CLASS OF 1952 | 2023 | FALL ISSUE

Sad news from Sarah Porter ’86, daughter of Robert L. Porter, that he passed away on May 3, 2023, in Simsbury, Connecticut. She attended  our 65th Reunion in 2017 with Bob and his grandson, Asa Porter-Bernstein, and included pictures of them having fun and singing some of the old Wesleyan songs after dinner. Although he didn’t make the Glee Club while at Wesleyan, music was so important to him and he was happiest while singing or listening to music. In addition to Sarah, Bob’s legacies included his dad, Charles P. Porter 1918, and his maternal grandmother, Bella Pullman 1885. He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Constance Flower, his daughters, Martha and Sarah, son-in-law, Matthew Bernstein, and grandsons, Asa and Otto Porter-Bernstein.

Zdenek David wrote that during the last academic year, he delivered two lectures—one at the American Association for Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies (ASEEES) Convention in Chicago, November 10–23, 2022, and at the Bohemian Reformation and Religious Practice, Fourteenth Symposium in Prague, June 19–20, 2023.

Seth Rosner is still chugging away in Saratoga Springs, New York, living in the happiest time of his life, due entirely to his beloved married relation, Judith. He recites a chilling story about her parents, who were Holocaust survivors:

“In 1943 her mother was taken by German troops from her home in Uzhorod, then in Hungary, now Ukraine, to slave labor in a munitions factory near Hamburg. Then in April 1945, as Germany was collapsing, to Bergen-Belsen concentration camp for ‘disposal,’ before which she was liberated by units of Field Marshall Bernard Montgomery’s Royal Army.

“Father was transported from Breslau in Silesia—then Germany, now Poland—via the Teresienstadt ghetto to Dachau for disposal, liberated by the 42nd and 45th Infantry Divisions and the 20th Armored Division of the U.S. Army.

“Both then went to ‘displaced person’ camps for adequate nourishment and health care, then ‘resettled’ in Prague, where they met, married, and Judith was the result. She grew up under the Communist regime, always dreaming of coming to America with her mom and dad, to which two uncles had emigrated prior to the Communist takeover of Czechoslovakia. Two days prior to their departure, her dad passed of a heart attack; she and Mom buried him, then flew to JFK arriving with one valise and $25 between them, and neither spoke a word of English.

“Mom was a seamstress in Prague, so quickly got a job in New York City’s garment industry where her fingers did her talking. Judith taught herself English sorting vegetables in a supermarket, put herself through college, and got a job at Arthur Andersen. When the firm decided to open its first office in a former Iron Curtain country, in Prague, Judith got the job.”

Samuel Fitch relates that he is one of the few of us still kicking around, living in an independent living facility in Sun City, Arizona, with his lady. It seems that everything hurts these days and what doesn’t hurt, doesn’t work. But in our 90s, it’s just good to be able to get up in the morning and socialize. He says, “Hi to all.”

Just received sad news that another of our classmates, Paul Newcomet Sutro, passed away suddenly on August 29, 2023, in Rifle, Colorado, at the age of 93. He is survived by his wife, Sissy, who he met on a blind date in Atlanta in 1960 and who he married less than a month later, and his children—Tripp ’85Martha ’87, Tommy, and John—their spouses, and seven grandchildren. His full obituary can be read at https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/timesdispatch/name/paul-sutro-obituary?id=53121369.

Finally, on September 7, I attended an excellent revival of Sweeney Todd with my daughter, Ellen Bender ’82, replacing her husband, Samuel ’82, who could not attend, as he was delivering babies. It was a Wes fundraiser, attended by President Roth and hundreds of supporters. The production was directed by Thomas Kail ’99, who also directed In the Heights and Hamilton, both Lin-Manuel Miranda ’02 productions. President Roth and Thomas also co-hosted a post-performance discussion about Wesleyan’s contributions to the arts.

CLASS OF 1952 | 2023 | SUMMER ISSUE

The older we get, the harder it is to receive class notes, but please respond with news for the next issue.

Ron Daniel just turned 93 and still goes to the office and gym two to three times a week but is not sure how long he can keep it up. Onward!!

My next milestone is 92 and still working full time, going to the gym three to four times a week, ballroom dancing two times a week, and occasionally hit tennis balls with son-in-law Samuel Bender ’82, MD. Granddaughter Maddie Bender—daughter of Sam and Ellen (Friedman) Bender ’82—a graduate of Yale 2021, with a master’s in public health from Yale 2022, is going to Sierra Leone in May for two weeks as an intern with Nicholas Kristof, American journalist, political commentator, and the op-ed columnist for The New York Times, who is a regular CNN contributor and winner of two Pulitzer Prizes. She was awarded this honor in March 2020 but the trip was delayed because of COVID.

PLEASE WRITE!

CLASS OF 1952 | 2023 | SPRING ISSUE

Samuel Fitch advised that he is still on the “greenside” in an independent living facility in Sun City, Arizona, with too much to do—and too little energy. He sends his best to all and happy holidays.

I have no other notes from fellow classmates, so I plead for information for the next issue. As for myself, I continue to work every day as a title agency lawyer and enjoy acting as an expert witness in real estate matters. My wife Barbara is still practicing real estate law at home and we both enjoy ballroom dancing on a regular basis. Our granddaughter Eliza Bender ’24 loves Wesleyan and is active with a radio program, writing movies, and doing stand-up comedy routines on campus.

A healthy and happy New Year and beyond to all. PLEASE WRITE!!

CLASS OF 1952 | 2022 | FALL ISSUE

I attended our 70th Reunion on May 21 and sad to say, I was the only one from our class present at dinner, as Seth Rosner, who I was supposed to meet, left early because he wasn’t feeling well. It was saddened further by the handing out of pamphlets with the names of all our deceased classmates. However, I spent a pleasant evening with the 65th Reunion Class, the 40th Reunion Class with my daughter Ellen F. Bender ’82, and my granddaughter Eliza Bender ’24 and her friends.

Unfortunately, I must report that Hal Buckingham, my predecessor as class scribe, passed away on June 5th, survived by his three children, Margaret, Harold III, and Janet, and his six grandchildren, having been predeceased by his wife Joyce last year. After graduation from Wesleyan, he served in the Korean War in the 24th Infantry Division, 54th Regiment, and was present for the truce on July 27, 1953, and participated in the subsequent exchange of prisoners of war at Panmunjom. He married Joyce one day after returning home on September 16, 1954, having known her since he was 7 and she 5. He graduated Virginia Law School in 1957. Hal was eager to make it back to campus for our 70th before his health took a turn for the worse. For further details about his life, see The Hartford Courant, June 10–12, 2022, or read his obituary here.

Zdenek David wrote that even though he retired in 2003 from his position as librarian of the Woodrow Wilson Center for Scholars in Washington, D.C., he continues to hold the position of senior scholar at the center and continues conducting research and writing in the history of East Central Europe. He attached a list of his recent publications and other activities, which is quite impressive.

PLEASE SEND NOTES!

Hope to see you at our 75th!

CLASS OF 1952 | 2022 | SPRING ISSUE

I am very sad to report that we have lost the leader of our class, Bill Wasch, who died on August 28, 2021. After a decade-plus absence, Bill returned to Wesleyan and worked for the University from 1964 to 1985. Bill’s Wesleyan legacy includes the establishment of the Susan B. and William K. Wasch Center for Retired Faculty and the Baldwin Medal in 2012, awarded to him for extraordinary service to the University.

Hal Buckingham advised that Bill, wheelchair bound, had visited him a few weeks before he died. Bill was not doing well as he had advanced Parkinson’s—his voice so weak, Hal could not hear him, but noted that his mind was there.

A complete obituary for Bill is available in the online Class Notes or in the Hartford Courant. Our most sincere condolences go out to his children, grandchildren, and classmates.

Alan Ward reported that he just celebrated his birthday vaccinated and boosted and is a bit nostalgic after his grandson’s 2021 graduation severed his last active Wesleyan tie. He was a Deke in 1952 and still is. He identified several persons at Wes who enriched his life, expanded his understanding, and helped him to live, namely, Don Dalessio, Herb Kelleher, George Brodigan ’51, Bill Wasch, and John Driscoll ’62. He extended his best wishes to all our 1952s, as he didn’t expect to physically be with us at alumni weekend, but he would be in spirit.

Don Stauffer finally bit the bullet and moved in with his longtime friend, Susan Shipherd. Since she is in the same retirement community, it was a short move, but with a lot of downsizing. One thing he unearthed was the December 1950 issue of The Cardinal. A lot of the contributors were ’52ers: himself, Bill McCluskey, Jack Murray, Ralph Glisson, and Ed Banks, most of whom were English majors, including the editor in chief, Dixie Sanger. He said it marked the first and only time he was included in the same publication as Robert Ludlum ’51.

Our 70th Reunion will have happened by the time you read this. I hope those of you who were able to come enjoyed seeing friends and the campus.