12 minute read
CLASS NOTES
DISPATCHES NEWS FROM ALUMNI
1955
Warren Huse
(603) 524-6593 warrenhuse1@gmail.com Bruce Whitney writes from Sanbornton, New Hampshire: “Things are quiet around here; we have kept a low profile and stayed clear of COVID. Mud season was bad this year and the road is finally getting back to normal. We have not set a date for the boat launch yet. Last year it was in the water, but we never sailed just used it like a cottage, swimming and socializing. We will see how the summer develops. Maybe a Navy reunion in September in Baltimore. Hope all is well with you; we see your notes in The Laconia Daily Sun.” (This is a reference to my history pages, which appear weekly in the local Laconia, New Hampshire, newspaper.)
Howie Goldberg wrote he “had an appointment for an annual physical at 8:30 [in May] and got there to find out the doctor is home with COVID. Thus, a little time right now before my exercise class. I guess you now get a feel for how exciting life can be. Regarding grandkids, we had a great time recently attending our grandson’s graduation magna cum laude (unlike his grandfather) from Northeastern in architecture. Part of the festivities was a visit to the architecture studio to see what he, and other department mates, including Ph.D. candidates, had done. It was mind-blowing to me. The actual ceremony took place at Fenway Park. The speaker was very good but made the same points too many time, keeping the kids and the rest of us out in the sun and heat too long. Another highlight for me was a great conversation with Byron Koh. It was wonderful to catch up with By and Fran. Before COVID we used to get out to Lenox for music, art, and theater, and on the way home we would stop and have lunch and great conversation with them. It’s been too long since we have been able to do that. I felt like we were back on The Hilltop discussing something from Mosh’s class. We also discussed his time with you [Warren] and others at Cardigan. As in the past, George Place and I get together for lunch about once a month. It’s always great having time together. We are going to see the Worcester Red Sox play in early June with a non-KUA friend. I’m not much of a baseball fan, but the camaraderie is always good. George and I are going up to, and looking forward to, the dedication of Al Munro’s portrait in the Munro House in June.”
George Place, as usual, has been supporting the Academy. In early May he attended a meeting in Boston with Head of School Tyler Lewis, some KUA staff, the board chairman, and some alumni for a brainstorming session about strategic planning. George said he was “very impressed by Tyler’s commitment to pursuing innovative ways to improve the educational experience of the students and not accept the status quo of any aspect of Kimball Union’s mission.” George noted that, although not a reunion year for 1955, the portrait of Allan Munro would be officially presented to the school and hung in the Munro House following a ceremony during reunion. In late May George weighed in with, “I recently bought an investment property, and it has diverted my focus away from my class agent duties!” George talked to Ron Harrison recently, “and although he is experiencing some health issues, he is upbeat and actively teaching art lessons to a full class of students. I received a call from Joe Dickinson, and we are rescheduling a lunch date in June. The date of the Munro dedication is June 4, a Saturday. As I’ve indicated to our class members, I will send a copy to all of my remarks at the ceremony. Carolyn, Sheila, Howard, and I will be traveling to school for the event. Oh yeah, I called Dick Rose to see if he could attend, since the portrait was his idea, and he declined—a health issue being the culprit.”
I’ve had a couple of phone calls from John McIntyre ’56, who was a Laconia boy. He’s doing well and still skiing.
The latest address list from the alumni office indicates that Doug Dodge is now in Hinsdale, New Hampshire, instead of in North Carolina as previously listed.
I have continued my routine of Zoom meetings and getting a second COVID-19 booster shot. The Laconia Historical and Museum Society has taken on several new projects, along with which I continue to produce a two-page history section for the local newspaper each week. In the “25 Years Ago” section there have been several references recently to that thennew phenomenon, the Internet. I remember it was only a couple of years before that when the Laconia newspaper had introduced personal computers—with color screens and a mouse! Prior to that, everything was keystrokes for commands— and yellow letters on a dark-green screen. Back to the present, the historical society has been posting on Facebook, which seems to generate a lot of interest. (It can sometimes be a bit disconcerting, of course, when the discussion turns to current politics and personalities!)
1961
Bill Hager
whagar467@comcast.net In early March I received a call from Lee Goodwin, a long-lost member of our class. It was great to be in touch with him again after all these years. Lee still resides in Swampscott, Massachusetts, and has been deeply involved in auto racing through the years in Sanford, Maine, and Epping, New Hampshire. I twisted his arm hard to get to the 2022 reunion. We will see what happens.
My contact with Chris Abajian found him residing at an assisted
“Another highlight for me was a great conversation with Byron Koh. I felt like we were back on The Hilltop discussing something from Mosh’s class.” —HOWIE GOLDBERG ’55
living facility in Essex, Vermont. Chris stays quite busy with children and grandchildren nearby and maintains contact with many of the UVM Medical Center staff with whom he worked for so many years. Recently, he enjoyed lunch and cribbage with Norma Jean, who was his work wife at UVM Medical.
I am also sending a photo of a “mystery classmate,” and hope others to take their best guess on identification.
1975
Gwendolyn Star
gwendolyn@mobyfnord.net It’s Kimball Union I reach out to first after what feels a lifetime. Hello, I am here, and I am well. That, and you have the same class recorder again. I stayed in touch a bit with Rick Silver and Pete Swallow. We took one final sailing trip late last century on Dabbler. Then we kind of got busy.
Seeing as I’m in Chicago for a couple days, I write to my former advisor, George Harmon, professor emeritus at Northwestern University Medill School of Journalism. He replies: “I remember looking with amazement at the WSJ on the day after 9/11. What a fascinating career you have had.
“As a publisher I converted a small newspaper from letterpress to offset and computer typesetting. We thought at the time it was a big deal, and maybe so, but now it seems to me that we were only at the tail end of the Dark Ages of publishing. You’ve been through multiple iterations more complicated than that.
I’m retired now, and still with the same bass I took to the Musician’s Institute in 1981. There’s enough time to play it now.
We’re about midway through Ari Cap’s 2022 “Music Theory for the Bass Player” winter cohort. It is a 40-week class, and every student has a coach. I’m one of three volunteer roving coaches—a coach to both the coaches and their students. I’m still studying with Ari and also with multi-instrumentalist Kristin Korb.
I’m holding the groove and would love to hear from you.
1979
David Coffin wrote in to share, “Racers Chip Allen, Coffin, and Jay Stewart skied again at Pats Peak 44 years after the KUA team won the Lakes Region Prep School Championship hosted at Pats.”
1987
Mark Hamill wrote: “Just wanted to put a little something in the Class of ’87 notes for the next issue of the Kimball Union magazine. After a 10-year run in Roanoke, Virginia, my family and I moved to Omaha, Nebraska, in June 2021. Soon afterwards I started as an associate Professor and trauma surgeon and surgical intensivist at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. I’m treating patients, teaching, and generally having a great time. My wife, Bridget, is doing some educational consulting remotely. Daughter Cora is now 9 (going on about 19), son Mark Jr. (‘Teddy’) is 7 and some days will be lucky to make it to 8—100-percent crazy, fearless boy! I’ve been active in surgical research—had several papers published in the last couple of years as well as two book chapters and was the coeditor of a textbook on critical care medicine. It’s been a busy year! I hope to make it to The Hilltop for the reunion in June—we’ll see what happens. Best wishes and I hope everyone is staying safe!”
1989
Melissa Longacre
mlongacre@myfairpoint.net I received a nice note from Jim Jonas. He is a grandpa again, this time to a baby girl! He and his wife, P.J., caught up with Kyle Fenn ’88 and family at Kyle’s daughter’s wedding. Jim writes: “My third grand, a girl this time, was born this month. I also attended a wedding hosted by Kyle Fenn and his wife, Laura, for their daughter. I feel I overshare compared to our classmates, but I can’t imagine serving as you faithfully have for so long and having so little input from others. Thanks for keeping our class updated!”
Here are a couple of Facebook gleanings.
Todd Jones is still filming epic skiing—including that of his son, Kai.
Andrea Bueno Keen now has two children at KUA and is at KUA often watching them play and perform!
Kyle Drummond’s art will be featured at the Horowitz Visual and Performing Arts Center at a show, Sawdust, Slag, and Sweat, in June.
Doug Grady continues to share the gift of traveling the world with his kids. (Great job, Dad.) And apparently fell into the lake!
Lots of you had kids going to prom and getting into college. How time does fly!
I’m still running Gardener’s Supply in Lebanon, New Hampshire, and try to take in a KUA performance or two each year. My neighbor is Katie Bishop Sheehan ’85 (Ellen’s sister), and we attended her daughter’s graduation party and got to spend some time with Mr. and Mrs. Bish! Fun to see them and catch up. Mr. Sheehan (Jim) was also there, and I chatted with him about his upcoming retirement from teaching. I also see Cynthia Howe quite frequently, as she is an avid gardener and a member of my book club! I also was able to catch up Robyn Sachs Carpenter this winter when she and her daughter were up to do a little skiing and take in the Feichtinger Cup.
Class Notes
DISPATCHES NEWS FROM ALUMNI
1. Class of ’79 racers Jay
Stewart, David Coffin and Chip Allen reunited to ski at Pats Peak 44 years after the KUA team won the Lakes Region Prep School Championship.
2. Jim Jonas ’89 caught up with Kyle Fenn ’88 and his wife, Laura, at the recent wedding of their daughter.
1
KUA friendships truly do last lifetimes, and I hope you can keep in touch with your favorites! Drop me a line sometime or friend me on Facebook so I can catch a glimpse of what you are up to!
2004
From Lyn Lord P’04, who continues to teach history at KUA: “My daughter-in-law, Adessa Yeager Morano, and Kalin Gregory Davis ’08 got placed as doctors from the University of Vermont (UVM) this spring. Adessa will be staying at UVM for pediatrics and Kalin is going to Brown for obstetrics and gynecology.”
2008
Tia Nixa Peterson
nixatai@gmail.com Nick Millette is the product development merchant for Smart Home at Home Depot. Nick lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with his wife, Sarah, and son Jack and is expecting a baby girl in October. Zach Dayno and his wife, Laura, moved to Burlington, Vermont, where he has started working at a law firm since finishing up clerking. Zach and Laura recently adopted a new dog, Storm, who is a bundle of energy and enjoys all types of outdoor adventures.
Alexander Gray is starting a oneyear term as a federal law clerk in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida following a successful five-year stretch as a litigation associate at Foley Hoag LLP in Boston. He and his 2-yearold Spanish water dog, Isabella, are adjusting well to the South Florida heat and humidity. Alex remembers fondly his time on The Hilltop and wishes his former classmates and teachers all the best. His email is ahgray25@gmail.com.
Sarah (Cutts) Roberts and Evan Roberts ’07 welcomed baby girl Florence Virginia to the family. She was born on April 17, 2022.
Brett Sillari still lives in Somerville, Massachusetts, and is working in real estate. He is based in Cambridge at Century 21 Avon and covers the greater Boston area.
Juliet Taylor continues to reside in the Southie neighborhood of Boston with her rescue dog, Bronn. In November 2021 she changed roles to join California-based company SOCi working in Sales Enablement for their Business Development team, focused on onboarding new reps and continued trainings for the whole team.
Finally, my husband, Conor, and I welcomed baby girl Verona Fawn Peterson to the family on November 8, 2021. Besides becoming a mother, I have been busy dancing. In 2022 I will be performing in Farm to Ballet and The Quarry Project, a site-specific piece being performed in the Wells Lamson Quarry, one of the oldest, deepest granite quarries in the country. I also serve as a board member at the Kellogg-Hubbard Library in Montpelier, Vermont. I live in central Vermont and am excited to explore the outdoors each season with my family!
2011
Former staff Marie Stansfield wrote: “Sheldon Stansfield and I welcomed Theodore ‘Teddy’ Wackerle Stansfield on May 12, 2022.
“I live in central Vermont and am excited to explore the outdoors each season with my family!” —TIA NIXA PETERSON ’08
Births
1. Tia Nixa Peterson ’08
and husband Conor welcomed Verona Fawn Peterson on November 8, 2021.
2. Jim Jonas ’89 welcomed grandbaby No. 3 in May 2022.
3. Marie and Sheldon Stansfield ’11 welcomed Theodore “Teddy” Wackerle Stansfield on May 12, 2022.