Tag: 1955

Delighted to share with you the wonderful replies I received from classmates. Really does make the life of a class secretary pleasant!

First, our former Class President Jake Congleton updated us on what it means to be an almost bionic man: “Two knees, one hip, and two shoulders” so far. In case you’ve wondered, “the other hip is doing fine.” Jake divides his time equally between Bradenton, Fla., and Maine. He noted his eldest grandson is a lacrosse coach at Wesleyan. Jake continues to follow Wesleyan football, either by streaming or when the team is in Maine. He extends a “best to all.”

Memories were brought back with John Sheaff’s note that he and wife Lois were married in the summer of 1954 and might be the longest married couple in our class. Their first child, Cheryl, was born in Middletown in 1956 and a visit to celebrate Cheryl’s 60th birthday in Vero Beach, Fla. (if I remember correctly, John), is planned in March. The Sheaffs are still able to keep up and participate in social and family activities, although (as he says)at “a slightly slower pace.”

Loved the opening words from Ric Fisher’s update: “Hey there, Braver! How’s the little red MG?” Ric related he and his wife, Ulla, are doing well in “old communist/socialist (not) Sweden,” where they enjoy terrific healthcare. He’s mainly retired at this juncture but does spend time proofing, editing, and recording. Two dogs (one, formerly homeless, undernourished, and abused) keeps Ric active, as he spends at least three hours every day walking the dogs between five and eight miles, weather permitting. He has stopped playing seven hours of weekly tennis after undergoing two knee surgeries and not wanting to risk missing his walks with the dogs and hikes with Ulla. Philosophically, Ric wrote that “the USA I left has pretty much disappeared, and Trump is appealing to folks I can’t relate to” and has no plans of visiting stateside although he has children in Maine, New Hampshire, and California. And, not surprisingly, he let us know “I have no gun(s).”

Drew Clemens continues teaching, supervising, and writing to help him “keep his psychoanalytic skills alive,” even though he closed his office in 2011. He and Julie are still in good health and have spent time traveling and cruising on Star Clipper ships. He states that tennis, biking, hiking and Julie’s “butterfly monitoring” remain their forms of exercise. Because of conflicting obligations of organizations on which he serves in executive capacities, Drew wrote he was unable to make it to our Reunion. He suggested that perhaps we should consider a mini-reunion sooner that 2020! Any comments?

Stu Rapp provided updates on three of his former Delta Tau Delta brothers who did, as he says, “a bit of Barbershopping” with him; Bob Pooley, Bob Moore, and Charlie Hume. “Charlie, our star-quality basso, was a Jiber in those days. Bob M. was our baritone. Pooley was our tenor, and I was the tune. We went our various ways, but when I later returned to Connecticut, there was Bob Moore who ran a music store in Danbury. I later lost track of him but got to see Bob Pooley on occasional travels south. I also managed to keep track of Charlie. One ‘almost friend’ from Wes days, Jim Wright, became a ‘real’ friend later, and we and our spouses enjoy annual visits. So the friendships have continued and so has the vocal music for me, along with special tours enjoying the great pipe organs of the UK and Western Europe, camping along with groups of professional organists. The “instrument” (my aging voice and body) is rickety nowadays, but the melody lingers on!”

And speaking of Jim Wright, a social gathering in California attended by Jim and a childhood friend of mine led Jim to send me a note telling me he had met my friend when they learned they had something is common after the name of Wesleyan came up! Jim wrote he especially appreciated the Wesleyan magazine cover story of Hamilton. He also had discovered Ron Chernow’s book, Hamilton, and mentioned that he liked it so much he re-read the whole thing aloud to his wife and this was years before the play!

Needless to say, it wouldn’t be Class Notes without a mention of cycling activities! I did reach the annual 5,000-mile target once again and actually logged 5,788 miles, in spite of rainy and windy conditions during the last few months of 2015. Already have ridden more than 600 miles to date (Feb. 16), as the yearly challenge has begun.

To those of you who have shared comments with us, sincere thanks! And, to those not among the list, this is your chance to join the group!

As always, to you and your loved ones, my best, best wishes for health and happiness in the year ahead are sent your way.

DONALD J. BRAVERMAN | ybikedon@bellsouth.net

27A Stratford Ln. W., Boynton Beach, FL 33436; 561/654-3711

Sad to let you know, we’ve lost another member of our class. On July 16, 2015, Hoyt Chapin passed away at his home in New London, N.H. Hoyt went on to the Columbia University School of Business in New York upon graduation from Wesleyan and began his career in home furnishings at both Bloomingdale’s and Dansk International Designs. The majority of his work life was in the retail sector as owner and president of the Pottery Barn, Inc., until his retirement. He was recognized and known for his forward thinking and creative entrepreneurial approach to good contemporary design at a great price. Hoyt retired to New London and Vero Beach, Fla., where, according to information received, he remained involved in several business adventures, including creation of two developments—Browns Hills and the Georges Mills Boat Club in Sunapee, N.H. An active member of the New London community, Hoyt served as a director of the Little Sunapee Protective Association, New London Hospital, and the Kearsage Council on Aging.

Note: Wesleyan was notified of Hoyt’s passing by his daughter, Deborah Chapin ’81 and I know I speak for all of us in offering our sincere condolences to her and her family.

Yours truly has logged 4,493 cycling miles as of Oct. 4, and with any luck, should reach the annual target of 5,000 miles by year end. I mention “luck,” as I had the misfortune of being guilty of committing a rookie error on Sept. 27, by my failure to consume sufficient liquid during an aggressive 31-mile ride. Completed the ride, loaded my bike back into the car, discussed where we were going to snack and then, while removing my cycling shoes as I sat on the bumper of my car, I passed out. When I came to, I was in an ambulance on my way to the nearest hospital (four miles away). Two of my riding companions joined me in the emergency room and watched as the ER nurse hooked up an IV and gave me a “lecture” on the need to drink while riding. Stayed overnight while the usual protocol was performed (CT scan, MRI, echo test, neurological evaluation, etc.) and was released. Hope to be back in the saddle in a day or two, once the soreness lessens and of course, plan on being a good “student” by consuming more fluids more often! Really felt pretty lucky I came away from the experience with four stitches and a few bruises. But, to be truthful, I was certainly embarrassed!!!

To all of you, I’d really appreciate a word or two to share with classmates if you have a moment. And, know my sincere best wishes for health and happiness are sent to you and your loved ones.

DONALD J. BRAVERMAN | ybikedon@bellsouth.net

27A Stratford Ln. W., Boynton Beach, FL 33436; 561/654-3711

Sad to let you know, we’ve lost another member of our class. On July 16, 2015, Hoyt Chapin passed away at his home in New London, N.H. Hoyt went on to the Columbia University School of Business in New York upon graduation from Wesleyan and began his career in home furnishings at both Bloomingdale’s and Dansk International Designs. The majority of his work life was in the retail sector as owner and president of the Pottery Barn, Inc., until his retirement. He was recognized and known for his forward thinking and creative entrepreneurial approach to good contemporary design at a great price. Hoyt retired to New London and Vero Beach, Fla., where, according to information received, he remained involved in several business adventures, including creation of two developments—Browns Hills and the Georges Mills Boat Club in Sunapee, N.H. An active member of the New London community, Hoyt served as a director of the Little Sunapee Protective Association, New London Hospital, and the Kearsage Council on Aging.

Note: Wesleyan was notified of Hoyt’s passing by his daughter, Deborah Chapin ’81 and I know I speak for all of us in offering our sincere condolences to her and her family.

Yours truly has logged 4,493 cycling miles as of Oct. 4, and with any luck, should reach the annual target of 5,000 miles by year end. I mention “luck,” as I had the misfortune of being guilty of committing a rookie error on Sept. 27, by my failure to consume sufficient liquid during an aggressive 31-mile ride. Completed the ride, loaded my bike back into the car, discussed where we were going to snack and then, while removing my cycling shoes as I sat on the bumper of my car, I passed out. When I came to, I was in an ambulance on my way to the nearest hospital (four miles away). Two of my riding companions joined me in the emergency room and watched as the ER nurse hooked up an IV and gave me a “lecture” on the need to drink while riding. Stayed overnight while the usual protocol was performed (CT scan, MRI, echo test, neurological evaluation, etc.) and was released. Hope to be back in the saddle in a day or two, once the soreness lessens and of course, plan on being a good “student” by consuming more fluids more often! Really felt pretty lucky I came away from the experience with four stitches and a few bruises. But, to be truthful, I was certainly embarrassed!!!

To all of you, I’d really appreciate a word or two to share with classmates if you have a moment. And, know my sincere best wishes for health and happiness are sent to you and your loved ones.

DONALD J. BRAVERMAN | ybikedon@bellsouth.net

27A Stratford Ln. W., Boynton Beach, FL 33436; 561/654-3711

A big “thank you” to John Sheaff for playing the role of Acting Secretary and submitting commentary on our 60th Class Reunion! His submission is quoted verbatim!

“The Honor of the Wesleyan Class of 1955 was upheld by the presence of five members at our 60th Reunion this past weekend. Loyal Class Members George Edwards, Charles Smith, William Gordon, Theodore Stein and John Sheaf had the good fortune of being able to attend and enjoy the pleasures of reviewing past good times, wonderful weather, and college-provided events. The enjoyment of our gatherings was enhanced by the presence of Wesleyan staff members who were able to answer questions regarding Wesleyan’s programs. The Class of 2015 has 799 (hope I got the number right) members. The largest ever.

“At meal times our group was joined by alumni of other years close to 1955, which added to the enjoyment of the gathering. In the Alumni Parade we had ahead of us one member of the Class of 1951 and ahead of him two members of the Class of 1950. We are getting near the head of the line.

“At the end of the parade we attended the Annual Meeting of the Alumni Association which include the presentation of awards for service and an address by David B. Potts ’60, which covered the history of Wesleyan presidents.”

John wrote that he and Lois were pleased with the entire program and commented that, as Wesleyan is only approximately a three-hour drive from their home, the whole trip was not a problem for them.

Sadly, this month (June), I received notices of the passing of two of our classmates. Charles Little died June 20, 2014, in Albuquerque, N.M. Charles was an advertising executive with Foote, Cone and Belding until 1963, when he became chief executive officer of the Open Space Institute and then on to several other executive positions involving land use issues. His entire life’s work was dedicated to the appreciation and protection of American landscapes. He authored many books devoted to his life’s passion.
Arthur Coppotelli passed away March 5, 2015. He received a MA in literature from Yale University in 1960. During the course of his career he was a speech writer for President John F. Kennedy Jr., and he authored the proposal for the youth training corps used in President Kennedy’s State of the Union Address. He also was an instructor of English and humanities at Wesleyan. Please see magazine.wesleyan.edu for a more detailed obituary.

I continue to swap notes with Gail Clarke, George Edwards, and Brad Miter via Facebook and invite you to say “hello” when you get a chance.

Marianne and I continue to enjoy life in Florida and are well. As you might imagine, biking is still a major part of my routine and at this point (June 11, 2015) I’ve logged just a tad less than 2,700 miles for the year. Always hopeful of reaching the 5,000-mile annual target.

To you and your loved ones, my sincere best wishes for health and happiness.

The following sad news, sent to me from freshman roommate Drew Clemens, arrived just after I had submitted material for the previous edition of Wesleyan. I feel that even though the timeliness of this information may be somewhat “outdated,” it should be shared with all. Drew wrote, “Bob Sayre (’55 Eclectic) died on April 16 of complications of malignant melanoma. Bob is survived by his second wife, Hutha, three children, two step-children, and seven grandchildren. He taught in the English Department and American Studies Program at the University of Iowa for 33 years.” Drew and his wife, Julie, kept in contact with Bob over the years with occasional trips together including reunions that also included Mary Lou and Wink DelDuca.

Drew writes, “Julie and I remain in good health overall. I closed my private practice three years ago but remain very active in teaching and writing about psychoanalysis and psychotherapy at Case Western Reserve as an emeritus professor of psychiatry and at the Cleveland Psychoanalytic Institute as a training and supervising analyst. I’m on the executive council of the American Psychoanalytic Association and will be the president-elect of the American College of Psychoanalysts. Given a free hand by the editors, I write informative or reflective columns for a psychiatric journal several times a year (see Drew Clemens.net for PDFs). Being retired thus has been a relative matter, but there has been plenty of time to enjoy life. Julie and I make bird-watching trips (Ecuador, Colombia, Belize lately) and she monitors butterfly populations weekly. I play singles tennis and do some biking and hiking. Julie and I continue to sing great music with the Choral Arts Society of Cleveland, go to frequent concerts by the Cleveland Orchestra, and above all enjoy our cottage on Lake Chautauqua, N.Y. Our two sons are doing well in software architecture and residential architecture respectively, and we have four grandchildren.” Yes, Drew, it has been a long road since we first started out rooming together after the tragic start of losing a roommate during freshman orientation. Thanks so much for sharing your words with us!

I received a phone call from Hal Stuhl and enjoyed chatting with him and reminiscing about former acquaintances both at Sigma Chi and Wesleyan. Hard to believe the enrollment during our years numbered approximately 750, including graduate students! Certainly made for an environment where it was possible to know such a high percentage of the student body. Hal and his wife have been spending more time here in Florida, where they have a place on the west coast in Bonita Springs. He mentioned he celebrated both his 55th anniversary and his 80th birthday. I reminded him that middle age now runs through 85, so he should have plenty of time to continue playing golf and exercising! Our bike club tries to plan a weekend ride in Naples annually and as this is just somewhat south of Bonita Springs, I hope we can plan to get together one of these days.

Thanks to the wonders of Facebook, I have traded “words” with both George Edwards and Brad Miter. Needless to say, I’d welcome the opportunity to do so with more of you!

On a personal note, Marianne and I remain well and in decent spirits. Family-wise, my younger daughter, Pamela Torres, spent the summer months at the University of Hawaii earning a second master’s degree in education, this time in leadership. Proud to say she was one of 25 students chosen to attend the university on an all-tuition-paid basis. Really a proud dad! Cycling continues to keep me going and I am on a path to exceed more than 6,000 miles this year, assuming weather and knees cooperate! It’s fun teasing my “younger” riding companions to pick up the pace every once in a while!

As always, I hope these notes find you and your loved ones healthy and happy. Would love to hear from more of you if the chance permits.

DONALD J. BRAVERMAN | ybikedon@bellsouth.net
27A Stratford Ln. W., Boynton Beach, FL 33436; 561/654-3711