Not even persistent rain could dampen the joy of reuniting and relaxing at the June 10-13 55th reunion. Chairman Larry Weltin, with his usual aplomb, rolled nimbly with Ma Nature’s punches, moving outdoor events indoors. Spirits were especially high at Sam Smith’s hilarious standing-room-only lecture on “Sex in Our 70s”—before which Bob Downey, in a talk about Wall Street reforms, let slip (to much laughter) that he realized he was “the warm-up act” for Sam. President Phil Hanlon welcomed us on his second day on the job, followed by the tear-jerking strains of “Dartmouth Undying” by the Dartmouth Aires. The clouds parted for the class picture and Charlie Pierce’s moving Rollins Chapel memorial service, and sunshine illuminated the class banquet at the Top of the Hop with President Hanlon back for a second appearance.
Almost 100 guys attended, many with spouses. Hal Douglas made the round trip from Portland, Oregon, to Boston on Amtrak. Sig Hudson came in from Savannah, Georgia; Fred Pitzner from Las Vegas; Luke Levy from Key West, Florida. Ben McAdams was a happy last-minute arrival from the Left Coast. Widows Marcia Armstrong, Barbara Dodd, Sheila Kabat, Jane Yusen andSusan Williamson were there too.
At the banquet Pete Kelsey was honored with the College’s prestigious Alumni Award. Joel Portugal, a former Alumni Award recipient, was given the Williamson Award for service to the class and College. Gifting chair Mel Alperin could announce (in Phil Hanlon’s presence) that our glorious class broke the 55-years-out reunion giving record with a nicely rounded $1,000,058.
At the class meeting Gersh Abraham turned over the class presidency to John Trimble. Norm Sylvester was elected vice president, Jack Bennett treasurer, with yours truly re-elected secretary. Webmaster Andy Thomas will continue in that role. The only other notable change is that I will take over The Sound and Fury from John Murphy, who, after 25 entertaining, outspoken years, stunned everyone by announcing in June that he would step aside after his final post-reunion newsletter. Send me stuff, please!
The follow-up trek to Trapp Family Lodge at Stowe, Vermont, drew 16 couples (and one single, Bob Gilges), including Westerners Kit Cowperthwaite, Chuck Dennison, Hal Douglas, Phil Drescher, John Lenssen, Linc Mitchell, Tryg Myhren and Jack Stromberg. Glower Jones and Sam Smith represented the Deep South. Roger Bruttomesso reports that ’58s “tripped the light fantastic” to a 17-piece string band. The Strombergs, he added, celebrated a significant anniversary at Trapp.
Next comes the fall mini in Hanover, scheduled for October 11-13, says organizer Frank Gould, with accommodations and class banquet once again at the delightful Breakfast on the Connecticut near Lyme.
Sadly we note the death of Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson on June 15. Terrific obituaries in The Washington Post and New York Times described Tom as the “burly, outspoken” federal district judge who deemed Microsoft a monopoly and sent D.C. mayor Marion Barry to jail for smoking crack cocaine. Daughter Sarah Jackson-Han ’88 says Tom’s funeral was on July 10 at Washington’s National Cathedral.
—Steve Quickel, 65 Chapel Road, New Hope, PA 18938; swquickel@comcast.net
