Class Notes

Send alumni news and class notes via email to Cris Gomez ’10, Director of Alumni Relations: classnotes@westminster-school.org • Send updates to contact information to spierson@westminster-school.org

1949

Ronald Mitchell writes that he is in good health and perking along. He turned 91 in January. “My son, Ron, and wife, Lajohanna, have recently moved from Dallas, Texas, to Nashville, Tenn., to be closer to my great-grandson, Leon Mitchell. I have three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, all living in the South. I’m enjoying every morning at a six-person breakfast club that I started four years ago.”

1953

Joel Brightman writes: “Sold our place in St. Augustine and will spend the winter in Maine. Gave up skiing last year (got some balance problems) so will have to stick to cross country. Visited the campus with one of my daughters last summer. She thinks Williams Hill looks like a movie set. It does! Will have a ‘baker’s dozen’ of greatgrandkids in a few months. Life is good!”

1955

Alan Brooks reports that as the virus canceled out last year’s track meets, he is hopeful he can still compete successfully against the “youngsters,” though a dislocated shoulder three years ago forced him to abandon the discus and focus solely on the shot put. With the Westminster gym closed because of the pandemic, Alan resurrected his old gym equipment in the basement and is preparing for the 2021 throwing season and what, at 85, he said, might well be his last hurrah.

1959

Philip Kerr says he is still vertical and misses his old friends.

1960

John Gow continues hiking, fishing and fly-tying. “We enjoy living near the families of our two daughters and spending our summers at Moosehead Lake.”

1961

Keith Keogh writes that after 48 years in their home in Wayland, Mass., they moved to Lancaster, Mass. “Forty-five years of junk into dumpsters, and we still are purging our ‘treasures.’”

1966

Greg Islan moved full time to Williamstown, Mass., about one and onehalf miles from where his class held its graduation party in June 1966. “Both of our daughters live in Seattle, and our son has been with us for over a year working remotely due to COVID. Life is good!”

Dick Stewart teaches history to people over age 50 at Cape Cod Community College on U.S. 19th and 20th centuries, the Russian Revolution, Stalinism and the Cold War. He also gives history lectures at local libraries. He was elected to the Nauset Regional School Committee for a three-year term and is up for reelection May 25. The committee is fighting to get four towns in the region to support financing for a rebuild of their local public high school.

1967

James Mendillo writes that Evan Boenning received the prestigious Colorado Realtor of the Year Award in September 2020. “Evan, who has been a leading realtor in Aspen and active in the Colorado Realtors Association for nearly a half-century, was taken completely by surprise by the top realtor award. Welldeserved, Evan! Congratulations to our head prefect!”

1970

Sandy Jones moved to Brattleboro, Vt., saying, “Finally near family after 25 years in the West.”

1972

Rob Douglass and his wife of 26 years, Shelia, are proud to announce the graduation of their son, Jeremy, with a B.S. in mechanical engineering from the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., and his commission as an ensign in the U.S. Navy. Jeremy’s first duty station will be on the USS Milius (DDG69) homeported in Yokosuka, Japan. Rob continues to work for the Navy as an auditor for the Naval Information Warfare Center, Pacific in San Diego, Calif.

1973

Hilary Kumnick says he continues to be a ‘guru’ of sorts in the industrial and institutional dust collecting design field throughout New England. His other ‘job’ is as an officer with the state and regional areas within Lions Club International. Hilary was governor for Eastern Connecticut counties in 20172018, was the chair for all Connecticut Lions in 2018-2019 and will be president of the New England Lions Council in 2022-2023. Recently, he was a leader for an international group of incoming governors across the world and was dean of the USA/Canada Leo Leadership Forum in Calgary. Nearer to home, he provides grant writing and is on his fifth Lions van for the Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation. Hilary was an elected official in Killingworth, Conn., for 12 years and served the town on many committees. He and his wife, Laurie, have two sons.

John McGrath writes: “Barbara and I are now grandparents times two. Our son, Michael, and his wife, Heather, gave birth to a son, Miller, and four days later our daughter, Mary Adair, and her husband, Jake, gave birth to son Archie. I studied philosophy in Westminster faculty Todd Eckerson’s evening classes during six months or so of pandemic shutdown. Trying to keep my brain active.”

1974

William Counihan is “retired, playing golf and walking.”

1985

Louise Hough Palangi has gone back to school to get her master’s degree and become a teacher.

1986

Mark St. Amant is a freelance writer and creative director at daily fantasy sports and sports betting brand Draft Kings. He recently interviewed classmate and varsity hockey teammate Grant Slater for popular culture, sports and entertainment site The Good Men Project. The two discuss Grant and brother Todd’s production company (Slater Brothers Entertainment), their fantastic new indie film “Odd Man Rush,” fatherhood, filmmaking, creativity and more. There’s even a little Martlet hockey reminiscing.

1989

Dan Keating writes: “All is going well here in Pittsford, N.Y. I’ve just taken a full-time job as a professor in the MBA program in the Simon School at the University of Rochester. As well, I continue to do some technology consulting and serve as an elected trustee on our village board.”

1992

Christophany Creed writes: “On Jan. 20, 2020, my husband and I welcomed our daughter, Athira. It has been a wild journey navigating parenthood and COVID during these first months of her life. She brought pure joy to our lives, and we couldn’t be happier.”

1993

Dorian Thompson Dawodu was married July 25, 2020, in Fort Washington, Md., to Oludotun Dawodu in a small ceremony at the National Golf Club that was attended by family and a select group of friends. She says it was limited due to COVID-19 restrictions but was a beautiful occasion.

1995

Sarah Booth and Armando Inarritu were married Sept. 12, 2020, in Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.

1998

Trustee Kirsten Sichler Webb and her husband, Tyler, announced the birth of daughter Kimball Leighton Webb in September 2020. She writes: “We are over the moon with the arrival of our little bundle of joy. We are truly grateful for everyone’s kind wishes and support along the way, and look forward to Khaki sporting black and gold in the years to come.”

Mike Kennedy ’00 with his daughter, Katie, and wife, Courtney.

2000

Ashley Beckwith married Will McKellar Sept. 29, 2019.

Mike Kennedy’s 6-year-old daughter, Katie, rang the bell at New York-Presbyterian/ Columbia University Irving Medical Center to signify her triumph against Ewing’s sarcoma July 10. Katie was diagnosed in November 2019. She has returned to school at Greenwich Academy, where she is a first grader, and her sister, Meryl, is in third grade. Mike is in his 16th year teaching, coaching and working in communications at Brunswick School.

2001

Julia DeCiantis and her husband, Jeffers, announced the birth of Goldie Marietta Lyon Oct. 16, 2019.

Tyler Daly ’04 and Aileen Daversa ’90 at the Travelers Championship, Connecticut’s annual PGA Tour showcase in June 2020. Tyler is a producer for Shotlink, and Aileen was a volunteer Shotlink tablet operator on the 15th green.

Benjamin Ryder Stone, born in March 2020, and Ava Christina Stone are the children of Andrew Stone ’04 and his wife, Lee. Bailey Harris ’05 married Michael Caspani Sept. 12, 2020, in Salisbury, Conn.

2002

Michael D’Agostino hopes everyone is doing well up on the Hill and enjoys seeing all of the amazing progress the school continues to make. “Wishing you all the very best and please keep up the great work!”

2004

Elliot Byrd made the U.S. parachute team and will be representing the U.S. at the World Parachuting Championships in Tanay, Russia, in August 2021.

Laura Keene recently founded her own architecture firm in southern Rhode Island, Keene Architecture Inc.

2005

Andrea Seymour Walker and her husband, Colby Walker, welcomed son Logan Seymour Walker July 6, 2020.

2006

Lizzy Moran, an ex officio trustee, and her husband, Pete Kennedy, welcomed son Wyatt Ranney Kennedy Nov. 5, 2020.

Wyatt, son of Lizzy Moran ‘06 and her husband, Pete Kennedy.

Chelsea Hall Anderson ’07 with her four sons, Oliver, Henry, Charlie and Teddy.

2007

Chelsea Hall Anderson and her husband, Matthew, welcomed Henry Hall Anderson and Charlie Beckeet Anderson in April 2020. She writes: “Can’t wait to get these guys back to campus once COVID passes! Hope all is well.”

William Walter Katz III was born to Will Katz and his wife, Mary Helen, Nov. 23, 2018.

After postponing their larger wedding celebration, Caitlin Romaniello and James Whitcomb were married June 27, 2020, in a small ceremony. In attendance were Sky

Biedron, Kelsea Wigmore, Adam King,

Victoria Manganiello ’08 and Liza Winship. Other classmates were unable to attend due to the pandemic. The couple are planning a larger celebration for October 2021.

2008

Courtney Stafford Gill and her husband, Joe Gill, of Stratford, Conn., welcomed their first child, Henry Russell Gill, June 19, 2020.

Charles Lent married McCrae Lenahan on Sept. 14, 2019, in Wilmington, Vt.

James Renwick ’08 married Maggie McDermott Oct. 3, 2020, in a private, family-only ceremony.

Will Katz ’07 and Mary Helen Katz with their son, Billy, on Billy’s first birthday. Caitlin Romaniello ’07 and James Whitcomb were married in June 2020.

The Crus11Tour team in Cape Cod Aug. 2, 2020.

2009

Once again, members of the Westminster community turned out to participate in the Crus11Tour team, which bikes in memory of David Hovey ’09 to raise money for brain cancer research at Dana Farber Cancer Institute. The ride is usually part of the PanMass Challenge, which was reimagined last summer into regional rides. The Crus11Tour team had a Cape Cod ride Aug. 2 and a Simsbury ride Aug. 8.

2011

Eric Wainman is an MBA candidate at MIT Sloan School of Management with an expected graduation in June 2022. Eric is engaged to Anna Fang, a medical student at Harvard Medical School. A summer 2022 wedding is in the works.

2013

The Crus11Tour team in Simsbury Aug. 8, 2020.

2016

Stephen Gasior has accepted an inside sales position at Dell Technologies and will begin his new career in July.