Notes: January/February 2010

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Notes: January/February 2010

As I write in early November, the second recent extended discussion—this one about global warming—is taking place on the class discussion list (a.k.a. class listserv). These exchanges are deeply informed, witty, inquiring, serious. Given the number of numinous minds in the class, that's not surprising. What is surprising, and lamentable, is the low proportion of classmates who are members of that list. You can sign up through the class website or by notifying Vic Norton, the list manager.

Also as we go to press, three scheduled class events are before us. The first, the yearly November football-game-focused gathering at Yale Bowl, preceded by a class council meeting and followed as always by a post-game gathering at Nancy Mongillo's home, will have occurred by the time you read this. The second, scheduled for Saturday, January 30th, is the annual winter day in New Haven. Its luncheon speaker will be Tom Beckett, Yale's Director of Athletics. The unbeatable team of Gus Kellogg and Dick Jones is planning post-luncheon activities, including museum tours, perhaps a play, a dinner, and a hockey or basketball game. The third event will be the annual class dinner in New York on Thursday, March 25th. After a class council meeting, dinner will feature Sam Chauncey speaking about Yale's decision to admit women in 1969 and its impact on the university since. Put both events on your calendars, and hold on for further details.

Yrs. truly and bride spent a September weekend in Chapel Hill with Otis and Delores Graham. My fellow historian continues to examine the nexus of immigration and environmental problems and is currently at work on a history of the environmental policies of presidential administrations since the late nineteenth century. Tung H. "Sunne" Jeong reports that he came out of retirement last summer (from his professorship at Lake Forest College) to chair a conference on display holography in China. After the symposium, he stayed in China to watch the solar eclipse and climbed the Emei Mountain with friends—"on well-built steps, of course."

I have the sad duty to report four deaths since our previous class notes.

In Memoriam: Robert R. "Randy" Hare died at home in Framingham, MA, on July 3, 2009. After graduation, Randy served in the US Army, received an MBA from Harvard, and worked as financial analyst for the Raytheon Corporation until his retirement. He is described in an obituary as having been a "virtuoso pianist and talented painter, an avid poker player, an outstanding bridge and chess player, and a regular attendee of greyhound races." Randy is survived by his daughter Elizabeth Gallucci and son Bruce Hare.

In Memoriam: Randolph Rogers died on September 20, 2009 after a long illness. Randy entered Yale with the class of 1955, then, after serving as a US Navy hospital corpsman, re-entered with our class. A long-time employee of the 3M Company, Randy served on Stamford, CT's board of representatives as chair of its fiscal committee and was chair of the parish counsel at Holy Spirit School there. Randy is survived by his wife Noreen and children Peggyann Diaz, Brian, William, John, and Timothy Rogers. Two daughters predeceased him. Memorial donations may be made to Save the Children, Westport, CT or The Richard L. Rosenthal Hospice Residence of Stamford.

In Memoriam: Don Lowe let us know that his roommate Ivan H. Wolpaw died on August 11, 2009 of a drug resistant staph infection while in the hospital for routine surgery. Don writes that Ivan attended Case Western Reserve Law School after Yale and spent most of his career as a title examiner specializing in foreclosed commercial properties in or near his native Cleveland. He is survived by his four children Erik, Deidre, Heath, and Alec. Memorial contributions in Ivan's memory can be made to Dobama Theatre, 2340 Lee Road, Cleveland Heights, OH 44118.

In Memoriam: Phil Derby and Tom Quirk wrote to tell me that Alexander "Pooch" Smallens, Jr. died peacefully surrounded by his family and loved ones on September 28, 2009 at home in White Plains, NY. Pooch battled multiple sclerosis for over forty years but succumbed to multiple myeloma. The son of noted conductor Alexander Smallens and composer-violinist Ruth White Smallens, Pooch, active with WYBC in college, spent much of his career as a broadcasting executive with CBS and ABC Radio. Although forced into early retirement due to his illness, he made an indelible mark on the radio industry as a pioneer in the development of FM music programming and was instrumental in the creation of the first FM network. Alex, as he was known after Yale, is survived by his wife Timmi, his daughter Meredith Smallens Lonner '83, and his son Sandy Smallens '87 as well as five musical grandchildren. Donations in Alex's memory may be made to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

—JMB