Class of '50

Has it really been half a century since we graduated from UVM? What a great reason to celebrate. Our reunion committee has planned a weekend packed with fun activities for all. Please plan to join us June 1-4. This is the big one! Rebecca Caldwell Brown retired as director of home care at Senior Care of the North Shore last November. She and her husband, Bill, plan to spend their days enjoying their family and their home on the shore in Gloucester, Mass. Jane Gates Capizzi wrote from Corvallis, Ore., that she is looking forward to the class’s 50th reunion. Ellwyn and Jo Buck Hayslip of Concord, N.H., took ski trips to Steamboat Springs, Colo., in January and March. Between trips, Jo continues to work with career guidance state and national associations, and Ellwyn is marketing his book, Your Career in Crafts, throughout New England. They wrote, “We are excited about the great response to our 50th reunion plans.”

Class of '51

I am sad to say that this is the last time you will see my name at the top of our class column. After 14 years as class secretary, I am stepping down due to a heavy teaching load and a tight schedule for writing a college textbook. I have enjoyed hearing from classmates over the years, and I hope that one of you out there will step forward to fill in this important role in the future. Best wishes to you all. Malcolm Wentworth wrote that he has retired from his position as business administrator for Clinton Central Schools in New York State. Malcolm enjoys getting back to Vermont, especially Burlington, for visits. You are so near that we’ll certainly expect you to attend our reunion in a year and a half. Andrew Chittenden wrote that he is enjoying life in North Carolina, playing a lot of golf and traveling extensively, particularly with Elderhostel. In September 2000, Andrew and his wife, Lou, are going bicycling in Holland. At Christmas time, they visited their daughter who lives near Washington, D.C. Polly Buttrick Ketro said that her family is plessed with good health, so she “keeps going hither and yon.” Her latest trips were to New Zealand and Iceland. Polly hopes to see many of us at our “Big Reunion.” Sylvia Heineger Holder and her husband, Clem ’45, lead busy lives traveling and skiing here in Vermont and also in British Columbia and at Mount Tremblant. In the summer, they spend their time at their camp boating and swimming. Sylvia is active at the Unitarian Church, the Women’s Alliance, the Vermont German Club, and the Chittenden Historical Society. Clem received a Special Achievement Award from the Catamount Trail Association for his work in providing access to the trail and in opening the Cross Country Center at Bolton Resort. Edward Streeter sent a lovely picture of flowering trees and shrubs, presumably taken from his back deck in Shenandoah Junction, W.Va. Ed chose a beautiful place for his retirement. Richard Fink and his wife, Claire, wrote, “It is hard to address Christmas cards and decorate in 75 degree weather, but we enjoy Florida living.” Dick and Claire did extensive traveling again this year with trips to Greece, the Greek Isles, and Istanbul. They also traveled in the western U.S., visiting Mount Rushmore, Yellowstone Park, the Grand Tetons, and Salt Lake City. They get up to New Jersey to visit their children and grandchildren as well. Jeanne Farr Semonite and her husband, Bill ’50, will be seeing more of Germany in the next three years because their son has his third assignment there. Jeanne and Bill will be in Hilton Head, N.C., this winter and then will travel back and forth all summer between their home in Bellows Falls, Vt., and their camp in Maine. The Semonites had a wonderful trip last fall with Anita and Bob Vachon, touring the Canadian Rockies, Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper, Victoria, and Vancouver.

Class of '52

Ronald Ross of York, Pa., was delighted to represent the University of Vermont at the inauguration of Dr. William Durden as the new president of Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pa. In August, Nancy Reynolds Spier received a wonderful surprise visit from Nancy Gardner Whalen and her husband, Joe, of Cheyenne, Wyo. They had spent time in Maine with their daughter and family and were on their way to South Hero to visit Caroline Soule Hill and husband Dick. They hadn’t seen each other since our class’s 45th reunion. Edward Perkins and wife JoAnn of Rutland, Vt., were privileged to attend the retirement ceremony for their son, Ltc. David ’78, upon completion of 20 years of Army service. The event was held at the Pentagon. Carolyn Wallace Barnum of Clinton, N.Y., is retired, and she now spends a great deal of time playing duplicate bridge. She is involved in church activities, too. Her little pooch, a Bichon Frise, keeps her company on her daily two-mile walk. Carolyn feels that her greatest achievement these days is making the day happy for herself and others. Helene Shapiro Hemmendinger of Monroe Township, N.J., spent two weeks touring Japan, “a most-interesting country.” She now has five grandchildren. Ona Rufus Lyman of Aberdeen, Md., retired from the Army Research Lab in 1995. His wife died in April 1998. He now does some traveling, including to Uzbekistan last April. Your secretary and her family enjoyed Thanksgiving week in Boca Grande, Fla., and we ate our turkey on the beach. Boca Grande is the tarpon capital of the world, a beautiful island. We had “Gertie Grouper” on the table.

Class of '53

Sally Bray Caswell is proud that three of her four children graduated from UVM: Laurie Caswell Burke ’77, Stephen Caswell ’81, and H. Wright Caswell ’81. Sally tries to attend the annual alumni luncheon at the Longboat Key club in Florida in March. Arnold Schwartz represented UVM at the inauguration of Pamela Gann at Claremont/McKenna College in Claremont, Calif. Dexter Sutherland sent the following news: “While traveling in Nepal with a 13-person tour group, Elaine Garry ’76 and I realized that we have the same alma mater. Thus, the Nepal chapter of the UVM Alumni Association was formed. Highlights of the trip included an outdoor breakfast with a view of the snowcapped Annapurna Range of the Himalaya Mountains and a ride on an elephant while searching for tiger and rhinoceros in the morning mist at Royal Chitwan National Park.” Frank Leary let us know that Franklin “Bud” Pierce passed away on September 24, 1999, in Belgium. Bud was an infantry captain and served with distinction with the 100th Infantry Division in Europe during World War II. He was a native of Fair Haven, Vt., and spent his adult life after the war in Brussels. While at UVM, Bud was a key member of the ski team.

Class of '54

Joseph Manganaro reported that he was selected to chair the award committee of the nation’s largest Italian-American service club, whose motto is “Service above self.” I received a nice note from Ellie Levin ‘55 and Sally Weinstock ‘55 applauding the “cluster concept” for our reunion. I plan to be at our reunion on June 1-4, 2000, and I hope you will be there, too. We’re calling it our “Lake View Reunion,” which will culminate in a triple class celebration at Shelburne Farms. See you in June.

Class of '55

Can you believe we will soon all be together, and it is the year 2000? Bill and I continue our enthusiasm about the triple class reunion as we have received more and more calls here in Pennsylvania. Do call the Sheraton in Burlington to make your reservation ASAP and avoid disappointment, because they are indeed filling up. There will be lots of action there; Bill and I will make sure of that. Some things never change…even 45 years later. Prior to reading our class notes here, you will undoubtedly have received another newsletter containing the terrific plans for our reunion, all of which are now finalized. There is truly something for everyone. I received a wonderful letter from Liz Mellon Tobi, who, with her husband, John, recently pulled up stakes in Connecticut and settled in Buffalo, Wyo., in a region with beautiful mountains and lakes. One of their sons lives nearby with his family. The other son and family settled in Vermont, so Liz has all the more reason to return. Word has it that three of our memorable Kake Walk kings are returning as are three of the queens and several old time “walkers.” A few other classmates have sent in some news. Dr. Lew Dan (MD ’59) wrote from Miami Beach, Fla., that for the past few years he has enjoyed taking time off from his practice to teach senior residents at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute the newer techniques of cataract surgery. He and his wife, Carol, also take great pleasure in babysitting their three wonderful grandchildren, Cleo, Adrian, and Jaret. Russell Hubley wrote that although he has been professionally retired for the past ten years, his family, including 10 grandchildren, frequently meet at Okemo Mountain in Ludlow, Vt., where he continues as board president of the Condominium Owners’ Association at Kettle Brook, where he lives. Joe Teta has now retired from teaching and coaching. He lives in Rutland, Vt. Margery Armstrong of Great Neck, N.Y., let us know that, after more than 27 years at the Great Neck Library, she retired at the end of 1999. She hopes to do volunteer work and travel in the U.S. and abroad. Bob Crawford of Eagan, Minn., retired in May 1997 after 42 years in the business world, 37 of which were in the sales side of the food industry. He now works part-time as a courier for ADP, delivering payrolls as well as management, bank, and tax data in the Twin Cities area. His son is a carpenter in Eagan, and his daughter, who lives in Portland, Oreg., is expecting her first child in June. Bob recently talked to Frank Mancini, a Phi Delt, and he wrote that they all hope to be at our upcoming reunion. Bob Mallozzi of Darien, Conn., wrote that he has been retired since 1965. He plays a lot of golf and enjoys his two grandchildren. Bob spends winters in Scottsdale, Ariz., and travels worldwide. He plans to see lots more of the western part of the U.S. Jack Lear represented UVM at the inauguration of the new president of King’s College in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., on October 1, 1999. If you haven’t done so, do make your plans for our 45th now. It’s certainly exciting to think of all the fun and the camaraderie and how beautiful the campus and Lake Champlain will be in June as I write this in the dead of winter. Call me in Pennsylvania if you have any additional questions or thoughts that we may not have covered in the latest newsletter. Stay well. Hope to see you on campus in June. More anon.

Class of '56

Our 45th reunion celebration is coming in June, and we’ll celebrate the occasion with the classes of 1954 and 1955. You won’t want to miss what we’re calling our “Lake View Reunion.” Fred ’55 and Sally Hackett are hosting a reception at their home on Friday evening, and Saturday’s dinner will be at Shelburne Farms. What a treat! Connie Rawson Zboray and husband Bill drove to Florida in March 1998. They visited Lois Marvin Garvey and her husband, Gordon. They also stopped in Aiken, S.C., and stayed overnight with Linda Whitmore Babineau and husband Bill. During the summer, they visited Mary Alice Leete Ring in Rye, N.H., and had a great time. Connie and Bill are retired school teachers. They enjoy volunteering, visiting Elderhostels, and visiting their three grandsons.

Class of '57

As I write you, we in Virginia have piles of what I would call Vermont snow. It’s beautiful. So, I am definitely in the mood to think about our alma mater. Please send me more news. My email address is at the top of this column. It is so easy to send me a bit of news that may interest, reassure, or even inspire some of our classmates as we plan our lives in the new millennium. If you would like to be a guest secretary for an issue, I would welcome it, and it would be fun for our classmates. Ada Pratt Polianos, a prominent member of UVM’s Sigma Gamma chapter, wrote about the active life she leads in Peoria, Ariz., after her retirement from teaching. Ada and husband John moved to Arizona from California about two years ago. Ada has been very involved in helping Kosovo refugee families get settled in the community and teaching them English. The effort is a project of the church where she is deacon. Ada has 14 grandchildren. The latest grandson was born last January, and Ada got to know him well because she spent several weeks helping her daughter after his birth. She also regularly babysits two other grandchildren while their parents work. Ada visits UVM frequently, but her visits haven’t coincided with our reunions. We hope to see her in the future. Last year, Marlene Patrick Thibault and her husband, Francis, made a visit to their seventh continent, Antarctica. They plan to continue traveling. Marvin Levy wrote from Denver, Colo., that he was promoted to CEO and chairman of the board of his company in April 1999. I have good news from Doug and Janice Fayen Burke in Naples, Fla. Doug has completely recovered from triple bypass surgery and is leading a vigorous live, watching his diet and faithfully exercising. Despite Doug’s surgery last July, Doug and Jan led 12 people on an African safari last October and enjoyed a week of skiing at Aspen. They also planned to be in New England for skiing with their three sons and five grandchildren. As we all know, Doug is our class vice president and Jan is completing the six-year cycle of vice president, president, and ex officio of the UVM Alumni Association. The Burkes are having a larger home built in their present neighborhood, The Vineyards. Sounds like they are happy with their Florida life.

Class of '58

Classmates, we’ve got news. Several classmates have moved to Vermont. Victor Kendall lives in Warren, after spending 40 years in various locations around the country. He has visited recently with Herb Russell ’57 in Chicago and Bob Spence and Addy Russell ’57 in Vermont. Dr. George Milo enjoys the summers in the Champlain islands. The remainder of the year is divided between Columbus, Ohio, and St. Petersburg, Fla. George retired in 1997 from Ohio State University College of Medicine as a professor and director of the Center for Molecular Environmental Health. Ed Fink wrote from Pittsboro, N.C., that he and his wife, Renee Leipzig (’60) Fink have become avid bicyclists. Besides the local jaunts, they have biked the Loire Valley with Elderhostel and have plans for another bike trip to Provence. Clare Dyer reported that her dad, Daniel Dyer ’24, celebrated his 99th birthday on November 3, 1999. Congratulations! Dick Turrone, a Superior Court Judge in Santa Clara County, Calif., (Silicon Valley) enjoys good health, and an “empty nest.” He doesn’t miss Vermont winters, but in the fall of 1998, Dick and his wife, Tish, made their first trip back to campus in 40 years. Their three daughters have launched their careers, and their son is studying chemistry in Uppsala, Sweden. In 1999, they toured France and visited their son in Sweden. A “voice from the past” called out to me yesterday while I was on a quilting trip to New Hampshire. (I don’t hear the name McQuilkin much these days.) There was Nancy Chapin (’57) Kolb in her shop, Calico Cupboard, in Rumney, N.H. We had a wonderful visit. Classmates, keep the emails coming.

Class of '59

I wanted to remind classmates to please consider making a generous pledge to UVM this year. We all owe a lot to UVM, and we know that to maintain UVM’s high level of education it takes all of our support. Thanks to all of you who have given so generously in the past and to those who have already given this year. Now on to the news: Clyde Lord, an anesthesiologist, is president of West Side Anesthesia Associates in Atlanta. He and his wife, Barbara, recently celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary. They have two grown sons, one in retail and the other in the noble profession of school teacher. They also have been blessed with a grandson as well as a granddaughter, who, according to Clyde has completely taken over the family. Marsha Eisen Schorr of Scarsdale, N.Y., wrote that she loved seeing all her old friends at our 40th class reunion last June. She said it wasn’t so ”painful” at all. J. Brett Lazar, M.D., of Salt Lake City, Utah, retired from a career in public health in September 1999. He now volunteers his time with the American Cancer Society and the Salt Lake City organizing committee for the 2002 Winter Olympics. Brett wrote that he played a lot of golf last fall, and he planned to spend lots of time skiing in the winter. Josef Dambiou is celebrating his 15th year of retirement in Lake Forest, Calif. He enjoys sharing the wonderful California lifestyle with family and friends. Finally, on a sad note, we learned of the death of our classmate, Ross Artus. Don “Ace” SantaCroce wrote that he and Ross both played baseball for UVM. Ross was the pitcher, and Ace was his catcher. Ace remembered Ross as a star right-hand pitcher who was known for his fastball and amazing control. He was well liked by all of his teammates, because “Ross had a winning spirit that filled the whole team with the same winning attitude under Coach Ralph LaPointe.” Ace and his former teammates send their sympathy to Ross’s family.