Class Notes
Notes on the following pages were submitted by Gilman alumni, mostly in the spring of 2023. Some have been edited for space. Please read the most up-to-date notes and submit yours at gilman.edu/classnotes
The classes listed below are looking for volunteers to serve as class secretaries. If you are interested, please contact Director of Alumni Relations Andrew Robinson at arobinson@gilman.edu.
1980 | 1984 | 1986 | 1995 | 2009 | 2015 | 2022
The classes listed below did not submit notes this year. If you would like to submit a note for inclusion in next year’s Bulletin, please complete the form at gilman.edu/classnotes at your convenience or respond to your class secretary’s call for notes in the spring. The names and email addresses for these classes’ secretaries are listed below.
1950: Haswell Franklin | haswell@franklin-group.com
1951: Bob Swindell | bbncc444@gmail.com
1952: Bruce Follmer | bf0629@gmail.com
1958: George Michaels | georgemichaels611@gmail.com
1967: Key Kidder | keykidder@gmail.com
1977: Hap Cooper | hap@prospectsc.com
1982: Brian Doud | abcdoud@bellsouth.net
1983: Andy Buerger | abuerger@mac.com
1988: David Carroll | dcarroll@capitol-strategies.com
1989: Winston Rigsby | winstonrigsby@yahoo.com
2000: Charlie Ring | charlie.ring@gmail.com
2002: Chris Atkins | catkins135@yahoo.com
2003: John Mooney | jhmooney@gmail.com
2004: Alex Cole | alexander.w.cole@gmail.com
2005: Tyler Hoffberger | wthoffberger@gmail.com
2006: Adam Kovars | askovars@gmail.com
2007: Whit Johnson | wwj6s@virginia.edu
2009: Eli Kahn | ebkahn25@gmail.com
2011: Austin Dase | ahdase@gmail.com
2012: Evan King | eking110@vt.edu
2013: Quinn Flaks | quflaks@gmail.com
2016: Peter Kohler | pkohler10@gmail.com
2017: Lucas Randrianarivelo | lucasrandrianarivelo@gmail.com
2019: Ben Levinson | ben@charmcityrun.com
-or- Noah Seth | noah.m.seth@gmail.com
2020: Nick Boucher | nickboucher2024@u.northwestern.edu
-or- Connor Vogel | connorvogelmd@gmail.com
2021: Arvin Elangovan | arfthegreat21@gmail.com
C L a SS nOTES
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1953
Pierre Bouscaren pierreb225@gmail.com
Your class secretary offers up the following notes in our 70th reunion year for your 80+-year-old enjoyment.
Kent Flannery is out in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He and Joyce are both still doing what good archaeologists love to do … exploring among dusty ruins and then publishing. They work in Mexico and in Peru respectively while still teaching full time at the University of Michigan. They each also have a book written and awaiting publication … titles to be divulged when ready.
Andrew (Andy) Gantt and Digna have taken up residence in what was once a huge family-owned tobacco farm (60,000 acres) during the pre-Revolutionary War years (when the colonies sent tobacco to England) in Nelson County, Virginia. It is now only 670 acres, and they have gradually converted the property to a tree farm upon which the Gantts have planted 450,000 trees. So now rather than contributing to tobacco-causing impurities, the trees actually withdraw some 6,800 tons of carbon from the atmosphere. Not bad for a guy who was an international economist in his “working years” and followed up with Formula-3 auto racing and ocean sailboat racing.
Bill Eaton and I enjoyed traveling together from Washington, D.C., where he resides, up to Baltimore for Gilman’s alumni luncheon at the School. We were pleased to commandeer seats at the power table with Ellen and Doug Godine. The catered lunch was served in what we remember as the room in which we gave our Sixth Form speech. There were still some short speeches made and Haswell Franklin, Sr. ’50 won the coveted Richard Evans ʼ60 “School
Spirit Award.” There was a combined reunion class dinner held the next night at the Elkridge Club in Baltimore. Representing our class were Bill Trimble along with Godine. I had to beg off, not wanting to drive two hours back home after dinner.
I did get a nice note from Cary Woodward expressing regret for not making the scene at any Alumni Weekend event but explaining that a service for one of his former Gilman students took priority. He and Peggy still live just a mile or so from the School, but sure do enjoy their vacation time on their island home in Maine.
Karen and Harry Thomas have now had a year or more under their belts after moving to Gaithersburg, Maryland.
Unfortunately, as we age, we don’t get to go to all the functions that seem to call us nor that we want to attend. We lost Fred Klaunberg a few weeks ago, and I attended the very simple but poignant service in a small church north of Baltimore. I did see Ellie and Tony Carey at the reception. We didn’t have a chance to visit because I drew a complete blank on Ellie’s name and am not sure Tony recognized me! That happens when you reach 87 years old. She looks great, however, and it was my bad!
Finally, Rick Betts and Patricia have taken the plunge and moved into a Rossmoor House in Walnut Grove, California. They love the place.
1954
David Woods dfwoods@comcast.net
Like the days in “September Song,” the roster of 1954 classmates “dwindles down to a precious few.” Just a couple of weeks before my May 1 deadline for submit-
ting these notes came news that John (Johnny) Sherwood had passed away.
His love of sailing was in his soul. I last saw him two years ago in the house he and Lisa own on Nantucket, an island where he won many trophies. They were gracious hosts to my daughter and me. One detail in his lengthy obituary caught my eye. The beautiful Sherwood Gardens in Guilford were planted by his grandfather and now provide spring fever pleasure to thousands each April and May.
Larry Wagner checked in from Marathon Key with the following: “We are still living on the beach and ocean in the Florida Keys. Celebrated our 65 years of marriage at the Yacht Club. Kids and grandkids come to visit when they can take time off from their work. Most of our children are getting near retirement. Sold my last boat, which about killed me, so I read a lot now. Use a cane to get around, as golfing was a while back. I ride a bike every day for exercise. Deedee listens to tapes as her eyesight is not good. Occasionally a fishing trip with my son Kip who bought my boat. He lives 30 miles down the road toward Key West. Life is slow and easy down here.”
Dave Andrew aloha’d from Honolulu. He was in good cheer. He wrote the following: “Bonnie and I took a grand Regent ship cruise from Montreal up St. Lawrence to Nova Scotia, down the Atlantic coast to Boston, Gardener museum, NYC staying at New York Athletic Club, saw the Broadway play “Moulin Rouge,” hiked Central Park, and home to Honolulu.”
Carlton Seitz checked in to report that he is still alive but slower kicking nowadays. He went on to say that he is enjoying gardening and his book collection and staying out of trouble. And
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he recalled the days when Hal (oops! Frank) Loweree, the late Gus Widhelm et al would play banjos and tipple a bit too much. To which I add that God gave us memories so we could have roses in December and memories of Gus tippling and strumming his banjo. And other warm memories of friends.
Frank (aka Hal) Loweree wrote to say that “I’m 44 years clean and sober. Wife, Linda, 39 years clean and sober. We have five children, five grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.”
David Woods: Other than a serious problem with my remaining eye which kept me housebound and unable to read or watch TV for 10 days, I seem to be OK. The eye has recovered, and I walk a daily mile, which is a big step down from my 53 years of running four to five miles a day. But it’s something.
We all seem to have lived 87 full and good years. May we be around to check in again after 88. Blessings.
1955
Theodore McKeldin trmjr@mckeldin.com
Bartie and Charlie Cole are still enjoying the Hillsboro Club in Florida, their new residence. They come back to their Maryland home in May and then back to Florida in the fall.
George Hess is home recovering from back surgery followed by a double fracture of his sacroiliac. Other than that he feels and sounds great. Beverly Compton is also home recovering from a fractured pelvis and a hip replacement. I spoke to him at the Gilman Forever luncheon in April, and he is in good spirits and looks well. I called Dennis Rawlins and he told me that he had a
stroke and is in a wheelchair. He is in good spirits.
Pete Powell reports that he recently joined the ranks of the retired after 35 years as an attorney followed by 21 years running two private foundations. The foundations provided opportunities to Baltimore public school students and also focused on the environment and community development. Now it’s more time for family, tennis, and good books.
Ted McKeldin: Courtney and I are having shoulder replacements this fall. Now that COVID is no longer a major threat, we are taking a Viking cruise to Iceland this summer. Nice to be traveling again. I would be remiss not to mention the death of Tommy Swindell, a really great guy who will be truly missed. Hope you all stay well.
1956
Mert Fowlkes fmfowlkes@aol.com
The past 12 months have been a very healthy and active period for many of us, but, sadly, we lost six classmates during that same time. In chronological order, Bruzz Jory, Teddy Johnson, Stuart Egerton, Ambler Moss, Harry Lord, and Spencer Everett all passed away, some suddenly, and some after extended illnesses. Very sad. All six left their marks on the community in a variety of ways.
On a cheerier note, Bentley Offutt and Dave Sowell hosted a very enjoyable luncheon in October at the Elkridge Club, and 14 of us were able to attend. Those present, in addition to our hosts, were Guy Dove, Tom Carroll, Dick Biggs, Phil Briscoe, Fred Neesemann, Mert Fowlkes, Dave Eaton, Gordon Rupp, Joe Healey, Julian Jones, Cooper Graham, and Harry Lord. There was a
lot of story-swapping and reminiscing. It was particularly good for many of us to get to know Gordon Rupp, who was never in the Upper School, and to see Fred Neesemann, who traveled up from Jacksonville, Florida, to be with us. Several people were heard saying, “Let’s do it again!”
Fritz Baukhages continues to spend half of each year in Southern Pines, North Carolina, while his home is still in Luray, Virginia. All three of his grandchildren are in graduate school or are gainfully employed, he’s happy to report.
Bill Zeeveld may be the last of our classmates still working, and he thoroughly enjoys his engineering consulting business in Hendersonville, North Carolina, yet he calls himself “in retirement.” Keep it up!
Sam Smith is concluding his project of tracking down burial sites of Marylanders in the War of 1812, and he’s ready to move on. A few nagging health problems have slowed him down, but regular physical therapy has helped a lot. He was sorry to learn of Bruzz Jory’s passing, as they were boarding roommates during Sam’s last year at Gilman in the Fourth Form.
Sandy Dugan is doing well in Wrenshall, Minnesota, and says that the cold winters are getting milder, thus allowing him more time for farm duties, which he says “impose compulsory gym for retirees.” He and wife Betsy stay very active and enjoy having two young grandsons nearby.
Guy Dove enjoyed the October luncheon in Baltimore, and later continued his routine of wintering in Vero Beach, Florida. He has resumed his annual pheasant shoot in Cornwall, England, which he missed for two years because of
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COVID. This is a sporting passion that he has enjoyed for over 30 years.
Leland James is happily settled in his longtime riverfront home in Irvington, Virginia, and Sue and I enjoyed spending a very pleasant day with him and Marion in November. He’s not traveling much these days but, with a lovely home like his, why would he want to?!
Nick Penniman is doing well in Naples, Florida, and regularly gets back to Baltimore to keep up with his children. He says, “All is good with us.”
Graham Slaughter was honored to have one of his terrific color photographs on the cover of “Save the Bay” magazine in December. It was a spectacular sunset over a pristine creek on the Eastern Shore. He says he still enjoys the hobby but has slowed down considerably.
Howard Stick reports from Gladwyne, Pennsylvania, that he and Alyce stay busy gardening at home and taking care of several rental properties in Pennsylvania and New Hampshire. They still ski in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Keep it up!
Dick Biggs, Dave Eaton, and yours truly, Mert Fowlkes, continue to enjoy occasional Zoom sessions with our wives, and it certainly has been a pleasant way to stay in touch casually.
Stay safe and healthy, and I look forward to our 70th reunion in three years!
1957
Frank Gluck gluck.frank@gmail.com
Recently received a call from Crossan O’Donovan from his retirement community in Raleigh, North Carolina. Other than the “slings and arrows” of various orthopedic challenges, he
and Brenda continue to enjoy time with family in the area and with life in general. We had fun reminiscing about the Orioles and their hopeful continued improvement this season. Like yours truly, Crossan has been a lifelong Orioles fan. We spent many a day sipping National Bohs in the upper deck at Memorial Stadium while we were medical school roommates at Hopkins.
Recently we lost Hill Michaels to a lengthy illness. Although he didn’t graduate with us, Hill was a loyal Gilman alumnus and good friend to many of us. We had rekindled our relationship after I assumed the role as class secretary. His contributions to both Gilman and Calvert as a dedicated alumnus proved invaluable, and he was recipient of Calvert’s Distinguished Alumnus award recently. He is missed.
I had a lengthy chat with Jim Gieskie several weeks ago. Jim and Judi are avid supporters of alumni activities of our class of 1965 at Johns Hopkins Medical School. We commented on the number of Gilman alumni that were accepted to our class. In addition to Jim and myself, Crossan O’Donovan, Bill Woodward, Tommy Garrett, Herb Fee, and Jack Bryant (a class behind us at Gilman) were all incoming students. Looks like Gilman did a good job in preparing us. Jim and Judi continue to thrive in Easton, a place that he refers to as “the friendliest and sanest of all communities.”
Millard Firebaugh relates that he has two grandchildren at Severn School and has enjoyed regaling them with his escapades as a third-string fullback on the Gilman JV team, like scoring the extra point in a lopsided win over Severn (“the highlight of my athletic career”). He and wife Barbara spend the winter months in the Naples-Marco Island area
of South Florida and would love seeing anyone who happens to be in the area.
I recently heard from Gus Lewis Despite Debby and him having COVID in December, they have been able to travel to Europe and New Zealand, as well as remain active locally. In addition to Gus tutoring in math and Debby being a part-time church organist, they continue to remain active in the Baltimore community, attending classes, musical events, and riding bikes. Realizing the potential for health issues in the future, they are beginning to explore retirement communities.
Just finished a nice conversation with Eddie Brown. He and Joyce have just taken up residence in Blakehurst, after spending his entire life in homes on Woodbrook Lane. The ambivalence of moving to a “Live Well” environment was, at least, tempered by the fact that son Teddy and family were now living in their vacated home, maintaining the near 100-year tradition of Brown families living on Woodbrook Lane. What great memories of winter sledding, hideand-seek games, and gracious Brown hospitality that place provided!
Sam Hopkins continues to enjoy good health. He and wife Genie are eager to host any of us in the Baltimore area or in their summer haunt in Marion, Massachusetts, during July or August. He would also love to host any locals for lunch at the 14 West Hamilton Club. So refreshing to find one of our former classmates being so robust and hospitable.
John Lewin and I have been communicating frequently over the past several months sharing mutual interests pertaining to our health, the frustrations over the misadventures of the Ravens and Titans, and, most importantly, the escapades of our dogs. He
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recently attended a celebration of the life for our mutual friend, Harry Lord, and commented on the large number of people our age who attended and how nice it was as a tribute to Harry as well as so many people our age remaining alive to attend the ceremony.
Frank Gluck: After a few months of medical misadventures, I’m happy to report a near complete return to normality. The experiences did provide me an opportunity to reflect on many past experiences, one being the profound effect several of my former Gilman teachers had on my future development. Roy Barker, in his dynamic way, enabling me to love Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” and committing Shelley’s sonnet “Ozymandias” to lifelong memory; Ludlow Baldwin’s enthusiasm in describing Teddy Roosevelt; Richard O’Brien’s descriptions of life in France making me want to move there; Fred Williams in his biology class bringing amoeba and other microscopic creatures to life. They and many others shared one thing in common: unbridled love for their subject matter and an infectious enthusiasm. These qualities seem to define an effective teacher. We are so blessed to have learned from them.
1959
Chip Markell c.b.markell@comcast.net
Chip Markell: The most interesting thing in our family this past year was my wife Bonnie’s participation in buying a B&B. The River House Inn is an impressive three-story Victorian home built in 1865, located in the old town of Snow Hill (begun in 1680s), 12 miles from Salisbury and 15 miles from Ocean City. The inn sits on 2.5 acres on the Pocomoke River, with a pool and three cottages. It is being renewed and will open in late May.
I will spend much of the season there, Bonnie most of it. I have no official role but Bonnie is eager to have me on hand, and I will enjoy being there and being helpful where I can. We hope friends will be coming down!
Much of our year is mixing with the family and eight grandkids (ages 4-17). We usually do one or two visits to Ocean City, and the kids love all the activity, especially Christmas visiting with lots of presents, opened fast. I plan to keep driving my Jaguar convertible.
nately, we have not put the local health care system to the test. Touch wood. We drive to D.C. and to Rhode Island to visit kids and grandkids occasionally, and we are planning a trip to Ireland in September.
Tom Ahern: Moved from Key Largo to Palm Harbor, Florida, a year ago at the request of my daughter. Bought an interesting house on a large lake, complete with chicken coop. Daughter’s rental house had mold, so while renovating a permanent house, she moved into my house with husband, teenage son, and a 6-year-old daughter. Palm Harbor is a lovely town of 63,000 adjacent to Clearwater, near Tampa and St. Petersburg. Getting serious about painting in acrylics and watercolor, while still an avid photographer.
The members of the Class of 1959 get together for lunch twice a year; Clark MacKenzie hosted one in May. The above photo, along with notes of appreciation from classmates, was presented to Chip Markell as a memento of his service as class secretary.
George Hardy: We are at a stage where “no news is good news,” and I don’t have any really new news to report. After living for 20 years in Rock Hall (Kent County, on the Eastern Shore), two years ago we moved to Heron Point, a CCRC in Chestertown. Jane and I are comfortably ensconced in a cottage here. Fellow residents are fun and interesting, the staff is great, food is good, activities are plentiful, and location on the river in a historic college town makes life pretty darn good. Fortu-
Hobart Fowlkes: Not much excitement in my life. As I think you know, I sold my plane, and gave up flying after 55 years. I think about it every time a small plane flies over. Still cut my grass. Had a hip replaced … gave up golf. I have twin grandsons who graduate from Calvert this year and are going to Gilman.
Frank Pine: Frank and his wife, Lorraine, moved permanently to Baltimore (in Cross Keys) from Long Lake, New York, in October 2022. Frank has joined the 14 West Hamilton Street Club and has his first Baltimore photography exhibit here. He enjoys reading, photography, and spending August in Long Lake at his family’s summer camp. Lorraine enjoys reading, cooking, and playing mahjong with friends. Great to get back in touch with old friends.
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Rick Uhlig reports that he volunteers with Gilchrist Hospice and participates with other veterans in Salutes to Service tributes to honor veterans near the end of life.
1960
Ted Knowles knowlesf240@gmail.com
John Rouse: Greetings from Rome, Italy! I don’t have much to add to my class notes this year, except that my wife, Yasuko, and I are still here in the Eternal City. We are now in the middle of the lengthy preparation process of moving back to Annapolis. We hope to reach the end of the process next year. That would allow me to participate more actively in class activities.
Peter Wood: We’re still living in Longmont, north of Boulder, and enjoying Colorado. Lil retires from the CU-Boulder History Department in August 2023. Next year marks half a century of use for “Black Majority,” my book on slavery in early South Carolina. To my delight, WW Norton has decided to publish a 50th-anniversary edition! I’m repelled by current efforts to suppress difficult history, so I’m also expanding another small book of mine, “Strange New Land: Africans in Colonial America.” I continue to grow gourds, lament catastrophic climate disruption, and appreciate the learning and friendships Gilman offered all of us.
Ted Knowles: Gretchen and I visited Monterey, California, to see Tommy ’96 and his family. His 5-year-old daughter, Maisie, with her devilish sense of humor, said, “Watch out for wolves.” “What? There are wolves?” “Yes, and they love Pop sandwiches!” We got back to Chestertown unscathed. In our 25 years (What? Is that possible?) in Chestertown, Gretchen has devoted herself
to our garden, now luxuriant with flowers and shrubs. I’ve been taking guitar lessons for a year and a half. I can play lots of songs, but to be kind, none are ready for prime time!
Bill Shipp: I have been active in Rotary’s Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group for several years. It is true that I cannot tell a sea slug from a sea cucumber. But I can use my experience as a member of the California Coastal Commission to work with the California Senate on the Sea Rise Act. So far, Scripps has been able to forecast seas overflowing land two days before the actual destruction occurs.
Ted Bedford: Greetings from sunny Vero Beach, Florida. I keep in touch with home news via the Sun online and the ever numerous Stan Heuisler letters to the editor. We actually have five Gilman alumni members at our Orchid Island Golf and Beach Club and several more in Vero Beach. Anybody traveling to Florida’s Treasure Coast, be sure to get in touch.
Stan Heuisler offered a creative approach to the recommended 100-word limit for notes this year: 1 and 2 Jerry Downs. 3 Nick Schloeder. 4 through 9 Ken Bourne’s Joke Of The Day. 10 through 14 Bill Dorsey’s Happy Organ. 15 through 20 Chocolate Cokes at Tuxedo Pharmacy 21 through 24 Annie Had A Baby 25 through 27 Baker Gets Agnew! 28 through 32 Pete “The Shot” Taylor 33 through 36 Chocolate Big Towns 37 Qwak! 38 through 44 There must be a better way 45 through 46 Gilman Fairies 47 through 48 Geezy Peazy 49 through 61 Your grade if you have it signed by your parents and…62 through 71 She don’t work no more no more NO MORE 72 to 80 Pierce John Francis Xavier Flanigan 80 to 81 Beltway Liquors 82 to 86 Behind The Green Door 87 to 91 Prussia I mean
Germany 92 to 94 Barn Dance 95 on We Few We Happy Few We Band of Brothers.
John Zouck: In keeping with the latest craze I used the AI program chatGPT to write my note this year. After feeding it some basic facts this is what it came up with, telling it to make it funny. If you would exercise your great editorial skills, tell me if this flies: Class of 1960 alum, John Zouck, is still kicking and living his best life! He’s been busy taking great courses in modern physics, which makes sense because he’s still trying to figure out how to defy gravity and fly. On top of that, he’s been unleashing his inner Picasso and creating masterpieces with his drawing skills. But let’s not forget his calling as a Meals on Wheels delivery person in Mount Washington Valley. He’s basically living out his dreams of becoming a food delivery driver and touring the countryside at the same time! Zouck’s still splitting his time between Maryland and New Hampshire, but no matter where he goes, his boundless energy and sense of humor continue to inspire his fellow classmates.
Lew Seiler: I am still working as a seasonal employee at Churchill Downs which I have done for the past 20 years. It’s very exciting to be part of a major sporting event. My traveling plans have included two summer trips to Puebla and Oaxaca, Mexico, where I attended Spanish schools in both cities. My teacher from Puebla is currently on an extended trip to Australia. For our lessons, we communicate via Zoom, and the connection is clear enough that she could be in the next room. Technology still amazes me. If any of you ever get to Louisville, please let me know. I would welcome your visit. Stay well.
Kent Mullikin: It’s been a while since I’ve been to Baltimore, not to mention
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Roland Park, but during the past year I’ve exchanged emails with Bill Dorsey, Stan Heuisler, John Lewis, John Rouse, Snowden Stanley, and Ted Knowles. In the summer, I see Kennedy Boone on Swan’s Island in Maine. These old friends stir memories of our Gilman years.
John Lewis: I am still enjoying retirement in Bradenton, Florida, with woodworking, swimming, and orchids. I am living with my daughter, Brett, a CT (formerly CAT) scan technician. I have been fortunate to be in fair health in spite of 12 years with Parkinson’s. New things are pitching horseshoes (I am too weak to throw a 1-kg shoe 40 feet, so I enjoy it at 25 feet). Also I may be becoming a Tampa Bay Rays fan, though I am still loyal to the Birds who spring-train in Sarasota. Also, I am taking boxing lessons with a Parkinson’s group. Thanks to our Gilman rigor, some things don’t ever change. I cringe and sometimes assault people using Latin words such as datum and stadium incorrectly. I’m not equally rigorous with English grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
Jim Constable: Between Katie and me, we have six sons and one daughter who have produced 17 grandchildren. Two have already finished college; one is now at UVA; and one is at Tulane. Two are graduating from high school this year and on their way to college next year. Locally, we are represented at Gilman, Odyssey, and McDonogh. I am still limping around the farm, tennis court, golf course, and trout stream and trying to keep my sailboat upright.
Jim Winn: After several years of absence, Elizabeth and I got back to Belize for sun, snorkeling, and Belikin beer. Belize is a wonderful winter place to visit without the crowds. COVID stopped our class luncheons. Let me
know and we can try to set them up again.
Ned Sullivan: I made it through another ski season, again working four days a week at a ski-in/ski-out restaurant on Aspen Mountain. Zilretta shots in both knees have helped considerably. Met up with Rick Ober ʼ61, a classmate from Calvert and Gilman, to ski one day at Snowmass. Another Greek small-ship cruise last October and a Maui dive trip later. Otherwise lots of events, gig work, volunteering, biking and hiking in the summer. I plan to be doing more of the same this year. No social media, AI, or Alexa in my life!
as the Communications Officer aboard the USS Norris (DD–859), achieving the rank of Lieutenant, Vietnam Destroyer Duty. After an honorable discharge, he was an instructor at the Officer Indoctrination School in Newport, Rhode Island. From 1970–1976, Mark was a marketing rep in the Data Processing Division of IBM Corp. In 1976, he founded Data Resources, Inc., which specialized in custom business forms and data processing supplies. Mark held various elected offices while living in East Greenwich — Fire Commissioner (2008–13), Town Council Member (2011–14), and Rhode Island State Senator for District 35 (2015–18).
Mark Watkins Gee, 79, formerly of East Greenwich, Rhode Island, died peacefully surrounded by loving family on Thursday, June 23, 2022, while residing at The Lighthouse at Lincoln. Born in Boston, he was the son of Charles McQueen and Matilda Moulton Gee, and brother to Cynthia Gee de Monbrison of Paris, France; Charles McQueen, Jr., and Michael Moulton Gee, both of whom predeceased him.
Mark graduated from Gilman School in 1960, and received his B.S. from Washington & Lee University in 1965, where he fostered his lifelong love for music singing for the Sazeracs a capella group. He then served in the U.S. Navy
A Newport resident for many years, he was involved in the city’s early Colonial restoration and redevelopment process, including the concept and installation of 200 authentic gas lighting fixtures. Over the years, Mark joyfully volunteered for a myriad of community organizations. Some of these included Operation Clapboard; Norman Bird Sanctuary; Historic Hill PAC; Power Lunch; Dorcas Place, Tutor and Mentor; East Bay School to Career Partnership Council, Chair; East Bay Literacy; East Providence Prevention Coalition, Chair; Senior Project Judge, Barrington and East Greenwich; Providence InTown YMCA, Chair; East Providence Community Emergency Response Team; Rochambeau Library, Board Member; East Greenwich Citizens Who Care/ Substance Abuse Task Force; and Main Street Association of East Greenwich.
Mark’s favorite pastime was exercising, whether it was running with his beloved Cranston Road Runners, working out at the InTown Providence or Kent County YMCA, swimming across First Beach in Middletown, biking a Century ride through Southeastern Massachusetts (with no training), or simply walking
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the trails of East Greenwich. He is survived by his wife, Dana Warren Gee, whom he married while they ran in the 1995 Thanksgiving Day Newport Pie Run, and their children: Zadoc (known as Zing), Griffin, and Hope, all at home. Mark leaves four children from his former wife, Lillian Rothe Dick: Annelisa Alden Gee of Saint-Barthélemy Island; Sarah Dawson Green and her husband, Bill, of Wayne, Pennsylvania; Alexander Rothe Gee and his wife, Jennifer, of Newport; Christina Gist Gee Kryca and her husband, Igor, of London; 10 grandchildren; and his childhood imaginary friends: Gowky, Sutter, Peas, and Mr. Hooton from Newton.
A service of burial with Military Honors was held at the RI Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Exeter, on July 16, 2022
1961
Bill Hardy billhardy@comcast.net
Thanks to everyone who submitted updates to their situations. Most of us became or will become octogenarians in 2022 or 2023. Congratulations to those who did or will. That used to sound distinguished (or old). Not so any more. Most of us I have seen, talked to, or heard from, seem sound of body and mind. That is good. I only know of one person’s passing, and that is Jamie Easter. Jamie died in early January after a fall in his home.
Here is a compilation of notes that were sent to me in the past months. A few people did not respond, but when I had information from personal contact or other sources I filled in hopefully with accurate information. So, in near alphabetical order:
Pope Barrow reported, “I turned 80, surprising my doctors who predicted my imminent demise three years ago. I wrote a book, which is selling well. I play lots of pickleball. I raced my sailboat on the Potomac, winning three out of four seasons. I raised a garden and ate everything in it. I went sailing and snorkeling in Belize. I had fun all year.” To attest that he is sailing, we sent our ’61 sports anchor out to get proof. The report came back “Middleton Pope Barrow’s yacht Black Dog is on its way to yet another big win on the Potomac. This wheel has plenty of tread left to ride a lot of waves. His nine sailing opponents were left so far behind, the photographer couldn’t even get a group photo of the boats crossing.” See photo. (Is that a motor off the transom? No wonder he does so well.)
Rick Born and his wife, Elaine, are doing well. Rick is almost retired having handed over the reins of his business to his son. They are still residing in Baltimore, but also spend time on the west coast visiting their daughter and her family. They also travel on their own. In January, they joined Muffin and Sam Dell traveling to Jordan and Israel.
Taylor Brown has been fighting some health issues. He says the treatment is progressing OK, but he is not out of the woods yet. He is living in Towson as he has for the past several years and is following his boys’ families and children.
Bryson Christhilf insightfully reports that not much has changed. Still at
Brightwood. Good to see that members of our class seem to be hanging in there pretty well at age 80. Casualty rate pretty high elsewhere among various friends and acquaintances.
Steve Cordi and Marque are doing well. Steve is playing bridge with the “bridge guys.” Among that group are Rick Born and Carl Cummings and others not in ’61. Steve wrote, “Marque and I recently visited John Sigler who was recuperating from a hospitalization. He was much interested in the doings of his classmates and expects to be up and about shortly.”
Chris Creed: Living in a CCRC has been pleasant with plenty to do. We are quite engaged, but there are not many great excitements. As it should be, I suppose. Both Barbara and I have begun to travel/cruise when we can and while we can. We also spend as much time as we can at our little house on the bluff at The Sea Ranch on the north Sonoma coast where we can sit on the deck and gaze across the Pacific to Japan.
Carl Cummings: As we reported last year, Carl was going to retire in June, and he did, after 47 years from being a Naval Chaplin to most recently the pastor of St. Jane Frances de Chantal Catholic Church in Riviera Beach. Carl is everyone’s friend, and we wish him well. Since retiring, he has spent some time in Hawaii playing golf and has had time from no administrative parish duties to make it to our Grumpies dinners. To read about Carl’s career, visit catholicreview.org and search “Monsignor Cummings.” You’ll find an article about Carl when he retired.
Sam Dell and Muffin are still living north of Baltimore. Sam is still active at Stevenson University. As reported, he and the Borns traveled together to the Middle East in January.
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Jack Emory ʼ62: Still doing three months in Vero Beach next door to Ritchie Solter’s baby sister, then back to Maine. And following our 14-year-old grandson who is an ice hockey goalie and will be a freshman at BC High School in Boston this fall. He is Harvey Stanley on ice skates. He is ready to skip high school and college and go straight to the NHL. I hope that doesn’t happen!
Bill Ewing is still in Maine. Trips to Baltimore have gone from a few times a year to every few years. Ewings have scattered mostly west, but my brother still has a summer house there.
Scott Faulkner: Katie and I continue to do well. The best news of this past year was the graduation of my eldest granddaughter, Ellie, from nursing school (after cum laude graduation at UT). She is the fifth generation nurse in our family over the last 110 years.
Joe Giardina: Daughter Elizabeth gave birth to my third grandchild, Emanuella, on February 28, 2023, in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Diane and I are planning on spending the summer at our condo in Pompano Beach. For the time being we plan on keeping our home in Northern Virginia and splitting our time between the two residences.
Bill Hardy: Lin and I have settled into our new routine at our CCRC senior living community. It hasn’t slowed us down, but we weren’t tearing along at a fast pace. In May, we took a cruise in the Netherlands and got to see the tulips. July took us to the Grand Canyon with our daughter’s family. In September, we gathered with some Princeton classmates in Bend, Oregon, the site of the last existing Blockbuster video store. We have enjoyed restarting our class dinners, the Grumpies, as COVID has abated.
Henry Hopkins: Nancy and I are enjoying spending the cold months here on Jupiter Island, Florida. We have now accepted the veracity of the saying: “Old bones do better in warm weather.” If any classmates venture to the east coast of Florida between mid-October and late May, please give us a call. We have plenty of room. Would love to see you.
looking for the best snow, not the best escape from snow. This winter took him to Snowmass, in Colorado. See photo of Ned Sullivan ʼ60 and Rick skiing at Snowmass, Aspen, Colorado on February 3. Ned has lived and worked at various skiing-related jobs in Aspen for many years. Rick was out there on a Trenton, New Jersey ski club trip as part of the Eastern Pennsylvania Ski Council Winter Carnival.
Corbin Marr: Corbin and Liz’s son Carson and his wife, Claire, have a second son, Teddy (Theodore) born on March 26 (10 lbs, 22 in.), joining big brother Fitz (Fitzroy) now 1 ½. (See photo.) Been visiting Michigan more than Maryland! Still loving D.C.; Bermuda cruise in the fall of ’22; Naples, Florida in March ’23 … Both my caddying and golf days are over. Hello to all Grumpies!
Mac Passano: The fall of 2022 introduced four personal milestones for me! Sixty-one years from our high school graduation! The beginning of my eighth decade! My oldest granddaughter, Emma McDonnell, is a freshman at Connecticut College! And my youngest granddaughter, Callie Meech, is beginning kindergarten! What lies ahead? A whole new world of achievement and opportunity together!
Class secretary note: Mac has been elected the Chairman of the Board of the Directors of the Pride of Baltimore foundation. Pride’s mission is to promote historical maritime education, foster economic development and tourism, and represent the people of Maryland in ports throughout the world. Mac has been involved with the Pride for many years.
Rick Ober: Rick is an avid skier. He is still living in Princeton, but come winter, he becomes a real snowbird,
Tom Salisbury: I was fortunate to have had decent health this past year to make progress on my to-do list: The vegetable garden developed nicely and will be expanded. Landscaping plans continued, including making boards and rounds out of felled trees; siding and shingles will be added to a new equipment building framed and sheathed before winter arrived. Health-wise, a different Wet Macular Degeneration drug enables me to travel to a Seattle clinic nine times annually, not 26 times. Starting PT soon to address hip discomfort.
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Pete Smith: Judy and I are doing our best Ozzie and Harriett imitation. Four adult children, all married, giving us 12 grandchildren from 29 years to 6 weeks (including three Gilman graduates). We live full time on the Severn River in Sherwood Forest as do our children and their families. Life has been very good to us, and we know how lucky we are!
John Snead: John and Mary moved in December from their longtime home in Homeland to Roland Park Place, and John reports that they are very happy.
John Stockbridge had an unfortunate event in his family. He wrote: 2023 began as a good year. My work as Bedford Town Historian and the activity that my wife and I devoted to local nature conservation boards and clubs has kept us busy. As a family, we were three generations all healthy. Then, on Good Friday, we received a call that one of our grandsons had died in a tragic accident near his home in Switzerland. He was 20 years of age and a sophomore at Durham University in England. A large gathering of friends and family traveled to Switzerland for a very moving memorial service. A clear message came out of the service, that of gratitude … gratitude for having known and lived with our grandson. It was very powerful and helped reduce the feelings of pain and sorrow. It also allowed us to share a broader sense of gratitude for the positive events in our lives. For me, Gilman School and the Class of ’61 were clearly on the list.
The class sends its condolences to John and Anita for their loss.
T Tall: News from Vermont: Our first grandchild was born last August … a granddaughter. The first girl in four generations. In April, we were to leave for Paris and Normandy. The latter has been on my bucket list for years. But,
because of the unrest in France, we’ve postponed our trip until fall.
Dave Trussell: Happily living between Maine and South Carolina (near oldest daughter Mollie). Wife Sally often travels to Hawaii to see youngest Katie and her 10- and 6-year-olds, while I stay home to tend kittens and a nearly 15-year-old (incontinent) dog and sit and play guitar and sing. Life suddenly got complicated when I had a minor stroke in late December 2022. So now I balance existence between PCP and specialists but have no ongoing effects, just meds I never took before. Sorry not to have been more communicative. Oh, by the way, I now have three married grandchildren and a 6-month-old greatgrandson.
Peter Wilkes: Peter and Dickie are still living in north Baltimore. Peter is spending some of his time and talents being a mock patient for medical students simulating situations they might encounter in real life. It is as important in their training as all of the lab and classwork they have.
Dave Wilson: By the end of April, Katherine and I will be permanently in the Maine town of Friendship and looking for a cottage somewhere in the state. We close on the sale of our condo in Albuquerque in May and will be on the road well before that. Puts us closer to the great ’61 crowd!
Cooper Winston: We’ve been in Franklin, Massachusetts, for about five years in a new single family/condo development that we adore. We’re in a good location for antique shops and near my alma mater, Brown, for watching their lacrosse team. I lead a group of older tennis players — men and women — who play several times a week, summer and winter — keeps us all in shape and provides great
camaraderie as well. I’m always proud when I see a Gilman name in the Brown lacrosse program.
1962
Van Wolf vvw@slwplc.com
After months of the COVID threat, we apparently have come through little the worse; some caught it and are well; others ducked it. We are now in full (or mostly) retirement mode, enjoying it and the benefits of cavorting with grandchildren. And as we round to age 80, we are contemplating a deservedly big celebration. Note the picture of (left to right) Messrs. Mills, Little, Maslin, Braun, Lohr, and Hurlock from the 2022 Alumni Weekend (our 60th!); let’s think ahead to 2027 and our 65th. Finally, John Hart will set up a Zoom for us to gather periodically; details to come.
Sara and Andy Barnes are both well (so far, have avoided the many health “assaults” that afflict others of our age) and continue to split their time between digs in San Francisco, Hawaii, and Martha’s Vineyard. Oldest grandchild graduated from college, and the other two are in high school. “Life at this stage is particularly enjoyable as we have the time to ‘be there’ for an expanding and highly valued group of friends.”
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Georganne and Charlie Davidson are on the waiting list for a retirement apartment in Louisville to be near family and their only grandchild (crossing the first year). Charlie is continuing to edit and write, probably the last will be “Foster’s Pie Pan: Stories of Grace Abounding in a Fallen World” (Parsons Porch Books and Amazon). He still plays his 1929 alto sax for church services, but “jazz gigs must wait for me to carry it with me through the pearly gates.”
Jack Emory takes three months in Vero Beach then back to Maine. He’s focusing on his 14-year-old grandson hockey goalie in Boston high school (a Harvey Stanley on skates!) who is anxious to ditch academia and head straight to the NHL.
Margie and Charlie Emmons, residing in Maine and New Hampshire, are focusing on grandkids, “who are growing like crazy”: Ellie graduated from Bates, and her sister Annie, a Bates sophomore, starts for the lacrosse team. Sam, a junior at Yarmouth HS, is on varsity soccer and baseball. Brothers are Woody, a thespian at his Holderness NH high school, and Charlie, who is learning to play the piano and to draw, all while playing soccer and baseball and skiing (Nordic). “Life is good!”
Jane and Gordy Hammann split the year between Florida (tennis seven days a week) and Baltimore. Their oldest grandson married in May. They’re very much enjoying retirement.
Linda and John Hart and the whole family (children, grandchildren, and in-laws) caught COVID while on a family trip to Chicago last Christmas; they “enjoyed” the holidays in a hotel, but it all passed, and John and Linda will have been traveling again by the time you read this. In the medical advances arena, John’s eyesight was re-engineered
and improved due to cataract surgery [how many of us have had that? I for one] and two intraocular lenses. “The world suddenly looks sharp and clear (ignoring, for the moment, numerous world problems). For the first time since the sixth grade, I don’t need glasses.” We will still recognize you, John.
Jan and Rick Hynson live in Easton Club on Maryland’s Eastern Shore; they have healthy, active, and social lives revolving around art and business interests and boards. Jan is active with the annual Waterfowl Festival, and Rick’s first granddaughter will have graduated from high school by the time you read this.
John Nixdorff is just checking in; he enjoyed the April 21 Gilman Forever luncheon for classes that have already had their 50th reunion.
Diane and Bob Little have been married for more than 44 years and are finding great joy in grandchildren’s (ages 7 to 25) activities.
Connie and Bill Shaffer have called New Jersey home for more than 50 years. Their two children have given Connie and Bill five grandchildren, all in their teens. Bill retired for the second and last time in 2014 from Boeing, Mobil Oil, and Merrill Lynch; Connie preceded him by a year after 28 years as head of the language department at Hun School in Princeton. This year, they disposed of their second home in Georgetown to facilitate plenty of travel, but the last hurrah is likely to be a family trip to Paris, Rome, and Tuscany, completed by the time you read this.
From Florida’s Wordle champ, Ken Van Durand’s big news was the September 2022 Hurricane Ian that uprooted a huge laurel oak that barely brushed his house. Lesson learned: seven other trees were removed in the cleanup. Ken’s one conso-
lation in the 2023 NCAA Final Four (as with all of us, his bracket blew up early) was that his alma mater, University of Florida, made the Final Four.
Van Wolf now has three grandchildren (the fourth will be here by the end of the year). Daughter has started a doctorate program in physical therapy at Creighton (Phoenix campus), a smart move for a former dancer. While I continue semi-retired (a few clients whom I have represented for decades and/or have interesting problems), I volunteer service on nonprofit boards and sift through a lifetime’s accumulation of “stuff,” while Ann continues at a local Jesuit boys school as administrative assistant to the president (promoted from principal).
1963
Jake Slagle jake@jakeslagle.com
Our 60th reunion drew a notably larger group of classmates than is typical for classes beyond their 50th. It also provided your class secretary with an opportunity to gather news from many who presumably waited until then to report it.
Kudos to Ed Supplee for taking the main initiative for planning and organizing it. Rather than expand the number of countries he and Sally have visited to beyond the present 130, he did it all over a four-month period from his home in California.
The event started in a big way with Nan and Bill Paternotte hosting a Friday night gala where the level of fun was beyond extraordinary. Bill is now gradually winding down his investment career but continues to travel (recently Chile and Argentina) and remains as active as ever with nonprofits. He has
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major roles with a conservation organization near his and Nan’s vacation home in the Adirondacks, with the Walters Art Gallery, of course Gilman, and, most recently, Sheppard Pratt.
Now grandfather to three, Ted Mudge drove down with Joan from Rector, Pennsylvania. They contributed notably to the diverse selection of beverages atop the large table on Bill and Nan’s patio.
Tom Chase was there in great spirits after pushing through more than his share of adversity during a harsh New England winter. Tom is largely responsible for chains of emails in which numerous classmates participate. They are one of the reasons the Class of ’63 can boast of being unusually close-knit.
It was great to see Tom Closs, who, with his wife, Renee, and son Camden, have repurposed a building into the nano-brewery and restaurant known as Forward. It is in the hugely popular Annapolis neighborhood of Eastport.
Bob Dyer and Paige were there and having fun. Bob doesn’t respond to my requests for pertinent news, probably because I see enough of him in Baltimore to have a pretty good idea of what his life is like: plenty of golf, working out, hanging out at Belvedere Square, trips to a vacation home on the Choptank River, and tagging along with Paige on business trips to high-powered international destinations.
Unseen by most of us for 30 years, Karen and Bill Harrison, appearing as young and healthy as ever, showed up from Florida, where they had moved from West Hartford, Connecticut.
Ernie Cornbrooks reported his daughter Martha, who lives and coaches lacrosse in Bath, England, brought her entire team to his Eastern Shore abode for a feast and that his ninth grandchild
was born to his daughter Charlotte and her husband, Alex, on October 6. Then, two days later, at his retirement, Ernie was tried and convicted by his Salisbury colleagues of having “too much fun practicing law.”
Ted Rugemer and Virginia, now in their third year at Broadmead, ebulliently shared with everyone how much they enjoyed living there. They continue to travel, usually to visit offspring in Bozeman or New Haven, and last year they also went to Maine.
Jimmy Rouse was having a particularly good time. He continues to inhabit the dual worlds of art and transportation. His belated decision a few years ago to embrace the internet has expanded his renown as an artist as well as exposure for Baltimore’s Transit Choices, the nonprofit where he continues to serve as president.
Now fully retired, Ted Leach travels frequently to spend time with his two veterinarian daughters and their families.
Bruce Marston, looking young and healthy, showed me his business card that presented him as “Bird Watcher.” This is no joke, but a pursuit for which he has become distinguished throughout the state of Washington. Bruce happily reports that all three of his children continue to live in that state.
Terry Ellen had a great time. On Saturday, Terry moderated a nearly fourhour session in the Helen K. Stevens Room of the Lower School. Classmates sitting in a circle related one by one what their lives had been like recently and/or since graduating from Gilman.
Enhancing this event was the presence of non-graduates Hunt Walker, Chris Scarlett, and Tom Salisbury. Hunt still lives in Colorado and was active
in western U.S. lacrosse until well past middle age. Aside from having changed less in appearance and demeanor than any of us, Chris has stayed in Baltimore and is now retired from an insurance company. Previously he was a glider pilot as well as instructor of the sport.
Tom traveled all the way from the Netherlands and related what could have been the most fascinating story. Rather than try to condense it into a couple sentences, the destiny of the piano prowess he wowed us all with during his short stint at Gilman in the Fourth Form, you can learn it by visiting tomspiano.com.
Jack Nesbitt revealed more about himself than ever reported in our class notes. We all know that Jack loves to read, but who was aware that he goes to bed at 10 p.m. and gets up at 3 a.m. to do so, or that he listens to courses from the “Great Books Lecture Series” while riding his bike?
John Loeb reminisced about the years he and Annabelle spent in New Orleans in the Bywater and their house there. They have now moved back to Philadelphia. John mentioned that his mother is now 106 years old.
John Zink held forth on the particularly interesting aspects of his previous law practice at Venable, Baetjer & Howard, as well the firm he was with in Bel Air that was once affiliated with VBH.
Tom Farley held forth about his actionpacked years in Vietnam, and later, his role as an actor in more than a dozen plays.
News on students who could not attend the reunion came in a timely and succinct manner. Bill Lamb and Jenny’s recent second move from San Diego to New Hampshire created chores and responsibilities that prevented them
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from being there. To compensate, Bill submitted and copied in those for whom he had email addresses an inspiring and lengthy update that offered more wisdom than we have room herein to publish.
Claudius Klimt was in Greece for his and Mary Michel’s 50th anniversary. When home and not visiting Oregon, the Klimts live by the water on Sue Creek and spend a lot of time with their family, mainly their three grandchildren living in Baltimore. Claudius is also wrapping up a two-year project of building a kit airplane with Jemicy upper school students.
David Robinson reports that he and Susan continue to travel as much as they can, especially taking cruises. Dave continues to pursue his hobby of building wooden model ships and is currently working on one of the HMS Victory.
It was great to hear from Tom Corner, who now lives in Austria with his wife, Carol Anne, and worked there in both medical research and photography before retiring.
George Scarlett still works full time at Tufts University, teaching and writing about children. In October, he and Shirley welcomed their second granddaughter, Iris, for whom they devoted a room in their house entirely to kitchen sets, blocks, and dollhouses.
Ward Coe continues to chair the Maryland Access to Justice Commission. His and Christie’s recent travel has found them hiking in Wyoming, visiting the Legacy Museum in Alabama, going to Paris shortly before Christmas, and spending much of February at Rincon in Puerto Rico. They were in Ireland during our reunion weekend. Ward is the singular person other than my wife,
Nina, and a professional editor yet to have read in its entirety a draft of Yours Truly’s memoir entitled “Is This Your Idea of a Joke?” It should be in print before these class notes reach you.
AND FINALLY: It is now three days past our reunion. I thought I had finished putting together these class notes less than an hour ago. Only yesterday, Terry and I discussed how our reunion weekend should have allowed more time to remember classmates who had passed on. Pete Rodman, who had to cancel his reunion plans at the last minute, had earlier contacted Terry about remembering Chip Fehsenfeld
Mitch Miller, who did not submit news of himself, had also sent Terry a moving tribute to Jack Garver. It just arrived in an email to all the classmates in Terry’s address book. His email also proposed that our class consider replacing somewhere on campus the plaque and cherry trees we planted many years ago to honor Mr. Callard. They were destroyed when the new Lower School was built. “Reply all” responses began pouring in immediately. Serendipitously, the first three responses were from three classmates who neither had been able to attend the reunion nor sent me news of themselves. They were from John Claster, Dave Larrabee, and Robin Baker. They all expressed, “Count me in.”
1964
John Redwood jredwood3@gmail.com
I am pleased to report that many among the Class of 1964 diaspora have once again reported in from the various parts of the country where they now live. In alphabetical order here is their news.
David Abrahamson informs us that “there is nothing much to report other than relief that the pandemic has receded and that life — with all the joys of sheer existence and drudgery of doctors’ appointments — has returned to something close to normal. We feel blessed to be able to spend roughly half the year in our second home in a small village less than an hour north of Lisbon. As I’m sure everyone agrees: At our age, every day is a gift.”
Bill Anderson notes that “I was shaving one morning, and as I looked into the mirror, it became clear that I had too many chins. Stepped on the scale and tipped in at a not-so-rock-solid 260 lbs. This morning: 212. Much better! What’s interesting is what it has done to my health numbers. Everything, like cholesterol, is way down. I am especially pleased with my A1C numbers, being a type two diabetic. My doctor accused me of cheating. How do you cheat on a blood test? I’ll see you at the 75th reunion!”
Bill Barton states that “we just had a great family and friends Easter lunch/ egg hunt here at our home in Reisterstown. We’re blessed to live in a hillside community overlooking historic Sagamore Farm in Baltimore County near the Hunt Cup course. We’ll be visiting our south Jersey shore home in early May and over Memorial Day and again at the end of summer. I am operating my general contracting company in the greater Baltimore area. It’s growing. My wife, Jane, and I will have been married 57 years in May as well. We have three adult children and five grandchildren.”
Jim Campbell tells us that his son Chris and young family have built a house outside of Tokyo, which is exciting but too far away. While they Zoom every week, last August was their first real visit in three years. Daughter Hayley
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just left the NY Attorney General’s office to join UnitedHealthcare. “We keep on keeping on! Karen has taken up golf with gusto, mostly based out of our house in Bethany Beach. I still enjoy working with FedEx and sometimes others on postal/express policy issues, splitting time between Potomac and the beach. For me, tennis is a necessary (if imperfect) offset for the passing years.”
Walter Childs writes that “all is good in Cape Charles, Virginia, where my wife and I spend about eight months a year. The rest of our time is spent in Littleton, Colorado, to be near two of our children and three grandchildren. Another daughter lives in San Jose with her husband and another three grandchildren. We are doing a fair amount of traveling. Since my last report, my wife and I cruised around South America from Buenos Aires to Santiago. Last August, we cruised from Norway to Quebec with stops in the Shetlands, Iceland, Greenland, and Nova Scotia. In 2024 we have plans to cruise to (or is it from?) Alaska.”
Hamilton Easter reports that “Barb and I are still in good health and enjoying life in Park City, Utah. The last year has been relatively quiet, with road biking in the summer. My wife and I spent a week biking through Glacier National Park including Going-to-the-Sun Road. We plan to spend two weeks in Ireland this summer seeing the sights by bicycle. The most exciting event was the birth of our granddaughter Penelope. She lives only 25 minutes away. Of course, I can’t fail to mention a fabulous ski season. Cheers to all!”
Doug Green reports that “Laurie and I have built a new house in the Cassique section of Kiawah Island and have moved to South Carolina as our full-time abode. I am still working at Steptoe, representing unjustly accused
power companies in antitrust matters and dealing with an over-aggressive Justice Department in several mergers. Kiawah is beautiful, and we are very happy with our move to the low country. We have a new baby granddaughter in Florida. Our three granddaughters in Santa Barbara are doing well, as is son Dan and his winery, Jaffurs, and Peter has a new job as an executive with Inside Source. As for me, getting older has its drawbacks. In addition to some health scares, I can’t get in and out of my 911 anymore and have put it up for sale — but on the plus side, I’m getting closer to shooting my age on the links.”
Leith Hermann proclaims that he and Susie had a wonderful year in 2022. At summer’s end, they celebrated their 50th anniversary with New England friends at a party along the shore of Highland Lake in Maine. He brought a guitar and serenaded her with John Lennon’s “Grow Old Along with Me.” And tried to make the case that “it’s OK to embarrass your wife once in 50 years! :)” He had a bout with COVID too — nothing serious, but it hung on for three weeks. On the more positive side, their son, Will, married Carly Wendt last July in a beautiful outdoor ceremony in the Colorado mountains.
Fred Kelly, our foremost environmentalist, splits his time among Annapolis, Savannah, and Boothbay Harbor, Maine. He adds that he has an RV and a dog and is starting a $10 million restoration of the headwaters of the Severn as his parting gift to the river, which he had “the greatest luck to live on for the past 50 years.” He also sends cheers to one and all!
John McLean affirms that “like many, we hope, Grace and I have enjoyed the world opening up as the pandemic eases. In the last several months we’ve
visited daughter Kate in Manhattan and spent good times in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with daughter Eleanore. And now, as I write, we are finishing up a 10-day trip to Paris and Amsterdam, the Paris part having included all four of us. A truly glorious time together! Most importantly, Grace and I look forward to seeing many of you at the next reunion.”
Bob Pine notifies that he and Pascale continue their world wandering. Last summer they spent a month in Greece. First in the north in Greek Macedonia (Meteora and Saloniki) and then three weeks in Crete. Then they spent three weeks this winter on the French Riviera visiting with friends and family. This coming summer they will visit northern Spain and northern Portugal by car. Their daughter, Olivia, has moved to Miami and is pressuring them to move there. He adds that “we will see! Probably will spend a month there this winter to see if we like it.”
John Redwood continues consulting “part time” for the World Bank (forest project evaluation for Liberia) and the Asian Development Bank (urban development sector evaluation for India), but his main job this spring is helping to advise the CEO of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) — which presently has some $7B to allocate over the next four years for biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation and adaptation, among other global environmental challenges — on the restructuring of its Secretariat as part of the team on behalf of the Centennial Group in Washington. Wife Lúcia recently visited her family in Brazil, Professor André is finalizing his book on the 17th century French polymath Marin Mersenne, and grandniece Victoria is heading to George Mason University next fall to study nursing.
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Rick Reese writes that the entire Reese family has remained COVID-free. His grandson, Parker, is in his junior year at OSU, and his granddaughter, Sammi, is in her sophomore year at the University of Kentucky. Rick sends his very best wishes to y’all from Georgia.
Tom Revell moved once again but remains in Idaho. He adds that “we are now in a 55+ community in Kuna. My email and cell phone remain unchanged. We are still Vegas Golden Knight fans! The highlight of our lives since we moved to Idaho has been seeing our now 6-year-old granddaughter regularly. I can’t wait for nice weather so I can go bike riding with her again.”
Hershey Sollod has been occupying himself exploring retirement, including getting together with his eight grandchildren spread out around the U.S. and England. Fortunately, he writes, he is in good health and awaiting his wife, Barbara’s, hip replacement. He confesses that he likes what Bob Dylan said about aging: “Life has its ups and downs, and time has to be your partner.”
Bill Stafford writes: “We are about 40 miles north of Boston and about 50 miles southeast of Squam Lake. Daughter Kate and her husband, Peter, continue to enjoy Minneapolis/St. Paul and were kind enough to invite us to a
tall ship festival at the western end of Lake Superior (at Two Harbors). The sailing ships were beautiful. Our son Ted and his wife, Cassie, are looking forward to attending the college graduation of their oldest son, Zeb. Zeb hopes to do art for a gaming company, and, yes, he’s that good. As I’ve mentioned before, Bonnie and I would be happy to provide lunch to any traveling this way and hope you won’t hesitate to ask!”
Gally Warfield writes that he and Judy spend their days under cerulean blue skies, listening to the silence of the mountains, reflecting on the wonders of our lives while intensely working on a variety of creative projects. Grandchild count now stands at eight, ranging from 21 to 6 months.
We are truly blessed and send love and best wishes to classmates everywhere.
1965
William Baker williamrosbaker@gmail.com
George Brown reports that he and Nancy celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in August. He is semi-retired, which allows him to call his classmates at the last minute to get their class notes in. George and Nancy spend their time at homes in Baltimore, Bethany Beach, and Naples. All three of his children and four grandchildren live close by, and he sees them on a regular basis. Please take note that after our 50th reunion in 2015, he no longer calls you to give money to Gilman. He did report that the class of ʼ65 had the most attendees at the “Gilman Forever” luncheon in April: “It was good to see Alvin Levi, Charlie Slaughter, Al Gundry, Rob Harwood, Mort Foster, Steve McDaniel, and Jud Smith in attendance. Next year we will have even more!”
King Carter: I retired five years ago after a long career with the asset management division of the investment firm Raymond James. My wife, Sherry, who spent 12 years as a part-time nurse at Gilman, is retired as well but still stays active as a substitute nurse for all the other private schools. Because I traveled for work, I was able to move back to Baltimore from Tampa a number of years ago. Our son, Will, was a 12-year man at Gilman, Class of 2011 Our daughter, Virginia, graduated from Garrison Forest. Sherry’s son, Ryan, moved from the West Coast to join us as well. All three have chosen to stay. Will and Virginia have weddings coming up. Ryan lives with his wife, Tina. I spend most of my time at our place in Ocean Pines, Maryland, with Sherry joining me when she’s not working. We are blessed to have all the kids so close, but it certainly derailed our plans of long ago, to retire back down to Florida! No regrets though!
Jay Christhilf reports trying to resurrect a tennis game that was good 60 years ago but not now. Also enjoys golfing at BCC and flying rental aircraft in the Chesapeake Bay area. One of a dying breed of waterfowlers still left at a family farm in Rock Hall.
Tom Clapp: Linda and I celebrated our 56th anniversary after recently following our son, Tom, to Micco, Florida. Micco is in Brevard County, midway between Vero and Melbourne. Tommy and wife Monica live less than a mile away with a pug, two Brittany Spaniels, and nine chickens. Daughter Barbara, son-in-law David, and granddaughter Julianna live north of Des Moines, Iowa. In June, Julianna will make her first solo cross-country trip to visit for a month, with Barbara joining for the last week.
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I was recently privileged to be chosen to join 29 other senior veterans on an Honor Flight from Florida to Washington to visit Memorials and the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown. Each of us had a “guardian” to carry our gear and maneuver a wheelchair if needed; fortunately, I do not. With air, Orlando to BWI and return, and bus travel to eight D.C. locations, it was a long but VERY moving 26 hours for one WWII, three Korean, and 26 Vietnam vets. I plan to volunteer to help with orientation for the next flight.
Alex Fisher: I have spent my career in the investment industry, most recently as a managing partner of Marquette Associates, a Chicago-based institutional investment consultant serving many local foundations and endowments. I am closing in on retirement at year-end and looking forward to dividing my time between nonprofit BMoreAg Foundation, time at Bethany Beach, travel, grandchildren, R&R and a few nonprofit boards. My four children — Liz approaching 53, Catherine 48, McLane 46, and Davis at 29 — are all close by, as are the grandchildren, but they all seem so BUSY! I look forward to slowing down but know I will be called upon to speed up, and so it goes.
Mort Foster: Two years ago, Dodee and I purchased a cabin in “The Woods Resort” in West Virginia. Remodeling is underway with more fun upgrades planned for this year, as we must also take time out for fun and traveling. The Woods is a community of about 1,200 homes with amenities to include: indoor and outdoor swimming pools, two golf courses, a spa, and a fitness center. The people we have met so far could not be more pleasant. Towns close by include Berkeley Springs (10 miles), Winchester, Virginia (25 miles), and Shepherdstown
(15 miles), which is the oldest town in the state. It is also the home of the first steamboat in the world, and it floated on the Potomac River. Shepherdstown also has a huge monument and park that is named in honor of its builder, James Rumsey, who is a direct ancestor to our classmate Les. (It is a small world for sure.)
Nelson Goldberg: Marcia and I still live in the same house on Falls Road without our three children or six grandchildren but with five motorcycles and our tennis court. I am still an active reconstructive surgeon in the University of Maryland Medical System. We are young spirits trapped in aging bodies. Please let us know if any of you have found a way to escape and trade them in for our younger, flexible previous selves.
Al Gundry: I retired February 2022 after 53 years in the yacht brokerage business. Retirement consists of maintaining and sailing my C&C 41 sailboat. Other interests include membership in three genealogical societies in Baltimore. My son, Fred, is in film production, and is getting married in late May. My daughter, Didi, is a social worker mental health therapist, and my wife, Dibby, is very active in the Annapolis Quilt Guild and as an elder in our church.
Rob Harwood: I am pleased to be able to report that all is well with the Harwoods. In the spring of 2021, I closed my gallery and fine art services business, having enjoyed its pleasures and challenges for 43 years. This past January, the Baltimore Museum of Art hosted a celebratory event in honor of Melanie’s retirement and her 50th anniversary at the museum. Daughter Abby and her family live in Jersey City, New Jersey, a convenient commute for Abby, now in her 17th year in the fine jewelry business in Manhattan. Our son-in-law, having developed his own
technology-based production company, manages/produces online streaming events. Granddaughter Aria, the very apple of our eye, is finishing first grade.
Last November Al Gundry, George Brown, Charlie Slaughter, Doug Mitchell, and I enjoyed having lunch with Les Rumsey who had come east to visit his sister in Annapolis.
Chuck Kerr: In 2011, my wife, Kathy McDonald, and I set up a small general civil litigation legal practice in Baltimore City. We decided to close up that practice at the end of July 2020 and retire. While I found then and now that retirement suits me fine, Kathy lasted in retirement only a few months, and she resumed her legal work on a part-time basis with another small Baltimore City law firm in early 2021. As to family matters, we are looking forward to my daughter Lauren’s wedding in June.
Stan Klinefelter: Sarah and I are both in good health and doing well, dividing our time between Vero Beach and Baltimore. Our son, Chris, is happily married and has two teenage boys. Chris lost his job during COVID and decided to become an architect. He graduated with his master’s in May and is as happy as we can ever remember seeing him. His older son is in a gap year as a barista and his younger son is a sophomore at Friends in Baltimore. Our daughter, Amanda, is also happily married and has three daughters. Amanda went into real estate sales after being a stay-at-home mom and has found a wonderful niche for herself. All three of her daughters are very athletic (gymnastics, swimming, and soccer). We are all in good places in our lives.
Alvin Levi: Retired for several years, Ellen and I celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary this past February, on our annual winter time in Puerto Vallarta,
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Mexico. We continue to be thankful that as the daughter of a Baltimore City market master and as the son of two German Jewish immigrants, we have had the blessings of the lives and family that we do. Our two wonderful daughters are both products of the Krieger Schechter Jewish Day School in Baltimore, as well as graduates of Emory University in Atlanta. Now residing in Baltimore, they and their husbands have sent their three sons to Krieger Schechter.
Steve McDaniel: Angie and I are still building the house we have been working on forever and hope we may actually get to live in it someday. It kept us busy during the pandemic, anyway, and we are finally close to being finished. Our granddaughters are in their 20s and have jobs, but they seem to find new ones every few months. We’ve been trying to convince them to be self-employed like us: no boss, can’t be fired, long hours for little money, but lots of fun. They seem to have better sense. I’m still keeping bees and teaching classes in it. Beekeeping 101 had over 60 students this year. The bees are still dying (75% loss this year), but we keep trying to keep them alive.
Jim Potter: I am still living with Ginna in a row house in Canton. We have two grandsons, Eliot and Henry. Eliot is about to graduate from Maryland, and Henry just finished his second year at the University of Richmond.
Steve Redd: The pandemic ended my stint at the local Y and turned me into a full-time n(m)anny for my grandson Wesley, son of Justin Redd ’01. Now Wesley has a little sister, Vivian (almost 6 months), and Kyoko and I take care of them both. It is a wonderful job, the hardest part of which is getting up off the floor. Daughter Jennifer (BMS ’03) lives in Santa Fe and has a 1-year-old
daughter, Louisa. I wish we could look after her too, but alas, the commute! Seriously, this nanny thing is the lowest-paying, best job I have ever had; may it continue forever.
Les Rumsey: Surviving 13 atmospheric rivers and LA drivers this year has kept me on my toes after years of drought out here in the West. I am still young in spirit and looking forward to a family wedding in Aspen and another trip to Baltimore to say hi in person and eat real crab cakes as I near 77
Peter Taliaferro reports that since 2017 he has been retired from the Maryland Attorney General’s office, where he represented the Maryland Port Administration in real property and transactional matters. Now, he and Susan are enjoying a pastoral existence in their old farm house in Hereford, surrounded by agriculturally preserved land. Maintenance and groundskeeping substitute for gym membership. Their three children and two grandchildren live in the Baltimore area. He sends best regards to his First and Second Form friends and acquaintances from 60 (yikes) years ago.
Steve Thomas: I am still working as the managing director of the law firm of Thomas & Libowitz, P.A. and actively practicing law. I am the chair of the Baltimore County Revenue Authority, a health care board member at GBMC, and on three committees at the hospital. My wife, Audrey, runs a family real estate business and is very active in golf at Baltimore Country Club and the WGA. We love to travel and have recently been to Italy and the Galapagos Islands. We have two additional trips scheduled this year to Greece and Alaska.
George Ward: Ann and I are enjoying life in Milton, Delaware, and continuing to volunteer for Village
Volunteers and traveling. We drive old(er) folks for the Village, taking them to the doctor, dentist, PT, hair appointments, etc. The folks are so grateful and we realize we’ll need this service sooner than we want to contemplate. Our recent travels took us on a casino excursion to West Virginia in the fall of 2022. Our blackjack skills wowed ’em in the Mountain State, where we also toured a coal mine in Weirton and saw a field of what-the-hell cows with big, wide white stripes around the middle of their bodies. We learned they are Belted Galloways, aka Belties, beef cows that give Angus a run for their money. We also returned to Baltimore to attend the 75th anniversary of WMAR’s being on the air. It was great seeing a lot of former coworkers and sharing some of the funny things that happened while working.
Tom Webster: I have only a bit to add to my legacy at Gilman. New grandson born April 14, 2022, Clayton Earnest Webster. Also, my great-nephew is getting married in May at the Woodstock Inn in Vermont.
Fred Whelan: We are enjoying our three grandchildren who live here in Pittsburgh, and we have made trips this year to Nashville, Fort Lauderdale, and Los Angeles to see the others, and we caught up with Les Rumsey in Los Angeles. We are having fun following our youngest son, Robbie, who is covering the Disney corporation for the Wall Street Journal.
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Rick Buck rick.buck@blueridgeriskpartners.com
Michael Stanton reports exciting family news. His older daughter, Abby, gave birth in February to daughter, Rory, making Michael and Maureen first-time grandparents (see photo)! Younger daughter, Brenna, has been able to reschedule her COVID-delayed marriage to Dough Frederickson for October in San Francisco. Mike reports that his architectural work is doing well, despite the slowdown in hotel design projects, one of his firm’s specialties. He continues to greatly enjoy his work, claiming to have no plans to retire, and hoping that he and Maureen can continue to travel extensively. This summer, they will return to their beloved cabin in Ely, Minnesota, where Mike will combine virtual architectural work with a healthy dose of canoeing, fishing and relaxation, as well a re-build of his cottage workshop.
Bruce Michelson, in the spring of 2022, was finally able to fulfill a bucket list item that had been long postponed during the pandemic. Bruce writes, “For two weeks, longtime friend John Hedeman (McDonogh ’68) and I walked the Wainwright Coast to Coast Path (Irish Sea to North Sea) across 200 miles through three national parks in Cumbria and Yorkshire. Though some days of this hike recalled early fall varsity football practices with Mr. Finney, the variety here (landscapes, pubs, village inns, friendly locals, affable dogs, defiantly local bitters and ales) made the experience rich and fun, and I’d heartily recommend it for outdoor enthusiasts whose lumbars haven’t given out. Theresa and I now look forward to a cushier roll through Morocco and Provence in the fall.”
Lew Rumford happily shares news of family expansion. Lew and Fran welcomed their third grandchild, Carter William Bethune, born to daughter Julia and her husband, Richard, living in Raleigh, North Carolina. Younger daughter Grace, who landed in Chicago a few years ago, announced her engagement to Rahul Guha, M.D., and both families are thrilled with the news!
Grace now works for NextEra, helping large companies manage their migration to more carbon neutral energy solutions. The Rumfords continue to divide time between their home base in D.C., their highlands getaway in Ligonier, Pennsylvania, and a condo on the Intracoastal in Delray, Florida.
Rick Green reports that his granddaughter, Birdie, is enrolled to attend Calvert School in the fall, following the footsteps of her grandfather, as well as an uncle and three great-uncles! Birdie’s father, Yeardley Green ’03, continues his career in the health care field, having recently been awarded the title of Executive VP with the firm Altruix in Annapolis. Rick’s younger daughter Virginia manages the business operation for a pair of doctors stationed at Mercy Hospital, while also pursuing a master’s degree in psychology. Older daughter, Lissa, continues to help manage an Upperville, Virginia, business where horses are boarded and trained. Rick relates that for the past 10 or so years, Lissa has worked as an “outrider” for the Maryland Hunt Cup race, chasing down horses who have shed their riders!
Gill Deford shares the good news that he and his wife, Laura, have become first-time grandparents, with the arrival, on March 10, of Vivian Ila Maloney, the first child born to Laura’s son, Alex, and his wife, Elizabeth, in Miami. The Defords were able to meet their tiny new grandbaby in April, and Gill confesses to being “charmed.”
Dave Irwin and Kendi continue to enjoy their primary residence in Bethany Beach, Delaware, and use their upper floor apartment in the building that once housed Dave’s former firm of Irwin, Green & Dexter as their in-town lodging as Dave shuttles to and from Baltimore when his caseload requires it. “Irv” reports that his oldest child, Elle,
1966
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and her husband, Patrice, have built a house in Ocean View, Delaware, just a stone’s throw from Bethany Beach. Elle’s daughter, Asia, is a junior at Northeastern University, while son Julian is a high school senior slated to enter the University of Michigan in the fall.
Bryson Cook is settling into his semi-retirement, doing business consulting work from his home in Palm Beach. Bryson and Cindy’s daughter, Rosie, works in retail in Palm Beach and lives nearby. Older daughter Laura and her husband, Brooks Wunder, live just north of Baltimore, and Bryson’s son, Jeb, is back in Baltimore and enjoying singing with the Baltimore Choral Arts Society. Bryson and Cindy migrate to their northern getaway, close by the Greenbrier in West Virginia, for the summer months.
Charlie Fenwick may be the busiest “retiree” in our class, blending his responsibilities as an active Lifetime Trustee of Gilman with extensive traveling to visit family and friends, and time to pursue his nearly lifelong involvement with horses — horse breeding and horse racing. And he can still be found on squash courts, tennis courts, and golf courses and on horseback. Charlie writes, “My oldest child, Beth, lives with her family outside of Oxford, England. Beth’s daughter, Grace, is an equestrian, and her ability is almost as good as her enthusiasm. Son Tony loves football and rugby and seems quite proficient.”
“My son, Charlie, and his wife are becoming empty nesters, with their daughter, Annie, attending Bucknell and son, Charlie, graduating from Gilman and heading off to Denison in the fall. He has clearly become more proficient at squash and golf than either his father or grandfather at their best moments.” Daughter Emily lives in Charleston,
South Carolina, with her husband and three children, all under the age of 10. They have as much enthusiasm as anyone could ever expect ... absolutely wonderful!”
Ben Legg, during his first 10 years of retirement from the federal bench, has been busy mediating and arbitrating legal disputes with a large ADR provider, while his wife, Kyle, has also kept very busy on many fronts, including service on the boards of Johns Hopkins Medicine and the Brown Advisory Mutual Funds. Ben writes, “We are blessed with three children and four grandchildren, with a fifth on the way. I have remained active at Gilman, most recently as a member of the Student Outcomes Committee. Using statistics and other tools, we analyze how to attract the most promising students, and how to best educate them, to help them gain admission to the best colleges and universities. It is fascinating work.”
Rick Buck: After many years of waiting, my children and I were able to acquire ownership control of our beloved island in eastern Ontario. And, last summer, Barbara and I were able to spend nearly 10 weeks there, being joined at various times by daughter Maggie, her husband, Peter, and their children Lucy (15) and Simon (13) and by son Matt, and his children Abby (17) and Ted (15). In July, with the impetus and organization provided by Maggie, she, Matt and I traveled to Killarney Provincial Park for a four-day canoe trip through some of the most strikingly beautiful surroundings in Canada. It was a real treat for me to be out on a canoe trip again for the first time in 25 years! This year, granddaughter Abby will graduate from Friends School and head off to St. Mary’s College in southern Maryland, Ted will start his 10th grade year at Friends, and Lucy and Simon will start 10th and 8th
grades at Montgomery Blair and Takoma Park Middle, respectively. The other special event last year was that Barbara and I were finally able to get away to celebrate our 50th anniversary, with a three-day stay at Manoir Richelieu a chateau and resort east of Quebec City and one night in Quebec City, both places we had long wanted to visit!
Barbara and I enjoy meeting with Janice and Gordy Allen when they visit their son Ben and family in Baltimore. They report a resumption of travel including their much enjoyed bike tours in Europe, this time through the Black Forest and Alsace regions, from Basel to Strasbourg. In February 2022, they took a long-awaited cruise in the Sea of Cortez near the Baja Peninsula, chiefly to see, and almost touch, the humpback whales that gather there. Last year also brought a major life decision, to sell their home of 30 years in Portland, and move into a retirement community this fall. They will retain their second home on the Oregon coast.
Robert Baker: Sandy and I will be celebrating our 45th wedding anniversary in August. Our primary residence is in Park City, Utah. We spend several months a year at our home on the North Shore of Kauai, where I am fortunate to surf almost every day. Our daughter, Emily, lives in San Diego with her family, including her husband, Micah Blazar, and two grandchildren Ely (4) and Sylvi (2). Our
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son, Peter, and his wife, Karrah (Rust) Baker, also live in Park City, and they gave birth to their first child, Beau William. My brother, Bill Baker ’74, and I won our flight in a recent member-guest tournament at Glenwild Golf Club here in Park City. Stan McCleary and I recently bought a condo at Playa La Saladita in Guerrero, Mexico, where there is a notable left-hand longboard break. We’ve been going on surf trips there for at least 10 years. Sandy and I recently spent a week at brother Bill’s lake house in the Gatineau region, where we were joined by Marguerite and Greg Jones
1968
Bill Reilly billr52@comcast.net
Jim Nesbitt died suddenly on August 20, 2022, at Keswick MultiCare Center where he had been in a long-term care bed since a fall in 2021 that badly broke his right tibia. He had a poor surgical result and remained bedridden. He struggled with chronic schizophrenia for more than 50 years, which frustrated many attempts to lead a normal life. For a time, he was a self-taught decorative bird carver and produced some beautiful pieces. In his later years, he began translating works of literature and history into French to occupy his mind.
1970
Thayer Simmons sim1214@aol.com
From Thayer Simmons, class secretary: “Derrick’s note is special, and I elected to make it the sole entry for our class.”
Dick Hoffman: A belated notice that Karin and I welcomed our first grandchild, Freyja Lucia Andersson, in September of 2021 (see photo above). She is pushing 18 months and moves very fast, enjoys the outdoors, blocks, balls, and books. Freyja, along with mom Hillary (daughter) and dad Dan, have traveled quite a bit since Freyja’s arrival to Sweden (Dan’s birthplace), Denmark, OBX, and Jamaica. This year they are going to Sweden, Iceland, and Montana. Karin and I visit monthly from the Eastern Shore and hope to move closer in the coming year.
Chris West: I just won re-election as Maryland State Senator. I won more than 34,000 votes, which sounds impressive until you realize that I was unopposed, so the only choice offered to the voters was to vote for me. This four-year term will be my last, and I am not coy about telling people that I will retire in 2026. Anne and I bought a great house in Rehoboth Beach last year so I will not lack for recreational opportunities when I close up shop in Annapolis in 2026
1969
Wally Pinkard wally.pinkard@cushwake.com
Wally Pinkard: After 50-plus years of thorough note contributions, I may be missing detailed edits this year. My only news is that I am personally recovering well from open-heart surgery. Fabulous surgeon: Stewart Finney ’77
F. Todd Taylor, Jr.: Director of Inmate Grievance Office and Sundry Claims Board for Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services 2018 to date.
Derrick Matthews: Well, after many years of ignoring calls for notes, I am writing to catch people up. After 40-plus years of pediatrics, including the last 15 in Tanzania, I retired at the end of 2022. But God was not finished with me yet, I think. A very close friend of mine once told me, a few weeks after his “retirement” that the word “retire” was not in the Bible. So he continued in an emeritus position for our hospital and continued to raise funds and grants until his untimely death last year. We (my wife and I) felt led to come to India to teach and help with community health projects for the Emmanuel Hospital Association, a group of 19 Christian hospitals mainly in northern and northeastern India, where a large portion of the poor and marginalized live. We are doing some teaching and helping with protocols, as well as learning Hindi in order to communicate better with the staff and patients. The people are wonderful, and we love the
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food. I am learning as much as I am supposed to be teaching.
warm, collegial class, consistent with our reputation at Gilman. It is an honor to reprise a role in helping us to stay in touch!
Before we left Tanzania, we made a bucket list tour of Israel. Despite all the political ramifications and tensions of the area, we both left with a profound sense of God (and history) in Israel, which we are still processing.
In America, I have four children and six grands. My mother is 91; motherin-law, 96
1971
Nigel Ogilvie nigel_ogilvie@yahoo.com
The Class of ’71 enjoyed a fabulous-if-slightly-delayed reunion last year, and raised more than $200k for our alma mater, which was a record only until the Class of ’72 passed us the following year — a benefit of “good” competition! I was asked to pick up the class secretary baton from Tom Lynn, who has earned a well-deserved rest after 15-plus years, not to mention Tom’s outstanding service as the keeper of our Facebook page! Tough shoes to fill! Fortunately, I received chatty contributions exceeding 4,000 words (yay!), only to learn Gilman likes entries around 100 words per person (groan!), so I had to edit these. Most longer original entries were shared with our classmates. We remain a remarkably
Bill Andrews writes from Arlington, Virginia: After 30-plus years of roaming with the Foreign Service, we have settled into a sort of mild coma in Arlington. We were posted to embassies, mostly in Africa and Asia, with my final embassy assignment in Bangkok. My wife, Brinda, is still working, but I am happily retired. Both children are nearby: Nick is an engineer at Northrop Grumman, and his sister, Alice, is with Hyatt Corp but looking for a new direction (send ideas if you have them, Alice has degrees in psychology and French). We also have a condo on a nice beach in Mauritius, where I dote on my mother-in-law — a wise investment in family relations. I very much enjoyed seeing everyone at the 50th reunion and look forward to future opportunities to catch up.
The good doctor Bert Berney is traveling with his wife, Liz Leach, Bill Scherlis and his wife, Ann, Buck Baker, and others to Alabama to retrace that state’s history of the civil rights movement. They are being led by a close friend of Bert’s who is very knowledgeable on this epic period in U.S. history. Stops include the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, the city’s 16th Street Baptist Church (bombed by the KKK), the Rosa Parks Museum in Montgomery (the genesis of the Bus Boycott), the city’s historic Greyhound Station (genesis of the Freedom Riders — see photo from Bill), Ralph Abernathy’s First Baptist Church, and the Dexter King Baptist Church and its parsonage where Dr. King and Coretta Scott King lived. And lots of other stops as well.
How many Greyhounds here? Buck Baker, Bert Berney, and Bill Scherlis visit the Anniston, Alabama Greyhound bus station where the Freedom Rider bus was burned in a
Michael Blum reports he and Annette “are still hanging in there, dividing our time between Bel Air, Baltimore, Owings Mills, and Dauphin, Pennsylvania. Facing our biggest challenge, we bought a BEV Zero-turn riding mower to get our Bel Air lawns and gardens under control! Our greatest joy has been seeing our beloved grandchildren, Adam and Ida, now 6 and 2.5, back in Maryland for a visit in early April 2023. Their parents (daughter Julia, BMS ʼ98 and son-in-law Andy, Gilman ’96) live in Petaluma, California. Son Robby joined us from New Haven for a family reunion with my aged parents in Owings Mills. They are in their 90s and still in the same house not far from where Bert Berney used to live! As the pandemic eased, I settled into directing one play per season at Spotlighters Theatre in Mount Vernon. I also manage our family farm up in PA, and will spend time at OPACY this year with the Mighty Duff, who is undiminished in both mental and physical vigor. Go O’s!”
Bill Brusilow has lived in Michigan for 33 years and has now “retired as professor emeritus of biochemistry from Wayne State University School of Medicine. Married for 25 years to a girl
Ku Klux Klan attack in 1961.
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from East Detroit who grew up in a big family so I have lots of in-laws around Detroit. My twin sons graduated from college two years ago and are in Chicago and Ann Arbor, and my daughter has one more soccer season at Northern Michigan University, about as remote a place as you can find east of the Mississippi. I still ski and sail; this year will be my 21st Port Huron to Mackinac Island race. Cindy and I finally attended a Michigan football game in Michigan Stadium, and then to Green Bay to meet soccer-parent friends and watch the Lions play the Packers in Lambeau Field. A balmy 21 degrees at game time!”
Group Inc., which is headquartered in South Carolina. But Dick is able to work from (…wait for it) …a family home at Bryce Mountain Resort. Aha, very nice! He reports “three children and three grandchildren. My son Matt lives in Charlotte with the grandson (6) and the two granddaughters (3 and 1). They are the current mission. Nancy and I are still working — looking forward to retirement in the not-too-distant future. I have worked for Roanoke Trade Service for 41 years. We sold the home in Monkton; it was wonderful living there but just too much for two people. We hope to move closer to Charlotte and maybe to Bluffton, South Carolina, where we have been going on summer vacation. We are playing golf and enjoying life in the Shenandoah Valley. My sons Chris and Tim are working and living in Towson.”
Buy — what more could you want?). I was in and out of architecture a couple of times but spent the majority of my life working for Bechtel on major heavy industrial and civil projects in the U.S. and around the world. I recall from previous class notes that one of us was living in Izmir, Turkey. One of my projects was a combined cycle power plant in Izmir, so I was able to spend a good deal of time mostly in Istanbul, and really enjoyed the country, the people, and the food. I also got to live in England for about two years, which was equally memorable. I have grown to regret not traveling more when I was younger.
Bill and Cindy Brusilow join 78,189 other fans at Lambeau Field to watch their Lions beat the Packers 20-16 for a playoff berth on January 8.
Bill Casey is “still working full time with a large dormitory project under construction at Morgan State University and another project starting design. I do plan to cut back at the end of the summer. Beth is retired (sort of), and we have one grandchild who is a delight. I am playing violin in the orchestra at Stevenson University and singing in the choir at church. We will be celebrating the wedding of our last child this summer up on the Hudson.”
Dick Councill looked hale and hearty at the April 2023 Gilman Forever Luncheon — indeed, to my eyes unchanged from our (40th?) reunion at his home in 2011! Dick is still Regional Vice President, Roanoke Insurance
Your secretary last had the pleasure of Doug Dobbin’s company with John Deford many years ago at an O’s game. Retired now for 10 years on the Eastern Shore after life service as a veterinarian, Doug is enjoying “a rural lifestyle.” He was happily painting oil canvases when, in early April 2023, an email from the principal at the Caroline County High School called Doug in a panic to request he substitute-teach three sections of 25 freshman Spanish 1 students. Doug’s first response, to himself, was “Aunque no tengo ningunas ganas de hacerlo, lo haré. ¡Dios mío!” (Although I have no desire to do so, I will. Good heavens!) But he agreed and is looking happily to a June 7 end to this “new short-lived career.” Bless you, Doug, for being the fine soul I remember!
Dwight (aka Tad) Douglass: “I retired more or less concurrently with the onset of the COVID pandemic and have been enjoying life in beautiful Hagerstown, Maryland (Lowes, Home Depot, and Best
Vital statistics — with first ex-wife: two children, four grandchildren, all currently living in the Baltimore area. With second ex-wife: three sons, two step-daughters, one grandchild. We currently have seven people in the house, guaranteeing life is never dull. I, too, can be charged with poor planning for my retirement, as I still have three kids to get through college.
Home remodeling projects have occupied my retirement time, with an eye towards selling this place in a couple of years. The five-year plan is that once my youngest son starts college I will move to my parents’ former home in Calvert County in Southern Maryland.”
For Charlie Duff, it has been “a dull, happy winter. Son Robert got a master’s in mechanical engineering, then moved home and began looking for work. Lydia and I already had work, sometimes to excess. We stayed home, kept our health, and saw a few interesting people, including Chris Minkowski, who is now living in Baltimore half-time. James McGregor Burns’s two-volume biography of FDR is a wonderful read. I’m boning up on Italian for a trip in the fall and playing the piano more than I ever have.”
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We have not often heard from Jonathan Ehrlich, but that changed this year as he reported: “My wife, Nancy, and I live in Asheville and spend quite a bit of time hiking and enjoying the beautiful mountains. Two years ago I ‘retired’ after a first career with the U.S. government and then a long second career in college and independent school administration. Having just turned 70, I am unretiring — at least for a while — and will be working with a K-12 independent school here in Asheville, to get it back on track after a challenging time during the pandemic. My daughters live in Seattle and Maui; one is in grad school to counsel humans and the other works with horses used to counsel humans. Life rolls on much too fast, but I am still blessed with good health and keep active running, swimming, biking, and hiking. In my spare time I am working on a children’s book, which may get published if I can think of a good nom de plume.”
Frank Fiske says he has “nearly retired, still working a few hours a week with a handful of clients. I spend my time traveling back and forth from Baltimore to Cape May, New Jersey, where I own a beach house. I am very proud of my three children (ages 36, 35, 33) who all own their homes and who have graciously given me four grandchildren (all girls). Watching progeny thrive is extremely rewarding. My wife, Brienne, is getting ready to retire this summer after a very successful career as a figure skating coach (having learned from the best, Bob and Joan Ogilvie). An avid Clemson fan, I attend one or two football games each season, always catching up with fraternity brothers and getting to act like I’m 20 again. Plus I am still hunting ducks — in the marshes of Stone Harbor, New Jersey, and on the Eastern Shore where John Deford kindly invites me to Chestertown each year.”
Bill Gamper had an exciting year as “Mary and I successfully summited Mt. Kilimanjaro in September 2022. Our group consisted of six members over 65 and one last-minute add-on, a 40-year-old cardiologist. She was made most welcome. Seven days up, two days down. We then went on a six-day safari on the Serengeti before heading home. We had two weeks to finish preparations for our daughter Carrie’s wedding in New Hampshire!” Transitions continued in 2023 — “My son-in-law started a new job in Billings, Montana, so Mary and I helped daughter Liz follow in March. Plus, after 13 years as a student and 24 as a member of the faculty (45 years in education), I will be retired as of June 6! But I plan to help with the wrestling team and other projects to keep busy. Here’s hoping we all enjoy the years ahead.”
Mike Hilliard and his wife, Georgia, are managing her recently diagnosed cancer of the plasma cells, with Georgia undergoing chemotherapy and getting a little better each month. Mike is also serving as a member of the Law Enforcement Action Partnership (LEAP), “consulting with cities throughout the country to implement the Community Responder Model, where trained citizens respond to low-level 911 calls, thus ensuring the right responder is assigned. This frees the police to proactively address both violent and property crimes. In addition, I serve as a consultant for the Episcopal Diocese for Maryland, in which I and others assist churches to ensure their vitality and sustainability.”
Chip Manekin wrote from “… a plane at the Vienna airport, about to depart for Hamburg, where Rachel and I will be visiting scholars at the University for three months. We retired from UMD last year and are enjoying living in Jerusalem near our 12 grandkids. This threemonth gig in Germany was planned a long time ago, and I hope it is over quickly! Miss my Gilman classmates and look forward to the next big reunion.”
Gampers reach new heights — 19,341 feet! — summiting Mt. Kilimanjaro. Left to right: Dick Gamper, Virginia Craig, Bill Gamper, Mimi Quillman, Scott Quillman, Mary Gamper.
Ned Grassi gets the award for most laconic update: “Have seen Nelson and Gephart in Charleston. Our lives are filled with nature, sports, and friends. Still have our farm in Maryland horse country.” Your secretary also encounters Ned periodically here in Virginia horse country, most recently at the 100th running of the Middleburg Spring Races, the oldest steeplechase in Virginia, where Ned sings at the annual presentation of his family’s Temple Gwathmey Cup.
Edwin Merryman is “still working, training horses.” Edwin’s family had a scare when son Louis’ wife, Grace, went into labor prematurely. “Grace was due April 2, 2023, and was visiting her family at Cape Cod just before Christmas, when Louis rushed her to Tufts. Max was born December 16, 2022 at 24 weeks five days, arriving via C-section, and weighing 770 grams (1.7 lbs). Louis’ wedding band could fit on Max’s arm. There have been a lot of brush fires along the way, but no wildfires. I don’t think they could have been in a better place than Tufts. Max was released on Saturday, April 15, 2023, weighing 7 lbs 10 ounces and is 20.5 inches. Pretty amazing. The next day, I was at the Mt.
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Harmon point-to-point races and ran into Tyler Campbell. I even recognized him, that is pretty good for me.”
Marvin Miller “continues to work fulltime, enjoying the job. The horticulture industry was discovered by a lot of folks during the pandemic, and, although in 2022 we were back to competing with things like vacations for the consumers’ time, we are still up considerably from pre-pandemic levels. The workday hours are long including lots of business travel, and I continue to serve on several industry and USDA committees. In my spare time, I continue to stay very involved in bicycling, especially for Bike MS, a fundraiser, and nature photography, especially in Alaska.”
Archibald Montgomery is “finishing up my one-year stint as the Interim Head for an all-girls boarding/day school, Westover School in Middlebury, Connecticut. It has been an interesting year as all our schools try to bounce back from a challenging era of pandemic and racial reckoning. I have learned lots and expect to re-retire and head home to the Western Carolina Blue Ridge Mountains in Asheville soon.” Coincidentally, Arch is also serving as class secretary for the Westminster School in Simsbury, Connecticut.
Rev. Bill Rich tried to retire last year, after nearly 16 years of serving at Trinity (Episcopal), Copley Square, Boston. “I enjoyed about three blissful months before I agreed to serve as the half-time interim rector at St. Mary of the Harbor, Provincetown, Massachusetts. That gig will soon be drawing to a close as the parish is about to call its next rector. I live nearby in the lovely town of Truro, and have enjoyed getting to know this outer end of Cape Cod, where the beauties of nature and of the vibrant local art scenes vie with one another. Blum, Duff, and I — and
perhaps others from our class — are contemplating a fall tour of small German cities that have their own stellar resident opera companies. And I am hoping to walk at least part of the Camino de Santiago next spring!”
Charlie Scarlett and wife Lori “are loving life on Dunlap Lake in Edwardsville, Illinois — finally back to the water! We moved here in 2019 and not a minute too soon. COVID was kind of a non-issue for us as we owned an ‘essential’ business that kept us working every day, and in the evenings we could raft with neighbors on the lake blissfully and naturally socially distanced on our boats. All in all, not too bad. We sold that business in 2021, and after two weeks of ‘retirement,’ I went back to work as a business broker for the company that helped me sell mine. Buying and selling businesses during most of my career, business brokerage is a natural progression and a lot of fun. Five grandkids all joined us for Easter. I am also working with the National Park Service on making our place in Annapolis (Whitehall) a Chesapeake Gateway Site and part of the proposed Chesapeake National Recreational Area. Fortunately, this gets me back to Baltimore occasionally (not enough). Lori and I enjoyed a wonderful visit with Bert and Liz in Portland a few weeks ago. We have also enjoyed seeing Kathy and Charles Piven and Kathy and Pete Waxter fairly recently. If you’re ever near St. Louis, please look us up. We’d love to see you!”
Bill Scherlis “is still enjoying my professional life as a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon after more than 40 years, a dozen as a department head. We have come to love Pittsburgh, which is a city of neighborhoods much like Baltimore, especially as a great place to raise a family. Our three chil-
dren are in their 20s — Lily in Chicago doing a Ph.D. in English, Sophia in the NYC fashion business, and Tom in a robotics startup in San Francisco. My wife, Ann, continues to write for Science magazine, usually about human evolution, but most recently, following a fortuitous brewery visit, about the origins of yeasts for lager beer. In 2019, I accepted an invitation to spend two years — which became three — at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA, decades ago an innovative force for the internet). We escape to Martha’s Vineyard throughout the year — please reach out if you are in Pittsburgh or MV.”
Mid Walsh spends his time “writing (with a healthy number of my poems published last year), going to the local CrossFit gym (where most of the other members are my kids’ age and seem to cheer whenever I lift something), cross-country skiing, sculling (hoping to christen my new racing scull in the next month or so, a gift for my 70th year), spending time with my grandkids (1 and 7, nearby) and with my amazing wife, Fay (an avid equestrian and musician). My folk trio (Them City Ducks, in the process of going viral on YouTube) is working on making a studio recording, but it will never sound as good to me as the memories of Gephart, Walsh, and Young at morning chapel 50-odd years ago.”
Mark Wilson and wife Janine “are doing well and about to celebrate our 14th anniversary. We’ve been retired since January 2017, and Janine has introduced me to ballroom dancing and golf. We keep busy with volunteer work for Carroll County Food Sunday, spending time with our four children who live in the area, and planning our third trip to France this September. Plus I’m working on my third book in a series of thrillers (see Mark Alexander
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Wilson on Amazon — shameless plug alert!).” Secretary’s note: Yes indeed! The Murchison/Suarez series!
Meanwhile your secretary (Nigel Ogilvie) is in his third year of retirement after 41.5 years in combined U.S. Treasury and Federal Reserve service. I may have volunteered for too many good causes here in Fauquier County, Virginia, and will work to simplify my life by 2024! Wife Louisa organized a remarkable Medieval Banquet at the Cosmos Club in D.C., with 114 attendees (a large number for CC events) including our own Alex Beehler and his wife, Stephanie Kenyon. Alex, as you know, served as the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy, and Environment between 2019 and 2021, a promotion from his prior service as Assistant Deputy Under the Secretary of Defense (Environment, Safety and Occupational Health) from 2004-2009. Stephanie is still leading Sloans and Kenyon, the top auctioneers and appraisers firm in the D.C. metropolitan area.
I will organize a Gilman ’71 Zoom for later in 2023, around Thanksgiving — a good time to give thanks for our Gilman education and these friendships, which continue to last more than 50 years later.
1972
Richard Thomas rthomas@csfllp.com
The year brought with it many highs and lows as it relates to the great Gilman Class of ’72. The high being the announcement of many of our classmates electing to retire after highly successful careers in industries such as medicine (Linkous/Startzman), law (Hargrove, Judge, Karas, Thomsen, Sinclair), investments (Fetting, Sherman), food services (George), to
name a few. (I apologize for those that I missed, as well as if I retired someone too soon.)
The low being the loss of our beloved classmate, Alan Kaufmann. Alan singularly planned our famous “class lunches” at various prominent Baltimore restaurants, ex. The Dizz; Earth, Wood & Fire; and Ship’s Café. In addition, Alan co-chaired the 1972 City Championship It’s Academic team. Under the direction of Ted Trimble and Scott Sherman, Alan was honored by 200 of his family members, friends, and classmates at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Baltimore. Baseball was the theme of this wonderful celebration of life, as Alan was a lover of professional baseball as exhibited by his visiting every major league baseball stadium in the nation. Go forth, classmates. Remember the wonderful life of Alan, and continue to carry on your lives in a loving and caring manner, recognizing how important Gilman has been in shaping us.
Chris Taylor, who’s been living for 45 years in the Los Angeles area, reports that he’s working on a film about the life of Neiman Marcus founder Stanley Marcus. He sees and plays golf with Jim Brundige several times a year and welcomed Linda and Steuart Thomsen to the left coast for a visit. Chris’s son, Mac, 32, got his master’s from Cambridge and is finishing his Ph.D. thesis in French film at Oxford. Nick, 28, has an MBA and is starting to work in commercial real estate.
At the end of 2023, Steuart Thomsen will end his 43-year relationship with Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP (formerly Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP) and will be fully retired.
Tony Talalay reports that he, Russ Monroe, and George Bias attended a Seattle Mariners spring training game in Phoenix (see photo above). George has retired in Phoenix from a career as a biochemical engineer; Russ has retired to Palm Springs from psychiatry in Charleston and Northern California; and Tony was on his way to visit broccoli fields in Arizona and California.
David Cross: This was the year for reunions! The 50th class reunion in April, a 20-person family reunion at Rehoboth Beach in June, my immediate family gathering in Honolulu in December, and a Yosemite trip with Jack Orrick and Roger Bowie in May (see photo below)!
Steve Parker stevenhparker@msn.com
Mike Downs: I left Gilman in June of 1971 for the Baltimore Experimental High School, about as far from Gilman
1973
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in spirit as one could possibly travel, though I continued to live on the Gilman campus in faculty housing, at the home of my father, Gilman teacher A.J. Downs. (Childhood playmates were Gampers, Tickners, Thompsons, Andrews, Spencers, etc. Next-door neighbors were Woodwards, Garvers, Chandlees, Hilliards, Greens, etc. Finney house was in deep right field of what dad called Gamper stadium, i.e. Gamper front yard.)
After a post-high-school gap year working for a land-survey company, I spent a year at Goddard College in Vermont, then seven years in LA, graduating from UCLA with an MFA in directing for the stage. Marriage to an Israeli musician led to seven years in Israel, working as a teacher/director at Israel’s version of Julliard. An administrative position as an arts director at an independent school in Tulsa, Oklahoma, led to eight years there, the last two of which were as middle school director. Then three years as assistant head of Blake School in Minneapolis, followed by 11 years as head of Mounds Park Academy in St. Paul. A year as interim head of a school in Seattle was followed by five years as head of the American International School in Israel.
tional school here. We will move this summer to Belgrade, Serbia, where she will serve as head of the international school there and I will serve as a utility infielder wherever she needs me.
When coming to attend the reunion this April, I will pay one of my regular visits to dad, who, at 98, still rattles off long soliloquies from Hamlet in character when you feed him the opening line.
1974
David Seiler dseiler4@yahoo.com
Our annual holiday luncheon for 2022 was hosted by Courtenay Jenkins at Paul’s Place in north Baltimore City, which Court has been associated with for 10 years. The lunch was prepared and served in the new GroundWork Kitchen Building; one part of their social mission is training those less fortunate to work in the hospitality industry. Paul’s Place has been serving lunch to deserving city residents since its inception and also provides job training, housing assistance, family workshops, and other services to the community. Joining Court were AC George, Ross Pearce, Kimball Byron, Andy Brooks, Tom Gamper, Andy Murray, Dave Emala, and David Albright.
AC George writes it is great fun to have grandchildren Cole (6), Reid (4), and Eliza (2) nearby in D.C., and connecting with Pell ’05 and Katherine in Charlotte, and Taz ’08 and Michael in Chicago’s West Loop. Ace and Kathryn enjoy their peripatetic lifestyle (credit to Ace for that adjective).
Dave Emala and Jeannie are enjoying their four grandchildren, three of whom live in Baltimore nearby. Dave has stayed in touch with Gilman via serving on the Alumni Board of Governors and through his son Ned, who is on the faculty, coaches, and is Assistant Director of Athletics.
Greg Pinkard shares that his younger daughter, Charlotte, was married in Manhattan, and the wedding was a joy from start to finish. Yet, in the same two-week period, his oldest daughter, Katherine (and business partner), broke her neck in Florida playing polo. All are happy and healthy now with Mom and Dad having a few more gray hairs.
Andy Felser writes that he is in his 42nd year of practicing law, with no immediate retirement plans. His wife works as an administrator in the local school system, and their son is at the Cleveland Institute of Music. He looks forward to spending some “down time” 8,500 feet up in the Rockies in June.
Three generations of Downs: Yoni , A.J., and Mike
I have a son by the first marriage and a step-daughter in the second. I live in Munich, Germany, with my second wife, who is deputy head of an interna-
Clinton Daly continues as Board Chair of the Maryland Center for History and Culture. Doug Nelson and Clint are “brothers-in-law” from the marriage of their son and daughter and so enjoy co-grandparenting two young children. They are also trekking in Bhutan in May.
Andy Brooks continues his work as the Chair of the Board of Trustees of our Gilman School and also remains Vice Chair on the Board of the Maryland Center for History and Culture.
Bennett Sweren captained a team of 4.5 and 5.0 tennis players to the Men’s 65 and over USTA Nationals in February in Arizona, representing the Mid-Atlantic region. The team made it to the Final Four and squeaked by Southern, but lost in the finals to California. He is inspired by that to try to qualify for next year’s event.
Mac Finney shares that he is in his 40th year at WBAL-TV, and, if his sanity, health, and enthusiasm don’t betray him,
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he hopes to keep telling stories for years to come. In their spare time, Mac and Molly enjoy taking long walks with their latest rescue dog, a stray from Louisiana named Nora the Explorer, around the beautiful countryside of northern Baltimore County where they live.
Doug Antaya writes he continues to live in Duxbury, Massachusetts, and works full time for BlackBerry. After exiting the mobile device business, BlackBerry is now focused on selling software. He is counting the days to getting back to Roland Avenue for the Class of ’74 50th reunion.
Peter Bowe now lives in Annapolis, and is happy to have moved to such a beautiful place. With a philosophical message, he reminds us that life is good, to treasure each day, and to be an asset to your community. Peter continues on the board of the Center for Urban Families and as the editor of DredgeWire.com.
Ross Pearce writes that his son, Parker, is graduating from the McIntire School of Commerce at UVA this spring; that his daughter, Elizabeth, and her husband, Ian, had their second daughter, Pearce, a year and a half ago; and that daughter Jessica was married to Dave last January. Ross and Holly spend time between homes in Monkton and Pinehurst, North Carolina, when he is not being a steward for the Maryland Racing Commission. He is also very active in the steeplechase horse races in April in Maryland.
Mike Cromwell and Tish traveled to New Zealand and Australia, and Mike took some great photos posted on his website.
Bill Nesbitt spent time traveling in Marrakech Morocco this spring.
Christopher White has moved to Pacific Grove, California, this year. He
is now working on a novel, which is his sixth book!
Where in the world is Jock Whittlesey? He and Monique continue to enjoy life near the beach in Jupiter, Florida. From September to February, Jock works remotely as one of the editors of the State Department’s Human Rights Report. He is also working on a nonfiction “guidebook to the North Atlantic,” drawing on his 2022 Atlantic crossing on the Queen Mary 2. Jock’s son, Philip, received his pilot’s wings in February and is now preparing to fly the Coast Guard’s “Ocean Sentry” airplane on surveillance and rescue missions out of Corpus Christi, Texas. 1975
Joe Hooper hoopdedo2@earthlink.net
re-une whenever we want to. And we did: A quick glance at the photo of the gathering suggests the “we’re all in this together” fellowship which, as a class, I think we’ve always been fortunate to enjoy. My eye travels to the bottom right-hand corner: a very fit Watty Galleher who came in all the way from Denver (I think), Brian Goodman doing an excellent impression of the old Dos Equis “world’s most interesting man,” and Gerry Brewster sporting a hard-to-miss flag-of-Maryland shirt. Many thanks to John for hosting, and to New Jersey-ite Bill Harwood for pitching in with logistical back-up.
In this same spirit of mastering one’s own destiny, Kevin Lynch has been making noises about a “class trip” to catch an Orioles game at Camden Yards this summer, or maybe next. Given the actuarial tables we’re dealing with here, I’m with Harwood who writes that an “every-two-year” get-together would be the better way to proceed. If you’re interested in the O’s plan, shoot Kevin a note, or me, and I’ll make sure he gets it.
As has been well-reported, we live in a sped-up 24-7 cable news cycle universe. So, in keeping with the new zeitgeist, my notes will be (somewhat) shorter this year. Similarly on-brand was our class reunion last spring at John Colston’s house. It wasn’t officially our year to have a major fifth or tenth year celebration, but in 2021, owing to COVID dislocations, we got shoehorned in with the Class of ’76 (no disrespect to the ʼ76ers) at an event at the School. So, we decided, hey, we’re all grown up, even by some measures, old, we can
Kevin reports: “Been an interesting year. After open-heart surgery last April, I am fully recovered and back to normal (whatever that is these days). Still working as an IT consultant. Our two children both relocated to Charleston, with my daughter, son-in-law, and two grandsons moving there recently. Bo Lewis has started a pool on when we’ll be moving down there.”
Kevin’s sounding board for the O’s idea, Bo, reports that the current Orioles are a promising young team (not unlike, in spirit, our class). He reports: “I know I am heading to a few games to watch the new and exciting Baby Birds. Hopefully
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you’ll join us.” As for a non-baseball debrief, he writes, “I wish I could come back to you with some major exciting news but my life hasn’t changed that much. Still working, chasing five (and holding) grandkids and spending time in Seabrook Island, South Carolina. Sorry to have missed the reunion at John’s house last year, and it was nice of Watty and Ross [McKenrick] to make a rare appearance.”
Jonathan Farber sounds like he and his tribe are going from strength to strength. He writes “All is well in the Farber family with the recent addition of grandson #2 — Cryder Bates Curro born January 17 — and joining Slater Tennison Curro who just celebrated his 3rd birthday. Happy to report that our investment advisory firm, Passive Capital Management, also recently celebrated the 15th anniversary since our founding.”
Peter Mathews and yours truly! Might have missed one or two others.”
I would add, definitely Pete Mathews and I’m (pretty) sure that’s Pete Lohrey top left. I’ll permit myself two thoughts (brevity!): What great hair everyone had! And, kudos to our classmates for holding their own against their bigger, stronger, older teammates. Going up against Greg Davis ’73, with full-on mustache (see photo), can’t have been easy.
And Jonathan offers up a bonus prize, a time-capsule photo of the 1973 MSA champion lacrosse team which includes a number of ’75ers. Here’s Jon’s photo guide: “This team was well represented with Class of 1975 members including Jonathan Pine, Thomas Gray, Mike McCarthy, Tad Stellmann, Chris Hutchins, Reiley McDonald, maybe
Chris Hutchins provides the “after” photo (above) in a “before-and-after” bookend shot: Chris, Reiley, and Sandy McDonald chilling in the Bahamas this spring. And still looking … rather good.
Chris writes: “We moved to Bethany Beach last year and have been here for a little over a year. Coastal living is fun! Still working with Sherm Bristow at The Finney Search Group. We talk and run into plenty of old classmates, teachers, and coaches. Big shoutout to John Colston and Bill Harwood for organizing last year’s reunion. Great to see some old faces!”
The Finney Search Group, I discovered, is a recruitment firm searching out the next generation of school heads, teachers, and coaches. It was named, as you might have guessed, after Reddy Finney, and if you’d like an on-themoney summation of what made Reddy and his mission so special, go to thefinneysearchgroup.com and read what Sherm Bristow has to say.
I enjoyed catching up with my old Riderwood neighbor, Pete Mathews, at Colston’s. He writes: “I retired at the end of 2022 after 43 years in banking, essentially with the same company. I am enjoying playing more golf, and Anne and I now have the flexibility to spend some more time at our Jersey Shore ‘get-a-way’ and travel more broadly as well. However, the real governor on our mobility is whether we are needed to help with grandkid duties for our two local kids’ families. We were blessed to welcome grandchild number six in early April. So there are four boys and two girls, all under age 4. Our oldest son married a Brit, has two boys, and lives in England, which has us making approximately two trips per year across the Atlantic. Although I am no longer a racquet sports guy, who over the years played interclub tennis with Mike McCarthy, I still see Tad Stellmann at various paddle tennis events and will often fork over my two dollar lost wagers to Mac Ross on the golf course.”
My fellow Manhattanite Mackay Wolff has devoted his life to international aid/disaster relief in hot spots around the world, much of it with the U.N. He reports he’s got a new gig. I don’t pretend to understand everything he has to say but, in this age of chatbot freak-out, I am intrigued. He writes (in the third person, as is his wont):
“MacKay Wolff has joined a small professional group that is advising donor governments and non-governmental organizations on the use of AI in the monitoring and evaluation of humanitarian projects. His career with the U.N., from which he’s retired, did M&E as an analog process; the incorporation of artificial intelligence promises both a reimagining of the elements of emergency program design and the metrics of progress within it. The endeavor is especially interesting
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because these are early days for the aid industry in adopting this tech and, consequently, for giving the group some influence in the emergence of a standard platform.”
Gerry Brewster and I have found ourselves in the same business this spring, both of us committed to publishing PR. I’ve been haranguing classmates, and most anyone else, about a book I recently co-authored, published by a Harper Collins imprint: “Fire on the Levee: The Murder of Henry Glover and the Search for Justice After Hurricane Katrina.” In brief: In the chaotic days after Hurricane Katrina, five white New Orleans cops were responsible for the murder of an unarmed Black man and then “disappearing” his body (by incineration, hence the “Fire” of the title). The book is written in the first-person voice of lead author Jared Fishman, at the time a young Justice Department prosecutor who, with Ashley Johnson, an African American FBI rookie, solved the case and tried to bring the criminals to justice (with mixed results).
hero to civil rights advocate (the only U.S. senator from a below-the-MasonDixon-Line state to stand with LBJ on civil rights) to (seemingly) hopeless alcoholic. As Gerry writes, “The book even opens with a story involving Gerry and Chris Hutchins as 16-year-old Gilman students!”
The story is, indeed, wild. Visit senatordanielbrewster.com for more information. And Gerry, for his part, has printed up promotional postcards for the book, handing them out to anyone he runs into. “So far, they have been well received,” he writes. “The problem I am now running into though is having people tell me ‘Gerry, you already gave me one of those last week!’ LOL.”
John Tompkins, always a faithful correspondent, writes: “Sara and I are acquiring some undeveloped property near Pinehurst, North Carolina. We intend to build a new home there over the coming years. There is a degree of ‘organic symmetry’ in the story of our marriage as our first move as a couple was to Charlotte, North Carolina, back in 1981.”
to stay in touch and keep us in the loop. I flew up to Providence in the beginning of March to attend the memorial service in Seekonk, Massachusetts. Ross was amazing, as he pretty much MC’d the entire service before hundreds of friends and family.”
A couple of lines jumped out at me from Ross’s memorial service invitation. “Do know that Chris is amongst all of us — now, next Saturday, and onward.” And a kicker: “As far as dress is concerned, wear what you will be comfortable wearing, but remember Chris was always styling.”
Gerry’s book project, a biography of his father, the late Senator Danny Brewster, is no less compelling in a different way.
Written by former Baltimore Sun reporter John Frece, “Self-Destruction: The rise, fall, and redemption of U.S. Senator Daniel B. Brewster” chronicles a life both blessed and cursed, from war
Now for the hard part of the notes. Ross McKenrick, who some of us have known since Calvert first grade (or was it “Pilot Class”?), lost his wife, Chris, this past year, after her long fight with cancer came to an end. Remarkably, both Ross and Chris attended Colston’s party. John writes: “We had the good fortune to host Ross and Chris at our home in Hunt Valley for a couple of nights around the party. We were amazed to learn many of the details about Chris’ 12-year battle with a dreadful illness. Fast forward to this winter, and the news got particularly difficult for them. The treatments had stopped working. Chris went home to be with the Lord on Valentine’s Day. I feel very fortunate that Ross was able
The tough news continues, for some classmates, closer to home. This winter, we lost Gio Prezioso to cancer. He was our class valedictorian and an animating presence during his six years at Gilman. Adam Weisenberg, passing through NYC this past fall, brought me up to speed about Gio’s intense battle with an especially lethal form of the disease. Still, the news of his death in late February was a shock to everybody. This was a formidable guy: top academic honors at Harvard and Harvard Law School; a partner at a top D.C. law firm; general counsel at the SEC for four years; passionate about his pro bono work at Freedom House. But I imagine Gio will be best remembered as a loving husband to Betsy, father to Emily, Julia and Alex, grandfather to Annie and Nell, and friend to so many in our class!
Dirk Fitzpatrick, Gio’s D.C. area neighbor, gives a longer view: “My wife, Stephanie, and I still live in Takoma Park, and work full time, she as the manager of a small art foundation in D.C. and I as a software engineer. We’re fortunate to have our children, Alexandra (just engaged!) and Rob, close by in Baltimore. A number of us ʼ75ers reconnected at the wedding of Giovanni’s daughter, Julia. It was a joyful
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celebration replete with a fire dancer! That was followed far too quickly by his passing. Throughout his final journey he showed courage and resilience, often repeating the slogan ‘Andrà tutto bene!’ (‘Everything is going to be all right.’)”
Tom Miller takes us back further in time. “Giovanni was one of my very closest friends while at Gilman, and it is with profound sadness that I write a few words about him and our relationship. At Gilman, during what we later referred to as our “long-haired years,” both of us were generally on the nerdy end of the spectrum. But our bond was really cemented outside of school. Gio’s and my first salaried job, with an actual paycheck, was working one summer as gardeners pulling weeds at the Hampton Mansion. I’ll never forget going frequently to his house where his mom would prepare lunch for us, and his brothers and sisters would be romping around. He was a regular visitor to my family’s house, too, especially to our well-known, if somewhat infamous, top-of-the-garage clubhouse there.
“There are just too many stories — almost all happy ones — from our Gilman days and beyond to recount here. Let me finish with a direct quote from Gio’s valedictory address that he gave at his graduation: ‘The man who uses all his energies to the fullest, the man who enjoys what he is doing, is certain to be the most successful.’ That pretty much sums up the life of Giovanni Prezioso, a dear friend who will be sorely missed.”
Finally, Selwyn Ray goes deep: “As our 1975 brotherhood evolves, some of the family departs our earthly plane. I value all of the friendship and connections that our class provided. I recently had the distinct honor to ‘walk’ with our beloved Giovanni as he moved to the other side of eternity. We shared scrip-
ture, warm thoughts, and some heavy theological musings. Gio knew Greek so when he mentioned something biblical to me in our conversations, I knew he knew what he was talking about, or at least I thought I was closer to the ‘truth.’ Gio asked me about a worthy organization that he could support and he did so without hesitation, making his family mark on a youth boxing center in East Baltimore. He was living his faith right before my eyes as he was approaching the very object of his faith with each passing day and breath … little did we know, but what I detected from my spiritual encounter with Gio as he transitioned, is that we all should be a lot more mindful about our actions, our deeds and our thoughts because, as Gio and I discussed, we don’t know the specific minute or the hour but we do know that we all are approaching the moment when we finish our time on earth and hopefully find ourselves like Gio, CARPE LUCEM … or as we learned to believe as young students
In Tuo Lumine Lumen. Shine on, our dear Giovanni, shine on. Your Loving Brother Traveler, Sel”
1976
John Wharton jw213@yahoo.com
Mike Ward, seated at center, teamed up with classmates Roszel Thomsen, left, and Jim Burgunder for the It’s Academic television program, a fast-paced question-and-answer competition with other schools.
We learned in May of last year of the passing of our classmate Michael Ward, whose excellence in academics and athletics at Gilman continued on at Harvard University and throughout his many roles in life, including as a professor and youth lacrosse coach.
Word of Mike’s death barely a week after a diagnosis of colon cancer prompted an outpouring of grief from many of us, who wrote about his unique character, his enthusiastic participation on our 45th reunion committee, and that he had been expected to soon begin travels from the state of California back to Baltimore for a “side gig” at Hopkins’ Carey School.
Mike’s prowess in football, lacrosse, and tennis during his high school years was followed up by his playing on the 1980 Ivy League Championship lacrosse team, according to his obituary, also noting that he was a contestant on the Jeopardy television game show as a young man. We’d already watched him hone those skills as a member of our team on It’s Academic, the interscholastic question-and-answer contest filmed on TV Hill.
Mike’s distinguished reputation in the investment world included exchanging “notes and thoughts” about the new role planned in Baltimore, one classmate noted, and another wrote that Harrison Ward, Mike and Mary’s son, began his own senior year at Harvard last fall, after a summer with Bain & Company and before going to work full time at the management consulting firm’s offices in San Francisco.
Mike’s sudden passing, so soon after his diagnosis, prompted one classmate who fondly remembered him to also take a lesson to stop “putting off my colonoscopy for the last couple years, which never seems important, and I’m always
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looking for excuses to postpone. It should be a warning to any of us treating such tests as an inconvenience rather than a necessary health screening.”
Mike became a student at Gilman in 1969, the year our class entered the sixth grade that fall in the Lower School.
Approaching the 47th anniversary of our commencement, classmates shared in late April of this year their latest news on family, travels, and where they are on that transition from the workplace to retirement.
Ben Cripps wrote, “The family is well. Ali graduates from Tulane in May. Woohoo! She is thinking of taking a year before grad school and living in Israel. Maddie is searching for a new job in health care management — population health. My business and Susan’s practice are chugging along. Everyone is healthy. I, like many of you, have reached Medicare age. Who woulda thunk it back in ’76? Hope everyone is happy and healthy!”
Charlie Steinberg, our class’s Mr. Baseball, updated us with, “As I celebrate the 47th anniversary of my Gilman Encounter Project, which has continued without interruption with the Orioles, Padres, Red Sox, Dodgers, Commissioner, and Red Sox again, I find myself happier than ever as President of the Worcester Red Sox in the newest creation of Larry Lucchino and Janet Marie Smith, Polar Park. All are welcome to enjoy a ballgame as my guest. And that’s not even my most important news: For the first time in my life, I have asked someone to marry me, and lo and behold, she said, “Yes!” Kara Lynch is a wonderful Worcester Public School teacher (English and fifth grade) with three beautiful children (18, 16, and 9), and she has been worth waiting for (all these years). Just amazing. Who
else would enjoy talking about Gilman’s punctuation rules? Sending love from us to all.”
Ham Davis wrote that he’s “spending most of our time in Brooklyn, New York. My youngest is a freshman at Purdue (polytechnic or engineering). Avery graduates from UNC School of the Arts in May. She will likely be dancing for Georgia Ballet in the fall. Our eldest, Paige, is looking for advocacy work in the climate field. Always a pleasure to connect in Baltimore over the holidays!”
Still on the payroll and on the court, Andy deMuth wrote, “I passed the Medicare eligible line in December, but as I am still hard at work at Morgan Stanley (except Friday afternoons), I am not on Medicare. Lynne and I are spending most weekends in Easton. I am getting used to the slower pace of life on the shore. I have picked up pickleball to add to my list of racket sports, hope the knees are willing to be on the court an extra day or two. Our big news is our son Robbie got married in Charlottesville in September. It was a spectacular evening at the King Family Vineyard. Shortly thereafter, our daughter Katie got engaged, and plans are coming along for a May 2024 wedding on the Eastern Shore. Katie and her fiancé moved to San Diego, so we have a great place to visit. As always, look to see you on the beach or the courts.”
Dave Heubeck wrote, “I retired from practicing law four years ago and now enjoy spending time with family and friends in the OBX, babysitting my 8-month-old granddaughter, and advocating for constitutionalism and common-sense policies.”
Taking a timeout between retirement and new civic responsibilities can be a
challenge, as Nick Richardson noted in his comments that “Anita and I are well, as are our children, Matthew ʼ10 and Will ʼ14. Matthew is to be married to Madison in the first weekend of June. I elected to hang up my banking spikes at the end of calendar 2022 after 40 years in finance. I almost made my goal to spend four months, minimum, in retirement prior to taking on any new endeavor, but now find myself the incoming president of the Baltimore County Public Library Foundation Board. With a capital campaign looming, I’d not have had time to take this on were I still employed; I look forward to the challenge. Anita continues to work. I look forward to having more time to pursue my longstanding music hobby and newly rejuvenated ones, like carpentry and art. I had a surprise Ham (and Kiki) Davis sighting on Easter Sunday. Both are looking well and are staying very busy.”
Sylvester Cox, still on the bench with Baltimore’s circuit court, wrote, “Judy and I contemplate retirement, and we realize we still have a few years to work. So the Red Cross and the courthouse will continue to see us on a regular basis. Lindsey lives in LA and works for Mythical, a gaming company for which I know very little of their full capacity, but she does enjoy the business travel, having been to Portugal and Germany last year. Erin, my youngest, moved to Florida last year, and has a couple of jobs. She’s well, as she doesn’t call home for money much.”
Mike Austin’s numerical checklist included, “First: Peace, blessings, and God’s grace to the best classmates from Gilman. Love you guys. Second: ‘Holy Cow, Batman’ because I/we will be 65 this year. I don’t feel mid 60s (most days) but I will sign up for Medicare this year. Third: Health is okay. I have to get my
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blood sugar down first. Yes, diabetes. Diet is good. Mostly plant-based. But I have to exercise. All this virtual work was great, career coach/workforce development at Housing Authority and Johns Hopkins for last seven years, but I put on 30 COVID pounds. High BP and heart disease are hereditary but meds are helping, I hope. Planning to live to 100 years old, but could drop at any time.”
Mike added, “My assignment at JHU was temporary, and a hiring freeze prevented them from making three of us permanent as promised. Taking a job in recovery right now for the money, but I am interested in starting a group home for young adult males. I couldn’t find one for my son when he needed one. Two years since God called him home. Again, thank you guys for your love and support. His memorial Crape Myrtle tree (Big Marcus) is doing well and we kept two of the plants (Big and Little Markie). Daughter Mallory and her four kids, Khloe, Kevin, Milan, and Major, (8 to 3) are well. Trying to keep up energy for them. I told my wife, Wanda, recently that I have enjoyed our life together (32 years married in June) and looking forward to however many more God has planned for us. At 61 she is ready to retire but will wait until 65. My plan is to work till 75 which will give me another 25 to reach 100.”
In closing, Mike added that “I will be getting my life and health insurance license shortly to work with the World Financial Group part time, under an old friend. Don’t worry, I am not soliciting classmates. Referrals, maybe. LOL.”
Frank Vecella stays on the move, writing, “I just hit 65 a few days ago and dutifully submitted my application for Medicare. (And here, I always thought Medicare was only for old people!) Pam and I are still enjoying our new scenery, consisting of winter and spring months
in the Florida Keys, and summer and fall months at our little lake house on Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire. We just follow the perfect weather all year long! As I write this, Pam is back in Dallas visiting our daughter, Emily, and our precious grandson, Hudson, now about 16 months old. Son Frank is a pilot, and he and his wife currently live in Bend, Oregon. So between the four of us, we’ve pretty much got most every corner of the country covered.”
Our email thread for this year’s class notes included further comments on new perspectives and programs at Gilman, and Frank wrote, “I do appreciate that ours is a class that can share views on potentially sensitive topics with one another, confident in the knowledge that everyone’s viewpoints will be respected, regardless of whether we happen to agree with the expressed opinions or not. For that, I think we can all be very thankful for the wonderful education and character development that Gilman bestowed upon us.”
Dudley Parr wrote, “It was just about nine years ago that Anna and I moved to Cambridge, Maryland, to run the Overflow Cafe, a ministry and non-traditional church serving people in recovery and on the margins of the community. Pentecost, May 28, is the second anniversary of my ordination. In addition to running the cafe ministries, I have become the interim pastor for a small non-denominational church plant. I’m not sure what retirement is supposed to be, but I keep finding more things to do.”
Dudley added, “This past year saw the birth of two granddaughters, one in Pittsburgh and the other in Tucson. All totaled there are now six granddaughters between the ages of 9 months and 19 years. Late in 2021, Anna and I bought our retirement home here
on the shores of the Choptank. It is paradise on Earth. The crabs are just starting now, and should be really good in a couple of weeks. If you’re on the Eastern Shore, stop by sometime.”
Charlie Moore also keeps busy, writing that “Laura and I have been spending a significantly larger amount of time in Florida with my mother these past three years, first due to COVID and now because we’ve found that we can work from here, while learning to play this very frustrating game of golf! Our son, Bryan ’12, returned from Shanghai where he’d spent two years living and working and joined us here as well. This past year, he became COO of a startup, CEO Discovery, which has had a successful launch with good revenue already. He’s also our golf instructor. Like many of our age, we’re dealing with various health issues in our families and friends, supporting one another as best we can.”
“On a sunnier note,” Charlie added, “we had a wonderful time last August up at Squam Lake, New Hampshire, catching up with Pam and Frank Vecella and Jinx and Laurey Millspaugh. Laura, Bryan, and I also spent 10 days in Paris last July, learning about art, eating and drinking, and laughing, culminating in the wedding of our niece, Laura’s namesake. She is now expecting this summer. My sister’s younger daughter will be getting married on Church Island at Squam this coming summer, and her older sister is expecting this fall! We will be back in Baltimore this summer and hope to see many of you.”
Keith Christian, who continues to protect and serve through his law enforcement career, wrote, “Alive and well in Philly. I’m retiring at the end of the year. Hopefully, by 2025, we’ll be living in central Florida.”
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Suber Huang wrote, “Cindy and I continue to be healthy and happy in our respective practices in Cleveland. My sister, Suzanne, is a leader at Feeding America and its international counterpart. Only my mother is left now, and she has slowed her work to six hours a day, six days a week. This June, she will be inducted into the National Academy of Inventors in D.C. for her cancer research. Our eldest, David, married Cynthia in NYC and had their reception at the National Arts Club in Gramercy Park, where we were married 36 years ago! He is a hematology/ oncology fellow at Lennox Hill, and she is a superstar at McKinsey. Jennifer is a second-year ophthalmology resident at UCI in LA. Daniel is a VP of finance in S.F. at Eastdil Secured.”
Suber added, “I have an active retina practice, including surgery, teaching, and research. Hoping to continue for 15 more years! I have adjunct appointments at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute/U Miami and National University of Singapore and so lucky to travel the world. The Future Vision Foundation is thriving, and it’s been so fun to develop my artistic side as executive producer, [with] award-winning films at FutureVisionFound.org. Playing on two USTA teams (40+ and 55+), and will have another solo show of my photography this September.”
John Purnell broke it down in percentages, writing “Claire and I are both still working — force of habit, perhaps. I tell everyone I am 50% retired, 75% working, and still having issues with basic arithmetic! On the 75%, we continue to perform a lot of IT work for the State of Maryland and airports throughout the country. Lately, that has included Daytona Beach, where I am the program manager for their security system and IT upgrade, while rotating
off the Annapolis Transportation Board. My 50% retired side includes being Vice President at Colonial Players. I am a WATCH judge for Annapolis Summer Garden Theater. WATCH is the Washington Area Community Theater Honors program in which each of 40 theaters in the D.C. area provides four adjudicators, each of whom see 10 productions and score them in roughly 20 categories (lights, acting, music, etc.) Between that, and three season subscriptions, I have tickets to some 25 shows each year. Claire says, ‘I’ll go to some, but not all, sweetheart!’”
John added, “Claire is finishing her second year as president of the Garden Club of Olde Annapolis Towne and is gearing up for May Day. Her graphic design business is doing more and more books every year. Mary, who is married to Paul Hearding, lives in Rico, Colorado, with a cat, a dog, and no children (yet). Lizzie is living in Brooklyn with Zach Trahan and has no pets, nor children. That’s all OK — I am not in any kind of rush for grandchildren.”
Bill Matthai wrote, “Alice graduates from Geisinger Medical School in two weeks and will be staying to do a residency in general surgery for the next five to seven years! Charlotte is an architect in LA (too far away!) and works for a firm that deals with historical and older buildings and locations. She has worked on Union Station in LA and the home of Charles and Ray Eames (you probably would recognize the Eames chair). I am planning to retire from Penn at the end of the next academic year, June 2024, but a comment by Nick Richardson lives in the back of my head — I am one really bad week at work away from retirement! The business of medicine is overwhelming, but there is one exciting bit of news. We don’t have to wear a mask in the hospital all of the
time now! I thought that day would never come. Jan is too busy between tennis and golf to keep up with.”
Bobby Thomas, updating us on his legal career’s continued shift toward the classroom, wrote, “Although my colleagues at my firm don’t allow me to use the ‘R’ word (retirement), I have stepped back quite fully from day-to-day work and get involved only when they ask me to, which is not so often — mostly when they need someone born in the Eisenhower administration to weigh in on a question. But I haven’t yet left the law world completely. I’ve been teaching as an adjunct faculty member at BU Law School for the last 12 years and now with my greater freedom am increasing my involvement there. This is enjoyable work both substantively and from a mentoring perspective. My newest course is Contemporary Issues of Constitutional Law, which seeks to make sense of what the Supreme Court’s been doing (quite a lot, as you know). Working with the next generation gives me hope, despite the magnitude of what they face.”
Bobby added that “board work for nonprofits I care about and the senior tennis circuit occupy much of the rest of my time. I hope to encounter Suber, Ken, or Andy some day on the 65+ USTA tournaments — now THAT would be worthy of class notes. Polly and I travel a lot to St. John in the winter and Maine in the summer, using Boston as a base. We feel very lucky to be able to do so and to have real community and friendships in each place. Mostly I’m blessed to greet each day with a wonderful wife, a great family, and enough health to keep on keepin’ on.”
Phil Scott wrote, “My plans to retire and escape to Maine appear to finally be shaping up as Lindsay and I think we’ll
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make Castine our permanent address. Our kids are spread far and wide with Charlotte expecting a boy next month, son Ned at home in San Juan, Puerto Rico, son Henry in Austin, and daughter Mimi in Brooklyn. So, while we plan to be in Maine for seven or eight months, we see a lot of travel in the future. While I haven’t yet retired from the FHLB, it feels close as I cross into 65, and I’m just hoping for a break in the market turmoil to make my move.”
We really do get all the news we need from Bill Spragins’ weather report, which started with his “greetings from the ‘finally’ sunny Bay Area (actually for three weeks now!). I am fortunate to report that during this winter’s deluge our drainage systems all worked, and street runoff stayed away from our front yard. We will end up at 40+ inches for the ‘rainy season’ with the norm being less than 22. Although more problems will likely come with the spring run-off in the next few months, the good news is all CA reservoirs will be full. Now hopefully the big snows the Rockies received will help dent the Colorado River problems at Lake Powell and Lake Meade, a different drainage system than us.”
Bill added, “Barbara’s son Spencer landed in the engineering school at UC - Santa Barbara after earning the Eagle Scout Badge and captaining the robotics team to its first regional win in 15 years during his senior year. UCSB is perfect, as it is Barbara’s hometown and far enough away to establish some independence but close enough in case something is needed. With Spencer at college, we spent the last year taking in some of the great places in this area of the state, including long weekends at 1) Yosemite last spring where we climbed to the top of Upper Yosemite Falls after a 6” snowfall, 2) Monterey
and its fabulous new ‘Deep Sea’ exhibit at the aquarium, 3) a lesser known piece of wine country where it was less crowded and less commercial than Napa and the wines are just fine, thank you, and 4) a couple trips up to Lake Tahoe in January to enjoy the piles of snow at Northstar and Heavenly Valley.”
“Nobody is retiring here for the next couple of years,” Bill wrote. “With the pandemic receded, I am as busy as I’ve ever been and am taking only the projects I want to work on (including a few in Maryland), and Barbara stays busy at the patent office working from home.”
Ken Volk offered a proposal, in that “after reading the post from Frank Vecella living in Key West and New England, I was wondering, Frank, if you would consider divorcing your wife and marry me instead. If not, what about adopting me? I promise to clean my room and make my bed. Once again I apologize for flicking your ears when the teachers’ backs were turned when in Lower School.”
Ken acknowledged that “Margot and I still enjoy working as veterinarians, but I am definitely starting to ponder life on the other side. Our older son and his wife provided us with our first grandchild three months ago. Our youngest and his wife are expecting in August. With both of them in Philadelphia and Margot’s family in Puerto Rico, perhaps that will be the change needed for us to pursue new things.”
Better stick with that plan, Ken, because Frank responded, “If it were any other classmate, I might consider your tempting proposal. But after 50 years of therapy, I’m still struggling with the whole ear-flicking thing.”
Michael Stoiko wrote that “my beautiful wife of 38 years, Kathleen, and I
are now living by Wrightsville Beach in Wilmington, North Carolina, near where we honeymooned. We have three wonderful children who have all finished graduate school and are trying to change the world! We have two awesome grandchildren, Sophia and Theo. I trained in pediatrics at University of Maryland and anesthesia and critical care at Harvard. I have been practicing anesthesia and pediatric critical care medicine since 1988 and am currently on the faculty at University of North Carolina. I was recently elected to Chief of Staff at New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington. As we start to think about retirement, we plan to split our time between Wilmington, Nashville, and southern Spain.”
Henry Thomas wrote that he and Tina “have just celebrated our 41st wedding anniversary, and life continues to treat us well. Our daughters, Rebecca and Annie, got married last year, so I am pleased to say all three kids have been officially launched. Our granddaughter, Lillian, who sadly lives in San Francisco, is the star of the family. I am still working full time and still enjoy the insurance business.”
Henry and Tina graciously invited your Southern Maryland correspondent and Linda to dinner in Leonardtown during their visit last winter to their family farm in St. Mary’s, and we traded some great stories about Gilman days and more.
John Wharton: Springtime finds us often traveling on Fridays to Old Town Alexandria, where Linda has resumed attending art classes. Following up on a trip in March throughout the Carolinas to visit her siblings, we’re planning a visit this fall to Charleston, one of our favorite towns, for our 30th anniversary. In the meantime, volunteer mediation includes my weekly trips to the county
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courthouse to meet with litigants on the landlord-tenant docket, and always more training, partly toward mediating peace orders. But that still leaves time for yoga classes at the senior center, playing tenor ukulele on “country jam” nights in Laurel Grove, and breaking in a new hammock on the banks of Kingston Creek.
1978
Charlie Herndon caherndon3@gmail.com
I traipsed onto the Gilman campus a few weeks ago, all those red bricks darkened by storms and the time of day. The 45th reunion for the Class of 1978 it was, an Alumni Weekend Saturday shoved inside the Lumen Center by rain squalls, and a little knot of us communing and backslapping and hugging and commiserating and catching up. How could so much time have passed? How could it have been so long ago?
After cocktails indoors and not in the tent on the lawn — I saw Jeff Himeles then, looking fit and trim, but didn’t get a chance to chat, which I regretted as he didn’t join us for dinner — we ventured indoors. Our tribe was small — just a handful of us made the festivities this year — but we dined on steak filets and rockfish in the library where once many of us were made to endure turkey croquettes and Mississippi mud under Mr. Menzies’ watchful eye. We pondered old Cynosure snapshots, enlarged and illuminated on a big screen, and tucked away Gilman swag offered to us graybeards as we left, including a Gilman blue baseball cap stitched with an inscrutable “5407.” Most of us had to ask what that meant.
By the time you read this, Carolyn and Mike Sotir will be celebrating the birth
of their first grandchild, a girl, and Mike could hardly contain his pride. I heard some other grandchildren rumblings, too, so doubtless you’ll be seeing more soon in this space about this next wonderful milestone in the lives of many of us. That and retirements, which Mike also is contemplating with delight. Congratulations to the Sotirs!
Gee, free time and grandchildren — what ever will we do with our days!? Speaking of free time, Kraig Holt has been the avatar of our retired selves ever since leaving the daily grind behind some five years ago. “Every day is a Saturday!” he says, but that outlook hasn’t meant settling into an overstuffed chair and living the storied life of leisure for Mr. Holt. Though slowed momentarily by our involuntary but collective COVID incarceration, Kraig and Marisa are ready to resume their passion for travel — they are heading for Africa this summer, starting in Cape Town and then followed by a few safaris in Tanzania and Kenya and, for fun, a helicopter ride over Victoria Falls. In between the globe-trotting, he’ll be keeping up the pace by running six to eight miles every other day or so. Keep it up, Kraig — you’ll be in even better shape at our 50th than you were last week!
Mark Minkowski made it in from the West Coast for the reunion; he’s still working for the water management folks in California, which must be an interesting perspective on a lot of the environmental changes going on in the nation’s western precincts these days.
And Tim Eastman finds himself working for a new employer since we last saw him; the COVID years found him making the transition from working as an independent woodworking professional to bringing his talent to the corporate world, where he
advises a company specializing in fine restorations.
The Albert family was well-represented among the 45-out revelers; both Charlie Albert and Tolly attended and are doing well, both still gainfully employed and watching children grow, marry, and begin careers. Charlie salutes all the “brave souls” who made it out on such a “stormy afternoon and evening” for the soiree, and he reports that he’s now into his fifth decade working for the health insurance industry, a milestone made more memorable by his spinning off his own health care insurance practice after an opportunity arose late last year he just couldn’t pass up. Fortunately, all his clients have come with him, so he remains “full steam ahead.” Congrats, Charlie!
And the Atlanta contingent was well-represented, with both Kenney Holley and Phil Cuffey making the party, despite Phil missing his original flight and arriving just in time to help celebrate. Both were reunion co-chairs this year, so an “All Hail,” to you both, and many thanks.
Geoff Mock made the trek from Durham, part of a growing community of Maryland ex-pats living in the Tar Heel State. Of course, Geoff was one of the true pioneers, never leaving after graduation from Chapel Hill, and he finds his once urban oasis homestead turning more urbane by the day with the downtown gentrifying quite apace. He and Donna are doing their part with extensive remodeling and rehabbing of their residence, so he’s staying plenty busy with that.
Another classmate contemplating a move south is Murray deMuth, who, with wife Susan, has been scoping out possible retirement enclaves from Key West to Charleston to Annapolis. Among the front runners: Oriental,
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North Carolina, a small but nautical garden spot on the Neuse River/ Pamlico Sound that would more than fulfill Murray’s desire to be on the water and Susan’s passion for the golf links. Murray’s TWT fishing charters (twtfishingcharters.com) is gearing up again after a few fishing seasons lulled by COVID, so if you’re in the mood for anything from a day cruising on the Bay to offshore deep sea, check out TWT.
A few other luminaries of our class rounded out our crew, from Bob Taylor, still plying the legal tradecraft in Towson, to David Willis regaling us all with memories of lax and other sports stars and plays on the field past and present, to Rob Moxley
We were also graced last week with a face I hadn’t seen in more than 45 years! Onetime member of the Class of ’78 Chris Cosby joined our merry band for the evening. Chris is doing great, living in suburban D.C. and leading an office of government attorneys specializing in issues surrounding federal rules and regulations. I wish I could remember more from everyone, but I made the decision to enjoy the evening rather than take notes, and it’s quite obvious I should have just taken notes, which also would have been enjoyable, but considerably more work. Nevertheless, it was great seeing Chris, and with you so close by, Mr. C., we expect to see you for the Big 5-0 rolling around five years from now.
Karl Miller tells us he’s staying busy as a research scientist for the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and associate professor in the University of Florida’s Department of Wildlife Ecology & Conservation. This past year, Karl received the Excellence in Science Award from the FWC and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Regional Director’s Honor Award
for his leadership in captive breeding and reintroduction of the endangered Florida grasshopper sparrow. In addition, Karl is completing his final year as managing editor for the Southeastern Naturalist, a regional science journal, and is currently working on his first book of poetry. He and his wife, Laura, reside in north central Florida but spend as much time as they can each year in Down East Maine.
1979
Has Franklin has@franklin-group.com
Bill Senft has joined the ranks of grandfather, and Jim Wilkerson still has two sons in high school. His older son, Jay, plays on the Gilman football and lacrosse teams. Jay earned a scholarship to play lacrosse at Providence College after graduation. His second son, Bennett, is a freshman on the golf team at Boys’ Latin where he hits the ball a mile like his dad.
Charlie Herndon: With luck, I’ll be back in North Carolina by our 50th reunion in 2028, which I hope you’ll all attend. Neaville and I inch closer to retirement and if we can get our youngest, Cal, through the University of Maryland within the year, we’ll seriously begin making plans to escape to the Outer Banks, there — if plans go as imagined — to build a house, write at least one or two of the dozen or so books floating around my head, and end each evening with an adult beverage in hand gazing contentedly over Currituck Sound at the setting sun. At least that’s the plan. Until then, you can find me jousting with journalists in the communications office at Baltimore County Public Schools and puffing away on a treadmill at the Towson Y.
Our classmates Biff Poggi and Jon Jacobson are now the head coach and associate head coach for UNC Charlotte, respectively. It will be fun to see how they develop the program there to compete with top Division I football schools. The team will play University of Maryland College Park on September 9. Part of their development plan is to bring successful people to speak to the team and motivate them to become successful contributors to the team and society. Our classmate, Rick Snyder, spoke to the team about his career in the Navy rising all the way to the rank of a three-star admiral.
Marietta and George Kelly spend most of their home time in Denver where all of their children have settled currently. George has started another environmentally friendly business. Marietta recently returned from a trip to Paris with Lisa O’Donovan where they made sure the town knew they visited. All of the Kelly and O’Donovan young men and Louisa are representing their families well.
Rick Watts continues to travel with his RV throughout the United States and Mexico. In the summer, Rick races boats and is still a tremendous cyclist. He keeps in touch with Alex Montague locally. I remember Rick mentioning a bourbon trip with several of our classmates.
Karl Miller
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David Portnoy is currently serving on the Alumni Board where he mentioned that he had a recent grandchild born to the family, too (see photo).
Tom Booker is serving on Gilman’s Board, where he has been involved with all of the recent major decisions and events happening. He is very excited to watch his son, Thomas ʼ18, who plays for the Houston Texans, play against the Baltimore Ravens in the 2023 NFL opener.
This year, Gilman honored some past lacrosse championship teams during Alumni Weekend. Carville Collins was one of our classmates, along with David Willis, Bill Senft, and myself, as part of the 1978 45th Anniversary Championship Team. The Carville family is doing well, but no one is currently following their father into law school.
Dave Willis reports that his oldest son, Brian, was recently married. He followed in his father’s footsteps by marrying a sharp woman like his mom.
Jill and Bryan Koerber are the ambassadors for the Mt. Pleasant area of Charleston, South Carolina. They want visitors to stop by and visit. I don’t think Bryan misses running the family paint business anymore as they have adjusted to their new lifestyle quite well. McLane Cover and Tenney now split their time between Palmetto Bluff
in Bluffton, South Carolina, and Little Compton, Rhode Island. McLane still maintains an office in Boston and is still working full time. Their two children both live and work in NYC, and his daughter recently got married.
Tyler Blue spends much of his winter in Delray Beach, Florida, these days. Adam Hitt has relocated to Vero Beach, Florida, for most of the year now. Marc Dubick’s youngest son, Elliott, plays lacrosse for the University of Maryland this year. He is a freshman so he has plenty of time to make his mark on the program. He is the fourth Dubick to play lacrosse for the Terps. Mike Cobb is officiating women’s lacrosse games in Baltimore and still playing paddle and pickleball competitively.
Ted Millspaugh is still local and practicing law. Sean Darby’s elevator firm did some work for his condo association. Ted still hosts a huge tailgate prior to all Ravens home games. Sean’s children are both currently living and working in New York. I had the chance to catch up with Joe Carroll at a party honoring his daughter Hannah for getting married.
I reconnected with Tim Hsieh as part of the 40th reunion committee for Johns Hopkins. Tim is a very successful partner in his firm where he practices patent law. He keeps in touch with Greg Turk, also a member of our Hopkins class.
I am proud to report that my family is doing well. My daughter, Leslie, works for Johns Hopkins and is a proud supporter of the Blue Jays. Mac works for Washington College where he is part of the development office working for the athletic department. Luke is an assistant lacrosse coach for Lebanon Valley College, and Drew is a retirement income strategist for Core
Bridge Financial. Ellen now works and helps CASA of Baltimore County. I continue to help run Franklin Financial Group where we are financial advisors and employee benefit specialists. In my spare time I do a little coaching of lacrosse and play pickleball with my partner, Sean Darby.
Next year is our 45th reunion. Hopefully we can have a strong showing at our event. 1981
Willy Moore wmoore@southwaybuilders.com
Greetings ’81ers,
I hope this message finds you all well. The biggest news since my last submission happens to be the saddest. A week or two after my contribution of notes for the alumni magazine last year, Leonard Frenkil shared the news of Christian Darby’s passing. Christian had a remarkable life, and several classmates shared some heartfelt recollections in our class email string. I had been told that some of those remarks were shared at Christian’s funeral. One of Christian’s favorite places was Nantucket. Leonard was kind enough to start a GoFundMe page and used the funds to purchase and install a nice teak bench outside of Christian’s sister’s store
Sandy Brown, Bob Blue, Terry Swindell, Tim Jackson, Cotton Swindell, Rick Diehl
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in Nantucket, with a plaque saying, “In Joyful Memory of a Fabulous Man.”
The year was also filled with the loss of many of our great and wonderful parents; sadly, too many to include in these notes. As the years pass, the frequency of these events seems to be increasing logarithmically. We are swiftly losing that great generation that helped raise and guide us.
On the good news side of things, Hal Burnett and I will be participating in the Great Race for eight days in my wreck of a 1951 Chevy Styleline Deluxe wagon. We will be participating with 149 other antique cars, traveling from St. Augustine, Florida, to Colorado Springs, Colorado. I will be the driver and Hal the navigator. No GPS or cell phones allowed, our odometer must be disabled, and Hal navigates with paper directions and a stopwatch. Along the way, the 150 of us become the town festivals in eight cities for lunch and eight cities for dinner and sleep over. There are various purses, with combined winnings of over $100k. The race is intentionally arduous on the cars, and we are told if our vehicle finishes the race, we should consider ourselves winners. It should be a hoot!
I had a great visit with Doug Hoffman in Hagerstown. Dougie and family moved from his parish in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia, to a beautiful and substantial-in-size historic church in Hagerstown. My company was doing a project only a few blocks away, so during one of my site visits, I paid a surprise visit to our great class Reverend. Doug noted he was very happy to have his family back in the great state of Maryland.
Caroline and I had a nice one-night stay in Connecticut at Morgan Farm on our way up to Squam Lake in New
Hampshire. As with the prior year, Jess and Anthony Morgan packed huge bags of fresh vegetables from their massive gardens, and master baker Jess left us with some of her sublime sourdough bread for our pending vacation. Anthony is still keeping Connecticut on its feet as a podiatrist, and Jess is still working with UnitedHealthcare when she is not out riding her horse. They have made a wonderful place for themselves in the northeast.
Joe Morelos, who is still saving lives in Philly, shared that he had a wonderful trip to Kauai, Hawaii. “Everyone was saying, ‘You gotta hike the Hawaiian Grand Canyon, Joe!’ I was like, uh, that involves moving around, right? I look at all the pics I took on my phone of the island from the air, (we took an airplane island tour), and I just laugh — they all look the same!”
Tom Snider and I had lunch with Steve Siwinski in Catonsville in late December. Tom is still working in IT, but he has also taken up a strong interest in high-level physics. While I will admit to having enjoyed reading books by Einstein and Richard Feynman, Tom was speaking on a plane that was well beyond my ability to stay with him. And heck, he even stumped Steve, one of our esteemed science teachers! I think Tom has a new second career waiting for him if he ever gets bored with the IT world.
During the holidays, my clan and I were in the Pacific Northwest skiing, so I missed a fine gathering of ’81ers. Terry Swindell sent out a big blast text and was able to get Sandy Brown, Bob Blue, Tim Jackson, Cotton Swindell, and Rick Diehl for cocktails at The Point in Towson. Tom Finney had to bow out with the flu, Billy Slaughter suggested that he could not join everyone because he was just getting out of a Mexican
prison, and Del Dressel was in post-op recovery from dual-knee surgery.
Del also shared, “My son is in his second year at the Tech, and I’ve been blessed with being surrounded with the Gilman family from so many perspectives. What a blessing we were given!”
In February, Maija Jackson threw a big birthday bash for Tim Jackson’s 60th. Tim shared a terrific group photo that included Michael Mardiney, Mac Ford, Sandy Brown, Bob Blue, Terry Swindell, and Rick Diehl.
Last June, our class knife maker, Marcus Ranum, shared a video of a gas “beast forge” he had built. He added, “I made it out of 16 ⅜” steel pipe. I formed and cast all the refractory and designed and built the air/propane mixing system. I put the controls to the side, which turns out to have been a good idea. Today I got it up to 2700F inside which is up well into welding heat, which means I can make blades again now.” Marcus is still making custom knives and turning exotic wood bowls as a hobbyist, although the quality of his work is quite professional. Search “Marcus Ranum Badger Forge” online if you would like to see some of his handiwork.
Jim Cavanaugh: Splitting my time between summer/fall in Portland, Maine, and winter in Seabrook Island, South Carolina. Continuing as a professor in the department of physical therapy at the University of New
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England. Married to Deb 35 years this month. All is well.
Like Tim Jackson, I suspect that most of us are turning 60 this year, and I hope all who are will be doing something special to honor the big occasion. As a reminder, I have a class email group through which I send out various notices and share class news. If you do not receive my emails, please share your email address with me.
1985
Ted Winstead tedwinstead@gmail.com
Paul Mezey attended the Academy Awards in March. He was one of the producers of “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On,” which was nominated for best animated feature. “The Oscars was fun,” Paul writes. “We had no real shot at winning, but it was great to get the recognition and long live Marcel! Guillermo is King.”
Joe Ortiz is loving fatherhood. His son, Gabe, was born last September. Joe recently retired from the Army after more than 33 years of service. “I will likely start a career with the D.C. Veterans Administration as a physician specializing in clinical evaluations and research related to toxic exposures of service members.”
Chip Dates returned to his alma mater to help Johns Hopkins celebrate his father, a pioneering graduate who became a top administrator. Victor Dates, Sr., received the Distinguished Alumnus Award in part for “advising former Hopkins President Milton Eisenhower when there weren’t many Blacks on campus as students or professors, let alone administrators.”
In Washington, D.C., Rory Muhammad recently became Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the Environmental Defense Fund. He has four children, including a daughter at LSU.
After many years together, the children of Doug Schmidt, John Brush, and Bernie Rhee have graduated from Calvert. Doug’s daughter will attend the Lawrenceville School, and the two boys will be part of the Gilman Class of ’27
The Mayor of Baltimore joined Doug and others for a ribbon-cutting to open Hohm Apartments in Highlandtown. During the pandemic, Doug’s workshop development team helped turn a vacated building into affordable apartments.
Tony Murray is working at Live! Casino and Hotel.
Lee Thomsen, who taught at Gilman early in his career, has reconnected online with former colleagues, students, and classmates. “James Spragins class of ’73 and retired faculty, my former students, Jason Haas ’99 and Lee Kowarski ’96, our classmates Prag Katta and Julien Meyer, and I have bonded on Facebook over the resurgence of the Orioles,” writes Lee, who is in his seventh year as Head of School at Sacramento Country Day in California.
Walker Jones exchanged messages with former Gilman Lower School science teacher Mr. Webb on Facebook. Mr. Webb recalled trekking with students through the Stony Run. Walker remembered raising chickens and feeding mice to boa constrictors. “We did things in science class that would not fly in today’s world!” he writes.
Tommy Horst and John Wise met up last winter to do some hunting.
From a remote village in Spain, Bob Landon is getting back to travel writing in a post-COVID world. “I’m telecommuting and have a mini-farm here in Capileria, which is near Grenada,” he writes.
After working to transform health care for two decades, Rushika Fernandopulle resigned from Iora/One Medical/Amazon. He planned to spend several months resting and reflecting before deciding on his next chapter.
Ken Kang, Dan Kim, Bernie Rhee, and Jaan Naktin gathered for a reunion in Ocean City, Maryland. They stayed in the building where they’d spent Beach Week in 1985. Ken and his wife, who live in Maryland, became empty nesters when their youngest child left home for Hotchkiss.
Marshall Walker, who lives in Oxford, England, spent a month traveling in the United States with his husband, Stanley. In Baltimore, they stopped at True Chesapeake and dined with Steve Howard and Prag Katta
Marshall also caught up with Julien Meyer, who spent the spring on the road in the RV he purchased during the pandemic. “I encourage other Gilman alums to contact me and plan a ‘raft up’ at a nearby park or winery,” Julien writes.
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Nick Schloeder is still teaching fifth grade at Gilman and coaching football at Johns Hopkins. But he plans to spend less time in airports this year. “Melissa is moving to Baltimore from San Diego, so we’ll finally be in the same city after eight years of a bi-coastal relationship,” Nick writes.
David B. Levy published yet again in Classical World adding to his former five reviews there on topics such as Cyrus the Great, Magic and Wizardry in Ancient Greece and Rome, translating “Aeschylus-Sophicles-Euripides” into Hebrew, etc. in the recent edition, “Classical World,” Johns Hopkins University Press, Volume 116, Number 2, Winter 2023. David continues to publish in other academic journals.
1987
Matt Wyskiel mwyskiel@gmail.com
I started writing about various individuals in the Class of ʼ87 for my notes submission, but then I decided that it would be better to submit the following, and next time, I’ll write about various classmates.
On Saturday January 14, the day of the 38th annual Haswell M. Franklin Gilman Duals, many members of the Class of 1987 gathered in Gilman’s new beautiful fitness center, which is attached to the back of Gilman’s main gym (i.e. the location of the former ‘orange’ and ‘green’ gym rooms of our Gilman days). We gathered for a plaque dedication ceremony for three of our classmates who have passed away in the past six years: Jack Buchanan, Carlos Evans, and Pierre Silva. We also fondly remembered our classmate Trippy Burgunder who passed away a few days before our 35th reunion last spring. The plaque idea and process of honoring
Jack, Carlos, and Pierre started well before Trippy passed away.
With heavy hearts and fond memories of these four well-liked classmates, the following Class of ’87 members enjoyed spending time together at Gilman that Saturday: Todd Crandell, Hugh Marbury, Clark Wight, David Clapp, Josh Freeman, Peter Kwiterovich, Louis Angelos, Ty House, Jack Cavanaugh, Andy Cameron, Brooks Matthews, Rich Weinstein, and me, Matt Wyskiel. We would have been joined by classmate Henry Franklin, but he was busy that afternoon as an assistant coach of Gilman’s varsity wrestling team, which had a very successful season as they finished as one of the top-ranked local teams. The above members of our class also enjoyed being joined that day by friends in the class of ’88: Eric Bryant and Randy Brown. Many members of the Buchanan family were in attendance, including Bill Buchanan ’85 and older sister Julie, who has a son, Jay, who is currently a ninth grader at Gilman. It was a special day and event for all who attended. If you’re on campus and have time to visit the gym, go to the fitness center, and look for our class’s plaque on the wall.
Craig Scheir: I started a new job in July of 2022 working with old colleagues at an engineering startup company. I love the environment and the commute as well. It’s great working with old friends doing good stuff to help people.
1990
Jun Song junhsong@gmail.com
Ryan Rippin is still making trips out to southeast Asia — Indonesia and Malaysia this time — leading a digital product team at Principal Financial Group. Before you think our Gilman
jock has somehow become an IT nerd, understand he’s actually tasked with consolidating the company’s global operations onto a unified tech platform. So, don’t go asking him for software advice … After his return, he’ll head to Ocean City to celebrate his mom’s 90th birthday! Then his daughter is off to graduate school at UI this fall. Fascinating to see the circle of life…
Andrew Cohen, aka Mr. Tennis through and through, has graduated to golf! Probably not the easiest of hobbies to take up in NYC, but between running a family office and serving as the vice chairman of the Mets and raising two boys with his wife, Andy somehow finds time! Very impressive…
Perry Offutt too, is still in NYC, a block away from Andy Cohen! He started a new job in late 2021 at a New Zealandbased private equity firm, and he heads the U.S. team out of New York. Like Ryan Rippin, he’s just piling on the sky miles! Perry’s son (James, 16) just started boarding school at Hotchkiss this year, so he and his wife are down to their daughter (Caroline, 13) at home.
Ryan Jordan is in Tampa, Florida, where he just finished his ninth year as the upper division director at Berkeley Prep! He and his wife love living in the Tampa Bay area, which continues to boom with the influx of folks from the northeast. His mom has stayed put, so he’s in Baltimore a few times a year to see her. He’ll soon have another reason to travel up the coast. His daughter is graduating from high school this spring and will be attending Haverford College, Ryan’s alma mater!
Greg Friedman and his wife are now empty nesters, after their youngest headed off to college at BU. They’re not quite broken up about it, spending the entire winter in Utah, skiing and
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enjoying life. Life got even better when their son moved back to Baltimore. They plan to spend as much time as possible at the beach this summer and fall, and then hopefully do a repeat of last winter in Utah. He says, “Otherwise, all quiet!” Absolute joie de vie.
Jun Song: Times were pretty “interesting” here on my end. Our ghost kitchen company is expanding, and we completed the development of our autonomous trading platform. The downside is every dollar from our kitchen venture goes to fuel growth, and our trading platform doesn’t see compelling opportunity in the current environment. With my projects no longer needing my constant attention, I recently agreed to join a restructuring firm that specializes in interim management for underperforming companies. We’ll see what the looming recession shakes out! I’m still in sunny, and now very temperate, LA with my wife and two daughters. Give me a holler if you plan a visit out here!
1991
Jared Spahn jspahn@5304dorsey.com
From time to time across my social media feeds, clips from “Saturday Night Live” will come across the screen. Recently, I saw a skit that starred Molly Shannon trying out for a dance ensemble. While her character Sally O’Malley rolls around the stage with the younger actors, the comedic theme is that she is obviously much older than the rest of the group, and she ends each dance routine with the exclamation, “And I’m Fifty!” While I may have enjoyed laughing at this bit when it came out in 1999, now that I have reached 50 I am not sure I find it as funny anymore. But that may also be because my back hurts.
I was very fortunate to have Tim Scott and Trent Zivkovich and their spouses join my wife and me on a surprise trip to Jamaica to celebrate my 50th birthday. We spent several rum-infused days trying to convince our wives that we were once cool, but none of us was successful. Thanks, Tim and Trent, for the incredible surprise and for continuing to be my best friends.
Taylor Hurt is living outside of San Francisco. He and his wife, Roshni, are the proud parents of Maddie, 5, and Hank, 3. Taylor has worked for J.P. Morgan for the past 10 years in their Corporate Banking department specializing in lending to tech companies. The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank has led to immense opportunities for Taylor and his group. During COVID, Taylor was able to get together with Harris Ferrell and David Heroy for a whitewater rafting trip.
Charles Neer: Our family just moved from the art museum area of Philadelphia to the quieter East Falls neighborhood next to the Wissahickon. I am still a landscape architect working on open space and public realm projects addressing issues related to social equity and climate change. It is an easy drive down to Baltimore, and my son and I still enjoy an O’s game at Camden Yards.
1992
Marc Lewis-DeGrace marc.lewisdegrace@gmail.com
David Olsen: The Olsens are leaving Michigan this summer as David returns to the Pentagon for what should be his last Army assignment before retirement. The family is looking forward to settling in a new home in Northern Virginia and finally putting down some roots.
Marty Rochlin: Greetings from Ellicott City! I’m entering my 10th year with Camps Airy & Louise, now as a co-executive director. Also glad to share that our daughter had a great first year at College of Charleston — and we jumped on that basketball team bandwagon in March!
Chas Iliff: I’m still in Annapolis with my wife, Liz, and my three high school kids, who all go to the Key School. I am still at Anne Arundel Medical Center in Annapolis, in the emergency department. Currently, I am also the chief financial officer for our group. Tough combo, wearing two hats as physician and group financial manager. We considered Gilman for my son but couldn’t stomach the commute. I do miss my Gilman days.
Left to right: Alex Iliff ʼ98, friends Gene Severtson and Jermaine Ragin, and Chas Iliff ʼ92 at Penn Relays, where they participated in the 4x400 meter relay race.
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Left to right: Cheo Hurley, Antoine Hutchinson, Marc Lewis-DeGrace, and Geoff Berry at the Orioles game on Sunday, April 23.
1993
Matt Tucker matthewallentucker@gmail.com
departments. He lives in Locust Point with his husband, John, and 13-year-old pug, Parker.
Shawn Bose lives in Austin, Texas, with his wife, Taylor, and their two sons and daughter. Shawn is the President of REALLY Communications, a telecom platform which recently announced the acquisition of $18 million of venture funding.
Matt Buck will start his 13th year as the Head of Calvert’s Middle School in June. Matt’s daughter, Abby, and son, Teddy, are both at Friends.
Initiatives of MCB Real Estate, which owns Harborplace, the Rotunda and a portfolio of properties throughout the Baltimore area and beyond. Lou and his wife, Jenny, live in town with their daughters Penelope and Alicia, both of whom attend Bryn Mawr.
David Shapiro and Nick Owsley caught up for lunch in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with Than’l Badder ’94 in September 2022. David, who has spent the last 18 years working at MENTOR, was recently named the CEO of the YMCA of Greater Boston. Nick continues to work in the marketing and tech field. Each has two kids who are growing up fast!
Sebastian Arana: I successfully completed my penultimate semester last December in Peru. It has been a lifelong dream to live in both of my parents’ countries for at least a year. I left the country to go visit Colombia after 22 years, then returned with my new Peruvian ID. We’ll see what the future brings. It’s been an emotional, challenging trip, but one I needed to do for a long time. I think of all of you often, and distance and time does not diminish my consideration of all of you as my brothers. Cuídanse mucho, y espero verlos pronto. Tinkunakama.
Greg Bader just began his 30th season for the Orioles, currently serving in the role of Senior Vice President of Administration and Experience overseeing the club’s facility operations, ticket operations, fan experience, and marketing
Chris Hlubb has a wife and three kids and lives in Ellicott City. Chris doesn’t have a lot of free time because, in 2020, just as COVID emerged, Chris began developing a biopurification technology to rapidly manufacture antimicrobial preventatives using naturally occurring immune proteins as a new class of non-toxic antivirals and alternative antibiotics. He brought together other scientists from Johns Hopkins and the agriculture industry and founded four companies in Maryland and Idaho and began working with the military at Ft. Detrick in 2021 to further develop joint medical countermeasures. The group is about to release its first product to the U.S. military and will also be sending a novel blast wound product to Ukraine. In 2023, Chris was elected to the board of a Department of Defense public-private partnership focused on the development of innovative medical technologies. Chris also works with two nonprofit companies to help startup companies.
Lou Kousouris and I had been meeting to exercise at Gilman in the early morning hours over the winter, but then we both realized how unpleasant that was and promptly stopped. Lou recently began working as the Vice President Strategic Projects &
I exchanged emails with Blake McCallister about a year ago and he reported that he was living in Austin, Texas, with his wife, daughter (going into seventh grade in the fall) and son (going into fifth). He and his family moved to Austin in the summer of 2020, after a five-year stint in Silicon Valley. He is happily employed at Electronic Arts, and happens to live just down the street from Shawn Bose. If you’re ever in Austin, give Blake a shout!
David Powell lives in Baltimore with his wife, Kate, and two daughters, Julia (senior at Bryn Mawr) and Anna (freshman at Bryn Mawr). After a long college process, Julia is headed to Swarthmore next year to play field hockey. David is a portfolio manager at Brown Advisory — a company with lots of Gilman alumni, including Mike Poggi, Tim Hathaway, and Dan Mooney. He’s always trying to get better at tennis and train for the next marathon.
Michael Saunders recently founded Matriarch Coffee, an importer and roaster of specialty coffee from Rwanda available in retail locations and online at matriarchcoffee.com — check them out! Michael lives in Baltimore; his son, Myron, is wrapping up his freshman year at Dunbar, and his daughter, Kearstin, is completing her sophomore year at the University of Maryland.
Rob Schapiro lives in The Woodlands, Texas, with his wife, Robin, and sons, Ethan and Simon. After 17 years as a geologist and manager at ExxonMobil,
Left to right: Than’l Badder ʼ94, David Shapiro, and Nick Owsley
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Rob joined Microsoft in 2019, where he is the director of the Microsoft Azure Energy Acceleration Program focused on energy innovation across oil and gas, power and utilities, and renewables.
Rahul Swani lives in the South End of Boston with his wife, Jo, and two sons, ages 9 and 12 (as of late 2022). About 12 years ago, Rahul joined some folks to start a boutique investment banking firm called Aeris Partners, which focuses on technology M&A, primarily software and SaaS, advising companies on anything from strategic sales to capital raises, working mostly with private equity firms but also with founders and entrepreneurs. They have about 25 people in their Boston office and are growing, and they opened a new San Francisco office in the summer of 2022
After 20 years of experience with Whiting-Turner under his belt, Trey Winstead started a new firm, TW Consulting, specializing in everything from commercial facades to residential renovations to treehouse design and construction. Additionally, he is the proud uncle of Jax Winstead who will be entering the ninth grade at Gilman this fall. Roll Hounds Roll!
As for me, Matt Tucker, I’ve been spending an inordinate amount of time at Gilman lately for someone who doesn’t have any kids there and isn’t employed by the School. In addition to helping the Reunion Committee and serving as Class Secretary, I’m the incoming President of the Alumni Association and about to start my second year on the Board of Trustees. It’s been a challenging year, but I’m excited to engage and reconnect with alumni who haven’t been in contact with the School in recent years. Personally, I’m still working for the same vacation realty company I’ve been at for the last
10 years and recently moved to Charles Village. I have two kids, Sally (12) who is in sixth grade at Calvert and Felix (15), who is a freshman at BL.
1994
Boyne Kim boyne.kim@gmail.com
Brice Baradel ʼ93, John Kim ʼ94, and Billy Gonzalez ʼ92 caught up at a conference hosted by the Association for Corporate Growth in Montauk, New York, in July 2022.
Members of the class of 1994 caught up for an informal, mini reunion at Tark’s in Baltimore County in October 2022. Back row (left to right): Mitchell Whiteman, Will Zerhouni, Brett Rogers,
Jake Beverage and John Ward (and their families) enjoyed some time on the water in Nelson, British Columbia in August 2022. Jake and his family recently moved to the Vancouver area.
Mitchell Whiteman continues to work at William Blair, serve on Gilman’s Board of Trustees, and play dad to two daughters. By day, Will Zerhouni is a managing director at TRGP Investment Partners and by night he is an “Uber driver” to his two sons, Gabriel ’25 and Gil ’29 Brett Rodgers is still the general counsel at Brown Advisory and was recently tabbed to become the chair of the board of directors for Outward Bound of the Chesapeake Bay. Hugh Cole is a vice president of finance at Washington Property Company and has recently started a blog to share his reflections on parenting, spirituality, and personal growth. John Bond is an equity research analyst at Brown Advisory and, this year, is serving as the chair of The Gilman Fund David Zinreich continues to stay busy with multiple companies, pursuing his CPA, and keeping tabs on his fleet of sports cars. Jason Finkelstein is the CMO at Gladly, a San Francisco-based software development company, and has excitedly shared his tech experience with Gilman entrepreneurship students. And, Dyson Dryden continues to work with Dave at Black Diamond Financial and pursue his love of horses and horse racing.
Peter Bogue was in Hawaii in August 2022 with his family and connected with classmate Mikey de Lara.
Hugh Cole, John Bond, David Zinreich. Front row (left to right): Than’l Badder, Jason Finkelstein, Dyson Dryden.
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Tom Coleman reports he remains busy and happy staying in decent shape and raising his three sons while working at Chubb, where he manages litigation.
Jason Finkelstein: In the summer of 2021, I drove with my family from San Francisco to Kennebunkport, Maine, via the Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, Mt. Rushmore, and Niagara Falls. Spent the summer in Maine, then relocated to Baltimore. Since then we’ve been living in Ruxton. Our son, Ethan, completed sixth and seventh grades at Gilman, and our daughter, Stella, completed fourth and fifth grades at Bryn Mawr. After a two-year stint in Maryland, we will be returning to the SF Bay Area in June 2023, living in our former neighborhood in Marin County. It was a phenomenal experience living back near my old home, spending more time with family and Gilman ʼ94 classmates, too (see pic)! Lots of resilience building for the kids. I’m both sad to leave Maryland and excited to return to California, but especially enjoyed more time back on the Gilman campus.
Nathaniel “Than’l” Badder: Well, I didn’t write a book, perform a standup comedy, or master the guitar. But I did see Paul McCartney at Camden Yards, buy a house (and spend months fixing it up), carry a dog through double ACL surgery, and complete my first century ride (100-mile bike ride).
Andy Cohen was promoted to Partner at Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP (a New York-only firm of about 200 lawyers — the co-chair of the firm is Peter Tomlinson ’86). Andy ran into Jeremy Edwards at a conference for pharmaceutical patent litigators in NY — see photo above. Jeremy is a partner in the D.C. office of Procopio.
Plus, at different times and in different places, I caught up with Matt Wise, Jason Finkelstein, Jake Beverage, Prem Kumta, and Alex Katz.
1996
Lee Kowarski kowarski@gmail.com
Akram Annous is doing complicated financial work — I think that the easiest way to describe it is that he has a long/short consulting practice with a focus on public technology. He has split time over the past few years between a few cities, including Baltimore, but is likely to be spending most of his time back in Dubai going forward.
Brett Brandau moved his family to Winter Park, Florida, (near Orlando) to chase some sunshine and water-skiing. This past fall, I was lucky enough to visit Brett, his wife, Jen, and children Piper and Turner in their lovely new home right on a lake. Brett is now working for SMBC as the Head of Lending for their consumer bank.
Chaz Howard is still at the University of Pennsylvania where he serves as Vice President and University Chaplain. His oldest daughter just finished her first year there.
Evan Kreitzer, his wife, Keren, and two sons moved from Owings Mills to Pikesville. Professionally, Evan switched banks and now works at Sandy Spring Bank, still as a mortgage banker. He spends most afternoons, evenings, and weekends on a soccer or lacrosse field watching his boys play for McDonogh or their club teams.
George Brown continues to run two remodeling companies doing renovations of all sizes on homes in the Baltimore area. His daughter is in sixth
Finkelstein family (Jason, Ethan, Marla, Stella) at the Grand Tetons in Wyoming
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grade at Friends, and his son is in third grade at Timonium Elementary. George volunteers with the Rotary Club of Towsontowne and has been doing a lot of wild boar hunting in North Carolina.
George Mumford reports that after graduating from Calvert School, he is excited to have his boys, George and Hobie, enter the ninth grade at Gilman beginning this fall. Their sister, Aggie, continues her Bryn Mawr journey in the seventh grade (following in her mother’s footsteps — Sarah Fowlkes Mumford ʼ96).
Jay Menton reports that everything is going well in Chicago. He has an eighth grader and got to visit and have dinner with Lawson DeVries and Packer Rodgers recently when they were visiting Chicago.
Joe Watts leads a biochemistry group inventing CRISPR/Cas gene-editing technologies called Pairwise in Durham, North Carolina. He and his wife (Kristin) still coach the summer swim team that they started eight years ago (harmony.swimtopia.com). The eldest of their three children is heading off to college this fall.
John Boyle recently made a career pivot and is now working in clinical mental health counseling. If you ever need a recommendation for a therapist, he can tap into his network and hook you up! John continues to live in Columbia with his wife, Tara, and son, Johnny (who goes to McDonogh).
Kevin Frank is still an energy lawyer, but has recently switched jobs and is now Associate General Counsel for QTS Data Centers. He has also joined the faculty of the business school at the University of Texas – Dallas where he is a part-time lecturer in its energy department. He and his wife, Rebecca,
and 4-year-old daughter, Eleanor, still make their home in Dallas, Texas.
Noah Gallico still lives in LA with his wife, Sarah, a TV writer/producer currently running Amazon’s “The Summer I Turned Pretty”, their two boys, Will, 13, and Jake, 10, and their five pets. Noah recently re-signed a long-term contract at NBC Universal as VP of Creative Marketing and continues to make trailers and promos for the company.
Packer Rodgers is living in Baltimore with his wife, Brooke, and their four children. Their oldest is graduating from Gilman in June, while his younger brother is a sophomore at Gilman and their two sisters attend Calvert. Professionally, Packer still manages two marine terminals at the Port of Baltimore, handling bulk and breakbulk cargo.
Steve Ruark is completing his second school year of teaching two sections of photography, part time, at Gilman. He continues to work as an independent photographer when not teaching.
Tommy Knowles loves his life in Monterey, California, with his wife, Meghan, and their 6-year-old daughter, Maisie. Tommy just celebrated 20 years at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, where he is a senior biologist studying jellies and deep-sea animals. He still plays music whenever possible and is hoping that Maisie will be able to jam with him soon!
As for me, Lee Kowarski, I continue to live in New York City with my wife, Melinda, and work for SS&C Technologies, where my team provides data and analytics to asset management firms. I have been making up for the past few years with some fun trips (Japan, New Orleans, etc.) and a ton of great concerts (Beyoncé, Bruce, Janet, Madonna, PJ Morton, Stromae, Wu-Tang, and much
more). I hope to get to see many of you as I travel around or if you come to visit New York. If we aren’t already connected, you can find me on Twitter or Instagram at @kowarski, as well as on Facebook. I welcome your updates!
1997
Will Lanahan wlanahan@gmail.com
Will Lanahan: In December of 2021 my wife, Shannon, and I moved back to Maryland! We were living in Annapolis for eight months while trying to find a house in Baltimore to set up some roots. While living in Eastport I could keep eyes on classmate John Steele while he was at work just around the block. We moved into our Baltimore home in March of ’22, the same day I retired from Vineyard Vines after 19 years. Eight days later, we welcomed a new roommate into our lives: Elizabeth Talbot Lanahan. I am launching a new brand in the luggage and gear space in 2023, which I am very excited about. I look forward to seeing all of you at the next reunion if not sooner. One Love!
1998
Chad Prather prather.chad@gmail.com
The 25th reunion was great! Attending our class dinner were: Alex Bushel, Paul Cantrell, Stu Cherry, Barry Cronin, Sudhir Desai, Jeff Feige, Nick Funk, Adam Greeff, Bill Herrfeldt, Jack Linehan, Jon Markham, Viraj Mehta, Eric Parvis, Wally Pinkard, Tom Prevas, Dave Rich, Mike Shattuck, Justin Short, Will Spencer, Mark Stamidis, Butch Trusty, and myself. BIG respect to Butch for the time and energy he invested as the Class of 1998 Reunion Chair!
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Much appreciation also goes to Mr. Jim Morrison who joined us for the evening! Mr. Morrison, it was truly wonderful to reconnect with you. We celebrate your 40 years and wish you biome-sized joy (see what I did there?) in all your chapters to come.
One last bit re. the reunion... Props to Barry Cronin. As it turns out, Barry worked unreasonably hard to get Goody to attend our shindig; alas, the man was out of town. But we can all be excited: Dave Goodwich has pledged to attend the 30th... and to bless each attendee with a wall-mountable, scratch-and-sniff bust of his noble countenance! Goody shall keep said busts beneath his Christmas tree, which on May 1 was still standing in glorious defiance of decorum.
Stu Cherry: All is well in the Cherry household. Nate is finishing middle school and is playing travel ball for the Maryland Baseball Club. Jared turns 10 this summer and is pitching for the Finksburg travel team. Jordana is finishing kindergarten and has her first dance recital in June. Stu continues to enjoy his law practice as a partner in the litigation group in the Baltimore office of Rifkin Weiner Livingston.
Tom Prevas: Tom served as Chair of the Gilman Alumni Board this year. He also took up ballroom dancing, is working on an offshore wind project in Maryland, and hearts the Orioles with great tenderness.
Dave Skeen: The Skeens are moving to Spartanburg, South Carolina, where Dave will begin his tenure as Head of School at Spartanburg Day School in July 2023. SDS is a coed, independent school serving 3-year-olds through 12th graders. Dave is thrilled that six out of his seven little Skeens will be with him at SDS.
Lastly, me, Chad Prather. Katie, Sam (12), Lucy (10), and I are happy and well after a long year. I am still working for Metro Nashville Public Schools, still adjuncting at Vanderbilt, and now also coaching some East Nashville Orioles. Sometimes excellent coaching leads to a torn ACL, but whatever, we’re awesome! Totally better than a bevy of quail.
1999
Bill Miller IV bmilleriv@gmail.com
Charles Wagandt is still working away at Cushman & Wakefield — surrounded by other Gilman alumni (Graham Savage, Peter McGill, Charlie Fenwick, etc.). He also opened a Camp Bow Wow franchise with his mother-in-law to provide all-day-play doggy daycare and boarding for area pups. They officially opened on April 23 and are happy to tour anyone interested in checking it out (campbowwow.com/towson) — (shameless plug).
Bruce Bower is still in London with three young children (3, 2, and 9 months) and expecting number four in August. Professionally, Bruce focuses mostly on arranging club deals in earlystage investments in health care and technology companies.
Beau Smith is having a fun year trying to keep pace with the family. Reid (9) enjoys video games, football, wrestling, lacrosse, and more video games. Beau is helping to coach Reid’s rec lacrosse team. Milly (7) stays busy with her bunny rabbits, Muffin (1) and Pom Pom (1), but finds time to learn important life hacks on YouTube. Milly is also a ferocious defender in field hockey, basketball, and lacrosse. Becca continues to manage a kitchen and bathroom design business while pitching in on
various parent activities at Gilman and RPCS. Never a dull moment!
Jeff Hossfeld recently became vice president at Whiting-Turner Contracting Company while celebrating 20 years at the firm. He has moved from Fells Point to North Baltimore to be a little closer to the office and to have some more space, but he’s still getting used to yard work after living in a row home for 15 years.
Pat Mooney teaches English at Berkeley Preparatory School in Tampa, though he is spending the summer back at the family beach house in Ocean City, Maryland.
Brenden Mulligan recently moved from San Francisco to north San Diego county with his wife, 2-year-old daughter, and 5-year-old pup. He’s running several internet startups from home and spending tons of time with his family.
Jamie Hodges and his wife, Lexie, have three young daughters, McKenzie (6), Charlotte (4), and Madeline (2). McKenzie is going to Calvert School next year. Jamie recently sold his company to a private equity group and is looking forward to spending more time with the girls and potentially going sailing for an extended period of time.
Bill Miller recently bought the family business, Miller Value Partners, from his dad. He also recently launched a small Opportunity Zone fund in Sarasota focused on luxury single family rentals and is very active in the Bitcoin community. Bill’s wife, Becky, continues to grow her parenting education business, Tinyhood. Kids Natalie (9) and Five (7) are living the dream with their dog siblings, Lucy (4) and Casper (1).
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Beau Smith ʼ99 and his daughter, Milly, Lawson Grumbine ʼ00 and his daughters, Parker and Grayson, and Paul Furrer ʼ96 and his daughter, Emily, get ready for a father-daughter dance in March.
2001
Kharod France kharod.france@gmail.com
Mike Fisher moved this past year back to Maryland and now lives in Severna Park.
Michael Lwin: I now live in Berlin, Germany, with my wife, 2-year-old boy, and 10-week-old girl. I work as a senior product manager with Trust Wallet from home, which encourages poor dietary habits. I’m also studying towards a master’s in computer science at UPenn. In my free time, I play tennis, soccer, and baseball, all just as poorly as you remember.
Antonio Green: Currently I’m a journeyman carpenter with the United Brotherhood of Carpenters, and I teach Carpentry at the JobCorps center located in Woodstock, Maryland. I recently celebrated my 40th birthday on March 25 and married the love of my life on April 23. We are both travel fanatics and will be spending our honeymoon in South Africa and Zimbabwe. We are also the proud parents of three mastiffs named Nala, Deuce, and Ellie.
Kharod France: I’m an assistant professor in the School of Education
at Loyola University Maryland and work part time at a private practice in Bethesda, Maryland, doing outpatient psychotherapy with teens and young adults. I live in Rockville with my wife, our two young daughters (2.5 years and 14 months) and our 6-year-old black-lab mix. My wife and I just celebrated our four-year wedding anniversary and are very much looking forward to some summer travel with the kids!
Andy Sabatier: After years of being the primary PT for an ICU, Andy Sabatier has developed a much-needed clinical approach to the optimization of breathing mechanics and is spreading this far and wide. Applicable for patients, athletes, children, and adults, his “breathing first” ethos blends crucial elements of physical, chemical, mental, and emotional training. Andy’s favorite thing to discuss is your breathing. GG (5) and Hugo (2) continue to thrive and are tolerant of their dad’s constant attention to their noses and diaphragms.
2008
Will Finney wrfinney@gmail.com
Evan Redwood evanredwood7@gmail.com
Chris Deutschman: Team Deutschman had a big year out in Colorado. Our three kiddos are growing — Addison is 12, Eleanor is 10, and Brahms is 4. Emily and I celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary by taking an epic bike trip in Portugal (see photo above), I’ve recently launched a new company called Jombine (similar to a Redfin for the workplace), and we got a new neighbor, as my mom, Lynn, moved into our neighborhood.
Val Whittaker: After high school, Val attended University of Pittsburgh where he received a B.A. in communications and political science in 2005 That’s also where he would meet his future wife, Kelly, while hanging out in the freshman dorms. In 2009, Val received his JD from Barry University, and moved to Atlanta, where he and Kelly have made a life for themselves with their two daughters (ages 8 and 5.) Currently, Val is a labor and employment law project manager for Ogletree Deakins. He is not a doctor.
Steve Siwinski: As you may or may not know, I did ROTC and joined after college. It’s been 11 years, but it feels like the blink of an eye. During this time, I have been deployed several times and have had a consistently demanding training cycle. As a result, the Army has taken me away from many meaningful events, including family gatherings/ events and important milestones in my life. I hope the reunion will be a great success, and I look forward to hearing from you all. Here’s hoping I can make the next one!
2010
Christian Moscardi moscardi79@gmail.com
Khalil Altalib: Members of a variety of Gilman classes gathered in New York’s Hudson Valley in June 2023 to help me and Noelle celebrate our wedding (we were actually married last summer in a small private ceremony). See photo on next page.
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2014
Greg Alspaugh gralspaugh@davidson.edu
Christopher Kohler kohler.christopher95@gmail.com
Kyle Tarantino katarantino@gmail.com
2018
Piper Bond piperbond007@gmail.com
Penn in May, I will move to NYC and begin working for SoFi.
Cole Brown: Since graduating from UNC in 2022, I have been back home in Baltimore working as a neurosurgery research fellow at the University of Maryland Medical Center. I’ve had the opportunity to research and develop new models for glioblastoma brain tumors. Starting this summer, I will be attending the Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai in NYC to pursue my MD.
Alex Puthumana notes that he and a few classmates from 2014 reunited for dinner in March at Clavel in Baltimore. Left to right, moving clockwise around the table: Will Richardson, Haswell (Mac) Franklin, Alex Puthumana, Aaron Carroll, Donald (Jett) Ratcliffe, Garrett Pfeifer, Blake Benfield, Coleman Tirone, and Andrew Glick.
Piper Bond: I decided to take a fifth year at Penn to play another season of lacrosse, and thus I needed to take a gap semester last fall (2022) before returning to Penn this spring (2023). So last fall, I lived in Denver, Colorado, with my fellow Gilman classmates Jeremy Cranston ’18 and Bryson Webb ’18. I returned to Penn in early January, and our team is currently in the middle of our lacrosse season looking to win our third consecutive Ivy League Championship. After graduating from
Back row, left to right: John Henrich ’11, Will McCabe ’10, Patrick Shikani ’10, Jack McClamrock ’10, Matt Berger ’10, Jack Silberstein ’10, Arthur Norman ’10, Andrew Mighty ’10, Shane Edgar ’10, and Kevin Haus ’10. Front row, left to right: Yusuf Kanbour ’23, Joe Cahalan ’11, Brian Zimmerman ’11, Andrew Schwab ’10, Ian Tamargo ’10, Jack Volk ’10, Khalil Altalib ’10, Ben Shriver ’10, R Adams Cowley ’10, James Hunter ’10, JD Kameen ’10, and Luca Simmons ’11.
Orioles broadcaster Brett Hollander ’03 and White Sox outfielder Gavin Sheets ’14 caught up in the Chicago dugout before an early season game.
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