Class Notes

September/October 2012

by Tony Lavely

As I write these Class notes, the July-August YAM has just arrived in my mailbox.  For those of you who want a more timely reading, you can always check our Class Website for the latest version.  Before I report on news about individual classmates, here are updates on a few group get-togethers.  The Spring Golf Outing — attended by 18 classmates — was held on May 11th in uncharacteristically good weather, but it didn't seem to improve scores.  The usual hyperbolic notes, penned by Chris Getman, are posted on our Class Website.  Pete Putzel emailed: "I only lost 3 balls, one of which bore the imprint of Getman's face and therefore was a particularly satisfying loss."  Separately, Putzel reported on the Yale Club of NYC monthly Class luncheons, which he organizes: "We had 8 attendees in May."  After a summer hiatus, these luncheons resume on September 25th.  In Chicago, Loring Knoblauch organizes Class luncheons: "There were 5 classmates at the June event.  Topics of conversation were the NATO summit; Yale Alumni Schools recruiting; the great job Mayor Emanuel is doing; and the final printing of the Encyclopedia Britannica."  We received a nice email from our Urban Resources Initiative summer intern, Jancy Langley, who just returned from two years in Morocco in the Peace Corps: "I'm excited to be working for URI this summer and really appreciate the Class of 1964 support!"  Our Webmaster, Sam Francis, received high praise from the Class of '63 Webmaster, Jon Larson, who asked if he could pattern theirs after ours, using Sam's templates.  Looking forward, the 50th Reunion Steering Committee — led by Chris Getman, Waldo Johnston, and Pete Putzel — will meet in New Haven on September 28th and then attend the opening home football game against Colgate.

Tim Garton wrote: "I'm partially retired but currently working nearly full time on funding, designing, and building a tremendous first-class aquatic center for Yale." Sam Callaway wrote: "Jill and I just returned from a 3-week hiking vacation in New Zealand, one of the most fabulously beautiful and culturally interesting places we've ever visited."  Nicholas Baskey wrote: "Spent the winter in Sarasota. Sang with the Whiffenpoof Peals (as did John Evans) in Naples and Boca Grande. Now back in London until November."  Larry Speidell wrote: "I've been running Frontier Stock Market Funds for five years, which means traveling to lots of places off the beaten path, including Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, Iraq, Palestine, [and many others]."  Stephen Kahn wrote from Brooklyn: "I'm teaching law and pro bono law matters."  Morris Dean wrote from North Carolina: "I'm retiring after 14+ years at UNC General Administration."

Loring Knoblauch emailed: "Back from a Duplicate Bridge Tournament in Tennessee and a trip to Sao Paulo to help negotiate a joint venture."  Timothy Breen emailed: "I'm currently a fellow at the American Academy in Rome, doing research but also exploring the city's history.  In June, I'll be moving to Vermont and formally leaving Northwestern University."  After not really connecting with David Sherman since graduation, he and I have become really email buddies. He met my sister Kim, and her dog Magee, in London, and learned I was a dog-lover, too.  David emailed: "Ever since I met Handsome Dan XVII (aka Sherman) at the Bowl last year, I've become dog-crazed."  Remember, David was our very first Class Secretary.  David commented on:  Gerry Shea's recent Letter to the New York Times; the memorial service for Marie Colvin '78; the relationship between Yale and Clarence Thomas; viewing of 'The First Yale Unit' film."  Ward Wickwire emailed: "Tracy and I closed on our home of 34 years in Wisconsin and have moved to Maine full-time."  Tony Lee forwarded a YouTube link with John Jeavons: "We have hundreds of lawyers, doctors, and other professional people in our Class, but only one farmer.  John is dedicated, and his message is spot on."  The video is on our Class Website.  Francis Snyder emailed from his home in France: "Since last year, I've been full-time C.V. Starr Professor of Law at Peking University School of Transnational Law in Shenzhen, China. I continue to be a Visiting Professor at the London School of Economics and also teach at Aix-Marseille Universite in France."  Some of Francis's 30+ books are posted on our Class Website.

My postal letter of May 10th asking classmates for their email addresses (to improve communications for our 50th reunion) produced quite a few responses, among them Lyn Hinojosa (via email): "I'm one of the dinosaurs who doesn't like email or the other electronic marvels of today. I really enjoy Class notes."  Tony Morris wrote a touching reflection on Memorial Day about his father, writing from the trenches of France in WWI. Tony was quoted in an article in the Washington Post about firefighting in Wyoming.  Jon McBride was quoted in an article in Corporate Secretary Magazine about internal fraud programs.  Chris Getman reported on Jim Rogers' appearance at Mory's for the Inaugural Jim Rogers' Speaker Series in May: "The event was sold out. The reception was fun. Jim is in the Guinness Book of World Records three times."  I saw Dick Niglio in New Haven in April, along with his wife, Dana, and his two sons and grandson, to celebrate his mother's 94th birthday.  Nortin Hadler emailed: "Paul Balser and Paula joined Carol and me for a wonderful reunion at our beach house on Figure 8 Island."  Nortin's book — Stabbed in the Back (on our Class Website) — was a winner of the annual Prescrire Prize in Paris.  Nortin also emailed about Yale's Singapore venture: "Does someone have a justification for an academy without freedom of speech and assembly?" Jim Carney weighed in on this issue, too: "When Yale was founded, it was not exactly a bastion of free speech or free assembly, including my Puritan ancestors."  Jim Rogers emailed from Singapore: "Yale is going to get more benefit from this venture than Singapore.  I'm afraid the Yale faculty doesn't get what is happening here."

Jonathan Leader emailed: "I'm thrilled and overwhelmed to have just read Stephen Greenblatt's book, The Swerve, surely one of the outstanding achievements of our Class."  In responding to my account of his Pulitzer Prize award, Stephen emailed: "Thanks for the mention, which might sell a few books.  My wife Ramie '76 and I will be spending next year on sabbatical in Rome."  Dick Berk emailed from Philadelphia after reading Chris Getman's speech about athletic recruiting: "The issues are really complicated in part because recruiting starts so early."  Pat Caviness emailed from Koh Samui: "Frederique has me into yoga ... starting to feel much more limber and balanced."  Like other teammates, Pat was dismayed to read about the imprisonment of Tone Grant ('66) for securities fraud.  Dan Pollack emailed "Since his retirement, Mike Mazer has had a passion for painting.  Mike's new Website is: michaelmazer27.com."

Sadly, I must report that six of our classmates died in recent months:  Don Ronayne on April 9th in Kent Island, MD; Nick Acuff on April 18th in Fort Worth, TX;  Clancy Ridley on May 10th in Marietta, GA; Fielding Secor on May 13th in Waterbury, CT; John Friedberg on May 19th in Oakland, CA; and Charlie Pulaski on June 21st in Phoenix.  Classmates have already purchased Mory's memorial bricks for some of these men.  Full obituaries, reporting lifetimes of accomplishments, are included on our Class Website together with remembrances from classmates.