As I write this column news has circulated throughout the Dartmouth community of the passing of beloved alumnus C. Everett Koop ’37. I have in just the last few days heard so many wonderful stories from fellow ’96s of their academic experiences, heartfelt conversations and campus run-ins with the former U.S. surgeon general—both during our stint in Hanover and in the years since. Dr. Koop was very much a part of our collective Dartmouth experience and his presence is already missed.


In much happier news, Neesha Ramchandani and her husband, Zvi Rahamim (a software engineer from Israel), were married in February in what she described as “a beautiful, colorful and thoroughly enjoyable Indian wedding ceremony” in Connecticut. A slew of Dartmouth friends were in attendance, including Beth (Jordan) Mattingly, Jennifer Frontera, Sara Paisner, Derek Shendell, Eliza (Barry) Riker, Andrew Riker ’97, Lindsey Noecker ’97, Cynthia Vodopivec Felkel ’98, Alex Nikas ’95, Marianne (Ruhl) Nikas ’93, Sue (Saalman) Feury ’97, Kevin Feury ’94 and Ginger and Max Culpepper (former director of the Marching Band). Neesha said it was wonderful to see everyone again after so many years and loved that all her fellow Delta Gamma sisters surprised her with their “DG dance” at the Sangeet. The happy couple will be holding a Jewish wedding ceremony in Zvi’s native Israel in the near future. 


Bill Tovell also wrote in with news of the birth of his second son, Byron Alexander, in December. His older brother William, age 19 months, is adjusting well to the new addition to the family. He and the entire Tovell clan moved to Williamsburg in Brooklyn, New York, in October as part of what he describes as “part of the stroller invasion into hipster land.” Rumor has it that Matt Wiltshire and Jamie Hutter are making their way to New York soon for a visit.


Josh Dines also passed along news of several recent ’96 births—albeit for other classmates who had yet to send in their updates! Josh said that Dave Shirreffs and his wife had recently welcomed twins into their family, and that he and Dave see Marshall Bush frequently (who himself has twin baby girls). Congrats to Dave and Marshall on all four new arrivals—I hope we’ll have longer updates from them both in a future Class Notes. With respect to his own news, Josh also passed along that he is still working as an orthopedic surgeon at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City and was recently named as an assistant team doctor for the New York Mets.


As always, please keep sending in those updates—via e-mail, snail mail, LinkedIn, Facebook, smoke signals or whatever medium works for you! Also be on the lookout for forthcoming class communications on our revamped website, mini-reunions in various locations, new class projects, our upcoming 20th reunion and much more! If you have yet to sign up for our class Facebook or LinkedIn groups (both called “Dartmouth College Class of 1996”), make sure to do so today and keep checking those pages for news of what’s to come!


—Garrett Gil de Rubio, 1062 Middlebrooke Drive, Canton, GA 30115; ggdr@alum.dartmouth.org