Tag: 1958

Class of ’58,

     A generous response to my last email. Tom Mosher and Heidi are in La Jolla, California, and enjoy tennis, bridge, and coast walks. They enjoy good health, but are a little stir crazy. 

     Art Geltzer is in Rhode Island and is in quarantine except for daily exercise and grocery shopping. He has had one shot of the Moderna vaccine.

     Bart Bolton canceled his February trip to Sarasota and is hoping to go in April. He has had difficulty scheduling a vaccine shot. He feels he needs one to travel to Sarasota.

     Roger Turkington is publishing a new book, New and Collected Poems. He sends best wishes to all classmates.

     An entertaining recollection from John Corkran: He recalls during rushing that on a day-date he went to a roller skating rink and that during a game of Red Rover he skated out of control into a row of lockers. John thanks all who contributed to the Wesleyan Fund.

     Dick Goldman lost his wife, Patty, on January 9. After a moving memorial service, which I and several other Wes people attended by Zoom, Dick continued his significant activities. He will do a seminar for the American Bar Association and will continue starting networking for Wesleyan lawyers in major cities.

     The virus hit both Kay and Bob Terkhorn in October. Both escaped hospital stays and have had their vaccines.

     Dan Woodhead has a new hobby­—The New York Times’ “Time Machine.”  He has access to every issue going back to 1851. He is a history buff and is really hooked. He also loves reading about the Civil War and frequently does crossword puzzles .

     Since the pandemic limited Neil Henry’s trips to restaurants and bars he put the saved money to home repairs. By now he will have had two shots of the Pfizer vaccine.

     Jack Wright is working with a Black/Indian friend on the Flathead Reservation to develop an anti-racism program.

     Tom Burns and wife, Janice, are “hanging in there in Northern Virginia.” Lots of Zoom get-togethers and walks in the woods. Kids are in Massachusetts, Florida, and Northern Virginia. Tom hopes he will soon be able to visit them. 

     A note from Dick Tompkins lamented the passing of Charlie Keck. Charlie and Dick were close lifelong friends. Dick met his wife, Betsy, at Charlie’s wedding in 1959. Dick remembers Charlie as a pediatrician, kind and gentle with many interests.

     I was semi-joking when I mentioned vaccinations in my recent email. But, Tony Codding sent a brief account of his efforts to get the vaccine.  He will feel the needle on February 13.

     I believe Ezra Amsterdam wins the award for the alumnus working the hardest.  He just published his 15th book, Manual of the Am Soc Prev Cardiol. Still does teaching, clinic visits, supervision of fellows and test interpretation (virtually). Tennis is still on the back burner and he still roots passionately for the Yankees.

     Burr Edwards, in France, just finished delivering a two-day training course in public-private partnerships to professionals working with the West African Power Pool. The course is done online and he does this as a way of staying in the saddle on a horse at home.

     As a result of the pandemic the Farmington Valley Symphony Orchestra, where Bill Barnes had played for over 30 years, came to a sudden halt. But for six weeks last fall, while following strict COVID-19 protocols including temperature checks, wearing of masks, and playing while socially distanced at least six feet from one another, he joined 20 players in preparing a small concert of string music for our area community television station. The result, seen on YouTube as well as community TV, was quite satisfying.

     Recently I had a nice phone conversation with Bill Krenz, who shared the following: Bill and Pat Barnes frequently phone him and Rosemary. Both couples have had their shots. Bill Barnes is an accomplished violist and Bill Krenz plays the cello, but modestly admits he often puts the audience to sleep.

     Kay and I are ok. She had a pacemaker implanted late December and it has really helped. I am still golfing; you can often find my name on the tee sheet. I play bridge even more than golf, all virtually on Bridge Base Online. I have played with Ted Wieseman, and Burr Edwards will join us later this spring. 

     Stay safe, keep the notes flowing.

I am sure the pandemic has curtailed travel plans for our class. My emails depict how our guys are coping. 

So, Neil Henry writes of his excitement: the installation of central air in his wife’s 120-year-old house. He and Liz are in Richmond and admire the restaurants and brew pubs from afar. And he hopes his classmates are keeping safe.

A bike accident caused Bob Furber to break his right hip. Then, six weeks later he tripped over a wet floor sign and multiply fractured his right femur. Shortly thereafter the surgeon stood at the foot of the operating table and said, “We have to stop meeting like this.” Staying indoors is not that bad since he escapes temperatures that are 90-plus.

Bart Bolton moved into a condo to minimize use of stairs and it was close enough so they kept their “staff’ of doctors. He spoke to Ed Kershner and he and Marilyn are unsure about going to Sarasota in February, obviously due to the virus. His condo is close to a challenging golf course and he hopes his game will be up to the challenge.

 Burr and Pirkko Edwards are in southern France and keeping a low profile. No travel or restaurants. Socially they do have an occasional small gathering of friends. They encourage all to keep their heads down.

 In July, Dick Goldman ran to be president of the Wesleyan Lawyers Association. He lost, but, was appointed vice president. He received support from Bart Bolton, Neil Henry, Rick Pank, Ramsey Thorp and Ted Wiesman. A major activity for him now is to help start networking groups in major cities for Wes grads who are lawyers. He is doing all this and is a caregiver to wife Patty, who has significant health issues.

 Since March, Joanna and Bill Fryer have stayed close to home. He retired in 2001 but still helped to merge four congregations in Reading, Pennsylvania.

 Dick Tompkins and wife Betsy are fine. They celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in August. They split their time between Florida (eight months) and Minnesota (four months). 

 Dan Woodhead is fine, but would like to connect with classmates to discuss our president. Protocol forbids me from stating his views.

All is well, writes Bill Richard. His granddaughter, Riley, has returned to Wesleyan for her senior year.

 Kay and I are keeping a low profile. Our governor has opened all bars and restaurants, but we stay away. I play golf on our fine course and bridge online. Keep the emails flowing.

Cliff Hordlow | khordlow@gmail.com
Apt. 103, 4645 Winged Foot Court | Naples, FL 34112; 239/732-6821

Marilyn and John Watson recently moved to Davis, Calif. Their daughter teaches in the vet school at UC Davis. John tried his hand at golf after a 65-year hiatus and wound up with severe golf elbow. He has subsequently taken up darts.

Bart Bolton has moved to a condo in the next town. So, the virus boredom did not hit as they went about deciding what to move and what to discard. Bart laments missing his annual winter visit to Sarasota. And his new home is very close to a challenging golf course.

A long note from Neil Springborn tells of a bad knee and good golf. And he damaged his left arm, possibly rotator cuff. Like many of us old guys, he has prostate problems and will live with them. His joyful news described the purchase of a Honda CR-V.

David Epstein and wife Sheila are in Southern California and have been married for 63 years. They have three kids, one a Wesleyan grad. David is considered somewhat of an expert in Early West Coast Jewish History, and he works with the Jewish history department of UCLA. He yearns for one more trip to Middletown.

Younghee and Art Geltzer recently had quite an adventure. They left for Argentina on Feb. 28 before the extent of the infection was known. Their return flight from Buenos Aires was canceled, and the Argentine border was closed. Finally, they flew to Dubai through Rio and a day later, a flight to Boston. Then two weeks of strict quarantine.

Bill Richards is alive and well in muggy Miami, looking forward to Penn’s Woods for the summer.

Pirkko and Burr Edwards are riding out the pandemic in Southwest France. Their confinement has been fairly strict, and they look forward to May 11 and unlimited access to the wine merchant.

Dick Goldman is still in his winter quarters in Key Biscayne, Fla. They have opened up golf and tennis, and he and Patti will return to Massachusetts on May 27.

David Hild and wife Alyce are sequestered at Seabury (a continuing care retirement community) and are well-cared for. They will miss planned trips to Vienna and Newport, R.I. They wish their classmates well.

I have spoken to Dan Woodhead and received his email. We exchanged reading lists, and Dan is really focused on western history. His current book is a biography of Wild Bill Hickok. He would enjoy email corresponding with any Wesleyan brethren who share his interests.

Nancy and Bill Purinton left their beloved riverbank property in South Eliot, Maine, and moved to a retirement village in Peterborough, N.H. They are both well, but, decided with their daughter’s prompting that the time had come to lessen the burdens of property maintenance and be waited upon for a change.

John Corkran was in the hospital for four days with internal bleeding. Seems okay; tests will continue. John is completing his third term on the board of the local affiliate of the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina. While confined, he watched Netflix’s The Last Dance. I also did and learned a lot about Jordan, Rodman, and Pippen.

Andrea and Gary Iseminger are self-quarantining in their condo in Northfield, about eight blocks from the Carleton campus and 12 blocks from the house they built and lived in for more than 40 years. They gave the home to daughter Ellen, who is a nurse and cares for them and brings groceries.

Roger Turkington has gotten Google to configure a website for his writings, books, and awards at “Poetry by Turkington.” Roger sends his best wishes to his classmates.

Tony Codding waxes philosophical in his note. He reviews our history from the Great Depression, World War II, the Korean and Vietnam wars, and then Iraq and Afghanistan. And in our golden years, we are in a 100-year pandemic. What a ride!

Bill Barnes comments about how strange it is to be going to church online. Bill is a retired clergy person, and so is Bill Krenz. Bill Barnes reports that Bill and Rosemary Krenz moved to Annville, Pa., within the past few years. The Krenz family no longer spends time in Mexico. And Bill Krenz told of a visit from Dick Seabury, who was on his way to make a gift to the Hershey Automobile Museum. Dick reported that he and his family are doing well.

Rick Pank is enjoying the glories of spring and getting to books half-read.

Susan and Peter Ralston were vacationing in Mexico nine weeks ago. They flew to San Francisco, and they have been ensconced in a lovely rented house in Berkeley overlooking the Bay and about five minutes from each of their children. Every day they have a visit from a child or grandchild and are well supplied with groceries. Peter needs increasing amounts of care for his dementia. Susan would appreciate an email or call to brighten Peter’s day. Her email: sralston530@gmail.com. Her phone: 917-853-1645. They will be there for the foreseeable future.

Kay and I are riding out the pandemic. I still play golf, and my bridge is online. Basically, bored but safe. Ted Wieseman was to visit in April but obviously postponed his flight.

Cliff Hordlow | khordlow@gmail.com
Apt. 103, 4645 Winged Foot Court | Naples, FL 34112; 239/732-6821

A letter from Ted Wieseman had a lot of info. He is in good health for his age but walks with a cane and needs a hearing aid. He lives in a senior residence and his unit has many females. He is fortunate to have many relatives in the D.C. area near him. He is still glowing with the World Series win of the Washington Nationals. He is very pleased that his family is doing well and is nearby. Ted also relayed an email from Art Geltzer, who spoke of losing both Polly and Mel Cote ’58, MAT ’62 recently. Ted had news of Dennis Allee, also. He is splitting his time between St. Pete and the Cape. Still making bad ceramic art and doing his radio jazz show when on the Cape.

Denny is presently living with an art gallery owner who has an apartment in Paris. They travel to Florida, Europe, and Provincetown.

Dick Goldman is in Florida, looking forward to tennis. He just completed his eighth year of teaching at Boston University Law School and is very active with the Wesleyan Boston Lawyers Networking Group. He also met with Matt Winn ’92, vice-chair of the Wesleyan Alumni Association, to discuss ways in which Wes alumni in different cities can be helpful to each other.

Art Geltzer also mentioned the death of Mel and is continuing his semi-retired academic career at the Brown medical program.

Roger Turkington reminisces about his 60 years of medical science, his 50 years of concertizing (he now sold his violins), and his 10 years of poetry.

Kay and Bob Terkhorn went to France for a second time this year. They went with the director of the Denver Art Museum to Paris and Normandy to visit locations where Claude Monet lived and painted. The trip was fabulous, and the Monet exhibit is superb.

Bart Bolton is looking forward to Feb. 1, when he arrives in Sarasota, Fla. His golf clubs will also make the trip and I am looking forward to lunch in Punta Gorda with Bart and Ed Kershner.

Big life change for Toni and John Corkran. They are disposing of their beloved travel trailer. It has covered 40 states and innumerable national and state parks. Just in case, he is keeping the hitch!

The Alumni Office alerted me to the news of the death of Bob Mansfield. He passed away on Oct. 28. He had a long career as a civil engineer in New Haven. Bob was the sophomore-year roommate of Bill Barnes and they became lifelong friends. Bill and wife Pat shared many wonderful times with Bob and Sharon Mansfield. They had family times together when their children were young and extensive travel in later years. Bill’s email details Bob’s interest in boating and his significant community altruism.

My Wes roommate, Dan Woodhead, reports that he is physically limited, but he is clear mentally. He has two grandsons who are prominent members of the Stanford varsity water polo team. And as a former Wes football player, he was elated by their one-loss season.

In late October through early November, Tony Codding took a wonderful cruise on the Rhine and Mosel rivers, beginning in Amsterdam and finishing in Basel, Switzerland. And he had a beautiful bike ride through the Kinderdijk.

Neil Henry had an interrupted vacation on Ocracoke Island last summer because of Dorian. They returned to Richmond and drove around with the kayak on top of their Subaru. They pretended they were still away.

Pirkko and Burr Edwards have grown to love their life in Lectoure in southwest France. They enjoy the clean air, locally produced food, and peace and quiet. For excitement, they drive to Toulouse and fly to London or Helsinki. They do miss Africa but see some of the old African friends from time to time.

I have a long note from Ezra Amsterdam, perhaps the hardest working member of the class of ’58. He is still a huge New York Yankees baseball fan and he always has a comment about their chances in 2020. He hints that his hugely successful medical career may be ending or slowing down. He has had over 1,000 publications, including 13 books. Perhaps his finest accolade: he was named one of the 27 top cardiologists in the U.S. by Forbes. He is hoping to work on his backhand in the future.

Kay and I are doing well, despite her having a bout with pneumonia. Our local hospital really helped her. Still read, bridge, golf, and eat out. Those are my passions and I am very good at the last of my obsessions. Thanks for the info.

Cliff Hordlow | khordlow@gmail.com
Apt. 103, 4645 Winged Foot Court | Naples, FL 34112; 239/732-6821

I received a note from Dan Woodhead. He is still in San Francisco and has two grandsons on Stanford’s varsity men’s water polo team. He declares himself lucky to have son Jeff and daughter-in-law Laura close by. Dan informed me that a fraternity brother and close friend, Dave Mitchell ’59, died last March. We recalled what a fine football player and human being he was.

Bart Bolton is hoping to arrange a 65th high school reunion and reminds me of our annual luncheon at our favorite Irish pub.

Art Geltzer still travels extensively, hitting Latvia, Russia, Sweden, and Norway. Dennis Allee divides his time between Florida and Cape Cod. He is into jazz and pottery.

Good to hear Roger Turkington is retired and enjoying life in Florida. He is happily married to Angela, a former patient of his. During retirement he has published 500 poems. His recent poem volume was selected to be featured at the International Book Fair 2019 in Frankfort, Germany.

Nothing new to report from Burr Edwards. Still in southern France and not working in Africa.

Liz and Neil Henry headed for Ocracoke on Sept. 1 for two weeks. I hope that Dorian gave them no trouble. His daughter, Betsy ’89, still lives in Washington, D.C. Her three boys are in 11th, eighth, and fourth grades. The oldest is 6’3” and the second is almost as tall. Were they Neil’s genes?

A letter from John Foster told of moving and coming upon the program for our graduation in 1958. He sent it to me. I have one and if anyone would desire this one, let me know.

Tony Codding wrote, “After downsizing a year ago, the remodeled condo and living arrangement in Newmarket, N.H., have exceeded expectations. Currently serving a third non-consecutive term as condo association president that I plan to relinquish in February.”

Kay and I are doing well. I suffered a brief case of gout and was forced to stop drinking beer (at least temporarily). On Aug. 17, Kay and I visited East Boothbay Harbor, Maine, and had a lovely lunch with Poog and Bob Hayes. Enjoyed their company and will spend more time next year. While visiting my son in New Hampshire I planned on a lunch with Dick Goldman and Bob Wuerthner. Threat of thunderstorms cancelled our plans, but, we hope to make lunch at the Andover Inn an annual event.

I speak to Ted Wieseman regularly by phone. He is in the D.C. area and keeps me updated on Art Levine and Walt Karney. Both are doing well, but Art no longer golfs and now loves cruises and lifelong learning. In recent months I have conversed with Ezra Amsterdam (still playing tennis and practicing medicine), Rick Pank (very active in his community), and Bob Fisher (living the good life south of San Francisco). Keep the messages flowing. Still dreaming about a 65th Reunion.

Cliff Hordlow | khordlow@gmail.com
Apt. 103, 4645 Winged Foot Court | Naples, FL 34112; 239/732-6821