Categories Class Notes, Class Notes | 1960sPosted on

CLASS OF 1963 | 2025 | FALL ISSUE

Two of our classmates sent word of their activities.

Terry Irwin wrote: “Decided it was time for me to step up and communicate with my class.” He retired from Northwestern Mutual in 2007, and he and his wife, Cynnie, moved from Jacksonville, Florida, to Concord, New Hampshire, to be near their then seven-year-old granddaughter. He reports it was “a great move,” and has taken advantage of all that the White Mountains have to offer. He has been involved in supporting refugees from Congo and has assisted four orphaned sisters since 2011, becoming “grandpa” to three-year-old Ayan. Terry and Cynnie moved to NH CCCRC, Riverwoods, starting a new chapter, including meeting new friends and getting involved in the available activities. He still travels a couple of times a week to Concord to tutor in ESL or citizenship and visit with his sister.

Don Sexton writes that he is recovering from a bout with cancer. Without going into details, he said radiation therapy was dreadful, taking away his appetite, so that he dropped to his Wesleyan football weight of 165 pounds. The therapy caused a break in his stand-up comedy on Broadway and his art shows. The good news is that the New York Improv Company has asked him back. Also, an acting company has asked him back (perhaps to reprise his role as King of Hearts in Alice in Wonderland). He now has four months of art shows scheduled for the fall and next spring. Don has written a poem, “Grab Life.” He says: “Those of you who have been through cancer, or had friends or loved ones go through it, know that the emotional dimension of grabbing life can play a major role in recovery.”  The poem ends:

                  Y’all come with me

                  All the best to all my friends

                  Y’all come with me. Grab Life

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CLASS OF 1962 | 2025 | FALL ISSUE

We start with two significant genealogical achievements:

Finding Rose at the LA Times Festival of Books.

First, Andy Dahl writes, “After five years of research, writing, and editing, my book Finding Rose: The Search for My Grandmother has finally been published.” The book chronicles the life and fate of his maternal grandmother, Rose Liepmann Oppenheim, a German Jew, during the Holocaust. “I describe her life beginning with her prominent German-Jewish heritage through her persecution under the Nazis: the inexorable deterioration of her personal condition under the Nazi regime, the forced bankruptcy of her family business, the seizure of her home, the confiscation of her possessions, and her eventual deportation to the Izbica transit camp in Poland, where she perished.” The book also describes how his uncle, who had immigrated to the U.S. as a teenager, joined the U.S. Army and became both a “Ritchie Boy” (a German-speaking interrogator of German prisoners) and General George Patton’s jeep driver. Immediately after the war ended, he drove through the Russian-occupied zone with the unfulfilled hope of finding his mother alive. Still, “thanks to hundreds of letters written from Rose to her children and other family documents carefully preserved in old leather ‘suitcases of sadness’ for 80 years, I have come to know her.” Finding Rose has done well in Amazon sales under the Holocaust Biographies category and was featured at the 2025 Los Angeles Times Festival of Books. Andy concludes: “I owe my ability to do historical research and write a book of this type to my time spent as an American studies major at Wesleyan many years ago.” 

Morrie Heckscher’s ancestors

Second, Morrie Heckscher “used the COVID lockdown to address what to do with a family archive I’d inherited, finally giving it to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania—but not before composing a family history based upon its hundreds of post–Civil War letters, early photos, diaries, etc. These documented a classic American story: all about race and religion; ambition, immigration, and assimilation; patriarchs, powerful women, and family dynamics. These provided the kind of granular, unselfconscious evidence you don’t get on Google. The result, thanks to my Wesleyan education, is more history than hagiography. The Heckschers were from Hamburg, and the first-generation immigrants were the real achievers. More recently, my wife, Fenella, is about to come out with a biography of Jane Colden, America’s first woman botanist. She and I happily spend much of the time in our garden in the Hudson River Valley.”

Morrie and Fenella in their garden

In other news, John Hazlehurst is “still writing a weekly column for the Pikes Peak Bulletin, and (wonder of wonders) they’re still paying me to do it!” Otherwise, there’s “not much to report from no longer particularly scenic Colorado Springs, as Karen and I look forward to a calm summer with our three reasonably well‑behaved young dogs and visits from the kids, the grands, and the great-grands.”

Bruce and Karen Menke were recently recognized by the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Georgia for their participation in classes offered by the institute over the past 10 years. Bruce continues as a highly active democratic supporter, writing “more than 100 op‑eds and letters to the editor, which have appeared in more than 20 print and online media outlets serving the 22 counties within our congressional district, with many letters appearing in The Atlanta Journal Constitution. I have also led a group of 20 letter-to-the-editor writers, who have generated a steady stream of messages to the voters in our area concerning the ongoing attacks on our democracy and the actions that can be taken to oppose them.”

David Lorenzen Sbrega and his wife, Barbara, have both had some serious health problems but “are hanging in there. We still live in Mexico City (since 1970!), have two daughters, [who are] now living in LA and D.C., and a son here in Mexico. He is father to our only grandchild, now four years old. We often visit Barbara’s home village in upstate New York. I retired from my job as a professor of South Asian history in El Colegio de México in 2011 but am sporadically active with academic projects including a recent co‑authored book about an early modern Hindi poet. I applaud President Roth’s efforts to defend the academic freedom of universities against government interference.”

On a late and sad note, Milt Schroeder passed away on July 24, and Chuck Work was among the distinguished speakers at his memorial service.

Since I have a little extra word allowance this time, I conclude with a brief personal note. Helena and I are still living happily in our suburban Toronto home, although as dual citizens we feel quite aghast by the recent turn in political relations. Despite a few “penalties of age” (as a contemporary friend puts it), I keep moderately busy with small academic projects, mainly book reviews and memoir‑ish short articles. I greatly enjoy hearing from Wes classmates and recently tried (with modest success) to establish a somewhat comparable email network among my surviving Springfield (Pennsylvania) high school classmates. To everyone so inclined, please keep your messages coming to me.

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CLASS OF 1961 | 2025 | FALL ISSUE

“Not much new these days!” writes Bob Reiser, who reflects your class secretary’s sentiment regarding a meager class news inbox. Thankfully, Bob provided an interesting review of his current interest. He states: “Margaret and I are at our Maine home in Boothbay Harbor for the summer. Over the years I have been on the boards of many nonprofits, both in Maine and Atlanta. One of the most interesting is the local movie theater. I have been on several theater boards, but the economics of the movie industry are unique. We have a one-screen theater, which should not exist in a town as small as Boothbay Harbor (population less than 3,000). In fact, it was going out of business in 2017 when a couple stepped up and offered to buy it, turning it into a nonprofit. Following our recent donation, I was recruited for the board. 

“The theater’s economic challenge is that only one-half of the annual expenses is covered by ticket and concession sales. We must raise the other half through donations. With the founding couples’ leadership, we have been able to raise the money to keep the theater growing. While the theater has access to all the new movies, the secret is to appeal to the community with free shows [and] food events and determining audience preferences. The other challenge a theater has is that it has no control over its revenues. Movie distributors determine how long the show must be in the theater, and they set how much of the revenue they will take. In the past, it was 40% for first-run shows. Now they take 60%.”    

             Paul Dickson has a new book, out October 1 from Bloomsbury. G.I. Jive: A Dictionary of Words at War: The Vernacular of Victory (1931–1946) is described by Paul as a “discursive dictionary, which means plenty of anecdotal material.”


Respectfully submitted,

Jon

Categories Class Notes, Class Notes | 1960sPosted on

CLASS OF 1960 | 2025 | FALL ISSUE

The first 65th Reunion organized by Bill Walker and Dave Hohl was held via Zoom on May 24, 2025. That was followed by a second 65th Reunion via Zoom on June 9 organized by Kate Micari, associate director for annual giving. Those attending these events appreciated the opportunity to renew old friendships.

Nici and John Dobson have moved from Florida to a life-care community in Williamsburg, Virginia, where they will be closer to family and friends. They look forward to again experience a change of seasons.

Congratulations to Dan Nebert who was recognized on June 21, 2025, with the Distinguished Alumni Scientist Award from Oregon Health Sciences University. He has been doing research for 50 years. An example of his work is the discovery of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) transcription factor that regulates the CYP1A gene, which is important for many critical life functions. Specific single-nucleotide variations in this gene were then shown to result in birth defects and numerous clinical disorders.

Ira Sharkansky reported in June that he and his wife, Varda, used the safe room in Protea Retirement Village when they were under attack from Iranian missiles. That must have been stressful and hopefully their situation has improved.    

Neimah and Paul Tractenberg do regular three-to-four-mile walks, sometimes together and sometimes separately with friends. They dote on, and spend a lot of time with, the four offspring of their son and daughter-in-law who live nearby. Paul is still heavily involved with two long-standing advocacy efforts—one is an 11-year-old lawsuit on behalf of the public school students of the Lakewood School District in New Jersey; the other is a 25-year effort to preserve a unique 120-acre property near West Orange, New Jersey.                 

Frank Reed of Walbridge, Ohio, passed away on November 29, 2024. He worked as a psychiatrist for various institutions and in private practice for 30 years. He enjoyed listening, singing, and playing music of all kinds. He loved being outdoors sailing, hiking, and scuba diving. He was married to his wife Margaret for 29 years and is also survived by his two daughters from a previous marriage and six grandchildren. He was preceded in death by the mother of his children, Eleni Gillis. My condolences to his family and friends.

Bill Walker wrote to let us know that Don Skinner passed away on July 3 in Santa Monica, California. He was a physician who was renowned for his work in the field of urological oncology and who spent three decades of his career building a urology treatment and training program at USC. Throughout his life, Don enjoyed playing sports, including basketball (for which he was recruited to play at Wes), tennis, and golf. He was preceded in death by his wife of 62 years, Shirley, and a daughter, Carol. My condolences to his family and friends.

My oldest grandson, Holden, recently received his bachelor’s degree from Western Washington University here in Bellingham. It has been a special treat to have an occasional lunch together for the past three years.

With this note, I have resigned as class secretary after having served in the position for 20 years. Please contact me by email if you are interested in becoming the new class secretary with the responsibility for creating class notes twice a year.

Categories Class Notes, Class Notes | 1950sPosted on

CLASS OF 1959 | 2025 | FALL ISSUE

Bob Chase reports from a retirement residence in Virginia. Both children nearby keep an eye on him. Bob still follows politics and his favorite sports teams. As many of us do, he worries about the outlook for his grandchildren. He remarked favorably on President Roth’s comments and responses to pressures being applied to education. Ted Fiske and his wife, Sunny Ladd, also enjoy life in a retirement community, this one in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. They recently took a Viking Cruise on the Rhone River with an extension to Paris. They enjoyed the fact that the boat took them to sights rather than having to chase the sights themselves. They spend July in Islesboro, Maine, then move to Alstead, New Hampshire, and a lakeside cottage with both daughters nearby. Ted continues to oversee his Fiske Guide to Colleges, 43 years of guiding high school grads, recently my own included. He is proud that Wesleyan has a president who has spoken eloquently on his opinions about pressures on universities.

Tim Day says he and Sandy spend a third of each year in Phoenix, La Jolla, and Jackson Hole. Overseas travel is a frequent supplement. He remains healthy, with gym workouts four times a week. The only change seems to be the pace. From Alan Brooks we learn that for the first time in 40 years, he has had to miss Masters/Senior shot-put competition due to a severe case of gout. He hopes to return to it next year. Pete Rockefeller recently visited Wes and spoke with President Roth who he commends for standing up with courage and integrity for Wesleyan’s principles. Pete is coming to grips with the end of a 50-year career in computers.

We heard from Paul Stevens, who is still working part time for SMRT Architects, a company his great-grandfather started in 1884! After back surgery, he recently ran a two-mile race, at a grandfatherly pace, with his two sons and three grandsons. Well done! They summer in Maine at a cottage they have been to since 1968. Plenty of continuity in this family. Recent hot weather reminded Charlie Huchet of sunning on the roof of the Deke house on “Tar Beach.” The hot weather stands in contrast to the weather at an archaeological dig his daughter was at in Ireland, digging for medieval objects in the mud. He suggests it was easier to find the pub.

Bob McKelvey is still working at the investment company his family started and has recently partnered with a California group. Lots of new systems and issues to resolve. Various ailments have slowed his travels to Wes. He stays in touch with two groups of classmates, an Alpha Delta Phi group and an Oxford College group. He recently joined a group of Alpha Delts, Classes ’57–’61. It is interesting to find out what they have done, including a dining steward who has published eight novels. As with others, he thinks Roth’s defense of academic freedom was well reasoned.

Herb Steiner says that one of his 12 grandchildren is at Wesleyan. He and Ellen still winter in Delray Beach, Florida, then spend the rest of the year in Mahwah, New Jersey. He is “aging out of those difficult violin parts, so I’m playing the viola. The viola music is in the alto clef. Learning the clef is like trying to master a foreign language. I’m still in close contact with Joe Vander Veer, Bob Ogren, and Tim Martin. All are well.”

Joe Mallory was in Maine for the summer and early fall: “Enjoying the natural beauty of the earth while learning to live by myself. Health [is] good—walking a mile or two daily with modest discomfort from sciatica. Just had two grand-twins graduate from Dartmouth, with another scheduled for next year.”

Bob Gillette shares that he and Marsha “returned to our New England roots last year as we moved from Lynchburg, Virginia, to Springfield, Massachusetts, to a senior community. It was invigorating, recently, as we participated in a humanists discussion group that tackled philosophical questions that felt like the bull sessions of Wesleyan days. Thoughtful neighbors shared life insights and continued questioning where we are, where we have been, and where we continue to go. Indeed, I am finding this lap of life exciting, though not without its challenges. Luckily, Marsha and I, after 66 years of marriage, have settled into a time and place that feels just right. We have our health, canoe paddling is still a passion, [there are] plenty of cultural opportunities to experience, and being surrounded by kind and supportive folks our age, all have made for a very full and active life. I play my alto recorder every day, and I’ve teamed up with a resident violinist for Baroque playtime.

“Within the morass of our political situation, we recently participated in ‘good trouble’ at our own No Kings rally. It was stirring to hear the honking horns of supportive cars pass by as they viewed old folks in wheelchairs and walkers display posters and waving American flags.

“I am still writing with others in a writing group and giving book talks. I have gotten involved in the governance of our community, and my teacher’s blood still courses through my being, though a bit slower. How significant to realize that after 66 years since our ’59 graduation, the essence of our liberal arts education is still a driving force in our lives. Let’s keep going, as long as we have left. Best wishes to everyone with hope and courage that this country can flourish with humanity. Our four grandchildren and two great- grandchildren deserve the opportunities and freedom we experienced.”

In April, Hank Lifson hada show at theHudson River Gallery in Coralville, Iowa, (a suburb of Iowa City). “My exhibition, entitled The Stones of Tzfat (the title derived from John Ruskin and Mary McCarthy), was an impression of a town in northern Israel, which is a center for Kabbalistic mysticism, established in the late 15th century from Sephardic Jews fleeing Spain. I’m pleased at the results since many people viewed the work. I’m also still living, painting, and drawing in a retirement home in Cedar Rapids.”  

Sadly, Ed Murphy lost his wife, Marilyn, last year to dementia. They “had been married for 55 years. I’m slowly accommodating to her passing—near daily swim workouts, visiting friends and family, and making a few new friends. . . . Though my house now is much bigger than I need, I’m not tempted to move. The thought of having to clean out 54 years of accumulated stuff is too daunting. Looks like I’m here for the duration.

“The other day I happened on [the] thoroughly researched and engagingly written two-volume History of Wesleyan University [by Dave Potts ’60] in my library. It set me to reminiscing about our four years at Wesleyan, friends made, professors who inspired us, and President Butterfield, who kept it all focused on liberal arts education. It was 70 years ago this September that our Class of 1959 came together to begin its journey. What a journey it was and continues to be.”

Finally, Alan reports that Laird Burnett wrote to let us know that his dad, Walter Burnett, died on June 8. Alan and Walter were roommates throughout their years at Wes, and Alan said, “I will greatly miss his Christmas newsletter and occasional visits here in Connecticut and at our cottage at Maine.” Our condolences to his family.

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CLASS OF 1958 | 2025 | FALL ISSUE

Tony Codding remains active. He visited the Dominican Republic in February and spent three weeks in Aruba in April. He has turned 90 and plans a river cruise from Paris to Normandy.

Dick Goldman is at least as active—he is taking adult education classes at Brandeis on the topic of investing. He is exploring starting a discussion group on the same topic. He still winters in Florida and continues to play golf and tennis.

David Schalk is alive and well; he wrote briefly on June 19 but did not send an update.

And John Watson is a published poet. He was pleased to get a poem published in the winter edition of The Lyric. He does not play hoops anymore but plays billiards with his grandson and enjoys a daily walk with his wife, Marilyn.

Denny Allee is living comfortably in Provincetown where he and Mel Cote went to work summers after Wes graduation.

In June we had a Zoom reunion hosted by the Wes alumni office. Brisk discussions by Burr Edwards, Dick Goldman, Bob Hayes, Neil Henry, Art Levine,and yours truly. Much easier than in-person reunions, especially for our crowd.

Kay and I are still living in an active golf community and try to keep up with the youngsters, some as young as 70.

Keep the notes coming,

Cliff

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CLASS OF 1957 | 2025 | FALL ISSUE

Earlier this year we reported the passing of your class secretary Bob Smith. In Bob’s last email to the Class Notes editor, he wanted to ensure that he shared with classmates that his beloved wife, Betty, to whom he was married for 64 years, predeceased him in March. With the news of Bob’s passing, we received the following remembrances:

Ken Travis: “It is indeed sad that we have lost another stalwart member of the Class of ’57. We will miss Bob’s good-natured humor and gentle, but persistent, solicitations for news. I will always value the times we shared as classmates, teammates, and summer camp counselors.”

Mark Feldman wrote: “Bob Smith will be sorely missed. His children and their progeny should know that Bob was among the salt of the earth. I first knew him as an Eclectic pledge in the fall of 1953 and was delighted to correspond with him as class secretary in recent years. Every time I saw Bob, he was calm, thoughtful, and helpful. He was one of my favorite Eclectics, and his loss is deeply felt.

“I also want to salute my dear friend and classmate Bill Shepard on his 90th birthday earlier this month [June]. My daughter, Ilana ’91, drove Mimi and me to celebrate with his wife, Lois, daughters Stephanie and Robin, and sundry friends at their lovely home on the Eastern Shore. Bill was a fellow French major and distinguished his Wesleyan degree with a notable career in diplomacy that included a tour as U.S. consul general in Bordeaux. It was great fun to reminisce with Bill about the glory days of Wesleyan in the Butterfield years. He recently showed his gratitude to Wesleyan by gifting a significant collection of French novels to the Olin Library. Thank you, Bill.” 

A link to Bob’s obituary can be found online at classnotes.blogs.wesleyan.edu.

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CLASS OF 1955 | 2025 | FALL ISSUE

Most welcome responses from two classmates enable the reporting of more than 60 years to continue. I am grateful.

Tom Nall writes that he is finally in an assisted living facility. He’s still driving, but, of course, there are lots of things he cannot do, “such as getting up from a chair without arms and walking without help.” As he says, “God help me if I should happen to fall.” Tom no longer travels, but despite all this, he says he’s still doing well. Sounds familiar!

Jake Congleton asks, as he begins his 93rd year, “How many of us are left?” He says his claim to Wesleyan fame is that his brother, son, and grandson all graduated from Wesleyan!

Upon receiving Jake’s question, I checked with our Class Notes editor, Liz Taylor, who replied: “It looks like there are 99 individuals from the Class of 1955 that remain with us. Of those, 78 do not have email addresses in our system and 55 do not have phone numbers with us.”

If you are reading this and you have updates for any classmates whose information is incomplete, please encourage them to get in touch with me or to write to Liz directly at classnotes@wesleyan.edu. Sincere thanks to Liz for her continued help.

And, as always, my best wishes to you and your loved ones in the days ahead.

Categories Class Notes, Class Notes | 1950sPosted on

CLASS OF 1954 | 2025 | FALL ISSUE

Sadly, there are two passings to report:

Art Goudey’s son let us know that he passed away at the age of 96 in Venice, Florida. A navy veteran, Art was remembered as “a lifelong learner with insatiable curiosity [who] was an avid reader and true outdoorsman.” 

Katy Storms Denman ’89 sent this: “Bruce Storms, age 92, of Ridgewood, New Jersey, passed away on January 16, 2025. Bruce was a member of the Delta Upsilon fraternity and, after earning his BA from Wesleyan, was a banker by trade. He loved to attend Wesleyan reunions and to travel. Bruce’s beloved wife, Ann, passed away in 2024. He is survived by his son, Tim Storms ’81, and wife Teri; his daughter, Katy Storms Denman ’89, and husband Chip; his grandchildren, Dan Storms ’10 and wife Liz; Meghan Storms; and Chad, Will, and Jay Denman; and his great-grandchildren, Anna and Henry Storms.

Links to full obituaries of these classmates can be found online at classnotes.blogs.wesleyan.edu/class-of-1954/.

Dave Hodgin shared: “Nothing much to report. I have almost run out of consulting clients, nearly all retired or deceased. However, I remain busy with pro bono service as president of the Senior Life Association, and my newest venture, Damians Ladder, which provides free services to help senior citizens and the disabled remain safely in their homes. Still playing golf every week as part of an effort to keep mobile (and have some fun!).

John “Bud” Johnson Jr. still splits his time between a retirement community in Rye, New York, and Stuart, Florida, where he has had a home for 25 years. He wrote, “More time in Florida for more walking and outdoor vistas is winning! I’m still active with ASCF and it’s peace through strength legacy. My time in and around Taiwan and tracking China waters activity is still relevant to strategic defense planning. Our eight grandchildren still don’t believe grandpa was doing that at age 24! All best, Bud.”

We have about two dozen active emails for the Class of ’54, but like other classes, we know there are folks we don’t have any contact information for—i.e., email addresses or phone numbers. If you are in touch with anyone who may not have updated Wesleyan in some time, please encourage them to send their information to the Office of Alumni (alumni@wesleyan.edu) or to the Class Notes Editor, Liz Taylor ’87. Thank you.

Class Notes Editor | classnotes@wesleyan.edu