Tag: 1963

A number of our classmates responded to the request for news.

Peter Treffers writes: “I started my law practice off in New Haven, Connecticut, as the junior partner with a Wesleyan grad, Mitchel Garber ’37, and ‘practiced’ law there until five years ago when I moved to Ledyard, Connecticut. Now I live with my wife, who is a Pequot Native American, in the midst of the nature and near the casino (Foxwoods). Since Middletown is close, I can get to the reunions and see any classmates, particularly if I know you are coming in the ‘off” year.”

Byron Miller writes that he is retired from his private practice of psychotherapy, but he does participate in regular group discussions with new therapists to try to encourage them to establish their own private practice. He and his wife recently moved to Whitney Center, a Continuous Care Retirement Community in Hamden, Connecticut. They participate in a regular exercise program in the gym and enjoy dinners in the dining room and are slowly getting to know other residents. He and Len Edwards stay in contact as they share many interests, including golf, birding, and doing complex jigsaw puzzles.

Coincidentally, Len Edwards responded, writing: “I have failed retirement by continuing to teach and write about juvenile court. My writings are available at judgeleonardedwards.com. I continue to live with my wife at a home I purchased 47 years ago. Living in Silicon Valley means I made a good investment, but I plan on spending the remainder of my life here. We have a large garden and I spend time in it every day. Our 60th Reunion was virtual, but I enjoyed visiting with those who attended and even had Fritz Henn over for an afternoon visit with one of his sons. My son and three grandsons live about four miles from our home and that has been wonderful. My wife, Margie, brought nine additional grandchildren into our marriage and that makes holidays demanding since we are about the only grandparents for all of them.”

David Landgraf was able to join 15 or so members of the Class of 1963 at our 60th Reunion. He reports that it was a good and rewarding occasion (I agree), which was followed by a virtual reunion later. His family took a trip in August of last year through the Southwest and visited Grand Canyon and Bryce and Zion National Parks. Otherwise, he continues with the never-ending house projects, yard work, quasi-legal church tasks, and visits to and from his children and grandchildren.

Thomas McKnight reports that the Mattatuck Museum in Waterbury, Connecticut, held a large exhibition—entitled Apollo’s Mirror: Recent Paintings by Thomas McKnight—of his  lesser-known mythologically inspired work through the summer of 2023. Currently Polia Press is publishing his first book of short stories, Tales of Mykonos, which is available on Amazon and Kindle. These take place on the contemporary Greek island but are loosely based on classical myths. A novel called The Silent Muse is in the works. Clearly being a being an octogenarian is not a time to pack it in and loll on a hammock, but Tom says that he does that too.

Jack Jarzavek is appealing for picture books of the Wesleyan faculty during our years at Wesleyan. He writes: “When we were undergraduates, the University put out picture booklets of the faculty with their degrees and starting teaching year at Wesleyan. In my move to our apartment several years ago, my three different booklets got thrown out. So, if any classmate has a copy kicking around and won’t miss it, I would love to have it.”

Robert Gallamore reports: “My wife, Suellen, passed away in January 2021 from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, so I sold our contemporary house at the seashore, downsized to an apartment, and prepared to settle into old man ‘widowerhood,’ but then I met this lovely lady, Beatrice, and upgraded plans. The irony was that back in my Nebraska homeland, Beatrice was [the name of] our rival high school, not well liked, of course, but for once, a crazy quirk of midwestern pronunciation bailed me out of an impossible conflict. 

“Any class chronicler with a romantic soul can fill in the rest. Bea and I bought a nice house still here, near to President Joe and Jill’s beach house. Wesleyan and the Red Sox are about all I hold on to in New England. Fortunately, Wesleyan seems to be doing well, and I hope her progeny are also.”

I hope that more of you will let your fellow classmates know what has been happening; most of us have retired, some have not, everyone has something interesting to pass on.

Please write to your class secretary.

This is my first class note since becoming Class Secretary. I have the dubious privilege of being, as you all know, Class Agent as well, so you can expect that I will be asking you for both news and donations.

I am succeeding Jan Van Meter, who sadly passed away unexpectedly, just after beginning cancer treatment, in August 2022, news of which only reached Wesleyan recently. Jan had a varied and interesting career, ranging from service in the navy to CIA intelligence analyst to assistant professor of English, among other things. He retired as a senior public relations executive. His full obituary is published in the most recent copy of the Wesleyan Alumni Magazine.

It is with sadness that I report the recent passing of our classmate, Thomas Spragens, on June 1. Tom had a distinguished academic career at Duke, from which he received his PhD in 1968. His obituary can be read here: https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/heraldsun/name/thomas-spragens-obituary?id=52246604.

Our 60th Reunion was well attended. The weather was, for once, cooperative, and it was a pleasure to see that everyone had aged gracefully. Despite geographical separation, and the increasing infirmities that age is visiting on all of us, I hope that we will have a sizable contingent at our 65th.

My initial request yielded two responses; I can only hope that future reminders will generate more news. Your classmates do care about what you are doing and where you are.

Fritz Henn writes that he is “still moving about.” He recently returned from Paris, as a granddaughter rowed for the United States in the World Rowing Championships. Her crew won the first heat but finished fifth in the finals—a good result, as the U.S. does not have a national team. Fritz traveled with his son, also a Wesleyan graduate. “Met friends and ate well.”   

Alex Aikman reports: “Ruth and I celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary in October 2022. In September of that year, we marked our 30th year together. In many ways, little has changed or happened in many years in the public side of our lives. The private side, however, has had some challenges as well as highlights. Our four children are happily married and successful in their chosen fields, albeit none living nearby. We now are great-grandparents, which is special on its own. Ruth has made these years wonderful, interesting, and loving. Best thing I’ve done since graduating in ’63. 

“At the end of March this year, we moved from California to Medford, Oregon. We both felt it was time to go even though Ruth, born and raised in California and having spent most of her life there, will always think of herself as a California girl. The move has had its challenges, as do all moves, but we still feel it was the right decision.”

Like probably all of us, Alex is retired. After a brief stint in a law firm, he moved to court administration. “I was able to work for about 45 years in court administration in state courts, with most of those years as a management consultant, to trial and appellate courts across the nation. I have written the leading book on ‘the art and practice of court administration’—also the title—and have contributed to a book that may replace mine as the leading book, which we hope will be published in the first quarter of 2024.”

Life updates and remembrances from several classmates:

Len Edwards writes: “I retired from the bench in 2006. I have flunked retirement, as I still teach and write (judgeleonardedwards.com). I have lived in the same house since 1977. Nearby, my son and family live. I remarried after my wife of 38 years died and between us, we have 12 grandchildren. I look forward to a reunion this spring.”

Fritz Henn contributes: “I am looking forward to graduation when my oldest granddaughter will graduate from Wes. That is three generations of Wes graduates. I am fully retired and actually gave my last lecture two years ago at the Winter Conference for Brain Research. I was asked to give the distinguished opening lecture, with introductory lectures by two of my previous students. It was a great way to end my research career but I miss both the lab and the students. 

“Currently I am living in Washington, D.C., sharing an enormous house with my daughter and her family and have the luxury of staying with my son and his wife (Wes grads) in their summer home on an island off the Maine coast during a good part of the summer.”

Jack Jarzavek shares: “I was remembering Bob Martin the other day and wondered how much many of our classmates knew of his fame and accomplishments. Bob was my freshman roommate and fraternity brother. He got his PhD from Brown in the late ’60s, and then taught for his whole career in Montreal. Bob wrote extensively on American literature and was one of the first openly gay literary critics in the U.S. His first book, of many, was his Brown thesis: The Homosexual Tradition in American Poetry. It is still a classic in the field. He did extensive research on Melville, Hawthorne, and American expats in Italy. Bob died in 2012. He was known for his erudition and wit.”

From Don Sexton: “Celebrated my 80th birthday in January. When I was in my teens, never thought of reaching 80, so am happy to be here and aboveground. Am busy with painting (www.sextonart.com). Have solo shows coming up later this year at the Litchfield, Connecticut, library (July–August) and at the Bruce S. Kershner Gallery in Fairfield, Connecticut (November–December). I continue to perform stand-up comedy on Broadway and elsewhere—love the audiences. After 50 years of teaching at Columbia, I pretty much have lost any stage fright I might have once had. My wife and kids and grandkids like to remind me, ‘But, Dad, some people should have stage fright.’ Best wishes to all—look forward to your 90th! Be well.”

A few words from classmates:

From Jim Dresser: “I am still living in Salisbury, Connecticut, where we sold a large house and built a small bungalow in the backyard just before COVID hit. It is indeed better to be lucky than smart.

            “I spend most of my time trying to build affordable housing in this expensive enclave of Connecticut, which got more unaffordable after the pandemic influx from NYC.

            “I was honored that Gina asked me to be one of the speakers at John Driscoll’s ’62 celebration of life in the chapel at Homecoming. I then got to sit in Corwin Stadium in shirtsleeves and reflect on John, Wes’s most ardent football fan, while the Cards beat the Ephs handily to win the Little Three.

            “I continue to be amazed by the time and effort required ‘to alleviate the many ills to which the flesh is heir,’ but I am defying the odds so far.”      

John B. Jarzavek wrote: “I was pleased to see that there is a memorial challenge to remember our classmate, Colby Andrus. As was our wont in the ’60s, most of us knew only our fraternity fellows and course classmates. I got to know Colby our junior and senior years when we were both on the Board of House Presidents. He was always soft-spoken but full of energy and suggestions. After graduation we kept in minimal contact. However, his son John enrolled in the Rivers School (’96) where I had been teaching since 1965. I taught John in art history, in which he continued at Wesleyan after he graduated from Rivers. While he was at Rivers, his mother Alice was a school trustee. I got to see the Andrus family regularly, and we became close friends. We discovered that we were all Italophiles. Norman and I bought our Italian apartment in 2001—we sold it in 2021—and Colby, Alice, and we met often in Italy in those years. Colby and Alice and their two boys had also lived in Italy for a year in the ’80s. His Boston business was importing and selling Italian furniture. We traveled Italy together and ate great food over the years. My closest Wesleyan friends were fraternity brothers Bob Martin, Bob Sloat, and my fraternity “big brother” Hill Panitch ’62. Thankfully, Colby joined that crew. I can still see his smile.”

David Landgraf contributed: “Ten plus years into retirement and haven’t had yet to return to paid employment. Have kept my law license active just in case. Have kept busy with church work, yardwork and gardening, catching up on casual reading, and providing unsolicited advice to children and grandchildren. Am still living in the house in Southern New Jersey (greater Philadelphia area) to which my late wife Linda and I moved with two small children in 1977, but it is becoming an increasing burden. My son and his family (two children, ages 11 and 9) live about an hour away near the New Jersey shore, and my daughter and her family (three children, ages 17, 15, and 9) are in Frederick, Maryland, about three to four hours away by car. See both frequently. I have been trying to take one or two trips each year, but that schedule was interrupted by COVID-19. My middle brother and I did take a Rhine River cruise, which included a performance of the passion play in Oberammergau, Germany, this past summer.  Looking at a possible family trip next summer, if kids’ sports schedules and the college entry and visits for the oldest allow.”

 And from Frederick Taylor: “Visited Lew Whitney and his wife Yoli in LA in early September. He is well and still sailing. It was great to see him and trade memories, some of which may have actually occurred. We exchange book ideas and discuss the various authors we enjoy. We plan to see each other annually as Carole and I travel from New York to see our daughter Liesl and family in Manhattan Beach and perhaps a granddaughter in college on the West Coast.”

 

Several classmates wrote in with news:

Jack Jarzavek said, “I thought I would write the following for the next issue of the alumni magazine.

WANTED: I bought paperback faculty picture books my freshman through junior years. These had pictures of the current faculty with their degrees and dates of beginning teaching at Wesleyan. When we moved from our house to our apartment, they got lost in the shuffle. If anyone has copies and is going to throw them away, please send them my way. Thanks, Jack Jarzavek

“Not a lot of news. There is now a second recipient of the Jarzavek Teaching Chair at the Rivers School where I taught for 40 years. We are still cooking up a storm and doing research on dance in 17th-century French baroque opera. My collection of 15,000 LPs and 5,000 CDs of opera and classical vocal recitals will now be digitized by National Archives and made available to libraries. I gave the collection to the Rivers Conservatory. Best, Jack.”

Len Edwards wrote, “My wife and I spend much of the summer in Truckee, California, a little north of Lake Tahoe. We hope that forest fires will not smoke us out as they did last summer.

“The San Francisco Bay Area continues to celebrate the Golden State Warriors and their surprising NBA title. Steph Curry and Klay Thompson are local heroes. The second edition of my juvenile court book is selling nicely—however, the audience is limited to judges and attorneys who work in juvenile court—not a large group. I continue to work with Health Management Associates in a project to reduce the impact of opioids in California. The death rates from overdoses continues to rise. My golf continues to deteriorate, but I haven’t given up. I’m hoping to attend our 60th next year, but need to know if anyone else will show up.”

Walt Pilcher sent in this update: “Carol and I moved to River Landing, a continuing care retirement community (CCRC) in High Point, North Carolina, in 2020 after 30 years in next-door Greensboro, and we are loving it. Some say it’s like being on a stationary cruise ship because there are five restaurants, a pool, a nine-hole golf course, a well-equipped fitness center and gym, planned excursions, and more activities than we can keep up with. No casino, of course, but we don’t miss that. Outside, I’m still on the boards of three faith-based nonprofits and preaching the occasional guest sermon at our church. Inside, Carol still paints and sold several pieces in an exhibition here in May/June, while I continue to write. My publisher is planning a big promotion in September involving a dozen of their authors, including me, with my comedy novel, The Accidental Spurrt: A Mark Fairley Mystery, and its follow-on in the series, Killing O’Carolan, which will have been launched by the time you are reading this. Both are hilarious and getting great reviews. I taught a three-session course on creative writing here last fall and this spring, which was a lot of fun. For me, as with many of us, this season of life has been vastly different from what I envisioned looking ahead from 1963. Wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Russell E. Richey is dean emeritus of Candler School of Theology and William R. Cannon Distinguished Professor of Church History emeritus. He currently serves as visiting professor of Methodism at Duke Divinity School. Russ is on the editorial boards of Methodist History, Journal of Southern Religion, and New Room Books, and he is general editor of the online Methodist Review. Richey’s most recent books are Methodism in the American Forest, Oxford University Press, 2015, and A Church’s Broken Heart: Mason-Dixon Methodism, New Room Books/General Board of Higher Education and Ministry, 2021.

Don Sexton shared: “During the summer I had a major solo show of my paintings in lower Manhattan, Great Cities of the World—more than 50 works. Through 2023 I have several other solo shows scheduled for New York and for Connecticut. Please visit my website for dates and details: www.sextonart.com. I am also beginning a new career, stand-up comedy. I joined an improv group to stay alert during these later years, then started doing stand-up as well—have performed stand-up in midtown Manhattan and elsewhere. Great fun for me and—I think and hope—for the audience. My wife will retire soon from the NYC Department of Education and we plan a lot of travel, to favorite cities and to new places. We are considering moving to Paris although that would likely affect my stand-up career unless my French and my French sense of humor improve markedly.”

Dave Snyder writes: “Since retiring from my business (remanufacturing ink jets and toner cartridges) some 15 years ago, I’ve been involved with three nonprofits. The first, TCP Global, is involved in microloans in the developing world. We started out in Colombia, and then expanded into Guatemala, where my wife Sally and I had served in the Peace Corps, immediately prior to coming to HBS. Subsequently, we went into Peru, 11 countries in Africa, and Nepal. The second nonprofit is Casa Colibri. We work with the Mayans in northwest Guatemala. We built a medical clinic there in 2009 and continue to go there three times a year on medical missions. The third nonprofit, TGHI (The Thelma Gibson Health Initiative), works here in the Miami area providing a variety of services to underserved, low-income residents in the area.”

And from Thomas McKnight: “Nothing makes me happier than wrestling with my muse every afternoon to the accompaniment of my beloved bel canto operas—well-known composers like Bellini and Donizetti, but even rarer ones like Pacini and Marchetti. Like my art they are somewhat out of fashion and maybe that’s why we are on the same wavelength.

“Mornings I’ve been reading a lot about what happens after death and reincarnation—subjects speeding toward me like a train without an engineer. Evenings are for solace. During the pandemic my wife Renate expanded her cuisine repertoire, and we now feast on Japanese and Indian dishes along with her Austrian and Italian standbys. And then there is Netflix!

“Some paintings are currently in an exhibition at the Litchfield (Connecticut) Historical Society, Artists of Litchfield, a historical survey of which I am one of the most recent exemplars. More will be shown at a retrospective of sorts at the Mattituck Museum in Waterbury (Connecticut) opening in June 2023.”