As I compose this latest edition of our ’96 Class Notes, we are one short year out from our 30-year reunion! If you’d like to be involved in helping create the best reunion ever, please reach out to our esteemed reunion committee or a class officer today!
Sadly, one of our own will not be joining us in Hanover next year. It is with deep sorrow that I relay the passing of Philip Hanaka in April. Phil came to Dartmouth from Westborough, Massachusetts; while in Hanover he majored in history and government, also playing football. He went on to obtain his J.D. from Northeastern University Law School, settled in South Florida, and became shareholder and coleader of the finance industry group at Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC. In 2021 he was recognized as a “Top Lawyer” by the South Florida Legal Guide. But perhaps most significant was his role as father to son John, stepdaughter Brooke, and young daughter Madelyn (and husband to Crystal). Christian Franklin passed along his condolences: “I knew Phil since freshman year, living on the same floor in Hinman. He, Ryan Beal, and I spent a lot of time together, and although I lost touch later in life, I remember him fondly and my sympathy is with his family and children.”
In happier news, Ramesh Narasimhan celebrated the fact that he is one of the last remaining ’96s to have not yet reached the age of 50 (not until September). He did so by having fellow ’96s Brandon Prelogar and John Ferrie get permission from their wives to join him for a week of travel to Barcelona, Spain, where they attended the Barcelona Tennis Open and explored the city’s wonderful cultural, culinary, and cocktail offerings. The trio played tennis on the city’s red clay courts and saw some of the best players in the world—all while embracing their “decided middle-agedness and physical-decrepitness by drinking lots of sangria, eating lots of tapas, and sitting at sidewalk cafes drinking cappuccinos and vermouth.” Also enjoying fantastic European adventures were Ken Lee and wife Rebecca (Symmes) Lee ’98, who marked 25 years together with a trip to Paris; Diane Fernandes and husband Matt Copeland, who enjoyed an amazing family trip to Portugal; Sharon (Spatz) Alexander, who mastered a 10-day Mediterranean cruise by taking in much of coastal Italy, Greece, and Turkey; Alexander Panov and his family, who basked in the cultures and cuisine of Spain, Italy, and France in mid-May; and Holly Parker, who visited Copenhagen, Denmark, and Amsterdam, Netherlands, while chairing panels at the Centre for Maritime Research “People and the Sea” oceanic conference in late June.
From the more domestic side, Lisa (Stigler) Barre hit an amazing travel milestone in April: officially reaching her goal of visiting all 50 U.S. states by planting her feet on Hawaiian soil! In addition to all 50 states, she has visited four of seven continents and 22 of 63 national parks.
Fun times were also held in Hanover, as several spring events (including the 2025 Hōkūpa’a Lū’au and Dartmouth Powwow) brought Keli’I Opulauoho, Marybeth (Jordan) Mattingly, Joey Hood, Christopher Newell,and Ping-Ann Addo (among others) back to campus all in the same week in May!
Lastly, our resident cardiologist-singer-songwriter Suzie Brown Sax released her eighth studio album, Songs Worth Saving, in mid-May. The live, mostly piano-based album includes 12 songs recorded during three whirlwind days at The Studio in Suzie’s homebase of Nashville. Suzie spent much of June and July on a mini tour to England, Ireland, and the American Northeast promoting the new release.
—Garrett Gil de Rubio, 1062 Middlebrooke Drive, Canton, GA 30115; ggdr@alum.dartmouth.org