Tag: 1977

The world seems a bit brighter these days: literally with added daylight hours, as well as better news with vaccinations arriving and COVID case numbers dropping. People are beginning to make plans again, even seeing weddings that were deferred in 2020 rescheduled for later this year. All welcome news! In addition, classmates supplied some updates from their respective bubbles.

     William Altman sent along a cover of his most recent book, Ascent to the Beautiful­—Plato the Teacher and the Pre-Republic Dialogues from Protagoras to Symposium. The reviews are very positive. Susan White writes in that she moved to Brookline, Massachusetts with her partner Jonathan and enjoys being a condo owner and not having to shovel. Her son graduated from social work school and got married in November in a COVID-approved socially-distanced ceremony. Sue’s daughter is teaching locally at Teach for America.

     Steve Gold writes that he and wife Sue are living in Brooklyn Heights, New York, where they moved after becoming empty nesters in 2012. At the start of 2021, Steve retired after serving 28 years as a U.S. magistrate judge for the Eastern District of New York and has joined JAMS, beginning a new chapter with a private mediation and arbitration service. Like many in our class he received his second vaccine dose and is now planning trips to join family he has not seen in over a year. Steve remains in close touch with Andy Adesman and Rick Dennett and can report good health and eager anticipation for more normal circumstances moving forward.

     Bob Krakower now lives in Amherst, Massachusetts with wife Rosalie Burrows, whom he met in law school. He took early retirement moving to Montserrat, a small Caribbean island, but eventually moved back to the States because of a continuing volcanic eruption. Everyone, including children and grandchildren, are doing well. Friends from Wesleyan, especially Jonathan Gertler and Joanne Silver ’74, are still among Bob’s closest friends.

      Rachel Feldman is grateful to have been able to continue to help her fellow New Yorkers during this pandemic via teletherapy, after 30 years of providing “in person” psychotherapy in Manhattan. Mark Slitt is not retired, but is fully vaccinated, which is big news. John Fink got the dreaded COVID disease and after many months, had no sense of taste (some would argue that has been the case for 60+ years) and limited sense of smell.

     Joe Mabel retired in December 2020 from the software industry and has plunged back into music. He started The Weill Project dedicated to the work of the German (later American) composer Kurt Weill (who happened to be a distant relative of this writer). Hank Rosenfeld recently went hiking in Death Valley National Park with Bob Rees. Hank is working on an oral history of KSAN-FM in San Francisco, the first hippie underground freeform radio station, founded in the Summer of Love.

     Don Spencer bought a home in St. Augustine, on the Intracoastal. He and wife Vicki will be splitting their time between Connecticut and Florida; we have all been invited to visit. Cindee Howard writes that after leaving the hospitality industry decimated by the pandemic, she is enjoying retirement by taking Hebrew classes via Zoom, has been renovating bathrooms, and plans to travel to Israel this November. Cindee sends a big thanks to Amy Fisher, who introduced her to Israeli folk-dancing the first Wednesday night we were at Wesleyan.    

     Iddy Olson is now fully vaccinated. She will be in Jackson Hole, Wyoming being a doting grandmother as her son (my godson Des) has had baby number two. Iddy is grateful for her good health and that of her husband who had a tough 2020; they survived well in their first year of marriage during the pandemic year. It must get easier from here on. Carol Cooper passed her oral exams for her PhD in Jungian and archetypal psychology. She now returns to NYU as Doctor Cooper, to resume teaching part time as an adjunct professor at the Clive Davis Institute for Recorded Music. In addition to teaching, Carol continues to write about pop music and culture.

    Here’s to wishing everyone good health and may we all be vaccinated by the time you all read this.

     It will be great for us to look forward to our 45th Reunion in 2022 when we may get to hug one another.

 Several fine notes have been received during this unprecedented year reminding me of the power of connection. Being in touch has been a lifeline to us all who were so used to freely travel- ing or gathering in groups without a second thought but have not for some time now. I have described this year for myself as one of recalibration: shifting priorities to maintaining good health, appreciating all that we have and displaying civility and kindness to others. Here is to the hope these lessons remain long after vaccines have been distributed and we resume our faster paced lives.

Paul Meisel’s son Andrew was married in Maine this September. Paul’s latest book My Stinky Summer by S. Bug came out this summer: a scientifically accurate “diary” by a brown marmorated stink bug. Paul has two books ready for release including My Tiny Life by Ruby T. Hummingbird and You Poop Here, a book on potty training. 

Andy Darpino is hoping to celebrate his daughter’s wedding in January 2021 after this past summer’s postponement. Once this event is completed, he will consider retirement. 

Bruce Kaplan writes from Chattanooga, Tennessee that he retired from his neurology practice and runs Barking Legs Theater with his wife with a focus on dance and music events. They have been creative by streaming shows and holding outdoor events with full social distancing including “Drive-In” Dances. Bruce keeps in touch with Mac Scott as well as recently met up with Cynthia Dembrow to share thoughts and feelings surrounding the recent deaths of parents. Bruce is thankful that Maco Stewart introduced him to Bill Monroe’s Bluegrass Boys at Wesleyan prior to becoming a resident of Tennessee. 

Ellen Gendler is practicing and teaching dermatology in Manhattan. Ellen was stricken with COVID-19 in March; she experienced how onerous it is to maintain the safety of patients and staff. Ellen and her husband were able to retreat to the Berkshires to recover, which I am pleased to report she has. Son Jonathan is chief resident in medicine at Massachusetts General where he receives great career advice from Jim Udelson. He also provided Ellen with their first grandchild. Younger son Michael graduated from law school in May and begins his law career in January. Ellen sends regards to Richard Parad, who she fondly remembers studying bio with at the Science Library, many long years ago.

 Hal Garneau writes that while rooming in Foss Hill 5, he met Dan Waters with whom he became close friends, grew inseparable, fell deeply in love and have been together ever since: “46 wonderful years.” Both Hal and Dan are retired in Hal’s hometown of Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. Hal sends a special hello to all friends and fellow dorm-mates from Foss Hill 5, which I believe is still standing. A dormitory was built on the adjacent site of a former playing field. 

John Fink recently took the reins of Aloha United Way in Oahu. As so much of Hawaii’s economy is tourism based, the state has been hit especially hard. John is on the front lines providing relief on many fronts for the struggling population. As many have reported, not being to see your children or grandchildren is especially frustrating, albeit understandable. Quoting John: “Some people will look back at the horrid year of COVID-19 and talk about how they made it through, I would prefer to look back and say that I helped make a difference: that’s why we are all here in the first place.” John’s book Think About It, a compilation of editorials from 2000 to 2018, is available from Amazon. 

Johnathan Gertler reports that he is well, along with his family, especially his two-and-a-half-year-old granddaughter Jhie. He is grateful to be a part of the health care community and has new music coming out soon. I smiled reading through Keith Stern’s note as I had the pleasure of being his architect for a new chapel and renovation of his temple in Newton, Massachusetts, for which Keith is rabbi. It is frustrating in that people cannot use the completed spaces. But they will! The adage that an “architect is only as good as his client” was never truer. Keith is still married after 40 years and has all five kids and grandchildren on the eastern seaboard. He completed his note stating he is studying astrophysics in his spare time and wears a mask. 

Don Spencer is keeping his spirits up as he fights cancer by working hard at his firm, kayaking, biking, and obsessively buying fine watches. Even though he’s been out of touch with so many alums, he would welcome calls or (socially distanced) visits to his Westport home or NYC apartment (visitors to Westport will be required to ride in his Boston Whaler!). He can be reached at 646-691-7457 (mobile), 203-662-0123 (landline) or donspencer33@gmail.com.

 Susan Jacobson writes from Portland that as owner of a consulting company serving nonprofits, she has been helping a range of organizations weather the pandemic. Family, including her two sons, are well and live locally. She attended some protests and is proud of her city for supporting “Black Lives Matter” so diligently and thoroughly. Susan remains hopeful for the future that our higher ideals will some day be realized. 

Tom Roberts is enjoying following his son’s freshman year progress at Wesleyan; he has joined the football team though no games were scheduled in 2020.

Susan White is continuing to teach, remotely of course, at Boston University School of Medicine. She has taken to the challenge of reconnecting with folks and a rapid adaptation to a huge number of new platforms. So far so good! 

To all I send you best wishes for a fine and healthy 2021!

Gerry Frank | Gfrank@bfearc.com

To be sure, the coronavirus pandemic has changed all our lives forever. The desire to connect, be in touch, has increased as we adjust to Zoom gatherings and other methods that allow us to continue work as well as survive during the time of social isolation. Slowing the pace of our day-to-day lives has had a positive effect in that we make time for reaching out, as well as perhaps cook and eat better, get some exercise, meditate, whatever. With this, I am delighted to be in touch with so many classmates via Zoom and others by phone calls and notes sent along.

Carol Weiss is doing well sheltering at home in Westchester with her husband and two of her three kids. Everyone is healthy. She is avoiding her office in Manhattan: enjoying seeing all her patients virtually. Dave Schreff sends best regards to friends Bob Yorburg, Michele Druker, Martha Meade ’76, Eric Zimmerman, and Don Lowery. Dave Levit, along with wife Ruth, lives in Amherst, Mass., where they have been since 1989. As clinical psychologists, they are adjusting to doing sessions by videoconference in the time of COVID. Dave remarks that both his daughter and son are staying in the family business: Becca completed a master’s in school counseling, Jeremy is a second-year medical student awaiting his clinical rotation in psychiatry in Brooklyn.

Dorothy Crenshaw had a Zoom happy hour with pals Marianne Diorio and Vanessa Burgess, commiserating about the pandemic in NYC, sharing gratitude at being healthy. She has been texting with Don Ryan; she managed a visit with Don, George Capone, and Cal Dysinger last October when they traveled to join her at a Steely Dan concert at the Beacon Theatre. Dorothy is busier than ever with her PR firm. She is sheltering in place in Manhattan (unlike the many who have fled) and, as an older parent, lucky that her 16-year-old daughter is still living at home and not off somewhere alone.

David Dranoff is hunkering down in Oak Park, Ill., where he has lived with wife Wendy for 28 years. Like many of us, David is working remotely, wondering if this is the time to put the work thing aside: wondering what will be the next stage of life. His kids are healthy, though not all remain employed due to the pandemic. Iddy Olson is now commuting from master bedroom to office/bedroom 12 feet away. She can’t imagine taking a train, parking, walking a half-mile each way again. Her husband, Tom, has had some health challenges in what was assumed to be a mild case of the coronavirus. He does appear to be turning the corner, which comes at a great relief to us all.

Jim Melloan is doing well in Brooklyn: had a nice Zoom session with Rich Shulman a couple of weeks ago; also in touch with Marisa Smith ’78, Miriam Wolf, and James Lyons via email. Joan Goldfeder is staying busy with a PAC that supports Democratic, pro-choice, female candidates in California and nationally. She is seeing lots of great candidates via Zoom. Joan’s son just finished college at Bucknell; she is extremely proud of his accomplishments.

John Fink has a new book out compiling his TV editorials from the past 19 years in Hawaii, published by Watermark Publishing. To quote: “When the world comes out of its largest-ever ‘timeout,’ I plan to do seminars about ‘making a difference.’” Before the shutdown, John met up with Rick Dennett and with Peter Guenther in New York. He also dropped in on former roomie, Scott Director. Lisa Brummel is working from home as a recruiter in the financial services field. Lisa is in touch with Lorraine Schwarz, among others. Her eldest son graduated from Dickinson College, and her younger son is a junior at American University. I had a nice exchange with Iddy, Mike Coffey, and Ted Stevens, sending along their good wishes. Ted and Iddy revealed their one real complaint being the inability to interact with their grandchildren, which is a sentiment echoed a lot by others in our class.

Additionally, I have been fortunate enough to be included in a cross-the-globe Zoom session with Jane Goldenring, Janet Malkemes, Ruth McMahon, Kate Seeger, Laraine Balk Hope, Wendy Giardina, Richard Parad, and Bob Katz. We organized a film club that appropriately began with each of us viewing The Big Chill and coming together to discuss via Zoom. Good stuff.

Here is hoping we all keep safe and sound during these days ahead. Best wishes to all, family and friends, during this extraordinary time.

Gerry Frank | Gfrank@bfearc.com