CORNELL ALUMNI MAGAZINE ARTICLES FOR 2008
CORNELL ALUMNI MAGAZINE
ARTICLES FOR 2008
Happy New Year and Happy 50th Anniversary to those of you who were married shortly after graduation. How are you celebrating? Did you remember to fill out the yellow form which came with your dues notice? The news will get to me faster if mailed directly to the address below or better yet, e-mailed.
Part 3 of reunion report: Ben and Sandy Lindberg Bole came east from their Washington farm where their chestnut orchard continues to thrive. And among those mingling in the lobby at Court Hall were Bev Robertson Murrell who still resides in Columbia MO, Joan Kennedy Repetto, and Eva Stern Steadman. Bus transportation to the various venues was excellent and Alice Brunner, Jean Venel Bernard, Sue Sutton Moyer, and Marilyn Moore Pukmel were among those waiting to board for the short trip to the class dinner. I'd enjoy reading your observations/impressions of Reunion, especially the first timers, so send a note if you choose.
Someone who didn't make it to Reunion but did get to a July session of CAU was Joanne Clark Nelson. She spent a week at the Personal Trainer Program held in the Friedman Center gaining familiarity with training equipment and exercise techniques. Also that week Mary Hobbie Berkelman took a course in Digital Photography and later in the month Sue Hitz Magnuson and Guy (nc) returned to campus for the popular Great American Trials. The course was led by Glenn Altschuler who is a Weiss (our classmate Steve) Presidential Fellow as well as the Thomas and classmate Dorothy (Eiseman) Litwin Professor of American Studies.
And finally a note came in to Alumni Affairs from Elizabeth Goodell Russell who entered Cornell with our class and who writes: "Because this is the 50th year since my class graduated form Cornell, it seemed an appropriate time to extend the thanks I've been meaning to extend for several years. In 1953 I was accepted as a Freshman, with financial aid, even though I was 33 years old and had three children. It was a dream come true for me. I had a successful and rewarding year". Elizabeth left Cornell in the middle of her sophomore year but continued her education a few years later earning both a B.A. and M.A. at the University of Massachusetts. She received a doctorate from UMass in 1974 from the School of Education. In 2005 she published her autobiography Reading Under the Covers. Elizabeth closes her note with "All of this is simply to let you know that the investment Cornell made in me in 1953 was not wasted and to thank you for the enormous contribution Cornell made to my life." Truly, a sentiment shared by so many of us.
Finally, a request from Martie Ballard Lacy - she will be borrowing things for our 55th reunion from the four boxes of class memorabilia on loan from Olin Library Rare Collections so if anyone wants to donate a Frosh Directory or other items, contact Martie (marthalacy@juno.com). And if you're on campus at any other time and would like to see the collection ask for Class of 1957 Box 2, number 41/4/2059 at Olin.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2008 - MEN
My news cupboard was bare! Please send news to me at
suitcase2@aol.com :-)
A packet of news forms from Alumni House arrived last fall and I gave a sigh of relief to find that a number of you sent responses (but don’t forget that the news is newer when you use e-mail!). Although we’re in our seventies not everyone is retired. Elinor Steinmann Schrader is president of OR Manager, Inc., a company which provides information on management of the surgical suite through a monthly publication and annual conferences. Ellie and her husband took an eight day river trip on the Mekong River in Vietnam last year. They were able to visit Angkor Wat for the second time when the boat arrived at Diem Reap.
Continuing with her writing and also doing corporate consulting is Grace Wohlner Weinstein. She and Stephen ’55 traveled to Sweden and Norway last year with Grace’s brother, Ellis Wohlner ’61 and his wife. Ellis lives in Stockholm so was able to plan a wonderful trip for the group.
A different type of consulting for Mina Rieur Weiner – she’s a museum consultant and has just wrapped up a project as coordinating editor for a book on Edwin Howland Blashfield to be published by the Institute of Classical Architecture and Classical America.
A week before Reunion Christine Zeller Lippman became a first time grandmother with the birth of a grandson. Chris still has a “day” job – assistant registrar at The Dwight School in Manhattan. When not working at a boutique in Cazenovia, Winifred Edson Greenberg can be found at Menorah Park helping the elderly residents or at Camp Lookout which provides activities for special children. She’s one of many classmates who continue to enjoy skiing in the winter and playing golf in the summer.
Living in Exeter, NH gives Jane Graves Derby an opportunity to do quite a bit of skiing. Jane and Dennis celebrated their 50th anniversary at a surprise dinner given by their three children. The celebration continued with a Rhine River Cruise. Jane is a member of the trustees of River Woods, a continuing care residential community and enjoys bridge and golf for fun.
Another golfer who can play year round in Boca Raton, FL is Francine Hassol Lifton. Fran and Harvey traveled to Hong Kong, Macao, China, and Japan last year. Another Florida golfer is Shirley Wagoner Johnson who moved into a new house in Lakeland. Two new grandchildren arrived last year so Shirley has put some miles on the tires as she trekked to Atlanta and Washington to help the new moms.
Judy Tischler Rogers gets to southern Florida when she visits one of her sons. Another son lives in Colorado and the one who’s farthest away is in Nagoya, Japan. When Judy isn’t traveling or substitute teaching in the Crestline, CA area she volunteers as coordinator of the Women’s Retreat at her church in Redlands, CA. Keep the news forms coming.
Again, please don't forget to e-mail when possible - it keeps the news flowing between dues calls.
I was unable to attend the annual CACO meeting in Philadelphia in February but some intrepid correspondents who were there filled me in on the activities. Enjoying the Friday night dinner organized by Bert Grunert DeVries and Phil McIndoo at the Caribou Café were Dori Albert, Stu McKay, Betty Starr King, Connie Santagato Hosterman, Bob and Linda (nc) Watts, and Charlie and Gil (nc) Parker. Joining in the conversations were Bill and Jan Charles Lutz, Walt and Dixie’56 Curtice, Dan and Debbie (nc)Moore, and Alan(nc) and Nancy Kressler Lawley.
The next day was devoted to morning workshops, discussion panels and luncheon. Betty King tells me that the speaker was terrific. Senior lecturer in History, Carol Kammen, delighted the audience with excerpts from letters written by prospective students to A.D. White and Ezra Cornell. She pointed out how Cornell, in accepting women, was so different in those days from other Ivy League schools thereby forcing some to establish women’s colleges, e.g., Harvard/Radcliffe, Brown/Pembroke, Yale/Vassar.
A class meeting followed at which Judy Richter Levy was awarded a model of a SEPTA bus with a plaque inscribed: “Presented to Judith R. Levy by fellow Class of ’57 Officers for Dramatically Commandeering a bus for our rescue from a Phrigid Philadelphia street corner on 19 January 2007.” (See Photo below) The episode happened after last year’s class dinner which was held in the Cat House of the Philadelphia Zoo. Arrangements had been made for cabs to pick us up at 10 p.m. but they never showed. So Judy took charge, stopped a city bus, and talked the driver into taking us part of the way to the hotel. As we started to get out some change for the fare we were informed that all we had to do was show our Medicare cards. The passengers on the bus in southeast Philly couldn’t believe what was happening, especially the woman who boarded at the next stop with her birthday balloons and was serenaded by the class of ‘57 singers. It really was a hoot (but I guess you had to be there).
SEPTA "Trophy" Presented to Judy Richter Levy by Stu MacKay
Karen Anderson Mahshi, a semi-retired landscape architect, has a plate full of extra curricular activities. She is on the board of directors of CA Garden Clubs, Inc., volunteers at the local arboretum near her Concord, CA home, works with Concord/Diablo Rotary, especially with their quilting project, and is a member of the Herb Society of North America. If Nancy Neupert is reading this Karen would like to hear from you. And in the good news department, Susan Breslow Dillon writes that her daughter received a kidney transplant last September from an altruistic stranger.
Class Officer Meeting in Philadelphia on Saturday, 9 Feb 2008 - Held at the Marriott Downtown in conjunction with the annual Cornell Association of Class Officers (CACO) meeting. Photos taken at Saturday luncheon.
Left to Right: President Dori Goudsmit Albert, Treasurer Stu MacKay, Reunion Co-chair Charlie Parker and his wife Gillian (nc),
Bill Wingate (nc), Judy Richter Levy, Class Advisory Council, and Betty Starr King, Reuion Co-Chair.
L to R: Cornell Fund Co-Chair, Bert Grunert DeVries; Regional VP for NY Capital District Connie Santagato Hosterman,
Class President Dori Goutsmit Albert, and (almost)Treasurer Stu MacKay.
Phil McIndoo sent word of a fascinating trip on which he has embarked. Having spent Christmas in Quebec City (Europe 1 1⁄2 hours from NYC), he spent a month in New Zealand, then on to Thailand to board a "true" four-masted sailing ship for a 38 day cruise across the Indian Ocean to the Red Sea, through the Suez Canal to the Mediterranean Sea, spending time unwinding in Greece. Let's hope the natives can tolerate the kilts(and legs) he displayed with Stu McKay and Tony Cashen at our 50th. All this after last summer in Europe and on the Canadian shore of Lake Erie. While in England, he attended a conference in Oxford concerning the Brits' views on ancient wars, including the Roman escapades of bygone days. Details of his current wanderings will be available in later columns.
On the agrarian front, Paul Garret sells barn equipment to dairy farmers, AND creates and places all the print advertising in conjunction with that endeavor. He saves time to spoil his grandchildren, missing few or none of their games, plays, concerts, etc. He and Sandy have built a home on the St. Lawrence River. They traveled to Alaska last summer and recently returned from a week in China. Sam Leadley is in the cattle business, specializing in management of heifers and touring farms both in the U.S. and Canada with visiting international farmers. He also acts as the pro bono administrator of his church.
Marty Wolfe claims to be "semi-semi-retired", teaching at Georgetown Medical School in Washington 3 days a week. His son and 2 sons-in-law, doctors all, have produced six grandchildren, who enjoy Marty and Lotte's winter condo on Captiva Island and summer home on Block Island.
Henry Kammerer is also in the "semi" mode, still consulting in the area of satellite control rockets. He recently reached the Mt. Everest base camp at 18,700 feet, which he reports as challenging but rewarding. Roy Opitz is retired from the real world, but has downsized residentially from Devon PA to Raleigh NC, with all the time consuming travail of a major move and several volunteer projects.
Bennett Brown is hitting it full time as president and part owner of a sheet metal company in southern California. He'll probably be at it for some time, having recently bought out his chief competitor. He is also president of his 48 unit condo association and "social" dances 3 or 4 nights a week, and spent time last summer hiking in Turkey and sailing around the Mediterranean. Dwight Emanuelson is still active in the securities business in Hilton Head, and has been involved in a number of collections of paintings relevant to the east end of Long Island.
Do you remember how many of our classmates left us in September, 1955. to attend Cornell University – New York Hospital School of Nursing? Charity Howland McCormick sent along the information that there were 14 of them and 10 graduated with their B.S. in Nursing in 1958. Although the group is officially designated class of ‘58, many of them still maintain ties to’57. Among those who celebrated their 50th reunion in NYC at the Cornell Medical Center in April were Hester Young Kenneth, Carmen Lovre Ryan, Janice Littell, Nora Daldy Schumacher, Johanne Hahn Hagar, Carolyn Taksen Friedlander, Judy Noyce Jones, and Charity.
There was celebration in Carol Gehrke Townsend’s household last February when the Oscars were handed out. No, Carol didn’t win one for her beautiful garden. It was her son Scott (nc) who earned his for Special Effects in the movie GOLDEN COMPASS. Scott has been in the business for quite a while and his credits include the films BABE, SHAZAM, A NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM, and others. Carol enjoyed a trip to Scotland in May for a garden tour.
John ’56 and Bert Grunert DeVries traveled to Sicily last fall and in November Bert made her third trip to India to participate in tiger sightings. As principal travel planner for the Philadelphia Zoo’s trips and travel program she gets to enjoy a number of locations around the world. Phillis Ferguson Watterworth and Scott(nc) participate in home exchanges so last fall they spent a month in Wales and hiked in Yorkshire. This past winter they left their Mill Valley, CA home for three months of skiing at Whitefish, MT. and with great snow this year they were on the slopes almost every day. Linda Wellman Stansfield’s pursuits include gardening, walking, and watercolor painting. She is presently chairing the AAUW Artists’ Studio as well as traveling to London for theater week. For 31 years Barbara Kaufman Smith has been narrating talking books for the blind and physically handicapped at the Kentucky State Library. She also finds time to sing with the University of Kentucky Donovan Chorus as well as enjoying visits with her granddaughter. After our reunion in June, Jan Nelson Cole took off for China and Mongolia where she had a chance to see the Naadam Festival in Ulaanbaatar, and sleep in a yurt on the Gobi Desert
Charlie’56 and Connie Kelly Fletcher celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 2007 with a 2 week self-drive tour of Portugal. Connie continues teaching piano as well as volunteering for Home First, an organization that helps the homeless in Union County, NJ. Also celebrating 50 years of marriage last year were Barbara “Bobbie” Redden Leamer and Dick’56 with a surprise buffet put on by their kids and grandkids at their summer home in Saranac Lake. Bob ’56 and Marilyn Hester Ridgley celebrated their anniversary in Santa Fe, NM with most of the attendants from their 1957 wedding joining in the festivities.
This move to Sun City near Hilton Head, SC has given me a chance to see friends and classmates as they pass through on their way to other destinations or stay a while in their winter “digs” in the area. I’ve played golf with Betty Ann Rice Keane (whose oldest grandson is now at Cornell) and Betty Starr King, lunched with Marcia Wishengrad Metzger, spent a leisurely afternoon by a hotel pool with Gil ’55 and Barbara Haglund Schlerf, and saw Joe ’56 and Sue DeRosay Henninger at their timeshare in the spring. Bob and Sandy Shepard Armstrong’ 55 rented a house in Sun City for the winter and attended some of the Cornell monthly luncheons in Hilton Head. Also living half of the year in Sun City are Clayton and Kerstin(nc) Chapman. Clayton was host to a crew reunion in April and class president “emeritus” Bob Watts and Linda (nc) joined them. Before heading off to Florida the Watts stopped by for an afternoon visit.
In talking with Stu MacKay at reunion last year, he mentioned that he would be in Louisville in March of ‘08 to attend the largest truck show in the U.S., and asked if I would like to walk the show with him and his associates - absolutely. We established contact and agreed that we would meet on the appointed date. Unfortunately, I was coming off some surgery (I had so much fun that they let me stay in the hospital an extra week) and not in shape to walk the show. After graduating from Tuck School of Business in Hanover NH, Stu worked for Cummins Engine until 1968, when he founded MacKay & Company, a consulting and marketing firm which focuses on assisting clients in the trucking industry with evaluating opportunities and building strategies. Tangentially, he has amassed an extensive collection consisting of thousands of scaled trucks and other vehicles, all of which are on display in the lobby and hallways of his company in Lombard IL. He sends his customers and friends a scale model of a vintage truck each year, and I'm told I will be in the latter category this year; and have a rain check for nest year's truck show.
Also involved with a business school (regents' professor at the J. Mack Robinson College of Business in Atlanta) is Eph McLean, where he chairs the Information Systems Department. After earning his MBA and doctorate from MIT, Eph has authored a number of books, serves on several national committees concerning the management of information systems, has been a visiting professor at universities in Australia, The Netherlands, Spain and Egypt, and was the 2007 recipient of the LEO Award, for "having made exceptional global contributions in the field of Information Systems." His other accomplishments and honors are numerous and beyond impressive.
Michael Daly has recorded 2 more albums in his wonderful tenor voice; one on spiritual hymns and the other involving his favorite Christmas songs. He recorded "The Rose of Tralee" with the men's glee club in 1957, and that is the basis of his album of 17 songs (62 minutes) of "Irish Joy." (www.MichaelDalytenor.com).
Walter Curtice, who runs his own company on Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard, also is involved in teaching and research in the doctoral program at Lehigh. He is heavily involved in sailing also, having recently competed in the World Sunfish Regatta.
As I write this, I have just received a call from Tony Cashen informing me of the passing of Steve Weiss. He was a friend to all of us and represented our class with great distinction. Steve and I met in our freshmen year, were both political science majors, sat next to each other for 4 years and maintained our friendship over the next 51 years. I will remember many things about him, with one of the foremost being that whenever he spoke to a Cornell group (having served for 24 years on the Board of Trustees and 8 years as its Chair), he always mentioned to the audience that he was proud to be a member of the CLASS of ‘57.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2008 - WOMEN
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2008 - MEN
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2008 - WOMEN
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2008 - MEN