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50 | Here we are just a little over a year away from our 55th Reunion. Be sure to place June 9-12, '05 on your calendar now! On January 24 ten of your class officers met to discuss reunion planning. Stan Rodwin, reunion chairman, was already thinking there will be a super time for all. Our class dinner at the Cornell Club on that same day was attended by 23 classmates and spouses. Blanche Elster Kaplan (Teaneck,NJ) and Peter Rotolo with wife Arlene (Saddle River, NJ) were first-time attendees. David Dingle and wife Susan joined us as well.Dave entertained us with his great piano music. Dave and Susan sold their NYC co-op and moved "down east" to New Suffolk, NY, 70 miles east of Broadway.David still goes into NYC each week to keep in touch with clients, fellow Rotarians, and Masonic brothers. Marion Steinmann and husband Charles Joiner were with us. Marion gave an updated report about her study of the '50 class women.We are anticipating a published book in the near future about our class coeds.

We are enjoying reading your responses to our new Class News form.We hope you like our format. We welcome any comments for improvement, changes, and the like. Two additional 50th wedding anniversaries are reported by Bill Brockway and wife Cass (Hagerstown, MD), along with Warren and Betty May Greening Wigsten '49 (Pleasant Valley, NY). Betty retired from teaching Home and Career skills, while Warren is retired from exporting dairy cattle. Fred Shaner (Greenwood, SC) and wife Elinor have moved to Wesley Commons, a retirement community in Greenwood. They are enjoying the low home maintenance, maid service, three meals a day, pleasant staff, and cheerful residents. They miss the beach and friends at Pawleys Island, but not the hurricanes. Ramon Aires (Granada Hills, CA) reports that WVBR is finally available in streaming audio at WVBR.com. "I spent a lot of time working on the audio equipment when this station was part of Cornell. WVBR is a better connection here in Southern California than it was in the dorms in 1948-50." Ramon further tells us that you can listen to the Cornell chimes at www.chimes.cornell.edu/sounds.

Recent correspondence from Dick Pogue (Shaker Heights, OH) tells us he has returned to Jones Day, now the second largest US law firm, as counsel to the managing partner on business development, strategy, and special assignments. Dick had been with Jones Day for 37 years (1957-94) and as managing partner for nine of those years. He then joined a corporate public relations firm, Dix & Eaton, as senior advisor, where he has been until January of this year.

We are sad to report illnesses and especially deaths of our classmates, but think you want to know. Stewart Cudworth's wife Emily (St. Charles, IL) reports that he suffered a stroke and can't write news to us, but looks forward to reading our class column and following the rest of us. Classmates we have lost to death include Robert Hammon (Cherry Hill, NJ), with notice from his wife Mary, and Pat Gleason Kerwick (Rochester, NY), as reported by husband Tom. Both died last August. In addition, Anthony Del Duca (Santa Barbara, CA) died last November, as reported by his daughter.We will miss them all and send condolences to all these families.

Tom Kerwick writes that he turned 80 in December. "They say the people who berated you for slowing down so badly in your 70s will start solicitously helping you instead." In addition he tells us that last son Matt is producing the first and only grandson. The Kerwick name can live on, and it is quite rare. "Not bad for an only child of an only child."

On a personal note I wish to thank all of you who have called,written, and e-mailed your sympathy upon the death of my husband last fall. It's meant more than you will know to me. He was my column editor here at home, among other things. Our column is a little shorter this issue, as all of our members had not renewed as of Feb. '04. If you are in this category, send dues and news asap.-- Ruth"Midge"Downey Kreitz, 3811 Hunt Manor Dr., Fairfax, VA 22033; tel., (703) 860-2991; e-mail, rdk12@cornell.edu; Paul H. Joslin, 6080 Terrace Dr., Johnston, IA 50131; tel., (515) 278-0960; e-mail, phj4@cornell.edu.

51 | The Nov/Dec issue of this magazine reported on the April 2003 dedication of a lightweight rowing shell to Cornell in memory of Thomas Kelly, who was a member of the lightweight crew team while at Cornell. Kelly, an aerospace engineer employed by Northrop Grumman for 38 years, was the "father of the lunar module."The gift came from friends, family, teammates, Sigma Nu brothers, and his employer.

Dev and Kitty Welch Munn cruised the Windward and Leeward Islands in February 2001 with a group from the North Carolina Zoological Society. The seven of them were delayed two days in joining the cruise because of a cancelled flight. In August 2002 they traveled to Ireland with a Cornell Alumni Federation group. Kitty says, "It was a great trip. None from '51 in our group, but other Cornellians were good company on our day trips from Ennis, County Claire." Living in Raleigh, NC, they are active in the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship and the state's Learning in Retirement (Encore) programs. Kitty helped host Questers during their international convention held in Raleigh. Much of her time is spent with weekly Care Team meetings and the Health Ministries Committee at church. In 2003 they spent a week at the J. C. Campbell Folk School in western North Carolina, where Kitty had classes in watercolor painting and Dev in woodcarving.

Hurricane Isabel was the bad news for 2003. Kitty wrote: "The eye of the storm went over the town of Oriental, NC, causing flood water higher than ever recorded, three to four feet in the main streets of town. We had five feet of water in our entrance hall and lower level. The water flowed in slowly, left in a hurry when the wind shifted, and broke out four windows-- leaving the basement and its contents in shambles. It took in excess of 40 man-hours to sort, bag, shovel, hose down, and generally clean up the mess. In the yard, everything that was not tied down and could float was washed away. The yard was clean as a whistle."

Shelley Epstein Akabas traveled to Mongolia on an Adult University (CAU) trip with husband Aaron and two oldest grandsons. They stopped over in Seoul, South Korea, for a visit with former doctoral students. Shelley teaches at the Columbia U. School of Social Work and was named Professor of the Year. She is a board member of Cornell's Hillel and CAU and a member of the University Council. Last summer Shelly participated with daughters Miriam '82 and Sharon in Glenn Altschuler, PhD '76, and Ross Brann's course, The Ambiguities of Assimilation; The American Jewish Experience.

Jay and Jerri Ann Reilly Peck have retired from Peck Furniture and are living in St. Petersburg Beach, FL, where Jerri Ann is serving her third year on the Board of Directors for Silver Sands #3 Condominium and is chairman of the Atrium & Welcoming Committee. She celebrates still being here after a heart catheterization that went awry and ripped up 18 inches of her femoral artery. She ended up with a bypass. She writes, "Every day is a gift," and reports that she and Jay had a wonderful cruise on board the Sovereign of the Seas with a number of Jay's Ft. Schuyler (NY) '46 classmates.

We received word that Marcella Norgore Janes died on January 20. She had been living at the Providence Marianwood nursing home in Issaquah, WA, and had previously sent us an update on her active life. On the legislative committee of the resident council, she was also grandmothering two Sudanese Christians serving as nurses aides there, who escaped massacre by the Sudanese Muslims by walking 900 miles to a refugee camp in Kenya.Her actual grandchildren lived far away, but she designed holiday decorations for them to make, earning her the nickname "Crafty Grandma." In 2003 Marcella showed she could cope with multiple sclerosis by accepting an of- fer by the local HOGs of a ride on a Harley motorcycle. She also had a letter published in TV Guide. Son Nathan is a homicide detective in Seattle.

CAU's Whose Promised Land? drew attendees last summer from our class: Charles Mund and Bob Nelson.Marjory Lyons Thayer attended The Way Bugs Work, and Donald Regula participated in A Spring Theater Weekend in New York.

Don '52 and Mibs Martin Follett celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary at St. Croix with the entire family (eight adults and seven grandchildren). Then it was the Tequesta, FL, condo from January to May before returning to Easton, PA. They found the Life Learning Society courses at Florida Atlantic U. stimulating; last year it was Great Decisions 2003, and this year they've signed up for Issues in the Middle East. The highlight of the year was a visit to New Zealand, where their eldest granddaughter is doing a study abroad at the Victoria U. of Wellington. "What a fantastic country and such friendly people. It is truly one of the great places on this planet!"

Despite medical problems Jack and Marybeth Weaver Ostrom managed two months at their Cape Cod cottage with a family reunion and visits from MB's '51 roommates Louise Squire Bishop and Betty Grimm Hague. The Ostroms' final word: "We look forward to 2004--it's got to be better!"

Barry Nolin's '51 webpage is http://class of51.alumni.cornell.edu/. Please send your news to -- Brad Bond, 101 Hillside Way, Marietta, OH 45750; tel., (740) 374-6715; e-mail, bbond@ee.net.e

52 | A copy of Ina Perlstein Loewenberg's new book, The View from Seventy: Women's Recollections and Reflections, arrived just before deadline. Ina has interviewed 41 women born in 1931. Three are Cornellians: Ina, Rhoda Ratner Barr '51, and Roz Zalutsky Baron '53. In this book's photos and life stories, many of us will find traces of our parents, our friends, and ourselves. It is interesting, and available from the U. of Iowa, 1-800-235-2665.

That's just the beginning. The latest mail brought 23 postcards.Added to the 20 remaining, we have a good bit of news, much of it from heretofore silent people. The format allows for much information, which sadly must be abridged. Raymond Gallagher writes from Waukesha, WI, that having sold his small business in January 2003, he is now completely retired: "Retirement takes some time to get used to and I am just now getting to accept it."Nonetheless, the Gallaghers spent three weeks in Alaska in August and three in Kenya the year before, and hoped to visit Spain and Portugal in 2004.

Arthur Franz writes from Bolton Landing, NY, "It's never too late to try something new. At age 75 I climbed my first four high peaks in the Adirondacks, including Mt.Marcy, the highest mountain in New York. Great views from the top." Clifford and Jen Eddy ofWebster, NY, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary Nov. 25, '03. Matthew Zak, Rochester, NY, writes that he wasn't at our 50th reunion because Jean (Sprott), his wife of 50 years, died prior to the event. He writes of his son Bradford '80, who stayed with him during that sad time. Bradford has managed hotels throughout the Far East and is currently creating a new hotel group in Costa Rica, Tanzania, and China.Matt closes with, "All the best to our classmates."

Arthur Reader, Arden, NC, says, "I'm still kicking after a cardiac episode Dec. 13, '03 that landed me in Owen Heart Center, Asheville, NC, for eight days. Living with defibrillator and lots of medications."He and Pat made it to the Mars Rover launch meetings in Cocoa Beach, FL. He says, "Great meeting all those bright Cornellians!" Art has set up a website for his regional alumni club. It's at http://caabrm.alumni.cor nell.edu. Bob Messner, Warren, VT, is still actively skiing, biking, hiking, and flying powered aircraft and gliders. He manages a small private airport. He continues, "Sailed across the Atlantic last month on a beautifully maintained 360-foot square rigger ex-private yacht," and reports, "three kids (no longer ‘kids') and five grandkids all doing well."

Tom Martin writes from Valatie, NY, "Moving from Chapel Hill, NC, after six years, to Columbia County, NY, in order to be near my daughter and granddaughter." Last spring he was an overnight guest of Bill Denton and his wife in Hilton Head, SC. Bill and Tom were Phi Gamma Delta brothers and roommates in their senior year. From William Koschara, Mt.Morris, NY: "They tell me I'm retired (nine years of teaching and 16 years of other state service). I still have one foot in farming, one foot in church work, one foot in private aviation (a private airstrip on the farm), and one foot in being an adult officer for the Children of the American Revolution."With four feet, he sometimes runs into himself. His wife Barbara (Shear) '50 is equally busy. They also pull a wagonload of stuff with five children, seven grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.He closes,"Hey, it all keeps you going so you don't have time to get old."

When Richard Clark wrote from Osterville, MA, he was feeling the Red Sox seventh game loss to the Yankees. He expects the Red Sox and the Cubs will meet in a Series, but not in his lifetime. Rik wrote, "Volunteer work keeps Sandy and me busy and involved, along with golf, biking, and boating. Future travel will take us to Bermuda, Palm Springs, CA, golf school at Pine Needles in NC, and a Portugal cruise next fall. We are very thankful for good health and satisfying lives."

Robert and Jeanne Irish Lewis are almost settled in their new house in Webster,NY, about seven miles from the house they built in Rochester 40 years ago. They finally signed up for an Elderhostel, only to have it canceled, so they went to Hawaii. In June they celebrated their 50th anniversary with daughter Ellen and her three boys, son Giff '82 and his wife, Jerry Irish '58 and his wife, Cindy Brandt Johnson '77 and her children, and Joe Meldrim '00, ME '01.

Robert, MS '54, and Eleanor Hospodor Conti, MS '54, have returned to Cumberland, RI, from five months at the U. of Cambridge, where Bob was a visiting professor in the engineering department.He has retired from Bryant College and is on a "permanent, unpaid sabbatical" as an emeritus professor. They look forward to spending more time with their 12 grandchildren. By Feb. 1, '04, Jack and Patricia Thornton Bradt expected to be in residence in Bethlehem, PA, just seven miles from their Easton home. (This seven-mile thing is odd.) They sent their new address and an interim address, but that's all.

Those who attended the joint dinner at the New York Cornell Club of the classes of '51 through '54 following the January Assn. of Class Officers (CACO) Mid-Winter Meeting had a good time. Consider it for next year. -- Joan Boffa Gaul, 7 Colonial Pl., Pittsburgh PA 15232; e-mail, jgcomm@aol.com.e

53 | It was colder than (you could look it up) Helsinki when a horde of Old Reds from all over descended upon the frozen heart of Manhattan for the 99th meeting of the Assn. of Class Officers (CACO), Jan. 23-24. About 600 heard President Jeffrey S. Lehman '77 once again sound his Alumni Call to Engagement, i.e., to think hard about the vintage 2015 Cornell and tell him what comes to mind. An opportunity to be heard!

The '53 contingent was told that its exchequer is healthy and considered ways to use it wisely. Plans for '53 gatherings in the coming year were revealed, including the traditional annual Homecoming festivities with friends from other classes of the '50s, like the 50 or so who met and et Saturday night at the Cornell Club-New York. Quite a few after-dinner songsters were on at least approximate pitch and actually remembered many of the words. Pianists Tom Foulkes '52 and Dave Dingle '50 were in mid-reunion form. So here's to organizer Mitzi Sutton Russekoff '54 for another triumph. And she wants to do an encore next year!

Retired medic Sam Cassell (Wyckoff, NJ) spent a sultry week in the tropical wilds of Haiti last November on a medical mission to Jean Fond Noel, a primitive mountain village four hours by truck from Port-au-Prince, with four other Jersey docs. The team is one of several that have donated time and skill to the village, which has been "adopted" by The Church of Presentation of Upper Saddle River. It has no fresh water, no electricity, and no medical care. The volunteers worked from dawn to dark to see between 100 and 120 patients daily, treating a long list of medical challenges from hernias to a pig bite (but neither malaria nor AIDS). They were able to help people who walked for miles through the jungle, including a father who was carried to the clinic on his son's back. The visitors experienced Haitian poverty (and affluence) close up and were moved by Haitian crafts and a Sunday Mass to a drumbeat of African-based rhythms. "Will I go back? After seeing everything, how could one not?" says Sam.

A doctor with a lawyer daughter, Stanley Landau (Hewlett Harbor, NY) proudly notes that she (Leslie Landau, JD '83) has been appointed Superior Court Judge in Contra Costa County, CA. Retired five years from the practice of adult and pediatric urology, dad manages time for golf and bridge, digital photography, writing short stories, and pursuing culture at theaters, symphony halls, and museums, just as so many of us thought we'd be doing when we quit punching the clock. He stays current with developments in his field and is part of a panel that reviews legal cases of possible malpractice for both plaintiff and defendant. He made time for a 16-day Russian river cruise from St. Petersburg to Moscow last year. Cardiologist and Harvard Med School prof. Julian Aroesty's most recent son, Adam, a high school junior, is checking out colleges (he's on course to matriculate in Sept. '05). "Once he starts college," says Julian, "I will spend more time away from the snow in the winter."

"Daughter Laura was married in California (first time) at age 42," reports Ann Baskett Kaiser (Wheat Ridge, CO). Son Jeff runs a business in Maui, so, says Ann, her travel schedule is reduced to Hawaii, California, and Ithaca. Dancing, mainstream jazz events, and gardening keep her busy near home. Recie Miller Scott (Cincinnati) gives high marks to Adult University (CAU) trips to Sicily and Martha's Vineyard last year. Caroline Mulford Owens, now living yearround in the family's summer place on a lake at Bridgeton, NJ, her old hometown, is dealing with a half-year of renovations. "Now that," quoth she, "is a learning experience."

Sonny Bloser Monroe (Cocoa Beach, FL) says "retirement is great" and "modern medicine is wonderful." She's striving to keep her golf score down and her portfolio figures up. After years of tennis, she found herself in need of two new knees and one new hip (all in 18 months). At last look, all were working fine. Elaine Cohen Levitt (Philadelphia) isn't traveling far "till things quiet down in the world," but can't find enough time for all the golf and bridge she'd like, partly due to service on the boards of Franklin Inst., Liberty Museum, and the Y. Virginia Falk Stout (Seattle) is deeply into a second career as a life design consultant. Through her business, called Newlife Design, she advises scientists, engineers and health professionals. There's a daily bird walk with husband Bill, plus Unitarian Church activities and other worthy works. Like many, she "could use a few hours more in a week."Nancy Walldorff Harvey (Virginia Beach, VA) tells of trips to Russia and Ukraine to lead marriage retreats.

Louis Pradt (Wausau, WI) fondly recalls an all-day lunch in Naples a while back with Bill Lewing, Jim Bowman, and Frank Delle Cave '54 (and spice--that's the plural of spouse, right?). Retired surgeon John Hartzell (Grosse Pointe, MI) is concentrating on golf and grandchildren, one of whom was adopted from China. His son John went to Thailand last year to be married after a longtime, long-distance (Detroit to Bangkok) courtship. Bill Welsh (Rochester, NY) keeps his days golden with volunteer hospital work and running his model railroad. Art Harre (Cincinnati) keeps model airplanes aloft, besides golf and Kiwanis. Bob Dilatush (Cranbury, NJ) was still in the insurance game when last we looked and has a full schedule of grandchildren's athletic events. He and Elfriede make regular visits to Germany to see his frau's family and friends. For Carl Hobelman (Washington, DC), leisure means "reading, bridge, travel, and snow-shoveling."

See you at Tanglewood July 11? -- Jim Hanchett, 300 1st Ave., #8B,NYC 10009; e-mail, jch46@cornell.edu.

54 | Can you hear the Dixieland music? Are your hiking/running/ golf shoes packed? Is your all-weather wardrobe selected? If so, Ithaca must be on your travel schedule for June 10-14. It would appear there are hundreds of us headed back to "tread the Hill again." Check the new address for our class website at the end of the column for up-to-date information on events and those returning. You should have received your reunion packet by now, but if you haven't, please e-mail reunion co-chair Rosemary Jung at rojung@aol.com, or call Chick Trayford at (800) 470-8847. You have until May 25 to return your registration form.

A few notes from those planning on returning for our 50th. Barbara (Loreto) '55 and Leon Peltz, who divide their time between Manhattan and Sag Harbor, left last August for a cruise around the Baltic, with St. Petersburg as a highlight. Judy and Stephen Kaplan are looking forward to reunion and more Adult University (CAU) trips, which they find the "best." Allan Griff got his 70th birthday wish, which was to go fishing on the Chesapeake with his three children. In July 2003 he and Nancy spent a month in Iceland, where they visited with Bjørn Sigurbjørnsson, PhD '60, and Halldor Grøndal '52. They drove around and across the country discovering puffins, dirt roads, Iceland ponies, volcanoes, hot pots, skyr, and more.

Fred Battaglia has become professor emeritus of pediatrics at the U. of Colorado. This spring Fred will be the recipient of the Howland Award, the American Pediatric Society's highest award. This award has been given since 1952 to honor those who, by their contribution to pediatrics, have aided in its advancement. Fred does winters in Sanibel, fall on Cape Cod, and flyfishing at Steamboat. A nice balance. Francis Fletcher Jr. has remained true to his Carolina roots.When he was on the Hill he was one of the very few students from North Carolina, but fortunately times have changed. Francis is active in the Cornell Club of Charlotte and has taken several alumni trips. Linda Stagg Long will venture from her mountaintop in Big Sur, CA, to return to reunion for the first time. Ed and Cynthia Tuccillo Kowalczyk winter in Key Biscayne, but return north to Toms River, NJ, when the temperature rises.

Serga and Daniel Nadler will be back in June, hopefully with a couple of Dan's books to share. Dan's civil engineering career took him all over the world, and his love of photography has given the world some marvelous books including: The Faces of Man: Iran the Beautiful; China to Order, his book on Chinese export porcelain; and his yet to be finished "The Lure of Silver: From Fetish to Fashion,"which will accompany the Nadlers' silver jewelry collection when it is exhibited by the Johnson Museum in spring 2005.

Dr. Richard A. Jones of Clermont, FL, will head north in June to join in the fun Ken Hershey and Rosemary are planning. Dick sums up his life's résumé as fairly average, to wit: military service, graduate school, marriage, two kids, four grands, several employers, heart attack, prostate cancer, and shoulder reconstruction. Retired in central Florida, he is still active with Cornellians thereabout and his Hotel school class. Carmen (Lovre) '57 and Bus Ryan will be back, of course. They are still chasing the perfect 70- degree living conditions between their three locations in Naples, Atlanta, and the hills of North Carolina. Bus says it is fun but fairly insane. I can't argue the benefits, but the thought of all that moving leaves me exhausted. Betty Siebert Libera moved her permanent address to Stuart, FL, but has yet to totally sever her ties to Rochester, where she and husband Donald spend their summers.

Noah Fuhrman of Albuquerque, NM, has been president of a citizens' grassroots organization, New Mexico Citizens for Physician Retention, since 2001. The group is working to enact changes in state and federal laws in order to improve the economic climate for physicians in New Mexico. Seymour Feldman continues to teach one course each year in philosophy at Rutgers, saying it keeps him young. Robert Hellmann's first grandchild joined the family last November. Perhaps that is why I haven't had more stories about wildlife as seen from a library window. Martin Zeluck, after 40 years, is still a practicing ob/gyn in Haddonfield, NJ. Phil Eastman has just completed a year-long stint as interim school administrator in the Whitesboro school system. Phil said it was enjoyable and fulfilling, but he will be happy to re-retire. Rob Sinacore of Staten Island volunteers at the Senior Center, travels, and manages to go to the theater several times a week, mostly off-Broadway. He has stopped square-dancing at the request of his knees. June Burnett Gurnett, M Ed '57's hobbies include watercolor classes, creative writing, and, in the winter, shoveling snow, that great upstate New York pastime.

We had hoped to have our class directories to you before reunion, but a few glitches in the university's computer systems have led to a later delivery date. Chick Trayford is doing a very detailed search for all class members so as to make the directory as accurate as possible. Your class council met in January and voted to pay $10,000 toward our scholarship pledge,made at our last reunion. The pledge was $37,500, with a matching challenge gift of $12,500, for a total scholarship of $50,000. Peggy Hill's handmade quilt will be raffled off at reunion, with all proceeds going to the scholarship fund. -- Leslie Papenfus Reed, 500 Wolfe St., Alexandria, VA 22314; e-mail, ljreed@speakeasy.net. Class website: http://classof54.alumni.cornell.edu/.

55 | Your class officers and members of the Class Council put in some very productive discussion time at the annual Assn. of Class Officers (CACO) meeting in January. Topic A for the group? Our upcoming 50th Reunion, of course! Under the capable leadership of cochairs Dick Estey and Phil Harvey, preliminary plans are well under way for a truly memorable, once-in-a-lifetime event.Members of the Reunion Committee are Joan Weisberg Belden, Elizabeth "Hilly" McCann Dearden, Bill Doerler, and Ann Overbeck. Ned Arps, our Cornell Fund representative, will be working with Participation Chairs Dick Pew and Nancy Livingston Hopkins. Nancy is also scouting for appropriate accessories/souvenirs, and Joan Belden will be heading up the Affinity Groups program. In the works is a wonderful variety of events, some familiar and some new. Remember to notify Janet Scanlan Lawrence that you're planning on joining us (e-mail, louis dixneuf@aol.com).

Here's a recent note from Art Dommen: "As a historian of Indochina, I am enjoying going through the latest batch of Oval Office tapes from the Nixon Administration," released by the National Archives and Records Administration. "From Roosevelt to Ford, the most inscrutable and unpredictable president that the Indochinese dealt with was Nixon," says Art,"and these recordings reveal his rather incoherent approach to policy- making during the Vietnam War." Rona Kass Schneider sells American fine prints from 1860 to 1940 through various venues, notably her website (ronaschneiderprints.com). Frustrated with "all those Religious Right nuts who are trashing this country," Rona has joined the Freedom from Religion Foundation, an organization based in Madison, WI. She is also involved with Brooklyn Heights issues, "as the city tries to chip away at our lovely neighborhood."

Libby Milliken Klim, an Education for Ministry mentor, says her family is all healthy, including an autistic grandson who is improving. Libby, whose nephew is safe in Qatar "somewhere in the desert," participated in a peace vigil, and continues gardening, writing, and "arting" in her spare time. Charlotte Schneider Rubashkin says she's "living life as well as I can, feeling lucky to be here with no major ailments." To keep her brain going, Charlotte tackles the New York Times crossword puzzles and plays mah-jong. She received a Master of Letters from Drew U. in 2000--"very different study from my BS in ILR." Now retired from AT&T/Lucent, Charlotte has more time to volunteer, serving as president of the board of a music school and as an officer of the local AAUW.

Marcia Willemen Sutter is on the board of the North Museum of Natural History and the Cornell Club, and recently traveled to Peru with husband Phil. They took a small boat trip on the Amazon River, which provided some thrilling moments: "We almost had an anaconda land in our laps from a tree on a night excursion, and we went fishing for piranhas!" They also visited the Andes, where they viewed Machu Picchu, in an area native to over 300 species of orchids. Since Samuel "Skip" Salus retired, he's devoting himself to cultural pursuits such as music, theater, art, and historical restoration. But he admits he'd rather be "an 80s golfer." Now getting used to life without a secretary, Skip is working on his computer skills. As for Cornell contacts, he's spoken to Tom Litwin and Jerry Flagg, and congratulated Jerry Rosenau, a college teacher, on his textbook on merchandising, which is used by several colleges.

Marty Gorman King and husband Bruce celebrated their 50th anniversary last August with a week-long celebration with family and friends at their Hidden Valley, PA, summer home. Painting, singing (with the Venetian Harmony Chorus of Sweet Adelines International), cooking, needlework, travel, and reading keep Marty busy, as well as helping to care for her brother-in-law with Alzheimer's. Priscilla Rice Ebert writes a bi-monthly column for the local paper--"nothing particularly political or controversial, but more a commentary on life experiences." She's also working on the 50th anniversary history of her church (when she's not playing bridge, or tennis, or taking part in the local amateur theater group). Like so many of our classmates, Pris finds that now's the time to travel, and she enjoyed a Cornell Alumni trip last fall up the Rhine from Budapest to Vienna, ending up in Prague.

Keep on sending me your news; remember that the length of our column depends on how many duespayers we have. -- Nancy Savage Petrie, nsm55@juno.com.

56 | Wayne Wisbaum received the Root/Stimson Award for community service in his hometown of Buffalo, NY.Wayne is a lawyer with Kavinoky and Cook, where he has been for over 40 years. He almost singlehandedly raised the money for restoring the Kleinhans Music Hall and was involved in every facet of this endeavor. He is also involved in many other charities in his city. I knew his father, Franklin, who was also a fine lawyer, and have been a close friend of Wayne and his wife Janet for all these many years. Congratulations! Syrell Rogovin Leahy has been writing mysteries under the pseudonym Lee Harris. Murder in Hell's Kitchen has been doing well and her new book is The Bar Mitzvah Murder. Her second home is in Tucson, near Tom and Marilyn Way Merryweather '57. Up north, she has recently moved to Fort Lee, NJ.

Another writer from our class, Steve Katz has a new novel just published, Antonello's Lion. He has four grandchildren and makes his home in Denver, CO. Also in Colorado, Nancy Marx Thorpe (Carbondale, CO) is still working at The Aspen Inst. She visited our classmate in Madrid, Sharon King Fernandez-Cavada and her husband Luis.

Ronnie Hartman (Long Beach, CA) says he is another one of the crazies who is still working (not so fast, there are a lot of us). He is practicing ophthalmology and teaching at UC Irvine. Ronnie is the grandfather of eight; one of his sons is his partner, his other son is an orthopedist, and both are Chief of Staff at their hospitals. Stanley Komaroff, JD '58 (New York City) was formerly managing partner of Proskauer Rose, a law firm in New York. He has joined Henry Schein Inc. as senior advisor, focusing on those areas with his considerable expertise.We wish him luck in his late-life adventure. Also in NYC, Howard Schneider, JD '59, is still senior partner at his law firm and serves on the board of PJM Interconnection, which runs the power grid from New Jersey to West Virginia.

J. Anthony Burton has retired from the practice of law and is living in Amherst, MA.He publishes scholarly articles dealing with Shakespeare and teaches occasionally at the U. of Massachusetts. His main travels are to London. Patricia Brodie is still working part-time as a psychotherapist in Concord, MA. She has four children scattered across the country and one in London with her new grandchild, Isabella. Judith Jabloner Bumble (Bryn Mawr, PA) is retired and involved in the world of art. She paints, sculpts, and remodels houses and gardens. Judith belongs to The Art League in Philadelphia, as well as other groups. She loves her new grandchild, Benjamin.

Grace Goldsmith Wahba was recently named the I.J. Schoenberg Professor of Statistics at the U. of Wisconsin. She and her partner David Cullan have a home in Madison. Bob Boger (East Lansing, MI) has just retired from Michigan State U. after 36 years on the faculty. Bonnie Smith Whyte (Reston, VA) has retired from the US Dept. of Agriculture. She is now very involved in the Reston Historic Trust, planning interpretive walks. She has taken some wonderful cruises and spent a lot of time with her cousins.

Allan Bean of Manchester, CT, writes: "After attending reunion with me in 2001,my dear wife Cindy died of leukemia. Since then, I have gotten engaged, moved my fiancée twice, moved her mother once,moved my office in the house, gotten married (my new wife is Cheri), sold our house, and moved the household and business from one Connecticut town to another. I'm still working as a freelance advertising writer every day as ‘Beanwriter.' " It was nice hearing from Al D'Agostino of Arlington, TX.He is semi-retired, but still consulting on marketing matters out of his home office. He is a member of the Optimists, Korea War Veterans, and WWII Merchant Marine Veterans. Al has six grandchildren.

Keep well and keep those letters coming. I'm still here with Phyllis Bosworth after more than 35 years in this magazine! I can't believe it. -- Stephen Kittenplan, 1165 Park Ave., #2A, NYC 10128; e-mail, catplan@aol.com.

57 | The arrival of Roger Jones's 12th grandchild lends a symmetrical shape to his family--four children each have three offspring. He and Peg continue to live in the Spruce Creek Fly-in Community in Port Orange, FL, although he has sold his airplane. They took their Nordic tug through the Bahamas during the winter. Roger writes ballads and waltzes and has a direct computer link between his organ and computer so that he can print out the sheet music as he writes it. (How did Mozart get so far without that capability?) Roger has seen Phil McIndoo, Ted Raab, and Joe '56 and Sue Derosay Henninger recently. The latter couple was also on a Cornell Alumni Association tour of Fiji/New Zealand/Australia with John Maclay, who has given up the trumpet after 25 years of activity in various community bands and orchestras in the Walnut Creek, CA, area. Unlike Roger, he still flies his Cessna182, and also spends time enhancing his automobile collection of Alfa Romeos. He is 11 behind Roger and family in the grandchildren department, in good health, and looking forward to the 50th.

After retiring from a career in public education, Dick Gross now owns his own company and does consulting in the education field. He has two new grandchildren and took an extended trip to Italy last spring. Rick Freeman is also retired from 35 years in education, having taught economics and environmental studies at Bowdoin.While Dick was in Italy, Rick was in South Africa for three weeks. Last summer he saw my old Baltimore high school buddy Beach Kuhl, who is still litigating in San Francisco. Rick Knittel was in Italy at approximately the same time as Dick, and shares a musical involvement with Roger and John, becoming increasingly active as a jazz trombonist.

Ted Engel,MBA '58, MS '64, is also a grandfather, as of last year, and is still in the business of breeding, training, and racing standardbred horses.He is also involved with the Indianapolis Indians baseball team, the Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. Sam Leadley, PhD '67, is also involved with animals as a calf and heifer management specialist, and served as a presenter at the Western Veterinary Conference and World Dairy Expo last year. He reports having seen classmate Don Williams recently.

Chuck LaForge has been honored by the Village of Rhinebeck, NY, upon his retirement as proprietor of the Beekman Arms, "America's Oldest Hotel."He has moved to Florida, stuffing the local Goodwill with excess family treasures in the process. Phil Gravink sends along news of a reunion of the greatest crew (my phrase) in collegiate history. In addition to watching the "Victory at Henley" film, they golfed and walked and in general relived a glorious past--a past that makes all of us proud. -- John Seiler, 221 St. Matthews Ave., Louisville, KY 40207; tel., (502) 895-1477; e-mail, suitcase2@aol.com.

The annual Assn. of Class Officers (CACO) Mid-Winter Meeting was in January in New York City, and about 35 classmates gathered for a Moroccan dinner while catching up on travels, grandchildren, high school reunions, and assorted ailments. No backaches or knee problems for Dori Goudsmit Albert, however, as she participated in the group lesson on belly dancing, with Bert Grunert DeVries and others applauding her efforts. Class officers met the next day to discuss a number of items. A class directory is to be prepared for our 50th Reunion, and get ready for new red and white vests (Betty Starr King has volunteered to be chief seamstress). In the evening Marcia Wishengrad Metzger, Judy Richter Levy, LLB '59, Judy Madigan Burgess, and I were among those who attended a marvelous Pan-Asian Chinese New Year banquet in Chinatown sponsored by the Cornell Asian Alumni Assn. The fund-raiser for the library featured the traditional lion dance, a 12-course dinner, door prizes, and remarks by President Jeffrey Lehman '77.

Did you watch the Westminster Dog Show in February? Margaret Keller Curtis owns the sire of the Sussex spaniel who won the Sporting Group. In the last 12 months Margaret has been to Vancouver, Peru, and Maui for judging, and this past March she took her champion Clumber Spaniel to England for Crufts. Audrey Jones Cauchois was in London for Thanksgiving, enjoying museums, galleries, the War Rooms, and theater. Last year she toured Alaska for a few weeks and made it as far north as Barrow. Now that spring is here Audrey enjoys tending her roses in Quoque, NY.

Barbara Baltzel Burton celebrated her 50th high school reunion last summer in Plattsburgh. Then she and Sandy '58 joined Shirley Calloway Lindsay, Gina Turnbull Christie, Marylou Fleming Veit, and their husbands for a minireunion in Old Forge. Much of the Burtons' travels these days have been from Bar Harbor, ME, to Kettering, OH, to visit children and grandchildren (six of them). Another grandmother of six, Sue Davidson Braun writes that her kids live in three different cities and "rely on me to come and help after a baby is born." Such an event prompted a visit to the NYC area, where she toured the NY Historical Museum with Mina Rieur Weiner. In January Sue and her husband tried an Elderhostel trip in Yellowstone Park, describing it as a gorgeous experience and one where the park staff said it was the most beautiful winter they had seen. No snow in Rochester last September when Sue attended her 50th high school reunion. Sue asks,"How come some of us have a better time at these reunions than we ever remember having when we were attending the school?"

Judy Madigan Burgess's former husband Jack died of lung cancer in October and was buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery in December -- Judith Reusswig, 5401 Westbard Ave., #813, Bethesda, MD, 20816; e-mail, JCReuss@aol.com.

58 | We have just returned from a wonderful visit in Florida at the home of Jack and Diane Baillet Meakem '61. Glenn and Maddi McAdams Dallas were also there, and aside from having a wonderful time, we discussed some changes for our big 50th Reunion. Upon arriving home, I received an e-mail with the dates, June 5-8, 2008. Mark your calendars now--it will be great! Of course, you can always keep informed by checking out our class website, http:/classof58.alumni.cornell.edu. Last October, some classmates attended a party hosted by Al Podell. He helped produce a show called "Listen To My Heart" with music by David Friedman. Classmates who attended were: Joe and Barb Buehrig Orlando, Charlie and Betty Anne Steer Merritt, Alan Goldman, Jon and Mary Ann Howell, Micky Benowitz, Sy and Helise Bucholz, Mike and Jane Griffinger, Dick and Lynn Rothenberg Kay '61, and Liz Fuchs Fillo and Chris Coucill.

Fred Sherman lost his wife last November. She had had cancer since 1991 and died six days after her last day of work as administrator for a law firm. Jim and Annette Fogo Harper went to France last October with Dick and Nancy Hoeft Eales '60 and then into Spain. For Christmas, Annette and Jim went to Florence, Italy, to visit their son Jamie, an art history professor studying and writing on a grant. The Harpers expect to have two weddings this year and have added grandchild number three, so it should be a busy year!

Ronni Schulbaum Strell went to Cornell for the inauguration of President Jeffrey Lehman '77, representing the Cornell Club of Northern New Jersey. She retired in 1999, but is still doing freelance editing of elder-law books. She also enjoys ushering at classical concerts in the Morristown Community Theater and all crafts. Her longtime project is crocheting a bedspread for a queen-size bed (into the fourth year!). Lois Bates Walnut and husband spent the Christmas holiday in England with their daughter and family. She keeps busy helping to oversee the renovations and major addition to her church, for which she was on both the design and building committees. Barbara Streicher Magid and husband Len traveled to Russia last summer with Harry and Irene Lazarus Soskin. Last December, they went to Australia and New Zealand. Len is retired, but Barbara is still teaching and doesn't plan to retire for a few more years.

Philip Coombs Jr. has four children, all Cornell grads. Last year he and a party of eight, including some older grandchildren, took a week's vacation and went down the Grand Canyon.He enjoys hiking and community projects. He retired from the NY State Dept. of Corrections as the commissioner. Philip also runs a 200-acre farm with his brother and family members. Dick Metzgar has retired and moved to Clayton, GA.He enjoys tennis and hiking and finally has a grandchild! Martin Steinberg manages to travel a great deal while keeping very busy with his work and research. His daughter is due to marry this June in Toronto--to a hockey player! Have a great summer! -- Jan Arps Jarvie, 6524 Valley Brook Dr., Dallas, TX 75254; e-mail, jjarvie386@aol.com; and Dick Haggard, 1207 Nash Dr., Fort Washington, PA 19034; e-mail, rhaggard@voicenet.com.

59 | Festivities for our 45th Reunion kicked off on the evening of January 23, when some three dozen people gathered for a very enjoyable class dinner at the Cornell Club in NYC. Though the group consisted mainly of people from the NYC and Ithaca areas, five people came from California: Carol Vieth Mead, Gerald Schultz and his wife, Mary Jo Sigler Tennant, and Bob Weinman. Dick Vincent came from Texas. So did Gwen Woodson Fraze and her husband, though they came via Russia and Finland, rushing to the Cornell Club after the long flight that ended an exciting trip. Gwen and her reunion co-chair Fred Harwood spoke about reunion plans, and co-president Marian Fay Levitt discussed the Class of '59 Scholarship endowment. She also noted that over the years 23 members of our class have set up fully endowed scholarships on their own.

The next day, 20 classmates attended the annual Assn. of Class Officers (CACO) Mid-Winter Meeting, where we had the great pleasure of meeting and listening to Cornell's new president, Jeffrey Lehman '77. At an afternoon class meeting, Gwen and Fred went into greater detail about class events during reunion. "We'll have an opportunity to visit the fabulous new Laboratory of Ornithology--impressive even if one isn't a birder," said Gwen. "And we'll take a bus tour through the F.R. Newman Arboretum, complete with an interpreter from the Cornell Plantations staff."Note: In addition, the Plantations will offer nine guided tours open to all returning alumni; they'll be listed in the reunion program available upon arrival at our dorm, the air-conditioned Town Houses on the new North Campus.

Later, Gwen told me that the class is sponsoring a musicale by some of the university's gifted music students."Many of us are not aware of the high level of excellence of Cornell's music undergrads," she noted. The musicale will be held in the renovated Lincoln Hall. You may recall that our Class Gift at our 40th Reunion in 1999 was designated for a practice room and a piano in Lincoln Hall.

The class meeting at CACO also included a discussion led by Dave Dunlop, chair of the Nomination Committee. The committee includes Stephanie Lipsit Tashkovich, Dick Vincent, and as ex-officio members, our current co-presidents. The committee will present a slate of candidates to fill the following positions for the next five years: President(s), Vice President(s), Secretary, Treasurer, Class Correspondent, Reunion Chair(s), Class Fund Representatives(s), and Class Webmaster. The responsibilities assigned to each of these class officers are described in the Class of 1959 Constitution, adopted in January 2003.

Who's coming to our 45th Reunion? You can find out at http://reunion.alumni.cornell. edu/, which maintains up-to-the-minute lists of Cornellians who have registered for reunion. The site also includes on-line registration for class reunions and other events taking place on June 10-13. There's a ride-share board, too!

Other useful sites are http://www.alumni. cornell.edu, where you can pay class dues, and http://giving.alumni.cornell.edu/, where you can make contributions to the Class of '59 reunion campaign. And don't forget our own class website, http://classof59.alumni.cornell.edu, where you can read about classmates, find contact information, and--by the time you read this-- see photos from the January class dinner.

By the way: Our class continues to hold the record for attendance at a 25th Reunion, with 428 classmates attending back in 1984. The record for the 45th Reunion, held by the class of 1955, is 228. Help us set a new record this year!

In an e-mail to Ron Demer, Beck Brown of Williamsville, NY, recalls how Steve Friedman was the very first Cornellian he met in 1955:"He helped us unload our family car at University Hall #4. Jack White (of the Kennedy Center in Boston) was the second, and you, Ron, were the third Cornellian in my new life in Ithaca." Beck's post-graduation contributions to Cornell have included sending outstanding students to the university from the high school classes he taught, first in Westport, CT, and then in Amherst, NY. In 1991, Beck retired from the classroom and expanded a financial planning practice--"which even now keeps me focused on servicing a few splendid friends."

Joining the don't-have-to-get-up-and-go-towork crowd is Eleanor Applewhaite, who retired at the end of 2003 after a long career in communications law--25 years at CBS and for the past 13 years at Channel 13, New York City's public television station. In February, Cornell's Office of Alumni Affairs announced that Ellie was one of the winners of the 2004 Frank H.T. Rhodes Exemplary Alumni Service Award. The award is given in recognition of extraordinary service to the university, in both length and quality of contribution by the individual. Commented Class Co-President George Schneider, "I believe Ellie is the first member of our class to receive this extraordinary honor.We are very proud of her and her dedicated service to Cornell."

See you "far above Cayuga's waters" on June 10-13! -- Jenny Tesar, 97A Chestnut Hill Village, Bethel, CT 06801; tel., (203) 792-8237; e-mail, jet24@cornell.edu.

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