Class of '50

Ruth Erlich Joffe was seated near Bob and Marie Powers (’49) Condon at a United Nations Association Luncheon. Ruth is president of the Longboat Key Lions Club, and she invited all visiting Lions to attend their meetings. Charles and Hedi Stoehr Ballantyne are enthusiastic supporters of Heifer Project International and serve two months each year as host couple at the Northeast Regional Center in Rutland, Mass., for this development organization that helps families in many countries become more self-reliant through the gift of livestock and training in environmentally-sound farming. They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary last July. Robert Looby wrote that he is “still trying to play golf.” Michael Wiedman is carrying the Explorers’ Club flag as team physician on an expedition seeking the ultimate source of the Amazon in the 20,000 foot glaciers of southern Peru’s Crodillera Occidental Andes. Afterwards, he and his wife, Irene, will rendezvous in Machu Picchu, during full moon. Michael wrote, “In the spirit of Sir Richard Burton’s 19th century search for the source of the Nile, we will also be climbing in terra incognita, but with GPS satellite systems.”

Class of '51

It was nice to hear from Audrey Kerner and Edwin Kaufman, who live in Del Mar, Calif. Don has retired again. His first retirement was from the U.S. Navy as chief of medicine at the Naval Hospital in San Diego. His second retirement was from Scripps Clinic in La Jolla, Calif. Audrey is in her 50th year of volunteering. Last year, the Kaufmans traveled to Newfoundland ,Switzerland, Belgium, and Luxembourg. In addition, they went fishing in Mexico. They’re well-traveled, don’t you think? I just found out that one of my very good childhood and high school friends has known Janet Putnam Spaulding for many, many years. They go skiing together as part of a retired military officers’ and wives’ group every March in Colorado. The word is that Jan and her husband are both excellent and avid skiers. Living in Golden, Colo., they must have many opportunities to sharpen their skiing skills. Clarence Jackson was appointed professor of English in the master’s degree program at the Instituto Internacional de Economia Y Negocios, which is sponsored by National University of Trujilolo, Peru, and Johannes Keppler University of Linz, Austria. He has lived in Peru for the past ten years since his retirement from the consulting business, having first come to Peru in 1962 as superintendent of the hospital ship Hope of Project Hope. Phil Kelsall wrote, “Although I only lived in Vermont for five years and in Colorado for twenty-nine years, I still like to think of Vermont as my home state. It’s hard to believe that our 50th reunion is coming soon.” Barbara Benn Buxbaum enjoys tennis, golf, bridge, travel, and volunteer work in her retirement from teaching high school English. Malcolm Wentworth retired as a New York State public school district business administrator after more than twenty years following a twenty-year career with General Electric. He is looking forward to another career, perhaps as a watercolor artist. Malcolm makes his home in Clinton, N.Y. Elouie Farnsworth Snyder is volunteer teaching for nine hours a week at Pittsboro Elementary School in North Carolina. Last October, she enjoyed a visit from Jan Putnam Spaulding and her husband, Warren, of Golden, Colo.

Class of '52

I recently heard from Trudy Rosenberg Wolf that she ran into another UVMer while watching the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace. She started a conversation with a woman next to her, who was from California. When Trudy mentioned Vermont, Debby Symes (’53) Walsh identified herself and said that she, too, went to UVM. They also remembered that she and Trudy had lived together in Coolidge Hall. Small world. Ona Lyman is retired from the U.S. Civil Service as a U.S. Army physicist. Lois Quinlan Quagliano of Wethersfield, Conn., is studying her fifth year of Italian 20th-century writers. She enjoyed a study program in Italy in 1997. Lois keeps busy traveling to Orleans, Mass., and Greensboro, N.C., where her son lives. Warren Bergstrom retired from the Monticello, N.Y., school system in 1989. His wife of thirty-four years died in 1994, and Warren married Judith Tucker, a UNH graduate, in 1996. They enjoy traveling with Elderhostel. Your class secretary highly recommends bird watching in Jamaica, where there are many fantastic birds and flowers. Jamaica has the “Dr. Bird,” a streamer-tailed hummingbird found only on the island. Bird lovers, take notice. I also found a tree where hundreds of white egrets arrive every day at dusk and roost until dawn. Please give to the UVM Fund for a colorful green donation. As they say in Jamaica, “No problem.”

Class of '53

Walter Meyer and his wife, Elaine, are still living in Townshend, Vt. They continue to be active in the family business, Mary Meyer Stuffed Toys; however, their four sons now manage the business. Walter wrote, “This allows us to go to Florida in January and February and still be involved when we get back home to Vermont.” On February 26, 1999, Thomas Holzinger represented UVM at the investiture of William Kirwan as president of Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. Sheila Reed MacKinnon retired from selling real estate in 1997 and now concentrates on freelance writing. She had a delightful visit to UVM recently, but noted with regard to Old Mill, “The façade is lovely, but the interior is sterile.”

Class of '54

Ruth Pestle has published a chapbook of her poems. Now retired from a career of teaching at Florida State University, she continues to winter in Florida and summer in Vermont. Ruth and Jean Joslin Evenson, roommates from Waitsfield, enjoyed reminiscing at Ruth’s home in Tallahassee, Fla., last March. Sue Peterson Ristine is freelance editing and fundraising from her apartment in the Village in New York City. Norma Bodette Menish divides her time between Herkimer, N.Y., and West Addison, Vt. Recently, she was named Volunteer of the Year for her work on the Meals for the Elderly program. She also serves on a number of church committees. Norma wrote, “I’m looking forward to my 50th high school reunion in 2000 and our UVM class reunion in 2004.” Theodore Milberg has been enjoying his retirement for the past eleven years. He has two married children and one five-year-old granddaughter. Old friends can look him up in Delray Beach, Fla. Joseph Manganaro has been installed in the Berwick, Pa., Academic Hall of Fame. Marilyn Noyes Carmen wrote that her husband, The Reverend David Carmen, retired from the Peacham, Vt., Congregational Church and from the pastoral ministry in May 1997. Since then, they have been living in Bethlehem, N.H., and Marilyn would love to hear from classmates.

Class of '55

Bill Battles, our class president, urges all of you to start making plans for our reunion in 2000. It will be extra fun because we will get together with the classes of ’54 and ’56 as part of a “cluster” celebration. We are so looking forward to it ourselves. Be in touch with any further inquiries about our reunion. By the way, Bill still enjoys ski racing all over and was especially looking forward to seeing lots of UVMers at the Sugar Slalom at Stowe. Nancy Collins Schmidt moved to New Bern, N.C., in August 1998, and she hopes it will be her final move. She enjoys being closer to her six children and nine grandchildren, all located in the Northeast. Nancy would love to hear from other UVMers in the New Bern area. Marilyn Stern Dukoff of Hewlett, N.Y., and husband Joe celebrated Marilyn’s special birthday in Hershey, Pa. They are planning to attend Reunion 2000 and are hoping that lots of classmates will come as well as friends from ’54 and ’56. Marilyn recently had lunch with Helene Widder Chusid who had just become a grandmother. Mary Quinn Dankowski wrote that she spends her summers on Lake St. Catherine in Poultney, Vt. It is a great opportunity for her to spend time with her grandson, Hugh Sheahan, son of Mary Anne ’86, who lives in Shelburne, Vt. Mary would enjoy having UVM visitors at Lake St. Catherine. Hey, classmates, I’d love to hear from more of you.

Class of '56

Donna Trombly Burt has been involved in a project to replant trees in the Dunwoody Forest after they were destroyed in the April 1998 tornado. Donna makes her home in Atlanta, Ga.

Class of '57

Donald Klein is co-author of Microbiology, recently published by W.C. Brown-McGraw Hill Publishers. In addition to teaching at Colorado State University, he spends more time in North Falmouth, Mass., especially in the summer. In June 1998, Sally Tobin Bookwalter of Lock Haven, Pa., retired from the Keystone Central School District, where she taught family and consumer sciences for more than nineteen years. She is enjoying her retirement. Carroll “Bud” Ockert of Shelburne, Vt., an administrator surveyor with the Joint Com mission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, has recertified as a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Class of '58

Joe Long is retired, but working part time as assistant director of the Affordable Housing Authority for the city of Passaic, N.J. Afternoons, he plays tennis. He wrote, “It’s a great life.” On September 25, 1998, Andy Skroback represented UVM at the inauguration of Frederick Woodward as president of Westfield State College in Massachusetts. Stu Zeitzer would like to hear from old friends. He can be reached via email at <tincup3000@aol.com>.

Class of '59

Mary Arnold Peabody of Bristol, Vt., who is married to Jim Peabody ’60, was honored on October 21, 1998, at the Vermont Outstanding Teachers’ Recognition Day. She is the Addison Northeast Supervisory Union’s Elementary School Teacher of the Year. Mary has been a special educator at Bristol Elementary School for the past fourteen years. Caryanne Whitmore Ericson has relocated to Connecticut, where she moved into a smaller house. She is now a widow and would love to see UVM friends who live on the East Coast. Caryanne was looking forward to attending our reunion when she wrote earlier this year. Paul Bristol of Vergennes, Vt., maintains his career as a musician under the professional name “Pablo Lonesome Wolf.” As a student, Paul played piano on Thursday nights in a jazz combo at a Burlington VFW. Recently, he performed at Foxwood’s Casino. Sue Davenport of Concord, N.H., wrote, “I was married while attending UVM and used my married name, Sue Davenport Johnson.” On May 14, 1999, Elliott Brown represented UVM at the inauguration of President Nimmons at the University of the District of Columbia.