Not only does our class do a lot, we write a lot, too.
Steve Hayes took time in late June to discuss his first novel, Light on Dark Water, with the Dartmouth Club of Washington, D.C. Steve, who earned a Bronze Star and Navy Commendation Medal for heroism in combat, explains, “It’s a work of fiction, but the story is drawn from my time in Vietnam and my days sailing on the Chesapeake Bay and in the Atlantic.” It’s available on Amazon.
Keeper of the Planet, a new novel by Jeff Stein, writing as J.J. Stein, was published this spring. Like Jeff’s earlier books it’s a cross between action-adventure and magical realism. Jeff prepped for his new-found literary career with 20 years as a Hollywood executive and another 20 teaching filmmaking and business at universities around Nashville, Tennessee.
He is most proud, however, of his 26 year of marriage to his “amazing wood-turning wife,” Brenda, and his two 20-something daughters Jessica and Danielle. “I found it incredibly surreal,” Jeff confesses, “that my daughter (Jessica) entered Dartmouth 45 years after I did.” She will be at her fifth reunion when Jeff and the rest of us celebrate our 50th. Surreal indeed!
Journalist Lance Tapley wrote a series of ground-breaking stories for the Portland, Maine, Phoenix seven years ago on conditions in Maine state prisons. His work was cited recently in a Columbia Journalism Review article about the difficulty of researching and writing about solitary confinement in America’s prisons.
And a couple of classmates have written eloquently and poignantly about Dartmouth. Mike McConnell notes that our class and the Hop will be celebrating our 50th together.
“I wasn’t much of an artist or musician,” Mike wrote, “but did spend a lot of time down in the bowels of the Hop, making furniture at the woodshop.” Mary still uses the hope chest Mike made for her our senior year. Mike’s still very connected to the Hop. He sponsored a lecture there this spring with Greg Elder, the woodshop director, on “The Meaning and Pleasure of Making.”
And Eric Waples recounts that as a 14-year-old from Iowa he was so impressed with the enthusiasm and spirit of Barry Corbet and Jake Breitenbach, ’58s, on his first mountain experience that the path of his life was forever changed. It led to Dartmouth and eventually to the Rockies, where he now lives. All because of a brief encounter 55 years ago.
It is with regret that we note the passing of Dr. Phil Wade in June in Lyme, New Hampshire. Phil, a physician for more than 30 years, concluded his career at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. Most recently, he was assistant professor of medicine at Dartmouth Medical School. Memorial contributions can be sent to the Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital at Dartmouth-Hitchcock or the American Cancer Society. Our deepest sympathies to Phil’s family, colleagues and friends.
—Larry Geiger, 93 Greenridge Ave., White Plains, NY 10605; (917) 747-1642; lgeiger@aol.com
