Class Note 1981
Issue
November-December 2022
Happy holidays! At Commencement President John Kemeny charged ’81s with making this “a better world, a more compassionate world, for all of us.” To that end, a committee comprised of Byron Boston, Hap Brakeley, Bill Burgess, Lynnette Eubanks Marshall, and Shelley Warren Wieler was formed to present the Class of ’81 John G. Kemeny Award to exceptional, impactful, inspirational classmates who have done just that. Give it some thought and contact them with nominations.
Speaking of which, after reading the recent ’81 newsletter bio on Calvin Johnson, Nancy Green Oey wrote in to share this: “My husband, Fred, was in Cedars Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles in 2015 recovering from cancer surgery. He was still very weak when additional surgery was ordered. I was certain he wouldn’t survive. The anesthesiologist assigned was none other than Dr. Calvin Johnson ’81. I was stunned to see him after all these years, but there he was, a key member of the surgical team responsible for Fred’s life. I will never forget Calvin’s compassion or his quiet reassurance. That was all I needed to get through the next several hours of the operation. It was Calvin who finally delivered the post op news: Fred had made it through.
“I look back on that day as a gift. Our family was granted two more remarkable seasons to shower Fred with love and grow even closer. I am truly grateful.”
Another compassionate classmate, former U.S. ambassador Gregory Slayton, writes that as of late August “our family foundation—an all-family, all-Dartmouth effort—delivered more than 1.35 million pounds of relief supplies (food, medical supplies, and nonlethal military aid) to our distribution partners in virtually every major city in eastern and southern Ukraine, such as Kharkiv, Odessa, Poltava.” They are one of the very few nongovernmental organizations consistently distributing directly in the war zone, where “we have a bunch of courageous and faithful Ukrainian partners.” Next goal is to get more than 1 million refugees through the winter. He says, “Not sure if any of our classmates are working on this crisis but would love to partner with anyone who wants to help.” Get in touch via Greg’s Family First Global and the Fellowship of Fathers Foundation.
In holiday cheer news, Sharon Washington is cowriting a Broadway musical loosely based on Martin Scorsese’s 1977 film, New York New York, with David Thompson and songwriters John Kandar, Fred Ebb, and Lin-Manuel Miranda! Directed and choreographed by Susan Stroman, the opening night is scheduled for April of 2023, or mini-reunion time.
Finally, I am so sorry to report the recent loss of two ’81s: Patricia Ellen Gallagher, who passed away on May 23, and James Watson Degenhardt, who died July 5. Full obituaries are available online.
Life is short—and hard. In this season of giving, may we remember to spread compassion.
—Ann Jacobus Kordahl, P.O. Box 470443, San Francisco, CA, 94147; ajkordahl@gmail.com; Emil Miskovsky, P.O. Box 2162, North Conway, NH, 03860; emilmiskovsky@gmail.com
Speaking of which, after reading the recent ’81 newsletter bio on Calvin Johnson, Nancy Green Oey wrote in to share this: “My husband, Fred, was in Cedars Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles in 2015 recovering from cancer surgery. He was still very weak when additional surgery was ordered. I was certain he wouldn’t survive. The anesthesiologist assigned was none other than Dr. Calvin Johnson ’81. I was stunned to see him after all these years, but there he was, a key member of the surgical team responsible for Fred’s life. I will never forget Calvin’s compassion or his quiet reassurance. That was all I needed to get through the next several hours of the operation. It was Calvin who finally delivered the post op news: Fred had made it through.
“I look back on that day as a gift. Our family was granted two more remarkable seasons to shower Fred with love and grow even closer. I am truly grateful.”
Another compassionate classmate, former U.S. ambassador Gregory Slayton, writes that as of late August “our family foundation—an all-family, all-Dartmouth effort—delivered more than 1.35 million pounds of relief supplies (food, medical supplies, and nonlethal military aid) to our distribution partners in virtually every major city in eastern and southern Ukraine, such as Kharkiv, Odessa, Poltava.” They are one of the very few nongovernmental organizations consistently distributing directly in the war zone, where “we have a bunch of courageous and faithful Ukrainian partners.” Next goal is to get more than 1 million refugees through the winter. He says, “Not sure if any of our classmates are working on this crisis but would love to partner with anyone who wants to help.” Get in touch via Greg’s Family First Global and the Fellowship of Fathers Foundation.
In holiday cheer news, Sharon Washington is cowriting a Broadway musical loosely based on Martin Scorsese’s 1977 film, New York New York, with David Thompson and songwriters John Kandar, Fred Ebb, and Lin-Manuel Miranda! Directed and choreographed by Susan Stroman, the opening night is scheduled for April of 2023, or mini-reunion time.
Finally, I am so sorry to report the recent loss of two ’81s: Patricia Ellen Gallagher, who passed away on May 23, and James Watson Degenhardt, who died July 5. Full obituaries are available online.
Life is short—and hard. In this season of giving, may we remember to spread compassion.
—Ann Jacobus Kordahl, P.O. Box 470443, San Francisco, CA, 94147; ajkordahl@gmail.com; Emil Miskovsky, P.O. Box 2162, North Conway, NH, 03860; emilmiskovsky@gmail.com