This month I e-mailed all ’90s with the following request: “Tell us about another member of Dartmouth’s class of 1990 who made a particularly meaningful, positive impact on you during your college career.” I received enough responses for two columns. Here’s part one, which focuses on members of our class who died too young. We’ll start with Derrick Olsen’stribute to Jim St. John: “Jim, whosesmile was broad and infectious, was a great friend and a big influence on me. I could talk politics with him, I could play sports with him (on the intramural courts, we always knew where the other was going to be before we passed the basketball to each other) and I could just enjoy life with him. Sadly, Jim passed away in January 2010. During my last trip to Washington D.C., I stood at the Lincoln Memorial and remembered the day during our government term that we walked from Capitol Hill to Arlington Cemetery to soak in everything we loved about that city. Jim’s friendship continues to make an impact on me and I am sure many others join me in missing him greatly.” Also writing about Jim St. John was Chris DiCarlo:“Jimshowed perseverance and dignity through many challenges. We all miss you.” David Greenberg wrote, “Being teammates with the late Chuck Drake on the lightweight crew had a lasting influence on me. When I have needed to summon bravery to do something that might be beyond my limits, I think of workouts and races he would attack with massive determination and a unique sense of freedom.” Josh Blum also reflected on Chuck Drake:“Chuckwas the most talented, least predictable person I’ve ever known. Athletic, intellectually and experientially curious, a brilliant visual artist and writer. How much richer my life has been for knowing him, how much poorer for losing him too soon.” Greg Dorr, who is visiting professor in the program in science and technology studies at MIT, wrote, “I’m going tell you about four of our late classmates in 21 words. I think of them daily, am thankful for having known them and try to let the better angels of my nature reflect their inspiration. Brian Hayes and Barbara Harper exemplified generosity of spirit; Steve DeMaio greeted each day with a ‘Yawlp!’ And Gus Conrades lived his way and didn’t flinch, though some judged him.” Rob Crawford adds about Gus Conrades: “No one sucked the marrow out of life like Gus did. I’ll never forget his exuberant laugh, which could last until he exhausted himself. He was purely joyful, especially when playing his drums during the third set of a four-hour gig in the wee hours of the morning. The moment I attended the first Second Hand Jam rehearsal in his tiny room in the basement of Streeter freshman fall my life was changed.” Changing gears, here’s class news from Karen Euler: “Inspired by classmate Angela McConney Scheepers, who makes it a practice to hire interns and support them roundly, I decided to recruit from the Dartmouth class of 2012 for a new marketing department internship at TRO Jung|Brannen. The pool of Big Green talent was so great that we ended up hiring someone for a permanent position instead. The scary part of the process? The candidates’ year of birth was our year of graduation!” Ending this column with a bang: Laura Martin Zentmaier, who lives in Hanover with her husband, Kurt, and their two daughters, ages 14 and 11, reports that she recently delivered her friend’s baby on their kitchen floor while babysitting the baby’s older brother!


—Rob Crawford, 27 Roberts Road, Wellesley, MA 02481; robertlcrawford@yahoo.com; Walter Palmer, 87 South St., Rockport, MA 01966; palmerwalter@mac.com