Tag: 1969

Wes words . . . 1969

Ken and Visakha Kawasaki continue their active, anti-war, pro-environment lifelong passion.

Harold Davis wrote, “All’s well. Christine and I enjoy retirement. Just back from southern France. I serve on several philanthropy and health-care boards.”

Charlie Morgan is “working on a potential book about people’s rights and the interpretation of Massachusetts’s constitution. Grandson Jordan is a Marine on the USS Kearsarge. All other grandchildren are pursuing higher education. Life is good in southwest Florida where I play a lot of tennis.”

From Ron Reisner, “Sixties Dekes sponsored a tee box at Wesleyan’s annual basketball/golf outing—Dick Emerson ’68, Steve Knox, Jack Sitarz, Andy Gregor ’70, and I. We were all saddened by the passing of Coach Herb Kenny. Dennis Robinson ’79 remembered how Coach wanted good basketball and good scholarship and was delighted by our post-Wes lives. I am indebted to Coach for much of my success at Duke Law and subsequent legal career as a federal prosecutor, trial lawyer, and state court trial judge.”

Rick Pedolsky said, “Cilla and I summer in the Stockholm archipelago, running our business while swimming and wandering the woods, feasting on wild berries and mushrooms. Life is soft and easy. This year, two hours away are the horrors of the Ukraine. I remember Francis Fukuyama’s The End of History and the Last Man, which 30 years ago proclaimed the ascendancy of Western democracy. Hallelujah. Amen. Oh, what a world, what a world.”

Jim Drummond “practices criminal law more intensely than ever. I hope the Texas church is punished for bastardizing Hamilton with a sermon against same-sex relationships.”

Jim Adkins wrote, “Heading toward more normalcy. Delta COVID made me quite sick. All outside interactions stopped, except for phone and internet, cutting me off from the world for several months. Now, back to music and travel. Where we go from here is unknown. Hopefully us old farts will fare well.”

Steve Knox enjoys life in the mountains of North Carolina. “Asheville is kind of a blue oasis surrounded by red—much like Austin, Texas. We have very active artistic and musical communities, a UNC campus, a growing throng of pickleball enthusiasts, and some of the best public tennis courts I’ve ever seen.”

“Saw Ron Reisner, Jack Sitarz, Dick Emerson ’68, and Andy Gregor ’70 at the Friends of Wesleyan Men’s Basketball Golf Outing at the end of May. It’s always a fun event, and Coach Reilly is doing a great job. The team won NESCAC again this year. On a sad note, former coach Herb Kenny passed away recently. He was a great coach and an inspiration to all of his players.”

Pete Pfeiffer reported, “Bob Conkling’s memorial service was lovely. Many people paid respects to the brilliant, witty lawyer, housebuilder, and philosopher. My second book, Solastalgia, is available on Amazon.”

John Wilson said, “All is well and quiet in Ann Arbor. Nothing exciting to report.”

Stu Blackburn wrote, “My new novel, All the Way to the Sea, is set in a fictionalized Little Compton, Rhode Island, where I spent childhood summers. It’s hot on England’s South Coast. All are welcome to visit.”

Tom Earle “traveled 2,000 miles in my wife’s native Norway. We didn’t see a single pothole or stretch of broken pavement.”

Rip Hoffman “received an offer I couldn’t refuse. I’m out of retirement and serving as pastor of St. Michael’s Lutheran Church, New Canaan, Connecticut.”

Doug Bell “announced two grandchildren—boy, 5, and girl, 1. All the best to classmates.”

Fred Coleman wrote, “Just had a week with three kids, three in-law spouses, and grandkids on Lake George. Also, a day with all my paternal cousins—family!!

“Wendy retired in January after 43 years as a behavioral pediatrician. I have cut back from 60 to 49 hours most weeks. The need for psychiatrists . . . only increases.

“Our Africa group, now with nine teams in six countries has only met by Zoom—monthly, co-learning webinars and yearly conference. I hope to be able to go in person in October.

“Wendy and I deferred her 75th–birthday trip from May 2020 to this last May 2022—a Viking River Cruise in the Rhone Valley. The safest we have been during COVID. Everyone—crew and passengers—PCR tested pre-launch, then daily rapid tests throughout, with immediate movement off ship to quarantine. Masked except at meals, with good spacing.”

Dave Dixon is “still urban planning for Stantec, mostly in the U.S. and Canada. We have four terrific grandsons and a wonderful family. Never a dull moment.”

John de Miranda said, “My son Colin is in Ecuador as a Peace Corps volunteer. The idealism and service philosophy inherent in Jack Kennedy’s 1961 creation is still alive and well.”

Steve HanseI “sold the Florida house and downsized in New Orleans. Nine grands. All okay in general.”

Steve Howard “retired from commercial and civil litigation to become a pinochle player in an active-adult (?) New Jersey community, Exit 8 (a). Beth and I celebrated 53 years together, which produced two great daughters and two even greater granddaughters. One in college, the other a high school senior. Tempus fugit.”

George Evans “celebrated 46 years with husband Mike Devine. Paris, fall ’22, will reprieve a ’68 Wesleyan study abroad trip. I remember senior year living with Ed Sonnino and Howard Brown in Lawn Avenue.”

George made me remember. Senior year on the top floor of Beta house with Bruce Williams ’70, Rick McGauley, John Lacouture, Robin King, Curt Allen ’71, and Bill Fornaciari ’70. Who am I missing? One bathroom. Women guests. Vietnam. I took lit and art classes? I worked for Saga and the music department. There were few cars on the campus, which simmered with graduate school plans, marriage, military, the getting on of our lives. A seminal event passed, now, as gently as a light breeze.

Nick Browning has “moved full time to Vermont, close to Woodstock where we have a 50-mile view to the east to watch the sun rise over New Hampshire mountains.  We love being here, but are thoroughly sick of the social isolation that this pandemic has imposed on us.  I’m still working about 25 hours a week, something I’m enjoying more than ever before despite having to do everything on the computer. My nearly lifelong correspondence with Peter Pfeiffer continues and is the closest I can come to having a brother in this life.

You know, Charlie, I was talking to a friend not so long ago and we were talking about our working lives.  I told him I could not remember, ever, getting up in the morning feeling that I wished I didn’t have to go to work that day.  Ever!  Perhaps this memory is not entirely true, but I think it’s close. I doubt very many people in the world can experience good fortune like this.  I am always interested and always learning.  You could put this in the note also if you’d like— it’s my preposterous good fortune, along with my wife and family.

Rob Pratt writes: “Greetings!  I hope you and your family are well. What an incredible time we’ve been living through. Here’s a brief update.

“At the request of Asian Development Bank officials, I’ve started a new company to help Pacific Islands address their renewable energy and energy efficiency needs. I was scheduled to travel in February to the Solomon Islands where I and my team members have been working with the electric utility, but a COVID surge has delayed the trip to late April.

“Because I know you are interested in clean energy, my new company (my fourth) is Pacific Clean Energy Partners (www.PCEPartners.com). I founded PCEP almost two years ago, but with the pandemic, it’s been really difficult to get approved for travel. This latest delayed trip was my third attempt to get to the Solomons (travel bans get imposed when COVID surges), but I’m a tenacious guy, so I will get there. The Solomons, as well as many Pacific Islands, are mostly dependent on diesel oil for their electricity generation, so accelerating the use of renewables and energy efficiency approaches is not only good for the environment and climate change but helps with the countries’ balance of payments. Another positive is that through our clean energy development, we will be creating jobs in countries where unemployment is often high. (Ironically, there’s a lot of clean energy funding committed to the Pacific Islands by the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank, the European Union, Australia, New Zealand, etc., but a good deal of it doesn’t get committed because of a lack of RE/EE developers.)

“I’m no longer CEO of GreenerU, my third company, which works with colleges and universities in implementing energy efficiency installations and climate action plans, but I do continue to serve as its chairman. While the pandemic halted our work on almost all college campuses during the early stages of the outbreak, the federal PPP Loan Program was literally a lifesaver, and GreenerU (www.GreenerU.com) has come through it okay. We’ve done a great deal of work with Brown, Brandeis, Babson, Dartmouth, Clark, WPI, Boston College, Yale, Smith, Wellesley, Mt. Holyoke, and many more (though we’ve never been able to crack Wesleyan in spite of numerous attempts!), and just received a $7M contract from Harvard Medical School. So, it’s been gratifying to see continuing progress with EE and colleges’ work in helping to mitigate their GHG emissions and become climate neutral.

“In addition to my clean energy work, I continue to sail Zephyr, our cruising sailboat, all over the Coast of Maine in the summer, taking off the entire month of August each year. This past summer we sailed from our home port of Falmouth, Maine, to the Penobscot Bay/Mt. Desert Island/Bar Harbor region. It’s wonderful to be able to sail to inhabited and uninhabited islands, interesting ports and peninsulas, which abound in Maine, which has more coastline than the rest of the East Coast combined!  With our home in Exeter, New Hampshire, I also do a good deal of skiing in the winter, both with my daughter and the Seacoast Ski Club. So far this year I’ve skied Cannon, Mt. Sunapee, Stowe, Sunday River, and Okemo.

“So, life is good, in spite of the pandemic and my worries about the national political situation and, of course, climate change. We seem to be rushing down a path with huge climate and environmental consequences, and it’s far worse than most people know. But I’m an optimist, and rather than getting depressed, I simply try to contribute where I and my companies and non-profit organizations (I founded the International Institute for Energy Conservation —www.IIEC.org—in 1984 and served as its chairman for many years) can help make a difference.

“Sorry for this long email. I got carried away on this Sunday morning. Best wishes to you and your family!—Rob”

Larry Feldman notes: “Still well, still working, three grandkids.”

Jim Drummond replies: “Deborah and I are healthy and I still practice criminal defense in Texas. Hope Colorado re-elects its two Wesleyan senators.”

Paul Dickman writes: “I have a new hip.”

Pete Pfeiffer laments: “John Bloomgarden died last October. A wonderful person. Quiet, delightful sense of humor, and a warm, generous nature.” I couldn’t agree more.

Pete continues: “Maine’s Jack London winters aren’t getting any easier, snow and sleet outside. I’m in the La-Z-Boy looking for the right words. Solastagia, second book, on Amazon.”

Ron Reisner reflects: “Mike Terry’s passing is sad. In spring 2020, he challenged lacrosse teammates to help Wesleyan improve. Positive, smart, beyond funny, he will be missed.” Mike used his talents as a writer, visionary, and humanist to set goals that benefit others.

From Ken Kawasaki: “We are happy to keep in touch with all, to hear from old friends, and to make new! With the continuing pandemic, we wonder when we will be able to meet anyone again in person, to welcome visitors, or to travel again. We are not in lockdown, but the virus is still spreading in Sri Lanka as everywhere, so, for the most part, we remain isolated at home. We’re grateful to be able to communicate online; we’re stronger together, even virtually! By the power of the Triple Gem, may you enjoy well-being.” www.brelief.org.

John Wilson is “well, thankful, and hunkered down in Ann Arbor. Read, exercise, forage for food. Love to grill.”

John Bach paints houses and counsels Quaker students at Harvard. “I’m going out with my boots on.”

Stu Blackburn recommends Helen MacInnes’ spy thrillers. “I can see signs of spring on England’s south coast. Enduring family dislocations because of COVID.”

“Boog” Powell writes: “New London, New Hampshire. Fully retired. Sail an Island Packet out of South Freeport. Oldest granddaughter Lizzie, a freshman at Berklee College in Boston.”

Barry and Kate Turnrose “welcomed a second grandchild, Tyler; parents are our son Eric and his wife Dawn. Living nearby, we see Tyler and big sister Jenna often.”

From Steve Broker: “Linda and I continue to reside in Cheshire, Connecticut, and Wellfleet, Massachusetts. We met in the Wesleyan MAT Program in September 1969.  A few years later, Linda completed a second master’s degree at Yale’s Epidemiology and Public Health, and in the early 1980s, I studied further at Yale’s School of Forestry & Environmental Sciences (now School of the Environment).  Linda’s career involved 32 years of academic administration at Quinnipiac University, while mine alternated between high school science teaching and graduate school administration at Wes (Graduate Liberal Studies Program) and Yale (Forestry). We have long pursued various activities (painting, gardening, and birding) in retirement.”

Mark Hodgson published an essay in Hippocampus Magazine.

Tom Earle says: “Fly fish for bass in Oahu’s jungle streams. Will visit Norway unless another variant emerges.”

Dave Dixon “made a career of planning urban renaissance projects across North America. In touch with Jeff Richards, Bill Edelheit, Rob Pratt, and Bob Feldman ’70. Still trying to figure out what I want to do when I grow up.”

Charlie Morgan writes: “COVID in January; mild symptoms. Play tennis, do genealogical research, and act as an expert witness in lawsuits. Love from southeastern Florida.”

Paul Edelberg ’72: “My brother Jay died after a long battle with multiple myeloma. He was a natural leader and a nationally known emergency room physician. He was a kind and generous spirit.” Hear, hear! I remember Jay’s smile, which lit up a room.

Ed Sonnino’s political platform: “End poverty, homelessness, violent crime, addiction . . . .”

Rich and Evvy Kennedy ’71 note: “What a strange world. So unkind these days.”

Rick McGauley replies: “Cape Cod. Hanging in. Let’s keep in touch.”

Rip Hoffman shares: “At our assisted living facility, a very elderly man asked me my college affiliation. I said Wesleyan. ‘Communists,’ he shouted, laughed hysterically, and walked away. We hunker down. Meals delivered to our suite. Have had dinner with Bob Wylie ’49 and Bob Runk ’67, a member of Uranus and the Five Moons. We shared lots of late-60s memories. Stay positive, test negative.”

Steve Hansel states: “We downsized last summer. All best wishes.”

Bob Dombroski “had COVID. Fine now. Looking forward to two 50th reunions—wedding and law school.”

Dave Siegel, a physician, answered my question, “Why does COVID scare you?” His reply: “Many reasons. Even when we did not know the cause of AIDS, it was clear that avoiding high-risk behaviors made it almost impossible to get AIDS, unless you stuck yourself with a needle from an AIDS patient when drawing blood. Of course, if you were a sexually active gay man or an injection drug user, you would have difficulty avoiding these behaviors. Unlike AIDS, COVID can kill quickly and is a respiratory pathogen. It spreads in a stealthy way and one might not know when you are exposed. For medical people, working in the ED or ICU is especially scary. My son, not me, worked in the ICU in spring 2020 and we were scared to death that he would get sick. Many young doctors and nurses, especially in cities with medical centers, shouldered a huge part of the burden. Fortunately, between vaccines and treatments, things are a lot better.”

February snow swept through. The condos, small and massed, feel like Plimouth Plantation that first winter. COVID has changed me into an exotic animal on a large preserve.

The far horizon is pink, the high sky a very off light blue. The moon’s disc silhouettes the big oaks, and the far trees bunch like Brillo. These are Wyeth’s colors.

Love,

Charlie

Rick Pedolsky brought sad news. “Diamond Dave Driscoll died in February, the result of an earlier stroke. We hoped he would return to his jolly, grumpy, hopeful, cynical old self, but it didn’t happen.” Condolences came from Bruce Williams ’70, Eric Greene, Paul Dickman, Jim Drummond, and Bill Eaton.

Rick and Cecilia still live in Stockholm. “No retirement. Our company provides an online, interactive publishing platform for scientific, medical, and scholarly research organizations and educational institutions. Business boomed during the pandemic because this is information that has to be shared.”

    Steve Knox wrote, “Roommate Eric Esterhay died this spring after years of declining health. He was talented and generous. I will miss him.”

    Mark Hodgson and I met for breakfast in Old Saybrook. He lives north of Boston, along the coast. We share a love for kayaking and environmental protection. I had lunch with Phil Dundas ’70 at his Westbrook beach cottage. Swordfish, corn on the cob, salad, tempura asparagus, sugar free peppermint patties, and sparkling water. I felt virtuous. The view of Long Island Sound was mind blowing. Phil had a front row seat when Steve Bannon was removed from the Chinese tycoon’s yacht.

    Rick McGauley lives on Cape Cod, “two granddaughters nearby.”

    Jimmy Dreyfus mentioned some Beta ’70 names—“Steve Talbot, Dave Davis, Jeremy Serwer, Bruce Williams, and Tim Greaney.”

From Charlie Morgan, “Old age catching up. Broke toe, healed, re-injured. Doctors are puzzled.”

    Carl Culler said, “Kathy and I are semi-retired on Lake Norman in North Carolina. Bought a pontoon boat.”

From Peter Arenella: “About half of the US lives in an alternative universe where facts and science do not matter. We sold our California home and now live in Mexico. Miss kids but are happy in a serene mountain village.”

    Tom Goodman spent the pandemic photographing Philly, his home for the last four decades. Check tomgoodman.com for the panoramas.

    John Wilson is “vaccinated and healthy.”

    Peter Cunningham “attended a retreat with Zen Peacemakers and spiritual leaders of Lakota Sioux in Medicine Wheel, Wyoming.”

    Ron Reisner has “a whole new life.”

    Jim Drummond “makes the world safe for Texas criminals, guilty or not. My friend Jeff Richards does great work for the Actor’s Fund.”

    Doug Bell is “safe, happy, still standing at 74.”

    Rip Hoffman has sold his Westport townhouse and has moved to a life-care facility in Redding, Connecticut. “Will keep our social network. I do some retirement work for local pastors.

“Part of moving into Meadow Ridge is providing them with a brief biography.  I discovered that this biography was then posted on a public space for all to see.  The critical factor in this story is that the bio included that fact that I went to Wesleyan. We were here about a week, having dinner in the Bistro, and a gentleman came up to our table and said he wanted to talk to a fellow Wesleyan grad.  His name is Bob Wiley and he is from the class of 1950!  He is 99 years old.  We talk a little bit.  He said he’d be back in touch. Bob called us earlier this week and asked Mouse and I to join him and his wife for dinner.  It turns out Bob had invited another Wesleyan grad, Bob Runk, class of 1967.  I soon discover that Bob was part of Uranus and the Five Moons. I heard his group play numerous times at various house parties.  We shared a lot of memories of the late 1960s.”

    Ken Elliott “is in re-inventing mode. Attentive to the garden and woods. Studying Japanese. Finding ways to participate in my community. It’s all good.”

    Ed Hayes “keeps brain cells active with classes, guitar and Spanish lessons. Waiting for the ‘Aha moment.’”

    Ken Kawasaki’s “What a Piece of Work is Man” is on brelief.com.

    Stuart Blackburn’s new novel is set in rural Rhode Island.

    John de Miranda writes, “All is well. Son and partner awaiting Peace Corps deployment to Ecuador. Carol-Ann gardens and cooks. I teach at the University of California, San Diego.”

    Jack Elias has a new book: The Outrageous Guide to Being Fully Alive: Defeat Your Inner Trolls and Reclaim Your Sense of Humor.

    Rameshwar Das does virtual book tours promoting his mentor’s memoir, Being Ram Dass.

    Mike Fairchild “sends virtual hugs until we can all meet and greet again in the old-fashioned way.”

    Pete Pfeiffer says, “Maine’s spring and summer are always a big help for us older folks.”

    Bob Dombroski “recalled great Wes performances—Sun Ra, Norman Mailer, Janis Joplin, and transcending all—Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.”

    John Mihalec shares his midnight pasta recipe—spaghetti, olive oil, garlic, anchovies, capers, Parmesan, and parsley.

    Gordy Fain ’70 remembered a beloved mentor for both of us, Marjorie Daltry Rosenbaum, and life at MoCon. “The cooking and food prep skills I learned there I use every day here at home. Also, I’m enjoying the return of fan-friendly baseball.”

From Fred Coleman: “I’m still working full time. Telehealth is amazing and a royal pain. I work more hours, though hardly leaving the chair. Don’t mind cutting the car commute. We cancelled an Alaska cruise, so drove 4,500 miles to see family. All kids and their spouses and grandkids were with us for the Fourth. Truly, family is so important.”

We spent the Fourth with Maurice Hakim ’70 and his wife Carol. They live on a beautiful street off the Boston Post Road that ends at Clinton’s town beach. Hot dogs, cheeseburgers, baked beans, potato salad, pickles, brownie sundaes. The long isolation of the pandemic eased.

Love to all,

Charlie