Tag: 1958

Tony Codding’s note tells that he sold the house where he and his late wife had lived for 41 years and moved into a nearby condo. He missed Reunion, having to be at an open house over Memorial Day weekend. Tony is serving his third nonconsecutive term on the condo association board and still facilitates strategic planning sessions for nonprofits.

Don Hill is very active, coordinating an economics institute at Stanford for the 32nd consecutive year. He serves on a library board, visits a grandson at Harvard, and plays tennis twice (or more) a week. He and wife Ann are celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary with a trip to Berlin and Paris.

Retired physician and current poet Roger Turkington lives in Brooksville, Fla. His next book of poetry will go on sale on Amazon in April and his volume of collected poems is projected for 2020.

During his career, he lived in 46 states and was a visiting professor at 24 medical centers in North America and in seven European countries. He keeps in touch with Pirkko and Burr Edwards, who live in Lectoure, France. He still takes on projects in Africa, but is doing less of it. He contemplates a winter trip to southern Florida and New York City.

On Feb. 2 Bart Bolton will arrive in Sarasota for three weeks. He laments the passing of Charley Denny and hopes that he, Warrin Meyers, and I can meet for lunch in Punta Gorda.

Two notes from Dick Goldman. One, he was told that an article he wrote on networking was published in the American Bar Association Journal. Two, he is now in Key Biscayne with wife Patty. He mentions a call from Wayne Fillback, who attended Wesleyan for two years. In Florida Dick will play golf, tennis, and even pickle ball.

My former roommate, Dan Woodhead, sent me a passionate e-mail dealing with politics. He had a conversation with Barry McCaffrey, a 1960 Andover alumnus. Bob Hayes also reports on a long phone talk with Dan, who follows sports and politics very closely.

Betsy and Dick Tompkins are in their winter home in Vero Beach. They go back to Minnesota for four months in the summer. Marcia and Carl Van Etten are neighbors and both couples are doing well.

Andrea and Gary Iseminger moved from their 50-year-old house to a condo in downtown Northfield, Minn., about a mile away. Andrea had hernia surgery and Gary has contemplated a knee replacement but has decide against it and has befriended a cane. He has retired from playing in the Cannon Valley Regional Orchestra and in a local jazz group. He will teach an aesthetics course in January and stays abreast of philosophical doings at the Carlton philosophy department. He and Andrea feel they are very fortunate to have the Minnesota orchestra and the St. Paul orchestra an hour away.

John Corkran reminds me that John Arnold and Phil Van Orman both died recently. John’s daughter in Rhode Island bought a home on property that includes a marsh and she enjoys the wildlife.

Kay and I visited our daughter and family in The Hague from Dec. 20–30. I was invited to play golf! I declined, as any Floridian would. All is well with Kay and me. Still work with a personal trainer to try to stay in shape.

Keep the info flowing,

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

Neil Springborn is very proud of his children and grandchildren. Son Jeff is in charge of the National Weather Service in Houston. Daughter Kristy was selected by her company to go to Peru and teach computer techniques at the university. Her daughter is a sophomore at Oregon U, just finished a semester in China (Singapore). His other son manages a building supply store in Muskogee. Finally, his other daughter is in California and is an accomplished barrel racer.

Dick Goldman attended an event to mark the 100th anniversary of his golf course. He also moderated a seminar on charitable giving at the Wesleyan Lawyers Group. Mark Davis ’96 of Wesleyan attended.

A note from Bart Bolton reminds me how fortunate I am to have moved from Wilmington, N.C.

An e-mail from Roger Turkington tells of his hope that the English department at Wes Tech will buy a copy of his third volume of poetry, which will go on sale in April.

Bill Richards’ granddaughter, Riley ’21, just transferred to Wesleyan. She will make a Richards in each century: a grandfather was in the Class of 1869, he was in 1958, and she will be 2021.

Hurricanes seem to have frightened Burr and Pirkko. Any plans to relocate to Florida are on hold. They are happy in their remote corner of France.

My old roommate, Dan Woodhead, is very proud of his son’s children. Jeff and wife Laura have two sons who are excelling at water polo at Stanford. A daughter is also a promising water polo player.

No rest for Ezra Amsterdam. While on sabbatical he is working on a book on heart disease for lay persons. And he continues with his passion for tennis.

Betsy and Dick Tompkins are in Minnesota for the summer and go back to their home in Florida in October. He hopes we will have a 65th Reunion.

Barbara and Frank Vietze wrote to tell me about their son-in-law, Dr. David Mangus, who teaches biotechnology at Brockton, Mass., high school.

Dennis Allee and his partner, Annie, split their time between the Outer Cape, Mass., and St. Pete, Fla. Dennis recently saw Mel Cote, who lost wife Polly last fall. Dennis recalls that Mel started lacrosse at Wesleyan along with John Spurdle ’59. Dennis reports that Art Geltzer is off on another exotic tour. Dennis keeps busy with a jazz radio program on womr.org every other Tuesday from 5 to 8 p.m.

Liz and Neil Henry enjoyed two weeks on Ocracoke, leaving there a couple of days before Hurricane Flo.

Tony Codding, whose wife is deceased, lives in New Hampshire and takes Caribbean cruises to escape the New England winters.

Bill Barnes found the Reunion most enjoyable. He compliments Goldman, Corkran, Seabury, Krenz, and Hordlow for various contributions. He also echoes a thought of mine: Let us have a 65th Reunion.

Old Reliable, John Corkran, was busy as usual. He and Toni, recovered from a shoulder injury, drove their pickup to Glacier Park in late July. They camped at Bowman Lake, where his mother and her father and siblings began camping in 1913! On the way home, they drove through Yellowstone, where they encountered a bison traffic jam. John’s oldest grandchild graduated with honors from the University of Rhode Island.

Kay and I attended a family wedding on Martha’s Vineyard in early September. We are both in good health and continue our leisure activities at an appropriate pace for our age, which means we are slowing down. Keep the info flowing.

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

The last hurrah has come and gone. For our 60th Reunion Wesleyan was very accommodating with golf carts to transport us old-timers around the campus and a designated area to park. Meals on Friday were cafeteria-style and satisfactory. Saturday lunch at Patricelli was superb and our gala Saturday evening was spectacular. Unfortunately, John Corkran’s wife, Toni, sustained a serious shoulder injury and she and John had to head to North Carolina so they missed our Saturday evening dinner. Sad because John had worked so hard to make our 60th a success. Priscilla and Bob Hayes were also absent due to confusion over their motel reservations. And we missed Mel Cote and Bob Schoetz.

Bill Herbst, professor of astronomy, was our featured speaker and his 30-minute presentation was relevant and interesting.

Dick Goldman received the Wesleyan University Service Award, richly deserved, presented by Bill Krenz.

On Saturday at 3 p.m., Dick Goldman and Dick Seabury led a one-hour discussion group where we discussed what we do in the way of community service. From my perspective, Brenda and Rick Pank were the clear leaders in this area.

Besides the attendees, I received a note from David Schalk (alive and well, nothing outstanding to report) and a lengthy e-mail from Ezra Amsterdam. He is working hard as ever, publishing papers and books and was listed among the top 27 cardiologists in the U.S. Bart Bolton, who did attend Saturday night, is excited by the marriage of his oldest granddaughter and the granting of an academic scholarship to another granddaughter. Neil Springborn says hi to all classmates. His health is good, but he was injured and damaged his hip socket. Six weeks in traction cured him, but he fears that a hip replacement is in his future. Funny note: He advises not to vacuum while wearing headphones. He wore headphones, did the whole house then realized the vacuum was not plugged in. Finally, Jack Wright reveals that his study of neurobiology is paying off. He believes that recent discoveries are evolutionary, challenging many theories in education, psychology, and sociology.

Bob Wuerthner apologizes for missing the 60th; too much on his plate. He and Joan are well, enjoying Kennebunk and their home, and they feel fortunate to be living close to their kids and seven grandchildren. Bob, despite a fused lower back and a new knee, plays doubles tennis three times a week, mostly against opponents 15 to 20 years younger. He and Joan did a wonderful Road Scholar trip to Cuba in March.

John Corkran reports that Toni is recovering from her injury well. Three weeks in a sling then physical therapy. John was published for the third time by the Black Mountain College (BMC) special edition of the Appalachian Journal. His article “Extra Innings” traces his lifelong relationship with BMC students and faculty whom he first met as an 11-year-old. His first article dealt with alumni programs for the support of education. His second was a humorous poem about the mysteries of recognizing gender today. John wants to express his gratitude to the donors who helped us reach and exceed our goals and to those who served on the Reunion committee.

Thanks to Theresa Kidd, our Wesleyan liaison. We were able to receive our latest yearbook, Class of 1958 60th Reunion. Send to the alumni office for a copy. At our gala Saturday evening the list of our deceased classmates was on the back of the program. We took about 15 minutes to eulogize some who were close to us.

Question, will we have a 65th Reunion?

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

Nelson Edwards emailed to remind me that not much was new, but he was planning on our 60th Reunion in late May.

Bill Caspary is still teaching at NYU’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study. He has been teaching for more than 50 years! He and Rima will celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary this year.

Patti and Dick Goldman are very glad to be in Key Biscayne, Fla., away from the Boston weather. Dick is relaxing now, but in Boston he teaches law and started a group for Wes graduates who are lawyers. Dick is the Boston representative for the national Wesleyan Lawyers Association.

Although he has been retired for 16 years, Bill Fryer works part-time as an interim pastor. He and Joanna love to travel and visit children and grandchildren. He is looking forward to our 60th.

A sad note from Alice Higgins: Bill passed away July 31, 2017. I remember him fondly.

Bart Bolton’s grandchildren take center stage in his email. The oldest grandson is now working full-time in the IT field and the oldest granddaughter was married last fall. He and Ed Kershner will be on Longboat Key in February and plan to meet with Charlie Denny and me for our annual luncheon.

Toni and John Corkran celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary in January. John wishes to thank the class for their generous response for the 60th Reunion gift.

Art Geltzer and Mel Cote plan to attend the 60th despite the death of Mel’s wife, Polly. She was a fine painter and active in the art scene until a few months ago.

Frank Vietze writes of his favorite Christmas present: His three children and four grandchildren from Massachusetts, Kentucky, and Southern California, and Frank and Barbara from Michigan, gather in Kentucky to spend six days together. All of his grandchildren play soccer.

Don Hill is still in San Mateo, Calif., enjoying 89 percent retired life. He will coordinate an economics institute for teachers and professors at Stanford this summer for the 31st consecutive year. He plays tennis three or four times a week. Highlight of 2018: watching a grandson at Stanford play water polo against another grandson in Cambridge.

Despite record-cold weather, Neil Springborn and family are doing very well. They enjoy golf and serving on boards and commissions. A daughter, Allyson, is an accomplished barrel racer, son Jeff is with the National Weather Service and was transferred to Houston, Texas. One granddaughter is playing Division II soccer and another is in Hong Kong.

A long note from Tom Burns gives a brief overview of his life. After Wesleyan and the Army, he enrolled at Cal Berkeley where he met wife Janice. After Cal he had a wide variety of work in computers and systems in four locations for four companies. They have three children scattered along the East Coast from Massachusetts to Florida. He now enjoys local community activities in Minnesota. Most every year he and Janice enjoy an overseas trip and a few summer weeks on the Maine Coast.

Fred Houck, recovering after spinal surgery in November, will travel to Florida and walk every day. He is hoping to be of assistance to the Reunion committee.

A very upbeat note from Bill Barnes. He and Pat celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary last summer at New Hampshire’s Mt. Washington and Vermont’s Mt. Mansfield in Stowe. He recalls their days as a married couple in Wesleyan’s Veterans’ Village. Also, there were the Krenzs and the Mansfields. His retirement is active and fulfilling. He is in his 30th year as a violist in the Farmington Valley Symphony Orchestra and subs at area churches.

Neil Henry plans to return for the 60th. He is proud of his three grandsons who are playing basketball for the first time.

Kay and I are doing well, no serious health issues yet. And we definitely are planning on May 25-27 for our 60th Reunion. Hey, gang, let us do it!

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

Since I live in Naples, Fla., I did have a couple of e-mails as to our status during and after Irma. Briefly, we evacuated to Mobile, Ala., and returned September 24 to minimal damage.

In late May, Kay and I flew to The Hague to celebrate my granddaughter’s high school graduation. Four days later Kay, daughter Kara, and I flew to Toulouse in southern France. We rented a car and drove to Lectoure where Burr Edwards is in semi-retirement. After four glorious days and some great French wine, we flew back to Amsterdam. Burr and Pirkko were very hospitable, and Burr is still available for consulting work in Africa.

Bart Bolton inquired about our safety and told me that Charley Denny had left Naples for safety in Charlotte, N.C. Bart hopes that Florida will recover enough for our annual luncheon in Punta Gorda.

Tana and Roger Paget have moved from La Jolla, Calif., to Salt Lake City, Utah.  They are living in a three-generation household, with youngest son and family.

A nice note from Bill Krenz asks about our survival and mentions that he and Rosemary just celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. He recalls their first home in Veterans Village where the rent was $28 per month.

Bob Furber is anticipating our 60th Reunion and relates his “adventure” viewing the eclipse in Wyoming. The tour started in Rocky Mountain National Park.

Toni and John Corkran just returned from a 2,400-mile trip to the West Coast.  They attended the wedding of a cousin in Leavenworth, Wash. They camped in their travel trailer and found their camping skills still in good order.

A note from Dick Goldman covers a few topics. He is making progress on his quest to unite Wesleyan lawyers in the Boston area. He now has contacted 18. We also talk golf and our continual search to regain lost distance. He will visit a son in Vermont this fall.

John Arnold e-mailed about the death of Beau Freeman. John obtained a brief statement from Beau’s wife, Peggy. “Beau was a gentleman the likes of which they don’t really make anymore.” Beau had 59 years in the family auction business.

A long note from Art Geltzer described the Provincetown Tennessee Williams Theater Festival, September 21-24. This festival seems to be really novel since it moves from room to room. Art is gathering votes for aesthete of the class of 1958.

Nothing more except a reminder that our 60th looms next May.

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