Class Columns: 1960s

1960

Paul A. Luscombe
737 Dowding Way
The Villages, FL 32162
(352) 750-2943
(973) 980-2629 (cell)
(352) 391-9169 (fax)
paulluscombe3@aol.com

President: Robert S. Brodie Jr.
Fund Managers: Lauritz K. Knudsen, M. Alden Siegel
Reunion Chair: J. Richard Booth
Web Page Administrator: Paul A. Luscombe

“I haven’t seen you in 50 years!” said Ted Gailer after I reintroduced him to his fraternity brother John Hickman, who replied, “I never would have recognized you.” Along with Ted’s wife, Alta, we gathered for dinner at the Best Western Motel on the night before our 50th reunion. The next day, Friday morning, Hickman and I posted for our tee time at the Riverview Golf Club, just a few minutes from the Lafayette campus down on 611. Ted had injured his back a few days prior and regretted having to withdraw from the Class of 1960 tourney. Hickman and I teamed with Doug Hobby (class correspondent from 1961) and Bob Haigh, who made the voyage from his hometown of Englewood, Colo., to play in the annual classic.

About 28 ’60 golfers assembled by the first tee. Our efficient golf chairman, Dick Booth, published all starting times, which entailed a constant juggling act, but we started on time! At the conclusion of the tourney (the “19th hole”), we raised our glasses high and toasted Dick (and acknowledged the able assistance of his wife, Colleen) on a flawless job organizing the event. How appropriate that Dick won the contest for the longest drive.

Several husband-wife teams participated. Representing the South were Blair and Pat Daugherty, Greenville, S.C., and Lee and Karen Ohlman, Birmingham, Ala. Other spouse teams included Paul and Teri Komar, plus Phil and Bernice Bollman. The most amazing shot of the day was hit by Charlie Fisher, who won the nearest-to-the-pin award for his 7-iron shot on the par-three eighth hole that finished 26 inches from the cup.

Tom Rennert trucked down from Vermont. He expected to play at least 100 times in 2010. Tom’s fraternity brother Bob Mack from Charlotte, N.C., teamed up with his old time pal. Jim Rauch, as part of his traditional role, supplied free golf balls to all the players. John Miller confessed to me that he had only used his Lafayette golf umbrella once; he won it at our 45th reunion golf tourney in 2005. Football players Don Nikles, Marion Vujevich, and Tom Moyer led their respective teams to competitive finishes in the overall scramble. Joe Samaratano ’91, director of annual leadership gifts, played as an invited guest of our class in recognition of his help in organizing all of our activities.

After golf, we drove the short distance to registration at Farinon College Center, where we picked up our event access materials and our official uniform, which consisted of a brilliant yellow golf shirt and a black baseball cap inscribed Lafayette ’60. The bright yellow shirts collectively made it easy to tell where our class was assembling.

Peter Veruki was the first classmate I encountered at the registration desk. He was at Reunion for Friday night only, since he had to get back to Houston and his job in the placement department at Rice University. We also met Dave Saalfrank, who also could attend only the Friday night activities.

The opening social event on Friday was the party in the President’s House Garden. Arriving late, we sat near the exit to the property. It seemed that everyone at the function had to pass by me to move onto the next event. David Williams recalled his days as a varsity tennis player and vividly described his upset of his opponent from then-powerful Haverford College. Rich Easton apologized for missing the golf tourney, claiming adjustments to his new company location in Bolivia, N.C. He had a fun time chatting and joking with Tom Dupuis, who came the distance from Cincinnati.

Dr. Paul Beisswenger traveled to the reunion from Hanover, N.H., and looked forward to his move to Florida. Dr. Robert Kessler came in from Grantham, N.H. Dr. Joe Lees had an easier ride from Wilmington, Del. Dr. Jim Silvestri, my pal from Nutley (N.J.) High School, joined in many of the festivities, along with his wife, Elisa. Dr. Rich Sinatra looked for fly fishermen. Dr. Carl Meier asked again about the tree that fell in the forest. And Dr. Don Spano and his wife, from Charlottesville, Va., had a great time throughout the weekend.

The fast pace of Reunion Friday set me back a little, so I unfortunately missed the convocation talk of President Daniel H. Weiss, who spoke positively about the direction of the college. I also missed the talk presented by our class president, Bob Brodie. Here again, the feedback afterward was favorable.

Around 9:15 p.m., I returned to the campus to be the first one attending the Class of 1960 party on the Quad. Fran Nikles and Doll Siegel received praise for all their hard work preparing the reunion. They reminded all that the parade uniform would require a supplemental pair of black slacks or Bermuda shorts.

Jim Hurst enjoyed his first Reunion ever! He recalled a story when he was a member of the freshman basketball team. The varsity had just completed a highly successful 21–3 regular season. Soon, we were off for the NCAA Tourney at the Palestra in Philly. Our first opponent was Syracuse University. In preparation for the game, coach George Davidson found he didn’t have enough players to form a practice game of five-on-five. So George selected Jim off the freshman team to be a surrogate substitute for the scrimmage. His role was magnified by the potential defensive assignment of Hall of Fame member Jim Brown.

Saturday morning, many of us were off to the Farinon Center for a delicious buffet breakfast featuring custom-made omelets. Next, we lined up at the front of the parade to make our infamous march around the Quad. Spearheading the class mass of yellow and black (you might have thought you were at a Purdue University function) were the actions of Lew Fishberg and Larry Knudsen. It took only 50 years for Lew to get his 1910 Model T Ford operational for a road trip from Highland Park, N.J., to Easton. Finally, in 2010, all the missing parts were available, and Lew was able to lead the group.

The Model T Ford was followed by Larry Knudsen’s 1991 Volvo 747, which was earmarked by a huge stencil decal on the rear window reading CLASS OF 1960. On the side of each fender guard, near the hood, was a psychedelic leopard with a fiery tail to arouse the typical football fan. I was fortunate, since I rode in the front seat, as many classmates said hello in passing Larry and me.

Our class conveyed a consistent image of black and gold as we marched around the outline of College Hill. Blair Daugherty appreciated his picture appearing in my most recent book, Scoot, about Parkinson’s disease. If we had to vote as to which classmate looked the youngest, Bruce Boyd would have won in a landslide. Bruce flew in from Albuquerque, N.M. My neighbor Dick Beck drove the distance from The Villages, Fla., to Easton. In addition, he marched the full length of the parade route despite wearing a cast on his knee. Ed Bantlow commented, “My current intention is to remain single but to remain alert to new friendships.”

The parade ended, and we headed for the Allan P. Kirby Sports Center for lunch and various speakers. Alden Siegel and Larry Knudsen battled the acoustical dilemma of KSC as they announced the results of our year-long fund-raising effort. The two handed President Weiss a check for over $400,000.

Delta Tau Delta had a reunion in the works, so Ted Gailer and I dropped by to see many alumni from the nearby classes. Don Kress ’58 gave an inspirational talk about the prospects for the colonization of a new DTD. The Class of ’60 boasted one of the largest contingents at our 50th. Much of the conversation turned to Don Ohnegian, who was ill and unable to attend.

After the Delt function, we doubled back to the Marquis Society cocktail party. I met up with Dave Wister, who was enjoying his hiatus from Wall Street. He spent most of his career at U.S. Trust and C.J. Lawrence. He lives near the Cape Cod elbow in Chatham, Mass. I had a long chat with Al Black and his wife, Kathy, as we celebrated his qualifying for the Marquis Society. I then had a chance to talk briefly with Wayne Nordberg, whose name continues to appear at or near the top of ’60 donors.

The class cocktail party and dinner was next on the agenda. We were fortunate to have Dave Roper’s creative piano during parts of the evening. He just retired from teaching English at Emmaus (Pa.) High School and now performs four days a week at the Hotel Bethlehem. He returned for his first Reunion ever!

After filing into the second-floor banquet room, we had Paul Thurston give the benediction before dinner. Paul is a retired professor at Texas Southern University and has a Ph.D. in chemistry.

Reunion co-chairman Dick Booth called on Bob Brodie and alluded to Bob’s 50-year service as president of our class. College President Daniel Weiss commented on Brodie’s unprecedented political achievement, saying he was unaware of any politician in history who survived a half-century in the electoral process. Lew Fishberg, chairman of the nominating committee, stepped to the head table and presented the candidates. No nominations came from the floor, and the list (see the top of the column) was approved by a unanimous voice vote.

Before the night was over, I had a chance to chat with dinner guests Jim and Bea Finnen. Known as the “Voice of Lafayette,” Jim is the silver-tongued public address announcer at all home football and basketball games.

While waiting for dessert, I caught up with more classmates. Roger Flartey was adjusting to the passing of his wife after nearly 40 years together. Bob Quig tried to see if he could help me with my Parkinson’s. He was convincing in selling the basic points of view on the ailment. George Herbster ordered two books from my Parkinson’s inventory. Wayne Anderson, one of the better players in our golf tourney, alternated his time between Lafayette and Cedar Crest, his wife’s alma mater, which also had its 50th reunion that weekend. The College bookstore had some great values. Bob White and I each purchased a $5 necktie (the latest model) to wear to dinner. Dave Garrabrant rounded out the Sigma Chis.

As the choir members lined up to sing the Alma Mater, Konrad Kundig sprang from his seat, came to center stage, and led the group. He received solid backing from Wayne Wavrek, Bob Gronquist, and soloist Lew Powell, to name just a few members of The Graduates.

Many classmates stayed for the Skytop Lodge resort follow-up in the Poconos. I will cover that event next issue.

I received a notice from the College that Duncan W. O’Dwyer and his firm, Forsyth, Howe, O’Dwyer, Kalb & Murphy PC, celebrated its 60th anniversary.

1961

Douglas A. Hobby
29 Rowan RoadChatham, NJ 07928-2210

doug_hobby@hotmail.com

President: Joseph C. Nyce
Fund Manager: Ronald E. Geesey
Reunion Chair: Edward C. Auble
Web Page Administrator: John A. Harobin

Okay, guys, there are only about six months until our 50th reunion. Have you sent Dick Webster your bio for the class yearbook? In my last column, I attempted to explain that each 50th reunion class, with help from the College staff, is provided with a yearbook (aka a memory book) that serves as a memento of the occasion. Believe me, the book is treasured by the class members. Of course, the book will only be as good as your contributions to it. So even if you are unable to attend the reunion, you should send Dick something to add to the book, including pictures you wish to share. Dick can be reached at richardjwebster@comcast.net or by mail at 1249 Surrey Road, West Chester, PA 19382. Please do this as soon as possible.

I played in the Class of ’60 golf outing on the Friday morning of their 50th reunion. Since I am responsible for arranging our class golf outing next June, I did not feel too guilty joining the ’60ers, especially since they are a great group of people. Anyway, I decided to hang around and take in some of the other Reunion Weekend events. At Saturday noon, I chatted with some of the College staff on the steps of the Farinon College Center when the Reunion Parade began. There went the ’55ers, an enthusiastic group, followed by the Class of ’60, all 85 or so of them (plus wives) in their bright yellow T-shirts. I then expected the Class of ’65 to follow—but wait a minute—is that a Class of ’61 banner? It sure was, and carrying it was George Benson and Davey Thomsen. Marching alongside them was Bill Remaly. The banner looked like it had been in Benson’s garage a little too long, but it did the job. I had to join them, and a few minutes later Joe Nyce hopped in. We had a lot of fun.

Allow me to share some observations of this year’s reunion and provide a few recommendations for you when you attend our 50th. First, the College did a wonderful job arranging and coordinating activities. You could say they went overboard. I suggest that after you sign in for the weekend you review the schedule of events and map out what you want to do during the three days. In addition to what I’ll term ‘mainline’ events, there are all kinds of side attractions, such as exhibits, lectures, open houses, and step-singing. The President’s 50-Plus Club Garden Reception on Friday afternoon is an event you do not want to miss. It starts the weekend festivities on the right foot, since it provides a relaxed and fun environment to meet and chat with many of your old classmates, as well as some College officials. An all-reunion dinner will probably be offered Friday night (held this year in Marquis Hall), but you may consider arranging a special dinner with your fraternity brothers or social group friends. For example, Chi Phi had a BBQ for their members at that time.

The Saturday and Sunday morning breakfasts were a delight — all you can eat with a great diversity of selection. I recommend you sign up for them. The Reunion Parade was followed by All-Alumni Luncheon in the Kamine Gymnasium, Allan P. Kirby Sports Center. This was another don’t-miss opportunity, with plenty of good food and another chance to catch up with your old classmates and friends. The Class Reception and Dinner on Saturday night is the highlight of the weekend for 50th reunion attendees. The College president is usually the guest speaker, and films and gags are often included. It should be a fun event and, of course, a must-attend.

Our class golf outing, by the way, is scheduled for Friday morning, June 10. Other details are not yet final. However, we will be playing using the scramble format, which makes it more fun, especially for the less-accomplished golfers.

Here’s another quiz to stimulate your interest in the forthcoming reunion. This time, I have focused on our professors; in particular, the department heads our senior year: music, English, history, philosophy, biology, chemistry, electrical engineering. Everyone should get the first fellow correct, especially Ralph Updegrove, but my guess is that few of you will get the second gentleman correct. Hint: William Watt was on a leave of absence that year. Answers are at the end of the column.

After the reunion parade was over, I chatted with Davey Thomsen, a retired electrical engineer. He said that little has changed with him since our 45th, which he attended. He and wife Annie live in Philadelphia and do a lot of traveling. Bill Buehler made it known that he sent in his bio and expects to attend our 50th. He retired from Xerox in 2001 but still serves on two corporate boards. He and wife Sharon live most of the year in South Carolina, but they spend much of the summer in their home in the mountains of Oregon. Their two sons live in Portland; one got married in June.

John Bull had lunch with our class reunion chair, Ed Auble. John promised Ed that he would get his bio ready, a possible prelude to his returning for our 50th. John retired from the Philadelphia Inquirer and lives in Philadelphia.

Ed wrote that on his 71st birthday his kids gave him a Garmin GPS. Since he is a former Navy aviator, Ed always thought he could navigate anywhere by the seat of his pants. Of course, he had to object to the gift, but I’m betting he won’t dispense with it. Also, Ed became a grandfather for the second time.

I received an interesting note from Dave Phraner, one of my fraternity brothers. Dave was in the process of selling his house in New Jersey and moving to Georgia to be closer to his daughter. He expects to migrate north each summer to be near his son in the Catskills. Dave already sent his bio to Dick Webster, which suggests to me that he will be attending our 50th. Dave’s professional and avocation interests were in transportation. He was a member of the Canal Society of New Jersey and gave talks on the Morris Canal. Dave says that he remembers many of his Texas brothers by the cars they drove, which included a new Ford convertible, a Jag, and a recent-vintage Corvette. He claims that he was not exactly a chick magnet with his ’47 Plymouth. Don’t fret, Dave; about the only thing I attracted (with skirts, of course) with my ’52 Chevy were flies and drunks in need of a ride home.

Fred McDowell has been retired from the University of Texas for five years, but he still maintains an office there for publishing purposes and other activities. After graduation, Fred received his Ph.D. in geochemistry from Columbia University and then worked in Switzerland. In the late ’60s, he returned to the States and found a job at UT. He spent the rest of his career at the Austin-based school and loved it there. He and wife Karen have been married for 47 years and have three children and four grandkids.

A number of months ago, Bob Howard asked me if I could locate Lloyd Edraney, one of his DU fraternity brothers. Using the trusted College directory, I located Lloyd in Littleton, Colo. He owns a CPA business nearby in Denver. We hope Bob has encouraged Lloyd to attend our reunion.

Andy Cherrington retired from IBM and since 1966 has lived near Boulder, Colo. Andy says he hopes to see many of us next June at the reunion.

Since I heard directly from only a few of you, I decided to add classmate updates gained from other sources. If you find the info outdated or incorrect, I would love to hear from you with the proper update.

Robert Ives lives in the Chicago area and is now retired. For many years, he was the president of International Society of Automation. Harry Boyko is retired and lives in Tennessee. Harry received his J.D. from Vanderbilt University in Nashville and, I guess, liked the area and decided to settle there. I heard that Harry plans to attend the 50th and participate in the class golf outing. Richard Thayer retired from AT&T in 1994 and began a second career as a college professor, principally at the College of New Jersey. He and his wife, Dottie, live in Hopewell, N.J., and enjoy traveling. Andy Sweet is retired and lives in Kentucky. Stan Novaco retired from the Ford Motor Corporation in Michigan and now lives in Vero Beach, Fla.

You most likely remember an editor’s note added to my column in the last issue of Lafayette Magazine that informed you that Ron Hargreaves passed away June 9. He was an active participant on the reunion planning committee, and his death came as a shock to us. Ron was retired after a long career as a senior industry analyst for IBM and lived in North Carolina. He had lived in Connecticut and New Jersey and had many interests in addition to his family. He was an accomplished photographer and was trained and certified in auto repair. He was also active with the Jaycees, fishing and tennis clubs, and the Boy Scouts. (He was an Eagle Scout.) Ron was a member of Kirby House, Tau Beta Pi honorary engineering fraternity, and Maroon Key. After graduating from Lafayette, he received his MBA from Rutgers University. Ron’s wife, Anita; daughter, Nancy; son, David; and two grandchildren survive him. A son, Thomas, predeceased him.

On April 25, David Bassett died after a courageous 19-month battle with glioblastoma multiforme brain cancer. David had a most interesting life and career. He earned a master’s and Ph.D. in chemistry from Lehigh University, where he did graduate work in colloid and surface chemistry. He then worked with Union Carbide in Charleston, W.Va., where he lived with his wife, Deborah, and their three daughters. Dave had a great passion for learning and was considered one of the great minds in the field of emulsion/dispersion technology. Noted internationally, he traveled and lectured around the globe. He held over 35 patents, including one for deicing aircraft, which made flying in inclement weather much safer. His other interests included travel, biking, photography, art history, and music, especially choral. In 1998, Dave married his soul mate, Sylvia, and started a second family. They have two daughters and, in 2001, moved to Swannanoa, N.C. At Lafayette, Dave was a member of Phi Kappa Psi. He is survived by Sylvia and their two daughters, his three daughters with his first wife, five grandchildren, and a sister. Daughter Kathryn Bassett Butterfield ’96 is a Lafayette graduate.

I wish to thank those classmates who responded to my request for news. I hope to hear from more of you. Once again, if you have not already done so, please send Dick Webster an update (and photos, if possible) for the reunion yearbook, even if you are not planning to attend.

Quiz answers: music, John Raymond; English, James Vitelli; history, Edwin Coddington; philosophy, George Clark; biology, Louis Stableford; chemistry, William Hart; and electrical engineering, Lawrence Conover.

1962

Jim Hartsel
10755 Moss Hill Lane
Cincinnati, OH 45249-3640
(513) 489-6786
jharts1940@aol.com

President: Jeffrey Ruthizer
Fund Manager: John R. Weis
Reunion Chairs: James A. Lyttle, James M. Montgomery Jr., Gale R. “Sandy” Schwilk
Web Page Administrator: Jim Hartsel

The mailbag is a little light this time and contains news on the passing of two more classmates. Let’s deal with the bad news first.

I received a brief message from the College that Re Sumo Attuquayefio Jr., 77, passed away June 28, 2009. No details are available. I remember Re Sumo as being active in the College Church and both the Cosmopolitan Club and the International Relations Society. His major was international relations, and he hailed from Accra, Ghana. Re Sumo was a member of Watson Hall. If anyone can supply further information on his life and passing, please do so, and I will include it in a future column.

The College informed me of the July 10 passing of Glen L. Hicks, one of the outstanding engineering students in our class. Glen lived in Endwell, N.Y., and is survived by his wife, Pam, and their daughter, Katherine. Glen retired from IBM Corp. and was a member of its Quarter Century Club. His bachelor’s was in electrical engineering, as was his master’s degree from Princeton. He was a member of both Tau Beta Pi and Phi Beta Kappa.

Glen attended Chambersburg (Pa.) High School with our own Carl Barton, who provided additional information as follows. Glen was very proud of his 35-acre farm, which was his “retirement project,” including the clearing of trees, construction of a “cottage” (read: home), and the dismantling, transport, and reconstruction of a complete barn. He died in an accident while mowing on his tractor. A mutual friend of Carl and Glen stated, “Glen passed away doing what he loved most: working his project, his farm, his paradise.”

Paul Danco called me after reading my plea in my previous column for any details on the passing of Steve Streisfeld. Paul was Steve’s roommate in Soles Hall, and he inquired if I had learned anything further. Since I had not, Paul is making some inquiries in Florida. A good result of Paul’s telephone call was our realization that, during the winter months, we are only three miles apart in Florida, so we may try to organize a ’62 luncheon this winter.

As we remember past classmates, I will mention that the Terence M. Nolan ‘62 Memorial Golf Classic continues to be a success. It was held Oct. 14 at the Grace Course, Bethlehem, Pa.

If it were not for the newsy letter I received from my ace New York correspondent Matt “Scoop” Thomases, this month’s column might have been purely necrological. Matt and Jean made an early May journey to Washington, D.C., to enjoy dinner with Max and Sandra Rothman. After not seeing each other for at least three years, they had a great opportunity to catch up. Max is executive director and CEO of the Alliance for Aging, which serves as the aging resource center for Miami-Dade and Monroe counties in Florida. His organization monitors and funds various eldercare facilities in the Greater Miami area, a task that Max ably handles, using his skills to work the problems at all levels—right up to state—and keep things humming.

The next day turned into a Pi Lam mini reunion, as Steve and Mimi Hyman traveled to D.C. and joined the group for Saturday dinner and Sunday brunch. Steve had just won a difficult legal case and needed to escape the law cave to spend some quality time with his bride and friends.

A fragmentary and unconfirmed report states that Saturday evening the group dined in Georgetown at a Moroccan restaurant that features a belly dancer. Unfortunately, there are no photos to confirm rumors about a former Pi Lam treasurer tipping the dancer. Presumably, no Pi Lam funds were involved.

So the mailbag goes back out on the hook where the stagecoach passes by, and I hope you will follow the examples of Matt, Carl, and Paul and either call me or send something soon. Until next time, may God bless!

1963

D. Frederick Day
52D Springfield Ave.
Summit, NJ 07901
fred_day7@yahoo.com

Dr. Michael A. Stillman
131 San Marco Drive
Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33418
drstills@aol.com

President: John H. Cooper III
Fund Manager: Robert T. Burns
Reunion Chair: Ronald A. Garfunkel
Web Page Administrator: L. Steven Minkel, steveminkel@aol.com

We have the sad task of announcing the deaths of three of our classmates for this edition of Class Notes.

John H. Dillon II died July 16. He lived in St. Davids, Pa., and Brant Beach, N.J. At Lafayette, John was a history major and a member of Chi Phi fraternity. He attended The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences and graduated from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania with an MBA. From 1964 to 1968, he served in the Navy, where he worked as a division officer in the nuclear submarine fleet, ending his service as a first lieutenant. He worked at SmithKline for 21 years, retiring as senior vice president of business development. He then worked with various biotech companies. He most recently served on the board of directors for NuPathe Inc. and CureDM Inc. John was a member of the Overbrook Golf Club in Villanova, Pa. He loved to travel throughout the Caribbean and spend time with his family at the beach. His wife, Gail; a daughter, Anne Fisher; and two grandsons survive him. His son, John H. “BJ” Dillon III, predeceased him.

John E. Ballinger died July 16 in Williamsburg, Va., after a lengthy illness. He was an English major at Lafayette and a graduate of the Mining and Mechanical Institute of Freeland, Pa. John was a partner with John Robert Curtis Jr.  in The Bookpress Ltd., an antiquarian book business. He also wrote two mystery novels set in Williamsburg, The Williamsburg Forgeries and The Jefferson Letters. John’s survivors include his wife, Lisa; two sons, Michael and Kenneth; and four granddaughters.

Harrison “Jerry” Ball Jr. of Summit and Mantoloking, N.J., died May 24. At Lafayette, Jerry majored in psychology, played basketball, and was a member of Theta Delta Chi fraternity. He worked as a loan officer at the Summit Trust Company, and in 1970 became an owner of W.A. Birdsall & Co., a plumbing supplier, retiring as president in 2005. Jerry volunteered as a probation officer for Union County and was a member of the Summit Jaycees, Canoe Brook Country Club, Mantoloking Yacht Club, and Downtown Association of Summit. He was an avid boater on Barnegat Bay. In 2005, he had a double lung transplant. Jerry was the husband of Jean for 44 years, the father of Sara “Sally” Ball McNally and Jennifer King, a brother of Edward, and a grandfather of five. After the memorial service in Summit, some of his fraternity brothers and their spouses gathered to remember Jerry: Anke and Joe Cornell ’62, Karen and Steve Buermann, Dana and Fred Day, and Lynn and Hank Von der Linden ’66.

1964

Stephen H. Green
Dolchin, Slotkin & Todd P.C.
2005 Market St., 24th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 751–1920
(215) 665-1565 (fax)
sgreen@dolchin.com

President: Gordon R. Evans
Fund Manager: Jeffrey P. Brown
Reunion Chair: Jeffrey P. Brown
Web Page Administrator: Thomas L. Greenbaum, tlg@groupsplus.com

We have good news and bad news. The last time I heard that was when a friend’s wife called and asked him which he wanted to hear first. He opted for good news, which was “the air bag worked.” Our good news is better than that.

John and Debbie McCain have created Nickers ’n’ Neighs, a therapeutic riding center in Donegal, Pa., to promote and advance the cognitive, physical, emotional, and social well-being of people with disabilities, both children and adults. A spectacular undertaking!

Tom Greenbaum, our erstwhile web master, reports that he is heavily involved in the Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE), which provides mentoring, advice, and counseling services to start-up, burgeoning, and other small businesses, with close cooperation with the U.S. Small Business Administration. Tom would like to share stories with classmates who may also be involved with SCORE or would like to be.

The bad news is that we lost Bob Ferrara in April due to heart problems. He grew up in Vineland, N.J., came to Lafayette on a football scholarship, and had a distinguished 37-year career as a civilian metallurgical engineer with the Department of the Navy’s Naval Surface Warfare Center. He, wife Donna, and twin daughters Julie and Lori lived in Glen Burnie, Md., for the last 38 years. Our deepest sympathies go out to the family of a good man.

Senior management of our class worries about the dearth of information in our columns. Let’s show we can compete with the most long-winded classes: send me stuff! Please?

1965

Marshall J. Gluck
1133 Park Ave.
New York, NY 10128-1246
mjg@robinsonbrog.com

President: Edward A. McNally
Fund Manager: Howard N. Heller
Reunion Chair: Stuart N. “Buzz” Hutchison III

As always, I hope you enjoyed the summer and the time you spent with your family and friends. I have only a couple of items to report, so I trust a number of you will find time to email me your updates so my next column will be more informative.

I am sorry to report that William S. “Bill” Davis died June 3. Bill was professor emeritus of systems analysis and decision sciences (later management information systems) at Miami University, where he taught from 1971 to 2003. He gained coverage in The Chronicle of Higher Education with his 1985 book, The NECEN Voyage, a computer literacy textbook disguised as a science fiction novel. Bill wrote many other texts, including Computers and Business Information Processing, BASIC: Getting Started, and COBOL: An Introduction to Structured Logic and Molecular Program Design. He was employed by IBM Corp. from 1965 to 1971 except 1967–68 when he taught at Lafayette. We send our sympathies to Bill’s wife, Catherine; son, William; and daughters, Theresa and Carla.

On a more pleasant note, Gerrit Vreeland was the commencement speaker at The Gunnery in Washington, Conn., this past June, where he spoke to the largest graduating class in its history. A member of The Gunnery’s board of trustees, he also serves as president of its alumni association. He and his best friend from The Gunnery, Tony Rogers, have created the Vreeland/Rogers Scholarship Award, presented every year at Prize Night. Gerrit works as a managing director for Alex Brown Deutsche Bank. I am sure he gets a lot of pleasure in his commitment to The Gunnery, and we congratulate him on his efforts and dedication.

I bump into Kenneth Winarick and his wife, Esther, on the beach in Wainscott, Long Island, where both of us have summer homes. Ken was looking forward to coming back to campus in the fall and seeing his old Pi Lam brothers and other college friends. I have also communicated with Howard Heller and Joe Epstein, trying to set up a tennis match and dinner that will never happen—but at least it gives us something to talk about and plan for.

I understand from those of you who attended the reunion in June that it was a pleasant experience and a nice way to catch up with old friends and revisit the College. If any of you who attended wish to send me a short note as to who and what you saw, I will include it in my next column.

Once again, please send me updates on your lives and activities, and I hope to see many of you on the Hill this fall.

1966

President: Bradford C. Pierce
Fund Manager: James R. Quin
Reunion Chair: David J. De Vries

1967

Henry D. Ryder
30 McClelland Ave.
Pitman, NJ 08071-1059
hryder@verizon.net

President: William Vonroth Jr.
Fund Manager: Christopher Cathcart
Reunion Chairs: Laurence G. Cole, Thomas Royall Smith, Karl W. Pusch
Web Page Administrator: Henry D. Ryder

I regret to inform you of the July 13 death of the Rev. Douglas Lloyd Shaffer of Wyomissing, Pa., after a three-year battle with pancreatic cancer.

During our orientation at Lafayette in late August 1963, Doug saw a flier advertising a bus trip to Washington, D.C. He went on the trip and at the Lincoln Memorial heard a speech by a young minister named Martin Luther King Jr. That speech, “I Have a Dream,” inspired Doug to a life devoted to helping the less fortunate. (You may wish to read that inspiring speech at www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkihaveadream.htm.)

A history major and a member of Soles Hall, following graduation Doug received his M.Div. from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary in 1970. After a few years in campus ministry in Pittsburgh, he became executive director of Reading Urban Ministry, where he served for 16 years. He was instrumental in founding the Greater Berks Food Bank, the Opportunity House Homeless Shelter, and the Berks AIDS Network. In 1993, he was installed as the minister for Bausman Memorial United Church of Christ and served there until his retirement in August 2009.

An article about Doug in the July 24 Reading (Pa.) Eagle said: “Whether it was living on the streets of a Pittsburgh ghetto to counsel gang members, being arrested during civil rights demonstrations in Mississippi, or swinging a hammer to help build an emergency homeless shelter in Reading, Shaffer did what was necessary….Shaffer encouraged others to volunteer as well, stressing that those who give benefit as much as those who receive.” His wife of 22 years, Barbara Hazel Beringer, an attorney in Wyomissing, said he was moved by Micah 6:8: “What the Lord requires of us is this: to do what is just, to show constant love, and to live in humble fellowship with our God.” A co-worker said of Doug: “I think he was the embodiment of what a religious leader in this century should be. He didn’t just offer hollow words. He did the work.”

Doug’s son, Matthew ’95, majored in English and lives in San Francisco, where he is associate director for marketing services for the Trust for Public Land. Doug’s daughter, Rachael, planned to enter her sophomore year at Roger Williams College in Rhode Island, majoring in secondary education. We send our condolences to Barbara, Matthew, and Rachael.

Chris Golden is the executive director of the Second Cavalry Association. He served in this unit for two of the five years that he spent in the military. The association deals with the loss of life from the regiment’s deployment to Afghanistan. Chris said that “the loss of young men at an age when they were just beginning their lives seems most unfair. Life lost is always a tragedy…let us hope and pray for peace! I hate writing condolence letters to families of our soldiers. In 2008, when the Regiment returned from its last deployment to Iraq, we put up a memorial park in Vilseck, Germany, that memorializes 54 men and women who gave all for the nation. Sadly, we will be adding names to that memorial next year when the regiment returns to Vilseck.”

You will be pleased to know that despite spare attendance at our 43rd reunion, attendees Jim Eccher and Henry Ryder flew the Class of 1967 flag in the Reunion parade. Along with his brother Steve ’65, who was attending his 45th reunion, Jim attended Reunion for the first time since 1972. Jim commuted from Ferndale, Pa., (south on Route 611) as an undergraduate. Following his graduation with a degree in economics, Jim taught in high school for a year and then entered law school, graduating in 1972. He did the legal work for Eccher Jeep in Ferndale until his dad William F. ’38 sold the business in 1987. Jim, by his own admission, has “not done an honest day’s work in 25 years.” Jim and his life partner, Susan, have two children and two grandchildren and live part time in Ocean City, N.J. Jim promised me he will attend our 45th in 2012.

Estes Park KOA owner Jim Turner reports the summer in Colorado went well. Bob Smith and his wife, Gloria, from Mechanicsburg, Pa., visited during their trip through the Rocky Mountains. The geology majors enjoyed spending time getting caught up on what’s been happening with their families. It had been many years since Bob and Gloria had taken an extended trip, as they provide playday care for their youngest granddaughter, Kalina Mae Gardner. Bob reports that he and Gloria often have some joint pains, but otherwise they are holding up well. Bob co-teaches an adult Sunday School class at St. John Lutheran with their senior pastor.

Last June, Mark Staples made a guest appearance on the “Lehigh Valley Discourse” public radio program. Based on his observations from 38 years of volunteer work with Lutheran Disaster Response in Pennsylvania and the Gulf region, he discussed the impact of floods on survivors. He was interviewed by the executive director of Nurture Nature, an Easton nonprofit with a mission to better educate and prepare residents in flood-prone areas to deal with storm-related calamities. Nurture Nature, created in the aftermath of recent catastrophic flooding along the Delaware River Basin, is developing a science center in its headquarters in Easton’s old Strand Theater building. Mark served most of his career as a communications executive with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, first as an editor with The Lutheran, the church’s national magazine, and most recently as director of communications for The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia. Semi-retired since 2008, he fulfills writing assignments for the church as his health permits. Mark and his wife, Lynn, a hospice nurse and case manager before retiring, live in Norristown, Pa.

Thanks to the 80-plus class members who have contributed to this column since I became class correspondent in 2002. On the other hand, the class would like to hear from the other 220 members whose names have not appeared. Please send me information about yourself that I may include in the next edition.

When we graduated, the class of 1917 celebrated its 50th reunion. Each year, the 50th reunion year has crept up, and this year, with the class of 1960, reached our decade. The warm-up for our 50th will be the 45th, June 8–10, 2012.

1968

Howard S. Rednor
984 S. Broad St.
Trenton, NJ 08611-2008
seeligandrednorlaw@comcast.net

President: Robert E. Albus
Fund Manager: Steven P. Bottcher
Reunion Chair: William L. Messick
Web Page Administrator: William L. Messick, messy12@aol.com

Paul Levy continues in his position as director of the Center City District and Central Philadelphia Development Corp., which promotes and stewards Center City, Philadelphia. To that end, a newsletter is published seasonally, by which Paul keeps me advised of his activities and concerns through his director’s essay, the keystone of the publication. Paul also delivered the keynote address for the Easton Main Street Initiative, which held its annual State of Main Street meeting March 12 at the Alvin H. Butz Gallery of the State Street Theatre.

Lloyd Levenson took pity on me after reading my column in April. He sent a long letter and provided information regarding his involvement and support for the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey School of Business. Lloyd is CEO and the chair of the casino law department at Cooper Levenson, a 70-member law firm in Atlantic City, N.J. He is the former president of the International Association of Gaming Attorneys, a columnist for Boardwalk Journal magazine, and serves on the board of trustees for the Southern New Jersey Development Council. He is also a member of the board of directors of D.A.R.E. and a volunteer leader in the Boys & Girls Club of Atlantic City. After Lafayette, Lloyd attended and graduated from the Georgetown University Law Center. In connection with his longtime support of Stockton College, he established the Lloyd D. Levenson Institute for Gaming, Hospitality, and Tourism. The institute combines the research, training, and management components of the Stockton Institute for Gaming Management and those of the college’s Center on Hospitality and Tourism Research to serve this critical aspect of New Jersey’s economy. Lloyd served previously as chair of the scholarship gala and has supported numerous Stockton College activities and events. The president of the college, Herman J. Saatkamp Jr., praised Lloyd’s credentials and contributions and predicted that the Lloyd D. Levenson Institute will have a far-reaching benefit to the college’s community and the local and state economies. Lloyd stated: “I’ve participated in gaming’s growth from an exciting experiment to a multibillion-dollar industry. The institute affirms this transformation from a local leisure enterprise to a complex economic system of global impact.”

On a personal level, Lloyd has been married to Liane for 27 years. Retired from the practice of law, she uses her law degree and master’s in English to teach at Stockton College. Lloyd writes that she teaches a course entitled Argument and Persuasion, and he claims he never wins an argument because “she teaches the course.” The Levensons have two “wonderful” sons. Lucas, 19, is a sophomore at Drew University, where the 6-foot, 8-incher started on the basketball team and had “a great year” his first season. Lloyd traveled to 24 of the 26 games and reminisced about his own basketball days at Lafayette. He looks forward to three more years of driving around the Mid-Atlantic states to watch Lucas play. Younger son Logan is a first-year student at Roger Williams University in Bristol, R.I., where he will study marine biology and hopes to “save the coral reefs.” His interest in marine biology was piqued by his ocean activities as a surfer, skin diver, and lifeguard. The Levensons look forward to spending a lot of time with Logan by traveling to Newport, R.I., which is just 20 minutes away.

Jim Swartwout was elected a director of ATS Corp., a leading information technology company that delivers innovative technology solutions to government and commercial organizations. Jim has over 30 years of operational and financial management experience in both public and private corporations. He most recently served as a co-chief executive officer and board member of Habasit Holding, the U.S. subsidiary of Habasit AG, a $700 million global supplier of precision conveyor belts. Before that, he spent 18 years with Summa Industries, a publicly traded manufacturer of diversified plastic products for industrial and commercial markets, where he served as chair, CEO, and CFO. When Habasit acquired Summa, Jim led the integration and moved into the executive role at the parent company. Before his tenure at Summa, Jim served in several executive roles in various manufacturing firms and is also a director of Sparton Corp., a publicly traded, diversified electronics company and supplier of sophisticated electronic assemblies to the Navy and Coast Guard. Earlier in his career, he served as a commissioned officer in the Navy after receiving a bachelor’s in industrial engineering and later his MBA from the University of Southern California.

Dem Cowles wrote that he still resides in Florida in spite of the extreme summer heat, which he describes as HELL. He and wife Gail spent three weeks in Maine and New Hampshire looking for some place to be in the summer. He thinks Florida is wonderful in the winter, but otherwise… He and Gail resume work in mid- to late August, when Gail will return for her 37th year of teaching fifth grade, and Dem will recommence teaching courses at Webber International University. Also, Dem runs a local family literacy program involving 90 families at two different school sites, with adult, pre-K, and childhood education, plus parenting and life skills. In the Cowles’ area, 40 percent of people live below the poverty line, 35 percent fail to complete high school, and only 18 percent attend four years of college. As a result of Dem’s efforts, dozens of people have gotten GEDs, and some have gone on to college. Dem is now “inactive” in his former bars, but he keeps his Florida law license current to practice in the state. He says that practicing law comes in handy when trying to get justice in a small town. He has taken on some boards and commissions, notably the County Water Advisory Board, the County Budgetary Advisory Board, and some local non-profits. In addition, he is involved in a commission to review his county’s charter.

Now for the bad news. The College has notified me that John Thomas Magee died July 20. John was born in Bethlehem, Pa., in 1946 to Helen Stephenson Magee and the late John Fackenthal Magee. He graduated from the Loomis Chaffee School in Windsor, Conn., and at Lafayette was an English major, a brother in Phi Delta Theta, and a varsity lacrosse player. After college, John served in the military in the Army Corps of Engineers. His life’s work was as an international traffic manager for Coty and Unilever. In his spare time, he enjoyed hockey, lacrosse, and kayaking. His favorite activity was geocaching. John’s wife, Margaret; his sons, Adam, Ethan, and Christopher; and his daughter, Emily ’10 (B.S., economics & business; B.S., anthropology & sociology), survive him. Other survivors are a daughter-in-law, Gretchen; grandchildren Avery, Gavin, and Aiden; brothers Robert and Douglas; and nephews Matthew and Ryan. Consistent with John’s love of the College, the family has asked for contributions to be made to Lafayette College or ProJeCt of Easton Inc., 330 Ferry Street, Easton, PA 18042. The family held a private memorial in September in Bay Head, N.J., where the Magee family summer home is located.

I would like to thank all of the people who contacted me and provided information. Without your volunteering I would have very little information with which to produce this column.

1969

Michael L. Mouber
4001 Lincoln Drive West, Suite F
Marlton, NJ 08053-1525
(856) 985-1000
mlmlegal@aol.com

President: John C. Becica
Fund Manager: David W. Fraser
Reunion Chair: David A. Piacente
Web Page Administrator: John C. Becica, becica@juno.com

Class President John C. Becica informed me about the March 26 death of Kay Bergethon, wife of Lafayette College President Emeritus Roald Bergethon (see news item). She was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., and married President Bergethon in 1942. Prior to Dr. Bergethon’s death in 2004, they had been married for 62 years. For those of you who want to read a detailed account of her history, her obituary was reported in the April 1 The Express-Times.

We have heard from two classmates. Jim Mason reports that while he was in Vancouver, Wash., in early June for a family wedding, he and his wife, Marg, looked up Bob Grasso, a Kappa Sigma brother, and Bob’s wife, Lana (see photo).

Ross Unruh let us know that his firm, Unruh, Turner, Burke & Frees, was  recognized by the West Chester Chamber of Commerce as Business of the Year for 2010.