Class Note 1963
Issue
November-December 2026
Class Note 1963. The class of ’63 after 63 years: The indefatigable Ed Mazer and I recently surveyed our classmates. More than 150 responded. Here are some findings.
On education beyond Dartmouth, an astonishing 94 percent have earned a master’s or doctorate.
On careers, 54.7 percent stayed with one career.
On military service, 57 percent served in the military, and nearly all enlisted; only nine were drafted.
On marriage and children: 66 percent are in their first marriages. Fifty-four percent have one or two children; 39 percent have three or four; and two prolific classmates have five or more children.
On grandchildren, seven classmates have at least 10 grandchildren, and 19 have great-grandchildren.
On reunions, most have attended at least one; 13 have made it to 10 or more gatherings.
On career advice, 34.5 percent would encourage grandchildren to enter teaching or business. No one would encourage grandchildren to enter politics!
Ken Kvistad’s son, Kirk, officiated at his son’s wedding on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, with most of the family, including Ken’s great-grandchildren, on hand.
From Steve Boies: “My family has a 100-year history with Dartmouth. My uncle graduated in 1925. Because his two daughters were not admissible, I was encouraged to apply. When Uncle Bill checked in at the admissions office, they told him they noted that the address on my application was the same as his address. Did I get in thanks to legacy? Our children Christopher ’01 and Katharine ’05 earned their way in.”
David Barker writes, “I just finished packaging 16,000 diapers to be distributed to families that can’t afford them. It’s a community effort to fill that need because SNAP [Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program] won’t pay for them.” (SNAP benefits have been cut by $168 billion.)
Retirement gives Steve Buckley time to read: “I just finished The Correspondent, I loved the message of hope in Theo of Golden, and I couldn’t put down The Quartet, Joseph Ellis’ history of four men who got our Constitution ratified against heavy odds.”
Sadly, we have lost classmates David Rogers, Donald B. Da Parma, Steve Brenner, and Howard Nannen. Our condolences to their families.
—John Merrow, 201 East 79th St., Apt. 5D, New York City, NY 10075; (646) 373-3034; john.merrow@gmail.com
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More of 1963 Class Notes
On education beyond Dartmouth, an astonishing 94 percent have earned a master’s or doctorate.
On careers, 54.7 percent stayed with one career.
On military service, 57 percent served in the military, and nearly all enlisted; only nine were drafted.
On marriage and children: 66 percent are in their first marriages. Fifty-four percent have one or two children; 39 percent have three or four; and two prolific classmates have five or more children.
On grandchildren, seven classmates have at least 10 grandchildren, and 19 have great-grandchildren.
On reunions, most have attended at least one; 13 have made it to 10 or more gatherings.
On career advice, 34.5 percent would encourage grandchildren to enter teaching or business. No one would encourage grandchildren to enter politics!
Ken Kvistad’s son, Kirk, officiated at his son’s wedding on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, with most of the family, including Ken’s great-grandchildren, on hand.
From Steve Boies: “My family has a 100-year history with Dartmouth. My uncle graduated in 1925. Because his two daughters were not admissible, I was encouraged to apply. When Uncle Bill checked in at the admissions office, they told him they noted that the address on my application was the same as his address. Did I get in thanks to legacy? Our children Christopher ’01 and Katharine ’05 earned their way in.”
David Barker writes, “I just finished packaging 16,000 diapers to be distributed to families that can’t afford them. It’s a community effort to fill that need because SNAP [Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program] won’t pay for them.” (SNAP benefits have been cut by $168 billion.)
Retirement gives Steve Buckley time to read: “I just finished The Correspondent, I loved the message of hope in Theo of Golden, and I couldn’t put down The Quartet, Joseph Ellis’ history of four men who got our Constitution ratified against heavy odds.”
Sadly, we have lost classmates David Rogers, Donald B. Da Parma, Steve Brenner, and Howard Nannen. Our condolences to their families.
—John Merrow, 201 East 79th St., Apt. 5D, New York City, NY 10075; (646) 373-3034; john.merrow@gmail.com