Dear Classmate:
Since writing to you about 6 months ago, I have received a good deal of mail about the activities of fellow '66s. Unfortunately, not all of the news has been uplifting: we lost six classmates in the short time between our 30th reunion and the end of December.
In Memoriam
Ed Northrup passed away on July 16 after he was struck by a car while biking in Harriman State Park near his home in Arden, NY. A member of Sigma Nu, Sphinx and the Dartmouth crew, Ed is survived by his former spouse, Christine, and their two children, Wilhelm and Marjorie.
On August 31, Steve Draheim died of an unspecified illness; survivors include his parents, Wesley and Phyllis Draheim. November proved to be a particularly sorrowful month. Julian Ferris passed away at his home in Houston Texas on November 14; he is survived by his wife, Rhoda. And Paul Balgley died on November 26 in Los Angeles; Paul's next of kin is his father, Robert, Class of '34.
After a six-month bout with cancer, Charlie Wilmot suffered a stroke in mid-December and passed away on the twenty-ninth in Norwalk, CT. As many of you know, Dartmouth was a major part of Charlie's life and his list of activities in support of the College is daunting. As an undergraduate, he was a member of Green Key Society, Kappa Sig,The Dartmouth , the DCU and crew. Over the past thirty years, Charlie had shown tremendous dedication to both the Class ( as newsletter editor, secretary, Alumni Fund agent, and reunion giving committee member) and his local Dartmouth Club (as treasurer, secretary and president). Charlie had only recently returned from a brief business venture in Hanover to Connecticut, where he married Marsha and became affiliated with New England Life. Bob Bach, who spent a good deal of time with the Wilmots in the days before Charlie's death, forwarded Marsha's request that any donations be made to the American Cancer Society or the Class of 1966 Scholarship Memorial Fund. (In fact, you can remember any of our deceased classmates with a gift to the latter if you wish.)
Other News
On the brighter side, another of our highly dedicated classmates (who wishes to remain anonymous) has made a $6,000 challenge gift to the Class of '66 scoreboard project, effective January 1 of this year. That is, he will match any gifts which other classmates give after that date up to a total contribution by him of $6,000. If you have not yet contributed to the scoreboard and would like to do so, I urge you to take advantage of this generous offer to leverage your dollars. Any funds collected beyond the amount needed to pay for the scoreboard will be assigned to our next class project, which is to provide travel expenses for a student to study overseas under the auspices of the J.S. Dickey Foundation. To ensure accurate record keeping, please make your checks payable to Dartmouth College and send them to Bill Higgins or me. Thanks.
George Trumbull wrote that he and Lyn are still enjoying the good life Down Under, where they have been visited by Bob and Linda Spence and their three sons. George was unable to get back for reunion (his first miss in 30 years), but he did have a chance to have dinner with Dick Wells and his wife during a recent stateside trip -- a reunion of sorts since they hadn't seen each other for 10 years. The Trumbulls invite any roadtripping '66s to stop in "for a free lunch or dinner on us" at 90 Braeside St., Wahroonga, NSW, Australia 2076 (that's near Sydney). From the US: phone 011-612-9489-1952 (home), 011-612-9257-7001 (work) or fax 011-612-9257-7500. (And I hope they'll do the same with us the next time they come to Princeton to visit their son.)
Speaking of the Pacific Rim, Walter Knoepfel reported that he is leaving San Francisco again for Southeast Asia -- his third assignment in that part of the world. "On October 1st, we (moved) back to Jakarta, Indonesia, where I met my wife, Murni, twenty-one years ago. It should be very exciting, as business is booming over there." Walter can be reached c/o W. Maischoss at Coopers & Lybrand, 350 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90071.
Jeff Fellows is another classmate who has felt the lure of the mysterious East. Jeff was granted a three month leave from Exeter Academy last fall and used the time to return to the Nepali village where he lived from 1966-68. From there, he went on to travel in Thailand, India and Vietnam.
Before leaving the States, Jeff was visited by John Harbaugh and his family, who were on their way to Hanover. John wrote that "Jeff had us spend the night in their beautiful 1850's home with winding staircases and an extensive library. My 12 year old daughter was impressed with the Hopkins Center film and theater programs."
Don Ries is also combining his love of teaching with the Asian experience, this time in Japan. Don wrote that he was about to defend his Japan National Indoor Rowing Championship title in the lightweight/over-50 division. "A friend got me to enter a race last year and I had no idea what I was getting into -- it was fun, but nothing like a shell. I'm feeling in better shape this year, but you never know who else turned 50." (The New York Times didn't cover the event so I can't tell you if he won or not.) Planning to be in Japan? Fax Don at 81-423-62-1713 or write him c/o ASIJ, 1-1-1 Nomizu; Chofu-Shi, Tokyo 182 Japan.
Wrapping up news from abroad, Bob Hill was kind enough to try to get in touch by phone as he dashed through the New York area on his way back to Saudi Arabia, where he works for Aramco. Unfortunately, his efforts netted him my voicemail so we didn't get a chance to talk. Thanks for trying, Bob; hopefully we'll connect the next time.
Closer to home, Joel and Margery Mumford left an extensive medical practice and teaching schedule in Boston last June to return to the Upper Valley: "The opportunity was presented of taking charge of a small (4 people) anesthesiology department, and I am enjoying the challenge of providing high quality service in a rural environment at the Springfield hospital." The Mumford's new address is 242 Elm Hill Rd., Springfield, VT 05156 (phone: 802-885-5402).
Staying in Boston, and apparently quite successfully, are Greg and Sharon McGregor. Shortly after reunion, Greg finished a legal brief to the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court for six amici curiae on the legality of three-acre environmental zoning (I'll have to get John Galt to explain this to me -- see below). Sharon is getting her masters in public administration and conservation biology at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government. The McGregors live at 151 Tremont St., Apt.16E, Boston, MA 02111
John Galt, a fellow denizen of Streeter Hall, took a civil mediation course last summer at the National Judicial College, University of Nevada, to sharpen his courtroom skills. John and his wife, Sally, live in Everett, WA (927 Grand, 98201), and have a son who recently graduated from Whitman College.
The teaching tradition runs deep with Barry and Anice Machado, both of whom just started their 26th year in the profession -- he as a professor of American history at Washington and Lee University and she as a sixth grade teacher at a county middle school. "Hers has been a more heroic calling, " according to Barry's recent note, which also reported that "Ethan has graduated from college and Amanda is a junior at the University of Richmond -- and I have no thoughts of retirement yet!" When he is not at the lectern, Barry can be found at 410 Reid St., Lexington, VA 24450 (phone: 540-463-7056).
An e-mail last fall from Steve Abrams announced that, after 21 years in the anesthesiology department at the Medical College of Wisconsin, he has taken a position at the University of New Mexico School of Mexico in Albuquerque where he will be in charge of pain management programs. (Anyone smart enough to move from the deep freeze of the upper Midwest to the warmth of the Southwest must really know how to manage pain.) Steve's wife, Pam, will "suffer through one more Wisconsin winter and join me in the spring when we have quarters built for ourselves and the livestock." Their son Daniel and his wife will be neighbors, and their daughter Eden (Class of '94) will be taking a one-year graduate program in scientific illustration at UC Santa Cruz. Steve can be reached by phone at 505-256-2775 (office) or by fax at 505-256-5743.
By now, Rear Admiral William Hayden has retired from the Navy, where he most recently served as chief of naval air training at Corpus Cristi NAS and headed a command that included five training air wings, five naval air stations, 690 planes and about 10,000 personnel in three states. A recent issue of Navy Times profiled Bill's distinguished military career, including his tactful and effective handling of showdowns involving the Navy and the community over base closures. Asked what he will be doing in "real" life, Bill noted that "it'll be something between greeter at Wal-Mart, which I am qualified to do because he wears a uniform and smiles a lot, and a big executive. I'd like to work with young people, teaching or providing guidance."
A note from Pete Dole last fall provided some amusing insights into how we might benefit from switching our lives from the fast to the slow lane: "The farther down the road we get, the slower we should drive. I am trying to get as slow as Rich Daly would have wanted me to be. I'm learning a new driving skill as I acquired a D-6 (for those that don't know, this is a Caterpillar bulldozer in the mid-to-large range, turbo diesel power with hydraulic blade and a top speed of 3-4 mph with a tail wind). As with my sports utility vehicle, the exciting thing is seeing how far the Cat will climb or lean. Corners on a dime, but then the coin looks more like a quarter because of the 20 ton footprint. Nice thing is that you don't have to worry about what is in front of you -- it will move. Unfortunately my three daughters drive their cars about the same way; one has had five accidents in her first year. At least they don't vote -- yet."
Press releases and news clippings have augmented those ubiquitous green cards in keeping me up to date on the professional accomplishments and civic activities of many classmates. Ed Kuriansky was recently sworn in by Mayor Giuliani as Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation (DOI). The DOI is one of the oldest law enforcement agencies in the country with a history of promoting and maintaining integrity and efficiency in government; as its commissioner, Ed will investigate and refer for prosecution city employees and contractors engaged in corrupt and fraudulent activities or unethical conduct. Ed brings exceptional talent to the job, having been in private practice in the area of health care fraud investigation, a Deputy Attorney General and Special Prosecutor for the state, and Assistant US Attorney.
Bob Serenbetz was featured last fall in a Forbes article on the change of focus required in making the move from a large to a small company. Bob noted that "you have to retrain yourself to become a generalist. At Warner Lambert (Bob's former employer)...I never had to worry where I would get cash or where interest rates were, but at smaller companies (such as DNA Plant Technologies, where Bob is currently COO) you have to do both." My wife and I enjoyed an evening with Bob and Karen before they returned to California from a holiday trip to the East coast and Bermuda.
The board of Protein Group, one of the top 100 dairy companies in the US, appointed Steve Lanfer president and chief executive last summer (sorry, but the clipping service at Alumni Records can be slow). Steve showed up in Princeton last November to watch the Big Green (or the Big Moose, or whatever we are allowed to call ourselves) romp the Tigers 24-zip in the last game to be held in Palmer Stadium before its demolition. Other classmates seen in the crowd included Gus and Susan Southworth, Rich and Debra Kaiser, Jim and Betsy Nutt, Chuck Sherman, and Paul and Margo Doscher.
Bob Baldwin was honored as a Paul Harris Fellow by the Camden (Maine) Rotary Club for his work over many years as chairman of the club's scholarship committee. Harris Fellows (named after one of the founders of Rotary) are recognized annually for their contributions to humanitarian and educational purposes. Bob and his wife, Jan, live in bucolic Rockport, from where they can actually "commute" by bike to their accounting practice in Camden.
One of three doctors selected by their peers as among the best physicians in the Pacific region was our own John Reinisch. John heads the plastic and reconstructive surgery division of Children's Hospital Los Angeles, and is chairman of plastic surgery and an associate professor at USC School of Medicine.
Jim Everett has been named vice president of Commonwealth Hematology-Oncology, P.C., the area's largest cancer care network providing comprehensive services on Boston's South Shore. Jim has been in private practice in Weymouth since 1977, and is medical director for Hospice of the South Shore.
Looking for a vacation retreat or retirement home close to The Green? Just call Bob Buckley, who has joined the Georgina Williamson real estate brokerage in Woodstock, VT. Prior to becoming a land baron, Bob practiced law for 25 years and most recently served as general counsel to Banc One New Hampshire Asset Management.
Bill Rodarmor continues to prove his mettle as a translator and author. The American Translators Assoc. has named him winner of its biennial award for his translation of French sailor Bernard Moitessier's autobiography. Bill is managing editor of The California Monthly, the magazine of the UC Alumni Association, has published eight book translations and has three more works in progress.
The Fisher House Foundation has appointed Jim Weiskopf as its public affairs director to oversee communication, fund raising and outreach programs for its 26 residences that provide lodging to families whose loved ones are hospitalized at nearby Army medical facilities. Jim is a retired Army colonel with a variety of public affairs and personnel management assignments to his credit, and is looking forward to his new challenge.
And a final news flash: Governor Gus King continues to stir things up in the Pine Tree State, as we knew he would. Under the headline "The Independent King Who Became Governor," a political newspaper columnist noted that Gus governs "through an aggressive agenda of leading a business, trade and technological revolution in a state whose economy is based on wood, lobsters and tourism", and praised him for making significant strides in developing Maine's competitiveness. Gus has doubts, it appears, that there is enough time left in his term to complete everything that he set out to do, and it is reported that he is re-assessing earlier thoughts of not seeking re-election. Maine and its independent governor are being closely watched by those who believe that a candidate free from political ties and with proven ability to get the job done could and should be a major player in the presidential election of 2000 -- and Gus may well be the one. So in two years we might be counted among the F.O.G.s (Friends of Gus) who are ready to help set a new agenda in Washington. What a breath of fresh air that would be.
News From The Mini-Reunion
Bob Bach was good enough to file a report, complete with photos, of the events surrounding the mini-reunion last October where "Yale lost, the weather held and the Class of '00 made a bonfire that was burned out before the lights on Baker were turned out on Friday night." Hector Motroni, Robin Carpenter, Bill Roberts and Bob Serenbetz, accompanied by respective family members, were among those who helped lead the Friday night parade up Main Street "with less than military precision." On Saturday, the group gathered at the Doschers' house in Norwich for what has become as much a part of our mini-reunions as the football games -- a splendid brunch, a chance to catch up with friends and a sale on aging reunion merchandise.
Under Robin's watchful eye, the '66 scoreboard performed far more brilliantly than the Yale team, and then the gang was off to the Norwich Inn for a roast duck dinner. The surprise of the night was the arrival of Edgar Holly and his wife; Edgar had not been back for quite some time and it was great to see him. Halsey Bullen, the Kaisers and the Spences were also part of the dinner party, the latter undoubtedly bringing greetings from George Trumbull in Australia. Judging from the pictures, everyone had a very good time -- and the best news is that none of the old varsity sweaters looked any tighter than they did a year ago.
Footnote To The Thirtieth
Reunion treasurer Jim Weiskopf reported that we made an $8,360 profit, $3,360 of which came from the auction for the scoreboard fund. The extra $5,000 has been deposited in the class treasury for use on the Dickey Foundation project. We will commit to $5,000 per year of funding for that effort and, as a condition of the award, ask for presentations of student travels and study programs at our mini-reunions. Our thanks to Jim and the rest of the reunion squad for keeping expenses down so we could come out ahead.
Bob Serenbetz has asked me to advise that he has reunion books for those who were unable to make the big event, and that they are available for just $25 each (which includes shipping). The book contains personal notes and photos from your classmates describing what they have been doing for the past 30 years, and it makes very enjoyable and, in many cases, inspirational reading. If you couldn't get back in June, here's the perfect opportunity to catch up. Just contact Bob at RVDD11A@prodigy.com or by phone: 415-474-6274 (home) or 510-450-9399 (work).
That's it for this edition. Please take a minute to let me hear from you either directly or via the enclosed card -- I would like to get another letter out before mid-year and your news will help make it happen. I can be reached at:
Also, in the event that you may want to contact the Alumni Relations Office, the new toll-free number is 1-888-228-6068.
Thanks!
Jim