Class of 1977

On the 77th day of the year, having crushed the 77th day challenge (thank you, Doug Ireland, Betsy Stueber, and Mark Harris), Betsy and Carol Muller orchestrated a fantastic ’77 hangout via Zoom. Among other topics commemorating our 70th birthdays this year, enjoy this sampling of delightful Haikus as penned by classmates. Nora Odendahl writes: “Faster and faster/Round the Sun we fly, as it/Rises, soars, and sets.” Jim Guth writes: “Believe it or not/My body tells me daily/And my mind agrees.” Kim Rosenau York writes: “Who is old? Not us./Feeling younger every year./Looking good, classmates!” Jeff Riedinger writes: “Grandchildren already?/A constant joy and a reminder/of advancing age.”

Reporting from academialand, Mike Mosher shares, “Health issues nudged me to retire from Saginaw Valley State University after 24-plus years. Classmates will appreciate how I channeled Hanover inspirations into Michigan classes. My muralization of Foley House morphed into Art 433 Community Mural classes creating dozens of public walls in Saginaw, Bay City, and Midland. My Jack-O-Lantern follies shared with my Art 499: Comics classes led to several online anthologies. My Art 121: Intro Drawing classes borrowed much from professor Ashley Bryan’s playbook. And though I didn’t hang around Kiewit or learn Kemeny BASIC, I turned my Silicon Valley years in online design into classes in our graduate media program, 2000-20. Chrysanthe and I fondly remember fun and collegial gatherings three decades ago graciously hosted by Mike Zischke at the Stinson Beach family cottage with friends and jugs of James Montgomery Field’s blended wine.”

Also recently retired, Thomas Beebee, the Edwin Erle Sparks Professor Emeritus of Comparative Literature and German at Pennsylvania State University, shared his thoughts: “After 38 years of teaching, on a whim we purchased an 1890s adobe house in Socorro County, New Mexico, where every town has a Spanish name. We keep busy as mayordomos for the San Ysidro Mission church, which still functions as it did since about 1600. Our property has the tallest windmill on Highway 304, and we hope fellow alumni will drop by. The upcoming reunion in Santa Fe, New Mexico, is naturally of great interest!”

Having just viewed a highly elucidating Santa Fe-themed Zoom (thank you again, Carol Muller) led by the brilliant Jami Powell, associate director of curatorial affairs and curator of Indigenous art at the Hood, we are delighted to report more than 77 classmates and 40-plus guests have registered for our 70th birthday bash in Santa Fe August 20-24. Registration closes July 14 so don’t delay. All information and links are at dar7mou7h.com.

Finally, our class of 1977 50th reunion digital yearbook via BrightCrowd is open for your entry. It’s easy, it’s fun, it’s free! If you haven’t received your link to join, contact edy2ullman@comcast.net, cbmuller1@gmail.com, or me to get set up. Our 50th reunion is in Hanover June 2027.

Be seen, be heard! Send news and pics. Not getting class emails and e-newsletters? Call the alumni help desk at (603) 646-3202 to update your email and forwarding address.

—A.P. Duffy, 66 Saunders Drive, Wilton, CT 06897; (203) 979-2234; apduffy@optonline.net