Yale University

Class Notes

March/April 2006

by Tony Lavely

First, I want to thank Chris Getman and Terry Holcombe for pinch-hitting in this column for the last two issues. Thanks also to classmates who called and e-mailed expressing concern and support in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Some of your mail took months to come via New Orleans, but I think I have received all of it now. You can see that my new address is in Orlando, Florida, where Ruth's Chris has relocated permanently.

Paul Balser wrote: "Family well, business good, body still functions but not as well as it used to." Charles Van Tuyl wrote: "I continue to enjoy my work as a psychiatrist … with 20 years of service in the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health …10 grandchildren, 4 biological children, and two 11-year-old twin stepchildren." Peter Hicks told us about travels to see family in Louisville, Ft. Worth, and Baton Rouge and said: "We hope to attend the mini-reunion in Chicago." Frank Basler is accepting congratulations on joining the ranks of grandparents. Richard Campbell noted: "My strict vegetarian diet of 20 years has given me excellent physical health." Congratulations to Henry Putzel on receiving the American Inns of Court's 2005 Professionalism Award for the Second Circuit.

Chris Getman forwarded this news about other classmates:

  • Hoyt Wilson is still a rancher in Oregon, and promises to attend our 45th.
  • Terry Holcombe, our venerable Secretary, is dispatching his great institutional wisdom to the boards of Mory's and the Yale Club of New Haven.
  • Strachan Donnelley is thriving as president of the Center for Humans and Nature. His daughter Tegan will become the fifth Donnelley daughter to attend Yale as a member of the class of 2010. Strachan suffered from a nasty neurological disease which caused him great pain but with which he dealt with surgery.
  • Ed Massey's first novel Telluride Promise has been published. [Webmaster's note: Edward's subsequent correction is that he is hunting for an agent to hunt for a publisher, etc. He appreciates Chris's enthusiastic support — and would appreciate any leads from any classmate who might have a suggestion — but there remains one more critical step before Chris's report will be fact rather than fancy. Email Edward at emassey@ropart.com]
  • Sam Low had a photographic exhibit on Martha's Vineyard last summer.
  • Sam writes that he saw Bob Keuhn's latest development, Midway Studios, in South Boston. "The sense of community that has sprung up feels like being back at Yale in the sixties."
  • Dr. John Witherspoon writes that he just finished the Memphis "Ironman." His daughter's latest movie Walk the Line¸ about Johnny Cash, is doing well nationally.
  • Herrick Hunt and his sons Mike and Eric enjoyed a shark-fishing trip in Baja California.
  • Tom Trowbridge writes that his son, Thomas, is working for Goldman Sachs, daughter Carrie is finishing Yale Law School, and Annie is the Assistant Director of Special Events for the American Red Cross in Greater New York.

Please continue with your news and check out the Class Web Site regularly. Add your e-mail address to it if you haven't already done so. Watch for more news about the mini-reunion in Chicago this year.