Thanks to chairs Ellen Brout Lindsey and Rick Silverman and the talent and hard work of some 50 classmates, our 45th reunion was outstanding.
In a throwback to freshman fall, Jeff Walters and Shelley Warren Wieler arranged for ’81s to stay at the Moosilauke Lodge, then hike before campus events started. Jeff later presented his revealing class survey.
The ’81 tent was like the set from a high-end outdoor furniture shoot; in other words, really nice. That was Cathy Haley Rost’s doing. We caught up with old friends there and connected with new ones to the tunes curated for the weekend by Robert Goldbloom, Abner Oakes, and Vaughn Halyard. The weather cooperated spectacularly until Sunday. On Friday Anne Scott-Putney organized “Deep Conversations” around subjects such as memory (lack thereof), family, neurodivergence, addiction, retirement, and travel. It set a “connection-building” tone for the whole weekend, encouraging frank, satisfying discussions about our wide-ranging struggles as well as our successes and gratitude. Class programing echoed this: four TED-style talks, personal journeys produced by Abner and Toby Reiley, were given by Keith Hammonds, Rachel Kenzie King, yours truly, and Pancho Ryan—who also helped Kim Young with the reunion logo and Gail Chen with communications. Then, during “Second and Third Acts,” Laurel Richie interviewed best friend Sharon Washington in another “keeping it real” conversation around her autographical play and documentary.
The Cara Romero photography exhibit was iconic. Jody Awad Evans led pickleball, and for the scavenger hunt ’81s were encouraged to find clues with classmates they didn’t know by leaders Sue Reed, Jeff Healy, and Ingrid Stallsmith.Ingrid also organized other connection-building outdoor events with help from Sally Ankeny Reiley, Tracy Bennett, Sue Spencer,and Danielle Dyer. More great programming involving academic departments, landmark and new building tours, interest groups, and President Beilock packed the schedule. The annual 1981 John G. Kemeny awards were presented to Bob Higgins and Eileen Chamberlain Donohoe. They both graciously accepted under the stars in Rockefeller Courtyard before scores of tables of ’81s dining on chicken and short ribs, asparagus, bellinis, Alchemist beer, and seltzer.
Our outgoing copresidents Beth Shapiro Lewyckyj and Lynne Hamel Gaudet, treasurer Claudia Sweeney Weed, and beverage chair Chip Bettencourt put in overtime with Rick and Ellen. The ’81 class and reunion clothing is still available, thanks to Julie Koeninger, Molly Sundberg Van Metre, and Shelley W., and can be ordered at dartmouth81.boldstores.com.
Finally, Lynnette Eubanks Marshall, Pat Berry, Patsy Fisher, and Jeff H. arranged a thoughtful memorial service for deceased classmates. Regrettably, we recently received notice that Lisa Anne Coffin Van Zile died in February 2019. Late condolences to her family and friends.
This is the last column from team Emil and Ann. It’s been our pleasure and we’re handing it over to Christy Hunter Mihaly and Howard Morse,along with best wishes.
—Ann Jacobus Kordahl, P.O. Box 470443, San Francisco, CA 94147; ajkordahl@gmail.com; Emil Miskovsky, P.O. Box 2162, North Conway, NH 03860; emilmiskovsky@gmail.com