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Writing these notes amidst the summer heat, it is only fitting to hear about some great getaways from fellow classmates this year, to and from around the globe. Carol Cooper attended the Venice Architectural Biennale, truly one of my favorite places on earth. Carol has accepted a new board position with a public school journalism organization, Press Pass NYC, to establish strong school newspaper programs. Scott Director traveled to southern India (Madurai and Chennai specifically) for two family weddings. The events sound every bit as beautiful as one would imagine as Scott and his wife were treated like royalty. Wendy (Brown) Giardina, Richard Parad and wife, Judy, and yours truly met up in Paris earlier this year and followed that trip up with a get-together in London in June along with Jane Goldenring. As you can imagine this was a fun/lively group. Mike Coffey spent time with buddy Alan Poon ’76 in Tuscany, also visiting Sienna, Cesenatico, Venice, and Florence, enjoying great Italian vistas, food, and potent potables. lddy Olson and husband had a wonderful trip to Japan and South Korea enthralled in peak cherry blossom season. Otherwise, lddy is bringing her fine competitive nature to the pickleball courts, as well as enjoying time with her friends and family. Richard Radoccia recently traveled to Barcelona and was awed by another amazing architect, Antoni Gaudi. Richard is in touch with Claude Greengard and Rich Shulman. Rich assisted Richard with a video on the Civil War: American Civil War Retold (on YouTube). Steve McNutt has had several trips to Alaska and has hosted a 70th-birthday bash there for Steve Gold.

In other non-travel news: Buzz Cohen has been hard at work staging her 80th show for The Public Theater: Twelfth Night at the renovated Delacorte Theater/Shakespeare in the Park this past summer. Catherine Compton Swanson wrote about spending time at her lake house in northern Michigan designed by a student of Frank Lloyd Wright, appealing to my architectural sensibilities. Francis Rath wrote in proudly regarding his wife’s business of buying, selling, and training event horses: www.greyfoxfarrn.com. Frances was inducted into the Loudoun County Combined Fire and Rescue System’s Hall of Fame for years of excellent volunteer service. Both John Fink and Susanna Peyton wrote that they are retiring and then unretiring from their respective careers in media consultation for the University of Hawaii (John) and Yale School of Nursing (Susanna). Susanna gives a big shout-out to Nancy Feldman and Sara Pasti ’75 as her forever friends. With no retirement until 2027, Doug Hauschild continues to practice optometry in western North Carolina. Doug sends best wishes to his OTO fraternity brothers and sisters. Jane Eisner’sbook Carole King: She Made the Earth Move, was published in September by Yale University

Press, part of the Jewish Lives series. Jane is traveling around the country speaking about the book, so she invites all to stop by to say hello! (“Check out jeisner.com for appearances.”)  Don Ryan, George Capone, and Cal Dysinger met up in Baltimore to attend the Gypsy Jazz Fest, which they highly recommend. Dan Ruberman has left Boston for Berkeley (much to my dismay). Details to follow. As many of my family have claimed the Bay Area as their home, there will be good visitation opportunities upcoming for me in the immediate future with Dan and wife, Ann.

Buddy Taft, Jim LaLiberty, and Don Lowery have been among a group of a dozen former Wesleyan hockey players who have been meeting regularly for the past several months to create a $1 million endowment in honor of beloved former coach Dave “Duke” Snyder, who passed away last fall at the age of 80. The endowment will be used to support the Wesleyan men’s hockey program. Despite the sad reason they have been brought together, the calls, and the memorial on campus this spring to honor Duke, have been a wonderful opportunity to reconnect and share great memories of experiences playing hockey at Wesleyan. Any former Cardinal hockey players and program supporters can contact Karen Whalen, kwhalen@wesleyan.edu, for more information about the endowment. 

Several members of our class have written in to express thanks and appreciation for the words and work of our University president, Michael Roth. I do not think it can be adequately expressed at this time in our history, how necessary it is having a steady, dignified response to the assault on liberal arts education, as well as how people treat and respect one another. For myself, and those who have written in, we take immense pride in being alumni of Wesleyan University thanks to Michael’s leadership.

GERRY FRANK | gfrank@bfearc.com