Class Notes 1969

Because of old age, DAM has cut our word limit for Class Notes, from 500 to only 350 words! We will have to rely much more on Peter Elias’ excellent website and Allen Denison’s outstanding newsletter. There’s lots of news. Send yours to Allen, Peter, and Tex.

Coming home was great! Dartmouth mercilessly annihilated Yale 44-43 in the newly dedicated Buddy Teevens Stadium. Former players ranging from All-Ivy to Rainbow Raiders honored our legendary coach. A lively crowd celebrated at the DOC House, now restored to glory. (Given the new 350-word cutoff, we can’t list everyone.)

Our hybrid class meeting on Saturday included more than two dozen ’69s, including eight classmates via Zoom. On your website there is a “Class Activity Report” boasting our class innovations and accomplishments during the past year. The Outstanding Service Awards went to Norm Jacobs, Peter Elias, and Jim Staros. Norm has led us for many years, and Peter has moved us into the digital age, creating the terrific class website. Peter is also our volunteer medical advisor, and Jim our much-loved president.

Norm and Dona Heller reported that plans for fun and fellowship in 2025 are underway. Send your suggestions, as these are your events! Head agent John Myers reported that we exceeded our fundraising goal of $350,000, with more than a third of the class contributing. (That’s $1,000 for each word under the new 350-word limit!)

We may be the most active and award-winning alumni class in College history. Activities involving more than 150 classmates continue, with Zoom social hours, play readings, a Jewish culture group, AA meetings, and “Casual Conversations” showcasing experts from science, the arts, medicine, social sciences, and business.

A recurring theme at the reunions and Homecomings is the joy of fellowship with old friends, roommates, fraternity brothers, and a surprising number of guys you didn’t know or remember. New and lasting friendships emerge every time we gather—including online—together. As the great Rodney Crowell song says, “It ain’t over yet.” Google it just for fun.

—John “Tex” Talmadge, 3519 Brookline Lane, Farmers Branch, TX 75234; (214) 673-9250; johntalmadgemd@gmail.com

The 55th reunion of the class of 1969 shared perfect weather and three memorable days and evenings of memories and fellowship. Bill Stableford summed up our sentiments well: “I wish it hadn’t ended.”

More than 150 classmates and guests, more than we can possibly mention, road tripped to celebrate “the long, strange journey.” Dona Heller and Norm Jacobs produced and directed a gathering that we will remember for years to come. Dona received this year’s Class of 1969 Outstanding Service Award. (Norm was similarly honored in 2022.)

Dona joined two other remarkable first women, classmates Nanalee Raphael and Lynn Lobban. Nanalee is a fan favorite in our Zoom play reading group (another outstanding Arthur Fergenson production). Lynn sang with ethereal grace at the memorial service, accompanied by Sue Leavitt on piano in Rollins Chapel, and presented our 55th reunion class gift to President Beilock at the Bema dinner.

Peter Elias merits special recognition for his countless hours upgrading and maintaining dartmouth69.org, our class website. Peter has brilliantly curated ’69 treasures, announcements, and memories beyond description. Lots more news there!

At the official class meeting president Jim Staros and his band of merry pranksters were elected to another term as class officers. Your executive committee remains in high gear. We are always looking for energy and ideas, so join in!

Bill Stableford led a memorable session in which we shared memories related to Vietnam, including experiences other than military service. Dozens of somber reflections—humorous, touching, and inspiring—deepened the shared meaning of those passionate years.

Allen Denison joined Peter and Tex to moderate a conversation on flourishing in years to come, “Looking Through a Glass Brightly.” John Beck and John Mathias facilitated discussion of “What Issues Keep You Up at Night,” a session that was refreshingly intelligent, civil, and engaging.

An overflow crowd in Filene Auditorium enjoyed “A Conversation with President Sian Leah Beilock,” and we were awed and impressed. During the dinner at the Bema, President Beilock visited every table to speak with classmates and friends. She fits in very well. We like her.

Rick Willets presented the class survey, and he was better than ever. Rick deserves a slot on The Daily Show or SNL.

At the farewell dinner Roy Hitchings conducted a moving performance by our Glee Clubbers, including Allen Denison, Doug Woodruff, David Dunning, and Nick North. And in spite of good-natured protests and reservations, a class photograph was taken—pics will appear in the newsletter.

We are permitted only 500 words here, so watch for many photos and comments in the next newsletter. If you’ve drifted away from Dartmouth, as we all sometimes do, please get in touch. Join us on Zoom. Come back to the email list. Call up a classmate you haven’t heard from lately. We love you and we miss you.

—John “Tex” Talmadge, 3519 Brookline Lane, Farmers Branch, TX 75234; (214) 673-9250; johntalmadgemd@gmail.com

Tom Cronan looks forward to our 55th and writes: “Jan and I are spending the winter in St. James, North Carolina. We moved back to the Upper Valley [Quechee, Vermont] in 2017 after I retired. We met while I was at Dartmouth and she was at Colby, so the move was probably driven by sentimentality. It never dawned on me that Hanover winters can be harder on a 70-year-old than a 19-year-old, especially if the younger Big Greener was frequently ‘fortified’ by 500 gallons of New England rum.

“New England winters ultimately proved too much for us so we began spending winters in St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands, but that became increasingly risky as the Caribbean is not the best healthcare destination on the planet. Like many, we find that competent medical care is a consideration these days. I’ve had ‘replacement’ parts installed to the point where, during a recent meeting with an estate lawyer, I brought up cremation and he suggested that I consider a smelting shop instead. I also get a free rain jacket from GoreTex annually from my cardiologist’s frequent flyer stent loyalty program.

“All that said, we left St. John and finally landed in North Carolina, where we had friends from up north. Way too cold for scuba but at least warm enough for golf, even in January, and close enough to decent medical care to satisfy our docs back at Dartmouth-Hitchcock.

“After a roughly 40-year, self-imposed exile from all things, I reconnected several years ago largely thanks to my fraternity brother Dan Cooperman, who coerced me into returning for a reunion of the Ivy Championship 1967 football team. Since then I’ve stayed in fairly close touch with a number of classmates and that’s been great. About half of them are fraternity brothers who join a semi-regular Zoom meeting hosted by “Goose” Goodenough and then get together in person at Tom Park’s home in Maine right after Labor Day each year. We replay the same old stories every year. The facts never change but the stories—the telling of them—gets better and better. You don’t want it to end, but you hope it does because your sides ache from the laughter.

“The other group that that I stay very close to is the ‘Baker Bunch’—a dozen or so ’69 misfits who came together after our 50th reunion under the leadership of the amazing Peter Schaeffer. We get together by Zoom every Sunday evening. That’s 250-plus meetings and counting! I can’t say much more about this group, but if you sometimes feel like you’re languishing—and tried less than ideal ways to dealing with those feelings—you can reach out to Peter or Tex for more information.”

Our thanks to Tom, and we’ll see you all in Hanover in June!

—John “Tex” Talmadge, 3519 Brookline Lane, Farmers Branch, TX 75234; (214) 673-9250; johntalmadgemd@gmail.com

An avalanche of news and cheers smothered this month’s mailbox, so if you don’t see yourself mentioned here, Allen Denison is working overtime on the next ’69 Times newsletter. Check there for more names and news. The Class of ’69 Outstanding Service Awards for 2023, presented by Jim Staros, honored Paul Tuhus and Dudley Kay as part of the October “ComingHome.” The awards committee (chair Greg Lau, Rick Willets, and Peter Elias) did the hard work of sifting through an impressive set of nominations. Our first awards, presented at our 75th birthday celebration, recognized Rick Willets and David Prentice. At Homecoming 2022 we honored Norman Jacobs and Peter Elias. The award recognizes classmates whose contributions have been sustained during a long period of time, measured in decades. Dudley is a former class president, current vice president, and served on the committee that created this award and chose the inaugural recipients. He labored with David Prentice on our monumental 50th reunion book, and Dud knows more about the class of ’69 as a whole than any other living person. Paul played a critical role in the renovation of the DOC House as our 50th reunion project, served on the fundraising committee, and shepherded the project to its glorious completion. Prior to service on the DOC project, Paul was a longtime class treasurer and co-chair (with Rick Willets) of a string of Homecomings and reunions, spanning decades. Beyond class duties Paul has also been our font of reliable travel information, especially for travel off the beaten path. Wait, there’s more! The Dartmouth Class Officers Association honored our class for “robust Zoom programming and consistent meetups year-round, with more than 150 classmates engaged consistently across 100 touchpoints.” Accepting the award on our behalf was Arthur Fergenson, who developed many of the programs and worked tirelessly to bring us together virtually since our 50th. The Zoom events include “Casual Conversations,” celebrated seminars, social hours, weekly 12-step meetings, innumerable play and poetry readings, and the Jewish culture group chaired by Bruce Alpert. Phil Bush now leads our special projects committee, and as a class we help support the Dartmouth EMS, a student-run, non-transport, basic life support squad (see its impressive website). A few of the many who attended the “ComingHome” class meeting included Larry Ebner, Peter Lawrence, Richard Saunders, David Strife, Loren Lortscher, Jay Glaser, Bill Coulson, Chip Elitzer, Peter Scheck, Roy Banks, the usual suspects from the executive committee, and many more. Dona Heller and Norm produced a marvelous, memorable couple of days, and folks praised Sue Leavitt’s ethereal, brilliant gift of her piano music. We also heard from Jeff Burnett, and he’s sending reflections for our next issue. Also, check our website! If you have been busy and disconnected, this is the time to come home. If not now, when?

—John “Tex” Talmadge, 3519 Brookline Lane, Farmers Branch, TX 75234; (214) 673-9250; johntalmadgemd@gmail.com

A snowbound classmate, intoxicated with memories of Nelson Rockefeller, writes: “I was clearing out attic and cellar, grudgingly accepting migration to my wife’s chosen senior living encampment. Everything there is on one floor, and there’s no deep end of the pool. My crochety Alfred Prufrock moment faded when I uncovered a coffee stained, faded copy of There’s Something Happening Here, our 25th reunion yearbook. It survived being left once in the rain on the veranda, and it’s as wrinkled and disheveled as I am. I had never looked at every page and had not seen it in decades. Nostalgia seduced me for two hours. I discovered pure gold from remarkable guys I didn’t even know. Three decades back David Agan, a fellow DOC veteran, wrote: ‘We made it. Our graduation day was a metaphor for the times.’ Dave still devotes his life to serving refugees, reducing prejudice, and welcoming diversity. Aldie Caram wrote, ‘I still feel the world needs to change a lot and a good starting point is right here, within.’ Chuck Morey, already finding success in theater, went for the perfectly timed laugh line: ‘The real reason for my abiding interest in the dramatic arts is really quite simple. I wanted to meet girls.’ A deeply moving essay by John Myers reflected eloquently on life, love, loss, faith, family, and assessing lifelong commitments: ‘How’s life? Ask me in 40 years and I’ll look back and tell you.’ Rob Nichols wrote about going from learning how to build a chicken coop to ‘creating or rehabilitating homes for more than 250 disadvantaged people in New Hampshire.’ Nick North survived Vietnam and gradually went from ‘being estranged from Dartmouth’ to drifting back, saying, ‘I was only a boy then, after all.’ Dan Papp looked back gratefully on inflection points: ‘I now run my own life again, instead of my life running me.’ Admitting ambivalence about Dartmouth, C. Stewart Rogers said he quietly kept up with alumni news. ‘I imagine,’ he said, ‘that some of the extended conversations that were interrupted in mid-1969 are, as yet, unfinished.’ Family physician Jeff Saffer reflected upon the journey, his good friend Richard Jenson, and his sustaining philosophy: ‘I believe in the power of the human spirit and that each of us has an important story to tell.’ Jim Staros totally cracked me up: ‘I set the Dartmouth College department of chemistry record for consecutive number of explosions, a record that I probably still hold.’ Every ’69 should dust off the book and savor a neglected treasure. It is true, as one classmate said, that there really is music for our singing, after all. Don’t wear the bottoms of your trousers rolled.” Check out the lively, inspiring 1969 website and contribute your wisdom to our newsletter and Class Notes! Thanks to all our correspondents!

—John “Tex” Talmadge, 3519 Brookline Lane, Farmers Branch, TX 75234; (214) 673-9250; johntalmadgemd@gmail.com

For the armchair philosopher—a label worn somewhat proudly by many of us—there are few experiences more humbling than an encounter with a genuine philosopher. In our ongoing effort to identify classmates we haven’t seen for years, we recently connected with Brian O’Connor, a professor and philosopher of information at the University of North Texas. Our initial call interrupted a conversation he was having with one of his doctoral candidates, and in our interview we learned that he has supervised more Ph.D.s in information science than anyone else on the planet. His increasingly relevant discipline deals with “the philosophical analysis of the notion of information from both historical and systematic perspectives.” Think for a moment about our Dartmouth libraries and how someone must categorize and classify that much knowledge. How are we able to find what we’re looking for at the massive Library of Congress, or the Smithsonian? What is “information” and how is it managed? Ask Brian! His love of teaching keeps him not only quite busy, but he is also quite passionate about “supporting students and their ideas, whether those ideas ultimately work or not.” The halls of Russell Sage must have been a lively place for Brian’s late-night bull sessions with suitemates Ken Furie, Henry Todd, and Bob Garrett. His career includes a lifetime love of images and film, and he’s created a lot of them. He and Irena (also an academic philosopher and department chair) have two sons, and their adopted State of Texas is proud of them. A Greek and Roman studies major, Brian told us that looking back he would not change majors. “While I didn’t pursue graduate work in the field, learning to do close reading and careful translation has served me well as a philosopher of information—in fact, in my latest book I included a poem by Catullus. The art and archaeology components of the major, together with the work of the avant-garde neoteric poets, were at the foundation of my graduate work in film production.” Like we said: Visiting with a genuine philosopher is definitely a humbling experience. Responses about changing majors also came from Richard Saunders, Peter Schaeffer, Peter Elias, Dick Glovsky, Greg Dobbs, Bruce Alpert, Rick Willets, Steve Larson, Bob Garman, Arthur Fergenson, Tim Means, Al Gordon, Ted Adams, and others. (Apologies if I missed you!). Almost every respondent said he would not switch. John Mathias and family joined us for a “Casual Conversation” about wife Julie’s impressive and renowned art, and she took up brush and canvas to demonstrate her techniques. Peter Elias has reworked our busy class website, and it’s a masterpiece. Look there for latest updates. “Casual Conversations” with fascinating guests continue on Zoom. Play readings, recovery meetings, book discussions, and movie nights are still going strong. Send us news and views!

—John “Tex” Talmadge, 3519 Brookline Lane, Farmers Branch, TX 75234; (214) 673-9250; johntalmadgemd@gmail.com

We rarely mention hurricanes in Class Notes, although Hanover has experienced a few, including the Great New England Hurricane of 1938, which smashed Long Island and did great damage on campus. (See photos in the Dartmouth digital library program online.) But in more recent hurricane news, John and Elizabeth Beck were enjoying life in Naples, Florida, with a stunning view of Gulf Coast sunsets and gentle sea breezes, when the winds of Hurricane Ian came calling. Reminiscent of singer-songwriter Jeff Talmadge’s song “Hurricane,” this was an epic event. John recounts the story: “Our condo in Naples was hit with a 6-foot storm surge from Ian. We evacuated to Connecticut, so we weren’t in danger, but the building was badly damaged. Everything on the ground floor was washed away and the property was buried in sand. In the lobby, the doors and everything in it was gone, even the floor tile. In our cabana, everything was gone—doors, sheetrock, carpeting, tile, lights, fans, sink, toilet, shower stall. All that’s left are the cinder block walls and cement floor. In our garage, the car was submerged. The building had no electricity for weeks, but a disaster relief company brought in generators and installed dehumidifiers to prevent mold. They also removed sand and debris, capped leaking pipes, and repaired the electrical system, but there’s so much more to do. The building has electricity now but still can’t be approved for occupancy until the fire alarm and sprinklers are operational. That should happen soon, but it will take months to restore the elevator, so even when we can return, we’ll be climbing six flights of stairs to reach our condo. Despite all this, we’ll be driving down in a few weeks to maintain our Florida residency. Thankfully, we have friends who are letting us use their place through December. After that who knows?” In October John and Sue Leavitt joined Ron Talley, David Abbott, Gary Bartholomaus, Greg Lau, Richard Saunders, Bruce English, Bob Germans, Philip Bush, Greg Dobbs, and a Zoom screen full of classmates to lead a casual conversation about family forest management. For more than 25 years John and Sue have lovingly been stewards of their 130 acres in northeastern Connecticut. Dave Abbott, the bibliophile, has also been chairing a Dartmouth book club on Zoom, including participants from several classes. As of November more than 150 classmates have attended our many class events on Zoom! Correction: David L. Prentice was incorrectly listed as David Lyon Nichols in the last issue. Dave Prentice was posthumously honored with the Class of 1969 Outstanding Service Award for his work as editor of the class newsletter, editor of our 25th and 50th reunion books, service on the executive committee, and energetic participation in virtually every Homecoming and class reunion. He was praised as “the glue that held the class together.”

—John “Tex” Talmadge, 3519 Brookline Lane, Farmers Branch, TX 75234; (214) 673-9250; johntalmadgemd@gmail.com

The magnificent Dartmouth Outing Club House, stunningly renovated and restored by the class of 1969, was home base for our 75th birthday party in June. Dozens of classmates—too many to list—attended the three-day bash. In similar fashion, so many classmates attended and contributed to the DOC class project we can’t name everyone, but there are photos of the DOC House and the 75th birthday gathering on the web. A century ago, the class of 1900 raised the funds originally to build the house, completed in 1929. At the entrance today, a prominent commemorative plaque marks our restoration of the place, alongside the proud class of 1900 original. Our major remodeling of the place, years in development, features inspiring views of Occom Pond as well as completely new kitchen and dining areas. Elegant New England-style furnishings, magnificent fireplaces, historical artifacts, period photographs, and spacious meeting areas complete the scene.

A cozy new alcove, again with a romantic view, is dedicated to Paul Tuhus, whose devotion and daily attention (for years!) was essential in getting the work done. At the birthday dinner, we also honored two classmates with the Dartmouth Class of 1969 Outstanding Service Award. Recipient Rick Willets deserves our gratitude for the immeasurable time and energy—not to mention the creativity and infectious humor—he has contributed for decades. Awardee David Lyon Nichols, who passed away in 2013, was the creative genius on the remarkable team that produced our reunion books and those of many other classes. Paul Tuhus accepted the award in memoriam on David’s behalf.

John Beck and Roy Hitchings led an afternoon session devoted to “the big questions in life,” a wide-ranging discussion harking back to Peter Schaeffer’s memorable remarks at our 50th reunion. Speaking of hard work and notable contributions, the heavy lifting around the birthday party was accomplished by Dona Heller and Norm Jacobs. They arrived early, stayed late, made the arrangements, planned the itinerary, hauled in countless boxes and refreshments, and assured that everyone had a great time. Some of us ran into major problems with air travel, and others were concerned about cost.

If a trek to Dartmouth is hard to manage, remember our impressive array of events on Zoom. Around 150 class members have attended at least one seminar, group, play reading, poetry jam, movie night, 12-step group, or class meeting. (For example, the Zoom 12-step group has met every Sunday evening for more than two years.) The events are announced on our class website and in the ’69 Times or you can contact me. Final note: Homecoming (October 29) is on the horizon. Make your travel plans and reservations now, and we will see you in Hanover for the Harvard game! In the meantime, take a moment and send me your latest news.

Vox clamantis!

—John “Tex” Talmadge, 3519 Brookline Lane, Farmers Branch, TX 75234; (214) 673-9250; johntalmadgemd@gmail.com

This Class Note is dedicated specifically to readers who are not part of our mailing list, Zoom events, many interest groups, or online news on our website. You do read Dartmouth Alumni Magazine. Your classmates invite you to our June 75th birthday gathering, and we guarantee that you’ll be glad you came. We plan a mix of optional organized events, indoor and outdoor settings, casual conversations, and much more. Your suggestions are also welcome!

A classmate writes: “After a few years in retirement I discovered that I was not alone in feeling awkward as a senior citizen. I have gradually moved forward on the golf course tees, from the black to the white to the red to the gold. Back at Dartmouth, when our (now defunct) course was lush and highly popular, my drives approached 300 yards. Today I hit the ball about 180. I play with other ‘super seniors,’ and most of us still walk the course with pull carts. Almost without exception we golfing geezers say that we enjoy the game far more than we did coming up. We still bet, compete, and watch ballgames in the bar. Sinking a 10-footer brings affectionate cries of derision and trash talk. Lately I’ve wondered what has changed.

“Why is this game such fun when I no longer kill it on the course? At our 50th reunion several of us grabbed beer at the alumni tent, and we reminisced about how competitive we had been in those undergrad days. To a person, we admitted that for many years we compared ourselves to others. Even the fraternity brother who was All Ivy in football, and a Phi Beta Kappa to boot, allowed as how he never really felt that he measured up. Past age 60, however, he noticed that something changed. Conversations with old friends no longer focused on money, power, and status. Everyone in the group reported similar experiences.

“In our circle that night were academic scholars, two poets, a corporate scion, three schoolteachers, an accountant, and a jazz musician. To paraphrase Robert Frost, we sat at leisure till the day broke, and we said some of the best things we ever said.”

Psychologists say that people attending reunions savor the good times, renew old friendships, and share experiences of growth and change. “At the reunion I met people I never knew when we were undergraduates,” our correspondent writes, “and since 2019 I’ve formed friendships that are profoundly important to me. Imagine making so many friends after turning 70.” Dartmouth is part of our character, our narrative, our path to meaning. Join us to celebrate your 75th birthday with friends old and new. An extraordinary number of classmates plan to attend. For more information contact me or consult the class website.

—John “Tex” Talmadge, 3519 Brookline Lane, Farmers Branch, TX 75234; (214) 673-9250; johntalmadgemd@gmail.com

Five hundred words can’t adequately highlight Homecoming 2021! Peter Elias arrived on Friday at the Courtyard in Lebanon, New Hampshire, and he recommends it highly: clean, convenient, friendly. “I think it would be fun,” Peter writes, “if ’69s would stay there for campus visits, so we could enjoy breakfasts or other times together. I walked around campus, saddened by the construction scaffolds and staging for the Dartmouth Hall renovations. The Baker Library lawn was blighted by a monstrous tent (perhaps never used) and there were at least three concentric circles of metal fencing around the bonfire, along with huge portable light fixtures and mobile generators.” Great photo opportunities were lost. Nonetheless, a lively crowd gathered Friday in the Hinman Forum for drinks and dinner. Peter adds: “The meal was good, and the company was great. The speeches and rituals on a grandstand on the Green were mercifully short. There was a rather anemic running around the bonfire within layers of metal fencing and no stampede of ’25s. The bonfire was quite nice.” On Saturday Rick Willets once again hustled to Chi Heorot to erect our class tent with Norm Jacobs and Dona Heller, organizers of many class-related events. Prior to the Yale game (Dartmouth won in overtime!), classmates gathered to enjoy sparkling weather and renewed fellowship. At the annual class meeting in 219 Wilson, the updated class constitution won unanimous approval. Among those present—too many to list everyone—Greg Lau, Ken Paul, Roy Wallace, Mark Anderson, Jud Graves, and Jay Glaser were in fine form, along with your executive committee and the usual suspects. Several classmates commented about touring the campus, noting that undergraduates were friendly, talkative, and welcoming. There was ski team cider at Robinson, and Peter asked several students about current affairs at Dartmouth, including freedom of speech on campus. He has written about this on our listserv. The most meaningful and memorable event at Homecoming was the dedication of the legendary DOC House, a multi-year project carried out by our class. Described as “breathtaking,” “stupendous,” “inspiring,” and “magnificent,” the lodge has become the most popular and impressive gathering place on campus. The DOC House is already booked for weddings, celebrations, reunions, and other major events. Peter notes that the team preserved the shape and character of the original structure. The planners dramatically enhanced the dining room, creating a memorable view of Occom Pond. Julie Mathias and team worked magic on the interiors, including old photos and memorabilia as well as elegant furnishings, adding layers of personality and history. The books and photos alone are worth hours of attention. Remember that we are still meeting often on Zoom for casual conversations, social hours, play readings, lectures, and support groups—contact me for information and details. And join the email listserv! Stay in touch and send news.

—John “Tex” Talmadge, 3519 Brookline Lane, Farmers Branch, TX 75234; (214) 673-9250; johntalmadgemd@gmail.com

The top of the post-pandemic news features our renovation of the DOC House, scheduled for completion by Homecoming—back on campus at last—in October. The key players, under the leadership of Paul Tuhus, Tom Hunt, Andy McLane, and John Mathias, emphasize class unity in every discussion. “This is about all of us, not just a select handful,” Paul said in a recent call, “and this is the crowning achievement of one of the great classes in Dartmouth College history.”

Special mention also goes out to Julie Anderson Mathias, internationally acclaimed artist and interior architect, who has contributed elegant and inspired design solutions that we will enjoy at the Homecoming dedication and ribbon cutting. “Without Julie,” one observer notes, “a bunch of old guys might have filled the place using the same acquisition skills we relied upon to furnish our dorm rooms and frat houses.” Tom, Andy, and head agent John Myers emphasize that no gift is too small and the window remains open for classmates to chip in. The project has drawn many classmates back to Dartmouth. “The DOC project transcends politics, status, individual histories, and opinions,” one donor said, “and I’m grateful that so many of us are joining together despite the many years. One voice feels fantastic!”

In other news, the tireless Arthur Fergenson continues his creative use of Zoom as a vehicle for mini-reunion activities, including online play readings, Saturday night at the movies, “Casual Conversations,” and impressive special events involving Dartmouth faculty. (See The ’69 Times for details!) Nanalee Raphael speaks for many of the more than 100 participants: “These Zooms have been wonderful, as I’m getting to know guys I never interacted with on campus. Next reunion I’ll actually have something to talk with them about rather than trying to make acquaintances in a limited amount of time.”

Dona Heller and Norm Jacobs are cooking up great events for Homecoming, including forums and follies. We will be inviting 2019s to report on “being safe at least in the wide, wide world.” Make your plans now to come home to Hanover. And don’t forget that every month Jim Staros hosts a freestyle social hour on Zoom, and that brings us together in a delightful hour of agenda-free fellowship.

Allen Denison has built The ’69 Times into a heavyweight package of class news and information, a key resource for many classmates who aren’t on the email list. Don’t miss it when it arrives with your land mail. All the news that fits, he prints!

We’ve lost three fine classmates this year. Michael Lewis Groden, Edward “Ned” Symes, and Geoffrey “Rip” G. Maclay Jr. passed away this spring. Tributes to their remarkable lives are included in Allen’s current newsletter and on the class website.

As Peter Schaeffer always reminds us: “Savor every precious moment!”

—John “Tex” Talmadge, 3519 Brookline Lane, Farmers Branch, TX 75234; (214) 673-9250; johntalmadgemd@gmail.com

Something’s happening here! The dazzling bright spot in our Covidized Dartmouth world is Zoom, our 21st-century virtual commons. Classmates gather often on Zoom: Social hours, play readings, casual conversations, 12-step sessions, mini-reunions, wine tastings, and interest groups are going strong. Attendance is impressive. You can join by audio if you’re camera shy and it’s easy to dial in. Our latest offering is virtual Saturday night at the movies, where we can group watch a film. Contact Arthur Fergenson (arthur.fergenson@ansalaw.com) or Tex Talmadge (johntalmadgemd@gmail.com) if you need guidance or direction on any of these gatherings.

The women in our class are well-represented these days. Dona Heller has teamed up with Norm Jacobs for the wine tastings and other event planning, and Nanalee Raphael and Carol Dudley have done the casting for our many play readings. Also, many thanks to Norm for his outstanding work with the Alumni Council. His successor in that role, Dick Glovsky, will now represent us during this era of change and uncertainty.

Have you never joined our email listserv? Did you drop off the list a few years back? Sign up! We could fill entire columns documenting renewed friendships as well as inspiring associations with classmates we didn’t often see as undergraduates. This is a new era, and we’d love to hear from you. Watch for your hard copy March issue of The ’69 Times to hit your mailbox with a ton of news, links, updates, and upcoming events. To join or rejoin the email list, email Peter Elias at pheski69@gmail.com.

We also hail the recent launch of the alumni small-business directory at dartgo.org/smallbusiness, which has more than 270 alumni members registered. CEO Ted Baehr and Movieguide took honors as our first official ’69 small-business registrant.

We did it! Andy McLane and Paul Tuhus report that fundraising for the restoration of the Dartmouth Outing Club House has been a resounding success. Thanks to all who have chipped in! President Hanlon gives a rouse: “Your project is the largest 50th reunion class gift in the history of Dartmouth College.” Eye-popping pictures are in the newsletter and on the class website.

Secretary emeritus Steve Larson, who graced this column for many years, cautioned that reporting deaths was the hardest part of the job. This winter we lost David Prentice and Jeffrey Kopat, two greatly loved and respected classmates, both passionate about life outdoors. David, of course, was the creative force behind “The Book,” and his sudden passing was deeply heartbreaking for classmates who worked closely with him for many years. We remember Jeffrey as a hard-core denizen of Kiewit Computation Center, a math whiz, and a fine fellow. We have more about Dave and Jeff on the class website and in the newsletter.

Gleeful rumors are flying about Homecoming in Hanover next October. Stay tuned!

—John “Tex” Talmadge, 3519 Brookline Lane, Farmers Branch TX 75234; (214) 673-9250; johntalmadgemd@gmail.com

October 1968, our senior year: NASA launched Apollo 7, L.B.J. declared that bombing would continue in Vietnam, controversy arose at the Mexico Olympics, Jackie Kennedy remarried, John Lennon was arrested for cannabis, and Led Zeppelin performed its first concert. The blazing fall colors were glorious. At Homecoming we lost to Holy Cross, but we celebrated anyway. Homecoming has always been special for our class, with a gaggle of classmates returning annually. Many of us who had been away for years planned to return this year, only to be disappointed. The Dalai Lama says, “Remember that sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck.” We didn’t get our traditional Homecoming in 2020, but thanks to Norm Jacobs and Dona Heller we had an impressive virtual Homecoming via Zoom. Their hard work created our stroke of luck!

The Zoom Homecoming included wine tasting, storytelling, cooking class, and general festivity. This year our class has experienced more dialogue and reconnection than ever before. Arthur Fergenson has pioneered play readings—we recently did Hamlet on Zoom—as well as casual conversations covering topics including baseball, spirituality, healthcare, and death row lawyering. The weekly Zoom 12-step meetings continue with great reviews. We have had mid-month social hours online that are well attended, consistently lasting longer than the scheduled 60 minutes. We not only greet old friends, but we also forge new friendships with folks we didn’t know as undergraduates. So many classmates are participating that it’s impractical to list all of the names in this brief report. Allen Denison will offer more specifics, details, and updates in upcoming newsletters.

If you’re circling back after some time away, be sure that you have your copy of “The Book,” our 50th reunion encyclopedia of all things ’69. Your executive committee has drafted a resolution of appreciation for the team, with special recognition to David Prentice. We will never know the hundreds of hours that David, Henry Allen, and Dudley Kay (and others!) invested in the enterprise. Since the reunion we’ve been gifted a major update, including people and particulars that didn’t make the first printing. The Book 2.0 is available for download on our website. Grab your copy. If you don’t love it, we’ll give you all of your memories back.

Our class project, the major renovation and remodeling of the DOC House, makes impressive progress despite the pandemic. Paul Tuhus has shared detailed photos of the upgrades and enhancements. So many have given generously in terms of time, money, and energy, it’s impossible to list everyone. We are still raising funds, so please join the effort if you haven’t already. Many of us weren’t DOC regulars, but once you see the new house you’ll want to return whenever you’re on campus.

As always, we publish even more news at www.dartmouth69.org.

—John “Tex” Talmadge, 3519 Brookline Lane, Farmers Branch, TX 75234; (214) 673-9250; johntalmadgemd@gmail.com

At our 50th reunion the class of 1969 gave a rouse for the graduating class of 2019. Unlike our 1969 Commencement, washed out by a summer storm, the 2019 event was joyous, sun-drenched, and near-perfect. At our 50th few in our gray-haired gang could recall details of our connection to the class of 1919, although many of those alumni were with us for our turbulent 1969 Commencement. Christopher J. Stillbach reminds us that 50 years ago, Robert Stecher, class of 1919 (a legendary physician, philanthropist, and educator), predicted that by 2019 Dartmouth would change: “It will contain a substantial proportion of women,” Dr. Stecher said to the men assembled on the lawn, “and that is threatening.” Nonetheless, we are confident that he was secretly pleased that the class of 1969 had already welcomed women to our ranks. The film Early Daughters of Dartmouth: Blazing the Trail to Coeducation is now available online at preunions.dartmouth.edu.

Shedding our rain-soaked gowns and looking for our rolled-up diplomas spread out in the gym, we didn’t realize how much we would ultimately have in common with the class of 1919. By graduation they had survived three waves of H1N1 avian flu and a pandemic that killed 675,000 Americans, including fellow students. World War I, which claimed the lives of 112 Dartmouth men, ended during their senior year.

Dartmouth Memorial Field, completed in 1923, is dedicated to the memory of those who have served their country in war and peace, and the elegant 2015 sculpture “The Hill Wind Knows Their Name,” by Dimitri Gerakaris symbolizes the unbreakable bonds of memory that unite us. Among the names we can find members of the class of 1919.

The class of 1919 held father-son dinners at the Dartmouth Outing Club, which our class is renovating. John Myers and Tom Hunt have worked tirelessly to raise money for the Dartmouth College Fund (DCF), and our class has responded. When giving to the DCF, classmates may allocate a portion to our 50th reunion class gift, the DOC renovation. Go to dartgo.org/1969doc to contribute to the DCF, the DOC House renovation, or both. Contributions can also be mailed to the Gift Recording Office, 6066 Development Office, Hanover, NH 03755.

We also salute the class of 1970, whose 50th reunion plans were disrupted by the pandemic, and the class of 2020, the first to create a virtual celebration. Norm Jacobs reports from the Alumni Council, where President Hanlon praised the class of 2020: “They will depart the Dartmouth campus missing their senior spring and the opportunity to celebrate together at Commencement,” he said, “and my ask of you is to rally the alumni community to let the class of ’20 know that Dartmouth cares and that the Dartmouth fellowship is there for them, now and forever.” The class of 1969 rises to shout our support!

Also, we note with sadness that William E. “Bill” Ferguson passed away on June 116. I’ve sent a note to our email list and our next column will include remembrances.

—John “Tex” Talmadge, 3519 Brookline Lane, Farmers Branch, TX 75234; (214) 673-9250; johntalmadgemd@gmail.com

In the winter of our relative discontent (epidemics, market crashes, politics), our class remains on the move and our correspondents roam around the girdled earth. Dudley Kay sends word that after 16 years of courtship, he and the lovely Jill (Ford) married in December! The beautiful couple will honeymoon on rivers in Europe, so we anticipate the arrival of very cool postcards. People do still send postcards, right?

Peter Schaeffer, on eastern Long Island, reflects that growing up in suburban New York his gang played hockey on frozen ponds every winter. “In the 28 years I’ve lived here on the island we’ve only had one winter when we had enough freezing weather to sail an ice boat.” Peter has given a big assist in finding missing classmates, is doing well, and sends his best.

Tom and Jan Cronan “have officially become snowbirds” on St. John in the Caribbean, enjoying warm sunny weather and doing repairs in the wake of hurricane season. Tom says their home stood up well, but Irma and Maria were devastating for many islanders. There are still houses with “blue tarp” roofs, as supplies and contractors remain scarce. Many islanders left, having lost nearly everything, but many more are resilient. “At the end of the day,” Tom says, “it is a wonderful adventure. We get up every day to one of the most beautiful vistas on God’s green earth.” Tom cannot confirm, but he is told that the Dartmouth Club of the Virgin Islands has the largest membership of all!

Norm Jacobs sends word that his tour of Vietnam and Cambodia was a terrific experience. (Several other classmates have said good things about the Vietnam tours.) Norm also alerts us that we will celebrate a ’69 BBQ Boston mini-reunion on May 30 at the Cambridge Boat Club. RSVP to njacobs@spiritproducts.com.

Dona Heller and Norm have also scheduled the 75th birthday party for May 21, 2022, in New York City, along with many other activities during the weekend! Stay tuned for details.

Ted Adams is our other Asia correspondent, having covered China, India, Bali, and Singapore. Insights: China has a surprising merchant culture, a little like Las Vegas, and India, with dozens of languages and dialects as well as religions, is more challenging still. Bali is a land of beauty, and Singapore is quite modern and relatively easy for Americans to navigate, being a business hub.

Larry Ebner writes of his affection for Dean Thad Seymour and his sadness upon Uncle Thad’s passing. Sharing our love of history, he also boosts the National Museum of Civil War Medicine in Frederick, Maryland, as a hidden gem for tourists. Also with sadness we report that classmate Phillip Morris passed away in Missouri, and we are seeking his family or friends. If you can help, email your secretary at the address below.

—John “Tex” Talmadge, 3519 Brookline Lane, Farmers Branch, TX 75234; (214) 673-9250; johntalmadgemd@gmail.com

Homecoming 2019 was a hoot and a holler for old-timers, as Dartmouth faced Yale in a showdown for supremacy in Ivy football. The Friday night bonfire won accolades from ’69s, as the newfangled engineering algorithm really lights up the night sky. From our section in the stands during the game we surveyed blazing colors on the hills east of campus, and Dudley and Jill Kay report that they went up to Quechee, Vermont, where autumn has never been more brilliant. Bruce Hamilton writes that mid-October is the peak of the fall color season, and the uniqueness of species near Dartmouth explains the unbeatable forest beauty.

On Friday afternoon a full house gathered at Filene Auditorium for the film premiere of Early Daughters of Dartmouth: Blazing the Trail to Coeducation 1969-72. Classmates Lynn Lobban and Dona Heller carried the 1969 banner as we marched through town Friday night to the center of the campus. Lynn’s captivating memoir, “Back Where I Belong,” is in the November-December 2019 issue of DAM. Celebration of the film brought together dozens of friends, not only from our class, but also from College staff, faculty, and other classes. Watch for the film online, and you’ll not be disappointed in our legacy.

Main Street in Hanover is still quite recognizable, although several signs and banners have changed through the years. Molly’s Restaurant played host to Mark Bankoff, Dudley Kay, Tom Cronin, Greg Lau, Arthur Fergenson, Mark Willets, and those of us marching in the bonfire parade. We ate very well at Homecoming.

Julian Reeves writes on the passing of his dear friend, musician Thomas Parker: “Tommy was my best man…and taught me to appreciate the blues.” Greg and Nancy Lau attended the memorial service for classmate Michael Neal in Indianapolis, and they share similar memories of good times and lasting friendship. In this connection, Peter Elias spearheads our new initiative, the ’69Cares Network, a program to provide support to classmates at times of loss or crisis, including families of departed classmates. Peter, Allen Denison, and Tex Talmadge invite other ’69s to volunteer, so let us know if you’re interested.

Jay “Yogi” Glaser returned for Homecoming as promised, joining Jim Staros, Norm Jacobs, Rick Willets, and the Saturday morning crew at Heorot (Chi Phi). Getting the tent erected was a team effort well supervised by Bill Stableford and Randy Wallich. Paul Tuhus, always the gracious host and guide, joined Henry Allen and John Leavitt as we gathered for the class meeting in Thornton Hall. Paul does heavy lifting on our class gift, the renovation of the DOC House. We made it to the game and later to Rockefeller Hall for a dinner brimming with memories, reflections, and lots of laughs. Paul Tuhus and Dona Heller spoke fondly of connecting with the class of 2019, bridging generations with wisdom, humor, and love.

A half century has passed, and if you’ve not come back to campus or connected with classmates, give some thought to making the pilgrimage and getting in touch. This anniversary year generated many new friendships and rekindled many longtime connections.

—John “Tex” Talmadge, 3949 Maple Ave, Suite 300, Dallas, TX 75219; johntalmadgemd@gmail.com

Our 50th reunion was truly one for the ages! Everyone who was there had the kinds of experiences reserved for rare occasions like this. No record attendance was set, but the almost 280 of our classmates, plus many significant others, contributed to the remarkable number.

This is my 90th and final column, being co-written with my successor, John “Tex” Talmadge. You all had access to the schedule of events on our website, so you know things started on Thursday at Moosilauke where more than 40 of us gathered for the hiking and the night at the Lodge. Friday’s registration at the class tent rewarded us with the surprise gifts we will take with us and treasure for years. The rest of the weekend was filled with interesting events, all of which enabled us to relate to the old friend or the newly discovered classmate next to us. There were events such as the barbecue with the ’19s on Friday, followed by panel discussions about the Parkhurst takeover, George Wallace speech protests, formation of the African American Society on campus, the Glee Club performing in somber remembrance of those departed, receptions at the professional schools, formal Baker lawn dinners, class tent breakfasts, and lunches with President Hanlon speaking and accepting substantial checks the class has raised for this reunion. We have no space to list all the people who attended, so please go to the class website or the newsletter to see all those with whom you could have interacted.

Memorable forums were “Enriching the Years Ahead” and “Contemplating Our End Time,” wherein we had panelists discussing activity options for our retirement years and suggesting philosophical approaches to deal with our final years. Our chosen class gift, the renovation of the DOC House, has been warmly accepted by the College and the entire Hanover community. The plans are beautiful, and the result will be a significant addition to the campus and the town. Funding is not complete, so please add your donation to this meaningful gift from our class.

At our class meeting we elected officers for the next five years. Happily, nearly all our competent group chose to stand for reelection. The only people leaving their positions were our president, a vice president, and me. All were ably replaced by Jim Staros, Dudley Kay, and Tex Talmadge. The continuity and success of our class is ensured by the presence of so many qualified people willing to serve.

Our class is legendary for controversy and complexity, but the word best describing our 50th is unity. After such a successful event, with so many people commenting about the joy at having attended, we would be remiss if we did not recognize those whose efforts made this possible: our reunion co-chairs, Rick Willets and Paul Tuhus, and the communications people, webmaster Peter Elias and newsletter editor Allen Denison.

There will be more on the reunion in subsequent columns, but finally, let me thank you all for giving me the opportunity to be your secretary for 15 years and welcome Tex Talmadge. Reach him at (214) 673-9250 or johntalmadgemd@gmail.com.

—John “Tex” Talmadge, 3949 Maple Ave, Suite 300, Dallas, TX 75219; johntalmadgemd@gmail.com

The sad news: This is the last Class Notes column you will receive before our gathering in Hanover in June. The good news: As of this date we have more than 300 classmates who will probably be present at our 50th reunion. If you are not among them, you still may have time to register, find housing, and enjoy the company of old friends and make new ones. By the time you read this the reunion book will be in the hands of the printer and, we hope, nearing a shipment date so you will all have a copy by May. Our ’69 Times editor, Allen Denison, will have sent you two new editions before June with updated information on all aspects of the reunion, including daily schedules. Check our class website, www.dartmouth69.org, for regular updates on the reunion and class activities in general.

Remember, this is also the sestercentennial of the College and there will be many interesting events surrounding that milestone available during our reunion or any time you visit the campus this year. We are also celebrating the 200th anniversary of the Dartmouth College case, when Daniel Webster helped successfully defend the College before the U.S. Supreme Court.

We are concluding our Class Connections program with the ’19s this spring and will join them during our reunion for their graduation. The program has been extremely successful for this year’s graduating class, thanks to the incredible efforts of Norman Jacobs and Dona Heller.These two have overseen panel discussions, social events, and the beloved Trivia Night each year since their matriculation in 2015. We will share a BBQ luncheon with them on Friday of our reunion weekend. Many classmates have benefitted by joining these various gatherings both to help and participate.

Our Dartmouth College Fund head agent John Myers reports the reunion giving committee is making excellent progress toward our goal for this year, our 50th reunion, and our class gift—renovation of the DOC House. We still need additional participation, so please send in your contribution now. If you have already given, consider an additional amount to go toward the class gift or our reunion costs. Treasurer Rick Willets says our current class balance is in good shape, but those of you who have not yet paid your class dues, please pony up.

When you receive the reunion book you will be amazed with the quality of the effort and the amount of information provided by your classmates. Many people have worked on this effort, but the leaders have been David Prentice, Dudley Kay, and Henry Allen. Please recognize these three and thank them for the prodigious efforts they put forth to make this the best reunion book in the College’s history. We also need to acknowledge the amazing work Rick Willets and Paul Tuhus have done to put the entire reunion together.

Sadly, another of our great professors has passed away. Jeffrey Hart ’51 died February 17, at age 88.

Please send Allen, webmaster Peter Elias, and me information about your lives.

—Steve Larson, 837 Wildcat Trail, 10328 Big Canoe, Big Canoe, GA 30143; (360) 770-4388; wheat69@outlook.com

We will take another look at the status of our upcoming 50th, reminding you to go to our website, www.dartmouth69.org, see who has committed to join the festivities, and sign up if you haven’t already. We still show about 300 classmates who have responded, but some of them are saying “maybe” and we would really like to change those to a solid “yes” so there will be more friends with whom we can reconnect. Some of them will be friends from long ago. Remember there is more going on than just our reunion: Our Class Connections program with the ’19s will allow us to be there for their graduation, and the College is celebrating Dartmouth’s 250th anniversary with events and exhibits we can all enjoy.

Dimitri Gerakaris, our class blacksmith and finder of worthwhile student-driven projectsto support, this year proposed the Dartmouth ski patrol, a student organization that has been allied with the College longer than ourselves. Both Dimitri and Andy McLane were members of this organization and can attest to the value it provides. It patrols all hours of operation, trains year-round to maintain medical skills, and does its own fundraising for medical equipment, updated medical handbooks, and supplies. Upon Dimitri’s recommendation, the executive committee unanimously agreed and committed to a $10,000 contribution. As the ski patrol was having its intense two-day refresher session, Dimitri attended the lunch break and, after being given the floor by the Skiway manager, announced our donation to the group. After a stunned silence they erupted into a burst of gratitude. He then asked for ’19s to raise their hands, reminded them we would be marching before them at Commencement, and noted it is comforting to know the ski patrol would be behind us to tend to any who dropped.

Look for a recap of Homecoming activities in the next edition; however, as a preview we have learned the town of Hanover is allowing a bonfire this year. Rick Willets reports we will have more than two dozen attendees and a new post-bonfire gathering spot provided, thanks to the efforts of Paul Tuhus.

The November mini-reunion in Charleston, South Carolina, attracted several classmates from the area and there will be a report on attendees and activities in the next column.

Work on the reunion book continues, and it was gratifying to receive remembrances of departed classmates to be included with their names in that book. Answering that call to speak up with memories of friends, roommates, or just classmates were several ’69s, including Dan Cooperman, Alan Lake (who sent memories of four men), Ted Baehr, Dave Wakelin, Stevan Naylor, Tim Greist, Dona Heller, Bill Berentsen, and several others. We are grateful for all the contributions made on behalf of our fallen classmates and for those of you who have stepped up to add to their stories.

Please continue to send your stories about happenings in your lives to Allen Denison for inclusion in our newsletter and to me.

—Steve Larson, 837 Wildcat Trail, 10328 Big Canoe, Big Canoe, GA 30143; (360) 770-4388; wheat69@outlook.com

A year out from our 50th reunion, we have an amazing 260 classmates already definitely or probably coming to Hanover! So now is the time to quit equivocating and let Dudley Kay know what your own plans are, whether yes, no, or maybe. Unless you have a better excuse than Jerry Zaks ’67 did for missing his 50th, you should sign up now. Jerry said in a recent DAM article that “[he] still beats himself up over missing his 50th reunion….It was the same weekend as the Tonys, and Dolly was up for eight awards, including his first nod for best director in 11 years. ‘I feel such a bond with my classmates and wanted to see everyone, so it was a huge disappointment to not be there.’ ” So, avoid that disappointment and attend! Did you respond to the questionnaire, write your bio-essay, and send in photos? The reunion book will be amazing, so don’t be left out! Unless you plan to stay in a dorm, you’d be wise to make your reunion housing arrangements ASAP. Jo and I can attest the Hanover Inn was booked solid within 20 minutes of opening up next year’s reservations. Remember: We overlap graduation week with our Connections class of ’19s!

Mini-reunions are still in the works, although we will have missed one of the best ones when you read this, as Peter Schaeffer reports our former president and solid contributor to good times for his class, Sandy Alderson, has once again made Citi Field and a New York Mets home game a reunion destination for a July 7 game against Tampa Bay. These gatherings typically draw several dozen classmates, and I look forward to passing on a description next column.

There are apparently some problems between the town and Dartmouth, as we will not be allowed to build the kinds of Homecoming bonfires we have enjoyed prior to this year. Peter Schaeffer weighed in on the subject with the following comment, which he agreed to print in this column, referring to our freshman creation: “We had a 69-railroad-tie-high bonfire, which at 9 inches per tie equaled 51 3/4 feet! Back in the days when our generation went to Dartmouth, they dismantled abandoned railroad tracks, tore down houses to use for filler fuel, and then went out and beat Princeton to win the Ivy League championship and the Lambert Trophy! I realize I’m commingling two different events, but I’m taking poetic license for a better story. Besides, as David Prentice and I were discussing the other day, at our age we can tell almost any lie about anything in our personal histories and practically no one can dispute it.”

Dudley Kay and Steve Cline are closing in on a mini for Charleston, South Carolina, with tentative dates of October 9-11. They have many interesting things planned, so check the ’69 website for details and make plans to attend.

Regrettably, we have learned of the passing of H. Flanders Fuenzalida on April 25 and Richard Neuhoff on March 21.

—Steve Larson, 837 Wildcat Trail, 10328 Big Canoe, Big Canoe, GA 30143; (360) 770-4388; wheat69@outlook.com

Just 14 months from when you read this we will be gathering in Hanover for our 50th reunion. It will be an event to remember with people you will want to remember. As of this writing there are more than 200 of us signed up to attend—most of whom have given a definite “yes” while some are “probably” and others “maybe.” Go to the class website and see for yourself who will be there and add your name. I already see old friends such as Pete Crosby, Brooke Jackson, Don Syracuse and Dave Wakelin on the list. Check the list, and if you don’t see classmates you would like to be with in June 2019, contact them, send me their names, and I will put them in the next column (just as I would like to see freshman roommates Steve Harris and Scott Balcomb with at least a “maybe” by their names). If each of us contacts one or two people we knew well at Dartmouth but have not seen in decades and asks them to go to the website and add their names to meet with us in Hanover next year, we will add dozens to our current count.

Meanwhile, there is a lot of work going on behind the scenes to make this a really great event for all ’69s and whoever comes with them. The executive committee is actively discussing schedules for our days there, and the feeling is that meeting each other and spending as much time with as many classmates as we can will take precedence over attending organized events and structured programs. In addition, there is real excitement about the work being done to create the book to memorialize this reunion. Each of you will be involved in its content, so be prepared to participate. David Prentice, Dud Kay and a small group of classmates are putting forth an enormous amount of effort to make this the best reunion book ever.

Dudley is not spending all his time on the book. He is organizing a mini-reunion for the fall in the South. The most likely venue would be Charleston, South Carolina, and we would like all of you in the area, or who appreciate the city, to weigh in on your willingness to attend. Please contact Dud or me for the details. Early interest is being shown by Steve Cline, Troy Shaver, Jerry Schulze, Rick Saunders and Rob Pearlman.I will be asking my neighbor, Charlie Pineo,to share in the event.

We will have an update on the new possibilities for the Polka Dot Restaurant in the next column.

In the past month we lost two classmates. Jack Bassett died on January 21 and Bill Selden passed away in early February. There is more information on our website.

Please continue to share your thoughts and stories with Allen Denison, Peter Elias and me.

—Steve Larson, 837 Wildcat Trail, 10328 Big Canoe, Big Canoe, GA 30143; (360) 770-4388; wheat69@outlook.com

I encourage all of you to check the class of ’69 webpage at www.dartmouth69.org. Webmaster Peter Elias has done a spectacular job of providing a wealth of information about our class in general and the march to our 50th reunion occurring in just 18 fast-moving months.

The latest class gathering was Homecoming and included a terrific football game with the Big Green defeating Yale in the final minute of the contest. Nearly two dozen classmates attended and many had guests or spouses. The usual fine time was reported at the dinners, parade, bonfire and pregame tent gathering. The class annual meeting was held and Greg Lau did an excellent job of filling in for yours truly as secretary. His notes on the meeting have been posted on our webpage. Those notes include choosing the SIBS (siblings) program as our 2017 class project. Dimitri Gerakaris has once again found a worthwhile local organization to support. SIBS is a mentoring program pairing Dartmouth mentors with disadvantaged youth in the Upper Valley. The class will be donating $10,000 toward this worthy endeavor. In addition, we raised our commitment to Dartmouth athletic sponsors to $1,000 for the year. These causes and several others supported by our class through the years are funded by your class dues. Please step up and participate in the class of ’69 with your annual support of our efforts. If you have not been an active member of the class and wish to add your support contact our treasurer, Rick Willets, or me.

You may have noticed a brief note in the September-October Dartmouth Alumni Magazine about our classmate Richard Walden,but if you missed it I will repeat here that earlier this year he was awarded a James Madison fellowship by the James Madison Memorial Foundation of Alexandria, Virginia. Richard is a teacher at Saint Johnsbury Academy in Vermont. The fellowship supports further study of American history and is awarded to distinguished teachers to further strengthen their knowledge of the origins and development of American constitutional government.

We received notice that Daniel Chandler passed away on August 21, 2017. Danny left school to join the Marines and served two tours in Vietnam, finishing his education at the University of Arizona, but he is remembered by many of his Dartmouth friends. Also of note is the passing of one of our most influential professors, Vincent Starzinger, at the age of 88.

Work continues by the various committees looking forward to our 50th reunion, and our main objective remains to make this the best reunion ever with the best reunion book and the greatest class attendance. If you wish to add to these efforts, volunteers are welcome!

Please give Allen Denison and me information about the happenings in your life so we can share that with your classmates.

—Steve Larson, 837 Wildcat Trail, 10328 Big Canoe, Big Canoe, GA 30143; (360) 770-4388; wheat69@outlook.com

We received an interesting note from Steve Adams, also known by his nom de plume, Waldo Mellon. Steve has been a screenwriter for 35 years, wrote sketches for Saturday Night Live for a time and has had three screenplays made into movies, which, he says, “I cannot watch.” For you film aficionados they were Envy, Waiting For Forever and No Stranger Than Love. Steve wrote and self-published his first book in 2014, What’s What and What to Do About It. He calls it a self-help book, in his words—“kind of.” I bought the book and found it both serious and funny; yes, and even helpful! Steve acknowledged Bob Sturges, among others, in the foreword. While reading it I felt the influence of the home in which Steve was raised from age 11, when his uncle, Kurt Vonnegut Jr., adopted him. Steve pointed out, however, that his aunt, Jane, did all the work. Steve is now living in Leverett, Massachusetts, with Jeannie, his wife of 30 years. They have two grown sons. Steve has attended a couple reunions and will definitely be at the 50th. Buy his book. I think you will find it helps.

Rick Willets and Joan reported on another Caribbean music cruise with Dudley Kay and Jill, joined by Paul Tuhus. They enjoyed many music genres and visited Mexico and Honduras as well as a few watering holes on the ship.

When you read this you will have missed the trivia night with the 2019s in April and the Boston mini reunion in May. Class Connections co-chair Dona Heller reports the July mini has been cancelled due to the crowded event schedule during that time. The really good news is Sandy Alderson is once again offering ’69s the opportunity to meet with him at Citi Field and enjoy an afternoon of N.Y. Mets baseball! Make plans for a great afternoon on Sunday, July 23, in N.Y.C.

Julian Reeves reported on his excellent road trip picking up his new Volvo hybrid in Gothenburg, Sweden, driving it to Oslo and back before having it shipped to Virginia.

Peter Schaeffer was honored by the N.Y. Rangers organization for his long-standing support of the team with a team jersey sporting his name and numbers on the sleeves showing the year of his first game 60 years ago and the year he became a season ticket holder nearly 45 years ago.

Scott Balcomb officially retired from his law practice and he and Janet will now divide their time between Colorado and Arizona.

David Howes reports from Maine that he had a serendipitous mini-reunion when giving a speech at a local Chamber of Commerce meeting and found both Bill Ryan and Dave Wakelin in attendance.

Bill Stableford had a great basketball team reunion in March with Randy Wallick, Doug McKenna, John Mathias, Mike Neal, Bob Sturges, Art Schneider and John Lallis all attending Penn and Princeton games.

We regrettably note the passing of Robert “Norv” Norvich of Ashland, Oregon, from a heart attack on February 13.

—Steve Larson, 465 Miller Road; Winchester, VA 22602; (360) 770-4388; wheat69@outlook.com

There is not much personal news from classmates other than Facebook postings of huge snowfalls in New England, providing rich skiing and shoveling opportunities, or warm sunshine in Florida and heavy rains in California, giving people both normal and very different winters to deal with.

So we will move on to the class activities as discussed monthly in executive committee calls and review our progress toward the upcoming memorable reunion in just over two years. Our 50th reunion needs the best of our class leaders and organizers to commit to making this the most enjoyable and best attended gathering ever. With many successful efforts already behind them, we are fortunate to have co-chairs Rick Willets and Paul Tuhus willing to take on the challenge of leading the reunion committee. There are several other members of this group, all listed in The ’69 Times. Our 50th reunion book will be created by other experienced classmates; this committee is led by David Prentice and Dudley Kay and supported by six other volunteers. Both committees have prodigious projects ahead of them and could use additional help, so any of you willing to join the fun of organizing and developing these worthwhile efforts please raise your hands. Remember we are working on a gathering to be held on campus June 7-11, 2019, to celebrate not only our 50th but also the College’s sestercentennial and our connected class of 2019’s graduation.

Our most recent class project, courtesy of the efforts of Dimitri Gerakaris and supported by the executive committee, is to provide a $10,000 grant to Directing through Recreation, Education, Adventure and Mentoring (DREAM), a program that takes Upper Valley students from challenged circumstances to various cities around the country to broaden their horizons while accompanied by Dartmouth chaperones.

In the literary world our classmates’ spouses are doing all the work recently, as Jim Staros’ wife, Alice Harris, has a new book, Multiple Exponence, published by the Oxford University Press; while the spouse of Rick Saunders, Anne, has written A Travel Guide to World War II Sites in Italy, published by Travel Guide Press.

Mini-reunions continue to be available, so note that co-chairs Andy McLane and Norman Jacobs have a May 3-5 gathering planned for Boston. Activities will include dinners, a Red Sox-Orioles game at Fenway, walking the Freedom Trail and visiting the Museum of Fine Arts. This notice will reach you in time to make a last-minute commitment to this entertaining time. Peter Schaeffer reports that in communications with Sandy Alderson he has learned that Sandy is willing to host yet another of his wildly successful ’69 reunions at a N.Y. Mets game sometime this summer. The date will be announced well before the event.

Webmaster Peter Elias urges all of us to log onto the College’s alumni relations website and update our profiles. He also asks us one more time to consider participating in the ’69Cares project previously discussed and lacking volunteers.

Regrettably, we must inform you of the death of David Burwell on February 1.

—Steve Larson, 465 Miller Road; Winchester, VA 22602; (360) 770-4388; wheat69@outlook.com

Our class connections co-chairs Norman Jacobs and Dona Heller reported on the perspectives program, which launched in September. The program is a three-year series of career and life-path panel discussions with the ’19s and any other interested undergrads.

The first two sessions were on the fields of medicine and education. The medicine panel was led by Peter Lawrence, Peter Elias and Pete Anderson. The trio addressed several dozen students about their experiences in practicing medicine and took questions from the audience. The education segment included Jim Staros, Bill Berentsen and Rick Willets with two ’11s who benefitted from Dartmouth’s department of education joining the panel. Both gatherings created successful interaction with our connected ’19s and will be followed by many more similar projects.

Larry Ebner used our new electronic Green Card to write a note describing his most recent move after spending 42 years with what has become the world’s largest law firm. He started his own Washington, D.C.-based appellate litigation boutique, Capital Appellate Advocacy, focusing on representing businesses and industries in high-stakes civil appeals, particularly cases involving federal interests or civil justice issues. Beyond business, he and Barbara are spending time with family including two grandchildren. Use of this method of communicating with us is easy and should be used by many of you to keep us updated.

Homecoming this year was very late in October, so there will be no news from that gathering until the next column. We hope a lot of our former professors will appear at the functions organized for them, the football team will emerge triumphant and all will have a wonderful fall weekend.

I received a long note from Ted Baehr describing the many successes of his family as well as some of the trials. He is still active in the media world, publishing Movieguide, with readership now beyond 34 million as well as the Annual Faith & Values Awards Gala & Report to the Entertainment Industry and receiving requests for their content from radio and TV networks. His bride, Lili, despite struggling for 21 years with an autoimmune disease, has designed their new offices for the television and radio studios and son Robby is aiding in the family business. Son Jim is moving to a prime prosecution position in the U.S. attorney’s office in New Orleans and eldest son Peirce and his wife are heading to Tasmania, Australia, to build their artist and faith retreat on a spectacular mountaintop. In Ted’s words, “Sometimes are we too old for all this grace?”

Bill Shade, still in Illinois after all these years, sent me a request to correct the obituary for Charles Fitz-Gerald, in which I failed to include among Fitz’s survivors his wife of more than 35 years, Chris. I apologize for the oversight, Christine.

We regret to report the passing of Maynard “Tuck” Miller Jr. in October of this year.

Please use the electronic Green Card and add to Allen Denison’s and my reportable information.

—Steve Larson, 465 Miller Road; Winchester, VA 22602; (360) 770-4388; wheat69@outlook.com
 

Thanks to webmaster Peter Elias’ additions to the class website we are making strides on our race to the 50th reunion! He has added a front page section, “Snippets from The D,” which brings us articles and ads from The Daily Dartmouth pages on the days we were on campus in 1965. Peter will be adding these wonderful remembrances throughout the summer until he catches up with the 50-year spread, so by September we will be reading his snippets on the same day 50 years earlier. Please check it out at 1969.dartmouth.org. While you are there peruse the other new and interesting facets of our website.

Gene Pinover and Diana have funded the learning center at Dartmouth with a grant to give kids with learning issues the money to allow testing so they might qualify for computers and other assistance. He hopes his work with dyslexia and other learning conditions might appeal to others in our class. Gene is in his last year as senior counsel at Willkie Farr & Gallagher in New York and is still contemplating the next phase of his life.

Arne Weingart has published a book of poetry, Levitation for Agnostics, for which he was named the winner of the 2014 New American Press Poetry Prize. A review describes the work as “laying bare the contradictions between faith and the human condition in their rawest form.” Arne also won the 2013 Sow’s Ear Poetry Review contest and has had numerous poems published in literary magazines. Following Dartmouth he attended Columbia University, at the urging of professor Richard Eberhart, where he received his M.F.A. in writing. Arne and his wife live in Chicago, where he is the principal of a graphic design firm specializing in identity and wayfinding. An edition of Allen Denison’s newsletter will expand upon Arne’s business.

Hearing from Bob Throndsen was a treat. I now know why that name was familiar all those years I was watching KOMO news while living north of Seattle. He reports he and Sonja still live in Edmonds, home for 38 years, but retired in 2012 after 43 years in broadcast news, 34 of them with KOMO-TV and Newsradio. Both their daughters are married and have provided them with four grandchildren, with another on the way. Bob worked as an anchor, reporter, managing editor and news director, but they are now traveling and just finished a South American cruise from Chile to Peru, Ecuador and through the Panama Canal. He is looking forward to attending the 50th reunion.

In May I received an interesting letter from Charles Courtney weighing in on some of the political and economic issues of the day. I encourage him and others who have ideas to share with classmates to jump into the class of ’69 listserv at listserv@listserv.dartmouth.edu with the message (in the body of the email): “sub class-69 your name” (using two names).

Please continue to keep Peter, Allen and me informed of what you are doing.

—Steve Larson, 465 Miller Road; Winchester, VA 22602; (360) 770-4388; wheat69@outlook.com

Fortunately for all of us, Allen Denison has kept us informed and entertained with frequent and thorough issues of our newsletter.

We do have some additional news with efforts to gather people in upcoming mini-reunions. There has been a proposal for a Hudson Valley get together in mid-July to take advantage of the myriad entertainment opportunities available in that region. We already have commitments from a half dozen of us, including Bill Stableford, John Leavitt, Peter Elias, Norman Jacobs, Arthur Fergenson and Alan Lake. Alan still practices medicine, treating children in Timonium, Maryland, and has the remarkable experience of taking on 80 babies as patients last year and, of those, 11 of them have parents who had been his patients. We are reaching out beyond New York locals to those in New Jersey, Pennsylvania as well as the New England states to build participation in this adventure. If interested contact me or any class officer to obtain the specific dates and activities available.

We are happy to report Sandy Alderson planned another mini-reunion at Citi Field for a game on April 10 between the Mets and the Phillies. Since this issue will reach you after that gathering, I will look forward to reporting on what I am certain will be another crowded and enjoyable experience for ’69s. Thank you, Sandy.

Another good time which will be history by the time you read this is the 2019/1969 trivia night extravaganza held on April 9. This will be an evening hosted by as many ’69s as we can get to Hanover and as many ’19s as show up to answer both general and Dartmouth trivia questions as well as enjoy a dessert buffet and lots of prizes. Some of the prizes will be Dartmouth paraphernalia and will include some ’69 retro stuff.

Yet another mini was held in early February when Dudley Kay and Jill took their annual American Roots Music cruise on the Norwegian Pearl for a week of music and Caribbean sailing. This year they were joined by Joan and Rick Willets and Paul Tuhus. We are assured Paul will write a trip review for all of us to enjoy and possibly make plans to join them next year.

Living in the Shenandoah Valley makes it difficult to run into classmates, but one of our doctors asked me if I knew Terry Jacobs.I contacted Terry and discovered he has a summer home in Maine near our doctor friend. Terry is still practicing architecture in Philadelphia, as does his wife. He is going to Lake Placid in March to ski with Bob Ajello and his wife, Jane. He said if not in Maine he would be interested in the Hudson Valley mini-reunion.

Regrettably, we have learned of the deaths of Michael Antal, Timothy Rosenhan, Charles Fitz-Gerald and Fred Ochs, all since October.

Please plan to attend a mini-reunion and keep Allen and me informed.

—Steve Larson, 465 Miller Road; Winchester, VA 22602; (360) 770-4388; wheat69@outlook.com

Writing this in October leaves me short of knowing the final World Series results, but as of this date we can all be proud of Sandy Alderson for taking his Mets to the championship series and we wish him the best.

Alan Feiner has been practicing hematology and medical oncology at Denver’s Rose Medical Center for 37 years and was kind enough to send me an article from 5280 Magazine. He was interviewed in the “Top Doctors” feature about his long career and development of a multi-disciplinary care team. He says his two most important pieces of medical equipment are his ears, and this year he was honored by the Rose Medical Center as a “Distinguished Physician.”

Our class connections project with the ’19s has been a terrific success, with many positive reports from the trip to the Grant, handing commemorative mugs to each of them at matriculation and even the lighting of the bonfire at Homecoming, when John Mathias, Dona Heller and Norman Jacobs all participated by igniting the torches used by the ’19s to light their fire. Homecoming was a great time with what appears to be record attendance, as 25 classmates and many spouses were present. After meeting for an informal meal Friday night we assembled for the parade with many classes represented—as far back as 1947 through some June graduates. Our marchers included the usual people you see in this column, plus David Prentice, John Bisson with Judy, Jud Graves, Dan Cooperman, Dudley Kay, Dave Strife, Chip Elitzer with his mom and Nick Perencevich.

Saturday morning saw nearly 20 of us receive a new certificate of matriculation at a ceremony in the Tower Room, where our ersatz John Sloan Dickey (Arthur Fergenson) signed the document as he discussed our future and the College. It was a memorable event. Afterward, the tailgate party was visited by nearly all our classmates, plus more than 100 of the ’19s who had all been invited to join us. They are a fun and interesting group of diverse students, eager to get into their Dartmouth experience and sincerely grateful for the efforts our class has made to include, encourage and support them. That effort has been expertly led by Norman and Dona, with assistance from several other ’69s.

The sound thumping Yale received on the gridiron was fun to watch in our newly refurbished stadium, and that evening many of us met at the Tom Dent Cabin near the boathouses for a final dinner. Besides those previously identified, attendees included Arthur Fergenson with Shirley, Greg Lau with Nancy, Chris Hu, Tom Cronan with Jan, Randy Wallick and John Myers with Mary. Kudos to Rick Willets and Paul Tuhus for organizing all this.

Representing our class head agents, Bill Stableford will be sending a letter setting goals for our class participation in the Dartmouth College Fund by our 50th reunion. You will be seeing this soon and we hope you will join in meeting that attainable goal.

Regrettably, we have learned of the death of Clifford W. Mills in August.

—Steve Larson, 465 Miller Road, Winchester, VA 22602; (360) 770-4388; wheat69@outlook.com

Writing this in June, when many other classes are holding their reunions, reminds me to look ahead four years from now when we will be celebrating our 50th. News is abundant during reunion years when so many of us gather who would not otherwise see one another and stories abound. This year, however, as I see the plaintive appeal from Allen Denison for information from any of you to fill out his next ’69 Times newsletter, our inboxes are empty. Where are the memories of 50 years ago this fall we are seeking from you? Where are the stories of retirement or continued employment that will better us by knowing what paths our classmates are taking today? Neither of us is idly curious—we really want to know what you are remembering, thinking and doing so we can share this with people who were once our colleagues and may be future friends!

The class executive committee continues to meet on a monthly phone call and discuss many topics but lately the emphasis has been on our connection with the class of ’19 and Homecoming. We have decided to have a presence at the matriculation ceremony this September for the new freshmen and hand each of them a gift (probably a coffee mug emblazoned with the College seal and their class, similar to the beer mugs we all received). Volunteers would be welcomed to participate in this event.

Homecoming is taking shape with more activities and gatherings planned than previous years and confirmation that if you attend you will be able to participate in a repeat of your matriculation ceremony in 1965. President John Sloan Dickey will be there, portrayed by Arthur Fergenson, to sign our version of the original certificate with your name prominently printed on it. Looking further ahead the executive committee has agreed to enlist David Prentice to create a 50th reunion book that will be available a few months prior to that event. Any of you interested in being a part of this project should contact David or any of the class officers.

Peter Elias’ term as our representative to the Alumni Council ended in July and to replace him the committee selected Jim Staros from several applicants for the position. Our head agent for the Alumni Fund, John Myers has expanded his office by adding both Bill Stableford and Tom Hunt to assist him in reaching our goals. As of this writing, a few days before the end of June and our annual campaign, John reported we are very close to reaching the $300,000 goal and our class participation is now more than 35 percent, but not quite to our goal of 42 percent. Please join with John and make this year’s campaign successful before next June.

Also please keep Allen Denison, Peter Elias and me informed of events in your lives and thoughts about what you were doing 50 years ago this month and join us at Homecoming.

Upon sending a greeting to Jon Swenson’s wife, Joan Clark, Rick Willets received a note that reported Jon had passed away in January of this year. So many of us are surprised and saddened by this news.

—Steve Larson, 465 Miller Road; Winchester, VA 22602; (360) 770-4388; wheat69@outlook.com

We are quickly approaching the time when we will be remembering, or trying to remember, just what we were doing 50 years ago on a September day when we first stepped on campus as incoming freshmen. As you ponder that concept please put your memories of those days in the fall of 1965 on paper and send Allen Denison and me the anecdotes and experiences you can recall. We would like to have this column and his upcoming newsletters report those happenings close to the days 50 years after they actually occurred. As we try to encourage participation in our 50th reunion the class executive committee has been working to make this event seminal. To that end it has established a planning committee and has made this year’s Homecoming the first official event of our reunion as the anniversary of our matriculation.


A helpful former secretary of the class of ’80, Wade Herring, sent me a copy of the magazine of the general practice and trial section of the State Bar of Georgia containing a lengthy article on Judson Graves, who was honored with the Tradition of Excellence Award for 2014. The judge who introduced Jud referred to his lengthy history of service to his profession and community and the outstanding accomplishments he has achieved in his career, including recognition by the National Law Journal as one of the top 10 trial lawyers in the country. Jud retired from his practice in 2013 after 40 years focusing on the law, its practice and teaching it at Emory Law School. He recalled it as a “great ride” and added that he loved being a busy trial lawyer then, and loves not being one now!


Head agent John Myers reports we are nearing our class goal of $300,000 for this year, but overall participation by class members at only 28 percent needs to improve. If you have not yet contributed to the Alumni Fund please do so before June.


Following two terms on the Scarsdale, New York, village board, Jon Mark has been named mayor of that city. He has served as Scarsdale’s police commissioner, fire commissioner and deputy mayor and is a partner at the Manhattan-based law firm Cahill, Gordon & Reindel LLP.


After three years of exemplary service Peter Elias is stepping down as our class Alumni Council representative. Peter, president John Mathias and two other officers are the committee seeking a replacement, and this notice might reach you in time to volunteer for the position by contacting any of the class officers.


In January The Wall Street Journal had an article on the longest serving Dartmouth class secretary, Ed Gerson ’35. Ed turned 100 that month and is still providing information on his two remaining classmates as well as his insights on life. His column is well worth reading. 


Sadly we must report the loss of another iconic member of our class. Bob Lundquist died peacefully on February 8 after a lengthy battle with cancer. He is missed by many.


—Steve Larson, 465 Miller Road, Winchester, VA 22602; (360) 770-4388; wheat69@outlook.com 


The Larson house has enjoyed some classmate visitors this fall. Early in September Rick Willets and Joan spent a few days during a trip to visit relatives also in Virginia. We had a great time with them exploring the orchards and vineyards nearby on ATVs, testing our marksmanship skills on the firing range and learning that retirement for them is even more fun than teaching high school students. Rick provided photos and videos of his many off-road Jeep experiences, including a low-speed, head-on meeting with a tree. There were no injuries and even the tree escaped serious damage. The Willets visit was followed up just after Homecoming Weekend when Paul Tuhus arrived after spending time in Georgia and the Carolinas visiting friends and exercising his brand new British racing green F-type Jaguar convertible. Paul also does the Jeep thing in the deep woods and rocky passes, often with Rick.


As promised in the last column, Ben Romney chose retirement “with no intention of being uninvolved in things that were potentially meaningful to me, and I have had no trouble finding such things.” Ben’s volunteer activities include tutoring anatomy and physiology at a local community college, working with a program for disabled people as a ski instructor and delivering meals on wheels. He has enjoyed retirement and takes pride in feeling he remains a productive member of society. 


The following report on the September mini gathering is presented by Dud Kay, and he is solely responsible for its content. “The third almost-annual Mets Citi Field mini-reunion brought out a record number of ’69 classmates and their guests. The gathering of 70 humans and one canine prompted our host Sandy Alderson, aided by his gracious greeter hostess wife, Linda, to open adjoining suites with three food stations and two bars to serve the throng. What a feast! Under a deep blue sky decorated with high wispy clouds and a temperature in the low 70s it would be hard to imagine a better day for baseball and camaraderie. We mixed and mingled, met the five sons, six daughters, 12 wives or partners and three friends who accompanied the 41 classmates, laughed over old times, shared our current status and all swore to be at the 50th reunion. Of course, we all looked great! Though the Mets lost to the playoff-bound Nationals, we were all big winners. You should have been there!” 


In the November/December edition of this magazine the Class Notes for ’67 spoke at length of my fraternity brother Ralph Alan Cohen and his many accomplishments in the world of Shakespearean plays. Ralph asked me to join the board of trustees of the American Shakespeare Center (ASC) in Staunton, Virginia, which I have accepted. I am honored by the opportunity to work with this group in planning for continuity of the mission of the ASC and the Blackfriars Theater.


We have learned that Anthony John Skirius passed away in November of 2010.


—Steve Larson, 465 Miller Road, Winchester, VA 22602; (360) 770-4388; wheat69@outlook.com 


It is June and besides reunions, with which we are not involved this year, the World Cup is being played to the delight of some of our classmates. Aldie Caram is on site at the games cheering on Team USA and passing valuable information to the rest of us via the class listserv. In addition to Aldie’s updates, critical reviews have come from the likes of Peter Elias, Peter Schaeffer, Terry Light and John Beck. You will know how this all turned out when you are reading this column but right now there is excitement and optimism from a number of classmates.


In the last issue of this column we reported on the listserv questions about retirement. Continuing on that theme several of us weighed in with our current status and the one who first asked the questions offered his own answers. Peter Elias has gradually cut back his work schedule to three 12-plus-hour days per week and does not work weekends, holidays or remain on call. This has allowed him time for grandparenting, taking short trips, teaching a half day a week in a local residency and doing a lot of reading and some writing. He definitely plans to retire and feels that moment will come at age 70, after which his participation in medicine will be writing and volunteer work. Tex Talmadge had a lengthy response that began with “not retired” and “not planning to.” Tex chose his career in academic and clinical psychiatry partly because his mentors practiced well into their 80s. Even in the twilight of his work he still feels engaged in a profession that is interesting, satisfying and challenging. He believes he is still in the “student stage” of his life. Rick Willets assured us that he is retired, leaving a career of teaching high school science for a life of leisure. He did this four years ago and has no regrets. Responding to the question “how is retirement going?” he said: “Wonderful—it turns out that I do nothing well.” We will visit more of these responses in the next column.


David Prentice provided the listserv on the 50th anniversary in May with a video of the origins of BASIC showing Professor Kemeny and some students at Kiewit. One of those was Greg Dobbs who provided insight to his role, which he downplayed as limited but admitted developing modules for time sharing and helping create the EDIT system and later String Editor. He remembered Steve Hobbs had a much deeper role with the operating system.


Dimitri Gerakaris forwarded a letter from the outgoing director of Athletes United, who thanked our class for the grant we provided last year that allowed them to expand their work providing kids in the Upper Valley “the opportunity to participate in a free, organized sports program that allows them to interact with Dartmouth varsity athletes.”


Regrettably, we heard from James Ennis about the death two years ago of Stephen Davies, who succumbed to cancer. Our condolences to all who knew Steve.


—Steve Larson, 465 Miller Road, Winchester, VA 22602; (360) 770-4388; wheat69@outlook.com 


The big follow-up to our June reunion was the Homecoming gathering enjoyed by a large group in October. The game was a victory for the Big Green over Yale and was part of a grand celebration attended by a dozen classmates. In addition to our Upper Valley resident Paul Tuhus, attendees included Rick Willets with Joan, Dona Heller, Peter Elias and Cindy, Mark Bankoff with Ann, and Peter Imber. Living in adjoining states to New Hampshire definitely has its advantages as you can see the number of people who live in the region and are able to attend these events regularly. The class meeting was attended by the above as well as Kelly Simpson with Sally, Norman Jacobs and Irene, Henry Allen with Jim Knutti and Clint Harris with Meg. The discussion included ongoing support from the class as a Dartmouth athletics sponsor with a $500 donation and helping to fund a student organization, Athletes United, which sends varsity athletes to poorer areas around Hanover to get kids interested in sports. Our treasurer reports the class has more than $90,000 in the bank and our dues-paying participation is only 40 percent. Also discussed was the possibility of encouraging more attendance at the next Homecoming by reserving a block of rooms at an area hotel and develop a community service project where attendees can help out during the weekend, since we no longer spend all our time hanging around the keg. Finally, the group decided to contact certain classmates to act as mini-reunion chairs in various parts of the country; if you didn’t attend the meeting that could mean you.
The weekend included the usual Friday dinner at Molly’s, where many of the above and Tom Cronan with Janet and Jack French with Linda participated followed by the parade, the Saturday pregame tailgate and a final dinner at the Canoe Club.
Our webmaster informs us many of you may not be receiving email notices from the class if you have an address connected with AOL. It is a problem beyond his and apparently the College’s control, so to stay informed please subscribe with an alternative address.
Our ace arts and theater reporter Arthur Fergenson alerted us to reviews written for The Weekly Standard by George Stauffer, currently dean of the Rutgers Mason Gross School of the Arts. George critiques a book about composer Robert Schumann, providing insight into the man and his music while integrating the author’s point of view. 
You will notice at the end of this column a new address for your secretary. Jo and I have opted to move to the land of grandparents so we will be near two of our sons and two young grandsons. It also moves us closer to Homecoming and other events at the College. We hope to see you there, or stop to see us when you are in our new area.
—Steve Larson, 465 Miller Road, Winchester, VA 22602; (360) 770-4388; wheat69@outlook.com 



Finally we had a Homecoming where we could celebrate the football as well as the camaraderie. Those fortunate enough to attend that October event missed the best of fall colors but saw a great Big Green win over Columbia on the gridiron. 


Paul Tuhus reports the attendees previewed our new class tent in the pouring rain on Saturday at the AD house and found it beautiful as well as welcome. Dinner that evening at the Canoe Club attracted two dozen classmates and partners, including Andy McLane, Greg and Nancy Lau, Dimitri Gerakaris and Dick Glovsky with Hilary. The previous night everyone joined the parade and the class of ’69 was prominent with Rick Willets’ mega Jeep and Paul’s 1971 Dartmouth green Buick Skylark convertible. 


The class meeting led by our new president Sandy Alderson and attended by most of the officers and several classmates—including Bob Shellard and Trish, Norman Jacobs with Irene, Kelly Simpson and Sally, Mark Bankoff and Ann, Mark Anderson, Jim Staros with Alice and David Prentice—covered topics ranging from what we learned at our 40th reunion to improving participation in the Alumni Fund. The group suggested setting 69 percent as an Alumni Fund goal, which would be quite a challenge given our current level of 43 percent participation. Communication and engagement with classmates was discussed at length and all agreed we would like to hear more from more of you. In my absence Peter Elias did a terrific job of recording the discussions in the meeting and those minutes will be available on the class Web site soon.


We received a much-welcome note from Alan Feiner, who has been practicing hematology and medical oncology at Rose Medical Center in Denver for 30 years. That center has honored Alan with the Thomas Frist Humanitarian Award for exemplary service to patients and the healthcare community and “in recognition of a dedicated spirit and genuine concern for the welfare of others.”


Rick Willets and wife Joan were in Austin, Texas, in August visiting their daughter Kallie ’99. While there they dined with Dave Boyle and his significant other, Vicki Comisso, after which both couples went dancing and Dave showed Rick the intricacies of the Texas two-step. Dave said he could handle the three-step if needed but the four-step would be too much. Vicki is a caterer in the Austin area and does personal shopping for those who need it. She proved her amazing abilities by finding Kallie a dress for an awards dinner at the university, much to Rick and Joan’s relief.


Peter Schaeffer phoned me recently to tell a wonderful story about meeting Bill Greenwood at a Mets ball game this summer, when he convinced Bill the ’69 banner cut into the outfield grass was a tribute to the Dartmouth classmates in attendance. Bill subsequently, and much to Peter’s chagrin, discovered it was honoring the anniversary of that winning season.


Keep those letters, e-mails and phone calls coming.


—Steve Larson, 9101 W. 146th St., Overland Park, KS 66221; (360) 770-4388; wheat69@earthlink.net


The holidays are upon us, the New Year approaches and as this is written we look back at a successful year for the class of ’69. Our 40th reunion was a great success, Homecoming was a welcome event for all, we have new class leadership and a new emphasis on getting class participation in the Dartmouth College Fund to 69 percent, a worthy goal in this time of shrinking budgets for the College.


News of individual activity from our classmates is lacking so we will discuss some of the highlights of 2009. Our new president, Sandy Alderson, led the class meeting at Homecoming and reported afterward on a positive gathering that brought about new initiatives. A committee was appointed to review and approve funding (up to $10,000 annually) from our class treasury for projects to benefit the College or its students. In addition we will try mini-reunions next year in the form of dinner parties held around the country on the same night.


The first initiative has already been successfully implemented: Dimitri Gerakaris, chairman of the special projects grant committee, submitted a proposal for a $9,000 grant to Dartmouth for Clean Water, a group founded by five members of the class of 2012 that seeks to provide safe drinking water for developing countries. The proposal was accepted and Clean Water will be able to provide six water-purification units to needy communities in Haiti. All the units will be accompanied with a plaque noting the generosity of the Dartmouth class of 1969.


The Alumni Council recently changed its structure to include additional class representatives and that allowed us to elect Paul Tuhus to represent the ’69s. He attended his first meeting in November and reported on the arduous selection process the council uses to nominate candidates for trustee positions. Their efforts have resulted in two nominations for the election to be held this spring. There are currently 116 members of the Alumni Council and during the next three years this will grow to 125 members. Fifty-eight classes are represented, as well as delegates from various groups, regions, clubs and members at large. We ’69s are well represented by Paul, and in addition we have Steve Bates (Tuck School representative), Peter Elias (Webmasters), John Mathias (Association of Alumni) and Dave Strife (alumni clubs, at large).


After receiving the 69 Times newsletter this month with all the in-depth reporting done by Allen Denison, you really have all the news that has been worthy of print, so both Allen and I will hope for more input from you to fill our next efforts. We hope the holidays were happy for all and the New Year is off to a good start.


—Steve Larson, 9101 W 146th St., Overland Park, KS 66221; (360) 770-4388; wheat69@earthlink.net


There have been elections this spring with some winners from our class. John Mathias was again elected to the executive committee of the Association of Alumni, along with the other candidates selected by the Association of Alumni nominating committee. John will continue to serve as the president. In news almost as close to home as that election, our new alert reader of the Valley News Rick Willets reports that after a hard-fought campaign in the village of Norwich, Vermont, Paul Tuhus was elected grand juror—a position with no responsibilities. Rick says this means Paul is eminently qualified. In days of yore the grand juror would determine how to deal with various disputes and to whom they should be sent for adjudication. That job is now handled by the state attorney general. Even so, the position still exists. Paul ran unopposed and garnered 901 votes with two write-ins. The total vote was around 1,200 which means 300 or so voters didn’t really care one way or the other whether Paul was elected. The highlight of the campaign was Paul’s slogan, which he reportedly came up with all by himself: “Vote for Paul Tuhus.” Also available in Norwich are two more positions currently not held by anyone: viewer of fences and weigher of coal; again these positions carry no responsibilities. We should look for Paul’s name on the ballot again next year.


Greg Lau sent a timely e-mail reporting General Motors’ recent good performance puts him in a place where he is now comfortable with moving into retirement. His successor is already at work and Greg is anxiously awaiting the time he will no longer have the commute to Detroit, Michigan. We wish him well in whatever post-employment ventures he pursues.


David Prentice is working on another class book and has been seeking photos of our years on campus. Any of you who have pictures of our pea green year or any of the memorable people around the College and the town during our time there should contact him. I was able to find a picture for him showing Moe and Ellie in front of the Village Store with my roommate Dick Dennis ’67 and I am certain some of you are holding even more interesting shots.


We are sorry to report the loss of John Husted, who died of heart failure on March 1 at his home in Florida. John’s obituary can be seen on the ’69 website.


Allen Denison and I continue to struggle to put enough information together to provide you with an enjoyable reading experience so please grace us with news of your activities.


—Steve Larson, 9101 W 146th St., Overland Park, KS 66221; (360) 770-4388; wheat69@earthlink.net


News about individual members of our class is lacking but there are still some interesting things to write about. John Meyers the head agent for the Dartmouth College Fund for ’69, reports we passed 45 percent participation in the fund, giving $271,946. Of course we would all like to see at least 69 percent participation and we know it is possible since 70 percent of all alumni participated in the Campaign for the Dartmouth Experience, raising $1.3 billion.


From the Upper Valley we have our ace local reporter Paul Tuhus sending a newspaper clipping announcing the rebirth of the Polka Dot restaurant. One of White River Junction, Vermont’s most popular student hangouts and fine food eateries has reopened under the management of the son of our favorite waitress and owner of the place since the 1980s: Mary Shatney. Several of us breakfasted there during our 35th reunion and can now look forward to the same experience at our 45th. 


I have had very brief correspondence with Charles Hodgson and Brooke Jackson but have no information to pass on other than the contact. I can say the same about a very short but gratifying exchange with Jon Swenson. Good to know all these guys are still active. 


Allen Denison was able to put together a ’69 Times summer edition, which had plenty of interesting happenings with the class but both of us would appreciate more from you.


—Steve Larson, 9101 W 146th St., Overland Park, KS 66221; (360) 770-4388; wheat69@earthlink.net


Our new location on the East Coast is already paying some benefits as Jo and I attended a holiday party in D.C. hosted by Steve Harris and Cindy. A lot of interesting people were there, and Steve promised to have a gathering with more Dartmouth folks in the near future that will include several ’69s living in the area. We are an easy hour-and-a-half drive to D.C. so we are looking forward to spending more time there.


Greg Curtis, who founded independent investment advisory firm Greycourt 25 years ago, has been honored by the Family Wealth Alliance. Greg received the Thought Leadership Best of the Decade Award at the group’s annual fall forum, where its CEO and founder described the award as being “truly unique, recognizing leadership and excellence over a decade or longer.” During his career Greg has provided investment advisory services to wealthy families and select endowments as well as writing numerous papers and two books on successful wealth management.


The class of ’68 continues organizing gatherings to which we are invited. The Alumni Club of the Virgin Islands is again having a May flotilla for nine nights aboard 40- to 50-foot sailboats accommodating three couples per vessel. Captains are provided, and last year’s group reported a great time. There still may be space available, so contact me or Gerry Hills ’68 at stjohncaptain@aol.com to learn more details. Rick Willets reports that Larry Griffith ’68 has invited participation in a ski trip planned for March at Deer Valley, Utah. If interested contact larryagriffith@msn.com. And finally, Ed Heald organizes a golf outing that was attended last year by Kelly Simpson and Mike Neal, who each wrote rave reviews of the experience. The next event is planned for November 3 through 6, I believe again at Bandon Dunes in Oregon, and those in our class interested in attending should contact Ed at esheald@aol.com. 


The march to our 50th reunion continues and there is much discussion among the class committees about supersizing our attendance. Efforts will be made during the coming months to enlist as many of you as possible to contact and encourage classmates to participate. If you have any ideas about how to get everyone possible on board please contact one of the officers or committee members. 


New York Magazine had an article in December on “Reasons to Love New York 2013” in which reason 26 was: “Because Sandy Alderson Is the Best G.M. in Baseball.” 


You may recall in December President Obama commuted the sentences of eight people serving life or very long sentences on crack cocaine charges. One of those was a pro bono client of Tim Means, who lobbied successfully on her behalf that the crimes were more tragic than criminal, particularly considering the mandatory minimum guidelines under which she was sentenced. She is the most recent beneficiary of Tim’s efforts following one in Obama’s first administration and two under Bush 43. Tim’s fulltime role is practicing as a partner at Crowell & Moring LLP in D.C. 


—Steve Larson, 465 Miller Road; Winchester, VA; 22602; (360) 770-4388; wheat69@outlook.com 


What a great time sharing the 45th reunion with the class of ’68. We can’t say enough about the great results from all the efforts our co-chairs Rick Willets and Paul Tuhus put into making this reunion memorable.


Our Thursday introduction to the College was dreary and wet but the camaraderie under the ’69 tent was happy and warm as we registered for the weekend, collected our bag of memorabilia and information and began to see familiar and not-so-familiar faces. There were more than 80 of them, many with spouses and friends. The list of attendees will be posted on our webpage so please visit that for more in-depth coverage of our weekend in Hanover. 


There were many classmates I had neither seen nor heard from in many years. Some of those were Sam Crawford, whose presence was made more memorable by his act of catching up on 10 years of class dues with a check he handed to Paul; Peter Meigs, with Marge, who made the trip from San Francisco; Clark Doran; Tex Talmadge, who made the trek from Dallas; and Chuck Morey, who had recently returned from Moscow where one of his plays, Laughing Stock, recently opened. 


During our three-day stay we enjoyed scheduled lunches and dinners plus seminars, guided tours of College facilities and open houses at fraternities and College departments. At those events we saw Tom Hunt, Jud Graves, Jim Staros, Tom Parks and Doran Doeh, who journeyed from Moscow for the reunion.


Saturday morning the class meeting was held where nearly half of us attended and elected new officers. Actually, there were very few “new” officers as several were asked to remain in their positions. However, John Mathias will replace Sandy Alderson, who sent his regrets for missing the reunion due to family needs and also withdrew from consideration for continuing as president. We appreciate all Sandy did for the class and the College during his term and know he will remain active in both. In Sandy’s place, Andy McLane chaired the meeting and will remain a vice president along with Rick and newly added Kelly Simpson. The only other change was the addition of a new office—class blacksmith—which will be more than adequately filled by Dimitri Gerakaris. 


There was a stirring medical seminar with a panel including Peter Lawrence,who attended with Karen; Craig Miller, there with Sandy; and Peter Schaeffer. The discussion was broadly based and warned us all of the pitfalls of aging in a time of uncertain insurance coverage and changing work commitments among new medical practitioners. I hope the entire discussion will be available on our website.


Unfortunately I cannot name them all here, but some other attendees were Dona Heller (’69A), Jud Graves, George Ross, Tupper Kinder, Randy Wallick, Doug McKenna, Joe Campbell, Ben Benner and Nick Perencevich. I have intentionally omitted names of classmates who have graced these pages many times before and who attend these events regularly, but they were there.


With no more space remaining for this column please check our website and newsletter for photos of the people and events we enjoyed at the reunion, and if you did not attend start planning to make it to our 50th!


—Steve Larson, 9101 W 146th St., Overland Park, KS 66221; (360) 770-4388; wheat69@outlook.com 


Despite the fact that many of us are retired or retiring from long-held positions, there are still the occasional reports of classmates moving on and moving up. Dick Glovsky wrote that he left his previous firm the end of April and as of May 2 became a partner at Edwards, Angell, Palmer & Dodge in Boston. Unfortunately he failed to fill in any details so other than a new e-mail address that is all I can pass on.


A brief note from recently retired Rick Willets and Joan tells of meeting Dave Boyle with Vicki on a trip from Austin, Texas, to Boston where the foursome enjoyed dinner at a French restaurant and spoke of many things. The aforementioned Dick Glovsky was to meet them for dessert but a scheduling conflict prevented it. In Rick’s words, Dave is somewhat retired, plays golf regularly and earns lunch money playing bridge weekly with rich octogenarian ladies. Apparently retirement for Rick is a smooth transition but sans lunch money.


Throwing his hat into the retirement ring is Roy Hitchings, who announced in April that he will be taking that course in 2012 after leading the Rockport, Maine, local healthcare system for nearly 13 years. Roy has yet to tell us what he and Debbie plan to do with their soon to be acquired free time. Being the quiet, retiring kind, Roy did not alert me to this change in lifestyle; the notice came from alert newspaper checker Paul Tuhus, our unofficial Upper Valley correspondent.


The reports of active employment in this column seem to be centered on the attorneys among us and this next is a dandy. Despite the many other talents for which we know him, he also possesses significant legal skills. In January Arthur Fergenson argued before the U.S. Supreme Court on behalf of a British manufacturer of metal shearing equipment that had been sued in a New Jersey court by an employee injured operating one of their machines. Despite the British manufacturer having no contact with New Jersey, the state Supreme Court adopted a new theory of law that anyone who sold or marketed into the United States could be sued in New Jersey. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in Arthur’s favor, reversing the New Jersey decision and handing his client a complete victory. The subject matter of the case is studied by every law student in first-year civil procedure and the Supreme Court had not considered the issue for 24 years. Although Arthur had clerked for Chief Justice Warren Burger in 1973-74, this was his first argument before the court.


Sadly we must report the loss of another classmate. Roderick Wallick passed away in April at his home in Massachusetts. Rick’s brother Randy has spoken with our newsletter editor Allen Denison and is providing the information for an obituary, which will appear in Allen’s next effort, which is likely already in your hands.


—Steve Larson, 9101 W 146th St., Overland Park, KS 66221; (360) 770-4388; wheat69@earthlink.net


Perhaps the best news is the success of the mini-reunion our president Sandy Alderson and Lindahosted at Citi Field for a Mets home game against Atlanta in early August. The attendees enjoyed a private suite with fine food and great beverages while sharing life experiences with several ’69s, their wives and some children. Among those present were Peter Schaeffer, Dimitri Gerakaris, Tim Means, Allan Wolkoff, Rick Willets, Dick Bourgeois, Ken Paul, Bill Stableford, Dona Heller, Dud Kay, Greg Lau, Kelly Simpson, Jim Gardner, Mark Bankoff and the list goes on. I do not have solid confirmation but I believe others at the game were Chuck Morey, Arthur LaMontagne, John Jay and probably several classmates I missed. The appreciative comments to Sandy after the event were filled with descriptions of the quality of the setting, the great conversations and the regrettable loss by Sandy’s Mets. If, like me, you see names of people you haven’t thought of or spoken to in years then you probably share my regret at missing a terrific opportunity like this to meet with classmates and friends. Homecoming in October is the next official chance to be together but there will likely be more of these minis in the meantime. For an update on mini-reunions or to host one in your city, contact one of the class officers or members of the executive committee.


David Prentice passed along a message from the College about Joe Mehling and his retirement in August. Joe has been the college photographer since 1993, taking many of the pictures you see in this magazine and providing nearly two decades of photographic history of campus life and significant events. His work can be seen on many Dartmouth websites as well as pictures hanging on walls throughout the campus. Prior to his job at the College Joe was a freelance photographer in New York City and the Upper Valley and his work appeared in The New York Times and The Boston Globe. 


It seems we never run out of classmates in the legal profession to write about and this is actually a follow-up for Brooke Jackson’s nomination to the federal bench earlier this year. Colorado’s Senators Udall and Bennet announced in August that the full Senate confirmed Brooke to serve as U.S. District Court judge in Colorado. He will fill the last vacancy on Colorado’s federal district court—a need that had been rated a judicial emergency. When I asked him to comment Brooke told me, “It was nice to have this done, and I’m excited about this next chapter in my life.” Meanwhile many of us are in or seriously close to retirement. 


Regrettably we must inform you that Bob Lefkowits passed away in June, almost five years after his injury. His son Brad reports that Lefty’s family was at his side for his final moments.


Next issue look for news about a recent author in Julian Reeves’ family. 


Please continue to keep Allen Denison and me informed of happenings in your life.


—Steve Larson, 9101 W 146th St., Overland Park, KS 66221; (360) 770-4388; wheat69@earthlink.net


Our class webmaster Peter Elias has provided a reminder to “stay connected!” If you are not on the “class-69-announce” e-mail list, or if you want to join the “class-69” e-mail discussion list (a separate group), drop him a note at pheski@gwi.net. The announcements on the first list are meaningful to our class and the topics covered on the latter are quite diverse.


A note from our class treasurer Paul Tuhus reports 153 of us are paying our class dues. This is good but could always be improved. And that subject segues nicely into a report by Dimitri Gerakaris on our most recent class gift. In Dimitri’s words, “Once again I thank the members of our class for supporting a worthy student run organization that not only provides charitable services, but also develops philanthropic skills and attitudes.” Our class donated $2,500 to the Philanthropic All American Rush (PAAR) fund as our third special projects grant. PAAR raised nearly $19,000 in its campaign, which will divide the funds between two local organizations: WISE, a charity providing services to survivors of domestic and sexual violence, and the Vermont Community Foundation for Hurricane Irene relief. Part of your class dues funds these worthy efforts.


Brian O’Conner wrote a note from Hanover in January when he was there working on a grant application for his work at the visual thinking laboratory at the University of North Texas. The lab is a cluster of doctoral students and faculty from various disciplines interested in various aspects of images. Brian shot his first roll of pictures in the first grade and has been intrigued by images ever since. He is currently working on notions of photographic verisimilitude with his older son—who is in the process of patenting a new type of hyper-spectral camera he has invented. Mostly, Brian says, this is a cool way to have an excuse to acquire toys and test new ideas.


Our president Sandy Alderson organized another executive committee conference call in February where many topics were discussed by members of the committee and interested classmates (who are always welcome to join these calls). Items ranged from ways to improve class participation in payment of dues, mini-reunions and general communication to our next Alumni Council representative.


We hear from Randy Cooper that he has sold his New Hampshire house and retired from his law firm although he will remain “of counsel.” He and his bride, Carolyn Lucet, have moved to Mexico, where she has worked overseeing various construction projects for the last few years. They will maintain a presence in New England, having purchased a condo in Portland, Maine, and their e-mail addresses will remain unchanged. Their children both live in Chicago and will be visiting them often in Jalisco.


Regrettably we must report the passing of another classmate. Lowell Richards died unexpectedly in February at his Cambridge, Massachusetts, home.


A special thanks to those of you who have sent information to Allen Denison and me the past few months. It’s a positive thing to share our lives with each other.


—Steve Larson, 9101 W 146th St., Overland Park, KS 66221; (360) 770-4388; wheat69@earthlink.net


Remember to make your plans to attend our 45th reunion in mid-June, when we will combine our celebration with the class of ’68. The reunion co-chairs Rick Willets and Paul Tuhus have already mailed and e-mailed information to you. If you have any questions you can contact them or any of the class officers. Those of you planning to attend please contact someone in the class who has not attended and urge them to join in this gathering. Sadly, when we review the number of classmates who are no longer with us since the last reunion, we recognize the limited chances we have of sharing time with those people we knew and enjoyed during our stay in Hanover. So please make this reunion a priority for your summer schedule.


Apparently ’tis the season to write books. In the last column we mentioned two new books by class authors and now we welcome Robert Garnett to the library with his newly published work Charles Dickens in Love, in which he describes the influence the three major loves of Dickens’ life had on his writings.


A belated report from our Homecoming weekend included community project work as Kelly Simpson, Bill Stableford and Rick Willets participated in a barn raising at the Dartmouth Organic Farm. Mark Anderson and John Leavitt with Sue were active on another project painting and staining. The class meeting included all the above as well as most of the officers plus Jim Staros, Greg Lau, Mark Bankoff, John Bisson and Peter Imber. The parade, bonfire and several gatherings for meals were enjoyed by all, despite the football loss to the Johns of Harvard. 


During a family holiday in the Solomon Islands to explore the history and culture of the area, Bill Coulson found a GI dog tag from World War II. After extensive research he traced the owner to North Carolina and traveled there to return the tag to the soldier’s family. 


David Prentice provided information on a front-page article that appeared on Homecoming Saturday in the Valley News about the museum quality collection of Dartmouth memorabilia Paul Tuhus has accumulated and saved from our four years in Hanover. To read the article contact David or me for a PDF of the story or you can meet Paul in June and ask him for a personal tour (or at least his description of the collection).


Our representative to the Alumni Council, Peter Elias, provided us all with a comprehensive report of the fall meeting, which included links to further our awareness of parts of the College like the Black Family Visual Arts Center and the Hood Museum. He also had a link to photos he had taken of the newly remodeled Hanover Inn, all of which you can find in his report on the class website.


Regrettably we have learned of the death of David Jacobsen. Dave passed away November 22 after battling esophageal cancer.


—Steve Larson, 9101 W 146th St., Overland Park, KS 66221; (360) 770-4388; wheat69@earthlink.net


We can finally report there is a new and improved class website, which can be accessed at www.dartmouth69.org. The site is still under construction as our Webmaster Peter Elias takes time from his busy schedule to add new and fill in existing sections. We will see the obituaries of our departed classmates in the near future, which will be particularly helpful since they are no longer published in this magazine. Unfortunately there are two deaths to report from late last year. Antonio Miller died while traveling with his wife, Cecilia, on October 21. While en route to Cuba they stopped at the Lima, Peru, airport, where Tonio suffered a fatal cardiac arrest. We also join in mourning the loss of Stephen Davies, who succumbed to cancer on November 8. We extend our sympathies to both families. Their obituaries can be seen on the website.


Last fall we reported that John Kitzhaber was seeking the governor’s office in Oregon for the third time. He was successful, repeating his wins from 1994 and 1998. We wish him well. 


There are other successes among our classmates. Michael Groden’s book Ulysses in Focus: Genetic, Textual, and Personal Views has been published by the University Press of Florida. Michael reports parts of the book are about his first reading of Ulysses in the comparative literature course taught by Peter Bien as well as a senior seminar on Joyce. He is a professor of English at the University of Western Ontario.


Rick Willets was kind enough to relay the participants and many of the happenings at our Homecoming gathering and class meeting, all of which you have seen in the ’69 Times or on the website. One item we would like to note here is his news that after 42 years of teaching biology at Haverhill, Massachusetts, High School, Rick will retire this spring and turn his considerable experience and talents to woodworking. As long as his shop is well away from the house I am sure his bride, Joan, will be happy with the change in lifestyle.


The class special projects grants committee chaired by Dimitri Gerakaris has named Project Right Choice (PRC) the second recipient of our award and presented it with $10,000. After the success of our donations for water filters destined for Haiti, the committee found an equally deserving group in PRC, whose goal was to secure $100,000 in support for Fisher House, a nonprofit housing foundation for veterans’ families at the Veterans Administration facility in Roxbury, Massachusetts. That effort was pushed over the top by our contribution and we even provided seed money for its next project.


Our president Sandy Alderson has initiated conference calls to improve communication among the class officers, the various committees involved in steering and organizing class activities and classmates interested in participating. The first was held in early December and our new, improved website has a report on the success of that effort and when we can expect another opportunity. Meanwhile, keep the information coming to Allen Denison and me and have a joyful 2011.


—Steve Larson, 9101 W 146th St., Overland Park, KS 66221; (360) 770-4388; wheat69@earthlink.net


While writing this column I am reading the latest ’69 Times newsletter and finding numerous articles from notes on a recent executive committee conference call discussing our combined 45th reunion next year with the class of ’68 to a reminder about this year’s Homecoming and a night game. Allen Denison has found a wealth of information and presents it in depth with great pictures to mark many of the happenings in our classmates’ lives and passing. Be sure to read this and keep the stories and anecdotes coming.


The class listserv has provided a lot of entertainment in recent months to those of us who participate or are merely lurkers. In April Nanalee Raphael asked the group if anyone had driven the fabled Route 66 from Chicago to its terminus at the Santa Monica pier. Many of us had experiences on at least part of that highway and the memories were diverse. John Segelbaum recalled a memorable trip with our late classmate John Verb following graduation. The two drove in John V.’s red, convertible GTO from Indianapolis, Indiana, to San Diego with the top down, a cooler of beer in the back seat and fireworks to set off in the desert. Both were headed to the U.S. Navy and John V. reported to his ship in San Diego while John S. went to flight school in Pensacola, Florida. Today John recommends a stop at the Hotel La Posada in Winslow, Arizona, for a truly fine meal. Dudley Kay recalled a trip during his eighth grade that also involved fireworks purchased along Route 66 and set off, unhappily, in the Sequoia National Forest, bringing on forest rangers and the wrath of the accompanying adults. Bruce Hamilton hitchhiked across the country after graduation, requiring four or five rides from the College to Newport Beach, California. The trip included Route 66 from Amarillo, Texas, west, and during the journey he ran into Bruce English andlater encountered Dick Harwood ’68 along the way. Bruce said he had no idea at the time that this was a historic road since the entire trip seemed historic. He also says his hitching days are past. Arthur Fergenson recalled a soda fountain just off the highway, next to the pier at road’s end, which made the best ice cream sodas and egg creams you can find. Joseph Campbell’s question of the listserv—“Who was your most outstanding Dartmouth professor and why?”—was another memorable topic given wide discussion.


Another note about the aforementioned John Segelbaum: He says he is about two years from retiring and leaving his Seattle practice for a home he and Judith have built north of Phoenix, Arizona.


Sadly we must report the loss of Ron Neal, who passed away March 8, in Phoenix.


Allen Denison and I greatly appreciate the stories and reports you are providing. Please keep them coming our way.


—Steve Larson, 9101 W 146th St., Overland Park, KS 66221; (360) 770-4388; wheat69@earthlink.net


As I write this column many of our classmates are preparing to descend on Hanover for the Homecoming game against Harvard in what has proved through the years to be a most enjoyable ’69 reunion and class meeting. Details of the event will be available on the website and in a later column and newsletter.


I will miss this gathering as I am six weeks out of an open-heart surgery procedure successfully performed by our classmate Dr. Craig Miller of the Stanford University Medical Center. When my local cardiologist informed me in the fall of 2011 that the bovine valve I’d had in place since 1999 was failing and would need replacement I contacted Craig for a second opinion. He graciously took the time to review all my medical history, going back to a 1961 open heart surgery at the Mayo Clinic to repair the original valve. After an April meeting with him we decided to replace the valve surgically in September. The professionalism, care and concern shown by Craig and his staff at Stanford were the reasons I walked out of the hospital four days after surgery and feel 10 years younger today. Craig’s skill as a surgeon and his empathy as a doctor are unparalleled in my experiences…and I have seen many very capable doctors. My thanks to Craig and for all the kind thoughts expressed by classmates.


The authors to whom I referred in the last column are Richard Babcock with his new novel Are You Happy Now? a comic story about the difficulty of understanding what it is we really want, and Greg Curtis’ new book The Stewardship of Wealth, a work defending the role of the country’s super wealthy and the importance of their financial advisors.


Andy McLane has provided updated information on his status; look for the details in Allen Denison’s next newsletter. The abbreviated version is that he is gradually working toward retirement after 34 successful and rewarding years of private equity efforts with TA Associates. His role is now as a senior advisor in the office but he also spends considerable time serving on boards, including several not-for-profit activities. Retirement will include continuing to live in Weston, Massachusetts, where he and Linda enjoy rowing single sculls on the Charles River, traveling to areas where they enjoy their other favorite recreation—skiing and hiking and going to warm Caribbean islands in the winter. 


Our class agent for the Dartmouth College Fund, John Myers, congratulates the class for its generosity in the past year when it exceeded our goal of $220,000 and hit a final tally of $300,476.


Regrettably we must report that our classmate James Safford died last April. His obituary will appear in the newsletter and on the ’69 website.


Please keep the information flowing to Allen Denison, our webmaster Peter Elias and me.


—Steve Larson, 9101 W 146th St., Overland Park, KS 66221; (360) 770-4388; wheat69@earthlink.net