Tag: 1953

Jonathan H. Lovejoy passed away on April 5, 2015, at his home in Essex, Conn. Jon, a member of Sigma Nu and a history major, graduated from Yale Law School in 1956. In addition to the law practice, Jon served as judge of probate in the Town of Westbrook and was on the New Canaan zoning board. His outside interests revolved around water, boating, and music. A member of the Coast Guard Reserve, he was chairman of the Norwalk Harbor Management Commission and active in the Norwalk Seaport Association. His music interests included singing in the church choir with his wife and with the Middlesex Hospital Vocal Chords. He is survived by his three daughters and two granddaughters.

Over the years reports of the activities or the passing of many of the 53 (estimated) men who left campus during our four years have appeared in our Class Notes. Fortunately, some have maintained contact with the college. One of these was M. Harrison Clark Jr., who died on June 4, 2015. He was residing in Brooksville, Maine. Harrison left Wesleyan after his freshman year, and in 1953 earned a BS from Babson College. Early in his career he worked for Combustion Engineering. He spent the last 20-plus years of his career working for National Blank Book Company in Holyoke, Mass., which later became Dennison National and then Dennison. Harrison retired from Dennison National in 1988 and had 27 wonderful years of retirement. He is survived by his wife, Sallie, and their five children and spouses, M. Harrison Clark, III (Pamela) of Brewer; Dr. D. Christopher Clark (Linda) of New Hartford, N.Y.; D. Brooks Clark (Deborah) of Cheshire, Conn.; Margaret Clark of Marblehead, Mass.; and Sarah C. Baskin (William) of Glastonbury, Conn. He is also survived by 16 grandchildren, as well as, by his sister, Jean C. Eysenbach (John), of Brooksville, Maine.

In Seattle, Basil Anex reports that daily one-hour walks with his wife, Gretchen, maintain their healthy condition. Three of his five granddaughters are currently in college. His son is with the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory, involved with nondisclosable activity that does include some analytical chemistry, my field of practice.

In six days, the wedding of the eldest of my two granddaughters will allow me a firsthand view of effects of the recent storms in Charleston, S.C.

JOHN W. MILLER | Jwalmiller@aol.com

306 Autumn Court, Bartlesville, OK 74006 918/335-0081

Never too late to write a “Dear John” as did Sandy Millar from Camden, Maine, after 62 years. A year ago Fran and he found Omaha Beach especially moving while enjoying cruising on the Seine. This fall they will travel Portugal’s Douro River. When not cleaning up a portion of Wellfleet’s ocean beach or participating in Rockland Kiwanis Club activities, keeping up with four grandchildren and their parents in Norwalk and Darien, Conn., makes life interesting.

Former White House physician and retired brigadier general John E. Hutton Jr., died Dec. 12, 2014, from complications of Parkinson’s and Lewy body dementia at a military retirement facility in D.C. A biology major and member of Eclectic, John wrote in 1993 that he could easily make his 177 lb. wrestling weight class with no effort. After serving in the Marine Corps as a helicopter pilot, he attended medical school and served in Vietnam, becoming an authority on bullet wounds and managing wartime casualties. John served in the White House for two years before being named physician to President Reagan in 1987. He retired from the military in 1992 and then taught at the Uniformed Services University until 2010.

Word has been received of the death of John Seelye, of Palatka, Fla., April 20, 2015. He was an English major and member of Alpha Chi Rho, where he served as secretary. After receiving a doctorate from Claremont Graduate School, he taught at a number of universities: Cal Berkeley, North Carolina, Dartmouth, and the last being Florida in Gainesville. John enjoyed restoring historical homes and buildings, his most recent the Veterans’ Memorial Hall in Eastport, Maine. During the summer of 1953 I remember John and my college roommate, Jan van den Berg, on their way to graduate schools in California, driving through Denver, where I was working, seeking housing and dates.

Tom Plimpton ’56 notified us of the death of his brother, James David “Jim” Plimpton, Dec. 7, 2014. A native of Dyer, Ind., (Chicago area) Jim was a physics/math major (Phi Beta Kappa) and a member of Delta Tau Delta, where he and Charlie Hoyt became close friends, and Jim played trombone with the High Street Five. After receiving a Ph.D. from Iowa State in ’61, he joined Sandia Laboratories in Albuquerque, N.M., and worked in the area of nuclear physics, later becoming an administrator before retirement. As third generation Wesman, his grandfather 1891 and father 1921, Jim was the fourth of five family members to grace the campus. Our condolences to his wife, Donna, their two children, and three granddaughters.

Condolences of the class are extended to the wives and families of the three classmates. For further details see online obituaries at magazine.wesleyan.edu.

The first to respond, almost instantly, to my request for news was Rev. Ed White, who after successful heart surgery two years ago, is involved in the Interfaith Conference in D.C.—a coalition of 11 faith communities—with a goal to unite in healing our planet: “There is no Planet B.” As a great-grandfather, he tracks the adventures of five married children and 12 grandchildren. One grandson, who mastered Mandarin in high school, is a WSJ reporter in Hong Kong. Ed’s concern about out legacy is stated partially as “Godless predatory capitalism is destroying a once great nation.”

After agreeing to put up with Ann Arbor, Mich., winters, rather than move to Florida, Grace and George Bacon “are doing fine (for senior citizens)” while still spending summer months at their “up north” Torch Lake cottage. In the retirement community of The Marshes of Skidaway Island, Savannah, Homer Eckerson and Sally, his wife of 63 years, are playing golf and bridge and are active on the residential council. They are blessed with three sons, their wives, and nine grandchildren. Homer expects George Anderson and his wife to move to The Marshes from their residence on the Island.

Nice to learn that others remain active in our ninth decade, such as Steve Friedland and Anne, who travel once a year from their home in Poughkeepsie to Seattle to visit their son and family. Their two daughters’ families live locally. Steve serves as a docent at the Hyde Park FDR Museum and continues to chair the hospital’s Ethics Committee. Jerry Patrick remains a “devoted and active sailor” with bareboat skippered trips in Penobscot Bay, Maine, and the Sea of Cortez, Mexico. Since twice spending a month in Rome in recent years, he plans for May in France. His volume of short fiction, Voices and Other Stories, is published and available on Amazon. He is in frequent contact with one of our published authors, Cope Murray. A lengthy response from Milton “Snuffy” Smith indicates diverse activities, such as working five to eight hours weekly with live serpents and raptors at the Amicalola Fall State Park, Ga., allowing visitors to get close and to learn about local snakes and birds. He serves on the academy candidate screening committee of his local U.S. representative. Last August he and Gail celebrated their 60th anniversary at Pawley’s Island, S.C., with four daughters and five grandchildren among those present.

After University of Pennsylvania Medical School and naval service, Bill Rack and his wife, Barbara, moved in 1965 to Santa Barbara, Calif., where he practiced neurology. Out of private practice the last 14 years, Bill has done Locum Tenens around the country and consulted with Social Security in California. As parents of three married children, each with three children, scattered around the states, they remain “busy enough with music, church, golf, and dancing.”

Walt Cutler finds that in D.C. “instead of retiring, one talks of being in transition.” With his Middle East experience, he is a trustee or member of several organizations dealing with foreign affairs. With his wife of 33 years, Didi, they had recent trips to Chile’s Atacama desert, Europe, and, in January, Cuba. He is well and on the tennis courts. Walt stays in touch with his roommate, Steve May, who lives nearby.

Our class president, David Lee Nixon, died Nov. 1, 2014, in Manchester, N.H., following a long fight with cancer. An economics major and Chi Psi, Dave was a three-sport letterman and may be best remembered as a quarterback. He served as president of his fraternity and of the Board of House presidents. As a leader throughout his life, Dave was president of his Michigan Law School class, of numerous bar organizations, and was elected to the NH State House and Senate. At the three-hour funeral, fraternity brother Richard “Mouse” Levinson “delivered a eulogy, which was laced with Wesleyan and our classmates named.” As a fellow trial attorney, Richard spoke regularly with Dave and summed up his life with these words, “If you wanted to get something done, call Dave.” Also attending the funeral were Bob Lavin, Kim Zachos ’52, Bob Backus ’61, Bill Kordas ’70, and Paul DiSanto ’81 (from the Alumni Office) to say goodbye to “an exceptional human being”.

Dr. Herbert E. McGrew died Dec. 13, 2014, of prostate cancer. Herb, an Alpha Delt, was a biology-chemistry major earning a medical degree from McGill University. After naval service and practice in New York City, he and his wife moved about 1970 to the Napa Valley, Calif., where they have lived since.

In Boston Edwin “Mel” Higgins Jr. passed away Nov. 12, 2014. He was a Psi U and left at the end of sophomore year. He received a BA from Tufts in 1953 and an MS from Boston University in 1957. After military service and bank experience he started Higgins Associates, an employee benefits and investing company, which he lead for 40 years until retirement. See longer obituaries at magazine.wesleyan.edu.

Notification was received of the Dec. 2013, death of Donald P. Moffet, an Alpha Delt, who left at the end of freshman year. He received a BA and MBA in 1954 from the University of Minnesota. He retired as CEO, US Travel, and lived in San Diego.

Those who read my e-mail request are up to date with my activities. For those without e-mail, please write.

JOHN W. MILLER | Jwalmiller@aol.com
306 Autumn Court, Bartlesville, OK 74006 918/335-0081

In the last issue Jim Griffis’ family was enlarged by my misreading his note. Jim has not four children, but only one son, who we remember being born during our junior year. His son is the one with four children (all adults). Now living in Texas, Jim says that his attempts to contact fraternity brother Herb Kelleher have been unsuccessful.

Distinguished Alumnus Awardee, Trustee Emeritus, and New England gentleman David Jenkins passed away peacefully June 17, 2014. An English major, Dave was president of Eclectic, an end on the football team and member of Mystical Seven. Our sympathy is with his family, especially his wife, Shirley Muirhead Jenkins, who loyally cared for Dave during his final years.

Federal Judge James R. Miller Jr., died June 25, 2014, in Easton, Md. Jim was a history major, an Alpha Delt, and member of the track team. In November 1970, at age 39 when sworn in, he became the youngest federal judge in the country. He retired from the bench in 1986. Jim remained in private practice until 2006. An avid sailor, he spent much of his last years traveling and being with family. Condolences are extended to his four children and their families. For further details see online obituaries at magazine.wesleyan.edu.

JOHN W. MILLER | Jwalmiller@aol.com
306 Autumn Court, Bartlesville, OK 74006 918/335-0081