Tag: 1951

Ken Barratt wrote from an assisted living facility in Green Valley, Ariz., some 25 miles south of Tucson, to which he and his wife, Sabina, moved two years ago. Ken reports he stays quite busy with a number of musical activities, including playing the piano in a 17-piece group. He also works with a trumpeter entertaining other residents in their assisted-living residence. Ken reports that he keeps in touch with friends through the Internet. Ken said he and his wife are in “reasonably good health.”

I also heard from Bob Willett, who is doing well in an assisted-living facility in Palm City, Fla. I also heard from Bob Hammett in Oak Bluffs, Mass., and from Jack Whiteman in Pittsboro, N.C.

I hope all you living outside of New England escaped the severe drought we’ve been having.

DAVID M. PHILIPS | davephilips69@hotmail.com
43 Cannon Street, Cranston, RI 02920-7620

Bill Mitchell wrote from Henderson, N.C., that he continues to be quite active. Bill said he’d do his darnesdest to make the 65th Reunion and he was hoping a lot of classmates would, too.At any rate, he’d try to get to a Wes football game.

Bob Willet’s wife, Martha, wrote from Manhattan Beach, Calif., to report that Bob is living in a residential care facility.

I’d also heard from Jack Pfeiffer in Jonesboro, Ga.; Jack White in Wayzata, Minn.; and Bob Mack in Mexico, N.Y. Jack Pfeiffer lost his wife, Nancy, early in the year and he has moved to a senior citizen’s homestead. He would not be able to make it to our 65th but said, “Tell my classmates I wish them good health and a good turnout,” Bob said.

Our grand old row of college halls never looked more beautiful and the campus truly was fair and green the Saturday morning of our 65th Reunion. The first to show was Barney Kathan in his cardinal-red coat. He would lead us in the parade. Then came Bob Switzgable and his son, and Chris DeGraff and his wife, Sandra. Chris has made every Reunion I’ve made and then some. Bill Churchill was on time for the parade, as were Biff Shaw and his wife, Jean. Les Aroh had come from Kentucky with his wife, Janet, and Barney Kathan was there with his daughter.

I sat with Walter Cook at the WESeniors luncheon and he told of walking across campus early in our freshman year and coming face-to-face with President Victor Butterfield, whom he hadn’t met. The president astonished him by calling him by his first name and asking him how he was doing.

President Michael Roth ’78 gave us an upbeat report on where Wesleyan stands in the educational firmament—very high—and the Wesleyan Spirits sang the Alma Mater and the Fight Song, which ended with some vigorous clapping and the shout: “Go, Wes!”

The fitting climax to the day’s activities was an excellent roast beef dinner at the Usdan Campus Center. Chuck Exley served as host and spoke briefly, noting that the most welcome words in any speech were “and in conclusion.” Bill Churchill’s wife, Maggie, made us laugh by giving us a young person’s idea of what old people are like. Classmates not there were spoken of, and we understood it would be the last time we would get together as a class group.

“We wish the turnout could have been bigger,” said Biff, “but time is catching up.”

Our special thanks to Jenna Starr ’15 for the help she gave us before and during the event. We all loved the dear old college scenes. I’m sorry I had to leave early. It was a wonderful time to be at Wesleyan.

Others of our class who couldn’t join us were thinking of us. Dick Cashman sends his best wishes from Neenah, Wisc. He and his wife migrated there from Florida to be nearer to their family, which Dick said includes 22 great-grandchildren.

Bob Hammett had already committed to attending graduation ceremonies for two grandchildren.

Sandy Malcomson wrote that his appointment book is so filled with doctor’s appointments that there is little room or time for other activities. He sends his best wishes.

Charlie Selig wrote that he would be returning from Florida on May 17 and would have too much to do to get away soon after that. Charlie lost his wife in 2010 but found a “wonderful lady” to join in his very active life. “Say hello for me to everyone here,” he wrote.

DAVID M. PHILIPS | davephilips69@hotmail.com

100 Elena St., Apt. 618, Cranston, RI 02920-7620

It was hard to know in mid-winter how many ’51 classmates would attend our 65th Reunion, but Barney Kathan will be there for sure. He doesn’t miss many Reunions. Last year he sat at the seniors table with Dave Mize, who also plans on coming.

Barney continues to research and his article on “Horace Bushnell and the Religious Education Movement” appeared in the Journal of Religious Education in 2013. His article on the National Council on Religious and Public Education will be published this year.

Bob Gardner wrote that he stays in touch with Biff Shaw and Neil Keller. All three hope to attend Reunion. Bob is still writing science books for kids, more than 200 so far.

Bill Churchill and his wife, Maggie, also plan to attend Reunion. Bill wrote that he twisted Bob Switzgable’s arm and he’d be coming as well. Bill is still enjoying Tarheel Country, but has been escaping the summer heat by retreating to a cottage on the shore of Buzzards Bay in Massachusetts.

Biff Shaw and his wife, Jean, will be attending too. The Shaws have been enjoying a busy life at a retirement community in Essex, 20 miles downriver from Middletown.

Dave Mize will be coming from Vermont and Les Aroh from Kentucky. Ted Bartolotta was thinking about coming but he has had health issues and wasn’t sure he could make it. Art DeGraff said he’ll definitely be coming. His wife, Sandy, has a reunion of her own to attend, but plans to join us for dinner Saturday. The DeGraffs have spent winter weekends in Vermont and Art says he still skis.

At the time I was compiling this report, Dave Jones was hoping health issues wouldn’t keep him from coming. The Reunion wouldn’t be the same without him.

DAVID M. PHILIPS | davephilips69@hotmail.com

100 Elena St., Apt. 618, Cranston, RI 02920-7620

In every letter I write to classmates, I ask who they’ve seen or heard from. Bob Switzgable responded that he has been seeing Bill Churchill every summer on Cape Cod, where Bob lives himself. Bill now lives in Burlington, N.C.

I’ve been telling people about the 65th Reunion next spring and Bob said he plans to come along with King Berlew, who said that if all goes well in the meantime, he and his wife, Jeanne, would also be attending,

Bill Mitchell wrote from Hendersonville, N.C., that his health continued to be good and he continued to be quite active. Bill said he’d do his darnedest to make our 65th Reunion and he was hoping a lot of classmates make it. In the meantime, he’d try to get to a Wesleyan football game.

Bob Willet’s wife, Martha, wrote from Manhattan Beach, Calif., to report that Bob is living in a residential care facility, appropriately named “A Helping Hand.”

I’ve also heard from Jack Pfeiffer, in Jonesboro., Ga.; Jack White, in Wayzata, Minn.; and Bob Mack, in Mexico, N.Y. Jack Pfeiffer lost his wife, Nancy, early in the year and he has moved to a senior citizen’s homestead. He would not be able to make our 65th but hoped we could get enough for a good turnout. “Tell my classmates I wish them good health and a good turnout,” Bob said.

Chuck Exley, writing from Florida, said he saw Matt Clark, Richard De Gennaro and his brother George DeGenaro fairly recently.

Jim McKeon’s wife, Betty, wrote from Danbury, Conn. where Jim was about to move to a residential facility, Maplewood of Danbury.

Bill Steele has also reached the handicapped stage but he still plays a mean game of ping pong and hikes with his wife. Temperamentally, she says, he remains gentle, kind, and funny.

I hope to hear from more of you.

DAVID M. PHILIPS | davephilips69@hotmail.com

100 Elena St., Apt. 618, Cranston, RI 02920-7620

John White wrote from Minnesota that the times had been flying by so fast, he couldn’t believe he had truly graduated from the old alma mater 64 years ago. John said he’d been married twice, had four children, who in turn had seven kids, who are turning into being gray-headed themselves, who in turn have three kids, two of whom came into this world in Australia. “All this means I’m a great-grandfather to those three,” John wrote. John was unhappy that the Minnesota driver’s liscence bureau had revoked his driver’s license. He was trying to get it back, so far without success. “I am qualified as a senior citizen,” he wrote, “and am now at the mercy of my dear wife Mary and a couple of friends to chauffer if I want or need to go someplace.” I know the feeling, John.

Bob Mack’s wife, Mary, wrote that Bob has become seriously handicapped by his Parkinson’s Syndrome and can do very little for himself. The family has a wheelchair-accessible van, and they can take him out occasionally. They also have excellent home health and Mary wrote that the family has been of great help also.

Jack Pfeiffer reported sad news from Jonesboro, Ga., in the death of his wife, Nancy, earlier this year. Consequently, Jack wrote, he has moved to a senior citizen’s homestead, where he has a two-bedroom apartment. “My health is fair,” Jack wrote, “and I try to exercise fairly often.” Jack said he wouldn’t be able to make our 65th Reunion but wanted to wish his classmates good health and a great time.

I don’t know if I included a very newsworthy letter from a fraternity brother Roger Stimson in Okemos, Mich. At the time he wrote, Roger was recovering from total knee replacement on both knees and hoped to be ready for the sailing season. Other than the knees, Roger said his health was good and he was working out regularly with a group of ex-Michigan State professors. He was still a ham radio operator. For anybody who has the appropriate equipment, you can see some of his handiwork on QRZ.com. Enter his call letters (K8RS) in the little box on the upper left and you’ll see his web page.

Dave Welsh wrote from Fort Myers, Fla., where he and his wife, Kathy, retired to in 2002. “We still travel to see our family by driving or flying to see sons, daughters, grandchildren and, in just the last few years, great-grandchildren,” he wrote. “Our lives are centered on our country club, playing many rounds of golf, going to the fitness center, reading and spending time with our friends for dinner a few times a week.” Dave said that he and Kathy were enjoying amazingly good health for their “young” age.

In my letters to classmates, I’m asking everyone to indicate whether they would be able to make our 65th Reunion next year. I think we’d need at least 10 to make it worthwhile for the university to do anything for us.

Biff Shaw and his wife, Jean, have moved from their Middletown home where they’d lived for 57 years to a residential community in Essex 20 miles south. Biff described his new neighbors as a very congenial group from many places, but predominantly from the lower Connecticut River Valley. The facility has independent living, assisted living rehabilitation, convalescence, and long-term care. Biff and Jean go back and forth to Middletown but not to many Wesleyan events, especially those in the evening after dark. They did see the Bowdoin game but missed the narrow loss to Amherst and the cliffhanger with Trinity. Biff reports that he hears regularly from Dave Jones and that Bob Gardner, who was an usher at their wedding 62 years ago, remains in touch. Biff’s son, Jeff Shaw ’79, lives in Bloomfield, not far away, and daughter Deborah lives in New York City with her husband, a retired TV and theater costume designer. Deborah has developed skills in horticulture therapy; one of her assignments takes her to Rikers Island Prison where she works with the inmates. We hear interesting tales from both families, Biff reports.

Howard Goodrich, writing from St. Louis, reported that he and his wife, Darlene, were living a full life with travel, church, and community engagements, even a “fill-in ministry” in mid- America. A highlight of their life has been their summer family get-togethers at Estes Park, Colo., where they rent a four-bedroom place and invite members of the immediate family to come for a visit. “Usually we’ve had 10 to 15 show up,” says Howard. “It’s been nuts, but we have a great time.” If we have a 65th Reunion next year, Howard says he’ll try to make it.

Dick Lucas wrote from California that he and Joan were happy to be living in an “Old Folks Home” full of congenial people. They have two grandchildren and now five great-grandchildren living close at hand. He can still drive, Dick said, and participate in activities. Having grown up in Middletown, Dick could appreciate what we in the Northeast have been having to go through.

Dave Mize wrote that he continues to live in a house with seven fireplaces but he “froze” this winter. Dave has continued to be very active, lecturing in the continuing education program at Dartmouth. His topic was 5,000 miles around the Mediterranean in a Model A. At one of his lectures he was delighted to have four Wesleyan graduates in his audience. Last summer he attempted to drive from Milan to Trieste, only to have his car break down just outside a village in Croatia. It took him six months to get the car back to Vermont. “I’ll repair it when it gets warm and take it back to France,” he wrote.

Charlie Selig wrote from Boca Raton, Fla., that he was still playing a lot of tennis and bridge. His wife died suddenly in 2010 but he was fortunate to find a wonderful lady who has made his life “super good.”

Sandy Malcomson wrote from Philadelphia, feeling grateful that all the “rotten weather” seemed to be sliding by to the north. I think the weather caught up with him after he wrote. Sandy expressed enthusiasm about the prospects for a 65th Reunion of our class next year. I’d be glad to hear from any class member wanting to attend.

Bill Hillis and his wife, Barbara, moved to Ashlar Village, a retirement community in Wallingford, Conn. “We have been busy, happy and all the moving, plowing and trail maintenance have simply disappeared.”

DAVID M. PHILIPS | davephilips69@hotmail.com
100 Elena St., Apt. 618, Cranston, RI 02920-7620