Class Notes

1961 Monson

Gerald M. “Gerry” Myers writes from Renton, Washington, where he currently resides with his wife: “After Monson, I went to UMass Amherst and earned a BS in 1965. In 1975, I completed a master’s degree in accounting at the University of Missouri and then a Ph.D. in business and accounting at the University of Iowa 1984. From 1982 until 2013, I was a professor in the School of Business at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington, where I taught cost accounting and accounting information systems. Since retiring in 2013, I have pursued my passion for meteorology, written an extensive family history and served two terms as treasurer of my church.”

1961 Wilbraham 1970 Wilbraham

2 Paul Heller writes: “Hello Everyone from the Wilbraham Class of 1970! I just celebrated my 70th birthday at Disney World in Florida with my kids and their kids. It’s not clear who was more excited to see Mickey and Minnie—me or the grandchildren. I’m in my 42nd year of practicing anesthesiology, currently in Fairfield County, Connecticut. Part time now, but I plan to do it as long as I am able. Pretty soon my daughter, son-in-law and their three kids will be moving in with me for a while as they are getting out of the Army and moving back to CT. I haven’t watched Romper Room in many decades, but now I get to watch it live! Every day! It’s very exciting. If anyone gets to Bethel, CT, feel free to give me a call.”

1973

Bill Hawthorne reports that he is fully retired from two careers, living in Naples, Florida, and traveling at will. “I am painting with oils many hours weekly, planning more travel and hiking mountains. Still married to my first wife, Carol. I enjoy running into former W&M colleagues during travel.”

1962 Wilbraham

1 In March 2022, the town of Enfield, Connecticut, voted to name the baseball diamond at Powder Hollow Park after much-loved coach Bob Bromage, who devoted almost 40 years to athletes at Enfield High School. Mr. Bromage took over the Enfield baseball team in 1967 as the second coach in school history and held the job until 2004, when he became coach at East Granby (Conn.). He retired in 2019. On Feb. 25, 2022, Chuck Feinstein was able to realize a lifelong dream by immigrating to Israel. He stayed in the central city of Herzliya before moving farther up the coast to Nahariya. “Great beaches!”

1975

Melissa Emery writes: “All is well with my family and I. My three children and their spouses all live within two hours of our home so we are able to spend lots of time with them. We now have five fun, amazing grandchildren ages 5 mos. to 6 years. My husband, Jamie, and I just celebrated our 41st wedding anniversary. We are still living in Central NH and are playing lots of tennis, golf, skiing and boating. I am selling real estate and my husband manages a groundwater consulting company. Retirement is in the near future. Health and Happiness to you all! Lisa.” 1987

3 Bruce Baker writes with an update from China: “Just celebrated 10 years of marriage to my beautiful wife, Yuhong (I call her Hong ... her English name is Mia). We have a 1-year-old daughter. Her name is Mei Bao. She is an English Springer Spaniel with black spots on white. Adorable and a ‘Cutey-Wutey.’ We spent 11 years together in my wife’s hometown/city called Xiamen, a southeast coastal city across from the southern tip of Taiwan. I was offered and took a Head of Studies position at an International High School in Singapore that was to start the summer of 2020, but that obviously got derailed by COVID so we moved to the delightful and culinarily wonderful city of Dongguan, China, which is very close to Hong Kong (if you go to Hong Kong and like pizza, there is a place called ‘Death by Pizza.’ INSANE. They opened up a store recently in NYC. Check it out.). I am working at one of the finest Foreign Language High Schools in China and am also into some import/export action. The plan is to be semi-retired by 58: Spain, pool, good food.”

1990

4 Chris Belisle has spent the last 23 years traveling and protecting the country’s coastline as a U.S. Coast Guard Helicopter Rescue Swimmer— from Florida to Hawaii, California through Oregon, up to Alaska and stations beyond. “Thank you, Mr. Nick for those cold winter morning two-a-days. Both kids are attending Oregon State University (Go Beavers!) and are looking forward to my retirement next year. Hope all are well and hope to see you soon!” 1999

5 Caitlin (Majocka) Sepeda has announced her candidacy to run for Sheriff of Hampshire County in the 2022 election. Sepeda is a registered nurse who has worked in two Western Massachusetts correctional facilities, including nine years at the Hampshire County Jail and House of Correction in Northampton. Her campaign website is www.sepedaforsheriff.com.

2000

Whitney Gallivan is a partner and Managing Director at Boston Realty Advisors, where she is the top retail real estate broker in Boston, completing on average 50 deals a year. She resides in Concord, Massachusetts, with her wife, Meghan, and daughters Stella, 4, and Leyo, 1.

2008

6 Brigida (Palatino) Froling and Kevin Froling were married on March 19, 2022, at Union Station in Northampton, Massachusetts.

2009

7 Stephanie (Pajak) Firely and her husband, Chris, welcomed a baby boy to their family. Logan Christopher Firely was born May 22, 2022.

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2013

8 On June 23, 2022, Molly Moran married Brandon McKenna ’12 at The K Club in Ireland. Brother Trevor ’10 and sister Emily Moran ’15 were part of the wedding party. Gillian Callahan ’12 and Jared Osuman ’12 were also in attendance. Mr. and Mrs. McKenna now reside in Colorado.

2015

9 Sophia (Gourley) Nallen married Miles Nallen this past July in Cape Cod. Jackson Bloomfield ’20, Nick Gourley ’18, Brianna (Goncalves) Lacroix ’12, Andrew Faulstich, Andy Goncalves, Aparna Sivakumar, Kasey Reed ’20, Drew Mele, Brian Kennedy, Austin Fabbo, Evan Roy, Andres Feng, Andrew Dasco and Emily Moran were all in attendance. Photo credit goes to WMA faculty member Paul Bloomfield! Sarah Goolishian ’13 was the couple’s other photographer.

2017

10 Katie Cronin graduated Magna Cum Laude with a bachelor’s degree in Management and Human Resources from Bryant University in the spring of 2021, where she also played four years of Division 1 soccer for the Bulldogs. Due to the pandemic, all NCAA athletes were granted another year of eligibility, and she decided to return to Bryant to earn her MBA and play a fifth year of collegiate soccer. She completed the MBA program in Business Analytics this past August, graduating Magna Cum Laude. Katie has accepted a position with the Fortune 500 company Thermo Fisher Scientific, a biotechnology company based in Waltham, Massachusetts. She will be part of the Human Resource Leadership Development Team.

2019

11 For the second time during the spring 2022 season, Jack Robinson was named to the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association Division II Dynamic Team of the Week. As of April 21, Robinson, who plays attack for Saint Anselm, had led his team and the Northeast-10 Conference in assists.

2022

14 Cara Murphy ’22 (front row, second from right) participated on a gold-medal winning team for basketball in the Bay State Games.

12 13 12 & 13 Blake Ulmer ’19 was regarded as one of the top lacrosse goalies in the country during his two years at Wilbraham & Monson Academy.

At the conclusion of the 2022 season, Blake was considered one of the top goalies at the collegiate level…with a national title as a hard-earned bonus.

Blake stopped nine shots as Tampa University of Florida defeated Mercy College of Dobbs Ferry, New York, 11–7, in the NCAA Division II Championship, which was played in May in East Hartford, Connecticut.

“We’re really happy for Blake,” WMA Boys Lacrosse Coach Mike MacDonald said. “He proved during his time at WMA that he had the skills to be an outstanding collegiate goalie. It’s rewarding to see so many of our guys doing great things at the next level.”

With Tampa leading 10–6 through three quarters, Blake rejected three of the four shots he faced in the final period as the Spartans claimed their first men’s lacrosse title in school history. The team finished 21–0, with Blake starting every game.

Blake was named the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association Division II National Goalkeeper of the Year, a USILA All-American and a First Team All-Sunshine State Conference selection.