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January 2004
by Charlie Cuneo
On a recent visit to Hong Kong I enjoyed a late night dinner with Drake Pike and his
wife Sally. Drake is enjoying life as senior vice president for Lehman Brothers in their Hong
Kong office. Before dinner we watched a magnificent fireworks competition in Hong Kong harbor.
Rob Leyen is practicing medicine in Seattle. "All I can say for now is life is good in
the big city. I have few regrets. Most of my partners are Ivy Leaguers, but my
closest friends ski, ride horses, and listen to Jerry Jeff Walker."
Mike Matthews writes: "I continue to practice law in San Francisco. I live at Stinson
Beach, north of the Golden Gate Bridge, with a white-water view and the constant sound
of the ocean. My oldest, James, is 17 and five inches taller than me. My daughter
Jenny is 15, a superior equestrienne and a great student. My youngest, Thomas, is 10
and filled with life and humor. Marjorie and I have spent six years in the process
of building a house and may soon break ground. I am in touch with Jim Wiezel, who lives
on the Sierra side of Sacramento."
Mindy Portnoy is a rabbi at Temple Sinai in Washington, DC. She has two children, son
Barney, a freshman at Brandeis, and daughter Ceala, a junior at the University of Maryland.
Husband Philip Breen '75 continues at the U.S. Justice Department. Mindy is still
searching for Rosanna Anaya and would love "to hear from any of her and Philip's former
French 25 classmates. (That's how Philip and she met.) Mindy's fourth children's book, Where
Do People Go When They Die?, will be published this winter. Several members of the class
reported similar publishing success.
Phil Mirvis has a new book out titled To the Desert and Back, the inside story of
the turnaround of Unilever in Netherlands. Phil reports having spent some fine time with
Ken Pasternak in Helsinki this past summer. He claims he is still looking for the oarlock
he dropped into the sea.
Doug Henton's second book, Civic Revolutionaries: Igniting the Passion for Change in America's
Communities, is being published by Jossey Bass. Doug works on regional economic strategies in
California as well as other regions through his company, Collaborative Economics.
Dick Conniff's The Natural History of the Rich: A Field Guide (W.W. Norton) has just
come out in paperback. "The high point of the hardcover publicity campaign, at least for
me, came during my visit to Madrid to launch the Spanish edition. A leading newspaper
columnist, the Maureen Dowd of Spain, wrote about how her husband had been reading
bits of my book aloud in bed. This somehow led to an interlude of, well, marital
bliss. (She described them as acting like a couple of bobble-heads, actually.) Also in
Spain, one of the national newspapers featured the book on its People page. J. Lo's
photo appeared that day on the same page, in a one-inch postage-stamp sort of spot. My
photo ran eight inches. And, yes (writers really are pathetic)," Dick reports, "I measured."
Dick is currently at work on a new book looking at workplace behaviors from the
biological and anthropological perspective, and would be happy to hear from classmates with
their contributions.
Julia Preston has written a new book with Samuel Dillon on the democratic revolution in
Mexico, called Opening Mexico. It will be in bookstores in March. She claims to
have "survived a summer of upheaval" at the New York Times where she is currently in
charge of editing investigative stories.
Archer Mayor writes, "I live in southeastern Vermont, and have been a writer for the
past 23 years, first writing U.S. history books, then a still-ongoing series of
Vermont-based police procedurals (call them cop stories) which allow me to wander around
the state and beyond and chronicle what's going on in a fictional setting. I just
had the 14th, Gatekeeper, come out this month. Besides writing, I also volunteer as
an EMT, a firefighter, and I work for the state's chief medical examiner as one
of his death investigators. All in all, a pretty interesting life. Still think fondly
of Yale for the formative role it played in all this. Still too broke to do them much
good in their capital drives, but I love doing what I do, and who knows when a
movie might come knocking?"
Dan Vogus is returning to the U.S. at the end of this year. "We have spent five
glorious years in England, but my overseas assignment is up. My new address will be 26
Standish Boulevard, Mount Lebanon, Pennsylvania."
Still in England is Ron Neumunz. "I am sure I am now one of the later fathers in the
class, with a 2-1/2-year-old daughter! Well, much better late than never, and needless to
say, quite an enjoyment. My father thinks she'll be a third-generation Yalie, and one
can only hope so. I continue to live in London (almost 14 years!), with my wife
Jennifer and our daughter Adara. I focus on the world of alternative investments (private
equity and hedge funds) and travel frequently through continental Europe on business, but
not often enough on pleasure. In my spare time I continue to restore an old
Triumph sports car that I've owned for 20-plus years."
Jay Farr claims to be the Hardware King in Coos Bay, Oregon. Having coached middle school
and high school cross-country for eight years, he's back at what he does best full-time, with
two family partners. Farr's True Value Hardware is 87 years old, and growing and
prospering in the bleak local economy. Jay and his wife Linda just celebrated their son
Will's graduation from CalTech and his start in a doctoral program in astrophysics at MIT.
He writes that growing older and dealing with aging parents occupy his spare time, while
attempting to placate Macavity the attack cat.
Polly Thomas was profiled recently in the New York Times for her work as New
York City's assistant commissioner of health in setting up the World Trade Center Health
Registry.
Leonore Stephens writes she has divorced, and moved, although "keeping same profession (MD) and
children.
Life looks quite different and exciting." Monty Freeman continues to "toil away at
my architectural practice in NYC. We (Belmont Freeman Architects) are busy renovating the
Zilkha art gallery at Wesleyan University. We just received a Philadelphia Historic
Preservation Award for a building at UPenn -- the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Center
(LGBT Center, for short). I have been traveling to Cuba a lot in recent years, working
on an exhibition, book, and video on Cuban architecture of the 1960s, scheduled to open
at the Storefront for Art and Architecture in NYC in 2004."
William Gee's oldest daughter, Caroline (24), is in the management training program at the
Gap. Youngest, Austin (21), is starting her senior year at Washington & Lee, after last
semester in Florence. "Dad stays tied to his desk as a business/real estate attorney in
Wilmington trying to pay for it all," he writes. Rodney Proctor's son graduated Yale 2003.
Alan Penziner and his wife Paula M. Cohen '75 report that their son Samuel is
a member of the Yale Class of 2007.
Linda Frank Rodman's daughter Tara is also a new Yale freshman. Linda reports, "I have
had my own leadership development and change management consulting firm for 15 years.
I am a Lominger master associate."
Carter Kerns was recently appointed commissioner of fish and wildlife for the state
of Oregon. "We have five children, with three in college, and two Springer spaniels.
I would enjoy having any class members visit when in eastern Oregon."
David Snyder and his wife Gail continue to enjoy southern California, where he is associate
director, division of hematology/bone marrow transplantation at City of Hope Medical
Center.
That's it from here. Hope you all had enjoyable holidays
Back to top.
November 2003
by Charlie Cuneo
Dee Howard writes: "I've been living in Bucks County for quite a long time now, working
as a copywriter at Harte-Hanks. One long-term partner, two cats, healthy, reasonably serene,
my nose always in a book. We've been down the shore (as we say here) a lot this year,
especially in the recent delightful weather. The great secret that no one ever told me:
the older you get, the happier you are."
Jonathan Ginsburg is "living and working in Fairfax, Virginia; married to Patricia V.
Fettmann, my law partner; and doing my part to raise my two boys, Zachary (age 15
with driver's permit) and Garth (soon to be 12). I've been practicing immigration law for
the last decade or so, and until recently quite enjoyed it. Now, though, with government
attitudes as they are towards immigrants and non-immigrants alike, the practice is very
stressful."
"I've found a niche (because no one else wanted it) in greening affordable housing,"
reports Bruce Hampton. "Most of my work has been in the Boston metropolitan area, but
I've been speaking at various conferences around the country. The work is great, but
the rewards are mainly for the soul. Susan and I have been married for 23 years.
Myriah (our 20-year-old) is the literary editor at Rollins College, and Shannah (our 16-year-old)
is off this year studying in Zaragosa, Spain. So, it's time to rediscover ourselves!"
Peter Grilli just built his own office building on the outskirts of downtown Tampa.
"Everything they say about building a building is true, but it was a terrific learning
experience. Mainly I learned how hard you have to fight to fulfill your vision, and how
easy it is for others to do what suits them the best! I'm a 19th-century throwback:
I live over the store in a small 3/2 apartment and work downstairs mediating
civil lawsuits -- everything from school desegregation to class actions (securities, employment,
antitrust) to intellectual property -- basically the gamut of civil litigation, excluding
divorce."
Andy (now Drew) Dutka sent a report on fellow Calhoun classmates. "I keep up pretty
regularly with Eric Sigmond, setting bones in the suburbs of Chicago, and Bob Schloss,
who is still with IBM; and Bill Manning, who was 3/4 in our class, is now a
Yale parent and practicing law in Westchester. I am practicing (will I ever get
it right?) neurology in Rockville, Maryland, with Kaiser Permanente medical group, after, gasp,
24 years in the Navy. I would love to hear from John Borrego, Bob Faulkner, Gary
McDonough, and Jim Peaslee."
Linda Hughey Holt reports, "I am juggling three kids, practicing ob/gyn (until the
rising costs outstrip shrinking reimbursements), and hoping to actually get to a few
Yale Club of Chicago events."
Gene Goot is "pleased to report that my daughter Sharon is a second-generation
Sillimander, in the Class of 2006. She really enjoys Yale, although she's getting tired
of the strike and of hearing from me that I lived through one too. My son David is a
junior in high school, with a lot more ability in a lot of sports than I ever had.
"As for me, I am just completing my fifth year in the legal division at Freddie
Mac (a very interesting place to be a lawyer these days), after many years at a law firm.
"An extra benefit of my daughter's decision to go to Yale has been the opportunity for
me to return to the campus a few times a year, which I've really enjoyed. Last year I
ran into my former roommate Mike Kushner and his wife Sarah, who were visiting their son
Hunt, also now a Silliman sophomore. I count among my good friends here in the
Maryland suburbs of Washington our classmate Rabbi Lyle Fishman, although we didn't meet until
years after graduation, through our wives who had known each other during college."
Carol Coe Fowler is a family practice physician in solo practice in Grand
Junction, Colorado, and also works for the state of Colorado at one of their facilities
for adults with developmental disabilities.
"The solo practice part is financially moribund, but the work with people with disabilities is
very gratifying," she writes. "Living in western Colorado has its own rewards, even
if two of the only six Democrats in the county left town last fall."
After seven and a half years with the Amador district attorney's office, Steve Muni is
now a deputy attorney general in the Bureau of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse at the
California attorney general's office in Sacramento. "It's a fun job," he writes, "although
the files are a lot thicker than they were in the DA's office!
"I still live up in the Sierra, which makes my commute about one and a half hours, given
the traffic. I'd move closer, but I have an Irish Wolfhound and a Great Dane and
a Pug/ Queensland Healer mix, plus four cats.
"I keep busy, however, still writing my cooking column, 'The Court of Cuisine,' for
our local paper. (You can see my columns at www.ledger-dispatch.com.) And
I'm singing with the Sacramento Men's Chorus, and I'm umpiring some polo games, although
I've retired from active play.
"I've also been put on the State Bar of California committee on sexual orientation and
gender identity discrimination, which takes me to Los Angeles for meetings several times
a year.
"I stay in regular touch with my college roommate, Jim Holding, who is busy in his spare
time growing and braiding garlic. He sent me a garlic braid that's too pretty to eat."
Bert Fisher writes: "My wife Mary Beth and I are still in Tulsa. Our son Taylor has moved
to Santa Barbara, and has become a reality TV star. He will appear in an episode
of Taildaters later this fall. Over the past few years I have rekindled my interest in
athletics and have done some competitive cycling and some endurance cycling. My eighth-grade daughter
and I competed in a team duathalon this summer -- we finished. I rode the Hotter'n
Hell Hundred (100 miles in 100 degree weather) in Wichita Falls, Texas, in
late August -- finished in 5h, 19m. I will be competing in the (ugh) Senior Olympics in
late September. Last year I won the 40 km bike race; we'll see how this year goes."
Doug Hart is practicing law in the western suburbs of Chicago, and also heading up
a small e-commerce venture.
Lucy Eddy Fox reports her daughter Haley is in the Class of '07 at Yale. Son Martin
is in his second year at Northwestern and Sam is in 11th grade at Wheeler School
in Providence.
Lee Fleming is now sole speechwriter for the chairman and chairman-elect of the American
Bankers Association, "a position (and focus) that still surprises me, since I've spent
most of my writing life covering art, design, and landscape architecture. All this
is balanced (offset?) by a monthly column in the Washington Post home section,
'Fixes,' where I interview experts who do just that -- fix everything from Faberge
eggs and Civil War flags to leaking boilers and banging radiators. Definitely not
a DIY column -- more for people like me who are hopeless at getting the cap off
the glue. Since I'm ever on the lookout for new Fix ideas, anyone who's got one can
e-mail me at lfleming@aya.yale.edu."
Serge Goldstein writes: "I continue as the director of academic services for Princeton University's
Office of Information Technology. (Basically, I run the group at Princeton which supports
use of instructional technology in teaching and research, including course Web
sites.) Last year, I volunteered for the first time to do prospective-student interviews
for Yale, and had a lot of fun. I recommend it to anyone who's thinking about it.
Any Yalies coming to Princeton should definitely give me a call: (609) 258-6059; we're
always happy to see folks from the, uh-hum, #3 university in the country."
Back to top.
September 2003
by Charlie Cuneo
I am delighted to again be secretary for the great Class of 1973. I am counting on our
having a lot of fun together in the next five years. Please drop me a line and let me
know what you've been up to so I will have plenty of news for this column. Let me know
what you'd like the class to be doing. I'm already at work putting together plans for a class
Web site. Please subscribe to the class listserv at the yale.edu Web site.
I'd also like to get some volunteers for a class council from people who would be willing
to pitch in on a local level and maybe make a trek to New Haven once a year to get some
activities going. So please e-mail me at the above address and, while you're at it,
register your e-mail address and particulars with the AYA using their online directory.
You can easily navigate to it by choosing alumni online services at yale.edu.
The reunion was a lot fun and I'm still enjoying hearing from people about it. Your
reunion chair offers his heartfelt thanks to committee members Mark Connell, Dick Conniff, Nina
Glickson, Dan Larson, Ed Mulvey, and Barbara Wagner for their conscientious efforts on the
class's behalf. I am forever grateful to AYA assistant director Debby van Lenten for
her help in planning the event and the AYA's Joan Kneeland for her thoughtful execution of
the complex class program during our weekend in New Haven. These two women worked tirelessly
with good humor and did a great job.
A sincere note of appreciation as well to our classmate Rev. Steve Phelps, who led
our class memorial service in Dwight Chapel. The names of all of the 40 class members
who have died were read aloud and a candle was lit in each person's honor. Steve did a
great job planning and leading this beautiful, moving ceremony.
Thanks as well to everyone who generously contributed to the $6.6 million class reunion
gift. Particular thanks to Steve Hendel, who headed up the reunion gift effort and the
class reunion gift committee, which included John Ettinger, Rory Millson, and Eve Rice as
vice chairs and consisted of Richard Balderston, Steve Brooks, John Burgess, Sandy Cutler,
Fred Danforth, John Dore, Lane Heard, Dan Kelly, Tom Milch, Jay Newman, Ellen Odoner,
John Patillo, Ken Raisler, Glenn Reiter, Paul Stanzler, and Annette Wheeler. Great job,
everyone!
Finally, thanks to all the members of the class who traveled from near and far (Dean
DesJarlais came all the way from Hawaii!) to be included in the festivities. It was great
to see you all in New Haven. Some classmates were unable to attend and sent regrets.
Mike Chinoy sent word that he was stuck in Taiwan covering the SARS outbreak for CNN.
Cricket Scovil wrote, "I have a whole new life since the kids grew up (ages 22, 23, 25) and
I've even moved to Durham from a small town (25 years there) an hour away to be closer
to work as a clinical social worker in the Department of Psychi atry and Behavioral
Sciences at Duke Medical Center. Finished a master's degree at Chapel Hill a year
ago! Life, basically, is fantastic."
Norman Kolpas couldn't come because he had to attend a convention. "I'm senior VP of
media content for Wolfgang Puck Worldwide, the corporation that is charged with developing all branded
activities for the famous chef, and I get to do all his book publishing, TV shows,
Web site, radio, a new syndicated newspaper column, etc."
Amy Solomon wrote, "In May, I started working as a program officer at the Bullitt
Foundation, a 50-year-old foundation here in Seattle. We only do environmental grantmaking.
I wasn't looking for a job -- I had been consulting for six-plus years and was quite happy
with that, but this was a fantastic, not-to-be-missed opportunity. It's hard work, but not
nearly as hard as raising money."
Official news to report is that Sandy Cutler was elected in May as the newest member of
the board of the Loomis Institute. His first four-year term will begin in October 2003.
Sandy is the chairman and chief operating officer of Eaton Corporation, a global, diversified, industrial
manufacturer with 2002 sales of $7.2 billion and 51,000 employees worldwide, headquartered
in Cleveland, Ohio. He was appointed president and chief operating officer in 1995.
Sandy attended Loomis Chaffee and his son Billy is currently a member of the junior
class there. Billy came to the reunion with Sandy.
In May, I had the opportunity to visit Tom Rogers. Tom continues to be an inspiration
to me for the courage with which he faces his battle with ALS. He has recently moved into
a nursing facility after having to give up his own home. As always, Tom was great fun
to visit. And of course, he still dotes on his two daughters, Claire and Caroline, who
are growing into lovely ladies. Classmates can reach Tom at Sunridge-Vista Del Monte, 3775
Modoc Road, Santa Barbara, CA 93103.
Well that's it for now. Please send me some news. E-mail is effortless, but it works!
Back to top.
July 2003
by Sandy Mayerson
Thanks to the tireless efforts of reunion chair Charlie Cuneo, more than 230 of our
classmates enjoyed one of the best reunions ever at JE. Charlie and his committee, Sandy
Mayerson, Amy Stevens, Mark Connell, Richard Conniff, Nina Glickson, Dan Larson, Ed Mulvey,
and Barbara Wagner, planned things to perfection. The weatherman was not as careful, but
even driving rain could not dim the enthusiasm of the Class of '73.
Things got off to a start on Friday with a multitude of faculty lectures to choose
from, followed by afternoon panel discussions led by our classmates on topics from fitness
to getting your legacy into Yale. Of special interest were panels on Friday and
Saturday discussing our class's groundbreaking role in co-educating Yale. Barbie Wagner
took the laboring oar in bringing women of the class together to discuss the past
30 years and the future 30 years.
All alums met in front of Commons for a Yale wine-tasting in the late afternoon. For
our class, there was a bit of deja vu, as Yale workers picketed the wine-tasting, reminding us
all of our days of revolution. After more cocktails at JE, our class gathered for
the class dinner in Commons, a truly fantastic event. At the dinner, reunion gift chair
Steve Hendel announced a class gift of over $6 million! Much thanks are owed to Steve
and his committee for achieving such a terrific result; we had over 60 percent
participation. It was also announced that Skip Gates, now a professor at some other
school up in Cambridge, donated a precious manuscript to the Beinecke Library, which is
believed to be the first novel ever written by a black woman. Way to go, Skip!
After-dinner entertainment was provided by the Whiffenpoofs of 1973. Philip Stevens rallied
the group together for what proved to be an absolutely stellar performance. The Whiffs
were a tough act to follow, but we did so with each table contributing a joke to
the first-ever Class of 1973 Reunion Jokefest. As one poor victim from each table told
a joke, we all had lots of laughs and lots of groans. To my shock, my own 8-year-old, Katy
Mayerson, won the joke contest and brought home a gigantic plaque to prove it. After
the jokes, we all trooped back to JE for the requisite drinks until dawn.
Saturday morning brought remarks by President Levin, who had lots to say on the
labor situation. He also met with members of our class during lunch. During the day,
we had an unbelievable variety of Yale activities to choose among, from a behind-the-scenes
tour of the nuclear accelerator to a bus trip around New Haven to see what Yale is
doing in the community. It was kind of like "Everything You Always Wanted To Do at Yale
But Never Got Around To." I, having missed out on the singing experience at Yale, spent
a magical few hours with Fenno Heath in a mock glee club rehearsal and not-so-mock performance.
Saturday night, our class fought off the cold rains with hot clam chowder and a
shore dinner, and the even hotter music of the Hornets, a brass band from Hartford.
Sunday morning dawned gray and rainy but classmates gathered for a very special service
in memory of classmates who have died. This was followed by brunch in Commons and
lots of promises to stay in touch over the next five years.
At the reunion, our class elected its new officers. We are in good hands with
Bob Katzenstein as our new class treasurer and Charlie Cuneo as class secretary for the next
five years. If Charlie does even a fraction of the magnificent job he did on the
reunion, we'll have the best class secretary ever!
It has been a real privilege to be your class secretary for the last five years. It has
been inspiring to see all the accomplishments of our varied and talented class. To
anyone who didn't get their note included in the class notes, you have my sincere regrets.
To each of you who did send in class notes info, you have my sincere thanks. And
to all of you, you have my sincere wish that we will see you at our 35th reunion!
Barbara Z. Abramson, Arthur W. Adelberg, James M. Alexander, Peter S. Ambrus, Martin S.
Amick, Victoria M. Amon, Mark M. Anderson, David J. Armstrong, Donald A. Bailey, Marc
L. Bailin, Richard A. Balderston, Roger J. Baneman, Alan S. Barasch, Bruce M.
Beaufort, Fredric Bell, Tedric L. Bellis, Clifford A. Berken, Henry L. Bertram, John S.
Bevan, Peggy B. Bewkes, Warren M. Bierwirth, Linda A. Bishop, Michael K. Blaber, Jerred G.
Blanchard Jr., Bruce D. Bolander, Mark G. Borden, Dean M. Boylan Jr.,
Floyd H. Bradley III, Jeffrey L. Bragman, Lee P. Breckenridge, David Bromwich, Jacqueline M.
Buhn, John A. Burgess, Peter R. Butterfield, Nathaniel M. Cartmell III, Lisa K.
Catapano-Friedman, Kevin Cavanaugh, David F. Cawthon, Charles G. Cole, Letha B.
Cole, Matthew A. Coles, Frank J. Comes, Mark S. Connell, Richard Conniff, Peter
M. Connolly, John F. Cooney, Robert P. Corcoran, Candace N. Corson, Mally B.
Cox-Chapman, Frederick Crall Jr., Michael A. Crane, Charles E. Cuneo, Alexander M.
Cutler, Andrea Da Rif, Lori F. Damrosch, Fred C. Danforth, Daniel R. Delmar, Warner K.
Depuy, Dean C. Des Jarlais, Raymond T. Diamond, Virginia R. Diamond, Douglas T. Dieterich,
William O. Dillingham, John F. Donelan Jr., David D. Doniger, John A. Dore, Andrew
J. Dutka, Robert J. Eggers, John R. Ettinger, Bruce D. Fiedorek, Steven Field, Sarah M.
Fox, Edward D. Frank II, Belmont Freeman, Gary D. Friedman, Elizabeth H. Fry, Jesse
B. Garner III, Henry L. Gates Jr., Nina M. Glickson, Daniel S. Godfrey, Richard J.
Godwin, James R. Goff, Stephen A. Goldberg, Robert Groover, James E. Grumbach, Stephen R.
Hagan, Charles L. Halasz, John R. Hale, Chad Hardin, Douglas S. Hart, William H.
Hartz, F. Lane Heard III, Sarah S. Heath, Amoret G. Heise, Stephen Hendel, Douglas Henton,
Douglas M. Heuman, Howard B. Hill, Alan D. Hirschfeld, Philip W. Hirschi, Linda H. Holt, Robin
E. Hudson, Charles R. Jacob III, Richard M. Jauron, Craig R. Johnson, Phillip R. Kaplan,
James E. Katz, Robert J. Katzenstein, Daniel G. Kelly Jr., Alexander L. Keyes Jr.,
Barbara D. Kieran, Stephen Kieran, Edwin Ray Kimsey Jr., Janet Klauber, Howard K. Koh, Jon
Koslow, Allison B. Krebs, Michael J. Kushner, Steven C. Landin, Gregory P. Landis, Daniel
C. Larson, Gregory J. Legris, Robert F. Leibenluft, Nathaniel Levin, Thomas A. Lewis,
Lawrence M. Lieblich, John D. Litle, Barry E. LoSasso, Darcy Lowell, Edwin F. Lowry, Jeremy
S. Mann, Howard D. Marsh, Lawrence O. Masland, Gordon W. Matthews Jr. '74, Timothy Mattison,
Edward N. Maurer, Jeffrey A. Mayer, Sandy E. Mayerson, James A. McDonald, C.K. McGeehan,
Thomas W. Meiklejohn, Jay L. Meizlish, Lawrie A. Mifflin, Thomas H. Milch, Brian J.
Monbouquette, Kate L. Moore, John H. Moynahan Jr., Edward P. Mulvey, Charles J.
Musser, Ronald M. Neumann, Ronald Neumunz, Jay H. Newman, Kim H. Noling, Thomas P.
Noonan, Sarah C. O'Connor, Juko A. Otsuki, Wayne D. Parker, John L. Pattillo, Randolph H.
Perry, Robert T. Perschel, Ognen A. Petroff, Donald R. Pfeil, Stephen H. Phelps, David
R. Pierson, Walter D. Pinkard Jr., Andrew J. Polak, Diane Polan, Robert M. Pratt, Julia
D. Preston, Kenneth M. Raisler, Robert W. Reeves, Eve H. Rice, Todd B. Robbins, Linda F.
Rodman, Tracey A. Rouault, Bruce A. Rubin, Amy S. Saar, Lionel R. Saporta, Gary H.
Schlesinger, Robert J. Schloss, Byron L. Schmidt, Ricky M. Schneider, Michael C. Schuller,
Margaret H. Scott, Paul J. Seligman, Albert F. Shamash, James T. Shaver, Donald A. Sherman,
Thomas B. Siebens, Eric R. Sigmond, John M. Simms, James D. Smeallie II, Gregory Smith,
Richard H. Stanley, Paul E. Stanzler, Philip C. Stevens, Kenneth E. Stocker, Pauline A.
Thomas, Richard T. Tibbetts, Laurie A. Treuhaft, Diane S. Tucker, James D. Tussing, James
J. Vlasic, Barbara Wagner, Eric D. Warner, Steven J. Wasserman, Robert Wassman Jr., E.
Thomas Watson, Weston J. Wellington, James H. Wendorf, Annette Wheeler, Doug White, Joanne Wible-Kant,
Dixie T. Wilhite, Joan Winant, Brian D. Wynn, Terry F. Young, Rachel H. Youngman, Barbara
J. Zarsky, Cynthia A. Zujkowski, and Richard T. Zweig attended the 30th reunion.
Back to top.
February 2003
by Sandra Mayerson
Reunion News!! Charlie Cuneo reports that he has gotten excellent input from members of
the class to guide the reunion committee in planning for the reunion. Looks like a
large number of classmates are planning to attend and we are going to be treated royally
by the college, probably headquartered in JE. Please be sure to register your intent
to attend as soon as possible so we get the right numbers for planning purposes.
More information to follow!
Eric Saunders, the pianist and self-proclaimed sports junkie from Branford College, has a
new Web site featuring his nature and landscape photography. The images are quite beautiful
and can be found at www.ericsaunders.com.
Rachel Hockett Youngman writes for the first time in quite a while. She has found that
the more time that has transpired since graduation, the more nostalgic she has become
about her Yale days, and the more she's appreciated her Yale experience. After a very
long hiatus, she rejoined the Alumni Schools Committee last year and had the
great pleasure of interviewing five wonderful high school seniors from San Luis
Obispo County. To her delight, two of the five were accepted to Yale and both chose
to matriculate. This involvement reaffirmed her faith in the youth of America. Her
own children have contributed to her optimism, as well. Charles, 22, is in the navy
and is currently deployed to Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia (needless to say, they
are praying for peace); Annie is in her sophomore year at Berkeley and absolutely loves
it. Rachel's business, Hockett Editorial Service, a production service for college and
health-professions textbooks, is 14 years old. The "three Fs" -- phone, fax, and
FedEx -- and above all, e-mail, allowed her family to relocate from New York City to
Cambria, a lovely, sparsely populated coastal haven, five and a half years ago, and
she continues to be very grateful for the flexibility and autonomy derived from
being "chief cook and bottle washer." She is already looking forward to attending the
30th Reunion and if timing permits, she'll be there.
Ted Seals is still corporate secretary and senior editor of C-BREM Communications
Corp., a Chicago South Side-based public relations firm, specializing in human relations seminars
and training. His clients have included people seeking information and support for human
rights causes in Sri Lanka and Pakistan, among other places. They also do a lot
of local work, including editing, ghostwriting, and promoting books, the most prominent
of which is Evelyn, published by Vantage Press, by author Robert C. Ballard, a
Chicago African-American man raised by white Southerners in the Jim Crow era in
Mississippi. His firm is celebrating its 20th anniversary in March, and plans
for celebration are still in the early stages, but he invites his classmates to
contact him at cseals258@ yahoo.com.
Obituary: The following is the announcement we received from Carrie Wingate regarding the
sad death of her husband, Chip Gatter.
"It is with sorrow and a great deal of grief that I write to tell you of the sudden
death of my husband, Chip Gatter, BR'73. Chip, a Type 1 diabetic for ten years, died
on November 20, 2002, of cardiopulmonary failure -- his heart and lungs just gave out.
He was 50 years old.
"Chip's first marriage was to another of [my] classmates, Barbara Mackintosh (TR'77).
He also leaves behind a son, David Richard Gatter, age 10; a stepdaughter, Mackenzie Baris
(BK'01); and a brother, Richard Gatter.
"Born in Philadelphia, Chip went on from Yale to study at Harvard Business School. A
resident of Monroe, Connecticut, since 1985, Chip worked for almost 20 years at
Real Decisions, Inc. in Darien, where he was vice president for research and
development, then for the Gartner Group in Stamford under the same title. His most
recent position was that of chief technical officer at Wright Investors Services in Milford, Connecticut.
Chip was active in the Fairfield County chapter of Ducks Unlimited, and in the
Fairfield County Fish and Game Protective Association in Monroe. He was fond
of upland game hunting.
"Although Chip and I considered ourselves husband and wife since 1992, we didn't formalize
our marriage until September 24, 2000. We designed the ceremony ourselves, based on
various earth-based religions. It was accompanied by prayers and readings in Hebrew, Latin,
and Greek. So many of our Yale friends were there: my daughter Mackenzie '01, her
friend Adam '00, Wally Olson '75, Karen Myers '75, David Zincavage '70, and Bob
Breedlove '68. After a wonderful weekend wedding, Chip and I spent a week
snorkeling in Bonaire.
"Chip had beaten death twice in the past couple of years. In February 2001, he
became critically ill with, simultaneously, diabetic ketoacidosis, heart attack (small), double pneumonia,
acute kidney failure, and acute respiratory failure. He spent two weeks in the
ICU but, unbelievably, had no residual damage. A few weeks later he was as healthy
as he'd been before his illness, and we watched proudly as my daughter graduated from
Yale that spring.
"Chip beat the odds again in April 2002. He'd gone into the hospital for day
surgery, and one minute into the procedure he flat-lined -- cardiac arrest. It took
a team of cardiologists six hours to get his heart beating regularly, but fortunately this
happened in a hospital, so he was put on a respirator and given IV meds to
prevent any further damage. Although I was repeatedly told that he was unlikely to
survive, he did.
"We teased him about having nine lives, like a cat, but I warned him that we didn't
really know how many he had, and it could be just three, so he had to take really good
care of himself. Now we know how many he had -- just three. I wish I'd been wrong.
"Chip will always be with those of us who loved him. Writing this on Thanksgiving Day,
I am thankful to have had ten years with this kind, generous, gentle, passionate man who was
and will always remain part of my soul. He loved cats, music, laughter, and fires in
the fireplace. He loved our home and the critters that roamed the back yard. He
loved books, our kids, beauty, and good design. All of us who knew him are the better
for having done so.
"After his first illness, Chip and I had discussed the issue of flowers and funerals, etc.
He and I agreed that he was to be cremated (he was, November 25). His memorial service,
long past when classmates read this, was December 7, 2002. He requested that those who
wish to do so donate to the American Diabetes Association.
"You can do this online at http://www.diabetes.org,
or you can send a check to the ADA at the address below. You can also phone in a
donation. You can indicate that this is a memorial donation, and ask that a card be sent
to let me know about your gift. The amount will not be disclosed. At the time of
this writing, donations are being matched by the Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, up to a total
of $50,000. The address for the American Diabetes Association is: P.O. Box 96911, Washington,
DC 20090-6911; Phone: 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383)."
Chip's family is creating a memory book, and would appreciate hearing from any classmates who
would like to share their thoughts or memories of Chip with his family. They are
also hoping to collect pictures of him from different stages of his admittedly complex
life. Their address is 275 Cross Hill Road, Monroe, Connecticut. E-mail is
cwingate@wingate.org.
Back to top.
December 2002
by Sandra Mayerson
I am really pleased to report that Charlie Cuneo has agreed to chair our 30th Reunion in
May. Charlie has planned some great reunions for us in the past, and this one promises
to be fantastic, so, mark your calendars now! Charlie is in need of volunteers to work
on the reunion committee. This is your chance to plan the party you want, so don't be
shy. You don't need to live near New Haven to offer your creative ideas. Barbara Wagner
has already offered an able assist from Cincinnati, Ohio. So, plan on attending and on
helping Charlie with your time and ideas. Charlie, who is president of Unitek Benchmark,
Inc., can be reached via e-mail at (ccuneo@benchmarkintl.com).
In news from overseas, Phillip Waldocks writes that in July of 2001, he and his
wife Amy and two of their children, Briana (16) and Talia (11), fulfilled a life-long goal
and moved to Jerusalem. He was admitted to the Israel Bar and is continuing his
corporate finance, securities, and M&A practice at S. Horowitz & Co., a leading Israeli law
firm. He allows that although they arrived after the hi-tech bubble burst and just
as the intifada was heating up, they have all adjusted very well and are very happy with
the move. Their older son, Ehud (24), Silliman class of 2001, is spending the year with
them working with a couple of think-tanks in Israel after completing a year at the
Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Their younger son, Noam (21), is in
New Haven enjoying Yale as a member of the Silliman class of 2004. Phil invites classmates
to stay in touch by e-mailing (philw@s-horowitz.co.il).
A little closer to home, the second novel from Mark Lee, The Canal House, will be published
by Algonquin books in May 2003. The Canal House is set in the world of foreign
correspondents and is based on his experiences working for the London Daily Telegraph.
His son Alex is currently a freshman affiliated with Trumbull College and is enjoying
the Yale experience.
And in my own backyard, I participated in a mini-reunion when Greg Taylor, his wife
Marianne, Ron Neumann, Al Hirschfield, his wife Barbara and charming daughter all came
over for a Sabbath dinner on a recent Friday. Greg, Ron, and Al were roommates in
Branford. Nowadays, Greg is an executive vice president at Scientific Atlanta, residing
-- where else? -- in the Atlanta area. He has three beautiful children:
Brooke, Alexandra, and Mark. Greg is just finishing his term as our class
representative to the Association of Yale Alumni, and we are looking for volunteers
to succeed him. Anyone interested?
Ron Neumann has recently jumped ship from the Simpson Thacher law firm to join Chad
bourne & Parke LLP, where he is whiling away the [billable] hours on cutting-edge Oxycontin
litigation. He lives in Atlanta but prefers to spend time at a getaway in Easthampton
that he and wife Jane Zimmey recently completed. Al is a self-effacing neurologist in
New York City, but lights up when talking about the accomplishments of his 12-year-old daughter,
who is a nationally ranked junior fencing champion.
Continuing the saga of great 50th birthday celebrations our classmates have observed, Mark Connell writes
from Missoula, Montana, that Charlie Cuneo, Ed Mulvey, and he celebrated their 50th birthdays
on a nine-day canoe trip in Alaska's Brooks Range, just north of the Arctic Circle.
They had a great time enjoying the solitude of the wilderness, catching up with each
other on recent adventures, and sharing memories of their time in New Haven. They
all agreed that the accumulated wisdom of advancing age is far superior to the
exaggerated benefits of youth. That's hard to believe when Mark reports that much of
their time on the river was occupied with discussions about hair loss, life insurance, the
indignity of prostate exams, and similar concerns, which Mark admits gives an idea how far
they've dropped off mentally from the New Haven days.
Not everyone has been celebrating birthdays. Ted Libbey celebrated his first-time nuptials
just shy of his 50th. In April of 2001, he married Janet Lee under the cherry trees of
his parents' garden.
And Rod Fonda celebrated the success of his 14-year-old son, Kyle Haddad-Fonda, who, along with his
U.S. teammates, won the International Geographic Olympiad sponsored by National Geographic.
Kudos to Kyle!
Richard Watson Jr. writes from Harvard, Massachusetts, that his company has been sold
to Intel but his office in Shrewsbury and phone number remain the same. This gives
Richard the unusual distinction of quitting only one job in his career, but heading to
his fourth company. As for more personal news, he divorced in March 2000. Being a
part-time single parent to his now-13-year-old son, plus maintaining an active social life,
keeps him pretty busy when he's not designing 64-bit microprocessor chips at his office.
Dr. William Hartz of Haverford, Pennsyl vania, updates that he is now owner/partner
of eight outpatient Open MRI offices in Pennsyl vania, New Jersey, and Delaware, in addition
to his hospital radiology practice and administrative duties as medical director for the 200-bed
community hospital. His wife Cynthia operates a residential/ commercial interior-design
firm. Their daughters, Alexandra (16) and Perrie (15), are thriving at the Shipley
School in Bryn Mawr. Driving lessons, field hockey, social committee, hospital candy-striping,
wind ensemble (flute), and friends take up all their time. He feels that he and
Cynthia are operating a bed-and-breakfast for their teens, a feeling most parents
can share.
As always, we are interested in news of alumni children at Yale. As the mother of a
7-year-old, having a child at Yale seems like the Impossible Dream. In any event, I
am advised that at a recent JE reception for alumni children, the following classmates showed up
with young Yalies in tow: Barbie Wagner, Linda Wagner, Chuck Cole, and Tom Troost.
If your child is at Yale, we'd love to hear about it.
Finally, many people have asked why there was a long hiatus in our class
notes. The short explanation is that I lost many of my files when my office, which is
across the street from Ground Zero, had to be evacuated for several months. Rebuilding
has not been easy. I think I have recovered most, but not all, of your notes
and e-mails, and I am mixing them in with "new" news on the theory 'better late than
never'. If, however, you have sent an item that has never shown up, it is
probably gone. (I know a letter from Lane Heard was on my desk that day with some
newspaper clippings, and it hasn't been seen since.) I urge you to send your news again
if it is among the missing. Everyone would love to hear from you!
Back to top.
October 2002
by Sandra Mayerson
It is with regret that we pass on the news of the death of Michael Fox last October.
Michael was past president of the Cleveland Estate Planning Council and died of lung
cancer complications at his home in Solon, Ohio. We apologize that this news did not
make it into an earlier class notes.
Rabbi Lyle Fishman writes from Chevy Chase, Maryland, that he and his wife Debra
Rosenmen attended the White House Chanukkah celebration last December. For the first
time, a Chanukkah menorah was lit within the White House itself. During their photo-op
with the president and First Lady, they compared notes about the experience of the
Bushes' daughter Barbara and their niece Alice Hochman (Branford, 2005) in SSS.
In October, W.W. Norton will be publishing Richard Conniff's new book, The Natural
History of the Rich: A Field Guide. No lesser an authority on the rich than Dominick
Dunne blurbs, "It is anecdotal, witty, and wonderfully informative." You likely have
seen Richard's work in Time, Smithsonian, Atlantic Monthly, the New York Times Magazine,
Worth, Architectural Digest, National Geographic, and many other publications. The book is
a tantalizing, droll study of the idiosyncratic existence of the very rich through
the unexpected lens of the naturalist, probing the age-old question, "Are the rich
different from you and me?" Without giving away the answer here, Richard observes
with great humor this socially unique species, revealing their strategies of ensuring dominance
and submission, their flourishes of display behavior, the intricate dynamics of their pecking
order, as well as their unorthodox mating practices. It sounds like required reading!!
He also writes from Connecticut that his son Jamie just finished freshman year at Silliman.
Ronald Roel is enjoying life in Glen Cove, Long Island, with his wife Betty Ann
and twin 5-year-old sons, Jimmy and Tommy. He is still at Newsday after 15 years now as
a deputy business editor and real estate editor. He is also active in his local
Unitarian Universalist congregation. He looks forward to more travel and seeing old
Yale friends as the boys get older.
Lane Heard, of Washington, DC, has had some recent good news. His son Ethan has been
admitted to the Class of 2006.
And belated congratulations to Lee Breckenridge, of Newton, Massachusetts, who wrote to tell
us about her marriage in May 2001 to Robert Margo, professor of economics at
Vanderbilt University. The couple is dividing their time between Nashville and Boston, where
Lee is on the faculty at Northeastern University School of Law.
Out on the left coast, Thomas Costanzo, of Fountain Valley, California, remarried in
1988 to Linda McKinney. His business addresses adolescent special needs and
placement, and helps kids and families in crisis. He coached the men's volleyball team
at Mater Dei High School to the division finals the last two years. He feels like he
is living like Peter Pan.
Back east, Dr. Douglas T. Dieterich an nounced that as of June 3, his new position is
vice chair and chief medical officer, Department of Medicine, at Mt. Sinai School of
Medicine here in New York. He will continue to see patients for at least half-time in
the faculty practice associates offices.
And more news from New York: Julia Preston wrote that after six years as
Mexico correspondent for the New York Times, she returned to her home across the
Hudson River from Manhattan at what turned out to be a sad and difficult time, just
days before September 11. She is now finishing the last chapters of a book about the
making of democracy in Mexico.
Dr. Linda Holt just returned to Wilmette, Illinois, from a mission trip to
Jalapa, Guatemala, where she was practicing very simplistic gynecological surgery (so as not
to risk any complications which the hospital couldn't handle, she explains). She
credits her experience for a renewed thankfulness for the comforts and medical care
enjoyed in most parts of the USA, although she acknowledges certainly not all. She
continues in medical practice, and with three teenagers, will be paying tuition bills for
a long time.
We also want to pass our apologies to Cliff Berken, whose news we neglected to include
in the last update. Cliff is a busy gastroenterologist in Greenwich, Connecticut, and he
is proud to report that his daughter Amy is a member of the Class of 2005, affiliated
with Trumbull College like her dad. Amy loves her Yale experience to date and is
looking forward to living in Trumbull next year. Her sister Allison is a junior
at the Ramaz School in New York and her brother Jonathan will be a freshman there in
the fall.
From Ross, California, Stuart Moody writes of his marriage two years ago to
Elizabeth Jaeger, a reading specialist and educational consultant. Her boys, Ryan
and Brett, are aged 14 and 10, respectively, and both love soccer, tennis (Brett), jazz
(Ryan), and other good things in life. (Don't we all!) Although they haven't taken
to meditation yet, they see Stuart and Elizabeth sitting silently in the morning, and
have learned to walk with soft feet. (Teenagers?) Stuart is teaching a course on
Yoga and Aging at Dominican University, and is designing a study on yoga and
hypertension. He is also involved this year with an arts education agency called
Young Imaginations, where he helped teach math to elementary students through music and
dance. He says to imagine children making their bodies into triangles, singing numbers in
the hundred thousands, dancing areas and perimeters, and measuring a standing circle before
doing a full dance and computing the circumference. His biggest dream, however, is
to implement a "field effect" study -- research of the last 30 years on
the calming influence of collective practice of meditation.
Randolph Perry, of Vienna, Virginia, is approaching the two-year anniversary of his triple-bypass
heart surgery. He had recovered well enough by last winter to run with the ninth-grade
boys basketball team he coached in a recreational league. His oldest child, Sarah, entered
Wake Forest University in the fall and his son started his second year at the
magnet high school in Fairfax County. He is hoping to see lots of class notes readers
at our reunion next spring.
Robert Welti made the trip from Santa Barbara, California, to see his son Tyler
graduate from Yale in May. He laments how many years have gone by. I think we all
feel the same, Robert. And Mike Hascall says "hi" to all his classmates who have not
had their name in the Alumni Magazine even once. From Seattle, Washington, he writes that
he cares about each and every one of you.
So, if we haven't had any news from you, please send it through. If we have missed
including any other updates, please let us know so we can rectify any such omission
in a future edition.
Back to top.
April 2002
by Sandra Mayerson
It is with sadness that we report that Fermin Ennis (architecture) passed away. We
are expecting a letter from his mother, Mrs. Julia Ennis, in the next few weeks
with more news. We extend our sympathies to his family and friends.
Dr. Daniel Larson, from Queensberry, New York, writes that his daughter Nell (Pierson
2005) has joined her older sister Sunny (Pierson 2003) this fall at Yale and loves
it. (Of course she tells her dad that.) Daniel had a great time at the football game
with David Bromwick, Rich Holbrook, Rich Lovelace, and their families, preceded by a
great "sailgate" (a party, not a scandal) put on by the Yale sailing team, of which
his daughter Sunny is the vice commodore. (An objective opinion, to be sure.) More
news from Daniel: The Block Island Road Race team award in September went to the
Yale Alumni Team consisting of Greg Bonanito '88, Allen Svenson '88, Bryan Feitel '90,
Hiran Cantu '89, and Daniel. Although he admits he was not among the top four in
the five-man team, he claims that he was clearly the spiritual leader.
David Doniger, living in Washington, DC, encourages the Class of '73 Notes to not
take so long between drinks. (Ed. note: If you mean issues, agreed; if you mean
drinks, also agreed.) He writes that after eight years in the Clinton-Gore administration,
working at the EPA on negotiating the global warming treaty we all know as the
Kyoto Protocol (before it was declaimed by a certain successor administration), he
rejoined the Natural Resources Defense Council to help set up its new Climate
Center. They are focused on passing legislation to curb CO2 emissions from power plants
and cars. (Go, David!) Suffice it say that there is "no fun watching the new guys
go south on protecting our environment!" His eldest daughter, Perrin, entered the Yale
class of 2005 this fall. His other daughter, Cynthia, is in tenth grade, and his
son William is in third grade, and they both continue to sprout up straight and
proud. His wife and he consider themselves blessed, even as they are deeply touched
(as we all are) by the sad events of 2001.
Cherry Westerman, of Ann Arbor, also writes of her children. Daughter Erica (Class of
2003) is enjoying her Yale experience as an EEB major, singer in Red, Hot and Blue,
and member of TAP, and resides in J.E. Son Michael (16) thinks that Yale looks like
a pretty special place to go to college, "though time will tell whether or not that's
his destiny!" Her husband Ken (Class of 1971) and she continue to enjoy and
be challenged by their public school choral music jobs.
Dr. Daniel Callahan, of Ardsley On Hudson, New York, sent in news that he recently
bought a house on Little Cranberry Island in Maine (also known as Isleford), where
he will join two other classmates, Cloris Heimseth and Mark Twinney. In July
2001, he met with President Bush on the stem cell controversy and commended our 43rd
president for accepting the Yale degree.
Mr. Richard Bierregaard Jr. edited a volume entitled Lessons from Amazonia that Yale
Press published in November 2001 (and is now available at amazon.com, of all
places -- it is, we checked!!). Richard is an assistant professor (adjunct) in biology at
University of North Carolina, Charlotte. The book addresses the problem of deforestation,
which is occurring at an alarming rate in many parts of the world, causing destruction
of natural habitat and fragmentation of what remains. Richard's book presents the results
of the longest-running and most comprehensive study of forest fragmentation ever undertaken (over
20 years of research), the Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project (BDFFP) in
central Amazonia, a joint project of Brazil's National Institute for Research in Amazonia and
the U.S. Smithsonian Institution. It is the only experimental study of tropical
forest fragmentation in which baseline data are available before isolation from continuous
forest took place. The project studies the ecology and conservation of the rainforest
ecosystem in areas undergoing development. (An amazing work! Well done, Richard!)
Congratulations also to Dr. Prudence Leib. She married Jacques Gourguechon on October
20, 2001. She has taken the groom's name, and is now Dr. Prudence Leib Gourguechon.
Dr. Stephen Gluck writes to let us know that he is currently the Cade Professor of
Medicine, professor of anatomy and cell biology, and chief of the division of nephrology
at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida. His wife Cynthia and he have
two wonderful children: Sam (11) and Lauren (9). Stephen had the pleasure of seeing
classmate Charlie Alpers at the kidney meetings every year, candid and effusive as ever,
he writes. Charlie is professor of pathology at the University of Washington, Seattle, and
according to Stephen, one of the most distinguished kidney pathologists in the
world. Stephen offers that he would be delighted to have college friends visit.
He writes he "would very much appreciate some news from fellow classmates printed in
YAM; it has been months (years?) since ... a column for the Class of 1973. What
has happened to Sarah Mayerson?" (Ed. note: Sarah??!!)
Barbara Wagner writes from Cincinnati, Ohio, that she also has a daughter, Sally Wagner
Partin, in the Class of 2005 (Calhoun). She asked me to include this message: "A year
ago I was elected to the board of governors of the AYA (Association of Yale Alumni).
As some of you know, I have been much more active in my local area (Cincinnati Yale
Club) than in the Class of 1973. However, with my involvement in the AYA, I have
become more aware of some of what the AYA offers to classes and other Yale
constituencies. As anyone who has close friends in other classes knows, in the past
few years (beginning the year after our 25th Reunion, in fact), the AYA has
significantly changed how reunions are run. They have been getting rave reviews,
and attendance at reunions is way up. So our next one may be worth checking
out. However, the AYA is also looking at other activities, as well -- all related to
helping Yalies connect and reconnect with each other (and with Yale). Yale is part
of a consortium, with Stanford and Oxford, offering courses to alumni (and, eventually,
others) online. (You can check that out on the AYA Web page.) The AYA sponsored a
reunion of linguistics students (undergrad majors, grad students, and faculty) and has helped
support alumni chorus efforts. Some classes have mini-reunions in cities distant from
New Haven, and the AYA is also considering what's called a cluster reunion --
a reunion of several consecutive classes from, say, one residential college. So,
as you hit the mid-century mark, and consider trying to link up with old Yale
friends you haven't seen (or seen enough) for 30 years, the AYA may be able to
help. The one thing the AYA steers away from is reunions and get-togethers of athletic
groups, since the NCAA rules are strict and most of the athletic events are organized by
the athletics department. Also, as a member of the AYA board, I'd be happy to
hear about any concerns or interests from anyone in our class (or any other class, for
that matter)."
To David, Stephen, and all fellow classmates, I promise that the next issue will be
more timely.
Back to top.
May 2001
by Sandra Mayerson
I know the sad feeling when you turn to class notes and there is nothing there for
your class. I wanted to become class secretary to avoid that situation, but I discovered
a sad truism: one can't write a column if no one sends any news! I don't mean to
complain, but unless people keep me informed, there isn't anything to write, and no one
has been keeping me informed. But apparently, y'all got tired of no class notes, too, because
suddenly in the last six weeks I have had a flurry of correspondence, both directly and
forwarded from Yale. So keep those cards and letters (and e-mails) coming. Let's have
no more empty column space!
When I informed one of my biggest critics, Roly Purrington, that I couldn't write what
I didn't know, he obliged with the tidbit that he had been studying for his MBA in
Spain while practicing law in Texas. When asked how this was possible, he replied:
" Magic -- I went to Spain every six weeks for ten days for a year and a half, and
then studied my brains out at night and on the weekends in Texas." With his new degree, Roly
is leaving the practice of law and looking for hopefully greener pastures with an
international flavor and no more billable hours! Good luck, Roly.
Others who are taking a new road in their careers include Charlie Musser, who
writes, "I was tenured as a full professor of American studies and film studies at
Yale. In the race between tenure and retirement, tenure ended up winning. I will
be serving as co-chair of the film studies program." Also Julia Preston, who is finishing
up her award-winning five-year stint as a New York Times correspondent in Mexico and
taking a leave of absence to write a book about how Mexico changed itself from a
nasty authoritarian state into a modern democracy.
Change may be in store for Robin Hudson, who won a statewide primary last May for a
seat on the North Carolina Court of Appeals and has been campaigning ever since.
Haven't heard the outcome of the November election (see how long it takes Yale
to forward news to me?), but Robin reports it is an amazing adventure regardless of
the outcome. Husband Victor, son Charles (a junior at UConn), and daughter Emily
(tenth grade) were no doubt a great help in the election campaign. Let us know how
it came out, Robin!
And finally, David Fukuzawa recently joined the Kresge Foundation as program officer, having
held a similar position for nine years with the Skilman Foundation. In 1998, on
the basis of his work in youth development and after-school programs, David had been selected
as a Gimbel Scholar, a national award for academics and practitioners in human services.
The Kresge Foundation, with $2.4 billion in assets, gives challenge grants to institutions
involved in higher education, health- and long-term care, the arts, etc. Sounds
like David will know how to put some of that money to work to help some deserving
kids. He and his wife live in the Detroit area.
Not all of our classmates have resigned themselves to a life of over-achievement. Probably my
favorite missive I have received since becoming class secretary recently arrived from
Hobson R.A. Calhoun, who wrote: "I bike to work. I live on a beautiful wooded island
on the coast of Maine. I am broke. I am happy." Who could ask for anything more?
Sympathy goes out to Floy Brown Kaminski, whose daughter Margot is in the Class
of 2004 ... at Harvard College. Those with less recalcitrant children include Steve McPhee
and Patricia Perry, whose oldest son, Chris, joined Yale's freshman class this fall.
Steve and Patricia note that the heat and humidity, and the energy and excitement, are
the same as when we started, but it sure is nice to see so many women on campus!
And Phillip Waldoks, an in-house attorney for the Hasbro toy company who has a son
Ehud in the Yale Class of 2001 and son Noam in the Yale Class of 2004, writes to
extol the improvement of Jewish life at Yale due to the opening of the Slifka
Center for Jewish Life at Yale on Wall Street, by George and Harry's. Phil urges
alums to visit and get involved in the Center, noting that parents of students can
get involved through the Yale Jewish Parents Association. As a founder of the
Center, I certainly echo Phil's enthusiasm! Phil has two more potential Yalies in
Briana (14) and Talia (9). Also in the Yale Class of 2004 is Eric Meizlish, son of
Jay Meizlish and Darcy Lowell, as well as Carl Tucker and Diane Strauss's freshman.
It is with deep regret that I must close with overdue news on the untimely death of
a classmate. I have just learned that Dr. Mark Mondano died on June 4, 1999.
Mark's father, who lives in Lexington, Massachusetts, can be reached at
(Rlmondano@aol.com) with your condolences.
Back to top.
October 2000
by Sandra Mayerson
As I write this, summer is rapidly drawing to a close. Hope it was great for all
of you. The highlight of my own summer was an 80th birthday party for my mother who has
just fought a winning battle with cancer. No one had dared hope she would reach 80, so,
to express her joy, my 5-year-old daughter Katy decided to write and sing Grandma a
song. No one in Dayton, Ohio, recognized the tune, but perhaps you can figure it out:
"Grandma, Grandma/ Wow! Wow! Wow!/ You're the best.
"Grandma, Grandma/ Wow! Wow! Wow!/ You beat out all the rest.
"Even though you're a baldy/ You don't scare me./ Just glad you're here/ And eighty.
"Grandma. Grandma./ Wow! Wow! Wow!/ You're the best."
Do you think I have her brainwashed enough yet? Anyway, I highly recommend this adaptation of our
fight song if you want to bring tears to grandparents' eyes.
I am very gratified by the number of people who have shared their stories with me over
the summer. For once, I have more news than I can use, so, look for more next month.
In the meantime, Bill Kaufmann writes: "I am busy as a soccer and gymnastics dad, living
in Durham, North Carolina, and working at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
as a professor of pathology and laboratory medicine. I tell my children, Rachel (8) and Mitchell
(4), that I am a schoolteacher, a very honorable profession. My lovely wife, Jayne
Boyer, and I earn our living as cancer researchers, studying the mechanisms of carcinogenesis.
I spend my days writing grant proposals to fund my student's research, papers to report
their results, and lectures to prepare the next generation of teachers. I do a lot of
writing. Last summer my family and I had the very good fortune to spend two months in
Northern Ireland, where I was posted as a visiting professor and writing yet another paper.
We loved the place and will return for another stay next year. I would like to
encourage all my old friends at Yale, who have never submitted news to the class notes,
to try the e-mail technique. It's painless, quite easy, and I would like to know how you
are." (I second Bill's suggestion.)
Nor is Bill our only classmate to take the professorial route. Charlie Musser writes,
"I was tenured as a full professor of American studies and film studies at Yale. In
the race between tenure and retirement, tenure ended up winning. I will be serving as
co-chair of the film studies program with Dudley Andrew, an exciting new senior hire who will
be professor of comparative literature and film studies. If you have questions, it
is best to reach me at (charles.musser@ yale.edu)."
Previously, I have reported that Ed Lowry is out making the environment safe for all of
us. Well, the world just got a little safer. The governor of California recently appointed Ed
to be the director of the California Department of Toxic Substances Control. This
agency implements state and federal law concerning all aspects of hazardous waste storage,
treatment, and disposal. Ed is right in the middle of controversies involving, among
others, cleanups of school sites in urban areas, whether the military services must follow
California law in their transfer of closed and contaminated bases to local use, and how
best to increase the level of environmental enforcement after 16 years of Republican rule
in California.
Another environmentally concerned classmate is Terry Forrest, who is also a California lawyer
working to save the environment. I had the pleasure of meeting Terry's daughter when I
was a panelist this spring at a symposium on Women at Yale. The meeting was small, so
there was a lot of interaction with the audience. A lovely student started speaking very
articulately about her mother's experience at Yale. After a while, I couldn't help but
interrupt and say, "Excuse me, but I think your mother was my roommate!" Sure enough, it
was Terry's daughter, and a daughter to be proud of, for sure! The apple doesn't fall
far from the tree, as she is studying biology and environmental issues. The symposium,
by the way, was great! Among others, Mally Cox talked about her experiences as an
author, wife, and mother in Boston, and Nina Glickson, who is currently the assistant to
Yale President Levin, talked about Yale women then and now. Among others in the
audience were Liz Wilcox Fry, who is now a trust and estates partner at Winthrop, Stimson.
Many wonderful classmates were there, and one of these days when you all fail to
send news, I'll write the whole day up in a column!
I can't close without mentioning one other great evening this summer. I was privileged
to attend the annual Financial Women's Association dinner in New York this year, which
honored Mary Shapiro, wife of classmate Chas Cadwell. Mary heads up the regulatory arm
of the NASD, and it was awesome to see 1,200 highly accomplished women turn out in
her honor. Chas was busting his buttons with well-deserved pride. I attended with Chas's
old roommate, Monty Freeman, who is getting quite a lot of recognition these days for
his architectural practice. We all had fun after the dinner catching up. Chas works
at IRIS, a type of economic think-tank at the University of Maryland, and has been contributing
to the rejuvenation of the economies of third-world countries while traveling the globe.
He and Mary have two beautiful little girls.
All for now. Keep those cards and letters coming!
Back to top.
April 2000
by Sandra Mayerson
It is always fun to hear from classmates who now have children at Yale.
This month, three more have been added to the list. Lou Pressman writes from
Hotchkiss, where he has been teaching philosophy and religion and serving as school chaplain
for 20 years, that his daughter Emily is now at Yale in the Class of 2002. Emily
is in Saybrook, and thoroughly enjoying the experience. Dan Larson reported last month
that his daughter Sunny is in Pierson College, Class of 2003. What I didn't know when
I saw Dan at The Game is that he had been hit by a car in early June while
cycling. He was thrown 40 feet, the bike snapped in two, and his helmet was
smashed -- fortunately not before it saved his life. It is a tribute to Dan's indomitable
spirit that he looked absolutely fit and happy at The Game in November.
Dr. Candace Corson, who is not only Yale College but also Yale Med School, writes that
son Dav is a freshman at Yale where he is a media coordinator for Yale student
teach-ins/protests regarding the World Trade Organization, and has been working with
the University on nontoxic means of pest control. Not surprisingly, Dav is planning to
major in environmental science and political science, an idea which seemed to crystallize
after he was nearly sprayed with pesticides at Yale at Thanksgiving. Candace herself
is a consultant in holistic medicine, helping people with chronic illness to start reversing
their disease and regain balance as much as possible. Together with her husband George
Knowles (Yale '71, '75MD), who is an ER physician, Candace has four sons. In addition
to Dav, there is Ben (20), Dan (14), and Tom (12). Ben will graduate Indiana University
this May with a degree in history and philosophy, rides a motorcycle, and is a talented
actor. Dan is a freshman at an ecumenical Christian day school and goes to Hebrew school
as well. He took his first trip to Israel this June with his mother and brother David.
Tom is a seventh-grader, who excels both at school and Hebrew school and is a whiz at
chess. He and Dan will have their bar mitzvah together in August. For those of you
wishing to stay in touch with Candace, her e-mail is (yarrowcan@aol.com).
At the other end of the spectrum are those like myself who just got around to finally having
children and to whom Yale College is still a distant dream. I was pleased to get a
letter from South Dartmouth, Massachusetts, from Jack Belkin, because Jack sounds as crazy about his
5-year-old daughter as I am about mine. Clearly a doting dad, Jack describes in detail
his daughter Tessa's Lego constructions and aspirations of being an astronaut, and marvels
that the developmental miracles keep on coming. Jack indicates that he was prepared
for walking and knew that speech would be a big one, but computer literacy, reading, and
the like have caught him and his wife Patricia by surprise. Jack decries that after
so many great acquaintances renewed at reunion, the happy camaraderie at that time has
not been self-sustaining, and promises to stay in touch seem forgotten. Hopefully, we
can all pick up our unfinished conversations at our 30th, but you need not wait until
then. You can log on to our class Web site or listserv to stay in touch with classmates.
Weighing in with kids somewhere between college and diapers is Randy Perry, who litigates
personal injury cases at a small law firm in Fairfax, Virginia. Daughter Sarah is turning
16 and is passionate about dance. In addition to six classes a week, she made the
high school dance team as a freshman last year. Randy's seventh-grade son, Chris, led his
basketball team to the tournament championship last year in the local sixth-grade league.
His able coach was none other than Randy himself, who is the league commissioner again
this year and will coach Chris's seventh-grade team. I am jealous to note that Randy
wrote his e-mail while gazing at a gorgeous view of orange, yellow, and red trees on
hills rolling west to the Blue Ridge Mountains which he sees everyday from his office window.
A far cry from the canyons of Wall Street from which I write this on a cold, gray
day! Randy also sends a note of congratulations to classmate Steve Kieran on the pictures
and descriptions of the Berkeley renovation. It is stunning. As a Branford College
alum, like Randy, I am holding my breath to see what changes will be wrought at
Branford and our beloved Harkness Tower this year.
All for now. Please keep those cards and letters concerning your kids and
yourselves coming!
Back to top.
February 2000
by Sandra Mayerson
I am writing this on a high from the enjoyment of attending The Game in New Haven with
my 4-year-old daughter, Katy. Besides the fun of seeing friends and being on campus,
The Game itself was a real cliffhanger reminiscent of the famous game of 1968. Everyone
stayed in their seats until the last moment to see Yale squash Harvard by three points and
claim [a share to] the Ivy title. Yale's quarterback was playing with a high fever but
managed to end his Yale football career in real style. The weather was perfect for
tailgating and football. I rode up from New York with Ron Neumann and his wife, Jane Zimmy.
Ron is happily ensconced as a litigator at Simpson Thacher and Bartlett, while Jane
is starting a new position at her marketing firm, NPD. They have just finished building
their dream home for weekend getaways in East Hampton, and from the pictures, it really
is a dream! For the tailgate, we rendezvoused with former Branford Master J.P. Trinkaus
and his wife, Madeleine; Monty Freeman, his sister, Luisa, and her family; Jeff
Lawrence and Craig Franklin; Dan Levy '70, wife Jaci Coleman, their son Alex, and daughter
Rebecca; and Marshall Posner '71 with his daughter. A good time was had by all. I am
very happy to report that after a life-threatening illness last year, Trink seems completely back
to his old self, looking the picture of radical chic as he tossed back the booze wearing
his Chinese workers' cap. Madeleine, who seems to look younger every year, contributed her customary
gourmet touch to the tailgate. They both still go in to Trink's lab daily, where he continues
to research and publish in the field of cell biology.
If you work in any kind of document-intensive industry, then I am sure you have seen
the ubiquitous Iron Mountain boxes for document storage and retrieval, as it is the
largest company of its kind in the world. Next time you see one, you can think of
Jeff Lawrence, as he is the VP and treasurer of the Boston-based firm. Over the past
12 years, Jeff has shepherded the company's growth from $10 million in annual revenues to
$1 billion next year, closing approximately 80 acquisitions along the way. Jeff and
Craig have recently finished a major remodeling of their home in Westwood, Massachusetts, which
their friends have dubbed "Minor Manor." They have one child: their terrier, Hadley, who
of course attended The Game, as well. We even sneaked him in to the Bowl.
When we finally toddled from tailgate to Bowl (long after the kick-off), we found
ourselves seated in front of Rich Holbrook, Dan Larsen, and Rick Lovelace. Dan informed
us that he and Rich have made it to 30 of the 31 Yale-Harvard games that have
occurred since our class entered Yale, while Rick is a short hitter, having only made
it to 29. I should note for the record, however, that Dan was very late for The
Game, having stopped en route to cater a tailgate for the Yale sailing team, which happens
to include his daughter Sunny, Class of '03. For his part, Rich, who lives in
Medfield, Massachusetts, with wife Susan and sons Scott (age 10) and Kevin (age 6),
has parlayed his start as our first class treasurer into a career in banking. He
is currently CFO at a North Shore bank when he is not otherwise occupied coaching soccer
and basketball. Those with long memories may recall that Rich chaired our tenth reunion, and
Dan chaired our 15th. I can think of nothing more apt than for the third person in this
trio to chair our next one. Do I hear a volunteer, Rick?
The group was joined by Ron Denson and Peter Connelly who were staying in town with
David Bromwich. David, who is a chaired professor of English at Yale and therefore had
the least distance to travel to The Game, never showed, using the lame excuse that
he had to deliver some cutting-edge paper in New York City. He was ably
represented, however, by girlfriend Georgann Witt, Class of '78. Dan Larsen mentioned that
he had been in Sarasota, Florida, the previous week and opened the newspaper to
find, to his surprise, a picture of a grinning Sandy Cutler. Turns out Sandy's
company was opening a big factory in Sarasota. We Yalies do get around.
The Game was great fun, which could only have been enhanced by seeing more of you
there. Hope to see you at future Yale events. Speaking of which, it may be of
particular interest to our class that the Yale Women's Center is planning a celebration
of the 30th anniversary of coeducation at Yale for the weekend of March 31-April 2.
I'll be speaking on a panel along with Nina Glickson of our class, on Sunday at
2pm, on "Women of the Class of '73." If anyone has any memories or anecdotes they
want to pass along before April, I'd sure appreciate it. Of course, you risk having them
reprinted in this column!
Not everyone in our class lives close enough to make it to New Haven. Rachel Welber
Rowen writes from Raanana, Israel, that within the last several weeks, each of her three
daughters has celebrated a major rite of passage: first Chaya (age 22) married Etai Baker
in a spectacular wedding at Bet Guvrin, an archaeological site within the remaining walls (but
no ceiling!) of an ancient bell cave; then Devorah (age 19) was drafted into the
Israel Defense Force for her compulsory military duty; followed by daughter Naomi celebrating
her Bat Mitzvah (obviously, age 13!). Rachel also has a son, Ethan, who has completed
his army service and is in his second year at the physics department of Beersheba
University. Rachel hasn't accomplished all this on her own. ... Husband Louis continues
to do math and play cello and would welcome any visitors to Israel for an evening
of chamber music. Rachel herself is quite busy switching careers at the moment, from
translator to silversmith. It doesn't sound like an easy transition to me, but
she must be doing well because she has already shown a silver spice box at
the Spertus Museum in Chicago. She hopes to have a Web site soon for classmates and
friends to view her creations. In the meantime, she'd be happy for a call from anyone
visiting Israel: 972-9-741-6819.
Rachel may want to consider using the services of Geoffrey Brown to design her intended
Web site. Geoff writes that by day, he designs corporate Web sites, while at
night, he is struggling to produce a new genre of computer games based on relationships
instead of shooting things. (I am getting visions of 101 Dalmatians here.) He is
happily married with two charming, ever-changing daughters. Though not a millionaire, Geoff
feels rich in love, experience, and adventure, and reports that his life has come a
long way from those lonely, wine-soaked mixers. For more, you can check his
Web site, of course: (www.geoffbrown.com).
And speaking of a life rich with experience and adventure, Dean Goodman reports that in the past
year he has run a marathon, climbed Mt. Whitney, visited Chichen Itza, and hiked
on glaciers in Alaska. Wow! In between, he is enjoying private practice as a chiropractor
in Santa Monica and serving as president of the local chapter of the California
Chiropractic Association. Son Josh is a freshman at UC-Santa Barbara, daughter Ari is in ninth
grade and a runner like her dad, and wife Ruth is an acupuncturist and yoga teacher.
Dean's advice to classmates? Carpe Diem.
Which reminds me that carpe diem is the name of the timekeeping system at my
law firm, and I better get back to my day job. Thanks to all of you who have responded
to my pleas and sent in some info. Keep those cards and letters coming! As I write this
at the end of 1999, I want to wish all of you a wonderful holiday season filled with the
love of family and friends and an absolutely fabulous next millennium. As we say in
my house, L'Chaim!
Back to top.
December 1999
by Sandra Mayerson
Well, finally, a classmate has actually broken the silence and written to me. Thank
you, Bill Gee. Bill reported the happy news that he and his wife Joan celebrated their
25th wedding anniversary in June, and had 35 friends join them for five days of
golf and merrymaking in Bermuda to celebrate. Bill always did do things in a big way.
Bill is an attorney in Wilmington, Delaware, where his daughter Austin is a senior at
Tower Hill Day School. She is hoping to go to Washington & Lee. His oldest, Caroline,
is a junior there now. Alas, no Yalies for Bill.
People have asked me if there is any news of Westy Rose, who started ahead of us but
actually graduated with our class. I am happy to report that Bill visited with Westy and
Laurie in San Francisco last February and reports that Westy appeared fully recovered from his bout
with cancer. Westy, I hope you know how glad that makes everyone. Congratulations!
And speaking of San Francisco, I was there last week myself and had a fabulous lunch with
Sheryl Prisbe Eldridge -- at Neiman Marcus, of course. Sherry was as gracious and lovely
as always and had great pictures of a summer vacation on Mackinac Island. Having
reported ages ago in this column that she was getting married, I asked when this long-awaited
event would take place. Sherry's coy reply: "One of these days, Sandy, you'll get
a card which says: 'Just when you've given up hope, Mike and Sherry have eloped.'"
I am very pleased to be able to report that Gregory L. Taylor has agreed to be
our class representative to the AYA. Greg lives in Atlanta with his wife Marianne and
two kids at home. He is a financial wizard for Scientific Atlanta. We all owe a
debt of gratitude to Steve Hagan, who has served our class zealously and well for
the last four years. I am sure Greg will follow in his footsteps.
Finally, after reporting the untimely death of Taite Silk in this column two months
ago, I received a lovely note from his brother, John Silk, Class of 1976. John wanted
everyone to know that Taite's love of Yale, and particularly of the friends he made
there, had endured throughout his life. In particular, our 25th Reunion had meant a
lot to him. John asks that any friends wishing to offer condolences to the family
get in touch with him at: 825 South Adams Street, Hinsdale, IL 60521.
All for now. Please send me more news for next time!
Back to top.
November 1999
by Sandra Mayerson
I haven't received any news in a while. Please pick up a pen, phone, or e-mail, and
drop me a line. Here's to hearing from some of you, and a longer column next month!
Back to top.
October 1999
by Sandra Mayerson
Greetings after the long summer! Although you are reading this in the midst of football season,
I am actually writing it at the height of a glorious summer. Apparently, all of my
classmates have been having such fun this summer that they have been too busy to write.
I have only gotten one letter all summer long, and for that a heartfelt thank you to
Floridian Fred Mattlin. Maybe summer is not so special when you get that hot, humid
weather year 'round! Fred writes that over the past 15 years, he has built up a
13-lawyer firm in Boca Raton. The firm, Mattlin & McClosky, has offices in Clearwater, as
well. Fred seemed much prouder of another achievement, however: 9-year-old son Mason. I
wish all of you could have seen the great picture, of Mason pitching a Little League
championship game, which Fred sent -- clipped from the newspaper, no less! It is obvious
Mason is following in his father's footsteps of scholar-athlete. I seem to recall that Fred
won an award at graduation for being Branford College's scholar-athlete. Judging from his professional pitching
stance, Mason plans to do dad one better!
My own summer has been somewhat disjointed. I did manage a few days of vacation in
Israel when my firm became the first foreign law firm to open an office in that
country. I went for the opening and stayed on a few days to see family. It was
my 4-year-old daughter Katy's third trip to Israel. I have always thought of myself
as exceptionally brave to take such long plane trips with a toddler (a fact which
justifies every vodka along the way), until I found out that one of our classmates has
done me one better. Laurie Truehaft enjoys a career as a translator at the United
Nations. In the course of her work there, she met and married an Egyptian, and so the
family travels to Egypt every summer. Laurie just returned from a trip there with her
4-year-old twin girls. Laurie, my hat is off to you! I find one 4-year-old on an
overseas trip a challenge.
Speaking of challenges, many of our classmates are turning to the new challenges of
e-commerce. Steve Hagan writes that he is starting a new information technology company,
aptly named Hagan Communications. The Washington, DC-based company is developing web
technologies for tracking and deploying e-business solutions for the design and construction industry.
It's not all work and no play, though. Steve fit in a trip to the national parks of Utah
this summer with son Chris before Chris headed back to his sophomore year at James Madison
University. Chris is showing a strong interest in marine biology. Anyone have any
summer job prospects in this field?
Also into e-commerce is Craig Johnson, who made a move this spring to Peppers & Rogers
Group/ 1 to 1 Marketing in Stamford, Connecticut, where he is managing partner of the
e-commerce practice. Craig reports that he ran into John Dore on a business trip.
John is alive and well in Chicago and reported to Craig that Dick Jauron is getting rave
reviews from both the press and the fans in his debut as head coach for the Chicago
Bears. The players really love him, a fact which John hopes the fickle media will
remember if and when Chicago has its first loss.
And there is one loss which I am sad to report. Edmund Taite Silk passed away on
July 20, 1999. Ed had an illustrious career in broadcasting. From his humble beginnings
on campus at WYBC, Ed went on to WELI in New Haven, and the Boston stations of WEEI
and WBUR before moving to D.C. to join the Standard News Network. Most recently, he
was the business editor and news anchor for UPI out of D.C. He is survived by his
mother and brother.
Finally, I can't resist another tidbit about Doug Dieterich. Faithful readers will recall that
Doug was recently lauded by New York magazine for his groundbreaking work on the
hepatitis C virus. Well, that lead to an invitation to make the commencement address at
his old high school, Garden City High. How many of us would like to go back to
high school as a huge success and rewrite history, impressing people with our seriousness of
purpose? Doug rose to the solemnity of the occasion. I am told his opening remarks were:
"As I look out at this sea of faces, I can well imagine that each of you are thinking
exactly what I was thinking on this very same occasion 30 years ago: 'How long is this
thing going to last, and when is the party going to start?'"
Some things never change. Party hearty, my friends!
Back to top.
June 1999
by Sandra Mayerson
As most of us are gearing up for a summer of relaxation, Yale is gearing up for
its tercentennial celebrations. For those, like me, who were in Branford College, you
will recall all of our china and silverware read "Branford 1701." This, of
course, referred to Yale's founding in Branford, Connecticut, in the year 1701, a fact
which Mother Yale plans to celebrate with about 18 months of partying from 2000 to
2001. There will be major celebrations in the spring and fall of 2000, with
a final fete in the spring of 2001 to celebrate 300 years of Yale. In addition to
alumni and distinguished profs being invited back, the final party in 2001 will feature
the presidents of other Ivy League colleges, Oxford, and Cambridge, as well as
past recipients of honorary Yale degrees. It should be quite sensational. So if you
are planning any trips to the east coast, you may wish to keep these celebrations in
mind. It would be a fun time to revisit Yale.
In other Yale news, those of you who read the Wall Street Journal may be aware that
controversy has been raging concerning a deferred tuition payment option that classmates in
our year were offered called Tuition Postponement Option ("TPO"). Many classmates
have found the TPO to be unduly burdensome and have complained to the University.
After much controversy, the University responded with a planned phase-out of TPO obligations.
Many activists, however, were not happy with the University proposal, which, among other
things, required participants to bring their payments current prior to extinguishing
their liabilities. Many of our classmates have been active in this controversy, and if
this is something of interest to you, you should contact one of them directly. Members
of our class who have signed the letter to President Levin concerning TPO include:
Michael Blaber, Peter Butterfield, James Coon, Kerry Fowler, Michael Goodman, J. Christopher
Goulding, Steve Hagan, Charlie Levy, Gary E. Mackiewicz, Dr. Ken Marton,
Drake Pike, Innis O'Rourke, and Rachel Youngman.
Apologies are due to Jay Harwitt. Jay writes that his friend, Steve Hagan, when recently
reporting on the AYA to this column, forgot to mention that Jay has joined the AYA as
an at-large delegate from the Yale Club of Southern California. Jay says that when people
ask what this means, he explains that the AYA has delegates from specific Yale clubs, from
specific classes and schools, and the at-larges who don't represent anyone but themselves and
therefore can say their piece without offending any constituents. Who else, asks Jay, would
have had the nerve to tell David Gergen where to get off when he suggested some kind
of backlash if Yale College opened too many places to international students? I am
glad Jay explained this. As a former at-large delegate, I never did know what they
were supposed to do.
Jay writes that he is delighted to have two reasons to be visiting New Haven of
late: The AYA and attending his daughter Melissa's graduation from Trumbull College with the
Class of 1999. Jay suggests taking a poll concerning Yale offspring, as he believes
Dan Rissi will be attending graduation with him, and that Wayne Itano's daughter has
just a year more to go. As for Jay himself, he works for a small insurance company in
Pacific Palisades and teaches bar mitzvah classes at Valley Beth Shalom in Encino on weekday
afternoons. On the weekends, he serves as a cantor to Congregation Beth Shalom in Whittier,
California. His congregation is small but really likes to sing, so they are
well matched. Jay would like to hear from classmates at (cantorjlh@aol.com).
Readers of New York magazine may have caught a recent spread on our classmate, Dr.
Doug Dieterich. Doug was most deservedly highlighted for his crusade against hepatitis C.
Doug writes that the "crusade" is doing well, curing about half of the people who get
hepatitis C, which, incidentally, appears to hit our generation, primarily. Doug was
recently appointed chief of gastroenterology and hepatology at Cabrini Medical Center in New
York. He is also retaining his academic credentials at New York University. Doug is not
the only one in his family fighting to make the world a better place. His wife Kathy
was recently featured on CNN for her yarn and needlework shop, Garden City Stitches, which
collected gently used prom dresses to give away to needy high school seniors in time for
the prom. Daughter Ruth Robinson will be entering Barnard in the fall, while son J.D.
will be in 2nd grade at the Buckley School on Long Island.
It is true: What goes around comes around. Paul Sortal, who used to be my stockbroker at
Oppenheimer more years ago than I can count on my fingers and toes, called to say
that he is now a stockbroker ... at Oppenheimer. In the intervening years Paul has
had other affiliations and lots of ups and downs like the rest of us, but is proudest
of his two sons who sound like quite the budding athletes. Paul lives in the Chicago
area and was pleased to announce that Dick Jauron is bringing his own inimitable brand
of inspiration and character building to an institution much in need -- the
Chicago Bears. Dick has just been appointed head coach of the Bears and has already
moved to Chicago. His family was to be joining him at the end of the school
year. I know that the Chicago Bears will benefit from the same talent, character, and
consensus-building which made Dick one of the most well-rounded and well-liked athletes on campus
in our years. Good luck, Dick! We expect to see you in the Super Bowl.
Charlie Alpers, writing from the Department of Pathology at the University of Washington,
was one of several classmates who wrote to express his grief at the
untimely passing of Michael Palm. Charlie was moved to comment on the cycles of life
which have so many of our classmates experiencing births as others experience death. Charlie
notes that Dake Fukuzawa brought his infant daughter, Miyo, to our reunion, and that
last summer his former roommate, Steve Raymar, had his firstborn son, Jordan. Wow,
and I thought having a 4-year-old at our age is a challenge!
And finally, to end on a light note, you may want to check out a parody of The New
York Times recently published by Yale's humor magazine, the Yale Record. For a
chuckle, take a look on the Web at (nytimesparody.com).
Back to top.
May 1999
by Sandra Mayerson
I seem to always write this column on planes and trains. This time, I am writing it on
a plane on the way home from Jacksonville, Florida, where I attended the annual partner
meeting of mega law firm Holland & Knight. While this might not seem newsworthy, I
note this fact because at such meeting, our classmate J.D. Smeallie was elected to
the board of directors. At the same meeting, I was elected to the partnership and
joined Holland & Knight on April 15. J.D. and I used to live above one another at
Branford College, so it seems we have come full circle! I am very excited about
joining Holland & Knight, which is a truly unusual law firm in its commitment to
the communities in which it operates and to the organized bar. This will, of
course, necessitate a change in my business address and email. Mark your address books
now with the new information [listed above] so you can keep those cards and emails coming.
Speaking of emails, many of you who are computer literate may be interested to know that
our class maintains a listserv which has been largely inactive. It costs nothing to
sign up. Merely send an email to (aya@yale.edu) and
ask to be added to the Class of 1973 listserv. This is a great way to stay in touch
with classmates, track down classmates, and have a dialogue with classmates on
issues affecting Yale and life in general. So much is going on at Yale right now, that
it's great to have a forum for dialogue. The more people that sign up, the more dynamic
a tool this can be for our class. Also, if anyone would like to volunteer to take
this on as a project or design a web page for the class, please let me know, and
we can budget funding for someone to do so.
In the meantime, some correspondence has finally been coming in. I am amazed (and
envious) at the stability in some of our classmates' lives. Joel Wald writes from
Bronxville, New York, that he has just celebrated his 20th anniversary at the same
firm coaching executives in communication skills. Joel has two sons, Adam (16) and
Peter (14). Adam recently won a national competition in his student investing club,
beating out more than 4,000 schools with a day-trading strategy that yielded well over
2,000 percent in ten weeks. Too bad that it was virtual dollars. Joel writes that
he recently had lunch with Saybrook roommates Chris Harder and Frank Comes. Chris is
returning to the produce-buying business in Santa Cruz, California, and Frank continues
to thrive at Business Week, where he is a senior editor.
Professor Lori Fisler Damrosch has 25 years to celebrate -- of marriage to David
Damrosch '75. They have three children: Diana (12), Eva (10), and Peter (8). Both Lori
and David are professors at Columbia University, where Lori teaches international law and David chairs
the Department of English and Comparative Literature.
For those of us whose lives have not been so stable and feel we have been on a
hectic treadmill, we can turn for help to David Chan who, with his wife Kerri, has opened
a health clinic called "The Center of Calm" in Orange County, California. They
are successfully practicing alternative medicine, with Kerri specializing in massage and David
in acupuncture. Sons Matt (13) and James (7) are budding soccer stars.
Saving the environment is the task of Ed Lowry, who writes from Sacramento that he
continues to work as director of the California District Attorneys' Association Environmental Project,
protecting the interests of those prosecuting an environmental case. He supervises a
group of seven prosecutors who foray into rural counties too small to have full-time
environmental prosecutors on their own staff. Ed lives with his wife, Susan Underwood,
her two children Sabrina (14) and Benj (11), and the newest member of their
family, Molly (2-1/2).
Sadly, Ed wrote to inform us of the passing of classmate Michael D. Palm in August
1998. Michael was an exceptionally successful businessman, working first for Warren Buffet and
then forming his own enormously successful reinsurance company. Michael used his success
to be a strong voice for the arts and for the support of research and compassion for
AIDS. In our 25th Reunion class book, Michael wrote that he was "coming to terms with
AIDS, to which I have lost a dozen close friends and at least 100 acquaintances." Michael's
extraordinary life was celebrated in a memorial service at Lincoln Center in New
York on October 11, 1998. I know that Michael has left a legacy in the heightened
awareness of both the arts and AIDS, which he has brought to not only his
Yale classmates, but to the world at large.
Back to top.
April 1999
by Sandra Mayerson
Thanks to the many who sent a note after my debut column. I was happy not only to get
some pats on the back, but also your well wishes included some news, of which I
have been getting very little. As you can see, I could not eke out enough for a column
last month. I would like to have a flawless record of no more missed columns, so please
help! This is your column, so I need some input from you. I have taken to sending random
e-mails pleading for news to a different letter of the alphabet each month. If you get
one of these, please respond. Meanwhile, you may notice a lot of news this month from
people whose last name begins with "A."
From the Yale front, our class representative to the AYA, Steve Hagan, reports from
the AYA Fall Assembly that our class was represented in force. Monty Freeman is
on the AYA Board of Directors, Wayne Itano represents the Yale Club of Colorado,
Barbara Wagner represents the Yale Club of Cincinnati, and Nina Glickson attended as special assistant
to President Levin. Craig Johnson, who has recently made the big move from Darien to
New Canaan along with his new bride Parke, also attended part of the Assembly. The
subject of this fall's Assembly was the internationalization of Yale. A summary of
the event can be found at: (www.yale.edu/aya/assembly/assemblyLIII).
Steve is our class rep to AYA functions, so, if you have any concerns, contact Steve
at (hagan@aol.com).
Steve also reports that the 25th Reunion class photo has been sent to all classmates who
ordered one. Those of you who missed out can order one from the photographer's Web site,
which is (www.photog.com/y73clpic.htm).
I also heard from Lane Heard who has long done our class proud with his outstanding service
to the Yale Alumni Fund. Lane reports that he has finally been given a reprieve. Tom
Milch and Paul Stanzler have agreed to do a stint as co-chairs of the Yale Alumni Fund
for our class. Good luck, guys!
The Yale corridors of power have not been the only scene where our classmates have excelled
at politics. In December, Chick Adams was elected mayor of Hillsborough, California, where
he has lived for the past 12 years with his wife Laurie and sons Chase (16) and Will
(13). Chick has been on the city council since 1991 and is expecting to tackle such
thorny issues as redrafting the ordinance on tree removal. Kidding aside, Chick writes
that he has enjoyed the process, and regards local government as the heart and soul
of our democratic society. He just returned from a two-week trip to Thailand to
celebrate his election and the success of his 12-attorney San Francisco law firm.
Chick is not the only classmate globetrotting these days. Chas Cadwell, who has the
enviable job of thinking about global economic issues at the University of Maryland, just
did a conference in Cairo together with (you should excuse the expression) Harvard and a
local think tank. The conference must have been scintillating, as Chas didn't even have
time to shop except for underwear to replace what was lost because of delayed baggage.
Chas's former roommate, Monty Freeman, reports that he is one of the few Americans
who has been able to take an extensive tour of Cuba. He has just returned from an
architectural preservation tour of the island, during which he was able to locate his
grandmother's home.
Another of our classmates is focused on the minute rather than the global. Richard
Conniff, whom the august New York Times Book Review has described as a "splendid
writer -- fresh, clear, uncondescending, and with never a false step," has just published
a new book entitled Every Creeping Thing. Richard explores the tangled connections between human beings
and animals and this time focuses on the lowly, unlovable ones such as bats, mice, and
moles. Richard's writing has received rave reviews. The new book is available from Henry
Holt & Company.
Many classmates have been going through life changes. Charlie Levy reports that both
he and his wife Nancy have brand new jobs. His is as media manager for an on-demand
printing company called Duplication Management, Inc. ("DMI") in Woburn, Massachusetts.
Charlie manages the flow of data coming into the company and manages the process of preparing
it to run on high-speed presses. Older son Ben is currently applying to colleges, including
Yale. Richard Watson has been coming through a turbulent time, having separated from
his wife last summer. Intel bought Digital Semi-Conductor where Rich had worked for 18
years. The alpha chip designers, including Rich, remained with Digital, only to be
purchased by Compaq. It seems the only constant in Richard's life is change and old
friends. On the other end of the spectrum, Steve Hahn was just married, reports Arthur
Adelberg, who attended the wedding in Westchester. Arthur is still with Central Maine
Power as an executive vice president of its parent, CMP Group Inc. Son Jeffrey is
a freshman at UConn, and daughter Sarah is applying to colleges for the fall.
Finally, our class seems to be raising a generation of superathletes. Josephine
Marshall Phillips writes from Plymouth, England, that her two sons, Sam (17) and
James (15), have just been selected for the Great Britain Cadet Judo Squad. James won
gold in his first international competition in Holland last December. Meanwhile, Lee
Gaines' second child, Betsy, received All-American recognition in both basketball and lacrosse.
She will attend North Carolina next year for lacrosse, while older brother Billy
preps to be a firefighter. Brian Wynn's daughter Kirsten (13) is a
ranked badminton junior.
Drake Pike writes from Hong Kong that he had a blast at the 25th Reunion introducing wife
Sally to Yale. He noted with some amazement that Sally's comment was: "How smart your
classmates are, and nice, too!"
I agree. Keep those cards, letters, and emails coming.
Back to top.
February 1999
by Sandra Mayerson
I must begin my first column as class secretary by apologizing to all secretaries past.
I have often read with skepticism explanations in class notes of how secretaries couldn't
get a column in because people did not send news or the deadlines were too far in advance
of the column. Inevitably, I said to myself, "Riiiiight!" I have now found that it
is right. My first column for the class was due prior to it being announced that I was
class secretary, so, no one had had an opportunity to send me any news. This column, which
you are reading in February, was due before the holidays and only a short while after my
name and address were first published in the Alumni Magazine, so no one has yet to send
me any news. This makes it hard to write a column, but I shall try to persevere. Please
do keep sending me your tidbits of information as often as possible. And past secretaries,
I salute you!
I am writing this column on the train on the way home from New Haven where I just attended
the Branford College Fellows holiday party. The event -- which was awe-inspiring due not
only to the beauty of the Branford courtyard, but also to some very talented Branford
seniors who provided entertainment -- turned into a mini-reunion for our class. I attended
as an associate fellow of Branford, and was joined by fellow fellows Nina Glickson and
Monty Freeman. Nina is currently assistant to the president of Yale, Rick Levin, and had
much to say about her 10-year-old daughter Sarah. Monty was still basking in the glow of
the Design Award he just received from the New York Chapter of the American Institute of
Architects (AIA) for the design of a loft residence and studio in downtown Manhattan. The loft
was featured in a recent issue of Interior magazine, as well as a new book called Loft
published by Monacelli Press.
As I gazed at the ever-beautiful Harkness Tower, I recalled the many hours I had spent
sitting around that courtyard discussing my hopes and dreams with my classmates, How many of
us have attained our dreams? Here is what I know:
Greg Taylor is currently vice president of worldwide marketing for Scientific-Atlanta. He
lives in Alpharetta, Georgia, with his wife Mary Ann and two terrific kids, Alexandra (age
5) and Mark (age 3). His oldest child, Brooke, moved closer to dad when she started college
in Atlanta this fall. Greg has recently completed successful hip replacement surgery and
will be undergoing a hip replacement on the other side soon. Good luck, Greg!
David Bromwich just had his new book published by the University of Chicago Press in
September. The title is Disowned By Memory.
J.D. Smeallie just shepherded his Boston law firm through a merger with megafirm Holland
& Knight. J.D. served on the negotiating committee which transformed his independent Boston
firm into the Boston office of this well-known firm. Everyone has great hopes for the
future, which I am sure we all share.
Another lawyer, Bill Gee, reports that the practice of real estate law in Wilmington,
Delaware, continues to be good to him. Bill is happily married with two children.
Scott Browne is certainly realizing some of his dreams. He is building his dream house
in Grass Valley, California. I saw the pictures, and the place looks fabulous! Plenty of
room for classmates to drop by and savor the panoramic vistas. And another classmate, Sheryl
Prisbe Eldridge, has apparently met the man of her dreams. Sherry, who lives in
beautiful Tiburon, California, is engaged to be married. No date yet, but fiance Mike
deserves kudos -- on his first trip to New Haven for our 25th Reunion, he managed to keep
up with all of the drinking and dancing!
It is always especially nice to realize one's dreams for one's family. Steve Hendel
just had the joy of having his child accepted at Yale, early decision. (Are we really
old enough to have Yale legacies already?) Also waxing poetic about the joys of fatherhood
is Samuel Taylor. In this case the object of his affection is his 5-year-old daughter.
Samuel lives in Oakton, Virginia, where he continues to edit a monthly magazine
called American Renaissance, a free copy of which he would be happy to supply to
any classmate who calls (703) 716-0900. By the way, bouquets to Samuel as being the
only classmate who has sent me any current information since I took office as
class secretary.
On a much more somber note, I would like to say a word about our classmate Tom
Rogers. Tom realized many of his dreams earlier than most, becoming mayor of Santa
Barbara, California, and serving his community with honor and dedication. Today,
however, Tom is battling for his life in the last stages of Lou Gehrig's disease, and
I hope he is still winning the battle when this goes to press. He has faced this
final battle with true courage. Tom was greatly buoyed by a videotape certain members
of our class made for him at our 25th Reunion, and would love to hear from any
classmates. Tom's address is: 3702 Lincolnwood, Santa Barbara, CA 93110.
Adding anything more after discussing Tom's great courage would seem frivolous, so I shall end
here. Please do keep those cards and letters coming! And although you will read this
long after, best wishes for a happy and healthy New Year.
Back to top.
October 1998 Issue
by Sandra Mayerson
Dear classmates: I am really looking forward to assuming the role of class secretary and
communicating with you through the class notes for the next five years. Please don't forget
to send me all your news, either by phone, fax, letter, or preferably, e-mail (address
above). Here's Cayce's last column:
Al Shamash writes: "It has come to my attention that I have become 'unknown' for reasons
that are -- you guessed it, unknown to me! Please be advised that I'm living in New
England and think about Yale more than infrequently. After graduating Stanford Law and
Business School I went to work for a firm in L.A. I also served as general counsel at
Unisys and then a health care company in Pennsylvania. I now practice law in New
Hampshire and Vermont, as well as teach. My new vocation (part-time) is ski instructor
-- free lessons, of course, to any visitors from the Class of '73. No wife or kids
yet, but am trying. And more on Hank Gates, who has been appointed to the Bates College board
of trustees!"
From Sarah Coffin Klebnikov: "Many close friends and family have been a huge help to
me over the past year and a half during and after my husband Youri's illness and death
in November 1996. I've increased my workload as a decorative arts consultant and gradually life
has gotten fuller and brighter. I see a lot of Libby Burnett Rinehardt and Jean Parker
Phifer '74, both former Yale roommates."
Received a newspaper clipping on Paul Kane with a note from "a proud father, Y '42, basking
in reflected glory -- Paul Kane." Paul, a poet and a critic, has been named a Guggenheim
Fellow. He's published a number of books, including two of his own poetry, and is
presently a professor of English at Vassar.
"I work as a labor lawyer in Tel Aviv, representing largely individual employees, but
also unions and even a few employers (mostly kibbutzim). I'm married to Sara, a doctor
specializing in internal medicine. Am also active in some local politics. But the
most important thing in my life are my three kids, Adi (12), Amit (9), and Na'am (4)."
-- Alex Spinrad, email: (spinradm@inter.net.il).
On May 16, Richard French, the Robert Tangeman Professor of Music at Union Theological Seminary,
professor emeritus at Yale School of Music, and lecturer in music at the Julliard School of
Music, was awarded the degree of doctor of music, honoris causa, by the Board of
Regents at Concordia College, Bronxville, New York.
Back to top.
May 1998
by Cayce Blanchard
Wigs Frank, our reunion chair, and I want to encourage all of you to attend your
25th Reunion at the end of May. Everyone's working hard to make it meaningful and fun, and
we want to see a record-breaking crowd! I know I'm going to have a great time. I
sure hope to see roommates Ellen Gellerstedt, Sarah Pillsbury, Lucy Eddy,
Greg Stragnell, and Jordy Ryan. And I hope Bob Rettew shows, as well
as my brother Jerred, Fred Mattlin, Iain Scott, Roger Finney,
Mark Huey, and the rest of you "1,000 male leaders" along side the incredible 200
female giants!
Meanwhile, Judy Moore sent a clipping with news of Lawrie Mifflin. She won the
prestigious Silver Anniversary Award from the National Collegiate Athletics Association. This
award recognizes former student-athletes who have distinguished themselves since completing their college
athletic careers 25 years ago. As many of you may remember, Lawrie helped organized the
women's field hockey team and was their first captain. I love the fact that she was the
first woman sportswriter for the New York Daily News. Congratulations, Lawrie!
It was also great to hear from Judge Peter DeStefano. Am so glad you're coming to
the reunion, Pete. It has been a long time. He writes: "Sue and I moved to the Arkansas
Ozarks in 1981 and built our house on Shiloh Mountain. We now have three children:
Mary (15), Sam (12), and Charlie (9), whom we homeschool. We've operated a law office also
since 1981. I'm a soccer coach, church organist, and history instructor at North Arkansas College.
I've also been the municipal judge of Newton County since 1990, up for reelection this
year. All Yalies are invited to visit Paradise, float the Buffalo River, and, if
you misbehave, visit our historic Newton County Jail. Come on down!" And Alice Altman
would love to hear from the few Yalies she knew during her two-and-a-half years at Yale.
You can e-mail her at alice@cht.mv.com.
Belmont Freeman writes: "After serving three years as an 'at large' delegate to
the AYA, last fall I was elected to the Board of Governors of the AYA. This new role
brings me to New Haven more than ever due to lots of meetings. Meanwhile, I'm busier than
ever practicing architecture in NYC. Last year my firm, Belmont Freeman Architects, celebrated
its tenth anniversary." And Paul Sherry writes: "Enjoying life in Anchorage.
Just accepted new position as president/CEO of Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium. Kids
in college, high school, and kindergarten!"
On August 30, 1997, Mrs. Virginia Meadow, assistant to the dean of Saybrook for 20
years, passed away. Her family has established a Master's Discretionary Fund in
her memory to benefit student life at Saybrook College. For those who want to remember
her, send your contributions to the University, Box 2038, New Haven, CT 06510-2038, Attn:
Ms. Sarah Shrewsbury.
That's all the news I've got from you as my deadline approaches. This is my last class
notes. I'll pass the torch to one of you at the reunion. It's been fun hearing from everyone
these last five years. I encourage you to write the new secretary from time to time,
and to write legibly -- or better yet, type or e-mail! Thank you for the opportunity to
be the class touchstone, so-to-speak. See you soon.
Back to top.
April 1998
by Cayce Blanchard
Jim Rosapepe was sworn in January 20 as U.S. Ambassador to Romania, with wife
Sheilah Kast at his side. Keith Ingber and wife Pam looking very much forward to attending
our 25th, even though he graduated in '72. See you there, Keith, and I've got you back on
the Yale '73 list.
Sarkis Nazarian has been appointed chief of neurology at Little Rock Veteran's
Hospital. His wife Marita is still director of pharmacy at Arkansas Children's Hospital and
sons Stephan (12) and Gregor (10) are avid soccer players when not studying for admittance
to Yale.
Richard Prokesch writes that all's well in Atlanta where he's busy practicing medicine
(infectious diseases) and trying to survive all the changes in medicine (managed care, mergers,
etc.). Wife Helene is still director of a not-for-profit organization for children with disabilities.
Daughter Bonnie has Yale potential but is not enamored with New Haven after recent visit.
"Maybe a visit to the reunion will change her mind!"
Jim Batek writes that although he has no news he has much to be thankful for
and sends his regards. Irv Hepner has taken the position of general counsel and
senior vice president of Westfield Corporation, Inc., and looks forward to the adventure of
a new career and life in California, while expressing his gratefulness to wife and daughter for
their support in both changes.
Bruce Buford, now known as Mather Beaufort, married Julie Hack on August 26,
1997. This is a first marriage for both, offering proof it's never too late. Both are on
the faculty at Maharishi University of Management in Fairfield, Iowa.
Rodney Wynkoop conducted concerts on two international choir tours last year, one
to mainland China and one to Russia. His insight: "You haven't been cold until you've
climbed the Great Wall in January!"
Meanwhile, Jonathan Ginsberg remarried Patricia Fettermann and is happily and
somewhat frantically practicing law in Washington, DC.
Received a press release on Scott Smith, president and publisher of the Chicago Tribune
Company, who was recently elected to the Northwestern Memorial Corporation board of directors. He
and his wife Martha live in Winnetka with their two children. Gordon Bertolin writes:
"My wife, daughters Caroline (16) and Beth (14), and I moved to Pretoria last summer when
I was transferred to South Africa by USAID." And Vicki Assevero writes that she and
her husband Wendell Mottley '64 continue their nomadic migrations between New York and
Trinidad, and recently returned from a World Wildlife Fund trip in Kenya and Tanzania where
Rod Wagner and Sukey were part of the group. She writes: "It's astonishing to
ponder human/animal coexistence in the vast spaces of the Serengeti and the Selous. And
my daughter is a teenager!"
That's all for this month. Let me add three words: reunion, reunion, reunion. Be there,
aloha. -- Cayce.
Back to top.
March 1998
by Cayce Blanchard
Kenneth Garvey writes: "Libby and I celebrated our 24th wedding anniversary in May.
Oldest daughter enjoying William and Mary and its chorus. Younger daughter blossoming at
age 15. Libby elected to Arlington School Board. I started new job managing EPA pesticide
program's international activities and regional/state/tribal liaison. Still see Mima
and Sally Nedelcovych, Bill ('74) and Renee Anderson, and Jim Goedert and
Joanne Grozuczak and their families. Nice to read Roger Finney is alive and well
in NYC." Ken: May have misspelled some names trying to read your writing. You asked
a question about getting information for others in class. Do you mean addresses? You can
call the AYA in New Haven -- who in particular are you looking for?
Howard Koh was appointed commissioner of public health of Massachusetts, September
1997. Craig Johnson married Parke Miller on January 3. John Dore and
Steve Hagen were ushers, his two children junior bridesmaid and aide-de-camp, respectively.
Congratulations, Craig! Sarah Fox confirmed by U.S. Senate to National Labor
Relations Board in November. Since graduation, Mark Connell has lived in Montana with
wife Nancy Jo and two daughters, practicing law and enjoying the rivers and wilderness that
surround them. His philosophy of life has been distilled into one observation from a
fisherman: "The trout do not rise in Greenwood Cemetery." Okay ...
Also heard from Mima Nedelcovych: "Family (wife and two boys) doing well.
I continue to travel regularly to Africa to structure agro-industrial investments/projects (mainly
sugar estates) for F.C. Schaffer and Associates." Bill Kaufman happy in Durham,
North Carolina, with one wife, two kids, two cats. Phil Talmadge served for 16
years in Washington state senate. Elected to the Supreme Court in '94. He and Darlene
have five children.
Received holiday greetings from: Rachell Hockett Youngman, who now lives in
Cambria, California, and loves it; Greg and Penny Stragnell, who've moved into
new digs in England; Coit Liles in New Haven; Mark Huey in DC; Jordy Ryan
and family in NYC; Iain and Janet Scott, and their three children, still in
Toronto; Mike McLaren '72 in Memphis; Fred and Bobbie Mattlin -- and I
think Fred should be the next class secretary; he's a very responsible attorney in
Boca Raton, Florida, and would enjoy hearing from people; Jim Feldman '74, from NYC;
Jimmy Stephenson '72 and his lovely wife Donna and family, from Atlanta, where he now runs
an equipment leasing company; Steve Blier '74, who's making great music in NYC; Tom
and Beatrice Doyle and family who live in Old Greenwich and are doing well; and my
own dear brother Jerred, along with wife Rita and family, who's still a tax lawyer
in DC and doing very well. In fact, I think Jerred was named something like one of the
top tax lawyers in the country.
It's also fun hearing the wisdom of Gary Burtless '72 from time to time on NPR. And I
really enjoyed the note from freshman roommate, Carol Storey-Johnson, who promises to
attend our reunion this spring and round up Virginia Tyson, David Sneed,
and Kay Tucker. Carol is the associate director, Office of Curriculum and Educational Development, at
Cornell University Medical College, married to John Johnson '71, senior counsel at BASF
in New Jersey. Carol, do look forward to seeing you, and everyone, at the reunion!
If any of you want to share a brief reminiscence of our time at Yale, and I stress brief, due
to space limitations, send them to me and fast. And please write as legibly as possible,
or better yet, type. My home e-mail address again is mediaoro@earthlink.net.
I'm in the process of starting a new job at a small hi-tech company, so don't have new
work address yet. A couple of things I remember are Ellen Gellerstedt yelling
"Hello, Mr. Cassidy" whenever we passed the guard station at Vanderbilt Hall; Tom MacDonald
wearing flip-flops with socks in the middle of winter; David Emil's yellow
Corvette; Bob Rettew and his black cape; the mass hysteria one night on the old
campus that infamous spring of '70 when Yale shut down; singing Bernstein's Mass
in Vienna under the fun John Mauceri and Beethoven's Ninth at Carnegie Hall under
the great Stokowski (what fabulous music at Yale!), not to mention Little Mary Sunshine
and the brilliant Cole Porter with Peter Evans, Stephanie Cotsirilos,
John Koslow, Steve Blier, Bill Westney, and others. Great times, lots of smart, talented people around. Happy 1998 to all.
Back to top.
February 1998
by Cayce Blanchard
Stuart Bevan writes: "This past summer we moved into a new home in Bronxville, New
York, and I began a new job as a partner with the New England Consulting Group in
Westport, Connecticut, a firm specializing in strategic planning and marketing consulting."
Laurie Treuhaft is living in New York City where she's a translator at the
United Nations -- a job that's afforded opportunities for travel, mainly in Latin
America. She and longtime companion, Ali Ekram Ali, also a United Nations translator,
are learning new things every day from their twin daughters, Layla and May, who turned 2
in August.
After leaving her position as general counsel for the Massachusetts Department of
Environmental Protection one-and-a-half years ago, Laura Goldin began life as
a professor of environmental studies at Brandeis, and is the single mom of a
remarkable 11-year-old daughter. James Hubbard Davis recently joined Human
Genome Sciences, Inc. in Rockville, Maryland, as senior VP and general counsel.
After 17 years as general counsel with Ecology and Environment, Inc., George Rusk
is returning to private practice in Buffalo, New York. David Rockwell lives and works
happily in community development finance in Boston, getting $350 million in bank-contributed
capital into affordable rental housing. His kids are 8 and 3. He and his wife Debra
feel blessed to live in Brookline, where commitment to the best of community and schools is
so clear. Warren Bierworth is president of two companies, Recofact and
Jurimondat, and lives in Paris with his wife Veronique and three sons, ages 26, 19, and 9.
Phil Peverada still practices chest surgery on the coast of Maine. His four
children keep him and his wife busy with soccer, karate, gymnastics, music lessons, etc.
Eric Oxfeld writes: "Last fall I agreed to head up a small national organization for
employers on unemployment and workers comp: UWC -- Strategic Services on Unemployment and
Workers' Compensation. Classmates, we need members. Get in touch, even if it's just
to talk about old times."
Jim Alexander and his wife adopted their daughter Beatrice in Russia a year ago.
She's now about 2-1/2 and adjusting well to her new life. Tom Herman hopes to see
everyone at the reunion in May. He's currently serving as literary manager at Pulse
Ensemble Theatre in New York and working as a freelance director.
George Downsborough writes: "Oldest daughter, Melissa, plays in the high school
marching band and shoots rifle at Camp Perry. College in two years! I am chasing the
ruffed grouse and enjoying fall in central Pennsylvania." Deena Nelson recently
moved into a new office at 635 Madison Ave., NYC, practicing internal medicine; also,
three-and-a-half years into a wonderful relationship and living in Greenwich Village.
And from Dennis Kardon: "My wife (Kelly Lewis) and I have an 11-year-old daughter named
Julia who goes to the Ethical Culture School in NYC. I'm a painter and teach at the School
of Visual Arts. I have a studio on 14th street and have had several one-man shows, most
recently the Too Jewish? exhibition originated by the Jewish Museum in NY and touring the
country last year. My wife is a co-producer of the Good Morning America show on ABC.
And, finally, a nice note from Peter Connolly: "I'm still uneasily engaged in the
practice of communications law in D.C.; still married to Susan McKenty and have two
interesting children, Claire and Emma, 10 and 8. Life filled with many bourgeois requirements,
not to speak of the pleasures of lawn care. Still try to find time to read history and go
to museums. I urge those who don't intend to go to the reunion to reconsider. Reunions
aren't occasions to try to impress. Rather they're respites during which relationships of tumultuous 1969-73
are renewed. How many people really know or care who Allard Lowenstein was? Anyhow, come.
You won't regret it."
Hope everyone had a healthy, happy holiday season.
Back to top.
November 1997
by Cayce Blanchard
From James G. Coon: "I'm living in Poland and hoping to hear from other Class of
'73 types in anticipation of the 25th Reunion. Send E-mail to james@it.com.pl
and let me know what's up." Another friendly reminder from Wiggs Frank to make plans
to attend our 25th -- and am I the only one astounded by the response from the world to
Princess Diana's death?
Back to top.
October 1997
by Cayce Blanchard
So, here we go, charging/sauntering (pick your verb) into our 25th year after graduation.
Hard to fathom. I don't feel any older, do you? Also, don't think I've ever felt or
looked better (not hard to do, considering how many of us looked back then, what we put
in our bodies, etc., except for Liz Asher, who always looked stunning!). Everyone
should have received Steve Hagan's questionnaire; whether you fill it out or not, just
reading the questions and answering them to yourself is thought-provoking. I do hope
people will make an effort to come to our 25th. As I said, I'm not a big reunion person
-- everyone should be living in the here and now -- but there is something about this
number. Personally, we should all feel good that we're here and healthy and celebrate that
accomplishment together. Many of us aren't. (Or are we all still as cynical today as
we were, or tried to be, back then?)
Ed Griffiths writes: "Well, if Mike Schuller wants to know where 'Eddie G."
is, I guess I'd better respond. I've been a resident of northern California for almost
20 years, living in Pleasant Hill -- about 30 miles east of San Francisco -- with my
wife Jeanne and two sons, Zane (age 8) and Zachary (age 5). I manage the northern
California commercial property and casualty underwriting and sales operations for the Travelers.
Not long ago I ran into a Farnham roommate at the Burbank airport, Dan Gregory,
who lives in SF and is the senior architecture editor of Sunset magazine."
Hank Gates will receive an honorary doctorate from Merrimack College --
congratulations! Rachel Hockett and her husband Richard are new residents of our
neck of the woods. They've moved their household to Cambria, California. We're glad you're
here, Rach!
Had a great time over Easter in New York with Roger Finney and Coit Liles. Not
too happy we were stood up by Fred Mattlin and Iain Scott, so we said nasty
things about you guys the whole time. Had an interesting discussion at dinner with an
older (is there such a thing!) alum while there, about giving to Yale. His informal research
shows that people around our class don't give as much as the older alum's do. Wonder why.
Any response from any of you?
Got a nice e-mail from one of my roommates, Greg Stragnell, who's alive and well and
still living in England with the lovely Penny. You can e-mail him at
strags@rmplc.co.uk. He would love to hear from
folks. I think he was giving me a hint when he added at the end of his message, "It is
better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid than to open it and remove all
doubt." -- Mark Twain. I'll go you one better, Greg. "The credit belongs to one who is
actually in the arena; whose face is marred with sweat and dust and blood; who strives
valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great
enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends him/herself in a worthy cause, and who, if
he/she fails, at least fails while bearing greatly so that his/her place shall never be
with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat." -- T. Roosevelt.
Please send news. This is my last year and I'd like to go out with a bang! You can also
e-mail me at home through this address:
mediaoro@earthlink.net. Jordy Ryan,
I'd love to hear from you. Walter Parkes: Maybe you'll bring your guitar to
our 25th and we can recreate some of our biggest art song hits! (I doubt I have a
voice left, sigh.)
Hope everyone enjoyed a healthy summer. All's well for me and mine out here in
paradise. Heading to Colorado as I write this in August to hike with my brother Jerred,
his wife Rita, and two children, Molly and Jerred 3. Good summer/fall reading: Angela's Ashes
and Katharine Graham's autobiography. Later.
Back to top.
March 1996
by Cayce Blanchard
Mary Ezaki writes that all is well with her and husband Bob, raising three
daughters: "Still in Dallas, still in medicine, still happy. Hello to all." Ron Neumann
has switched jobs after ten years and now is deputy general counsel at Rosenthal & Rosenthal,
Inc., a private commercial lender. After more than nine years as foreign correspondent for
the Washington Post, Julie Preston moved to The New York Times and
has settled for the time being in Mexico with her husband Sam and daughter Emilia, now 5
and rapidly becoming fluent in Spanish. She reports, "It's a great time to be here, as
Mexico makes a troubled transition from a presidential dictatorship to sui generis democracy."
Some sports reporting from Yoichi Fujiki: "The 1995 Cleveland Indians summer is now
a fond memory. Just before the American League Series, I spoke with Rod Fonda, a
Seattle Mariners fan. Now I know why he didn't want to bet against the Indians! My eldest
son is a freshman at Ohio State, and I've become a fan of the Buckeyes. Baltimore can have
the Browns!" Eric Sanders is now working as a consultant systems analyst at MCI
in Colorado Springs and glad to be back after years of living all over the U.S.
Meanwhile, Carlos Mendez-Penate has returned with his family to New York after
ten years in Miami. He's head of the Latin America corporate and finance department for
Morgan, Lewis and Bockus. His daughters have become devoted Bulldog fans and even walked
"Handsome Dan" around the bowl during the Penn game this fall.
Rich Watson's paper on a chip design he completed last year was published in the IEEE
Journal of Solid State Circuits in November. He (along with his company, Digital Equipment Corp.)
holds five patents on this technology. Jean, his wife, is opening an antique shop in
Harvard, while Mason, age 6, goes to kindergarten.
It was very nice hearing from Mike Schuller, who's living happily in Easthampton, Massachusetts, with
wife Candy and four daughters, the youngest of whom is 17 months (approximately) and named
Casey. Guys, I appreciate the thought, even with the spelling differential, and wish Casey
a long and happy life -- ditto to all of you. Delighted to hear you're doing so well.
Peter Butterfield writes, "Just doing the same old things in New Zealand. Come
visit or e-mail (prb@1conz.co.nz)." And Linda Hughey Holt
heads a woman's health program, is a practicing OB/GYN, and is raising three children ages
12, 10, and 6. "Yes, Virginia, you can have it all, but the catch is you'll pay a
heavy price. If I were starting over I'd stick with an easier career." Finally, I received
numerous press releases on Steve Kiernan and the good work out of his planning and
architecture firm, as well as a release out of London on the merger of Arrival Boss, Ltd.
and Mason Fox BIU Ltd., two companies involved in the management information and decision support
system arena. They've combined to form DecisionWorks, of which Floyd Bradley is chief
executive.
It's warm here in southern California while the east is hit by major snowstorms -- miss
the weather but that's a bit much, don't you agree! Stay warm and I'll have more news
next month.
Back to top.
February 1996
by Cayce Blanchard
Ellen Gellerstedt, how great to hear from you. You're right -- I can't believe your
oldest daughter, Becky, is now a freshman and in Pierson College like we were. How
wonderful for you. Yes, our guard on the old campus was Mr. Cassidy. You sound terrific.
I am proud of the work you are doing as a clinical associate professor of pediatrics at the
University of Rochester, New York, and practicing developmental and behavioral pediatrics and raising four
wonderful children. But I'm not surprised. If anyone from our class has a child at
Yale, let Ellen know, please: 195 Hollywood Avenue, Rochester, 14618. Oh -- thanks for the
news of Jordy Ryan, however sketchy. I knew he'd gone from China to Vietnam, doing
what, I haven't heard, but hope he's well.
Another roommate, Sarah Pillsbury, just opened her new movie, How to Make an American Quilt,
which reviews say is terrific. Of course. Also got a very nice note from Dan Gregory.
Good to hear from you, Dan. He, too, thinks American Quilt is marvelous. Dan is now
a senior editor at Sunset magazine in Menlo Park, California, where he works on
architecture and design subjects, and occasionally writes for California Monthly. He and
his wife Mary have two children. Glad to hear all is well with you. Sarah, know any film
set designers Dan can write about who've decorated their homes in inventive ways? And heard
from J.B. Fisher, who left Amoco after 14 years and is now an in-house science and
engineer advisor for the law firm of Gardere & Wynne in Tulsa, Oklahoma, (918)
560-2932; e-mail: FISBE@gardere.com.
More from classmates. James Batek now navigating the waters of international marketing
at a company called Intramark in Chicago. William Schlaff and wife Lorraine are
enjoying the golden aspens of Colorado with 1-year-old son, Daniel Joseph. Joanne Wible-Kant
attended the New Blue reunion at Yale with classmates Tracy Roualt and Linda Darling.
So sorry I missed that, Joanne (hope we sang well). Good luck in your debut on the
operatic stage!
Alex Dlugi has moved with his family to New Jersey as director of the Center for
Reproductive Endocrinology at Morristown Memorial Hospital. And from Andrew Dutka,
these words: "Go Navy!" Sandra Fuller sends greetings from Golden, Colorado. Good
news from Harold Prince -- he won the W. Donald Duckworth Prize (?$$?) for his
bibliography of the works of Ioannes Baptista.
Donald Gibson sent a lovely note. He sounds happy, family's doing well, practicing law
in a small community south of Boston. He says, "My wife is as lovely. However, my waist
is expanding, my heart is shrinking, my hair is thinning, but in my mind I'm just the same
as you remember me."
Finally, Phillip Bowles has a sports report: he spent two weeks in Siberia fishing with
Harris Barton and Elvis Garbac (sp?) of the 49ers. Sounds ... fun? Phillip saw good old
Mark Lewis '72 recently, who, he says, is basically living on airplanes while overseeing Electronic
Arts' worldwide activities. Also Chris Chevins in New York, who prospers and
promises to live long. On that note, as I type at my computer the week before the
holidays, may you all prosper and live long and have a lovely holiday with friends and
family. We are heading down the stretch to our 25th reunion. Reminder: get your class dues
paid up, please.
Back to top.
November 1995
by Cayce Blanchard
Warren Goldstein writes, "I am writing a biography of the Rev. William Sloane
Coffin Jr. Coffin is cooperating fully, and Yale Press has contracted to publish
it.... I'm interested in letters, reminiscences, anecdotes -- anything that will help
explain Coffin's chaplaincy, his life, or his influence -- both at Yale and the larger
world. I've heard from a few of you through an author's query I put in the Times,
but I'm counting even more faithfully on Yalies who read the Alumni Magazine. I
can be reached at home at 165 West Street, Amherst, MA 01002; telephone: (413)
253-2889; fax: (413) 253-2907; or through e-mail: warrengol@aol.com."
Warren is on leave this year from SUNY-Old Westbury, where he is an associate professor of
American studies, so he can devote full time to his book.
Back to top.
April 1995
by Cayce Blanchard
More news. Dave Thomas writes, "Jim and Jan McLaren hosted
Tom McDermott and myself for the weekend. Discussion centered on whether Chip Black,
Mark Summers, Rich Levine, and Roger Finney are experiencing similar difficulties
with writer's block, irregularity, and hair loss." Jim has paper brokerage firm in Chicago, Tom
is a partner with Oshkosh law firm, Dave has construction supply company in Cleveland.
Jack Belkin would like to hear from Steve Davis, says he's very proud of
Ted Libbey's new book.
Ognen Petroff was recently awarded tenure as associate professor of neurology at
Yale and was certified in something that I can't read; sorry, Doctor. He's kept his sense of
humor: "Twenty-one years after graduation, I'm taking more tests. Fortunately, my
children have not started this treadmill yet." Congratulations. Frank Tortora is
in urology practice in North Carolina; wife Jennifer, children Frank and Elise. Would like
to hear from friends. David Snyder is now associate director of department of
hematology/bone marrow transplantation at City of Hope Medical Center. Enjoying life in
southern California with wife Gail and family. Robert Welti survived a two-month family
sabbatical trip through Zimbabwe, Botswana, and a canoe trip in Zambia. Had name of best
guide in Zimbabwe if needed.
Nina Glickson left the AYA at beginning of July. Thought she'd take a slight break,
but the call came to work as assistant to president Levin -- too good to pass up. She
deals with any issue having to do with students, under and graduate, getting a good grasp
of what's really going on out there! Charles Levy has moved back into radio full
time, working for small FM station in Winchendon (sp?), Massachusetts. Having fun -- wants to
know when we're getting an e-mail address for all this stuff instead of waiting for
handwritten notes. That means moving into the 21st century, Levy, and I'm not sure we're
ready for that. And to end on a valentine note this February, Arthur Adelberg writes he
married his teenage sweetheart, Lisa, in February 1994. Happy one-year anniversary! Am trickling
these out a bit at a time -- more to come. Cheers.
Greetings to all my classmates. Cannot believe how fast the summer flies -- will have
flown, by the time this hits print (and the O.J. saga continues). Hope it's been a good
summer for everyone, whatever that means. For me it has been mostly one of work
interspersed with weekends outdoors -- in southern California that's what you do: hiking,
biking, jogging. Knock on wood, everyone's healthy. But work seems to drive us, and taking
time off to "recreate" is difficult for all the wrong reasons. We'll head to Lake Tahoe
mid-August and leave the mostly self-inflicted stress behind. Have you seen Apollo 13?
Great flick. Somehow I missed the real thing in 1970, due to other events in life! Good
script.
Some nice news from folks: Bill Schink has moved to Hawaii -- as he says, "from one
island (Manhattan) to another (Oahu), but the similarities end there." He's working for
First Hawaiian Bank doing corporate finance and new business development. So, new job, new
digs, and new baby. Good for him. Says he saw Andy Schwartz and his wife Suzie, both
doctors, who also share three wonderful kids and a very friendly dog.
Ted Seals writes, "I'm alive and well and working with C-BREM Communications Corp.,
a Chicago South Side PR firm. Am busy promoting a book, Evelyn: A Story of Love, Family
and Community, by Robert C. Ballard, which I also edited. It's a true story of Mr.
Ballard and the white people who raised him as a boy in the Jim Crow south. Was visited last
summer by friend and classmate Dave Walline, who is technically Class of '74, but not
to me and his other friends. Dave, I'm not much of a letter-writer, but you will hear
from me."
And Walter Schindler feels, "Yale should have agreed to establish the program in
Western Civilization requested by Lee Bass." Meanwhile, I got a newspaper clipping touting
the work of Tom Mooney. He's written two books on education law, both published by
the Hartford-based Connecticut Association of Boards of Education: See You in Court!
and A Practical Guide to Connecticut School Law. The article describes Tom as a
"bright and serious man with a whimsical side and a gift, not rampant in his profession, for
clarity."
Ed Rothstein wrote a good letter full of news. He's finishing up his fourth year
as chief music critic for The New York Times, feeling life is "crazily pressured and
crazily rewarding." He's moving into his 14th year of marriage, has 3 children, and just
gave birth to a book that took seven years to write, Emblems of Mind: The Inner Life of Music
and Mathematics (Times Books). He often thinks of Yale, haunting the Steinway grand in the TD
common room, and of friends from our class and surrounding ones. (I agree with Ed, it
would be nice for once to have a reunion with some consecutive classes.) He's seen Roger Cohn,
Fred Ritchin, and Phil Waldoks, all of whom are flourishing. And he'd love
to hear from people: (718) 859-4410.
David Kusnet has left his post as President Clinton's chief speechwriter to work
on a syndicated column. He is married to Ruth Wattenburg, and has published a book, Speaking American.
On June 30th, Mark Karlin's Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence presented President
Clinton '73JD with a special Abraham Lincoln Courage Award. The president praised Mark
for his "long and often lonely struggle against gun violence."
And finally, a lovely note from Sarah Heath: "Any classmates who've not returned in
the past year would be surprised and thrilled to see the beautiful Maya Lin table of
flowing water in front of the library, now the center of a peaceful scene where cars
reign no more." Sarah has a band, The Heaths (three sisters, one married to their
erstwhile soundman, Bob McLellan. Bob, how the heck are ya?), and they're touring
coffeehouses, town halls, and barns around New England. Sarah, sounds grand and I love
the title of your "motown bluegrass" hit, "I Found Love on the Info-highway"! They
were to appear near New Haven September 9 at the Eli Whitney Barn Folk Series.
Says she'd love to hear from Fred Ritchin (Fred's a popular guy this month) and other
old pals, at: Sedge2@aol.com.
Till next time, thanks for the letters and support. Stay well, everyone.
Back to top.
March 1995
by Cayce Blanchard
Finally got some mail, including a nice note from Brian Wynn. He writes that Dick Gregerson,
along with wife Peggy and son, departed Toronto for California. Will miss them. Otherwise
his life as corporate lawyer hums along, never boring. He also suggests I split my
duties as class secretary, since there never seems to be any news. Truth: I don't hear from
anyone and then it all comes at once -- like now when people pay their dues. But Brian, your
suggestion to ask for money is absolutely sound. On behalf of Brian and Mother Yale, please
send money. He's right, our 25th reunion will be here before you know it and our class,
and Yale, can use the cash.
Great to hear from Steve Killian and his wife Chris, who now have a 7-month-old, "beautiful"
daughter, Sarah. Steve working hard as chief of family practice and associate medical director
in Annapolis, Maryland, for the Columbia Medical Plan. Emily Fine writes she, too, is hard
at it with her medical practice, but has started to play the french horn again.
Randy Hitchcock relocated from California to the Columbus, Ohio, area as director of
marketing for National General Insurance Co. Two sons doing well, celebrating 21st wedding
anniversary with wife Gail in September. Jim Reed writes, "Not enough time and too much
entropy. I believe it was 1970 when a Yale coed on her way to class made it her daily
business to say 'hello' to almost everyone she passed. A few people responded. I would like
to send her my 'hello'. I wish peace, love, and happiness to all who read this."
How lovely.
Mitchell Model has published an undergraduate computer textbook, Data Structures, Data
Abstract ions: A Contemporary Introduction Using C++, Prentice Hall, 1994. Tom Watson
says he showed his age and a streak of Peter Pan by attending a Rolling Stones concert in
Columbia, South Carolina. Those "old men" were really great. Phillip Bowles
concurs. Says he got a shock when his godson entered Yale this year as a freshman (Y'99).
I guess so, Phil!
Dan Delmar working hard in a, by now, not-so-new position with Anderson Consulting.
Neil Busis recently married Rachel Snyder. Anthony Davis is teaching in the
African-American studies department at Harvard with Henry Gates. Busy with several
music projects including fourth opera, AMISTAD. Getting married to soprano Cynthia Aaronson
in November in New York after they return from performing in concert in Vienna ... barring
jet-lag, they should be in good shape for the wedding.
Ron Taylor writes from rainy southern California, "I've been an artist for the
last couple of years, writing TV episodes for shows. Now have joined Mike Sullivan to work
at the new United Paramount TV Network." He also looks forward to having lunch with
Mark Karlin when he's out in LA for a medical convention. I'll stop here so I can
spread the news over the next few months and keep something going in the column! Happy new
year, everyone.
Back to top.
February 1995
by Cayce Blanchard
Granville Smith writes that his daughter Crystal is a freshman at North western
University ... and wonders why Northwestern accepted her and Yale did not. Linda Hughey Holt
is now heading up a meno pause program and practicing OB/GYN. Her three children, Matt
(11), Ellie (9), and Genie (5), are keeping them busy ... says she's afraid they're not
promising Ivy-League types unless there's a Nintendo major by the 21st century.
Andrew Dutka is still serving in the U.S. Navy, now captain, medical corps, and
chief of neurology at Bethesda Naval Hospital. He misses the stimulation of Yale friends.
Patrick Lydon is still living and working (farming, general dog's body, development,
administration) in Camphill Community in Callan Co, Kilkenny, Ireland. Working with
people with intellectual disabilities. He writes, "Gladys and I have four children, Dominic
(15), (can't read the second child's name) Collin? (13), Sarah (11), and Ruth (7) --
all a joy to my soul. If any classmate is in Ireland, Ballytobin is well worth a
visit -- an eye opener -- so call in."
Nanette Kaplan Solomon has her second compact disc out: "Character Sketches:
Solo Piano Works by Seven American Women." It's released on the Leonarda label
(LE334) and available in record stores. She also performed in Paris at the French Piano
Institute and as a result of her fine performance there was asked to play at the
French Embassy in Washington, D.C. In attendance were fellow JE classmates Doug White, Linda
Martin Cole, and Chuck Cole.
James R. Batek writes that he's doing much better with a new diagnosis regarding
his state of health. This is good news and we wish him continued good health. On the other
hand, we want to send our very best to Tom Rogers and to say how much we wish him
well with what he's facing in Lou Gehrig's disease. It isn't fair.