Yale 1964 classmates speak out on many issues
September 13, 2020
Dear classmates:
This email delivers a copy of the November/December 2020 Class Notes, which are now posted on our Class website. In the column you will read about 90 classmates and what many of them are saying about the issues of the day. As is my practice, we go light on partisan politics.
You will also find a lot of new information by and about classmates in Class News. Please look favorably on the Class Dues solicitation when you receive it this fall from Chip Brennan.
Let’s hope the months ahead will bring the promise of a reliable COVID-19 vaccine so that we can gather together in person again. In the meantime, all the best to you and your families.
Cheers,
Tony Lavely
November/December Class Notes
This is the final Notes column of 2020. As Labor Day ends our COVID-19 summer, we anxiously watch many of our grandchildren return to school with hopes for a proven vaccine in the future. Students have also returned to New Haven, but terms will be staggered. Density on campus will be about 40% with most learning taking place online. Student-athletes will not have competitive schedules in the fall, though limited training will take place in prescribed stages. The Class of 2024 — the most diverse in history at Yale — set a record for “gap” years. Chris Getman circulated an email from John Stuper, the Yale baseball coach, that was poignant: “You should be proud of your alma mater. Yale’s response to this pandemic has blown every other Ivy out of the water. We are staying in touch with our kids and are there for anything they need. They are a great group, and I am hoping and praying that we get a chance to play this spring.” Your Class Council has decided to schedule our 2021 annual Class Council meeting next February via Zoom. We are not planning for any in-person Class gatherings until a proven vaccine is in place.
Monthly throughout the summer, the Mory’s luncheon group (Don Edwards hosted on July 1, August 5, and September 2) and the Boston luncheon group (Jerry Flannelly hosted on July 15, August 12, and September 16) met via Zoom, with 10-12 classmates attending each call. Despite the video constraint, discussions on every call were lively and wide-reaching. Don Edwards said it best: “I miss the deeply human act of sharing food, but Zoom has its own intimacy, including eye contact. And we’re not limited to conversing only with the people sitting beside or across from us at a large table.” Pete Putzel is planning on reviving the Yale Club of NYC group, and Owen O’Donnell will reconvene the San Francisco group, both via Zoom. The Yale Alumni Association will convene a series of Zoom meetings for the YAA Assembly and Yale Alumni Fund Convocation during the fall. Bill Morse, our YAA Delegate, Ward Wickwire, our Chair of Agents, and Kai Lassen, a YAF Board member, will join me for these Zoom meetings. Ward reported that our class raised $300,000 from 263 donors during the fiscal year ending in June.
As reflected above, Yale has dramatically increased its digital outreach to alumni, including special interest groups. I listened to a very interesting podcast, hosted by President Peter Salovey, titled “Conecting the Yale Community with Food.” Believe me, Yale Hospitality has come a long way since my days as a bursary student working in Commons! My keen interest in food also led me to a webinar hosted by the Yale Food and Drink Facebook Group titled, “Soul Food & Soul Music: Intertwined Traditions.” On another occasion, I was contacted by the Yale Entrepreneurial Society (YES) about an internship program they are launching.
Since the previous column, we have added twenty new articles to Class News. I didn’t send an all-classmate email about them in August, as I was traveling, but I’m sure you would find many of them very interesting. As a collection, these articles speak to the wide and varied interests of our classmates. In reverse chronological order, you can read:
In addition to these News stories, Yale has been in the national media recently which prompted commentary from classmates: the Justice Department accused Yale of discrimination in its admissions process; the government threatened to strip visas of foreign students in online classes; the Yale Art Department cancellation of “Introduction to Art History;” two petition candidates for the Yale Corporation.
Dave Anderson emailed: “I'm spending a lot of effort on a small lung-cancer treatment startup. My hope is that it will be wildly successful, in which case I'll try to add my funding to the idea. There are certainly tragedies that could be avoided, and costs that could be reduced.” After I posted Steve Bingham’s op-ed on traffic violence on Facebook, he received an outpouring of support. Steve posted: “Thanks to many of you who commented. Support from classmates at the time of my trial proceedings (1984-86) ending in acquittal has meant a great deal to me and my French wife Francoise. She has joined me at a few class reunions and loves that there are so many Francophiles in our class!” Bill Bowe is a lifelong Chicagoan and regularly posts about historical events in the city, like the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition. On another topic, Bill posted: “Before, during, and after my time in the 1990s as president of Merriam-Webster, the lexicographic goal was always to reflect the way words were actually used, not how someone thought they should be used. It’s called begin descriptive, not prescriptive.” Kip Burgweger hosted a pig roast with a beer truck on his farm on July 4. Sam Callaway successfully rehabbed his knee that was injured on an early summer hike. Jim Carney is a regular contributor to a group email thread about current politics that is driven by Neil Hoffmann. Pat Caviness emailed from Thailand about the new campus social distancing restrictions: “We all know how valuable the residential college living experience can be. The friendships, the late-night conversations, the meals together, the protected thoughtful space. And to see all this diminished is sad.” Pat also posted: “This is CoCo (as in coconut), our new big Soi dog who we adopted after several months of feeding her. She probably has some Doberman Pinscher in her tainted ancestry. Her ears are about the size of airplane wings.”
Sam Deloria posted: “There is a great movie called The Sunshine Boys with Walter Matthau and George Burns. I’m reminded of it when I see our two geezer presidential candidates (both of who are younger than I am) talking about who could do what to whom behind the barn. Two guys who have probably never been in a fight in their lives.” Sam is always on the lookout for triteness, too, as when he posted: “’As you know’ is increasingly becoming an indication of something that I don’t, in fact, know or believe.” Dick Devens emailed after our latest issue of Class Notes: “Thanks for putting classmate’s names in blue hyperlinks!” Colleen Murphy-Dunning, the URI coordinator at Yale School of the Environment emailed: “We have continued as best we could to support the Community Greenspace program this summer. An undergraduate named Tommy Martin was your Class of 1964 summer intern, and today was his last day! The first part of the summer, Yale did not allow students to work in the field, so they worked remotely, and our staff made deliveries on their behalf. In mid-July the Yale students were allowed to do fieldwork following strict COVID protocols. Today, Tommy gave a short PowerPoint presentation to our staff. I can ask him to share his slides, which were all about one new group that he supported. I can send them to you as a preview and then, hopefully next February, he can present to your Class (in New Haven or on Zoom).”
Like many classmates, Don Edwards was moved by John Lewis’ memorial service, especially the words of James Lawson (who was a student of my father’s at B.U. in 1960). John emailed: “I sent John Lewis’s farewell piece in today’s NYT to our six grandkids with this message: ‘I think John Lewis was the finest moral exemplar of my generation. I hope he will be an inspiration to yours.’” Earlier in the summer, Don emailed: “I was sorry to miss the Mory’s Zoom this month, but glad to get away briefly to Maine. Negative COVID tests in CT allowed us to avoid quarantine in ME, and Sally and I ‘dined out’ on crab and lobster rolls at a picnic table overlooking the Cousins River. It felt like a special occasion! My boat is staying in dry dock this season, but my brother-in-law took me out to Harpswell for lunch. I looked for Steve Norman but didn’t see him. CT has the best record in the nation on reduction of new COVID cases, but the economic fallout hasn’t changed. I serve on the board of New Haven’s largest food pantry which has seen a tripling of demand since April. I also serve on the board of St. Thomas’s Episcopal Day School, which is struggling with the imponderables of school re-opening. I give thanks after every meeting that I’m retired.” Sam Francis emailed in August: “As the Emergency Coordinator in my town of Chatham NJ, I'm involved with making claims to FEMA to get reimbursed for Tropical Storm Isaias. Since that was a declared emergency, my town can get Federal reimbursement for storm-related expenses (police, fire, DPW).” Sam also gave some good advice about generators: “When there’s a 911 call having to do with carbon monoxide, the fire department is dispatched (since they do HazMat) and the squad is dispatched (since they assess the health of the residents). In every such dispatch during the last tropical storm, the problem was simply that the resident had a generator whose exhaust was directed toward the house instead of away. The remedy was simply to turn off the damned generator or, if possible, direct its exhaust away from the house. That’s what the fire department did in every case. We had no deaths. I have a generator which ran for 5 days. I live to tell the tale.”
Frank Franklin is Professor Emeritus of Public Health at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He has been posting regularly about COVID-19: “How are you triangulating with this triple threat to your physical, emotional, and spiritual health? The keys to preserving your health behind masks and distancing are humor, creative endeavors, social interactions, and contributions.” As fall approached, Frank posted: “Many colleges and universities suggest they will be safe places for students, faculty, and staff this fall. Yet, they are ill-prepared for inevitable outbreaks on campus.” Cathy Gaffga posted: “We went to Charleston yesterday to celebrate my husband Len Gaffga’s birthday. We went on the harbor tour, and it was fun. Walked around Charleston and saw some nice sites.” Bill Galvin emailed: “I missed the Mory’s Zoom call because I was on the beach in Martha’s Vineyard with our two goldens.” After I informed Stephen Greenblatt that he was quoted in Maureen Dowd’s NYT column in August and asked if he was teaching in the fall term, Stephen emailed: “Yes, I’m teaching in the fall, remotely like all other Harvard courses. In the meantime, we are still dreaming of getting back to our apartment in Rome, which we left in a hurry in March, thinking that we would get back very soon. At the moment they won’t even let us into the country!” Neil Hoffmann emailed Butch Hetherington: “I saw your comments in Lavely's notes about supporting New Haven through the YAF. I suppose I have a soft spot in my heart for New Haven because my father and grandparents grew up there and my grandfather was still there when we were at Yale. I heard stories about the heyday of New Haven in the 1890s. But don't you think that the quality of life in New Haven has a big impact on Yale? It was so grim when we were there, and it got worse. Not only that, but the impact on the Alumni Fund must be minimal and this fund may attract new givers.” Neil added: “The class notes sent out today must be the longest class notes in the history of Yale. You should all curl up with a drink and your tablet for an hour of fun.” Marya Holcombe posted: “Mory’s is open. Let us know if you’re in town, guys. We are in and out but will be ‘in’ if you are coming to town.” Later, Marya posted “Pop Terry [Holcombe] and the giant (but still my baby) grandson at Mansion Beach on Block Island.” Marya also posted a photo of the newly married couple exiting the church 54 years ago, with a Fallout Shelter sign over Terry’s head. Terry explained in an email: “The backstory on the shelter sign is interesting and can now be told. A guy I knew from East Haven had scored a Federal contract to analyze all the buildings at Yale to determine which ones could be sheltered and so labeled. It involved inspecting each one and filling out a complicated form (percentage of window glass outside, etc). He got paid per filled out form. I made a deal with him and ultimately did virtually all the Yale facilities while sitting at my desk and imagining what I had seen when passing them. No visits. I earned $5,000 (a lot then…covered tuition). Fortunately, there was never a need to cram 10,000 people in the Beta Theta Pi sub-basement!” “Terry Holcombe and Marya continue to support Sunrise Café as donors and volunteers. Terry said: “The COVID virus has been a major challenge to both preparing and serving food while observing social distancing and other CDC recommendations. We have moved some of the activities to the more open venue of the New Haven Green.”
In August, Frank Hotchkiss wrote a letter to the editor of the Wall Street Journal titled, “I Drove for Uber. California labor Law Isn’t Helping Me.” Ted Jones posted at the Bluegrass Duo Brunch at The Sutler: “Fine show and loved the music, especially ‘Long Black Veil’.” Candy posted a series of photos of Waldo Johnston building and commissioning his new boat model. “Captain Waldo is building a new boat, ‘COCOBIRD,’ and I illustrated the sail.” In August, Candy posted a wedding party photo that included Al Rossiter and Pete Putzel: “52 wonderful years ago.” Waldo and I had a nice Zoom conversation about climate change, just as Hurricane Isaias was bearing down on his Florida coast. Jennifer Julier emailed from New Haven: “You might be surprised to learn that my summer has been spent taking care of financial matters such as helping the 50th reunion class (1971) find lost classmates and write memorials about deceased ones, and watching an awful lot of educational content on Yale’s website.” Bob Kaiser posted: “Just doing what everyone else is doing. Fixing my blocked posts. I wondered where everybody has been! I have a whole new News feed. I’m seeing posts from people I haven’t seen in years!” Wanda [Lavely] and I took every precaution so we could travel to Montana in August for two weeks with our children and grandchildren. We spent 90% of our time outdoors rafting, horseback riding, ziplining, and hiking. It was a lot safer in Montana than it was in Georgia! Still, my friend Guy Struve (Class Secretary for 1963) was worried about us: “Please be careful! The virus has already claimed the lives of at least three 1963 classmates.” Douglass Lea posted: “So, you’re thinkin’, what’s the deal if I want to hotfoot it out of the Greatest Nation in the History of Planet Earth and go to tranquil Bequia, in St. Vincent and the Grenadines? We are classed as ‘Low Risk’ in Bequia This Week.” Later, Douglass posted a stern warning about methane emissions: “People may joke, but cows and other ruminants burp as much methane as the oil and gas industry.” Sam Low emailed from Martha’s Vineyard: “My work on my grandfather’s book is going slowly, because I seem to be focusing so much on other things, but I am working on it, and it keeps me alive. I enjoyed seeing Tony Lee and his Vineyard friends while he was here in July.” During John Lewis’s memorial service, I shared a post about Joe Lieberman’s son, Matt, who is running for the U.S. Senate in Georgia. Matt wrote: “The last time I had the honor to shake John Lewis’ hand was at Atlanta’s Pride parade last fall. He placed my dad’s name in nomination for Vice President of the United States in 2000, the first Jew so nominated by a major party in America.” Joe Lieberman endorsed Susan Collins in Maine: “I’m a lifelong Democrat, but I put my country first.”
When Jon McBride saw my post on the 15th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, he emailed: “As I saw your Facebook post today, I thought of the news piece I saw sometime last week where someone said, ‘On climate change, we are today where we were with COVID-19 last March. The science is clear and if we don't take prompt action it is going to spin out of control.’ Not encouraging and a real wake up call.” After reading the latest Class Notes, Alan McFarland emailed: “In times of under-discounted peril, many acts of above average performance may augment well for the future being brighter — somehow. Don’t weaken.” John More is back in Maine for the summer. He posted: “Island event last night. Socially distanced enjoyment of our very own Jake Blount and other performers on Cushings Island.” Later, John emailed: “I am now linking my years of environmentalism with my community organizing. The Sierra Club, for example, has made affordable housing a core environmental cause. They also have identified continued dependence on natural gas as bad for health (particularly in Black and LatinX communities), so the D.C. Chapter is joining with WIN to demand more affordable housing, and we are supporting their position that new affordable housing and repairing public housing switch from gas to electricity. I have also been involved with monitoring conditions in Casco Bay related to climate change/sea level rise.” Michael Von Nagel posted birthday photos from Bavaria and another biking in Berlin. Ron Parlato emailed the editors of Yale Alumni Magazine to protest their July-August cover story: “I was dismayed at the cover and the cover article. Another article on 'racism'? The problem, however, is not only the profusion of articles on 'racism', but their very predictable, common, unvarying approach — the focus on the presumed, unremitting, illogical, and hysterical prejudice of white people and not on the actual, objective nature of social distinction. So, while I appreciate your good intentions, I do not agree with the results. Every new article which treats the issue in the very same way — the ascription of white guilt and complicity, the assumption of white ignorance, the conflation of racism with 'classism' and capitalism, and the belief that behavior can be changed by repetition, words, and implications — deflects attention from the root causes of the problem and adds to the general hysteria about race.” Rich Peck emailed: “I want to point up a story I wrote for Class News in 2018, discussing my experience with racism arising from a Yale summer employment experiment.” Rich also commented on the Zoom classes on civil rights that I’ve been doing for my granddaughters: “A couple of personal notes regarding your civil rights course for your granddaughters, a wonderful idea because these names have to be kept alive for future generations: I was always somewhat aware of Stan Thomas but didn't know much about him and appreciated your perspective. I've always considered Martin Luther King, Jr. to have been the greatest American of my time, laying so much on the line for a worthy cause; I too remember his honorary degree ceremony at our graduation but, unfortunately, also seem to remember that some of our classmates had difficulty giving him a standing ovation. Muhammad Ali was, of course, our exact contemporary and I often had the feeling of living life with him. His transformation from goat (not GOAT) of the anti-war movement (‘I've got nuthin' against them Viet Cong’) to deserved national hero was an amazing turnaround, and the courage with which he lived his final decades was inspiring.”
Doane Perry and Karen Carmean continue to promote “Art in the Berkshires:” “Join us for an online reception with our artists on September 10 via Zoom. Raise a glass and celebrate the artists!” Dan Pollack emailed: “Looks like our annual trip to Good Hart Michigan to visit Susan and Bob Hannah and meet up with Hannah and Mike Mazer may not take place in September due to the virus situation. Was just re-reading our 50th Reunion Book; truly fascinating. Been building model planes and boats for my 5-year-old grandson in Napa; he's running out of space to hang them. Thinking of flying to Napa in November for couple of weeks, God willing all is tolerable.” Nancy Pollack posted another project that Dan took on: “Our 15-year-old wood patio furniture now looks brand new, thanks to Dan! He does the work in the early morning for a couple of hours before it gets too hot. No, he is not for hire!” Later, Nancy posted “On behalf of all the educators out there, this new school year starts a new chapter in public education. There is a huge learning curve that students, teachers, and administrators will be navigating together! Please offer grace and support to your child’s or grandchild’s teacher and other school personnel.” George Pickett joined Mo Dean’s email thread about “Naming” and emailed: “Some of the ’facts’ cited are in fact not facts, but selections of data that enable one’s incorrect prejudices look like ‘facts’ (e.g., the origins of the great recession). What is troublesome is that people seem to want to focus on their own particular list of problems; their own list of the sources of those problems; their preferred list of the victimizers; their sweeping solutions that will ‘solve’ their particular list of problems. They elevate all this to the level of a moral principle, which means they can sweep aside the causes and steps to solution they don’t want to identify or understand.” I learned that Jim Rogers had triple-bypass heart surgery this summer from an article his wife, Paige Parker, wrote: “Surviving My Husband’s Triple Heart By-Pass.” When I sent Jim a get-well message, he replied: “Thanks! I have been back in the gym a couple of hours a day again. So far, so good! My goal is the be Yale’s oldest living graduate some day!” Paul Ruden posted: “As many of you know, yesterday was my birthday and many friends took a moment to extend best wishes. I appreciated it and tried to respond individually to each one.” Later, he posted a photo of people lined up in front of Lincoln Center: “These people are not lining up for the Philharmonic or the Opera. They are lining up for a few bags of food to feed their families. Please give what you can to your local food bank or Feeding America.” On another occasion, Paul posted: “As the Nats-Yankees game was starting tonight, my wife came up with a brilliant idea. Why not let the military, first responders, and healthcare workers attend the games free with plenty of social distancing? It would add a lot of energy to these weird ballpark situations and reward people who deserve a reward.” Lawrence Sharp wrote: “Greetings from Canada. I turned 79 this September and take daily medications for Alzheimer’s and other ailments. I’m diabetic and in the early stages of cataracts [Editor’s note: I could not read his last sentence, but it sounded optimistic.].”
Following the George Floyd killing, Coach Tony Reno (an honorary classmate) posted “The recent events of social injustice and racism in our country has to stop. It is unfathomable and inexcusable. The brotherhood our football family has built transcends beyond the field, and it is in times like these that we rely on these bonds and this fellowship. We will not let hate win.” Gerry Shea emailed Jim Rogers with get-well wishes: “On my recent post about Columbia Law School and music, Jim wrote that I was one of the Columbia Law graduates he admired most, if only slightly more than he admires Roy Cohn!” Gerry’s post said:” The two Columbia Law School graduates who I admire the most are Oscar Hammerstein II (‘You are the breathless hush of evening that lingers on the brink of a lovely song.’) and Paul Robeson (one of the great American bass voices of the 20th century, notably singing ‘Old Man River’).” When he saw my posts from Montana, Ron Sipherd commented: “My wife is from just outside Missoula and went to the University of Montana. Her brother and family are settled in Bozeman where she is a professor as Montana State.” Later Ron posted: “To my wife on our 50th wedding anniversary. Here she is on our honeymoon in California’s Trinity Alps, August 1970. Someone asked if we plan to ‘renew our vows;’ I told him they never wore off.” In one photo, Ron was sporting a Yale Bulldog facemask. Gus Speth is a strong supporter of Maggie Thomas and her petition candidacy for Yale Alumni Fellow. Rick Salomon and Laura spent the summer on Mecox Bay in Bridgehampton: “Big excitement at the beach this morning with whale sightings.” Later they were back in NYC and posted: “First time back in town for a brief visit since the pandemic started. My first emotion at this view of the City approaching the Midtown Tunnel was that it can’t be finished; nothing can keep NYC down. We took in the rooftop view and were heartened to see pretty much everyone going about their business and wearing a mask.” Toby Tompkins emailed: “Thanks for a richly detailed report on our fellow classmates. I haven't seen the YAM yet, because I've been hiding out from the plague at my wife Patsy's and my house in Peterborough, NH, since late February. I'm at high risk for COVID-19 because of my age, and because I still smoke (yeah, I know, stupid, but I'm addicted). We are very lucky to have this little house in the woods, given what is happening in New York, our official city of residence. Mayor de Blasio seriously mishandled the outbreak of the pandemic, but the Governor of New York State, Andrew Cuomo, did all the necessary things, and right now, cases in Manhattan have plateaued and are slowly diminishing. I may have mentioned in a previous note to you that I quit acting a number of years ago. I had fairly steady work as an actor, mostly in regional theaters, with a few appearances Off Broadway, but I never quite caught the brass ring on the theatrical merry-go-round, meaning that after each season of good roles at places like Meadowbrook Theater in Rochester, Michigan, the Williamstown Summer Theater in Williamstown, Massachusetts, and the American Shakespeare Theater in Stratford, Connecticut, I had to hit the bricks again in New York, trudging around from audition to audition. Picked up enough roles to help pay the rent, but eventually I got tired of being away from my wife, and after what I thought was going to be the role of my lifetime turned out to be part of a betrayal on the part of a director I trusted, I gave up and decided to make real money writing fiction (bad joke). Anyone want to read a novel about the Albigensian Crusade? How about a three-parter about the adventures of a peddler of useful gadgets for gentlemen and fine knacks for ladies who travels around an imaginary England in the plague year of 1348? While waiting for some publisher to decide that my novels are what the world has been waiting for, sell them, and make me rich beyond the dreams of avarice, I keep a blog. It's called Rag Bag Mind, and you and our classmates can find it at ragbagmind.com. I'm including an entry detailing my conspiracy theory about the assassination of JFK, which I posted 15 years ago.”
Gene Van Loan emailed: “What a fantastic job on the recent class notes. But let it not be a thankless one — thank you so much for keeping us all in touch with each other and letting us share our own experiences and perspective — which are not at all uniform. This is to be expected from those who have had the benefit of a liberal (in the classical sense) education.” Charles Van Tuyl emailed: “I continue to work as a psychiatrist in Tulsa, serving uninsured patients through a state-funded agency. Here, as everywhere, there are really a lot of uninsured people in need of mental health services.” Don Van Doren posted a photo of an old bus for sale, with the question, “Have I found the greenhouse?” Roger Webb posted: “My recent letter to the editor of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette was based in part on exchanges I’ve had on Facebook. Over the years, I have tried to take the opinions of those with whom I disagree seriously and to respond in a civil and thoughtful manner. Lately, this has gotten to be difficult.” Roger also posted a great photo of him and his wife Dale celebrating their 56th wedding anniversary. Robert Whitby posted: “Today is the birthday of my mother, Arva Holbrook Whitby. She was born 99 years ago in Salt Lake City, Utah. She departed from us earlier this year but left her family a legacy of self-motivation, independence, and personal responsibility. We remember, love, and miss her to this day.” Joe Wishcamper took special note of Sam Francis’ essay on climate change in Class News: “Aside from being terrifying, your essay is clear and concise. I encourage you to seek broader circulation of it than just a few hundred old guys. Take a look at ClientEarth. I am a contributor, having learned about them through some folks who work with Jeremy Grantham who is one of their big supporters. ClientEarth is basically an NGO law firm focused on fighting laws that contribute to carbon emission in Europe and Asia. They are very sophisticated and effective. Good for you that you are outspoken about this most important issue! Carol and I are on the edges of it; our current focus is supporting a universal basic income pilot project in MS and voter registration in our low-income housing projects.” Sam Francis replied: “Thanks for your comments about my essay. It's good to hear that it had the desired effect, at least on one reader. My goal was to scare the shit out of people. You're the first to check in. Yes, we are only a few hundred old guys, but we all have children, grandchildren, friends, neighbors, colleagues, and acquaintances.” Separately, Joe Wishcamper emailed me: “I was so impressed with the Lavely University of Mythology! What a beautiful way to deepen your relationship with your grandkids! On this end, the Wishcampers hosted Steve Norman and John More and their wives for a patio dinner last week. Steve lives in Harpswell and John summers on Cushing Island in Portland Harbor. I'm involved in a growing affordable housing company based in Oregon with the eponymous name of Wishcamper Development Partners, although spending most of my time developing and buying commercial solar arrays in Maine and New Hampshire. I don't seem to know how to slow down, even in these strange times.” David Wyles posted powerful quotes from Frederick Douglass “speaking truth to power.” Karl Ziegler emailed: “As some of you know Jane Fuller and I were meant to get married on May 5th this year and due to Covid we were postponed to Tuesday September 15 2020! Pandemic permitting — we will be having a very low-key wedding at rock-n-roll Chelsea Town Hall with close family that day — however we plan to give a big party when it is safe to do so to celebrate with you all hopefully next year. Keep safe and well and cross fingers for 15 September!”
In Classmate Publications, Gus Speth has written a new book of poetry, It’s Already Tomorrow. One reviewer wrote: “Speth writes graceful poems from a long love affair with life, nature, and family.” Edward Massey won a distinguished award for his recent book, Founding Sheriff. The League of Utah Writers awarded Founding Sheriff the Gold Quill for the best novel published in 2020. In a shameless plea to encourage me to promote it, Edward named one character in his new book Forever Sheriff, “Commissioner Lavely.” Ed writes: “He’s arguing with the sheriff to adopt automobiles. The sheriff will have nothing to do with it until he’s convinced the criminals are no longer on horseback.” Many of our classmate bloggers were active over the summer: Mo Dean (as “Moristotle”) about healthcare reform, Bruce Driver covering Senate races, Ron Parlato on COVID-19 restrictions, Jim Rogers on the stock market and debt, Paul Ruden with “Baseball in the Pandemic,” Ron Sipherd who photographs the beauty of nature in Northern California, Russell Sunshine about evacuating his retirement community to escape wildfires, and John Wylie on collective human teamwork.
John Ogilvie died in NYC on August 4, after a long illness. Pete Putzel emailed: “This saddens me. When John was in the northern hemisphere, he was a regular at our NYC luncheons. Then about November, he would migrate to Argentina.” Bob Buchanan told us that Larry Zahn’s oldest son, Anthony, died recently of cancer. Roger Thompson’s wife Colleen died in August after battling a relentless brain tumor. Our deep condolences go out to these classmates who have lost loved ones. Jim Currie emailed: “I recently lost my ‘Erie crash buddy’ and classmate John Bermon. Jim added a wonderful remembrance at In Memoriam, which any classmate is welcome to do. Roger Lewis bought a Mory’s Memorial Brick in memory of Larry Pratt, his roommate in JE. Larry’s surviving spouse, Abby, emailed: “Larry would be delighted. Thank you, Roger!” Pete Putzel also bought a brick for Larry. When more than one classmate buys a brick, we add it to a sinking fund for the day when departed classmates will outnumber living classmates. Chris Getman, who pilots the Mory’s Memorial Bricks program, tells us that Mory’s will undertake a cataloging and mapping of memorial bricks now that they are open again. Marya Holcombe remembered her sister Rae Ann Merrill who died in a automobile accident in 1973. “She had a wicked sense of humor. I miss her every day.” Finally, I want to remember one of Carm Cozza’s longtime assistants, Dave Kelley, who died in July. Dave used to sleep on my couch during recruiting trips to Chicago. When Gail Sheehy died in August, many classmates remembered her talk about Understanding Men’s Passages at our 40th class reunion in 2004.
This is the final Notes column of 2020. As Labor Day ends our COVID-19 summer, we anxiously watch many of our grandchildren return to school with hopes for a proven vaccine in the future. Students have also returned to New Haven, but terms will be staggered. Density on campus will be about 40% with most learning taking place online. Student-athletes will not have competitive schedules in the fall, though limited training will take place in prescribed stages. The Class of 2024 — the most diverse in history at Yale — set a record for “gap” years. Chris Getman circulated an email from John Stuper, the Yale baseball coach, that was poignant: “You should be proud of your alma mater. Yale’s response to this pandemic has blown every other Ivy out of the water. We are staying in touch with our kids and are there for anything they need. They are a great group, and I am hoping and praying that we get a chance to play this spring.” Your Class Council has decided to schedule our 2021 annual Class Council meeting next February via Zoom. We are not planning for any in-person Class gatherings until a proven vaccine is in place.
Monthly throughout the summer, the Mory’s luncheon group (Don Edwards hosted on July 1, August 5, and September 2) and the Boston luncheon group (Jerry Flannelly hosted on July 15, August 12, and September 16) met via Zoom, with 10-12 classmates attending each call. Despite the video constraint, discussions on every call were lively and wide-reaching. Don Edwards said it best: “I miss the deeply human act of sharing food, but Zoom has its own intimacy, including eye contact. And we’re not limited to conversing only with the people sitting beside or across from us at a large table.” Pete Putzel is planning on reviving the Yale Club of NYC group, and Owen O’Donnell will reconvene the San Francisco group, both via Zoom. The Yale Alumni Association will convene a series of Zoom meetings for the YAA Assembly and Yale Alumni Fund Convocation during the fall. Bill Morse, our YAA Delegate, Ward Wickwire, our Chair of Agents, and Kai Lassen, a YAF Board member, will join me for these Zoom meetings. Ward reported that our class raised $300,000 from 263 donors during the fiscal year ending in June.
As reflected above, Yale has dramatically increased its digital outreach to alumni, including special interest groups. I listened to a very interesting podcast, hosted by President Peter Salovey, titled “Conecting the Yale Community with Food.” Believe me, Yale Hospitality has come a long way since my days as a bursary student working in Commons! My keen interest in food also led me to a webinar hosted by the Yale Food and Drink Facebook Group titled, “Soul Food & Soul Music: Intertwined Traditions.” On another occasion, I was contacted by the Yale Entrepreneurial Society (YES) about an internship program they are launching.
Since the previous column, we have added twenty new articles to Class News. I didn’t send an all-classmate email about them in August, as I was traveling, but I’m sure you would find many of them very interesting. As a collection, these articles speak to the wide and varied interests of our classmates. In reverse chronological order, you can read:
In addition to these News stories, Yale has been in the national media recently which prompted commentary from classmates: the Justice Department accused Yale of discrimination in its admissions process; the government threatened to strip visas of foreign students in online classes; the Yale Art Department cancelation of “Introduction to Art History;” two petition candidates for the Yale Corporation.
Dave Anderson emailed: “I'm spending a lot of effort on a small lung-cancer treatment startup. My hope is that it will be wildly successful, in which case I'll try to add my funding to the idea. There are certainly tragedies that could be avoided, and costs that could be reduced.” After I posted Steve Bingham’s op-ed on traffic violence on Facebook, he received an outpouring of support. Steve posted: “Thanks to many of you who commented. Support from classmates at the time of my trial proceedings (1984-86) ending in acquittal has meant a great deal to me and my French wife Francoise. She has joined me at a few class reunions and loves that there are so many Francophiles in our class!” Bill Bowe is a lifelong Chicagoan and regularly posts about historical events in the city, like the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition. On another topic, Bill posted: “Before, during, and after my time in the 1990s as president of Merriam-Webster, the lexicographic goal was always to reflect the way words were actually used, not how someone thought they should be used. It’s called begin descriptive, not prescriptive.” Kip Burgweger hosted a pig roast with a beer truck on his farm on July 4. Sam Callaway successfully rehabbed his knee that was injured on an early summer hike. Jim Carney is a regular contributor to a group email thread about current politics that is driven by Neil Hoffmann. Pat Caviness emailed from Thailand about the new campus social distancing restrictions: “We all know how valuable the residential college living experience can be. The friendships, the late-night conversations, the meals together, the protected thoughtful space. And to see all this diminished is sad.” Pat also posted: “This is CoCo (as in coconut), our new big Soi dog who we adopted after several months of feeding her. She probably has some Doberman Pinscher in her tainted ancestry. Her ears are about the size of airplane wings.”
Sam Deloria posted: “There is a great movie called The Sunshine Boys with Walter Matthau and George Burns. I’m reminded of it when I see our two geezer presidential candidates (both of who are younger than I am) talking about who could do what to whom behind the barn. Two guys who have probably never been in a fight in their lives.” Sam is always on the lookout for triteness, too, as when he posted: “’As you know’ is increasingly becoming an indication of something that I don’t, in fact, know or believe.” Dick Devens emailed after our latest issue of Class Notes: “Thanks for putting classmate’s names in blue hyperlinks!” Colleen Murphy-Dunning, the URI coordinator at Yale School of the Environment emailed: “We have continued as best we could to support the Community Greenspace program this summer. An undergraduate named Tommy Martin was your Class of 1964 summer intern, and today was his last day! The first part of the summer, Yale did not allow students to work in the field, so they worked remotely, and our staff made deliveries on their behalf. In mid-July the Yale students were allowed to do fieldwork following strict COVID protocols. Today, Tommy gave a short PowerPoint presentation to our staff. I can ask him to share his slides, which were all about one new group that he supported. I can send them to you as a preview and then, hopefully next February, he can present to your Class (in New Haven or on Zoom).”
Like many classmates, Don Edwards was moved by John Lewis’ memorial service, especially the words of James Lawson (who was a student of my father’s at B.U. in 1960). John emailed: “I sent John Lewis’s farewell piece in today’s NYT to our six grandkids with this message: ‘I think John Lewis was the finest moral exemplar of my generation. I hope he will be an inspiration to yours.’” Earlier in the summer, Don emailed: “I was sorry to miss the Mory’s Zoom this month, but glad to get away briefly to Maine. Negative COVID tests in CT allowed us to avoid quarantine in ME, and Sally and I ‘dined out’ on crab and lobster rolls at a picnic table overlooking the Cousins River. It felt like a special occasion! My boat is staying in dry dock this season, but my brother-in-law took me out to Harpswell for lunch. I looked for Steve Norman but didn’t see him. CT has the best record in the nation on reduction of new COVID cases, but the economic fallout hasn’t changed. I serve on the board of New Haven’s largest food pantry which has seen a tripling of demand since April. I also serve on the board of St. Thomas’s Episcopal Day School, which is struggling with the imponderables of school re-opening. I give thanks after every meeting that I’m retired.” Sam Francis emailed in August: “As the Emergency Coordinator in my town of Chatham NJ, I'm involved with making claims to FEMA to get reimbursed for Tropical Storm Isaias. Since that was a declared emergency, my town can get Federal reimbursement for storm-related expenses (police, fire, DPW).” Sam also gave some good advice about generators: “When there’s a 911 call having to do with carbon monoxide, the fire department is dispatched (since they do HazMat) and the squad is dispatched (since they assess the health of the residents). In every such dispatch during the last tropical storm, the problem was simply that the resident had a generator whose exhaust was directed toward the house instead of away. The remedy was simply to turn off the damned generator or, if possible, direct its exhaust away from the house. That’s what the fire department did in every case. We had no deaths. I have a generator which ran for 5 days. I live to tell the tale.”
Frank Franklin is Professor Emeritus of Public Health at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He has been posting regularly about COVID-19: “How are you triangulating with this triple threat to your physical, emotional, and spiritual health? The keys to preserving your health behind masks and distancing are humor, creative endeavors, social interactions, and contributions.” As fall approached, Frank posted: “Many colleges and universities suggest they will be safe places for students, faculty, and staff this fall. Yet, they are ill-prepared for inevitable outbreaks on campus.” Cathy Gaffga posted: “We went to Charleston yesterday to celebrate my husband Len Gaffga’s birthday. We went on the harbor tour, and it was fun. Walked around Charleston and saw some nice sites.” Bill Galvin emailed: “I missed the Mory’s Zoom call because I was on the beach in Martha’s Vineyard with our two goldens.” After I informed Stephen Greenblatt that he was quoted in Maureen Dowd’s NYT column in August and asked if he was teaching in the fall term, Stephen emailed: “Yes, I’m teaching in the fall, remotely like all other Harvard courses. In the meantime, we are still dreaming of getting back to our apartment in Rome, which we left in a hurry in March, thinking that we would get back very soon. At the moment they won’t even let us into the country!” Neil Hoffmann emailed Butch Hetherington: “I saw your comments in Lavely's notes about supporting New Haven through the YAF. I suppose I have a soft spot in my heart for New Haven because my father and grandparents grew up there and my grandfather was still there when we were at Yale. I heard stories about the heyday of New Haven in the 1890s. But don't you think that the quality of life in New Haven has a big impact on Yale? It was so grim when we were there, and it got worse. Not only that, but the impact on the Alumni Fund must be minimal and this fund may attract new givers.” Neil added: “The class notes sent out today must be the longest class notes in the history of Yale. You should all curl up with a drink and your tablet for an hour of fun.” Marya Holcombe posted: “Mory’s is open. Let us know if you’re in town, guys. We are in and out but will be ‘in’ if you are coming to town.” Later, Marya posted “Pop Terry [Holcombe] and the giant (but still my baby) grandson at Mansion Beach on Block Island.” Marya also posted a photo of the newly married couple exiting the church 54 years ago, with a Fallout Shelter sign over Terry’s head. Terry explained in an email: “The backstory on the shelter sign is interesting and can now be told. A guy I knew from East Haven had scored a Federal contract to analyze all the buildings at Yale to determine which ones could be sheltered and so labeled. It involved inspecting each one and filling out a complicated form (percentage of window glass outside, etc). He got paid per filled out form. I made a deal with him and ultimately did virtually all the Yale facilities while sitting at my desk and imagining what I had seen when passing them. No visits. I earned $5,000 (a lot then…covered tuition). Fortunately, there was never a need to cram 10,000 people in the Beta Theta Pi sub-basement!” “Terry Holcombe and Marya continue to support Sunrise Café as donors and volunteers. Terry said: “The COVID virus has been a major challenge to both preparing and serving food while observing social distancing and other CDC recommendations. We have moved some of the activities to the more open venue of the New Haven Green.”
In August, Frank Hotchkiss wrote a letter to the editor of the Wall Street Journal titled, “I Drove for Uber. California labor Law Isn’t Helping Me.” Ted Jones posted at the Bluegrass Duo Brunch at The Sutler: “Fine show and loved the music, especially ‘Long Black Veil’.” Candy posted a series of photos of Waldo Johnston building and commissioning his new boat model. “Captain Waldo is building a new boat, ‘COCOBIRD,’ and I illustrated the sail.” In August, Candy posted a wedding party photo that included Al Rossiter and Pete Putzel: “52 wonderful years ago.” Waldo and I had a nice Zoom conversation about climate change, just as Hurricane Isaias was bearing down on his Florida coast. Jennifer Julier emailed from New Haven: “You might be surprised to learn that my summer has been spent taking care of financial matters such as helping the 50th reunion class (1971) find lost classmates and write memorials about deceased ones, and watching an awful lot of educational content on Yale’s website.” Bob Kaiser posted: “Just doing what everyone else is doing. Fixing my blocked posts. I wondered where everybody has been! I have a whole new News feed. I’m seeing posts from people I haven’t seen in years!” Wanda [Lavely] and I took every precaution so we could travel to Montana in August for two weeks with our children and grandchildren. We spent 90% of our time outdoors rafting, horseback riding, ziplining, and hiking. It was a lot safer in Montana than it was in Georgia! Still, my friend Guy Struve (Class Secretary for 1963) was worried about us: “Please be careful! The virus has already claimed the lives of at least three 1963 classmates.” Douglass Lea posted: “So, you’re thinkin’, what’s the deal if I want to hotfoot it out of the Greatest Nation in the History of Planet Earth and go to tranquil Bequia, in St. Vincent and the Grenadines? We are classed as ‘Low Risk’ in Bequia This Week.” Later, Douglass posted a stern warning about methane emissions: “People may joke, but cows and other ruminants burp as much methane as the oil and gas industry.” Sam Low emailed from Martha’s Vineyard: “My work on my grandfather’s book is going slowly, because I seem to be focusing so much on other things, but I am working on it, and it keeps me alive. I enjoyed seeing Tony Lee and his Vineyard friends while he was here in July.” During John Lewis’s memorial service, I shared a post about Joe Lieberman’s son, Matt, who is running for the U.S. Senate in Georgia. Matt wrote: “The last time I had the honor to shake John Lewis’ hand was at Atlanta’s Pride parade last fall. He placed my dad’s name in nomination for Vice President of the United States in 2000, the first Jew so nominated by a major party in America.” Joe Lieberman endorsed Susan Collins in Maine: “I’m a lifelong Democrat, but I put my country first.”
When Jon McBride saw my post on the 15th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, he emailed: “As I saw your Facebook post today, I thought of the news piece I saw sometime last week where someone said, ‘On climate change, we are today where we were with COVID-19 last March. The science is clear and if we don't take prompt action it is going to spin out of control.’ Not encouraging and a real wake up call.” After reading the latest Class Notes, Alan McFarland emailed: “In times of under-discounted peril, many acts of above average performance may augment well for the future being brighter — somehow. Don’t weaken.” John More is back in Maine for the summer. He posted: “Island event last night. Socially distanced enjoyment of our very own Jake Blount and other performers on Cushings Island.” Later, John emailed: “I am now linking my years of environmentalism with my community organizing. The Sierra Club, for example, has made affordable housing a core environmental cause. They also have identified continued dependence on natural gas as bad for health (particularly in Black and LatinX communities), so the D.C. Chapter is joining with WIN to demand more affordable housing, and we are supporting their position that new affordable housing and repairing public housing switch from gas to electricity. I have also been involved with monitoring conditions in Casco Bay related to climate change/sea level rise.” Michael Von Nagel posted birthday photos from Bavaria and another biking in Berlin. Ron Parlato emailed the editors of Yale Alumni Magazine to protest their July-August cover story: “I was dismayed at the cover and the cover article. Another article on 'racism'? The problem, however, is not only the profusion of articles on 'racism', but their very predictable, common, unvarying approach — the focus on the presumed, unremitting, illogical, and hysterical prejudice of white people and not on the actual, objective nature of social distinction. So, while I appreciate your good intentions, I do not agree with the results. Every new article which treats the issue in the very same way — the ascription of white guilt and complicity, the assumption of white ignorance, the conflation of racism with 'classism' and capitalism, and the belief that behavior can be changed by repetition, words, and implications — deflects attention from the root causes of the problem and adds to the general hysteria about race.” Rich Peck emailed: “I want to point up a story I wrote for Class News in 2018, discussing my experience with racism arising from a Yale summer employment experiment.” Rich also commented on the Zoom classes on civil rights that I’ve been doing for my granddaughters: “A couple of personal notes regarding your civil rights course for your granddaughters, a wonderful idea because these names have to be kept alive for future generations: I was always somewhat aware of Stan Thomas but didn't know much about him and appreciated your perspective. I've always considered Martin Luther King, Jr. to have been the greatest American of my time, laying so much on the line for a worthy cause; I too remember his honorary degree ceremony at our graduation but, unfortunately, also seem to remember that some of our classmates had difficulty giving him a standing ovation. Muhammad Ali was, of course, our exact contemporary and I often had the feeling of living life with him. His transformation from goat (not GOAT) of the anti-war movement (‘I've got nuthin' against them Viet Cong’) to deserved national hero was an amazing turnaround, and the courage with which he lived his final decades was inspiring.”
Doane Perry and Karen Carmean continue to promote “Art in the Berkshires:” “Join us for an online reception with our artists on September 10 via Zoom. Raise a glass and celebrate the artists!” Dan Pollack emailed: “Looks like our annual trip to Good Hart Michigan to visit Susan and Bob Hannah and meet up with Hannah and Mike Mazer may not take place in September due to the virus situation. Was just re-reading our 50th Reunion Book; truly fascinating. Been building model planes and boats for my 5-year-old grandson in Napa; he's running out of space to hang them. Thinking of flying to Napa in November for couple of weeks, God willing all is tolerable.” Nancy Pollack posted another project that Dan took on: “Our 15-year-old wood patio furniture now looks brand new, thanks to Dan! He does the work in the early morning for a couple of hours before it gets too hot. No, he is not for hire!” Later, Nancy posted “On behalf of all the educators out there, this new school year starts a new chapter in public education. There is a huge learning curve that students, teachers, and administrators will be navigating together! Please offer grace and support to your child’s or grandchild’s teacher and other school personnel.” George Pickett joined Mo Dean’s email thread about “Naming” and emailed: “Some of the ’facts’ cited are in fact not facts, but selections of data that enable one’s incorrect prejudices look like ‘facts’ (e.g., the origins of the great recession). What is troublesome is that people seem to want to focus on their own particular list of problems; their own list of the sources of those problems; their preferred list of the victimizers; their sweeping solutions that will ‘solve’ their particular list of problems. They elevate all this to the level of a moral principle, which means they can sweep aside the causes and steps to solution they don’t want to identify or understand.” I learned that Jim Rogers had triple-bypass heart surgery this summer from an article his wife, Paige Parker, wrote: “Surviving My Husband’s Triple Heart By-Pass.” When I sent Jim a get-well message, he replied: “Thanks! I have been back in the gym a couple of hours a day again. So far, so good! My goal is the be Yale’s oldest living graduate some day!” Paul Ruden posted: “As many of you know, yesterday was my birthday and many friends took a moment to extend best wishes. I appreciated it and tried to respond individually to each one.” Later, he posted a photo of people lined up in front of Lincoln Center: “These people are not lining up for the Philharmonic or the Opera. They are lining up for a few bags of food to feed their families. Please give what you can to your local food bank or Feeding America.” On another occasion, Paul posted: “As the Nats-Yankees game was starting tonight, my wife came up with a brilliant idea. Why not let the military, first responders, and healthcare workers attend the games free with plenty of social distancing? It would add a lot of energy to these weird ballpark situations and reward people who deserve a reward.” Lawrence Sharp wrote: “Greetings from Canada. I turned 79 this September and take daily medications for Alzheimer’s and other ailments. I’m diabetic and in the early stages of cataracts [Editor’s note: I could not read his last sentence, but it sounded optimistic.].”
Following the George Floyd killing, Coach Tony Reno (an honorary classmate) posted “The recent events of social injustice and racism in our country has to stop. It is unfathomable and inexcusable. The brotherhood our football family has built transcends beyond the field, and it is in times like these that we rely on these bonds and this fellowship. We will not let hate win.” Gerry Shea emailed Jim Rogers with get-well wishes: “On my recent post about Columbia Law School and music, Jim wrote that I was one of the Columbia Law graduates he admired most, if only slightly more than he admires Roy Cohn!” Gerry’s post said:” The two Columbia Law School graduates who I admire the most are Oscar Hammerstein II (‘You are the breathless hush of evening that lingers on the brink of a lovely song.’) and Paul Robeson (one of the great American bass voices of the 20th century, notably singing ‘Old Man River’).” When he saw my posts from Montana, Ron Sipherd commented: “My wife is from just outside Missoula and went to the University of Montana. Her brother and family are settled in Bozeman where she is a professor as Montana State.” Later Ron posted: “To my wife on our 50th wedding anniversary. Here she is on our honeymoon in California’s Trinity Alps, August 1970. Someone asked if we plan to ‘renew our vows;’ I told him they never wore off.” In one photo, Ron was sporting a Yale Bulldog facemask. Gus Speth is a strong supporter of Maggie Thomas and her petition candidacy for Yale Alumni Fellow. Rick Salomon and Laura spent the summer on Mecox Bay in Bridgehampton: “Big excitement at the beach this morning with whale sightings.” Later they were back in NYC and posted: “First time back in town for a brief visit since the pandemic started. My first emotion at this view of the City approaching the Midtown Tunnel was that it can’t be finished; nothing can keep NYC down. We took in the rooftop view and were heartened to see pretty much everyone going about their business and wearing a mask.” Toby Tompkins emailed: “Thanks for a richly detailed report on our fellow classmates. I haven't seen the YAM yet, because I've been hiding out from the plague at my wife Patsy's and my house in Peterborough, NH, since late February. I'm at high risk for COVID-19 because of my age, and because I still smoke (yeah, I know, stupid, but I'm addicted). We are very lucky to have this little house in the woods, given what is happening in New York, our official city of residence. Mayor de Blasio seriously mishandled the outbreak of the pandemic, but the Governor of New York State, Andrew Cuomo, did all the necessary things, and right now, cases in Manhattan have plateaued and are slowly diminishing. I may have mentioned in a previous note to you that I quit acting a number of years ago. I had fairly steady work as an actor, mostly in regional theaters, with a few appearances Off Broadway, but I never quite caught the brass ring on the theatrical merry-go-round, meaning that after each season of good roles at places like Meadowbrook Theater in Rochester, Michigan, the Williamstown Summer Theater in Williamstown, Massachusetts, and the American Shakespeare Theater in Stratford, Connecticut, I had to hit the bricks again in New York, trudging around from audition to audition. Picked up enough roles to help pay the rent, but eventually I got tired of being away from my wife, and after what I thought was going to be the role of my lifetime turned out to be part of a betrayal on the part of a director I trusted, I gave up and decided to make real money writing fiction (bad joke). Anyone want to read a novel about the Albigensian Crusade? How about a three-parter about the adventures of a peddler of useful gadgets for gentlemen and fine knacks for ladies who travels around an imaginary England in the plague year of 1348? While waiting for some publisher to decide that my novels are what the world has been waiting for, sell them, and make me rich beyond the dreams of avarice, I keep a blog. It's called Rag Bag Mind, and you and our classmates can find it at ragbagmind.com. I'm including an entry detailing my conspiracy theory about the assassination of JFK, which I posted 15 years ago.”
Gene Van Loan emailed: “What a fantastic job on the recent class notes. But let it not be a thankless one — thank you so much for keeping us all in touch with each other and letting us share our own experiences and perspective — which are not at all uniform. This is to be expected from those who have had the benefit of a liberal (in the classical sense) education.” Charles Van Tuyl emailed: “I continue to work as a psychiatrist in Tulsa, serving uninsured patients through a state-funded agency. Here, as everywhere, there are really a lot of uninsured people in need of mental health services.” Don Van Doren posted a photo of an old bus for sale, with the question, “Have I found the greenhouse?” Roger Webb posted: “My recent letter to the editor of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette was based in part on exchanges I’ve had on Facebook. Over the years, I have tried to take the opinions of those with whom I disagree seriously and to respond in a civil and thoughtful manner. Lately, this has gotten to be difficult.” Roger also posted a great photo of him and his wife Dale celebrating their 56th wedding anniversary. Robert Whitby posted: “Today is the birthday of my mother, Arva Holbrook Whitby. She was born 99 years ago in Salt Lake City, Utah. She departed from us earlier this year but left her family a legacy of self-motivation, independence, and personal responsibility. We remember, love, and miss her to this day.” Joe Wishcamper took special note of Sam Francis’ essay on climate change in Class News: “Aside from being terrifying, your essay is clear and concise. I encourage you to seek broader circulation of it than just a few hundred old guys. Take a look at ClientEarth. I am a contributor, having learned about them through some folks who work with Jeremy Grantham who is one of their big supporters. ClientEarth is basically an NGO law firm focused on fighting laws that contribute to carbon emission in Europe and Asia. They are very sophisticated and effective. Good for you that you are outspoken about this most important issue! Carol and I are on the edges of it; our current focus is supporting a universal basic income pilot project in MS and voter registration in our low-income housing projects.” Sam Francis replied: “Thanks for your comments about my essay. It's good to hear that it had the desired effect, at least on one reader. My goal was to scare the shit out of people. You're the first to check in. Yes, we are only a few hundred old guys, but we all have children, grandchildren, friends, neighbors, colleagues, and acquaintances.” Separately, Joe Wishcamper emailed me: “I was so impressed with the Lavely University of Mythology! What a beautiful way to deepen your relationship with your grandkids! On this end, the Wishcampers hosted Steve Norman and John More and their wives for a patio dinner last week. Steve lives in Harpswell and John summers on Cushing Island in Portland Harbor. I'm involved in a growing affordable housing company based in Oregon with the eponymous name of Wishcamper Development Partners, although spending most of my time developing and buying commercial solar arrays in Maine and New Hampshire. I don't seem to know how to slow down, even in these strange times.” David Wyles posted powerful quotes from Frederick Douglass “speaking truth to power.” Karl Ziegler emailed: “As some of you know Jane Fuller and I were meant to get married on May 5th this year and due to Covid we were postponed to Tuesday September 15 2020! Pandemic permitting — we will be having a very low-key wedding at rock-n-roll Chelsea Town Hall with close family that day — however we plan to give a big party when it is safe to do so to celebrate with you all hopefully next year. Keep safe and well and cross fingers for 15 September!”
In Classmate Publications, Gus Speth has written a new book of poetry, It’s Already Tomorrow. One reviewer wrote: “Speth writes graceful poems from a long love affair with life, nature, and family.” Edward Massey won a distinguished award for his recent book, Founding Sheriff. The League of Utah Writers awarded Founding Sheriff the Gold Quill for the best novel published in 2020. In a shameless plea to encourage me to promote it, Edward named one character in his new book Forever Sheriff, “Commissioner Lavely.” Ed writes: “He’s arguing with the sheriff to adopt automobiles. The sheriff will have nothing to do with it until he’s convinced the criminals are no longer on horseback.” Many of our classmate bloggers were active over the summer: Mo Dean (as “Moristotle”) about healthcare reform, Bruce Driver covering Senate races, Ron Parlato on COVID-19 restrictions, Jim Rogers on the stock market and debt, Paul Ruden with “Baseball in the Pandemic,” Ron Sipherd who photographs the beauty of nature in Northern California, Russell Sunshine about evacuating his retirement community to escape wildfires, and John Wylie on collective human teamwork.
John Ogilvie died in NYC on August 4, after a long illness. Pete Putzel emailed: “This saddens me. When John was in the northern hemisphere, he was a regular at our NYC luncheons. Then about November, he would migrate to Argentina.” Neil Mitchell emailed: “I am sad to report the death of our classmate, Arthur P. Dodge. Arthur died peacefully on September 11th at his home in East Hampton, NY from complications of COVID-19. Arthur had been a successful stockbroker in the Southampton Office of Merrill Lynch and was an avid and accomplished golfer at the Maidstone Club in East Hampton. Arthur is survived by his wife of 52 years, Maria Dolecka, and his daughter, Cornelia. Bob Buchanan told us that Larry Zahn’s oldest son, Anthony, died recently of cancer. Roger Thompson’s wife Colleen died in August after battling a relentless brain tumor. Our deep condolences go out to these classmates who have lost loved ones. Jim Currie emailed: “I recently lost my ‘Erie crash buddy’ and classmate John Bermon. Jim added a wonderful remembrance at In Memoriam, which any classmate is welcome to do. Roger Lewis bought a Mory’s Memorial Brick in memory of Larry Pratt, his roommate in JE. Larry’s surviving spouse, Abby, emailed: “Larry would be delighted. Thank you, Roger!” Pete Putzel also bought a brick for Larry. When more than one classmate buys a brick, we add it to a sinking fund for the day when departed classmates will outnumber living classmates. Chris Getman, who pilots the Mory’s Memorial Bricks program, tells us that Mory’s will undertake a cataloging and mapping of memorial bricks now that they are open again. Marya Holcombe remembered her sister Rae Ann Merrill who died in a automobile accident in 1973. “She had a wicked sense of humor. I miss her every day.” Finally, I want to remember one of Carm Cozza’s longtime assistants, Dave Kelley, who died in July. Dave used to sleep on my couch during recruiting trips to Chicago. When Gail Sheehy died in August, many classmates remembered her talk about Understanding Men’s Passages at our 40th class reunion in 2004.
