Class Notes

What have you been up to since you last were in touch with us? Drop us a line and tell us your news! Submit class notes to clementj@ frederickgunn.org or fill out the form at GoGunn.org/classnotes.

= Celebrated reunion in June 2021

1950

Ogden D. Miller, Jr. P’84 wrote during the pandemic to say, “Like many, I am a virtual prisoner in my D.C. apartment. My nine grandchildren live in California, Texas, Tennessee and Canada. My two greatgrandchildren live in Chattanooga. (Always reminds me of a WWII song.)”

1951

Alan D. Frese was “Looking forward to June 11-13, 2021 (for Alumni Weekend)! Stay well!”

Crane Kirkbride’s wife, Fiona, wrote to us to let us know that Crane has had Parkinson’s for 14 years. He is doing amazingly well, but it affects his voice and leaves him unable to communicate verbally for more than a few sentences. Ogden

D. Miller, Jr.’s ’50P’84 father was the headmaster at the time Crane attended the school. “Mr. Miller was a very warm and giving person who took Crane under his wing and at graduation awarded him the Headmaster’s Prize, which meant a great deal to Crane. Another memory from the school is a French teacher who heard him vocalizing and remarked, ‘You have a remarkable voice. You should be a singer.’ This was part of what led him to join the Yale Glee Club a few years later.” Fiona also shared that Crane has been involved in music for most of his life and was particularly active in the Glee Club and the J.E. Jesters Octet during his years at Yale. He has continued to sing throughout the years and is currently working on a CD that will be a compilation of his Irish, Italian, and sacred songs.

1952

Retired U.S. Army Brigadier General Peter Lash sends his regards to his classmates, “Hang in there guys! See you at the next reunion!”

1953

Anthony Delude said, “Wonderful article on David Hoadley ’51, my brother-in-law!” (See Bulletin, fall-winter 2020, page 60).

1955

G. Bruce Porter wrote, “Since I retired from the Columbia Journalism School, my wife, Sara, a painter, and I have been living on an old farm outside Hudson, New York, and this is a special year for us. The most important thing we ever did together was to adopt our daughter, Hana, from China back in 1992. She was in the first wave to come to America. She had been found at age two weeks beneath a pile of rags in a department store stairwell in Wuhan. The guessing is she’d been left there by her mother, hoping she’d be found and given a new lease on life, as it were. This May, Hana will graduate with a master’s from the Columbia School of Social Work, hoping to work in the field of international refugees. She’s married to Gabriel Gavidia, a project manager for a Manhattan construction company, and a political refugee from Venezuela. They’re expecting soon to begin raising children — one or two, and Hana sometimes says three. Sara and I are so thankful to be part of the new population amalgamation, prospective grandparents of ‘citizens of the world.’”

1956

Jerry LeVasseur’s daughter, Linda LeVasseur, wrote a book about her father that came out in August 2020 called “Fitness, Fun and Friends: Stories from a Remarkable Life.”

Tom Braman ’57 sent us this 1926 photo of John Chapin and Mary Brinsmade’s 50th wedding anniversary. Back row: Tom’s grandfather, Hunnewell Braman (Class of 1911), who was known as “Chi” and married Frederick and Abigail’s granddaughter, Eleanor Brinsmade; Josephine Stephen Brinsmade (wife of Fred); Chapin Brinsmade; Helen Carter Brinsmade (wife of Chapin); and Alfred Bellinger (who married Frederick and Abigail’s granddaughter, Charlotte). Front row: Mar Brinsmade (Class of 1905), Nana (Eleanor, Class of 1903), Fred Brinsmade (Class of 1898), Mary (Class of 1853) and John Chapin Brinsmade (Class of 1862), and Charlotte Brinsmade Bellinger (Class of 1911).

1959

Steve Bent wrote to say he renamed his boat “Queen of Da Nile” to “Owl Woman.” Owl Woman was the daughter of White Thunder, the keeper of the sacred arrows for the Cheyenne tribe, and the wife of Charles Bent who, with his brother William, built Bent’s Fort in Southern Colorado in 1830. It is now a National Historic Site.

According to the description on Amazon, “Fitness, fun and friends is a motto Jerry LeVasseur has lived by for more than 80 years. Despite incurring what could have been debilitating injuries at age 6 in the historic Hartford Circus Fire, Jerry has not allowed that horrific experience to overshadow his life or his injuries to hold him back. Determined to prove that he was just as capable as other kids, he pursued sports in school and as an adult has devoted his leisure time to two passions, dogsled racing and competitive running.”

1957

Tom Braman commented on the photograph of his grandmother, Eleanor Brinsmade (granddaughter of Frederick and Abigail Gunn), that appeared in “The History of The Abbey.” (See Bulletin, fall-winter 2020, page 19.) “She was a very interesting person. My cousin has her diaries from around the turn of the century. She was teaching in Maryland and would take the train every once in a while to go to New York to meet her father, (second Head of School) John Brinsmade (Class of 1862), at Delmonico’s Steak House in Manhattan. In those days there was a train from Washington to New York. They were very close.”

Fred Fields P’85 wrote, “Roxanne and I have been riding out the pandemic at our house at The Sea Ranch, a community 100 miles up the coast, north of San Francisco. It’s a beautiful coastal area, very remote (50 miles to the nearest stoplight) and we’re very happy here. Here’s our day: Swim, read, drink, eat, sleep, repeat. Some bad golf every couple of weeks. We go down to San Francisco every three to four weeks to pick up mail, etc. This is more than you wanted to know, but there it is.”

1960

Randy Richmond loves to travel: “I traveled to the Galapagos four years ago and Antarctica two years ago. Mostly I am trying to get to all the national parks and monuments. I’ve done all west of the Mississippi, except for about a dozen.”

Steve Bent’s ’59 boat, “Owl Woman,” in the water just before Christmas, when family was visiting

Jonathan von Ranson ’60 with his wife, Susan, celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary in Vermont

We misidentified one of the alumni in this photo, taken at Alumni Weekend in 2015 and published in the fall-winter 2020 issue of the Bulletin (page 47), and we’d like to correct that. Back row: George Haines ’60 and Hank Platt ’60. Front row: Gus Koven ’60, Jeff Farrington ’60, Jim Hughes ’60, John Crawford ’60, Tom King ’60, George Krimsky ’60 and Randy Richmond ’60.

Jonathan von Ranson sent an update in October to share that he and Susan “celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary (and 40 years together) by breaking out of our small COVID zone and driving to Southern Vermont for a great evening meal along with an overnight at a real B&B, one that actually serves breakfast! Both places were historic — a candlelit Revolutionary War tavern and, one town south, the homeplace of Ira Allen, an organizer of the Green Mountain Boys and brother of Ethan Allen. We hoped to visit Bennington Potters, but found their quarters, this weather-worn former coal, grain, lumberyard and hardware store, closed. Congratulations to Peter Becker and my friends the Krimskys for bringing Frederick Gunn back to life, in a sense, and for the inspiring motivation and clearer direction that is obviously giving the school.”

1961

Ted Seibert wrote in October: “I have been retired for 12 years now and find myself busier than ever. Very active in my church and our senior center. Before the pandemic I taught pickleball, a great game, especially for us old folks. Hoping to see classmates at our 60th reunion next year.” Gerrit Vreeland said: “I retired from Alex Brown after 42 years and retired as Chairman of The Gunnery after seven great years. I will be the last to serve in that position as those that follow me will Chair the Board of The Frederick Gunn School. Toni and I divide our time between Bridgehampton, New York, in the summertime and The Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo in the wintertime. We have three sons who live in Philadelphia, Austin, and Portland Maine. I spend my time fishing, woodworking,

and sailing. Tim Gaillard and Steve Davol put in a lot of hours to plan our 60th reunion, but unfortunately their efforts will likely not come to fruition because of the pandemic. I am committed to any effort to organize a reunion at another time and hope you will support their efforts to bring us together, including a Zoom session. My best to you all.”

1964

George Cookman sent us this update in February: “In 2020, we had no less than three great visits by our daughter, Suzanne, and her family. Liam, five years old, is wonderful, and ‘my sista’ Audrey,’ age two, is a handful. We had many rides on the boat, lobster dinners and lobster rolls, and family time in Harpswell. I put together a little prayer book for Liam that his parents — at his request — are reading to him at bedtime each night.

Among the surprises of 2021 was the arrival of daughter Maggie’s first child, August Morris Schaffer, seven weeks early! He was healthy from the start at 3 lbs. 9 oz., and is now over 6 lbs.

“Under the Oak Tree” by Chris King ‘64

So, now, hopefully, we face the daunting task of traveling during the pandemic to LA. The good news is that Sally and I have received both shots, and will be at full immunity. 2021 is slowly shaping up to be a great family year with the kids coming for visits, boating, and a mostly outdoor restaurant activity. I hope to teach Liam fishing this summer. My neighbor has offered assistance. She fishes year-round, and she lands seasonal striped bass routinely.

I recently heard a story about a young pianist who is well recognized for her talent. She said she stopped almost all practicing when the pandemic hit. Months later she realized somehow ‘things had changed.’ So she sat down and recorded a difficult piece that she said was her best performance ever. Perhaps this is a light at the end of the tunnel to who-knows-where. May we all experience a similar epiphany as we re-emerge into the new normal, and strive to give our best performance ever.”

Chris King said that he is “fortunate to be waiting out the pandemic in the beautiful Ojai Valley between Santa Barbara and Los Angeles. My late-in-life ‘career’ as a fine artist got off the ground with a Ventura gallery show in fall of 2020!”

1965

Bill Atherton wrote: “Still farming … ’til it’s gone, I guess. But it keeps me moving even if it is difficult. Exciting prospects for creating a conservation camp, having finally put together an exciting team. My run amok hobby of restoring a run of endangered steelhead trout is having success! And fun for local students excited to watch two and three-foot fish spawning in a stream they helped protect. What is not so much fun is my wife being stuck in New Hampshire on family matters, does not feel well and goes to the doctor, two days later in Mass General Hospital for emergency surgery. Mass General people saved her life. Thank you Massachusetts General Hospital! I

talk with Andy Leonard and Mike Sicher on a somewhat regular basis, which helps me greatly. But if you like to fly cast for really big trout, come on out. Shepaug River is scenic and fun, but they ain’t sissy fish here. (Might be asked to pull a few weeds however.)”

1966

Ralph Singh writes, “Our theme ‘Changing the Story from Intolerance to Inclusion’ is getting major attention as a way to build an inclusive community whether in school or community. It was also featured on The Fetzer Institute’s LinkedIn page. To quote them, “In this article, Ralph addresses the elephant in the room and asks us some Big Questions. How can we live together in community, even when we don’t agree on some of our core ‘Truths?’ Might we share our perspectives and discover some empathy for those who hold such sharply opposing views?” I’ve been asked to design a multi-level program for a university as well as the ones I’ve done for schools.”

1967

Eli Dokson is living in Crestone, Colorado, “in the beautiful San Luis Valley of Southern Colorado. Very close to the Great Sand Dunes National Park. Stop on by!”

1968

Alex Bellinger received a Finalist Fellowship from Mass Cultural Council in 2020 for his work in Traditional Arts.

Bob Savarese retired in May 2020 at age 70 after 43 years in banking! He hopes to be able to visit the school or attend the New York alumni reception when we’re able to get together again. “Looking forward to wearing the alumni hat and gathering with other alumni.”

1970

Bill Rose wrote in February to say he had escaped NYC for Florida. “Have spent lots of time with kids and grandkids (6) in Charlotte. A big blessing during COVID. Reconnected with Craig Yarde, retired U.S. Navy

Commander Charlie Miletich and Otis Anderson, who I played baseball with.”

1971

Peter Cree wrote to say, “My old buddy, Jay Freeman, contacted me when he saw my art instruments. (See Bulletin fall-winter 2020, page 70.) He and I had an electric band in ’71 and ’72. Always the precise and incredibly fast lead guitarist, Jay has retired and now records and has a band. Reconnecting is great.”

Charles Mead retired from American Airlines Flight Dispatch three years ago. His husband, Tom, is also retired. They continue to live in Dallas. “I have developed a passion for gardening, and I continue to ride my bicycle.”

1973

David Emery was saddened to hear of the passing of his friend and former teammate, Jerry Bennett, Jr., on April 30, 2020. Bennett was a retired Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Navy and lived in Naples, Florida. “Jerry and I were teammates on the football and basketball teams long ago,” Emery said. “He was a pleasure to be around, always displaying such a positive attitude. He was a born leader and had his sights set on the Naval Academy while only 17 years old. A great athlete, starting quarterback for our football team and starting forward on our basketball team, he leaves me vivid memories (exactly 50 years later) that I will always cherish. My condolences go out to his family at such a difficult time.”

Bill Rose ’70 with his wife, Vicki, and their children and grandchildren

1974

Duke Webb told us: “In early 2019, I moved back to Lexington, Kentucky, after 15 years in South Florida. I had moved there to be close to my aging parents, but after they both passed, I had to escape the heat and humidity down there! In October of 2019, I became critically ill, and spent three full months in the hospital’s ICU, seven weeks of which were spent in a medically induced coma. Just over a year later, I am still ‘recovering,’ and am still receiving both physical and occupational therapy. Regardless, I’m alive and improving daily! In retrospect, my docs think that it might have been COVID-19, but it was several months before they believe the coronavirus arrived in the states. The course and progress of the illness was exactly the same as the most severe cases of COVID. Still, I’ll soon be thriving again!

Over the past several years, I have become deeply impressed with the changes and progress of The Frederick Gunn School, and I love the school’s name change! Hopefully, I will get a chance to visit again before too long. To the members of the Class of ’74, I recently learned that our classmate, Steve Sachs, passed in 2016. I had stayed in touch with him over the years; he was one extraordinarily funny guy, and I’ll miss him.”

Joe Colombatto ’75 and his wife, Victoria, celebrated 17 years togetherl

1975

Joe Colombatto wrote in February to share several videos he recently produced, including a 30-second ad for a Connecticut K-9 unit awareness campaign for the Hometown Foundation, another for skiing at Windham Mountain, and a third for the Farmington

Polo Club’s 2021 season. He and his wife, Victoria, celebrated their 17th year together. “And it’s been four years since Mike O’Neil died. I miss him. My three dogs are all doing well!”

Craig Cooper moved to Sarasota, Florida, in March 2020, after 30 years in Washington, Connecticut, as a private wealth/mortgage banker with U.S. Bank. He noted he has “two lovely daughters, ages 28 and 23.”

1976

Roger Frank wrote: “I have retired, and prior to the pandemic we were traveling at will. Thus far, my wife, Sharon, who is also retired, and myself have gone to Greece, and thankfully returned from Puerto Rico just before COVID-19 closed down our borders. We were scheduled to go to Spain, Southern France, and Italy in October. That has been moved to 2021. Although I have been to most of the National Parks in the Western United States, my wife has not. Hopefully barring any other delays, remedying that will occur in 2022. While I stay in touch with many of my classmates, there are many who unfortunately are M.I.A. I would love to hear from anyone from my time at The Gunnery (now The Frederick Gunn School), as well as Wykeham Rise! If you find yourself in upstate New York, look me up.”

1977

Lawrence Griffith retired from The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation as Curator of Plants and lives with his partner of 38 years.

1978

Scott Milas sent this update in February: “My wife and I are excited to welcome a few new grandkids into the world in 2021. My business has grown, helping new entrepreneurs and Hartford and coaching crew. My wife and I spend time during the summers at Cape Cod and at the Connecticut shoreline in Niantic Bay.”

Victor Petroni said: “After losing my wife five years ago to pancreatic cancer, I am so fortunate to have found love again and am engaged to be married! Despite COVID and the loss of my father, 2020 has been a great year for me. I fell in love, became a grandfather, lived on a beautiful 100-acre ranch in Santa Ynez, California, and got to celebrate my 60th in New Orleans with all my immediate family!”

Heidi Rowe wrote: “Retired to beautiful, quiet Sandwich, New Hampshire in 2019. Pandemic hit about eight months later, but we’ve been fortunate because we live in a very rural area and the outdoors (mountains and lakes) is available for play. It has been a blessing. My parents (both in their late 80s) decided to move to a retirement community in Southern New Hampshire in October. They are loving their new, easier life and making many new friends with school connections. I’m about to become a grandmother. Yikes! Finally, turning 60 was hard! How did we get to this age? Hope you are all well, staying healthy (and sane) and, by the time of this publication, vaccinated.”

those who are in a career transition research and explore business ownership, owning a franchise, or franchising an existing business. Looking forward to seeing some old friends this summer.”.

1979

Norma Davis reported:, “I am working for Disability Rights Maryland as the Pro Bono Program Managing Attorney and am telecommuting from New Jersey in this COVID era. I am in the process of waiving into the Maryland bar. Not taking the bar exam again. New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts bar exams, well let me just say it’s enough for a lifetime. My daughter is 25 years old and working as an economist at the Federal Reserve and my son is 17 years old and a senior in high school. I hope that my husband and I can celebrate our 27th anniversary in Hawaii. That is, if we are both vaccinated.”

George Fryer reported: “The family is well and moving forward. My son, Chris, who interned at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory two summers ago, is all excited to see the helicopter Ingenuity fly off the Mars rover. He worked on the design team — probably just fetching their coffee — but still pretty cool. He now works at Raytheon, designing flying things. My son, Jonas, is in his final semester at University of Richmond, wondering if there are any jobs for economics and film production dual majors.”

Sean Peoples wrote, “My daughter, Emily, graduated from the University of Denver last spring and currently works as a data analyst in Denver. My son, Matt, graduated from Salisbury School and attends Union College in New York, where he plays lacrosse and is majoring in economics; and my youngest son, Mark, rows crew and plans to attend The George Washington University in the fall. I am serving my second four-year term as Probate Court Judge for my district in Central Connecticut and continue practicing law in

Victor Petroni and his fiancé, Maura Masotti

Ann Watson Lipham P’10 reported: “I was furloughed in March 2020 and the hotel has been closed ever since. But I am grateful to have had the time to spend on the south coast of Massachusetts, where I mostly have been living since quarantine. There are worse places to be ‘stuck!’ My son is expecting my first grandchild in May — can’t wait! I was born for

this. I visited him in early March — long drive to South Carolina, but well worth it. We had been planning this for a year, so it is a long time in the works. My daughter, Lexie Lipham ’10, is still in research at Vanderbilt Medical Center and will be beginning a master’s or Ph.D. program in public health in the fall.”

1980

Hilary Fairburn Sullivan was looking forward to seeing many at reunion in June. She wrote in February: “While Scott and I missed traveling to celebrate our 25th, we did enjoy hosting our grown children for several months .... What a gift! My college counseling business continues to grow. I pivoted quickly to virtual and expanded my business from a local South Florida focus to serve clients throughout the U.S. Please be in touch if you’re in the area: hfs@virginiabush.com.”

1983

Alix Longfellow recently moved to Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. She is self-employed as a daily money and life affairs manager, working with individuals and families and helping them to manage the important details of their lives. For the past seven years (excluding 2020 due to travel restrictions) she has spent the winter months living in New Zealand.

1987

Ray Whitney P’24 wrote in February: “It’s been a wild, whirlwind year with my youngest, Erin ’24, attending FGS (aka Gunnery, Gunn) during COVID! We’ve had adventures and misadventures; I’ve shared memories, and we’ve shared discoveries. I’ve learned a lot, seeing Gunn through her eyes. She’s already an admissions tour guide and a passionate champion for the school.

Inspired, and appreciative of so many things The Gunnery community has done for me over the years, I’m embracing a few FGS

roles. I’m helping Paul McManus P’21 ’23 and Carey Bodenheimer as Class Agents. I’m also connecting with my fellow freshman parents as a parent agent. Something old … something new … I’m enjoying the conversations and connections.

We could not manage the Maryland/ Connecticut logistics without support from

Beth ‘86 and Peter Barhydt. Their Greenwich home has become many things for my family. It’s our safe house where we ride out quarantines; it’s a meeting place for parents and alumni; and it’s a learning workspace — they’re mentoring Erin, putting her to work on The Greenwich Sentinel, their newspaper.

I travel between Maryland and Connecticut, with frequent stops in Delaware (where my eldest is a freshman nursing student at University of Delaware). Let’s find a way to connect!”

The cover of Havy Haveliwala’s ’88 newest book, his 18th

1988

Hozefa “Havy” Haveliwala (who writes under the pseudonym, Harvey Havel) has published his 18th book, “The Odd and The Strange: A Collection of Very Short Fiction.” It is available everywhere. He gives his fond regards to his Gunnery friends and misses them very much.

From Doug Lee we heard: “The house feels so empty with both kids away to college. My daughter will be graduating from UC Santa Barbara this spring with a degree in psychology.”

1989

Whit Bingham Crosby wrote in October: “Hey, Class of ’89. Really bummed we weren’t able to get it together for our 30th reunion. Maybe after we survive this worldwide

pandemic we can plan for our 35th! I’m still out in Montana and would love a visit, assuming you test negative first. :)”

Peter Herrick lives in South Portland, Maine, with his wife and their 16-year-old son. He wrote: “I am working at a local university and continuing to make art on the side (and masks, still the masks; currently working on a design for cycling that can be easily pulled up when approaching or passing people). I am a partner in my wife’s jewelry business, Illuminated Me (illuminatedme.com) and we have started a new business at Living-United.com, producing stitched-in-the-U.S., reusable, fashionable, antimicrobial gloves. Up until the pandemic, I saw my parents pretty frequently as they live several blocks from us. If you make it to Maine, once you can do so safely, reach out at climbupit@gmail.com.”

Peter Smith wrote in February: “Still living with my wife and black Lab in Las Vegas. Recently took over box office and ticketing operations for all of Boyd Gaming (20-plus venues across 10 states). No real trips during COVID. Staying home and staying safe.”

1990

Proud Gunn parent Carolyn Klemm P’90 shared this update about her son, Peter Klemm: “He loved The Gunnery, went to American University, then a hedge fund, then returned to Washington, Connecticut, and is now the number-one broker in Litchfield County. He is married to Christina and they have three daughters. All attend Rumsey Hall, where Peter went.”

Steep Rock was a popular spot for running, biking and hiking throughout the pandemic, as locals and those new to the area enjoyed spending time socially distanced in nature.

In November, Laura Martin P’20 ’23 ’25 organized a race at Steep Rock. Morgen

(Goepel) Fisher ’03, Cass (Goepel) Marang ’08, Tal Fagin P’24 and Heidi Diedrich P’24 were among the race participants while Richard Martin P’20 ’23 ’25, and Susan

H’91 P’90 GP’20 ’23 ’25 and Michael Eanes H’90 P’90 GP’20 ’23 ’25 cheered them on!

1991

Tello Pescatello said: “Doing well, folks. Family and I are in California.”

From proud Gunn parent Stephen Tillman P’91 we heard that Aaron Tillman had his short story, “Soiling the Tree of Knowledge” accepted by the journal, Tin Can Literary Review.

1992

Due to an editing error, the Class Note for

Yasmin (Zaman) Lawrence in the Bulletin fall-winter 2020 issue included some incorrect information. She was born in Berkeley, California.

Mike Messina ’97 with his wife, Lauren, and son, Jackson, in Pennsylvania

(L to r): Obi Melifonwu with the 49ers, Doug Flutie, Sean Stellato ’97 and Ifeatu Melifonwu

1997

Matthew Greene started a new role as an experienced hire recruiter with Deloitte.

In February, Mike Messina said: “Hope everyone is well. Lauren, Jackson and I are living in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and will be welcoming a daughter in mid-May.”

Sean Stellato was back on the road this spring for the first time in 11 months. Stellato represents Ifeatu Melifonwu, one of the top cornerbacks in the 2021 NFL draft, who appeared in the Senior Bowl. He also got to rewind the clock and play in the 21st Celebrity

1993

Ben Sherman is living in Danbury, Connecticut, with his wife, Tanisha. He is working from home for The Hartford insurance company as a computer specialist.

1995

Danielle Sass Byrnett was recently elected to the Board of Directors for the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) in Washington, D.C. Danielle lives in Alexandria, Virginia, with her husband and two boys (ages 4 and 6), and works as Director of the Center for Partnerships & Innovation at the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners.

B.J. Utter’s ‘99 children, twins Genevieve and James, and Hazlin

Sweat Flag Football Challenge on Clearwater Beach, which was televised on ESPN as part of Super Bowl Weekend. To put the icing on the cake, he caught 2TD’s from boyhood idol Doug Flutie.

1998

Whit Matthews wrote, “We brought a new addition into the family over the summer. Meet Gunner!”

1999

Mark Zambero and Jamie Albro, the Admissions Receptionist at The Frederick Gunn School, were married August 16, 2020,

Mark Zambero ’99 and Jamie Albro on their wedding day

in Bethlehem, Connecticut, at the home of his parents, Jody and Jamie Zambero P’99 ’05. The wedding party included his daughter, Hailie, who was a junior bridesmaid, his sister,

Lisa (Zambero) Daly ’05, and cousin, Ryan Dayton ’00. The couple is living in Connecticut.

B.J. Utter is living in Connecticut, in the Windsor area, and working for Travelers Insurance. He and his wife, Claire, have a oneyear-old and welcomed twins, Genevieve and James, in early 2021.

2004

Joe Solosky was excited to announce that he was taking a new position starting March 1 as a managing director within NASCAR. “With the position, a move will be required to Charlotte, North Carolina. My wife, Erica, and I are excited to be moving down south and hopefully connecting with old friends and new connections based in Charlotte. Please feel free to reach out and I am looking forward to moving down south!

2005

Proud Gunn parent and new grandparent Emily H. Taylor P’05 shared that Wells Mueller and his wife, Jill, welcomed a baby boy, Evans Osgood Mueller, born June 9, 2020. Mark Lauretano wrote to us in late October: “Greetings 2005! So, ever since I got out of college I have been working on different types of cargo ships. Four years ago I transitioned from traditional cargo ships over to replenishment ships, which are designed to meet U.S. Navy and other public vessels in the middle of the ocean to give them supplies (food, fuel, mail, repair parts etc.) so that they can operate in the ocean for extended periods of time. I’m writing you all because this fall, I just had the honor of resupplying our own classmate, Joe Leahy, in the middle of the Philippine Sea. Joe is currently assigned to U.S. Navy Cruiser USS Antietam, which had been on a mission in the Asia-Pacific region for months. By coincidence, Joe and I were

Wells Mueller ’05 with his son, Evans Osgood Mueller

Mark Lauretano ’05 gives a thumbs-up from his replenishment ship as it delivered a full tank of fuel to the USS Antietam. Among the U.S. Naval Officers on board the cruiser was Joe Leahy ’05.

also roommates senior year in Gibson dorm. It’s crazy how two people can go to school in small town Connecticut and then run into each other 15 years later in the middle of the ocean on the other side of the planet. It’s always an honor to bring the Navy what they need and this occasion was extra special. Take care, 2005!” Drop Joe a postcard and show him some love. LCDR Joseph Leahy USS Antietam (CG-54) Unit 100130 Box 1 FPO, AP 96660-1174

2006

Having lived in the Dominican Republic for several years and most recently in L.A., Heather Lincoln has moved to Milan to pursue a master’s in fashion business and entrepreneurship at Istituto Marangoni. Despite fluctuating restrictions, she and her partner, Matteo Spadafora, were able to settle in nicely and explore nearby areas, including Lake Como. She looks forward to traveling more in the months ahead and graduating from her program.

Heather Lincoln ’06 recently moved to Milan to pursue a master’s in fashion business and entrepreneurship.

2007

Mike O’Brien married Sheila Kelleher on Friday, October 9, 2020.

The Bianchi family: Kate, Ellie, Cole, Christian ’08 and Charlie Mike O’Brien ’07 with his bride, Sheila Kelleher

2008

Christian Bianchi wrote: “I work at The Frederick Gunn School. I am very proud to be working for my alma mater. The Alumni & Development Office is great! I am married to my high school sweetheart, Kate Murphy, and have three kids: Cole, Charlie and Ellie.”

Ryan Meade, a physical education teacher and boys lacrosse coach at Chariho Regional High School in Wood River Junction, Rhode Island, was named the National Federation of State High School Associations state coach of the year for lacrosse in 2019-20, The Westerly Sun reported in December. “During Meade’s four years at Chariho, the Chargers have won Division III championships in 2017 and 2018 and reached the semifinals in 2016. Meade’s teams have a record of 51-18 (.739) in his four seasons,” the newspaper said.

John Vazzano and his wife, Brianne, just celebrated their second wedding anniversary.

Kyle Ward ’08 was promoted to the rank of Hospital Corpsman First Class in the U.S. Navy.

Kyle Ward was meritoriously promoted to the rank of Hospital Corpsman First Class, United States Navy, and was recently admitted to the Physician Assistant Program at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science. He intends to take a 24-month break in service to attend the program and upon graduation, will commission in the Medical Service Corps as a Navy Physician Assistant. He recently received the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal for administering lifesaving intervention before first responders arrived at the scene of a horrific motor vehicle accident he witnessed in Willow Springs, Illinois. He currently resides in Chicago and began his master’s in physician assistant studies in June 2021.

2009

Via Instagram, we heard that Ed Pequignot Jr. was competing in a new, six-episode television series, “Clipped,” with celebrity judge Martha Stewart. Pequignot took on six other “top topiary artists” in a bid to win a $50,000 prize and bragging rights in the first season, which debuted May 12 on Discovery Plus and HGTV. To see his cool garden designs, follow him on Instagram @gardencowboy.

2010

In October, Alex Vazzano and his wife, Brianna, had just had their second son, Roman, who joins big brother, AJ.

2012

Jeff Trundy, the David N. Hoadley ’51 Baseball Coach, was excited to share that another alumnus of The Frederick Gunn School has made it to the big leagues. Catcher P.J. Higgins was called up to play for the Chicago Cubs this season from Triple-A Iowa. “Higgins made an impression this spring on manager David Ross, who on Wednesday cited the catcher’s game-calling behind the plate, preparation and how he handled the Cubs’ pitching staff,” NBC News reported May 19. “He’s a phenomenal third baseman,” Ross told NBC. “They rave about his defense in the infield. I think he’s a really good catcher.”

2014

Brandon Garzione wrote: “Following obtaining my MBA at the University of Alabama, I joined the New York Yankees sales team in late 2019. The pandemic changed a lot of things and I relocated to New Orleans, working in sales for the Saints and Pelicans. I hope everyone at Gunn is well.”

Kayla Meneghin completed her third season in the National Women’s Hockey League this winter. She joined the Buffalo Beauts after two seasons with the Connecticut Whale, according to the Plattsburgh Press-Republican.

Virginia Dodenhoff’s ’15 new pup, Mignon, rocking her new Gunn gear!

2015

Virginia Dodenhoff welcomed home her new Bernedoodle puppy, Mignon, earlier this year! “She’s growing fast, is queen of the head tilt, and can’t wait to come visit the Gunn campus.” This spring, Virginia and Mignon are relocating to New York City from Denver, so if you’re in the area, give them a shout!

2016

Miranda Levin received her bachelor’s degree in public relations and strategic communications from American University in May 2020.

Congratulations to U.S. Army goaltender Trevin Kozlowski for being named to the 2021 Mike Richter Award Watch List. This award is given to the nation’s top Goaltender in NCAA Division 1 hockey. He was also named to the 2020-21 NCAA Second All-American Team and just completed his senior year at the United States Military Academy at West Point, according to the Iowa Wild, which signed him in May to an amateur tryout agreement. Hamilton College announced in April that

Chad Varney of the Men’s Ice Hockey Team was among 71 student-athletes who earned a spot on the 2021 NESCAC Winter AllAcademic Team. The all-academic recognition honors sophomores, juniors and seniors who have maintained a cumulative grade point average of 3.50 or better.

2017

Calista Connors graduated from Elon University in May with a bachelor’s degree in finance and accounting. In June, she was moving to Wilmington, North Carolina, and starting her position as a financial analyst at Live Oak Bank, the nation’s largest SBA lender.

From proud Gunn parent Carol Kachur P’17 ’19 we heard that Ben Kachur was a senior mathematics major at Emmanuel College. He graduated this spring in the Class of 2021 and lives in Boston.

2018

Cédrick Andrée wrapped up his final season as a goaltender with the Ottawa 67’s junior ice hockey team and is expected to move on to “bigger and better things,” according to The Hockey Writers’ Frankie Benvenuti. After joining the 67’s in the 2017 offseason, he quickly became a fan favorite and signed with the Bellevile Senators (AHL) for the 2020-21 season. “He works extremely hard on the ice and won’t ever get outworked by anybody,” former 67’s associate coach Mike Eastwood told Benvenuti. “He’s a very quick goaltender with a lot of upside and gets better every time he steps on the ice.”

From Jeff Trundy, the David N. Hoadley ’51 Baseball Coach, we heard that left-handed pitcher Mike Esposito was pitching this spring at Chipola Junior College in Florida, “always one of the top junior college programs in the country.” Former Texas Rangers manager Buck Showalter and former Toronto Blue Jay José Bautista are among the baseball program’s notable alumni.

Photo: Terry Wilson/OHL Images

Cédrick Andrée ’18 tending goal for the Ottawa 67’s.

2020

Dylan Donnery, a freshman at Quinnipiac University, was named the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year, the New Haven Register reported in April. “Donnery started all seven games for the Bobcats, finishing with a team-high 13 goals along with two assists,” the paper said. The team finished the season with a record of 4-3 (4-2 MAAC) and was named MAAC regular season co-champions. Juliette Gaggini had an outstanding freshman year at Bucknell, where she was one of four members of the women’s rowing team to win All-Patriot League Honors. “Gaggini was thrown right into the fire as a first-year coxswain in the Varsity Eight. She was one of only three freshmen to earn All-Patriot League honors this year, joining Colgate’s Genna Lamphier and Navy’s Lauren Day,” the school said in May. Prior to that, Gaggini guided her Bison crew to an 11.5-second victory over Delaware, a performance that earned them

Photo: Quinnipiac University Athletics Photo: Nathalie Gaggini P’17 ’20

Juliette Gaggini ’20 competed in the first Varsity Eight in the Patriot League Championship in May, placing second behind Navy.

Patriot League Boat of the Week honors. “The final was a great race with Navy, BU, and Bucknell neck and neck through the first 500 meters, well ahead of Lehigh, Colgate, Holy Cross and Loyola Maryland. At that point, Navy gained the lead and BU was up by a few seats on Bucknell. At about 1,000 meters, Bucknell made a move to overtake BU and gained on Navy to the finish. Unfortunately, Bucknell ran out of racecourse and came across 2.75 seconds behind Navy in 6:37.386,” Gunn Head Rowing Coach Lincoln Turner said. He further reported that Gaggini was nominated for a research grant by her English professor this year, and won. “It’s the emerging scholar’s program,” she told him. “I created my own literature research project with my English teacher, centered around 20th-century female authors and their relation to the natural environment while looking at gender, race, and class.”

Lenaijah Ferguson was featured in The Baltimore Sun in March for seeking to set an example for future Black lacrosse players. Ferguson, who just completed her first year at the University of Hartford, and her childhood friend, Dymin Gerow, a freshman at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County this year, were recruited as members of the Harlem Lacrosse Baltimore chapter’s first middle school graduating class. They are the first two women from the national organization to play lacrosse at the Division I level, the newspaper said. In the article, Ferguson drew praise from Hawks coach Meg Decker for talking to her UHart team about what it is like to be a Black woman playing a predominantly white sport, and what it’s like playing on a Division I lacrosse team as a Black student. “With what’s happening right now with Harlem Lacrosse’s first graduating class and organizations like Harlem Lacrosse popping up all over the country and the differences they are making in the lacrosse community, this is a history moment,” Decker told The Sun. “This is about something bigger than a game and changing it so that the game of lacrosse looks like the world, not just like a team of white girls on the field.”

Photo: Jenny Moe, Executive Director, Harlem Lacrosse - Baltimore

Lenaijah Ferguson ’20 and her childhood friend, Dymin Gerow, are the first two women from Harlem Lacrosse to play Division I lacrosse.

Harry Harwood ’20, Buckley Huffstetler ’20 and Nathaniel Ince ’20 were back on campus for the Class of 2020 Celebration in June. Harry Harwood, Buckley Huffstetler and Nathaniel Ince were among several members of their class who took a gap year due to the pandemic. They had an exciting fall. They traveled out West starting in August, trained a dogsled team in Montana; tended livestock on an organic farm in Colorado, and then took a road trip to several National Parks. Their last stop was Hawaii, where they met up with

Travis Powell, Trevor Hoivik and Harry Sutton, and worked as landscapers. Harwood also completed an internship with Litchfield magazine this year.

From proud Gunn parent Charlotte Maxwell P’16 ’20 we heard that Libby Maxwell and Sofia Pattillo were among 12 members of the Hobart and William Smith Colleges field hockey team to earn a spot on the 2020 NFHCA Division III National Academic Squad in March. Maxwell was a first-year defender on the team last fall and Pattillo, a first-year forward. The Division III National Academic Squad program honors student-athletes who have achieved a cumulative grade point average of 3.3 or higher through the first semester of the 2020-21 academic year.

Michael Vogtland, who spent his sophomore year at The Frederick Gunn School, reached out to Lauren Lord in the Dean of Students Office last spring. He was graduating from his high school in Germany and was planning to visit campus in May 2020 to spend time with the graduating class. He was disappointed that his travel plans were disrupted by the pandemic, but passed along his greetings: “I hope to come and visit in the future when things are normal again. Until then, I will keep my fingers crossed. Say hi to all the teachers still on campus!”

Bart and Kate McMann’s ’05 daughter, Lucy

Faculty News

On March 5, two faculty families welcomed new additions on the same day! Congratulations to Jim Balben, Director of Residential Life, and his wife, Stephanie, who welcomed a son, Weston. He joins big sister, Cecelia. Kate McMann ’05, Co-Director of College Counseling, and her husband, Bart, Director of the Center for Citizenship and Just Democracy, welcomed a daughter, Lucy Campbell, who joins big brother, Benjamin.

The Frederick Gunn School baby boomlet continued June 2, when Assistant Head of School for Teaching and Learning Emily Gum, her husband, Wheeler, and big brother, Hezze, welcomed George Evelyn Wit.

Jim and Stephanie Balben’s son, Weston George is the son of Emily and Wheeler Gum

Follow The Frederick Gunn School online at FrederickGunn.org

IN MEMORIAM

The Frederick Gunn School Community is saddened by the loss of many cherished sons and daughters and sends its condolences to their friends and families:

Mr. Frederick S. Fish, Jr. ’40

5/12/2010 Mr. James M. Baker ’41 11/18/2017 Mr. Jervis Van Vleck Heimbach ’41 12/6/2020 Mr. Richard G. Hattauer ’43 8/25/2020 Mr. Warren B. Mitchell ’45 8/25/2016 Mr. Richard L. Feigen ’47 1/29/2021 Mr. Francis Story Talbot II ’47 7/22/2018 Mr. C. Clayton Parks, Jr. ’50 P’85 1/27/2021 Mr. Colin R. Doane ’51 10/9/2017 Mr. E. S. Auchincloss IV ’52 7/7/2020 Mr. Augustus G. Kellogg III ’52 5/19/2021 Mr. George M. Auchincloss ’53 P’83 11/30/2020 Mr. Michio Nakano ’53 9/16/2019 Mr. Hugh F. Fitzpatrick ’54 11/19/2019 Mr. Brent Malcolm ’54 10/25/2020 Mr. Christian de Guigné IV ’56 10/20/2019 Mr. William D. Stoessel ’57 12/23/2020 Mr. Julian A. Spiro ’58 4/5/2021 Mr. George W. Haines ’60 11/2/2020 Mr. Hoagland Keep ’60 3/8/2012 Mr. Richard O. Drivdahl ’61 1/20/2021 Mr. Stephen G. Gessner III ’61 5/4/2014 Mr. William R. Paton ’61 5/5/2021 Dr. Henry V. Soper ’62 11/10/2020 Mr. William G. Wrightson III ’62 11/18/2020 Mr. Christopher G. Avery ’64 12/4/2020 Mr. J. Nowell Delevett ’66 6/11/2017 Mr. Donald S. Akin ’68 6/22/2017 Mr. John B. Faas ’68 8/10/2020

Mr. James L. Buttenwieser ’70 3/17/2021

Mr. Peter B. McInerney ’70

2/2018 Mr. Norman Riley ’71 5/2/2021 Lieutenant Jerry F. Bennett, Jr., USN ’73 4/30/2020 Mr. Stephen C. Sachs ’74 10/24/2016 Ms. Susan B. Kroll ’91 2/19/2021 Mr. Michael Ridolfi ’92 8/22/2020 Mr. Brett Sanelli ’95 9/2/2019 Mr. Matthew Z. Zomick ’97 7/13/2020