Tag: 1951

Categories Class Notes, Class Notes | 1950sPosted on

CLASS OF 1951 | 2022 | SPRING ISSUE

Greetings classmates, 71 years later:

Somehow, I have been offered the opportunity to gather and share notes from some of our friends of yore. I’ll start by telling you that Jean and I moved from Middletown almost 10 years ago and now live in Essex at Essex Meadows, a well-respected and well-run CCRC (Continuing Care Retirement Community), similar to hundreds of such facilities across the country. Except for the constant constraints caused by the pandemic, we are fine and enjoying life at its best.

To the point however:

Chuck Exley

Received a good note from Chuck Exley who now lives with wife Carol in “sunny Sarasota.” A grandfather to six and great-grandfather to “three adorable girls”; and he noted that two granddaughters are Wesleyan alums, as well as his son, who is class of ’83.

 

A longer note came from Barney Kathan, most loyal of the loyal alums. He has written several books,  one of which is in current consideration for publishing by Yale University Press. He also works on memoirs in a class devoted to memoir writing.  I doubt that he is alone in that. Most significantly he has established an annual award for a top performing woman in the Film Studies program, in honor and memory of his daughter Nancy Lee Kathan, Wesleyan ’76. Sadly Nancy died three years ago. All who have returned to the campus during the past 70-plus years look forward to seeing Barney in his cardinal-red jacket, a trademark of the Kathan family.

A very newsy message came from Charlie Selig.  As I read it, it reminded me of many of the same memories and reflections of my own life. I think you will agree. My long memory of Charlie is of seeing him in the Wesleyan “press box,” reporting the play on Andrus Field or in Alumni Field House. That was radio at its best. So here it is:

“Hi Biff . . . glad to say hello to my old friends at Wesleyan and particularly the DKE brothers. Not sure how many of us remain, but we are all thankful for the good life we have enjoyed. My wife died in 2010, but fortunately I met a wonderful lady, and we have been together since 2011. We spend eight months a year at Boca West C.C. in Boca Raton, Florida, and the other four in New Rochelle, where Madalyn lives in the summer. I just sold my condo in Mamaroneck where I lived since 2005, moving there from a Rye, New York, house where we lived 45 years. In Florida, we still enjoy tennis, bridge, and many friends in a most wonderful community. They have taken well care of us during these past two difficult years. . . . Three children, five grandchildren—I have been truly blessed. My health is OK, but at 93, it is not like the old Wes days or even when we were 70 and thought we were old. . . . Have not been to Wesleyan for a long time. I certainly enjoyed my years there, but now we just enjoy life as far as it takes us. Best to all my old Wes friends. Sincerely, Charlie Selig.”

Footnote: 1951 performed well for the Wesleyan Fund in 2021, our almost 70th Reunion. I hope that an off year in celebration won’t be an off year in giving. . . .

Categories Obituaries, Obituaries | 1950-1959Posted on

Andrew Strouthes ’51, P’81

Andrew Strouthes ’51, P’81 passed away peacefully at age 98 on February 15, 2022.

Andrew was born in Lefkara, Cyprus, and he immigrated from Cyprus to the United States in 1947. He graduated from Wesleyan University with honors in 1951. He went on to earn a master’s degree from the University of Connecticut in 1952 and a PhD from Temple University in 1960.

Andrew was an associate professor of psychology at the State University of New York at Binghamton, where he specialized in animal behavior. He was devoted to his research in animal conditioning and to his students; he was renowned for learning all his students’ names within the first week of each semester, even in large lecture courses of more than 150 students. He was considered by many to be the best teacher they had at SUNY. His work in fear and reward conditioning in rats has been cited many times, and during the course of his research, he also found a correlation between saccharin consumption and mortality in rats.

Andrew was predeceased by his wife of 63 years, Mary Joyce, and son Daniel Strouthes. He is survived by sons Peter of Austin, Texas, and Mark of Arnold, Maryland, and daughter Daphne of Dallas, Texas. Known as a raconteur and bon vivant, he was beloved in the Gardens of Annapolis, where he lived for the last years of his life.

 

 

Categories Class Notes, Class Notes | 1950sPosted on

CLASS OF 1951 | 2021–2022 | WINTER ISSUE

Biff Shaw has agreed to assume the role of Class Agent for the great Class of ’51; he thought the class would appreciate an update on the fundraising year that ended in June. Biff and fifteen others generously supported Wesleyan in honor of our 70th Reunion, with gifts totaling nearly $425,000, some of which came from bequests. Please contact Biff if you would like to know more about current and planned giving options. It is never too late or a bad time to take part.

Categories Class Notes | 1950sPosted on

CLASS OF 1951 | 2021 | ISSUE 1

Dick Cadigan ’59 reports that his brother-in-law, F. Kingston “King” Berlew, passed away peacefully at the Highlands in Topsham, Maine on February 21, 2021. He was the son of Herman Berlew ’21, brother of Dave Berlew ’56, uncle of Steve Cadigan ’86, and father of Derek and Sarah Berlew. King received a JD from Harvard in 1954, where he was also editor of the Harvard Law Review. While he spent most of his life practicing international law, he did a significant number of years in public service. He was the first director of the Peace Corps in Pakistan, followed by time as associate deputy director of the Peace Corps under Sargent Shriver. He took special pride in being the founder and first president of the world law group (WLG) in 1988. Today, the WLG is in 89 countries, with over 21,000 lawyers. King was a world traveler, avid sports participant and fan (especially the Red Sox), loved singing and playing guitar, plus being a gracious host and offering fine wines! King was a Wesleyan alumni trustee from 1978 to 1981. Prior to and since retirement in 1980, he lived in York, Maine; Vero Beach, Florida; and finally Topsham.