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SEP./OCT. 2004 VOLUME 107 NUMBER 2 Class Notes

50 | 51 | 52 | 53 | 54 | 55 | 56 | 57 | 58 | 59

50 | I will begin this column with a tribute to our devoted classmate Sam Johnson, who died in May. Sam expanded the Johnson Wax Company, started by his great-grandfather, into the consumer giant S. M. Johnson.He was a loyal and generous Cornellian, especially for the Class of 1950.We are grateful that he lived long enough to be honored last fall with a distinguished outstanding Cornellian award, together along with his lovely wife Imogene (Powers) '52. Classmates Al Neimeth, JD '52, and Hugh Flournoy roomed with Sam near Lowry Air Force Base for Intelligence School assignment in June 1952. They had been together for advanced Air Force ROTC at Cornell, and were in class together again from 6:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon each day, and enjoying bachelor life in Denver as new 2nd Lieutenants. They had just completed demanding graduate studies at Harvard Business School (Sam), Princeton (Hugh), and Cornell Law School (Al). Al remembers Sam being most generous in offering the use of his new cream-colored Oldsmobile convertible and arriving in Denver in the twin engine airplane he flew.He also noted that there were many phone calls each week to a lovely coed in Connecticut who later became his wife.We send our special sympathies to Imogene and their children.

We also send sympathy messages to the family of Henry Ten Hagen, who died in April.Henry had been self-employed as a horticulturist and was involved in the research and development of freeze-drying and cloning of various types of flowers.

Gerhard Schad, Glen Mills, PA, is a professor of parasitology at the Vet school at the U. of Pennsylvania.He writes that he married Margaret Willson on Sept. 28, '03, at Cape May, NJ. Congratulations to both of them. Ollie Myslichuk McNamara, La Jolla, CA, tells us, "I am busy writing my memoirs as I take a course in this subject.My Cornell years were a big part of meaningful changes at a young age."Ollie is retired from her fashion business, where she owned her own store and traveled to New York and Europe on buying trips. It was a rewarding and all-consuming career for 25 years. She moved from Phoenix to La Jolla in 2000.Her daughter Cindy Wright Jones lives in La Porte,CO, and son James Patrick lives in San Francisco.

Dick,MBA '51, and Ursula Sennewald Myers write that Dick had knee replacement and is back on the tennis courts. It is so great that available spare parts help us keep a healthy lifestyle. The Myers flew to London last year for a week and then returned on the QE II. They report it was a wonderful experience. Laura Cassedy Bitter, Tryon, NC, writes that she is very involved in her Methodist Church, serves on her condo association board, and hosts the Landrum Quilters. "I do very little quilting. Typical of quilters, I have an ample stash of fabric beckoning for me to become creative.My contribution to the Landrum Quilters is to host a monthly quilting bee. I have the largest living room with great light." Laura has a great-granddaughter in Hangzhou, China. Baby Wendy Jane arrived on April 1, '03. Because of the International dateline, Laura learned of the birth on March 31!

Thanks to Bob Fite, correspondent for the Hotel school, we have news of the Hotelies. Al Gentner, Portland, OR, reports the death of his wife Carol after 53 years of marriage. Al sold one of his hotels, The Imperial, and they had hoped to have time for some travel. Our sympathies go to Al and his family. Bill Keithan, Seattle,WA, may have been involved in the WWII Memorial in Washington, DC. His primary activity has been as archivist for his WWII 42nd Infantry "Rainbow" Division. I hope all you veterans have seen or will get to see the memorial. Living so close to Washington, DC, I've had the opportunity to go, and it is quite magnificent.

Robert Davenport and wife Patricia, Kingston, NY, spend three months of the year in Florida. There should be an active Cornell '50 club there with so many of the class now in Florida. Robert plays golf, fishes, and still mows his own lawn. Other time is spent enjoying 16 grandchildren. Bob Feller, Oxnard, CA, had a great reunion with his daughters and spouses in Mammoth Lakes for a Christmas/New Year's skiing event. Paul Gruber, Arlington, VA, is among the 50th anniversary celebrants. He and wife Shirley celebrated last October with their four children and five of their seven grandchildren. In the area of "after hours" extracurricular events, he drives for Meals on Wheels and is past president of Friends of Arlington Parks. Paul has given 21-plus gallons of blood to the Red Cross!

New dues notices will reach you soon. Please pay and send news of yourselves.We will catch up with all of you as soon as possible. Hope to see many of you at Reunion in June 2005. -- Ruth "Midge" Downey Kreitz, 3811 Hunt Manor Dr., Fairfax, VA 22033; tel., (703) 860-2991; e-mail, rdk12@cornell.edu; and Paul H. Joslin, 6080 Terrace Dr., Johnston, IA 50131; tel., (515) 278-0960; e-mail, phj4@cornell.edu.

51 | Bedford Hills, NY, saw a three-family house for single-parent families and elderly and disabled individuals named after Albert Marchigiani, JD '53, on March 26. Albert was a co-founder of the organization A-Home in 1985.He wrote the first by-laws, filed for incorporation and tax-exempt status with the IRS, and is a member of the President's Council, in spite of suffering an incapacitating stroke in March 2003. A-Home creates and maintains stable, affordable, innovative housing opportunities for Westchester County's most vulnerable citizens. Joan Arnold, A-Home's executive director writes, "In our early days the guts of our operation were at Albert Marchigiani's Bedford Hills law offices. Every meeting held was an opportunity for Albert to cook."Albert served three two-year terms as Supervisor of the Town of Bedford from 1973 to 1979.He was honored for his professional contributions to the Antioch Baptist Church and with a Public Service Award from the Westchester County Recreation and Park Society in 1980.He was recognized for 50 years of continuous membership by the American Legion in 1999 and 50 years of professional service by the Westchester Bar Association last year.He took great pleasure in attending Cornell Law School's Continuing Legal Education Program in March 2003 and staying at the Peace Tower.

John Carl Huttar Jr. reports from Gainesville, GA, that Edward "Ted" Reifsteck, LLB '54, is moving from Honeoye Falls, NY, to a condo in nearby Pittsford. Both were Phi Kappa Upsilon and 150 lb. football players at Cornell. Ted also reports that Herman Haneman '52, MEE '57, recently completed a trip to Eastern Europe. Thurl '52 and Barbara Clarke Merritt, Cornwall-on-Hudson, NY, retired from business (Merritt Florist) in 1989 after 34 years and have enjoyed trips to England, Denmark, Germany, France, Israel, and Alaska, as well as visits to children's families in Florida,Washington State, and California. They have three children, Robin, Craig, and Glenn, and three grandchildren. Barbara teaches floral design and is vice president of the PTA, treasurer and financial secretary for their church, and a literacy volunteer.

Reginald "Reg" Rice,MBA '52,Menlo Park, CA, reports successful cataract surgery and unsuccessful skiing and tennis.He's retired, but not from duplicate bridge, where he has accumulated 200-plus Master Points. All children and grandchildren are self-supporting and out of jail. Jim Stocker lives nearby, but doesn't play bridge. Harold "Mike" Gould, Pavilion, NY, FFA president at Cornell, still enjoys farming, going to auctions, and friends. He and Rose celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in June '03.

Rhoda Ratner Barr, Hastings-on-Hudson, NY, writes that she is still working full-time for a management consulting firm focused on governance of non-profit organizations, chair of the Hastings-on-Hudson Planning Board, and "still married to my wonderful Cornell husband" Martin '49. Bud and Jane Huffman, Bethlehem, PA, report March skiing with Bob '50 and Jane Post, Mantoloking, NJ, with no spills while staying at the Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe, VT. The Huffmans spent January in Spain and were planning a September trip to China.

Joseph Bertino, Branford, CT,moved from the Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in 2002 to become associate director of the Cancer Institute of New Jersey at the Robert Ward Johnson Medical School.He continues his research and sees patients with lymphoma. Richard J. '49 and Joy Stern Gilbert report a three-week trip to Russia and Estonia, two weeks visiting Michigan and Wisconsin, and a three-week cruise to Argentina and Brazil. They plan a visit to Cornell for Rick's 55th Reunion in June. Elizabeth King Black, Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, NM, expects to have moved to Spokane,WA, near daughter Lorna and grandchildren by the time this appears. Sally Williamson Williams and she plan to be in Kenya for a 10-day safari in September--her ninth and Sally's first.

John '50 and Alice Halsey Mix report in from Venice, FL (winter), and Brattleboro, VT (summer). Richard and Inez Borden report in from Portland, OR, without sending any news. Janet Armstrong Hamber, Santa Barbara, CA, writes: "Despite the incredible ups and downs of the Condor Recovery Project, I still spend quite a bit of time acting as the Condor Information System database archives manager, or out in the field at Hopper National Wildlife Refuge monitoring the movements of the California condor and watching a nest we hope will produce the first fledgling of a condor in the wild in California since 1982."

Thomas O. and Marilyn Nuttle, Baltimore,MD, hope to get their granddaughter Molly into Cornell next year. They toured the Italian Mediterranean last fall and celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in Hawaii in May. Marcus Bressler, Knoxville, TN, writes that he sees Don Griffin, Pittsburgh, PA, during ASME boiler and pressure vessel standards committee meetings several times a year. John Stone, BS '54, M Ed '66, attended a Pi Kappa Phi reunion at Blue Waters Lodge on Santeetlah Lake, Robbinsville, NC,May 4-5, 2004, hosted by Joan and Harold "Buck" Farmer. They carpooled the 51-mile Charahala Skyway to Tellico Plains, TN, for lunch, stopping at a 100-foot waterfall along the way.

We've lost touch with some of our classmates and hope that readers of this column can help us find a current address for Anna Schmitz Barrow, Harry A. Bates, Nicholas Bawlf, Jane Ellen Perrine Beres, and Dr. Merton B. Berger (for a second try). Barry Nolin's '51 Web page is http://classof51.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.

52 | Good news. Enough members of the Class of '52 now subscribe to Cornell Alumni Magazine to give us 1/3 more space for Class Notes. This is truly terrific, as you are good correspondents. At least some of you are. There are many of you, and you know who you are, who never write. You may have written a lot as undergraduates, but what happened? Who are you? Where have you gone? What are you doing these days? Last year's lapse is forgiven, but the new dues notices with their open-ended, easy to return, prestamped post cards--eminently suitable for your news--will shortly reach you. No excuses, now.Write!

For now: Graham Jamison now lives in Pine Bush, NY. A retired dairy farmer and retired supervisor of the town of Crawford in Orange County, Graham is now director and chairman of the board of Walden Federal in Walden, NY. He has served with the bank for more than 30 years. Richard Dye, MPA '56, of Pleasantville, NY, writes that he and wife Anita were visited by our webmasters Paul and Polly Prine Herman, who were in from the Northwest enjoying October's fall colors. Dick continues to be active with his international education consulting work, International Education Solutions, which has recently taken him to South Africa, Bangladesh, Jamaica, and two Caucasus republics, Armenia and Georgia. David Murray, Syracuse, NY, also stays busy with his own business. Having retired from Upstate Medical University, where his field was orthopedic surgery, he went back to school at NAWCC School of Horology, Columbia, PA, and now runs "Doc's Clocks," a repair service.

Cynthia Fabian Gray writes from Illinois: "I'm learning to paint, spend time at the Winnetka Thrift Shop, and take courses at our Senior Center. No grandchildren, but one great son, Stephen."Ann Burrhus Kent writes from Walton,NY, that her husband James died in April of last year. Surgery at Sloan Kettering was followed by a heart attack. Their oldest son Dave '78 (MBA, Duke) is spending the next two years with her. He is at Binghamton U., switching careers from the corporate world to high school education. Ann says, "I could have told him 30 years ago when he was helping his kid brother at the dining room table that he was a born teacher, but they don't listen at that age. We'll go back to his home in Falmouth, MA, at the end of the two years and proceed from there."

Irwin Lublin, Los Angeles, CA, reports that in November, Ina Perlstein Loewenberg of Iowa City flew to Los Angeles to visit, "thus renewing an acquaintance that began in 1948 in freshman English." Irwin further reports that the acquaintance has been greatly enhanced via e-mail during the last two years, and that they spent five pleasant days reminiscing,mainly about Cornell. Stephen Michelman, New York, NY, follows up on the 2003 New York Times wedding announcement: "Culminating our eight-year relationship,Margaret Scott and I got married last February. Each of us has one son.We're very happy and we feel extremely blessed." Steve is still practicing law, part-time now, dealing primarily with the elderly and their caregivers. He runs a weekly short story reading and discussion group at All Souls Unitarian Church and, as frequently as possible, he bikes to Chelsea Piers, five minutes away, and hits golf balls.

George Vlahakis, Nashville, TN, says, "Nothing much new," but reports that wife Marina is still undergoing therapy and making gradual progress in her recovery from a stroke in 1999. They were able to spend three weeks in August 2003 with family in Maplecrest, NY. The group went to Ithaca to visit grandson Gregory Crownover, who was beginning his freshman year in Arts and Sciences. They stayed at the Statler and had dinner with George Bantuvanis '51. Mary Anne Cranston Sovocool, LeRoy, NY, is another who says, "Not much new news this year." She has retired, but now tutors junior and senior high school students. She still writes warmly of her Cornell sons and the grandchildren who attend the university.Mary Anne belongs to the Genesee-Orleans Cornell Club and the Cornell Women's Club of Batavia.

Richard C. Smith writes from Moore, SC. "After visiting family and attending Homecoming, Belle and I took several days to regroup and then flew to Portland, OR, to take a weeklong trip on the stern wheel paddleboat Queen of the West up and down the Columbia, Snake, and Willamette rivers. It was a bit on the cold side, but we found it very interesting and enjoyed it a lot." Joan Schoof Hoffman, Bogart, GA, also took a trip: "Enjoyed a two-week cruise with American Safari Cruise Lines from Seattle to Juneau (Inside Passage). Crew of 10; 11 guests. A-1, 5-star, over the top in all respects."You may recall that George Conneman, MS '56, and wife Diane (Knack) received the New York State Agricultural Society's 2003 Distinguished Service Citation in January of that year. News received this year notes that, in addition to their distinguished careers, the Connemans enjoy travel. They had been to Australia, China, Peru, and England in the past and planned a trip to Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam.

Herb McCarter ofWest Palm Beach, FL, sent a list rather than a note. The items are ballroom dance and music, tennis, handyman, volunteer nonprofit/charitable organizations, senior single. I'm not sure whether that last refers to Herb's game or status.Word from E.Whitney Mitchell, Stuart, FL: "All goes well. Florida in the winter, Nantucket in the summer. Tough life. Sold my real estate company. Lots of golf. Lots of friends and many Cornell grads nearby."

Joan "Jay" Dudley Goldspinner, Greenfield, MA, after more than 20 years of professional storytelling, had pretty much stopped, but after September 11 returned with a program of stories and poems in varied voices of the Middle East. Under the sponsorship of the Northampton Friends Meeting, she performed the stories to "a lively and interested audience on Nov. 8, '03." Proceeds benefited two peacemaking groups. Jay plans to tell her stories in other places, "to people of all ages, hoping to bring a little more peace and community into the world." The mail brings all sorts of news, and it's all part of life. Herman Stern of Sarasota, FL, writes gamely: "Not much new. But Parkinson's is making inroads in body and mind. I'm definitely not playing with a full deck of cards, but I hang in there!"

Rabbi Ronald Millstein, Great Neck, NY, sent a lot of news on one post card. He announced the birth of his sixth grandchild and first grandson Auriel Micah Wish. Beth MillsteinWish '89 is the boy's mother. Ronald, who is emeritus rabbi at Temple Israel of Jamaica, also wrote that he had officiated at the funeral of classmate Kenneth Katzner on May 27. He keeps in regular touch with Bernie Gold, who retired from Proskauer, Rose LLP and now teaches at UCLA Law School. He also enjoys New York theater frequently with Paul Avrich, retired Distinguished CUNY Professor of History. The Millsteins took "an enlightening trip in Russia--old and new."

Official word: If you were double-billed for dues, or received identical notices from Cornell, know that the university has converted to a new database for alumni information that will offer many advantages when fully operational. Startup difficulties could result in a few multiple mailings for items such as class dues. Please be patient until the bugs are worked out.

As a Class of '52 duespayer or university donor you should receive a complimentary copy of Kafka's The Trial, the book that will be mandatory reading for all incoming freshmen. Check the Class of '52 Web page, http://classof52.alumni.cornell.edu, for news and comments on this class project. That's it. Send news. Please. E-mail is fine, but do fill in the subject line, unless your e-address identifies you. -- Joan Boffa Gaul, 7 Colonial Pl., Pittsburgh, PA 15232; e-mail, jgcomm@aol.com.

53 | Some of us are indeed always returning to our old Cornell. So '53 was present at the June reunion of the young whippersnappers of '54, who have passed the 50th Reunion milestone and become certified codgers, with a geezer or two thrown in. Some, like Bob Dailey, Stu Warshauer,MBA '54, and Don Unbekant, accompanied spouses (spice?). Fifth-year engineer Bill Gratz, BME '54, counted himself as '54 for the weekend and was warmly received. Warren G.Grady, BME '54, however, is at present a member of '54 (honorary), as he is of Dartmouth '53 (honorary). Gerry earned his way by presiding over what was billed as an ice cream social for '54, complete with all the traditional ingredients, including, well, a sock. It's said '55 was scouting him, too.

Many attended as members of the Continuous Reunion Club (CRC), such as Jim Blackwood, Judy Resnik Chabon, Clark and Claire Moran Ford, Ernie, PhD '69, and Jane Little Hardy, Peter Haswell, Louis Pradt, Bill Sullivan, Gerry Grady, and your obd't servant, moi. (More '53 classmates would be welcome additions. Just let me know if you're so inclined.).

Judy Chabon and husband Bob '52, M Ed '55, went to the Van Cleef Dinner at the Laboratory of Ornithology. This was '53's freshman year of eligibility to that event for members of classes that have passed their 50th Reunion. They reported a Nancy Van Cott Jones sighting among a flock of '53s at the Sapsucker Woods sanctuary. John and Lea Paxton Nixon made rare off-year reunion appearances as the College of Human Ecology honored Lea with its prestigious Helen Bull Vandervort Alumni Achievement Award. Veteran portsider Don (The Unknown) Unbekant pitched what he said was his final inning in the Alumni Baseball Game at Hoy Field--and gave up no hits. Let's hope he, like Roger Clemens, decides to unretire.

Warm memories of our supercolossal 50th Reunion linger. Paul Makosky (St.Michaels, MD) tapered off with a sunny, says he pointedly, drive to see old friends above Keuka's waters. Later in the summer he visited old friends from his Pakistan days in Oakville, Ont., arriving ten minutes after the lights went out for most of the northeast.He shunpiked home via Titusville, PA, to view "Col." Edwin Drake's original 1859 oil well site (mandatory pilgrimage for Chem Es, says he). Back home, he has for years been helping with a local chamber music festival, serving on the county economic development council, and donating his time to the county hospice organization.Wife Linda begins her second five-year term as county planning commissioner.He "gets to carry her briefcase when the conventions are in Rehoboth or New Orleans.""The older grandchildren are becoming computer proficient," he adds, "so we'll have to break down (and get) our first to do e-mailing--assuming the (kids) never learn to write actual letters."

Jim Dolliver, PhD '60 (Grover Beach, CA) has moved somewhat to the west and considerably closer to the Pacific, a few miles from San Luis Obispo. Bill McBurney (NYC) and remote cousin Kay McBurney Brady (Bradenton, FL) finally met at our 50th. They had sort of thought it would happen by chance back in those good old days on the Hill, but it didn't.When they finally got together, they decided they were farther removed kin than they had suspected, since they didn't share the same great-grandfather back in Ireland after all. A photo was supplied but the voracious computer worm of last May et it. Bill lives near the Cloisters in upper Manhattan, and since, he says, he isn't ready to be on vacation full-time, he continues to seek achievement by marketing co-op apartments and finding them for buyers.He says, "The process keeps me in touch with the town and its dynamic populace, lets me into beautiful places in well-architected buildings, and requires a lot of purposeful walking that I find preferable to a treadmill."

No doubt you remember the Sixties. Some were doves, some were hawks. A few were dawks. Others remained true to their generation and remained silent. Or didn't notice. Sylvia Hart Wright (Eugene, OR) participated, or so says she in "Breaking Free: A Novel About the Sixties," published online. It moves from the Berkeley antiwar scene to NYC where a young white woman grows increasingly involved with Black Panthers. Sylvia says the book is based on personal experience. It's posted at www.westby northwest.org. She adds that her nonfiction When Spirits Come Calling: The Open-Minded Skeptic's Guide to After-Death Contacts, about contact with loved ones who have become deceased, remains available.Medic Marguerite Goetke Larsen (Middletown, NJ) is "learning to do nothing, i.e, read, cook, day-trip to NYC," now that she is "mainly retired" from armed services consulting. Marcia Wright Treiber (Tulsa, OK) reports that husband Ken's retired from the company he helped found 17 years ago.

See you at Homecoming Oct. 16? Or the Schoellkopf Sellout II vs.Yale at Schoellkopf Sept 25? Let's pack the place to welcome a new coach, Jim Knowles '87, and a new life for Cornell football. -- Jim Hanchett, 300 1st Ave., #8B, NYC 10009; e-mail, jch46@cornell.edu.

54 | Reunion Report

55 | Get your calendar or PDA (for the more up-to-date among us) handy. June 9-12, 2005 is the date for our not-to-be-missed, once-in-a-lifetime ("That's a joke, son") 50th Reunion.

Speaking of reunion, here's a special request from Joan Weisberg Belden, who's volunteered to head up the Affinity Groups part of the planning. She needs a lot of willing helpers to call, e-mail, or write to friends and classmates, encouraging them to come to reunion.Nothing succeeds like that personal touch, as you know. If you can lend a hand here by contacting members of your Cornell sorority, fraternity, dorm, team, club, or organization, please tell Joan.Her e-mail address is rsbelden@worldnet.att.net.Another email address to make note of: Janet Scanlan Lawrence at louisdixneuf@aol.com. She's the one to notify that you plan to be with us next June. Her address is: 229 Marlton Rd., Pilesgrove, NJ 08098-2725; tel., (856) 769-3497. Janet will be posting and updating a list of attendees on our class website, http://classof55.alumni.cornell.edu.

Now on to the news. Some of it came in a while ago, but I'll try to get everyone's included sooner or later. Fred McFarlin says he's finally found his "ten-plus acres and a bass pond" in Havelock, NC, and moved there a year ago. The creek is reported to be full of 4- to 5-lb. bass and speckled trout. "Fishing, anyone? Come on down!" Fred says he's glad to note "the beginnings of two stable democratic states in the Middle East, without which there could never be peace between Muslims and the rest of the world." Sylvia Verin Mangalam, MA '57, keeps busy up in Nova Scotia with the Food Action Committee and the Ecology Action Center and as one of the "Raging Grannies."Her newest discovery is that "people think I can sing!" Barbara O'Connor Kenny's discovery about herself is that "organization is a skill that you're born with and it's very difficult to acquire as the years go by," despite well-meaning friends and family who ply her with how-to books and articles. But success seems to be at hand: "This new knowledge is very slowly being absorbed by a last-minute crammer," she reports.

About 50 classmates and friends enjoyed a wonderful April afternoon at Buckhorn, the private home of Joel and Sherry Vogel Mallin, collectors of contemporary art, in Pound Ridge. Buckhorn comprises 15 acres of woodlands and gardens, a lake and orchard, and close to 60 outdoor sculptures, plus the Art Barn, which houses installations, paintings, photography, videos, and sculptures. The Mallins themselves conducted an entertaining and informative tour, sharing with the group their own relationship with the art and artists. Regretfully, magazine policy doesn't permit a listing of all the attendees' names, but we express our thanks once again to the Mallins for graciously hosting this marvelous pre-reunion event.

Among many classmates who've settled in Florida is John Cohen, who married off the last of his three daughters last summer. Over in Sarasota, Joe and Vera Steiner Simon enjoyed visits from Ralph De Stefano, Phil Harvey, and Bill Sledge over the winter. Joe also reports that Hans "Swede" Dahl is president of the local barbershop group. The Simons celebrated Vera's 70th birthday with a family reunion at Skytop in Pennsylvania. Their four Cornell children were there, plus Vera's brother Ernie '63 and six grandchildren. Speaking of grandchildren, Joanne Burford Brown is setting the bar pretty high: can anyone beat 18?

Irene Adler Hirsch and husband Henry have lived in Netanya, Israel, for 14 years. Life there is "exciting and rewarding," says Renie. They live a block from the "warm, blue-green"Mediterranean, stay active with volunteer work, and are looking forward to seeing everyone on the Hill in June 2005. Hans "Wolfi" Duerr was the subject of a great article in his local Tucson paper.Wolfi has been named to the newly formed Sahuarita Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee, an appointment for which he seems well suited.He organized the Desert Strollers, a group who walk, bicycle, and birdwatch around the Greater Tucson area, and also founded the Quail Creek Boys men's singing group.Wolfi has now started a lapidary club as well. "I have an interest in seeing more people enjoy their free time or their retirement time," he says.

Wolfi definitely plans to head back to Ithaca in June 2005, as do Seymour Musiker, Dick Kurtz, Norm Nedde, and Debbie Golub Leibowitz.We were sorry to learn that Priscilla Rice Ebert's husband Chuck died last December. "He was just days short of his 90th birthday," explained Pris, "but as active as he had been at 70." The Eberts enjoyed a number of CAU trips in recent years, and although Chuck was not a Cornellian, "he knew the words to all the songs we sang." Please feel free to send your news to me via e-mail. I look forward to hearing from you. -- Nancy Savage Petrie, nsm55@juno.com.

56 | I am writing this at the beginning of the summer when many of our classmates are enjoying vacation or taking trips. Curt and Pamela Reis will be in Botswana, Jerry Tarr is in his yearly two-week spot with Nonnie in Capri, and Gail and I just returned from Italy.As we reach the magic age, it surprises me how so many of us are still productively working. For those that are retired, enjoy yourself! The same thing to those that are still on the job. As long as we are all healthy.

Keith Kellogg of Phoenix, AZ, recently took a trip on the new Queen Mary 2. He said he had a ball.He also attended a party given by Bill Doerler '55 at Princeton last fall and saw a lot of his fraternity brothers. He is looking forward to our 50th Reunion. Miriam Mattinen Shearing (Incline Village, NV) is chief justice of the Nevada Supreme Court. She writes that her husband Steve just retired from ophthalmology but is still busy in real estate. They attended the Santa Barbara Film Festival where their daughter Leslie had the US premier of her film Dogs in the Basement. She was producer, director, and writer of this work, which received good critical notice. Joan Hillsley MacKenzie is a psychiatrist with an outpatient practice of children and adults. She also helps at a camp with severely disabled children, most in wheelchairs. She is the mother of a son and daughter and lives in Redondo Beach, CA.

Our condolences to Phil Chase '54 on the death of his dear wife Merle (Root). They were residents of Port Jervis, NY, and the parents of five children. She was a teacher, an environmentalist, a volunteer in the local hospital, and an overall exceptional mother who guided her children through the financial maze of college. She will be missed by her family and the community.

Apologies to Helene Reiback Berger for not catching up to her letter earlier. From Coconut Grove, FL, she tells us that she missed our 45th Reunion due to a conflict with husband Ady's 50th at Dartmouth. He retired this year after building homes for 44 years. She is happy that they can spend more time in their home in the Berkshires. Helene is chair of the Jewish Education Service of North America as a capstone of her career of service to the Jewish community. Her son is chief of cardiology at Pennsylvania Hospital, while her daughter is a tenured professor of mathematics at MIT.Helene is a grandmother of four. She still loves Cornell and looks forward to seeing any of her classmates who are in the area.

Virginia Brooks Hochberg, MA '61, is still teaching at Brooklyn College and has five grandchildren. Carmela Suckow Ackman of New York City has retired as a lawyer and recently took a fascinating trip to Havana. Keep your letters coming to us.We enjoy reading and printing them. Stay well! -- Stephen Kittenplan, 1165 Park Ave., #2A, New York, NY 10128; e-mail, catplan@aol.com.

57 | Mark your calendars for Homecoming,October 16.We not only play Colgate, but all classmates are invited to the dedication of the Class of '57 Kinkeldey Room in the Main Library.Many of you had a tour of the room under renovation during our 45th Reunion. However, why wait until the 50th to see the completed work? If the weatherman cooperates, can you imagine the view from that room? A reception is planned so that all attendees can see their campus legacy.

Some classmates were back on campus in June for the Law school reunion, as well as the Continuous Reunion Club. Judy Richter Levy, LLB '59, reports that she saw Ellie Meaker Kraft, LLB '60, who works on criminal appeals in the San Francisco area. Connie Santagato Hosterman enjoyed the weekend. Connie passed along the news that Phyllis Shames Korn is chairing the capital campaign and building committee for a new rehearsal hall at the Seagle Music Colony in Schroon Lake.

Olga Duntuch Krell, BArch '58, was awarded the first Honoris Causa Doctorate in architecture and design by the Faculdade de Belas Artes, Brazil. Although she hasn't practiced architecture since three years after graduation, she was being recognized for her dedication to promoting the profession and professionals, primarily through her magazine, Espaço D'. Olga travels a great deal in her job as editor and publisher, so she missed the Cornell Glee Club when it toured Brazil. However, Olga writes that her daughter Lisa Krell Aulicino '92, also with the magazine, "did the honors for the Krells and helped all she could."

Finally, a sad note to report, the death of Priscilla Kiefer Parrish. "johnnie," as she was known to one and all, was a regular attendee at our reunions. But after putting up a "feisty fight" (as she wrote in her annual Christmas letter) against lung cancer, she passed away in March. Condolences to her husband Steve, a well-known Wordsworth scholar, and her children Kit Baker-Carr '87 and Sue Baker-Carr.-- Judith Reusswig, 5401 Westbard Ave., #813, Bethesda, MD 20816; e-mail, JCReuss@aol.com.

58 | Carol Boeckle Welch and husband Peter hosted a class party on April 17, and a great time was had by all.Newlyweds Marjan Schneider Carasik and Gary Davidson (our reunion match) drove down from S. Egremont, MA, while Jerry and Eileen Funcheon Linsner came all the way from Buffalo (never miss a party!). First-timerVanessa Marshall (Nursing undergrad and Harvard PhD) joined Ronne Schulbaum Strell, Joanne Marren and Alan Goldman, Betty Anne Steer Merritt, Jon and Maryann Howell, Larry Severino, Ivan and Paula Rivlin Glickman, Robert Snook, Meyer and Karen Gross, Mike Young and Judith Welling, and Bud Baker.

Ann Gaffey Coyne is still teaching social work full-time at the U. of Nebraska, Omaha. She spent six weeks last summer in Nicaragua studying Spanish and supervising one of her graduate students. Her daughter Cathy and her husband adopted Shoshanah in Nicaragua last year. Both Cathy and Shoshanah have artificial legs. Robin Bielski Kadar retired from the practice of law, retired from refurbishing over-the-hill real estate, sold it all, and moved South! She no longer bundles and shivers, and now swims and sunbathes! She is located in Jupiter, FL, in a gorgeous two-bedroom apartment overlooking the Atlantic and loves it! Ellie DeMov Schaffer is a lady of leisure these days, enjoying reading, learning the computer, working out, needlework, and helping with her seven grandchildren when needed. She recently took a cruise to the Panama Canal and has had several trips to Florida. Muriel King Taylor,MD '62, recently took a 1,300-mile voyage (at 4-5mph) in the Murrelet (husband Jack's design and construction), their geriatric motor sailer, from Lake Huron to Charleston, SC, via the Great Lakes, Erie Canal, Hudson River, and Intercoastal Waterway. "Along the way, we visited Jane (Thomson) '60, MD '64, and Bill Hickok, Cecily Selch Whiteford, Marian Chow Michal, and Marilyn BatesMathias.We had a wonderful trip, and the Murrelet survived until the exit from the ICW into Charleston Harbor, where the diesel died. After a brief, pleasant sail, she was towed to the Marina.We donated the Murrelet to the Boy Scouts, and my husband is delighted he no longer needs to maintain her!"

Roger and Irene Rizzi Metzger had a life-altering experience last year when their daughter and her family were involved in a serious car accident--all survived. "Everyone is coming along nicely, and we are so grateful no one was killed, but it's been a long haul." Rog continues in his devotion and contribution to the Food Bank of Western New York, and Irene is active as a leader/facilitator in a women's faith-based, ecumenical discussion program. Roberta Arvine Fishman left reunion last summer, re-packed, and left to sail from St. Petersburg to Moscow, Russia. "St. Petersburg is gorgeous if you go to the sherbet-colored restorations or the gilt-covered churches, but where people live and shop is just plain sad. Things have improved significantly in Moscow, where the new oligarchy is alive and rich. The GUM store was more like Rodeo Drive!"

Robert McGuire, M Ed '63, has just completed his term as president of the NYS Association of Agricultural Fairs. He also completed 21 years as a director of the Cobblestone "Sunshine" Fair. Dale Reis Johnson was supposed to go to Spain last October, but husband Dick had a bicycle accident so couldn't go.However, they did go to Hawaii in December. Dick Caines retired from the Oswego County Health Dept., where he was a medical entomologist and studied encephalitis and Lyme Disease. He now is enjoying hunting, fishing, Cornell sports, and Syracuse Crunch hockey. --Jan Arps Jarvie, 6524 Valleybrook Dr., Dallas, TX 75254; e-mail, JJarvie386@aol.com; Dick Haggard, 1207 Nash Dr., Fort Washington, PA 19034; e-mail, rhaggard@voicenet.com. Class website, http://classof58.alumni.cornell.edu.

59 | Reunion Report

 

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