I checked in with a few classmates to see what kept them from our 30th reunion. I caught up with Elizabeth Thomson and her husband Jeff Wilkie ’83, over dinner in New York City. Elizabeth was on vacation from her radiology practice, biking in the Loire Valley during the reunion. Jamie MacKenzie reported from Jersey City, New Jersey, that he and his husband, Barrie Bates, an Episcopal priest, were on a clergy trip to Rome. Another summer highlight for Jamie and Barrie was a weeklong visit from their 10-year-old son Jeroen, who lives with his moms in California. Dave Noonan reports from New York, “Missed reunion, but managed to connect with Eric Christensen (golf in Puerto Rico), and Brad Weirick (skiing in Jackson Hole, Wyoming) this winter and will visit David Lee in the Adirondacks.”


At least four of our classmates have racked up extraordinary accomplishments of late. After 24 years of teaching English, Pete Cogan was honored by a former student and Stanford University. One of Pete’s former students received the Frederick Emmons Terman Engineering Scholastic Award from Stanford. He named Pete as the high school teacher who had been most influential in his academic career. Stanford flew Pete out for an awards ceremony. Pete lives in Denver and is currently taking a break from teaching to care for his 2-year-old son. Pete’s favorite book to teach is Catcher in the Rye because “the kids don’t get it on their own, but then in class they really do get it.” Tom Daniels will receive the Dartmouth Alumni Award in November. The College lauds Tom for his service in a myriad of capacities—including as our class president. I met Tom when we were in the Green Key Society. Having witnessed the start of Tom’s service to the College, I dissent from the College’s description of him as an “everyman during his time at Dartmouth.” Tom is unique, and his spirit is infectious. When I met Tom our junior year I was living in an apartment above the Village Green with Margaret Spring. This summer Margaret was named the principal deputy undersecretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. After one of the hottest summers on record, we should all be glad that Margaret is on the case! Her husband, Mark Bunter, is a Napa Valley winemaker. Look for the Spring and Bunter labels (featuring a tulip originally painted by Mary Hart as a wedding gift to Margaret and Mark)—or stop by my house for a glass. Amelia Craig Cramer was recently elected president of the State Bar of Arizona and serves as chief deputy Pima County attorney. Amelia and her wife, Amy, who is an economics professor, are balancing work and raising their daughter—who became a bat mitzvah this summer—in Tucson, Arizona. 


I must end with very sad news. Two of our beloved classmates passed away in August. Tom Norris died on August 4, and Sue McClary Keenan on August 24. Obituaries will appear online in Dartmouth Alumni Magazine.


—Robin Shaffert, 5044 Macomb St., NW, Washington, DC 20016; robinshaffert@yahoo.com; David Eichman, 9004 Wonderland Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90046; dme4law@sbcglobal.net