Classes & Obits

Class Note 1956

Issue

September-October 2024

Alan Peyser sends the following message: “I have had a wonderful life and accomplished many things. All of them have involved technical and engineering matters. I have written a 20-page document about them. It has ranged from commanding satellites into orbit to selling equipment to 60 or more countries to coordinating the use of the Comsat satellites through big earth stations to eventually starting a company called Cable and Wireless, which grew to more than $1 billion in revenue. We live in Bethesda, Maryland, and spend the winters in Marco Island, Florida.”

Peripatetic Bob Mackay writes that “I am currently in Denmark playing golf and otherwise enjoying a society we could learn a lot from, particularly in how to fairly treat each other in our politics. They decided some time ago to establish a society with few rich citizens and almost no poor or homeless either. Works well for the Danes, it seems to me.”

As a remembrance of things past, Jack Crowley remembers: “Bill Thieme was a freshman year classmate. He played football, sat next to me in Spanish class, and was a good guy. He always wore a U.S. Navy dark blue deck jacket probably because his father was a Navy commander. On a fall morning in 1952 Bill’s seat in the Spanish class was vacant. I learned that when driving back to Hanover from Colby, Bill’s car left the road and he was killed. About six years ago I noticed a replica Navy deck jacket, dark blue, knit cuffs and collar with zip-front, plus-7, galoshes-style-buckles in the Orvis catalogue. Since I had always admired Bill’s jacket, I bought it and now remember the past by wearing it as I write this note. The hill winds know his name.”

Word of the day: Syncretism—the amalgamation or attempted amalgamation of different religions, cultures, or schools of thought. Lots of luck!

With sadness I report the passing of Glendon “Glen” E. French.

Chuck Woodhouse, 29 C Claudette Drive, Milford, MA 01757; (508) 202-2447; kirk8202@gmail.com