family owned and operated forestry company, Kamika Timber.

“Hope it is clear my life is/has been trucking along pretty well.

“So much aloha (love, affection, peace, compassion, mercy) and many ‘mahalos’ (thank yous) to the Class of ’69 and other class members, faculty, and people I met at WesU. —Steve”

And, lastly, this from Paul Melrose: a picture of he and Fred Coleman in Madison, Wisconsin, where they live and meet for breakfast once a month.

We, John Mergendoller and Bob Knox, are the new ’68 class secretaries. First, we want to honor Lloyd Buzzell’s memory because we miss him as our friend for over 50 years, and we owe him our deep thanks for his joyful work in this role ever since we graduated in 1968. Second, we want to apologize for the significant editing of many of the submissions, a process required by the space guidelines for Class Notes.

John Ashworth and his wife, Nancy, traveled in 2023 to Japan (where John was in Wesleyan’s inaugural Japanese language class in 1967–68). Earlier this year, they went with friends to Tuscany and then to Bar Harbor, Maine, where they joined a family reunion for 17 Ashworths, aged two to 81. “I am doing well—still working two days a week at Denver Botanic Gardens (got my 10-year service pin—I am not certain what to do with it) and working as a master gardener growing food for a local food kitchen. Still skiing with a couple of clubs and generally having a wonderful time. If you are in Denver, we would love to see you!!”

Eric Blumenson retired from teaching law and now spends his time with his wife, Eva, divided between Boston and Cape Cod. “My first and last philosophy book, Why Human Rights? A Philosophical Guide (Routledge), was published in August. Our third granddaughter was born August 20 . . . the three of them will keep us busy and happy for the duration.”

Richard “Zeus” Cavanagh continues to “fail retirement” after stepping down as CEO of The Conference Board. Fated to “work until I die to support a family of spendthrifts,” he is teaching social entrepreneurship at Harvard and has been a board member or advisor at the Fremont Group, Black Rock, Guardian Life, and the nonprofit Volunteers of America, where he has also served as national chair. He says, “I play golf increasingly poorly, try to give my daughter (who is an investor with Cambridge Associates) financial advice, which she neither needs nor heeds, and bemoan the state of our country and Wesleyan.”

Eric Conger vows to stay healthy and active and “die with [his] boots on,” and he is finding success as a playwright. His play, “The Eclectic Society, was produced at the Walnut Street Theatre in 2011, a 1,100-seat venue in downtown Philadelphia. As the title suggests. . . [it was] inspired by the eponymous Wesleyan house.” He has also written two short films, the latest, So Help Me God, was in response to the Dobbs decision. Another play that just received a reading is about “the fate of a small town in Ohio that is overtaken by a national park.” He would “love to hear from classmates who might like to get involved with a production” or view his work—he’ll send a link: eric@congerhumphrey.com.

Bob “Crispy” Crispin just celebrated his 56th wedding anniversary. He has eight grandkids: two are headed to college; one goes next year; two have graduated; and one is in law school. He says, “where has time gone since 1968!” He is enjoying retirement “fishing, traveling, and reading. Also get to see Wes sports when they come to play here in Maine . . . Colby, Bowdoin, and Bates. Also go to Middletown when I can to see us beat Amherst and Williams in football. . . . One son-in-law went to Williams, so it is particularly enjoyable when we prevail!”

Jim Devine writes that “WESU is still my intellectual home and ‘Inspiring Effective Idealists’ still resonates with me. . . . Professionally, I began a 45-year economic development career (living in nine states and consulting in 20 more).” Jaime is the longest serving, continuously elected board member [and] elected chairman of the 5,000-member International Economic Development Council (IEDC). He married, at age 40, “Reverend Elayne Demetreon, [a] clinical counselor, NLP pro, accomplished sculptor. We have two sons (marines), six grandchildren . . . and five great- grandchildren.” He is now “living near Amelia Island, Florida, [where] we are learning how to be lifelong learners and aging with intention not reaction.” 

Terry Fralich writes, “I am still working . . . I see about 15 clients a week and teach workshops at the Mindfulness Center of Maine that my wife and I founded 25 years ago. Prior to the pandemic, I taught [for] the largest provider of continuing education for mental health professionals—500 seminars and trainings in 15 years. . . . We live on 35 acres about 20 minutes south of Portland. The landscape around us is always beautiful, but this time of year is special because of all the color and form in our gardens and the landscape generally. . . . I am so grateful to have the energy and health to really enjoy what is precious at this time in our lives.”

Richard Grimm writes: “Since my wife of 40 years, Annabella Gonzalez, died in 2019, I’ve tried to keep up with her extensive family here and especially in Mexico City, Cuernavaca, and Colima. They are intriguing characters, many with creative and artistic careers like Annabella and several who are classic Latin Marxist academics (not the American variety). My son, Henry, my sister, Georgia (Holyoke ’70), and I had a splendid visit to Mexico this spring. Mexico City is eye-opening—hip, elegant, prosperous, artsy, and much more international than one remembers.” Richard has “warm memories . . . of our band of brothers at the 55th.”

John Kepner writes that he and Ray Solomon reunited at the 50th Reunion and are both trustees of a Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, nonprofit foundation advocating for racial and social justice. Ray was also a guest on John’s Race to Social Justice podcast. “In episode 10, Ray gives a riveting account of the 1919 Elena Massacre of 200 Black people near where he grew up in the Mississippi Delta region of Arkansas. . . . In episode 11, Ray shares diversity, equity, and inclusion challenges he faced as dean of Rutgers Law School in Camden, New Jersey. . . . Our conversation recalls how Wesleyan helped shape our commitments to racial and social justice.” You can find the podcast in the usual places.

Harrison Knight writes that after graduation he taught public elementary school on NYC’s Lower East Side for four years. Ken Dawson, Bob Knox, and Don Fels were also part of the same program, which kept all of them out of the Vietnam draft. He started playing tennis on “the gritty public courts” for exercise, and tennis ultimately became his career. His wife and he managed a new Westchester indoor commercial tennis center, then became the tennis pros at the Locust Valley Country Club on the Gatsby shore of Long Island for 25 years. They have “twin boys, Princeton grads, one now married, and Kit and I still live in Locust Valley . . . we ‘winter’ near Naples, Florida.” He says his lasting connection to Wes is through his crewmates, who meet annually to participate in veterans’ regattas.

Bob Knox: “I am with my three grandsons (14, 12, and 7) based in Salt Lake City as often as possible—the four of us took a backpacking trip at Pt. Reyes in early July; the two older boys will join me at the Monterey Jazz Festival in September. I am enjoying active hiking vacations: the five Utah national parks and the Dolomites, Italy, so far this year; and the Grand Canyon, both rims, next month with some running friends. I still run as many miles as I can on the trails of Marin County, California. I host a group of musician friends (including John Mergendoller) to play classic rock and blues together monthly, and I continue to take guitar lessons with Jose Neto, an extraordinary professional.John and I are enjoying hosting our bimonthly Wesleyan ’68 Zoom meetings. I am also a volunteer coach of the running team of inmates at San Quentin, which focuses on training the men for an annual marathon. The team has been memorialized in the documentary 26.2 to Life.”          

Don Logie writes that recently “three of my jazz performance photographs won a first prize and two second prizes in a photo contest in Middletown.”

Jim McHale writes: “It was a miracle that Wesleyan admitted me and an even greater one that I graduated. For that I am very grateful to many classmates and the University for their generous support.” John has been “married to Carol (Cookie) Rishel for 56 years. Two sons, both married . . . one grandchild . . . who has inherited my red hair and cantankerous temperament.” They have lived in the same D.C. house for 46 years, with vacations at their “‘camp’ in the central Adirondacks where I spent much of my childhood and both of my parents worked.” He still has “‘indoor work’ as a lawyer for 52 years, now handling defensive litigation as an attorney in the SEC’s General Counsel’s office. . . . This past year, I served as committee member for a doctoral candidate’s academic committee chaired by our classmate Henry St. Maurice.”

John Mergendoller: “Retirement continues to be full of travel, music (bluegrass guitar and Irish mandolin), genealogical research, and family—which has expanded considerably since our 50th Reunion. My daughter, Julia Byrd ’07, now has two sons, Aviv (six) and Cazio (two). Jacob ’11 will welcome a daughter about the time you read this. And just this month, Jessica and I took responsibility for Lily, a lovely, yellow lab breeder. This is our fourth turn as Breeder Keepers for Guide Dogs for the Blind.”

Dennis Miller writes: “I retired from my wildlife survey pilot business in 2019—28,000-plus hours of low-level flight hours in a Piper PA-18 Super Cub in Alaska was enough. I’ve been spending six winter months in Oaxaca, six summer months in Fairbanks, Alaska. For five years my time has been consumed with being the ‘father figure’ to, and helping, four nursing students in Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca. One daughter is the lead pediatric oncology nurse in Anchorage, Alaska. The other daughter played professional basketball in Spain and is now working for Positive Coaching Alliance, a national youth sports organization.” Dennis says, “I’m still alive, life is good!”

Stuart Ober writes: “Our son, Alexander ’26, is spending his junior semester in the Vassar-Wesleyan Madrid Program. This is the same program that my wife, Allison, attended 45 years ago, when she attended Vassar. This summer, Alexander placed among the top eight finalists at the U.S. Freestyle Football (soccer) Championships and interned with an immigration attorney. He also volunteered with the Ulster Immigrant Defense Network, which provides immigrants in need with accompaniment and translations services for court appearances, ICE check-ins and other official meetings, and health care and school-related appointments.”

Ken Schweller continues “to work as head programmer on an international team of primatologists designing computer games to test ape cognition. Our latest project involves testing 60 baboons of different ages . . .  to develop a program that will detect developing cognitive deficits as a means of studying human dementia. This is a project especially meaningful for me since my wife developed Lewy body dementia. I retired 12 years ago from active teaching as professor of computer science and psychology at Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, Iowa. I now serve as head programmer of the Ape Cognition and Conservation Initiative in Des Moines, Iowa.”

Paul Spitzer writes: “Christine and I are tucked away in Windy Hill on the Choptank, Maryland, Eastern Shore of Chesapeake Bay . . .  [in a] quiet old farmhouse, over 30 years.” They have an all-year garden, and Paul reports, “I swim in the river on most warm days. My deep appreciation of local nature is fundamental; I no longer travel very much. I still speak and lead tours of osprey biology here—science I began at Wesleyan, with DDT study.​ I have a manuscript, Dark of the Loon, on 30 years of nonbreeding loon study, on the East and Gulf Coasts. I seek a strong publisher and coastal editor for my accessible, literate ecologist’s memoir. I recently published a run of nine ‘Celebratory Ecology’ essays in Connecticut-based Estuary quarterly magazine.”

Bob Svensk reports that he and four ’68 classmates, Nason Hamlin, John Lipsky, Harrison Knight, and Karl Norris, “are heading up to the boathouse in October to demonstrate yet again that you are never too old to row a boat. More importantly, however, this will be the first of several gatherings to celebrate Coach Phil Calhoun’s election to the Wesleyan Athletics Hall of Fame, an honor that is long overdue. On the personal front, Trade Credit Underwriters continues to thrive, largely because I now work for my son, Andrew ’99, rather than the other way around.”  

Bob Taliaferro writes: “I will retire from the Human Resources Administration of New York City at the end of October after 40 years of service. I became a manager and for many years helped produce the annual Mayor’s Management Report. I previously worked in the legislative office drafting legislative proposals and analyzing legislation. I am married to Amy, and we have two adult children, Robbie and Kyle ’12. . . . In 1984, I joined the Soka Gakkai International–USA and began practicing Nichiren Buddhism by chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo to the Gohonzon for peace, happiness, good health, and good fortune for myself and others. I currently help prepare encouragement meetings for local SGI–USA members who are 65 years of age or older.”

Larry Tondel notes: “I am now happily retired from Sidley Austin LLP where I was a partner focused on structured finance and offshore finance. I am splitting my time now between a lake house on a quiet lake in New Hampshire and our homestead in northern New Jersey. I have been happily married for 50-plus years to Sharyn, who I met at a Club Med so many years ago, and we have two children and two grandchildren . . . before my body gave out, I played a lot of tennis, paddle tennis, and went scuba diving in the Caribbean often. We also travel extensively . . . so all is good.”

Willem H. van den Berg reports that he is waiting on the results of a “follow-up prostate biopsy. . . . I’m still very happily married to my wonderful third wife, Helen Dempsey, and expect to remain so until death do us part (which seems increasingly soon). I’m still doing some windsurfing on Sayers (mostly very calm) Lake, and still giving an occasional lesson in said sport.”

Jan de Wilde writes: “After almost 30 good years in Switzerland and London (work and then retirement), we decided we wanted more time in the States and with our youngest son Mark in New York. . . . We now spend four months or so a year [in East Hampton] and are happy for the time being with the trans-Atlantic commute. Two other sons, who are based in Geneva, have provided us with four grandchildren, and we enjoy practicing what the Dutch call niksen after 25 years of U.S. Foreign Service and another 15 as an international civil servant doing emergency response around the world for the International Organization for Migration.”

Classmates,

            I have heard from four classmates, all of whom reside in California, whatever that means.

            First I heard from George McKechnie. George grew up in Bloomfield, New Jersey, came to Wesleyan where he majored in psychology, and then headed west for graduate work at Berkeley. He completed his PhD in personality and environmental psychology in 1972. His professors included Ted Sarbin (Sarbin had been Karl Scheibe’s advisor when he was a graduate student at Berkeley, and he was one of my teachers when I did graduate work at the University of California, Santa Cruz). George taught at Arizona State, and at Berkeley, and then left academe to practice clinical psychology and “to pursue home audio”—he was the founder and president of Audio Excellence, Inc. (the company’s clients included Francis Ford Coppola, Ray Dolby, and Boz Scaggs). He subsequently founded two more audio companies, Axiom Home Theater and Sync My Home Inc. He lives in Carmel, California, on the Monterey Peninsula.  

Then I heard from Ted Smith. He was cleaning out old stuff (aren’t we all?) and came upon a photo of the 1967 Mystical Seven, of whom he and I were two. He wasn’t sure who some of those other five mystics were.  I helped him identify them: from left to right me, Barbara Davidson (who somehow mystically snuck into that photo), Sammy Nigh, Steve Chance, Ted, Bill Cooper, Tom Drew, and Mike Cronan. This led me to research, if I may call it that, what each of the seven said about themselves in our 50th Reunion book. Cronin, Drew, Ted, and I wrote things for that sweet publication (and sent photos), but nothing from Chance, Cooper, or Nigh. I then spent a pleasant hour reading the entries that many of you sent, and “remembrances” and obituaries for 19 of our classmates who had died (alphabetically from Andrew C. Ackemann, who died in 2006, to Donald D. Wolff Jr., who died in 2009). So, thanks Ted, for reminding me what a nice resource that 50th Reunion book is. Ted, by the way, has had some health issues, but is doing fine. He and his wife, Mandy, live in San Jose, and they have three children and five grandchildren, all of whom are in California so they can see them frequently.

I also heard from Don Stone, who is living in the Bay Area. He writes that as a Jew-by-choice, active in his synagogue for 35 years, he is part of his synagogue’s reparations alliance partnership with a Bedouin village in the West Bank. As he explained, the residents “are nonviolently trying to survive the brutal efforts of a nearby, recent prosperous, Jewish settlement to expel the villagers.” According to Don, these Jewish settlers have used “terror, interrogation, arrests, beatings, home demolitions, seizing grazing land, and cutting off water, electricity, and intermittent access to medical and food sources . . . etc.” Don fears that these expulsions will end up as “not good for the Palestinians or good for the Jews.” 

Don reminded me that, should we be so lucky, we are approaching what will be our 60th in 2027. I had not thought about it, but it is now on my list of things I might do if I live long enough.

Finally, in the California correspondence category, Paul Nibur wrote a thoughtful response to the email I sent to many of you after the last set of class notes appeared. He also wrote the following: “I have been happily retired for 20 years from flying for United Airlines. I keep very busy with volunteering with my Rotary Club, hosting youth exchange students from Australia and Thailand, serving on a few local boards, maintaining my five acres near the Sierra foothills, and loving my family and grandkids. I’m happy to still be able to workout and stay fit although I had to give up running after nearly 50 years due to a complaining knee. I’m still very happily married to my first and only wife since 1970, and highly recommend that path (although that advice is a little late for many of us now).”

Also, on the ever-increasing obituary front, I got this email from Ned Preble: 

“Dave Reynolds ’71 died on Sunday June 30, 2024, at his home in Hampden, Massachusetts, after yearsof illness stimulated by Agent Orange during his service in Thailand. His wife, Heather, his son, Nat, and his wife, and Dave’s sister were with him. He and I stayed in touch from September 1963 until he died. He was a doctor, having pursued his MD and career conscientiously, from postgraduation through his ER tech job in the army, more pre-med courses and health care jobs. There will be a celebration of life October 6 featuring Steely Dan music. I will never forget his wise laugh and his broad shoulders that once kept NYC subway doors from closing on me.”    

Ned has lived in Portland, Oregon, since 2013, but before that he lived in Mystic, Connecticut, Westchester, New York, the Bay Area, Concord, Massachusetts, and Hanover, New York, among other places. His five children were born in four states, and his ten grandchildren, as he puts it, are “scattered from LA to Dallas to Nashville to southern New Hampshire.” He was in the Peace Corps in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), the army, worked in admissions (as assistant dean of admissions at Connecticut College from 1970 to 1974), earned an MBA at Wharton, and for more than 30 years worked in “International Consulting in Strategic Innovation and Creative Problem Solving.”  He now teaches courses in “Change Management and Business Ethics.”  

Ned also shared the following information about some classmates: “Here is some information I have regarding the guys I have been in touch with over the years. Phil Corkill (freshman year roommate) and Suzie, his wife, are longtime Tucson residents, where he was superintendent at a big high school. She was a teacher, but not in his district (probably her idea). Jim Guard—retired architect and LONG-time resident and property owner in the San Juan Islands outside of Friday Harbor. He built his own house and came on the grid just 10 to 15 years ago. He owns a lot of land and is often clearing/creating roads and cutting his own firewood. Mary, his wife of many years, makes sure his chores do not exceed 22 hours per day. Dave Butler and his wife live in Saint Augustine, Florida, and play golf together. He watches WesTech football on his computer. He was an international lawyer for many years. I talked to Howie Foster the other day and he was heading off to play squash. His career is as a therapist. I think he is a psychoanalyst.” Ned also noted that he shot his age in golf two years ago (I did not ask him if it was miniature golf, a par three course, or if he only played nine holes).  

In exchanging emails with Ned, I told him a story from my limited golf history. He wrote back that “even though I read your golf story 10 minutes ago I am still laughing! I vote to have it included in the class notes—boldface type of course.” Given that these notes are online, and I am not limited by the usual 800-word stricture, I have decided to do so.  Here you go.

I play golf once a decade, no more, no less. On December 31, 2019, I finally got over to our par three course for my once-a-decade round. I had a three iron, a seven iron, and a putter. It was a chilly, but not too cold day, and I was the only person on the course. I double bogeyed the first eight holes, and ended up on the ninth hole, with a fairly long putt for the double bogey (maybe five feet). I could not believe how much pressure I felt. I did not want to end my string of double bogeys. I sank the putt, and it was like hitting a three-pointer for a win in my regular geezer basketball game (better actually). Definitely a sports highlight of the decade for me. (It is now only 2024, so I don’t plan to play for another four or five years).

Tony Gaeta wrote that Tony Conte was able to visit his sister and brother-in-law (who was turning 90) in Hilton Head Island, and Tony Gaeta was able to join him for four days. If you read my class notes carefully (in which case you’ll be more likely to pass the final exam), you may recall that in April 2022, Tony Conte, who lives in Walnut Creek, California, was hit by a car while walking home from dinner and almost lost his life. As he explained to me in an email back in November 2023: “Both Tony Gaeta and Tony Caprio have been fantastically supportive to me from the first minute. They are in part responsible for my recovery. I don’t think I could have made it through the trauma center, the ICU, the two hospitals, and the care facility without their constant contact and encouragement.” It was thus special that he could travel across the country to visit family, and special that the two Tonies could spend time together. As Tony Gaeta wrote, “He’s lucky to be alive, much less walking but it didn’t deter us from throwing down a few brews but not as quickly as in olden days.” 

Many of you responded to the email that I sent describing the decision of the editors to leave out a paragraph about Bernie Steinberg in my last set of notes. It was great to hear from you, not only about the deletion of the paragraph, but about other related and unrelated issues (golf! Walter Johnson High School! Unitarian ministers! UNC athletics!). Your supportive comments really meant a lot to me.          

—Richie 

We celebrate the life of Irvin E. Richter who died on June 22, 2024. His son, David Richter, writes that before Irv retired in 2016, “he was the chairman and CEO of Hill International, Inc., a global construction management firm. Irv started Hill as a one-man consulting firm in 1976, and when he retired, it had nearly 5,000 employees,100 offices around the world, and was a publicly traded company listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Irv was named a Distinguished Alumnus by Wesleyan as well as by Rutgers University School of Law, from which he received his law degree in 1980.” Irv served as our class secretary for a number of years, and as Rick Crootof memorably puts it in a note to David: “Irv was a BMOC in our class, seemingly running everything and known and respected by all. Like the James Garner character in The Great Escape, the Scrounger, he could get you anything! Most memorably he was the agent for our class rings. I was so glad to see him at our 50th, a real lovefest, and he looked enormously contented. I hope the last eight years continued that way. All of ’66 share in your loss.”

The Wesleyan Class of 1966 held its 58th Reunion on Zoom, May 24, 2024. Rick Crootof, Sandy Van Kennen, and Will Rhys were in Middletown, attending the Wesleyan Commencement and our reunion in person. Tom Broker, Larry Carver, Bill Dietz, Bill Fehring, Jack Knapp, David Luft, David McNally, John Neff, Barry Reder, and Sandy Shilepsky attended on Zoom. Rick prepared a perfect Zoom setting for our gathering, his nighttime photograph of the back of an illuminated Olin Library. 

Each of us spoke, Sandy Shilepsky starting us off. Sandy and his wife, Carol, live in a cottage in Bishop Gadsden Episcopal Retirement Community, Charleston, South Carolina. Their daughters, Lisa and Beth, live close by. Sandy took up pickleball a few years ago, enjoying that and water volleyball too. A retired professor of mathematics, Sandy continues to follow higher education, reading The Chronicle of Higher Education and lamenting the troubles and challenges confronting college campuses. Wells College, where Sandy taught for 35 years, is closing, which I don’t think any of us knew.

David McNally recalled his 25-year career with what is now the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. He and his wife, Michelle, still live outside of Alexandria, Virginia. David talked, with good humor, about his coming down with ALS five years ago and what living with that vicious disease has been like, its deleterious effect on all parts of the body, save for the mind and eyes. David’s mind is as sharp as ever, his eyes keen and bright. Through it all, he remains remarkably active, grateful for all that his wife Michelle does. He meets on Zoom regularly with a group of former graduate students, and Rick Crootof has organized a Friends of Dave group—Rick, John Neff, Sandy Van Kennen, Alberto Ibargüen, Will Rhys, Andrew Kleinfeld, Paul Gilbert, and me—who gather once a month with David on Zoom. David, an inspiration to all, closed by telling us how much he is enjoying life.

Dr. Dietz chimed in next. Following his distinguished career as a physician and administrator focusing on treating childhood obesity, Bill and his wife, Nancy, are back in Washington, D.C., where he serves as director of the STOP Obesity Alliance and is working to make the world better through the power of food. He pointed out how reducing the consumption of meat would contribute to mitigating climate change. I kept thinking how I wish Bill were a candidate for the presidency of the United States and called attention to his speech upon receiving an honorary degree from McGill University, June 6, 2022. If you have not heard the speech, do so: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9V-LR9VxBy4

“Doing well for a man of my age,” opined David Luft. I’ll say, David looking like he just came from teaching one of his classes 40 years ago. I had a hard time believing David, given his publication record, when he told us that he finds retirement more intellectually engaging. But that seems to be the case. He has two books on the boil and is teaching himself Czech. His wife, Jennifer, breeds dogs, one making an appearance.

Bill Fehring, who has a PhD in behavioral biology, continues to do in retirement what he did while working: educating people about environmental issues. His latest endeavors include getting more minorities involved in the environment, including blind students. Bill hikes and bikes and is doing a good deal of wildlife photography, going out occasionally with Rick Crootof, another avid photographer.

Tom Broker and his wife, Louise, now professors emeriti at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, continue their pioneering work on HPV, the goal being to eliminate cervical cancer. They are also peripatetic, visiting Europe once or twice a year, venturing to Africa twice last year, Ghana for work, birding in Costa Rica, and traveling to New Mexico, where they visited among many places, Ghost Ranch, communing with Georgia O’Keefe. The Brokers have an astonishing collection of old master prints, some 6,000 to date, which they loan out for exhibitions. They are also engaged in environmental issues, and Tom and Louise power walk. Whew!

There was much joy and laughter in this reunion, none more so than when Sandy Van Kennentook the stage, wanting us to know two things. First, that he has now acquired two new knees, which are doing so well that he can work once again on cars. Second, Sandy’s long history of growing marijuana and his interest in medical uses of cannabis may have a bright future. It involves what he calls “bubble hash,” the marijuana buds being sent through a washing machine numerous times, the result being a product with 50% THC. Buy stock now.

Will Rhys reminded us that there are 43 4,000-foot mountains in Maine, and he continues to climb them. Though he cannot run anymore (he has a 2:47 marathon to his credit), he bikes. Central to his retirement is public service. He serves on the board of the library in Bridgton, Maine, which is a center for internet users. In keeping up with his lifelong love for, and work in, the theater, he continues to do a one-man show every Christmas.

Having worked six days and six nights a week for 43 years, Barry Reder, who all those years was a lawyer in San Francisco, is trying hard to do nothing. Well, not quite. He has become fascinated on how human beings learn words, how these words come to have meaning. But this once workaholic, runner (Barry has run the Bay to Breakers 35 times), and avid golfer has been slowed down by two ruptured discs in his back. As he drolly put it, he spends time on physical therapy and on making and canceling doctors’ appointments. Rick asked Barry about the reports of the deteriorating life in San Francisco. Barry said that the news is overblown.

Jack Knappbegan with a great story. Turns out he and Rick were roommates at Wesleyan. When COVID broke out, Rick invited Jack and his wife, Carla, longtime citizens of Chicago, to stay in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire. The Knapps have fallen in love with small town, rural life, and now have a home in Wolfeboro; the Crootofs recently hosting a celebration for Jack’s 80th birthday. Jack has a new book coming out: A Carpetbagger in Reverse: Arthur W. Mitchell, America’s First Black Democratic Congressman. Movingly, he dedicates the book to Professor Nathanael Greene and to the Wesleyan students who benefited from his teaching.

First grandson just graduated from the University of Virginia, and it has been 50 years since that grandson’s grandfather, John Neff, received his PhD from Harvard. And what is he doing now? Listening to music, being intensely interested in poetry. He attributes being a perpetual student who loves research to his Wesleyan education. Rick asked John about that haunting thought he made in his biographical sketch for our 50th Reunion book: “Still think I’ve not done what I’m here to do.” John continues to think he has not yet done what he is here to do.

Rick Crootof and his wife, Linda, split their year between Sarasota, Florida, and Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, and Rick, with gratitude of all of us, continues to be our class leader, organizing reunions, Zoom meetings, keeping us up to date on all things Wesleyan through email. He reported that he had to give up his lifelong love of playing tennis (and he was very good at it) because of a heart condition. The report is premature: Rick recently won a Wolfeboro tennis tournament. He continues to take great joy in photography and is looking forward to meeting James Sugar ’67. John Neff thinks the photograph that Rick took of the chapel at this last Commencement is a gem. It is (see below).

Tom Pulliam writes that “his granddaughter, Madeline, entering junior year at University of Hawaii has, with Hardy Spoehr’s assistance, landed a job as lifeguard at a Honolulu- area pool managed or owned by Hardy’s daughter.” Tom and his wife, Alice, spent “three weeks in Italy (Tuscany, Florence, Venice, Amalfi Coast) . . . lots of wonderful sights, but too many tourists . . . Stanford women’s rugby team, which I have been helping with for 13 years, surpassed all expectations. Without a player who had played rugby before coming to Stanford, they won the national championship in Houston on May 5. In that final game, they played nine players who had never played rugby until this year, and two key players played that game with, respectively, a broken wrist and a broken foot. I consider myself the team grandpa and absolutely love helping these young women learn the sport that has been a very large part of my life, starting at Wesleyan . . .  Madeline’s brothers, Evan (17) and Jay (14), continue their MLSNext soccer. We were in Nashville 10 days in June for one of their tournaments, and both played exceptionally well. Jay had [a] badly sprained ankle (and it was also broken) in training 15 days before. I was commiserating with him as he was on crutches and in a boot a day or two after the injury. He told me he was still planning to play. I thought he was badly mistaken. Turned out, I was the one who was badly mistaken. On a heavily taped ankle, he played every game. In the final game he scored two goals to win the game. Both Evan and Jay will play rugby for their high school team, which will provide more spectating fun for us. In sum, life is good. One day at a time.”

Bud Smith has been fishing!

I thought Daniel Lang had retired, but read this: “Clare Warner (Mount Holyoke, 1974) attended her 50th class reunion with her husband, Tim [Warner ’73]. Our daughter, Kate, is director of Student Financial Services at Mount Holyoke. Result: Tim and I spent a long weekend together in May recounting the time that he and I were close friends while I was associate dean of admissions, and he was a student. We both left Wesleyan at about the same time, Tim for an MBA at Stanford and I for a PhD at Toronto. We both ended up in nearly identical careers: Tim as vice provost, Budget and Auxiliaries Management at Stanford and I as vice provost, Planning and Budget at Toronto. (That alone might be a factoid for Wesleyan alumni news: two Wes alumni, same job, same time, at two top 20 world class universities.) We kept in touch professionally and personally. When our son was born, we named him Timothy. When the Warner’s son was born, they named him Daniel. Talk about coincidence after coincidence! Everyone had a grand time at our personal reunion. . . . Other news, I finished teaching two graduate public economics courses in a row, finishing in June. Most of the students were top-notch, so there was as much stimulation as work. There is a lot of interest in Canada in the connections between immigration policy and fiscal policy in relation to higher education. So, plenty to talk about. Three papers that I had been working on for months finally went off for publication. 

“Being a member of the board at King’s University College has taken up more time than I expected, some of it controversial but all rewarding and worth the effort. My work on the board of Saint Augustine’s Seminary lately involves mainly finance and endowment management, sometimes complicated. If you think university politics are full of intrigue, try three-way negotiation between the Vatican, an archdiocese, and a seminary. Most recently we spent a few days deep in the Adirondacks at the same time as Hurricane Debby blew through. Roads and trails washed-out, tall trees blown down, obviously no power, no internet, and no cell phones. A genuine and welcome getaway from daily life.”

“I wonder,” David Luft recently wrote, “if the admissions office could have predicted that we would be professors at major universities.” I replied: “You touch on a topic dear to me. As class secretary and well before then, I came to realize how talented, accomplished, and public-spirited members—an overwhelming number—of the Wesleyan Class of 1966 are. As you probably know, many would not have dreamed of such as assessment at the time, our class being maligned, as many put it: the class of Robert Norwine’s revenge. Norwine was the director of admissions from 1953 to 1964. Apparently, our class was his attempt to recruit and accept students that Wesleyan had not courted, such as the blacksmith’s son from Colorado Springs and, yes, even some African Americans, Jimmy Johnson and Thomas Shaw. Some saw this as a dumbing down of Wesleyan, our class being particularly cited. Some dumbing down, some revenge. I know of fourteen of us who became professors, one of whom, Tom Broker, should have won a Nobel Prize. I no doubt have missed some. Sam Carrier, who taught at Oberlin for many years, did a paper on where the professoriate comes from. It’s not from the UT Austins of the world, but small, liberal arts schools. I rather imagine Wesleyan is continuing to graduate students who came to love research, fell in love with a field, and went on to graduate school to become professors.” 

I close with comment that David Griffith made about our class, a sentiment that I share: “I really like the class notes . . . within the tight confines of our class in terms of ethnicity and background, it is surprising to see the diversity. A great place at a great time.”

John Dunton said: “Because my grandson, Owen, who was first in his freshman class and is the third Dunton generation to attend Wes, will be graduating (a year early—a much better student than his grandfather), Carol and I look forward to attending the graduation in 2025. This will be the first in-person reunion without Gary and the Wombats since 1970—we think we can still ‘rock and roll’ but haven’t had a chance to prove it since 2015, and that memory is probably sweeter than a current appearance would provide.”

Bruce Lev wrote: “I finally decided it was time to send a very quick update. The most important news is I’m still vertical, still working full time as CEO of Loeb Holding Corp, the private bank/family office of the financial services and very philanthropic Loeb family, founded early in the 20th century. And still married to Prudence, who’s still writing (most recent novel, Last Born, a fictionalized account of the last days of the dinosaurs). As Bob Barton knows, we started our married life on a 47-foot sailboat in Rowayton, Connecticut, 42 years ago (Bob made our sails) and after a 25-year detour to Westchester, New York, so Prudence could indulge her obsession with horses, we’re back in Rowayton—hopefully for good. The great pleasure over the last few years is reconnecting with Tom Elliman and Joe Garrison and their wonderful wives, Betsy and Brenda, all of whom live in Branford, Connecticut. We try to have a meal every couple of months. I do plan to make the Reunion and very much look forward to it. Best to all.”

From David Osgood: “A few weeks ago I drove up to the Chicago/Wisconsin area from my home in Nashville. I was able to schedule a lunch with Bill Turner and George Adams. Bill and his wife, Barbara, spend the summers in Fontana, Wisconsin, and their winters in Florida. George follows the same routine and in addition operates a successful business in southeast Wisconsin. We had a good time reminiscing about Wesleyan fall and spring house parties and our common acquaintances.  As lifelong St. Louis Cardinal fans, George and I commiserated on the last two terrible seasons. Bill, a Cubs fan, is used to that result.   

“I continue to stay in touch with Larry Carver ’66 and David Griffith ’66. Both are doing well.”

Arthur Rhodes shared: “Retired from medicine in 2020 after a total of 50 years, having cared for more than 100,000 patients; taught more than 1,000 medical students (Harvard University School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, and Rush Medical College in Chicago); and pivotal in the training of more than 100 residents in dermatology.  My spouse, Leslie C. Newman, and I are spending time with combined families of five adult children and 11 grandchildren, splitting time between a suburb 25 miles north of Chicago (Glencoe, Illinois) and Mandeville, Louisiana. Leslie and I are enjoying gardening and abundant wildlife.  Am filling spare time pursuing a lifelong interest in photography, showing my best work on Instagram: ArthurRRhodes_Photography.

“Best wishes to my former classmates, who I hope are thriving and well.” 

Hugh Wilson sent this news: “Fran and I plan to attend our 60th Reunion next May and hope to see many of you there. On a personal front, I’ve got two items to report. First, I have finished a draft of my book: Inside Understanding: How Finite Brains Interpret a Vast Universe. I’m now starting to look for a publisher. Also, I just learned today that Geoff Hinton was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for his pioneering work in artificial intelligence. I worked with Geoff’s group from 2005 to 2015 and helped him to get funding from the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research for his pioneering work on neural networks that can learn. I was one of the first to develop mathematical models of neural networks in 1973, and they have since been vastly expanded by Geoff and his colleagues. My small contribution to his Nobel work makes me very proud.”