Class of 1968

Cliff Groen recently distributed an article about early critical response to The Great Gatsby, to which Bill Kolasky replied, “The initial middling reaction to Gatsby shows how difficult it is to be introspective about the era you live in. I wonder if we all are suffering from that same problem now. Perhaps it is not until later you see how it all played out to understand what is happening around you.” Bill continues in a distinguished legal career involving antitrust work with broadcasting groups. He and his wife maintain a Georgetown home in Washington, D.C., but spend most months in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

Long-serving class officer David Peck informs of his extensive service as a historical reenactor. From 1997 to 2016 his Civil War reenactment group, the 22nd Massachusetts, appeared in Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. He’s now with the New Plimmoth Gard, which reenacts the Pilgrim-era militia in Plymouth, Massachusetts, where he resides. He recently attended a large reenactment in Jamestown, Virginia, “The Military Through the Ages,” which invites reenactment groups that replicate units from Greek phalanxes to Vietnam outfits. On that trip he and Diane visited Dartmouth roommate Dick Jones in Frederick, Maryland.

That same Mr. Jones and I have been corresponding, and we’ll now congratulate him and Martha on their imminent 50th wedding anniversary. They adopted two children. Both Dick and Martha are, among other things, lifelong musicians. Dick’s music involvement started at Dartmouth, and he thanks Paul Zeller and Don Wendlendt for inspiration and instruction. After serving in Korea as an Army ordnance officer, his M.A. from Cal State Northridge led to his forming an 18-piece jazz band in Baltimore, which enjoyed a residency at the Hyatt Regency that was highlighted by a guest appearance by Ella Fitzgerald. Dick and Martha have also been members of the Frederick Chorale for 40 years. Dick’s other activities have involved IT (his professional career), veteran service officer work, support for an Afghan refugee family, and the Unitarian Universalist church. He recently happily reconnected with Ced Kam, Joe Nathan Wright, Dick Harwood, Jim Morrison, Sherwood Guernsey, and other classmates.

—Jack Hopke, 157 Joy St., River Ridge, LA 70123; (504) 388-2645; jackhopke@yahoo.com