Class Notes

May/June 2025

Note: Classmates' names in gold font are links to a pre-addressed email form (if your browser is properly configured). Other links (underlined) take you to more information about the topic. A shorter version of these Notes is published in the Yale Alumni Magazine. If you would like to write a guest column, please let me know. Do we have your current email address in our website directory?

Except for class reunions, there is no time when classmate engagement is at such a high as it was for our annual Class Council meeting in New Haven over the February 14-17 weekend. I held my breath when we scheduled it, as we were flying in the face of Valentine’s Day, a winter storm warning, a Yale Native American Cultural Center Drum Feast, and Presidents Day on Monday. Despite these obstacles, it worked! Out of 36 Council members, 20 attended in person, and 13 attended the 7-hour Zoom session, for a total attendance of over 90%. We were joined by 12 spouses/guests for two dinners at Mory’s, a hockey game in Ingalls on Friday, and a basketball game in Payne Whitney on Saturday. BTW, Council members pay all their travel expenses, plus dinners and ticket costs.

Ralph Jones led us in a remembrance of four recently departed classmates who had worked on Class activities: Don Haggerty, Jim Duderstadt, Neil Hoffmann, and Joe Lieberman. We also remembered Ward Wickwire’s wife Tracy who left us in January. Don Edwards had been planning to join us but was hospitalized at the last minute. Later, we learned that Don was discharged and receiving treatment for a full recovery. About ten years ago, Don took the lead on organizing our “Class Support Network,” on which classmates who are facing life challenges can call for confidential support. This is not a program that lends itself to “spreadsheet reporting,” but many classmates have confidentially reported how helpful it was for them. We welcomed six new Council members: Frank Basler, Kip Burgweger, John Hunsaker, Rick Kroon, Don Van Doren, and Bill Woodfin. We also welcomed our new YAA Support lead, Janene Castaldi, without whom these meetings and other class activities could not take place. Janene was joined by Steve Blum, Heather Corbett, and Krystal Augustine from YAA to support our meeting.

Chip Brennan gave the post-reunion Treasurer’s Report for 2024-25 which closed the books on our successful 60th reunion and Reunion Book and has us well-positioned for the next five years leading toward our 65th reunion in 2029. Again, we thanked the eight classmates who made voluntary contributions for a total of $64,000 to make the reunion more affordable for everyone. We hope all classmates will continue to pay the modest Class Dues that support many Class initiatives. Ward Wickwire reported on the 2024-25 Alumni Fund which is progressing toward our goals for participation and dollars. Ralph Jones, our Class YAA Delegate, gave an excellent report on the 2024 Assembly and Convocation; his report is posted on our Class website. Ted Jones reported on the status of our Mory’s Memorial Brick Fund, whereby we remember every departed classmate with a memorial brick; reportedly, we are the only Yale class to do this comprehensively. Reunion Chair John Evans gave a wrap-up report on our 60th reunion which was highly successful by all accounts. Ted Jones reported the timing and locations for our Spring golf outing: Wednesday, June 3 and Thursday, June 4, replaying The Vue in Hamden, and adding Lyman Orchard, a little further north in Middlefield CT.

Edward Massey, who originated the 1964 Class Authors Zoom series, is handing off the organizing duties to Don Van Doren. Edward had already arranged for Stephen Greenblatt to do a Zoom about his new book on Marlowe in the third quarter. Don plans to add a second classmate author this year. Joe Wishcamper is developing themes and participants for two topical Zooms in 2025, alternating quarters with the Authors Series.

Regional classmate gatherings continue monthly at Mory’s (Ralph Jones), and Yale Club of NYC (Ted Wagner), and via Zoom in the Bay area (Owen O’Donnell) and Boston area (Jerry Flannelly). Contact these classmates if you would like to be added to their email list.

The high point of our meeting on Saturday was meeting with Yale administrators and staff, Yale students, and New Haven high-school students from Urban Resources Initiative (URI), Squash Haven, and the Yale Native American Cultural Center. It’s truly inspiring to see the good work done by these organizations on campus and in New Haven. The Class of 1964 is unique in its history of outreach to youth organizations on campus and in New Haven.

The Mory’s dinners on Friday and Saturday doubled as “theme nights” to celebrate Valentines Day on Friday and Feb Club on Saturday. The Yale men’s hockey overtime upset of Colgate on Friday and the men’s basketball Ivy League clinching win over Princeton on Saturday combined for a perfect weekend. PA announcers at both events welcomed the Class of 1964 on the respective jumbotrons.

We were notified that another 1964 classmate died in 2024. Dean Vanderbilt’s wife Missy notified us that Dean died on July 15, 2024. Dean had a proud civic career in Dallas and had moved to Atlanta GA where he died. Sam Brookfield died on February 5, 2025. His sister Nancy Brookfield Burke passed along an obituary. As this issue closed, we were notified that a new film “Centered: Joe Lieberman” is in limited release in Regal Theaters.