Tag: 1958

The responses were few. Neil Henry is alive and well in Richmond. He quotes Tom Lehrer: “What nature doesn’t do to us will be done by our fellow man.” Lehrer is referring to dates that will live in infamy. But Neil has been thinking about his educational experiences and decides he has been very lucky.

            After 23 years, Bob Terkhorn and Kay have found a new home that suits their golden years perfectly. In lieu of senior living options, their daughter has graciously joined them. They are in Denver, in a vibrant new community.

            Always hear from former roommate Dan Woodhead, with a list of college football games. He is well and has nothing new to report.

            Dick Goldman is still the busiest alum I know. He plays golf and tennis, playing and practicing frequently. This past fall he took two interesting classes on Zoom in the Brandeis Program for Adult Education. Also at Brandeis, he runs a discussion group with his investment advisor on investing. He just finished a three-year term on the board of his building and will not run for re-election. He continues to serve as vice president of the Wesleyan Lawyers Association. Dick, John Watson, Bill Krenz, and I remember fondly Bill Barnes, who died recently. Dick has been in touch with Mike Whalen, athletic director, and offered to be a resource in Boston for Wesleyan graduates who were athletes at Wesleyan.

            Burr and Pirkko Edwards are still in Lectoure, southwest France. They love the leisurely lifestyle the area affords them.

            Kay and I are still in Naples, Florida. Recently we traveled to the Vancouver area to visit our daughter and son-in-law. Long flight, but we flew direct from Miami. Still play golf and bridge despite a body somewhat unwilling. Unfortunately, I am still a black belt at dining out.

Tony Codding remains active. He visited the Dominican Republic in February and spent three weeks in Aruba in April. He has turned 90 and plans a river cruise from Paris to Normandy.

Dick Goldman is at least as active—he is taking adult education classes at Brandeis on the topic of investing. He is exploring starting a discussion group on the same topic. He still winters in Florida and continues to play golf and tennis.

David Schalk is alive and well; he wrote briefly on June 19 but did not send an update.

And John Watson is a published poet. He was pleased to get a poem published in the winter edition of The Lyric. He does not play hoops anymore but plays billiards with his grandson and enjoys a daily walk with his wife, Marilyn.

Denny Allee is living comfortably in Provincetown where he and Mel Cote went to work summers after Wes graduation.

In June we had a Zoom reunion hosted by the Wes alumni office. Brisk discussions by Burr Edwards, Dick Goldman, Bob Hayes, Neil Henry, Art Levine,and yours truly. Much easier than in-person reunions, especially for our crowd.

Kay and I are still living in an active golf community and try to keep up with the youngsters, some as young as 70.

Keep the notes coming,

Cliff

Class of ’58,

Eleven responses; I will not speculate as to what percent of the class that represents.

           Neil Henry is recuperating from a partial prostatectomy. So, no heavy lifting except a wine glass or a beer stein.

           Bill Fryer is retired but still working part time. He enjoys the work since it involves working with people.

Bill Krenz reflects back to the 1890s, when his grandmother, age 13, was a housekeeper for Wesleyan Professor Winchester. His wife’s grandfather, an Italian immigrant, crafted the woodwork in the Wesleyan president’s home. His wife is a skilled mechanic, and he is not an effective house cleaner.

           Bob Hayes reports that he is still vertical and taking nourishment. He continues bull sessions with friends, although remotely. He continues to write for pleasure and occasionally in professional journals. He was in Boothbay for the annual Hayes family reunion at Christmas. In mid-January he was in the Caribbean.

           Pirkko and Burr Edwards are in southern France and reveal that the French countryside is treating them gently. They venture elsewhere to enjoy friends, concerts, and just walking around in places that have a bit of a buzz.

           This fall, former roommate Dan Woodhead and I followed via the internet the Wes football team. We believe the 8-1 record is noteworthy.

           Bart Bolton reports that his time-share units on Longboat Key were severely damaged by the hurricane. He is hoping they will be available for April.

Dick Goldman is spending the winter in Key Biscayne with friend, Phyllis. They just drove to Naples, and Kay and I had lunch with them. Great time.

           Tony Codding spent most of last summer at Long Lake, Maine. In September he had lunch with Bill Clark who summers in Bangor, Maine.

           Art Geltzer is now fully retired. He realized he was too old to practice medicine. He recently attended a cross-country meet in New London. He and wife, Younghee, supported the Wes team.

            Arthur Levine reported the news of Ted Wieseman’s passing. He sent this tribute: “Sadly, I report the death of Ted Wieseman at the beginning of December following a short illness. After Ted completed his Fulbright year in Denmark and spent a year at Princeton studying history, we renewed our Wesleyan friendship while we were both attending Columbia Law School. We both moved to the Washington, D.C., area where Ted worked in the honors program at the Department of Justice. He was an assistant U.S. attorney and subsequently practiced law in a partnership with his wife, Mary, until her death. Ted then was appointed to head the Public Defender Office for Montgomery County. He continued working in the Maryland Public Defender Office until his retirement in 2003. Our 70-year friendship continued with regular lunches or dinners or phone calls or going together to Redskin football games. Ted was an outstanding lawyer, father, grandfather, and friend. I shall miss him, as will his many friends.”

I keep in touch with Ezra Amsterdam who has cut back to working 20%. We talk about good times at Wes and exchange book suggestions.  

           Kay and I are as healthy as we could hope for our ages. Again, keep to my hobbies, but at a reduced pace. 

Have a great 2025—Cliff

Neil Henry was amazed to discover that his “news” about a new washer and puppy was considered “exciting.” 

Ezra Amsterdam recently received more accolades. This time it was “Master of the American Society of Preventive Cardiology.” This was awarded “for the highest level of research, education, and service to the prevention of cardiovascular disease.” On a lighter note, “we follow our beloved Yankees.” Ezra says, “I enjoy frequent correspondence with Dick Goldman.”

Dick Goldman continues to play golf and tennis. He has a girlfriend, and they will go to Kona in Hawaii in October. And he still serves as vice president of the Wesleyan Lawyers Association. 

Heidi and Tom Mosher will host 15 Moshers in La Jolla, California, for a celebration of health and good fortune. Three of seven grandchildren have graduated college.

Dan Woodhead proudly reminded me that his two grandsons, Dylan and Quinn, would be playing for the U.S. Water Polo Team in the Olympics. I marked the next match on my calendar—I was eager to see if I’d recognize Dylan or Quinn as a chip off the old Woodhead. The match began, I watched closely, looking for characteristic Woodhead features, but all I could see were the tops of heads and splashing. At first I blamed my octogenarian eyes for failing me, but then I noticed the announcers’ also couldn’t tell who was who—the glaring absence of the players’ names in their play-by-play commentary was glaringly obvious. To give the announcers credit—most of the time, they knew which ones were the goalies.     

Bob and Kay Terkhorn continue to travel—this time a seven-day Mississippi cruise, Memphis to New Orleans. Next will be a Boston-to-Boston cruise next year.

Bart Bolton plans to attend his high school’s 70th reunion this fall. Seven of 17 graduates will be there.

A note from Kennebunk: Bob Wuerthner is proud of his last two grandchildren graduating college (UNC and Holy Cross). He still plays tennis and recalls our freshman year basketball at Wesleyan coached by John Burke.

Dick Tompkins checked in. Still doing well, eight months in Florida and four months in Minnesota. He will go to Nantucket for a week for a family gathering. Then a Great Lakes cruise at the end of August and a fly-fishing trip to Montana in September. Still enjoys theater, bridge, and golf.

Tony Codding is in Maine, boating and swimming almost daily on Long Lake. He wrote to Bill Clark who is in Tucson, slightly cooler than Phoenix, but still 110 to 112 degrees.

Dick Seabury took the time and effort to send a nice note, snail mail. He is in New Jersey and is a trustee of the Montville Historical Society and Museum. And he has enjoyed 54 years as a Morris County Park commissioner. Since 1982 he has collected nine antique autos and small trucks. He feels it is time to sell off since the younger generation cannot drive a stick/clutch car. (And hidden in his car barn are several fifths of expensive Rye Whiskey expertly made in West Virginia.)

Kay and I are doing OK, everything works, but not as well. I was deeply saddened by the news of Bob Fisher’s passing. We were roommates for three years at Wes and continued to visit and correspond after. His stepdaughter, who informed me of his passing, believes that he lost the will to live when his wife died. You can read his obituary here.