Jim Strickler was awarded the Humanitarian Medal of Mother Teresa by Atifete Jahjaga, president of Kosovo. Jim, former dean of the Dartmouth Medical School, became involved in Kosovo in 1999 when he began working with the International Rescue Committee in refugee camps to help those affected by the Serbian conflict. When that war ended, he led the creation of exchanges that have now seen more than 200 Dartmouth and Kosovar students and faculty learn from each other in recent years. Jim has helped start the process of rebuilding Kosovo’s healthcare system, which was decimated by the war. President Jahjaga said to Jim, “We are grateful to you for all you have done for the people of Kosovo.” Bravo! Jim.


You have probably noticed that Joe Medlicott, our great and loyal class scribe, has not turned out a newsletter recently. I am guessing that Joe would like to retire. Lord knows that he long since earned the right to do so. I would like to put my “guess” to the test. Will one of you step up and offer to Joe to take on the newsletter? Maybe one of the class ladies is clever with pen and ink. If I’m in big trouble for thinking out loud on this subject, so be it. But I think I’m right. And, speaking of Joe, he recently completed a two-week nostalgic tour of Europe, revisiting sites with which he first became familiar as a member of the 82nd Airborne Division during World War ll. One such site, he reports, was the Remagen Bridge, over which, I believe, the first American troops passed on their way to Berlin.


Vero Beach, Florida, is now bereft of ’50s except for the Joe Sardellas, the Chamberlains and the H. Clifton Whitemans, who are now year-round residents here. Clift keeps busy tuning up his computer and he and Joan often join Randi and me for happy hour at the Dockside Grille, our favorite watering hole. The McIlwains, Fauvers, Freys and Joan Mauk have long since departed for northern climes.


I’m sorry to say that news of the class has been scarce of late. I leave you with more sad reports: The deaths of Merrill Boynton Jr. on April 13; Don Radley on September 26, 2011; and Austin Tobin on May 9.


—Nev Chamberlain, 1835 North Garden Grove Circle, Vero Beach, FL; (772) 569-2893; ranevero03@aol.com