Tag: 1962

At the beginning of October, coping with the COVID-19 social distancing was a common thread in the handful of comments received this cycle.

Robin Berrington laments being “holed up in my apartment” and says, “the only times I get out, it seems, is to see a doctor or go to the physical therapist.” However, he says there have been bright spots when, “on glorious fall days, I have asked various sets of two or three friends out for a late afternoon drink and conversation. We can take off our face masks and watch the sun go down.” In a comment that many of us probably will nod our heads at, he writes, “It passes for a social life in D.C.” He says, “I hope everybody else has found their own solution for the current emergency.”

 Jim Dossinger and Ginny are in Winston-Salem, “living at a wonderful retirement community called Arbor Acres.” He has been retired from Exxon for 23 years. He writes he is still in contact with Jim Schroeder on a regular basis. Referring to the COVID-19 distancing, he writes, “Our life is constrained like everyone’s due to the pandemic, but we cope with Zoom meetings, classes, and music. I am also into croquet, golf, and soon, fly-fishing for trout.”

Dick Dubanoski checked in to say that he is “just staying hunkered down.” He says he spends time “doing daily two-mile walks and exercises for my various joint replacements, etc.” 

Bob Gause writes that he is still working two days per week as a pediatric orthopedic consultant, which he says is “mostly to continue teaching residents, med students, and family.” Relating to the social distancing, he offers this piece of advice: “To everyone stuck at home, get a dog! A Jack Russell terrier will make you ten years younger.”

The pandemic did not deter hundreds of residents of Branford, NY, from staging a drive-by retirement party for pediatrician Gary Wanerka in front of the local town hall in July. The hours-long parade of former and current patients capped a 38-year local pediatric practice, with one colleague saying, “He’s just a damn good old-fashioned doctor.” (Thanks to ’68 class notes editor Lloyd Buzzell for sending me the local Shoreline Times article on what was a literal and figurative “moving tribute” to Gary.)

DAVID FISKE | davidfiske17@gmail.com
17 W. Buckingham Dr. Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971

Note: Wesleyan received the sad news that David Fiske passed away on December 15. Our heartfelt condolences go out to his family and classmates.

Lindsay Childs reports that he published a book, Cryptology and Error Correction, An Algebraic Introduction and Real-World Applications by Springer Nature in their series, Undergraduate Texts in Mathematics and Technology. He said he was excited that he just learned that it is being translated into Japanese. Lindsay wrote, “If there is an upside to the social distancing forced by the coronavirus, it is that there are presently far fewer distractions to keep me from focusing on the next book project: a research level collaboration on Hopf Galois module theory with six other mathematicians (in Munich, Atlanta, Boston, Gainesville, Keele (UK), and Montgomery). We hope to have it ready to submit by the end of the year.”

Bob Gause reported the publication of his fifth book, a collection of short stories entitled Strange Voices. He says he still works two days a week as a consultant in pediatric orthopedics “using telemedicine for 50% of patient visits.”

Dave Gottesman wrote a moving op-ed column on May 7 for The Post-Star (newspaper in Glen Falls, N.Y.) entitled “We Must Take Care of Our Front Line Workers” supporting the emotional needs of health care workers who have been serving the public in the coronavirus crisis. Hank Sprouse sent in the link for the class notes and said, “This is a very timely article at this moment in our lives.” Hank said that Tom Gregory had forwarded the article to him, saying that it was “Powerful, persuasive, and wonderfully written.” The newspaper noted that Dave “is a psychiatrist, the former commissioner of mental health for Albany County, and the former deputy commissioner of the New York Office of Mental Health.” Read it at poststar.com.

Gene Peckham writes that he was a Broome County (New York) Surrogate Judge from 2010 to 2011, then returned to law practice for several years, “semi-retiring a couple of years ago.” He serves as a hearing officer for the New York state retirement system and handles arbitration and small claims matters for the New York state courts. On a personal note, he said, “We have been going to London for about 30 years on a theater trip,” and says that “for retirement recreation,” they have a cottage in Hallstead, Pa., and a condo in Charlotte, N.C. “I am in regular contact with my fraternity brothers Mike Hackman, Dave Irwin, and Joel Teaford. His wife, Judy, retired last year as executive director of the Klee Foundation; his oldest daughter Margo is a priest and canon to the bishop for the Episcopal church in Newark, N.J.; son Joe is a lawyer in Florida; daughter Beth is a pediatric dentist in Charlotte, N.C.; and he has five grandchildren.

DAVID FISKE | davidfiske17@gmail.com
17 W. Buckingham Dr. Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971

One of the highlights of 2019 for Robin Berrington was a long trip to Lithuania and the Baltic Republics, and then to St. Petersburg, Russia, “the Venice of the North.” He noted that the St. Petersburg “over-the-top Baroque decor was a bit too much for this confirmed old Japan-hand,” but he praised the “culinary tourism” and “lively vibe” of the Baltic cities. Back in Washington, he praised the opening of a new museum in the Maryland suburbs—Glenstone— with its collection of international contemporary art. He is still active with the Freer and Sackler art galleries.

Steve Trott commented on the Highwaymen turning 80. Although, he said, “sadly, we are down to two: Steve Butts (he’s Steve 1, who resides in NYC) and Steve Trott (he’s Steve, too) in Boise, Idaho, the hottest place on the map.” He offers an interesting music industry tidbit: “We are still collecting handsome royalties from our best friend, ‘Michael’. Who knew he would have such legs as well as oars!” He writes, “Trott is still sitting on the bench of the Ninth Circuit; Butts is happily retired back in the venue from which he started.”

Finally, a couple of sad notes. Charlie Murkofsky was saddened by recent deaths of classmates Phil Utley in September and Andy Ganz in October. He writes, “It so happens that I saw each of them shortly before their passing.” Bob Saliba said, “I was so saddened to read of Carl Crossman’s death in Wellington, Fla., last November.” You can find obituary notices for them here.

DAVID FISKE | davidfiske17@gmail.com
17 W. Buckingham Dr. Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971

Robin Cook just finished his 37th novel, and says that this year he will be attempting a new challenge of movie and TV producing. He writes, “Maybe in the course of my efforts I’ll run into Bruce Corwin, who undoubtedly learned a thing or two in the Hollywood world.”

On his Wesleyan experience, he says, “In order to get into medical school I stuck with those easier chemistry, math, and physics courses where getting an A was possible if you made it a point to spend the time to learn the material. With those harder courses—like writing or literature—one could spend weeks writing a paper and have no idea whether it would result in an A or an F.” He adds, “In many respects I wish I could go back to Wesleyan now that it has great writing and film courses.”

Robin makes another reflective point about the Wesleyan environment. He says his sophomore son is considering transferring out because he feels that the school “is so liberal that it cannot tolerate opinions to the contrary from fellow students and faculty alike.” Robin comments, “If true it’s too bad, as college should be the time to debate and question one’s beliefs.”

Not to turn the notes column into a philosophical debate forum, but I’m wondering if other classmates whose sons or daughters went to Wesleyan had similar concerns.

Walt Fricke continues racing his Porsche SC, officiating at races, and editing his Porsche Club rules. He says this involves often driving “a medium-duty truck pulling a 42-foot trailer, combined weight just shy of 26,000 pounds.” He is active in working on “coming up with non-invasive tests of engines and transmissions for forbidden improvements to performance.” He had to recover for two months from breaking his pelvis skiing last spring.

DAVID FISKE | davidfiske17@gmail.com
17 W. Buckingham Dr. Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971