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1950s
– 1960s
1950
Bob Perkins and his wife, Thelma, of Rutland, Vt., reported that they
took a two-week trip to Hawaii on the occasion of their oldest grandson’s
graduation from high school there. He is now attending the University
of Hawaii. Back in Rutland, Bob and Thelma continue to swim several times
a week for fun and exercise. One hot August day, they swam from Vermont
to New Hampshire, across the Connecticut River. Bob is still active with
the local section of the Green Mountain Club, hiking frequently, and serving
as director. Barbara Beal Green of Longmont, Colo., sent me a photo of
her preschool grandson wearing an oversize UVM sweatshirt. She wrote,
“Sure would like to get back to Vermont. Maybe sometime.” Charles
Carlton recently published items on Romanian literature and writers Arghezi
and Creanga in the 2000 edition of the Encyclopedia of Eastern Europe
as well as a structural sketch of Romania in the 2001 edition of Facts
about the World Languages. His piece on the Romanian village was published
in Romania last December, and Charles is listed in Who’s Who in America
for the 17th year. Doris Jones Fafunwa wrote from Lagos, Nigeria, that
our 50th reunion was an emotional experience. She wished she had more
time to renew friendships. Rita Carp Coleman, not yet retired, continues
to work as an art therapist at Rye Hospital Center. She has three sons
and a six-year-old grandson. Rita wrote of our 50th reunion that she was
surprised how many classmates she recognized and who recognized her. Barbara
Ryan Branon continues to live on her farm in Fairfield, Vt. Because she
is semi-retired, her sons, Steve and Damian, manage the farm. Barbara
still works in the public library and substitute teaches at a local school.
She enjoyed visiting her daughter, Cathy, in Paris last May. She wrote,
“Going to Paris was always my dream.” Jerry Stiller sent greetings
from Fairfield, Pa. Jerry, too, enjoyed our 50th reunion, especially visiting
with his civil engineering classmates. Jerry’s home is in the historic
area of Gettysburg, and he passes through the National Military Park almost
daily on trips to Gettysburg for shopping. He loves living there. Jerry
also wrote that he met two former classmates who live nearby. They enjoyed
getting together for lunch after not having seen each other for more than
50 years. Your class secretary and husband Charles continue being active
volunteers for Heifer International. This was our tenth time as host couple
in the Northeast Regional Center. We have both been taking writing courses.
Charles writes poetry and personal and local experiences, and I write
about being one of the refugees in the “Kindertransport” lucky
enough to escape Nazi Austria just before World War II. I spent seven
years in England without my family before coming to Vermont in 1946 and
entering UVM.
1951
David Butterfield of Ormond Beach, Fla., spent two months in Killington
last summer, enjoying the cool Vermont air and no air conditioning. David
returned home shortly before September 11. He feels that since that day
our way of life has changed, but he is hopeful that we will increase our
understanding of other cultures. Molly Jerger Leonard enjoyed meeting
old friends and touring the campus at our 50th reunion. She thought it
was great fun and well organized. Lester Davis McEwing wrote that retirement
is GOOD, and he wants us to keep hope alive. Leonard Miller attended the
Miami University inauguration of Donna Shalala as president on November
2, 2001, representing UVM at the ceremony. Finally, we received sad news
from George Thomas ’49 that his wife and our classmate Suzette Levine
Thomas died on December 9. They have two married daughters and four granddaughters
living nearby in the San Francisco Bay area. Our hearts are with you and
your family, George.
1952
Lorraine Barclay of Friendly, Ohio, sadly informed us that her husband
and our classmate, George Barclay, passed away on October 6, 2001, at
his home. Our sincere sympathy. Lee and Cullen McEwing ’51 saw the
name Carolyn Wallace Barnum in this column and believed she was Carolyn
Wallace Wentworth, who stood up for them when they were married in Colchester,
Vt., during their senior year. Shirley Mullin Rhodes of Sun City West,
Ariz., moved there after her husband, Bob, who was editor of the Corpus
Christi paper, died in 1996. She is now where the “old folks play,”
and she doesn’t have to shovel. Last fall, she and three other widows
traveled to Italy and rented a house and a car. They could write their
own version of Under the Tuscan Sun. They all would like to return to
Italy. Shirley sees Peg Cook and husband Tom ’50 occasionally. Bertina
Pope Lawliss and her husband, Don, of Amesbury, Mass., plan to attend
the 100th anniversary celebration for the YMCA Camp in North Hero, Vt.,
in July 2002. She and her husband, a director of the Provident Bank in
Amesbury, enjoy retirement, being with their grandchildren, and doing
volunteer work. Bertina keeps in touch with Elsie Plude Baker via email.
Kenneth Peirce of Fairhaven, Mass., tries to keep up with his children.
His son is the minister of the First Unitarian Church in Medford, Mass.
His daughter is volunteer coordinator for the Massachusetts Society for
the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. He and his wife do a moderate amount
of grandchildren sitting. His wife is a storyteller and will be presented
with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the National Association of Storytelling.
Mary Dustin Hutchinson of Randolph, Vt., married C. Walter Dewey on September
29, 2001. They make their home in Randolph, Vt. Joan Kennedy Stout of
New York, N.Y., became a Dame of Malta in January 2001. Norma Fowler Thomas
of Bennington, Vt., keeps busy with volunteer work. She enjoys traveling,
and she spent the months of February and March in Florida. Norma just
welcomed her 12th grandchild; her grandchildren range in age from 20 years
to four months. Ruth Shaw Brooks still lives in Montpelier, Vt. She keeps
busy with playing flute and piano duets; reading to a blind woman; taking
trips with the ”Passport Club;” meeting her children in Vermont,
Pennsylvania, and Illinois; and walking in the mall for health. Happy
you are looking forward to our 50th reunion, and I hope other classmates
are, too. Trudy Wolf and her husband, Herb, and my husband, Dick, and
I enjoyed dinner at the Harvard Club as well as a delightful, fun musical
Mama Mia in early January. Trudy and Herb also had dinner with Roselle
and Mel Zabar. Everyone is talking about our upcoming big 50th reunion
celebration and looking forward to seeing lots of our classmates. Don’t
miss it. We hope everyone will return to UVM to renew old friendships
and create wonderful new memories.
1953
Have you noticed the increasing mass of class columns following ours in
the pages of the Quarterly? The number is rapidly approaching 50. We all
know what that means. Along that line, Jean Hakanson Hawes of Raleigh,
N.C., said that she is looking forward to our 50th reunion in 2003. The
only other report we received this time is from Jean Hawley Navarra of
Los Altos, Calif. (What a coincidence that the two names are so similar.)
The Jean from California is sad to report of her husband, Luyo’s,
passing in February of last year, but she followed it with the cheerful
news of a December luncheon with Jane Wilson (’52) Durie. “We
had a good catch up on family goings on,” she said. Let’s have
more news from ’53 classmates. Note that I have an email address
listed above. If you choose that communication route, please put “UVM”
into the subject heading so that I don’t delete it by mistake.
1954
Bruce Wood completed 43 years in funeral service last August. Bruce wrote
that he is still going strong, but he added sadly that his wife, Marilyn,
died in January 2000.
1955
At this writing, I trust all of you have enjoyed a wonderful holiday with
family and friends. Bill and I journeyed to Maine and Boston to visit
our gang. No snow, though, so skiing was not in the cards this time for
everyone. Of interest to all of you, Dan Burack was honored as a representative
of UVM at the inauguration of Laurence Summers at Harvard last October.
As a graduate of Harvard Business School, it obviously has special meaning
to Dan. There were 175 institutions from all over the world, and the procession
is organized by an institution’s date of founding. This brought Dan
right up front with Columbia, Yale, and Dartmouth, because UVM was the
19th university established. Dan mentioned that they are owners of Cranwell
Resort, Golf Club, and Spa in Lenox, Mass., and they have held several
UVM mini-reunions there throughout the years because of its location between
Boston and New York City. Cranwell, a four-star resort, offers a special
alumni rate. Sounds great to me! Ronald Apman of Cooperstown, N.Y., wrote
that he enjoyed attending his high school reunion last year. It was the
first one his class ever celebrated, 50 years after graduation. ‘Tis
the New Year, 2002, as I write this brief note to all of you. May the
year ahead bring peace and comfort to all. More anon.
1956
Bob Feitelson and his wife, Doris, have five grandchildren. Bob is 95
percent retired. They see Jerry and Anita Kobre often. Mary Piche Every
wrote that she has finally retired from the V.A. Hospital. She keeps busy
volunteering at the hospital and teaching English as a second language.
She will be even busier now because she expected to become a grandmother
in December.
1957
I am writing from the vicinity of Annapolis, Md., in a new home. Carter
and I have purchased a “villa” that is part of a large mixed
residential development. One of us had to be 55 to buy in this cluster.
We walk to stores, the library, the pool. We are a short drive to Chesapeake
Bay. The lawn gets mowed and the bushes trimmed for our yearly association
fee. My husband especially loves the convenience, and we both like being
closer to our four grandchildren. I opened an email message from Gerry
Groden with news and good wishes. Gerry, a psychologist, has been CEO
of several organizations in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, including
the Groden Center in Providence. The center provides a continuum of services
to children and adults with autism and related characteristics and their
families. Gerry has a son in Burlington, so he gets up there occasionally.
Marlene Patrick Thibault shared with us a nice newsy letter that she sends
to family and friends. For six months last year, Marlene and her husband,
Francis, traveled everywhere from Oklahoma, where they participated in
a volunteer building mission on the Cherokee Nation, to an Atlantic voyage
on the Queen Elizabeth 2. All of their 2001 destinations are too numerous
to mention. Marlene said that she is anticipating more cozy time at home
in the future, but she and Francis headed for Indochina this January.
They expected to have visited a total of 100 countries by that trip’s
end, qualifying them for the Traveler’s Century Club. It is always
a pleasure to note that UVM ties last and lifetime friendships are made.
As evidence, Roland Burroughs of Underhill Center, Vt., reported that
UVM alumni from “The Mrs. Hardy’s Group” at 14 University
Terrace met on July 27, 2001, in Colchester, Vt., for lunch and a celebration
marking 45 years since living together. Those attending were Wendall Austin,
Charles Bailey, Ray Bunker ’58, Gene Fellows ’56, Peter Maynard
’56, Dave McCuin, and Roland. Roland reported that everyone had a
great time. Hats off to Audrey Spooner Walker of Plattsburgh, N.Y., who
has done tireless service as a high school business teacher for more than
four years in Jericho, Vt., and more than 20 years in AuSable Valley Central
School. Audrey retired in 1998, and she still lives in the same house
on Lake Champlain. Her three children and seven of her eight grandchildren
live in Plattsburgh. “Slowly deciding what I’m going to do when
I grow up,” added Audrey. It’s great to hear from you. Keep
sharing your news with your classmates.
1958
Please take a minute to let me know the latest news to share with our
classmates.
1959
This is the time of year when we, as loyal alumni, consider our annual
contribution to the UVM Fund. We have received upbeat letters from the
development committee asking for funds to help meet the normal operating
costs of the university. The familiar envelope will appear for you to
either insert a check or make a pledge. Here are a few thoughts: For those
of us who give regularly, let’s try to give at least as much or a
bit more, and for those who have “forgotten” to give over the
years, many small contributions add up to big support of our alma mater
and increase alumni participation. That level of participation is doable
if we all chip in. Last October, I met with Frank Hammett while passing
through Schenectady, N.Y., on the way to Concord, N.H. Hank is retired,
and Frank is a broker at Tucker Anthony. We laughed and talked about some
of the crazy things we did at the Sigma Nu house (which is no longer there),
at the Old Mill, and at the coffee shop (which is no longer there) in
the basement of Waterman. I find that one of the treasures of life is
maintaining friendships that date back to our growing years.
1960
Linda Bowman Zahn sent an article about Jack Ovitt of Utica, N.Y. Jack
has been a teacher, church organist, choir director, Chaplain and Chaplain’s
assistant, and counselor. He has faced health challenges, including the
amputation of his right foot, yet he continues to play the organ for services
at the Masonic Home’s Daniel Tompkins Memorial Chapel.
1961
Lucille Wasick has taught in Connecticut, Japan, Turkey, Germany, and
Libya. She retired as library director of Wolcott Public Library in Connecticut
in August 1993 after 19 years. Stephen Berry retired after 34 years with
Polaroid Corporation. He plans to divide his time between living in Lexington,
Mass.; Stowe, Vt.; Martha’s Vineyard and traveling. Last August,
Antony Smart of Honolulu, Hawaii, visited a Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity
brother at Fenway Park and enjoyed brunch at Gail Backus’s home in
Acton, Mass.
1962
Walter Cochran of Madison, Conn., retired from Northeast Utilities Service
Co. last August. He and his wife celebrated their 40th anniversary last
January. They have three married children and seven grandchildren. In
addition to traveling, they will be looking forward to new experiences
in their retirement. Neil Pelsue and his wife, Carleen ’63, are enjoying
life in their mountaintop home in Vermont.
1963
Richard Gault has worked for the State of Connecticut Labor Department
for 30 years until he retired in 1997. Since that time, he has been home
with his daughters and granddaughters. Joel and Leslie (’65) Morris
live in New Rochelle, N.Y., but enjoy their country home in Massachusetts.
They stay busy visiting their sons and grandchildren in Wyoming and Nice,
France. They would love to hear from classmates.
1964
It is hard to think that it will be spring when you read this column.
Right now, it is very wintry outside. Mary Bean Bloom teaches English
as a second language for refugees in Portland, Maine. Steve Bloom is library
director at the University of Southern Maine. Their first grandchild was
born to their daughter, Sarah, in Davenport, Fla. Their son, Peter ’92,
lives near them in Portland. Carolyn Doane is heading farther west to
Santa Rosa, Calif., for more study. Both her children are “launched,”
and it is time for a change. She has spent 23 years in Colorado. Dr. Anthony
Belmont attended the inauguration of Barry Mills as the new president
of Bowdoin College on October 27, 2001, representing UVM at the ceremony.
I hope you have all resolved to keep us updated on your lives. I would
be happy to receive email from you. Keep in touch. Happy spring!
1965
Carl Ettlinger conducted a continuing medical education presentation on
avoiding ski injuries at the UVM College of Medicine alumni ski weekend
in March 2001. Carl is president of Vermont Safety Research in Underhill
and an adjunct assistant professor of orthopedics and rehabilitation.
Christine Waite Pinkham wrote from Northfield, Vt., that she and her husband,
Carl, have three sons: Kevin, who teaches at the Art Institute in Minneapolis;
Kreig who is the Vermont director for homeless and runaway teens; and
Kristian, who recently married a UVM senior nursing student and now lives
in Burlington.
1966
Milton Jepson of West Palm Beach, Fla., recently retired from Pratt &
Whitney after 34 years as an aerospace engineer at both the Hartford,
Conn., and Palm Beach facilities. He has been married for 36 years, with
three children and two grandchildren. Ron Nettleton is a practicing attorney
in Glastonbury, Conn. Stephen Stearns of Brattleboro, Vt., has been working
with Maria’s Children, an organization that offers arts rehabilitation
for orphans in Russia. Last summer, Steve and his wife, Bonnie, spent
several weeks teaching with Maria in Russia at an arts camp, adding theater
arts to her inspiring visual arts program for these disadvantaged children.
They hope to return in June 2002. Three years ago, Steve also founded
the New England Youth Theater in Brattleboro, Vt., which has included
a summer Shakespeare camp for teens. He still finds time to tour with
Peter Gould as Gould & Stearns. Len Swinyer continues to practice
medicine in a busy dermatology practice. His wife, Thalia, runs the research
center. They enjoy international travel. The Swinyers have two children
and three grandchildren. Anne Appleton Weller lives in Columbia, Mo.,
where she is director of major and planned gifts for the University of
Missouri’s College of Arts and Sciences. Anne, my husband, Ken McGuckin,
and I had a Chicago get together in December 2001. Please send news or
an email message to the above address. Keep those notes coming.
1967
Fayre Stephenson made a mid-life career change after having served in
the Massachusetts Legis-lature for many years. In 1997, she was accepted
by the Harvard Divinity School, and graduated in June 2000. Fayre was
ordained into the Unitarian Universalist ministry, and she is now minister
of the Foxboro Universalist Church in Massachusetts.
1968
Wayne Conner wrote to tell us that, after retiring from Boeing in 1998
to pursue his dream of being self-employed, Boeing asked him back. He
is now working as a manufacturing engineer on the 757 airplane. He still
runs his real estate business on weekends. Finding time to play golf is
problematic. His family is doing well. Sharon Chickering Moller’s
book, Library Service to Spanish Speaking Patrons, was recently published
by Libraries Unlimited. Congratulations!
1969
Kathy Tepper Nowlan is STILL teaching kindergarten in Randolph, Vt. Husband
Peter ’68 continues to be busy with his law office, Nowlan &
Meyer, also in Randolph. Their son, Jeff ’00, received his degree
in psychology from UVM in December 2000. He has relocated to Portland,
Oreg. Daughter Kim is a student at Mount Holyoke College. The Nowlans
have a Russian daughter, Roza, who graduated from Middlebury in 2000 and
now works as a marketing consultant in New York City. Kathy, Andy Stokes
Kenney, Connie Shannon Martin, and Mary Heyer Strouse enjoyed a great
day together at Andy’s family home on Lake Champlain last summer.
Stephen Kunken of Huntington, N.Y., wrote that his son, Charles, attends
Cornell University. The men’s senior league baseball team on which
Stephen plays shortstop won the Long Island championship last summer.
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