33 minute read
CLASS NOTES
DISPATCHES NEWS FROM ALUMNI
1943
Joseph D. Hayes
(603) 964-6503 • jhayes697@yahoo.com
1948
Don Spear
(207) 518-9093 • ponderingpundit@gmail.com
1952
Karl A. Brautigam
(203) 866-5812 • karllas@webtv.net
1953
Stanford B. Vincent
(508) 457-6473 • stan@vincentcurtis.com
The good news is that one third of our graduating class of ’56 is, as someone used to say, “still able to take nourishment.” A tribute, no doubt, to our daily routine in the early 1950s of good food, required sports, and early lights out. Of course, being at an all-boys school in the woods of New Hampshire with fewer distractions helped, despite unsubstantiated stories of beer runs to Lebanon.
Being cooped up at home on Cape Cod during the past year finally got to Carol and me, and we decided to take our first mid-winter vacation, driving to Longboat Key on Florida’s west coast for a couple of months of sun and sand. Though we stayed clear of the major cities and were super cautious, we were delighted to share a meal and catch up with two classmates, first Tony and Ann Brockleman in Fort Myers and later with Pete and Jeri Whiteside in Naples. Both couples are well and staying active and send greetings to all. Others in our class who have recently been in touch include the following.
Pete Bowser out in Marin County, CA, recently celebrated his 86th. He and Sue are staying safe and in good health. They have no trips planned in the foreseeable future, but are “enjoying life, as dull and as boring as that is right now. It’s better than the alternative.”
Sam Cummings in Vermont, married 62 years and retired after 29 years with IBM, recalled sharing the drum duties in the KUA pep band with Bob “Hammy” Hamilton. He also reminded me that the school provided a “butt room” outdoors behind the old gym for those who had parental permission to smoke. Sam’s family for several generations operated a successful tannery in Lebanon.
Tom Fay spoke of his 30 years with the Los Angeles Police Department, finding his calling as counselor to juvenile delinquents, first within the courts and later at a camp in the San Bernardino hills. He described himself as “a natural, a perfect fit” for the job, working with “great kids” at the camp.
Paul Haczela is now living fulltime in his home in LaBelle, FL. His property, former farmland, includes a lake plus a couple of barns and a house. He calls Florida “the lightening capital of the world.” Despite this, his house and barns are all topped with steel roofs. Paul’s ham radio call letters are still K2BQ.
Charlie Harriman, retired as a partner of a financial management team, seems to have the best of two worlds: winters fishing the waters in Naples Bay, FL; summers on his Falmouth lobster boat off the coast of Maine. If you need a good fishing guide, he’s more than willing to accommodate.
Pete Meleney will be especially glad to see the easing of restrictions brought on by the COVID epidemic. Isolated as he and Ann normally are on the island of Martha’s Vineyard, getting to and from the mainland and connecting with bus and airport connections during the lockdown has been a real challenge.
Peter Morse enjoys the four different seasons of South Dakota. He says moving to the home state of his wife, Rhonda, more than 10 years ago to continue his practice as an ophthalmologist was the right decision. Chief among Peter’s hobbies continues to be horticulture—his gardens outside and his plants inside their home. He and Rhonda are seriously considering coming east in 2023 to celebrate our 70th class reunion.
Ralph Rose, recuperating from a fractured hip, enjoys visiting his office in Bradford, PA, once a week and continues to do the designing of many of the prize-winning monuments produced by the 106-year-old company. Ralph and his late wife, Judy, were married immediately after he graduated from KUA. Admitted to Syracuse, he was drafted into the Army and returned from the service to take over the family business. Ralph has 10 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.
Sadly, I must report that two classmates, both from Massachusetts, recently passed.
Henry J. Zukowski was born in 1933 at the family farm in South Deerfield. He served in the U.S. Army and then earned a bachelor’s in business administration from American International College (AIC) and a master’s in education from Westfield State College. At AIC he played basketball for the Yellow Jackets. Hank taught business education and served as department head during his more than 30 years at Frontier Regional High School. He loved youth sports, served as a basketball, baseball and football coach for Frontier teams and for many years refereed high school basketball games across the region. Hank was also a golfer and an avid hunter and fisherman. A summer entrepreneur, he founded Zuke’s Cukes to grow and harvest pickling cucumbers on the family farm. Hank is survived by his wife, Joyce, four children, four grandchildren, and one great-grandson.
Joseph G. Tellier was born in Cambridge, raised in Belmont, and attended Belmont Hill School before KUA. He earned a bachelor’s from Boston University, where he played goalie for the Terriers hockey team. Joe worked for many years in commercial real estate and was a longtime member of the Woodland Golf Club. Joe— known as “Captain Joe” by many and as “Boo” by his grandchildren, nieces, and nephews—was always happy behind the wheel of his boat on Cape Cod or in Florida. He is survived by his wife, Jean, two children, and three grandchildren.
Special thanks to Tony Brockelman and Paul Russo for their continued help gathering news of our class.
1955
Warren D. Huse
(603) 524-6593 • warrenhuser@gmail.com
I’m sorry to report that word has been received of the passing January 12, 2021, of Herbert J. Somers. Joining the class as a junior in 1953 from Marblehead, MA, Herb played soccer, lacrosse, and JV basketball and was a member of the Glee Club and The Players. After graduating from Denison University in 1959, Herb was in soybean processing with the Bunge Corp. in St. Louis, MO, for almost 10 years. He then worked for a grain exporting company in Greenville, MS, for 15 years, buying and selling wheat, milo, and oats before retiring in 2002. He then returned east to split time between South Paris, ME, and Naples,
“Henry Zukowski founded Zuke’s Cukes to grow and harvest pickling cucumbers on the family farm.” —STANFORD B. VINCENT ’53
FL. Herb also earned a master’s from Drake University in 1976. Herb and his wife, JoAnn, a registered nurse, had sons Bert, Matthew, and Taylor. The class sends condolences.
Those of us with email heard from George Place in early April and others may have heard from George by phone or snail mail. He recalled that the Allan Munro portrait campaign had been a major commitment last year. “For those of you who are unaware of the end result of the fund raising for Al’s portrait, we brought in $40,000 from an appeal for $15,000. That shouldn’t surprise anyone who, like us, was fortunate enough to have known Al during his lifetime. The excess in donations speaks volumes about the respect and affection people had for Allan, and I am extremely proud to have played a small part in that effort. Kathy Munro has the portrait at her house and plans to unveil it at the Munro House. I will let you know the date and hope you can attend. I just received a long email from Kathy, who has just returned to New Hampshire from Sanibel, FL. Entering the house and not seeing Alan was really difficult she reported. She has not decided on the time for the unveiling of the portrait and it may be in the fall. Because of the pandemic, I don’t have much news of the school, although I think it’s functioning in a normal fashion with safeguards. I’m sure you’ve had your shots, and if not don’t delay. I had mine at the VA and they were a godsend. I had lunch last week with Howard Goldberg outside on a park bench and table.” George also reported, “Two grandchildren are graduating from college this spring so Carolyn and I will be traveling to Denver and N.H. for the ceremonies. I have signed up for a tour of Pearl Harbor’s 80th reunion in December of this year. It will be attended I’m sure by the few remaining vets who were there in ’41. Eighteen-year-olds at the time would now be 98, so there won’t be many.”
Richard Rose writes, “Betty and I celebrated our 10th anniversary on February 11. We had met on the Christian Mingle website in August 2010 and were wed in the middle of a blizzard the following February. Nothing like the weather in upstate New York! We welcomed another grandchild to the Rose clan (the name is Scottish). Her name is Ainsley. That makes eight beautiful kids who are a joy to our lives. Three of them were baptised on Palm Sunday. Covid-19 has limited any extensive travel. Still, we have been active in maintaining contact with our church elderly, many of whom are isolated from loved ones. We send handmade cards and make telephone calls. I am scheduled for my second vaccine shot on April 28. Wish me luck!”
Howie Goldberg begins, “Guess I’ll start off with Covid. Just thought I would relate our adventure getting the vaccine. Sheila and I both have had the two Moderna shots, but not without incident. Massachusetts is supposed to be a state among the highest in brainpower and healthcare facilities in the US. If that’s the case, why were we one of the worst states in the country handling the delivery of the shots until recently? I think that is because most of my class, who did not grow up learning about all the wonderful technology now available to us, could have done a better job setting up the website, and the call-in centers for making an appointment than the geniuses that were paid to set these things up. After days and weeks of trying to get an appointment … we finally got a call from the director of Meals on Wheels. (I deliver meals for them once a week.) She them to Sheila and me in two days right up the street from where we live. We took that option, and they went seamlessly. They did not give us an appointment for our second shot and said they would call us. They never called—but my buddy George Place gave me a number to call. It took us three days to reach them, but we finally got through and got an appointment at Gillette Stadium. … A couple of weeks ago we had lunch at a restaurant outside with a couple of friends for the first time since last November. And last night we had dinner inside someone’s home, all of us with shots complete, for the first time in well over a year. As you can see, life is very exciting, but the times are certainly much more optimistic. We are looking forward to a good spring and summer. I hope everyone is keeping safe and healthy!” I asked Howie if we were assigned the book, It Can’t Happen Here by Sinclair Lewis, back in Lionel Mosher’s or Parker Jones’s English classes. Howie said, “The title sounds familiar. I do think I read it, but it is a distant memory. I know I always liked Sinclair Lewis, and I associate it with KUA. I thought Mosh was a great teacher. I always thought he was one of the best I had anywhere. I thought then, and still believe, we were very lucky to have had such dedicated teachers there. I hope the kids today are as lucky as we were. Having heard about some of my grandkids’ instructors, I think there still are some great teachers out there.”
Walter Phelps writes, “Bonnie and I have gotten our vaccinations. We continue to live in a retirement community where 13 out of 180 residents have died from COVID. For the last year we could not leave our apartment or facility and meals were delivered once a day in paper bags. Bottom line: We are healthy! We had scheduled a cruise for May 2021, but the ship was sold, so no cruise. I sold my Mazda through Carvana and got $2,000 more than the dealer offered. It was a great experience!
Byron Koh writes, “We are fine and have been jabbed twice. I hope you are safe and happy.”
Bruce Whitney says he has “the worst mud I’ve ever seen since I’ve lived here.” His road in Sanbornton, NH, was closed when we talked by phone in early April. He and Ruth were getting out about once a week to do grocery shopping, otherwise staying at home. Like others, they have had their Covid shots. Bruce’s April Navy reunion was scrapped because of COVID-19. I learned that although Bruce came to KUA from Claremont in 1954, his family had moved to Sanbornton back in 1947, when his father and uncle found employment with a nearby Laconia manufacturing company after their Claremont employer closed down. “The old farmhouse is in pretty sad shape, but it’s still standing.” (The Whitneys live in a modern dwelling next door on the property.) Eventually, work in Claremont became available and the family moved back there and kept the Sanbornton land, to which Bruce and Ruth later retired. During their stay in Laconia-Sanbornton in the late 1940s, Bruce’s dad and uncle also operated a Mickey Finn war surplus store on Laconia’s Main Street. How many of us remember the Mickey Finn chain out of Boston? (Extra credit: Did you know that Mickey Finn was a real person, one of three Finn brothers who operated the war surplus firm?)
I spoke briefly by phone in early April with Scott Blakey, out in Novato, CA. Like many of us, he had the first COVID-19 shot and an appointment for the second one. He said all was well with him.
I thoroughly enjoyed talking by phone for more than an hour in ear-
Class Notes
DISPATCHES NEWS FROM ALUMNI
ly April with Mike Hoitt in Saco, ME. As many of you may know, Mike has been totally blind for some years now and acknowledges that it was “quite an adjustment.” Before retirement, he had been a tool and die maker “and really loved it.” His blindness grew out of glaucoma, and he had to leave the industry just as it was beginning to enter the computer-assisted phase, when he had begun writing machine programs as part of his job. Mike and Linda’s daughter and son-in-law live next door. Mike recalled enjoying visits with Lionel Mosher, who lived nearby until his passing in 2018.
I have not heard from Bill Agee directly, but he seems to have a couple of new websites (billyacrylic.com. and saatchiart.com/billyagee). He has a biographical section, from which I quote this brief excerpt: “As a self-employed artist, professional photographer, acrylic painter, graphic and web designer, I taught evening classes for Saddleback College for 29 years and several other Southern California colleges. At the same time, during the daytime I worked the greater Los Angeles and Orange County area running my own business ... as well as traveling extensively collecting my own body of fine art and travel images. I had my studios in Corona del Mar, Laguna Beach, and eventually moved to Capistrano Beach in 1999. I like beach towns! … I continue my work as an exhibiting creative artist in photography and acrylic painting. Additionally, I am now working with advanced college-level painting and photography students and professionals in other fields who want to learn to think more creatively in their own line of work.”
I haven’t heard from Ron Harrison, another artist classmate, lately but I did find the following online: “Ron Harrison specializes in modern military marine paintings in watercolor. A native of the old historical seafaring town of Salem, MA, he is a graduate of Kimball Union Academy, Brown University, and earned a postgraduate degree at Boston University. He served 24 years in the U.S. Navy and its reserve. Harrison has a studio at his home in Salem and teaches watercolor to students of all levels. His works have earned best-in-show awards in New England and Florida. He is vice president of the International Society of Marine Painters and a member of the American Society of Marine Artists and the American Watercolor Society. He is also a juried artist member of several regional art organizations.”
Steve Smith writes: All quiet here, we completed our COVID shots last month and business and life in Florida moves along smoothly. The only problem is in the housing market. There’s no inventory or available rental housing in our area to accommodate the influx of people wanting to relocate from over regulated areas in the country—crazy. Stay well.”
I am still compiling the weekly local history pages for the Laconia Daily Sun. Being the only person normally in the historical society office has been a big help in social distancing. Masking and takeout from a couple of restaurants, along with Zoom board and committee meetings, can get old—but are less of a bother than the alternative. For the past year the historical society has put in-person programming on hold, but I did a Zoom presentation for the society’s 40th anniversary as part of its annual meeting, also conducted via Zoom. I’m happy to report I’ve had the two Pfizer shots and was able to navigate the national computer system with minimum trouble. Our local hospital was very well organized for both shots. Bless the volunteers as well as the professional staff!
1956
Don Best writes: “While not an alma mater contributor,
I’m here to enter some words in the empty 1956 class notes.
Two years on The Hilltop helped contribute to a wonderful life.
Most unforgettable people: Ira Townsend and Peter Nute.
Always alive in my memory bank are:
The Winter Carnival multi-school ski competition;
The incredibly joyful joint school choirs at Mount Hermon;
The Spartan comfort of the boys’ dormitories.
The KUA magazine keeps me in touch with the changes.”
1957
Curtis F. Brockelman
(914) 763-5050 • pigbrock@aol.com
1958
Frederic F. Heap
(508) 272-7176 • ffbeap@yahoo.com
1960
Jon E. Mitchell
(603) 216-5369 • cottageretreatja@comcast.net
1961
William S. Hagar
(802) 772-7448 • whagar467@comcast.net
There can be no question that this past year has been an experience that every one of us will remember for a very long time. In March 2020 I had just returned from a ski trip to Utah and was starting to figure out what the COVID-19 pandemic would mean for all of us. As the year wore on, I came to know that simply being a Vermont resident was a large benefit to the health and safety of me and my family. We are very thankful for those blessings.
I learned that Ralph Muller’s email address no longer worked. Further research revealed that he became a victim of the pandemic and had passed on January 15, 2021. Ralph was a substantial supporter of KUA through the years, serving two terms as a trustee and sending his son, Ralph, to the school. He will be missed deeply by all who knew him.
My sharing of Ralph’s obituary triggered several responses. Bob Bentley recalled that we nicknamed him “Tex.” Perhaps he got that name due to his Southern accent. We didn’t know the difference between Texas and Tennessee! Bob says his thoughts and prayers are with Ralph’s family. Chuck Cohen expressed regrets that he did not follow up with this and many friendships through the years. He was too far away, too busy, had no email, etc. He thinks too many of us don’t realize that classmates whom we didn’t necessarily spend much time with grew to become really fine people. There is a price we pay for not making a bigger effort. A note from Tony Bonanno expressed agreement with Chuck. Tony has been back to The Hilltop only three times since graduating, but has been going on the annual Boston Harbor cruise and hasn’t seen anyone from the class of ’61 there. Tony has been retired on Merrymeeting Lake in New Durham, NH, for years now and spends most of the winter in Key Largo, FL. He says he has memories of KUA that have contributed greatly to his success in life but at the time didn’t realize it. Phil Seymour was saddened to learn about Ralph. They were dorm neighbors in Dexter Richards in our senior year. “He was a one-of-a-kind person with a big smile. Though I haven’t seen or been in touch with Ralph since our days at KUA, I am saddened that he is no longer with us.”
Harry Whittelsey has had to sell his Dragonfly trimaran as he could no longer walk on the deck or docks due to a very arthritic ankle. He is now mostly recovered from an ankle replacement. The arthritis was the long-term result from skiing at Suicide Six in junior year at KUA. He sustained compound fractures that were fixed with screws. Harry has just bought another trimaran and is looking forward to a great sailing season this spring and summer. He expects to be skiing again in the fall as well. Harry spent this winter in Florida playing golf with wife Frances and enjoying the sun and warmth and will be back home on Long Island to enjoy the beautiful spring.
From a newly obtained email address, Dick Bartlett reports he attended Emerson College, and Boston University graduate school. From 1967 to
“I have been involved in testing new devices to detect COVID-19 at the point of care and helping put the data together to submit to the FDA.” —BRUCE BARTON ’66
2012 he was employed at WGBH-TV Boston as producer, cameraman, and editor on programs such as Zoom, American Masters, and, for at least 25 of those years, on the Nova science series. (Mr. Fanning would have been proud.) For the last 20 years or so he has also been doing work for the Boston Symphony Orchestra making video montages that are projected on a huge screen above the orchestra while John Williams and others conduct. “There were many Star Wars, Spielberg, and Harry Potter montages. Joanne and I, the kids, and grandkids are all vaccinated. We now look forward to the next 60 years.”
1966
Dale L. Melter
(603) 443-3672 • dale444@aol.com
I hope that many of you have had a chance to read John Kluge’s great article in the last KUA magazine: He writes about the challenges and the joys of teaching, even remotely, during these pandemic times. In passing he also reveals that he is now in his 32nd year of teaching English at KUA (the new Mosher!) and his 50th year of teaching in general. He tells me that
Ian “Bob” Barwick sent him a nice note. John also heard from a handful of students from the past and was very moved. He recently told me that he has submitted his contract for year 51 of teaching!
Bruce Barton writes: “I hope that you and everyone in the class are doing okay and have survived the virus in good shape! I did fine and am now fully vaccinated. I just turned 72 and am trying to figure out where the last 50 years went. I am still working full-time at U Mass Medical School as a faculty biostatistician. During the last yearplus I have been incredibly busy with new projects in COVID-19 as well as keeping my other projects going. I have been involved in testing new devices to detect COVID-19 at the point of care and helping to put the data together to submit to the FDA for device approval. It has been nonstop since last March. It might slow down during the summer, but now the genomic studies are starting up to look at variants, and I am involved in those as well. I have no real interest in retiring at this point. I enjoy the nonstop action of a large medical center and am not quite sure what I would do to replace that. As long as my health holds out, count me in. I am looking forward to our reunion next spring— and plan on being there.”
1967
Bob Jamback
(508) 561-1013 • bobjamback@yahoo.com
Mike Chellis writes that he and his wife received their two vaccinations with no problems. They worked in their yard at home in Syracuse, NY, and then spent the summer and fall at their camp on Lake Ontario. They plan to do the same this year. Mike spent a lot of time in his wood shop last winter. He said they had only about 70 inches of snow compared to the usual 125 inches. Now his motorcycle is ready to go.
Bob Bennett says both he and his wife, Sheila, spent two days in the hospital in February after testing positive for COVID. Neither required oxygen and other than being tired for a few weeks, experienced no side effects. Last summer they traveled to the Cape but otherwise stayed home.
Bill Hogan sent regards to all.
On November 9 Bob Jamback fell skating. He wrote: “Not to say that hasn’t happened before, but this fall was, thankfully, unlike any I had previously experienced. I broke seven ribs, spent three days in the hospital, and had a painful recovery. It was six and a half weeks before I could sleep on my good side and seven and a half weeks before I could sleep on the hurt side. I’m good now and walking two brisk miles daily. I continue to paint and read often.”
Jim McCaffrey said to not worry about falling because everyone knows goalies can’t skate. He also added that maybe it’s time to hang up the skates. I plan to wait until the fall to see if I follow his advice.
1969
Malcolm Cooper
(802) 867-2528 • tractormalc@gmail.com
This month I saw Cully Erdman turn 70. A bunch of his friends had a Zoom call on the big day, and prior to it everyone sent photos of some memorable event, including a KUA memory on the old Ski Hill!
1971
Stanford Bradeen
(802) 863-2740
Cherokee scholar Thomas Belt was awarded a doctorate of humane letters from Western Carolina University Board of Trustees as part of its commencement ceremonies May 15. He retired in 2018 as coordinator of WCU’s Cherokee Language Program. His work to preserve and revitalize the Cherokee language and traditional culture have had profound significance, not only for WCU, but the region and nation as well. He was raised in a Cherokee-speaking family in Rocky Ford, Oklahoma. He later moved to the Eastern homelands in the early 1990s. He continues to live on the Qualla Boundary of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, where he first worked as a teacher in the Cherokee Central Schools. As a teacher and scholar at WCU, he developed vital materials for teaching the Cherokee language and prepared multiple cohorts of students to read, speak, and teach Cherokee. He is most noted for his written and spoken works, and appearances in widely publicized documentary films that continue to be used by students, scholars, and Cherokee community members. In addition to his on-campus accomplishment, Belt worked closely with the American Philosophical Society and the Smithsonian Institution to develop and enact protocols for the treatment of Cherokee archival materials, in particular culturally sensitive materials in the Cherokee language. He also served as a consultant to multiple university programs, providing regular addresses and workshops at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Stanford, Yale, Duke, and Wake Forest regarding the importance and significance of indigenous languages and the worldview of Cherokee culture.
1976
Doug Mattern
(603) 382-5269 • mattern1385@yahoo.com
1977
John M. Shaw (978) 761-0313
1979
Clare Dingwell
clare.dingwell@gmail.com
1982
Todd Segal (818) 434-9189 1983
Lauren M. Dole
(503) 534-1396 • lauren.dole@me.com
1986
Kathleen R. Reinke
(269) 408-8090 • kreinke2@hotmail.com
1987
Bronwen E. Jones
(973) 715-3962 • bronjones1@gmail.com
1989
Melissa Longacre
(603) 675-9974 • mlongacre@myfairpoint.net
I was beginning to think the Class of ’89 had been in deep quarantine and isolation for the past year—with absolutely no contact with the outside world! I am sure it has been an interesting and challenging year for you all. It was nice to hear that a few of you were still able to connect. Matt Weinberg and
Class Notes
DISPATCHES NEWS FROM ALUMNI
Babies
1. Jessica and Jason Noe ’98 welcomed Nate Christian on August 30, 2020.
2. Mackenzie (Joyce)
Pavelski ’10 and Scott Pavelski welcomed Nora Ann on November 3, 2020.
3. Bianca (Brenz) Cruz
’11 and Gus Cruz ’10 welcomed Ellie Rose on December 21, 2019.
1
2
Ben Friedberg and their families hit the slopes together at Snowmass. Ben also
caught up with Maria and Ross Lang at Todd Jones’s TGR premier in Orange County.
I ran into Tim Ouhrabka and his wife at the pub in Meriden. Yes! There is now a pub in Meriden at the bottom of the hill across from the blinking light. How things have changed in the past 30 years! Tim has a child at KUA and had come to visit.
I am also the proud owner of a Jen Biuso Dunn original. Jen had taken up painting during her COVID break and sent me a cheery painting that now hangs in my office at Gardener’s Supply. Thanks, Jen!
Andrea Bueno Keen’s daughter is also at KUA. She was a proud participant in the Black Lives Matter vigil held earlier this spring. Two hundred students and townspeople gathered to show support.
Feel free to drop me a line anytime. Keep in touch!
1992
Kevin D. Wickless
(303) 641-4681 • kevinwickless@gmail.com
1993
Katherine E. Landrigan
(303) 530-1074 • mckkatherine@hotmail.com
Amy Cokinos writes: “KUA is once again a special part of my life, as my daughter, Michaela Cokinos ’24, and niece, Sophie Coelho ’22 (daughter of Mike Coelho ’92), are both students at KUA. They have played field hockey, ice hockey, and softball together this year. Today was the first time that parents were allowed on campus to watch a game. Unfortunately, their opponent was unable to make the game, but the faculty quickly put together a team and took on the challenge. Let me tell you that the same compassionate, fun-loving, generous qualities in the faculty that made our time special are present in today’s faculty members. In an unprecedented year, it was so good to see the girls laughing, bantering, and fist bumping with each other and the faculty. The relationships that have been formed this year will be as strong as the ones we formed on our week-long trip out west for our freshman trip! The school has done a wonderful job keeping the kids focused and entertained for months on end. I feel fortunate to have Michaela at KUA and have enjoyed getting to know the campus again. It still has all the old favorites: the potato patch and Densmore sledding hill. Some facilities have been repurposed— Miller Cafeteria is now a beautiful library—and it has many new and exciting additions, including chickens and pigs, fire pits, an outdoor winter rink, mountain biking trails, paddle tennis, new dorms, and the resurrection of the old ski hill and trails. For those who may have children who are looking at boarding schools, I would highly recommend taking a trip back to campus. There are still a few faculty members who will remember you and many new faces who are happy to hear about our time on campus.”
1994
Peter M. Coughlin
(603) 477-3942 • cughlinpeter@yahoo.com
1995
Annalise Grant
(978) 764-2368 • annelise.a.grant@gmail.com
1996
Bianca Saul
(978) 494-0544 • bianca.saul@gmail.com
1997
Daniel M. Sheff
(860) 417-9215 • dansheff@gmail.com
1998
Brandi L. Chilton
(603) 727-2624 • mrsvas.bv@gmail.com
Katherine R. Mans
(603) 709-7079 • katiermans@gmail.com
Hi, class! Katie Mans here. I hope my words reach you all in good spirits. To break up the doldrums of being in a pandemic world as well as late
winter in New Hampshire, I recently completed a 100-day dress challenge. The goal was to wear the same merino wool dress (I chose a blue one) every day for 100 days. I’m happy to report I passed and had a great time doing so. (Yes, you can wash it.) I learned a lot about the amazing properties of wool and paring down my wardrobe, while also connecting with an amazing group of women. Promptly after finishing this, Peter Mans and I packed up our Subaru and swimsuits and drove south to Florida for three wonderful weeks. Our girls, Jane (8) and Louise (6), logged many outside hours, which was excellent because they are doing their own year-long challenge; 1,000 hours outside. (I learned about it from Annie Cree, who is doing the challenge with her own family. Annie is always up to the neatest stuff! Keep an eye on her.) We all agreed that the road trip was actually the best part. We are now searching for our own travel trailer to continue doing more trips like this. Let me know if you have any leads!
After seeing a picture of Josh Nemer’s amazing cherry-red-and-white vintage VW bus on Facebook, I reached out to him. He reports: “I’m living in Saratoga Springs, NY, with my two children, Zoe (10) and Preston (8). I’m divorced and loving it for the past few years. I currently run the Nemer Motor Group, with four locations and more than 250 employees. Last winter I got away to ski in Deer Valley, UT, and Telluride and Aspen, CO. I’m also finishing up a complete restoration on my 1962 VW Microbus. Hope everyone is doing well and staying healthy.”
Jason Noe and wife Jessica welcomed Nathanial “Nate” Christian on August 30, 2020. Jason texted me a picture and also sent an update: “Nate already hit the ice this past season with me and will be enrolled in power skating as soon as he can stand unassisted.” Jason also got back to The Hilltop for a quick visit in late February but did not tell me in time to meet up.
Friends, tell me when you’re in the area. I love catching up! I hope to get to see more of you very soon.
1999
Natalie Philpot
(802) 681-6376 • nataliephilpot@hotmail.com
2000
Kelly (Farrell) Miller
kellyjanefarrell@gmail.com
P.J. Davey writes: “I’m currently residing in Bedford, NH, the owner and operator of a small house-painting business. My son, Kieran, is attending Avon Old Farms down in Connecticut. He’s wrestling, running track, and trying out for the school play in the fall. He gets his license this summer and starts the college tour next year.”
Kelly (Muller) Condon, Esq., and her husband, Tim, have been doing all the pandemic things, including training a new puppy, home-based schooling their five sons, and renovating a home in Durham, NH, where they are enjoying reconnecting with old friends—as well as the many more takeout options than they have across the state in New London.
Danielle (Boulanger) Rooney writes: “Getting through with my little fashionista Zoe and husband Sean.”
Tori (Kohn) Leshuk writes: “I took a new job with U.S. Forest Service Washington office as the national fire and aviation training program manager. I’m still living in Alaska.”
Frank Buttaravoli is still living in Florida and has extended an invite on his boat to all Wildcats who are in the area.
Morgan (Milowsky) Needs writes: “I’m living in Wayland, MA, with my husband and three girls, ages 3, 6, and 8.”
Lindsey (Wolter) Ratliff writes: “I’m moving to Colorado Springs, CO, in July to be the new director of enrollment management at Fountain Valley School. Tim Knox was head of school there before coming to KUA!”
Abby (Cooper) Skaff writes: “Owning gas stations and convenience stores during a pandemic was a crazy experience, but, thankfully, all my employees and businesses survived. I’m personally proud to say I survived homeschooling three elementary kids.”
Nolan Albarelli writes: “I’m still in Alexandria, VA, with my wife and two girls (6, 8).”
Alexis Foreman writes: “I’m living life Upper Valley style: bought a house in Brownsville, VT, and am an RN in the operating room at Dartmouth-Hitchcock.”
Wrenn (Johns) Cavallo writes: “I am still out in Truckee, CA (near Lake Tahoe). My husband and I own and run a ski and bike shop and recently opened a small restaurant with some partners. We have two kids—Libby (5) and Sam (2)—who keep us on our toes.”
I am still living in the seacoast area of New Hampshire and working in college admissions. My kiddos are 6 and 4 and are loving their cousin, Martin (son of Chris Farrell ’01), and spending time with their grandparents “Mimi” and “B.” (former KUA faculty Shelly and Bill Farrell).
2002
Lindsey J. Richard
(508) 769-7369 • lindseyjrichard@gmail.com
Greetings to the Class of 2002! Living in suburban N.Y.C. (quite literally in the bullseye of the COVID outbreak last March), I have found myself really missing the space (and companionship!) from my days on The Hilltop. If my 16-year-old self only knew how sweet rural living truly is! My family has been in the same boat as many, juggling working from home and remote school for the past year. It hasn’t been without its challenges, but, overall, we’ve been very lucky. We’ve spent a lot of time perfecting our Uno skills, exploring our shores on paddleboards, and chopping it up on the golf course.
It was wonderful to hear from Scott Sparks, who runs his own construction company, Sparks Construction. He and his wife, Rachel, are expecting their second child, a girl, in early July. Congrats to Scott and Rachel!
I also received a much-welcomed update from George Feichtinger. While Mr. Fei has been distanced from loved ones along with the rest of us, I’m happy to report he still seems to possess the spirit we all knew from The Hilltop: “Besides staying mostly around the house, there is plenty of yard work to be done and keeping my wood supply filled for our wood stove for at least two years ahead of actual need. I keep fit by doing a lot of hiking and I am in the Whites at least once a week. My present goal is to finish the ‘Grid Over 75’ this summer. To know more about the Grid, check out the website www.48x12.com. It explains what it entails and, if you look at finishers, I am No. 22, and then check out the senior list.” I checked: Mr. Fei is No. 3 on the senior list. No surprise there!
That’s all from ’02. I hope to hear from more classmates in the future. These updates are always such fun to read! Until next time, I wish you and your families all the best.
2006
Laura M. Simaitis
laura.simaitis@gmail.com
2008
Tai Nixa Peterson
(603) 731-4055 • nixatai@gmail.com
2010
Daniel P. Lowenstein
(914) 806-7085 • danny.lowenstein@gmail.com
Mackenzie (Joyce) Pavelski married Scott Pavelski on August 4, 2018, at Sugarbush Resort in Vermont. They met at UNH, where he played hockey and Mackenzie played field hockey. They welcomed a baby girl, Nora Ann Pavelski, on November 3, 2020, weighing 7 pounds, 8 ounces. Nora is now 5 months old and is giggling and rolling.
Will Maxwell is down in Wilmington, NC, still pursuing a musician’s life, enjoying living by the beach, and working with local environmental groups to fight water pollution in the North Carolina river systems.
