Class Note 1948

Bob Eckerson advises that he and Arlene, who still live in their house in Durham, New Hampshire, and their two children and two grandchildren are all doing well. One granddaughter is now studying in Portugal for a doctorate in music. Bob came to Dartmouth in March of 1944 for one year under the Navy’s V-5 program; went to Chapel Hill, North Carolina, for preflight training; returned to Dartmouth in 1946, where he got his B.A. and master’s from Thayer School. As a mechanical engineer, Bob worked for six different companies, all manufacturing machines of one type or another, and retired in 1989. 


Gene Finke is now working full time at the University of Phoenix in El Paso, Texas, as chair of both the colleges of humanities and natural sciences supervising some 130 faculty members and teaching courses year round in the humanities, history and political science in abbreviated five-week semesters geared to furthering the education of working adults. Gene entered Dartmouth in 1946 in the Navy’s V-12 program and graduated in 1948; remained in the service, where he saw action in the Korean and Vietnam wars; was decorated with the Distinguished Service Medal; and retired as a captain after 34 years. He acquired master’s degrees from George Washington University in international relations and the University of Texas in public administration and a Ph.D. from New Mexico State University. Gene served three terms on the El Paso city council and held several trustee positions in the school system. He and Connie, who taught in the El Paso schools for 32 years, make an enthusiastic team. 


Russ Carlson is now home with Nancy recuperating from a stroke last year. He came to Dartmouth in the Navy V-12 program, spent one and a half years in the service and returned to graduate with the class of 1948. After retiring in 1989 as president and chairman of the board of the Onondaga Savings Bank, he remained active as the financial officer of Onondaga Community College (where he was awarded an honorary degree this spring) and served on the board of the Everson Museum of Art. He’s on our executive committee and we look forward to getting together again.


—Dave Kurr, 4281 Indian Field Road, Clinton, NY 13323; (315) 853-3582; djkurr@verizon.net