Class Note 1976
The surprising news that Chris Bjelland was not the only classmate to have achieved knighthood led to the following note from Ken “K.C.” Cohen, knighted in France: “I’m often asked what it confers, and it’s like those credit card ads: buying (yes, you have to buy it) the medal…$20; framing the diplôme…$175; buying the champagne…$50; telling people you’re a ‘chevalier’…priceless! The funny thing is that this all came from business and community engagement, made easier because of my language study abroad family from Bourges. Forty-three years and our relationship remains closer than ever. Another of the many ways Dartmouth shaped my life for the better.”
Sir K.C. lives in La Jolla, California, with his wife of 32 years, Elena, a professor at San Diego State University. His career in the life sciences and animal medicine led to his trusteeship with the San Diego Humane Society. “This year,” he says, “we’ll take care of nearly 20,000 pets and 10,000 wildlife. A couple of years ago, we reached our goal of zero euthanasia.”
On the human medicine front,Dr. Spencer Kubo is a well-known cardiologist in Minnesota’s twin cities. He was bummed to have to cancel his June reunion trip last minute and remains committed to Dartmouth and to our class, currently serving as an alumni interviewer. Now married 38 years, he and wife Adele had their first official date at Winter Carnival in 1974. Says Spencer, “She had no chance—just too great a weekend!”
Our man from Alabama Milton Harsh is as cheerful and friendly as ever. He reports that life in Birmingham, where he runs Harsh Realty Capital, is good. He is married to best friend Allison, who owns a commercial design company. He says, “One of the most joyful aspects of my life is still having my parents with us at 93 and almost 90. How lucky is that!”
Stu Gasner recently took a quick break from trying big cases in San Francisco to raft and hike in the Grand Canyon with his wife, Kate. (I bet she complained less than I did struggling behind Stu on our freshman trip.)
In one of the longest, best-deserved tributes I’ve seen, Dartmouth announced the retirement of VP of alumni relations Martha Beattie.Tasked with strengthening the ties of Dartmouth’s 70,000 alumni, Martha welcomed record numbers of alumni to reunions and campus events, spearheaded new continuing education and admissions programs, strengthened regional women’s gatherings and remained and remains an untiring cheerleader and ambassador of our college during her six-year tenure. There may be just one alum who is happy she is moving on, our classmate Jim Beattie.
We mourn the passing of Alton “Al” Chapman, who truly was his “brother’s and sister’s keeper.” In his 40-year career caring block by block for his Chattanooga, Tennessee, neighbors, he galvanized the community and devoted his life to ministering to the youth, the elderly and the needy of his hometown. Please see dartmouthalumnimagazine.com/obits for the complete obituary.
—Sara Hoagland Hunter, 72 Mount Vernon St., Unit 4B, Boston, MA 02108; sarahunter76@gmail.com
