Our class webmaster Peter Elias has provided a reminder to “stay connected!” If you are not on the “class-69-announce” e-mail list, or if you want to join the “class-69” e-mail discussion list (a separate group), drop him a note at pheski@gwi.net. The announcements on the first list are meaningful to our class and the topics covered on the latter are quite diverse.


A note from our class treasurer Paul Tuhus reports 153 of us are paying our class dues. This is good but could always be improved. And that subject segues nicely into a report by Dimitri Gerakaris on our most recent class gift. In Dimitri’s words, “Once again I thank the members of our class for supporting a worthy student run organization that not only provides charitable services, but also develops philanthropic skills and attitudes.” Our class donated $2,500 to the Philanthropic All American Rush (PAAR) fund as our third special projects grant. PAAR raised nearly $19,000 in its campaign, which will divide the funds between two local organizations: WISE, a charity providing services to survivors of domestic and sexual violence, and the Vermont Community Foundation for Hurricane Irene relief. Part of your class dues funds these worthy efforts.


Brian O’Conner wrote a note from Hanover in January when he was there working on a grant application for his work at the visual thinking laboratory at the University of North Texas. The lab is a cluster of doctoral students and faculty from various disciplines interested in various aspects of images. Brian shot his first roll of pictures in the first grade and has been intrigued by images ever since. He is currently working on notions of photographic verisimilitude with his older son—who is in the process of patenting a new type of hyper-spectral camera he has invented. Mostly, Brian says, this is a cool way to have an excuse to acquire toys and test new ideas.


Our president Sandy Alderson organized another executive committee conference call in February where many topics were discussed by members of the committee and interested classmates (who are always welcome to join these calls). Items ranged from ways to improve class participation in payment of dues, mini-reunions and general communication to our next Alumni Council representative.


We hear from Randy Cooper that he has sold his New Hampshire house and retired from his law firm although he will remain “of counsel.” He and his bride, Carolyn Lucet, have moved to Mexico, where she has worked overseeing various construction projects for the last few years. They will maintain a presence in New England, having purchased a condo in Portland, Maine, and their e-mail addresses will remain unchanged. Their children both live in Chicago and will be visiting them often in Jalisco.


Regrettably we must report the passing of another classmate. Lowell Richards died unexpectedly in February at his Cambridge, Massachusetts, home.


A special thanks to those of you who have sent information to Allen Denison and me the past few months. It’s a positive thing to share our lives with each other.


—Steve Larson, 9101 W 146th St., Overland Park, KS 66221; (360) 770-4388; wheat69@earthlink.net