Class Note 1985. I saw a poll recently that said the most popular baby names in recent years have been Olivia for girls and Liam for boys. The class of 1985 wasn’t exactly ahead of our time, as we had no one named Olivia or Liam. Instead, we had 32 Johns, 10 Jons, three Jonathans, two Juanitas, one Johan, and one Jonnie—close to 5 percent of our class was “Johnish.” And that doesn’t even include the likes of these other Johns, who chose a different Freshman Book name: “Bik” Bikales, Chris Hessler, Jack Kramer, Chip Kuzborski, Jay Lanni, Cheech Marin, Chris McCartie, Russ Mitchell, Sean Murphy, Jack Sylvia, and perhaps others. What this knowledge does for you, I have no idea, but it does segue into me telling you we also had one Elisabeth, one Betsy, one Betty, two Elizabeths, three named Liz, and six Beths, one of whom is our (drum roll please) class of 1985 40th reunion chair! And that Beth would be (wait for it)…Beth Parish. Advance thanks to Beth for assuming this role—it’s a big job, and I’m sure she would be open to ideas, helping hands, and general support. Catering guru Marcy Marceau is already on board for food and beverage, and speakers and panels will be spearheaded by the dynamic duo of Lisa Sweeney and Margaret Marder. There are certainly many other areas where your expertise, energy, or enthusiasm could help, so please feel free to reach out to Beth via email (bethaparish@gmail.com), cell (303-241-0218) or even by mail (P.O. Box D, Camden, ME 04843). What do you need to know now, you ask? Well, start with these two facts: No. 1, the date is June 18-21, 2026, and it will be a joint reunion with our friends from the class of 1986 and 1987; No. 2, the theme is “Community: You Can Come Home Again.” Hanover was once our collective home for four years, and it can be again in June 2026—what better opportunity to reconnect with old friends and make new memories. Save the date, spread the word, and stay tuned for more details!
While you’re at it, why not update your contact information on the alumni directory. Search alumni.dartmouth.edu.
LinkedIn shout out of the column: look at the profile of Bo Beatty and his role as cofounder of Traffick Jam Live. If I see Bo at our reunion, I will ask him about his work.
I also read a poll that loneliness impacts about 20 percent of Americans and can have negative impacts on physical and mental health. While not surprising, just remember “You Can Come Home Again.”
Happy holidays to everyone!
—John MacManus, 118 Ringwood Road, Rosemont, PA 19010; (610) 331-6417; slampong@aol.com; Rebecca Blake Osborne, 42 Olive St., Newburyport, MA 01950; (603) 381-4164; rosborne29@comcast.net