Class Notes

1951 Wilbraham

David Tyson checked in with the O ce of Advancement in July. He writes: “There has been little posted on the class of ’51 … no doubt because we aren’t doing much of interest these days. I guess the news is we keep on keeping on. My best to Wilbraham (and Monson) and to the class of ’51.”

1964 Wilbraham

Stephen Rozwenc resides in Thailand and is a widely published expat poet. He has published six collections of poetry. His latest collection includes translations of poems by famous Russian poets created in an exciting collaboration with old friend Victor Peppard, Ph.D., a professor of Russian Language, Literature and Culture at the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida. The collection can be found using this link: https:// theplumtreetavernrussia.blogspot.com.

1965 Wilbraham

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1 Richard Carreno released a book set in July. “John H. McFadden and His Age: Cotton and Culture in Philadelphia,” the first full-length biography of the Philadelphia cultural titan, adds McFadden’s oft-forgotten name to the pantheon of great 19th-century art collectors. Richard is a longtime art critic in England and the United States. For many years he was a journalist and university lecturer in London. He lives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

John Cluett checked in regarding the passing of his Wilbraham roommate Richard A. Bucci ’65. He writes: “I found myself opening a bottle of ‘Bucci’ Italian white at a party in Carmel, CA, the other night and realized it had been a couple of years since I’d spoken with my old roommate Richard A. Bucci. When none of the five phone numbers I have for him answered, I looked online and discovered to my great sadness that he had passed away in July of 2020. He was a true friend, a dedicated doctor and a swell human being who couldn’t do enough for those around him. I raised a glass (maybe a few) of Bucci to ‘The Bootch.’ Thanks old friend, for your sweetness and all the laughs.”

2 Harry “Terk” Williams reports that he and his wife, Lisa, are “living the dream in the Florida Keys.” They enjoyed a visit with their son and daughter and their spouses and kids over Father’s Day in June. Their 12-year-old grandson stayed for a few extra days so that Mr. Williams could introduce him to scuba diving. He writes: “For what it’s worth, I started a SCUBA club at Wilbraham in about 1963, which was second in popularity to Mr. Mattern’s headmaster choir … until his wife took up diving with us!” Mr. Williams is also an accomplished aviation professional and continues to teach ground school in his living room two nights per week for his wife and friends.

1965 Monson

3 Charles “Chuck” Nothe’s latest book, “Five Names on a Granite Slab” is a nonfiction story of the Monson, Massachusetts, men killed in the Vietnam War. Chuck personally knew four of the five Monson men whose names are listed on the granite memorial in front of the Monson Town Hall (one of whom was fellow Monson Academy alum Ken Berube ’61). For his book, Chuck conducted interviews with family members, friends and fellow service members, and included documents from the D.O.D., maps, pictures and after-action reports. In July, Mr. Nothe attended a book signing hosted by the Monson Free Library. He is pictured, left, with WMA’s Director of Stewardship Sean Valentine at the signing.

3 1970 Wilbraham

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4 Darius Mojallali reports, “Life is good after a year of retirement following 37 years of full-time ordained ministry in the Episcopal Church.” Rev. Mojallali, wife Stephanie and son Matthias, 18, returned to Delmar, New York, where he and Stephanie met and where he served a parish for 20 years. He writes: “I am spending much more time playing my musical instruments— violin, guitar, mandolin, uke, a little banjo—and singing with my wife in a church praise band (actually I lead it). Matthias was born when I was 50, and he’s about to graduate from high school! Yikes! I have fond memories of my four years at Wilbraham, and especially friends Stanley Rosenblum, Ron McEvitt and Rene Fabricant (and many others!), as well as our beloved headmaster Gray Mattern.”

1980

In 2005, Clive Hyman set up his own business, Hyman Capital Services Limited, and still works in the corporate Mergers & Acquisitions and funding markets in the U.K. and around the world. Clive writes: “I am looking forward to the ability to bring my new girlfriend and soon-to-be bride to Wilbraham at some point when we are all able to travel. I have fond memories of my time there. If

anyone is in London and has relatives here, please feel free to look me up, as you would be more than welcome to stop by and say hello.”

1981

5 & 6 Patti Wagner’s daughter Kristi Wagner made her Olympic debut in Tokyo this summer as a member of the U.S. Rowing team. Kristi (left) and her double skulls partner, 2016 Olympic Silver Medalist Gevvie Stone, finished fifth in the double skulls final in 6 minutes, 51.98 seconds over the 1,500 meter course at the Sea Forest Waterway on July 28. While

5 Patti and the family could not attend the Tokyo Olympics due to this year’s no-spectator rule, they were cheering her on from home.

1986

7 Members of the WMA Class of 1986 had an impromptu 35th reunion at Sturbridge Village, Massachusetts, in July! Pictured from left to right: Todd Stuart, Sean Cox, Laura MulcahyMayhew, Seth Wesson Jr., Stephen Kane Jr. and Mark Schwendenmann.

6 1989

8 Joel Ackerman was promoted to partner at the accounting firm Richards, Witt & Charles LLP in Garden City, New York, on May 5. Reflecting on his accomplishment, Joel remembers taking Introduction to Accounting with Mrs. Farrington as an elective course during his senior year at WMA. He writes, “The class made such an impression on me I ended up going to Syracuse University and graduating with a bachelor’s degree with a concentration in accounting and I hoped one day I could be a partner at an accounting firm.” Congratulations Joel! 2000

9 Future Titan Vaeda, 2½, is decked out in her WMA gear with mom, Lindsey Leduc. Lindsey traveled on the Summer Tour for World Class Talent in Chicago, Virginia Beach and Providence, and returned to Boston College in the Fall to teach Jazz.

10 Geo LaMarche celebrated his 40th birthday on June 4 with a golf match at GreatHorse in Hampden, Massachusetts. Fellow WMA alumni joined him to celebrate. Left to right: Eric Peterson ’99, Todd Cole ’99, Geo , Greg LaMarche ’97 and Matt Hill ’00.

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8 9 Photo courtesy of U.S. Rowing

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16 2001

11 Lauren Pinkston Omisore married Bolaji Omisore in August 2018 in Lanham, Maryland.

2004

12 Aaron Wile is Associate Curator of French Paintings at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. He and his husband, Nicholas, were recently featured in Architectural Digest for their renovation of their apartment in the city’s Kalorama Heights neighborhood.

2007

13 Alex McKenna and his wife, Julianne, welcomed a baby girl. Olivia Ann McKenna was born March 9, 2020.

2009

Thirteen years after playing his last game as a Titan, Eddie Jewel returned to WMA this fall as an assistant football coach.

14 Caitlin Mitchell was recently recognized as one of North Carolina’s “Legal Elite.” This recognition is based

17 solely on peer nominations amongst North Carolina’s legal community and is annually granted to less than 4 percent of all attorneys in the state. Caitlin is working in Raleigh, North Carolina, where she primarily litigates complex commercial and employment matters and appeals.

2011

15 & 16 Jackie Smith Norton married Casey Norton on June 26, 2021, at Aldrich Mansion in Warwick, Rhode Island. Many Titans were on hand to help celebrate their union. Pictured from left to right: The bride’s sister Jessica Smith ’14, Jimmy Bernardo ’11, Caroline Smith (mother of the bride and Executive Assistant to Head of School Brian P. Easler), Jackie, Britt McFarlane ’11, Dominic Pessolano ’11, Rachael Kantor ’11 and Rev. Msgr. Christopher Connelly ’85.

2012

17 Members of the Class of 2012 had a mini-reunion in March 2021. From left, Becky Chen’s boyfriend Limbo, June Zheng, Becky, Sarah Cui, Ilen Liu and Colin Zhang together in Shanghai, China.

2013

18 & 19 Ivy Durepo married Andrew Guay on July 2, 2021, at the Harding Allen Estate in Barre, Massachusetts. Fellow Titans Mike Caine ’14, Kevin Lambert ’13 and Allie Cerpovicz ’13 were on hand to celebrate. Pictured left to right: Mike, Ivy and Kevin.

2015

20 Son Hoang Le had the chance to attend the public launch of Payoneer (PAYO), an online payment company, on June 28, 2021. Son has been with Payoneer since January 2021 as an FP&A (Financial Planning & Analysis) and Corporate Development Analyst.

21 & 22 Andrew Faulstich and Ximena Reyes Torres were married on July 9, 2021, at the Delaney House in Holyoke, Massachusetts. Classmate Drew Mele served as the best man, and Mr. Bloomfield, Chair of the Fine & Performing Arts Department, was the photographer.

2019

23 In March 2021, John “J.J.” Wilson was promoted to Lieutenant with the Amherst Student Force, a volunteer student-run engine company that operates with a career force member as a liaison. John writes: “We respond to 911 emergencies on campus and in the Amherst community. We sta Engine 3 seven days a week from 6 p.m. to 7 a.m., and have continued operations though the pandemic with strict COVID-19 policies. The Amherst Student Force has been an amazing and unique opportunity to train and hone my firefighting skills.” He also had the opportunity to administer COVID-19 vaccines to community members and first responders through the University of Massachusetts College of Nursing vaccine clinic.

We’d like to hear from you! Send your news to alumni@wma.us or call Molly McGill, Director of Alumni Relations, at 413.596.9118.

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Alumni Spotlight: Emma Kindblom ’17 still a big hit

For most people at Wilbraham & Monson Academy who know Emma Kindblom ’17, they really weren’t surprised to see she made it to the top of the mountain.

Excited for her? Yes, absolutely. But surprised? No, not at all.

Emma, one of the top athletes to ever don a WMA jersey, helped her Manhattan College softball team to the Women’s College World Series, the pinnacle for Division I softball players.

Emma, who was named team Most Valuable Player her senior year at WMA in Field Hockey, Indoor Track and Softball, was named to the All-Championship team after her Jaspers went 3–0 as the sixth seed to win the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, beating Canisius 6–3 in the final.

“Getting to the MAAC tournament was an expectation, and winning was our goal. Being able to go out to Bu alo, win two games to make it to the finals, play Canisius in the final on their home field and win was amazing. It proved how badly we wanted to win and how much we sacrificed to get there.”

The conference title automatically qualified Manhattan for the WCWS. Manhattan had a tough draw and fell to Arkansas and Stanford. Emma, though, made the most of her experience, getting a single o Mary Ha , the Southeastern Conference Pitcher of the Year and a First Team All-America selection.

“Being able to play in the NCAA Regionals portion of the WCWS was a dream come true. I grew up watching these games on TV, so it’s crazy now being on a team that made it to the NCAA tournament. Knowing that people all over the country were watching us play didn’t make me nervous, but made me proud to play the sport I love.

“What made me really proud though was the fact that the WCWS averaged 60-percent more viewers than the men’s did. This alone shows how much our sport has evolved and that it deserves more attention.”

Emma graduated from Manhattan with a degree in Exercise Science. She will attend Ithaca College in New York to pursue her master’s degree. With college student-athletes being granted an extra year of eligibility due to COVID-19, she will play one more season of college softball, this time at the Division III level.