Tag: 1965

Dear Classmates, it was a pleasure seeing Bill Blakemore in March at an event celebrating the late Richard Wilbur MA’58 Hon. 77, in Memorial Chapel. Bill’s remarks were wonderful, as you’d expect, and highlighted a moving evening of remembrance. Professor Wilbur, former U.S. poet laureate, recipient of two Pulitzer Prizes and the National Book Award, taught at Wesleyan from 1957–1977 and is fondly remembered. Among Bill’s reflections was the fact that Mr. Wilbur had a profound effect on himself and on a number of our fellow students, including Bill Hunt, the late Sam Davis, and the late Spike D’Arthenay ’64. NPR covered the event, which you can find at npr.org.

Win Chamberlin provided this recap of his recent trip to Haina, Dominican Republic, with Habitat for Humanity: “We pushed loaded wheelbarrows into the house and poured a cement floor where there had been only dirt. The house was made of wood salvaged from shipping crates. We painted the inside white and the outside yellow. Our family was a single mother who had three adorable sons. Because of our work and the generous support from Habitat for Humanity, she has a bathroom, a floor, and a painted home. Her life is transformed.

“Haina is one of the 15 poorest municipalities in the country with nearly 65 percent living at or below the poverty level. The average annual income of the families served by Habitat Dominican Republic is $2,400. But the people are attractive, happy, and self-sufficient. They left us charmed and full of gratitude for the warm welcome we received from their community.” Wonderful report and work, Win!

Mary Ellen and Dave Dinwoodey were on campus in April for the dedication of the impressive new tennis courts on Vine Street and for the inaugural match, the nationally ranked women’s team versus a talented Tufts squad.

Terrific day (Cards were victorious) and a number of generous contributors to the project honored former standout Wesleyan tennis players, including Mike Burton and Fred Millett (recognized through Mary Ellen and Dave’s gift).

Dave and Jim Bernegger recently got together for lunch and then saw a performance at the Boston Conservatory in which Jim’s son, Quinn, had one of the lead parts. Quinn, who has a very impressive tenor voice, is finishing up his opera program at the conservatory and wants to make opera singing his career.

Fred Newschwander has published A Day in the Life of a Country Vet, a book I thoroughly enjoyed and recommend. (It is available on Amazon.) Fred has now retired but remains active in number of veterinary organizations and has been honored for his enormous contributions to his profession and to countless animals and their owners. Fred writes, “I sadly noted the passing of the two Wesleyan faculty members who had the greatest influence on my life at Wesleyan: Bob Rosenbaum and Dick Winslow ’40. I did a 10-day horseback safari in Botswana this spring where we rode about 15 miles per day to different tent camps. Enjoyed a boat/elephant tour of nature preserves in India in early 2018. The skiing and snowmobiling season has arrived, but I must admit it is getting harder to drag myself out into the cold.” Thanks for writing, Fred, and great job on the book!

As reported in the last issue of the magazine, Kirt Mead passed away last fall. Mary Ellen and Dave Donwoody attended Kirt’s memorial service in December and wrote his touching reflections of that event: “The service was held in a smallish Episcopal church in the very lovely waterside town of Marion in southeastern Massachusetts, where the Mead family has a summer home. Every available seat in the main church was taken, along with overflow in an adjacent smaller chapel. I’d estimate a good 250 people or more.

“The service itself was beautifully delivered with lovely reminiscences by Kirt’s two daughters and his two brothers, classical music by a string quartet, some poetry and hymns, and reflections of the presiding minister who clearly knew Kirt well. You would have quickly recognized from your own experience the Kirt Mead whose life was being celebrated: A prodigious intellect; an independent thinker unafraid to take a solitary position; and a man with a deep curiosity about most everything. In my own mind, I kept hearing a description of the quintessential Wesleyan graduate. The service had the effect of making me feel more deeply the loss of a classmate with remarkable talents.

“After the service, we headed a few blocks over to the water and the town’s primary yacht club, where Kirt was an active sailor and member, for a reception. We spoke with Kirt’s wife, Susan, who’s doing pretty well under the circumstances. She was very appreciative that we had come to the service, so I was glad that we had decided to make what proved to be a pretty modest effort, only a bit over an hour each way. I told the family that those of us who had worked with Kirt on our 50th believed that he had seemed to come full circle and had renewed his attachment to the current Wesleyan, and they all shared that same impression. Interestingly, I ran into Gar Hargens there. Gar had been visiting his son in Newton and came to the service before flying back to Minneapolis.

“Yesterday’s service for Kirt causes me to reflect upon the growing importance of the extended friendships that we are blessed to have with one another.”

Finally, during my annual trip to South Carolina for tennis, I stopped in Conway to see Coastal Carolina University Chanticleers play the University of Louisiana at Monroe. The game was played on Vrooman Field, named in honor of John, the school’s long-time coach, professor, athletic director, and administrator. Unfortunately, John and wife Deborah were on a cruise to France and missed an exciting game won by CCU 17-16 with a walk-off homer in the ninth.

Philip L. Rockwell | prockwell@wesleyan.edu

Dear, Classmates. First of all, it is very sad to report the sudden passing of Kirt Mead on Nov. 26, 2017, in Massachusetts. Kirt was a man of great intelligence and accomplishment. All of us were enriched by his involvement in our 50th. And, many of us saw Kirt looking great at our 2017 Homecoming meeting with the class of 1968’s 50th.

Received thoughtful holiday greetings from Bob Barton (Lanesboro, Mass.), Dave Dinwoodey (Wellesley, Mass.), Steve Flance (Santa Fe, N.M.), Chuck Hearey (Orinda, Calif.), Fred Nachman (Paradise Valley, Ariz.), Ted See (Hartford, Conn.), and Bill Trapp (Lacey, Wash.).

Congratulations to noted architect Gar Hargens (AIA, NCARB), president of Close Associates in Minneapolis, on the celebration of the firm’s 80th anniversary.

Gar writes: “…professor John Martin gets credit for opening my eyes to architecture. I believe Ann Ulmer (daughter of Close’s founder) taught at Wesleyan…and one of their grandchildren may have attended. Colby Andrus ’63, our cross-country manager, encouraged me to go to the University of Minnesota, his home state, for my degree in architecture, and I’m glad I did.”

And, I asked John Dunton if he’d elaborate on his involvement with international travel and Intervac, which follows: “Carol and I are halfway through a year living in a small town in France; this is hands-down the biggest adventure of my life. It took me 62 years to get to Europe but that first trip to Paris showed me what I’d been missing. After several more visits to France we decided we wanted to get beneath the tourist tour surface and see what it was like actually to live here. In 2012 we joined Intervac, an international house exchange program. Over the next three years we hosted 10 families from France and Germany in our home in Waltham, Mass., while they toured Boston and New England. Once we had eight housing IOU’s scattered around France we took seven weeks in 2015 and visited our new friends in Paris, Versailles, Fontainebleu, Souvigny, Strasbourg, Provence, Lyon, and Veigne, a small town south of Tours in the Loire Valley. The Veigne couple got an offer from Boston University to study and teach there; they needed a place to live with their three children, we loved their home in Veigne, so voilà! We swapped houses for a year.

“We’re living and loving small-town life with its slower pace; the personal interaction with Marco, our baker, and his wife, Maggie, at the boulangerie; buying meat from Bernard, the living image of a small-town butcher, at his boucherie. Weekly we shop at Marché, a collection of food vendor trucks and tables set up in the town square. We buy more types of cheese than we knew existed, explore the amazing varieties of fish laid out in a cornucopia of colors and shapes on shaved ice, and select among chicken, duck, goose, turkey, pigeon, rabbit and more, most with heads still attached. The vegetables in season are there: lettuce is ’salad,’ okra is gombo, but don’t try to find kale—maybe in Paris, but not in Veigne. From the day we arrived our neighbors have been beyond helpful and welcoming, and friends of our host family frequently invite us to their homes. Fortunately, Carol speaks French; my attempts to learn it are about as successful as my D in German at Wesleyan would indicate.

“What do we miss? Family and friends; Boston’s cultural attractions; and American washer/dryer/disposal appliances. But we’re reveling in this experience especially when we share the chateaux and cathedrals, as well as small-town life, with visiting family and friends. Welcome to Hotel Veigne! However, we are fully booked through July after which, with some sadness, we will return to our other home.”

John, thank you for your interesting write-up and information on Intervac!

Philip L. Rockwell | prockwell@wesleyan.edu

Dear Classmates, thank you for some very good responses to the recent request for news:

Fred Newschwander writes: “I am reluctantly realizing and accepting that my body is no longer young, so I am trying to adapt and maximize what it can still do. The downside: A spouse’s horseback injury and health issues led to mental health problems which led to an unwanted and untimely divorce. Therefore, at a time when I was working on my bucket list I no longer had anyone to play with. My friends say they are too old for the kind of activities I like to do. Those who are young enough still have jobs and on weekends are busy with family activities. The upside: The Bucket List check-off continues. I have completed a book of stories from my 38 years as a mixed-practice veterinarian. Last year I did a 10-day wilderness horseback tour of Iceland, riding 20-40 miles per day in the rain between wilderness huts. This summer I am returning to Botswana for a rerun of a horseback camera safari where we ride across the veldt between rustic tent campsites. Continuing a love first developed by choir director Richard Winslow at Wesleyan, free moments are filled by singing at nursing homes in an a capella octet. My horses have already worn out a set of horseshoes this spring.”

Tony Schuman has been appointed interim dean of the college of architecture design at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. He observes: “At a time when a number of you are dialing it back a bit, I am dialing it up. The dean of my college retired last fall after 25 years on the job. I am not a candidate for the permanent position, but I agreed to steer the ship until the new chief is in place.”

Condolences to Paul Larson’s family. In a very fine obituary he is: “remembered for his compassion for others, his kindness, his spirit, and his generosity. His unconditional love for his family was always his first priority. He was quick-witted and always had a joke at-the-ready. He believed laughter was the remedy for all. He truly loved his country, Christmas, and the 4th of July, as well as boating and beach vacations in Maine. He also was a diehard Red Sox fan. He was a friend of Bill’s for 15 years, which brought him serenity and peace.  He firmly believed in giving back to one’s community. He served as a Darien youth sports coach, Holmes School PTA co-chair, and Darien Boat Club officer. Paul served on the Darien RTM and the Board of Education. He was a member of Darien Kiwanis Club, Darien Men’s Association, the Country Club of Darien, and St. Luke’s Episcopal Church. After moving to Norwalk in 2004, Paul became an officer with the Norwalk Association of Silvermine Homeowners, a volunteer at the Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk, and a member of the Norwalk Community Chorale.”

Paul was born May 22, 1943, in Bristol, Conn. As a Cardinal, he captained the track and cross country team and was a member of Kappa Nu. Paul received his MBA from Rochester and was a U.S. Naval Reserve supply officer aboard the U.S.S. Caloosahatchee, and retired as a Lieutenant Commander. He began his career as a securities analyst at Chase Investors Corp., was then an assistant vice president at the General Electric Pension Fund, and finally an equity analyst/portfolio manager with General Reinsurance.

Steve Flance writes that Gary and the Wombats provided some of that good old rock and roll for the New Mexico Children’s Foundation in April. The Jacob’s Robe Wombats continue to serve worthy causes and to amaze all of their grateful fans! For me, anyway, one of my greatest college memories!

Bob MacLean writes: “Just passed my 40th year as a professional ski instructor. Still flying and part-time flight instructor with an interest in an air charter business out of Palo Alto.

“Two years ago started a new business in the food world. We are introducing Yolá yogurt topping in grocery stores, competing with Reddi Wip out of a pressurized can, bringing a yogurt product to that category. Check us out  at yolawhip.com.

“Lots of travel, not unlike my life in high tech and medical devices from which I retired 12 years ago. Winter finds me in Colorado enjoying the outdoor life. Fall and spring in Baja, Mexico, and the rest of the year staying in touch with family and friends and challenging myself with an occasional golf game with Phil Russell, Pete Whiteley, and Lynn Edwards. Old roommate Ralph Jacobs remains a constant source of entertainment on and off the airwaves.”

Bertel Haarder spent his junior year at Wesleyan (1964-65) and credits his experience in Middletown as a positive influence in making policy as Danish minister for education and research for 15 years. He writes: “After more than 35 years in the Danish Parliament and 22 years as cabinet minister for ten different ministries, I’m now back in Parliament, running for a seat in the upcoming election. We have removed all age limits in the public administration so, my age—72— is no problem. I’m very engaged in European and Nordic cooperation. For seven years I was in the European Parliament, and recently I was president of the Nordic Council. In Denmark we note with satisfaction that the American president is not speaking for the American people nor his administration when he salutes Brexit and courts Marine le Pen. A century of warm and cold wars have taught Americans—I hope—to value European cooperation.”

Wolf Brueckmann writes: “This may be my first update for class notes in 50 years, but I have decided to follow the ‘better late than never’ precept. I am about to celebrate the first anniversary of my move to Luray, Va., from the Washington, D.C. area, where I spent most of my professional career since leaving Wesleyan. My work was centered around a variety of international economic and business themes, involving various roles such as association executive, lobbyist and university teacher.

“Luray lies in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley, and I now enjoy both river and mountain ranges from close up. An added bonus is having Nick Anderson as a close neighbor. My special retirement treat is that I can devote time to oil painting, which I was able to do only intermittently on weekends in the past. I am proudly following the progress of my daughter Loni, who is going into her third year at the University of Pittsburgh Medical School (she just passed her Medical Board exams). I very much enjoyed seeing classmates at the 50th Reunion, which already seems a long time ago.”

Peter Kelman shared that he and his wife, Therese Mageau, moved to Northfield, Vt., shortly after Reunion, in hopes that it would be easier for his mother-in-law who has dementia. His son, Sam Kelman ’03, lives there with his wife and children.

Peter also wrote of his travels over the past 18 months. “10 days on an education-focused stay in Cuba; an eye-opening month in China (primarily to visit our daughter and her children who are living in Shanghai while our son-in-law works for Apple Computer, but we also spent two weeks on a private tour of ethnic minority villages in southern China); two weeks on the West Coast (including the Turner Classic Movie Festival in Hollywood) and Southwest (to visit Therese’s Mom, combined with some walking and bird-watching); a 20-day walking trek across England, and another month in Asia to visit our daughter and grandkids (this time also seeing Beijing, as well as parts of Vietnam, and Cambodia—all quite inspiring, especially in contrast to the ugliness of our country at this time).”

He’s also blogging about the election, President Trump, the Republicans, the Democrats, etc.—“stressing the positive as much as I felt it.” He says, at its peak, he had over 150 readers, but since leaving for China in mid-March, he hasn’t had the time or the inclination to continue. For those who may be curious, his “optimistic-progressive blog” can be found at morningpete.com.

Bertel, Bob, Steve, Tony, Fred, Wolf, and Peter: Many thanks for your thoughtful communications and warmest wishes!

Philip L. Rockwell | prockwell@wesleyan.edu

Class of 1965 35th Reunion Memorial Endowed Wesleyan Scholarship

Michael Ivy ’20, Indianapolis, IN

Classmates, I hope your holidays were merry and bright and that 2017 has started well for you and your families. Nice recent greetings from:

Steve Badanes sent a great photo of him and his partner on a beach somewhere in the Seattle area. She’s giving him a big hug midst a sea of driftwood! Steve sent this as he was on his way to his annual Yestermorrow School class in Vermont. He leads groups of young people in the fine art of community building. They conceive of, design, and then build everything from gazebos to recreation areas and cabins—all for public use and made with sustainability and the environment in mind.

Mary Ellen and Dave Dinwoodey are enjoying their grandchildren and are fit and active. Enjoyed seeing them at the resounding football win in Williamstown in the fall.

Joining us at the game were Prudy and Bob Barton. They are well and in the process of getting out of the “farming business.” They have a lovely place, Sky Dance Farm, in Lanesboro, Mass., not far from Williamstown. In Prudy and Bob’s holiday message they write: “We are clearly in the autumn of our lives. Change is constant, even as we enjoy the fruits of continued life work. Our health is good, our offspring and spouses are wonderful, real people…The farm is for sale, our lake cottage sold last month.” Over the years, they’ve raised chickens, sheep, et al, and have wonderful dogs and cats to boot, all on hundreds of verdant acres. Their children—Molly ’00, Adam ’04, and Eliza—are flourishing and have produced three grandchildren, to the delight of Prudy and Bob. Looking at the photo of Prudy and Bob, I’d say autumn looks pretty darn good!

Ellen and Ted See sent a lovely message and picture of their five young grandchildren. Quite a fun and active group! Also, nice to hear from Marilyn and Bill Trapp who are well and enjoying their lives in Lacey, Wash.

Julia and Amertat Cohn sent a wonderful message, which will end this edition of class notes: “We wish that your journey for 2017 be filled with even more success, inspiration, and of course good health and LOVE so we can become better examples for our world.”

PHILIP L. ROCKWELL | prockwell@wesleyan.edu

Dear Classmates, thanks to those responding to the request for news!

Class conveners Mark Edmiston and Hugh Wilson write: “Although we have nothing planned for Homecoming 2016, we hope to meet at Reunion 2017. We’d like to consider the following opportunities for the class to pursue:

• East Africa safari trip centered on Kenya combining sightseeing with time at Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO).

• Cuba trip focused on higher education and the opportunities for ’65 to assist students there. We also talked about a $100,000 scholarship endowment to fund a Wesleyan student’s study in Cuba.

• Fund the compilation of a directory of alumni willing to mentor students in various ways.”

They add, “These are not mutually exclusive and feedback is encouraged. Also, detailed information would be available at the meeting.”

Bill Trapp writes, “Marilyn and I, the three kids, and eight grandkids are all doing fine, and I am headed out this morning for a round of golf. Could it get any better? We are enjoying some crisp Pacific Northwest fall weather and will soon drive to Southern Cal to visit friends. I certainly wish I could be there for Don Russell’s induction ceremony. He means a lot to all of us who were lucky enough to have had him for a coach and mentor. We will never forget his kindness and patience!”

Bob Block writes, “After retiring in 2011 following 36 years with the department of pediatrics at the University of Oklahoma School of Community Medicine, I am now an emeritus professor and chair. I served the American Academy of Pediatrics as president-elect, president, and past president between 2010 and 2013. Since then, I have been spending more time with my wife, Sharon, and my woodcarving hobby. We are enjoying our three grandchildren who live nearby.”

Bruce Patterson writes, “I’m semi-retired. My wife, Martha, who is fully retired, and I bought a condo south of Sarasota last year after the horrible February 2015 in the northeast. We spent five months there last winter and had a ball. Just about every night we walked to Casey Key Beach to watch the sunset. Fabulous! While home in Stamford, Conn., I still do marine surveys, and am now doing one for the Darien Police Department. Both our kids now live in Stamford, so we’re very lucky. Our son works for a hedge fund in Old Greenwich and our daughter is a buyer for T.J. Maxx.”

PHILIP L. ROCKWELL | prockwell@wesleyan.edu

Dear Classmates: Here’s the news that’s fit to print:

Congratulations to John Hall, who has been elected by the alumni body as a university trustee! Mark Edmiston, Stew McConaughy, Bill Blakemore and now John are the members from our class to serve in this prestigious role. Anyone who knows John will agree that he’s a fine choice and will do an outstanding job.

John Vrooman and his lovely wife, Deborah, were great hosts to me and a friend during a recent trip through South Carolina. They live in picturesque Conway, close to Coastal Carolina University, where he and Deborah have made enormous contributions for nearly 50 years. Although both are retired from formal teaching, coaching, and counseling duties, they stay very involved there. Coastal has grown from a small two-year community college in the mid-’50s—operating out of public school classrooms at night—to a highly respected university with nearly 10,000 students on a beautiful 630-acre campus. John and Deborah have been on that journey much of the way. Also, the handsome new baseball field is named Vrooman Field and John has been inducted into the university’s athletics hall of fame. This is in recognition of his achievements as head baseball coach, where he recorded 345 victories, six consecutive Big South championships, and the university’s first NCAA regional appearance in 1991 at Florida State University. John also served as director of athletics and is professor of history, emeritus. Since John retired, the baseball program has continued to achieve impressive results and, as this is being written, CCU has just shocked the baseball world by upsetting North Carolina State, LSU, Florida, TCU. and Arizona to win the NCAA Division I championship in Omaha. Congratulations, John!.

While a number of us are in retirement, Grant Parr is closing in on seven years as physician-in-chief of the Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute at New Jersey’s Atlantic Health. Grant preciously served as chair of cardiovascular services at Morristown Memorial Hospital, now a part of the Atlantic system. The Institute performs more heart surgeries than any other hospital in New Jersey.

New class co-conveners Hugh Wilson and Mark Edmiston hosted several profitable meetings over Reunion & Commencement weekend in May. Classmates present included Hugh, Mark, John Hall, Dave Dinwoodey, Kirt Mead, Tom Elliman, Win Chamberlin, and yours truly.

Hugh reports: “Our meeting began with a presentation by Kennedy Odede ’12 on the Shining Hope for Communities school for girls (SHOFCO) that he founded in a slum suburb of Nairobi, Kenya, where Kennedy grew up. This was a WESeminar sponsored by our class and was open to the entire community. Kennedy described the success of the school, which is about to graduate its first eighth-grade class, several of whom will then spend a year at Loomis Chaffee or Miss Porter’s School in the U.S. From our discussions, it sounded as though SHOFCO (shofco.org) would welcome a visit by a group of us to the school in the future. They would also welcome introductions to other private boarding schools in North America that might be interested in providing scholarships for these girls.

“We then walked across campus to a room in the new Boger Hall (the old squash courts). John Hall reported that the class has raised approximately $4.1 million and should be able to reach our goal of $5 million. We were also told by Barbara-Jan Wilson that 102 Wesleyan families have donated greater than $1 million each and that 12 of these families are parents, not alumni. This leads all other schools in NESCAC and is a testament to the quality of education that current Wesleyan students feel they are receiving. Furthermore, Wesleyan admissions were the most competitive they have ever been, with just 17 percent of applicants being admitted.

“Our next agenda item was discussion of Wesleyan’s exchange program with the University of Havana. Two members from Wesleyan’s exchange office informed us that between one and three students have spent a semester at the University of Havana during each of the past three years. The program (CASA) is run by Brown University with several other Ivy League members. It was suggested that our class could endow a summer internship for a Wesleyan student for $100,000, a possibility that we felt was worthy of further consideration. We also raised the possibility of bringing Cuban students to Wesleyan, but this seems to be legally more complex at present.

“We also discussed helping to create a database of Wesleyan alumni who would agree to be contacted by undergraduates for counsel on careers in a wide range of fields. Please provide any feedback on the subjects of a trip to East Africa and SHOFCO, support for Wesleyan internships in Cuba, and the database project to Hugh (hrwilson@yorku.ca) or Mark (mme663@mac.com).”

Many thanks, Hugh (and Mark!)

PHILIP L. ROCKWELL | prockwell@wesleyan.edu

Class of 1965 35th Reunion Memorial Endowed Wesleyan Scholarship

Nadezhda Georgieva ’16, French Studies, Government

Dear Classmates, As noted in my recent request for information, Mark Edmiston and Hugh Wilson, new class co-conveners, are seeking input for class activities and advocacy going forward. The plan is to establish an infrastructure to sustain the energy and involvement created by our 50th Reunion. You’ll be hearing more about this from Mark and Hugh, but we’ve already decided to use the existing Reunion and Outreach Committees as means to jumpstart our efforts. Of course, everyone’s help and ideas are welcome! So, don’t hesitate to contact them (mmedmiston@icloud.com and hrwilson@yorku.ca ) with your thoughts.

Heard recently from Bill Trapp, who, with wife Marilyn, enjoys life in the great state of Washington (Lacey). Bill is a retired insurance executive and for years they lived in West Hills, Calif. An outstanding athlete and baseball player at Wesleyan, he is a big Cardinal baseball fan and he and Marilyn will travel once again to Tucson, Ariz., this spring to root on Mark Woodworth’s (’94) talented charges.

John Dunton writes: “The Reunion was “a terrific weekend, and I’m still amazed and astonished that Los Wombatos were awarded Joseph’s Robe—I could not have been more dumbfounded. That meant a great deal to me and to all the guys…. You can also offer the gratis services of Gary and the Wombats for nonpolitical fundraisers—we will go nearly anywhere nearly any time we can all clear our schedules to have an opportunity to play. I don’t know how many gigs we have left in us, but I was extremely pleased with our performance at Wesleyan and think it demonstrates we can hold our own for a while into the future. I’d like to continue to do this as long as we are all physically and emotionally capable of getting ourselves to a gig and getting people to tap their feet, get out of a chair and get sweaty. We just don’t want to do retirement home concerts….yet.”

John also wants us to know about Intervac, a wonderful program that involves reciprocal acts of hospitality with folks from other countries. John and wife Carol have hosted a number of families from Europe at their home near Boston and in 2015 they visited some of those families. They plan to continue to have the “favor returned” in the 2017. For more info: Homeexchange.com

From Ralph Jacobs: “We hope to be back on the East Coast in 2017, and will do our best to make connections with you and others from Wesleyan whose friendship we cherish.” Great news, Jake, and we look forward to seeing you! Jake and wife Holly live in Long Beach, Calif.

Dick Travis writes a very nice note: “Thank you for all you and others did to make our 50th Reunion so well organized and wonderful. Evelyn and I were unable to attend due to many diverse commitments including the culminating activities of our first grandson’s (Christopher) graduation from high school. But thanks to the blog and summary of activities, I feel that I was there. Christopher is now a freshman at the College of William and Mary, from which his father, Eric (my son), his mother Becky (daughter-in-law), and Erin (my daughter) all graduated. Just as when our children were there, we take every opportunity to visit Christopher in historic Williamsburg, as it is less than a three-hour drive from Harrisonburg.

“After retiring as a professor emeritus of health sciences at James Madison University, I took a two-year program to become an authorized lay preacher in the Shenandoah Presbytery. From January through June this year, another lay pastor and I are providing worship services to two churches in West Virginia. I leave a little after 7:00 a.m. for the 1.5 hour drive over three mountains to the Circleville (WV) Presbyterian Church worship service at 9:00 a.m. Then, I have a 25-minute drive to the Seneca Rocks (WV) Presbyterian Church service at 10:30 a.m. So they have told me to keep the sermons short. As I drive over these beautiful mountains, I have some quiet time to think about how we all have been blessed to have education and service opportunities in our lives. I am also reminded that we are the sum of our experiences and certainly those of mine at Wesleyan were very vital in my maturation process. Many thanks to classmates and professors at Wesleyan for being so important in my life.”

News from Dave Osgood: “After 25 years working and living in Egypt, I came back to the U.S. in July of 2013, retired, and settled in Nolensville Tenn. My four adult children are on their own and doing well, and I have two younger boys still in college. I’m finding retirement extremely enjoyable after years of work pressure. I have, however, been involved, on a part time basis, in interfaith activities since my return to the U.S.”

Fred Newschwander sends a list. He’s trying to wear out his hip prostheses; is a serious practitioner of YOLO; continues to add to his James Herriot stories before he forgets them all; and travels. Trips included Botswana, for a 10-day-on-horseback tent safari in June 2014, and Antarctica in December 2014, with five days in the peninsula region, where he ate meals with folks from the National Science Foundation in D.C., as well as from the McMurdo Station and a USCG icebreaker skipper. “Fascinating,” he says. His seven days last June in the Galápagos on MV Evolution were “also awesome!” He has two trips upcoming: Cuba in March 2016 and Iceland in June 2016 on a 10-day self-guided camper tour.

Tom Elliman has a good suggestion: “How about a mini-reunion in Boston or Portsmouth for us northern New Englanders? Maybe invite ’64 and ’66, too.”

PHILIP L. ROCKWELL | prockwell@wesleyan.edu

Dear Classmates, Spent a memorable day in Middletown and New Haven earlier this month. Wes football alumni were asked to be part of a morning meeting with recruits and their parents. This was organized by new head football coach Dan DiCenzo to show prospective students and their parents the kind of support and mentoring that are provided to players by alumni. The students and parents I met were impressive and they seemed impressed by the commitment of alumni to the football program and to the players.

Then I was pleased to participate in a Salute to Service luncheon and program for veterans, including a large contingent of vets from Middletown (it was Middletown Day—free admission for all). Also, on the field were the Posse Students, current undergraduates who served in Afghanistan and Iraq, attending Wesleyan under a special program. Then, prior to the game, led by a colorful band of bagpipers, this rather diverse crew of veterans took to the field to be recognized by a large crowd.

How different from the mid-to-late ’60s!

The football game was exciting, as a very young Wesleyan team was edged out by a talented Middlebury squad 28–25. But, watch out, despite losing 26 players to graduation (most of them starters) the Cards have lots of talent, great coaching and spirit. They will continue to be tough to beat.

This day was wrapped up at Yale Field in New Haven, when the baseball Cardinals were hosted by the Bulldogs in a night game to commemorate the 150th anniversary of their first-ever intercollegiate baseball game—Wesleyan at Yale in 1865! Wesleyan lost that one, but won the 2015 edition 6–3 in 10 innings!

Speakers included Yale Law School graduate Faye Vincent, former major league baseball commissioner, Wes baseball coach Mark Woodworth ’94, and Jim Dresser ’63, who along with the president of Yale, threw out the ceremonial first pitch.

Prior to the game, all Wesleyan and Yale former players took the field to be recognized, and the Cardinal players returning outnumbered the Elis four to one. Included in that group were Pete Sipples ’64 and Bill Needham ’63, and it was a pleasure to reminisce as we watched an exciting Cardinal victory. (Very similar, in fact, to our come-from-behind win on that field, 10–9, 51 years earlier!)

Glad to have the following to report:

Fred Newschwander wrote a wonderful letter to the editor on Foss Hill memories, appearing in the magazine issue prior to this one. (If you missed it, you can find it online at magazine.wesleyan.edu/2015/09/15/foss-hill-memories/.)

Dick Travis wrote a thoughtful note and it was good to hear from him. He is professor emeritus, health sciences, James Madison University, Harrisburg, Va.

Carl Hoppe from Beverly Hills, Calif., writes: “My wife, Diane, and I are taking four weeks off to have time at the beach and then travel to Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Austria. We continue to have busy practices when we are in town, which is usually. Our youngest is out of the nest, having just graduated from Vassar. She got a job with NIH eight days later—we got a raise! (She was accepted at Wesleyan, but turned it down.) The older two girls are long gone outta here and well established. Despite a few more bodily glitches, I still manage to get out for tennis two to three times a week. Life on the left side of the map is good.”

Grant Parr writes: “I certainly enjoyed seeing so many of my classmates at our 50th Reunion. A particular treat was getting to know some classmates even better than when I was on campus…. Continue to work part time as physician-in-chief at the Gagnon Heart Hospital at the Morristown [N.J.] Medical Center. In late August and early September I spent several weeks fly fishing with friends and at a dude ranch in Jackson Hole, Wyo., with my family. Helen and I will spend a good bit of the winter in our second home in Boca Grande Fla. Life is good!”

Mike Borecky is a full-time staff physician with the Department of Justice in NYC, providing care to 3,000 inmates. An important and demanding job, to say the least! He wrote a humorous note about a bizarre Western Civilization course we took as freshmen. Yes, Mike, I remember it!

Bill Brown writes: “It was great to see everyone, though lots of people did not attend. The weather, food, and drinks were great. Peter Kelman and I still e-mail occasionally. A best-selling book when we arrived in 1961—was Black like Me. It told of the racial tensions in the South at that time. A sitcom on TV today made reference to that famous book—which sold five million copies. I was reminded of our trip to Tuskegee in March 1963. The other 11 Wesmen stuck together for meals—and attended meetings in that town—to discuss racial problems. I was criticized for mingling with the Tuskegee students and attending their student activities. But, looking back after 52 years, I’m glad I did. I still remember students and events. And the ideas we shared from two different parts of America. Are things any better in 2015? That’s a question Peter has asked, in a recent e-mail.”

PHILIP L. ROCKWELL | prockwell@wesleyan.edu

We laughed, we cried, we hugged, we danced, we told stories and said things about ourselves not said before—in short, it was an extraordinary Reunion!

Many thanks to the committee who put it all together and to the 93 classmates—a 50th Reunion attendance record—who returned to our beloved campus.

The university honored a number of our own:

Hugh Wilson: Distinguished Alumnus Award for his remarkable achievements as a mathematician, philosopher, biologist, chemist, physicist, researcher and professor.
Mark Edmiston: Outstanding Service Award for his many years of service to Wesleyan as a trustee and alumni association leader.

Rob Abel, Don Crampton, and John Hall: Wesleyan Service Award for sustained service to the college as fundraisers, alumni club leaders, donors and admission volunteers.

Joseph’s Robe, the ’65 award for meritorious service to the class, was presented to: Gary and the Wombats (John Dunton, Steve Flance, Brooke Jones ’64, Leon Robinette ’64 and Richard Smith), and to Reunion juggernauts Dave Dinwoodey and Bob Barton. (To further sway the judges’ votes in their favor, The Wombats put on a spirited performance on Friday night and we all danced like it was 1965 once again!)

The festivities, which began on Thursday, featured a nice mix of seminars, time for socializing and sports (some of us played golf, tennis, and basketball), and space in the schedule just to relax and walk the expanded and beautiful campus. We also had three enjoyable banquets: a Kickoff Reception/Dinner on Thursday evening; the President’s Reception/Dinner in our honor on Friday, featuring Michael Roth’s ’78 remarks on the state of the University and his vision for its future; and Saturday’s celebratory Class Dinner with Professors Anne and Nathaniel Greene, and Wendy and Karl Scheibe; Coach Don Russell and his son, Andy; long-time administrator John Driscoll ’62 and his wife Gina; and special guest, Linda Burton, widow of Mike Burton.

Seminars and panels featuring the ’65 family included: “Butterfield 2020” organized by Bob Barton, which explored the reasons Wesleyan went from one of the wealthiest colleges in the country to the verge of financial crisis in the 10 years after we graduated.
“Our Times” was an interactive discussion among classmates moderated by Tony Schuman concerning the turmoil of the ’60s—the civil rights movement, Vietnam, the social revolution—and its influence on our lives.

“Skills for the New Economy,” a WESeminar organized by Kirt Mead examined the skills that Wesleyan grads will need in a new economy dominated by technology and rapid change. Presenters included Kirt, who consults throughout the United States and Europe on business leadership and strategic planning, and Molly Barton ’00 (Bob’s daughter), who is a leader in digital publishing.

“Architect as Artisan and Community Activist,” was a WESeminar presented by Steve Badanes regarding his decades of work in community-based architecture and design. Steve is a noted speaker, author, itinerant designer/builder and the Howard S. Wright Professor of Architecture at the University of Washington.

“Global Warming: What the World’s Climate Scientists and Policy Leaders Now Know, Fear, Hope and Plan,” moderated by Bill Blakemore, featured classmate Jerry Melillo, along with Wes Professor Gary Yohe, a leading climate-impact economist. Bill began writing about global warming for ABC News in 2004, and Jerry chaired all three government National Climate Assessments and served as environmental adviser to the President.

(In this regard, a number of classmates attended an informal meeting afterward to discuss ways to encourage University initiatives, such as focusing endowment investments in cleaner energy rather than fossil fuel companies. For more information, please contact Woody Sayre; Robert.Sayre@u-pem.fr

Another major highlight were the three “’65 WesShorts” sessions designed for classmates—scripted or not—to speak briefly about their lives, professions, passions, families, and reflections on their Wesleyan experience. They were organized and moderated by Bob Barton, Hugh Wilson and Tony Schuman and were extremely varied and entertaining. (Most of them were filmed and will be available to the class online—details to be announced.)

Ron Young came back and spoke several times with eloquence and passion. Ron left Wesleyan to pursue a career in civil rights, world peace, religion, and education. He developed a lifelong relationship with Professor John Maguire and met the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., on numerous occasions. Here are excerpts from a message he sent to the class following the Reunion: “Warm thanks for welcoming me in the class, despite my not graduating until 1986…. Connecting and reconnecting with many of you, experiencing Wesleyan’s wonderfully diverse community, learning in the Wes Seminars…. listening to the WesShorts…were incredible and very emotional for me. Reading the Remembrances about guys I knew and others I didn’t brought tears…

“Given how significantly my taking off from Wesleyan affected my life, I don’t regret what I did, but I do have a much deeper personal appreciation for what I missed.”

Ron wrote a memoir concerning his work in support of civil rights, opposition to the Vietnam War and efforts to foster peace among Arabs, Israelis and Palestinians, entitled Crossing Boundaries in the Americas, Vietnam and the Middle East.

In addition to the Reunion committee, individual kudos to: Rob Abel and Bob Barton for producing a marvelous 50th Reunion class book;

David Dinwoodey, editor, and the many contributors for their efforts in putting together the touching Remembrances booklet containing personal memories of deceased classmates;

Don Crampton for his tireless and long-time work on the class’s support of the Wesleyan Fund and his committee, for their efforts, as well;

Hal Gorman, Bill Knox, Mike Maloney and Hugh Wilson for their donations of some truly fine wine for our enjoyment throughout the weekend;

Peter Kelman, expert in Web communications, who spearheaded the critical effort to locate lost classmates and to urge all to attend.

Now, thanks to Peter’s ongoing wizardry, coupled with Bob Barton’s wes65stories website, we are well-positioned to build on the relationships renewed and begun at our 50th. And, later this summer, all of us will receive the Class Book Addendum, and those who missed Reunion will also receive the tribute to deceased classmates and Peter Whiteley’s fabulous ’60s CD. (Thank you, Peter! I listen to it all the time!)

This will not be our last class gathering or Reunion! We have a great opportunity to continue to make new friendships, renew old ones and engage each other in beneficial ways for years to come. So, save Nov. 6–7 (Homecoming), the dates for our next get together. Details to follow!