Class Notes

January/February 2010

by Tony Lavely

As the holiday season approaches, we're making plans for a Class Council meeting on Saturday, January 30th in New Haven. We'll also try for tickets to a men's hockey game (Tony Lee notes that they're ranked in the top 10 in early season polls). Please email or call me if you would like to attend.

Per Wickstrom emailed that he and Elaine spent two weeks in Alaska in August. Per's artwork is on our Class Website; Per has not added new work since the reunion due to his duties with the University of Minnesota Medical School admissions committee and as chairman of the development committee. The Wickstroms spent several days with Jerry Springer and his wife, Melody. Per said: "For a doctor, Jerry has been uncommonly useful. He has spent most of the last 20 years taking care of native populations, sometimes in quite remote places. He currently lives in the woods outside of Fairbanks." At its board meeting on October 9th, the Hastings Center honored Strachan Donnelley and his mother by naming the great lawn facing the Hudson River, "Donnelley Lawn" where they will also put a bench dedicated to Strachan. Vivian and their children attended the dedication ceremony. Last September, the Huffington Post featured the Manchester Index, created by Paul Manchester. In November, Paul joined the Federal Housing Finance Agency.

Wayne Batcheler, Pete Putzel, and Howard Gillette all emailed with the sad news that Steve Bingham's daughter, Sylvia ('09), died in an accident in September. A more complete report has been posted on the Class Website under "Class News." Harry Howell reported that he played in the Kittansett golf tournament in Marion, MA, in September; he was paired with Jim Dwinell and they faced Ed Trippe and Jack Mettler in the second round (a 64 foursome, possibly a first for a USGA event)! Chris Getman has recovered from hip surgery. As Mory's president, Chris reports great progress on the renovation and re-opening. Last summer, George Humphrey was honored at the 50th anniversary of his grade school, Hawken School, for his lifetime of service to the school. This same school was attended by Bill Manuel, John Wilbur, and Clark Harvey.

Jim Baxter is planning a trip to Japan to visit his daughter, Kathryn ('88) and her husband Garth Bray who is managing director of Sullivan & Cromwell in Tokyo. Bob Musil recently joined the Board of Trustees of Mitchell College in New London. He gave the commencement address and received an honorary degree in May. Bob will be the Leonard R. Mellman Visiting Scholar at Temple University this year. Bob Ball wrote, "I'm happily ensconced in a cozy house near Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis with my partner of 15 years, Mark Schuler. Together we have raised 8 children to adulthood. I'm still studying piano, Russian, and Japanese, and do some occasional teaching." Dan Lowenstein wrote: "I became emeritus professor at UCLA School of Law to spend most of my time as Director of the new UCLA Center for the Liberal Arts and Free Institutions. Google ‘UCLA CLAFI' to learn more."

Tony Morris has attended three major conferences on aerial firefighting this year — one in Athens, Greece — to encourage public-private partnerships. Anne and Ed Massey were in Cleveland in November to attend the wedding of Heather Connelly, daughter of Mowry Connelley. They stayed with Jim Shanklin and Carolyn. Ed reminded Jim of his title, "World's Oldest Living Man," as dubbed by Bill DuRoss. I heard from Candy that Waldo Johnston was "in Newport, RI, waiting out a storm so he can deliver a sailboat." Dan Pollack and Nancy were in Calistoga, CA, in October for the wedding of their daughter, Debbie. The Pollacks are having Thanksgiving dinner with the Hollenbecks and will be visiting Gary Hollenbeck and Marilyn in Florida this winter, where they will probably see Waldo Johnson and Candy, too. Bob Hannah and Susan spent most of the summer in Good Heart, MI, and welcomed a new granddaughter.

Steve Norman emailed: "I retired from American Express in September after 39 great years. Since then, I've formed a consulting firm, SPNorman Co., which provides governance advice to corporations." Steve is also on the NYSE Commission on Corporate Governance. Bob Sexton, executive director of the Pritchard Committee for Academic Excellence, reports "a tidal wave of reform" at their fall meeting in Kentucky.

My daughter, Vanessa, and son, Benjamin, are touring Southeast Asia where they just missed Jim Rogers in Singapore (he was on his way to Switzerland) but are spending a few days on Koh Samui, Thailand, with Patrick Caviness. It's reassuring to have the Class of 1964 network around the World! By the way, Jim Rogers made a very generous contribution to the Class for the enhancement of our Class Website. Terry Holcombe continues to make regular trips to Egypt in his consulting practice. In November, Chris Getman attended a panel discussion on the future of the news media; one of the panelists was Bob Kaiser (a newly minted grandfather) who was dapper and "his usual on-point, well-informed, witty self," according to Getman. Recently, Getman accompanied Handsome Dan XVII (aka "Sherman") to the Trumbull College Master's Tea where it took him three tries to "speak" … Sherman, that is, not Getman (see "Class News" on the Website).

From all reports, there promises to be a large gathering of classmates at the The Game on November 21st. Chris and Toddie will be leading the delegation with Sherman outside Portal 27 and after the game at the New Haven Lawn Club. There will be more reports from this gathering in the next issue.