David W. Batchelder ’51

David W. Batchelder ’51, who edited his class’s remarkable newsletter, Fifty-One Fables, for 32 years and thereby played a major role in building close class ties, died on February 23, 2014, in his hometown of Salisbury, Connecticut. Batch’s wonderfully readable and engaging monthly masterpiece was eagerly awaited by every classmate and through the years it touched them all. Fables was packed with positive, supportive news of the class; Batch delighted in the accomplishments of these close friends. He also dispensed priceless words of wisdom, often accompanied by right-on-the-money cartoons. In recognition of the unmatched excellence of Fables, Batch was twice named Newsletter Editor of the Year. In 2013 when the Dartmouth Class Newsletter Editors’ Association established a Lifetime Achievement Award, he was the unanimous choice of his fellow alumni newsletter editors to become its first recipient. Batch came to Dartmouth from Darien, Connecticut, by way of Kimball Union Academy. He was a member of Beta Theta Pi, the lacrosse team, Vigilantes, the Jack-O-Lantern business staff and the Interdormitory Council. He was honored by his class in 1988 with its Spirit of ’51 Award. After graduate study in agriculture at Cornell, he was a farmer (“Farmer of the Year” in Vermont), later a home-builder and finally a farm equipment merchant. Batch is survived by his longtime partner, Schatzi Ludwig, two children, four grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Dartmouth family ties included his father, Windsor Batchelder ’19, brother John ’55 and brother-in-law Bill Bridge ’51.