In 1976 Gerry Mark worked for an international engineering firm in Nigeria when the head of state, Gen. Murtala Ramat Muhammed, was assassinated. Suspecting a British plot, police rounded up all “suspicious characters,” including Gerry, and locked them in a hotel. During permitted walks Gerry and others escaped by cab to the airport. When soldiers began boarding, the pilot announced “Ah, the hell with it,” recalls Gerry who was soon home, awaiting his next process engineering assignments in Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East. Formerly in Stamford, Connecticut, Gerry and Barbara have lived past 25 years in Delray Beach, Florida, where Gerry works as contracting consultant. The couple has six children and 10 grandchildren between them, including a high school baseball player whose team visited Japan recently.
Mini-reunion chair Jeff Nothnagle reserved class room blocks at Hilton Garden Inn and Marriott, Lebanon, for Homecoming October 10-12 featuring dinners Friday and Saturday, class executive committee Saturday morning, football game against Yale, and weekend leaf peeping. “IBM is Back,” roared The Wall Street Journal, calling the computer giant’s recent resurgence reminiscent of Lou Gerstner’s turnaround in the 1990s, recounted in Lou’s 2002 book Who Says Elephants Can’t Dance? John Merrow and Mike and Jeanne Prince were on wheels again in June and July. John biked 101 miles to raise money for the Island Housing Trust and American Civil Liberties Union, among others. Mike and Jeanne went 100 miles for the Dartmouth Cancer Center. “An amazing physiologic feat,” is how Mount Everest climber and historian Tom Holzel described a five-day climb in May by four British army veterans, adding “while rarely mentioned that climbers prepared by spending much time sleeping in low-oxygen tents, it was nevertheless still a remarkable achievement.”
Sean Perry ’99 read a moving tribute from Cheryl Bascomb ’82, vice president of alumni relations, at a service for dad Tom Perry, retired development officer, who died in April: “Tom’s legacy at Dartmouth College is one of steadfast devotion and meaningful impact,” the statement began. I regret to report passing of Steve Garland, Gary Silver,and Wally Chappell.Obits by Tige Harris appear in DAM online.
—Harry Zlokower, 190 Amity St., Brooklyn, NY 11201; (917) 541-8162; harry@zlokower.com