As the celebrations commemorating Phil Hanlon and Gail Gentes’leadershiphave commenced in Hanover and across the globe (think marching band parade from Parkhurst down Tuck Mall), I mistakenly thought it might be a good time to trick them into a little 1977 class responsibility and leadership, figuring their afterlife would be boring and empty, devoid of ’77 glamour. Wrong! According to Gail, this fall they’ll be based at Merton College of Oxford University in England, reigniting Phil’s math research and occasionally hopping across the channel to beef up their passport stamps and continental culture. Next up is Miami for winter and spring, when more math will happen with various collaborative math types and, of course, some fun golf, no doubt with the likes of Nancy Vespoli and Leslie Bradford. Then it’s back to a new house in Hanover, just a stone’s throw from the Green and steps from the Appalachian Trail, with yet more teaching of and performing math. It all adds up to very busy times ahead for these two in their “Mathterlife.” However, they have every intention of joining us all in Santa Fe, New Mexico, in 2025 and are looking forward to our 50th in 2027, when there’s a slim-to-none chance we’ll be screening their yet-to-be commissioned Netflix documentary, There Will Be Math.

Bill Schur ’72 shared this heartbreaking news: “You may wonder why my wife, Donna Fletcher, has not been attending recent ’77 events. In 2017 she was diagnosed with frontal temporal dementia, a condition like Alzheimer’s. I cared for her at home until 2019, when she moved to a memory care center. She requires constant care and cannot speak, walk, chew, or perform ordinary tasks. I visit her daily. Gay Shults MacQueen encouraged me to share this news. Donna was devoted to Dartmouth. We met in Chicago in 1977 when she spied me wearing a Dartmouth ’72 T-shirt and were married in 1980. She has always been the love and light of my life. She would join all of you at your 50th reunion, but she cannot.” Our utmost sympathy embraces Donna and Bill. Please send memories of Donna to the family at William G. Schur, 426 Park Avenue East, Highland Park, IL 60035.

Kristin Bjorklund died March 5 at 67 following complications from a kidney transplant. The first female in the long line of illustrious Bjorklunds (father, uncle, brother) to attend Dartmouth, Kristin started her career at Goodson-Todman Productions, soon joining Family Feud and making it her home for 40 years. She won an Emmy Award in 2019 after producing more than 2,000 episodes. As beautiful on the outside as on the inside, Kristin was known for a smile that lit up a room, kind heart, and empathy. Amy Cholnoky and I (among many) remember Kristin vividly from our 25th reunion, still the original gangster bubble badass babe as smart, beautiful, and fun then as when we were undergraduates. Survey says we are all going to miss you, sweet golden girl.

—A.P. Duffy, 66 Saunders Drive, Wilton, CT 06897; (203) 979-2234; apduffy@optonline.net