Hail, noble ’72s, far and wide!


I compose this latest missal as what I hope is the last heat wave of this highly unusual season bears down on Hanover. As some may have heard, at one point it got so hot President Kim set up an emergency cooling station in Berry Library to give our students some relief from the sweltering dorms. On a more pleasant note, though, the highlight of the summer for your humble scribe has been seeing our class’ safety boat helping in the rebuilding of Titcomb Cabin, the DOC cabin that burned to the ground last May on Gilman Island just south of Ledyard Bridge. While the building crew, a dedicated cadre of students and recent alumni, was able to ferry many of the building materials by canoe, our boat has played a vital role in moving the logs and more cumbersome materials to help keep the construction on schedule. It’s been great fun—and a very rewarding experience. 


We have news from our esteemed classmate John DeRegt, who shares the following: 


“Well, the time has come. I’m retiring from Spencer Stuart this December. Our sons are (almost) on their own, and after 25 years in the search business I have started my own practice in executive coaching. My coaching client base consists of CEOs, C-level executives and rising stars. Joan and I will gradually spend more time sailing and traveling, and I expect to work three to four days a week, saving Fridays for me. For example, I would like to learn the bass guitar and play with a rock band of our contemporaries, usually playing for our own enjoyment in an old warehouse somewhere. Otherwise, all is well and I’m looking forward to the next reunion.” John, you may have hit upon something here—maybe the entertainment for our next reunion should include a class band. Fellow musicians, let’s hear from you. 


Our valued correspondent and respected vice president from the Windy City, Bill Schur, called me the other day to share some classmate news. Bev Love and his wife, Carolyn, stopped by the Schur family compound for a cookout over the weekend of July 4. Bev was in the area visiting family in Joliet. Jim Tilden joined Bill as his guest for a Cubs/Braves game on August 20 (sorry the Cubs lost, Bill!). Bill sees Dick Donahue on the streets of Chicago fairly often and reports Dick is doing very well and his family is growing up (ah, how fast they do!). Gaylord Toft is also thriving in the mortgage banking business while keeping up that boyish physique through swimming. And Phil Cohen, our Vancouver representative, continues to excel at Lions Gate hospital in its nuclear medicine department. Phil travels the world as an expert in his field visiting exotic (and some not so) places. Phil, will that include Hanover in 2012?


That’s all for now, my friends. Be well, and I hope to see you in Hanover soon!


Yours always in green.


—Lauren “Duff” Cummings, P.O. Box 580, Hanover, NH 03755-0580; lauren.cummings@ dartmouth.edu